The Kansas City Chiefs saw their struggles against the Buffalo Bills in the regular season continue on Sunday afternoon, falling 28-21 on the road in what has become a classic out of conference rivalry over the years between the two.&nbsp;

After Josh Allen spent much of the past week downplaying Buffalo’s showdown against Kansas City, the Bills quarterback revealed there was more to the rivalry than he let on.&nbsp; Turns out beating the Chiefs, a team that has blocked Allen and the Bills’ path to the Super Bowl for much of the past five years, meant something more to Allen.&nbsp;

The Chiefs struggled against the Bills tight ends throughout the matchup, and it showed on the opening drive as Buffalo opened the scoring with&nbsp;Allen connecting on a 23-yard touchdown pass to Dalton Kincaid.&nbsp;&nbsp;Kincaid led Buffalo with 101 yards receiving and James Cook had 114 yards rushing.

Kansas City did work to build a lead that they held momentarily following the Kincaid touchdown.&nbsp; Just after the start of the second quarter, the Chiefs tied up the game, running a play they ran last week against the Washington Commanders, but this time rather than coming up short Rashee Rice rumbled across the goal line for the first rushing touchdown of his career to tie the game.&nbsp; One drive later, Kansas City took the lead on a 46 yard field goal by Harrison Butker.&nbsp;&nbsp;

After the Chiefs built the 10-7 lead though, the Bills responded by scoring touchdowns on their next two possessions.&nbsp;&nbsp;Ty Johnson capped a five-play 70-yard drive with a three yard run for the go-ahead score.&nbsp; After the Chiefs gave the ball up on downs at Buffalo’s 40 when Cole Bishop broke up a pass attempt to Rice on 4th and 3. Allen then marched Buffalo on a seven-play, 60-yard drive that he capped with the first of two one yard touchdown runs.&nbsp; Near the end of the first half, Butker knocked through a 19 yard field goal, making it 21-13 at the halftime break.

Getting the ball to start the second half, Kansas City started with a three and out, and three consecutive drives ended with punts, before the Bills added another touchdown to extend the lead, Allen scoring his second one yard touchdown run for the only score of the third quarter.&nbsp; An 11 play drive by the Chiefs carried into the fourth quarter, and Kansas City made the game a one score game as Kareem Hunt punched his way into the endzone from two yards out.&nbsp; Patrick Mahomes found Travis Kelce for the two point conversion to make it 28-21.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Bills' defense played a major role in harassing Mahomes, who was sacked three times and hit 15 more.&nbsp; Mahomes threw an interception that made it looked like the Bills were poised to win the game late in the fourth, but&nbsp;Matt Prater’s 52-yard field goal attempt for the Bills struck the right upright, giving the Chiefs one more chance.&nbsp;&nbsp;The game was decided in the final 17 seconds, when Mahomes threw three straight incompletions from Buffalo’s 40. The last throw fell short of the end zone and was batted down by rookie Maxwell Hairston, who earlier intercepted Mahomes.

Mahomes finished with his worst completion percentage, 44.1%, while going 15 of 34 for 250 yards and an interception. The two-time NFL MVP had previously never finished a regular-season game completing fewer than 50% of his passes over his nine-year career.&nbsp; Hunt rushed 11 times for 49 yards and a touchdown.&nbsp; Rice had four catches for 80 yards as the leading receiver.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Next Kansas City has a bye week before they travel to play the Denver Broncos on Nov. 16.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.

Chiefs regular season woes continue against Bills in 28-21 loss

KFEQ Morning Sports

KFEQ Morning News

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jacobtukker/">Jacob Tukker</a>

On Dec. 1, Missourians will officially be able to start placing sports bets.

As the rollout has progressed, a number of sportsbooks have already been jockeying for positioning in the market and will continue to do so up to and past the launch date.

That means prospective gamblers will be able to choose between a variety of sportsbooks that offer different experiences and promotions. Currently, there are nine that have received temporary licenses to offer mobile betting:

Customers will be able to start signing up with different sportsbooks beginning Nov. 17, which is also the date the books can start hooking them up with preregistration promotions.

Despite comments from Missouri Gaming Commission chair Jan Zimmerman, Missourians living anywhere in the state can sign up for and bet with any of the nine books.

Here are some common questions you might have when choosing a sportsbook and starting the sports gambling process. To begin, we’ll discuss how we got to this point and then some common numbers and terms you’ll see when placing your first bets.

Since a law banning sports gambling in states other than Nevada was struck down in 2018, states slowly began creating policies to legalize it. Missouri was late to the party, becoming the 41st state to legalize it when Amendment 2 was passed in November 2024.

When Kansas passed a bill allowing sports gambling in 2022, it became visibly clear on what market Missouri was missing out. Since then, drivers from Missouri can be seen stopping on off ramps after crossing over the border to place bets.

Pro sports franchises were also growing impatient because they were missing out on an extra revenue stream and a valuable way to target younger demographics. So, a few sports teams, including the Cardinals, with the help of national gambling companies, were able to rally to get the measure onto the November ballot.

After a close vote, it passed. What resulted was a turbulent process of figuring out when the betting would actually begin.

At first, the Missouri Gaming Commission hoped to set up emergency rules to make sports gambling fully functional by March 4, in time for Missourians to bet on March Madness. However, the attempt was nixed by Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, who argued there wasn’t an emergency requiring hastened legalization.

That’s where we stand today. A deliberate application process has led to nine sportsbooks and various casinos gearing up for the launch … and bettors patiently waiting to bet on their favorite players and teams.

What do all of these different types of bets mean?

The most common bets to place are moneyline bets, spread bets and over/under bets.

Moneyline bets are straightforward: You are betting on which team or player will win a game or event.

When you place a moneyline bet, you will see odds that either start with a plus or minus. For example, if the Chiefs are playing the Broncos and the Chiefs are -150, that means they are favorites. In this case, a $150 bet will win you $100 (you get the original $150 back). On the other side of the bet, the Broncos would be underdogs, let’s say at +125, which means that a bet of $100 would win you $125 (plus the original bet).

For bigger or smaller wagers, payouts scale according to the odds. Going back to the Chiefs’ -150 odds, a $15 bet would win $10 and a $450 bet would win $300.

Spread bets operate a little differently. They use a point margin, where the favorite must win by more than the listed number while the underdog can lose by that many points and still cover. For example, if the Chiefs are -3.5 (- implies the favorite) versus the Broncos, KC must win by 4 or more to cash and Denver covers if it loses by 3 points or fewer or if it wins.

Usually, both sides of spread bets feature similar odds, which are normally close to -110 (again, meaning a $110 wager would win $100).

Finally, over/under bets are gambles on whether or not the combined score of a game will be higher or lower than a predetermined amount. In the Chiefs-Broncos contest, let’s say the over/under line is 50.5, and the final score is 30-27. The total would then be 57 (30+27), and the over would win. If the total ends up lower than 50.5, under bettors would rejoice.

Similar to spread bets, the odds on both over and under bets are generally similar and centered around -110.

You may also come across the term “parlay.” This is just a group of bets combined into one that must all win in order for the wager to pay out.

What are the differences between all of these sportsbooks?

Not all of the nine mobile sportsbooks are created equal. Some focus on catering to customers who are likely to place larger wagers, others feature high-value promotions designed to attract a huge user base, and a handful more are known for a fantasy-sports-driven interface.

• Circa Sports primarily markets itself as a sportsbook for the big guns and high riders. It’s known for its tight moneyline spreads and allowing experienced bettors, or “sharps,” to place large wagers.

• DraftKings and FanDuel, for most intents and purposes, are identical. These two books are by far the biggest players in the nationwide sports betting market, and both offer large promotions in hopes of getting new users to sign up. In total, these two behemoths make up almost 80% of the market, according to Reuters.

• Both books also offer tons of bet types, frequent promotions such as odds boosts and market themselves toward everyday bettors.

• Caesars and Fanatics operate on more of a loyalty platform than others. Sports Illustrated publishes sportsbook reviews and says Caesars has the best rewards program, which includes credits that can be redeemed for stays at some of its hotels. Fanatics, similarly, offers users digital FanCash with every bet, which can be turned into tickets, bonus bets and more.

• Underdog started solely as a daily fantasy sports site but has moved into the traditional sports gambling world as well. It is known for its fantasy draft games like best ball and parlay-style pick ’em.

The rest of the bunch are similar. BetMGM and Bet365 are especially known for the amount of sports that are available to bet on, so if you’re looking for a book to place a wager on Russian pingpong, those might be your best bets.

Good news! Along with the nine mobile licenses that have been approved, the Missouri Gaming Commission also granted eight brick-and-mortar casinos retail licenses to operate onsite sportsbooks.

• Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City — Partnered with Fanatics Sportsbook.

• Ameristar Casino Resort and Spa St. Charles — Fanatics Sportsbook.

• Harrah’s Kansas City — Caesars Sportsbook.

• Horseshoe St. Louis — Caesars Sportsbook.

• Hollywood Casino &amp; Hotel in St. Louis — ESPN BET.

• River City Casino &amp; Hotel in St. Louis — ESPN BET.

• Argosy Casino &amp; Hotel in Kansas City — ESPN BET.

• Century Casino &amp; Hotel in Cape Girardeau — BetMGM.

These casinos will open sportsbooks Dec. 1, the same time mobile books will be allowed to begin collecting bets.

What promotions are available, and are there any restrictions?While companies aren’t allowed to directly offer promotions to draw in Missouri customers until Nov. 17, there are sites that offer projections into what those may be when Nov. 17 comes around. Legal Sports Report is one of them, and here are the offers it thinks customers will be able to grab:

• DraftKings and FanDuel: Bet $5, get $300 in bonus bets on launch.

• Caesars: Bet $1, Double Your Money 20x.

• BetMGM: Up To $1,500 First-Bet Bonus.

• Fanatics: Up To $2,000 in No-Sweat Bets OR Choose Your Offer.

• Bet365: Bet $5 To Get $200 OR Up to $1,000 First Bet Safety Net.

• BetRivers (not yet licensed in Missouri): Second-Chance Bet Up To $500.

Since Circa Sports is geared toward those “sharp” bettors, it will likely not offer significant promotions.

What’s important to realize about all these deals is how the refunds or bonus bets are credited. They come as site credit that must be wagered again before you can withdraw. For example, with DraftKings’ offer, you’d need to place (and win) another bet with the $300 credit to cash out.

The only notable restriction is that bettors can’t place player-specific prop bets on college games involving Missouri schools. Betting on Missouri-specific team outcomes is still legal. Also, you cannot bet on high school games.

There are resources available if you are struggling with problems related to gambling. Missouri’s problem gambling helpline is 888-BETS-OFF, or 888-238-7633, and is open 24/7.

The Missouri Department of Mental Health also provides a list of certified gambling treatment counselors for those struggling or worried about someone who is. However, experts worry these counselors might not be aptly trained to deal with the fast-acting consequences that come from having access to a mobile casino at all times.

Amendment 2 also specified that per year, the greater of $5 million or up to 10% of sports betting tax revenues will go toward Missouri’s compulsive gambling fund, which intends to provide resources for troubled gamblers.

This story originally appeared in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/sports/other_sports/missouri-sports-betting-is-a-month-away-heres-what-you-need-to-know/article_48547610-7a23-4ed5-964a-b904bbb7c96f.html" target="_blank">Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

Missouri sports betting is a month away. Here’s what you need to know

ATCHISON COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 10a.m. Sunday in Atchison County, Missouri.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Hyundai Ioniq driven by a 48-year-old Freeland, Washington woman was southbound on Interstate 29 five miles east of Watson. The Hyundai rear-ended a 2023 Nissan Titan driven by a 49-year-old Independence, Missouri man who merged in driving lane in front of the Hyundai as the vehicles approached exit 116.

Atchison Holt ambulance transported the Hyundai driver to Grape Community Hospital in Iowa. The Nissan driver was not injured.&nbsp; Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Woman hospitalized after rear-end crash with Mo. pickup driver

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 4a.m. Saturday in Leavenworth County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Chevy Corvette driven by Jeremy Head, 41, Leavenworth, was eastbound in the 700 Block of Shawnee Street in Leavenworth.at a high rate of speed. The car went airborne, became unstable when it made contact with the roadway. The vehicle rotated and struck the curb, a tree and a building.&nbsp;

Head was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Forensic Medical. EMS transported a passenger&nbsp;Margaret Spain, 32, Leavenworth to KU Medical Center. They were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dead, woman injured in violent crash into a building

KFEQ Week in Review

While the average premium for one carrier will decline, most consumers in the health care marketplace will pay more due to the loss of tax credits passed during the pandemic

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">Rudi Keller</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/squinn/">Steph Quinn</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

Most individual health insurance plans sold in Missouri will&nbsp;<a href="https://insurance.mo.gov/sites/insurance/files/2025-10/Public%20posting%20-%20Final%202026%20Rates.pdf" target="_blank">increase in price next year</a>&nbsp;even as customers prepare to dig deeper into their own funds to replace costs previously covered by federal tax credits.

The state Department of Commerce and Insurance on Friday released the approved rates for individual plans, most of which are sold on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthcare.gov/" target="_blank">health insurance marketplace</a>. One carrier, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City, is lowering premiums an average of 4.1% for its plans available in 30 western Missouri counties. Some plans offered by the company will see an increase of as much as 9%.

Premiums will increase for the other eight carriers offering plans in all or part of the state. Ambetter Health plans, available off the marketplace in 109 counties, will increase an average of 1.9%, while Cox Health Plans, available in five southwest Missouri counties, will go up an average of 30.4%.

The costs for some Missourians will increase 70% or more if Congress does not extend tax credits enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The federal government has been&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/10/01/repub/protesters-at-us-capitol-back-democrats-in-shutdown-fight-over-health-care-costs/">shut down since Oct. 1</a>&nbsp;because congressional Democrats refuse to vote to fund the government until Republicans add an extension of the credits to the spending bill. Republicans argue the government should be reopened before negotiations over subsidies resume.

There are at least two companies offering health plans in&nbsp;<a href="https://insurance.mo.gov/individual-health-insurance-market-map" target="_blank">every county</a>, with a handful in the St. Louis area seeing seven vying for their business.&nbsp;

“First and foremost, Missourians need to know our state continues to have a competitive market, which means they will continue to have meaningful choices when it comes to their health coverage,” Angela Nelson, department director, said in a news release.&nbsp;

In addition to reporting the average change, the department also provided the largest change in cost for any single plan offered by the nine carriers. Those increases ranged from 6.4% for an Ambetter Health plan, to 110% for a Medica plan offered in 54 counties.&nbsp;

Open enrollment for the individual health plans begins Saturday. Consumers who purchase coverage by Dec. 15 will have it start Jan. 1. Plans may be purchased until Jan. 15, but coverage will not begin until Feb. 1, the release stated.

Missourians will start considering their choices without knowing whether enhanced subsidies enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic emergency will be extended.

The original Affordable Care Act subsidies that took effect in 2014 tied the actual cost to consumers to a percentage of their income for people earning less than four times the federal poverty level. Consumers with poverty level income — $15,650 for 2025 for individuals, $32,150 for a family of four —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rp-25-25.pdf" target="_blank">paid 2.1% of their income as premiums</a>, sliding up to 10% for households with income between three and four times the poverty level.

The enhanced tax credits put a cap on out-of-pocket premium costs for all consumers, with the highest earners paying 8.5% of their income and those with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rp-23-29.pdf" target="_blank">incomes below 150%</a>&nbsp;of poverty level paying no premiums for their insurance.

“There is still a tremendous amount of uncertainty about whether Congress will extend the premium tax subsidies into 2026, and we are keeping a close eye on any developments at the federal level,” Nelson said.

Only two of the eight companies offering individual plans in Missouri through the federal marketplace will have plans available in every county or almost every county in the state. United Healthcare plans are available in every county and Ambetter from Home State Health plans can be purchased in every county except Clark, Lewis, Marion, St. Francois, Schuyler and Scotland.

The average monthly premium is about $755 for both the United Healthcare and Ambetter offerings, an increase of about 15% and 25%, respectively.&nbsp;

An individual with an income of $62,600 a year or more would have to pay the full premium if the enhanced credits are not extended. That means paying $9,060 over a year for the average Ambetter or United Healthcare plan instead of $5,321, an increase of 70%.

A panel of community members and experts hosted by the Community Health Commission of Missouri in St. Louis on Thursday underlined potential impacts of the expiring subsidies.

Sheldon Weisgrau, vice president for health and policy advocacy at the Missouri Foundation for Health, said higher premiums could lead younger, healthier people to forgo insurance, driving up prices for those who continue to purchase plans.

“When folks can’t afford to buy insurance, it doesn’t mean they won’t get sick,” Weisgrau said. When they do enter the health system, providers pick up the cost, “and again, that eventually gets passed on to everybody else.”&nbsp;

As Missourians confront higher insurance premiums, 650,000 low-income residents of the state could also be forced to cope with a loss of federal food benefits, with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, set to run out of funding on Nov. 1. Federal judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island on Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/10/31/repub/trump-administration-blocked-from-cutting-off-snap-benefits-as-two-judges-issue-orders/">ordered</a>&nbsp;the Trump administration to use contingency funds to pay at least partial benefits, but SNAP recipients could still face delays.

Panelists on Thursday said instability across federal safety net programs means communities will have to fill in the gaps through mutual aid.

“I think the neighborhood, the village, needs to be recreated,” said Shanelle Woods, one of the community members.

“There’s someone probably on your block that has extra,” Woods said. “Maybe Miss Jones has a pot of soup and she’s willing to share with your children. But, you have to build a relationship with your neighbor first.”

Panelists said policy conversations don’t address the difficulty of accessing safety net programs even when they are not being cut or suspended.

Shellie Robinson, who went on medical leave after being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, said she struggled so long to prove she was eligible to receive disability benefits that she eventually had to go back to work.

Her doctors vouched for her, but, Robinson said, “it still wasn’t enough.”

“Who has the time to wait online or wait on a call for nearly three hours to talk to someone, to get it?” Robinson asked.

Timothy McBride, a health economist at Washington University in St. Louis, said that despite a “myth” that people who buy marketplace insurance plans are “undeserving, or they’re lazy,” many working people don’t have access to affordable insurance. Older adults who don’t qualify for Medicare – for instance, due to a chronic condition – may also need marketplace plans.

“There are flaws in our insurance markets that put people in this situation,” McBride said. “That’s the truth of the matter, and you don’t hear that from Washington. It’s a blame game.”

Missouri health premiums to rise as much as 30% for 2026 amid uncertainty over subsidies

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an arrest.

On October 29, police arrested 47-year-old&nbsp;Jason E. Blakley of Atchison, on city of Horton and Atchison Municipal Court warrants for failure to appear in court, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

Blakley was also issued a notice to appear in court in the 100 block South 15th Street for driving in violation of restrictions, illegal tag, inattentive driving, limitations on backing, failure to yield to emergency vehicle, failure to provide proof of insurance and for not wearing seat belt. He met the requirement of bond and is no longer in custody, according to online jail records.

Kansas man continues to skip court on multiple allegations

St. Joseph School District officials are
looking to cut $8 million from the school budget in the next two years.

Assistant Superintendent of Business and
Operations, Robert Hedgecorth, says the budget reserves have fallen to just
over 10%, far short of the district goal of 20%. 

Hedgecorth says it will take time to
bring expenses down to get the reserves up.

“You can only cut so many purchase service
and supplies costs. Seventy-five percent of our expenses are staffing expenses,”
Hedgeworth tells KFEQmmunity, “because that is the bulk of our expenses. We are
in the people business. You need to look for ways to reduce that staffing without
affecting the classroom.”

Hedgecorth says the challenge is to
reduce staff through attrition while maintaining quality classroom instruction.

“So, we’re trying to make sure that we
look at that core classroom structure and when we evaluate positions, what are those
things that are furthest from the classroom?” Hedgecorth explains. “And so that
is kind of that rubric we’re looking at when someone might retire or resign to
see if we need to refill that position.”

The St. Joseph Board of Education has
approved $2.7 million in budget cuts for the current fiscal year. The total cut
of $8 million will be spread over two years, according to Hedgecorth.

Superintendent Ashly McGinnis says the
district will be looking to make staffing cuts across the board.

“And there may be some things as people
resign or retire that we can consolidate positions into one,” McGinnis says. “And
so, we are open to all of those ideas and want to brainstorm to make sure.
Overall, we just have to become more efficient as a business as an organization
and that’s our plan to do that.”

McGinnis says the district will look to
cut positions across the board, from administration to custodial.

“We also picked up quite a few positions
during COVID,” McGinnis says, stating the district attempted to use the money
on intervention during the pandemic. “But then when that money dropped off, we
picked up all of those positions locally. And so, we have increased the number
of staffing, but we would look at that across-the-board to see where we have
inefficiencies.” 

The school board reversed course and
decided to maintain the current three high school structure. Other buildings
will close, though. Bode Middle School will close as the district consolidates four
middle schools into three. Hyde Elementary School is scheduled to close as
well. Other school buildings might follow. School officials say they will try
to sell the properties, not just to make a little money off the sale, but to
keep from having to maintain buildings it no longer uses.

Through all the talk of budget tightening,
McGinnis wants to assure parents quality will be maintained as the district
implements the Plan E adopted by the Board of Education.

“Kids are going to walk into our
buildings and teachers and staff are still going to take care of kids
throughout this whole process,” McGinnis states. “We have excellent staff and
that’s our number one (priority), teaching and learning for our kids. That will
remain a priority.”

The St. Joseph School District operates
on a $182 million annual budget.

You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

St. Joseph School District aims to slash $8M from its budget

December corn closed up 1 1/4 cents and March corn was up 1/4 cents. January soybeans closed up 7 1/2 cents and March soybeans were up 8 cents. December KC wheat closed up 11 1/2 cents, December Chicago wheat was up 9 3/4 cents, December Minneapolis wheat was up 2 1/2 cents.

December corn closed up 8 1/4 cents and March corn was up 7 cents. January soybeans closed up 55 cents and March soybeans were up 50 1/4 cents. December KC wheat closed up 23 cents, December Chicago wheat was up 21 1/2 cents and December Minneapolis wheat was down 4 cents.

Corn, soy, and wheat markets bounced around Friday, trading on both sides of even in what was for the most part a chance for traders to catch their breath following a volatile week leading up to Wednesday evening's meeting between President Trump and President Xi of China. It wasn't surprising on a holiday Friday to see volume way down and a somewhat aimless trade as a result; but eventually prices did catch and hold some steam into the close for a strong finish to the week. It was none other than the soybean meal market that led the turn higher with conviction, offering some late-session strength to the soybean complex, despite earlier lower soy oil futures as traders continue to push the long meal, short oil spread to the lowest spread per pound since mid-June. Meanwhile, outside markets were fairly quiet as well, with the U.S. dollar notably reaching 3-month highs, which may serve as a headwind to export sensitive ag futures if the currency can break above resistance near 100 on the index.

The live cattle complex was traded lower into Friday's closing bell as the market has exhausted the mild support it found midweek. With no positive notes developing from the fed cash cattle market, or sharply higher boxed beef prices, traders are remaining cautious players in the cattle complex as there's been so much volatility over the last two weeks. No more trade has developed in the fed cash cattle market, but traders will need to secure more supply this afternoon to avoid being short bought heading into next week. Northern dressed cattle have traded at mostly $358 to $360, which is $9.00 to $11.00 lower than the previous week's weighted average, and although only a handful of cattle have traded in the South, Southern live cattle have been marked at mostly $235, which is $3.00 to $4.00 lower than the previous week's weighted average.

Following right in line with the live cattle market's trend Friday morning, feeder cattle contracts traded mostly lower into the close. Although feeder cattle aren't trading as sharply lower in the countryside as they were late last week and even earlier this week, the market continues to see cattle trading cheaper as a tremendous amount of confidence has been stripped from the marketplace. Although buyers know that supplies are thin, they were keenly reminded the last two weeks that regardless of whatever the market's fundamentals are volatility will always be a big player in the cattle complex.

After having trailed lower throughout most of the week, the lean hog complex has finally stumbled into some mild technical support as the contracts traded mixed into Friday's close. Yes, pork cutout values were up a tick Friday morning, which traders could be mindful of; but more than anything ahead of today's close traders seemed to be acknowledging the sharp decline the market has made this week and are letting the contracts find a little support ahead of the week's end.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/10/31140031/web-closing-markets-2.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

Commodity markets daily recap

For the eighth time this year, the overall Rural Mainstreet Index sank below a growth-neutral score of 50.0. That’s according to the monthly survey of bank CEOs in rural areas of a ten-state region dependent on agriculture. The October reading was 34.6, its lowest level since May 2020, down from 38.5 in September. “Weak agriculture commodity prices for grain producers continue to dampen economic activity in the region,” said Creighton University’s Ernie Goss. 

While tariffs are producing higher economic volatility, 72 percent of bank CEOs gauge President Trump’s approach to China as “about right.” In other areas, farmland prices sank below growth-neutral for the 17th time in 18 months. Farm loan delinquency rates rose from a very low 1.1 percent in June 2025 to 1.6 percent this month. The farm equipment sales index increased to a weak 18.8 from 15.2 in September, the 26th-straight month below growth neutral.&nbsp;

Rural Mainstreet Index reaches five-year low

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that China has agreed to buy 12 million metric tons of soybeans this year. Bloomberg said that’s brought some relief to American farmers pushing for resumption of trade with China, the world’s biggest soybean importer. Bessent told Fox Business that China will also buy a minimum of 25 million tons annually for the following three years. 

President Donald Trump said China will start buying immediately and will be purchasing “tremendous” amounts of soybeans, but he didn’t provide additional details on the size of purchases. “The 12 million tons wasn’t surprising as China has little need for additional soybeans because of ample shipments from South America,” said Brian Grete of Commstock. “In the longer term, buying 25 million tons a year would basically be getting back to normal.” Chinese commercial purchases would require Beijing to roll back the tariffs imposed on U.S. soybeans earlier this year.

China commits to future soybean buys

December corn closed down 3 3/4 cents and March corn was down 3 cents. January soybeans closed up 13 1/4 cents and March soybeans were up 10 1/2 cents. December KC wheat closed down 9 3/4 cents, December Chicago wheat was down 8 cents, December Minneapolis wheat was down 10 cents.

Well for those expecting volatility in the hours immediately following the long-anticipated meeting between President Trump and President Xi in South Korea late Wednesday, the overnight trade in the soybean market certainly fit that bill. January futures traded down as much as 24 cents as details were slow to emerge before the early morning hours when Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent laid out the plans for soybean exports to China, discussed in detail below. For Thursday, grain markets may have been feeling a bit left out from the spotlight, falling from technical resistance on a lack of upward momentum. Outside markets for Thursday responded mostly positively to the details that have thus far emerged from the Trump/Xi meeting, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average reversing from Wednesday's late-session losses. The U.S. dollar also extended its rally back toward three month highs, which may have played a role in a sharp correction in wheat markets.

The live cattle complex did trade higher for a portion of the session as traders simply remained pleased to have a quiet, uneventful day in the marketplace, but managed to only finished on a mixed basis. After plummeting lower the last week and a half, it's refreshing for the market to have a slightly bullish, no-headline, non-earth-shattering type of day -- just quiet and subtle trading. Bids are on the table in both Nebraska and Kansas, but following the trade earlier this week, no more business has developed. Asking prices are noted in the South at $238 to $240. Earlier this week Northern dressed cattle sold for $360, which is $9.00 lower than the previous week's weighted average.

The feeder cattle complex also traded higher for some of the session, as the market remains relieved to have heard on Wednesday that the U.S/Mexico border isn't likely going to reopen any time soon to Mexican cattle imports. This was the silver lining after a week and a half of downward trading that the market desperately needed to hear to help push prices back higher. Thankfully, the market is now trading above its 100-day moving average in the spot November contract, which is a slow start to some hopeful recovery.

The lean hog complex once again traded lower as no significant fundamental improvements have surfaced. Until consumer support rounds the corner and shows more demand, the market will likely continue to trade in this sideways doggish manner.

<a href="https://www.680kfeq.com/2025/10/30/closing-markets-thursday-october-30-2025/">Click HERE for audio</a>

China’s state-owned agri-food company, called COFCO or China National Cereals, Oils, and Foodstuffs, bought three cargoes of U.S. soybeans this week. Sources say that the country’s first U.S. soybean buy of the season happened shortly before a summit of leaders Donald Trump and Xi&nbsp; Jinping. The deal calls for a December-January shipment of about 180,000 metric tons of soybeans, the first purchase in months. However, traders say they don’t expect a significant resumption in demand for U.S. soybeans after several big purchases of South American soybeans. 

Reports show grain traders have been optimistic that China and the U.S. would eventually reach a deal this week, which pushed soybean prices higher in Chicago. However, they are still cautious about how much China will actually purchase during this season. With weak Chinese soymeal prices, some still question the profitability of soy imports for Chinese crushers, even if tariffs revert to pre-war levels.

China buys the first U.S. soybeans of the season

The National Pork Producers Council has held ongoing discussions with the Trump administration ahead of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans release. The NPPC has formally expressed concerns regarding the Food and Drug Administration’s forthcoming definition of “ultra-processed foods,” which could be damaging for consumers of pork products. The Council made several recommendations to the FDA, including to not classify food as ultra-processed simply because it doesn’t fit into one of the categories in the problematic NOVA classification system. 

Such a sorting focuses on the food processing rather than the nutritional benefits. They’d also like the agency to not classify foods as ultra-processed that contain ingredients to enhance food safety, shelf stability, and nutrient availability. “As there is no consensus on what constitutes an ‘ultra-processed food,’ the FDA should elevate the importance of nutritional composition, while also protecting the processing and ingredients promoting food safety and nutrient availability,” the NPPC said. 

NPPC proposes strategy to define “ultra-processed foods”

By:<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/cami-koons/">Cami Koons</a>

U.S. soybean farmers and lawmakers said the Chinese purchase of several shiploads of U.S. soybeans indicated a positive step in trade negotiations between the two counties.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/china-buys-three-us-soybean-cargoes-ahead-trump-xi-meeting-sources-say-2025-10-29/" target="_blank">Reuters</a>&nbsp;reported Wednesday that COFCO, a Chinese state-owned food processing company, purchased about 180,000 metric tons of soybeans from the U.S.&nbsp;

The reported purchase, which Reuters attributed to “two trade sources” is the first purchase China has made since harvest season began on the latest U.S. soybean crop.

The country has also bought soybeans from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-expands-argentina-soybean-buying-20-cargoes-traders-say-2025-09-24/" target="_blank">Argentina</a>&nbsp;and continues to purchase from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brazil-soybeans-china-exports-40a785024e483ea9cd555fb3c7323e14" target="_blank">Brazil</a>, leaving soybean farmers and farm industry groups&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/10/02/iowa-soybean-president-urges-trade-deal-with-china-calls-trump-policies-a-bitter-pill-for-farmers/" target="_blank">concerned</a>&nbsp;they have lost a key international market.&nbsp;

The purchase comes toward the end of harvest season for many farmers, and also a day before President Donald Trump is slated to work out a trade deal with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The trade deal is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-china-trade-deal-asia-tour-continues-japan-sanae-takaichi/" target="_blank">expected</a>&nbsp;to include agreements on soybeans and other agricultural exports.&nbsp;

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins posted on&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/SecRollins/status/1983511209333690631" target="_blank">social media</a>&nbsp;Wednesday about the purchase and said it showed “strong dealmaking” on the part of the president and “a positive step forward for our farmers.”&nbsp;

“This purchase, coming directly ahead of the Trump-Xi talks, shows that America means business and that we will restore balance, give U.S. producers the opportunities they’ve earned, and send a message that when America leads in agriculture, the world listens,” Rollins wrote.&nbsp;

Rollins also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/shows/kudlow#" target="_blank">mentioned</a>&nbsp;the purchase while speaking on a Fox Business segment Wednesday.

The estimated 180,000-metric-ton purchase is a small percentage of the nearly 27 million metric tons of soybeans the U.S. exported to China in 2024, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fas.usda.gov/regions/china" target="_blank">data</a>.&nbsp;

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley has also&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/briefs/grassley-hopes-for-a-solution-for-farmers-following-loss-of-chinese-market/" target="_blank">called for</a>&nbsp;a trade deal with China that will benefit farmers. Grassley said in a statement Wednesday he hopes for a “successful” meeting between Trump and Xi.

“China thinks it can move the needle at the last minute, but these small purchases are not nearly enough to address the serious threats facing the ag economy,” Grassley said. “While this may be a positive sign, it’s critical that the Chinese market more fully reopens to American soybean growers soon.”

Congressional delegates from Iowa and Wisconsin urged, in a letter this week, the president to&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/10/27/iowa-delegates-urge-administration-to-prioritize-trade-deal-for-soybean-farmers/" target="_blank">prioritize a soybean deal</a>&nbsp;in his talks with the Chinese leader.&nbsp;

U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, who led the letter, said Wednesday the purchase from China was a “an important first step and a clear signal of momentum” for Trump’s negotiations.&nbsp;

“I’ve led the charge for our farmers and rural communities: end China’s trade war, restore market access, and expand ag exports,” Nunn said in a statement. “President Trump has proven time and again he has the tools to deliver. I look forward to reviewing the deal.”

U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Republican from Kansas, wrote on social media that the purchase was a “<a href="https://x.com/rogermarshallmd/status/1983530082800148666?s=12" target="_blank">big win</a>” for farmers.&nbsp;

Nebraska Republican U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer also&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/senatorfischer/status/1983545407389966844?s=46&amp;t=59TO4z1VG6CVW59Gr61ouQ" target="_blank">posted</a>&nbsp;on social media and said the deal showed “agricultural trade could ease tensions between Washington and Beijing, while also leveling the playing field and directly assisting hardworking American ag producers.”

The American Soybean Association did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.&nbsp;

<a href="https://x.com/ohiosoybean/status/1983549232272306640?s=12" target="_blank">Ohio Soybean Association</a>&nbsp;President Rusty Goebel said on the social media platform X that farmers were “encouraged” by the “positive trade news” and said the association looks forward to additional deals and purchases.&nbsp;

A representative from the Iowa Soybean Association declined to comment and said news of the purchase had not been “adequately substantiated.”&nbsp;

COFCO, the Chinese company that reportedly purchased the soybeans, did not respond to a request for comment or confirmation.

This story was originally produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2025/10/29/reports-china-buys-several-shiploads-of-u-s-soybeans-ahead-of-trump-trade-meeting/" target="_blank">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Nebraska Examiner, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

Reports: China buys several shiploads of U.S. soybeans ahead of Trump trade meeting

December corn closed up 2 cents and March corn was up 3/4 cents. January soybeans closed down 3/4 cents and March soybeans were down 1 1/2 cents. December KC wheat closed up 2 3/4 cents, December Chicago wheat was up 3 1/4 cents, December Minneapolis wheat was down 1 1/4 cents.

Row-crop markets held near even for most of the session on Wednesday but still among the highest prices observed in months as traders remain optimistic on commodity demand but at this point are willing to wait for the long anticipated meeting on Thursday between President Trump and President Xi of China before deciding their next round of trades. In outside markets, the Federal Reserve voted Wednesday to cut interest rates by a quarter point in what was an expected move, with further cuts expected in December and again in January. Equity markets extended gains into what have become daily records over the past week on the interest rate news as well as the wide sense of trade optimism across markets.

The live cattle complex&nbsp;was finally trading higher as the market has received confirmation that, although Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins spoke with officials in Mexico last Friday, there is no date currently on the table to reopen the border, as New World screwworm remains a concern. This was the bullish news that the market needed to hear to trade higher following last week's catastrophic decline. This positive news helped the spot December live cattle contract turn higher, and thankfully, now the contract is trading back above the market's 100-day moving average. No new trade has developed in the fed cash cattle market, following the light business that developed Monday afternoon. So far this week, there's been some cattle traded in the North at $360, which is $9.00 lower than the previous week's weighted average. There is a chance that if the board continues to trade higher than the fed cash cattle market may see prices better than what was traded on Monday. Asking prices range anywhere from $234 to $240 in the South and are still not established in the North.

The feeder cattle complex saw the headline it needed to see to begin to put fear behind it and again trade higher. Upon receiving confirmation that the US intends to keep its border closed and does not have a date pinned down for when it intends to see the border reopened to allow Mexican cattle to be imported into the U.S., the feeder cattle complex can now again breathe easy.

Pork cutout values may be a tick higher, but the lean hog complex couldn't seem to muster up enough support to really move the contracts higher. The cash market will likely continue to trade lower as packers were extremely aggressive in Tuesday's market and won't likely need many more hogs ahead of the week's end.

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South Dakota Senator Mike Rounds met recently with President Donald Trump and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to discuss the president’s plan to import some beef from Argentina. Rounds said they agreed the U.S. needs an America First game plan that prioritizes American farmers and ranchers. Following the meeting, Rounds said he was encouraged by the president’s desire to do right by the American producer. Opening the market to even more foreign beef, which American consumers cannot differentiate because of current labeling rules, would only exacerbate the problem and hurt domestic producers. 

Implementing Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling would empower consumers to choose, but instead it “continues to sit on the shelf gathering dust.” Rounds said the Packers and Stockyards Act continues to be ignored, as four companies – two of which are Brazilian-owned – monopolize the beef processing market. He said that the issue cannot be resolved by displacing American beef with foreign beef. 

Packers and Stockyards Act being ignored

As farmers continue navigating a period of tight margins and volatile markets, The Fertilizer Institute is urging policymakers to focus on practical solutions. TFI president and CEO Corey Rosenbusch said the solutions need to strengthen U.S. agriculture, expand markets for producers, and ensure farmers have access to fertilizer exactly when and where it’s needed. “America’s farmers are the most productive in the world, and we’re proud to stand with them through the challenging market conditions we are experiencing as global factors continue driving fertilizer costs,” Rosenbusch said. 

TFI listed a number of steps to accomplish its goals, including advancing a national policy to expand domestic fertilizer production, appointing a full-time USDA Fertilizer Economist to monitor market dynamics, and streamlining federal permitting and regulatory reviews to accelerate construction and modernization of fertilizer plants, mines, and infrastructure. “The input industries like fertilizer and seed all rely on strong, stable farm demand,” Rosenbusch added. 

Fertilizer Institute Wants Policy to Strengthen Input Supplies

CAMDEN COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 11p.m. Sunday in Camden County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Chevy Impala driven by a 19-year-old Steelville man was northbound on MO 5 just north of Dry Hollow Road. The car crossed the center of the road and struck a 2022 Peterbilt semi head-on.&nbsp;

The teen driver was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Allee Holman-Howe Funeral Home. The 45-year-old Owenville, Missouri semi driver was not injured.&nbsp; The teen was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Missouri teen killed in head-on crash with a semi

KANSAs CITY —Law enforcement are investigating an officer involved shooting involving a Kansas City, Missouri police officer, according to a statement from the the Missouri State Highway Patrol's Division of Drug and Crime Control. One person was transported to the hospital with critical injuries.&nbsp;

Just after 3:30p.m. Sunday, Kansas City Police were dispatched to a disturbance&nbsp;in the 3500 block of Independence Avenue. A man was reportedly shooting a gun into the air. When officers arrived at the scene, one officer deployed a taser. Another officer fired his duty weapon striking the man. EMS transported the man to an area hospital in critical condition. No officers were injured. Investigators recovered a handgun at the scene.&nbsp;

The Missouri&nbsp;State Highway Patrol's Division of Drug and Crime Control is in charge of investigating the officer-shooting. Authorities released no additional details.

Man critically injured in Kansas City police officer shooting 

President Trump was the opening interview on 60 minutes Sunday. He taped the interview with Norah O'Donnell in Florida after his return from a successful trip to Asia. 

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