A new class of the St. Joseph Sports Hall of Fame will be enshrined this weekend.  

St. Joseph Sports Commission Executive Director Brett Esely says every class in the hall has something special about it, and the more he's thought about this one, the more he defines it as a gritty class 

"They all come from a great background here in St. Joe, they all did elite things, and these were guys that had careers that expand longevity," Esely says on the KFEQmunnity show.  "And I think you would assume that with most hall of fame inductees." 

While Esely says this class is gritty, he says there's also one other thing that stands out about the 2025 class. 

"You have folks in this class that were really good at what they did, but you have folks that were really good mentors and helped other people either achieve their best or just get to a level where they feel comfortable," Esely explains.  "And I think that's a huge piece of what a hall of famer is, is you're great at what you do, but you're great at making people comfortable and better at what they do, and there's a lot of that in this class and all over it." 

Esely says many in the class did this as mentors to others, using Bob Boyles as an example, 

"Bob has a gym in his home, that's been his day to day job for a number of years, and he has trained athletes on all levels whether they be world class athletes, a unique thing is Rob Calloway, whose also in our class, worked with Bob for a while training wise, but you also have athletes that are just trying to reach personal fitness goals and stay in shape," Esely says. 

Esely says Sunday's enshrinement ceremony is sure to bring a lot of great stories to tell and relive during the ceremony.   

Nine individuals, one team, and one special Olympic athlete will have their names etched into the St. Joseph history books during Sunday's enshrinement ceremony.  

There are still tickets available for the ceremony that can be purchased online for $25.  The ceremony will take place on Sunday at the Stoney Creek Hotel and Conference Center from 5 to 7pm. 

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

"Gritty" 2025 St. Joseph Hall of Fame class to be enshrined this weekend

HARRISON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just before 2:30p.m. Tuesday in Harrison County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Peterbilt semi driven by a 66-year-old Amazonia man was westbound on U.S. 136 at Route EE in New Hampton. The semi attempted to pass a 2015 Chevy Malibu driven by a 45-year-old Bethany woman that had slowed to make a left turn.

The right front of the semi struck the left front of the car.

Grand River Ambulance transported the Bethany woman to Mosaic in Albany. The semi driver was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Missouri woman injured after semi, car crash

KFEQ Morning Sports

KFEQ Morning News

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating the theft of a&nbsp;&nbsp;Kubota side by side work vehicle owned by Mammoth Construction of Meriden, Kansas, according to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson.

The vehicle was taken from a job site at the Atchison High School football field. It is believed the vehicle was taken around 2:00AM on Monday&nbsp; and driven through a fence on the west side of the complex. 

Police later recovered the vehicle near 15th and Santa Fe Street. Police released no additional details including possible suspect details.

Police recover stolen construction company UTV

In the Kansas City area, all but one carrier have asked Kansas and Missouri regulators for the right to bump up premiums — in one case by 40%

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/suzanneking/">Suzanne King</a>

If you are one of the 617,000 people in Missouri or Kansas buying health insurance on&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://healthcare.gov/" target="_blank">healthcare.gov</a>, expect sticker shock when next year’s premiums are announced.

With few exceptions, insurance companies selling health coverage through the Affordable Care Act marketplace plan to increase rates in 2026. In the Kansas City area, all but one carrier have asked Kansas and Missouri regulators for the right to bump up premiums — in one case by 40%.

Only Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City proposed a decrease.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/brief/how-much-and-why-aca-marketplace-premiums-are-going-up-in-2026/#Distribution%20of%20proposed%202026%20rate%20changes%20among%20312%20ACA%20Marketplace%20insurers" target="_blank">survey</a>&nbsp;of proposed rates by KFF and the Peterson Center on Healthcare found a median planned increase of 18% among the 312 insurers participating in ACA marketplaces nationwide. That is 11 percentage points higher than last year and the steepest increase request since 2018.

Only four insurers nationwide said they would decrease rates.

According to the KFF report, insurance companies cited numerous reasons for the increases, including inflation, increasing labor costs and the high price of specialty drugs like GLP-1 weight loss medications.

But health policy experts said much of the blame should fall on new Trump administration laws and policies that will increase the cost of marketplace coverage, drive healthy people to drop out and leave behind patients who cost the most.

The first policy that will drive up prices is that enhanced tax credits are expected to expire.

Since 2021 those tax credits have offset the cost of health plans for more than 90% of people enrolled in the ACA marketplaces and made coverage more widely available. The tax credits, which helped double marketplace enrollment between 2021 and 2025, expire at the end of the year if Congress doesn’t renew them.

The second policy driving up prices involves a new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cms.gov/files/document/cms-9884-f-2025-pi-rule-master-5cr-062025.pdf" target="_blank">Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services rule</a>&nbsp;that overhauls how the marketplace operates.

Some changes will make it harder for people to enroll and keep coverage, such as shortening the enrollment period, eliminating automatic reenrollment and adding stricter eligibility checks. Other changes upend how insurance payments are formulated, which could drive up premiums and force people to pay more for deductibles and copays.

“The bottom line is that out-of-pocket premiums will go up,” said Gideon Lukens, senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, who co-authored a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbpp.org/research/health/administrations-aca-marketplace-rule-will-raise-health-care-costs-for-millions-of" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;about the changes. “People will pay higher deductibles and copays, and the maximum out-of-pocket limits will also go up. … And then a lot of people lose coverage as a result.”

The ACA marketplace reached more than 24 million enrollees nationally in 2025, including&nbsp;<a href="https://interactives.commonwealthfund.org/2025/marketplace-fact-sheets/Missouri.pdf" target="_blank">417,000 in Missouri</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://interactives.commonwealthfund.org/2025/marketplace-fact-sheets/Kansas.pdf" target="_blank">200,050 in Kansas</a>. That was a record, and double the enrollment in 2021 when enhanced tax subsidies first went into effect. During that same period, Missouri’s enrollment also doubled, while Kansas’ climbed 133%.

But those enrollment highs are widely expected to plummet next year as premiums increase. In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.khi.org/articles/marketplace-enrollment-peaks-before-expected-decline/" target="_blank">recent report</a>, the Kansas Health Institute predicted that Kansas ACA enrollment could immediately return to 2021 levels and uninsured rates could “greatly increase.”

Anything that makes insurance harder to get — and especially more expensive — leads to fewer people being covered, experts said.

And next year’s potential insurance premium increases come as the Congressional Budget Office&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2025-08/61367-Distributional-Effects.pdf" target="_blank">predicts</a>&nbsp;that policy changes from the Trump administration will lead to an annual decline in overall resources for the country’s poorest households between 2026 and 2034. The CBO said poor households will lose an average of $1,200 annually during the period, while top-income households can expect to gain $13,600.

Lukens said increased health insurance premiums caused by the expiration of enhanced tax credits and CMS rule changes could effectively lead the country back to a time before the ACA was adopted, when many people couldn’t afford insurance and found it difficult to access health care.

“It’s not a repeal of the ACA, but the size of the impact is comparable,” he said. “The way it’s done is more of a death-by-a-thousand-cuts way — a lot of changes that will just generally add a lot of red tape and make it harder for people to keep coverage, to enroll in coverage, and will raise costs. But the overall impact of it will be to increase the number of people without coverage by getting close to where we were before the ACA.”

Once the dust settles, an estimated 8 million people are expected to lose coverage through the ACA marketplace. On top of that, 9 million could lose Medicaid under federal legislation passed in July, which cuts federal spending on the program by close to $1 trillion and adds new obstacles to keep coverage, like work requirements and&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/07/25/missouri-work-requirements-medicaid-mo-healthnet/" target="_blank">documenting hours worked</a>.

“The worst case scenario here is bad,” said Caitlin Donovan, a spokesperson for the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.patientadvocate.org/" target="_blank">Patient Advocate Foundation</a>, which helps people around the country with chronic and life-threatening illnesses find care. “It’s really bad.”

Ultimately, she said, when people lose health coverage they’re less likely to seek care and more likely to get sicker before getting help. That makes care cost more, puts more strain on hospitals and other health care providers and, ultimately, continues the cycle of insurance rates climbing.

“There is going to be a sicker population that’s in a much worse situation,” Donovan said.

When people who are young and healthy don’t participate in the insurance market, leaving behind people who are more expensive to cover, it can trigger a cycle of increasing premiums, said Christopher Garmon, assistant professor of health administration at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

“Anything that makes healthy people less likely to enroll is going to increase costs and cause premiums to go up, and make healthy people less likely to enroll,” he said. “And that is a vicious cycle.”

ACA premium&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/06/18/affordable-care-act-health-coverage-at-risk-unless-congress-acts/" target="_blank">changes will vary</a>&nbsp;based on where a person lives, their age and income. KFF has a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/interactive/how-much-more-would-people-pay-in-premiums-if-the-acas-enhanced-subsidies-expired/" target="_blank">calculator</a>&nbsp;that can help people know how much they may see rates increase come January.

The Commonwealth Fund&nbsp;<a href="https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/maps-and-interactives/2025/aug/what-aca-marketplaces-do-your-state" target="_blank">estimates</a>&nbsp;that people in Missouri who receive tax credits will see a $720 jump in annual premiums, while the same group in Kansas will see a $590 annual increase.

Most of the insurance companies in the Kansas and Missouri marketplaces have requested premium increases next year.

In Kansas, Celtic Insurance Co. proposed a 40% increase, the highest jump. But Medica Insurance Co. said its rates need to go up 29.3% in Kansas. In Missouri, Medica proposed an increase of 29.2%, while Celtic proposed a jump of 24.4%.

Medica provided a written statement, saying the company’s rate request “reflects the trend toward increased use of medical services as well as the expiration of enhanced subsidies for those who depend on the Affordable Care Act marketplace for coverage.”

“We urge the Congress to promptly extend assistance that promotes stability in this vital market serving millions of Americans,” the Medica statement said.

Other carriers in the Kansas City market proposing rate increases include Oscar Insurance Co., which is asking for a 14.4% increase in Kansas and an 11.7% increase in Missouri, and United Healthcare Insurance Co., which wants a 10.1% bump in Kansas and a 10.7% increase in Missouri.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City is the only carrier in the market — and one of just four in the country — planning to lower rates next year.

The company said it would drop rates 6.1% in Kansas and 4.4% in Missouri.

In a written statement, Rachel Arnett, Blue Cross vice president of sales, said the company had “evaluated our product offerings, gathered feedback from our customers, and developed a variety of options on the ACA Marketplace for health insurance in 2026.”

Those include “a new focused provider network,” which it said would bring lower premiums and predictable cost, and plans to offer its primary care model,&nbsp;<a href="https://spiracare.com/about/" target="_blank">Spira Care Access</a>, through nine area centers.

A spokesperson for the carrier declined to answer questions about the rate reduction and did not provide other details about the scope of the coverage.

Proposed rates must be approved by state insurance regulators before they are officially listed in the marketplace.

That should happen this fall in time for the ACA marketplaces’ open enrollment period, which begins Nov. 1. This year, people will have until Jan. 15 to complete enrollment. But next year that window will shorten to Nov. 1 through Dec. 15.

But many people may not realize how much the ACA will be changing next year or understand what options they may have for coverage. That’s because earlier this year the Trump administration cut funding for navigators who help people find health insurance through the ACA marketplace or, if they qualify, Medicaid.

Funding for public information campaigns about ACA coverage and the open enrollment period has also been cut, meaning some enrollees could miss deadlines or forget to reenroll, which could also add to the number of uninsured.

Justin Gust, vice president of community engagement with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.elcentroinc.com/" target="_blank">El Centro Inc.</a>, said he’s seen this play out before. The last time Trump was in the White House virtually all of the funding for public information campaigns was eliminated. And the consequences were not good.

“There was a huge reduction in people enrolling,” he said.

This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/08/18/brace-for-sticker-shock-if-youre-buying-health-insurance-on-the-aca-marketplace/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Kansas City</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.

Missourians buying health insurance on ACA marketplace face highest rate hikes since 2018

ATCHISON COUNTY—A Kansas felon is back in jail on new allegations.

On Sunday, police arrested 31-year-old&nbsp;Kasandra O. Alexander of Atchison on a Jackson County Kansas District Court warrant for failure to appear in court, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

She remains jailed. She has two previous drug convictions in Doniphan and Atchison County, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Police: Kansas felon back in jail for skipping court

St. Joseph's Commerce Bank branch, along with the Kansas City Royals, is supporting youth baseball and softball with an equipment collection drive.  

To help kick off the drive, Royals pitcher and St. Joseph native Noah Cameron made an appearance to help collect equipment and meet fans. 

Cameron says it means everything to get to come back to St. Joseph for an event like this 

"It's super important to me, super special, to be able to come back home," Cameron tells reporters during the event at Commerce Bank.  "I say I'm obviously from close to Kansas City, so people kind of know that I'm a hometown guy but they don't necessarily know I'm from here, so it's definitely super special to be able to represent this drive and what we're doing here." 

The equipment collected by the St. Joseph branch will be donated to Pony Express baseball.  Cameron says it's special to help with because of his connection to the organization. 

"I wouldn't be here without them, I played for the Pony Express a long time ago, so it's kind of my roots I guess where kind of started playing ball," Cameron explains.  "Over at Eagles Field was kind of where I grew up playing, so it's definitely really cool to impact that." 

It's been quite the year for the St. Joseph Central alum since he's joined the Kansas City starting rotation.  

Cameron has started 17 games and boasts a 2.47 ERA with a 7-5 record. He currently ranks fourth in American League Rookie of the Year voting.  

Cameron says to keep the success going, it’s just about getting better every day.  

"Obviously we're game planning well, everything's going pretty well so far, so we've just got to continue doing what we're doing," Cameron says.  "There's a lot of season left, we're not where we want to be right now as a team, so just got to continue fighting every day, just showing up and getting better." 

Equipment being collected during the drive includes baseballs, bats, gloves, hats, helmets, and socks among other items.  

The equipment drive runs through September 30th. 

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Cameron returns home helping Commerce Bank celebrate drive kick-off

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">Jason Hancock</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

Only state Sens. Nick Schroer and Adam Schnelting remain in a group whose quarrels with GOP leadership defined years of Missouri Senate gridlock

Just as the Missouri Freedom Caucus appears on the cusp of its biggest legislative victories, half of its members in the Senate have quit.&nbsp;

Missouri lawmakers are poised to return to Jefferson City next month to redraw the state’s eight congressional districts in order to gerrymander the Kansas City-based seat of Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver. They’re also considering changes to the initiative petition process to make it harder for Missourians to change the state constitution.&nbsp;

Both have been longtime priorities of the Freedom Caucus, a group of hard-right GOP state lawmakers whose quarrels with party leaders led to years of Missouri Senate gridlock.

Yet after years of holding outsize sway in Missouri politics, the Senate Freedom Caucus is down to only two members.&nbsp;

State Sen. Rick Brattin, a Harrisonville Republican and former caucus chairman, quit in June following a break with the group over&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/09/missouri-freedom-caucus-royals-chiefs-stadium/">a $1.5 billion incentive package to finance stadiums for the Chiefs and Royals</a>.&nbsp;

State Sen. Brad Hudson of Cape Fair, who also voted in favor of the stadium bill, soon joined him. He told The Independent last week that his differences with the caucus focused on tactics, not policy.&nbsp;

“I’ve got nothing but respect for my friends in the Freedom Caucus,” Hudson said.

The departures mean only two state senators from St. Charles County — Nick Schroer and Adam Schnelting — are still aligned with the Freedom Caucus.&nbsp;

Schroer, who took over as caucus chairman after Brattin stepped down, insists the group is “stronger than ever” despite the loss of half its Senate membership.&nbsp;

There are 11 members of the caucus in the House, Schroer said, and numerous candidates likely to join the group who are running in GOP primaries for open Senate seats next year. Not to mention, he said, Missouri’s secretary of state and two congressmen are Freedom Caucus alums.&nbsp;

“I’m not concerned whatsoever that at this moment we only have two very strong senators,” he said. “And I think those numbers are going to grow. But just like in years past, there are going to be senators who may not be wearing the Freedom Caucus insignia, but they are going to be with us on 99.9% of issues.”

But the caucus’ dwindling numbers in the Senate, where its influence was always most acutely felt, has some wondering if its days in the center of the Missouri political spotlight are drawing to a close.&nbsp;

It began in 2018, when a group of GOP senators formed what they called the conservative caucus.&nbsp;

The group’s formation set off an escalating war with Republican leadership that culminated four years later when acrimony became so bad that the Senate adjourned a day early for the first time since a fixed adjournment date was set in the state constitution in 1952.

Soon after, the conservative caucus announced it was disbanding.&nbsp;

A year later, six Republican senators — most of whom were part of the conservative caucus — announced the formation of the Missouri Freedom Caucus.&nbsp;&nbsp;

And the Republican civil war resumed almost immediately.&nbsp;

The 2023 legislative session saw Freedom Caucus members using near-daily procedural maneuvers to gum up the Senate. Republican leadership responded by&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/23/missouri-freedom-caucus-leaders-ousted-from-senate-chairmanships-over-stall-tactics/">stripping caucus members of committee assignments</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/25/missouri-senate-gop-warfare-escalates-with-suggestion-of-expelling-freedom-caucus-leader/">musing about their expulsion</a>.&nbsp;

The 2024 session saw no improvement, resulting in fewer bills passed than any year in living memory, including the COVID-shortened session in 2020.&nbsp;

Throughout the turmoil, the group kept losing members.&nbsp;

State Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin, a Shelbina Republican, quit in 2021, telling The Independent at the time that&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/01/09/she-doesnt-have-a-tribe-cindy-olaughlins-new-role-tests-ability-to-bridge-factions/">she grew tired of the group’s disruptive tactics</a>. She went on to become majority leader and president pro tem of the Senate, routinely squabbling with her former caucus colleagues.&nbsp;

GOP state Sen. Jill Carter of Granby left the group last year, saying she could no longer in good conscience be a part of “<a href="https://www.missourinet.com/2024/05/08/missouri-senator-further-explains-decision-to-leave-freedom-caucus/" target="_blank">actions behind the scenes that defame grassroots and violate the needs of my constituents</a>.”

Tensions in the Senate cooled this year, with&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/01/27/dysfunction-derailed-the-missouri-senate-for-years-so-far-2025-has-been-quiet/">term limits pushing key figures on both sides of the fight out of the chamber</a>. The detente led to a much more productive session, marked more by partisan squabbling than GOP infighting.&nbsp;

That changed after Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe called lawmakers back into special session in June to pass incentives aimed at keeping the Chiefs and Royals from moving to Kansas.&nbsp;

The Freedom Caucus vowed to oppose the funding scheme, which it decried as a “handout to billionaire sports team owners.” But Brattin and Hudson voted in support of the plan after a provision was added making changes to local property tax bills.

Both were accused of betraying the caucus’ principles, with the group’s longtime political adviser publicly calling for the Freedom Caucus to “disband and join the uniparty that runs Jefferson City.”

Brattin quit soon after, saying he opposed the stadium funding but voted in favor after the property tax provisions were added that he believed would benefit his constituents.&nbsp;

“I agree with the caucus probably on 95% of the issues,” Hudson said, “and I intend to continue to be allies with them and work with them on issues that we agree on. There have been some times where tactically, there may have been some disagreements where I may have wanted to go a different direction.”

Schroer said the fact that the legislature is poised to debate a congressional map that seeks to eliminate the Democratic-leaning seat in Kansas City shows the Freedom Caucus is anything but dead.&nbsp;

“Back in 2022, the Freedom Caucus pushed for a 7-1 map and couldn’t get enough Republicans to help us,” he said. “Now we’re going to do it.”

The overarching goal, he said, is that the Freedom Caucus will pull the party to the right so the caucus will no longer need to exist at all.&nbsp;

“When we’ve got enough of these strong-willed conservatives that are able to stand up to the establishment and stand up to special interest groups, hopefully at that point we’ll have a majority of the majority,” he said, “ and there will be no need for the Freedom Caucus.”

Missouri Freedom Caucus left with only two Senate members after summer of defections

December corn closed down 3 1/4 cents at $4.20 3/4 and March corn was down 3 1/2 cents at $4.03 1/4. November soybeans closed down 7 1/2 cents at $10.33 3/4 and January soybeans were down 6 3/4 cents at $10.53 1/2. December KC wheat closed down 6 1/2 cents at $5.21 3/4, September Chicago wheat was down 4 1/4 cents at $4.98 1/2 and December Minneapolis wheat was up 0.01 cents at $5.87.

It was generally a bright red day on ag commodity quote boards as all three wheat markets again printed new lows; corn, soybeans and bean oil fell, with the latter two down hard. Steady crop ratings in corn and soy and the ongoing crop tour reflecting the record yield potential that USDA saw, along with the accelerating southern harvests, combined to weigh on prices throughout the session.

Tuesday presented itself as another opportunity to rally in the live cattle complex, and traders didn't let the chance to again push the contracts higher slip by.It's obviously helping that boxed beef prices continue to trek higher despite the already incredibly high price point at which the market is trading, but resistance pressure could at any time pressure the live cattle contracts and cause traders some anxiety. In the spot October contract, resistance pressure looms around $232, and the contract was just roughly $0.50 away from that threshold for the bulk of the session. Asking prices are noted in the South at $240 plus, but are still not established in the North.

The feeder cattle complex continues to flex its power and strength, as currently, many of the nearby contracts have already reached new contract highs for the day. More than anything, the surge in the feeder cattle complex seems to be stemming from the fact that demand in the countryside remains utterly incredible, and that the live cattle complex is seeing plenty of support, which all bodes well with traders.

Following yesterday's higher close in the lean hog complex, the market seemed to question its move, trying to determine if it has enough support to justify the move made yesterday and finished modestly lower. The biggest deterrent to the morning's carcass price was the loin's $2.24 decline.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/08/19142439/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

Commodity markets daily recap

Recent beef checkoff-funded research adds to a growing body of evidence reinforcing the important role fresh beef plays in a healthy, sustainable diet. Animal-sourced foods like red meat are often associated with obesity risk. However, Texas Tech University researchers conducted a comprehensive analysis of available research on the relationship between unprocessed red meat intake and obesity, finding no significant effect of such intake on weight gain or related metabolic issues in adults. 

The researchers found that beef contains high-quality protein and other essential nutrients, and people enjoy it as a key source of nourishment, but they’re often discouraged from consuming red meat based on recommendations primarily driven by observational evidence. The Texas Tech study is the first to fully review the totality of causative evidence, which shows no protective or adverse effect of unprocessed red meat intake on obesity. The NCBA and the Texas Beef Council funded the research. 

New study on red meat and obesity shows no link

One of the most important independent measurements of American crop production is well underway this week amid several challenges which are making it harder than ever to predict yield, one of the crucial statistics driving the Corn Belt’s economy. The 33rd annual Pro Farmer Crop Tour runs through August 21, and will send scouts to fields in seven states to measure corn and soybean potential. 

Lane Aakre (acre), Pro Farmer economist and eastern tour leader, says they’re eager to get out into the fields. “USDA is forecasting some huge numbers in states like Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, and South Dakota, based on satellite imagery and feedback from farmer surveys,” Aakre said. USDA no longer collects objective yield samples in August, so the Crop Tour is the first to broadly measure ear populations and pod counts from actual fields in the Corn Belt. They’ll pull more than 1,600 corn and 1,600 soybean samples.

Pro Farmer Crop Tour this week is counting down to harvest

Click <a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/08/18144852/30001-closing-markets.wav">HERE</a> to listen to the closing markets

December corn closed up 1 1/4 cents per bushel at $4.06 1/2 and March corn was up 1 3/4 cents at $4.24 1/4. November soybeans closed down 1 1/4 cents at $10.41 1/4 and January soybeans were down 1 1/2 cents at $10.60. September KC wheat closed down 3/4 cent at $5.06 1/4, September Chicago wheat was down 3 3/4 cents at $5.02 3/4 and MIAX December Minneapolis wheat was down 0.01 cents at $5.8825.

The September U.S. Dollar Index is trading up 0.263 at 97.975. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is down 44.33 points at 44,901.79. December gold is down $3.60 at $3,379.00, September silver is up $0.08 at $38.06 and September copper is down $0.0125 at $4.4800. September crude oil is up $0.58 at $63.38, September heating oil is up $0.0140, September RBOB is up $0.0243 and September natural gas is down $0.027.

December corn futures, in two-sided trade, finished slightly better on Monday. Early pressure was coming from not only the continued favorable weather with the primary Corn Belt slated to get more rain amid a cooling trend, but also from thoughts that a major annual crop tour which began on Monday was likely to find more reasons to be bearish corn. After the recent August WASDE had pegged the corn crop at a record 188.8 bushels per acre (bpa) yield with record production of over 16.7 billion bushels (bb), some even believed NASS could ultimately raise yield again in future reports. Talk centered on corn at least having a yield of 186 bpa with some private estimates even inching up to and above the 190-bpa mark. Also adding pressure is the expanding southern corn harvest with Louisiana likely to reach more than 60% harvested with Arkansas moving close to 20%, pressuring cash values. So far, Delta corn yields are reported to be running well above a year ago. On Monday morning another new corn sale was announced -- 4.9 mb sold to unknown destinations. Demand remains solid on the export front along with corn used for ethanol. Weekend rain fell in the Northern Plains, Upper Midwest, with more rain early Monday for parts of Nebraska, Iowa and into Minnesota and Wisconsin. Funds remain net-short the corn market. DTN's National Corn Index is $3.65 and 19 cents under the September futures.

The soy market was quiet to start the new week with soybeans trading to a slight loss late, while bean oil was slightly higher in two-sided trade and soymeal fell for the third consecutive day. Weather continues to be very favorable into the first half of September. Weekend rain in the Northern Plains, Upper Midwest and primary Corn Belt will be followed by a cooler and wetter pattern beyond Tuesday. The trade is awaiting news from the ongoing Pro Farmer tour which will conclude Thursday with a yield and production estimate. The calendar spread in beans is suggesting we could see another bump in soy yield in coming reports. Export business in the new-crop slot continues to be anemic with zero China soy purchases on the books so far. At a time when U.S. soy exporters usually find strong China buying interest, due to the tariff fight, it seems China has loaded up on more expensive South American beans. Domestically, soybean crush continues to be the bright spot with the July NOPA report showing a record large grind of 195.6 million bushels (mb). A recent farm advisory private tour of Iowa and Illinois revealed record large pod counts, and the DTN Digital Tour results from those two states would likely concur with call for record yields. The southern soybean harvest will likely begin just after the Labor Day weekend, with the large corn and soy crops expected to strain the storage system. Funds begin the new week with a modest bean short and bean oil long and a large soymeal net short of 109,000 contracts. DTN's National Soybean Index is $9.78 and 65 under the November futures.

A draft of the upcoming MAHA report, reportedly will not propose direct restrictions on ultra-processed foods and pesticides that HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., called “major threats.” If it is adopted, the report on the health of America’s children will be good news for the food and agriculture industries, which feared much more restrictive proposals than the ones currently outlined in the draft. 

Kennedy, the Health and Human Services Secretary, has sought to change the nation’s diet by pushing the industries to make major changes through his “Make America Healthy Again” movement. The New York Times said industry regulators will work with ag stakeholders to make sure the public is aware of and confident in existing pesticide review procedures. However, it also said the administration will back research on technologies to help farmers reduce pesticide use and on the health impacts on the public.

Draft MAHA report shows no pesticide restrictions

U.S. wheat exports for 2025-2026 are forecast to increase by 25 million bushels this month, the highest since 2020, based on a strong pace of export sales and competitive pricing. Hard Red Winter Wheat exports are forecast to rise by 300 million bushels, with total commitments almost double from a year ago. That’s based on information from the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service Export Sales Database. 

With competitive pricing compared to other exporters, HRW sales have expanded to a wide variety of markets, most notably to Nigeria, Mexico, Venezuela, and Bangladesh. 

Export sales of Soft Red Winter Wheat and Durum are running slightly ahead of last year, and total exports of those classes are forecast to increase during the marketing year. Conversely, sales of Hard Red Spring and White currently lag behind last year’s pace and are forecast to be lower year to year. Total 2025-2026 wheat production is forecast at 1.93 billion bushels.

Wheat exports to rebound in the year ahead

December corn closed up 8 cents per bushel at $4.05 1/4 and March corn was up 8 1/2 cents at $4.22 1/2. November soybeans closed up 14 cents at $10.61 1/2 and January soybeans were up 13 1/4 cents at $10.42 1/2. September KC wheat closed up 2 3/4 cents at $5.07, September Chicago wheat was up 3 cents at $5.06 1/2 and December Minneapolis wheat was down 0.02 cents at $5.8975.

September corn rose 1 cent for the week to close at $3.83 3/4 and December corn finished down 1/4 cent at $4.05 1/4. September soybeans closed up 54 1/2 cents to end the week at $10.22 1/4 and November beans closed up 55 cents to finish at $10.42 1/2. Chicago September wheat finished down 8 at $5.06 1/2, KC September fell 11 1/4 cents to end at $5.07.  Minneapolis wheat ended down .0575 to end the week at $5.69 1/4.

Grain and soy markets closed stronger Friday with the exception of soymeal and Minneapolis wheat. Traders likely added back some weather premium due to the warmer and drier outlook for parts of the eastern and southern Midwest and Delta. The strength came despite the news that Brazil's corn and soy crops would both be record large. Kansas City and Chicago wheat had become extremely oversold and joined in Friday's rally effort.

The live cattle complex was back to rallying as traders were hopeful that the fed cash cattle market will indeed see higher prices in both regions this week. There was a thin movement of cattle traded in the North at mostly $384 to $386, which is $3.00 to $5.00 higher than last week's weighted average, Asking prices remain firm in the South at $237 plus, and there are bids currently on the table in Texas at $233, but again, no Southern live cattle have traded yet. Even so, traders are hopeful that the market will continue to see fundamental support, which is mainly why the contracts traded higher into Friday's close. Plus, it's helpful that boxed beef prices were rallying noticeably again today.

The feeder cattle complex was worried at the start of Friday's complex that the day's trade may be pressured like it was on Thursday. But thankfully, upon seeing the live cattle contracts trading higher, even the feeder cattle contracts traded significantly stronger into Friday's close.

At last, the lean hog complex traded higher as the market has finally seemed to find some technical support, which helped rally the contracts and the strong uptick in pork demand this morning was helpful too. The $14.87 rally in the belly is the biggest reason why the carcass price was higher, but every single one of the major cuts were trading higher and advancements of $2.00 to $5.00 were the norm this morning.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/08/15141605/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

Despite ongoing challenges, agricultural land values have remained remarkably stable through mid-2025. According to the Farmers National Company, the resilience is mainly driven by simple supply and demand; there are more motivated buyers than willing sellers. While producers remain the main buyers of ag land, interest from individual and institutional investors can’t be ignored. As land values stabilize after the peaks of the last five years, investors are increasingly attracted to the annual returns and long-term appreciation. 

Farm Credit Services of America says benchmark Midwest farmland values increased 57 percent over the past five years and 39 percent over the past decade. Inventory remains limited, with listings down 25 percent from the peak in 2020-2021. “While producer balance sheets generally remain strong, any negative movements in the ag economy could quickly impact the land market,” said Paul Shadegg, the senior vice president of real estate operations at Farmers National. 

Ag land market remains resilient

American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall commented on the EPA’s announcement that it will revise Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) guidelines for manufacturers of heavy trucks and off-road equipment. Manufacturers will be directed to update the software in equipment that uses DEF to prevent them from losing power. “Farm Bureau thanks the EPA and Administrator Zeldin for their common-sense approach to heavy trucks and off-road equipment that uses Diesel Exhaust Fluid,” Duvall said. 

“When a vehicle runs out of DEF or there is an error in the software, it loses power, causing delays that could be the difference between getting a crop harvested or animals to their destination.” He also said the agency’s decision to grant a grace period to make repairs or refill DEF is the right thing to do, which keeps farmers in the field and commerce moving. Since 2010, diesel trucks and tractors have used DEF to reduce emissions of nitrous oxides. 

Farmers applaud common-sense fix for diesel engines

December corn closed unchanged at $3.97 1/4 and March corn was down a penny at $4.14. November soybeans closed down 15 3/4 cents at $10.28 1/2 and January soybeans were down 14 1/2 cents at $10.48 1/4. September KC wheat closed down 2 1/2 cents at $5.04 1/4, September Chicago wheat was down 3 3/4 cents at $5.03 1/2 and December Minneapolis wheat was down 0.04 cents at $5.92.

The soybean market retreated Thursday, halting a 3-day rally, as did soy products. Both Chicago and Kansas City wheat fell to new contract lows before bouncing and corn was mixed to lower in quiet trade. December corn came within a half-cent of the low before stabilizing. Bean oil futures resumed the downtrend.

Even though the live cattle complex was grateful to close higher Wednesday afternoon and see fed cash cattle prices trade higher in the North. The market is struggled as the week's export report was lousy and traders are holding their breath, waiting to see if the complex falls below last Friday's close, which would be a bearish technical signal. Last Friday, the market traded as low as $225.60, which will be the threshold we need to continue to monitor. A few cash bids are on the table as live bids are being offered at $233 in Texas. Live bids are being offered in Nebraska at $245, but no trade has developed yet following Wednesday's movement in the Nebraska where dressed cattle were trading at $385, which is $4.00 higher than last week's weighted average.

And as one would logically expect, the feeder cattle complex also traded significantly lower after seeing the live cattle contracts duck and run. Traders believed that was the best route to send the feeder cattle contracts as well. Again, this decision is solely one being made on technical indications as demand in the countryside remains nearly unfathomable for feeder cattle. It's looking like the fed cash cattle market may be able to trade cattle for higher money this week, but time will tell.

The lean hog complex traded lower as well into Thursday's closing bell, as traders remain displeased about the morning's export report and didn't finding the morning's fundamental support to be sufficient enough to keep steady. The cutout's biggest problem this morning was the $4.96 decline in the picnic.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/08/14144813/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

JOHNSON COUNTY — A man admitted his role in a drug overdose death.

On August 14, Joseph Thomas Miller pleaded guilty to distribution of drugs causing death in connection with he death of 33-year-old Mason Findley of Wellsville in August of 2024, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;

In February,&nbsp; police found and arrested Miller in Kansas City in connection with the alleged crime, according to Jackson County court records.&nbsp;

In August of 2024, Miller sold a controlled substance to Findley which ultimately caused his death, according to a criminal complaint filed by the Johnson County, Kansas District Attorney's office.

Miller of Blue Springs was extradited to Kansas to face justice. He is scheduled for sentencing on October 8.&nbsp; <a href="https://memorials.brucefuneralhome.com/mason-findley/5476330/">Click here to read Mason Findley's obituary.</a>

Suspect admits selling drugs that killed Kansas man

🎥White House statement on former Mo. AG joining FBI in DC

KANSAS CITY—Investigators are working to determine the cause of a house fire in Kansas City.

Just before 3:30a.m. Tuesday, crews&nbsp;responded to a reported&nbsp;house&nbsp;fire in the 8600 block of Thompson Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Battalion Chief Riley Nolan.

&nbsp;Crews reported fire showing from the 1-story structure on arrival and initiated an offensive fire attack advancing hoselines inside the structure. A working fire response was ordered. While advancing to extinguishing the fire, crews encountered holes in the floor, as well as a large amount of fire coming from the crawl space below. 

Orders were given to evacuate the structure and changed the mode to a defensive fire attack. Three hoselines were used from the exterior while flypipe operations were being set up and eventually initiated.&nbsp;&nbsp;The fire was brought under control at 4:44 a.m., and flypipe operations were shut down. 

Crews continued with exposing and extinguishing fire with handlines.&nbsp;Dangerous Buildings was called to the scene to evaluate the structure. There were no injuries were reported. A damage estimate has not been released.

Crews forced to evacuate while fighting fire at Kansas City home

BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — State leaders continued to stand firm against federal demands for personal data of Kansans who have received food assistance, even after a letter last week threatened funding losses.&nbsp;

Kansas Department for Children and Families secretary Laura Howard laid out objections to turning over the data of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program applicants and users in a Monday news release. The data includes Social Security numbers, birthdates, addresses and more.

“The USDA’s data request is for the purpose of creating a federal database of SNAP participant information that may be disclosed to other entities, and it is unclear whether those entities are legally allowed to access that information,” the release said.&nbsp;

Collecting the extensive dataset, which is more than has been required in the past from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, may cost as much as $100,000, the release said. In addition, the current secure way DCF transfers data to the federal government is not set up to handle that amount of information.&nbsp;

Howard said state finances would be affected by the data collection process.&nbsp;

“We also believe this request places a significant burden on DCF and state resources, and it’s not something that can be accommodated on a short deadline,” Howard said. “Providing this magnitude of data could take months and come with a hefty price tag.”

Gov. Laura Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/06/03/usda-pauses-request-for-personal-data-of-snap-recipients-while-lawsuit-proceeds/">joined a lawsuit&nbsp;</a>with other states challenging whether the data should be turned over, and the press release said it would be appropriate to wait until the lawsuit was decided before sending any information.&nbsp;

Previously, USDA secretary Brooke Rollins said her agency would hold off on requesting the data until the lawsuit was decided.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/05/22/kansas-denies-usda-request-for-personal-data-of-residents-receiving-food-assistance/">Beginning in May,</a>&nbsp;DCF refused the USDA’s requests for personal data of SNAP users.&nbsp;

The USDA escalated its push for the information&nbsp;<a href="https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/KSOG/2025/08/18/file_attachments/3359289/Letter%20to%20USDA%20Regarding%20August%2012th%20letter-A.pdf" target="_blank">in the letter last week</a>, demanding Kansas officials make “adequate progress towards meeting the data collection requirements,” setting an Aug. 15 deadline to submit a plan to do so.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The letter also said refusing to comply would put SNAP administrative funding at issue.&nbsp;

Kansas leaders stood firm, even as Republicans have lambasted Kelly and Howard for failing to share the information.&nbsp;

Rep. Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, challenged Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach last week at the Legislative Coordinating Council meeting to find whether Kelly has the right to withhold the data. He also repeated misinformation that the error rate in the SNAP program is 12%. The most recent error rate is 9.98%,&nbsp;<a href="https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/snap-fy24QC-PER.pdf" target="_blank">according to the USDA</a>. \

The error rate refers to the percentage of errors found in SNAP applications and is calculated annually.&nbsp;

Kobach told Hawkins he has a team of attorneys investigating that question, and he added that providing information is a requirement for receiving the federal money.&nbsp;

“We certainly know that the federal government has the ability at this stage, if the governor continues to refuse to provide the information, to deny the funds, and I understand that that’s a very substantial amount of money we’re talking about,” Kobach said. “She is putting at risk the receipt of Kansas of those monies, which I guess is sort of ironic, and probably why you asked the question, because that is a very substantial amount of money.”

In 2024, Kansas SNAP recipients received&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbpp.org/sites/default/files/atoms/files/snap_factsheet_kansas.pdf" target="_blank">$408 million in benefits</a>.

Kansas leaders reject demands for food program data; feds threaten to withhold some funding

Hanaway is lead counsel for Grain Belt Express, a clean-energy transmission line locked in litigation with the attorney general’s office and vehemently opposed by state agriculture organizations

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe announced Tuesday that Catherine Hanaway will replace Andrew Bailey as the state’s next attorney general.

Bailey, 44, resigned Monday after a little more than two years on the job to become&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/08/18/andrew-bailey-stepping-down-as-missouri-attorney-general-for-job-in-trump-administration/">co-deputy director of the FBI</a>.&nbsp;

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