Krug Park Castle is closed as renovations
continue at the park.

A two-year, $11.75 million renovation is
underway at Krug Park. 

Fourth District St. Joseph
Couincilmember, Michael Grimm, is excited about what a renovated Krug Park
Castle will offer.

“But there will be a venue where there’ll
be dressing rooms, there will be an area where vendors can set up and sell food
and beverage,” Grimm tells KFEQmmunity. “It’ll also have an elevator so you can
get from underneath the castle to up to the top.”

The interior of the castle is being
gutted and rebuilt.

Electric power has been turned off during
renovations. The Krug Bowl amphitheater is being reconstructed and the
children’s circus also being upgraded.

The Krug Park Castle has deteriorated after
decades of neglect. It is aging as well and not remotely close to compliant
with the Americans with Disabilities Act. It needs updating, to say the least. 

Grimm believes this renovation will accomplish
that.

“That’s the plan, particularly if there’s
a wedding and they want to hold it they can bring in a vendor to take care of
things,” Grimm says.

E. L. Crawford Construction is the
contractor and hopes to complete renovations by the fall of 2027. The half-cent
parks sales tax approved by voters in 2021 is paying for the renovations.

You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

Krug Castle closed...for renovations

Friends of the Animal Shelter has a new
look.

Jennifer Kline with the St. Joseph group
says it seemed the time was ripe to upgrade its image.

“Branding for us is just an overall
refresh, just kind of updating the look of our logo,” Kline tells KFEQmmunity. “We
do have the new shelter in the works and so just kind of felt it was a good
time to also refresh our appearance and get a more modern look.”

For years, Friends of the Animal Shelter
pushed for a new animal shelter in St. Joseph. It hit roadblock after roadblock
until finally breaking through, reaching an agreement with the St. Joseph City
Council to build a new shelter. It is under construction on the South Belt
Highway next to the city recycling center.

Kline says with construction of the new shelter
underway, it seems prime time for a rebrand.

“The logo that we had had served us well
for a very long time and it just felt like, you know, with a new modern
facility coming along it really made sense to also just update that image and
kind of present ourselves differently to the community.”

Kline says the new logo is also being
used to sell merchandise for Friends of the Animal Shelter to raise money for
the non-profit.

With new shelter coming, Friends of the Animal Shelter gets new look

KFEQ Morning Sports

KFEQ Morning News

As federal pandemic aid runs out, the state general revenue fund must pick up the difference. But the massive surplus is dwindling and tax receipts show no growth

BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

Missouri’s bank balance looked pretty healthy at the end of September. But in reality, it’s like the family account before the mortgage check clears — and there are signs that future revenue will struggle to meet expectations.

Three months into the fiscal year — and three months before lawmakers return for a session that will write the next budget — fluctuations in daily revenue figures can cause repeating cycles of elation and concern, said newly-appointed Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Rusty Black.

As of Sept. 30, revenues for the year to date were down 0.6%, while a few days later, on Saturday, reports showed they were up 0.4%. The official forecast is for revenues to increase 1.6% in the year that ends June 30.

“If you look at one day or one month, you get really excited, and the next day might completely change it, especially this early in the process,” Black said in an interview with The Independent. “At the end of August, there were people coming up with ways to spend extra money.”

There was $7.1 billion in the general revenue fund and accounts that can be spent like general revenue<a href="https://treasurer.mo.gov/bank/FundReport/2025/MonthlyFundActivityReport_Sep2025.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;in the state treasury</a>&nbsp;on Sept. 30. The uncleared checks total $5.6 billion — $1 billion for capital projects from past years; $2.1 billion earmarked for major projects like expanding Interstate 70; and $2.2 billion to cover the difference between projected revenue and spending for state operations.

The coming year will bring additional pressure on current revenue as the state exhausts extra federal aid for health care banked during the COVID-19 pandemic. To make up the difference, the Department of Social Services is asking for $784 million in two areas of the Medicaid program.

Two other items push the need for new spending to continue current operations above $1 billion. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education says it needs $190 million to continue foundation formula school aid at current levels and $32 million to meet the demand for student transportation.

When lawmakers wrote the current budget, they were working from a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-revenue-estimate-predicts-70-million-drop-in-state-tax-receipts-through-june/">consensus estimate</a>&nbsp;that the general revenue fund would bring in $13.6 billion this fiscal year. The trend through Saturday would result in revenue about $75 million below the estimate.

And state Budget Director Dan Haug said in June that there won’t be another $2 billion available in the coming year to cover the gap between spending and revenue. The unencumbered balance on June 30, he said,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/10/end-of-multi-billion-missouri-fiscal-surplus-is-near-budget-director-says/">will be around $700 million</a>.

“The times are going to be getting tougher as we go forward, and so I think we would like to try to limit general revenue spending so that we are able to craft responsible budgets,” Haug told lawmakers at the time.

The estimate made in December didn’t account for tax cuts made by lawmakers in the spring — an exemption for capital gains income and an increase in a property tax credit program for lower income people over 65 or living with disabilities.

The official estimate for the capital gains exemption is a revenue reduction of approximately $157 million in the current fiscal year and about&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-becomes-first-state-to-repeal-capital-gains-tax-at-an-estimated-625m-cost/">$111 million annually</a>&nbsp;on an ongoing basis. Other estimates, however, put the potential cut in revenue&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/04/07/missouri-lawmakers-set-to-pass-capital-gains-tax-cut-with-questions-about-its-total-cost/">at $625 million or more</a>.

Most of the benefits from the capital gains exemption would go to a small slice of taxpayers. The 23,800 federal returns filed for 2022 with incomes greater than $500,000 a year represent 0.8% of all returns but included 65% of the capital gains income.

“It’s really important that folks recognize that this is for the ultra-rich at the front of the line,” said state Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern of Kansas City, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee. “But all the people I talk to every day who are going to the grocery store and recognizing that their food costs more, that their prescription drugs cost more, that their utilities are costing more, aren’t getting any relief whatsoever from the General Assembly, and that’s what I find most frustrating.”

Another factor putting downward pressure on revenues is interest income. As interest rates rose, and Missouri’s fund balances soared, so did interest revenue. But balances are falling and rates are down slightly. So far this year, the income from overnight deposits is down about $22 million.

Democrats who lead their party in budget committees of both chambers said they are worried that Republicans in the majority will continue to push for tax cuts despite growing demands for spending.

“I am very concerned,” Nurrenbern said. “We are really headed towards this fiscal cliff much sooner than many anticipated.”

The last time there was a major decline in state revenue, following the 2008 financial crisis, higher education and school transportation were among the services hardest hit by cuts.

“We can look back in history on tough fiscal years and see the services that get cut first,” Nurrenbern said.

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe has targeted the income tax for elimination but that doesn’t answer where the state will obtain its revenue, said state Rep. Betsy Fogle of Springfield, ranking Democrat on the House Budget Committee.

“I would encourage the majority party to stop having conversations about reducing our state budget and our state revenue by such significant amounts without a solid plan to backfill,” Fogle said.

There are two types of spending items in the Missouri budget — mandatory outlays and discretionary disbursements.

Mandatory items include public school support, which must be at least 25% of revenue, and Medicaid, which has its own list of mandatory services in order to qualify for federal matching aid. Another mandatory item is pension and other benefits for state workers, which is estimated at&nbsp;<a href="https://oa.mo.gov/sites/default/files/Estimated%20Fringe%20Benefit%20Contribution%20Rates.pdf" target="_blank">65% of payroll</a>&nbsp;for the coming year.

Discretionary disbursements are anything not required by law, and can range from&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/04/29/missouri-senate-to-debate-budget-with-450-million-in-spending-on-pet-projects/">small-dollar earmarks</a>&nbsp;to major construction projects such as the $2.8 billion program to add lanes to Interstate 70.

Kehoe&nbsp;vetoed $300 million&nbsp;in discretionary spending in June, and restricted the release of $211 million more. In his veto message, Kehoe warned of a $1 billion spending shortfall in the coming year.

Of the four new budget requests that total $1 billion, two are mandatory and one — fully funding school transportation — is discretionary. The fourth — $190 million in new money to maintain current support for schools in the foundation formula — is viewed as mandatory by Democrats but&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/01/28/gov-mike-kehoe-dips-deeply-into-surplus-as-missouri-budget-grows-to-nearly-54-billion/">may not be by Kehoe</a>.

The largest mandatory item is $421 million to continue the managed care program that covers most families on Medicaid. The money is needed to replace a federal pandemic fund that will be exhausted by the end of the year.

The other major Medicaid mandatory item is $363 million for the&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2020/10/22/missouri-medicaid-expansion-will-it-bust-the-budget-or-pay-for-itself/">adults age 19 to 64</a>&nbsp;covered under the constitutional amendment passed by voters in 2020. The program is budgeted to cost $4.2 billion in the current year, with federal funds paying 90%.

Since the program was placed into a separate line item for fiscal 2023, there has been no general revenue cost for the expansion population of 350,000 Missourians. The state’s 10% share has been paid from pandemic health care funds supplied from Washington.

By the end of the fiscal year, that means federal funds have paid for $17 billion in health assistance to Missouri with&nbsp;<a href="https://timothymcbride.substack.com/p/missouri-medicaid-financing-update" target="_blank">no direct cost to the state taxpayers</a>.

“We have not had to cover any of that 10% because it’s being covered by this Stabilization Fund, which was originally about a billion dollars, and it’s going to be exhausted in about a year,” said Tim McBride, a professor in the Washington University School of Public Health who studies Medicaid financing and previously served on the oversight board of Missouri’s Medicaid program.

There have also been shifts in applications away from traditional Medicaid programs toward the expansion group, especially among people with disabilities, McBride said. The savings to state general revenue from that shift is equal to about half of the state’s share of the Medicaid expansion program.

“If you can do it, you don’t have to go through a bunch of paperwork, and get a doctor to approve it,” he said. “So you might as well do that.”

While many aspects of Medicaid&nbsp;<a href="https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/benefits/mandatory-optional-medicaid-benefits" target="_blank">are mandatory</a>, such as hospital care, physician visits and medical transportation, others are not. Optional services include physical therapy after an injury or surgery, dental services, eyeglasses and home-based care.

In 2005, when the state was facing a shortfall in Medicaid, many optional services were cut. Many have been restored but they could be eliminated again, Democrats said.

“I was in a primary care association meeting a week or two ago where the conversation, the dialogue, surrounded or started to become, ‘what services are we going to cut?’” Fogle said.

Changes to federal budgeting included in the bill signed in July by President Donald Trump will likely add&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/03/federal-budget-megabill-would-shift-billions-in-cost-to-missouri-taxpayers/">billions to the state’s costs</a>&nbsp;for participating in shared programs.&nbsp;

The biggest portion of that shortfall will be in the Medicaid program, which became a prime target for cuts in the federal budget bill.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/medicaid/allocating-cbos-estimates-of-federal-medicaid-spending-reductions-across-the-states-enacted-reconciliation-package/?utm_campaign=kff-medicaid&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2anqtz-_zm3lwumkl5wy2haxviaaes4e09yijxwjzzroomznoqveahlvn9mqj7soof2xs2eoftsce61g-s7aipaiw_kocyl4x0g&amp;_hsmi=369561629&amp;utm_content=369561629" target="_blank">According to KFF</a>, Missouri could lose approximately 14% of its federal Medicaid funding over the next decade, or approximately $17 billion.

That will mean a close look at whether the state can afford optional services under Medicaid, said House Budget Committee Chairman Dirk Deaton, a Republican from Noel.

“In some cases, we’re more generous than the federal law requires, so you could look at things like that,” Deaton said.

Another way to control costs in Medicaid is to cut the payments to medical providers, Deaton noted.

“Those would probably be the things that I would be looking at,” he said.

Along with $421 million from general revenue to replace other resources in the managed care program, the social services agency is asking for $90 million of general revenue, and $343 million overall, to increase monthly payments by 6.5% for managed care in Medicaid.

McBride said he doesn’t see why the increase is necessary when medical inflation is running at about 3%. There should be ways to make it less expensive without cutting services, he said.&nbsp;

Missouri spent an average of $9,382 for every person enrolled in Medicaid in fiscal 2023, KFF said in a report issued Monday.&nbsp;

That is $1,804 more than the average of the eight states surrounding Missouri. Only Kansas and Nebraska have higher average costs.

“Missouri, for some reason, is more expensive for most population groups than most other states,” McBride said. “Why that is is not clear to me, but I don’t think we do a very good job of controlling costs in Missouri.”

For the first time since 2019, state Sen. Lincoln Hough, a Republican from Springfield, will not be the chairman or vice chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Hough was fired by Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/14/missouri-gop-senator-slams-party-leaders-for-forcing-vote-on-bills-without-allowing-debate/">in September</a>&nbsp;after opposing leadership tactics to slam through a new congressional district map and changes to how majorities are calculated for constitutional amendments proposed by initiative.&nbsp;

Black, who was vice chair under Hough, said he expected to become chairman at some point.

“Did I know it was going to happen that day, that way? No, I did not,” Black said. “But did I realize there’s a chance I’m going to be making appropriations decisions for the state? Yes, I was hopeful that would have happened.”

Black said other lawmakers should not expect any disruption in the process of designing the budget. He was on the House Budget Committee when he was a representative and has been on the Senate Appropriations Committee since his election to the upper chamber.

The job will be tougher with tighter finances, Black said.

“People will be in a position to have to make decisions that none of them will be good, none of them will be popular, but our state’s not going to borrow money to keep going,” he said.

Black was the Senate sponsor of the redistricting plan and his willingness to take it to a vote without allowing any amendments is troubling, Nurrenbern said.

“That is an example of him taking orders from Republican leadership and relinquishing his responsibilities of being a senator,” she said. “And so for that reason, I share those concerns of how he’s going to approach being the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.”

Any cuts, Black said, will be as painless as possible.

“Some of those decisions won’t be easy to make if it happens,” Black said. “But I will try to do my best to make them do no harm to Missourians, unless we get to a point where I have to.”

Missouri public schools, Medicaid need $1 billion more to continue current programs

WORTH COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 10:30p.m. Wednesday in Worth County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Ford F150 driven by a 25-year-old Grant City man was eastboiund on 190th Road five miles south of Grant City. The pickup traveled off the south side of the road and struck a tree.

Worth County EMS transported the driver to Mosaic in Albany. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases the name of accident victims.

Missouri man injured after pickup strikes a tree

DEKALB COUNTY —Five people were injured in an accident just before 2:30p.m. Wednesday in DeKalb County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Ford F150 driven by a 62-year-old St. Joseph man was westbound on U.S. 36 two miles west of Stewartsville.

The pickup traveled off the north side of the road. The driver overcorrected. The vehicle returned to the road, then traveled off the north side of the road again, down an embankment and overturned.

EMS transported the driver and passengers including a 19-year-old man, a 39-year-old man, a 54-year-old man all of St. Joseph and a 39-year-old Greenfield, Iowa woman to Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph. The 19-year-old was not seat belt, according to the MSHP.

4 from St. Joseph hospitalized after pickup overturns

When the Missouri Western State University football team takes the field next Saturday, it will honor one young man from Kansas City.  

14-year-old Julius Byers suffered an injury on the first play of his high school football career, which left him partially paralyzed.  Byers dreamed of playing football at MoWest.

President Elizabeth Kennedy says Byers story caught her attention and others within the athletics department.   

"When he was in 8th grade, because he’s a freshman now at high school, but when he was in 8th grade he actually came to MoWest for a visit day, and got to see us, got to learn about us, got to probably see our stadium and what not, and came home from that field trip telling his dad he was going to play football at Missouri Western,” Kennedy tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.

Byers suffered his injury during a game against Lee's Summit High School.&nbsp; Three fractures in his neck, a concussion, and an incomplete spinal cord injury that has left both of his arms paralyzed.

Kennedy says during next week's game against Pittsburgh State, Byers will be at the game, serving as an honorary captain for the team  

"He’ll have the opportunity to be on the field I believe, and it’s all about hey there are other people that care about you, people that you’ve not met, people that you just need to know are thinking of you and praying for you, and hoping that you have a good recovery,” Kennedy says.  “And just sometimes offering hope in that regard can be very uplifting to people.” 

Kennedy and head football coach Tyler Fenwick visited Byers and his family, gifting him with a jersey as well as surprising him with the honor of being named a captain. 

Kennedy says they always talk at MoWest about being a family, and doing the right thing, and this is one of the ways they can prove it. 

"We have tangible acts that we do to show people that we care,” Kennedy explains. 

Kennedy says it was it was an amazing opportunity to show the family, they aren't alone 

"Sometimes in circumstances like this it can feel very isolating and very lonely for families like this is their own private journey,” Kennedy says.  “But just to let them know that you have other people, people that don’t even know you, are pulling for you and rooting for you, and that should hopefully be some inspiration for everyone.” 

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

Liberty teen whose dream of being a Griffon derailed by injury named honorary captain

This week is Fire Prevention Week as the weather is getting cooler.  

The American Red Cross of Greater Kansas City and Northwest Missouri wants residents to make sure they are taking steps to prevent home fires.  

Executive Director JoAnn Woody says now is the perfect time to check your smoke alarms, and adds most people don't realize smoke alarms have a life span 

"Most smoke alarms will be good, or be in good functional order, for about 10 years,” Woody tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.  “And those smoke alarms that do have batteries we want to make sure we’re testing the smoke alarms and the batteries, and replacing the batteries, on a regular basis.” 

Woody says there are several campaigns to remind you, such as change your clock, change your batteries.  

"Most batteries can be good for up to a year, so we do recommend that at the very least replace your smoke alarm batteries once a year, at the very least,” Woody says.  “But you want to test them every month.” 

Woody says you also want to dust around your smoke alarm to help with its effectiveness.  

Woody says while you are checking those smoke alarms, now is also a good time to go over your home fire escape plan as well 

"I’ve done it a few times where i tested my smoke alarm and I practiced getting myself and my dogs out of the house, just to see if the dogs are going to cooperate with me or not, most often they don’t because they’re so distracted by all the noise, but that’s why you practice these things,” Woody explains.  “And that way that also allows you the opportunity to adjust your plan if there are more people in the home or if someone's physical abilities have changed since the last time you tested your alarm.” 

Woody says it’s important to make sure everyone in the home knows the plan and where to meet if a fire were to happen. 

Woody says as you start preparing your fireplace for the winter, it’s time to have someone check that fireplace and chimney 

"Having a professional come in and clean it periodically and make sure it's all good, have them inspect it and make sure all of that is functional, especially if you have a gas fireplace, making sure the pilot light is functioning correctly, and the gas lines are working well, making sure all that is functional,” Woody says.  “And then protecting the space around the fireplace.” 

Woody says as for other heating methods, such as space heaters, it’s important to check the cords and make sure they function properly to reduce the risk of a home fire this winter. 

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.

Fall is a good time to check your smoke alarms 

State Sen. Rusty
Black has been placed in a powerful position in the Missouri Senate.

Black, a
Republican from Chillicothe, has been appointed chair of the Senate
Appropriations Committee, responsible for drafting the $51 billion state
budget. Black says it has been a goal of his to take a leading role in shaping
the state budget.

“With that, I was
happy to have that happen and looking forward to serving in that role,” Black
tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.

Black says an
immediate challenge his committee and the legislature as a whole face is the
reduction of the federal dollars which have been flowing into the state from
the federal government for COVID-19 relief and recovery.

“We try to do as
little harm as we can to the citizens and to those core services that people
expect state government to provide,” Black says.

Black points out
federal dollars had made up a third of the state budget, but has grown to 45%
in wake of the pandemic. That will change as the federal COVID money recedes.

As Black looks
ahead to the 2026 legislative session and the 2026/27 state budget, he sees a
tighter budget than many in the legislature have experienced. Black, though,
remembers a tight state budget in 2017, his first year in the legislature.

“We probably
weren’t physically cutting any core costs, but we were slowing the growth or
expansion of money in a lot of different areas, because things didn’t look very
good in 2017,” Black says. “Not to the point of cuts, but to the point that
every department, every ask, was not going to get a yes answer.”

Lawmakers meeting
in Jefferson City next year might just have a similar experience as the federal
pandemic money runs dry.

“As those monies
draw back, yeah, I’m going to have friends, including me, I’m going to have to
look at some things and make choices that maybe both choices aren’t the best in
the world, but I’m going to have to make one,” Black says.

While it has been
Black’s goal to become chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, he got
there sooner than he thought. Missouri Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin
of Shelbina appointed Black chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee shortly
after the special legislative session called to redraw the state Congressional
districts. Black had served as vice chair under the leadership of Sen. Lincoln
Hough, a Republican from Springfield. O’Laughlin removed Hough as chair shortly
after he cast one of the two Republican votes against the new Congressional
map.



“I did not
advocate for Sen. Hough to lose his position,” Black says, “but the fact that I
received that appointment is something that I truly wanted to do and I hope I
can do a good job for the taxpayers of this state.”

Black could serve
in the role through 2030. Sen. Brad Hudson, a Republican from Cape Fair, will
serve as the committee vice chair. 

Sen. Black moves up in Senate, now budget committee chair

December corn closed down 3 3/4 cents and March corn was down 3 3/4 cents. November soybeans closed down 7 1/4 cents and January soybeans were down 5 3/4 cents. December KC wheat closed down 3 1/2 cents, December Chicago wheat was down 3/4 cents, December Minneapolis wheat was up 1 1/2 cents.

Corn, soy, and wheat prices fell Thursday, erasing gains made through a generally bullish midweek session Wednesday. Corn and soybean futures hit technical resistance Thursday, which bullish traders lack the reassurance to trade through currently with no USDA report this month to back up thoughts (supported by firmer spreads and basis levels) that the supply and demand relationship for corn and soybeans is tighter than previously reports have estimated. Outside markets on Thursday leaned negative, with a firmer U.S. dollar and lower energy markets weighing on agricultural prices.

The live cattle complex again followed in the feeder cattle market's wake, trading higher, with once again the market's deferred contracts seeing the biggest gains. With the spot December contract nearing the market's resistance at $241, it will be interesting to see how traders handle that threshold, as not only is it a resistance plane, but depending on how far traders would potentially take the contracts, it could mean new record high prices for the contracts as well. A single bid of $230 is currently on the table in Nebraska, but still no cash cattle trade has developed as feedlot managers are hoping to hold prices at least steady, and packers are obviously hoping to again work the market lower. Asking prices are noted at $235 to $237 in the South but are still not established in the North.

Rallying like it didn't have a care or a concern in the world, the feeder cattle contracts were pressing onward, pushing an aggressive $3.00 rally into midday Thursday. On Wednesday afternoon, the market was pleased to successfully reach new contract highs, which has seemed to fuel the market's ambition as traders have restlessly continued to push it higher and higher. Yes, seeing stronger boxed beef prices is helping, and if the fed cash cattle market were to trade steady to somewhat higher, that would be positive as well, but time will tell if that support develops or not.

It was another painstaking morning and session overall for the lean hog complex as support did not come to fruition, and the contracts were struggling because of that. Both cash prices and pork cutout values were weaker in the midday reports, and it's likely that remains the theme through the balance of the week.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/10/09143635/web-closing-markets.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

Commodity markets daily recap

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service detected a case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in a commercial turkey flock in Calhoun County, Iowa. This is Iowa’s eighth detection of HPAI within domestic birds in 2025. As the fall wild bird migration continues, that’s typically when infections in domestic flocks pick up. Clinical signs of infection include a sudden increase in bird deaths without any clinical signs, lethargy, and a lack of appetite. 

It can also include a decrease in egg production, or soft, thin-shelled, or misshapen eggs, and a swelling of the head, eyelids, comb, wattles, and hocks. Remember, it remains safe to enjoy eggs and poultry products. Consumers are reminded to properly handle and cook eggs and poultry products, including cooking to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. The CDC said the threat to the public remains low.

HPAI detected in Iowa commercial flock

Four people familiar with the talks say that the White House is delaying its plans to issue economic aid to farmers this week due to the government shutdown. The White House Office of Management and Budget prepared between $12 and $13 billion to be allocated from an internal USDA account. The sources said no final decision has been made yet on the total amount of money that will go for farm aid, and the package likely won’t be coming out soon. 

It’s possible the timeline was further delayed because some of the USDA’s political appointees have been placed on furlough during the shutdown. Politico also said officials are weighing the possibility of using tariff revenue, the USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation fund, and other alternative methods to alleviate farmers’ financial stress. President Trump tapped the USDA fund to dole out $28 billion in assistance during the first trade war with China. 

Farm aid reportedly delayed by government shutdown

December corn closed up 2 1/4 cents and March corn was up 1 1/2 cents. November soybeans closed up 7 1/2 cents and January soybeans were up 5 1/4 cents. December KC wheat closed up 1 1/4 cents, December Chicago wheat was up 1/2 cents, December Minneapolis wheat was up 3 1/2 cents.

It was the soybean show for row-crop futures Wednesday as November futures raced for its fourth higher session in the past six; meanwhile corn and wheat markets initially struggled to get off the ground but eventually joined with modest gains of their own amid a general bullishness across commodities at midweek. Crude oil futures put in a fourth straight session higher, with higher diesel prices also providing positive influence on the soybean complex. Meanwhile, the hot macroeconomic topic this week has been gold futures' meteoric rise through 2025 but especially the last few months to over $4,000 per troy ounce, fueled recently by the uncertainty due to the ongoing U.S. government shutdown. For Wednesday, the U.S. Dollar Index also rose to 2-month highs, likely a source of pressure to the wheat market.

The live cattle complex continued to trade higher as the market regained some technical support and interest from traders and continues to highlight the fact that boxed beef prices have seen more support this week as well. The spot December contract is nearing resistance at $241.00, which could cause the market some angst, as although support has been a tick more bountiful this week, has it really been enough to surpass resistance? Time will tell. So far, there's been no trade in the fed cash cattle market, but asking prices remain firm in the South at $235 to $237 and are still unestablished in the North. Trade will likely be delayed for another day or so. Some of the support that the cattle complex has received early this week could also be stemming from the fact that yet another new case of New World screwworm was detected in Mexico, roughly 170 miles away from the U.S./Mexico border. And while it may seem counterintuitive for the market to trade higher upon that finding, because we could be battling NWS here domestically at any point in time, another detection does likely indicate that the border won't be reopened any time soon, which should keep feeder cattle prices elevated.

The feeder cattle complex was powering on, full steam ahead, as the market traded $2.00 to $3.00 higher into Wednesday's noon hour and reaching as much as $5.00 to $6.00 higher before the closing bell in the far deferreds. So far, traders haven't seemed anxious about surpassing the market's resistance at $364, as they're continuing to drive the contracts.

Meanwhile, the lean hog complex traded mixed as the market wishes consumer demand would shine through and lend some additional support to the marketplace. But with fundamental support being hard to come by, traders yearn to push the contracts higher but are doing so in a cautious manner.

Mexico’s Agriculture Ministry said another case of New World Screwworm was reported in Nuevo Leon, which borders the United States. Reports say it’s the state’s second confirmed case in approximately two weeks. The infected calf came from the southern part of Mexico and was intercepted just south of Monterrey. None of the other 84 animals in the shipment were found to be infected with the flesh-eating parasite. 

The screwworm larvae in the detected case were all found dead or dying as a result of the mandatory treatments, including the antiparasitic Ivermectin. “The condition in which the larvae arrived makes them unviable for reproduction, demonstrating the effectiveness of the inspection protocols at origin and destination applied to mitigate the risk of screwworm spreading,” the ministry said in a statement about the most recent case. The outbreak has prompted the U.S. government to keep its border mostly closed to Mexican cattle imports.

Another screwworm case in Mexico

Although the overall runoff in September was above average in the upper Missouri River Basin, the runoff at the Fort Peck and Garrison reaches continues to be well below average. “Beneficial rainfall occurred over central South Dakota and North Dakota in September, resulting in well-above average runoff into Oahe, Big Bend, Fort Randall, and Gavin's Point,” said John Remus, Chief of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Water Management Division. 

“The above-average runoff combined with the lower releases from Gavin's Point slightly improves the System storage outlook for the beginning of the 2026 runoff season.” September runoff was 1.3 million acre-feet, 109 percent of the average above Sioux City, Iowa. As of October 1, the total volume of water stored in the system was 50.4-million-acre feet, which is 5.7 million below the base of the system’s flood control zone. System storage will continue to decline through the fall.

Missouri River September runoff above average

December corn closed down 2 cents per bushel at $4.19 3/4 and March corn closed down 2 cents per bushel at $4.36 1/4 and November soybeans closed up 4 1/4 cents at $10.22 and January soybeans were up 3 1/4 cents at $10.39. December KC wheat closed down 3 1/2 cents at $4.92, December Chicago wheat was down 6 cents at $5.06 3/4 and MIAX December Minneapolis wheat was down 0.05 cents at $5.5200.

On an extremely slow trading day, corn traded both sides and moved little early before fading, while wheat markets again headed toward contract lows, with the MIAX Minneapolis contract establishing a new contract low. A dearth of news as traders awaited a decision on financial aid to farmers resulted in a low volume and low range trade.

The livestock complex is again trading mixed as the feeder cattle complex inches higher, but both the live cattle and lean hog contracts are trading lower. Still no bids or asking prices have been noted in the fed cash cattle market.

With the equity markets trading lower, it comes as no real surprise that the live cattle complex is also trading lower, as the market's support isn't significant enough to look beyond the additional concerns. The live cattle complex may be feeling the pressure of the equity market's lower trend. Still, the feeder cattle complex is continuing to trade higher into Tuesday's noon hour as traders look at the demand that was found in Monday's feeder cattle sales as a positive factor, and the continued uptick in beef demand to be enough support to justify pushing the contracts higher for now.&nbsp;

It's somewhat surprising to see the lean hog complex trading lower, as the market has better pork demand currently and is no longer up against immediate resistance pressure. December lean hogs are down $1.10 at $86.17, February lean hogs are down $1.27 at $88.27 and April lean hogs are down $0.90 at $91.50. The morning's weakness in the futures complex could partly be because traders noted the decline of packer interest in this morning's cash market, but otherwise, there's been no significant change in the complex.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/09/16193009/30001.mp3">Click HERE for Audio</a>

U.S. Representative Derrick Van Orden (R-WI) joined the American Business Immigration Coalition and dairy industry leaders at the World Dairy Expo to address the urgent labor shortages facing America’s dairy farmers. They also championed practical immigration reforms tailored to the industry’s needs. Speakers highlighted the essential role of workers in keeping dairy operations safe, efficient, and productive. 

“If we deport every undocumented person working in the agriculture, hospitality, and construction industries, all of them will shutter at a moment’s notice,” Van Orden said. “If our farms close, we’ll be completely dependent on other countries to feed our people, and that is unacceptable.” He called that situation a national security issue. Brian Rexing of Dairy Farmers of America said taking hard-working employees off farms doesn’t make communities safer. “We need Congress and the administration to address our broken agricultural visa program,” he said. “We don’t want shortcuts. We want reform.”

Coalition Calls for Permits for Agricultural Workers

The U.S. is bracing for a record grain harvest totaling 21.5 billion bushels of corn, soybeans, and grain sorghum this fall. The bumper crop arrives during a period of heightened uncertainty surrounding the future of the U.S.-China trade relationship. It all means grain storage and transportation logistics will be much more complicated than usual. 

CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange said grain storage space will be extraordinarily tight this fall, with grain merchandisers charging higher fees due to limited capacity and strained infrastructure. While grain elevators stand to benefit from buying cheaper basis and capturing wider carries in the futures markets, the profit opportunities aren’t risk-free. “Among the top 12 corn-producing states, the U.S. is facing a 1.4-billion-bushel shortage of upright grain storage this year, with elevators relying on bunkers and ground piles.” This year’s shortage is in stark contrast to last year, when the top corn-producing states had 361 million bushels of excess storage.

Record Harvest, Uneven Exports to Tangle Logistics

For the fourth straight year, water levels in the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers will soon be critically low, forcing shippers to light-load grain barges during harvest season. As barge rates get higher, those higher costs are making their way down to the farm level. Gary Williams, director of the Upper Mississippi River Water Association, told Agri-Pulse that between low commodity prices and high shipping costs, 

“Corn and soybean growers are looking to stash their commodities in every nook and cranny they can find.” A Forbes report said this could not come at a worse time for farmers. “This is a peak period when corn and soybeans from the Midwest get shipped downriver to New Orleans for export to the international marketplace.”

"If the lower levels get worse," Mike Steenhoek (STEEN-hook) of the Soy Transportation Coalition said, "that may mean lost profits for farmers because of an inefficient transportation system.”

Low Mississippi River Levels Again Set to Disrupt Harvest Shipping

🎥Ag secretary says aid for farmers is coming but delayed by shutdown

By&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">Ariana Figueroa</a>

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate&nbsp;failed to advance Wednesday night a resolution designed to curb the president’s power regarding military actions abroad after the Trump administration ordered four strikes on boats in the Caribbean.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/83/text" target="_blank">resolution</a>&nbsp;failed to advance 48-51.&nbsp;Democratic Sens. Adam Schiff of California and Tim Kaine of Virginia forced a procedural vote on the measure, which would have blocked the Trump administration from engaging in hostilities abroad without congressional approval.&nbsp;

Two Republicans, Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, joined nearly all Democrats voting in favor. Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was the only Democrat to vote against advancing the measure.

The War Powers Resolution of 1973 is a tool for Congress to check the balances of power of the executive branch by limiting the president’s ability to initiate or escalate military actions abroad.&nbsp;

Since September, President Donald Trump has approved four known military strikes in the Caribbean that have killed 21 so far, and, without offering evidence, said the boats were used by drug cartel members.&nbsp;

“We call them water drugs,” Trump said about the most recent known boat strike on Oct. 3. “The drugs that come in through the water.”

The White House has released few details of the strikes.&nbsp;

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, also without providing any evidence,<a href="https://x.com/SecWar/status/1974150886084485503" target="_blank">&nbsp;said on social media</a>&nbsp;that the boats contained narcotics heading for the U.S.

“Our intelligence, without a doubt, confirmed that this vessel was trafficking narcotics, the people onboard were narco-terrorists, and they were operating on a known narco-trafficking transit route,” Hegseth wrote. “These strikes will continue until the attacks on the American people are over!!!!”

Those attacks have taken place in international waters off the coast of Venezuela, Hegseth added.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro,&nbsp;<a href="https://presidencia.gob.ve/Site/Web/Principal/paginas/classMostrarEvento3.php?id_evento=30847" target="_blank">in a statement</a>, condemned the attacks as an “illegal incursion of combat aircraft from the United States.”

It’s illegal for the U.S. military to intentionally kill civilians who are not actively taking part in hostilities against the U.S.&nbsp;

Senate Democrats and some Republicans have expressed skepticism about claims from the Trump administration that the boats were affiliated with drug cartels and have pushed the White House for more information on the boat strikes.&nbsp;

Kaine said it’s possible that more people have died in the boat strikes, but they are seeking that information. He added that the strikes circumvent Congress’ authority to declare war.&nbsp;

“We are vested with the power of declaring war. We ask basic questions,”&nbsp; Kaine, who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said. “Give us the intel about these particular boats, that they’re actually carrying narcotics.”

The Trump administration has argued that the strikes on the boats don’t warrant notification to Congress because they don’t rise to the level of war, and that the attacks are in self-defense. Kaine said he rejects those arguments.

“That’s just an invented rationale,” he said. “Self-defense has always been understood (as) imminent attack, imminent invasion of the United States. It is not within the norm of self-defense to define a drugrunner’s operation.”&nbsp;

Paul said he is working on getting a briefing from the White House about the strikes and was skeptical that in the most recent strike, the four people killed were affiliated with drug cartels.

“If they’re members of a gang and you know them to be terrorists, and you’re convinced enough to kill them, why shouldn’t you know their names?” Paul said.&nbsp;

Schiff said that since the first U.S. military attack near Venezuela in early September, the White House has not answered his and other lawmakers’ questions on those missions.&nbsp;

“We just have little or no information about who was on board these ships, or what intelligence was used, or what the rationale was, and how certain we can be that everyone on that ship deserved to die,” he said.&nbsp;

Congress passed the War Powers Resolution in 1973 to limit the president’s authority to wage war overseas after the Nixon administration secretly bombed Vietnam and Cambodia,&nbsp;<a href="https://gsp.yale.edu/sites/default/files/walrus_cambodiabombing_oct06.pdf" target="_blank">killing hundreds of thousands of people.</a>&nbsp;Then-President Richard Nixon vetoed the resolution, but Congress overrode the veto.&nbsp;

US Senate rejects restriction of military strikes on vessels in the Caribbean

DOUGLAS COUNTY—A man found a concerning device behind some drywall as he was remodeling a house in Lawrence.

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