Northern Missouri
Congressman Sam Graves lays the blame for the extended federal government
shutdown directly on Senate Democrats.

“It’s a dangerous
game that they’re playing,” Graves tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.&nbsp; “They’re playing chicken with people’s benefits,
with people’s paychecks, they’re livelihoods, national security, you name it.
You know, it’s funny, that Sen. Schumer voted 13 times for a clean CR, continuing
resolution, under the Biden administration, now all of the sudden he’s decided
he doesn’t want to.”

Graves, a Republican,
is especially harsh on the top Democrat in the Senate, Chuck Schumer of New
York, for refusing to vote for an extension of current spending. Senate
Democrats want Republicans to extend additional Affordable Care Act tax credits
before agreeing to reopen the government. The shutdown soon will enter its
second month.

Graves insists
Democrats need to reopen the government for negotiations on the issue to begin.
And Graves claims Democrats are being disingenuous when they insist ACA tax
credits must be extended first.

“They had every
opportunity when they had the majority and the presidency; they had every
opportunity to make those permanent at the time and they didn’t do it. And now,
all of the sudden, they want to do it,” Graves says. “But the bottom line is we
need to pass a clean CR, get the government open, then we can negotiate these
things.”

Some federal
workers will not get paid; food stamps won’t be extended if the shutdown
continues much longer.

Graves asserts negotiations
over that main sticking point, extension of ACA tax credits, cannot begin until
the government shutdown ends.

“I mean, this is
so easy and it’s so ridiculous,” Graves says. “That’s what we do is negotiate spending
bills. We have to get to the table to be able to do that and the only way to
get to the table to do that is to keep the government open.”

You can follow&nbsp;Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ

Graves claims Democrats are playing dangerous game during shutdown

42M Americans rely on the program now facing disruptions because of the shutdown.

By:<a href="https://stateline.org/author/khardy/">Kevin Hardy</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>

There’s no way his local government can fill the void created by a disruption in the federal food stamp program, but local official Gregg Wright says his Minnesota county had to do something.

“This is pretty much a crisis for families,” said Wright, a member of the Olmsted County Board of Commissioners.

Last week, the board unanimously voted to send up to $200,000 to a local food bank to help neighbors at risk of losing food assistance because of the federal government shutdown.

Olmsted County, which has a population of about 165,000 and is home to the renowned Mayo Clinic in Rochester, expects to lose about $1.7 million per month in benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP. It’s a predicament facing leaders across the country preparing for an unprecedented pause in the nation’s largest food assistance program as the shutdown drags on.

While attorneys general and governors from 25 states and the District of Columbia&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2025/10/28/repub/democratic-ags-governors-sue-trump-over-snap-benefits-as-shutdown-hits-day-28/">sued the Trump administration</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday to try to force it to pay SNAP benefits next month, the administration says it will not release funds until the congressional budget impasse is resolved.

That leaves food banks, food pantries and local governments scrambling to prepare for an onslaught of demand. States are declaring emergencies, deploying National Guard members and sending millions of taxpayer dollars to local food banks. Nonprofits are bracing for long lines, bare shelves and even panic or civic unrest as some 42 million Americans are expected to lose access to the safety net program in a matter of days.

“The enormity of this issue is almost hard to comprehend,” said Wright, who noted that his county is just one of the more than 3,000 across the country.

The local food bank estimated it could serve SNAP families for one month by spending about $400,000 on bulk food purchases. Rather than front that whole amount, the county board challenged community members to help raise another $200,000.

Wright said the county is unable to keep funding food assistance for long.

“We can’t continue to do this without raising taxes, because it isn’t in our budget,” he said. “ … Who could plan for this? Who would expect that this would come from the federal government?”

Minnesota is among 10 states where counties administer the food stamp program rather than state governments. Across the country, state and county governments have been redirecting local resources to try to fill the shutdown gap.

California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has set aside&nbsp;<a href="https://calmatters.org/newsletter/calfresh-government-shutdown/" target="_blank">$80 million</a>&nbsp;in state funds and deployed members of the National Guard to help food banks.

Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin declared a state of&nbsp;<a href="https://virginiamercury.com/2025/10/27/it-goes-quick-virginians-stretch-dollars-and-hope-as-snap-funding-freezes/" target="_blank">emergency</a>, saying the commonwealth would use its own funds to temporarily help SNAP recipients.

In&nbsp;<a href="https://lailluminator.com/2025/10/24/louisiana-prepares-to-continue-snap-benefits-with-150m-in-state-funding-monthly/" target="_blank">Louisiana</a>, state leaders are preparing to use $150 million monthly to help continue SNAP aid, while&nbsp;<a href="https://nevadacurrent.com/2025/10/28/nevada-officials-devising-snap-contingency-plan-relying-on-food-banks/" target="_blank">Nevada</a>&nbsp;plans to funnel $38.8 million toward local food banks.

Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz announced the state would divert&nbsp;<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/briefs/walz-directs-4-million-to-food-shelves-as-snap-cutoff-approaches/" target="_blank">$4 million</a>&nbsp;to food shelves across the state.

“This is meant to be a bridge,” Walz said during a Monday news conference. “It will not make up and backfill everything.”

Food banks across the country are already facing increased demand.

Virginia Witherspoon, executive director of Channel One Regional Food Bank in Rochester, Minnesota, said the phone was “ringing off the hook” last week. The nonprofit distributes food to partners across 14 counties and operates its own food shelf in Rochester. That pantry saw an average of about 450 families per day last month, but by last week was already averaging 550 per day, Witherspoon said.

“I don’t blame anyone who is rushing to their local food shelf and stocking up because they’re afraid they won’t be able to feed their families,” she told Stateline. “What I would say is that food shelves in Minnesota — we’re here, we’re open, we want to serve you. We’re doing our absolute best.”

Channel One and other operators, though, are concerned about the potential for panic by families scrambling for food.

Witherspoon told the Olmsted County Board of Commissioners her organization has considered asking for a police presence, but wants to be careful about what kind of message it sends to the public. She said even increasing food distribution from once to twice a week could cause people to rush in.

She said it reminds her of the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when she went on local television to tell people not to worry, though she was privately concerned about running out of food.

“It’s tough. On the one hand, I’m in public sounding the alarm to you, to our donors, to our government,” she told commissioners. “But on the other hand, we don’t want to make the public panic and all come shop at once. It’s really not a good situation, and we’ve never been here before.”

The predicament facing nonprofits and local governments is unprecedented: Food stamps have not been disrupted during other government shutdowns. And even the Trump administration previously offered assurance that it would tap into a multiyear contingency fund to continue paying SNAP benefits.

The administration&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/usda-wont-shuffle-funds-extend-snap-during-shutdown-about-face-earlier-plan" target="_blank">reversed</a>&nbsp;that position on Friday, when the U.S. Department of Agriculture said it would not release funds in November and warned states they would not be reimbursed for spending their own revenues on the food program.

SNAP has about $6 billion in its contingency fund — short of the roughly $9 billion needed to cover a full month of the program.

It’s unclear what the administration’s position means for states that have already begun setting aside their own dollars.

Following Virginia’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.governor.virginia.gov/media/governorvirginiagov/executive-actions/EO-54.pdf" target="_blank">emergency declaration</a>, the newly created Virginia Emergency Nutrition Assistance program is expected to send money to SNAP beneficiaries starting on Nov. 3.

The governor estimates that about $37.5 million will be allocated per week to Virginia’s roughly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dss.virginia.gov/geninfo/reports/financial_assistance/snap_participation.cgi" target="_blank">850,000</a>&nbsp;SNAP recipients, the Virginia Mercury&nbsp;<a href="https://virginiamercury.com/2025/10/28/virginia-snap-substitute-to-roll-out-weekly-through-november/" target="_blank">reported</a>.

Neither the governor’s office nor the Virginia Department of Social Services responded to Stateline requests for comment.

North Dakota officials said they had enough cash on hand to cover November SNAP benefits, but are unable to load the funds onto people’s electronic payment cards, the North Dakota Monitor&nbsp;<a href="https://northdakotamonitor.com/2025/10/21/north-dakota-snap-funding-in-jeopardy-with-government-shutdown/" target="_blank">reported</a>.

State and federal lawmakers, advocates and attorneys general across the country have pushed the administration to release November SNAP funds.

Last week, the chief executive officer of the National Conference of State Legislatures asked the USDA to issue&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncsl.org/resources/details/ncsl-urges-usda-to-issue-immediate-guidance-on-snap?utm_source=act-on+software&amp;utm_term=read%20ncsl%27s%20letter%20to%20the%20usda&amp;utm_campaign=ncsl%20letters%20on%20shutdown%20resisting%20preemption%20of%20state%20ai%20laws%20snap%20updates&amp;cm_mmc=act-on%20software-_-email-_-ncsl%20letters%20on%20shutdown%20resisting%20preemption%20of%20state%20ai%20laws%20snap%20updates-_-read%20ncsl%27s%20letter%20to%20the%20usda&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=email" target="_blank">clear guidance</a>&nbsp;on states’ ability to spend and be reimbursed for ongoing administrative costs.

North Carolina Democratic Attorney General Jeff Jackson, one of the officials who sued the Trump administration Tuesday, said 1.4 million people — including nearly 600,000 children — would lose SNAP aid in his state.

“They have emergency money to help feed children during this shutdown, and they’re refusing to spend it.”

In New Hampshire, Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte announced a state&nbsp;<a href="https://newhampshirebulletin.com/2025/10/23/new-hampshire-announces-contingency-plan-for-snap-during-government-shutdown/" target="_blank">“contingency plan”</a>&nbsp;to help SNAP recipients. Pending approval from other state leaders, the plan would divert $2 million to the New Hampshire Food Bank to open up to 20 locations for SNAP recipients twice a week over the next five weeks.

Officials in Ayotte’s office and the state health department did not respond to Stateline requests for comment.

Elsy Cipriani, executive director of the New Hampshire Food Bank, said the organization is still working out details with the state. She said the group would likely ask to see people’s electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards — the debit cards people use to access SNAP benefits at grocery stores — to ensure the state-purchased food goes to SNAP recipients.

“While we don’t intend to replace SNAP benefits — because we can’t; there is no way that we can replace that — we are hoping to provide some relief,” she told Stateline.

In Minnesota, county leaders are working overtime in some areas to respond to questions from SNAP recipients and help find other food assistance.

That additional workload comes without any state or federal reimbursement, said Tina Schenk, the health and human services director in rural Meeker County.

“That’s just to respond to our community, because that’s our job,” she said. “But that’s very different work than we normally do.”

The reserve funds of Meeker County, home to about 23,000 people, aren’t large enough to cover even one month’s worth of SNAP benefits, Schenk said. So county staff are instead working with local nonprofits and reaching out to families who will be hardest hit by an interruption in benefits to connect them with other state grant programs.

The sole local food shelf is increasing its orders with a central food bank, Schenk said — but so is nearly every other operation in the state.

“Are they going to have enough to fulfill these orders? That’s a question that I don’t know the answer to.”

Stateline reporter Kevin Hardy can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:khardy@stateline.org">khardy@stateline.org</a>.

Local leaders rush to help, but can’t fill massive SNAP void

China’s agreement to purchase 180,000 metric tons of soybeans from this year’s U.S. crop could mark one of the biggest agricultural trade developments in years — and Kansas producers stand to gain in a major way.

According to Senator Roger Marshall, the deal represents roughly $15 billion in U.S. soybean exports nationwide and could generate around $1 billion annually for Kansas soybean farmers. Kansas sorghum producers are also expected to benefit, with an estimated additional $1 billion in sorghum sales.

“Kansans grow about half of the entire sorghum crop for the country, and believe it or not, China typically purchases about 80 percent of that,” one official said. “This is the biggest news we’ve had in agriculture in years.”

The deal, reached during President Donald Trump’s recent overseas visit, is being hailed as a breakthrough in reopening key markets in China and Southeast Asia. The agreement is also seen as a potential boost for other major Kansas industries, including aerospace.

"China is sitting there. They can buy Boeing jets, or they can buy Air France jets” Marshall said. "We're the ones here that are buying all of your T shirts and tennis shoes and your televisions and your iPhones, all these types of things. So, I think it's going to mean a lot to to multiple industries across the state of Kansas, agriculture and aerospace, leading the way"

Beyond agriculture, the agreement may signal a broader thaw in U.S.-China relations. Marshall believes that President Xi Jinping is expected to hold additional talks with President Trump.&nbsp; &nbsp;

"I don't doubt that President Xi will make some type of a trip here to America, and then, as these other world conferences happen from time to time that they're both there, I expect them to build upon this relationship." Marshall said.

Some observers say the move could also help stabilize global markets and ease tensions across Southeast Asia. "You know when there is, when there is world peace, the entire economy, the world economy grows as well." Marshall added.&nbsp;

China's soybean purchase could bring $1B to Kansas ag economy annually

Saturday opens the second open burning period of the year in St. Joseph as November begins.  

Stephanie Malita at the St. Joseph Health Department reminds everyone that open burning is only for any yard waste you want to get rid of 

"There’s not construction materials or anything else or regular trash, it’s just yard wast is what is allowed for open burning,” Malita tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. 

Leaves, brush, and logs must be burned in a container of no more than 55 gallons, and no fire can be within 15 feet of any building.  

Malita says to protect yourself, and your property, make sure you have a source of water nearby as well 

"Or a fire extinguisher handy just in case the wind changes or something starts to go sideways while you’re doing your open burning, so that you have the opportunity to contain that fire,” Malita explains. 

Malita says you should also have an adult monitoring the fire at all times.  Open burning can only be done between 8am and 6pm. 

Malita says if you need to contact the fire department do so, they will come out as a non-emergency call 

“Unless you call them and say hey my house is on fire, they’ll respond if it’s starting to spread through your lawn or whatever, but if it’s not threatening a building they’re going to come just in the truck, they’re not going to come with lights and sirens going,” Malita says. 

Open burning will be canceled anytime the weather is not suitable. It runs until the end of November. 

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

St. Joseph's November open burning period begins on Saturday

The 25th annual Christmas for Kids Toy drive hosted by JoeTown 107.5's Gregg Lynn begins Saturday 

Lynn says each Christmas children in need from places such as the Noyes Home or the YWCA submit lists of what they want for Christmas, and listeners help purchase those gifts 

"Each kid is allowed three, and a lot of people ask me why don’t you just make it any toy, just make it all generic, well it’s just not the same,” Lynn says on the KFEQmnunnity show.  “If you’re a kid who never has anything for Christmas, you want what you want, and we get them what they want, so all of the organizations and all the caregivers will send me these lists, we’ll post them online, and then the listeners will go and start buying gifts for all these kids.” 

Lists are going up on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GreggLynnRadioShow">Gregg Lynn Radio Show Facebook page</a>. You can also donate online by clicking <a href="https://www.joetown1075.com/christmas-coins-for-kids/">HERE</a>, or in various coin jars around town.&nbsp; A list of coin jar locations is also at the link.

Lynn says most of the kids are taken care of by listeners, but the rest is where the donations to help buy the things on the lists that don't get purchased 

"So, they make sure every kid, we’ve had as many as 150, every kid gets what they want, all three of their gifts,” Lynn explains.  “Now the rest of the money is given to support the agencies and support these kids which would be the YWCA, Adopt-A-Family, Noyes Home for Children, a group called Care Portal and their mission is to take care of all the kids in foster care.” 

Lynn says after you pick your list off the Facebook page, it's a pretty simple process after that 

"You go buy the toys, you bring them to me new and unwrapped, and that’s all you have to do and we take care of everything,” Lynn says.  “We get them all wrapped, we get them all sorted, we get them all delivered to the kids at the Christmas party, if that’s like way to much, if that’s a lot of pressure, just go buy some toys, if you’re shopping anyway buy one or two extra toys, bring them here to the station and you can dump them in the barrel.” 

The toy drive will run until Black Friday and ends with an all-day broadcast on that day from 6am to 5pm.  New and unwrapped toys can be dropped off at the Eagle Radio studios at 4104 Country Ln in St. Joseph. 

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.

25th Gregg Lynn's Christmas for Kids Toy Drive kicks off this weekend

KFEQ Morning Sports

KFEQ Morning News

By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/squinn/">Steph Quinn</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe and state health officials on Wednesday announced continued funding for food assistance amid worry that key federal safety net programs will run dry as the government shutdown enters its fifth week.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said federal nutrition benefits for low-income mothers and their young children will remain available into November, through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, better known as WIC.

Over 98,000 Missourians received WIC benefits in September, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/living/families/wic/dashboard/index.php" target="_blank">department</a>.

“At this time, there is no plan to pause WIC operations or benefit redemption,” said Lisa Cox, a spokesperson for the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, in an email to The Independent.&nbsp;

The department said in an earlier&nbsp;<a href="https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MODHSS/bulletins/3f92ffa" target="_blank">press release</a>&nbsp;that it will notify retailers and WIC recipients if it becomes necessary to suspend benefits “in the latter half of the month.”

Kehoe also&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.mo.gov/press-releases/archive/governor-kehoe-announces-expedited-appropriations-food-assistance-democrat" target="_blank">announced</a>&nbsp;the transfer of $10.6 million to Missouri Area Agencies on Aging to help provide meals to seniors and the early distribution of a $5 million appropriation to food banks that was planned for later in the year.&nbsp;

While advocates welcomed the measures, they cautioned that they won’t replace a funding plan for the federal government that would place programs like WIC on a firm footing in the longer term.

Wes Buchholz, vice president of programs at Crosslines Resource Center in Springfield, said he was “really excited” to hear that WIC will stay afloat for now, because baby formula is so difficult for food pantries like his to source.

“We have never found a way to buy formula at a good price, and it’s not something that gets donated hardly ever,” Buchholz said.

“Obviously, December is in question.”

Casey Hanson, deputy director at Kids Win Missouri, a nonprofit that advocates for children and families in the state, said the stopgaps will help families, but the shutdown is “continuing to create an environment that is difficult for parents to navigate.”

A much larger federal food assistance program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, is expected to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/10/28/missouri-food-pantries-families-lose-federal-aid/">run out of funds</a>&nbsp;at the end of the week.&nbsp;

In addition to SNAP and WIC, federal funding for Head Start programs, which provide early childhood education, nutritious meals and other support services to families, is also in jeopardy while the shutdown continues.

As the end-of-year holidays approach, Hanson said, “kids are going to be home more, and families are going to need access to all of those resources.”

“Those families are already navigating tough situations in most cases, which is why they need those safety net programs,” Hanson said.

State Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck called Kehoe’s transfer of just over $15 million a “hollow gesture” in a post on X, noting that Missouri disbursed $131.5 million in SNAP benefits in September.&nbsp;

“We need real solutions,” Beck said. “Not Washington-style stunts that don’t fix anything.”

Cox, the spokesperson for the state health department, said the continued availability of WIC is thanks to the program’s funding structure and cost-saving measures taken by the department predating the shutdown.

The department receives an annual sum from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and must adjust its offerings to ensure funding lasts as the number of WIC participants rises or falls each month. In October, for instance, the department cut yogurt, goat milk and evaporated milk, as well as some name brand items, from&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/living/families/wic/approved-food-list.php" target="_blank">WIC-eligible purchases</a>&nbsp;in response to rising costs.

Sarah Willson, the department’s director, said the measures “have been valuable in extending the benefits to WIC families longer.”

Buchholz urged Missourians hoping to help ease hunger to volunteer and donate to their local food pantries. Financial donations allow food pantries to purchase needed items at lower prices than are available to consumers, he noted.

“We’re going to need greater community support,” Buchholz said, “if the shutdown continues for a prolonged period of time.”

Missouri aid for moms and babies to continue as other food assistance ends during shutdown

CLINTON COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 9p.m. Wednesday in Clinton County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Ford Expedition driven by a 17-year-old Plattsburg boy was westbound on MO 116 one mile east of Plattsburg. The SUV entered a curve, traveled off the north side of the road, struck a utility box, a road sign, a tree and overturned.

Tri-County ambulance transported the teen to Liberty Hospital. He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.&nbsp;

17-year-old Mo. boy injured after violent SUV crash

Volunteers for the
Greater United Way of St. Joseph are busy putting meals together for needy
families which might find themselves without food stamps next week.

The federal
government shutdown threatens the SNAP food assistance program. Assistance
might end, beginning Saturday.

Greater St. Joseph
United Way President, Kylee Strough, says volunteers are compiling 300 meal kits
today to be distributed by member agencies to those in need.

“We really went
into this last week thinking best case scenario this all resolves and agencies
have more food than they need right now, but it’s not going to go bad. And
there’s always food insecurity in our community,” Strough tells KFEQmmunity.&nbsp; “Worst case scenario, this continues longer
than we expected, we’ll do two sessions this week and pack a total of 600 kits
and we’ll continue to consider adding more sessions in the coming weeks to help
meet the need.”

Strough says the
United Way had scheduled a Caring Connection volunteer session for mid-November
and with no end in sight for the federal government shutdown, decided to add
two more this week. Volunteers are meeting at the downtown Greater St. Joseph
United Way offices this afternoon and will meet again Friday morning to pack
more meals.

Strough says the
response from volunteers has been overwhelming. Forty people volunteered to
pack 300 shelf-ready meals today. Forty more volunteered to assemble the meal
kits on Friday morning. The United Way reports a waiting list of 40 people willing
to help.

Strough says the idea
to assemble the food kits originated during the regular United Way board
meeting last week. With no end to the federal government shutdown in sight,
board members began to discuss what could be done if residents’ SNAP program
benefits became seriously threatened.

“It’s hard to give
them a gift card for food, things like that,” Strough says. “But we do have a
great volunteer base who can take a lot of products that don’t go together, put
them in a foil pan, wrap them up, put a recipe card in it, smack a label on it.
And then we have a lot of agencies that we work with that can take those and
get them into people’s hands.”

Strough says the
United Way will do what it can even though the agency understands it cannot make
up for a loss of food stamps.

“We recognize it
is no replacement for the SNAP benefits,” Strough says. “It’s a small drip in
the bucket. But at some point, all those drips start to overflow.”

At present, it
appears Republicans and Democrats remain at loggerheads with no solution to the
federal government shutdown, now in its fourth week, near.

St. Joseph United Way prepares to step in if SNAP benefits end

A program from Missouri Western State University that began with the St. Joseph School District is now also being offered to Bishop LeBlond students. 

After partnering with the St. Joseph public schools in August, MoWest is now partnering with the St. Joseph Catholic Academy to offer direct admission to students at Bishop LeBlond. 

Missouri Western President Elizabeth Kennedy says to continue expanding direct admission is important to help give students a seamless transition to college 

"We have a significant number of first-generation students, navigating college is not always the easiest process to go through, some of these families don’t know, they don’t have those ideas,” Kennedy tells reporters.  “So, anything that we can do to make it an easier process to show prospective students this is all you have to do.”

Once students are admitted to the program, they are assigned an advisor to help walk them through the process of enrolling into college at MoWest.   

Catholic Academy President Natalie Newville, a graduate of MoWest, says she's glad be able to show students more about Missouri Western and the opportunities it provides 

"I think that the opportunities to keep these students in our community where they can help all of us be better is a great thing,” Newville says. 

Newville says she's already seen excitement from students about the program 

"You can kind of see the relief on their faces when they talk about it that they know this is a strong option that is going to provide them with an opportunity for an amazing education and a phenomenal experience,” Newville explains.  “So, I think that all of those things have given them some relief, and some excitement, and they’re ready to get started.” 

Direct admission guarantees admission to Bishop LeBlond graduates who meet minimum academic criteria, starting with the class of 2026.

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

MoWest offers direct admission to Bishop LeBlond students with new partnership

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

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

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

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

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

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

Commodity markets daily recap

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

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

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

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

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

NPPC proposes strategy to define “ultra-processed foods”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/10/29141310/web-closing-markets-1.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

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

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

Packers and Stockyards Act being ignored

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

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

Fertilizer Institute Wants Policy to Strengthen Input Supplies

December corn closed up 3 1/4 cents and March corn was up 1 3/4 cents. November soybeans closed up 11 cents and January soybeans were up 10 1/4 cents. December KC wheat closed up 5 3/4 cents, December Chicago wheat was up 3 cents, December Minneapolis wheat was up 1 1/2 cents.

President Trump finalized a deal with Japan during his visit to the country on Monday afternoon, adding fuel to the already surging row crop markets. Japan is already a significant buyer of U.S. ag products and the agreement keeps market participants optimistic that the relationship will continue to grow in terms of volumes traded. Meanwhile, energy prices have worked lower thus far this week, retesting support following last week's Russia sanction driven jump. Equity markets are higher primarily on trade optimism, as investors will turn their attention to the Federal Reserve on Wednesday for their interest rate decision, which is widely expected to be another quarter point cut.

The live cattle complex found just a smidgen of stability in Tuesday's market, as traders let the contracts trade mildly higher for portions of the session. Meanwhile, the turmoil that's shaken the cattle complex to its core is still rattling the fed cash cattle market as bids are on the table early this morning, and packers were able to get some cattle bought Monday afternoon. Asking prices are noted at $240 plus in the South but are still not established in the North. A light trade was reported by Mandatory in the North yesterday, with dressed deals showing a rather wide range of $355 to $360.

The live cattle complex may have traded higher for portions of the session, but the feeder cattle market was still trading sharply lower as the market is unsettled and uneasy without knowing what happened between Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Mexican officials in their meeting last Friday. Unfortunately, until some answers are provided or some clarity develops, it's unlikely that the market is going to trade anything but lower.

The lean hog complex continued to trade lower as the market is still disappointed in the lack of support it's seeing from consumers. And until traders see more support develop, a steady/somewhat lower trend is most likely.

<a href="https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/356/2025/10/28142302/web-closing-markets-1.mp3">Click HERE for audio</a>

Rabobank says food inflation continues to outpace overall inflation, and restaurants feel the pressure of nine straight quarters of declining traffic, but some chains are bucking the trend and growing in visits and spending. U.S. retail beef prices continue rising, with the USDA’s all-fresh beef price reaching a record $9.18 per pound in August. U.S. cattle slaughter from January through September is down 1.5 million head, a seven percent drop compared to the same period last year. 

Pork prices are still well ahead of year-ago levels and the five-year average, with cutout values of $109 per hundredweight averaging 15 percent above last year. Chicken production also continues to outpace year-ago levels, and chicken prices have also come down sharply in recent weeks. August milk production increased 3.2 percent versus last year, and at 9.52 million cows, the herd is the largest it’s been since the mid-1990s. July dairy exports were up seven percent year-over-year.