In another interesting move, Bloomberg is reporting that the U.S. Agricultural Department will not allow farmers to withdraw from a land-conservation program without penalty next year. The move has the effect of further limiting the acreage available for planting corn at the exact time that corn prices have come off record highs, demand is strong, and flooding has caused crop losses. While a win for environmentalists, the move will reduce the additional acres that many were expecting to be available next year. Not surprisingly, corn prices rallied on the news. Recently, corn prices had sold off, causing the margins for ethanol production to become attractive again. The current margins, along with the news of less than expected acreage increases are sure to have a bullish effect on corn prices. While there is most likely more to the story (there usually is), the fact that you would mandate something and then reduce your ability to produce or develop the raw material seems wrong on so many levels. Of course, this says nothing of how such moves will also continue to keep food prices artificially high as corn continues to be converted to fuel. If history is any indication, there is no doubt that as corn prices rise and more traders move back into this market, speculators will be blamed for the high prices hitting consumers, launching yet another formal inquiry.

Farmers in Iowa and other regions across the U.S. are deciding if they plan to replant after recent flooding wiped-out entire crops. Not unexpected, prices for the soft agricultural commodities reacted to the news of the flooding with higher prices as traders began worrying about whether supply would be anywhere close to current demand levels. Fortunately, many farmers now take out crop insurance, allowing them to recover at least some of their initial investment (covering up to around 85% of average recent production). Since the floods of 1993, the number of acres of USDA-insured land has more than doubled. This leaves many farmers with a dilemma - take the insurance, or replant. If farmers take the insurance, supply will be down and prices are sure to stay high into the fall, and could potentially go higher. If farmers decide to replant, the potential exists for getting closer to a normal supply-demand balance, and preventing further prices increases.

As reported at the WSJ, the high price of soybeans, currently near $16.23 a bushel for July contracts (see additional WSJ story), is turning out to be too tempting for some farmers. As corn prices rose last year, many farmers switched from planting soybeans to planting corn. Even with the corn crop damage, recent USDA reports showed that farmers had planted 87.3 million acres of corn, compared to the original forecast of 86.0 million. The extra 1.3 million acres of supply caused the price of corn to sell off some this week. Of course, this also means that less soybeans had been planted. A farmers strike in Argentina, a major global supplier, has also put upward pressure on soybean prices. Ironically, the current high prices may actually be the catalysts needed to cause some farmers to forgo crop insurance and take the risk of replanting. For some farmers, even if the soybean yields are below 50% of normal levels, and soybean prices approach $10 a bushel, they can still make enough profit that it is worth taking the risk. But there are risk. In addition to the risk of new weather issues, crops planted this late are also at risk of being damaged from an early frost. Furthermore, corn planted after June 25th, and soybeans after July 10th, receive less coverage from insurers.

So what is an investor to do? Outside of investing directly in soybeans, where the risk of weather and other factors affecting supply and prices levels will still be volatile and somewhat unpredictable, another potential area for investment could be the fertilizer companies. Given the late planting, and issues with land and weather, farmers will no doubt be looking for ways to increase yields. This should help companies such as Potash (POT), Agrium (ARU), and Mosaic (MOS), each of which continues to have the ability to raise fertilizer prices. In addition to fertilizer, farmers will also need to purchase new seed. Companies that could benefit include Monsanto (MON), Dupont (DD), and Syngenta (SYT). If farmers are enticed by the high prices to replant soybeans, each of these companies should benefit. Furthermore, returns from this new round of planting will not be as sensitive to commodity price if there were to be any future crop damaging issues, such as additional harsh weather. Profits from the sale of fertilizer and seed will for the most part have already been made. One caveat to this would be any special offers given by companies working to help farmers replant. The CEO of Monsanto mentioned recently on CNBC that his company will not be charging full price for seed that is replanted as a result of flood damage. This is certainly a nice corporate gesture in a time of loss for farmers, and a time of higher food prices for all.

As recently discussed at bullbeartrader.com, and followed-up today with another article from Bloomberg, heavy rain is causing corn prices to reach record levels. Prices have essentially risen for 6 straight days after Bloomberg first reported how heavy rains would cut the corn crop estimates. Global inventories are forecast to fall to a 24-year low as prices head higher for the fourth straight year. As reported in the recent article:

Corn's yield potential falls unless plants have emerged from the ground before the end of May in most of the Midwest. Corn planted in wet, cool soils develops shallow roots, increasing the threat of damage from hot, dry weather in July and August. About 60 percent of the corn crop in the U.S., the largest exporter of the grain, was in good or excellent condition as of June 8, down from 63 percent a week earlier, and 77 percent a year earlier, the USDA said June 9 in a report. An estimated 89 percent of the corn crop had emerged from the ground as of June 8, compared with 98 percent a year ago and the five-year average of 89 percent, the USDA said.

As the U.S. summer heat begins to increase in July and August, there is an expectation that the USDA will cut its crop estimates even further. Wheat (up 48%), rice (up 62%), and soybeans (up 64%) have also all been rising over the last year.

Video Source: Clip Syndicate Bloomberg
Rainfall has been over 3 times the normal amount in the Midwest the last few weeks, with more rain on the way. The heavy rains are affecting corn and soybean yields, with just 74% of corn emerged from the ground, and only 32% of soybeans emerged. Farmers are now at a point of needing to make a decision of whether to take the Government subsidized crop insurance and keep the ground idle, or plant and take the risks of lower yields, which could be potentially as low as 75% of normal yield levels. As much as 500,000 to 3 million acres may become idle. Analysts are already cutting corn crop yields by 4 bushels per acre. As ethanol production continues to increase, expect corn prices to rise, with consumers feeling the effects at both the pump and in the grocery store.

Companies to watch that may be impacted include Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) and Bugne (BG). Others that are likely to continue to benefit from rising demand for food commodities include fertilizer companies such as Mosaic (MOS), Potash (POT), and Agrium (AGU), chemical and seed companies such as Dow Chemical (DOW) and Monsanto (MON), and agricultural machinery makers such as Deere (DE). On the direct downside are the users of corn, especially the restaurants and food producers with lower margins and less pricing power, such as Darden (DRI) and Tyson Foods (TSN).

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is estimating that U.S. farmers will plant 8% fewer acres of corn this year. Farmers are shifting to higher-priced soybeans (us 18%) and wheat (up 6%). The journal is reporting that "A smaller corn crop is good news for farmers who could reap $6 a bushel this season, up from around $2 a couple years ago, if prospective corn acreage remains at the forecasted level and if a soggy spring keeps farmers in the Corn Belt out of the fields until later in the season."

In a previous post we mention how rain could caused soybeans to be planned instead of corn since they can be planted later. As such, the long corn, short wheat spread is still in play. As expected in the market, the seed and fertilizer companies are doing well, while those that need corn, such as the food producers, are taking a hit. Ironically, the ethanol companies are also finding margins squeezed as their feed-stock cost increase. Maybe Washington will final see the current folly of putting corn in our tanks, and not in our stomachs.

Agriculture Tickers: MON, POT, MOS, AGU

Dennis Gartman on CNBC made the case to decrease wheat positions, increase corn positions, and decrease soybean positions. The belief being that winter wheat (already in the ground) is known, and that any problems with corn, such as delays in getting it into the ground, will cause problems due to the current demand. Current rain is causing some of these delays. Since soybeans can be planted later, supply should be fine. Therefore, a potential spread position is to be long of corn, short of soybeans.