By DTN Staff

OMAHA (DTN) -- Here are the Top 5 things the DTN Newsroom is tracking for the week of July 13. Watch for coverage of these and other topics through the week on our subscription platforms as well as on www.DTNPF.com.

Note that all report release and webinar times are Central Daylight Savings Time unless otherwise noted.

1. Grain-making weather continues: A Southwest ridge will get pushed off the West Coast and a trough will swing through the middle of the continent this week. The ridge will rebuild, but it will start in the South and work backward toward the West later in the week and weekend. The general western ridge and eastern trough scenario looks like it may hold on through the rest of July. A front may be stalled across the Southeast early week with scattered showers. Another system will move through the United States around mid-week with more showers, which may get stuck across the South and Southeast as well. Temperatures should generally be above normal in the West and Northeast and milder to cool in the Central U.S.

2. Markets turn to weather: With markets taking only a slight look at the July 11 Crop Production and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) reports, we expect traders to fully return to a weather watch this week. Main question is will markets bounce back from Friday's dip, or -- with rain and warm weather in the forecast -- might they dip a little lower?

3. More budget law details: We'll continue to cover conversations and ramifications of the recent government budget measures, as well as other policies affecting agriculture. For example, will we see signs of increased bus traffic between elder-care and similar institutions under USDA's plan to replace migrant farm workers with Medicaid recipients?

4. Pen pal trade negotiations: We'll continue to sort talk from action in the tariff "letters" the Trump administration is sending to various countries announcing proposed increases to the tax on products the U.S. imports from those countries, and how those taxes may influence prices on farm inputs.

5. Reports through the week: Monday, Export Inspections data hit at 10 a.m., then at 1 p.m. is Season Average Price Forecasts report, and latest wheat data numbers. At 2 p.m. is Turkey Hatchery figures, then weekly USDA NASS Crop Progress report at 3 p.m. Then Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. is Consumer Price Index for June, CPI and Core CPI data. At 1 p.m. is the release of latest Dairy Monthly Tables, Feed Grains Database, and Meat Price Spreads. At 2 p.m. we'll see latest outlook reports for Cotton and Wool, Feed, Oil Crops, Rice and Wheat. Wednesday reports begin at 7:30 a.m. with Producer Price Index for June, Core PPI year over year and Core PPI for June. At 8:15 a.m. we'll see Industrial production for June. At 2 p.m. the latest Agricultural Chemical Usage report comes out for Vegetables, Broiler Hatchery and Catfish Production. Thursday 7:30 a.m. releases include Weekly Export Sales numbers, Initial jobless claims, U.S. retail sales for June, June Import price index; at 10 a.m. we'll see Business inventories for May and latest Home builder confidence index. At 2 p.m., releases include outlooks for Livestock, Dairy and Poultry, Sugar and Sweeteners and the Slaughter Weekly numbers. Friday we'll see Housing Starts and Building Permits data at 7:30 a.m., followed by 9 a.m. release of preliminary Consumer Sentiment numbers. At 2:30 we will have the latest CFTC Commitment of Traders report, followed by full updates to our DTN Six Factors Strategies (strategies available to subscribers only).

Bonus DTN content: Looking to hear some great recent ag podcasts when you're on the road or in the field? Check out the following DTN Field Posts podcasts, hosted by Sarah Mock:

-- Episode 249: Cattle Market Outlook for What's Left of 2025: DTN's recent Ag Summit Series event on the Future of the Cowherd dug into the weather, the economics, the latest news, and the market reactions to current conditions. On this podcast, DTN shares highlights of the event from DTN Livestock Analyst ShayLe Stewart's markets outlook. This includes taking a deeper look at the current slaughter pace, how it relates to margins for packers, and where the interplay between herd size and carcass weights fits in. She also brings us up-to-date on the latest trade news affecting beef, from declining exports to China in April to the impacts of limited imports of live cattle from Mexico. Then she dives into the fed cattle and feeder cattle complex, identifying both bearish and bullish factors that are likely to be at play in the weeks and months ahead.

-- Episode 250: Consequences for Ag as Trade Deadline Looms: Urban Lehner, former DTN editor-in-chief and current author of the Progressive Farmer blog An Urban's Rural View, takes a deep dive into the current lay of the land in the tariff world, and to offer his perspective on what might be ahead, and which eventualities would prove most lucrative for agriculture.

The podcast digs into the details you might have missed on the current situation with China, hear about the trade deals that have been confirmed, and consider what might be ahead around interest rates, inflation, and other ag policy issues as a quiet three months comes to an end. Finally, Lehner talks about the potential impacts of the Nippon Steel deal on U.S. agriculture, and learn what other stories he is keeping an eye on.

-- Episode 251: Help Wanted, The State of Ag Labor: Progressive Farmer dedicated a whole series of stories in the summer issue to understanding agriculture's worker shortage and highlighting how progressive farmers are turning labor struggles into opportunities. DTN Managing Editor Anthony Greder joins Mock to discuss these stories. He starts by digging into what the data shows about the true barriers to work on the farm, including why compensation might not be the thing that's holding farms back. He discusses the current challenges and benefits of the H-2A program, and what tech solutions are becoming increasingly common, thanks to their labor saving benefits. Finally, he talks about the creative strategies that farmers are turning to -- from offering expanded benefits to delivering on a positive workplace culture, in order to attract and keep the employees they need. For links to more DTN/Progressive Farmer stories that are part of DTN's ongoing "Navigating Ag's Labor Crisis" coverage, visit https://www.dtnpf.com/….

You can listen to these above DTN Field Posts podcasts at https://www.dtnpf.com/…, https://www.buzzsprout.com/… and they're also available on podcast hosting sites such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Watch for the latest news at www.dtnpf.com, and follow and like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/dtnprogressivefarmer. You can find our news on Instagram as well. Give us a follow @dtn.agnews

(c) Copyright 2025 DTN, LLC. All rights reserved.