Insights and Stories on Kansas

‘Amber waves of grain’ recede in America’s heartland as wheat farmers struggle

Jun. 20, 2025 at 10:00 am CDT

The Great Plains have long been celebrated for the “amber waves of grain” in the popular hymn “America the Beautiful.” The region’s states produce most of the U.S.-grown crop of hard red winter wheat, favored by bakers for bread. But with prices hovering around $5 (C$6.86) per bushel, U.S. wheat farmers have reached an inflection point, with many forced to either lose money, feed wheat to cattle or kill off the crop.

Rains partially collapse roof at Kansas Cargill plant

Jul. 2, 2024 at 11:48 am CDT

By Reuters

Kansas beef plant shuts down after fire

Mar. 22, 2024 at 9:56 am CDT

By Geralyn Wichers Reuters

Cars driving on a highway are stuck in traffic because of a snow storm.

Tyson Foods, Cargill idle Kansas beef plants due to snowstorm

Jan. 9, 2024 at 5:07 pm CST

By Reuters Tom Polansek

U.S. winter wheat growers seed into dust as Plains drought persists

Oct. 17, 2022 at 5:53 pm CDT

By Julie Ingwersen

Heat, humidity kill at least 2,000 Kansas cattle, state says

Jun. 15, 2022 at 5:48 pm CDT

Chicago | Reuters — Extreme heat and humidity killed thousands of cattle in Kansas in recent days, the state said, and sizzling temperatures continue to threaten livestock. The deaths add pain to the U.S. cattle industry as producers have reduced herds due to drought and grappled with feed costs that […]

By Tom Polansek

U.S. grains: Corn, soybeans sink after Midwest rains

May. 24, 2021 at 7:59 pm CDT

Reuters — U.S. corn and soybean futures fell on Monday as rains boosted recently planted crops across the U.S. Midwest and as traders weighed future export demand following a flurry of corn purchases by China last week. Wheat futures also fell, sinking to the lowest level in more than a […]

By Karl Plume

U.S. grains: Wheat hits one-month low, soybeans three-week low

May. 21, 2021 at 7:57 pm CDT

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures fell on Friday, touching a one-month low on improving prospects for the crop in the U.S. Plains, traders said. Corn futures fell on a round of profit-taking after rising in three of the previous four sessions. Soybeans also closed lower, with concerns about […]

By Mark Weinraub

U.S. grains: Corn futures rise; soybeans, wheat weak

May. 20, 2021 at 4:19 pm CDT

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures rose on Thursday, with strong export demand highlighting concerns about dwindling crop supplies due to harvest shortfalls in Brazil, traders said. Soybeans and wheat weakened after firming early in the session. Private exporters reported the sale of 1.224 million tonnes of corn to […]