Soybean Harvest 'Good,' but Concerns About Prices -- and Tariffs

Dec 03, 2024

By Dave Thompson

The executive director of the North Dakota Soybean Council says 2024 was a good year for soybeans.

"We ended up a little dry, but overall I think we increased our bushels over last year," said Stephanie Sinner. "That's always a welcome sight."

Sinner said with a big crop in the bins, the focus turns to trade and exports.

"We hosted quite a few trade teams this fall, that came in to see the harvest," Sinner said. "It's always fun to see our friends from all over the world, and they were excited about the crop they saw."

Sinner said with both soybean crushing plants working, marketing options have changed.

"That's fun to see that rolling out, and wheels turning," Sinner said.

But the executive director of the North Dakota Soybean Growers Association said even with a good crop, she's concerned about low prices for soybeans. Nancy Johnson said the input prices are high as well. She said having more bushels helps, but it doesn't make up for everything.

"We hope that input prices will continue to soften," Johnson said. "They have in some sectors."

And Johnson said they are hoping for good exports.

"We are a little concerned about the possible tariffs," Johnson said. "We've done some research, saying North Dakota in particular will be impacted by tariffs."

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Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.