Weekly brief

Issue archive

Every The Ration brief: what moved in the US feedstuffs market, week by week.

Aug 27, 2026

Feed Board Unchanged as USDA Trims 2026/27 Corn Ending Stocks

No new AMS feedstuff readings since last issue. Sunflower meal holds the protein lead at 75% of soybean meal; hominy feed tops energy at 72% of corn. ERS trimmed 2026/27 corn ending stocks to 42 MMT.

Aug 20, 2026

Wheat Middlings Rises 11% on the Week, Prices at 93% of Corn

Kansas wheat middlings rose 11% on the week to $152/ton FOB plant, the sharpest weekly gain on this week's USDA board. The ingredient still ranks second on energy at 93% of corn's cost per pound of TDN, dry-matter basis.

Aug 10, 2026

Hominy Feed Is Cheapest Energy at 76% of Corn

Hominy feed leads energy at 76% of corn's cost per lb of TDN; feather meal holds protein at 77% of soybean meal. Corn eased to $4.31/bu (-2% WoW), 9% below its 5-year median. Yellow grease in California sits 91% above its 5-year median.

Jul 27, 2026

Feather Meal Claims Protein Lead at 72% of Soybean Meal

Feather meal tops the USDA AMS protein leaderboard at $0.261 per pound of crude protein (72% of soybean meal), ending sunflower meal's multi-week run at the top. Wheat millrun in the Pacific Northwest trades 38% below its five-year median.

Jul 16, 2026

Sunflower Meal Deepens Protein Lead to 73% of Soybean Meal

Sunflower meal deepened its protein lead to 73% of soybean meal this week as corn and soybean benchmarks each gained more than 5%, repricing the full board.

Jul 2, 2026

Sunflower Meal Leads Protein Board at 75% of Soybean Meal

Sunflower meal leads the USDA AMS protein board at $0.245/lb of crude protein, dry-matter basis, 75% of soybean meal. Hominy feed leads energy at $0.076/lb TDN, 81% of corn. Both benchmarks are below their five-year medians.

Jun 25, 2026

Sunflower Meal Leads the Protein Board at 73% of Soybean Meal

Sunflower meal is the cheapest protein this week at $0.240/lb CP (dry-matter basis), 73% of soybean meal, per USDA. Hominy feed leads on energy at $0.076/lb TDN, 81% of corn. Fats are 45 to 80% above 5-year medians.

Jun 18, 2026

Sunflower Meal Leads Protein Board at 75% of Soybean Meal

Sunflower meal prices at $0.240/lb of crude protein (DM basis), 75% of soybean meal and cheapest on the USDA feedstuffs board this week. Hominy feed leads energy at 80% of corn. Both benchmarks are below their 5-year medians.

Jun 11, 2026

Sunflower Meal Is Cheapest Protein at 73% of Soybean Meal

Sunflower meal is the cheapest protein on the USDA feedstuffs board at $0.236/lb CP (73% of soybean meal's cost), with corn down 4% on the week to $4.06/bu pulling the full board lower.

Jun 4, 2026

Corn Drops 4% on the Week, Repricing the Energy Board

Corn fell 4% on the week to $4.23/bu (4% below its 5-year median per USDA), with sunflower meal leading protein at 71% of soybean meal's cost and hominy feed topping energy at 77% of corn.

May 28, 2026

Sunflower Meal Leads Protein Board at 67% of Soybean Meal

Sunflower meal prices at 67% of soybean meal on crude protein this week, leading the USDA feedstuffs board; hominy feed leads energy at 74% of corn; yellow grease is running 50-90% above 5-year medians across California and Midwest markets.

May 21, 2026

Sunflower Meal Leads Protein at 68% of Soybean Meal

Sunflower meal at $0.240/lb crude protein (68% of soybean meal) leads this week's protein board. Hominy feed leads energy at 73% of corn. Wheat middlings up 37% on the week. Yellow grease running 51-84% above its five-year median.