Released this past Friday, the USDA's October Cattle on Feed report showed September feedlot placements down 12.1% from a year ago, marking a record low for the month and the third straight monthly record low. October 1 cattle on feed inventory came in 0.4% below last year and fed cattle marketings fell 6.6% over the same period last year, also the lowest for September since the report started in 1996.

This past week, the Trump Administration and the USDA announced $573 million in grants for eight new U.S.-based fertilizer facilities under the FIELDS Program. Together, the eight projects represent more than $1.34 billion in investment across as many as 18 states.

Here's an end-of-week look at what's moving the cattle market, from fed cattle price reporting to border reopenings and risk management tips for fall cattle purchases.

On Monday, President Trump and the USDA announced a new $8 billion Harvest Fuel Relief program to provide temporary relief amid record-high diesel and input costs. Agriculture Secretary Rollins said details will go out to producers in November, and payments are scheduled to arrive in January.

As AI use expands across industries, including agriculture, insurers and brokers are increasingly considering how AI-related risks fit within existing insurance coverages. An article in Insurance Business Magazine has raised the question: do insurance brokers need their own line of coverage for AI technology?

The latest USDA Crop Progress Report shows harvest moving along in key states, though both corn and soybeans remain slightly behind the five-year average pace. Sunny, warm weather east of the Rockies should make for a good week of harvest and fieldwork, while showers in the West bring needed moisture but slow progress, according to DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick.

Health insurance can be a significant expense for self-employed farm and ranch families, and a recent Agweek article looks at how rising premiums, high deductibles and prescription costs are affecting rural households.

A recent DTN survey found that nearly 86% of farmers say record-high diesel prices are affecting their farm's profitability "a great deal" or "moderately" heading into harvest.

A new pest is showing up in Midwest soybean fields and it’s one that researchers recommend farmers should keep an eye on.

The latest USDA Crop Progress Report was released on Tuesday due to the holiday. Dry conditions helped corn and soybean harvest advance, although both remain behind the five-year average pace.