the

yield.

So there's four right there within the space of about two weeks.

And certainly, the market took a hard reset with that information.

And you're right.

There were all kinds of trade guesses, particularly around the yield, going into that October crop production report, the October WASDE.

But there were some major trading firms that were, the information they were putting out well ahead of the report They were looking at a national number of 182.

No, that's a good point.

Texas A&M grain marketing specialist Mark Welch says this may present a marketing opportunity.

But what's in my mind right now, Keri, is looking at the opportunity that July '27 contract.

Last I looked it was at 7.50 a bushel.

Uh, I'd have to double-check that number, but we've seen this, uh, this price, uh, strength well into that July contract next year, and the current forecast is still for this El Niño pattern to hold, which typically is very favorable for winter wheat production, and especially in the Southern Plains.

Uh, the last time we had an El Niño, uh, in, this strong or a little stronger, uh, that's when we set the all-time record high, uh, winter wheat yield in this country in the winter of 2015, 2016.

And, uh, this current forecast for this El Niño is just kinda right up under that one.

And this market upswing is coming at a good time for crop insurance.

These prices running up right now are really gonna help us set the insurance price.

But Texas A&M grain marketing specialist Mark Welch says there's one recent development that's been the biggest contributor.

Mark, really I think the game changer in wheat came when Ukraine, uh, escalated their attacks on the shipping of Russian, uh, merchant ships, uh, as they were trying to supply fuel and other products primarily to the Crimean Peninsula.

Haven't heard of it spilling out into the Black Sea so much, uh, but they're escalating, uh, trying to, to cripple, uh, maybe the fuel supplies and, uh, uh, other factors there against, uh, Russia.

And the threat being if Russia strikes back then against Ukraine shipping vessels, uh, it again puts at risk and a real threat to global wheat and grain supplies in general that come out of the Black Sea.