The USDA's newest wheat numbers show U.S. ending stocks at 717 million bushels. That's 203 million fewer than last year, and officials are calling this crop historically small.
No deal with Iran, a war still grinding in Ukraine, and hurricane season ramping up. That combination is pushing oil prices higher and squeezing drivers at the pump.
A possible U.S.-Iran peace deal nudged oil prices down slightly, but Northwest drivers are still paying more at the pump. Diesel in Washington now averages $6.16 a gallon, the highest in the region.
The USDA quietly shaved 14 million bushels off its U.S. wheat outlook this month, while farmers across the Black Sea region are looking at some of their best harvests ever.
Oil prices climbed past 80 dollars a barrel after the U.S. resumed strikes on Iran, but diesel prices in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho actually dipped slightly at the pump.
Diesel prices dropped across Washington, Oregon, and Idaho this week, but refinery disruptions tied to the war in Ukraine are keeping fuel costs from falling as fast as oil prices.
There is hope on the international scene that the United States and Iran may finally have a peace deal. That pushed oil prices lower to start this holiday week.