Corn, soybeans and wheat markets are lower in light trading near midday on Thursday as traders prepare for the holiday weekend.

Crop markets will close about an hour early on Friday and will be closed on Monday.

Rain in Argentina and Brazil crop areas continued to weigh on soybeans and offset support from the better-than-expected weekly export sales. The weekly corn sales also beat trade forecasts, while the wheat sales fell short.

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Farm Futures Senior Editor Bob Burgdorfer comes to Penton Farm Progress with experience as a reporter covering grain markets and other global news with Reuters, Inc. A journalism graduate from Kansas State University, Bob has also worked at daily newspapers and Knight-Ridder as a commodity reporter, covering grains and livestock. He has earned five writing awards for his coverage of Mad Cow Disease, immigration issues and other international breaking news stories.

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