The New Year began the way it ended across the Midwest, which remains in the grip of a cold snap that buoys energy prices and threatens winter wheat. A weak dollar may also lend some support today as it appears investors are ready to continue buying risky assets. Crude oil is firm and U.S. stock index futures point to a higher open on Wall Street today. Soybeans try to extend their year-end rally as forecasts turn hotter and drier again in Argentina this week.

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Bryce Knorr first joined Farm Futures Magazine in 1987. In addition to analyzing and writing about the commodity markets, he is a former futures introducing broker and is a registered Commodity Trading Advisor. He conducts Farm Futures exclusive surveys on acreage, production and management issues and is one of the analysts regularly contracted by business wire services before major USDA crop reports. Besides the Morning Call on www.FarmFutures.com he writes weekly reviews for corn, soybeans, and wheat that include selling price targets, charts and seasonal trends. His other weekly reviews on basis, energy, fertilizer and financial markets and feature price forecasts for key crop inputs. A journalist with 38 years of experience, he received the Master Writers Award from the American Agricultural Editors Association.