**Fueled by polls, GOP retirements, and the President’s unpopularity, political pundits who see a “blue wave” for Democrats in November may need to consult one Democrat’s sobering assessment of her party’s performance.

As reported in Agri-Pulse, Illinois Democrat Cheri Bustos begins her ‘Hope for the Heartland’ with, “By the numbers, Democrats are at their lowest in nearly 100 years,” and “are out of touch with rural and working-class people.”

Interviews with state and local Midwestern officials found voters see national Democrats as “fixated on messages to specific groups that don’t include them.”

**A lot of focus on the USDA January crop production and World Ag Supply and Demand Estimate seemed to be placed on corn and soybeans, both of which didn’t see major market action following the release of the reports.

Wheat, on the other hand, according to agweb.com, saw a 10-cent decrease. Until the report, Kevin Duling, of KD Investors, said wheat rallied, but was unimpressed by the report.

**Western United Dairymen and the California Dairy Campaign have petitioned for an emergency a hearing to increase over-base milk prices by about 35¢ per hundredweight for the next 12 months.

According to agweb.com, California milk production has declined in 32 of the past 36 months. Economic conditions appear even more dire going into 2018, with milk prices projected to fall below $13/ per hundredweight.

CDFA has 15 days in which to grant or deny the petition.

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