The new year has brought a renewed sense of engagement from grain growers seeking to step-up the movement of significant stocks still held in on-farm storage.

In a bid to capitalise on recent price rallies and, in some cases, free-up space for the incoming summer crop, grower selling inquiries during the past week have been solid.

There have also been plenty of positive macro-economic influences chiming-in to help underpin values of late, with the rally in US corn futures being the primary catalyst for the starched-up bidsheets.

Good US export sales data into China, and growing concerns for the US Plains region crop, fuelled the market to rise higher.

There was extra strength gleaned from neighboring wheat on the confirmation of a Russian export tax starting in March and strong Australian export figures for December 2020.

US and European oilseeds exchanges put their shoulder to the wheel too, running up on the news of Chinese purchases and fund short covering ahead of months end.

The firmer futures markets have helped to counter the stronger grower engagement, with the increased activity not putting a dent in bids.

Delivered options into the Brisbane and Newcastle market zones and upcountry packing facilities for wheat are as robust as ever.

But firmer wheat continues to highlight to the relatively good value of consumer barleys, which remains the feed grain of choice.

Consumers remain cautious, however, and will continue buying grain on a hand-to-mouth basis while livestock values are strong.

Attention for many is now turning to sorghum, with some of the earlier crops already stripped in the past couple of weeks and other growers just pulling the hitch pin out of the planter.

The rally in US corn futures, the uncertainty surrounding the final size of the Australian crop and growers seeking to cover forward sales first - before re-engaging the market - have sent bids rocketing up by $50-$60 per tonne in the past month, eclipsing those of milling grade wheat.

Whether export demand will be enough to cover the crop remains to be seen.

But at current levels, sorghum has some significant work to do to get back into the domestic feed ration should our export program be limited by continued political issues.

Weather of late has been supportive of the later-planted crop, and yield and quality expectations remain sound.

Pleasingly, the earliest harvest results have shown good test weights and low screenings, despite disappointing yields.

This has steeled expectations that, given recent rainfall and mild summer temperatures, the middle to late crop should come home strong.

Here's hoping we can get the ducks that are price, yield and demand to line up for us.