The Iowa Pork Producers Association is partnering with Iowa State University Extension swine specialists to offer PQA Plus and TQA certification sessions free of charge during World Pork Expo. The sessions will take place on Thursday, June 4. Tyler Bettin, producer education director of IPPA, gives us more details.
New law makes tractor parades legal in Missouri
May 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Tractor parades are now legal in Missouri. Governor Jay Nixon signed a bill into law Friday that went into effect immediately, “This bill will allow tractor parades to take place on Missouri roadways when they are done for fundraising events, during daylight hours, approved by theHighway Patrol, and being driven by licensed drivers. Now is the time of year when communities across the state will be having tractor parades as part of their summer festivities.”
The signing took place on the Capitol lawn where an antique John Deere Model A tractorwas on display. Representative Mike Thompson of Maryville is a sponsor of the bill, “We’ve done these kinds of things for a long time. Tractors are not just a tool, they’re a passion. This is something that we’ve grown up with, that we take very seriously.”
Thebill exempts tractors from certain width, height, length, and registration regulations when the tractors are participating in tractor parades for fund-raising activities and other special events. Tractor parades are scheduled for this Saturday in Vichy; June 20th in Montgomery County; and, June 27thin Savannah.
Recipes sought for South Dakota cook-off
May 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Amateur cooks are being sought to compete inthe First Annual South Dakota State Fair Beef Cook-Off on September 4. The contest, consisting of two categories; Beef Salads and Fast Family Favorites, is open to all non-professional cooks, ages ten and older.
Cook-Off Chairman Karla Pazour says the purpose of the eventis to seek out beef recipes appropriate for active and busy consumers.
“We’re looking for recipes that fall in that 30-minute category, something that would be simple, that you would probably do on top of the stove, such as a stir-fry, or something that even could bedone partially on the grill,” Pazour said during an interview with Brownfield Friday, “something that kids and adults will both like.”
Each of the categories has two age divisions; 10-to-18-year-olds and adult; 19 and older.
A $500 grand prizewill be awarded to both the adult Beef Salad and Fast Family Favorites winners. The top youth winners in each category receive $250.
Recipes for the State Fair Beef Cook-Off have to be submitted by August 5th. A preliminary judging committee will select which recipes makethe final cut and are prepared at the South Dakota State Fair.
Some agriculturalobjections to Wisconsin's budget fix
May 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment
The Wisconsin State Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee wrapped up work on their budget reconciliation package around 5o’clock Friday morning and it has already met with a lot of opposition. Many in the state’s dairy industry are not happy with proposed increases in fees for WPDES applications and administration. Assemblyman Al Ott says to make matters worse; the additional monies will go into the general fund andwill not be used to enhance water quality on farms.
Wisconsin Farmers Union president Sue Beitlich likes the fact they dropped the proposed slaughter fees on livestock to pay for more meat inspectors but is not happy that they plan to use the ag chemical cleanup fund to payfor the additional inspectors instead. Beitlich says the assessment on ag chemical sales is paid by a lot of producers who do not even own livestock. She complains the ag chemical cleanup fund has been used repeatedly to plug holes in the state budget and believes the additional inspectors shouldbe paid out of the general fund.
The bill also contains Governor Jim Doyle’s tax on oil company profits; Cooperative Network continues efforts to get that provision out claiming it will take money away from local cooperatives.
Weekly corn sales better than expected
May 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment
It was a mixed week for grain and oilseed export sales. According the USDA, combined old and new crop corn and beanmeal sales for the week ending May 21 were larger than expected, while soybeans were below estimates and bean oil and wheat fell within projections. Dan Zwicker of ADM called export sales “very strong” for corn and “a little disappointing” for beans and wheat.
Wheat was reported at 103,900 tons (3.8 million bushels), up quite a bit from the week ending May 14 but down 20% from the four week average. The top purchaser was Japan (66,200 tons). Rapidly approaching the end of the 2008/09 marketing year, wheat sales are 975.2 million bushels, compared to1.244 billion in 2007/08. Sales of 228,200 tons (8.4 million bushels) for 2009/10 delivery were largely to Nigeria.
Corn came out at 756,200 tons (29.8 million bushels), 11% higher than the prior week but 12% lower than the four week average. The big buyers were Taiwan at175,700 tons and Japan with 175,400 tons. At this point in the 2008/09 marketing year, corn sales are 1.587 billion bushels, compared to 2.286 billion a year ago. Sales of 267,200 tons (10.5 million bushels) for 2009/10 delivery were mostly to South Korea (116,000 tons).
Soybeans were pegged at 237,400 tons (8.7 million bushels), 65% less than the previous week and 63% below the four week average. The largest single purchaser was Mexico (61,700 tons). For the current marketing year to date, soybean sales are 1.240 billion bushels, compared to 1.092 billion in2007/08. Sales of 227,000 tons (8.3 million bushels) were to China (118,000 tons) and unknown destinations (109,000 tons).
Soybean meal was placed at 193,900 tons, 8% lower than the week before and down 14% from the four week average. The primary buyer was Egypt (56,800tons). So far this marketing year, bean meal sales are 6,273,900 tons, compared to 6,446,000 a year ago. Sales of 173,200 tons for 2009/10 delivery were mostly to unknown destinations (115,000 tons).
Soybean oil came out at 5,300 tons, mainly to Jamaica (3,000 tons). 2008/09bean oil sales are 682,500 tons, compared to 1,004,600 in 2007/08.
Net beef sales totaled 11,700 tons. The reported buyers were Mexico (4,500 tons), Vietnam (2,100 tons), Canada (1,500 tons) and Japan (900 tons).
Farming was a little more profitable inMay
May 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment
The preliminary All Farm Products Index of Prices Received by Farmers in May show’s producers received 1.6% more for their products compared to April. The CropIndex increased 1.3% while the Livestock Index held steady. Producers received more for soybeans, corn and broilers, less for milk, eggs, tomatoes and lettuce. Compared to a year ago, farm prices are down 14%.
The average corn price in May was $4.08 per bushel, up 23 centsfrom last month. Soybeans increased $1.01 to average $10.80 per bushel. The May all-wheat price was $6.02 per bushel, up 28 cents from April. The all hay price was $131 per ton, up $2.00 from a month earlier.
In the Livestock Index, hogs averaged $44.20 per hundredweightin May, up a dime from April. Beef cattle were down 70 cents to average $82.80. Broilers increased 4 cents to average 49 cents per pound, turkeys increased 2.2 cent to average 49.8 cents. Eggs dropped 35.9 cents in May to average 41.2 cents per dozen.
The milk-to-feedratio fell to 1.47 in May, down from 1.58 in April and the tightest ratio ever. The all milk price dropped 20 cent to $11.70 with fluid and manufacturing grade both down 20 cents while corn, soybean and hay prices went up. Daily Dairy Report says based on April feed costs the MILC payment will be$1.59 per cwt for milk produced in April
The May Index of Prices Paid by Farmers was down .6% from April reflecting lower prices for feeder pigs, complete feeds, potash, phosphate and mixed fertilizers. Prices were higher for nitrogen, gasoline, LP gas and feedgrains.
E85 stations now total 2,000; Florida looks to step up ethanol production
May 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment
A new E85 pump in south Florida is the 2,000th E85 facility in the U.S. Andthat brings to 86 the number of new E85 pumps that have gone into operation across the country since the beginning of this year. Four states–Florida, California, Georgia and Illinois—are leading the 2009 expansion, accounting for 47 of those new pumps
Robert White,director of market development for the Renewable Fuels Association, tells DTN that E85 is starting to see a significant expansion into previously untapped ethanol markets. He credits grant programs at the state and local levels, as well as a federal tax credit, for helping fuel the growth. AndWhite says the commitment by the domestic three automakers to produce half their fleet as flex-fuel by model year 2012 bodes well for the future.
Speaking of ethanol in Florida—that state’s agriculture commissioner, Charles Bronson, says Florida is ramping up to become aleader in the production of biofuels.
“Florida growers are ready to grow the crops needed for ethanol and biodiesel production,” says Bronson, “whether it’s going to be cellulosic and whatever other technologies may come on line.”
Bronson believes Florida has the capability to produce up to three billion gallons of biofuels. “We’re certainly doing that to keep open green spaces—to keep farmers in production and still be able to produce, especially, our winter food crops that we produce at the same time.”
Bronson says Florida has ten million acres available for production of biofuel feedstocks.
“We can grow various crops here,” he says. “That makes us a little unique as well, because we have almost year-around total growing capacity here inFlorida, with the sunshine and the water availability.”
Florida will be host the fourth annual Farm to Fuel Summit, focusing on biofuels in the sunshine state, July 29th through the 31st in Orlando.
Pork profitability still a question mark
May 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Pork producers have been operating in the red since the fall of 2007. And Purdue University ageconomist Chris Hurt believes the financial stress may have some producers near a breaking point.
On April 24th, Hurt says, hog producers were losing about five dollars per head. Now that figure is about 25 dollars per head, with half of the increase due to lower hog pricesand the other half because of increased feed costs.
Iowa State University livestock economist Shane Ellis says hog prices should continue to improve over the next couple of months—but profitability is still up in the air.
“Will they see profitsthis year? There will be a couple of months in there where it will likely happen,” says Ellis. “I guess it really comes down to what happens with our corn prices. That’s still going to continue to be a major factor right now.”
Ellis says a sustainedrecovery in pork prices will depend on how quickly the U.S. economy recovers.
“That can only be good for our meat products,” he says. “That always ends up helping those sources of protein that tend to be a little bit more expensive—like beef and pork—ascompared to poultry, turkey and some of those other lower cost sources of protein.”
For his part, Hurt predicts hog prices could move to the low 50’s in June, and will average in the very low 50’s in the third quarter of the year.
North Dakota ethanol producer facing financial difficulties
May 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment
A North Dakota ethanol producer is facing financial difficulties.
According to the Bismark Tribune, Red Trail Energy, based in Richardton, NorthDakota, is working with its primary lender, the First National Bank of Omaha, to stave off bankruptcy. The company reported a five-point-four million dollar loss in 2008.
Red Trail’s chairman of the board, Mike Appert, tells the newspaper, quote—”It’s beenugly.”
Senators attempt to bring climate change legislation to the floor
May 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment
According to farmfutures.com, about 25 Democratic Senators have begun theprocess of moving the climate change legislation approved by the House Energy Committee last week through the Senate chamber.
The group, led by the chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Barbara Boxer—and Senator John Kerry—is trying to come up with astrategy to bring the climate bill to the Senate floor. Moving a climate change bill is a priority for President Obama and Democratic leaders. The legislation is facing challenges, however, with many congressman expressing concerns that regulating carbon dioxide emissions could raise energy pricesand negatively affect the economy.
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