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Wisconsin lawmakers oppose slaughter fee

May 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment

A group of Wisconsin State Assembly Democrats including Ag Committee Chair Amy Sue Vruwink have sent a letter to the chairs of the Joint Finance Committee asking them toreconsider Governor Jim Doyle’s proposed slaughter fees. The Governor’s proposed biennial budget includes a 14-cent per animal slaughter fee for cattle and hogs, 10-cents for calves and a penny for poultry.

The ten rural Assembly Democrats say that while they are allaware of the importance of food safety inspection they do not believe the fee is the “Most appropriate way of supporting animal health and providing a safe food supply.” They say the fee is troublesome for those who work in processing facilities and detrimental to “The entireagricultural community in our state.”

The State of Wisconsin is facing an estimated $6.5 billion shortfall in their next biennial budget right now.

Filed Under: Dairy, USDA/Government

Wisconsin planting has nearly caught-up to normal

May 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment

It was a very good week for crops in Wisconsin last week. The National AgStatistics Service Wisconsin Field Office reports another 20% of the Badger State corn crop went in the ground. Corn planting is now 82% complete and 42% has emerged. Those two numbers are just a few points behind the five-year average for this date. The East Central and Southeast Districts arestill well-behind normal as wet conditions in that part of the state have kept farmers out of the fields.

While it is still quite wet in the southeast, it is getting pretty dry in the Northwest District where 72% of soil moisture is listed as short or very short. EauClaire is more than 4 inches below average precipitation year-to-date; La Crosse is near 3 inches short. Green Bay is even, Milwaukee is an inch-and-a-half above normal and Madison is 5.75 inches above average. Overall, soil moisture averages across the state are listed as 9% very short, 22%short, 63% adequate and 6% surplus.

Soybean planting is now more than half-done in Wisconsin, 54% complete, three-points below the five-year average. Here again, the Southeastern areas are only about 30% planted. Emergence statewide is at 11% however most of that is in theSouthwest where 84% of the beans are planted and 37% have emerged.

The oats look good across the state and so does the first-crop hay. Reporters all across the state say many farmers plan to start cutting alfalfa this week.

Filed Under: Crops

U.S. corn planting now at 82% complete

May 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment

According to the USDA, U.S. corn planting made a big jump last week. As of Sunday, 82% of the crop has been planted, compared to 62% last week and the five year average of 93%.That's following a much improved weather pattern in key areas of the Eastern Cornbelt with Illinois now at 62% and Indiana at 55%. Still, some key production areas continue to have a significant lag following a slow start to the season. 52% of the crop has emerged, compared to 30% last week and71% on average.

Soybean planting is just under the halfway mark at 48%. That's up 23% from last week but 17% behind the five year average as farmers concentrate on planting corn. 17% of soybeans have emerged, compared to 12% a year ago at this time and the five yearaverage of 31%.

Spring wheat planting is 79% complete, compared to 50% a week ago, 97% a year ago and the five year average of 95%. Washington has wrapped up planting and South Dakota's at 99%, while Minnesota and North Dakota continue to trail their averages by bigmargins. 45% has emerged, compared to 73% a year ago and the five year average of 77%.

68% of winter wheat has headed, compared to 61% a year ago and 71% for the five year average. The crop condition rating did fall 3% to 45% good to excellent and is now under the year agorating of 47% good to excellent.

Pasture and rangeland conditions improved 1% to 59% good to excellent.

Filed Under: Crops, Top Stories

Good weather speeds South Dakota planting

May 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment

South Dakota farmers made very good progress inplanting their crops last week.

Corn planted is now 82 percent complete, slightly behind the 89 percent average. Soybeans are now 47 percent planted, just one percentage point behind the five-year average.

Filed Under: Crops

Corn planting nears completion in Iowa

May 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Corn plantingis nearly complete in Iowa—97 percent, according to the latest crop progress report. That’s equal to the five-year average, but is eight days ahead of last year’s pace. Seventy-eight percent of Iowa’s corn acres have emerged.

There was a big jump in Iowa soybean plantinglast week. It’s now 80 percent complete. Twenty-eight percent of the soybean crop has emerged.

Filed Under: Crops

Nebraska corn and soybeans off to good start

May 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Nebraska’s corn and soybean cropsare off to a good start.

Corn planting is virtually complete, at 98 percent as of Sunday. And corn emergence, at 77 percent, is slightly ahead of average.

Soybean planting in Nebraska is 88 percent complete, and soybean emergence is at 41 percent.Both numbers are about a week ahead of average.

Nebraska’s winter wheat crop is also looking good. Sixty-nine percent of the crop is rated good to excellent. The five-year average for late May is 61 percent good to excellent. Thirty percent of the wheat is headed—that’sthree days behind the 43 percent average.

Filed Under: Crops

Free trade agreements pushed by Grassley, pork producers

May 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment

The National Pork Producers Council is pushing for passage of the Panama Free Trade Agreement,saying it will level the playing field for U.S. pork producers.

Iowa GOP Senator Charles Grassley, referring to pending FTAs with Panama and Colombia, agrees.

“We’ve let their products come in practically duty-free for the last three or fourdecades, so we get a chance to have a free trade agreement with Colombia to get our products into their country duty-free; we ought to take advantage of that,” Grassley told reporters Tuesday.

U.S. pork exports to Panama are restricted by a small quota and out-of-quotaduties as high as 80 percent. Under the proposed agreement, U.S. pork variety meats would receive immediate duty-free treatment.

Market access for U.S. pork muscle meat would also be expanded through tariff rate quotas. In 15 years, when the agreement is fullyimplemented, U.S. pork would have unlimited duty-free access to the Panamanian market.

Senator Grassley uses the example of Peoria-made Caterpillars shipped to Colombia subject to a 35 percent tariff, while Caterpillars made in Europe enter Colombia duty free.

“Can you believe it? The very same labor unions that have been complaining about the outsource of manufacturing jobs over the last couple decades are the ones that are holding up the approval of these trade treaties that give us a level playing field to Panama and Colombia,”said Grassley.

The NPPC position on the FTAs was reiterated during testimony last week presented by the organization’s president-elect Sam Carney testifying before the Senate Finance Committee.

Filed Under: Top Stories, World Ag News/Trade

Nation's top trade official addresses meat exporters

May 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Speaking at the U.S. Meat Export Federation’s annual board meeting in Washington last week, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said he’s committed to making U.S. exports acornerstone of the nation’s economic recovery.

However, Kirk emphasized that trading partners must honor their commitments and grant fair and consistent market access to U.S. products. Effectively enforcing these provisions in major markets, Kirk says, can often have a morepositive impact on trade than striking new trade agreements.

“We aren’t going to continue to gain new access by doing small, or more, trade deals just to do them,” Kirk says. “In many cases, we can get you more meaningful access by dealing with some of theseissues that have come up because of other non-tariff barriers that have arisen that have locked you out of other markets.”

Kirk also acknowledged the industry’s frustration with unreasonable trade suspensions imposed on U.S. pork—and in some cases, beef—due to the H1N1influenza. He says his office is working to help resolve those issues.

USMEF vice chair Keith Miller, a farmer-stockman from Great Bend, Kansas, says Kirk delivered a powerful message that was well-received by USMEF members.

“I felt that thisman truly understands our industry and he truly understands that we make a big impact on the economy of the United States,” says Miller, “and I feel he’s in our corner trying to help us make agriculture profitable and help us be able to feed the people around the world.”

Kirk told the group he no only welcomes the input of ag producers on matters of trade, he knows it is absolutely essential to his success as the nation’s top trade official.

Filed Under: World Ag News/Trade

25 x ’25 Alliance wants more ag input on climate change bill

May 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment

The 25 x ’25 Alliance is calling on House leaders to refer the climate change bill to the House Agriculture Committee.

The climate change legislation,which would establish the first national limit on greenhouse gases, was passed by the House Energy Committee last week. The 25 x ’25 group says the measure, as written, fails to capitalize on solutions that agriculture and forestry can provide. It wants the House Ag Committee to be given theopportunity to provide input that will insure the legislation has a workable offset program.

Filed Under: Events/Organizations

McDonald's to join hen housing study

May 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment

McDonald's USA hasannounced its participation in a commercial-scale study of housing alternatives for egg laying hens in the U.S., including cage-free housing.

The research is being led by Michigan State University and the University of California-Davis. Other stakeholders in the study arethe American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Humane Association, USDA’s Ag Research Service, Cargill Incorporated and the Center for Food Integrity.

The American Humane Association says the research is important in determining if there are indeed differencesin laying hen production systems in regard to welfare implications for the birds. In addition to welfare, the “multi-year” study will also look at environmental, food safety and economic issues related to various production systems.

Reacting negatively to theMcDonald's announcement is the Humane Society of the United States. HSUS calls it a “stall tactic” on McDonald's part and points out that other restaurant chains, including Burger King, Denny’s and Hardee’s have already agreed to transition a part of their egg purchases to cagefree. HSUS says there is an abundance of science demonstrating that battery cage confinement of laying hens is detrimental to animal welfare.

HSUS has submitted a resolution to McDonald's shareholders to mandate phased-in use of cage-free eggs. The measure is slated tobe voted on this week at McDonald's annual meeting

Filed Under: Livestock
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