It’s the flu season, not only for people but also for horses. It’s late in the show and futurity cycle, but having horses at these events can expose the animals to other horses and pathogens that may infect them with flu. Dr. April Knudson, manager of Merial Equine Veterinary Services says that if flu isn’t treated and gets bad enough to send a horse to the hospital, it’s costly. Equine flu is one of the leading causes of respiratory disease in horses. Dr. Knudson says there are ways to prevent infection.
China approves Bt rice and G.M. corn
November 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Reuters says China has approved a strain of genetically modified rice and a GM corn for commercial production. Two members of the Chinese Ministry Agriculture’s Biosecurity Committee say bio-safety certificates have been issued to the Huazhong Agricultural University for a Bt variety of rice and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science for a type of phytase corn.
China is the world’s largest producer and consumer of rice. The Bt rice is expected to reduce pesticide use by 80 percent while increasing productivity by 8 percent. The corn is designed to increase phosphorus digestibility in hogs thus reducing phosphorus run-off.
Both products need to go through registration and field trials but should be ready for large-scale production in two to three years.
Commodity Credit will solicit bids for $60 million of cheese
November 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment
The Kansas City Commodity Office announced it intends to issue solicitation before the end of the year for procurement of up to $60 million of cheese for domestic food assistance programs. Delivery will be from March 16th to December 31st of 2010. This would be the $60 million contained in the ag appropriations bill passed by Congress a couple of months ago. Still no word as to how the $290 million in direct farmer payments in that package will be paid out.
Dairy Market News reports the commercial disappearance of dairy products for the first nine months of 2009 totals 141.7 billion pounds, 1.1 percent less than the same period in 2008. Cheese and fluid milk consumption is running above year-ago levels but not enough to balance out a 6.2 percent decline in nonfat dry milk and 7.8 percent decrease in butter disappearance. Meanwhile, the Consumer Price Index for dairy products in October was down 8.2 percent from October of 2008. Cheese in down 9.1 percent, butter down 12.8 percent and the whole milk index is 16.1 percent lower.
Cattle lower on demand concerns, outside markets: November 27, 2009
November 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures were lower coming back from Thanksgiving on demand concerns, profit taking and outside market direction. Also, traders were disappointed by the lack of late week cash business, at least during the abbreviated Friday session. Spread trade was an additional feature with Dow Jones Newswires reporting traders buying February while selling December and April. On top of that, December and February both triggered sell stops. December was down $.47 at $83.20 and February was $.27 lower at $85.47.
Feeders were lower on spillover from the live pit, the firm corn and the premium to the cash index. January and March triggered sell stops after moving below the 10-day moving averages. January was down $.80 at $92.50 and March was $1.12 lower at $93.15.
Direct cattle cash business was done for the week by Friday despite expectations for some clean up trade. The cattle left on the showlists were priced at $85 + South and $132 + North. According to DTN, trade was roughly $1 higher than last week in most areas at $85 Live in the South and $131 Dressed in the North; Kansas was the exception. Early asking prices for next week are around $86 to $87 Live and $133 to $135 Dressed. Friday’s cattle slaughter was estimated at 110,000 head, down 10,000 from last week and 15,000 less than last year. Boxed beef cutout values were mixed on light demand and offerings with Choice down $.37 at $141.43 and Select up $.18 at $133.78.
Hogs were mixed on the mixed cash, fund buying in the deferreds, profit taking in the nearbys and the outside markets. There was also some supported tied to the recent strength in the wholesale market. Overall, volume was pretty light and deferreds picked up additional late support from the bounce in corn and bean meal. December was down $.40 at $59.02 and February was $.32 lower at $67.32.
Bellies were lower on profit taking. February was down $.22 at $86.75.
Packer demand may have been a little lighter than expected coming back from the holiday. The Eastern Cornbelt did close $1.12 higher with a weighted average of $54.08 while the Western Belt was $.48 lower at $56.86 and Iowa/Southern Minnesota was down $.81 at $56.40. Trade for butcher hogs at the terminal markets was extremely light with Peoria steady at $32 and Sioux Falls $2 to $3 higher at $41. The Missouri Direct base carcass meat price was unchanged at $48 to $51. The pork carcass cutout was $.26 higher at $61.87 in very slow trade with light demand and offerings. Friday’s slaughter was estimated at 419,000 head, 8,000 lower than a week ago and steady with a year ago. Monday’s cash trade is called steady to firm.
NASDA says plan to help producers taking shape
November 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Two –thirds of the “Meat the Need” rescue program proposed by the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture to help struggling dairy, pork and poultry producers has been put in place. Missouri Ag Department Director Jon Hagler is co-chairman of the NASDA working group that proposed the “Meat the Need” plan two months ago.
Hagler says $350-Million dollars in dairy relief was included in the Ag Appropriations bill and Secretary Vilsack recently announced an additional $50-Million-dollar purchase of pork products for federal food programs, “I’m really pleased with Secretary Vilsack and what he’s been able to do. He’s been very, very responsive to our farmers and our farmers needs. He understands that crisis very well.”
Hagler says these steps to reduce the oversupply on the market are starting to work, “So far it looks like we’ve got a market response from that. You know, things are headed in the right direction, they’re a long way from being there. Our dairy folks are still hurting and struggling and the quickest we can get this out to them, I think that’s important.”
Hagler says steps at the state government level in Missouri have helped struggling dairy farmers as well,
“We were able to change our single purpose facility loan program to allow for refinancing and operating costs and that’s helped some dairies. In fact, last week, we made our first loans on that. And so we’re pretty pleased with that. It’s just one more tool that we’re trying to do – that Governor Nixon’s asked us to look for every way we can to keep farmers in business.”
Hagler concedes things remain tough for many dairy and pork producers – with prices still way below the cost of production. Hagler says federal and state governments must keep doing all they can to help.
As for dairy relief, the Kansas City Commodity Office has announced it will solicit bids before the end of the year for the $60 million worth of cheese for food programs in the Ag Appropriations bill. There’s still no word on the direct producer payments yet.
Missourinet’s Brent Martin provided audio for this story
National Association of State Departments of Agriculture – “MEAT the Need”
Corn higher on technical buying, export sales: November 27, 2009
November 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Soybeans were modestly lower on profit taking, technical selling and spillover from the outside markets. The dollar was higher, while the Dow, gold and crude oil were sharply lower following worrisome debt news from Dubai Thursday. Those outside markets did bounce off the lows late. Still, demand remains strong with weekly export sales and shipments larger than expected, which helped support beans, especially when taking into account that opening calls were around $.20 lower. Soybean meal was higher on solid demand, concerns over new crop soybean quality and product spread trade. Bean oil was down on that spread activity and the lower crude oil. Ahead of the first notice day for December soybean products, deliveries on meal are seen as light while deliveries on oil are expected to be heavy.
Corn was higher on technical buying and short covering following a lower start to the session. There was also some spread unwinding against wheat and soybeans. Weekly export sales were a marketing year high at more than 48 million bushels following large purchases by Mexico. Ahead of the first notice on the December contract, estimates for deliveries range widely, mostly due to quality concerns. Ethanol futures were higher. According to the Buenos Aires Grain Exchange, 72% of Argentina’s 2009/10 corn crop is planted with recent slowdowns due to scattered rainfall.
The wheat complex was mostly lower with Chicago and Kansas City lower on profit taking and the higher dollar. Losses in those pits were limited by short covering and the modest bounce in corn. The supply and demand fundamentals for wheat are negative and when the dollar moves up, wheat tends to move down. However, Minneapolis was steady to modestly higher on short covering and comparatively good demand for hard red spring. The December CBOT contract should see heavy first day deliveries Monday. European wheat was mixed on the generally lower trade in commodities and concerns over Dubai World’s request for deferred repayment of loans; January Paris was up .2% and March London was down .2%. The Buenos Aires Grain Exchange has lowered its 2009/10 Argentine wheat production estimate by 3.2% to 7.5 million tons with rain either delaying harvest or coming too late to help in drought ravaged areas. The International Grains Council sees 2010 world wheat area down modestly from 2009 but up from the five year average. Russia’s Agriculture Ministry reports that harvest is pretty much wrapped up with the grain total at 93 million tons of clean weight, including 58 million tons of wheat.
Weekly corn, soybean exports top 1 million tons
November 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment
It was a very strong week for corn and soybean export sales. Corn and bean sales for the week ending November 19 topped pre-report expectations while wheat, soybean meal and soybean oil were inside estimates. Soybean shipments were bigger than what’s needed weekly to meet USDA projections for the 2009/10 marketing year but corn and wheat fell short of their marks.
Wheat was reported at 351,200 tons (12.9 million bushels), down 3% from the week ending November 12 and unchanged from the four week average. The leading buyer was the Philippines with 100,200 tons, while unknown destinations canceled on 97,300 tons. 2009/10 wheat sales are 528.6 million bushels, compared to 749.9 million in 2008/09. Sales of 42,400 tons (1.6 million bushels) for 2010/11 delivery were to the Philippines.
Corn sales were a marketing year high at 1,223,600 tons (48.2 million bushels), up sharply from both the previous week and the four week average. The top purchaser was Mexico with 664,400 tons. So far this marketing year, corn sales are 784.0 million bushels, compared to 721.7 million this time last year. Sales of 402,900 tons (15.9 million bushels) for 2010/11 delivery were mostly to Mexico (352,600 tons).
Soybeans came out at 1,135,300 tons (41.7 million bushels), 16% less than the prior week but 23% more than the four week average. China bought the vast majority of the total at 859,800 tons, while unknown destinations canceled on 177,000 tons. At this point in the marketing year, soybean sales are 995.4 million bushels, compared to 631.7 million a year ago.
Soybean meal was pegged at 225,200 tons, 37% under the week before but 3% above the four week average. Mexico picked up 80,800 tons and unknown destinations canceled on 93,200 tons. For the marketing year to date, soybean meal sales are 4,696,300 tons, compared to 2,726,300 tons last year. Sales of 1,400 tons for 2010/11 delivery were to Canada.
Soybean oil sales were 19,200 tons, 55% higher than the previous week with most of the total to Mexico (16,000 tons). 2009/10 bean oil sales are 685,000 tons, compared to 204,000 in 2008/09.
Net beef sales totaled 8,300 tons. The reported buyers were Mexico (3,300 tons), Canada (1,500 tons), South Korea (1,500 tons), Japan (800 tons) and Taiwan (700 tons). Sales of 3,200 tons for 2010 delivery were to Vietnam (2,500 tons), Japan (300 tons), Hong Kong (200 tons) and Taiwan (200 tons).
Closing Grain and Livestock Futures: November 27, 2009
November 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment
December corn closed at $3.97 and 1/4, up 5 and 1/4 cents
January soybeans closed at $10.53, down 1 and 1/2 cents
December soybean meal closed at $326.50, up $8.50
December soybean oil closed at 40.10, down 47 points
December wheat closed at $5.48 and 3/4, down 1 and 1/4 cents
December live cattle closed at $83.20, down 47 cents
December lean hogs closed at $59.02, down 40 cents
January crude oil closed at $76.05, down $1.91
December cotton closed at 69.74, down 133 points
December Class III milk closed at $14.83, up 13 cents
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 10,309.92, down 154.48 points
Support for President’s Copenhagen visit
November 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment
According to a White House news release, support for President Obama’s announced trip to Copenhagen on December 9 to participate in the UN’s Climate Change Conference is getting strong support from such people as Al Gore, Senator’s John Kerry, Barbara Boxer and Joe Lieberman, as well as Representative Ed Markey, Jim Rogers, CEO of Duke Energy and Jonathan Lash, President of the World Resources Institute.
Former Vice President Al Gore –
“President Obama took an important step today with the announcement that he will attend the global warming treaty talks in Copenhagen.
This action is another example of the significant change in policy on the climate crisis.…Those who feared that the United States had abdicated its global responsibility should take hope from these actions and work towards completing a strong operational agreement next month in Copenhagen and guidelines for negotiators to complete their work next year on a comprehensive treaty.
It is my hope that the Senate will support the President and move quickly to pass climate and energy legislation early next year in order to ensure that the world moves toward speedy solutions for the climate crisis.”
Senator John Kerry –
“This could be one hell of a global game changer with big reverberations here at home. For the first time, an American Administration has proposed an emissions reduction target and when President Obama lands in Copenhagen it will emphasize that the United States is in it to win it. This announcement matches words with action. The Obama Administration is now undeniably mustering bona fide leadership on climate change, not merely departing from Bush Administration intransigence and ideology,” Kerry said.
Jim Rogers, CEO of Duke Energy:
“I applaud President Obama’s travel to Copenhagen, demonstrating the United States’ commitment to action on climate change. His presence will help ensure a successful outcome at the global climate talks, driving new investment, strengthening our global economic recovery, and moving us forward in building a productive, competitive economy here at home. The rules that Congress is developing will complement Copenhagen’s global road map, supporting our business objectives to provide clean, efficient, affordable, and reliable energy to our customers.”
There were no agricultural groups mentioned in the White House release.
Dec. 1 biofuels conference
November 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Purdue University and 11 other Midwest land-grant universities will hold a biofuels conference on Tuesday, December 1 from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
“New opportunities from greater utilization of biomass resources for energy production may likely initiate a dynamic change for how agricultural business is conducted in places like rural Indiana,” Chad Martin, Purdue Extension renewable energy specialist said. “International and U.S. experts will convene through this conference to shed light on the views of climate change and how emerging policy decisions could impact energy production technology.”
The Growing the Bioeconomy: Solutions for Sustainability conference will include presentations by Purdue ag economists Wally Tyner and Steven Wu, and James Lovelock, an expert on global environmental science. Ag Secretary Vilsack is also scheduled to make remarks.
The conference is available for viewing online.
Latest: 
