Jolene Brown is a popular speaker at agricultural meetings around the U.S. Jolene lives on a farm near West Branch, Iowa and she speaks to and counsels farm families on how to make family businesses succeed. One of the areas Jolene addresses is the transitioning of the family business to the next generation.
Livestock troubles top 2009 Nebraska issues
December 28, 2009 By 2 Comments
The struggling livestock industry tops the list of issues facing Nebraska agriculture in 2009. That’s according to the Nebraska Farm Bureau. The organization’s president, Keith Olsen isn’t surprised.
He says Nebraska’s pork producers have operated in the red for 24 out of the last 28 months. He also cites the price squeeze faced by the state’s dairy producers and bovine tuberculosis discovered in a Nebraska beef herd.
“Pork producers hopefully are seeing some light at the end of the tunnel [and] dairy producers are seeing a little increase in the price of milk that they’re receiving,” Olsen told Brownfield Monday, “but they’re still struggling trying to make much money.”
The late harvest and irrigation water issues are numbers two and three on the list of top agriculture issues.
The fourth issue is the continued activist attacks on agriculture and number five is checkoff dollars targeted to help balance the state budget.
Ultimately the legislature agreed and removed any checkoff transfers from the budget package.
Wisconsin Ag in the Classroom Teacher of the Year
December 28, 2009 By Leave a Comment
The Wisconsin Ag in the Classroom “Teacher of the Year” this year is Dana Westedt, a fourth-grade teacher at South Elementary School in Reedsburg. Westedt was recognized for her numerous field trips to visit dairy farms, cheese plants, cranberry bogs and others. She has also utilized numerous Wisconsin agricultural products in the classroom to educate her students about products from the Badger State.
The selection was made by members of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s Agriculture in the Classroom program to recognize teachers for their efforts in teaching students the importance of agriculture. “Dana is very deserving of the award because the variety and scope of the activities, lessons, tours and speakers she uses to help her students learn more about agriculture and the environment,” said Darlene Arneson, Ag in the Classroom coordinator.
Arneson says while the program is often thought of as mainly focused on fourth-graders, it has expanded well beyond that to offer ag information and resources to teachers of all age groups and all subjects.
Darlene Arneson talks about the Ag in the Classroom Program:
MO ballot proposal approved for circulation
December 28, 2009 By 10 Comments
The HSUS ballot initiative cracking down on dog breeders in Missouri, which is seen as a threat to all of animal agriculture in the state, has been approved for circulation by the Missouri Secretary of State’s office. While the Missouri Department of Agriculture is not able to take a stand on the proposal – which would limit operators to 50 or fewer female breeding dogs – Ag Director Jon Hagler tells Brownfield they’re well aware of the intentions behind it, “HSUS has made no secret about the fact that they’re not for ANY animal agriculture.”
Hagler says the department’s role is that of public education, “And we want to reach out and let folks know that there are no better stewards of animal welfare, no better stewards of the land than farmers and Missouri farmers have always been at the forefront of that.”
Hagler says the bad actors of dog breeding are unlicensed and that the department has and will continue to crack down on those operators, “They’re giving a bad name to not only the legitimate, professional, licensed breeders in Missouri but also to all of agriculture.”
Meanwhile, Missouri ag groups (Missouri Animal Ag Coalition) and lawmakers are coming up with strategies to meet the threat head-on. Just under 100-thousand certified signatures are needed on the so-called “Puppy Mill Cruelty Protection Act” proposal to put it before Missouri voters next November. The group called Missouri for the Protection of Dogs – supported by both the Humane Society of the US (HSUS) and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) – has until May 2nd to collect signatures. The state legislature has the power to overturn ballot proposals that are approved by voters.
Fund buying, outside markets support grains and oilseeds: December 28, 2009
December 28, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Soybeans were sharply higher in thin volume on fund and speculative buying, along with spillover from the outside markets. The dollar was lower while the Dow and crude oil were higher. Fundamentals remain strong with weekly export inspections bigger than what’s needed to meet USDA projections for the marketing year. Soybean meal and oil were higher following beans with meal getting additional support from talk of increased feed needs due to weather and oil gaining extra momentum from the higher crude oil.
Corn was higher on technical and fund buying, in addition to short covering and spillover from beans, wheat and the outside markets. There was more snow over the weekend, further delaying the end of this year’s harvest and leading to talk of increased feed needs for livestock. Weekly export inspections were larger than expected but less than what’s needed weekly to meet USDA projections. Ethanol futures were higher. China’s state owned news agency Xinhua quotes China’s Ministry of Agriculture as saying 2009 grain production was a record, topping 530 million tons.
The wheat complex was sharply higher on short covering and fund buying, along with the lower dollar. Overall, trade volume was light, as expected during this holiday shortened week, helping push March Chicago to a new three month high. Also, wet weather is delaying harvest in parts of Argentina. Still, the fundamentals are negative with a large world supply and not much new demand for U.S. wheat. On the other hand, traders haven’t been paying much attention to the fundamentals for a while.
Cattle and hogs contracts start the week higher
December 28, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle contracts settled 30 to 77 points higher on the recent strength in the cash markets and evidence that the harsh winter weather is working to limit commercial beef production. The April contract moved back over its 100 day moving average for the first time since early November. December settled 60 points higher at 83.67, and February was up .62 at 85.37.
Feeder cattle ended the session unchanged to 112 points higher on spillover strength from the live pit, and short covering. Charts however continued to struggle with plenty of overhead resistance. January was up 90 points to settle at 95.52, and March was up 112 at 94.95.
Negotiated cash steer and heifer trading was at a standstill in the Southern Plains. There was limited trade in Colorado, Nebraska and the Western Corn belt. There were not enough sales in any major feeding region for an adequate market trend. The new show lists are mixed in size, larger in the South, but smaller in the North. Asking prices are around 85 to 86 in the South and. 135 pus in the North. For the week ended December 12 cattle carcass weights took a big drop, all cattle at 784 pounds, 4 pounds below the prior week and even with 2008. Harsh winter weather is clearly curbing production, a trend that will no doubt accelerate in the wake of the Christmas storm. Cattle slaughter was estimated at 122,000 head, 2,000 above last week, but 4,000 less than last year. Boxed beef cutout values were firm to higher on light demand and offerings. Choice beef was up .69 at 139.04, and select was 1.41 higher at 132.48.
Barrows and gilts in the Iowa/Minnesota direct trade closed .41 lower at 58.92 on a carcass basis, the West was down .26 at 69.18, and the West was .64 lower at 68.24. Missouri direct base carcass meat price was steady to 1.00 lower from 52 to 56. Monday’s hog slaughter was estimated at 435,000 head, 1,000 more than last week, but the same as last year. It could take some time to catch up on marketing’s given weather delays. Yet it is uncertain how much normal channels have been clogged. The state of the wholesale market is also a wildcard as the new week begins according to DTN’s John Harrington. If carcass value continues to erode, will packers slow chain speed even more than typically planned before and after New Years?
Lean hogs settled 40 to 95 points higher with the nearby contracts gaining on the far deferred issues. Choppy action and mixed spreading interest is likely to characterize this market for the next several days as the market prepares for the Hogs and pigs report due out on Wednesday afternoon. February was up 90 points at 64.70, and April was .95 higher at 69.30. Pork trading was slow with light demand and offerings. Pork carcass cutout value was .72 higher at 68.61.
Pork bellies for February settled 115 points lower at 86.50 pressured by sell stops and a general lack of buying interest.
Closing Grain and Livestock Futures: December 28, 2009
December 28, 2009 By Leave a Comment
March corn closed at $4.16, up 7 and 1/2 cents
January soybeans closed at $10.29, up 29 and 1/2 cents
January soybean meal closed at $310.40, up $9.00
January soybean oil closed at 39.63, up 117 points
March wheat closed at $5.50 and 3/4, up 26 and 1/4 cents
December live cattle closed at $83.67, up 60 cents
February lean hogs closed at $64.70, up 90 cents
February crude oil closed at $78.77, up 72 cents
March cotton closed at 75.82, up 217 points
January Class III milk closed at $14.30, down 1 cent
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 10,547.08, up 26.98 points
Financial management workshops
December 28, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Tipton, Rochester and Paoli will host a Purdue University financial management workshop series in January and February.
“The reason we’re doing this workshop series is because we get a lot of feedback from farm families who want this kind of information,” said Kelly Heckaman, educator, Purdue Extension Kosciusko County and the workshop series coordinator. “That’s especially true of farm wives, who often are the ones doing the recordkeeping and making financial management decisions.”
Topics to be discussed include balance sheets, income statements, cash flows, financial analysis, performance ratios and managing risk.
Workshop dates, times, locations and contact information include:
* Tipton – Jan. 26, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. EST, Extension Education Center at the Tipton County Fairgrounds, 1200 S. Main St. 765-675-1177.
* Rochester – Jan. 28, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. EST, Fulton County Fairgrounds Extension Office, 1009 W. Third St. 574-223-3397.
* Paoli – Feb. 4, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. CST, Community Center at the Orange County Fairgrounds, 1075 Sandy Hook Road. 812-723-9300.
Workshop registration is $30 per person and $15 for each additional person from the same operation or family.
Beef recall
December 28, 2009 By Leave a Comment
An outbreak of illnesses in six states involving E. coli bacteria has led an Oklahoma company to recall 248,000 pounds of beef products.
National Steak and Poultry of Owasso, Oklahoma said the recall involves products in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota, Michigan and Washington State.
USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) says it became aware of the problem “during the course of an investigation of a cluster of E. coli 0157:H7 illnesses.” The investigation found an association with blade tenderized steaks and illnesses in the six states. Each package of potentially contaminated “National Steak and Poultry” steak bears a label with the establishment number EST. 6010T. The products were packaged in October and shipped to restaurants nationwide.
Brownfield’s Julie Harker contributed to this story
Midday cash livestock markets
December 28, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Minnesota/Iowa, West and Eastern Direct hog reports are delayed due to packer submission issues. Missouri direct base carcass meat price is steady to 1.00 lower from 52 to 56. The cash hog market opened with a softer undertone as buyers take some time assessing inventory in the wake of the major holiday snow storm. It could take some time to catch up on marketing’s given weather delays. Yet it is uncertain how normal channels have been clogged. The state of the wholesale market is also a wildcard as the new week begins according to DTN’s John Harrington. If carcass value continues to erode, will packers slow chain speed even more than typically planned before and after New Years?
Cattle country is fairly quiet as buyers and sellers are busy taking inventory. Early ideas of asking prices for this week are 85 to 86 in the South, but in the North there is a reluctance to price cattle due to significant snowfall and wind impact on herds. For the week ending December 12 cattle carcass weights took a big drop: all cattle at 783 pounds, 4 pounds below the prior week and even with 2008. Winter weather is clearly curbing production, a trend that will no doubt accelerate in the wake of the Christmas storm. Choice boxed beef is up .24 at 138.49, select is up .91 at 130.98.
Most feeder cattle auctions are closed for the holidays.
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