From controlling weeds, to insects, FMC has a portfolio of products that Bob Hooten, U.S. Technical Support Manager says will put more money in the farmer’s pocket. In an interview with Brownfield’s Dave Russell at the National Farm Machinery Show (NFMS) in Louisville, Hooten talked about glyphosate resistance and the FMC products that are available that will help keep glyphosate around as a tool for weed control.
FMC’s portfolio of products
February 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Keeping Natural Resource issues at the forefront
February 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Even with limited funding, the Alabama Association of Conservation Districts has been able to work with landowners on various cost-share programs. But Noopie Cosby, Program Development Director for the Alabama Association of Conservation Districts says one of the biggest challenges is keeping natural resource issues at the forefront.
Helping protect Rhode Island’s water supply
February 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment
For nearly 20 years now, the Northern Rhode Island Conservation District has been involved in helping protect the Scituate Reservoir, which provides most of Rhode Island with their drinking water. Brownfield’s Dave Russell talked with Gina DeMarco, District Manager about the project and how they reach out to homeowners and schools.
How do you regain their trust?
February 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Michael Richardson has the Broken R Ranch in Texas and travels the country working with horses and horse people promoting harmony between horse and human. Starting with your own young horse is one thing…but how do you gain the trust of a horse that has been mistreated or abused?
AUDIO: Richardson talks about working with a scared horse 3:00 mp3
“Alice” links food to the farm
February 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Wisconsin’s agricultural ambassador, Alice in Dairyland has been busy in classrooms across the state. Christine Lindner says as the average student becomes three-generations removed from the farm it is more important than ever to link food to the farm. While her main focus is 4th-graders, she also talks to middle and high school students. “That message is tailored more towards nutrition and understanding the nine essential vitamins and nutrients found in milk.”
USDA offers Hispanic and women settlement
February 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The USDA and Department of Justice have announced a process to resolve discrimination claims by Hispanic and women farmers who were discriminated against when seeking USDA farm loans. This is a follow-up to the recent settlement of litigation brought by African American and Native American farmers.
The claims process offers an alternative to litigation and provides at least $1.33 billion in compensation, plus up to $160 million in farm debt relief, to eligible Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers. The program provides up to $50,000 for each Hispanic or woman farmer who can show that USDA denied them a loan or loan servicing for discriminatory reasons for certain time periods between 1981 and 2000. Hispanic or female farmers who provide additional proof and meet other requirements can receive a $50,000 reward. Successful claimants are also eligible for funds to pay the taxes on their awards and for forgiveness of certain existing USDA loans.
There are no filing fees or other costs to claimants to participate in the program. Participation is voluntary, and individuals who opt not to participate are not precluded by the program from filing a complaint in court. Information is available at this website or by calling the Farmer and Rancher Call Center at 1-888-508-4429.
Is cellulosic ethanol ready to ‘turn the corner’?
February 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment
For the past decade (or even longer), we’ve been hearing predictions that the big arrival of cellulosic ethanol “is just around the corner.” Now, it seems, cellulosic ethanol may finally be getting ready to turn that corner. The world’s largest ethanol producer, POET, has begun collecting feedstock (corn stover) for its cellulosic plant at Emmetsburg, Iowa. And the joint venture between DuPont and Dansico (called “DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol” or “DDCE”) is also getting serious, with plans to have its own commercial biorefinery up and running in Iowa by 2013. Brownfield’s Ken Anderson recently had a chance to visit with Kyle Althoff, director of feedstock development for DDCE, who says the cellulosic ethanol industry is poised for growth. And while DDCE’s initial focus is also on corn residue, Althoff says they are looking at other energy crops, including switchgrass and sorghum.
Growth Energy touts ethanol expansion
February 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Ethanol advocacy group Growth Energy says it’s a mistake to block implementation of a 15 percent f blend of ethanol in gasoline. That group’s CEO, Tom Buis, warns that the Senate should overturn amendments to the House Continuing Resolution Bill by Representatives Sullivan and Flake that hinder the advance of ethanol blended gasoline.
“The House action by approving Sullivan prevents even greater use of ethanol, which is cheaper, better for the environment and home-grown,” said Buis, during a conference call with reporters Thursday. “It puts politics above science.”
Referring to U.S. petroleum use as an addiction, Growth Energy Co-Chairman, Retired General Wesley Clark, expressed disappointment in the amendment to the House C-R bill by Oklahoma Republican John Sullivan, as well as in an amendment from Arizona Republican Representative Jeffery Flake holding up funding of blender pumps.
“These two House amendments deepen that addiction by cutting off our movement on the only real alternative to imported oil at this time, and that is ethanol,” said Clark, who was also on the conference call.
Buis and Clark each stressed that Middle East and African political unrest, some of it in oil exporting countries, underlines the urgency of increasing the ethanol blend rate. That was echoed by Growth Energy President, former Iowa Congressman Jim Nussle.
“I don’t know how many warning signs it’s going to take for my friends and colleagues that I used to serve with in Congress to wake up and realize that we’re in trouble,” said Nussle.
Clark reiterated that Middle East political upheaval has swayed public opinion to the side of supporting E15 implementation.
Wild week in the dairy markets too
February 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Financial markets continued their recovery on Friday, that spilled over into commodities with the March contract for corn up 25 cents, wheat up 29 and soybeans gained 47 cents. Those prices pulled Class III milk futures higher with them, March up 34 cents; April gained 66 cents, May 42 cents higher.
For the week, blocks and barrels up 3.25 cents and butter up 1.5 cents. Class III futures, the March contract gained 56 cents going over the $19.00 mark for the first time. April lost 25 cents, May declined 52 cents and August fell 32 cents.
Total dairy cow slaughter in January 264,000 head, 1,000 less than went to market in December but 32,000 more than January of 2010. 86,600 came out of the upper Midwest and 93,600 out of the western states. Dairy Market News says higher beef prices are prompting producers to sell marginal dairy cows and buy better replacements.
Packaged fluid milk sales in December totaled 4.8 billion pounds, 1.8 percent lower than December of 2009. Total organic milk sales increased 23.4 percent for December while conventional milk sales declined 2 percent.
Total organic milk product sales for December were up 23.4 percent as well. Organic sales for the year increased 13.1 percent compared to 2009.
Stabenow: Farm Bill must use resources wisely
February 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Federal budget cuts and deficit reductions are expected to affect how the new farm bill is written.
“That’s why we need to make the best use of our limited resources and make sure we’re using them on programs that work for production agriculture today,” says Senate Ag Committee chairwoman Debbie Stabenow of Michigan. She will have a major role in the drafting of the 2012 Farm Bill. She spoke at the USDA Agriculture Outlook Forum going on in Washington, DC, “We need an effective safety net so that we are not watching businesses go under.”
Stabenow says farmers are bombarded by rules, regulations and paperwork and that’s why a Farm Bill should encourage smarter, simpler and streamlined programs. And, she says, that is happening now at the USDA.
Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack told reporters that the Ag Department is working to get technology online that will reduce farmers’ trips to county offices..
“Over time, hopefully, they won’t even have to make a trip.” Vilsack says that’ll give them more time to farm.
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