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Missouri farmer briefs lawmakers on flooding

July 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The 2003 rewrite of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Missouri River system operating manual has resulted in much less emphasis on flood prevention. That’s according to Missouri Farmers Union President Richard Oswald, who participated Thursday in briefing lawmakers and staff members in Washington, D.C., about the flooding on the Missouri River this summer. Oswald says the manual was the result of input from ten state governors as well as wildlife, environmental and recreational interests.

“When it got right down to it, I think flood control and agriculture kind of got the short end of the stick and that took a little while to really show up,” Oswald said Thursday, in Washington D.C., during an interview with Brownfield. “I think we’ve dealt with some [flooding] problems as a result in the past, but I think just how short the end of stick we got was is really obvious this year.”

Much of Oswald’s crop was lost when a northwest Missouri levee failed in June. He favors river management changes in part, for what it could contribute to food security.

“We’re a nation of 300 million people and if we don’t feed ourselves, we’re in big trouble, especially with the kind of land that we’ve got,” said Oswald, “and some of very best land that we have for feeding people is in that Missouri River Valley under water today.”

That includes Oswald’s house. He says the Corps has told him upstream releases are being decreased, but Oswald still does not expect to be able to get to his house until after August.

AUDIO: Richard Oswald (4 min. MP3)

Filed Under: News, USDA/Government Tagged With: , , ,

Grains and oilseeds sink on weather

July 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Soybeans were lower on speculative selling and the higher dollar. Forecasts for early August show a more moderate pattern around key growing areas, reducing stress on the crop. Weekly export sales and shipments were bearish, as were the monthly Census crush numbers for June, which totaled 124.318 million bushels, down on both the month and the year. Soybean meal was mixed in consolidation trade and bean oil was lower on a lack of new buying interest. The first notice day for August contracts is Friday with soybean deliveries expected to be very light with moderate deliveries for meal and heavy deliveries for oil.

Corn was lower on speculative selling and the higher dollar. Weather around the Midwest has moderated at least somewhat for most areas, putting less stress on the developing crop. Corn exports were near the low end of estimates and shipments were slow. Still, the nearby supply remains generally tight and there’s some talk that forecasted rainfall could be too little too late for a significant portion of the crop. Ethanol futures were mostly lower. The Buenos Aires Grain Exchange reports 91% of Argentina’s 2010/11 corn crop has been harvested, and raised its estimate to 21 million tons thanks to better than anticipated yields.

The wheat complex was lower on profit taking and a lack of follow through buying. Also, the fundamentals are bearish and contracts were overbought after hitting one week highs early in the session. The Wheat Quality Council’s North Dakota tour pegs the state’s total yield at 41.1 bushels per acre, with spring wheat at 41.5 and durum at 31.8 bushels per acre. The all wheat estimate is down from 46.0 a year ago but up from USDA’s most recent guess of 38.0 bushels per acre. Weekly export sales and shipments were bearish, reflecting the downturn in demand since Russia and Ukraine got back in the export market. According to SovEcon, Russia has exported a record 2 million tons of grain this month, including 1.8 million tons of wheat. European wheat was up on crop quality concerns. European Union agency MARS projects 2011/12 E.U. wheat at 137.03 million tons, down 1.6% from 2010/11. The International Grains Council estimates 2011/12 grain output at 1.82 billion tons, including 651 million tons of wheat, just short of expected consumption of 1.83 billion tons. Australia’s Bureau of Statistics reports wheat stocks at the end of June totaled 13.37 million tons, down 13% on the month but up 35% on the year. China’s State Administration of Grains states domestic wheat purchases as of July 20 are 28.6 million tons, compared to 39.5 million this time last year. Egypt’s tendering for an unspecified amount of wheat according to Dow Jones Newswires, and Jordan bought 50,000 tons of wheat.

Filed Under: Closing Futures & Livestock Briefs, Markets Tagged With: , , , , ,

Rural Nebraskans surveyed on food animal welfare

July 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

A poll of rural Nebraskans finds that, while they are concerned with how livestock animals are being treated, most don’t think more animal care regulations are needed.

The 16th annual University of Nebraska-Lincoln rural poll, which includes all but nine counties classified as “metropolitan”, asked participants a variety of questions about animal welfare issues.  Not surprisingly, 95 percent of rural Nebraskans agree that animal welfare means providing adequate food, water and shelter to livestock animals.  But, somewhat surprisingly—according to UNL rural sociologist Randy Cantrell—is the 69 percent who say that animal welfare also includes providing adequate exercise, space and social activities for the animals.

“This whole thing is going to circle around this notion of the behavioral aspects of animal welfare—and even there we find a majority of people who say ‘yeah, I agree that’s important’,” says Cantrell. “So I think I was a little bit surprised that that level of acceptance was as high as it was.”

According to the results, more than two out of every five respondents say current animal care regulations are adequate.  Only one in five said more regulations were needed.  But that leaves a large group of respondents, Cantrell says—almost two of every five—who are uncertain or have no opinion about whether more regulations were needed.

“A strong majority of rural Nebraskans say ‘we don’t need any more regulation than we have’,” he says, “but if you add up the people who say ‘yeah, there should be more regulation’—and the people who say ‘gee, I don’t know’—there’s room for that to be fought out in public opinion.”

However, the poll also found that 84 percent of rural Nebraskans believe livestock farmers and their veterinarians know how best to care for their animals.  And 57 percent agreed that increased regulation of Nebraska’s livestock practices would raise the cost of production and, ultimately, food.

AUDIO: Randy Cantrell (13:20 MP3)

Filed Under: Events/Organizations, Livestock, News Tagged With: , ,

Cattle trading remains inactive in most regions

July 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

A light cattle trade began to surface in parts of the North on Thursday afternoon with at least one regional willing to pay steady money with last week.  DTN reported a few dressed sales in Iowa at 175.00. USDA Mandatory is reporting a limited trade in Nebraska on light to moderate demand. There were a few dressed sales at 175.00. Trading remains inactive in all other areas on fairly light buyer inquiry. Packers appear to be avoiding higher asking prices of 110.00 to 111.00 in the South and 176.00 in the North. The cattle slaughter is estimated at 129,000 head, 2,000 more than last week, but down 1,000 head from last year.

Boxed beef cutout values were weak on light to moderate demand and moderate offerings. Choice boxed beef was .48 lower at 175.25, and select was down .37 at 170.04.

Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle contracts settled 5 to 70 points higher after support developed at midday erasing early losses. Early support in the stock and outside markets faded which helped to make livestock futures slightly more attractive to noncommercial or speculative traders late in the month according to DTN. The front month contracts outperformed the deferred issues. August settled .55 higher at 111.62, and October was up .70 at 116.15.

Feeder cattle ended the session unchanged to 80 points higher on support from the live pit and the downturn in corn futures prices. August settled .42 higher at 135.80, and September was up .67 at 137.60.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Closing Futures & Livestock Briefs, Markets Tagged With: ,

Closing Grain and Livestock Futures: July 28, 2011

July 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Sept. corn closed at $6.82 and 1/4, down 9 and 1/4 cents
Aug. soybeans closed at $13.67 and 3/4, down 8 cents
Aug. soybean meal closed at $355.30, down 50 cents
Aug. soybean oil closed at 55.76, down 64 points
Sept. wheat closed at $6.93 and 1/4, down 11 and 1/2 cents
Aug. live cattle closed at $111.62, up 55 cents
Aug. lean hogs closed at $102.47, up 55 cents
Sept. crude oil closed at $97.44, up 4 cents
Oct. cotton closed at 102.81, down 104 points
Aug. Class III milk closed at $21.41, up 7 cents
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 12,240.11, down 62.44 points

Filed Under: Closing Futures & Livestock Briefs, Markets Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Thursday midday cash livestock information

July 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Packer inquiry is improving a bit on Thursday, at least in Nebraska where private sources are reporting a few bids at 107.00 live and 171.00 on the dressed. The expectation is that packer interest will increase in cattle country as the day progresses. Asking prices are around 110.00 plus in the South and 176.00 to 178.00 in the North.  Despite the sizeable cash dump in Kansas on Tuesday at 107.00, many feedlot operators are digging in with significant resolve, encouraged by board premiums and decent processing margins.

Boxed beef cutout values were slightly lower at midday with the choice down .29 at 175.44, and the select is .20 lower at 170.71.

Feeder cattle receipts at the Bassett Livestock Auction at Bassett, Nebraska totaled 3100 cattle on Wednesday. Compared with the BBQ auction, two weeks ago, steers traded 5.00 to 10.00 lower, there were not enough heifers for an accurate market comparison. The demand was good for both yearlings and fall calf lots. There were many loads of reputation Sandhill offerings with age and source verification.  Feeder steers medium and large ones, 708 head weighing an average of 908 lbs traded at 133.81 per hundredweight. 146 heifers weighing 805 pounds averaged 127.25.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Livestock, Markets Tagged With: , , , ,

Debt proposals would impact agriculture

July 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The chairman of the House Agriculture Committee says there are significant differences in how agricultural programs will be treated in the latest debt ceiling/deficit reduction bills in Congress.  

Frank Lucas tells the Radio Oklahoma Network that the Senate proposal under development by Senate Leader Harry Reid would call for immediate ag spending cuts of several billion dollars- and he says the measure is very prescriptive in which programs the money will come from.

In contrast, Lucas says, the House proposal that is being reworked for more savings by House Speaker John Boehner is not specific about how the cuts are to be made in agricultural programs.

““That’s not to say that in Mr. Boehner’s proposal there are not going to be cuts and reductions in spending,” Lucas says, “but at least in this first go around, the things that are important for the rest of this summer—and the first part of those annual (direct) payments in October—are protected under Mr. Boehner’s proposal.”

According to a Reuters report, the plan offered by Senate Democrats proposes ten to fifteen billion dollars in agricultural reforms, including a 30 percent cut in this fall’s direct payments. That would be achieved by reducing the amount of land eligible for the payments.

Filed Under: Crops, Dairy, Events/Organizations, Livestock, News, USDA/Government Tagged With: , ,

Vote on FTAs? Maybe this fall

July 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

According to a Wall Street Journal Online report, the White House and Congress are inching toward compromise on a deal that could allow a vote on trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia and Panama in September. But the article notes that the testy mood of Congress still threatens progress.

Congressional Republicans and Obama administration trade officials say they are working on a highly orchestrated plan for renewing the controversial Trade Adjustment Assistance program after Congress returns from its month-long August recess. That could pave the way for a vote on the three trade agreements in the fall. But aides to Senate Democrats and the administration caution that a final deal hasn’t been agreed to yet.

Filed Under: Crops, Events/Organizations, Livestock, News, USDA/Government, World Ag News/Trade Tagged With: , ,

Another slow week for export sales

July 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

It was a generally slow week for U.S. grain and oilseed export sales with wheat and corn sales for the week ending July 21 inside estimates and soybeans below expectations. Physical shipments of corn, soybeans and wheat were all less than what’s needed weekly to meet USDA projections for their respective marketing years.

Wheat came out at 473,800 tons (17.4 million bushels), up 38% from July 14 and 3% higher than the four week average. Mexico was the leading buyer at 93,600 tons. For the 2011/12 marketing year to date, wheat sales are 369.7 million bushels, compared to 308.5 million in 2010/11.

2010/11 corn was reported at 331,500 tons (13.0 million bushels), with sales from 37,800 to 197,700 tons partially offset by a cancellation on 339,800 tons. Nearing the end of the 2010/11 marketing year, corn sales are 1.853 billion bushels, compared to 2.005 billion at this point in 2009/10. Sales of 153,400 tons (6.0 million bushels) were mostly to Japan (117,900 tons).

2010/11 soybeans were pegged at 10,500 tons (400,000 bushels), as sales from 18,100 to 27,000 tons were almost completely offset by cancellations of 40,700 and 45,000 tons. So far this marketing year, soybean sales are 1.546 billion bushels, compared to 1.494 billion a year ago at this time. Sales of 362,200 tons (13.3 million bushels) for 2011/12 delivery were primarily to China (224,000 tons).

Soybean meal was placed at 83,500 tons, 29% less than the previous week but 70% more than the four week average. Unknown destinations picked up 24,900 tons. At this point in the marketing year, soybean meal sales are 7,453,400 tons, compared to 9,242,100 last year. Sales of 11,200 tons for 2011/12 delivery were mainly to the Dominican Republic (9,500 tons).

Soybean oil came out at 9,600 tons, 40% below the prior week but 29% above the four week average. Algeria was the leading buyer at 4,000 tons. 2010/11 soybean oil sales are 1,272,800 tons, compared to 1,365,100 in 2009/10. Sales of 2,000 tons for 2011/12 delivery were to Panama.

Net beef sales totaled 18,100 tons. The reported purchasers were Mexico (5,100 tons), Canada (3,200 tons), South Korea (2,700 tons), Vietnam (2,700 tons), and Japan (1,200 tons).

Filed Under: Markets, News Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Grand Champion Market Lamb at Ohio State Fair

July 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The opening day of the 2011 Ohio State Fair, Wednesday, July 27, ended with the selection of the Grand and Reserve Grand Champion Market Lambs and taking home the Grand Champion banner is MacKenzie Fruchey of Fayette, in Fulton County. Fruchey’s overall Grand Champion was the champion grade market lamb.

“It was a lot of hard work getting here, I’m just in shock right now,” said Fruchy. “My Grand Champion came from Fred Johnson in Ohio, he’s been doing good at the OCLA Shows all year.”

Audio: MacKenzie Fruchey, Fulton Co. Ohio (1:50 MP3)

Madison Banbury of Danville, in Knox County had her champion Hampshire selected as the Reserve Grand Champion Market Lamb.

“This is actually our 10th consecutive year with a reserve or grand champion at the State Fair, so there was a lot riding on it,” Banbury said.

Audio: Madison Banbury, Knox Co. Ohio (1:45 MP3)

Judging the 2011 Ohio State Fair market lamb show was Scott Greiner, Extension specialist at Virginia Tech. Greiner tells Brownfield it was a very competitive show.

“It’s always a pleasure to come to Ohio because I know the quality of the livestock is excellent and more importantly the quality of the young people is even better,” said Greiner.

Over the course of the day Greiner evaluated 602 market lambs, in the end, the judge said the differences between the Grand and Reserve Grand Champion were pretty minor.

“To be real honest they are very similar,” Greiner said. “Our Grand lamb was probably just a notch better put together and our Reserve’s maybe just a notch stouter, that’s way I saw them.”

Audio: Scott Greiner, Virginia Tech, lamb judge (1:10 MP3)

Filed Under: 2011 State Fairs, Events/Organizations, Featured, Livestock, News Tagged With: , , ,
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