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Indiana corn harvest at 26 percent

September 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Harvest continues to rapidly advance even though isolated rain showers slowed progress last week in some areas.  As of Sunday, 26 percent of the state’s corn crop has been harvested –well head of both last year and the five-year average but still behind 2010’s record pace when 38 percent of the crop had been harvested at this time.  Eighty-two percent of the crop has reached maturity.

Soybean harvest is going slow as some pods have reached maturity but the stems have remained green forcing farmers to reduce combining speeds.  Ten percent of the crop has been harvested, slightly behind the five-year average but ahead of last year’s pace.  Eighty percent of the crop is now shedding leaves.

The recent rainfalls have helped replenish soil moisture as 58 percent of the Topsoil is now adequate to surplus and 32 percent of the subsoil moisture is now at adequate levels (68 percent of the subsoil is still listed as short to very short). 

Pasture conditions are now rated 18 percent good to excellent compared to 16 percent last year at this time.

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

Swift harvest pace continues in Illinois

September 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment

It was cool and dry last week allowing Illinois growers to continue their swift crop harvest pace. Fifty-four percent of Illinois corn, as of Sunday, was harvested. Less than 20 percent was harvested this time last year and the average is only 23 percent. Ninety-five percent of the corn crop has reached maturity.

Illinois soybean harvest is eight-percent complete, which is ahead of last year but close to the five-year average. Soybeans turning color and dropping leaves are both ahead. About a third of the crop is in poor to very poor shape, just over a third is in fair shape.

Five percent of the state’s winter wheat crop has been planted.

Filed Under: Crops, News Tagged With: , , ,

Butter showing strength

September 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Cash cheese held steady but butter increased 4 cents on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange on Monday. This is the highest butter price we’ve seen in over a year on the CME. Dairy Market News says cream supplies are available but many butter producers are gearing-up for end-of-year needs. They report current retail orders are strong and good holiday orders are being placed. Suppliers and handlers say it appears some buyers may be procuring a little heavier at this time choosing to carry a little extra inventory rather than come up short later in the year.

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted 13 requests for export assistance from Dairy Farmers of America, Darigold, Land O’Lakes and Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association to sell 5.880 million pounds of Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, and 687,842 pounds of butter, to customers in Asia, Central America, Europe and the Middle East. The product will be delivered September 2012 through March 2013.

In 2012, CWT has assisted member cooperatives in making export sales of Cheddar, Monterey Jack and Gouda cheese totaling 91.6 million pounds, butter totaling 58.1 million pounds, and anhydrous milk fat totaling 123,459 pounds. The product will go to 34 countries on four continents.

Filed Under: Dairy, News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Missouri corn harvest way ahead

September 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Missouri’s corn harvest took a big jump last week – amid cool, dry weather. As of Sunday, 80-percent was complete, that’s two-and-a-half weeks ahead of last year and 41 days ahead of normal. Corn moisture, on average, was 15.2 percent at harvest.

Fifteen percent of soybeans in the state are mature, a few days ahead of last year and the average. Four-percent of the crop was harvested as of Sunday.

Cotton harvest is about 10 days ahead of last year and the average and rice harvest is about two weeks ahead.

Pasture conditions improved in the state last week but 80 percent of pastures are still poor to very poor. Only 12 percent of the hay and roughage supply is adequate.

Filed Under: Crops, News Tagged With: , , , , ,

Wisconsin Outstanding Young Farmer applicants sought

September 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Applications are now being accepted for the Wisconsin Outstanding Young Farmer award. . Nominees should be aged 21 through 39 years old and derive two-thirds or more of their income from farming. The award is based on 50 percent progress in ag career, 25 percent soil and water conservation and 25 percent contributions to community, state and nation.

Nominations are sought from agri-business professionals, UW Extension staff, OYF past winners and Jaycee chapters. Nominations are due no later than November 1, with completed detailed applications due December 1, 2012. The awards weekend will be held in January.

To nominate a deserving farmer or farm couple, send their name, address, phone and e-mail to Daphne Holterman, fax: 920-262-8981, or daphne@rosylane.com.

Filed Under: Events/Organizations, News Tagged With:

HSUS says “Other White Meat” sale was unlawful

September 24, 2012 By 3 Comments

The Humane Society of the United States and Iowa pork producer Harvey Dillenburg have filed suit in federal district court in Washington D.C. charging the National Pork Board “struck an unlawful deal” when it bought “The Other White Meat” slogan from the National Pork Producers Council in 2006. The Pork Board agreed to pay the Pork Producers Council $3 million per year for 20 years or a total of $60 million for the slogan.

The slogan was developed for the National Pork Producers in 1987 and used in checkoff-funded advertising. HSUS and Dillenburg contend any value to the slogan was built and paid for by producers and charge: “In essence, NPPC charged pork producers twice: once to make The Other White Meat successful, and again to pay for the value of that success.”

The suit charges the sale was nothing more than a way for the checkoff-funded National Pork Board to funnel money to the National Pork Producers Council, a lobbying group. It is illegal to use checkoff dollars for lobbying.

National Pork Producers Council president, R.C. Hunt says “NPPC is reviewing the HSUS complaint, but it appears there is no legal merit to this claim, and it is another desperate attempt by the radical activist group to severely curtail animal agriculture and take away consumer food choices.” The suit is based upon the on-going dispute over the use of gestation stalls and Hunt calls it: “the latest bullying tactic by HSUS in its efforts to force NPPC to abandon its position on allowing farmers to choose production practices that are best for the welfare of their animals.”

Filed Under: Livestock, News Tagged With: , , , ,

Frost hits Wisconsin

September 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Things got a little colder and a little drier in the Badger State last week. The weekly Crop Progress Report from the National Ag Statistics Service Wisconsin Field Office reports overnight lows fell into the 20’s in some areas last week with patchy frost in other areas. Temperatures were 5 to 6 degrees below normal but given the maturity of the crops, really no problem with the frost. Precipitation was limited and while the amount of Wisconsin soil very short of moisture held steady at 32 percent the “short” category increased two points to 46 percent. The remaining 22 percent of the state is rated “adequate”.

The Wisconsin corn crop is 94 percent dented, 63 percent mature and 12 percent for grain is harvested as of Sunday. Normally 36 percent is mature and just 3 percent is harvested by now. Weak stalks and ear dropping are increasing problems across the state. Corn silage chopping is 84 percent complete compared to the five-year average of 52 percent for this date.

Soybeans are 96 percent turned with 78 percent dropping leaves and 14 percent harvested. Usually about half have dropped their leaves by now and barely 1 percent is harvested. Yields are varying greatly and moisture levels are in the low teens.

Read the full NASS report here:

Filed Under: Crops, News Tagged With: , ,

Parts of South Dakota see hard frost

September 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment

According to South Dakota’s office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, last week’s major activities included harvesting row crops, planting winter wheat, and caring for livestock, including moving cattle to stubble fields.

Precipitation was extremely limited and temperatures were below average with a large portion of the state seeing the first hard frost of the season. 96% of both topsoil and subsoil are short to very short of moisture, while 59% of feed supplies are short to very short and 72% of stock water is called short to very short.

96% of corn for silage and 36% of corn for grain are harvested, 88% has reached maturity and 22% is in good to excellent condition.

98% of soybeans are dropping leaves, 90% has reached maturity and 47% is harvested, with 27% called good to excellent.

37% of winter wheat is planted and 1% has emerged, both much slower than average due to the dry soil.

65% of cattle, 74% of sheep, and 2% of pastures and rangelands are in good to excellent condition.

The third cutting of alfalfa is 84% complete, a little behind last year but on pace with the five year average.

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

Nebraska harvest ahead of average

September 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment

USDA’s ag statistics office in Nebraska reports cooler temperatures and limited rainfall last week helped with harvest progress and crop drydown. The office adds some locations received the first frost of the season.

Corn harvest is almost one month ahead of average at 36% complete, and with a big chunk of the dryland corn harvested, soybean harvest is picking up steam at 19% complete, compared to 3% on average. 32% of corn and 18% of soybeans are in good to excellent condition.

Winter wheat planting is at 47%, compared to 59% on average, but only 5% has emerged, compared to 21% on average due to dry soil.

95% of topsoil and 98% of subsoil are short to very short of moisture.

98% of pastures and rangelands are in poor to very poor condition, cattle producers are looking for forage supplies and culling of livestock is called active.

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

Ohio crops

September 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The Ohio field office of the National Ag Statistics Service (NASS) reports both corn and soybean harvest is 8 percent complete.

Corn harvest is 7 points ahead of last year and 2 points ahead of the 5-year average. 61 percent of the crop is mature. As of Sunday, 54 percent of the corn crop was in poor to very poor condition, 45 percent of the crop was rated fair-to-good.

Soybean harvest is one point ahead of the 5-year average pace. 73 percent of the crop is dropping leaves, 8 points ahead of average. 27 percent of the crop is in poor to very poor condition, 67 percent of the crop rated fair-to-good.

53 percent of pastures in the state are in poor to very poor condition, while 44 percent are rated fair-to good.

3 percent of the winter wheat crop has been planted, on pace with the 5-year average.

Top soil moisture rated 56 percent short to very short, 43 percent is called adequate, just one percent is rated as surplus.

Other Ohio crops:

Alfalfa hay, fourth cutting is 71 percent complete, compared to the 5-year average of 59 percent.

Fall and winter apple harvest is 45 percent complete, seven points ahead of average.

Potato harvest is 85 percent complete, 72 percent is the 5-year average.

Processing tomato harvest is at 85 percent, 68 percent is the 5-year average pace.

For the week ending Sunday, September 23, the average temperature was 58.5 degrees, 3.7 degrees below normal. Precipitation averged 1.28 inches, .57 inches above normal.

Filed Under: Crops, News Tagged With: , , , , ,
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