Brownfield» Feature Programs

Vilsack: Changing crop report release times is ‘complicated’

Ken Anderson — Thu, 24 May 2012 01:11:42 +0000

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says the USDA is studying its procedures for releasing crop reports in response to new expanded trading hours implemented by the CME Group.

But Vilsack says changing report release times is not as simple as it sounds.

“A decision as to timing and information being accessible can potentially make the difference of millions of dollars, one way or the other, to those who are trading,” Vilsack says, “and now we have essentially two competing entities that have different hours that don’t necessarily align.”

Those competing entities are the CME Group and the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), which recently expanded its trading in grain futures.

The Kansas City Board of Trade and MGEX, formerly the Minneapolis Grain Exchange, have followed suit and expanded their trading hours as well.

Vilsack made his comments during a conference call with reporters this week.

AUDIO: Tom Vilsack (1:58 MP3)

Let’s talk aquaponics

Bob Meyer — Wed, 23 May 2012 23:58:00 +0000

Rebecca Nelson and John Pade have an aquaponic greenhouse in Montello, Wisconsin. They feed tilapia fish in tanks, the fish waste goes through a bacteria tank and then to plants suspended in the water. The plants take the nutrients out of the water which then cycles back to the fish tanks. There are no pesticides or chemicals used in the operation, the produce, mostly lettuce is sold to schools, grocery stores and customers within a fifteen-mile radius and so are the fish. More information is available on their website here:

AUDIO: Nelson talks about aquaponics 3:00 mp3

The battle of the bugs

Meghan Grebner — Wed, 23 May 2012 13:30:33 +0000

There’s a good and bad side to just about everything. Many farmers took advantage of the unseasonably warm spring this year and planted corn early with hopes of maximizing their yield potential. Terry Semmel, Technology Development Rep says that same warm, dry weather could open the door for some pest problems this year.

AUDIO: Terry Semmel on Corn Rootworm (3:00mp3)

A potential for a pretty good crop

Meghan Grebner — Tue, 22 May 2012 21:02:38 +0000

The old adage is “knee-high by the fourth of July”. For some farmers that planted corn in March – it’s already knee high. I visited Illinois corn grower Garry Niemeyer’s farm in Auburn, Ill. and he says a year that starts this – has him feeling pretty good about the potential of the 2012 corn crop. And that could be pretty good for farmers.

AUDIO: Garry Niemeyer, 3:00mp3

4-H Healthy Living initiative helps kids and families

Julie Harker — Tue, 22 May 2012 19:26:19 +0000

More private and public partnerships are cropping up to teach kids about healthy living. Molina health care – with a presence in 18 states – is teaming up with 4-H, the youth organization in every state – to provide money for their “healthy living initiative” teaching kids where their foods come from, healthy eating, physical fitness and more.

HEALTHY LIVING PROGRAM – Molina boosts 4-H Healthy Living initiative (1:30 mp3)