CBB members reject ’separation’ recommendation

At the Cattle Industry Summer Conference in Denver, members of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board have voted 62-30 to disapprove of the recommendation from the Cattlemen’s Beef Board Executive Committee that the Federation of State Beef Councils be separated from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

That decision followed earlier action by directors of the Federation of State Beef Councils, who overwhelmingly passed (59-3) a “straw poll” resolution that reads as follows:

“…the Federation should operate in a more independent structure while maintaining the synergies and efficiencies of the current relationship with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association—and strongly opposes the recent actions of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board Executive Committee, including the separation recommendation.”

The directors then passed a separate resolution calling on the chairman and vice-chairman of the Federation to form a committee to develop recommendations on how to build “a more independent structure” for the Federation. Both resolutions will be officially considered by Federation directors at their Saturday business meeting.

EPA stop-sell orders on tainted herbicide

Several companies have been ordered to stop selling and distributing herbicide because of a batch the EPA believes is responsible for damaging eight-thousand acres of soybeans in northeast Kansas. Samples indicated the herbicide – Warthog 2 EC – was tainted with another herbicide, Dicamba, which is used to combat broadleaf weeds and can be harmful to legumes, including soybeans.

According to an EPA news release, EPA Region Seven issued the stop sale-use-or-removal-orders to HPI Products of St. Joseph, Missouri ; Pony Express Warehouse in St. Joseph, which received the product from HPI; and to the pesticide’s registrant, J. Oliver Products of Hernando, Mississippi.

During the week of July 12th, the Kansas Department of Agriculture responded to “multiple complaints” from farmers near Beattie, Kansas who said their soybean crops had been damaged after an application of Warthog 2 EC that was purchased from Frontier Chemical, a dealership in Beattie.

On July 20th, the Missouri Department of Agriculture launched an investigation of HPI Products in Missouri which showed stocks of Warthog 2 EC tainted with the other herbicide, Dicamba.

Kansas and Mississippi Agriculture Departments have placed state stop-sale-distribution orders on Frontier Chemical and J. Oliver products.

Further, the EPA says it has “encouraged J. Oliver Products to consider issuing a broad recall of any quantities of the product that may have already been distributed.”

Land O’Lakes contributes to agribusiness center

Land O’Lakes Foundation has contributed $15,000 toward the creation of the Central Wisconsin Agribusiness Innovation Center (CWAIC), a multi-purpose facility that will serve as a business incubator for emerging companies in agribusiness, renewable energy, biotechnology, food processing and related industries.

Scheduled for construction in early 2011, the CWAIC building will contain incubator and laboratory space, a distance learning center and computer lab, public meeting and event space, leased offices, a commercial test/classroom kitchen and multiple “smart” classrooms. The building will be the first installation in the development of a 71-acre agribusiness park along State Highway 29 near Owen.

Adjoining land has also been offered to house Wisconsin Farm Technology Days should the show ever decide to establish a permanent site.

Farming a little more profitable in July

The Preliminary Index of Prices Received by Farmers in July was 3.6 percent higher than June. The National Ag Statistics Service says the Crop Index increased 4.1 percent and the Livestock Index was 1.6 percent higher than a month ago. Producers were paid more for corn, wheat, milk and lettuce, less for onions, strawberries, grapes and cantaloupes.

In the Crop Index: the all wheat price averaged $4.74 per bushel up 57 cents from June; corn averaged $3.55 up 14 cents from last month; soybeans increased 34 cents to $9.79 per bushel; sorghum grain 53 cents higher at $5.90 per cwt while the all hay price slipped $2.00 to $112 per ton.

In the Livestock Index: the July hog price averaged $57.80 per cwt, down 50 cents from June; beef increased 30 cents to average $90.60 per cwt; all milk price up 50 cents to $16.00 per cwt; broilers were unchanged at 51 cents per pound while turkeys increased 2.7 cents to 64.4 per pound.

The Index of Prices Paid in July was unchanged from June. Higher prices for feeder cattle, concentrates, feed grains and other services were offset by lower prices for diesel, LP gas, fertilizer, milk cows and feeder pigs.

Compared to a year ago, the prices received by farmers are 10 percent higher while the prices paid are 2.2 percent above July of 2009.

Read the full NASS report here

What constitutes “natural” chicken?

USDA is looking at changing the rules regarding the use of “natural” on the labeling of chicken. Currently if chicken is not flavored artificially or preserved with chemicals it can be labeled as “natural”. But some processors and others say that still allows for it to be injected with water or other solutions accounting for up to 15 percent of the chicken’s weight. The practice could also increase sodium content.

Tyson Foods and Pilgrim’s Pride are among processors who use “natural” labels on chicken injected with salt water. Tyson says their national research found consumers didn’t mind as long at the added ingredients were considered natural. Perdue Farms, a member of the Truthful Labeling Coalition argues that under no circumstances is it acceptable to label chicken injected with water, broth or any other solution as “natural”. Senator Barbara Boxer of California called for a change in labeling to help consumers make an informed choice.

Expectations are USDA will propose new rules this fall.

DeLauro introduces E.coli traceability act

Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT) introduced the E. coli Traceability and Eradication Act which will require stricter testing procedures for meat and processing facilities with the goal of completely eradicating toxin-producing E. coli bacteria, and establishing a tracking procedure that will enable the USDA to implement faster recalls should any be found to be contaminated. The bill would require meat processing facilities to have an independent USDA-certified testing facility test ground beef and beef trim multiple times throughout the manufacturing process.

If any contamination is found it must be reported to USDA immediately. USDA would test products from that facility for 15 consecutive days following the positive test. Any facilities producing unsafe products for either three consecutive days or ten days throughout a year, their company named will be posted to a list of safety offenders with the USDA.

Additionally, the legislation will create a tracing protocol that will enable the USDA to track any contaminated meat or meat products which DeLauro says will lead to faster recalls and less hazard to consumers.

CWT accepts more export assistance bids

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) accepted bids from four member organizations this week totaling 22.4 million pounds of cheese, butter, and anhydrous milk fat (AMF). Delivery will run from August through January.

CWT accepted one bid from Foremost Farms and three bids from Dairy Farmers of America for a total of 1,288 metric tons (2.84 million pounds) of Cheddar cheese to Europe, Africa, and South America. CWT also accepted one bid from Land O’Lakes, three bids from the Challenge Dairy Products subsidiary of California Dairies Inc., and six bids from Dairy Farmers of America for a total of 8,879 metric tons (19.6 million pounds) of butter and AMF to Europe, Central America, and the Middle East.

Since CWT reactivated the Export Assistance program in March 18, 2010, it has assisted in export sales totaling 18,616 metric tons of cheese to 23 countries on four continents and sales of butter and AMF totaling 10,593 metric tons to seven countries on three continents.

July base milk prices higher

There will be a little more in the milk check in August. The base milk prices for July production come in at $17.10 per hundredweight for Class II milk, up $1.09 from June and $6.23 above a year ago. Class III base is $13.74, up 12 cents from June and $3.99 more than July, 2009. The Class IV base price is $15.75, up 30 cents from June and $5.60 above a year ago. Component prices per pound for July: butterfat $1.8964; protein $2.0515; nonfat solids $1.0493; other solids $.17.

Daily Dairy Report notes fat tests for July estimated at 3.51 percent, the lowest level since 1998.

Preliminary Index of Prices Received by Farmers in July puts the all milk price at $16.00, up 50 cents from June and $4.70 above a year ago. The fluid grade price was up 50 cents to $16.00 and the manufacturing grade price was 70 cents higher than the previous month at $14.20.

The corn price was up 14 cents per bushel, soybeans were 34 cents higher while hay was down $2.00 per ton. That leaves income over feed for July at $9.07 per hundredweight, up 37 cents from June.

EPA seeks to extend spill plan compliance deadline

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to extend the compliance date by one year for certain facilities subject to recent amendments to the Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) rule.

The 1973 rule established requirements for facilities to prevent a discharge of oil into navigable waters or adjoining shorelines. Last year, EPA amended the SPCC rule to strengthen certain provisions. Regulated facilities are required to amend and implement these changes as part of their overall SPCC plans by November 10th of this year. The proposed change would extend the deadline for compliance to November 10, 2011.

The rule also applies to milk storage because milk contains animal fat which is classified as an oil. Farms that store below 10,000 gallons of milk could self certify their plan, whereas farms that store over 10,000 gallons of milk would have to have their plans certified by an engineer. The compliance date for milk containers would be one year after EPA finalizes a rule for these facilities.

The extension would not apply to oil drilling, production or workover facilities that are offshore or that have an offshore component. That compliance deadline remains November 10, 2010.

Comments on the proposed extension will be accepted for 15 days following publication in the Federal Register.

Read the EPA proposal here:

ISU agronomist says crops look good

While Iowa has had its share of too much rain in places, ISU agronomist Brian Lang in Northeast Iowa says most areas have been able to absorb the excess moisture.

Cropland has been lost in spots that received heavy rains, four to 11 inches, earlier this month. “Still,” Lang says, “The crop conditions here look very good, both the beans and the corn. And, we’re hoping, anticipating for an excellent crop.”

Lang tells Brownfield significant foliar fungicide application is going on now. “We always wonder about some of it being justified. However, with the wet weather we do have a lot more leaf disease, particularly in corn.”

In the northeast corner, he says they’ve had some issues with army worms, detected in Chickasaw County earlier this week.

As for soybeans, Lang says application is a tough call. Even though it’s been wet, he says soybean brown spot has been “behaving itself.” Frog-eye leaf spot is coming in right now and is a good one to control with foliar fungicides – although he says most soybean crops are not susceptible to it.

AUDIO: Interview with Brian Lang (4 min. MP3)

Next Page »