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Illinois legislature approves new nutrient council

May 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The President of the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association (IFCA) says they are pleased the state legislature has passed a bill and amendment to create a Nutrient Research and Education Council.

“That’s protected outside of state government for us to dedicate those funds for new nutrient efficiency and water quality programs — and really try to focus a lot on on-farm research where we can manage nutrients better to reduce nitrogen and phosphorous losses through tile drainage and runoff,” says Jean Payne, president of the IFCA.

She tells Brownfield the ag industry wanted to step up to the plate – so - a specified tonnage amount of fertilizer sold in Illinois will go to the protected fund established with the support of ag and environmental groups.

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Drought getting “rapidly serious” in Missouri

May 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The dry conditions in Missouri are a worry for crops and Missouri Farm Bureau President Blake Hurst says it’s a concern of farmers throughout the state.

“It’s amazing how quickly it can change from having plenty of moisture or maybe having too much to being dry. It’s very widespread in the state of Missouri. Southern Missouri is tremendously dry.”

The state has seen very little rain in the past few weeks and has had higher than normal temperatures for much of that time. Hurst says he just talked with former Missouri Farm Bureau President Charlie Kruse – who farms in Dexter, in southeast Missouri.

“He said the cotton growers down in the Bootheel are trying to water enough to get their cotton up and a lot of them have quit planting. This drought is rapidly becoming very serious.”

Hurst says the dryness is becoming a problem in northwest Missouri where he farms.

“Most everybody is getting near the end of bean planting but I talked to a couple of farmers that had pulled the planters out of the field waiting for rain. And, of course, everybody is concerned about getting the late planted – the last planted beans out, so, it is a worry.”

Missouri’s state climatologist says the state is on track to have the warmest spring on record.

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Rootworm hatch is underway in Iowa

May 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The corn rootworm egg hatch is underway in Iowa.

Iowa State University entomologist Erin Hodgson says this year’s hatch is only slightly ahead of normal, but about two weeks ahead of the 2011 growing season.

Hodgson says conditions are right for good larval establishment this year.

“Those that were able to survive—and we had a very mild winter, so most likely the eggs did survive—they probably are hatching just fine,” Hodgson says, “and if they happen to emerge when corn is already planted and germinated, they have plenty of root tissue to feed on.”

Hodgson says the early egg hatch could also mean earlier adult corn rootworm emergence—which has the potential to cause some pollination problems.

“If their emergence is synched with silking, you could have some of that interference with pollination because they are really attracted to those corn silks,” she says, “and so we should be watching for the adults this year—paying a little closer attention to that this year than we normally would.”

Hodgson says the southwest region of Iowa is experiencing 50 percent egg hatch now.  She says other parts of the state will approach that 50 percent mark within seven to 14 days, depending on the temperature.

AUDIO: Erin Hodgson (5:00 MP3)

Link to more information on ISU website

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Nat’l Ag Statistics to conduct June surveys

May 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The USDA’s National Ag Statistics Service (NASS) will be conducting two major mid-year surveys during the first two weeks of June. Cheryl Turner, Deputy Director of the Ohio field office says they’ll be collecting data for both the June Agricultural Survey and the June Area Survey.

“Basically the June Area Survey, we select land areas and we’re picking up what they actually have planted in the field and what they intend to harvest and we’re picking up grain storage also,” said Turner. “The June Agricultural Survey is our quarterly crop survey that we do, we do them in March, June, September and December and again we’re picking up plantings, grain storage and capacity.”

For the agricultural survey, Turner says they’ll be collecting data electronically, by phone, or by mail from around 1500 farmers in Ohio, data for the area survey will include randomly selected tracts of land then interviews with operators on that land.

Audio: Cheryl Turner, Deputy Director, Ohio NASS (2:40 mp3)

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Vilsack: Moving crop reports ‘complicated’

May 22, 2012 By 1 Comment

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.

The challenge, Vilsack says, is to continue providing the information in a transparent and equitable way, “to do it in a very timely way, but not to distort the market or provide an undue advantage to someone or some entity as a result.”

USDA’s monthly crop reports are released at 7:30 a.m. Central time, when grain trading has traditionally been halted.

Vilsack made his comments during a conference call with reporters on Tuesday.

AUDIO: Tom Vilsack (1:48 MP3)

 

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Nebraska alfalfa grower hopes for rain

May 22, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Monday’s crop progress report for Nebraska showed the first cutting of alfalfa was 58 percent complete as of Sunday. 

That’s over three weeks ahead of normal.

Alfalfa grower Kyle Lechtenberg of Spencer in north-central Nebraska tells Brownfield they’re just wrapping up their first cutting.

“We’re very fortunate on first cutting to get really high quality hay,” says Lechtenberg, “but we’re sitting here wondering if we’re going to get a second and third cutting just because of the rain situation—and the higher temperatures this spring have really moved things faster than what we would expect.”

Lechtenberg, who is a member of the board of the Nebraska Alfalfa Marketing Association, says strong prices seem to be fueling renewed interest in growing alfalfa.  He says on a recent trip to Omaha, he was encouraged by the number of newly-seeded alfalfa fields he saw along the way.

“I think last year did kind of spark more interest in alfalfa.  Those prices kind of adjusted back to where they’re very competitive with grain,” he says. “That was nice to see because I think a year and a half ago, people were wondering if there was ever going to be a market for it again.

“I think the last year has really turned that around.”

Alfalfa acres in Nebraska have dropped significantly in recent years as farmers took advantage of strong corn and soybean prices.

AUDIO: Kyle Lechtenberg (1:54 MP3)

 

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Report: Stabenow discussing deal with southern senators

May 22, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The farm bill approved by the Senate Ag Committee is headed for the Senate floor early next month.

According to committee chair Debbie Stabenow, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has indicated he will bring up the bill the first week of June.

In preparation, Politico is reporting that Stabenow is reaching out to southern lawmakers in an effort to bridge the gap that split her committee last month and put her at odds with allies in the House. According to Politico, backroom talks are focused on putting a modest counter cyclical program together as a safety net for rice and peanuts.

In his weekly conference call with reporters, Senate Ag Committee member Chuck Grassley of Iowa had this reaction.

“I wouldn’t want to say that some changes couldn’t be made.  But if you’re talking about going back to target prices for cotton—or maybe more so for peanuts and rice—I think that’s a non-starter,” Grassley says. “If there’s some sort of slight changes—refinements that can be made to what we have—I wouldn’t rule that out.”

Pundits say a potential deal with southerners in the Senate must be considered as a bridge to a future House-Senate conference on the farm bill.

Lawmakers in the House are much more sympathetic to the southern concerns.

AUDIO: Excerpts from Grassley’s 5/22/12 conference call with reporters (5:33 MP)

 

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Missouri corn planting three weeks ahead of normal

May 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Warm, dry weather allowed fieldwork just about all week, but it was hard on Missouri’s topsoil moisture. It’s 87 percent short to adequate.

Corn planting is all but done, about 3 weeks ahead of last year, and more than a month ahead of normal. It’s 88 percent emerged, which is 13 days ahead of last year, and 19 days ahead of normal. The corn crop is 67 percent good to excellent, but could use a shot of rain.

Soybean planting is 65 percent done in Missouri, 19 days ahead of last year, and 20 days ahead of normal. Soybean emergence is 11 days ahead of last year and 12 days ahead of normal. Cotton is 79 percent planted, which is only a day ahead of normal. The cotton crop is 81 percent fair to good. Rice is almost all emerged, 19 days ahead of normal. Rice is 90 percent fair to good. Sorghum planting is also 19 days ahead of normal. Winter wheat development is so far ahead of normal that harvest began last week. Alfalfa 1st cutting is 3 weeks ahead of normal.

Pastures are 74 percent fair to good, and 8 percent excellent. Some producers in the south central part of Missouri have begun to feed hay.

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Illinois corn planting virtually done

May 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Illinois farmers took advantage of warm, dry conditions across the state to continue planting, spraying, and cutting hay. Below normal precipitation allowed corn planting to reach 99 percent complete statewide. That’s 20 percentage points over the 5-year average.

Corn is 88 percent emerged, and is 79 percent good to excellent. Soybean planting is 80 percent complete. The 5-year average is just 37 percent. Some fields yet to be planted are too dry and are waiting for rain.

The first cutting of alfalfa is 68 percent done, compared to the 5-year average of 19 percent. Forty-five percent of the winter wheat is turning yellow and is 80 percent good to excellent. Topsoil moisture is 93 percent short to adequate.

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South Dakota needs more rain

May 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

South Dakota could use rain. The lack of moisture is causing concern, as some areas saw heat and high wind last week. Much of the state reached 90 degrees or better with strong south wind. Centerville and Philip each hit 95 degrees. Spotty precipitation occurred over the weekend, while several areas received none. The warm temperatures helped push growing degree day accumulation well ahead of average.

Winter wheat is 69 percent in good to excellent. It’s 39 percent headed. Spring wheat is 79 percent good to excellent and is 2 percent headed. Corn is 93 percent planted, 64 percent emerged and 86 percent good to excellent. Soybeans are 65 percent planted and 20 percent emerged.

About three-quarters of the cattle are on pasture. Stock water is 92 percent adequate to surplus. Feed is 93 percent adequate to surplus, and pasture is 72 percent good to excellent.

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