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Indiana corn planting 64% complete

May 20, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Optimal weather conditions much of last week allowed farmers to make significant planting progress.  According to the latest Indiana Crop and Weather Report 64 percent of the state’s corn crop has been planted compared to 30 percent last week and 20 percent of the crop has emerged.  By area, 84 percent has been planted in the north, 59 percent in the central, and 36 percent in the south.

Thirty percent of the intended soybean acreage has been planted and 3 percent is emerged.  By area 48 percent has been planted in the north, 25 percent in the central region, and just 9 percent in the south. 

Eighty-eight percent of the winter wheat acreage is jointed compared to 100 percent last year and 22 percent is headed compared to 91 percent a year ago.  Winter wheat condition is rated 72 percent good to excellent.

Pasture conditions improved further and is now 74 percent good to excellent and the first cutting of alfalfa is 8 percent complete.

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

Variable Hybrid Planting

May 20, 2013 By Leave a Comment

If your farmland is flat and black, selecting a hybrid that performs well isn’t necessarily a challenge.  But, since that is not the case for most farmers, finding the right hybrid for the right soil can be a challenge.

In its second year, Jason Webster, Central Illinois Practical Farm Research Director for Beck’s Hybrids is doing Variable Hybrid Planting field trials.  “We’re changing the corn hybrids that we’re planting throughout field based upon management zones or soil type changes in the field,” he says.

Webster tells Brownfield that means planting offensive hybrids on the best soils on the farm.  “But, we know on a lot of farms we’ve got good soils on parts of the farm, but there are also some lighter soils, that are prone to stress,” he says.  “We probably don’t want to be planting an offensive hybrid in those areas.  Our Variable Hybrid Corn Planter that we’ve developed changes hybrids so we can plant the offensive hybrids on the best parts of the farm but then we can back off and plant those defensive hybrids on those tougher soils.”

By planting an offensive hybrid on the best soils, Webster says last year’s trials showed net returns of $100 per acre.

AUDIO: Jason Webster, Variable Hybrid Planter (5:00mp3)

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

Chicago Fed farmland values up but moderating

May 16, 2013 By Leave a Comment

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago says while farmland values continue to increase, there are signs of moderation. For the first quarter of 2013, agricultural land values appreciated 4 percent in the district from the fourth quarter of 2012. They are up 15 percent from the first quarter of a year ago. Cash rental values are up 11 percent for the year.

Demand for farmland is good, the number of farms sold, the amount of acreage sold and the amount of land for sale rose over the winter months.

Agricultural credit conditions improved for the quarter as well, 61 percent of the banks responding said they had more funds available and only 1 percent said they had less. 47 percent of the banks responding reported higher rates of repayment and 35 percent reported fewer loan renewals and extensions. 46 percent of the bankers noted lower demand for non-real estate farm loans and 13 percent reported higher demand. The average loan-to-deposit ratio is the lowest it has been since 1994, 89 percent of the District’s banks say they are below the desired level of lending.

Change in agricultural land value by state compared to the previous quarter and a year ago:

  • Illinois       +5%    +19%
  • Indiana      +4%    +15%
  • Iowa            +3%    +20%
  • Michigan   +12%  +24%
  • Wisconsin      0%   -3% *

*although southeastern Wisconsin saw +7% for the quarter and +3% for the year, it was not enough to offset the decline in the northwestern-half of the state.

Rental rates in 2013 compared to 2012 by state:

  • Illinois +9%
  • Indiana +11%
  • Iowa +13%
  • Michigan +2%
  • Wisconsin +12%

Read the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Ag Letter here:

Filed Under: Human Interest, News Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Agriculture contributes $37.9 billion to Indiana’s economy

May 16, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Agriculture's Bounty report.A new study detailing the impact of agriculture on the state shows that agriculture-related industries contribute nearly $38 billion to Indiana’s economy. 

Rosalind Leeck, director of grain marketing for Indiana Soybean Alliance says the research, conducted by Indiana University Kelley School of Business and funded by the Indiana Soybean Alliance, details just how significant agriculture is to the state.  “When you look at the agriculture industry’s direct impact to the economy at $25.4 billion, that number alone is pretty significant,” she says.  “When you look percentage of GDP this study captures 5 percent of Indiana’s total Gross Domestic Product.”

Leeck tells Brownfield one of the figures that jumped out at her was the jobs number.  “You’ve got 103,000 people who are directly involved in crop production and processing,” she says.  “Total the agricultural economy contributes to 190,000 Hoosier jobs.”

In addition, she says, the economic activity related to Indiana agriculture and forestry created about $970 million in state and local revenue and nearly $1.5 billion in federal dollars.

Leeck says she hopes this study helps draw attention to just how much impact agriculture has on Indiana’s economy. 

To view the entire Agriculture’s Bounty:  The Economic Contribution of Agriculture report click HERE.

AUDIO: Rosalind Leeck, Indiana Soybean Alliance (3:36mp3)

Filed Under: Events/Organizations, Human Interest, News Tagged With: , , ,

Women in Agriculture Awards

May 16, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Purdue Extension’s Women in Agriculture Team is accepting nominations for the 2013 Women in Agriculture Awards.  The two awards, the Leadership Award and Achievement Award, are presented annually to women to who demonstrate leadership and innovation to Indiana agriculture through their work.

The Leadership Award honors women who serve Indiana agriculture through agribusiness and policy making and the Achievement Award is given to women who are directly involved in a home farming operation.

Nominations are due by May 31 and will be presented at the Indiana State Fair on August 14, 2013.

The nomination form can be found HERE.

Filed Under: Events/Organizations, Human Interest, News Tagged With: , ,

The 2013 Victory Circle Milkmen

May 16, 2013 By Leave a Comment

The storied bottle of milk for the upcoming Indy 500.Every year since 1956 the winner of the Indy 500 has taken a big drink of milk from a glass bottle inside Victory Circle

While it became a permanent part of the post-race celebration 58 years ago, it actually began many years before that.  Indiana dairy farmer and this year’s Milk Man Duane Hill says, “It started back in 1933 when Louis Meyer, after winning his second race, asked for a glass of buttermilk.  That’s when the tradition really got started.”

Hill’s job on race day – is to present the winner of the Indy 500 with that storied bottle of milk.  “I’m responsible for the milk overnight,” he says.  “I have to keep it on ice the night before and on race day and then it’s my job to get it to Victory Circle.”

AUDIO: Duane Hill, Indy 500 Milk Man (2:47mp3)

Ken Hoeing of Rushville, Ind. is this year’s “Rookie” Milk Man.  He says it just makes sense for the Winners to Drink Milk.  “The combination of the refreshing glass of milk in the winning circle with the winning driver,” he says, “is a natural fit.”

AUDIO: Ken Hoeing, Indy 500 Milk Man (1:20mp3)

While Louis Meyer may have chosen buttermilk when he took that first swig nearly 80 years ago – today’s drivers have a choice of Whole, 2%, or Skim. 

And in case you were wondering – the most popular selection of milk by the drivers is 2%.

Filed Under: Events/Organizations, Human Interest, News Tagged With: , , ,

Crop development workshops

May 16, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Purdue University is offering two workshops this summer to help producers learn how to better scout their fields.  Corey Gerber, director of Purdue’s Crop Diagnostic Training and Research Center said the workshops are primarily geared towards producers and will include discussions about plant diseases and insect pests, as well as corn and soybean growth, development and stressors.

Continuing certification hours for commercial pesticide and fertilizer applicators and continuing education units for certified crop advisers will be available.

The early-season diagnostic workshop will be June 12 and the mid-season workshop is scheduled for July 24 and will be held at the Purdue Agronomy Center for Research and Education.  Each workshop is $110 per person. 

A link to registration information can be found HERE.

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

Enlist Duo approved in Canada

May 16, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Dow AgroSciences announced earlier today that Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency has approved Enlist Duo herbicide with Colex-D Technology for use in Canada.  The approval makes Canada the first nation to authorize the herbicide and a milestone for the company’s Enlist Weed Control System which combines traits, herbicides, and stewardship.

Stan Howell, vice president, North America, Dow AgroSciences says, “The Enlist Duo herbicide approval in Canada validates the robust innovation we are bringing forward for our customers who tell us the need for new weed control tools becomes more urgent every season.”

The announcement comes just days after USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced it is extending its review of 2,4-D and Dicamba herbicide traits.  A move that industry sources say could delay the introduction of new products containing those herbicide-tolerant traits to the US market for an additional two to four years.

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

Lifeway buys Golden Guernsey milk plant

May 15, 2013 By Leave a Comment

An Illinois dairy products company has purchased the Golden Guernsey dairy plant in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Lifeway Foods of Morton Grove had the top bid of $7.4 million in a bankruptcy auction on Tuesday. Superior Dairy of Canton, Ohio was also bidding for the plant.

Lifeway makes kefir, a dairy product similar to yogurt; it has plants in Illinois and Pennsylvania and employs 360 employees. The company had sales of $89.8 million in 2012. Their products are sold nationwide through Safeway, Kroger and Whole Foods and they have just finalized an agreement with Wal-Mart.

The sale is expected to be finalized in late June, Lifeway will run the plant but it is not known if it will resume milk bottling or use it for other dairy products. The sale does not include the labor contract with the union that represented the plant’s employees.

The Golden Guernsey plant was unexpectedly shut-down on January 5th by the Los Angeles private equity firm that bought it in 2011.

Filed Under: Human Interest, News Tagged With: , , , , ,

House begins farm bill markup

May 15, 2013 By Leave a Comment

The House Agriculture Committee began markup of HR 1947, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 this morning.  In his opening comments, Committee Chairman Frank Lucas says their version of the farm bill is reform-minded and developed with true bipartisanship.  “No other authorizing committee in Congress is voluntarily cutting money from its jurisdiction to reduce the size and scope of the federal government,” he says. 

Lucas adds no one on the committee will like everything in the farm bill, including himself, but it will need both Republican and Democratic support to pass.  “The FARRM Act reforms the SNAP program for the first time since the welfare reforms of 1996,” he says.  “We also reform farm programs.  We eliminate direct payments; the FARRM Act reflects the belief in a true safety net – something used when disaster hits.”

Ranking member Colin Peterson says today is hopefully the ‘beginning of the end’ of a process that has gone on in his words ‘far too long’.  “I’m optimistic we’re going to be able to get this done,” he says.  “Hopefully in June it will go to the floor and then we can get the bill conferenced.  It would be nice to get this done before the August recess.  I think we could do that if we get on track here.”

Passing a farm bill, Lucas says, will “give certainty to an industry that has been a bright spot in an otherwise dismal economy” and offer taxpayers billions of dollars in deficit reduction.

Filed Under: Events/Organizations, Human Interest, News, Top Stories, USDA/Government Tagged With: , ,
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