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Strong farm tractor sales in April

May 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment

April was a good month for tractor sales in the United States. The Association of Equipment Manufacturers reports 20,888 farm tractors were sold in the month, up 11.9 percent from April of 2011 and the best April since 2008.

Two-wheel-drive tractor sales totaled 20,270 for the month up 12.5 percent from a year ago. The biggest gain was in tractors under 40 horsepower while sales of two-wheel-drive tractors over 100 horsepower were actually down 3.6 percent. Four-wheel-drive tractor sales were down 4.6 percent totaling 618 units in April.

Year-to-date total tractor sales are up 4.9 percent compared to 2011 however four-wheel-drive sales are down 2.2 percent this year. About half of the farm tractors sold in the United States this year are two-wheel-drives under 40 horsepower.

Canadian tractor sales were up across-the-board in April with the biggest increase in the 100-plus horsepower two-wheel-drive category. Total farm tractor sales were up 20.3 percent in April and 7.9 percent higher year-to-date in Canada.

Read the AEM U.S. sales report here and the Canadian sales report here:

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Americans support current food labeling laws

May 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The International Food Information Council’s annual “Consumer Perceptions of Food Technology Survey” finds most Americans are happy with current food labeling. 76 percent could not think of anything more they would like to see on a label. Of those who could think of something more, more nutritional information was the most popular request. 69 percent of those surveyed said sustainability in food production was somewhat or very important to them but only a third said they would be willing to pay more for it.

While 38 percent were favorable towards plant biotechnology, 49 percent were favorable to farmers utilizing biotechnology to grow more crops to meet food demand. How the biotechnology was used makes a difference with the strongest support for technologies which improve health benefits or reduce pesticide use.

The survey found Americans are still split on the use of biotechnology in animals, 33 percent were favorable or somewhat favorable, 26 percent were unfavorable or somewhat unfavorable and 25 percent were neither favorable nor unfavorable. One of the main reasons for unfavorable ratings was they did not see the benefits of using biotechnology in animals. However, 71 percent said they would likely buy meat, milk and eggs from genetically enhanced animals if the FDA says the products are safe. 67 percent said they would buy genetically engineered fish.

This is the 15th year for the survey which was fielded by independent research firm Cogent Research of Cambridge, Massachusetts between March 7 and 19, 2012. Seven hundred-fifty U.S. adults were polled using an online survey tool. Results were weighted on gender, age, race, education, income, geographic region, marital status and education to be nationally representative.

Read an executive summary of the survey here:

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“Occupy the Farm” at U.C. Berkeley

May 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

It has been a few decades but the University of California at Berkeley has a group of protesters occupying a parcel of land….again. About 200 people moved on to a parcel of ag research land known as Gill Tract on April 22nd, Earth Day, and set up camp. The university had planned to sell some of the land for development the protesters want the land to be used as an urban farm center for research and training for the growing urban farm population in the San Francisco area. The occupants have set up tents, planted vegetables and have been holding workshops on urban farming on about half of the ten-acre parcel.

The university says the land needs to be cleared by June 1 so researchers can get it ready for planting. No arrests have been made however police have repeatedly reminded the occupiers they are trespassing. Water to the plot has been shut off and access has been limited.

The occupiers say they want guarantees that the university will turn the water to the tract back on, allow them continued access to the crops they have planted and that the university will not use chemical fertilizers and pesticides on the soil in the plot. The university says it could share the land this season and will discuss an urban farming program but only after the protesters leave the property.

U.C. Berkeley was a flashpoint in 1969 when the university purchased a piece of property with plans to build a dorm. The “People’s Park” became the site of a confrontation between 30,000 occupying students and 2,000 National Guard soldiers called in by then-Governor Ronald Reagan.

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4-H gets $1 million for healthy kids’ program

May 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The 4-H Healthy Living program has gotten a big boost with a $1 Million gift. Four-H officials say Molina Healthcare’s gift and partnership with 4-H will help make the program available to “financially vulnerable youth and their families” in more communities.

National 4-H Council president and CEO Donald Floyd Junior says it’ll help create positive changes given “today’s health crisis” by educating more kids and their families about obesity, smoking prevention – and – other health issues.

About 2-and-a-half million youth participate in 4-H Healthy Living programs. There are six-million 4-H members nationwide.

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HSUS releases new undercover video from Wyoming farm

May 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The Humane Society of the United States has released another undercover video.  The latest footage was taken in April at Wyoming Premium Farms – a supplier for Tyson Foods.

HSUS President and CEO Wayne Pacelle says Wyoming Premium Farms uses gestation stalls in their operation, a practice HSUS has been trying to eliminate.  “The only way to change it is to look throughout the food production system and to get the pork industry to abandon these extreme confinement crates as a production practice.”

A HSUS official says they received an anonymous tip two to three months ago regarding the conditions at the 5,000 sow Wheatland, Wyoming facility.  Pacelle says they then sent an undercover investigator to the farm to gain employment and then video the facility during the month of April.   “In the past we have often done random investigation of facilities,” he says.  “In this case we received an anonymous tip that there was a particularly callous attitude exhibited towards the animals and there was systemic mistreatment.”

Pacelle says he is sickened and outraged by the footage and during today’s news conference said HSUS has turned over the video to the Platt County Sheriff’s office and has urged them to take legal action.

Filed Under: Human Interest, Livestock, News, Top Stories Tagged With: , , ,

Missouri wildlife faciltiy depopulated

May 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment

A captive wildlife facility in Macon County has been depopulated and all animals harvested have been tested for Chronic Wasting Disease. The roughly 3,000-acre facility operated by Heartland Wildlife Ranches LLC remains quarantined. The Missouri departments of Agriculture, Conservation and Health and Senior Services are working with federal officials and the ranch to develop a five year management plan for the facility.

In total, 10 cervids tested positive and 356 cervids tested negative within the facility premises, according to a news release issued by the Missouri Department of Agriculture. Cervids include deer and elk. State and federal staff will verify over the next several weeks that the facility has been fully depopulated.

Heartland Ranches began depopulating after the facility’s first positive test for chronic wasting disease was discovered in October 2011 through random surveillance. Additional positive results were found in December 2011 and March 2012. Testing was completed at USDA-approved facilities and confirmed by the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa.

Chronic Wasting Disease is a neurological disease found in deer, elk and moose. There’s no evidence it can be transmitted to humans or non-cervid animals, such as livestock and household pets.

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

California GMO labeling petitions turned in

May 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Supporters of California’s “Right to Know” effort say they have enough signatures to put the GMO-labeling issue on the November ballot. The proposition would ask if foods containing genetically engineered products should clearly indicate such on the label.

Supporters say the labeling would give Californians the ability to choose if they do not want genetically modified products while opponents say the labeling would imply the GM products are unsafe.

555,236 valid signatures are needed to put the initiative on the ballot, organizers turned in petitions with 971,126.

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2Q earnings up at Tyson

May 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Tyson Foods reporting second-quarter earnings were up 4.4 percent compared to a year ago. For the quarter ending March 31 Tyson reported profit of $166 million or 44 cents per share compared to $159 million or 42 cents per share in the second quarter last year. Total sales were up 3.4 percent to $8.27 billion.

The beef sales volume declined 10.7 percent while prices increased 13.2 percent as a result the segment showed a $1 million loss for the quarter.

Pork segment sales volume decreased slightly for the quarter while income was $115 million down 0.8 percent from the same quarter last year.

Tyson’s chicken sales volume decreased 1.6 percent but prices rose to reflect an 8 percent increase in sales. For the quarter and profits soared to $145 million.

For the first six months of the year, Tyson net income is $322 million compared to $450 million in the first half of 2011.

Read Tyson’s quarterly and six-month report here:

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Avian influenza could become transmissible among mammals

May 4, 2012 By Leave a Comment

A study from the University of Wisconsin has found that within four mutations, the H5N1 avian influenza virus could become capable of spreading among mammals. Currently the only humans to contract the virus have been those in close contact with birds. The report from Yoshihiro Kawaoka, DVM, PhD at Wisconsin says they created a hybrid virus with elements of H5N1 and H1N1 that spread among ferrets via respirator droplets. The virus did not kill the ferrets or even make them seriously ill.

Kawaoka and his team of researchers also noted the four mutations needed for the virus to become transmissible among mammals were accomplished in a lab environment and they don’t know if they would actually occur in the real world but the possibility does exist. The report cautions one of the four key mutations has already been seen in some of the H5N1 viruses circulating in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The hope is that by identifying the potentially dangerous mutations it will improve surveillance.

Publication of the report has been controversial for fear someone could use the findings to create and release a dangerous virus. Last December, the U.S. National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity had recommended that key details of the study be pulled from the report before publication. Dr. Kawaoka and his team reportedly revised the report a couple of times and presented it to a World Health Organization H5N1 consultation in February. The presentation and discussion resulted the consensus the benefits of publication outweigh the risks. In March the NSABB reversed its decision and recommended full publication of the information. The report was published in “Nature” on Wednesday.

A similar study is being conducted by Ron Fouchier, PhD at Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands; his report is expected to be published soon in “Science”.

Read the Nature article here:

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IFB Market Basket survey shows increase

May 4, 2012 By Leave a Comment

According to Indiana Farm Bureau’s Market Basket survey, grocery prices increased slightly during the first quarter of 2012.  The survey shows the average cost of 16 food items was $51.15 – up $1.55 from the fourth quarter of 2011.  Of the 16 items surveyed, 6 decreased in price and 10 increased.  The Indiana survey is part of the nationwide survey compiled by the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Isabella Chism, IFB 2nd vice president says the survey is not intended to be scientific – but more of a snapshot of what prices shoppers saw over a period of time in March. 

The national survey reported an even larger increase with prices rising by $3.24 to $52.47, a roughly 7 percent increase from last quarter.  Most of the increases both in Indiana and nationally were due to higher prices for meats and cheese.

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