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Missouri corn planting not quite 30% done

May 13, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Corn planting moved forward in Missouri last week with 28 percent complete as of Sunday. Still, that’s more than a month behind last year and 22 days behind normal. Fourteen percent of the crop has emerged. Soybean planting is one-percent complete. All other crops are behind as well, becaue of the cool wet weather: cotton, rice, and, sorghum.

Thirty-seven percent of winter wheat progressed to 37 percent complete. More than half of the crop is in good condition.  While it was drier last week, frost was reported in several areas.

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NFU’s take on the Senate Ag Farm Bill draft

May 9, 2013 By Leave a Comment

The Senate Agriculture Committee released its 2013 farm bill draft Thursday and the National Farmers Union says they are pleased with it overall.

Chandler Ghoule, NFU vice president of governmental affairs, tells Brownfield it is very similar to the Senate-passed farm bill of 2012 and they are pleased that additional price protections were added to Title One. However, he says, “The target prices that they did add were fairly low and we’re concerned that they won’t actually be substantial in the long run. We have asked that they increase the target prices for ALL commodities, across all regions.”  Ghoule says rice and peanuts got a very good deal and that’s likely due to the Senate Ag Committee’s new Ranking Member Thad Cochran of Mississippi.

While there isn’t a total breakdown of the numbers yet, Ghoule says the draft does maintain 23-Billion dollars for deficit reduction spending. Because the Congressional Budget office found last year’s bill would have only represented $13-Billion in cuts THIS year, Ghoule says the committee had to find extra savings to make that work.

“They had to find an additional $10 Billion to get back to $23 (Billion), where they were last year,” Ghoule explains, “We’ve seen most of those cuts have come out of Title One, a little bit out of conservation and, then, the rest of it coming out of crop insurance programs – but none of them so substantial that it would move our support for the bill.”

It also includes some programs such as the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program from the 2008 farm bill which were not included in the 2012 version.  The National Milk Producers Federation is also happy because the draft includes the Dairy Security Act. The Senate Ag Committee is scheduled to mark-up the bill on Tuesday.

The most important thing, Ghoule says, is to get a five-year farm bill passed before the one-year extension runs out on September 30th, 2013.

AUDIO: Interview with Chandler Ghoule (4:00 mp3)

 

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Missouri corn planting inches upward

April 29, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Corn planting progressed slightly last week in Missouri. As of Sunday, 15 percent of corn had been planted. That’s up from 13 percent last week. It is noticeably behind last year and the five-year average — caused by continued wet conditions.

Planting is more than three weeks behind last year and more than two weeks behind normal. Rice planting statewide is also well behind at just 41 percent complete.

Winter wheat condition is virtually the same as last week with nearly 30% of the crop in poor to fair shape – 70% good to excellent.

Pasture and livestock conditions have improved due to warmer temperatures at night.

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Rice stocks below year ago levels

March 28, 2013 By Leave a Comment

USDA reports rough rice stocks in all positions on March 1, 2013 was down 2% from March 1, 2012 at 104.269 million hundredweight. On farm stocks were 18.430 million hundredweight with off farm supplies at 85.839 million. Long grain rice made up most of the total at 67%, medium grain accounted for 31%, and short grain rice made up the remaining 2%.

Milled rice stocks in all positions were pegged at 6.665 million hundredweight, a 48% year to year increase, with 3.980 million hundredweight of whole kernel rice and 2.685 million hundredweight of second heads, screenings, and brewers’ rice.

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Rice grower leader on extended direct payments

January 4, 2013 By Leave a Comment

The rice industry is pleased that direct payments are still available with the extension this year of the 2008 farm bill.

Texas rice grower Linda Ruan, who is chair of the USA Rice producers group (of the USA Rice Federation), says yield is consistent for rice growers because all rice crops are irrigated – therefore, their risk is in price and cost of production.

She tells Brownfield Ag News, “In order to get financed we need some sort of safety net that will – and what we wanted was a counter-cyclical safety net that would not pay anything if prices state up but if prices went down it would trigger – similar to the current counter-cyclical program – it would trigger and give us a payment but only if prices went down.”

And that’s what they liked about the farm bill passed by the House Ag Committee – being able to choose that over revenue protection. The Senate passed farm bill only offer the revenue choice.

Ruan says they are pleased Senator Thad Cochran of Mississippi is the new ranking chair of the Senate Ag Committee, replacing Pat Roberts of Kansas because she says Cochran understands rice and similar southern crops. 

“You know, Senator Roberts, we had worked with him for years, also. But, I think that working with Senator Cochran is going to be, hopefully something that will help move this farm bill forward.”

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FMC: Targeting weed resistance

November 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment

FMC Corporation has a full range of herbicides for all areas of the country. Bentley Curry, is a private consultant from northeast Louisiana, who contracts with FMC.  His is a multi-crop area for cotton, corn, soybeans, rice, sweet potatoes, peanuts and grain sorghum. He talks with Brownfield about FMC products:  Display and Broadhead® and more.

AUDIO: Bentley Curry (3:00 mp3)

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Bill would set limits for arsenic in rice

September 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Three House Democrats have introduced a bill to limit the amount of arsenic allowed in rice and rice based products. The lawmakers base their proposed legislation on a recent investigation by Consumer Reports, which is the publication of the non-profit Consumers Union.

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut says the researchers found “alarmingly high levels of arsenic” in those rice products and “the federal government has an obligation to every American family to ensure that the food they consume is safe and should not make them sick.” There are currently no federal standards for arsenic in foods but they exist for drinking water. There are no reports of illness directly linked to rice consumption.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it has been and will continue to investigate arsenic – both naturally occurring and inorganic – in rice products but they do not recommend consumers stop eating it – adding that rice is an important, nutritious staple of the diet. FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Foods, Michael Taylor, says they are looking at the potential long-term implications of arsenic levels in rice and other foods and drinks, which vary greatly, and any regulations must be solidly science-based.

DeLauro, along with Rep. Frank Pallone (D-New Jersey) and Rep. Nita Lowey (D-New York) are cosponsors of the RICE Act and also sponsors of the Apple Juice Act, introduced earlier this year that would require the FDA to set standards for arsenic and lead in fruit juices.

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FDA says no need to stop eating rice

September 24, 2012 By 1 Comment

While Consumer Reports recommends reducing rice consumption because of arsenic levels, the Food and Drug Administration says that current science does not support that. The consumer research group tested samples of rice that turned up what it says are high levels of inorganic arsenic.  Arsenic is both naturally occurring in the soil and the inorganic kind was long ago used in pesticides and fertilizers and may remain in the soil.  The FDA’s Michael Taylor says while FDA tested the same rice that Consumer Reports did with similar results, it does not call for the avoidance of rice foods.

HEALTHY LIVING PROGRAM – Rice and arsenic (1:30 mp3)

FDA – Rice

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FDA and US Rice on arsenic study

September 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

While Consumer Reports recommends reducing rice consumption because of arsenic levels, the Food and Drug Administration and the US Rice Federation say that current science does not support that. The consumer research magazine tested samples of rice that turned up what it says are high levels of inorganic arsenic in rice.

Arsenic is both naturally occurring in the soil and the inorganic kind was long ago used in pesticides and fertilizers and may remain in the soil where it is taken up by plants.

The FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Foods, Michael Taylor, says while FDA tested the same rice that Consumer Reports did with similar results, it does not call for the avoidance of rice foods. He says they appreciate the work of Consumer Reports but there is more study to be done.

“Our role here at FDA, we have to then take a very careful approach to being sure that – you know, looking at a very important nutritious staple of the diet, rice – you know, how do we be sure we really understand the dimensions of an issue like this and figure out what the right, appropriate steps are to address what is a potential long-term concern,” says Taylor.

Taylor says FDA has been studying arsenic in rice and other foods and drinks since the early 1990s and that work continues.

[Read more...]

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What to know about arsenic in the food supply

September 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Arsenic is a naturally occurring trace element – plants take it up from the soil.  There’s the organic form, which means naturally occurring and the inorganic form which is the type that in large amounts could be harmful to health.  The Food and Drug Administration doesn’t indicate any consumer risk from the small arsenic levels present in foods and there are no documented cases of adverse health effects according to the International Food Information Council.  However, the FDA in recent months has been closely evaluating arsenic levels in apple juice and in rice.

HEALTHY LIVING PROGRAM – Arsenic in food supply (1:30 mp3)

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