“Pro Farmer Midwest Crop Tour Results Announced”
Results from the Pro Farmer Midwest Crop Tour sponsored by Pioneer were released Friday afternoon following closing of the markets. Weather, as always, influenced the numbers as excessively hot temperatures in much of the Midwest, and Iowa in particular, during the first two weeks of August is limiting the 2010 corn yield. While heat indices reached into the 100 degree plus range in early August, and stayed warm throughout the nighttime hours, corn ears were not able to rest overnight. And that, essentially translates to a lack of sleep for corn plants as ear tip black and kernels are not filling out to the end of the ear.
The official Pro Farmer yield estimate for corn is 164.1 bushels per acre nationally, a range of 162.5 to 165.7 bushels per acre. Pro Farmer projects that should amount to a total crop of 13.29 billion bushels, with a range of 13.157 to 13.423 billion bushels. The total crop estimates are figured using USDA’s harvestable acreage number in the August 12 Crop Production Report of 81.005 million acres.
Pro Farmer editor and west tour director Chip Flory said – this was the most mature crop we’ve probably ever tested on the Pro Farmer Midwest Crop Tour. But there is no denying this is a large crop. Flory noted, another one-quarter inch on the grain length would have made a world of difference.
Soybeans are expected to increase nearly a full bushel over last year’s final yield of 44.0 bushels per acre. The 2010 Pro Farmer production estimates for soybeans is a yield of 44.9 bushels per acre, with a range of 44.0 to 45.8 bushels per acre. If realized, this will produce a crop of 3.5 billion bushels, with a range of 3.43 billion to 3.57 billion.
Flory says – I don’t believe you can argue that we have a very good bean crop. Flory notes – as far as the pod counts we looked at on the tour, we were looking at a mid-September type of crop, not a mid-August type. This year, he explained, that late flush of blooms has already happened, so we were looking at the pods that will be there for harvest. Iowa is the swing state with the possibility of Sudden Death Syndrome becoming more evident in fields.
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“New Egg Farm Issues Egg Recall”
A second Iowa egg producer is reportedly voluntarily recalling shell eggs distributed to stores and companies that service, or are located in, 14 states. Hillandale Farms in New Hampton, Iowa is voluntarily recalling shell eggs because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.
The Hillandale Farms website says – eggs were distributed under the following brand names: Hillandale Farms, Sunny Farms, and Sunny Meadow, Wholesome Farms and West Creek. The recalled eggs may have found their way to: Arkansas, California, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, and Wisconsin. As of Friday afternoon, the number of eggs being recalled was not known.
Earlier, Wright County Egg in Galt, Iowa recalled 380-million eggs after being linked to an outbreak of salmonella poisonings in Colorado, California and Minnesota. Those eggs were distributed around the country and packaged under the names Lucerne, Albertson, Mountain Dairy, Ralph’s, Boomsma’s, Sunshine, Hillandale, Trafficanda, Farm Fresh, Shoreland, Lund, Dutch Farms and Kemp.
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“SURE Implementation Discussed in North Dakota”
Congressman Early Pomeroy, Senator Kent Conrad and USDA Under Secretary Jim Miller joined Farm Service Agency officials and other members of the agricultural community in Mandan, North Dakota Friday to discuss implementation of the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program – known as SURE. Pomeroy, Conrad and Miller stressed that the implementation delays some have experienced have been alleviated and funds are getting to producers whose crops and livestock were damaegd. To date – about 174-million dollars have been paid for 2008 losses. By September 30th – they say a total of 250-million dollars in payments will be distributed.
Pomeroy said he’s heard that the safety net programs are essential to keeping farmers and ranchers working when disaster strikes. He said permanent disaster programs help bring certainty to farmers and their financers.
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“Competition Workshop Agenda Announced”
The agenda and panelists have been announced for the August 27, 2010, joint public workshop on competition in the livestock industry. This workshop, to be held in Ft Collins, Colorado, is the fourth in a series of five public workshops sponsored by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Justice. The workshop will be held in the main ballroom of the Lory Student Center, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado. Attendance is free and open to the public. Registration is available at: www.conferences.colostate.edu/LiveStockWorkshop.
The workshop will begin with opening remarks and a roundtable discussion including U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division Christine Varney. They will be joined by U.S. Representative Betsy Markey, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, Colorado Attorney General John Suthers, Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture John Stulp and Montana Attorney General Steve Bullock.
The next three scheduled panels will feature a conversation among producers and feeders; a look at developments in the industry in recent decades and the trajectory moving forward; and issues such as contracting, transparency and vertical integration. Additionally, there will be three hours dedicated to public testimony, split into two sessions, one at mid-day and the other after the final panel.
Additional information, including submitted public comments and transcripts for past workshops can be found at the Antitrust Division’s agriculture workshop website at
www.justice.gov/atr/public/workshops/ag2010/index.htm.
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“EPA Releases Draft Strategy for Clean Water”
The Environmental Protection Agency has released the agency’s draft strategy for clean water. EPA says this document is designed to protect and restore our nation’s lakes, streams and coastal waters. The strategy, “Coming Together for Clean Water: EPA’s Strategy for Achieving Clean Water,” is designed to chart EPA’s path in furthering EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson’s key priority of protecting America’s waters. The public is invited to comment on the strategy no later than September 17th.
EPA says the strategy was developed by considering the input and ideas generated at the April “Coming Together for Clean Water” forum as well as comments received through the online discussion forum. Participants shared their perspectives on how to advance the EPA’s clean water agenda focusing on the agency’s two priority areas: healthy watersheds and sustainable communities.
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“Clean Energy Investments Strong”
Bloomberg New Energy Finance reports that new investment in clean energy technologies, companies, and projects held steady in the second quarter of 2010 at 33.9-billion dollars. A drop in investment in European projects was offset by a continuing boom in China and a bounce-back in the United States. The quarterly total represented just a 1.5 percent slip from first quarter 2010, and a 3.0 percent fall from the second quarter of 2009. All this came despite the Greek credit crisis, poorly performing public markets, and a sluggish U.S. economic recovery.
Bloomberg New Energy Finance chief executive Michael Liebreich says – on a global level, the new numbers suggest that despite continuing worries about the macro-economy, investors remain relatively optimistic about clean energy’s longer term prospects. Liebreich notes, – where investors are placing their bets is changing rapidly. China continues its extraordinary surge and Europe is now very much slumping based on the all-important project finance figures.
The report points out that venture capital and private equity financings remain a bright spot for clean energy in 2010 compared to last year. Bloomberg New Energy Finance has forecasted 2010 total new clean energy investment at 180 to 200-billion dollars.
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“Egypt to Run Sorghum Feeding Trials”
Egypt will conduct feed trials this November, testing U.S. non-tannin grain sorghum. The sorghum, 60 metric tons of it, was shipped to Egypt by the U.S. Grains Council. The grain sorghum will be utilized by Egypt’s Dakahlia Poultry Company, the third largest vertically integrated poultry operation in that country. Chris Corry, USGC senior director of international operations, says the feed trials will be supplemented by experiments at the government-run Research Center for Food and Feed. U.S. nutritionist will travel to Egypt to set up the feeding protocols, monitor the trials and analyze results.
The introduction of non-tannin grain sorghum in Egypt would expand the market basket of products available for import to that country. USGC expects import duties to be eliminated while the trial is taking place, but not before an educational foundation for non-tannin grain sorghum is provided. Grown commercially only in the United States, non-tannin sorghum is preferred for poultry feed because it does not inhibit the digestion of tryptophan, an essential amino acid in poultry.
Egyptian buyers will visit the United States in October, and as the trials in Egypt begin. The Council will run workshops, conferences and seminars as part of its educational efforts there. Trial results will be given in Egyptian seminars in February. USGC hopes to use this experience in opening the Egyptian market for distiller’s dried grains with solubles and corn gluten.
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“Researchers Studying Chesapeake Bay”
A comprehensive study of pollutants in a major Chesapeake Bay tributary revealed troublesome levels of nitrogen and copper that could flow into the Bay. Sampling the water every two months for three years, scientists with the Agriculture Research Service found that nitrate concentrations often exceeded levels that can cause algal blooms. Nitrate concentrations were highest at the headwaters where farming is concentrated, suggesting that agricultural fertilizers, including manure and poultry litter, are primary sources.
But phosphorus concentrations were similar throughout the river, suggesting multiple sources. While some evidence points to wastewater treatment plants as a likely primary source, agriculture is also a major contributor. High copper concentrations were found in almost all samples at the lower reaches of the Choptank, but not in the upstream areas. This suggests agriculture is not the primary source. The levels were high enough to be toxic to clams and other aquatic invertebrates that help feed and filter the Bay.
Herbicides and their byproducts were present year-round. Concentrations did not approach established levels of concern for aquatic organisms.
Researchers say this shows the importance of agricultural practices that reduce herbicide losses, particularly from springtime applications. Monitoring the Choptank provides information needed to develop new conservation practices, refine existing ones, and design programs to evaluate efforts to clean the endangered Bay.
