Cotton Market Update from Mid-South Farm & Gin Show

Jamie Johansen

A larger cotton crop than expected sets tone for an unusual year for the cotton market. Senior Cotton Analyst, Informa Economics, Kip Butts, was on hand at the recent Mid-South Farm & Gin Show to shed light on the current cotton market, where cotton stands with farm bill changes and what 2018 will look like.

“I think we will find out the latest USDA number will be a little lower in the near term. We have the second largest export sales on record. Those shipments are a little behind. Part of that is due to logistic problems, warehouse delays, trucking issues which have occurred this year…it is divided on if we will ship out as much as we thought,” Butts said.

Many cotton growers have had some challenges over the course of the year, but Butts said overall a great crop year as fair as production is concerned. However, challenges are expected throughout Texas with very dry conditions in the West. Timely rains could solve those predictions.

The cotton industry has needed more price security and the recent budget agreement provided just that. “It’s not the know all end all, but it’s certainly an improvement. And it helps the cotton farmers quite a lot,” Butts said.

Listen to my complete conversation with Kip to learn more about the current market and the impact future trade deals would have on cotton: Interview with Kip Butts, Informa Economics

View and download photos from the event here: 2018 Farm & Gin Show Photo Album

Coverage of the Mid-South Farm & Gin Show is sponsored by
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Pork Industry Honors Tom Baas with Award

Cindy Zimmerman

The National Pork Board last week awarded former Iowa State University animal science professor at Tom Baas the Distinguished Service Award during the National Pork Industry Forum in Kansas City. The award is presented each year to recognize an industry leader’s lifelong contribution to the pork industry.

“Tom has provided extraordinary leadership to the pork industry,” said National Pork Board President Terry O’Neel, a pork producer from Friend, Nebraska. “Through the years, he worked tirelessly for the advancement of the pork industry and mentored numerous students at Iowa State University.”

Baas grew up in Kossuth County, Iowa, graduating high school in West Bend. He earned his bachelor’s degree in animal science and later his master’s and Ph.D. all from Iowa State University. Baas worked in various aspects of the pork industry, including with the Duroc Swine Registry and on his own farm raising pigs, before he became a mainstay at Iowa State University as an animal science professor and advisor.

Learn more about Tom in this interview from Pork Forum:
Interview with NPB Distinguished Service Award winner Tom Baas

2018 Pork Forum Photos

(photo courtesy of National Pork Board)

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Corn Growers Care About RINs

Cindy Zimmerman

The vast majority of people know nothing and care less about Renewable Identification Numbers, or RINs, the multi-digit code created under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) as a way to encourage refiners to blend more biofuels. But corn farmers both know and care what RINS are and why they are important.

As U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue took questions on the main stage in the Commodity Classic Trade Show Thursday, former National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) president Pam Johnson of Iowa wanted to know specifically if the secretary supported a cap on RIN prices. “Because as a farmer, I do care about RINs, because we would be limited to the demand we have now,” said Johnson.

“No, I don’t think a cap on RINs is the solution, but we’ve got to engage in how to use this opportunity to grow demand…we can’t sit back and just say no, no, no, no,” Perdue answered. “My goal is to get the RVP waiver in a way where we can have E15 pumps be the norm by 2022.”

Audio file: Pam Johnson/Secretary Perdue

After two meetings on the issue at the White House last week, NCGA president Kevin Skunes said the corn growers don’t understand the problem. “Farmers care about RIN values, not because we want them to be high, but because we want the RIN market mechanism to work freely to incentivize blending. Increased blending will, in turn, lower RIN values, exactly the way the RFS is intended to work. Government manipulation of the RIN market, on the other hand, disrupts the incentive to blend.”

NCGA passed a resolution asking President Trump to retain the current RIN system without change.

2018 Commodity Classic Photo Album

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Animal Ag Bites 3/5

Carrie Muehling

  • Dairy checkoff partner Pizza Hut has increased the amount of cheese on its pan pizzas by 25 percent, a move that will require an additional 150 million pounds of milk annually to meet the change. The project was made possible thanks to dairy scientist Nitin Joshi, a Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) employee who works onsite at Pizza Hut’s headquarters in Plano, Texas. Pan pizza is the chain’s signature product offering and the new formulations are now available at more than 6,000 restaurants nationwide.
  • The Dairy Calf and Heifer Association (DCHA) is now accepting applications for its annual scholarship program. The annual DCHA scholarship is awarded to a student currently enrolled in an agriculture-related program at an accredited college or university. Applicants must have completed at least one year of post-high school education. An individual may only receive the scholarship once. Download the application here. Applications are due March 30, 2018.
  • The 2018 National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Legislative Conference is scheduled for April 10-12 in Washington, D.C. To register, click here.
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Secretary Perdue Announces Cotton Assistance at #MSFGS2018

Cindy Zimmerman

Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue visited the annual Mid-South Farm and Gin Show in Memphis for the first time Saturday and brought good news for cotton growers.

“We are announcing a Cotton Ginning Cost Share (CGCS) program,” Perdue said to applause from a large crowd at the show, adding that it took longer than he wanted to get the assistance for the industry. “I had to look in between every cushion in every couch in USDA,” he said. The program will assist growers from the Southeastern U.S. to the San Joaquin Valley of California as they prepare to plant this season’s crop.

The National Cotton Council says the program will offset part of a cotton producer’s 2016 crop season ginning cost to help fill the safety net void until the seed cotton ARC/PLC program is implemented beginning with the 2018 crop year.

The sign-up period for the CGCS program runs from March 12, 2018, to May 11, 2018.

Audio file: Secretary Perdue at Mid-South Farm and Gin Show

Thanks to the “retired” Forrest Laws on hand for the announcement Saturday morning for helping us out with this content.

2018 Farm & Gin Show Photo Album

Coverage of the Mid-South Farm & Gin Show is sponsored by
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FMC Expanding Crop Protection for Wheat, Cereal Crops

Carrie Muehling

FMC‘s acquisition of a portion of DuPont’s crop protection business expands the portfolio available to wheat and cereal crop producers in places like Montana and the Dakotas.

“The value in the short term means more tools,” said John Raisler, FMC Retail Market Manager for the Northern Plains. “Over the long term, that’s what is the most exciting. Looking at some of the things that are in the pipeline that FMC acquired and some of what FMC themselves had in their pipeline that will be coming along, it’s new modes of action. It’s a great opportunity to look at what we can do in the future as far as battling resistance because it isn’t going away.”

Raisler said the acquisition expands the portfolio, providing good tools to use for burn down in both spring and fall, and in crop in cereals.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with John here: Interview with John Raisler, FMC

FMC at 2018 Commodity Classic Photo Album

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66th Annual Farm & Gin Show

Jamie Johansen

The 66th Annual Mid-South Farm & Gin Show takes place in Memphis, Tennessee March 2-3, 2018. The farm show focuses on crops grown in this region with special interest and history centered around cotton. The Show Manager, Tim Price, said they have over 400 exhibitors. He also shared what sets this show apart and why attendees keep coming back year after year.

“We have a combination of educational seminars along with a great backdrop of the latest and greatest in agriculture. We range from conventional and traditional methods to cutting-edge. This event is meant for the professional decision maker involved in commercial ag production,” Price said.

Price also said it is the perfect time to come to the show. It’s too wet to plow, too muddy to fish, so come to the Gin Show. But added, “It’s another watershed year for our industry, we have so much change, so much uncertainty in the world with trade and farm programs. I think people know they need to pay more attention to the markets, how they can become more efficient; that is what we try to provide.”

Listen to our complete conversation here: Interview with Tim Price, Show Manager

View and download photos from the event here: 2018 Farm & Gin Show Photo Album

Coverage of the Mid-South Farm & Gin Show is sponsored by
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Commodity Group Presidents on Stage at #Classic18

Chuck Zimmerman

Each year at the Commodity Classic general session the presidents of the participating organizations are invited on stage to talk about their priorities and challenges.

This year the participants were Kevin Skunes, NCGA, John Heisdorffer, ASA, Gordon Stoner, NAWG, Don Bloss, NSP and Bill Hurley, AEM. Moderating the session again this year was Mark Mayfield. The session is not only informative but also entertaining.

Listen to the organization leaders here: Commodity Group President Panel

2018 Commodity Classic Photo Album

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Zimfo Bytes 3/2

Carrie Muehling

  • The Agriculture Division of DowDuPont has announced the name of the intended company once it is spun-off, which is expected to happen by June 1, 2019. The intended Agriculture company will become Corteva Agriscience, which is derived from a combination of words meaning “heart” and “nature”.
  • The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) has announced the selection of Des Moines, Iowa, as the location for the 2019 BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology. The event will be held July 8-11, 2019
  • Citing harm to the nation’s agriculture economy, Judge William Shubb of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting California from implementing its “false and misleading” Prop 65 labeling requirement for the herbicide glyphosate. The injunction was sought by more than a dozen leading agriculture groups and supported by eleven attorneys general across the U.S. The preliminary injunction will halt California’s labeling requirement until a final ruling on the matter is issued by the court.
  • Just over one month after its national launch, Americans for Farmers & Families (AFF) has secured its hundredth member organization. AFF is a broad-based coalition of growers, refiners, producers, transporters, retailers and consumers that is working to ensure President Donald Trump and Congressional leaders understand the importance of preserving and modernizing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to America’s agricultural and retail economies.
  • U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue has announced the appointment of 30 members to serve three-year terms on the National Potato Promotion Board beginning March 1, 2018. More information about the board is available at PotatoesUSA.com, the National Potato Promotion Board’s website.
  • One of NAFB’s most decorated award winners, Tony Purcell, has passed. Tony was the recipient of four ‘Oscars® In Agriculture,’ and over a dozen NAFB Marketcast, Newscast, or News Service Awards. Since 1998, Tony had been the voice of the Texas State Networks’ Lone Star Farm and Ranch Report; his prior NAFB membership was with the Mid-America Ag Network from 1983 to 1988.
  • TOMRA Food has engaged Porter Novelli as its new global public relations agency. Porter Novelli is an award-winning and leading agency, serving agriculture, food, consumer and technology clients worldwide.
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Buy Two, Save 3 with AMVAC

Carrie Muehling

AMVAC Chemical Corporation is offering growers a Buy 2 Save 3 = $3/acre rebate when they choose a qualifying granular or liquid insecticide and pair it with Impact or ImpactZTM corn herbicide.

“We have a wide range of insecticide options familiar to growers,” said Jim Lappin, AMVAC crop marketing manager for corn and soybeans. “Depending on your weeds and your needs, you can combine one of our insecticides with one of our herbicides, fit the way you farm, and save some money.”

Qualifying granular and liquid insecticides include the following:
– Aztec®HC Higher Concentration Granules
– Aztec 4.67G SmartBox®
– Aztec 4.67 Bags
– SmartChoice®HC Higher Concentration Granules
– Counter® Insecticide
– Force® 3G SmartBox
– IndexTM Liquid At-Plant Insecticide
– Xpedient® Plus™V Insecticide

Growers can learn more at http://www.buy2save3.com/.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Jim Lappin here: Interview with Jim Lappin, AMVAC

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