Corn Up, Soybeans Down in #USDA Report

Cindy Zimmerman

USDAThe 2016 Prospective Plantings report out today from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) shows farmers expect to plant more corn and less soybeans this year.

U.S. corn growers expect to plant 93.6 million acres to corn this year, the first increase in corn planted acreage since 2012 and, if realized, will be the third largest corn acreage since 1944. Farmers in 41 out of the 48 states expect to either maintain or increase the number of acres they plant to corn. Growers in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, and North Dakota expect to increase their corn acreage by 400,000 or more acres in 2016.

mgexIn contrast, U.S. soybean growers expect to reverse the recent trends, which saw several record-high years. In 2016, growers expect to plant 82.2 million acres to soybeans, a less than one percent decrease from 2015. In Louisiana, Minnesota, and Mississippi, growers expect to decrease their soybean acreage by 200,000 acres or more in 2016. Despite the overall decrease in acreage, growers in North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin expect to see record-high soybean acreages in their states.

Farmers also indicated they expect to plant nine percent less wheat and 11 percent more cotton this year compared to 2015. All wheat planted area for 2016 is estimated at 49.6 million acres and all cotton planted area for 2016 is estimated at 9.56 million acres.

The MGEX crop call on the report featured Jack Scoville of the PRICE Futures Group and his analysis. “We’re seeing an extreme reaction” in the markets as a result of the report, Scoville noted, expressing shock over the corn number.

Listen to his commentary here: MGEX crop commentary with Jack Scoville

Audio, Corn, Cotton, Markets, Soybean, USDA, Wheat

Candidate Trump Addresses #Farm Labor Issues

Cindy Zimmerman

trump-dairyLike Sen. Ted Cruz, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump also had the opportunity to address the issue of immigration as it relates to farm labor during a CNN town hall forum Tuesday night.

Wisconsin dairy farmer John Pagel explained to Trump that the state’s dairy industry “is being challenged right now by having a labor force dependent on an immigration policy” and asked if he can “develop a policy that will give us that, give us the people that we have here to stay here and do the jobs — and create a policy that can bring people in to fill the jobs?”

Trump noted that dairy farmers are “in the same position as the California grape growers because they need people to come in” and he stressed the word “legally.”

“If you have an industry like California grapes, like perhaps what you’re talking about in Wisconsin, we’re going to let people come in, but they’re going to come in legally,” said Trump. “They’re going to come in through a visa program and they’re going to come in legally. It’s going to work out beautifully, you will not be affected. We don’t want to affect businesses. We want to grow businesses.”

Trump added that another that trade was related to the problem of immigration. “We are going to straighten out our trade policy so that you’re going to get a lot more business,” he said.

Listen to Trump’s answer here: Trump addresses farm labor question

Audio, Dairy, labor, politics

Culver’s Raises Money for 153 FFA Jackets

Kelly Marshall

inside-culvers-thank-you-farmersThe average age of the American farmer gets a little older each year, but Culver’s restaurant is working with their franchisees to encourage the next generation of farmers.  Culver’s Support Center in Prairie Du Sac, Wisconsin and the National FFA Organization are helping match deserving young people with a local Culver’s restaurant where money is being raised to provide that iconic blue FFA jacket for a student who might otherwise not have one.

So far Culver’s has raised nearly $20,000 and will be presenting 153 students with their own jacket this fall.

This jacket is more than just something students wear; it’s representative of the pride, responsibility and tradition that unites more than 629,000 FFA members across the nation. And every student who puts on his or her jacket does so with a commitment to making the future of agriculture brighter.

“FFA members are an incredibly passionate group of people who do so much to better the agricultural community,” shared David Stidham, vice president of marketing at Culver’s. “We’re proud to support these young folks today, so they can lead us tomorrow.”

Learn more about this program at www.culvers.com/farmers.

Ag Groups, FFA

First of its Kind Report Details Impact of Fertilizer

Kelly Marshall

The Fertilizer InstituteWhile we often take for granted the important role fertilizer plays in food production, the economic impact in terms of jobs provided by the industry has been generally overlooked.  Now a study sponsored by The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) is shedding light on those numbers at both the state and congressional district levels.

“We are excited to be able to share this first of its kind report as it will serve as a valuable resource not just to those in the industry, but also to lawmakers and regulators here in Washington D.C., and around the country,” said TFI President Chris Jahn.

The study, conducted for TFI by John Dunham and Associates, found that the fertilizer industry contributed over $162 billion and 515,900 jobs to the U.S. economy in 2014. The scope of the study includes the direct contribution, supplier contribution and downstream positive impact of the entire industry value chain – from manufacturers to wholesalers, retailers and goods and services suppliers.

The entire fertilizer industry directly employs nearly 85,000 people who produce over $68 billion in output. The nation’s fertilizer retailers alone support in excess of 43,000 jobs with a total annual payroll of $23 billion. Fertilizer manufacturers and wholesalers combined contribute another 41,000 jobs with a combined annual economic impact of $46 billion.

“We are proud of the economic contribution the fertilizer industry makes to the U.S. economy and the good jobs that it provides,” Jahn said. “The people we employ contribute to the economies of communities across the nation.”

You can learn more about the fertilizer industry’s impact on the economy at: https://www.tfi.org/advocacy/fertilizerjobs.

Agribusiness, Fertilizer

Candidate @TedCruz Addresses #Farm Labor Issues

Cindy Zimmerman

cruz-dairyRepublican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas had the opportunity to address the issue of immigration as it relates to farm labor during a CNN Town Hall forum Tuesday night.

Jason Vorpahl, who operates a 2800 head dairy farm in Wisconsin, questioned Cruz about the issue. “We offer a competitive wage and offer full benefits to all our employees,” said Vorpahl. “Most farms in the dairy industry cannot find American-born workers to milk the cows and take care of them. The only ones willing to do this hard work are Latino immigrants who, if we didn’t have them for eight hours, there would be a crisis across the country in our industry. What is the short-term solution to keep our current labor force intact? And what is the long-term solution moving forward?”

In answer, Cruz talked about the economic situation of farmers in general and how the government is making the situation worse by agency policies such as Waters of the United States (WOTUS). “And I think we need a president, we need an administration that takes the burdens off farmers so that it is easier to do your job which is incredibly important,” Cruz said.

Noting the need for an adequate labor force for agriculture, Cruz indicated the answer may be increasing mechanization and technology, citing the example of a pepper farmer in Arizona who “actually went and invented a new tool to help pick the peppers. And then he went down to the local community college and he ended up hiring Americans coming out of the community college.”

Cruz stressed the need to employ more Americans and to stifle illegal immigration. “And in the agriculture world, I think the first option should be trying to find American workers. Now that may mean wages come up. It may mean that we have to use more tools,” he said. “And beyond that, our legal immigration system, if there are needs in the labor force and American workers not available to do it, that’s where legal immigration should come in….It should be through the legal system targeted in a way that protects American workers.”

Listen to Cruz’s response to the question here: Sen. Ted Cruz addresses farm labor question

Audio, Dairy, politics

Farm Bill Survey Helps Shape NFU Policy

Kelly Marshall

The National Farmers Union (NFU) is offering growers a chance to have their opinions heard regarding the next Farm Bill by offering a survey for farm and ranch families across the U.S.  The survey is in addition to multiple member listening sessions being held that also offer a chance for feedback.

national-farmers-union-logo“As a farmer-led organization, we work closely with our diverse membership to advocate for policies that support family farmers and ranchers and the communities where they live,” explained NFU President Roger Johnson. “After the review, we will be able to better gauge the effectiveness of current farm policies and identify our advocacy priorities for the next Farm Bill process.”

You can take the survey until July 31, 2016.  The site will then close and staff at NFU will analyze the responses to help create future policy proposals for the next Farm Bill debate.

“An educated and vocal membership is one of the things that makes NFU such a strong grassroots organization,” Johnson concluded. “We need to hear from a large number of our members to make sure the farm bill addresses the most serious challenges, including climate change and market consolidation, facing rural America today.”

Ag Groups, Farm Bill

Agronomist Authors Children’s Book on Soybeans

Lizzy Schultz

COOLBEAN_vFINAL_120313.indd In honor of Soy Foods Month this April, an agronomy professor has created an interactive book to help spread the message of Coolbean the Soybean and teach youngsters in grades 3-5 how to think like scientists about the important field of agriculture.

“I wanted to develop a fun, yet educational, tool to help teach today’s youth about where food comes from, career opportunities in agriculture, and explain why soybeans are so important, not only here in the US, but around the world,” says Author Shawn Conley, an agronomy professor and Soybean and Wheat Extension Specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “My daughters were the main reason for writing this book, but I also remember being inspired at an early age by my first and second grade teacher, Mrs. Swiggum. Hopefully this book can help inspire the next generation of agricultural scientists.”

The book, published jointly by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and the Soil Science Society of America in partnership with the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board, follows the life of Coolbean the Soybean.
Coolbean introduces kid to soybeans, agriculture, agronomy, and crop and soil sciences. Coolbean explains modern farming techniques, how a seed becomes a plant and then produces a crop. The book tells the story of how soil, sunshine, and water affect the growth of the plant.

“We chose to follow the format of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) graphic novels and comics because it’s a style that kids are very comfortable with,” says Lisa Al-Amoodi, managing editor. “It also allowed us to package a lot of nonfiction science content into a cool story about a soybean.”

Soybeans are one of the most nutritious beans on the earth, and the protein-rich legumes are vital to a healthy diet, but nutrition and food is only one aspect of this amazing crop; they are also used in the production of cardboard, cars, crayons and more. Soybeans are also the second most planted crop in the U.S. and are vitally important to the economy. Soy production accounted for over $40 billion in revenue in 2014.

Coolbean the Soybean is available in both traditional and e-book formats at the Society Store website. In celebration of Soy Foods Month, use promo code, SOYFOODS, for 50% off from March 1-April 15.

Ag Groups, Agronomy, Food, Publication, Soybean

Deere Aligns with Hagie for High-Clearance Sprayers

Kelly Marshall

johndeerelogoDeere & Company and Hagie Manufacturing have entered into a joint venture.  Hagie is a national market leader when it comes to high-clearance sprayers.  In this new agreement Deere gains majority ownership of Hagie Manufacturing. The equipment produced in the current plant at Clarion, Iowa will continue to carry the Hagie brand, but sales and services will be integrated into Deere’s global distribution network throughout this year and next.

“Hagie Manufacturing is known for innovation and its strong customer understanding in high-clearance spraying equipment,” said John May, president, Agricultural Solutions and Chief Information Officer at Deere. “High-clearance spraying equipment is a new market for Deere. The expertise at Hagie allows John Deere to immediately serve customers who need precision solutions that extend their window for applying nutrients.”

HagieAlan Hagie, chief executive officer at Hagie Manufacturing, said, “We have great products at Hagie that help producers be more profitable but we need a business model that helps us reach more customers. This partnership with Deere allows our solutions to reach customers on a global scale and ensure they are supported with the world-class Deere dealer organization.”

The new agreement gives John Deere a wide range of sprayer options and Hagie will now be able to integrate Deere’s precision technology into their equipment at a lower cost.

Agribusiness, Equipment, John Deere

NCGA Partners with SoAR for Ag Research

Kelly Marshall

NCGA-Logo-3The National Corn Growers Association recently told us of their new strategic plan to increase demand and improve productivity and sustainability.  Now they’re showing us just what it is they plan to do about it.  The organization has now joined the Supporters of Agricultural Research (SoAR), a coalition of scientific, consumer and producer groups that seek out sound research policies to help feed the growing world.

“As a partner of SoAR, NCGA will be able to further its efforts to achieve public polices in the research arena that will benefit all U.S. Corn farmers,” said NCGA Research and Business Development Action Team Chair Larry Hoffmann. “While we work to build demand, it is also imperative NCGA maintains important efforts to keep the research pipeline flowing. As members of this respected group, we will amplify our voice by working with like-minded groups and ensure that research funding remains a top priority for Congress.”

soar-022SoAR works with major research institutions, farmer groups, scientific organizations, consumer groups and other private sector partners who believe a strong competitive grants program will encourage top scientists from multiple disciplines-from botany and biology to energy and engineering-to address the many agriculture-related challenges facing our country today.

SoAR advocates for full funding for the Agriculture Food and Research Initiative. AFRI is a program established by Congress in 2008 to award competitive grants for research projects-at any institution-that apply best ideas from any discipline to the many problems confronting today’s farmers and consumers.

The Foundation also takes on the job of educating stockholders about the importance of agriculture research.  They believe competitive grands are the best future for agriculture, pointing out how the approach has lead to much of America’s biomedical innovation.

For more information on SoAR, click here.

Agribusiness, NCGA, Research

US Ag Colleges Stand Out in World Ranking

Lizzy Schultz

Print The QS World University Ranking system has released its latest standings for the world’s top agriculture universities, showcasing fifty exceptional programs on their website. While the top spot went to Wageningen University in the Netherlands, the strength of American agriculture universities continues to shine as twenty two of the top fifty spots went to U.S. agriculture programs, including seven of the top ten programs.

The rankings aim to help prospective students identify the world’s leading schools in their chosen field, with the list of subjects extended each year in response to high demand for subject-level comparisons. As recent data from the website AgCareers.com suggests, interest in careers involving the agriculture industry has spiked 33% this year. Students interested in pursing a career in agriculture can take confidence in the quality of education offered to them in American programs.

The University of California-Davis took the number two spot on the list, followed by Cornell University in the number three rank, the University of California-Berkeley ranking in fourth place, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison tied for the number five spot with Agro, ParisTech. These four Universities boast outstanding research programs, with a large focus on research-based education. The schools are also considered large or extra large by QS standards, and have programs that are over 100 years old.

Other American Universities in the top ten are Michigan State University, Purdue University, and Iowa State University, highlighting the strong presence of successful agriculture programs throughout the Midwestern region of the United States.

The rankings are determined by analyzing the university’s academic reputation and employer reputation for graduates of their agriculture programs, the number of research citations per paper for research published from the University’s agriculture program faculty, and the University’s Hirsch Index, a way of measuring both the productivity and impact of the published work of a scientist or scholar. The index is based on the set of the scientist’s most cited papers and the number of citations that s/he has received in other publications.

Ag Groups, AgCareers, Education, International, University