Slight Decrease in Corn, Increase in Beans

Cindy Zimmerman

usda-logoThe November crop forecast from USDA calls for a slightly lower corn crop but a slightly higher soybean crop.

Corn production is now forecast at 14.4 billion bushels, just a bit lower than last month, but still three percent higher than last year, with yields now expected to average 173.4 bushels per acre. If realized, this will still be the highest yield and production on record for the United States. Soybean production is forecast at a record 3.96 billion bushels, up less than one percent from October and up 18 percent from last year.

The main reason for the slight drop in the corn forecast is a slow harvest and weather challenges, that are now including heavy snow in the upper Midwest. The latest crop progress report shows Wisconsin, Michigan, Colorado and Indiana lagging behind the most in harvest, but significant progress was made in the last week so that the corn harvest nationwide now stands at the five year average of 80 percent.

In the new World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimate, USDA slightly increased corn use with corn used in ethanol production now projected 25 million bushels higher. USDA estimates total supply at 15.7 billion bushels, with estimated use at 13.7, leaving ending stocks of 2.0 billion bushels.

“As farmers are working to find storage for record crops and dealing in some areas with transportation issues, we’re delighted to see a slight increase in demand and reduction in forecast ending stocks,” said National Corn Growers Association president Chip Bowling of Maryland. “Along with this, we’re seeing prices bump up slightly.” Average farm price, reported as a range, was increased a dime to $3.20-$3.80 per bushel.

“This is positive news for the market overall as we’re expecting demand to rise to meet these record yields,” said American Farm Bureau Deputy Chief Economist John Anderson. “An estimated increase in ethanol production should also help to absorb this year’s bumper crop.”

The drop in the national production estimate for corn seems to be coming from traditionally high-yield states that are now seeing lower estimates this month, Anderson said. The Iowa yield estimate was shaved by two bushels per acre, and Minnesota’s came down by five.

AFBF, Corn, NCGA, USDA

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USFRA Names Executive Committee

Cindy Zimmerman

USFRAThe U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA®) has announced its new 2015 Executive Committee members and Nancy Kavazanjian, farmer director of the United Soybean Board, was named as Board chairperson. As chair, Kavazanjian will work closely with the CEO of USFRA and members of the Board in providing thought leadership and serve as a national consumer spokesperson on behalf of farmers and ranchers across the nation. Outgoing Board Chairperson Bob Stallman and president of American Farm Bureau Federation has served in the role since the organization’s inception in 2010.

Nancy_Kawazanjion1“I am truly honored to have been selected to play such an important role in the consumer dialogue about how our food is produced and reaches our tables,” said Kavazanjian. “As a farmer, I am passionate about sustainably growing safe and nutritious food for America and have seen first-hand the need for an organization like USFRA to help set the record straight for consumers about how our food is actually produced. I look forward to serving as USFRA’s Board Chairperson.”

Other 2015 Executive Committee members include:
• Vice Chair – Brad Greenway, National Pork Board
• Secretary – Mike Geske, National Corn Growers Association
• Treasurer – Dawn Caldwell, Federation of State Beef Councils
• At-Large – Lisa Lunz, Nebraska Soybean Board
• At-Large – Todd Frazier, DuPont Pioneer

Looking forward to seeing Nancy at the NAFB annual meeting this week and congratulating her in person!

NCGA, USFRA

Bayer Launches #Thankful4Ag Initiative

Cindy Zimmerman

be-thankfulBayer CropScience is helping to make the holiday season a bit brighter for Americans struggling with hunger by sponsoring #Thankful4Ag in conjunction with Feeding America®.

The social initiative aims to provide up to 200,000 meals from November 10-December 19. Bayer will donate up to $20,000 towards the effort.

bayer-cropscience“We are all indeed thankful for the contributions of our nation’s farming families and everyone who helps get food from the farm to people’s tables,” said Jim Blome, president and CEO of Bayer CropScience LP. “There is no better way to show our gratitude than to help provide nutritious meals to those who need them. We encourage everyone to join us and share a digital plate today to help those in need this holiday season.”

Launching today, #Thankful4Ag invites people to visit www.Thankful4Ag.com and create a “digital meal” showcasing three of their favorite classic holiday foods. As foods are added to the digital meal, the visitor will be provided interesting facts about the origin of those foods and learn more about their journey from farm to table. Every time someone creates and shares a meal, Bayer CropScience LP will donate 10 meals ($1 per share, $1=10 meals secured by Feeding America on behalf of member food banks) to food-insecure families through Feeding America.

“Bayer has been such a great partner to Feeding America in our ongoing fight to end hunger,” said Nancy Curby, vice president of corporate partnerships for Feeding America. “They continue to find creative ways to engage the public in hunger relief and spread awareness about our cause. The #Thankful4Ag campaign will benefit families in need this holiday season.”

Feeding America is the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization, and its network of 200 local food banks serves 46 million Americans struggling with hunger.

Bayer, Food, Social Media

Role of State FFA Officers on National Level

Cindy Zimmerman

ffa-14-statesWith FFA organizations in 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, there are well over 1,000 state FFA officers who play a role as delegates at the National FFA Convention. State FFA officers lead the membership of the state associations and are elected by state FFA convention delegates.

Samantha Marre of Elsberry, Missouri who represents Area 5 in the northeast part of the Show-Me State has been involved in FFA since her freshman year of high school and is very active with her fellow officers in representing the nearly 25,000 members of Missouri FFA.

ffa-14-marre“Some of the committees we have been on include the contest team evaluation committee, the ag career network committee (and) agriculture education committee,” Marre said at the convention.

Marre says the words purpose and persistence, talked about by national adviser Dr. Steve Brown, resonated with her as an FFA officer. “We have to remember our purpose as Missouri FFA officers to serve the members of Missouri,” she said. “And persistence, meaning to never give up and to continually ‘go all out’ for our chapter, our state, our nation, and our communities.”

Listen to Jamie’s interview with Samantha here: Interview with Missouri FFA officer Samantha Marre

87th National FFA Convention Photos

Coverage of the National FFA Convention is sponsored by
Coverage of the National FFA Convention is sponsored by FMC
Audio, FFA

Purpose, Passion and Persistence Makes FFA Proud

Cindy Zimmerman

ffa-14-brownWhen National FFA Advisor Dr. Steve Brown talked to the thousands of students in attendance at the recent convention, he summed up the mission of FFA in three simple words – purpose, passion and persistence.

“We also talked about being “FFA Proud,” said Brown in an interview with Jamie Johansen. “They’re here for a purpose, to learn about agriculture and pursue their dreams. They have that deep passion about FFA that shines every time they put on that blue and gold jacket. And they know to be persistent because that helps them to be recognized in future years.”

Jamie has known Dr. Brown for many years in her experience with FFA and agricultural education and she was pleased to have this opportunity to share his thoughts: Interview with National FFA Advisor Dr. Steve Brown

87th National FFA Convention Photos

Coverage of the National FFA Convention is sponsored by
Coverage of the National FFA Convention is sponsored by FMC
Audio, Education, FFA

Ag Groups Urge President to Reject Biofuels Cuts

Cindy Zimmerman

mess-rfsThe National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and several other agricultural sent a letter to President Obama last week asking him to intervene with the Environmental Protection Agency regarding its proposed cuts in the 2014 volume obligations for the Renewable Fuel Standard.

“The blending targets and the methodology in your administration’s proposed rule are already causing significant harm to the biofuel sector,” the letter states. “These impacts are reverberating throughout the U.S. agriculture economy, and we expect this trend to continue if the targets and the methodology in the rule are not corrected.”

The letter discusses how the ag sector has met its responsibility in growing sufficient feedstock for biofuels, but is also working with the ethanol industry on infrastructure and advanced fuels. The letter concludes: “The EPA’s proposed policy decision is driving one of our key economic engines – the biofuel sector -¬‐ overseas. We have invested in response to the signals in the RFS and are poised to deliver the very low carbon fuels you have sought for so long. Instead of reaping the economic benefits of this investment with a build-¬‐out of a domestic biofuel industry, the methodology proposed by EPA is offshoring the industry – and our market. This is a decision we cannot afford in America’s heartland.”

In addition to NCGA, organizations sending the letter included the Agricultural Retailers Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, Association of Equipment Manufacturers, National Association of Wheat Growers, the National Farmers Union and National Sorghum Producers.

AFBF, Ag Groups, ARA, Corn, EPA, Ethanol, NCGA

Farm Bureau’s Women in Ag Survey to Gauge Goals, Needs

John Davis

afbf-logoFarm Bureau wants to know more about the goals, aspirations, achievements and needs of women in American agriculture. That’s why the group’s Women’s Leadership Program has launched the “Women in Ag” survey for all women who are farmers, ranchers, farm/ranch employees, employed in agricultural businesses, pursuing ag-related higher education or supportive of agriculture in other ways.

“This comprehensive survey is the first of its kind to ask women in-depth questions about how they are connected to agriculture and what leadership skills they think are most important today, as well as the top business challenges they’re facing,” said Terry Gilbert, a Kentucky farmer and chair of the American Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee. “All women involved in agriculture – not just Farm Bureau members – are invited to participate in the survey,” Gilbert emphasized.

Data collected from respondents will be used to gauge trends related to the achievements of women in agriculture, including leadership positions, business successes and election to public office.

You don’t have to be a Farm Bureau member to take the survey, and participants will be eligible to win one of five $100 gift cards after the survey closes. Preliminary findings from the survey will be released in February 2015 at AFBF’s FUSION Conference in Nashville, Tennessee; the full report will be released in late spring.

AFBF

Soybean Farming Challenges

Cindy Zimmerman

bayer-future-14-wilkinsDuring the recent Bayer CropScience Corn and Soybean Future Forum in Germany, soybean producers talked about the challenges ahead for farmers.

American Soybean Association board member Richard Wilkins of Delaware believes that the most pressing challenges facing farmers right now include the need for deregulation of new technologies, public perception, and trade disruptions.

At the same time, Wilkins believes that farmers basically have the same goals as society as a whole when it comes to sustainability. “From a farmer’s perspective, remaining in business over the long term is number one when it comes to sustainability,” he said. “But I’m convinced that employing best management practices, being good stewards, and doing all the other things society is asking is the answer to long term sustainability.”

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Richard here: Interview with Delaware farmer Richard Wilkins

2014 Bayer CropScience Corn & Soybean Future Forum Photos

ASA, Audio, Bayer, Soybean, Sustainability

Go Farmobile

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast 454We’re living in a mobile technology society and that’s so true of farmers today. Now farmers have a new technology to look at that will allow them to take advantage of all the data they’re creating in a new way.

Jason Tatge FarmobileDuring the Develop with Deere conference this week I met Jason Tatge, Farmobile. Here’s Jason giving me a live demonstration on his tablet of what Farmobile can do. Basically, Jason’s startup company allows live, real time, monitoring/viewing of farm equipment in the field. For example, we were looking at a Farmobile beta tester who was harvesting last night. We could “see” him move across his field, where he had been and even as he stopped to unload. Lots of information is included in the Farmobile app display like machine statistics (speed, rpms, etc) and crop moisture, yield and more.

FarmobileFarmobile builds hardware that goes into the customer’s machine, regardless of color, connects and then sends data via local cellular networks via the cloud. It’s fast. And the best part is that Farmobile is setting up the system to allow farmers to sell their data! That’s right. And why not? That’s valuable information that many companies will pay to get.

Learn more about what Farmobile is doing in this week’s AgNerd ZimmCast.

Listen in to this week’s program here: Go Farmobile

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