| |
What should dairy producers do?
These have been some interesting days in the dairy markets, cash cheese has been holding steady, cash butter has been nudging higher, Class III futures are fluctuating, meanwhile the Global Dairy Products auction set new lows this week. While the latest outlook numbers from USDA call for increasing milk production and lower prices, Dave Kurzawski with F.C. [...]
|
Cheaper feed not enough for dairy profitability
The monthly Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook from USDA says with the big corn crop being planted this year and expectations feed prices will go down, the benchmark 16% dairy ration should be cheaper later this year…and while that is good news for dairy producers dealing with declining milk prices, the milk-to-feed ratio will not [...]
|
Profits down at JBS SA
JBS SA, the world’s largest beef producer reports first-quarter profits were $58 million down 21 percent from the first quarter last year. The company reports sales rose 9.1 percent compared to a year ago but earnings fell 16.7 percent thanks to a 10.6 percent increase in the cost of goods sold. The company ended the [...]
|
Australia to approve raw milk hard cheeses
It looks like Australia is going to approve the sale of unpasteurized hard cheeses. The food safety agency, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has approved a proposal saying the controls involved in processing the cheese are sufficient to provide an “acceptable level of public risk.” Other raw milk cheeses are being considered under a [...]
|
Proposal to limit premium subsidies has Grassley’s attention
A call for a 40-thousand dollar payment limit to be imposed on crop insurance premium subsidies has garnered the attention of Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley. Two of Grassley’s colleagues, Senators Dick Durbin of Illinois and Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, have proposed the payment limit. They cite a recent report by the Government Accountability Office that [...]
|
Another strong session for wheat, corn
Soybeans were mixed on commercial buying in the nearbys and speculative selling in the deferreds. There was no fresh supportive news and planting weather looks good over the near term, with increasing talk of double crop acreage. However, the fundamentals remain bullish, especially on the demand side of the balance sheet. Soybean meal was up [...]
|
Stabenow and Roberts talk Farm Bill
The 2012 Farm Bill moved out of the Senate Ag Committee with strong bipartisan support earlier this month. Senate Ag Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow says she anticipates continued support as the bill makes its way to the full Senate. “People are very pleased to see that we’ve come together around a farm bill that represents [...]
|
Ethanol savings are even greater in Iowa
A new report from the Iowa State University Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) shows that ethanol reduced wholesale gasoline prices by $1.09 per gallon nationally last year. But the savings to Midwestern motorists were even more than that. According to Lucy Norton of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, without ethanol, pump prices in Iowa have [...]
|
Good 2nd quarter at Deere
A very good second quarter for Deere and Company. The company is reporting sales of $10 billion and earnings of $1.1 billion or $2.61 per share for the quarter up 23 percent from a year ago. That compares to earnings of $904 million or $2.12 per share for the same quarter last year. For the [...]
|
Pioneer switching soybeans to seed-count bags
In response to customer demand, Pioneer Hi-Bred says it will start selling soybean seed units in North America by count rather than weight starting this fall. The number of seeds per unit will be 140,000. The company says the switch will provide an easier, more accurate way to plant beans because the quantity per unit will always [...]
|
Wednesday midday cash livestock prices
Asking prices and bids are widely separated on the cash cattle. Private sources report a few bids in the South at 118.00 and asking prices are 122.00 to 123.00. In Nebraska a few bids have been reported at 188.00 dressed. Feedlot operators are asking 195.00 plus. Unless packers suddenly turn up the heat, significant trade [...]
|
IL Pork seeks applicants for IPLI
The Illinois Pork Producers Association is currently accepting applications for the 2012 Illinois Pork Leadership Institute June 26-28. The IPLI focuses on leadership, citizenship, and communication skills through hands-on experiences. This year the tour will include visits to the Galesburg Department of Agriculture testing lab, Farmland hog processing plant in Monmouth, a cooking class in [...]
|
EHedger Afternoon Grain Commentary 5/16/12
No Description
|
Iowa governor applauds state’s schools for sticking with LFTB
As the controversy over Lean Finely Textured Beef (LFTB) raged on earlier this spring, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad and Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds sent letters to all 359 Iowa school districts, urging them to continue using LFTB in their school lunch programs. Branstad tells Brownfield, to his knowledge, no Iowa schools are planning to drop [...]
|
Wrapping up planting in SW Indiana
Corn planting around the country is continuing its faster than average pace and Indiana is no exception. For Evansville, IN farmer Joe Steinkamp – this is the earliest they’ve ever finished planting. In fact – they finished full season beans Monday and corn a month ago. That’s something he could only dream of last year. [...]
|
May is National Egg Month
May is National Egg Month and Ashley Richardson with the American Egg Board says it’s an opportunity to highlight just how healthy eggs really are. “They are packed with all sorts of nutritious goodness,” she says. “They contain 13 essential vitamins and minerals – and it’s only 70 calories.” She tells Brownfield last year USDA [...]
|
Getting more out of your manure
With input prices on the rise – many farmers are looking for options available to provide the maximum return on investment. A formulation of products released earlier this year allows farmers to decrease the potential loss of nutrients from manure used as a fertilizer. Tony Donoho with SFP says their More Than Manure (MTM) protects both [...]
|
It’s more than whole wheat bread
By adding whole grains to our diets - we may find some added health benefits. The most documented benefits show a reduced risk of stroke, a decrease in the risk of type 2 diabetes, a lower risk of heart disease, and better weight maintenance. Sarah Jane Bedwell is a registered dietician in Nashville, TN. She says finding whole grains [...]
|
LG Seeds partners with Greene Co Ag Research Center
At the ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony of the Greene County Agricultural Research Center on Tuesday, May 15, Greene County Career Center Superintendent, Dan Schroer announced a partnership with LG Seeds. “The exciting part is, they are going to be working with our agriculture programs at Xenia High School, Cedarville High School and Greeneview High [...]
|
Top Tips for Maximizing Profitability
Chris Barron, Top Producer magazine columnist and author of the "Ask a Margins Expert" blog on AgWeb.com says that there are three things farmers can do to ensure they're maximizing their profits.
|
|