ADVERTISEMENT
 Residual control in a glyphosate herbicide. Very
unexpected. Now add long-lasting residual control to your Agrisure®
GT and Roundup Ready® corn programs. To learn more, visit halexgt-herbicide.com.
|
|
|
|
Logan
Hawkes
11/26/08
Crop News Weekly
It's a short week for most farmers as the
Thanksgiving holiday is set to get underway. That may not be true for
the few and the weary who are still harvesting the last of the corn crop
across some parts of the Midwest. For others, it's time to stuff the
turkey, the belly, and turn on the big screen for some traditional
Thanksgiving Day football. Happy holiday.
In the news this week, there's a lot of speculation about who will be
named the next agriculture secretary. You have an opportunity to weigh
in on the subject and to cast your vote in this week's Corn & Soybean
Digest user's poll. Join your neighbors by casting your vote by linking
to the poll below. Also this week, as mentioned, corn harvest continues
to wind down, with less than 10% of the corn remaining to be harvested
in most areas of south-central and southwest Minnesota. There are higher
amounts of corn left to harvest in some other areas, due to higher
moisture corn and wet field conditions. In addition to causing harvest
difficulties, the wet field conditions are also making it difficult to
complete fall tillage and fertilizer applications. Elsewhere, an annual
quality survey funded by the American Soybean Association (ASA) and the
U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) indicates that the 2008 U.S. soybean
crop carries the lowest protein level on record. Get the details below.
And of concern to many farmers this week, the news on VeraSun Energy
Corporation has been flying fast and furious. Just yesterday, the
financially-troubled ethanol producer announced that it had received a
non-binding unsolicited indication of interest to purchase substantially
all of its assets. The identity of the third party was not disclosed,
but some speculate that it could be Poet, LLC. Read the latest news and
keep up to date with the latest developments.
You'll find these stories and more in this issue of Crop News
Weekly. Happy reading.
|
|
ADVERTISEMENT
 Soybeans are a lot like
growers. The earlier they get up, the more they get done.
CruiserMaxx™ Beans brand insecticide/fungicide seed treatment gets
your soybeans off to a vigorous start, aiding in a quicker canopy
closure. Early season stresses aren’t so stressful anymore for beans
boosted by the patented vigor effect of CruiserMaxx Beans. And healthy
beans from the get-go, means healthy profit potential at harvest. Learn
more at cruisermaxxbeans.com
|
|
Who will Obama favor for Ag
Secretary?
November 26, 2008
CORN & SOYBEAN DIGEST WEEKLY POLL
Who will be our next Secretary of Agriculture?
Register your vote at cornandsoybeandigest.com. Click on the headline
above and go there now.
|
ADVERTISEMENT
 According to Chuck
Foresman, manager of weed resistance strategies for Syngenta, some
experts expect the number of U.S. crop acres with glyphosate-resistant
weeds to double this year to 10 million. There are currently nine weeds
that have been confirmed resistant to glyphosate in the U.S., including
Palmer amaranth, giant ragweed, common ragweed, waterhemp, Johnsongrass
and marestail (horseweed). The Syngenta Resistance Fighter™
Solutions Module helps you find all the right products to fight
resistance in your fields. www.resistancefighter.com
|
|
Harvest
and leasing updates
Corn harvest continues to wind down, with less than
10% of the corn remaining to be harvested in most areas of south-central
and southwest Minnesota. There are higher amounts of corn left to
harvest in some other areas, due to higher moisture corn and wet field
conditions. In addition to causing harvest difficulties, the wet field
conditions are also making it difficult to complete fall tillage and
fertilizer applications. Most farm operators still have some tillage and
fertilizer applications left to be completed – if the soil conditions
allow. Fall tillage and anhydrous applications will end once the soil
freezes solid for the year. - Kent Thiesse, Corn & Soybean
Digest
(To read the complete article, click on the headline above)
|
Soybean
protein content low
An annual quality survey funded by the American
Soybean Association (ASA) and the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC)
indicates that the 2008 U.S. soybean crop carries the lowest protein
level on record. "Average U.S. soybean protein concentration was 1.2
percentage points lower in 2008 – at 34% – and average oil was 0.6
percentage points higher – at 19.2% – when compared with 2007," said
the report, which was conducted by a team of professors and scientists
from the University of Minnesota, utilizing 1,447 samples submitted from
30 states. - Richard Brock, Corn & Soybean Digest
(To read the complete article, click on the headline above)
|
ADVERTISEMENT
 Controlling grass and broadleaf weeds right
through canopy takes on a whole new meaning when you step up to
Lumax® herbicide. While others may talk about residual
control, research proves nothing outperforms Lumax, especially on weeds
such as foxtail, waterhemp, pigweed and lambsquarters. In both
glyphosate-tolerant and conventional corn. To learn more, click here or visit lumax-herbicide.com. Lumax is
a Restricted Use Pesticide.
|
|
Growers
in limbo as VeraSun fate in balance
The news on VeraSun Energy Corporation has been flying
fast and furious. Just yesterday, the financially-troubled ethanol
producer announced that it had received a non-binding unsolicited
indication of interest to purchase substantially all of its assets. The
identity of the third party was not disclosed, but some speculate that
it could be Poet, LLC.
The VeraSun announcement came just hours after Jeff Broin, CEO, Poet,
LLC, Sioux Falls, SD, told the Associated Press that the company was in
talks with a number of ethanol producers. But, Broin did not disclose
the names of companies with which his company is talking.
Most likely any buyout of VeraSun would be welcome news to farmers
concerned about having their corn contracts honored.
Farm Industry News has the latest about the issue in an informative and
interactive blog online. Connect by clicking on the headline above. -
Lynn Grooms, Farm Industry News
|
ROAD
WARRIOR: "Doc, how bad is this downturn?"
Dave Kohl writes: "This question has been asked
repeatedly on the seminar circuit, at the feed store and during planning
meetings in recent months. Let’s put this recession, while not
official yet, into context with historical standards.
Unemployment
Recently unemployment increased to 6.5%, with the possibility of the
indicator reaching 9-12%. During the Great Depression, unemployment
peaked at 25% and spent nearly a decade above 15%. The deep recession in
the mid-1970s and early 1980s resulted in an unemployment rate between
7.%5 and 9.5%.
Stock Market
The Dow Jones peaked at 381 in September 1929, declined by 47% in two
months and had a series of short rallies, but declined 89% to 41 by July
1932. Subsequent declines in 1973-1974 and 1981-1982 were decreases of
45% and 24%, respectively. Recently in the year 2000, the NASDAQ lost
78% and the Dow declined by 38%. The latest carnage finds a 42% decline
from the peak, or nearly $6.2 trillion in loss of wealth excluding home
values." - Corn & Soybean Digest
(To read the complete article, click on the headline above)
|
ADVERTISEMENT
 Markets. Drought. The occasionally disgruntled spouse.
Clearly, you have enough to worry about above ground. Some things, you
just can’t control. But with Cruiser Extreme® 250 seed
treatment, the health and vigorous growth of your corn crop isn’t one
of them. So instead of worrying, sit back and watch your yield climb. cruisercorn.com
|
|
Learn to test soil for
SCN from an expert
A new how-to video by Iowa State University
nematologist Greg Tylka demonstrates how to test your soil for soybean
cyst nematode. Distance from the crop row, depth of probe, the mportance
of collecting soil after fall tillage, field size and high-risk areas
are just a few of the details to consider to get an accurate SCN
assessment, Tylka says in the video. Log on
to http://soybeandigest.com/tv/tylka_1120 - Corn & Soybean
Digest
Click on the link in the headline above to view the new
video
|
NCGA
responds to newest ethanol attack
The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) responded
strongly to ethanol critics who launched another wave of attacks on corn
and ethanol. This attack on ethanol comes from the same group that
failed earlier this year in its efforts to reduce the renewable fuels
standard and increase our country’s dependence on foreign oil.
“These same ethanol critics are the ones who virtually promised to
reduce food prices immediately, and have failed to do so, even though
corn prices and energy prices are down by more than half in the last few
weeks,” NCGA President Bob Dickey said in a radio interview syndicated
to dozens of radio stations nationwide. - Corn & Soybean
Digest
(To read the complete article, click on the headline above)
|
Versatile in,
Buhler out
Buhler just announced that they are dropping the name
Buhler from its tractors lines and staying with name Versatile. The move
is to draw on the heritage of the strong Versatile name, which has
branded tractors for 40 years. The company also is introducing new
row-crop tractors with Cummins Tier 3 engines. Buhler recently made news
a year ago by being purchased by the Russian manufacturer Rostselmash
Inc. Watch the Versatile video on FIN TV at:
http://farmindustrynews.com/tv/versatile_1120/ - Farm Industry
News
Click on the headline above to view the video
|
Fertilizer
prices hinge somewhat on weather
Spring nitrogen prices hinge on how much farmers are
able to apply this fall, says Joe Dillier, Growmark. “We need two
seasons to apply all of the fertilizer we use,” he says.”If weather
delays that, and not much product moves this fall, there will be a
massive premium for storage.” “We will see some pressure from peak
fertilizer prices, but not as much as farmers might think – there are
logistical concerns. World ocean freight rates are down 28% from their
peak, and that will help prices. - Corn & Soybean Digest
(To read the complete article, click on the headline above)
|
Grain
producers can calculate transportation costs online
Once the crop is out of the field, the next decision
farmers face is where to sell their grain. Should they sell to the local
elevator or a more distant market with a premium price? Now producers
have a tool to make that decision. The Soy Transportation Coalition
(STC) has an online calculator available to assist producers in making
the most profitable decision when delivering their soybeans or other
commodities. The calculator can be accessed from the Indiana Soybean
Alliance’s (ISA) web site at http://www.indianasoybean.com by clicking
on the calculator icon at the top of the homepage. - Corn & Soybean
Digest
(To read the complete article, click on the headline above)
|
Harkin:
Control 'financial weapons of mass destruction'
Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin has introduced legislation aimed
at establishing stronger standards of openness, transparency and
integrity in the trading of swaps and other over-the-counter financial
derivatives that have helped bring the nation to the brink of the worst
recession in decades. Harkin, chairman of the Senate Agriculture
Committee, announced the filing of the bill Thursday. He called the
legislation a critical step toward rebuilding and restoring confidence
in the U.S. financial system, which has been battered by a continuous
stream of bad news. Some economists estimate the total face value of
credit default swaps has skyrocketed to $531 trillion —
eight-and-a-half times the world GDP of $62 trillion. “This has
created a very dangerous situation,” Harkin said in a telephone press
conference. “Indeed, Warren Buffett has called derivatives
‘financial weapons of mass destruction.’” - Forrest Laws, Farm
Press Editorial Staff
(To read the complete article, click on the headline above)
|
Oil and
grain costs way down, but food prices still up
The release of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for
October proves what too many Americans already have learned the hard
way: input costs for food processors are way down but the prices they
charge grocery shoppers continue to climb. Prices for virtually
everything consumers buy – gasoline, airline tickets, clothing –
dropped in October, except food prices. According to a report, “Why
Aren’t Food Companies Reducing Prices?,“ released today by the
Renewable Fuels Association, the excuse for these prices hikes given by
big food companies does not pass the smell test. Particularly when you
consider that these price hikes are not necessary. Wegmans, a prominent
East Coast grocery store chain, recently said no to rising prices
charged by big food processors. By imposing price cuts throughout its
stores, Wegmans estimates it will save their shoppers’ families
between $40 and $60 per month. If such savings could be realized by
every American family, they could collectively save up to $7 billion a
month. - To read the complete article, click on the headline
above)
|
Economists:
Repeat of 1980s agriculture unlikely
A farm economy that’s swung from unparalleled
optimism to uncertainty in just a matter of months might appear to be a
repeat of two decades ago, but there’s more to the story than meets
the eye, say two Purdue University agricultural economists. Although
commodity prices are cascading in response to the global financial
crisis, farmers should not expect a return to the tough times of the
1980s, said Mike Boehlje and Chris Hurt. Comparing then to now, the
economists said the agriculture industry is in a much stronger financial
position today. Present economic fundamentals also are more favorable,
indicating farmers are likely to withstand the economic downturn.
Boehlje and Hurt make their case in The Financial Crisis: Is This a
Repeat of the ’80s for Agriculture? The paper can be read on the
Purdue Extension Financial Crisis Information Web page, located at
http://www.agecon.purdue.edu/news/financial_crisis.asp. (To read the
complete article, click on the headline above)
|
Applications
for advanced biorefinery loans due
Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer has announced that
applications are being accepted for loan guarantees under the
Biorefinery Assistance Program (Section 9003), authorized by the Food,
Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, ("the farm bill"). The Biorefinery
Assistance Program is designed to promote the development of new and
emerging technologies for the production of advanced biofuels. The
Biorefinery Assistance Program provides loan guarantees for the
development, construction and retrofitting of viable commercial-scale
biorefineries producing advanced biofuels. The program provides $75
million in Fiscal Year 2009 and $245 million in Fiscal Year 2010 to
provide loan guarantees not to exceed $250 million per project. (To
read the complete article, click on the headline above)
|
Agricultural
biotech a critical link to sustainability
Agricultural biotechnology is making substantial
footholds in small and large countries worldwide and must remain a part
of sustainable agriculture so farmers and consumers can reap the
benefits. Sharon Bomer-Lauritsen, executive vice president, food and
agriculture section, Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO),
Washington, D.C., says U.S. farmers grow biotech crops on about 300
million acres — about 48 percent of the harvested crop acreage.
“Biotechnology has saved the fruit and vegetable industry from
destruction,” said Bomer-Lauritsen. She spoke about ag biotech’s
virtues and challenges during the California Association of Pest Control
Advisers conference in Anaheim, Calif., in October. BIO represents over
1,100 biotech companies, academic institutions, and related
organizations in the U.S. and 31 other nations in the research and
development of health care, agricultural, industrial, and environmental
biotechnology products. - Cary Blake, Farm Press Editorial
Staff
(To read the complete article, click on the headline above)
|
|
ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER
You are subscribed to this newsletter as #email#
To get this newsletter in a different format (Text or HTML),
or to change your e-mail address, please visit your profile
page to change your delivery preferences.
For questions concerning delivery of this newsletter, please contact our
Customer Service Department at:
Customer Service Department
Corn & Soybean Digest and Farm Industry News
A Penton Media publication
US Toll Free: 866-505-7173
International: 847-763-9504
Email:cropnewsweekly@pbinews.com
Penton Media | 249 W. 17th Street | New York, NY 10011
Copyright 2008, Penton Media. All rights reserved. This article is
protected by United States copyright and other intellectual property
laws and may not be reproduced, rewritten, distributed, re-disseminated,
transmitted,
displayed, published or broadcast, directly or indirectly, in any medium
without the prior written permission of Penton Media.
About This Newsletter
To unsubscribe from this newsletter go to: Unsubscribe
To subscribe to this newsletter, go to: Subscribe
For information on advertising in Crop News Weekly, please contact: Roger Randall/a>.
|
|
|
|
Farm Industry News
Product
of the Week
View and read about the Farm Industry News Product of the
Week.
Click here to visit farmindustrynews.com
Corn & Soybean Digest
Market News
Richard A. Brock
Check out the latest corn and soybean market advice from
marketing guru Richard Brock by visiting cornandsoybeandigest.com
|
|
