Bear market in new crop beans?
	Court ruling burden on farmers
	Extension cutbacks at Iowa State
	Soybean production to increase
	Farm worker bill re-introduced
	Rain delays could reduce corn acres
	Keeping an eye on stem rust
	More funding for aquafeed
	EPA rules on carbofuran tolerances
	Seed treatments now routine

While planting is moving along well in most parts of the Midwest, eastern regions are still being plagued by steady rains, making it difficult to get seed into the ground or, in some cases, flooding fields that have been planted and paving the way for replants in the days ahead. Meanwhile, an early Memorial Day weekend signals what should be an end to normal planting schedules, putting the pressure on many to "get the job done" and move on to the next phase of production. Much of the eastern and western corn belts however are poised to enter the summer months 'on schedule' with the hope of a good crop year ahead. While delays in planting represent a frustrating development to some, many more producers in the Southwest are dealing with extreme drought and a bleak forecast for relief.

This week we take a look at a number of developing issues and offer up some new research for your consideration. Get started below...and happy reading.

The biggest move of the year could be a bear market in new crop soybeans, according to market analyst Richard Brock, Brock and Associates, participating in a Web cast following USDA’s May 12 World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates.

While the market appears bullish with old crop U.S. ending stocks at 130 million bushels, new crop stocks are expected to climb by 100 million bushels by the end of this marketing year. World ending stocks for soybeans are projected by USDA at 51.8 million metric tons, which Brock says “is toward the high end” of trade estimates.”

In addition, Argentina and Brazil are expected to rebound from poor crops in 2008, “which could contribute to a downward trend in soybean prices,” Brock said. - Elton Robinson, Farm Press Editorial Staff

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You just received some disturbing news. Plant bugs or soybean aphids or some other pest has been discovered in above-threshold numbers in a cotton, soybean or corn field bordering a lake or stream that meanders through your farm.

The news starts an agonizing mental process that could mean you spend $25,000 to $30,000 depending on which pesticide you use and how many acres must be treated. That’s a decision no farmer takes lightly.

But what if you had to consider another step: Filing a request for a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit from the state bureau of plant industry, department of agriculture or other regulatory agency because the pesticide could drift into the lake or stream? - Forrest Laws, Farm Press Editorial Staff

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The nation’s oldest state Extension Service is drastically scaling back the number of county agents who are on the front lines of providing agricultural information to producers.

Iowa State University has announced plans to reduce the number of county Extension directors by three-fourths because of budget cutbacks. Iowa State’s Extension Service predates the national system, having been established in 1903.

“It’s a structure that is 100 years old that we cannot support anymore with the budget cut,” said Jack Payne, vice president for Extension and Outreach at ISU in Ames, Iowa. “It’s been the most difficult decision I’ve been involved in since I’ve been a university administrator.” - Forrest Laws, Farm Press Editorial Staff

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U.S. soybean production is projected at 3.2 billion bushels, up 236 million from 2008-09, according to USDA in its May 12 World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates.

Soybean oil used for biodiesel production is projected at 2.2 billion pounds, up 300 million from the 2008-09 estimate of 1.9 billion. Soybean ending stocks are projected at 230 million bushels, resulting in a relatively low stocks-to-use ratio at 7 percent.

The U.S. season-average soybean price for 2009-10 is projected at $8.45 to $10.45 per bushel compared with $9.85 in 2008-09. - Elton Robinson, Farm Press Editorial Staff

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The U.S. economy stands to lose $5 billion to $9 billion in sales to its foreign competitors over the next two years if Congress does not take steps to help solve the nation’s ongoing agricultural labor shortage.

That was the warning California Sen. Diane Feinstein gave as she re-introduced the Agricultural Job Opportunities and Benefits and Security Act on Thursday. Congressmen Adam Putnam of Florida and Howard Berman of California offered companion legislation in the House.

“Today across the United States, there are not enough agricultural workers to pick, prune, pack or harvest our country’s crops,” Feinstein said, noting that the shortage has led to thousands of farmers having to watch their crops rot or fallow their farmland in recent years. - Forrest Laws, Farm Press Editorial Staff

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There’s an old saying that East is East and West is West and never the twain shall meet. In the spring of 2009, the eastern and western Corn Belts seem to be traveling in parallel universes that aren’t likely to meet any time soon.

As of May 10, only 11 percent of the anticipated corn acreage had been planted in Indiana while corn growers in Illinois had put in 10 percent of their projected acreage. That compares to the five-year average of 70 percent in Indiana and 84 percent in Illinois.

In contrast, Iowa farmers had planted 81 percent of their corn compared to 76 percent for the five-year average for May 10. Iowa’s 2009 corn seedings are way ahead of last year’s when heavy rains and flooding limited the total to 42 percent on May 10, 2008. - Forrest Laws, Farm Press Editorial Staff

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Recent media reports have depicted stem rust as posing a renewed and significant threat to world wheat production, causing some producers to wonder how much they should be concerned. The problem began in 1999, when a race of stem rust fungus was discovered in Uganda that caused disease on wheat varieties that had been resistant to stem rust for many years. - Donald Stotts, Oklahoma State University

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The Obama administration’s fiscal year 2010 budget request for aquaculture research that could increase demand for soybean meal in aquafeed, has the support of American Soybean Association officials.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is seeking an additional $2 million for aquaculture research, some of which would be spent on studies on life-cycle cost analysis of aquaculture, marine fish hatcheries for stock enhancement, the environmental impacts of escapes from aquaculture, as well as sustainable feeds.

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FMC Corp. officials said they strongly disagree with and will file objections to EPA’s decision to revoke all U.S. food tolerances for carbofuran, the active ingredient in the company’s Furadan pesticide. FMC’s stance is unusual in that most pesticide registrants generally accede to EPA rather than risk a prolonged legal battle with little, if any, assurance, they can bring about a change in the agency’s decision-making.

“We are very disappointed by the EPA revocation and their unwillingness to recognize that our voluntary changes to the label allowed the product to meet the dietary safety standard using EPA’s own conservative assumptions,” said Michael Morelli, director of global regulatory affairs, FMC Agricultural Products Group. - Forrest Laws, Farm Press Editorial Staff

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Over the last two or three years, seed treatments for soybeans have become a standard practice for many farmers as seed has gotten more expensive, prices for soybeans have risen and more and more farmers move toward earlier planting.

Common treatments going on soybean seed include insecticide, fungicide, molybdum and inoculant.

According to a six-year study conducted in four Mid-South states, an insecticide seed treatment improved soybean yields by an average of 3.5 bushels per acre, and provided an even greater return on early-planted soybeans. - Elton Robinson, Farm Press Editorial Staff

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