Crop News Weekly: Soybean Rust In Southeast Missouri

It's official now. The fall season has arrived in the northern hemisphere and there's little doubt that a change in the weather is coming. For Midwest farmers that may be sooner than later - or not. Meanwhile, harvest is underway in parts of the eastern and lower corn belt, but efforts so far are just scratching the surface. Corn is still maturing in most areas, so the race against the changing season is on.

In the news this week, Asian soybean rust has been detected in southeast Missouri. The infected fields are in the three southernmost counties of the state. Also this week, the American Soybean Association (ASA) is urging all U.S. soybean producers to voice concerns with the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed rule on the implementation of the expanded Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS-2) before the Sept. 25 deadline for comments.

You'll find these stories and more in this issue of Crop News Weekly. Happy reading.

Asian soybean rust was found in fields in the Missouri counties of New Madrid, Pemiscot and Dunklin Sept. 18, said Allen Wrather, University of Missouri Extension plant pathologist at the MU Delta Center, Portageville, Mo.

“These were fresh infections with no visible yellowing of the soybean leaves,” Wrather said. “The infections were fairly extensive, with rust pustules emitting spores.” Earlier in the week, the MU scouts had found no rust.

The infected fields are in the three southernmost counties in Missouri. - Duane Dailey, University of Missouri Cooperative Media Group

The American Soybean Association (ASA) is urging all U.S. soybean producers, their family members, and agribusinesses to voice concerns with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed rule on the implementation of the expanded Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS-2) before next week’s Sept. 25 deadline for comments.

The EPA’s proposed rule on RFS-2 implementation is significantly flawed and would do unnecessary harm to the competitive position of the U.S. soy biodiesel industry.

"If you have a vested interest in the future profitability of soybeans, please take a minute to send a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson," said ASA President Johnny Dodson, a soybean producer from Halls, Tenn. "A loss of the domestic biodiesel market would significantly decrease prices paid to U.S. farmers for their soybeans."

Could global warming one day create beachfront property in Clarksdale, Miss.? Or cotton production in Ames, Iowa? Or is it just as likely, as some scientists believe, that in the future a large glacier will occupy much of North America — 2 miles thick in some places?

In geologic time, glacial periods dominate warming periods, lasting up to 10 times longer. Scientists say the current warming trend began about 11,000 years ago. No one can deny that during this time, humankind has flourished, and agriculture’s development has been nothing short of phenomenal.

However, since 10,000 years is about the average duration of a warming trend, scientists believe the planet is now past-due for another ice age. And this begs a very important question about man-made global warming. What happens (drum roll, please) when greenhouse gas meets ice age? - Elton Robinson, Farm Press Editorial Staff

Weather boosted crop maturity with more heat units and USDA crop condition ratings are way above average this week. Crop development is way behind normal. Weather remains the major driving force in the markets.

Palm oil and soybean prices dropped to the lowest level in six months following USDA predictions of record production at 3.245 billion tons. USDA crop condition ratings this week are 68 percent good to excellent. The rating is bearish but there is cooler weather in the forecast. A possible frost in the northern Corn Belt would support higher prices.

Traders have stopped selling corn with the threat of frost in the forecast. Only 12 percent of corn is mature — 37 percent is average. The corn crop has now reached dent stage over 60 percent of U. S. acres. USDA predicts yields near 162 bushels per acre and they have a track record of predictions below the actual yield. Total production numbers near 12.95 billion bushels are bearish but use is projected to increase to over 13 billion bushels. Export demand for corn remains strong. Over 1 million tons were sold again this week. - Ray Nabors, Heartland Ag Network

Algaeus, the first plug-in hybrid vehicle to cross the U.S. on fuel containing a blend of algae-based fuel, finishes its cross-country tour today in New York City. The event kicks of the nationwide premiere of FUEL, a Sundance Film Festival award winning documentary addressing the country’s reliance on foreign oil, but also suggesting solutions. To view a trailer, visit www.thefuelfilm.com.

The vehicle, fueled by an algae-blend product developed by Sapphire Energy, San Diego, CA, gets 150 miles per gallon. It is based on a 2008 Toyota Prius that has been equipped with an added battery pack, a plug and an advanced energy management system. The engine has not been modified.

Sapphire Energy has attracted the likes of Bill Gates, who has invested in the company. - Lynn Grooms, Farm Industry News

For the most part, Mother Nature has provided U.S. commodity producers with a good mix of moisture and sunshine this season, resulting in projected records for soybean production and corn yield. The big concern now is whether there is enough good weather left in the season to fully mature and gather the crop.

USDA’s Sept. 11 Crop Report and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates pegged corn production at 13 billion bushels, compared to 12.9 billion bushels estimated by analysts, and for soybeans, a record 3.25 billion bushels, on par with average estimates. Anticipated corn yield of 161.9 bushels per acre, if realized, would also be a record.

Much of the concern about the soybean and corn crops emanates from early-season growing and planting conditions that were marginal at best. “We got off to a late start, particularly in southern Illinois, southern Indiana, part of Ohio and northern Kentucky,” said Jim Bower, Bower Trading, speaking at a CME Group press briefing on the USDA reports. - Elton Robinson, Farm Press Editorial Staff

Reducing soil erosion in fields is important to maintaining the quality of the environment, and it could have economical benefits for farmers.

However, determining areas in a field that are prone to soil erosion is time consuming and expensive for agencies that provide this service, such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service.

In a recent study, researchers in the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture demonstrated that many eroded areas on a Kentucky farm were identifiable using digital terrain information. - Katie Pratt, University of Kentucky

The departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services have joined efforts on a new consumer Web site at http://www.foodsafety.gov. The site is designed to help consumers and families get information on food safety and food recalls in one convenient place.

The new site features information from all the agencies across the federal government that deal with critical food and food safety information, including preventive tips about how to handle food safely, alerts on life-saving food recalls, and the latest news from the key agencies.

http://www.foodsafety.gov provides consumers with one easy place to sign up to receive e-mail and RSS alerts on recalled or potentially unsafe food, as well as get information from the top scientific experts across the government on food safety. Later phases of the site to be launched will include recall feeds for texting and mobile phones.

The Seed industry is a competitive business, but 2009 may have set the high-water mark on just how competitive the industry has become.

Corn seed remains the largest component of the commercial seed market; one industry expert pegged its global value at $9 billion for 2009. “Although the planting of corn in the U.S. declined, the overall value of the U.S. corn seed market rose as a result of increased adoption of GM [genetically modified] crops with stacked traits,” says John McDougall of Phillips McDougall, a private agricultural consultant. “The soybean seed market experienced strong growth, increasing to almost $4.3 billion globally, aided by a strong rise in soybean plantings.”

The number of corn and soybean acres fluctuates from year to year, but the overall total remains relatively constant. To increase market share, seed companies must do battle at the farm gate. - Mark Moore, Farm Indstry News

It is not widely known, but more than 80 percent of the currently available biopesticides are in use by mainstream agriculture and are as effective as conventional, synthetic chemical pesticides, according to Pam Marrone, founder and CEO of Marrone Bio Innovations, Inc., based in Davis, Calif.

Biopesticides, commonly associated with organic farming, are processed through fermentation or extraction from natural sources for control of insects, weeds, nematodes, and plant diseases. - Dan Bryant, Contributing Writer

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