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PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Permit #36 OMAHA, NE
February 4, 2010 Issue 230-14-3
Ag producers discovering power of social media By Robert Pore, The Grand Island Independent Social media, such as Twitter and Facebook, are helping to define a new direction for agriculture that puts farmers in direct contact with consumers. On Wednesday, the Nebraska Agricultural Technologies Association Conference and Trade Show held a program titled "Social Media Applications in Agriculture" at the Mid-Town Holiday Inn in Grand Island. Hosting the program was Dennis Kahl, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension educator. One of the main advantages of farmers using social media is it puts them into direct contact with their target audience, whether it be other farmers, consumers, business suppliers or customers. And the power of the Internet is changing society. For example, the disaster in Haiti showed the power of social media to make immediate contact with a targeted audience and create a sense of urgency in getting the world to respond to that country's needs. Pictures of the disaster quickly circulated on the Internet and pleas for donations reached the hearts of millions of people via Twitter, Facebook or other social media sites producing more than $500 million in donations since the earthquake
shook the Caribbean nation on Jan. 12. It's that power to get information to the public through social media that will help farmers and ranchers to better tell their story to the public. "It has the ability to reach people more quickly as more and more people subscribe to these services," Kahl said. One of the advantages of social media for ag producers is that they can select and narrow their market using those social media tools. Also, it can allow a producer to technologically be at two places at one time. During the presentation, farmers were encouraged to use Twitter to send messages about the presentation as it happened, allowing producers attending other meetings to know what was going on at the social media presentation. "What this means for the farmer is this is a way for them to tell their story, whether it be locally or whether it be nationally or internationally," Kahl said. One of the audiences farmers are directing that storytelling to is the consumers, Kahl said. By com-
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USDA Announces Commodity Credit Corporation Lending Rates for February 2010 The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) today announced interest rates for February 2010. The CCC borrowing rate-based charge for February 2010 is 0.375 percent, unchanged from January 2010. For 1996 and subsequent crop year commodity and marketing assistance loans, the interest rate for loans disbursed during February 2010 is 1.375 percent, unchanged from January 2010. In accordance with the 2008 Farm Bill, interest rates for Farm Storage Facility Loans approved for February 2010 are as follows - 3.250 percent with seven-year loan terms, 3.750 percent with 10-year loan terms and 4.000 percent with 12-year
loan terms - up from 2.875 percent with sevenyear loan terms, 3.375 percent with 10-year loan terms and 3.750 with 12-year loan terms in January 2010. The interest rate for Sugar Storage Facility Loans for February 2010 is 4.375 percent, up from 4.000 percent in January 2010. The maximum discount rate applicable for February 2010 for the Tobacco Transition Payment Program is 5 percent, unchanged from January 2010. This is based on the 3.250 percent prime rate plus 2 percent, rounded to the nearest whole number. Continued on page 11
Look inside this issue for these headlines... Section A • Grassfed Exchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 8 • Soybean Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 12 • Heart City Bull Bash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 15
Section B • Cattlemen’s Classic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pages 1-24 For daily agriculture news, updates and local happenings, visit the Heartland Express website at www.myfarmandranch.com • Country Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3, 6, 9 • Lee Pitts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 • Markets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5, 14 • Washington Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 • Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16-19
MARKET GLANCE Livestock and Products, Weekly Average Year Ago 4 Wks Ago Nebraska Slaughter Steer 35-65% Choice, Live Weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$81.51 81.27 Nebraska Feeder Steers, Med. & Large Frame, 550-600# . . . . . . . . . . . .114.68 104.73 Med & Large Frame, 750-800 # . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95.43 92.25 Choice Boxed Beef, 600-750# Carcass . . . . . . . . . .150.98 138.51 Western Corn Belt Base Hog Price . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59.44 59.62 Feeder Pigs, National Direct, 50#, FOB . . . . . . . . . . . .* * Pork Carcass Cutout, 185#, 51-52% Lean . . . . . . . .57.80 68.24 Slaughter Lambs, Ch. & Pr.,Heavy, SD Dir. . . . . . . . .90.00 * Nat. Carcass Lamb Cutout, FOB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .249.85 245.73
1/22/10
* 114.12 98.60 144.95 66.10 * 77.01 * 239.49
Crops, Daily Spot Prices Wheat, No. 1, H.W. Imperial, bu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5.42 Corn, No. 2, Yellow, Omaha, bu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3.79 Soybeans, No. 1 Yellow Omaha, bu . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9.80 Grain Sorg. No. 2 Yellow, Dorchester, cwt . . . . . . . . .5.34 Oats, No. 2, Heavy Minneapolis, MN, bu. . . . . . . . . . .2.18
4.31 3.85 10.09 6.36 2.60
3.90 3.41 9.29 5.45 2.33
135.00 87.50 * 113.00 39.00
135.00 87.50 * 107.50 38.75
Hay (per ton) Alfalfa, Lrg. Sq. Bales Good to Prem., NE Neb. . . . . . . .* Alfalfa, Lrg. Rounds, Good, Platte Valley, . . . . . . . . .77.50 Grass Hay, Lrg. Rounds, Premium, Neb., . . . . . . . . .85.00 Dried Distillers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145.50 Wet Distillers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48.50 * No market.
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