FEBRUARY 12, 2021 | VOLUME 24 | ISSUE 3
Farm Bureau Press A PEEK INSIDE
FARMER’S VIRTUAL WEEK AT THE CAPITOL We are well into the 93rd Session of the Arkansas General Assembly. Typically, Arkansas Farm Bureau hosts a Farmer’s Day at the Capitol, but because we are still required to practice social distancing and cannot meet in person due to Covid-19, ArFB will hold a Farmer’s Virtual Week at the Capitol Feb. 15–20. During this week, we are encouraging our county leaders to focus advocacy efforts virtually. Specifically,
Dicamba Settlement Now Available for Farmers, page 2
• Contact your legislators virtually using Zoom; (your District Directors are ready to help facilitate Zoom meetings). • Utilize social media and post member and county leaders videos on county social media platforms. • Provide videos with local members and county leaders to ArFB to share on social media. We urge members to please discuss personal stories when shooting the videos. • Priorities to highlight include, the State Meat Inspection Program, HB1315; State Plant Board, HB1210; levees; broadband; forestry and taxes. Specific talking points can be provided by district directors. To access more legislative information and updates, please visit the Leadership Portal at www.arfb.com. Your username is your Farm Bureau membership number and your password is LEADER. Additionally, to receive instant updates and alerts please text ARFB LEG to 52886 or email PublicAffairs@arfb.com.
County Farm Bureau Offices Celebrate Farm Bureau Week, page 2 & 3
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Your leadership and dedication are the foundation of Arkansas Farm Bureau. We greatly appreciate your understanding and patience as the Arkansas Farm Bureau team works to advocate on your behalf. If you have any questions, please contact Jessica Burkham, Director of Policy Development, at 501-251-7853 or by email at jessica.burkham@arfb.com.
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A PUBLICATION OF THE ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU FEDERATION
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AG IN THE CLASSROOM TEACHER AWARD The Arkansas Ag in the Classroom Teacher Award recognizes an outstanding teacher in Arkansas that incorporates agricultural themes into non-agricultural curricula. If you know teachers who use Ag in the Classroom, please encourage them to apply for the award. Teachers can be self-nominated, nominated by fellow teachers, principals or superintendents, or nominated by a county Farm Bureau leader.
Benton Co. Farm Bureau Week | (Top) Benton County Judge Barry Moehring (center) signed a proclamation designating Feb. 1-5 as Farm Bureau Week in Benton County. On hand for the signing was county Farm Bureau vice president Charlie Coffelt (left) and county president Jeremy Jackson (right). (Bottom) Coffelt and Jackson kicked off Farm Bureau Week with a live segment on KURM radio with talk host Kermit Womack (right). Garland Co. Farm Bureau Week | Misty Hixon, Garland Co. MSR, joined Judge Darryl Mahoney (right) as he proclaimed Feb. 1 -5 Farm Bureau Week in Garland County.
There are many outstanding teachers that are using Ag in the ARKANSAS Classroom, and your teacher may be the next winning teacher in Arkansas and possibly the next national award winner from Arkansas. The winning teacher will be awarded a monetary prize, an expense-paid trip to the National Ag in the Classroom Conference and will be recognized at the Arkansas Farm Bureau Annual Convention. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to recognize an outstanding teacher in your county, because their recognition for using Ag in the Classroom is also a celebration of the efforts of your county Farm Bureau. The award program guidelines and a nomination form may be downloaded from the Arkansas Farm Bureau website at www.arfb.com on the Education page. Deadline for application is April 1. Thank you for helping spread the word about the award program. If you have questions, contact Matt Jackson by email at matt.jackson@arfb.com or at 501-228-1237.
FARM BUREAU WEEK PROMOTION CONTEST ArFB would like to thank the counties for their participation in the Farm Bureau Week contest. The creativity and effort was outstanding. The “Fill-A-Ford” events alone collected around $5,000 worth of goods donated to shelters and local schools. The following counties were selected as the winner for their district: North Central District – Stone Co. Southeast District – Prairie Co. Northwest District – Franklin Co. Southwest District – Polk Co. Northeast District – Lawrence Co. South Central District – Clark Co. Congratulations to the overall winner, Stone County!
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A PUBLICATION OF THE ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU FEDERATION
DICAMBA SETTLEMENT NOW AVAILABLE FOR FARMERS Jacqui Fatka | FarmProgress.com Farmers who can document yield losses from dicamba use may receive up to 100% of yield losses in a $400 million settlement. Monsanto, now owned by Bayer, and BASF negotiated and reached an agreement whereby both companies will contribute towards the costs of a $400 million settlement that deals with a multidistrict lawsuit of dicamba damage claims. Farmers now have until May 28, 2021 to file claims to receive financial compensation for documented yield losses. Documentation requirements The initial step to determine eligibility is by demonstrating dicamba damage with specified records proving crop injury on the farm likely occurred from overthe-top spraying of the herbicide.
Stone Co. Farm Bureau Week | The 2020 President’s Award for the top Farm Bureau county went to Stone County Farm Bureau. District director Jason Kaufman presented the award at the county board meeting Feb. 1. Attending were (left to right) Secretary Jerry Shannon, Jason Kaufman, President Larry Smith, VP Dan Stewart and board member Dean Gammill.
The first category is a report from the state plant board, department of agriculture, agronomists or university officials that establishes dicamba symptomology. Otherwise, farmers can file any two types of other proof including dated and authenticated photographs or videos, a complaint filed with a federal or state agency, a report or statement from a crop consultant or crop scout to support dicamba damage, aerial or drone photography, or a retained expert’s report. Field yield loss will be calculated in bushels per acre for each eligible field by choosing a benchmark field from a Farm Service Agency farm number to compare yields from three years of yield comparisons before or after the injury year. For example, if a field normally yields five bushels higher than the benchmark field, but in the damage year saw a difference of 20 bushels, that would verify a 15 bushel yield difference.
Food Bank Donation | In 2020, the Farm Bureau Insurance companies donated $500,000 to the six foodbanks that cover the state. On Feb. 1, the Harvest Regional Food Bank in southwest Arkansas recognized the $60,000 it received as part of the donation. (Left to right) Little River County Farm Bureau agent Darrell Coker, Agency Manager Ray Tipton, Harvest Regional Food Bank Development Director Camille Wrinkle, Sandra Jackson from Sevier County FB, and Lafayette County FB board members Gayther Crank and President Tyler McDonald were on hand for the check presentation.
Impacted soybean farmers may submit claims at dicambasoybeansettlement.com or call 855-914-4672. The claims period began Dec. 29, 2020 and runs through May 28.
Boone Co. Farm Bureau Week | In honor of Farm Bureau Week, the Boone County Farm Bureau Board members and Farm Bureau families collected food donations that were distributed to all six Boone County schools for the Backpack Program. A PUBLICATION OF THE ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU FEDERATION
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MARKET NEWS as of February 10, 2021 Contact Brandy Carroll 501-228-1268 brandy.carroll@arfb.com
Cattle USDA recently released its biannual U.S. cattle inventory report. This report provides inventory data for the nation’s cattle, including estimates of the number of breeding animals for beef and milk production. USDA updates its estimate of the number of cattle placed on feed monthly. The major takeaway from January’s report is the unexpected decline in the number of calves born in 2020, making it the smallest calf crop since 2016. That will reduce the number of cattle placed on feed moving forward and could be supportive for prices. Live cattle futures have seen very bearish chart signals, with nearby contracts charting huge bearish key reversals. However, follow through selling has not materialized. In fact, nearby April has set new contract highs on a nearly daily basis over the past few trading sessions. October futures have resistance at the recent high of $122.25. The March feeders chart also looks worrisome, but so far the market has found support below $136. Additional support is at $132.67. Recent weakness in corn has provided some support for feeders. Hogs Hog futures remain strong. The June contract has been setting new highs on an almost daily basis and has strong support just below $87. The cash hog market is firm as winter weather is disrupting hog movement in parts of the Midwest. However, the CME Lean Hog Index is at $70.40, which is a small discount to nearby February, but a significant discount to April, which will become the lead 4
contract when the February contract expires on Friday. Dairy In the monthly Supply/Demand report, USDA raised the 2021 milk production forecast on higher dairy cow numbers. The 2021 fat basis import forecast was raised on higher expected imports of cheese and butterfat products, while exports were raised on higher shipments of butterfat. On a skim-solids basis, the import forecast is unchanged while the export forecast is raised, reflecting expectations of strong international demand. Annual product prices forecast for cheese and butter were lowered on current prices, increased production, and larger stocks. Nonfat dry milk and whey price forecasts were raised from last month on firm demand. The 2021 all milk price forecast was reduced to $17.15 per cwt. The Class III price is reduced on the lower cheese price forecast and the Class IV price is also reduced, reflecting a lower butter price forecast. Corn In the February Supply/Demand Report, USDA raised its 2020–21 corn export estimate and lowered ending stocks. Exports were increased by 50 million bushels, which carried over into an equal reduction in ending stocks. The U.S. average on-farm price was raised 10 cents to $4.30 per bushel. However, the market was expecting a bigger increase in exports, and a bigger decrease in ending stocks, so the report was regarded negatively. It is possible that China could cancel purchases in the future, but they did buy 225 million bushels last week. Several contracts charted bearish reversals on Tuesday, adding to the toppy look of the charts. While old crop contracts set new contract highs in the process, new crop December remains capped by the high of $4.65½ set in mid-January. Soybeans The monthly supply/demand balance
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sheet showed exports increased to 2.25 billion bushels, up 20 million from the last report. Ending stocks were also reduced 20 million bushels, resulting ending stocks down an estimated 77% from last year and the lowest since 2013–14. The average on-farm price was unchanged at $11.15/bushel. On the futures charts, the trend is solidly higher. Old crop March looks to have found resistance between $14.35 and $14.36. The November contract has so far been unable to close above resistance at $12, but has found support at $11 for the time being. Cotton Private estimates are suggesting the crop will be smaller than last year as higher prices for other commodities draw acres away from cotton. In the February WASDE report, USDA increased its export estimate to 15.5 million bales based upon strong shipments to date. The average onfarm price was raised to 68 cents per pound. New crop December has seen renewed strength in recent days, with prices setting a new high on a daily basis. However, on Wednesday, the market was set to chart a bearish reversal, which could signal a retracement of recent gains. Rice In the supply/demand report, long-grain carryout was raised to 27.3 million cwt, up a million hundredweight from the previous month on reduced export forecasts. That is up from a carryout of 16.9 million hundredweight just a year ago. The average on-farm price was raised 20 cents, though, to $12.20. Rice prices are currently supported by ideas that acres will shift into other crops with lower input costs as those prices remain strong. Old crop May has support near $13.
EDITOR Ashley Wallace ashley.wallace@arfb.com