Farm Bureau Press | March 12

MARCH 12, 2021 | VOLUME 24 | ISSUE 5

Farm Bureau Press A PEEK INSIDE

THREE NEW EMPLOYEES JOIN ArFB OMP DEPARTMENT Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation’s Organization and Member Programs department announced it has hired three new staff members: Austin Lester, Brock Roberts and Lindsey Rucker.

Austin Lester of Lake City was hired as District Director for the Southcentral District. His responsibilities include serving as liaison between county Farm Bureaus and the Federation in the 13 counties in his district. He also will assist in the development, implementation, coordination and evaluation of programs and activities in the district. Lester graduated with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture business from Southern Arkansas University in 2015. He has been at Steve Cobb & Family in Lake City for the past six years, where they raise and sell high-quality pigs for showing in competitions. He is married to Caroline Lester.

USDA Seeks Nominees for American Pecan Promotion Board, page 2

Two new education coordinators, Brock Roberts and Lindsey Rucker, have also been hired. They will assist with educational activities, including scheduling and conducting programs using the agency’s Mobile Ag trailers and with the Ag in the Classroom programs.

Continued on page 2

ArFB Foundation 3rd Annual Trap Shoot, page 3

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Austin Lester

Brock Roberts

Lindsey Rucker

Arkansas FarmBureau

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A PUBLICATION OF THE ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU FEDERATION

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OMP HIRES THREE NEW EMPLOYEES Continued from page 1

Roberts hails from Greenbrier. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Central Arkansas in December 2018. Most recently he has worked in the claims department with Farm Bureau Insurance. He owns and runs a small cow-calf operation and is engaged to Monica Cooley.

Rucker of Bonnerdale is a fifth-generation farmer. Her family owns a small cow-calf operation in Garland County. She has a bachelor’s degree in agriculture business from Arkansas Tech University and a master’s in agriculture and extension education from the University of Arkansas. She worked for eight years with the UA Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service before joining Arkansas Farm Bureau.

WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE The Arkansas Women in Agriculture have two $500 scholarships available. Applicants must be accepted or currently attending college as an undergraduate or graduate in an agricultural field at an accredited college in Arkansas.

Applicants must be a current member or related to a current member of the Arkansas Women in Agriculture.

Deadline to apply is April 30. For more information, visit https://arwomeninag.org/who-we-are/ scholarships/.

Arkansas Women in Agriculture Inc. is a private nonprofit whose main goals are to provide educational programming and a network of support for women involved in agriculture throughout the state of Arkansas.

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USDA SEEKS NOMINEES FOR AMERICAN PECAN PROMOTION BOARD The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking nominations for the American Pecan Promotion Board under the newly established Pecan Promotion, Research, and Information Order. Nominations are due by March 26.

The 17-member board will consist of 10 producers and seven importers. The 10 producer members will be allocated between three regions within the United States as follows: three from the Eastern Region; three from the Central Region; and four from the Western Region. Seven members will be importers. Initial board members’ terms of office of two, three and four years will be assigned by USDA to stagger future terms of office. Each member’s term will begin when USDA approves the nominations.

To serve on the board, producers and importers must have produced or imported more than 50,000 pounds of inshell pecans (25,000 pounds of shelled pecans) on average for four fiscal periods. Producers who produce pecans in more than one region may seek nomination only in the region in which they produce the majority of their pecans.

The order specifies that nominations for producer member seats will be submitted to the Secretary of Agriculture by the American Pecan Council, the 17-member federal marketing order governing body.

If you are interested in serving as a producer member please submit your nominations to info@americanpecan. com. You may also contact Jeff Smutny at (817) 916-0020.

USDA is conducting nominations for importer members.

Please submit nominations to Patricia Petrella at Patricia.

Petrella@usda.gov.

For more information about the program, visit the AMS American Pecan Promotion Board web page or contact USDA Promotion and Economics Division Deputy Director, Patricia Petrella, at (301) 337-5295 or Patricia.

Petrella@usda.gov.

A PUBLICATION OF THE ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU FEDERATION

ArFB FOUNDATION 3RD ANNUAL TRAP SHOOT The Arkansas Farm Bureau Foundation will be hosting its 3rd Annual Trap Shoot on June 11 at the Arkansas Game & Fish Foundation Shooting Sports Complex in Jacksonville.

This year the Foundation is ‘aiming for the future of agriculture’ by teaming up with the Arkansas 4-H Foundation and the Arkansas FFA Foundation.

Supporting youth in agriculture is at the heart of the ArFB Foundation’s mission. Investing in the future of Arkansas agriculture is a shared vision among our organizations.

Half of the net proceeds from this year’s shoot will directly benefit both the Arkansas 4-H and Arkansas FFA Foundations, while continuing to support the goals of the ArFB Foundation.

There are several options for individuals, businesses or county Farm Bureaus to show support for these organizations. One way is through the sponsorship of a local youth shooting team or a team of your own.

Additional sponsorship opportunities include door prize & silent auction items, event sponsors, shooting field sponsors, meal sponsors or a booth. For information on all sponsorship opportunities, please refer to the enclosed flyer and registration forms. Sponsor registration deadline is May 28.

Teams will consist of five shooters. Trophy and prizes will be presented to top three youth and adult teams. There will also be a trophy and prize for the overall top shooter.

Lunch will be provided for all teams participating at the conclusion of the shoot.

Shooters must provide their own gun, ammunition, gear and protective eye and ear wear as well as follow facility guidelines.

Embryo Transfer | Jeremy & Tracie Kitchens hosted high school ag education students for an embryo transfer demonstration by UA System Division of Agriculture Cattle Improvement Specialist & Animal Scientist Dr. Charles Looney at their farm Feb. 25. Lafayette County Farm Bureau served lunch at the event.

Garden Grant | Craighead County ArFB President Jeffrey Tubbs and ArFB Education Coordinator Brock Roberts presented the Valley View Ag Department with a $250 Outdoor Mini Garden Grant on March 9.

For more information or to download registration forms, visit www.arfb.com/foundation. For questions, contact ArFB Foundation Director Amanda Williams at amanda. williams@arfb.com or 501-228-1493.

Faulkner Co. Virtual Meeting | Members of Faulkner Co. Farm Bureau’s board of directors attended a virtual meeting on Feb. 19 with state senators and representatives from their area to discuss Farm Bureau’s priority issues and to hear updates from the legislators on what’s happening during the regular session at the state capitol.

A PUBLICATION OF THE ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU FEDERATION

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MARKET NEWS as of March 10, 2021 Contact Brandy Carroll 501-228-1268 brandy.carroll@arfb.com

Livestock, Poultry and Dairy In the March Supply/Demand report, USDA lowered its 2021 projection for total red meat and poultry production. Beef production projections were was slightly higher, but offset by lower expected pork, broiler, and turkey production. A slower pace of hog slaughter is expected to offset higher carcass weights and reduce pork production. Broiler production in the first quarter was lowered while estimates for the rest of the year were unchanged. Higher first-quarter feedlot placements resulted in higher production estimates for the rest of the year. First-half beef production was raised on higher non-fed cattle slaughter totals. Forecast egg production was raised on higher table and hatching egg production.

Fed cattle prices were unchanged from last month. Hog price forecasts were raised on current prices and expectations for firm demand. Broiler and turkey price forecasts were raised on current prices and tighter expected supplies. Egg prices were raised on current prices and stronger expected demand.

The 2021 milk production forecast was lowered slightly from last month as higher expected cow inventory was offset by slower growth in milk per cow. The 2021 fat basis import forecast was reduced on lower expected imports of butterfat; fat basis exports are raised as higher shipments of butterfat more than offset lower forecast cheese exports.

On a skim-solids basis, the import forecast is unchanged due to 4

offsetting changes in imports of a number of dairy products while the export forecast is lowered, reflecting expectations of lower lactose shipments which are partly offset by higher exports of skim/nonfat milk powder.

The annual cheese price forecast is unchanged from last month as weaker prices in the first part of 2021 were offset by improved demand later in the year. Butter, nonfat dry milk, and whey price forecasts were raised from last month with expected improvements in both domestic and export demand. The higher product prices are reflected in higher Class III and Class IV prices. The 2021 all milk price forecast was raised to $17.75/ cwt.

Cotton Cotton futures look to have confirmed a top. Futures were limit down on Tuesday, but at mid-day Wednesday the market was trading higher despite having an expanded limit.

The top for December is the contract high of 89.28 cents, and support is between 80 and 81 cents. In the monthly Supply/Demand report, USDA reduced its 2020 production estimate by 250,000 bales to 14.7 million bales, based on the March 9 Cotton Ginnings report. They did not raise the export estimate, which may traders were expecting. The seasonaverage on-farm price forecast was raised a penny to 69 cents per pound, which is significantly below current prices.

Rice USDA did not change the all-rice supply/demand balance sheet but did raise the on-farm average price forecast by 20 cents to $13.60. The long-grain rice balance sheet was likewise unchanged, but another 20 cent increase means the average on-farm price for long-grain is now $12.40. May futures are building support at $13.15 and have an upside target in the form of a tiny chart gap between $13.50½ and $13.51.

September is trading just below contract-high levels and are building support at $12.70.

A PUBLICATION OF THE ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU FEDERATION

Corn The corn market is mostly focused on the upcoming prospective planting report and the weather forecast.

Above-average temperatures are expected for much of the Corn Belt and Mid-South, but wet conditions will make field work difficult for many farmers as widespread rains are expected later this week. The monthly supply/demand report didn’t hold a lot of news for the corn market, but ending stocks are expected to be reduced in subsequent reports based on the active pace of exports.

Technically, old crop March futures are chopping along mostly sideways.

Support is at the recent low of $5.243/4, and resistance is at the contract high of $5.74¼. New crop December, however, continues to trend higher and set new contract highs.

Soybeans There weren’t many changes for soybeans in the monthly supply/ demand numbers. There was some market weakness in reaction to a small increase in the Brazilian crop estimate. Old crop soybean contracts continue to be supported by tight supplies, a surging soy-oil market and a slow Brazilian harvest. November futures gapped to a new contract high on Monday, setting the stage for further upside potential.

Wheat Wheat futures found support in the USDA supply/demand report.

While the U.S. balance sheet was unchanged, the world balance sheet showed tightening carryout for the 5th month in a row. 2020-21 world carryout is now pegged at 301.19 MMT, which is down more than 21 MMT since November due to stronger demand. July futures are building support above $6.30, and have additional support above $6.15.

EDITOR Ashley Wallace ashley.wallace@arfb.com