ILLINOIS FARM BUREAU and other groups oppose a bill that would establish a new fee for some livestock operations. ......................2
ILLINOIS AGRICULTURE faces a leaner 2012 fiscal year under either the House or Senate budget proposals. ...........................................3
ILLINOIS ENTOMOLOGISTS are preparing for the invasive brown marmorated stink bug by seeking the public’s help. ..........................................7
Monday, May 23, 2011
Two sections Volume 39, No. 21
Farmers double corn plantings in one week Problems persist in southern tier BY DANIEL GRANT FarmWeek
The frustration of more than a month of planting delays was eased somewhat in many areas of the state as farmers more than doubled the amount of corn planted in one week. Illinois farmers from May 9 to May 16 planted a whopping 35 percent of the corn crop, which pushed planting progress from 34 percent complete on May 9 to 69 percent complete — just 5 percent behind the five-year average — as of last Monday (May 16). Planters last week continued to roll in areas where the soil was dry. “It was another week of hard work for producers as planters, cultivators, and sprayers continued to move at a fast pace,” said Todd Easton, a FarmWeek Cropwatcher from Coles County. Nationwide, 63 percent of the corn crop was planted as of the first of last week, compared to the five-year average of 75 percent. Twenty-two percent of the soybean crop was planted by May 16, compared to the average of 31 percent.
“The soil is working great where it dried out,” said Martin Barbre, who farms near Carmi in White County. Unfortunately, numerous cropland acres in Southern Illinois, particularly along the Mississippi, Ohio, Wabash, and Little Wabash rivers, remain too wet to work or are underwater. “There are fields that still have four to five feet of water on them,” Barbre said last week. “The water got to places we never dreamed it would get.” Barbre as of Friday had planted just 25 percent of his corn crop and estimated planting in his area was about 35 percent complete. He said some farmers already have returned corn seed and will plant some fields, if and when they’re fit, to soybeans. “The flood ground is just not drying out yet,” said Barbre, who had received about 20 inches of rain on his farm the past six weeks. “We’ve had all this cool weather that’s not helping.” The National Agricultural Statistics Service Illinois field office the first of last week reported corn planting was just 22 percent complete in the southeast portion of the state and 29 percent complete in the east southeast compared to 94
percent in the west, 86 percent in the northeast, 87 percent in the northwest, and 78 percent in Central Illinois. The forecast as of Friday was for more rain. “It’s frustrating to have these good prices and not get a crop in the ground,” Barbre said. He estimated as much as 30
percent of the wheat crop in his area was lost due to flooding. But, farther north, Dave DeVore, grain merchandiser for Siemer Milling in Teutopolis, expects a large increase in harvested acres in coming weeks compared to last year’s record low. The wet conditions have increased the threat of wheat
scab, but DeVore told the RFD Radio Network he hopes the cool temperatures helped keep the spread of that disease in check. The Illinois Wheat Association this week will conduct its annual Southern Illinois Wheat Tour and project yield potential of this year’s crop.
Ken Reinhardt, a farmer and FarmWeek Cropwatcher from Seaton in Mercer County, loads soybean seeds into a seed tender in this field near Aledo. Reinhardt finished planting soybeans on Friday and said planting conditions “were some of the best we had in a long time.” In all, Reinhardt planted about 2,800 acres of corn (including custom-planted acres) and about 600 acres of beans. (Photo by Ken Kashian)
Profs’ proposal spurs concerns, reaction Periodicals: Time Valued
BY MARTIN ROSS FarmWeek
From an engineering, economic, or agricultural viewpoint, proposals to allow continued flooding of some of the Midwest’s most fertile land don’t hold water, according to floodplain interests and analysts. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack last week urged the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to commit to rebuilding the Bird’s Point Levee as soon as possible. Some 130,000 farmland acres in Missouri remained underwater last week following destruction of the levee to protect the South-
ern Illinois town of Cairo. A trio of Southern Illinois University (SIU) specialists has asked the White House to consider “the much higher value” of that land “if it is left open to the river and allowed to be inundated regularly.” In a letter sent to President Obama, SIU agribusiness economist Silvia Secchi and zoologists James Garvey and Matt Whiles argued that damaged land within the floodway will cost “considerable treasure to recover.” They suggested the cost of the government buying that land “may result in far higher economic benefits in the long
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term for society at large.” According to Missouri Farm Bureau President Blake Hurst, letting the land be perpetually flooded is “an awful idea,” endangering floodplain residents, devaluing farmland, and creating a dangerous regulatory precedent. The Bird’s Point flood spillway includes extensive grain and specialty crop production and “our best soybean-growing lands,” said Hurst. He sees the government having a “moral obligation” to help return that ground to “the productive state it was in before the levee was blown.” Mike Klingner, a Quincy riv-
er engineer and Upper Mississippi, Illinois, and Missouri River Association vice chairman, argues the SIU letter is “so far out there, it’s hardly worth having a conversation about.” Beyond private property issues (Hurst fears farmers and homeowners without flood protection would virtually be forced to sell out), Klingner told FarmWeek a federal buyout “just doesn’t make sense.” He rejected the trio’s contention that leaving the area unprotected would relieve river pressure on other area lands and See Proposal, page 2
Illinois Farm Bureau®on the web: www.ilfb.org
FarmWeek Page 2 Monday, May 23, 2011
GOVERNMENT
Quick Takes SEEKING HONOREES — The Illinois State Fair Museum Foundation is seeking nominations of individuals who have made a difference in their communities to honor during the Illinois State Fair. Ten individuals will be selected as the Illinoisan of the Day and honored on their respective day during the 10-day run of the State Fair Aug. 12-21. N o m i n a t i o n f o r m s a r e o n l i n e a t { w w w. s t a t e fairmuseum.org} or by calling the Museum Foundation at 866-996-1853. The deadline is June 15. CONSUMERS COULD PAY BILL — Both Democrat and Republican lawmakers are looking to farm program cuts to help reduce the burgeoning federal budget deficit. Agriculture “is clearly in the crosshairs for significant reductions,” Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) said. But Moran and others argue producers have done their share toward deficit reduction and that there actually may be a price to be paid for slashing ag spending further. “There is plenty of evidence agriculture has given already, so we’re looking for some fairness,” Moran said. And Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) said rapid cuts in farm program spending could backfire. “We pay very little for our food in this country compared to other nations,” McCaskill said. “I don’t want to get in a situation where all of a sudden people are seeing the same thing at the grocery store that they are at the gas pump.” BROADBAND INDEX LAUNCHES — Connected Nation last week unveiled a nationwide broadband readiness index to assess high-speed Internet infrastructure on the county level. The index shows that counties with 45.6 percent of the nation’s households fall short significantly in meeting national goals for fixed and mobile broadband access. The index measures each county’s progress toward goals for Internet speed, mobile wireless service, and access to fixed Internet networks. The information will be updated every six months at {www.broadbandmap.org}. Illinois offers a state broadband map that is updated more frequently at {http://broadbandillinois.org}. PHOTO CONTEST UNVEILED — Farm Bureau members may choose from among three categories for this year’s amateur photographer contest. Those categories are: from the front porch, if barns could talk, and generations: from one to another. The contest will start June 1 and conclude Nov. 1. The contest is open to amateur photographers who are Illinois Farm Bureau members and their families. Photos must have been taken in Illinois between 2009 and 2011. A grand prize winner will receive $150. Three first-place winners, one in each category, will receive $75 each. Three second-place winners for each category will receive $25. A members’ choice award winner will receive $50 after being selected by members attending the 2011 IFB annual meeting in December. Winners will be announced in FarmWeek. Winning photos will be published in FarmWeek, on the IFB website, and displayed at the IFB annual meeting. For contest rules, go to Ken Kashian’s gallery online at {www.ilfb.org} or contact Dawn Heggie at 309-557-2293 or dheggie@ilfb.org.
(ISSN0197-6680) Vol. 39 No. 21
May 23, 2011
Dedicated to improving the profitability of farming, and a higher quality of life for Illinois farmers. FarmWeek is produced by the Illinois Farm Bureau. FarmWeek is published each week, except the Mondays following Thanksgiving and Christmas, by the Illinois Agricultural Association, 1701 Towanda Avenue, P.O. Box 2901, Bloomington, IL 61701. Illinois Agricultural Association assumes no responsibility for statements by advertisers or for products or services advertised in FarmWeek. FarmWeek is published by the Illinois Agricultural Association for farm operator members. $3 from the individual membership fee of each of those members go toward the production of FarmWeek.
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IFB, livestock groups oppose proposed NPDES permit fee BY KAY SHIPMAN FarmWeek
A bill that would establish a new permit fee for concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) is moving forward in the Illinois House. Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Pork Producers Association, Illinois Beef Association, and Illinois Milk Producers Association oppose SB 1682, sponsored by Rep. Michael Tryon (R-Crystal Lake). The bill proposes to establish a new fee of up to $1,200 for livestock operations that must obtain a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.
“We’re working with the livestock associations to oppose this bill because we’re concerned about the impact it would have on livestock farms that would be required to have a permit,” said Bill Bodine, IFB associate director of state legislation. “We’re opposed to the fee and opposed to the legislation.” The proposed fee would be a difficult additional cost for livestock farmers, who are required to have a NPDES permit, given the current economy, Bodine added. He noted the proposed fee of up to $1,200 would be the highest amount
among all Midwestern states. Earlier, the measure was passed out of the House Executive Committee on a 9-2 vote and sent to the House floor. Since 1996, Illinois has had the Livestock Management Facilities Act (LMFA), which regulates the design, siting, and management of livestock farms. That law already requires livestock farms to pay an application fee. In addition, a recent ruling on an appeal of a federal court case resulted in confusion about which farms have to apply for NPDES permits and which do not, Bodine said.
Simon revitalizing Rural Affairs Council Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon last week unveiled the governor’s revamped Rural Affairs Council with a mission and membership that will focus on developing markets for local foods and improving emergency services in rural areas along with other rural issues. The deadline to apply for current council vacancies is June 8. “The Rural Affairs Council provides our rural neighbors with an outlet to strengthen the rural economy and increase the capacity and viability of rural areas,” said Simon, who will chair the council. Council members serve on a voluntary basis with a goal of improving the quality of life and access to state resources for rural Illinois residents. The council will take an active role in the legislative process by
reviewing applicable bills and supporting laws that would give rural residents more opportunities, according to Simon. “Locally grown, fresh food is becoming more prevalent, but I am working for it to become common practice,” Simon said. “Purchasing from and promoting local foods producers will not only lead us to healthier eating habits and lifestyles, but we can also boost our economy and create sustainable jobs.” Under the lieutenant governor’s leadership, the council also will encourage compliance with the Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Act prior to the 2020 requirement. That law sets thresholds for buying local foods and food products. State agencies will be
required to spend 20 percent of all food and food product dollars on local foods. State-funded agencies that annually spend more than $25,000 on food will be required to buy 10 percent of their food or food products from local sources. An overall increase in local production, processing, and purchasing by 20 percent would generate $20 billion to $30 billion of new, annual, and sustainable economic activity in Illinois, according to Simon. Council applications are available online at {www.appointments.illinois.gov} and will be accepted on a rolling basis when positions open. To fill the current vacancies, applications should be submitted by June 8. The Rural Affairs Council will meet in July.
Proposal Continued from page 1 communities. Wetlands provide effective floodwater storage only during less severe storm events, he said. “There’s no additional storage in wetlands once they become saturated,” he related. “In a controlled fashion, in the levee districts, you can let water in and actually get storage at certain elevations and certain levels.” SIU’s Secchi insisted she is not proposing to convert the Bird’s Point region into a permanent wetland, but merely suggesting officials investigate “whether that’s a better use of the land.” In an RFD Radio-FarmWeek interview, she called one recent proposal to create a “big river park” at the confluence of the Ohio and the Mississippi Rivers (where Cairo is located) “a way more radical type of concept than we’re suggesting.” Secchi agrees with many producers on the need for a comprehensive Mississippi Basin river-flood management plan. She noted the Corps of Engineers “has made several decisions in an emergency situation,” but argued “it’s better to
figure things out before they happen rather than after they happen.” At the same time, while Secchi said she favors keeping land in “private hands and productive use” where possible, she believes a comprehensive plan should compensate farmers for any federally directed land use changes. She advocated “ways in which we can optimize the use of land for food, fuel, and feed production and the production of environmental services.” American Farm Bureau Federation analyst Don Parrish doubts deficit-conscious lawmakers would agree to Secchi’s “market-based” environmental incentives. “It’s not going to happen — this country’s broke,” Parrish told FarmWeek. “What you have to look at is the level of economic growth and development you’re going to cut off by doing this. “That land producing food and fiber (and) the other economic activities that are going on behind those levees are important to the vibrancy of this country.”
Page 3 Monday, May 23, 2011 FarmWeek
GOVERNMENT
Ag faces spending cuts in proposed House, Senate budgets BY KAY SHIPMAN FarmWeek
Illinois agriculture faces a leaner 2012 fiscal year under either the House or the Senate budget proposals. The question remains whether one chamber’s budget package will be used or a compromise will be developed before lawmakers pass a final state budget and forward it to Gov. Pat Quinn. The House and Senate
passed different spending levels for the Illinois Department of
FarmWeekNow.com Listen to state Sen. John Sullivan’s concerns about county fair funding at FarmWeekNow.com.
Agriculture (IDOA) and many ag-related programs as well as University of Illinois Extension programs funded through the
IDOA budget. “The key to remember is that this budget process is not done yet. The House and Senate now have to reconcile their differences,” said Kevin Semlow, Illinois Farm Bureau director of state legislation. Substantial differences exist between the Extension funding approved by the House and that passed in the Senate. As an example, the Senate
Senate, House unveil redistricting maps Senate and House Democrats released their proposed maps for new Illinois legislative districts last week. The Illinois congressional map remained under wraps at presstime. Kevin Semlow, Illinois Farm Bureau director of state legislation, noted the newly released state Senate and House district maps are tentative and subject to change. “We anticipate there may be some small changes made in the next week as the General Assembly moves to enact the maps,” he added. The Senate and House
maps are posted online at {www.FarmWeekNow.com}. In other state news, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled a multi-county school district cannot do away with property tax caps after it adds property not subject to tax caps, according to the Associated Press. The state property tax extension law (PTELL) limits the annual increase in the real estate tax levy to 5 percent or the consumer price index, whichever is less. In 2007, Sangamon County’s Auburn School District, which is subject to property tax caps as a result of an earli-
er taxpayer referendum, annexed the Divernon School District that included Montgomery County property, which is not subject to tax caps. Last week, the state Supreme Court ruled if a majority of a district’s property is in a county subject to tax caps, the district must abide by the tax cap. The justices ruled a tax cap requirement could be removed only by voter referendum. The court also ruled a multi-county taxing body could not be split because it crosses county boundaries.
FTA delay seen as bad, not good, for U.S. jobs BY MARTIN ROSS FarmWeek
Farm Bureau believes the latest delay in moving key free trade agreements (FTAs) to Congress could hurt U.S. businesses and workers — rather than help them, as the White House suggests. The administration warned last week it would not submit pending Colombia, Panama, and South Korea FTAs for a vote until Republican leaders agreed to expand aid for U.S. workers who lose jobs purportedly because of trade. U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk told reporters “that just as we should be excited about the prospect of selling more of what we make around the world, we have to be equally firm about keeping faith with America’s workers.” American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman nonetheless suggests Congress will complete FTA action before its August recess. Stallman argued. “When you look at the economic interests of these agreements, as opposed to the philosophical interests, the support is there to pass them.” Illinois Farm Bureau has compiled an FTA information
“toolkit” that details trade benefits for major Illinois employers. Illinois Corn Growers Association President Jim Reed notes potential FTA gains for growers, processors, biofuels producers, and the Midwest transportation sector. If anything, failure to approve the three FTAs has resulted in U.S. economic decline, Reed suggested. Colombia traditionally has been one of the top 10 export markets for U.S. corn: During the 2007-08 marketing year, the U.S. shipped 114 million bushels there with an estimated value of almost $500 million. However, in marketing year 2008-09, as FTAs languished in Washington, exports fell to 48 million bushels, representing a loss of $273 million. “We hate to lose markets, especially in this economy,” Reed told FarmWeek. “Any trade we can get balances our trade in other areas. “And certainly, we have strategic trade partners we want to maintain relationships with. Look at the strategic nature of Panama — being able to get stuff down there and use the (canal) facilities
they’ve invested heavily in to help them with their investment and help us with our sales.” Under the Colombia FTA, the U.S. would gain immediate access for 2.1 million metric tons of corn at a zero percent import duty. Over the course of a 12year phase-out for Colombia’s 25 percent base corn tariff, the tariff rate would decline 2 percent per year and the volume of grain allowed in at that rate would grow by 5 percent compounded annually. That opens the door to 133.8 million bushels the year before Colombia’s “over-quota” corn tariff is eliminated. Beyond corn exports, growers and ethanol producers are moving more biofuels-derived distillers dried grains (DDGs) into markets where livestockproducing activity is on the rise. Ocean-going containerized shipping is an increasingly important way to ship DDGs. Reed argued the Panama agreement “only makes sense” to maximize the potential of Illinois’ “stockpile” of freight containers, and, thus, to related rail, truck, and shipping personnel.
would eliminate $2.8 million for Cook County Extension, while the House funded it at $2.75 million. The Senate would maintain the current $10 million level for the state funding match of locally generated Extension funding, while the House would increase it to $10.8 million. The House maintained the current $328,000 budget for the U of I’s Dixon Springs Agricultural Center at Simpson, while the Senate cut it by $17,000. County fairs are facing budget cuts in the Senate-approved budget. The House maintained the existing funding levels for county fairs, even restoring one of the cuts proposed by Gov. Pat Quinn. Compared to the Houses’
budget, the Senate’s plan would cut about $326,000 from county fair rehabilitation funding and another $400,000 from other county fair line items. As for the Du Quoin State Fair budget, the House restored fair funding that had been cut by Quinn; however the Senate proposed to cut more than half, roughly $337,000, from the level that passed in the House. Legislators have proposed $4.3 million for the Illinois State Fair. The House and Senate approved funding levels proposed by Quinn for several IDOA regulatory functions. Those include operation of the animal disease diagnostic labs, meat and egg inspection, pesticide enforcement and administration programs, and services related to the Livestock Management Facilities Act.
Farm bill: ‘One-stop’ FSA convenient for producers? Having a one-shop stop may be convenient, but not if customer service suffers as a result. That’s a concern for Illinois Farm Bureau leaders eyeing a proposal to consolidate key USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) administrative duties within the Farm Service Agency (FSA) as part of the next farm bill. IFB board members discussed the proposal, which recently was put forward by the National Association of FSA County Office Employees (NASCOE) amid congressional proposals to trim overall federal spending. IFB’s Farm Policy Task Force (FPTF) is expected to review it and other possible farm policy-program recommendations this summer. NASCOE emphasized “the importance of passing farm legislation which contributes to solving the budget deficit.” The group suggests “elimination of duplicative duties” would offer hundreds of millions in savings, noting USDA currently pays administrative funds to FSA, RMA, and the National Agricultural Statistics Service “to gather the same (planting and production) information.” NASCOE also proposes to take over RMA claims processing and accept applications, maintain contracts, and process payments for NRCS. Technical duties such as conservation practice development, on-site determinations, and contract compliance would remain with NRCS under the plan. “If you put too much more responsibility on FSA offices, you have to wonder if they’re going to be able to get all the work done with the staffs they have,” IFB Board member and FPTF Chairman Darryl Brinkmann said. “I know they’re looking at making things more efficient, and, quite frankly, if I could just take my yields and acres to the FSA office, and they’d get it to everybody else, that would be one less problem I’d have. “But as far as administering crop insurance claims, if that took more people, I don’t know how that would work out.” Brinkmann’s task force will convene next in August. IFB risk management specialist Doug Yoder sees potential producer support to eliminate duplicative acreage reporting. However, he noted successive farm bills “have added more and more to FSA’s workload” — most recently, 2008 farm bill Average Crop Revenue Election and Supplemental Revenue (SURE) program implementation — “and we don’t know what the 2012 farm bill will hold.” While acreage reporting already is an FSA function, crops claims processing would present a new workload at a time when county offices already are taxed, Yoder said. — Martin Ross
FarmWeek Page 4 Monday, May 23, 2011
CHALLENGES
Flood-induced shipping delays could hurt economy BY DANIEL GRANT FarmWeek
Issues with the swollen Mississippi River could spill into the U.S. economy in a negative way as the U.S. Coast Guard last week temporarily closed a port at Natchez, Miss. The port and approximately 15 miles of the river were closed to prevent wake pressure on strained levees. Elsewhere, at least 10 freight terminals along the lower Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans last week suspended operations because of high water, the Associated Press reported. Issues with the high water could delay shipments of products to and from key locations on the river, particularly the Ports of New Orleans and South Louisiana where many domestic products leave the
U.S. for export destinations. Vessels last Wednesday still were moving at the Port of South Louisiana, according to a spokesperson there, but elsewhere some barges were idle.
FarmWeekNow.com Listen to American Farm Bureau Federation economist Bob Young’s outlook on the flooding impacts at FarmWeekNow.com.
Additional costs of delaying one vessel were estimated at $20,000 to $40,000 per day. The crop that could be affected most by shipping interruptions near-term is corn, according to Darrel Good, University of Illinois Extension economist. The situation also could affect U.S. wheat exports, if flood issues linger into wheat harvest. “Because of the season we’re in, it (the river closure) poten-
Horsemen warned of often fatal disease An outbreak of an often fatal respiratory disease in horses at a national competition has resulted in a nationwide warning to horse owners. Horses from at least 29 states, including Illinois, may have been exposed to equine herpes virus-1 (EHV-1) at the National Cutting Horse Association’s Western National Championships in Ogden, Utah, April 29 through May 8. Two Illinois horses participated in the Utah event. One horse that returned to Illinois is under observation and was normal as of last week, according to Dr. Dennis French, professor of veterinary clinical medicine at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. The other horse is being observed in another state and also has remained normal, according to French. Horse owners are urged to practice biosecurity measures and isolate horses from others after they return from events where they mingle with other horses. EHV-1 does not affect humans, but there is no treatment or vaccine for horses, according to Dr. Robert Ehlenfeldt, Wisconsin state veterinarian. French added: “The best protection horses have is to be immunized with the modified live virus (MLV) vaccine known as Rhinomune. This should be done at least 10 days before traveling to any show, trail ride, or event. “No current vaccine is effective in totally preventing this form of the herpes virus infection, but the MLV has been shown to decrease severity.” USDA and state animal health officials are investigating the outbreak and have started a response effort. Recommended biosecurity precautions include: • Isolate for seven days new horses and those returning from anyplace where they’ve mingled with other horses. If they were exposed to confirmed EHV-1 infections, isolate them at least 21 days. • Encourage employees, riders, and all visitors to disinfect footwear with a bleach-and-water solution at the barn entrance. • Don’t allow horses to share water buckets, feed tubs, or stalls. • Segregate horses into the smallest possible groups to limit exposure if one is infected. • Take horses’ temperatures daily and isolate any animal with a temperature of more than 101 degrees Fahrenheit or any other sign of illness, and call a veterinarian. EHV-1 may affect a horse’s respiratory, reproductive, or central nervous system. It spreads when infected horses in close contact cough or sneeze and through contact with contaminated hands, water, and feed. The virus can cause abortion in pregnant mares and death in foals. The neurologic strain may cause horses to be uncoordinated and unable to stand or produce urine and manure. They may also have swollen, inflamed legs and gum hemorrhages.
tially is more problematic for corn than soybeans,” Good told FarmWeek. About 19 percent of soybean exports the second week of May exited the country via the Mississippi River. Many foreign buyers in recent weeks already made the seasonal switch to South American beans. “We don’t ship many soybeans this time of year,” Good said last week. “But, for corn, about half of what we’re exporting right now is going down the Mississippi.” Wheat growers also could face uncertainty about shipping their crop once harvest begins. “There are some concerns about where the wheat is going to go,” Jason Kelly, University of Arkansas Extension wheat specialist, told the Associated Press. “Initial reports are that most of the terminals are going to be open and able to handle wheat, but some locations will not be ready because the grain bins are flooded or have been flooded.” Timing of the shipping delays will be critical to determine the economic impact. Much of the lower Mississippi
Spring claims volume heavy Major insurer Country Financial fielded 13,243 largely Southern Illinois damage claims during the January-April “spring storm season,” with more than two-thirds filed in April alone. During the storm season, Country’s Illinois policyholders filed 9,582 claims just in April. Damage resulted predominantly from tornadoes and high winds, with some hail damage claims filed. Most of the damage during occurred during four periods: April 3-5, 9-11, 14-16, and 19-22. The majority of claims were reported in a line from Springfield to Marion and Edwardsville to Effingham. Damage varied from moderate to severe, with the most significant losses involving lost homes, machine sheds, and grain bins and complexes. Between 25 and 30 percent of the Southern Illinois losses involved farm policies. Country received 3,584 property damage claims during the 2010 spring storm season, 7,913 claims during that period in 2009, 7,934 claims in 2008, and 6,536 claims in 2007. To date this season, Country has paid about $31.6 million for property storm losses and $4 million for auto storm losses in Illinois.
River was projected to crest over the weekend. “If it’s a few days or a couple weeks (of shipping disruptions), we have the capacity to make it up pretty fast,” Good said. The floodwaters in the South last week also inundated about 100,000 acres of rice and sugar cane fields, washed away oyster beds, and could disrupt the flow of energy products (ranging from gasoline to fertilizer) from the Gulf. An esti-
mated 13 percent of the nation’s energy sources move through Louisiana. In Illinois, federal and state officials last week assessed damage caused by flooding. The damage assessment in about a dozen counties will be used by the state to support its request for federal assistance. Farmers who have not done so were advised by USDA to begin preparing crop insurance claims.
Page 5 Monday, May 23, 2011 FarmWeek
ENERGY
Residue-based renewables coming together BY MARTIN ROSS FarmWeek
The bioenergy industry is on the cusp of gaining significantly more mileage from an acre of corn. According to a cellulosic ethanol pioneer, that’s good news for producers and doubly good news for consumers. Jeff Broin, CEO of Iowabased ethanol producer Poet, notes his company today can produce cellulosic ethanol for roughly $2.35 per gallon, and is “competitive with gasoline.” After years of fine-tuning its process, Poet plans to begin construction of its first fully commercial corn-based cellulosic operation, called “Project Liberty,” in September. The plant will be next to an existing Emmetsburg, Iowa, grain-based plant. Beyond tapping liquid fuel from corn cobs, the 25 million-gallon-per-year plant will use cobs, husks, and leaves to power the grain ethanol plant and use leftover lignin (part of the fiber in corn residues) to generate biogas. That biogas should provide enough energy to power both cellulosic and
grain operations, Broin said. “It lowers our greenhouse gas emissions, which already are very good,” he said. “It retains more fossil energy in the ground, in the form of natural gas we’re no longer using. “It creates a brand-new fuel for the country and a brandnew product for the farmers to sell. A billion tons of cellulose goes to waste in this country every year. That’s enough cellulose to produce 80 billion gallons of ethanol. We only use 140 billion gallons of gas in this country.” With corn yields expected to double over the next 20 years, Broin argues the U.S. could produce enough ethanol from grain and residues to displace annual gasoline demand while increasing the “food and feed supply” by 40 percent. Broin maintains “the corn we produce ethanol from would never have been grown were it not for the ethanol industry.” Ethanol production essentially has created new feed, in the form of high-protein distillers dried grains
(DDGs), he said. While livestock groups have challenged incentives for corn ethanol, Iroquois County cattle producer Patrick McCullough suggests “the world would have more food to eat if we made more ethanol.” Given DDGs’ protein value, he argues a few billion more bushels of annual corn/soybean production would be needed and crop prices would be significantly higher “if it wasn’t for the (fuel) alcohol industry.” “We started feeding cornstalks in ’85 and putting good alfalfa hay with them,” McCullough told FarmWeek. “Today, we sell our hay, we raise corn and beans and wheat, and we feed the cows cornstalks with distillers grain. “The thing of it is, we get more feed today from a bushel of corn after we make alcohol from it than we do from a bushel of corn. A bushel of corn is 56 pounds, but it’s only 8 percent protein. Just because (straight) corn is a convenient feed doesn’t mean it’s a good feed,” said McCullough.
New information tools offer biomass overview The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has mapped potential resources and opportunities for producers and entrepreneurs exploring new frontiers in bioenergy. Using existing Google Map technology, DOE has assembled an online BioFuels Atlas that offers overlapping layers of information that enables prospective project planners to evaluate potential area energy feedstock supplies and biomass-biofuels markets. Further, they can identify competing bioenergy facilities; road, rail, and other feedstock/fuel transportation resources; and even state incentives for biomass production and processing. Also available is data on regional flexible-fuel “vehicle densities” and refueling stations, reports Kristi Moriarty, senior analyst with the DOE Center for Transportation Technologies and Systems. “We’re really a visual species,” Moriarty told FarmWeek. “Google Maps, which is already familiar to a lot of computer users, allows individuals to turn on and off data layers of interest. “What we’ve put on are the crop residues with the greatest concentration of production in the U.S. — wheat straw, corn stover. We even did a (data) subset on corn cobs. “We have data layers for methane (production), with the interest in ‘biogas,’ and forestry data layers. Obviously, farmers already know what they’re producing. “But for the person who has the technology
or wants to develop a project, this gets them started in different communities. They’re going to have to do on-the-ground assessment and work with producers to really get a feel as to what’s available.” To view the atlas, visit {maps.nrel.gov/biomass}. Peter Johnsen, chief technology officer with Arvens Technology Inc., is involved in development and commercialization of the oilseed biofuels crop pennycress. He views bioenergy project evaluation as “extremely complicated” — indeed, “it’s almost outside the abilities of small companies like ours to put those programs together.” Johnsen thus welcomes aids such as the BioFuels Atlas and private satellite imagery services from companies including Chicago-based Lanworth Inc. Lanworth is adapting forestry industry tools to help growers, landowners, commodity traders, and others track biomass and other ag resources. Lanworth energy sales director Lee Freeman notes a major adjustment moving from a forestry industry that often operates on a 30to 60-year feedstock lifecycle — “In agriculture, they want data today.” His company is mapping global production of corn, sugar cane, and other feedstocks, and Freeman sees satellite landowner parcel data offering clients “a good opportunity to link up with growers.” “We can tell you, by region and by specific location, what is growing,” he related. “That’s what our clients want to know — what’s growing in this particular area today.” — Martin Ross
Residual gains: Stover steaming ahead Biofuels sector experts see some continued heavy lifting ahead for producers and processors hoping to get the latest corn-based ethanol market off the ground. In 2006, when ethanol giant Poet first explored corn residues as a biofuels source, only about 200,000 acres of corn cobs were collected annually nationwide. Scott Weishaar, Poet vice president of commercial development, sees 300,000-400,000 acres of cobs being needed per ethanol plant. Cobs today constitute roughly 15 percent of the corn “stover” left on the ground following harvest; stalks account for another 44 percent and leaves 22 percent. In addition to cobs, Poet also uses leaves and husks. Larry Johnson, consultant with the Danish biofuels producer Inbicon, sees stover as “a huge potential energy source in this country,” offering as much as $20 billion to $40 billion in additional annual value for producers. Poet’s initial 2010 commercial harvest secured 56,000 “bone-dry tons” of material from 85 growers at a collection rate of some 3,000 bales per day. “Don’t assume picking up that material is really easy or that it’s going to store really well,” Weishaar nonetheless admonished. Farmer input and equipment testing have been key in gauging collection-storage logistics. Poet has developed a 22acre “stack yard” to hold material for eventual processing. Inbicon has scaled up to processing 4 tons of wheat straw per hour at its European cellulosics plant. Johnson credits Poet with “energizing the equipment companies,” noting AGCO alone has been awarded a $5 million Department of Energy grant to address biomass harvest needs. At the same time, Weishaar stressed “we have to be smart about what we do,” given the importance of residues to soil and water quality. Poet taps 25 percent of aboveground residues from its growers’ fields, with “little or no impact” on soils, he said. “There’s not a lot of nutrient value in these cobs and light stover,” Weishaar related. “There’s no need for additional nitrogen or phosphorous (for the subsequent crop), and we need very small amounts of potassium depending on soil type and conditions. “We want to educate the farmers to manage their soils. We want them to adopt best management practices for their individual location.” — Martin Ross
Pennycress field day set June 2 at WIU Farmers may learn about field pennycress at Western Illinois University’s (WIU) field day from 10 a.m. to noon Thursday, June 2, at the Agriculture Field Laboratory near the Macomb campus. Pennycress is being developed for off-season production of biofuels and industrial products, said Win Phippen, WIU researcher and School of Agriculture faculty member. Phippen will discuss current agronomic and breeding research on pennycress, and guest speakers will address the commercialization and development of new industrial products. “This day has been established to introduce a new winter annual crop, field pennycress, to local and regional producers,” Phippen said. “Researchers, along with industry representatives, will be present to discuss this very unique short-season crop.” Topics covered will be planting-date studies, winter and spring variety trials, planting methods, winter and spring nitrogen treatments, and results from a soybean crop-rotation study. The event is free to the public, and no registration is required. The program will include guided tours through field plots. WIU’s Agriculture Field Laboratory is located north of the Harry Mussatto Golf Course on Tower Road, just north of the WIU-Macomb campus. For more information or if large groups would like to attend, contact Phippen at 309-298-1251 or e-mail him at WB-Phippen@wiu.edu.
FarmWeek Page 6 Monday, May 23, 2011
CROPWATCHERS Bernie Walsh, Durand, Winnebago County: Last week I wrote that we had been missing all the rains for two and a half weeks and later that day it started raining. We ended up with 0.9 of an inch here and 20 miles east of us they had 4 inches of rain that day. The rain we had really helped the corn get started, helped activate some of the herbicides, and also gave everyone a chance to rest up. There are still some fields of corn to be planted, maybe 5 percent and more than half of the beans are planted. The corn stands look good. The corn just needs some warm sunshine to grow out of the yellow stage. The wheat looks good, and haymaking probably will start this week. Have a good week and stay safe. Pete Tekampe, Grayslake, Lake County: Another cool, cloudy week in Lake County. We received 0.3 of an inch of rain for the week. Highs have been in the 50s, except Thursday when it got into the 70s. Corn is about 95 percent planted and what has sprouted looks very yellow. Beans are about 25 percent planted. Winter wheat is looking better and really getting green. Hay fields also are finally getting tall. Leroy Getz, Savanna, Carroll County: Frost on Tuesday morning blackened some corn and all of my wife’s tomatoes. The corn will grow out of it, but even though the tomatoes were under hot caps, they are probably dead. We had 0.4 of an inch of rain on Saturday (May 14), but some areas of the county got up to 2 inches. Corn on clay hills is still very slow to emerge. Rye has been chopped and fields are being planted into corn. I saw a few small hay fields mowed on Friday. The commercial peas that are planted on the sand fields are looking nice. We have a total of 223 growing degree units. Ryan Frieders, Waterman, DeKalb County: It was a frustrating week. Last Friday (May 13) afternoon anywhere from 0.25 of an inch to 5-plus inches of rain fell in the area in a very short time. Flooded fields were common and lots of ruts and washes occurred in freshly planted fields. Since that time, fieldwork has been hampered. Cloudy days and continued lower temperatures have impeded drying of soils. Some planting has occurred, but farmers are going around the low spots. We really need some sunshine and warmer temperatures. Corn that has emerged is yellow and showing very little progress. I haven’t seen any soybeans emerged. Wheat continues to grow and looks good. Dandelions look amazing. Larry Hummel, Dixon, Lee County: I was hoping to finish planting the last soybeans on Friday the 13th, but bad luck came my way and a 3-inch rain flushed me out. By Wednesday it finally had dried off and planting resumed, only to be delayed by a pop-up shower that came out of nowhere. A lot of area farmers are finished or winding down to the last few fields to be planted. Sprayers have been running pretty hard when it is not too wet or windy. The rain showers were a blessing, even though it delayed my last field of soybeans. Herbicides will be activated and seed germination should be good, especially with the warm weather in the forecast. Ron Moore, Roseville, Warren County: We received 1.2 inches of rain on May 14 and 15. After that, we had a dry week and finished planting soybeans on May 19. With rain forecast for the weekend, it was just in time. All of our corn has emerged and the stands are good. The early-April corn is a little short on population but still good. On the next planting, every kernel that we planted emerged. Some of the weeds on the early-planted corn need to be sprayed now before they get much larger. Most of the soybeans will be planted by next week. A few fields have emerged and they look good so far. Pasture conditions are normal for this time of year. I have had to put some wandering cattle back in the correct pastures already. They went to visit my neighbor’s cows. Even with plenty of grass, they still reach through the fences.
Ken Reinhardt, Seaton, Mercer County: Soybean planting is about wrapped up. I was in the last field Friday morning. Corn has emerged with good stands. There are no pests to report so far, but we need to watch for cutworms. Some have said there were heavy moth flights. Jacob Streitmatter, Princeville, Peoria County: I was able to get all of my corn planted before the rain hit last weekend (May 14-15). We received 2.5-3 inches around the area. It is finally starting to dry off so guys can get back in the field to finish corn or work on their beans. On Friday, we were in the field trying to plant some beans. The forecast was for more rain in the near future. Hopefully, we can get some more work done before it hits. Tim Green, Wyoming, Stark County: It is wet around here. The northern part of the county got 3.5 to 4 inches of rain, depending upon where you were, and the northwestern part got 0.8 of an inch. The corn crop is pretty well planted and starting to emerge. There has been quite a bit of replant of corn planted April 11 through 13. Too much cold weather, and that corn just didn’t make it. The beans have just gotten a nice start. Some people are done; some haven’t quite started or just have a few in the ground. Mark Kerber, Chatsworth, Livingston County: A rain event last weekend (May 14-15) totaled 1.7 inches here that ended fieldwork everywhere. Drying was slow with cool temperatures. Now it has warmed up. We hope to finish corn, and many are planting soybeans. Field conditions will not be good, but the calendar says it is time to plant. There was more rain forecast for the weekend. Corn is emerging with this round of heat. Markets have responded to a slow start and flooding of acres. Carryout will be historically low, especially with less than a perfect year. Ron Haase, Gilman, Iroquois County: We have not planted since May 13, when we were rained out of the field. Over the weekend, May 14-15, we received from 2 to 2.3 inches of rain. Some areas received as much as 3 inches. On Thursday, I cultivated a field that I planned to plant Friday. At this point, we have 70 percent (last week was 60 percent) of our corn planted and 36 percent of it has emerged. Now corn is taking about nine days to emerge. The corn planted in the first week of April is at the V2 growth stage and almost at V3. Many farmers have finished corn planting except those who had wetter fields or have a higher percentage of corn acres in their rotation. A few soybean fields were planted before the last rain. We hope this next forecast of rain holds off so we can finish planting our corn. The local closing bids for May 19: nearby corn, $7.41; new-crop corn, $6.28; nearby soybeans, $13.74; newcrop soybeans, $13.18. Tom Ritter, Blue Mound, Macon County: Planters got rolling in southern Macon County on a somewhat limited basis throughout the week. Rainfall last weekend (May 1415) proved very variable, and with cooler, cloudy conditions, drying was somewhat slower than normal. At this point, corn planting it more than 90 percent complete and soybean planting is about 40 percent complete. Some farmers are way above those averages, some way below, all depending upon whether they were in an area that received a lot or very little rainfall. Early-planted corn continues to grow. There is a lot of 6- to 8-inch-tall corn from the April 8 planting, but it looks a little bit yellow, needing the warm temperatures that are forecast for early this week. Some of the later-planted corn is just now peeking through the ground or up only 1 or 2 inches where you can row it. I have not seen any soybeans that have emerged, but with the ample moisture and warm temperatures coming there should be quite a few peeking through in the next few days.
Brian Schaumburg, Chenoa, McLean County: Planting progress is recorded in hours rather than days as few farms are dry enough to work. With more rain predicted, seeds are going into less-than-ideal soil conditions. Corn planting is 95 percent complete, and 80 percent has emerged with the warming of soils. Soybeans are approaching 40 percent planted with 10 percent emerged. Stand counts are exceptionally good. Corn, $6.97; fall, $6.11; soybeans, $13.26; fall, $12.75; wheat, $6.89. Steve Ayers, Champaign, Champaign County: WDWS farm broadcaster Dave Gentry summed up 2011 so far with this comment: “They’ve thrown everything at us this season but locusts, and they are coming next week!” He was referring to the impending invasion of the 17-year cicada. We saw a staggered start to fieldwork last week due to varying amounts of rain last weekend (May 14-15) that ranged from 0.4 of an inch to more than 2 inches. We had 0.64 of an inch and were in field Wednesday and expected to finish corn Friday. Corn planted May 10 spiked through the ground in six days. Rain is expected the next five days with amounts of 1-3 inches. Let’s be careful out there! Wilfred Dittmer, Quincy, Adams County: Hello again from our little corner of the state on a cloudy Friday morning with no rain. We did have a few showers Thursday morning, and our gauge picked up about 1.2 inches from last Saturday and Sunday’s (May 14-15) rain events. So planters have been basically parked for the week except a few that were running on Tuesday and Wednesday. Most corn has emerged or is very close, and stands are good. I have not seen any soybeans up close by my place. Some hay also is on the “to do” list. Light frost on Monday (May 16) and Tuesday mornings did nip the tips of small corn plants. Have a safe week. Todd Easton, Charleston, Coles County: It was another week of hard work for producers as planters, cultivators, and sprayers continue to move at a fast pace. Even though we had a small break over the weekend (May 1415) due to 0.5 of an inch of precipitation, everyone is getting close to wrapping up corn planting with about 85 to 90 percent of the crop in the ground. Bean planters have moved pretty fast, getting more than a third of that crop in the ground the past few days. As far as crop growth goes, the warmth and sunshine early last week helped perk up the early April-planted corn and bring some of the May-planted corn acres out of the ground. I also saw one field of beans that I didn’t even know was planted had emerged and already was at the V1 stage. If it doesn’t rain too much, planting should be getting close to done by next report. Keep your fingers crossed. David Schaal, St. Peter, Fayette County: I am scared to report this week on the county’s farming progress. The county is big, and rainfall on May 14 and 15 varied throughout the area. In this area, the planters rolled where it was dry enough. In the western part of the county, they received more rain and are having a tough time getting going. The South Central Fuel delivery man said in the northern part of the county some farmers are half done with beans. In my immediate area, producers are fighting to get corn in the ground. We are breaking ground open, but without sunshine, we cannot get it dried off enough to run the planters. Very little dust, if any, is coming up behind the planting rigs. Current forecasts are not very favorable. We are thankful for the progress that was made here last week. I would say the percentage of corn planted in our area is around 70-75 percent. Hoping for warm and drier weather.
Page 7 Monday, May 23, 2011 FarmWeek
CROPWATCHERS Jimmy Ayers, Rochester, Sangamon County: This past week we had anywhere from 0.6 of an inch of rain to 4 inches in the area. It was scattered all over the place. Some farmers are completely done planting and others have quite a ways to go. Some early-planted corn is looking pretty good, but there is quite a variance in appearance. Some of it is a pretty bright green, but quite a bit is yellow, still looking for nutrients. There are several fields that have an assortment of large weeds in them. That will be something for the guys to work through. There was a little bit of roadside mowing that went on when it was too wet for anything else. A record low was hit in Lincoln on Tuesday evening of 36 degrees. The weather is showing its extremes around here. Ted Kuebrich, Jerseyville, Jersey County: Jersey County received 1.25 inches of rain last week with the forecast for more. The rain made the fields too wet to plant. There are parts of the county that the ground is workable and planting started back up. On Tuesday morning, we had frost on the grass and ice on windshields. The Illinois River is just 1.5 feet over flood stage; the flood stage is 425 feet above sea level. Prices at Jersey County Grain, Hardin: cash corn, $7.38; fall corn, $6.28; cash beans, $13.81; fall beans, $13.03; June/July wheat, $7.97. Dan Meinhart, Montrose, Jasper County: It was a very cool, cloudy week with very slow drying. Some progress with planting was made in areas where they received only a couple tenths of rain over the (May 14-15) weekend. Other areas received up to 2 inches. These farmers have not been in the field yet this spring. Some chopping of wheat for silage has taken place where they can travel on the land. Wheat is still struggling with the wet weather. Rain is in the forecast for the weekend and several days this week. Warmer temperatures are expected.
Dave Hankammer, Millstadt, St. Clair County: The week of May 16 started off with sunshine and cool temps after a weekend of light showers that brought about 0.7 of an inch of rain. Temperatures ranging from the high 40s to the mid-60s left fields damp for the start of the work week. Farmers were busy making their first cutting of hay and silage. I observed one farmer using a tedder to aid in the drying of the alfalfa. On Tuesday, corn planting resumed for many of the farmers in the area, although there are farmers still dealing with soggy fields and having to choose how to manage those fields. Some farmers reported they are done with corn planting and contemplating switching to soybeans. Overall, corn is 50-60 percent complete in the county. The weather forecast was for rain through the weekend into this week. It was raining while I wrote this report Thursday evening. Local grain bids: corn, $7.34; soybeans, $13.76; wheat, $7.85. Be safe and have a good week. Rick Corners, Centralia, Jefferson County: Right or wrong, just do it. A little corn planting is going on in conditions that are, well, less than optimum. In other words, if you are not getting stuck, it is just right. Time will tell how this works out.
Kevin Raber, Browns, Wabash County: Planting went full throttle last week. Corn and soybean planting progressed rapidly on the upland ground. We had rain Thursday night and early Friday morning and more was predicted for the weekend. The wheat looks decent so far, but there are a lot of drownedout spots in most fields. Most of the bottomland wheat is gone due to the extreme flooding.
Reports received Friday morning. Expanded crop and weather information available at {www.farmweeknow.com}.
Dean Shields, Murphysboro, Jackson County: The weather was a little bit better last week. More corn was being planted, along with some beans. It is kind of hit and miss over the county, depending on where it rained last week. The flooding problem has eased up. The Big Muddy River is receding, and that is helping out quite a few farmers and residents. The Mississippi also is going down, but it still is not low enough to allow our locks — or gates as we call them — to be opened to let our water out, so we still have all of our internal water problems. Wheat is coming along pretty well and is headed out. We need a little more sunshine and a little drier weather here in Jackson County and things will take off. Have a safe spring. Randy Anderson, Galatia, Saline County: What difference a week can make without rain every other day. But they are calling for rain to hang around most of this week. I would say that the county has moved up to 50 percent on corn planting, but it is all over the place from some areas just starting to some almost done. Bean planting may be 10 percent done as everyone is trying to get the corn in. Some hay has been cut, but it is not curing very well. The fields are wet and the temps we have had do not help. Ken Taake, Ullin, Pulaski County: After rains last weekend (May 14-15), we finally got back in the field Tuesday. We now have about 75 percent of our corn planted. We still have some ground that is just too wet to work. Farmers who farm river bottom ground still have a lot of ground under water. I don’t know when they will be able to start planting. We hoped to start planting soybeans over the weekend, but they were calling for rains starting Friday continuing through Wednesday. We will see what the weather does. Please remember to take time and be careful during this busy season.
Entomologists keeping watch for exotic insect pest BY KAY SHIPMAN Farmweek Illinois entomologists are preparing for an invasive insect pest, the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), by seeking the public’s help and monitoring BMSB damage in eastern states. The BSBM was first confirmed in Cook County last fall and in Champaign, Kane, and McLean counties earlier this year. Entomologists in Illinois and elsewhere are concerned because the pest feeds on a variety of plants and crops — everything from vegetables and tree fruits to corn and soybeans. “There’s always something new, but for agriculture pests, this is probably our most imminent pest in the invasive world,” said Kelly Estes, state survey coordinator for the Illinois Cooperative Agriculture Pest Survey. Estes also is an entomologist with the Illinois Natural History Survey.
Have you seen this insect? Name: Brown marmorated stink bug Size: Adults are 5/8ths of an inch in length. Physical characteristics: Mottled brownish grey, shield-shaped body with white underside; alternating black and white bands on edge of abdomen; and white band on antennal segment. Locations: OverwinPhoto by Michael Jeffords, Illiters in homes, barns, and nois Natural History Survey. garages; feeds on a variety of plants and crops all season, including developing soybean pods and corn ears. Report suspected brown marmorated stink bugs to Kelly Estes, Illinois Natural History Survey, 1816 S. Oak St., Champaign, Ill., 61820.
BMSB is still something of a mystery on many fronts. Entomologists speculate the insect has spread by riding on vehicles, shipping materials, or transported plants. Eastern states have experienced crop damage from the bug, and have developed “rough agronomic thresholds in soybeans, but we don’t know if those will apply here,” said Kevin Black, GROWMARK’s insect and plant disease technical manager. Illinois entomologists think the insecticides used in eastern states will work here, but again, they don’t know for certain, he added. “We’re in the discovery phase,” Black said. Fruit and vegetable growers should monitor their crops for sunken areas where the insects may have fed, Estes said. In apples, tomatoes, and peppers, BMSB feeding results in corky, discolored areas. BMSB will damage developing soybean pods and ears of corn by feeding through the pods or husks, causing the beans or kernels to shrivel, according to Estes. If the BMSB behaves the way it has in the East, the insect populations “will go through a time of wild success and gradually build up. And then suddenly the population will explode. That’s what happened in Pennsylvania,” Black said. Estes added BMSB populations increased over two to three years before reaching agronomic threshold levels in the East. An adult BMSB can be identified by distinctive characteristics (see accompanying story). However, Illinois entomologists want to confirm BMSB infestations because native brown stinkbugs look similar, according to Black. Estes encouraged farmers who are scouting their fields or other individuals who believe they may have found BMSB to send her the specimen in a crush-proof container, such as a pill bottle or match box. The mailing address is Kelly Estes, 1816 Oak St., Champaign, Ill., 61820. Farmers interested in learning more about BMSB invasion nationwide may go online to the National Agricultural Pest Information System (NAPIS) Pest Tracker at {http://pest.ceris.purdue.edu/} and search for brown marmorated stink bug.
This is the feeding damage the brown marmorated stink bug can cause in an apple. (Photo courtesy of the Maryland Department of Agriculture)
DATEBOOK May 26 Illinois Wheat Association tour. For meal reservations and information, call 309-5573619. May 31 – June 2 Midwest Composting School, Illinois State University, Normal. June 14-16 Illinois State FFA Convention, Prairie Capitol Convention Center, Springfield. June 15 Illinois Agricultural Legislative Roundtable. June 16 IAA Foundation Golf Outing, Elks Country Club and Wolf Creek Country Club, Pontiac.
FarmWeek Page 8 Monday, May 23, 2011
MARKETS DELIVERING A MESSAGE
Large lot placements could sink cattle prices BY DANIEL GRANT FarmWeek
The Livingston County Farm Bureau Young Leaders and members of the Membership Committee last week greeted more than 450 consumers at the Taste of Home Cooking Show at Pontiac High School. Pictured here looking on are Young Leaders Anna Schmidgall, left, and Alicia Miller as Liz Harfst, Livingston County Farm Bureau’s summer intern, greets Judy Gillespie of Dwight. Consumers learned that many farmers are selling their products locally. (Photo by Teresa Grant-Quick, county Farm Bureau manager)
U.S. cattle futures may continue a recent slump as the USDA cattle on feed report released Friday showed no near-term shortage of supply. USDA in its monthly report estimated cattle and calves on feed as of May 1 totaled 11.2 million head, up 7 percent compared to the same time last year. Meanwhile, placements in feedlots in April totaled 1.8 milFarmWeekNow.com lion head, up 10 percent from a You can view the complete year ago. In fact, placements c a t t l e o n f e e d r e p o r t a t were the second-highest for FarmWeekNow.com. April since 1996. “Two forces were behind the negative (placement) numbers,” said Rich Nelson, director of research for Allendale Inc. in McHenry. “There was the incentive (to place cattle in feedlots) in April with record-high cash cattle prices,” he noted. “And with the drought (which deteriorated pasture conditions in the South), there was no forage available.” Cattle prices near-term could slip by a dime due to the bearish report while October and December futures could lose about 50 cents, Nelson said. Allendale’s price target for cash cattle prices in the third quarter currently is $107 per hundredweight. But price targets of $119 in October and $123 in December may be adjusted downward, according to the analyst. The cattle market also has been under pressure in recent weeks by demand concerns. “Not only do we have a large amount of cattle in the feedlot for summer, but we have a weak demand issue,” Nelson said. Beef demand is being pressured by higher gas prices, cool and wet weather that as of last week delayed the prime grilling season by about three weeks, and competition from lower-priced protein sources. Chicken as of Friday was priced below last year while beef prices were at a premium compared to the same time a year ago, Nelson added. Marketings of fed cattle during April totaled 1.81 million head, down 3 percent from last year.
Illinois farmers to be NASCAR race feature Illinois farmers have an exclusive opportunity June 4 to join the Family Farmers High Performance Team, bringing the farm to more than 30,000 NASCAR fans at the Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet. Kenny Wallace, currently seventh in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) driver rankings, will pilot the “Family Farmers” car in the Saturday, June 4, race which will be aired live at 7 p.m. on ESPN. A nearly 18,000-square-foot “Farm Experience” exhibit at the event also will allow race fans to learn more about farming, and more importantly, meet family farmers. Farmers may purchase an exclusive ticket package for the event through the Illinois Corn Marketing Board (ICMB) and the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA). The cost is $25 for ICMB and ISA members and $50 for non-member checkoff investors. The race package includes race admission valued at $45;
exclusive hospitality including parking and transportation to and from the track; a noontime meal; a special appearance by Wallace; and an “Illinois Family Farmers High Performance Team” T-shirt. The American Lung Association of Illinois will present information at the “Farm Experience” about the health benefits of using ethanol and biodiesel. Additionally, two combines will be on display, one with a corn head and the other with a soybean platform. Tickets went on sale last week. Farmers may purchase tickets for themselves and their immediate family members by contacting the ICMB office at 309-827-0912. Ticket and race information also is available by clicking the Illinois Family Farmers High Performance Team logo at the website {www.ilcorn.org}. Tickets are limited. Early reservations are recommended to reserve preferred T-shirt sizes.
Page 9 Monday, May 23, 2011 FarmWeek
FROM THE COUNTIES
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HRISTIAN — Farm Bureau will sponsor an On-the-Road meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 16, at the Farm Bureau office. Kevin Rund, Illinois Farm Bureau senior director of local government, will give updates on motor carrier safety regulations, ATV use on public roads, and drug screenings. Call the Farm Bureau office at 217-824-2940 for reservations or more information. • Farm Bureau will sponsor a meeting on SPCC (spill prevention, control, and countermeasures) fuel storage regulations from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday, June 20, at Taylorville Memorial Hospital. Rand Tomic, GROWMARK environmental engineer, will be the speaker. Call the Farm Bureau office at 217-824-2940 for reservations or more information. • Farm Bureau will sponsor a meeting on precision farming and protecting farm investments through the use of video surveillance at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 21, at the Farm Bureau office. Chris Saxe, Christian County Farm Supply, and Todd Altman, MonitorCloselyCentral, will be the speakers. Call the Farm Bureau office at 217-824-2940 for reservations or more information. OOK — The Commodities/Marketing Team and University of Illinois Extension will sponsor a program, “Farming Fundamentals Know Your Food, Be a Farmer” from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 11, at the Farm Bureau office. Cost is $10 for lunch. Reservations may be made online at {http://web.extension.illinois. edu/cook/}. • The Members Relations Team will sponsor a workshop on identity theft from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, June 15, at the Farm Bureau office. Call the Farm Bureau office at 708-
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354-3276 for reservations or more information. • The Commodities/Marketing Team will sponsor a tour from 8:45 to 11:15 a.m. Tuesday, June 21, of the Case IH facility, Burr Ridge. Call the Farm Bureau office at 708354-3276 for reservations or more information. DGAR — Farm Bureau will sponsor a class “Cooking for One or Two and Lightening Up Your Recipes” at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Farm Bureau office. Barbara Dick and Mary Liz Wright will be the instructors. Cost is $5, which will include a meal. Call the Farm Bureau office at 217-465-8511 for reservations or suggestions on what to make for lunch. • The Travel Committee will sponsor a four-day trip June 7-10 to Pigeon Forge, Tenn. Call the Farm Bureau office at 217-465-8511 for reservations or more information. • Farm Bureau will sponsor a bus trip Sunday, July 31, to see the St. Louis Cardinals vs. the Chicago Cubs at Busch Stadium, St. Louis. Cost is $90, which includes ticket, bus, and driver gratuity. Call the Farm Bureau office for reservations or more information. • Farm Bureau will sponsor the local farmers’ market from 7:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 18, and each Saturday through Sept. 17. Call the Farm Bureau office for more information or if you are interested in being a vendor. IVINGSTON — A “Safety Safari” (safety camp for kids) will be from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 8, at 4-H Park, Pontiac. Safety presenters will provide children entering grades 3 to 5 information, demonstrations, and hands-on activities on how to be safe at home, school, and play. Cost is $5, with a maximum of $10 per family, which includes lunch
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and materials. Registration forms are available on the website {www.livcfb.org}. Call the Farm Bureau office at 815-842-1103 or e-mail tvlcfb@frontier.com for more information. • The Young Leaders will celebrate Dairy Month by sponsoring a “Breakfast on the Farm” event from 7 to 10 a.m. Saturday, June 11, at the Kilgus Farm, 21471 E 670 N Rd., Fairbury. A breakfast of sausage gravy and biscuits, scrambled eggs, juice, Kilgus milk, and coffee will cost 75 cents, the price a farmer would receive for the products. Call the Farm Bureau office at 815-842-0838 for more information. EORIA — Tickets are available for the Ag Night Peoria Chiefs vs. Wisconsin Timber Rattlers baseball game Wednesday, June 15. Cost is $6. Soda, hotdogs, and ice cream are $1 each. Call the Farm Bureau office for more information. TEPHENSON — Registration deadline for the June 27-29 Central Illinois Heritage and Agriculture tour is Friday. Details are available at the website
{www.stephensoncfb.org} or by calling 815-232-3186. ERMILION — Farm Bureau will sponsor a bus trip Saturday, July 30, to see the St. Louis Cardinals vs. the Chicago Cubs game at Busch Stadium, St. Louis. Cost is $82 for members and $95 for nonmembers. Payment with
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reservations is required. Call the Farm Bureau office at 217-442-8713 for more information. “From the counties” items are submitted by county Farm Bureau managers. If you have an event or activity open to all members, contact your county Farm Bureau manager.
RUNNING FOR AG LITERACY
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Runners compete in the first annual 5K Grow and Go race to support Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom. About 270 persons registered to run and walk on a course that looped around the Illinois Farm Bureau grounds in Bloomington. Despite cool temperatures and steady rain on May 14, the IAA Foundation and race participants raised a little more than $14,000 for agriculture literacy. (Photo by Ken Kashian)
FarmWeek Page 10 Monday, May 23, 2011
PROFITABILITY
Need grain drying, storage capacity for fall? Get it scheduled now BY RANDY HOLTHAUS
I hope you are finally getting into the fields and getting some long overdue planting done. The planting delays we experienced could provide a challenging fall if the cool, wet conditions continue. With that being a potential outcome, if you have plans to add grain drying or storage capacity for this crop, you need to get your decisions made and the schedule locked in now. The availability of grain equipment products and construction labor is starting to surface as an issue. Some vendors’ product lead times are starting to stretch out into July and August. After a relatively calm, quiet
winter selling season, the new year presented some pretty rapid-fire steel price increases, resulting in brisk sales activity. This caused a faster-thannormal transition away from winter discounts and shortened deadlines by the manufacturers, adding to Randy Holthaus sales pressure. Widespread storm damage in the southern part of the state created a surprise demand for replacement grain bins and further complicated the marketplace. The steel industry increases
NACD supports temporary use of CRP land for disaster relief The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD), due to the impact of flooding and drought around the country, has written the Farm Service Agency (FSA) in support of allowing the temporary use of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) land as long as a conservation management plan is in place. “Recent flooding and drought conditions have had major impacts on grazing lands across large portions of the country,” NACD President Gene Schmidt wrote to FSA Acting Administrator Bruce Nelson. FSA rules allow for the temporary and/or emergency use of CRP lands while using a conservation management plan during certain weather events. “We support FSA’s efforts to allow CRP land-use decisions to be handled at the local level, based on proper management plans and local environmental conditions,” Schmidt wrote.
M A R K E T FA C T S Feeder pig prices reported to USDA* Weight 10 lbs. 40 lbs. 50 lbs. Receipts
Range Per Head Weighted Ave. Price $21.00-$48.74 $36.23 $52.50-$68.25 $63.39 n/a n/a This Week Last Week 27,953 15,398 *Eastern Corn Belt prices picked up at seller’s farm
Eastern Corn Belt direct hogs (plant delivered) Carcass Live
(Prices $ per hundredweight) This week Prev. week $91.72 $88.50 $67.87 $65.49
Change 3.22 2.38
USDA five-state area slaughter cattle price Steers Heifers
This week 107.18 107.60
(Thursday’s price) Prv. week Change 112.58 -5.40 112.16 -4.56
CME feeder cattle index — 600-800 Lbs. This is a composite price of feeder cattle transactions in 27 states. (Prices $ per hundredweight) Prev. week Change 129.35 -1.33
This week 128.02
Lamb prices Slaughter Prices - Negotiated, Live, wooled and shorn 125-180 lbs. for 165210 $/cwt.(wtd. ave. 184.74); dressed, no sales reported.
Export inspections (Million bushels)
Week ending Soybeans Wheat Corn 5-12-11 5.1 30.0 36.9 5-5-11 7.1 36.8 29.8 Last year 9.6 13.3 40.7 Season total 1370.5 1196.5 1226.9 Previous season total 1329.2 815.7 1250.9 USDA projected total 1580 1275 1950 Crop marketing year began June 1 for wheat and Sept. 1 for corn and soybeans.
seem to have quieted some and pricing has flattened out, but now the manufacturing supply/demand factors are taking over. Don’t expect any price reductions until the winter programs come out in the fall. Last season’s ideal conditions and high-quality grain did not challenge your grain system equipment like the previous couple of years. Many dryers — new and old — were never even started last year. As you contemplate your system’s shortcomings and needed changes, think back
and recall the problems and issues your system had in the past, specifically the fall of 2009. Did your receiving system keep the combine running? Was your wet holding able to handle the receiving? Was your dryer able to keep up with your harvest rate? Do you have a storage deficit? Is your storage capable of cooling hot grain? Has your low temp/natural air drying system failed you in the past? Is your aeration system capable of maintaining marginal grain? Are your unloading systems big enough to
keep the trucks rolling? Ask yourself these questions and get any problems addressed and resolved now. The longer you wait, the more difficult it will be. Make up your mind now and get your equipment ordered and construction scheduled. Your spring rush will be much less stressful knowing that everything will be ready and working when harvest time arrives. Randy Holthaus is GROWMARK’s grain systems operations manager. His e-mail address is rholthaus@growmark.com.
U.S. agricultural exports on record pace BY DANIEL GRANT FarmWeek
U.S. farm exports are on track to reach an all-time high $135.5 billion this year after setting a record the first half of fiscal year 2011, USDA reported. American ag exports the past six months reached $75 billion, up 27 percent in value compared to the same time last year. The volume of bulk shipments during the same time increased 5 percent compared to a year ago. “This puts us on track to reach the current USDA export forecast of $135.5 billion by the end of the year,” said Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Strong U.S. farm exports will be a key contributor to building an economy that continues to grow, innovate, and out-compete the rest of the world,” the secretary said. Strong demand in Asian markets, a weak U.S. dollar, and concern among some foreign buyers about the potential for higher food prices later in the year have been driving U.S. ag exports in recent months, according to ag economists. China is the top customer for U.S. farm products, with purchases so far this year totaling about $15.1 billion, which accounted for about 20 percent of all U.S. ag exports. Canada is the second-largest market for U.S. farm goods. U.S. ag exports were particularly robust in March. Sales of
all U.S. ag goods that month totaled $13.3 billion, which made it the highest-grossing month ever for U.S. ag goods. Total exports of beef and veal in March were 48 percent higher than last year while pork exports in March were up 31 percent compared to a year ago. “At a time when domestic beef demand is still struggling, demand for U.S. beef in export markets continues to grow,” said Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension economist. “March beef exports were led by a dramatic
jump in exports to South Korea and a strong increase to Japan.” Vilsack believes U.S. ag exports can continue to grow as part of President Obama’s National Export Initiative, which has a goal of doubling all U.S. ag exports by 2014. The ag secretary called on Congress to expeditiously pass trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama to help achieve the goal. Those three trade agreements have the potential to add more than $2 billion per year to U.S. ag exports, Vilsack added.
U of I plans Weed Science Field Day The University of Illinois Weed Science Field Day will be June 29 at the U of I Crop Sciences Research and Education Center, Urbana. The event will offer an informal guided tour of research plots and discussions with weed science faculty, staff, and graduate students. “You can compare your favorite corn and soybean herbicide programs to other commercial programs and get an early look at some new herbicide active ingredients,” said Aaron Hager, U of I Extension weed specialist. Coffee and refreshments will be available near the Seed House at 8 a.m. The tour will conclude around noon with a catered lunch.
Pre-registration is not required. The cost is $10 and includes a tour book, refreshments, and lunch. Field research work is continuing at the research centers located in DeKalb, Perry, and Brownstown, along with a few on-farm locations. However, formal weed science tours will not be held. Most of the weed science plots may be viewed during Agronomy Day field tours scheduled for those research centers. For more information about viewing the DeKalb, Perry and Brownstown research plots, contact your local Extension office.
FarmWeek Page 11 Monday, May 23, 2011
PROFITABILITY Corn Strategy
C A S H S T R AT E G I S T
A better grain balance ahead While the trade seems to continually focus on developments in China, the first take on grain fundamentals outside the U.S. and China look better this year. A first look at the fundamental structure of wheat and coarse grains indicates output outside of the U.S. and China will fall short of consumption only by 76 million metric tons (mmt). That’s significantly below the 112 mmt shortfall these countries had last year. But it’s still above the 57 mmt and 32 mmt shortfall that occurred the two years before that. As the growing season begins in the Northern Hemisphere, where much of the world production and demand lies, there are a lot of uncertainties for both supply and demand expectations. The industry is focused on uncertain production expectations in the European Union and Black Sea area. It’s been dry across a significant portion of Germany and France during the last three to four months. One private forecaster already is looking for French wheat output to fall 11 percent. Conditions in Russia and
the Ukraine are better than last year, but those areas still are not fully recovered from last year’s devastating drought. Their crops got through winter in better shape, and spring planting is running a little ahead of last year. Because of that, there’s reason to be more optimistic for this year’s crops, but weather the next couple of months will go a long way to supporting, or undercutting, the early expectations. And there’s much to be uncertain about regarding early demand forecasts. We are going to start the new marketing year with high prices. In the past, that has tended to cause demand to come in under trend and expectations. As you see, USDA is starting off with a relatively robust expectation for countries other than the U.S. and China. There’s no doubt uncertainty will persist into the growing season. Grain prices should find good support on breaks to moderately lower levels until the fundamental structure becomes more certain. And because of the uncertainty, extreme volatility likely will persist the next one to two months. But it’s rare you have backto-back years with the bullish fundamentals as we had for the last year. That’s not to say that it couldn’t happen, but the risk is high that it won’t. And if it doesn’t, prices could be significantly lower than they are today.
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2010 crop: Corn prices rebounded on the heels of a surging wheat market. Use strength to wrap up sales, even “gambling bushels.” Hedgeto-arrive (HTA) contracts for summer delivery are the best tool, especially with the flood weighing on interior basis levels. 2011 crop: Upside potential remains open as long as December futures do not close below $6.25. But upside momentum faltered as it closed in on the $6.84 contract high. Use strength for new-crop catch-up sales. Check the Hotline frequently as we could increase sales to 50 percent at any time. Use HTAs for fall/early winter delivery for sales. Fundamentals: Weather is the key feature holding up corn prices. Planting progress has been uneven with the latest report indicating Iowa was 92 percent complete while Ohio was only 7 percent complete. The latest forecasts suggest the cool, wet pattern will continue, but that could change at any point. Meanwhile, signs continue to indicate speculative interest in commodities has waned.
Soybean Strategy 2010 crop: Even though soybean prices remain firm, new highs are unlikely unless summer weather becomes an issue. Use strength to wrap up old-crop sales. 2011 crop: The rebound in the other grains pulled November futures higher even though it closed below key support at $13.22. Prices struggle to easily move higher although November could yet test resistance at $13.75-$14. Use a rally to that area to get new-crop sales to 50 percent on a conservative yield now. We continue to prefer fall/early winter HTA contracts. Fundamentals: Perceptions that new-crop fundamentals could be relatively tight are helping support soybean and soy product prices. But the delay in plantings could shift some acreage to soybeans, and there already are indications plantings could increase in Brazil this coming year. Chi-
nese demand is expected to remain robust, but if the Chinese continue to tighten economic policy, that could fall short of current expectations.
Wheat Strategy 2011 crop: Wheat surged higher again on renewed domestic and international growing issues. Prices on the Chicago July contract cleared several key resistance points, positioning it for a possible test of the last high at $8.65. The market could strengthen into harvest if those weather problems persist. Plan to increase sales to 60 percent if Chicago
July trades near $8.60. We prefer HTA contracts, especially for winter delivery if you have the capability to store wheat. Fundamentals: The key driving force in the wheat market remains less-than-ideal growing conditions around the world. The Southern Plains have been dry since last fall with the damage being reflected in disappointing early yield reports in Texas. Dryness in France and Germany has received much attention recently. A private European analyst sees the French soft wheat output falling as much as 11.5 percent.
FarmWeek Page 12 Monday, May 23, 2011
PERSPECTIVES
Dear Abby of insect set returns with advice Dear Miss Ladybug: I’m a female Australian stick insect and my stubby little wings are absolutely useless. I mean what good are wings if you can’t use them to fly? To make matters worse, my husband has wings as long as his body, and he flutters all over the place. I don’t think this is fair, do you? — STUBBY WINGS Dear Stubby: You are a victim of sexual dimorphism in the insect world. That means that the physical attributes of male and female animals, including insects, differ beyond the obvious sexual structures. In the case of some of you stick insects, males have wings and females have very small wings or no wings at all. But thank your lucky TOM stars that your husband has TURPIN wings, because male stick insects use the ability to fly to find mates. That’s how your husband found you. I hope you consider that a good thing! Dear Miss Ladybug: I am a female aphid and have 39 sisters. My mother says that my sisters and I don’t have a father. I really can’t believe such a thing is possible. Do you think our mother is lying to us about a father? — DOUBT-
ING ANNIE APHID Dear Doubting Annie: There is no way to know for sure if your mother is telling the truth, but she probably is. You see, many aphids give birth to offspring without mating. Biologically that is known as parthenogenesis. By cutting out “the middle man” in the reproductive process, aphids can build up populations very rapidly. That is because aphid daughters like you and your daughters and granddaughters will reproduce in the same way. At least you won’t have to worry about the old dating game! Dear Miss Ladybug: The kids in school always call me old four eyes, and I don’t even wear glasses. What’s up with that? — GERTRUDE GYRINID Dear Gerty: That’s because it is true. Insects of your kind — the Gyrinidae — are whirligig beetles that swim in erratic patterns on the surface of the water. Because of where you live, it is necessary to see up into the air and down into the water so you can detect predators from above or below. Therefore, you do have four eyes: two looking up and two looking down. For you, four eyes are better than two any old day. So tell the kids you can see twice as well as they can! Dear Miss Ladybug: My mother, Lucy Lacewing, does something I don’t understand. She attaches the eggs that will hatch into my brothers and sisters
on a slender stalk that holds them above the surface of the leaf. Why does she do that? — WONDERING ABOUT MY MOTHER Dear Wondering: It’s true that most kids wonder about things that their parents do. In this case your mother has you and your siblings’ best interests in mind. That is because lacewing larvae are predators on insects, including their brothers and sisters. So placing eggs on a stalk keeps them from being eaten by a brother or sister before they hatch. Your mother is just trying to give her kids a fighting chance when it comes to the ultimate in sibling rivalry! Dear Miss Ladybug: I’m a male firefly who was cruising around the other night blinking my light and looking for love. Suddenly a female firefly was repeating my flashing pattern — I blink three times — from the leaf of a plant. I landed and was brutally attacked by that woman. I managed to escape, but now I am afraid to go seeking my true love. What should I do? –CALL ME LUCKY Dear Lucky: Lucky indeed. You were the
victim of the so-called “femme fatale” of the firefly world. Female fireflies of this predatory species mimic the flashing pattern of males of other species, and when the male lands, he becomes a meal, not a mate! Just remember that all is fair in love and war. Note to Danny Dung Beetle: Don’t complain about the taste of your food. Just be thankful you have something to eat, and please don’t talk with your mouth full! Tom Turpin is an entomology professor at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind. His e-mail address is turpin@purdue.edu.
It’s not our father’s corn planting equipment or experience I recently returned from our farm and planting corn and soybeans. After a month of rain, it finally dried up, and the corn is in the ground now. I have farmer friends in the eastern Corn Belt who can’t get anything done — it’s just too wet. I really JOHN feel sorry for BLOCK those who are flooded along the Mississippi River.
As I watched our 32-row corn planter eat up the acres, I couldn’t help but recall as a boy watching my father plant our corn with two old horses pulling a two-row planter. He planted 100 acres of corn in a week. We just planted 2,400 acres of corn in a week. When I was a boy, we didn’t have chemicals to control weeds. We “checked” our corn, which required a wire stretched from one end of the field to the other. The wire had clips every 42 inches that triggered
the seed to drop. That made it possible to cultivate the field, not only with the row, but also to cross the field. Weeds were a terrible problem and this helped. Our yields were less than one fourth of what they are today. Farming is not the same. Today, we have better seeds, better machinery, better crop protection. And we have fewer farmers. We are so efficient, we don’t need the labor. Some will criticize modern agriculture as “factory farming.” You can call it what you want,
but it is progress. We make fewer trips across the field; we use less fuel. We use less labor — and we get much better yields. Perhaps the factory comparison is not all wrong. Our factories in this country employ fewer workers and put out more cars and tractors with much less labor. That just frees up more people to work on the Internet or something else. Just think about this. Our farmers and ranchers are competing against farms in Brazil and Europe and Russia. We have to be good or we’ll
lose the race. That’s the same as our car manufacturing companies competing against Japan, Germany, and Korea. It’s global competition, and we intend to win. I’m hopeful that we’ll have a good crop this year. It’s in God’s hands now. John Block of Gilson, a U.S. agriculture secretary in the Reagan administration, is a senior policy adviser with the Washington, D.C., firm of Olsson, Frank, Weeda, and Terman. His e-mail address is jblock@ofwlaw.com.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Objects to wording of FarmWeek article Editor: I object to the wording in your (April 18) article “Proposed dairy wins court case; future still uncertain.” The Illinois Supreme Court did not uphold the decision of the appellate court rendered in December. Bos (Traditions Dairy in Jo Daviess County) was not even a part of our appeal for standing. The Illinois Supreme Court only takes on about 5 percent of the appeals submitted to it, and HOMES’ (Helping Others Maintain Environmental Standards) appeal for standing was not chosen. Thus, there were no decisions made one way or the other. Without the Supreme Court
reviewing the case, there could be no precedent set for the livestock industry. It is alarming to me that we the taxpayers, citizens of Illinois and the United States are people with no standing, and without the right of standing, there are no checks and balances in government. KATHY HICKS, Warren
Winning GROWMARK essay a real winner Editor: I am writing in regard to the article “Where would you be without agriculture?” by Keirra DeCamp on the back page of the May 16 issue. That informative article should be placed in non-farm publications for those who
don’t realize what the ag industry supplies to the world. Please find a way to have that appear elsewhere. It is outstanding! MARY L. FLENNIKEN, Bement
‘Small-size farmers’ backbone of agriculture Editor: Recently I read a letter to the editor in one of your FarmWeek papers by Carl Toohill of LeRoy. Mr. Toohill was completely right about the biggest problem facing “small size farmers.” I wish he would send this letter to all the farm magazines and get the word spread that there are farmers who can do an efficient and good job with-
out being the so-called “big” farmers. They just need someone to give them a chance. These small farmers are the backbone of agriculture, as Mr. Toohill said. They are the men and families who are involved in their communities, local govern-
ment, local elevators, churches, and schools, and support area businesses. Hopefully, the word can get to landlords and/or farm managers that they could possibly rent to a smaller farmer. DONNA STEINER, Buckley
Letter policy Letters are limited to 300 words and must include a name and address. FarmWeek reserves the right to reject any letter and will not publish political endorsements. All letters are subject to editing, and only an original with a written signature and complete address will be accepted.
A daytime telephone number is required for verification, but will not be published. Only one letter per writer will be accepted in a 60-day period. Typed letters are preferred. Send letters to: FarmWeek Letters 1701 Towanda Ave. Bloomington, Ill., 61701