Farmweek october 6, 2014 by Illinois Farm Bureau

Details about new state CAFO rules will be the subject of seven meetings co-sponsored by IFB. page 2

Monday, October 6, 2014

Grab a pair of mud boots! The October forecast calls for wetter than average conditions. page 4

Nearly 3,000 Farm Bureau members participated in a social media WOTUS day of action. page 3

HARVESTING AMOUNTS TO MORE THAN A HILL OF BEANS

Two sections Volume 42, No. 40

Linda Borngasser combines soybeans in a 160-acre field near Sabina in McLean County. Her husband, Bob, waits in the tractor for another load yielding about 67 bushels per acre — a little below average due to recent excessive rain. Moisture averaged 11.5 percent. The Borngassers have harvested 250 acres of soybeans and 150 acres of corn. Corn yields have been above average. Watch a soybean harvest video at {facebook.com/illfarmbureau}. (Photo by Ken Kashian)

USDA sets deadlines to make farm bill program decisions

BY DEANA STROISCH FarmWeek

Periodicals: Time Valued

USDA last week clarified how much time farmers and landowners have to update payment yields and reallocate base acreage allowed under the 2014 farm bill. The official enrollment periods include: • Sept. 29 through Feb. 27, 2015: Update payment yields and reallocate base

acreage. However, employees at Illinois Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices won’t be trained — or have the software they need — until after Thursday. • Nov. 17 through March 31, 2015: Select Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC). Those who don’t make a decision will automatically be enrolled in PLC. Illinois Farm Bureau’s Doug Yoder said the deadlines give farmers plenty of time to make decisions. “I think that puts farmers’ minds at ease that they don’t have to rush and get anything done now,” said Yoder, senior director of affiliate and risk management. “We’ve got time.” Online tools developed by three universities, including the University of Illinois, can help farmers project what each program will mean under different scenarios. The tools also will help farmers decide whether it’s worth updating their yield information. Find the tools at {www.fsa. usda.gov/arc-plc}. Yoder said IFB can help farmers use the tools to analyze their options. IFB also

‘I think that puts farmers’ minds at ease that they don’t have to rush and get anything done now.’ — Doug Yoder IFB senior director of affiliate and risk management

plans to hold webinars and face-to-face meetings with farmers this winter. Signed into law in February, the Agricultural Act of 2014 sets agricultural and nutrition policy for the next five years. The bill eliminates direct payments and modifies the target price program, replacing the Counter-Cyclical Payment (CCP) program with PLC. The bill also changes the revenue safety nets, replacing Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) with two ARC options — County ARC and Individual Farm ARC. Those who don’t make a decision will automatically be enrolled in PLC.

All programs make payments on base acres. A farm’s total base acres cannot be increased, but farmers can keep the current base acres or reallocate base acres across program crops based on the actual program crops planted in 2009-12 years. Farmers also can update payment yields to 90 percent of the average yields from 2008-12 or keep their current payment yields at levels used in 2008 farm bill counter-cyclical payments. Updated payment yields are only used to calculate PLC. Both revenue safety net options will use payment yield established in the 2008 farm bill. www.facebook.com/illfarmbureau

Quick Takes

FarmWeek • Page 2 • Monday, October 6, 2014

DISREGARD IRRIGATION REPORTING FORMS — The Illinois State Water Survey recently inadvertently sent water use reporting forms to some agricultural irrigators. As agricultural irrigation reporting does not begin until 2015, irrigators who received those forms should feel free to disregard them.

EQIP APPLICATION DEADLINES — While farmers can sign up for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) any time, they should mark Nov. 21 and Jan. 16 on their calendars. Farmers who sign up by those deadlines can compete for upcoming funding aimed at addressing soil erosion and water quality issues on cropland as well as grazing land operations, confined livestock operations, organic operations and wildlife habitat improvement. In addition to conservation practices, EQIP provides funding for development of plans, such as Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans, Grazing Plans, Drainage Water Management Plans and others. Farmers interested in EQIP should submit a signed application (NRCS-CPA-1200 form) to their local Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) field office. For more information, contact the local NRCS field office or visit {www.il.nrcs.usda.gov}. CROP PRODUCTION WEBINAR SET — AgriVisor analysts will break down the October USDA Crop Production and world agricultural supply/demand estimate reports during an 11:30 a.m. webinar Friday. Learn about potential impacts the reports will have on grain markets. Register at {https://www2.gotomeeting.com/ register/124184226}. Registered participants will receive a confirmation email containing webinar information.

‘FARMLAND’ AVAILABLE ON HULU — “Farmland,” a documentary produced by Academy Award-winning filmmaker James Moll, will be available for viewing on Hulu during October. The U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) provided funding to Moll to produce the movie. Illinois Farm Bureau is an affiliate of USFRA. The movie, which examines the lives of six young U.S. farmers and ranchers, can be viewed on Hulu, the free, online video service, and Hulu Plus, a fee-based subscription service. Via Hulu, “Farmland” can be viewed on Internetconnected TVs, Blu-ray players, gaming consoles, laptops, tablets and mobile devices. USFRA has been working with Farm Bureau and others to develop opportunities to screen the film on college campuses, in local communities by county organizations and in junior and senior high schools. DVDs and other materials for those additional screening opportunities may be available in early 2015.

(ISSN0197-6680) Vol. 42 No. 40 October 6, 2014 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 goes toward the production of FarmWeek. “Farm, Family, Food” is used under license of the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation.

Address subscription and advertising questions to FarmWeek, P.O. Box 2901, Bloomington, IL 61702-2901. Periodicals postage paid at Bloomington, Illinois, and at an additional mailing office. POSTMASTER: Send change of address notices on Form 3579 to FarmWeek, P.O. Box 2901, Bloomington, IL 61702-2901. Farm Bureau members should send change of addresses to their local county Farm Bureau. © 2014 Illinois Agricultural Association

STAFF Editor Chris Anderson (canderson@ilfb.org) Legislative Affairs Editor Kay Shipman (kayship@ilfb.org) Agricultural Affairs Editor Deana Stroisch (dstroisch@ilfb.org) Senior Commodities Editor Daniel Grant (dgrant@ilfb.org) Editorial Assistant Margie Fraley (mfraley@ilfb.org) Business Production Manager Bob Standard (bstandard@ilfb.org) Advertising Sales Manager Richard Verdery (rverdery@ilfb.org) Classified sales coordinator Nan Fannin (nfannin@ilfb.org) Director of News and Communications Michael L. Orso (morso@ilfb.org) Advertising Sales Representatives Hurst and Associates, Inc. P.O. Box 6011, Vernon Hills, IL 60061 1-800-397-8908 (advertising inquiries only) Gary White - Northern Illinois Doug McDaniel - Southern Illinois Editorial phone number: 309-557-2239 Classified advertising: 309-557-3155 Display advertising: 1-800-676-2353

IFB, IPPA hosting informational meetings on new CAFO rules meeting date. Information will be presented from 4 to 6 p.m., followed by a meal at 6:30 p.m. Dates, locations and registration information are: • Nov. 10, Pike County Farm Bureau, 1301 E. Washington, Pittsfield, call 217-2852233 or email office@pikecfb. org; • Nov. 12, Sangamon County Farm Bureau, 2631 Beechler Court, Springfield, call 217753-5200 or email amason@ sangamonfb.org; • Nov. 13, Nashville Community Center, 455 S. Washington St., Nashville, call Washington County Farm Bureau at 618-327-3081; • Nov. 17, Effingham

Knights of Columbus Hall, 1501 W. Fayette Ave., Effingham, call Effingham County Farm Bureau at 217-342-2103 or email ecfbmgr@consolidat ed.net; • Nov. 18, Knox Agri Center, 180 S. Soangetaha Road, Suite 101, Galesburg, call Knox County Farm Bureau at 309-342-2036 or visit knoxcfb. org; • Nov. 19, DeKalb County Farm Bureau, 1350 W. Prairie Drive, Sycamore, call 815-7562345; and • Nov. 20, Evergreen FS auditorium, 402 N. Hershey Road, Bloomington, call McLean County Farm Bureau at 309-663-6497 or email anna@mcfb.org.

pating meat processors for processing donated deer given to food banks and charities. However, the federal dollars for processing reimbursement hinge on a need to reduce deer population, McCloud explained. Deer hunted in any of the 35 “open” late-winter season counties, any of the 12 counties open for a chronic wasting disease season or any counties open for antlerless only season remain eligible for processing reimbursement of $50. Visit {www.dnr.illinois.gov/pro grams/ISAH/Documents/ SportsmenAgainstHungerMap. pdf}for a map of eligible counties. Deer hunted in an

“open” county may be taken to a participating meat processor in any county, and the processing would be eligible for $50 reimbursement, according to McCloud. Hunters may donate deer hunted in an ineligible county, but would have to pay for processing at a participating meat processor, McCloud said. Individuals also may donate money toward processing of deer into 2-pound packages of venison burger. All monetary donations are tax deductible. For general information about Sportsmen Against Hunger, visit {www.dnr.illinois. gov/programs/ISAH/Pages/ default.aspx}.

Farm Bureau members interested in emerging issues in agriculture have until Oct. 21 to submit applications for the Illinois Farm Bureau Strength with Advisory Teams (SWAT). The three SWAT advisory teams are: Farming Production and Marketing, Local and State Government and Conservation and Natural Resources. Teams will identify emerging issues and provide input to the IFB Board of Directors on issues related to farmers, production practices, rural life

and other agricultural-related areas. The three teams will guide and direct IFB as the members become experts on specific issues, regulations and legislation on which they are focused. Each team consists of 12 Farm Bureau members, an IFB board member and a county

Farm Bureau manager. The manager serves in an advisory capacity. Team members will be appointed to two-year terms. The teams meet four times a year for one-day meetings. The first meeting will be Jan. 29. Applicants who aren’t selected for a team may participate in an advisory capacity as indicated by selecting specific issues on the application form. For information, contact your county Farm Bureau, call IFB at 309-557-3929 or visit {ilfb.org/swat}.

Attendees of Thursday’s Midwest Energy International Symposium will learn about building and expanding critical infrastructure. The symposium gets under way at 7:45 a.m. and concludes at 3 p.m. at the Quad-Cities Waterfront Convention Center in Bettendorf, Iowa.

Speakers and panelists will provide information and insights regarding energy exports including ethanol, biodiesel, bio jet fuels, and the supply chains and logistics for fuel transport systems, including the trucking, railroad and water transport industries. Gong Ping Yeh, Ph.D, Fer-

milab, United States Department of Energy, will be the featured keynote speaker. Cost is $100 and includes breakfast and lunch. For a schedule and registration information, contact Landmark Solutions at 309-236-5019 or visit {midwestenergy.wix.com/ mwenergysymposium}.

Livestock farmers will hear details of the new state rules for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) at seven informational meetings next month hosted by the Illinois Farm Bureau and Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA). It is important to note that portions of the updated rules impact all livestock farms — not just those required to obtain National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. The meetings are open to all farmers. There is no charge, but reservations are required at least one week prior to the

IDNR deer hunting changes altering reimbursement of venison donations

BY KAY SHIPMAN FarmWeek

Illinois deer hunters may continue to donate deer for food banks and charities. However, deer hunting season changes altered eligibility for reimbursement of venison processing, according to Chris McCloud, communication director for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). In July, IDNR announced deer populations reached state target levels in 20 counties and closed late-winter deer season in those counties. Another 32 counties already were closed to the late-winter season. IDNR reimburses partici-

Applicants sought for issue advisory teams

Midwest energy symposium set Thursday

Thousands participate in ‘waters of the U.S.’ social media blitz

Page 3 • Monday, October 6, 2014 • FarmWeek

Absentee, early voting options to cast ballot ELECTION 2014

BY KAY SHIPMAN FarmWeek

Nov. 4 not work for your schedule? No worries. Registered voters may choose to vote by absentee ballot or participate in early voting. Early voting starts Oct. 20 and continues through Nov. 2, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections. Individuals interested in early voting need to check with local election authorities for polling places and early voting hours at each location. Early voting polling locations may be obtained online by visiting {elections.state.il.us/votinginforma tion/earlyvotinglocations.aspx} and entering either a county or city election authority.

Votes cast during early voting will not be counted until after the polls close Nov. 4. Voting by absentee ballot offers another option to vote in the fall general election. Individuals applying for an absentee ballot face two deadlines. Election authorities must receive an absentee ballot application in the mail by Oct. 30. They must receive an application in person by Nov. 3. All absentee ballots must be posted by midnight Nov. 3 and must be received within 14 days of the election. Absentee voting information may be found online by visiting {elections.il.gov/downloads/ electioninformation/pdf/absevote.pdf}.

Governors’ Biofuels Coalition urges White House to change RFS proposal

BY DEANA STROISCH FarmWeek

Saying the change would threaten the rural economy and biofuels industry, Gov. Pat Quinn joined Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad last week in calling on the White House to modify proposed 2014 volume requirements for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Quinn serves as chairman of the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition. Branstad serves as vice chairman. “The EPA’s (Environmental Protection Agency) proposed volume cuts for biodiesel are creating turmoil, resulting in production cutbacks and layoffs,” the governors wrote to Shaun Donovan, head of the White House Office of Budget and Management (OBM). “More

than halfway through the year, many jobs are in jeopardy and many biodiesel plants have been negatively impacted. This comes at a time when corn yields are expected to be very high. Farmers are more than able to meet the demand that Congress envisioned when it passed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.” Last year, EPA proposed the renewable fuel mandate in the RFS be lowered from 14.4 billion gallons to 13 billion gallons. The advanced fuel mandate, including biodiesel and E85 fuel, would drop from 3.75 billion gallons to 2.2 billion gallons. In late August, EPA sent its final proposed volume obligations to OBM for review.

The governors said the proposed rule has already discouraged new investment in the cellulosic ethanol industry and threatens new plants ready to go into commercial production. “The dramatic expansion of biofuels and domestic shale oil production over the past five years, combined with increased auto efficiency, means that the United States is within reach of an energy secure future for the first time in over 40 years,” they wrote. “Amending the proposed rule to one that will build and restore America’s robust leadership in the development and production of domestically produced renewable fuels is crucial in ensuring a successful future in rural America.”

Anhydrous safety training available online for farmers, employees to refresh skills

BY KAY SHIPMAN FarmWeek

Illinois Farm Bureau recommends farmers and their employees test their anhydrous ammonia knowledge with a free online safety video program. The video is available on the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association (IFCA) website at {learning.ifca.com}. The Illinois Nutrient Research and Education Council funded the voluntary project through a grant. The council receives money from a 75-cent assessment per ton of fertilizer sold. In addition to viewing the video, individuals will receive a practice quiz after each of the five training modules and a final test. After successfully completing the training,

each participant will be emailed a completion certificate. Most individuals already know much of the information, but the assessment reinforces that knowledge. IFCA worked on the project with Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Corn Growers Association and the Illinois Department of Agriculture. The training program takes about an hour to complete and involves answering about 20 questions. Individuals may stop the program and return without having to start at the beginning. Those taking the training program should submit their names and email addresses so they can receive certificates.

BY DEANA STROISCH FarmWeek

Farm Bureau members across the country used social media recently to oppose the proposed “waters of the U.S.” rule. The social media “day of action” Sept. 26 featured three Twitter hashtags: #DitchTheRule, #ReadTheFinePrint and #WOTUS. American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) reported the following results: • Participants used #DitchTheRule in 2,226 tweets by 826 individuals, reached 6.6 million timelines and had a total audience reach of more than 1.6 million between Friday and Monday. • Participants used #WOTUS in 562 tweets by 263 individuals, reached more than 1.6 million timelines and had a total reach of 525,621 between Friday and Monday. Some of the tweets included: American Farm Bureau @FarmBureau Sep 26 Congress, not federal agencies such as @EPA, make laws. #ReadTheFinePrint http://bit.ly/1mlKUDA #DitchTheRule

Justin Schneider @ifbjustin Sep 26 Want to know what the @EPA water rule means for you? #ReadTheFinePrint http://ow.ly/BWgHD #DitchTheRule

Chris Chinn @chrischinn Sep 26 Have you farmed the same land since 1977? If the answer is no, #ReadtheFinePrint here: http://bit.ly/1mlKUDA #DitchtheRule

Lynne Finnerty @lynnefinnerty Sep 26 All farms-small, big, organic, conventional, will be hurt by #WOTUS. #ReadtheFinePrint #DitchtheRule

Illinois Farm Bureau @ILFarmBureau Sep 26 Proposed EPA rule is not just a problem for farmers. It’s everyone’s problem. Join the fight: http://bit.ly/1i2eRWU #DitchTheRule

Zach Hunnicutt @zjhunn Sep 26 Clean water? Good. @EPA’s water rule? More about land use control than water. http://bit.ly/1mlKUDA #ditchtherule #ReadtheFinePrint

Cook Co. Farm Bureau @CookCFB Sep 26 We need to make a united stand! #DitchtheRule #WOTUS http://www.ditchtherule.fb.org

Sara Payne @IowaFarmBureau Sep 26 You look at your yard & see ... a yard. @EPA may see “streams” to regulate. http://bit.ly/1ysTQMD #DitchTheRule #ReadTheFinePrint

SBA to EPA: Withdraw proposed rule The Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Office of Advocacy last week joined a growing number of groups opposed to a proposed rule defining “waters of the U.S.” Advocacy, an independent office within SBA, recommended the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps of Engineers withdraw the proposed rule and instead conduct a Small Business Advocacy Review panel before proceeding. The office said the agencies improperly certified the rule and that: • the agencies used an incorrect baseline for determining their obligations under the Regulatory Flexibility Act. • the rule would have a significant economic impact on small businesses. “Advocacy and small business-

es are extremely concerned about the rule as proposed,” SBA Advocacy officials wrote last week. “The rule will have a direct and potentially costly impact on small businesses. The limited economic analysis which the agencies submitted with the rule provides ample evidence of a potentially significant economic impact.” American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman said he wasn’t surprised by Advocacy’s comments. “The EPA has been heedless and cavalier in its disregard for the American farmers who would be most affected by this unworkable proposal,” he said. “We agree with SBA Advocacy that EPA failed in its obligation to consult with small business owners — in our case, family farms — that would be most seriously impacted by the rule.” — Deana Stroisch

Rain returned last week just as harvest revs up

FarmWeek • Page 4 • Monday, October 6, 2014

BY DANIEL GRANT FarmWeek

Many farmers who delayed harvest last month due to moist conditions put the brakes on again late last week. A cold front and accompanying rain moved into the state Wednesday night and Thursday to end a stretch of previously prime harvest weather. “We’re always concerned about (weather delays) during harvest,” said Mike Haag, a farmer from Emington (Livingston County). “At least the corn did dry down a lot the last couple of weeks.” Haag harvested corn at about 20 to 21 percent moisture Thursday just as rain began falling on his farm. “I’m probably more concerned about (potential) high winds,” as opposed to the rain, Haag said. “I don’t really want to pick this crop off the ground if I don’t have to.” Todd Dail, a farmer from Erie (Whiteside County) began corn harvest last week and reported grain moisture

in the low 20s. “The corn is still pretty wet, but it’s drying down fast,” he said. “We’re looking at some excellent yields.” Statewide, corn harvest the first of last week was just 14 percent complete compared to the five-year average of 34 percent. Farmers as of the first of last week cut 7 percent of beans compared to the average of 13 percent. “Corn has been at least as good or better than we expected, yield-wise,” Haag said. “Beans, I think, are above average, but would have been exceptional if not for (patches of) sudden death syndrome and a little white mold.” The majority of corn harvest thus far (44 percent) occurred in the southwest portion of the state where rains have been lighter and less frequent. “The harvest of corn and beans is in full swing,” said Dean Shields, a FarmWeek CropWatcher from Murphysboro (Jackson County). In fact, more rain would

be welcome in parts of southern Illinois to help start the winter wheat crop. “I would imagine that if it rains, some people may start

sowing wheat,” he said. Once corn and soybean harvest kicks back into high gear, field conditions and grain dryer capacity could

determine the pace. “We’re expecting a good fall,” Haag added. “The lines at the elevator will be what tells the story.”

October could be another wet month

Farmers anxious to turn the page on September weather, which was cooler and wetter than average, unfortunately could experience more of the same in the weeks ahead. The weather outlook for October calls for another wetter than average month in Illinois and much of the Corn Belt, according to Jim Angel, state climatologist with the Illinois State Water Survey. “The 6-to-10 day and 8-to-14 day forecasts are showing cool and wet across Illinois and much of the Corn Belt,” Angel said late last week. “And the overall outlook for October is wetter than average. It’s, maybe, not good news for harvest.” Harvest delays were widespread last month. Average precipitation across the state totaled 4.12 inches, about an inch above normal. Rainfall last month was particularly heavy in parts of central and western Illinois, where 6 to 9 inches was a common range of precipitation in a large area from Quincy to Springfield and east. Rainfall in Beardstown last month totaled a whopping 10.7 inches. “That’s a lot of rain at a time of year we don’t need much,” Angel said.

Topsoil moisture, prior to more midweek storms last week, was rated 80 percent adequate, 10 percent surplus and just 10 percent short in Illinois. The driest areas last month were located in the southernmost and northernmost reaches of the state where rainfall totaled between 1 and 2 inches. “Southern Illinois, where (farmers) are more likely to plant wheat, has been drier (than most of the rest of the state), so hopefully they’re further along (with fieldwork) there,” Angel said. After a recent warm, dry stretch at the end of September and beginning of October (which didn’t qualify as an “Indian summer” due to a lack of a widespread killing frost), it appears temperatures will be chillier most of this month. The high temperature plunged about 15 to 20 degrees late last week. “This may be the last of the warm weather for a while,” Angel said. “There’s supposed to be more fall-like weather conditions.” The statewide temperature last month averaged about 1.5 degrees below normal. — Daniel Grant

Harvest expectations overshadow ‘shockingly’ low bean stocks

BY DANIEL GRANT FarmWeek

USDA surprised traders last week when it ratcheted its estimate for old-crop soybean stocks all the way down to 92 million bushels. That represents the smallest inventory of soybeans at the end of a crop year since the early 1970s, according to authors of the CME Group’s Daily Livestock Report, who referred to the stocks number as “shockingly small.” The average pre-report estimate pegged ending soybean stocks at about 126 million bushels. “When you look at the soybean number, it’s pretty surprising,” Randy Martinson, Progressive Ag market analyst, told FarmWeek. “It’s about 38 million bushels less than anticipated.” USDA also raised 2013 soybean production, which means some type of upward adjustment in exports or crush should emerge in this Friday’s monthly world supply and demand report. “We should see a significant increase in demand when we start looking at October supply and demand numbers,” Martinson said. “That was friendly old-crop beans,” he continued. “The trouble is, we’re pretty much done with oldcrop beans. We’re looking more at the new crop. The trade is anticipating a pretty large crop at this point.” USDA currently projects record crop production this year of 3.913 billion bushels of beans and 14.395 billion bushels of corn. Sept. 1 corn stocks were pegged at 1.236 billion bushels, which was somewhat higher than the average pre-report estimate of about 1.185 billion bushels. “Corn futures are approaching long-term support at $3 per bushel pretty rapidly,” authors of the Daily Livestock Report noted. “That support dates back to 2009.” Greg Wagner, of GWX Ag Advisors, noted in a webinar hosted by the CME Group that big crops this fall will continue to pressure prices. “We are looking at a very burdensome supply of corn coupled with a lot of record wheat production around the world,” Wagner said. USDA, in its small grains summary report, also

surprised traders by boosting its spring wheat production estimate to 601 million bushels, about 20 million more bushels than anticipated and up 12 percent from a year ago. Winter wheat production totals 1.38 billion bushels, down 11 percent from a year ago, according to USDA. In Illinois, the wheat yield this year tied last year’s record of 67 bushels per acre. However, a decline in

harvested acres (670,000 this year compared to 840,000 a year ago) led to a 20 percent decline in wheat production statewide, which totaled 44.9 million bushels this year. Illinois farmers this year also harvested 25,000 acres of oats, unchanged from a year ago, with an average yield of 80 bushels per acre, up 11 bushels from last year.

BARN TOUR VISITS SCHOOLS

Third graders at Cantrall Elementary School in Sangamon County meet farm animals during a recent Sangamon County Farm Bureau Barn Tour. Carrie Winkelmann, county Farm Bureau ag literacy coordinator, left, introduces students to Speedy the goat, while Ashley Beutke, county Farm Bureau assistant manager and communications specialist, talks about rabbit care. The barn tour, which operates each spring and fall, stopped at nine schools. (Photo by Ken Kashian)

Illinois swine estimates point to future herd growth

Page 5 • Monday, October 6, 2014 • FarmWeek

BY DANIEL GRANT FarmWeek

The squeal of baby pigs may become more common in Illinois in the months to come. After dealing with high feed prices in recent years and increased herd disease pressure last winter and spring, it appears some pork producers in the state are ready to expand. The inventory of all hogs and pigs in Illinois as of Sept. 1 (4.55 million head) was down 1 percent from last year, but up 6 percent since June 1. The statewide breeding inventory (510,000 head) also increased from the previous quarter by 10,000 head, up 2 percent from a year ago. “All the signals are there (to expand hog production in Illinois),” said Nic Anderson, business developer for the Illinois

Livestock Development Group. “A lot of folks were waiting through the summer to see how the corn crop ends up,” he continued. Impressive yields so far this harvest provide “positive reinforcement (pork producers) should start to scale up.” Todd Dail, a multigenerational hog farmer from Erie (Whiteside County) and president of the Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA), believes hog farmers could expand, but remains concerned about the threat of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV). The rate of baby pig death losses due to PEDV peaked at 6 to 8 percent last winter but declined to 2 to 3 percent in recent months. “I think there’s a lot of interest in expansion,” Dail said. “But people are apprehensive that when (the tempera-

State Rep. Laura Fine, second from left, D-Glenview, and one of her sons listen to Logan County Farm Bureau Director Dave Opperman recently during the “adopted” legislator’s farm tour. Looking on left to right are Logan County Farm Bureau Manager Jim Drew and Logan County Farm Bureau Director Gary Atteberry. (Photo by Christina Nourie)

Logan County hosts Fine, family for ag tour

State Rep. Laura Fine, DGlenview, along with her husband and two teenaged sons, recently traveled to Logan County to spend the day learning about agriculture. Logan County Farm Bureau was matched with the representative in 2013 through Illinois Farm Bureau’s Adopt-aLegislator program. She hosted county Farm Bureau leaders for a tour of her district last summer. Fine and her family joined several Logan County Farm Bureau board members to tour John and Ann Olson’s grain farm. The urban visitors experienced their first ride in a combine. They enjoyed learning about how the combine and harvesting process works, and the work that goes into running a grain farm. The representative and several farmers also had an in-depth discussion about the safety and use of genetically modified BY CHRISTINA NOURIE

organisms (GMOs) and the challenges of mandatory GMO labeling. She mentioned GMOs are an issue that comes up in her district, and she appreciated learning more about them from her adopted farmers. After a meal served in the Olson’s shed, the tour group headed to Wayne Hanner’s cattle farm. The representative and her family saw black Angus cattle up close and learned about their care, feeding and marketing. Representative Fine and her family enjoyed their day and appreciated so many farmers attending the visit. The representative expressed interest in bringing a group of constituents down to Logan County sometime next year to give them the opportunity to learn more about how their food is grown and talk directly with farmers on issues, such as livestock care and GMOs. Christina Nourie serves as IFB northeast legislative coordinator.

ture) cools down this fall, we’ll see more incidents of PEDV.” Dail, who operates a 1,200 sow, farrow-to-finish operation with his father, Max, remains fortunate to avoid a PEDV outbreak on their farm to this point. “We’ve got a closed system, which I think helps (biosecurity),” Dail said. “We grind our own feed, truck in our own ingredients and haul all our pigs to market.” Chris Hurt, Purdue University Extension economist, believes pork production will grow in the coming year even if producers don’t expand herds a great deal. “It’s easy to understand the incentives producers have to expand, given record profits this summer, high hog prices and low feed prices due to huge fall crop production,” Hurt said.

“More pork will be coming from more pigs per litter (due in part to improved management and use of vaccines to combat PEDV), more farrowings and by more weight in the near term,” he continued. “The farrowing expansion this fall will increase pork supplies toward a 4 percent increase next spring and 5 percent greater pork supplies by next summer.” Hurt estimated profits for farrowto-finish producers this year will average $60 per head and could average $30 per head next year despite the possibility of larger pork supplies. With the possibility of greater pork production, Dail emphasizes the need for IPPA to continue to expand its urban/consumer outreach efforts as well as a push to maintain and expand trade.

Milk prices rally to set new high

The Class III price for milk adjusted to 3.5 percent butterfat for the month of August was announced at $24.60 per hundredweight. This represents a new all-time high for Class III prices and posts a gain of $2.35 over the previous month’s announcement. Milk production has been tight due to the humid weather during the latter half of August, and cows have been slow to recover some of that lost production. Exports continue to be very strong, adding fuel to the fire. Corn silage harvest has been exceptional.

Nearly perfect growing weather this summer has allowed the corn plant to develop a high-yielding, topnotch nutritional profile. Hot, humid weather has not only challenged the dairy farmer’s ability to put up decent hay, it has placed stress on milking cows. Cattle do not like the warmer, humid weather, and dairy farmers’ bulk tanks show the effects of this weather phenomenon. Milk production has suffered during this spell of humid weather, resulting in higher prices due to the miss-

ing milk. Dairymen hope the pounds come back this week as more seasonal weather prevails.

How Does Farm Credit Promote Ag Safety? One Meal and One Safety Kit at a Time.

At Farm Credit Illinois, your safety is our concern. That’s why we sponsor “Meals in the Field,” an outreach effort to deliver lunches and safety information to hundreds of farmers during National Farm Safety & Health Week.

Farm safety is everyone’s business.

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FarmWeek • Page 6 • Monday, October 6, 2014 Bernie Walsh, Durand, Winnebago County: Harvest is under way here in Winnebago County. Early soybeans are ready and under 13 percent moisture with above average yields. The numbers I have been hearing are all the way from the low 50s to mid-70 bushels per acre. Once again, the better ground is yielding much better. Very little corn has been harvested, but the early yield reports are very good. Most of the corn is in the high 20 percent moisture range, except for some early corn, planted early, that is down around the low 20s. We had some light rain Friday. Have a safe week. Pete Tekampe, Grayslake, Lake County: It was a great week in Lake County until Thursday. It started drizzling, and overnight we received 1.6 inches of rain. It was still raining Friday morning and showers were forecast for the next four days with temperatures dropping. Not good weather for drying beans or harvesting. Beans are almost ready, except for the low spots, which are still green. I think we will have to leave those spots for later. No beans were cut in our area. Corn is drying and looking good. I don’t think any wheat has been planted yet. Remember to be careful. Leroy Getz, Savanna, Carroll County: September rain totaled 3 inches. We only had a dust settler Thursday. Combines have rolled with many acres of soybeans done. Yields have been very good. Corn is drying with some as low as 22 percent and other fields still very green. We have not started yet, but combines running on early varieties are reporting yields well into the 200-bushel range. Tillage is following as fast as possible. Ryan Frieders, Waterman, DeKalb County: The week of nice weather ended with an inch of rain falling and cooler temperatures. Soybean harvest began with early beans ready to go. Some corn has also been harvested with moisture levels in the mid to high 20s. Yields have been good so far. The forecast calls for more rain and cold for the next week, so we will see what transpires. Larry Hummel, Dixon, Lee County: Thursday’s showers put an end to the good start on soybean harvest here in northern Illinois. We were able to get started Monday and except for a small breakdown Tuesday, things were moving along nicely. What we have harvested so far is averaging just under 60 bushels per acre. Most of the yields I have heard are in the 50s and 60s, and the highest was at 72 bushels. Corn harvest is practically nonexistent. A few have poked into the field with a combine only to find moisture levels close to the 30 percent mark. Did you see FC Stone’s estimate for the average corn yield in Illinois? 221 bushels — wow! As I recall, we set a record last year at 178 bushels. That’s a 24 percent increase over the largest crop we have ever grown. I think someone got into the medical marijuana a little too soon. Ken Reinhardt, Seaton, Mercer County: After a couple of days of hit and miss showers, we finally got 1.2 inches of rain overnight Thursday. Corn and soybean harvest got started in earnest last week. I haven’t heard any complaints on yields, other than some bad sudden death in soybeans. The 80-degree temperatures early in the week dried both crops significantly. There are many acres of cover crops being tried, and they are off to a good start this fall. Ron Moore, Roseville, Warren County: We received 1.5 inches of rain Thursday. It put a stop to harvest. Everyone seems to be harvesting now. The corn yields are still very good and the soybeans are in the upper 50s to 60s. Some tillage is going on and fertilizer is being applied. Not enough beans have been harvested to put any NH3 on. It is still too warm as well. The forecast for this week is for more rain. Let’s hope it doesn’t set in and be a wet October. Jacob Streitmatter, Princeville, Peoria County: Harvest started around the area. Yields are pretty decent. Soybeans are green and hard to cut, though. I had my second child last Saturday, a baby boy. Mom and baby doing great.

Mark Kerber, Chatsworth, Livingston County: October is here and harvest was in full swing, only to be rained out. Heavy rains will mud up the fields for a while. We had three days of soybean combining after all of the 80-degree days ripened the beans faster than anticipated. Yields on soybeans are the best I’ve ever seen in 40 years of farming. Prices are reflecting this. Corn is drying down some. This cold, wet weather will slow up moisture loss. Early reports of corn yields seem to be pretty good also. Farmers are shopping around for fertilizer prices as they tighten their belts some compared to the last few years. Ron Haase, Gilman, Iroquois County: Harvest continued at a faster pace this week, but not everyone has started, including our operation. Rain brought harvest to a halt Thursday. In the last 24 hours, we have received 3.2 inches of rain, and it is still raining. The yields I have heard on soybeans have been more than 60 bushels per acre. The yields I have heard on corn are more than 200 bushels per acre. Local prices for Oct. 2 closed at $2.83 for nearby corn and $8.86 for nearby soybeans. Brian Schaumburg, Chenoa, McLean County: A month’s worth of rain (3 inches) in one night brought harvest to a halt. Twenty-five percent of the corn and maybe 15 percent of the beans have been combined. Yields are still running 10 to 25 percent above previous records, although corn-on-corn is much lower due to disease pressure. Our five weeks of no rain in July and August might have hurt. Still a lot of green beans out there. Are markets bottoming? Corn, $2.88, Jan., $3.06, fall ’15, $3.35; soybeans, $8.89, Jan., $9.08, fall ’15, $9.09; wheat, $4.54. Steve Ayers, Champaign, Champaign County: Listened to the rhythm of the falling rain Friday morning as round one Wednesday night dropped .54 of an inch of rain, round two Thursday afternoon .72 of an inch, and round three as of 6 a.m. Friday another .6 of an inch. Farmers were ready for a break, and we were running out of dry corn and beans to harvest. One 53-acre field with SDS went a miraculous 62 bushels per acre and an 80-acre field yielded 70 bushels per acre. In our little corner of the world, we are 9 percent corn harvested and 6 percent soybeans. Let’s be careful out there! Wilfred Dittmer, Quincy, Adams County: The old-timers used to say, when it rains, it pours, but I think they were referring to a certain brand of table salt. The crops were just starting to enjoy the drier weather when the rain bucket tipped over. We picked up an additional 3 inches — plus with some speaking of up to 5 and 6 inches. The total for September was 7 inches, so I think the harvesting machinery will get a little rest for a while. Corn harvest is probably running close to 10 percent done. No soybeans have been harvested close by, but some have in the northern parts of county. Have a safe and productive week. Tom Ritter, Blue Mound, Macon County: After a long stretch of great weather, farmers were looking forward to a little shower to rest up and make a few repairs and maintenance, but we received more than a shower. We received up to 2.5 inches, and more rain was falling. All field activity came to a halt Wednesday evening. A lot of soybeans have been harvested within the last week. A few were still working on corn and not making the switch. We are approaching 50 percent complete on corn and soybean harvest. Yields on both are very good. Beans may be a little more. Across the board anywhere from 50 to 80 bushels depending on the field. Some areas may have been hurt a little bit by the rainfall late in the season causing disease and root rot issues. It will probably be the first of the week at the very earliest, especially with rain in the forecast, before any field activity resumes.

Carrie Winkelmann, Tallula, Menard County: We received 1.81 inches of rain in the last two days, which pushed us out of the field. We are lucky, though. My dad had more than 4 inches in Montgomery County. Harvest was going well until the rain. Many switched over to beans in anticipation of the rain, so a lot of soybean fields in the county emptied early this week. Todd Easton, Charleston, Coles County: The frantic pace of harvest at its peak was halted by storms that came into the area early Thursday morning and continued through Friday morning. The trusty rain gauge has collected 2.5 inches and was still taking on water. The majority of combines had left cornfields to begin working away at the dry soybeans, which were unfortunately attached to stubborn green stems. At this point, my best guesstimate would put the Coles County corn crop at 20 percent in the bin, and the bean crop a bit less than that. Yields are still consistently phenomenal with corn well in the 200s and beans well over 60. One agronomist I talked to Thursday noted that not much progress has been reported in the lighter southern parts of the county, which will be a big determination of whether the final county corn yield will cross over the 200 mark. Jimmy Ayers, New City, Sangamon County: Had a tremendous harvest week until Wednesday evening when we got rained out. We had anywhere from 2.5 to 5.5 inches of rain on Thursday across the county. Corn and beans are both 40 to 50 percent complete. Yields are still good on the good dirt. Beans didn’t look like they were ripe, but they were at 10 percent moisture. Corn that didn’t go down early is still standing pretty well. The moisture has dropped considerably. We even had some 14s, 15s and 18s. David Schaal, St. Peter, Fayette County: We had some drizzle early Friday morning after storms moved through Thursday evening. We received up to 1.5 inches. Some parts of the county, especially north and west, received more. Combines continued to progress with harvest until the rain event. Yields are a little better than expected, especially the corn yields. Have a good week. Jeff Guilander, Jerseyville, Jersey County: Six-plus inches of rain last week brought harvest to a standstill. Flooded roads, driveways and fields are going to make this harvest the one with which all other harvests are compared. As of this writing, corn is still trying to stand, but with saturated soils and wind predicted that may not last long. Overall corn yields are good, but quality and moisture are still issues. Soybean yields are highly variable with the spread between the good and bad being more than 40 bushels an acre. That spread could widen as we move into fuller season varieties. Looks like we will have at least a few days to think about it. Dan Meinhart, Montrose, Jasper County: It was a dry, moderate, very pleasant week until Thursday morning when the rains moved in. It was raining as we wrote this report. More combines entered corn and bean fields earlier last week. Good yields are reported for the corn and beans, except where there was little or no rain during June and July. Most of the beans are not ready yet, and corn is carrying quite a bit of moisture. Some wheat has been sown. Some cornstalks have been baled along with the hay. More combines will be moving into fields next week, weather permitting. Kevin Raber, Browns, Wabash County: Rain started the afternoon of Thursday and slowed harvest. We’ve had a good run of harvest days up until then. Many acres of corn and beans have been harvested locally. Yields are good with corn moisture dropping because of all the warm, dry weather we’ve had. Wheat sowing will start when soil conditions dry again. Yes, there are a few of us willing to sow wheat again this year.

Page 7 â&#x20AC;˘ Monday, October 6, 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ FarmWeek Dave Hankammer, Millstadt, St. Clair County: Rain was falling as I wrote this report, and it appeared it would continue to fall through the night. Rain started to fall Thursday during the late morning hours. I had almost 1 inch in the rain gauge before 6 p.m. Fieldwork will likely be interrupted for a couple days. The pace of corn harvest picked up as the grain moisture declined. The lowest moisture I heard of from the field was 16 percent. We started shelling corn last week and the moisture was 20 percent, but decreased to 17 percent during the week. Corn yields have been running in the 180 to 250 bushel-per-acre range. Several first-crop soybean fields had been harvested during the week. Grain moisture has been around 11 percent, although the stems of the plants tend to be on the green side. Reported yields have been good with some around the 80 bushelper-acre range. As I drove past some of our double-crop soybeans, I noticed the leaves are starting to change color from green to yellow. Local grain bids are corn, $2.50; soybeans, $8.82; wheat, $3.09. Have a safe harvest.

Dean Shields, Murphysboro, Jackson County: Another dry week in southern Illinois. No rain to speak of, but as I was writing this article there was rain on the radar. The yields on corn and beans have been above average, but yields are not as great as we thought they might be. Harvest is in full swing. Not much fieldwork has been done because the ground is dry and hard. I would imagine that if it rains, some people may start sowing wheat. We are having a beautiful fall and the leaves are getting colorful.

Randy Anderson, Galatia, Saline County: Finished up my early May corn, so now itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a sit and wait. The later corn is running 25 to 30 percent, so Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to wait for it to dry some in a few weeks. Hoping to start some beans late this week. Received .9 of an inch of rain Thursday evening into Friday morning, which was the first rain in two weeks. Ken Taake, Ullin, Pulaski County: We had a busy week of harvest until Thursday night when we received .7 of an inch of rain. We really could use the rain since it was getting dry, and it was the first rain we received since Sept. 11. We started harvesting soybeans Thursday. Yields were about 60 bushels per acre and moisture was about 10.5 percent. We were still shelling corn and yields continued to be highly variable. We harvested some corn that yielded 160 bushels per acre and some that was 230. Moisture was running anywhere from 16 to about 20 percent. Please be careful this upcoming week.

Field Style: Tell us your favorite recipes Ta k e f r e q u e n t b r e a k s , stretch and eat healthy snacks like an Illinois-grown apple. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the harvest advice from University of Illinois Extension educators. It makes perfect sense. Sunrise-to-sunset harvest days can quickly seem never-ending. Breaks help you stay alert. And what better reason to take a break than a quick noon meal or evening supper in the field? Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your favorite harvest snack? What item do you most look forward to eating for in-field lunches or supper?

BY CHRIS ANDERSON

Reports received Friday morning. Expanded crop and weather information available at FarmWeekNow.com.

Want to share some recipes for quick-to-prepare-and-ser ve harvest field meals? Send comments about your favorite harvest cuisine and recipes to canderson@ilfb.org through Nov. 7. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll print your best stories and recipes, and share them on Facebook. In the meantime, hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an easy dish to prepare and enjoy in the field. It just might prompt a request for seconds! BUSY DAY BEEF STEW

(aka HARVEST-STOPPING STEW)

16 ounces canned kidney beans, drained

18 ounces canned beef stew 12 ounces vegetable juice cocktail 2 cups fresh or frozen vegetables 7 ounces canned, sliced mushrooms, drained 1/2 cup shredded cheddar or Swiss cheese Combine all in a large saucepan. Cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes on medium heat, or until vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with cheese. Makes four servings.

lot of versatility, allowing you to use your favorite vegetables. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like kidney beans? Leave them out. I added Dadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s red potatoes and Downtown Bloomington Farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Market fresh broccoli to my latest batch. I also toss in a handful of leftover pieces of pot roast on those rare occasions that situation occurs in our house. Take the stew to the field in a wide-mouthed thermos or other insulated container for individual servings. Transport an entire recipe to a waiting harvest crew in a crock wrapped in heavy towels to Note:: This recipe provides a keep warm.

Marketbasket Survey: Food costs up slightly Food costs increased slightly for grocery store shoppers surveyed late last month compared to the first half of 2014. Higher retail prices for beef and pork products, among other foods, resulted in the slight increase, according to the American Farm Bureau Federationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest Semi-Annual Marketbasket

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;As anticipated, food prices have increased moderately â&#x20AC;&#x201D; by about 2 percent â&#x20AC;&#x201D; during 2014....â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x201D; John Anderson AFBF deputy chief economist

Survey. The informal survey of 87 shoppers in 27 states shows the total cost of 16 food items used to prepare one or more meals was $54.26, up $1.06 or about 2 percent compared to a survey conducted about a year ago. Of the 16 items sur veyed, seven increased and nine decreased in average price. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As anticipated, food prices have increased moderately â&#x20AC;&#x201D; by about 2 percent â&#x20AC;&#x201D; during 2014, which is essentially in line with the average rate of inflation over the past 10 years,â&#x20AC;? said John Anderson, AFBFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s deputy chief economist. Items showing retail price increases

from a year ago included: â&#x20AC;˘ sirloin tip roast, up 27 percent to $5.52 per pound. â&#x20AC;˘ ground chuck, up 17 percent to $4.31 per pound. â&#x20AC;˘ sliced deli ham, up 16 percent to $5.44 per pound. â&#x20AC;˘ bacon, up 9 percent to $5.11 per pound. â&#x20AC;˘ shredded cheddar, up 6 percent to $4.78 per pound. â&#x20AC;˘ eggs, up 7 percent to $1.95 per dozen. â&#x20AC;˘ whole milk, up 2 percent to $3.78 per gallon. Items showing retail price decreases from a year ago included: â&#x20AC;˘ Russet potatoes, down 15 percent to $2.72 for a 5-pound bag. â&#x20AC;˘ vegetable oil, down 14 percent to $2.69 for a 32-ounce bottle. â&#x20AC;˘ chicken breast, down 12 percent to $3.46 per pound. â&#x20AC;˘ bagged salad, down 10 percent to $2.55 per pound. â&#x20AC;˘ orange juice, down 8 percent to $3.21 per half-gallon. â&#x20AC;˘ flour, down 7 percent to $2.47 for a 5-pound bag. â&#x20AC;˘ white bread, down 6 percent to $1.72 for a 20-ounce loaf. â&#x20AC;˘ toasted oat cereal, down 3 percent to $2.99 for a 9-ounce box. â&#x20AC;˘ apples, down 2 percent to $1.56 per pound. Using the â&#x20AC;&#x153;food at home and away from homeâ&#x20AC;? percentage across-theboard, the farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; share of the $54.26 marketbasket amounts to $8.68.

HOW DO OUR SOYBEANS

STACK UP?

HELP US MEASURE ILLINOIS SOYBEAN COMPOSITIONAL QUALITY. We need your help with an important study on soybean value. The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) is asking farmers in every Illinois county to provide 1 or 2 soybean samples from this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s harvest to test protein and oil levels throughout the state. Your samples will help develop a better baseline of the compositional quality (protein and oil levels) of our soybeans that are going into the marketplace. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy and free for farmers to get involved: r *4" BTLT GPS PS TBNQMFT GSPN ZPVS GBMM IBSWFTUÂ&#x2021;BOE BMM JOEJWJEVBM SFTVMUT XJMM CF LFQU strictly confidential r 5IFSF JT OP DPTU UP UIF GBSNFSÂ&#x2021;BMM NBUFSJBMT SFUVSO QPTUBHF BOE UFTUJOH XJMM CF QSPWJEFE CZ *4" r 8F MM QSPWJEF ZPVS DPOĂŁEFOUJBM JOEJWJEVBM SFTVMUTÂ&#x2021;DPNQBSF IPX ZPVS CFBOT TUBDL VQ BHBJOTU *MMJOPJT CFBOT BU TUBUF SFHJPOBM BOE DPVOUZ MFWFMT To participate: 4JHO VQ BU *MTPZ PSH DPNQPTJUJPO RVBMJUZTVSWFZ PS DPOUBDU 1BU )FSSPO QIFSSPO!DFOUSFD DPN or (217) 352-1190). 8IFO ZPV SFHJTUFS XF MM TFOE ZPV B QBDLFU XJUI FWFSZUIJOH ZPV OFFE UP DPMMFDU BOE SFUVSO ZPVS TBNQMF T GPS UFTUJOH 8F MM SFUVSO ZPVS SFTVMUT CZ +BOVBSZ 'PS RVFTUJPOT BCPVU UIF TVSWFZ QMFBTF DPOUBDU 4IBSPO #BSE TCBSE!DFOUSFD DPN PS -FF 4JOHMFUPO (lsingleton@centrec.com) or call (217) 352-1190.

We know harvest is a busy time and sincerely appreciate your help with this important effort. LEARN MORE: ILSOY.ORG/COMPOSITION/QUALITYSURVEY ISAQ09149350

FarmWeek • Page 8 • Monday, October 6, 2014

IAA FIELD MOMS FOCUS ON HARVEST, DAIRY

FARM Illinois leaders hear about global food issues IFB to host next Leadership Council meeting

The world will need to feed two billion additional people by 2050, according to Dr. Robert Thompson, retired Gardner Chair in Ag Policy at the University of Illinois. Thompson addressed the initial meeting of the LeaderRobert Thompson ship Council of the Food and Agricultural Roadmap (FARM) for Illinois last week in Chicago. The Leadership Council is charged with developing a plan to position Illinois for Richard economic Guebert Jr. leadership in sustainably meeting the challenge for global food security. “I was impressed with the high caliber of farm and business leaders in attendance,” said Richard Guebert Jr., Illinois Farm Bureau president. Guebert serves on the Leadership Council and co-chairs the Production and Supply Committee. FARM Illinois grew from the roots of the Vision for Illinois Agriculture. It is a partnership of food, agriBY CHRIS MAGNUSON

Above, Jenna Kilgus of Fairbury tells eight IAA Field Moms about the family dairy operation during a recent tour. Kilgus talked to the moms, participating in the Illinois Farm Families program, about calving, feed, antibiotics and bedding. Right, McLean County farmer Gerald Thompson explains har vest technology in his combine cab to Sarah Bauer of COUNTRY Financial and Devon Flammang, IAA nurse. After lunch, the moms heard from Illinois Farm Bureau Ag-in-the-Classroom education manager, Jackie Jones, and Registered Dietician Kim McClintic. (Photos by Cyndi Cook)

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culture and agribusiness interests in the state. Leaders hope having a plan in place will guide elected officials, universities and business leaders’ investments in agriculture. University of Illinois President Robert Easter chairs the Leadership Council. Thompson indicated two-thirds of the world’s population has less than $2 a day to spend on food. As incomes increase in developing countries, people spend money to upgrade their diets. They purchase more meat, eggs, milk, fruits and vegetables. This creates growth in demand for U.S. agriculture. “There is only a small amount of additional arable land that can be put into agriculture production,” stated Thompson. “Therefore, to increase the food supply, we must improve productivity.” He stressed the need for agriculture research and technology. By 2050, the population is expected to continue to expand rapidly in Africa and Southeast Asia. Populations in other parts of the world are expected to grow more slowly. The next step of the FARM Illinois planning process will involve gathering information on opportunities and threats facing Illinois agriculture. The Leadership Council will review the results at its next meeting. IFB will host that meeting Nov. 17 in Bloomington.

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Page 9 • Monday, October 6, 2014 • FarmWeek

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Warm stretch extends hay season for some farmers FarmWeek • Page 10 • Monday, October 6, 2014

BY DANIEL GRANT FarmWeek

Some farmers who waited on corn and soybeans to fully mature and dry down in recent weeks still managed to harvest a crop. The recent warm, dry stretch helped farmers make hay and chop corn silage at various locations around the state. “Hay making continues with some third, fourth and even fifth cuttings being taken,” Leroy Getz, a FarmWeek CropWatcher from Carroll County, said late last month. An extra cutting in some cases was beneficial to farmers as rainy conditions in spring, early summer and early fall challenged some farmers to cut hay or maintain its quality. The average temperature statewide the last full week of September was 64.2 degrees, 3

degrees above normal. “Hay production for the summer was interesting,” said Kendall Guither, a farmer from Walnut (Bureau County) and president of the Illinois Forage and Grassland Council. “A lot of producers struggled to make dry hay in June because it was so wet.”

FarmWeekNow.com

For additional details on the status of the Illinois hay crop, go to FarmWeekNow.com.

Overall this season, “some people lost a cutting while others got four. I got five,” he noted. Quality looks to be an issue this winter, though. “A lot of (hay) quality is down because of delayed harvest or a lot of hay got rained on,” Guither said. Quality issues likely will lower

Bill Graff of Middletown, in blue shirt, bales his fourth cutting of hay in a 20-acre field with his son, Theo, 16. Graff’s wife, Judi, drives the tractor. Graff noted this cutting in his Logan County field was his largest and best quality of the year. (Photo by Ken Kashian)

the relative feed value of hay and relative forage quality due in part to cool, wet conditions in the spring and early summer along with some outbreaks of leaf diseases.

“The practice of putting on a fungicide was a very good payoff this year due to the cool, wet season,” Guither said. The quantity of hay, on the other hand, shouldn’t be an issue

Dear Illinois farmer: As farmers, we have long prided ourselves on being good environ mental stewards. We know, perhaps better than anyone else , the importance of fertile soil and clean water. For many years, we have undertaken volunta ry efforts to preserve and protect natural resources. A process is underway in Illinois to formalize those efforts; to bring them together as part of a cohesive plan and to more accura tely quantify our successes when it comes to environmental stewardship – particularly as it rela tes to the health of waterways in Illinois and beyond. For more than a year, represent atives from Illinois agriculture have partnered with other groups and organizations on a strategy to improve local water quality and to address the state’s nutrient contributio ns to the Gulf of Mexico hypoxi c zone. This Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy will build upo n existing voluntary, farmer driven effo rts to optimize nutrient loss reduction while promoting incr eased collaboration, research and inn ovation. There are countless opportunitie s via best management practices for Illinois farmers to reduce nutrient losses on their farms. We recognize and have helped others to understand that there LV QR ´RQH VL]H À WV DOO DSSURDFKµ I RU IDUPHUV :H DOVR NQRZ WKDW IDUP HUV ZRQ·W EH WKH RQO\ ones who are part of the solution . Everyone – whether they live in an urban, suburban or rural area – will need to help red uce nutrient losses into the sta te’s waterways. In the coming weeks and months, the organizations referenced below will continue to provide information about the Strategy. We encourage you to learn all you can about the best manDJHPHQW SUDFWLFHV WKDW PDNH WKH PRVW VHQVH IRU \RXU IDPLO\ IDUP·V IX WXUH DQG WKHQ LPSOHPHQW and follow through with those pra ctices on your farm to improve and maintain the health of the waterways on which we all depend . Illinois Corn Growers Association Illinois Farm Bureau Illinois Pork Producers Association Illinois Soybean Association

With assistance from

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this winter due in part to extra cuttings for some farmers along with good yields. “I think, overall, the supply will be decent,” Guither said. “Quality issues could be a struggle by Dec. 1 or so (as supplies of high quality hay could become scarce).” Prices, as a result, could stay steady to strong for high quality/ supreme hay and forage this winter, while the market for lower quality hay could weaken due to adequate supplies. Livestock farmers this year also can use more corn in feed rations due to the excellent supply and lower prices of that crop, Guither added.

Legislator hosts ‘adopted’ farmers for meeting, tour

Lee County Farm Bureau members recently traveled to Evanston to meet their “adopted” legislator state Sen. Dan Biss, D-Skokie. They attended a lunch-and-learn event at Northwestern University. Cook County Farm Bureau members joined the group. The lunch meeting featured presentations from the Institute for Sustainability and Energy and focused on projects related to biofuels, water and plant biology, and conservation. The farmers had a lively, informative discussion on sustainability and energy issues. They also heard a doctoral student who discussed her findings on a number of research projects related to plant biology and conservation. Afterwards, the group traveled to Glencoe to tour the Chicago Botanic Gardens and see some of the Northwestern students’ plant and conservation projects. The farmers expressed their appreciation for the senator’s strong support of Illinois agriculture as well as his active participation in the Illinois Farm Bureau Adopt-A-Legislator® program. BY CHRISTINA NOURIE

Christina Nourie serves as IFB northeast legislative coordinator.

Schmidt, Woods named GROWMARK vice presidents Page 11 • Monday, October 6, 2014 • FarmWeek

Barry Schmidt has been named GROWMARK region vice president, while Mike Woods has been appointed vice president and chief financial officer. Schmidt’s appointment begins Nov. 1, and Woods starts his new position Dec. 16. Schmidt will report to GROWMARK CEO Jim Spradlin and serve on the senior management team. He will support FS member companies in the northern portion of the Central Region.

Schmidt has served as general manager at McDonough FS. McDonough FS merged with Hancock County Service Company to form West Central FS. West Central FS subsequently merged with RIVERLAND FS, which Schmidt managed. Schmidt graduBarry Schmidt ated from Western Illinois University with a bachelor’s degree in agribusiness.

Woods succeeds Marshall Bohbrink who announced his plans to retire in early January. Woods has more than 38 years of service with GROWMARK. He joined GROWMARK in July 1974 as the potash supply manager in the Crops Mike Woods Division. Woods has served in various capacities throughout his

tenure, including operations coordinator-manager positions for the Farm and Home Division, Feed and Structures Division, Mark II Agronomy and the Seed Division; director of business analysis; and strategic research and information executive director. In December 2013, Woods accepted his current role as vice president, finance and risk management. He graduated from Millikin University with a bachelor’s degree in economics and finance.

Ag co-ops set annual sales, income record in 2013 The nation’s farmer, rancher and fishery cooperatives set a new sales record in 2013 with total business volume of more than $246 billion. That surpasses the previous record set in 2012 by $8 billion, a 4 percent gain. The sales record represents the third consecutive year in which ag cooperatives increased sales, according to USDA. U.S. crop production and livestock sales increased 6 percent in 2013, while production input (farm supply) sales increased 2 percent. October marks National

Marks the third consecutive year of increased sales

Cooperative Month, saluting the nation’s 30,000 cooperatives. In addition to agriculture, the nation’s co-ops play a major role in electricity and telecommunications services, credit and financial services, housing and many other sectors of the economy. Ag co-ops also enjoyed record net income before taxes of $6.2 billion, besting the previous high of $6.1 billion set in 2012. Co-op income is either reinvested in the co-op for needed improvements or

returned to member-owners. It then circulates in local communities. The number of full-time employees working for ag coops climbed by almost 7,000 in 2013, to 136,000, up 5 percent from 2012. Counting seasonal employees, ag co-ops employ 191,000 people. While 33 ag cooperatives recorded more than $1 billion in sales in 2013, 33 percent (726 co-ops) had less than $5 million in sales.

The value of cooperative assets fell in 2013 by almost $1 billion with liabilities decreasing by $5.3 billion and owner equity gaining $4.5 billion. Equity capital still remains low, but clearly shows an upward trend with a 15 percent increase compared to the previous year. Patronage income (refunds from other cooperatives due to sales between cooperatives) increased by almost 33 percent, to $1.2 billion, up from

$900 million in 2012. Producers held 2 million memberships in cooperatives in 2013, down about 7 percent from 2012. The number of cooperative memberships is slightly less than the number of U.S. farms, but this does not mean that every producer is a member of an agricultural cooperative. Previous studies have found that many farmers and ranchers are members of up to three cooperatives, so farm numbers and cooperative memberships are not strictly comparable.

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FarmWeek • Page 12 • Monday, October 6, 2014

Listen. Click. Read.

Chris Anderson

Alan Jarand

The most people,

Dan Grant

Deana Stroisch

Kay Shipman

Mary Kobbeman

on the ground,

Mike Orso Rita Frazer

in Illinois, covering Illinois agriculture for you.

John Hawkins Jim Taylor

UREAU — Farm Bureau will co-host a college day for students at 10 a.m. Nov. 12 at Birkey’s Farm Store in Henry. Sophomore, junior and senior high school students from Bureau, Marshall, Putnam and Stark counties interested in pursuing a career in an agricultural field are invited to attend. Nine Illinois colleges will be represented. Call the Farm Bureau office at 875-6164 for reservations. • Farm Bureau will co-host a defensive driving class for members 55 and older from 10 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Oct. 28 and 29 at Black Hawk College Community Education Center in Kewanee. Doug Sommer will be the instructor. Cost is $30. Call the Farm Bureau office at 875-6468 to register by Oct. 22. OOK — Farm Bureau will sponsor a college savings seminar for members from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 22 at the Farm Bureau building. Strategies to maximize federal and state income tax advantages when saving for future college expenses will be discussed. Call the Farm Bureau office at 708-354-3276 for reservations. OUGLAS — Farm Bureau Women’s Committee will meet from 10 a.m. to noon Oct. 15 at Smith House in Tuscola. Steve Niemann, Douglas County FSA, will speak. Call the Farm Bureau office at 253-4442 by

Oct. 13 for reservations. AWRENCE — Farm Bureau will sponsor a bus trip to the Covered Bridge Festival in Mansfield, Ind., leaving at 6:30 a.m. Oct. 15 from the Lawrenceville IGA. Cost is $15 for members and $20 for nonmembers. Call the Farm Bureau office at 943-2610 by Oct. 14 for reservations. ACON — Farm Bureau and 95Q will sponsor Feed the Farmers this harvest season. Ninetyfive complimentary lunches will be served at the following elevator locations at lunch time: Thursday, Niantic; Oct. 16, Emery. ONTGOMERY — Prime Timers will meet at noon Oct. 15 at the Farm Bureau office. Ronda Lawson, Evergreen Place Supportive Living, will speak. Members 55 and older are invited to attend. Cost is $9. Call the Farm Bureau office at 532-6171 for reservations by Friday. • Farm Bureau will host a Dakota Access LLC Pipeline informational meeting at 6 p.m. Oct. 15 at Macoupin County Farm Bureau in Carlinville. Laura Harmon, Illinois Farm Bureau Office of the General Counsel, and Rae Payne, IFB senior director of business and regulatory affairs, will speak about provisions that should be included in easements. Call the Farm Bureau office at 5326171 for more information.

Looking for a way to talk with consumers about animal agriculture? A new resource from the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture may help. “Start the Conversation: Let’s Talk About Animal Agriculture” resembles quick reference subject area cards found in bookstores. The single page, front

and back laminated cards feature questions, answers and suggested strategies for meaningful discussion. The cards can be used to start discussions about fact, fiction and the science of agriculture in middle and high school classrooms as well as consumers at fairs and festivals. To order the cards, visit {agfoundation.org} and click on Resource Orders.

Tuesday: • FarmWeek: “The Early Word” • Rita Frazer, RFD Radio Network, broadcasting live with Brian Fehn, StraightLine Ag: precision planting • Kevin Daughtery, Agriculture in the Classroom: ag teacher of the year • Toni Dunker, Advanced Trading: livestock update Wednesday: • Stuart Selinger, Illinois Department of Agriculture: grain storage • Mike Webster, candidate for Secretary of State Thursday: • Craig Tanner, Tanner

Orchard: apple harvest • Bradley Uken, Champaign County Farm Bureau: Oct. 14 fruit and vegetable cooperative meeting • Brad Clow, COUNTRY Financial: revenue protection claims • Shannon Ramsey, Trees Forever; Chuck Spencer, GROWMARK: buffer partnership Friday: • Don Schaefer, Mid-West Truckers Association: Smart Truck technology • Doug Yoder, Illinois Farm Bureau senior director of affiliate and risk management: farm bill timeline • Denise Oberle, Illinois 4-H: 4-H week • Roger Seibolt, Knox County farmer; Tony Strom, Stone Seed Company: harvest update

Teacher of the Year uses ag, AITC as learning springboard

Page 13 • Monday, October 6, 2014 • FarmWeek

M M

Animal ag cards start conversations

BY KAY SHIPMAN FarmWeek

Mary Zumwalt’s fourth grade students may not live on farms in the Altamont area, but that doesn’t mean they’re not familiar with agriculture knowledge, sights — and sounds. In fact, Zumwalt and her students once ignored chirping from the chicks the class had incubated until the fifth grade teacher next door shared her class had trouble concentrating with all the peeping. “We were used to all the chirping,” Zumwalt recalled with a chuckle. Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom (IAITC) recently honored Zumwalt by naming Mary Zumwalt the fourth grade teacher at Altamont Lutheran School its Teacher of the Year. She will receive a plaque, a trip to the 2015 National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference in Louisville, Ky., and will represent Illinois in the National Excellence in Teaching Agriculture Award competition. Raised on a farm in Effingham, Zumwalt has applied her agriculture background, IAITC materials and county Farm Bureau resources to elementary classrooms for more than 30 years. Hands-on, ag-related lessons help her students study math, science, language and social studies. Agriculture also broadens the students’ hori-

zons and understanding of the world around them. “They learn you don’t have to be a farmer to be involved in agriculture,” Zumwalt said. “They learn where things come from — that we don’t get milk from a store.” Students from a rural area need to be exposed to agricultural concepts as much their urban and suburban counterparts, according to Zumwalt. She noted her students today are even less connected to the farm compared to those from even 10 years ago. “I think you can incorporate agriculture into a lot of the core things,” she added. Zumwalt expressed appreciation for fundraising efforts to develop and distribute IAITC materials, and to provide grants to educators. She also thanked the Effingham County Farm Bureau for furnishing learning tubs and other resources. “I don’t know what I’d do without that support,” Zumwalt said. In addition to Zumwalt, IAITC honored three other teachers. Robin Halicki, a fourth grade teacher at Mary Lou Cowlishaw Elementary School in Naperville, DuPage County, was selected as runner-up for Teacher of the Year. Finalists for the award included Carol Scannell, St. Germaine School, Oak Lawn, Cook County; and Dorene Werntz, Tri County Christian School, Freeport, Stephenson County.

FarmWeek • Page 14 • Monday, October 6, 2014

Be prepared to work safe during a busy harvest

BY KEVIN FRYE Indications are it will be a bumper crop this year, and it will also be a wet crop. Harvesting grain with high moisture content not only leads to high drying costs, but also complications in moving the grain. Grain will be more prone to clumping, causing “bridges” to form inside bins and delays with augers (sweep and sump) working effectively. Given the long hours and intensity of dealing with a bumper crop, farmers tend to get impatient and take shortcuts when handling complications and delays. And this can lead to bad accidents. Accidents can occur when walking on grain inside bins or large wagons without proper lifelines, which is especially dangerous when grain is flowing. Bridged grain can collapse and engulf farmers, and flowing grain will rapidly pull farmKevin Frye ers down like quicksand. No matter how many times someone has been able to do this and get away with it, habits need to change before the odds for an accident finally catch up. Being inside grain bins at floor level with damp grain can create hazards as well. Towers of grain can form along bin walls and create an engulfment when farmers go inside to dislodge grain. Bridges of grain are more likely to occur over sump augers, creating a cave-in and entanglement with energized augers. Sweep augers may have difficulty moving grain effectively and create problems needing attention. Some farmers still have the bad habit of pushing sweep augers with their boot or shoveling grain over the top of a running auger. Too many entanglements continue to occur from these types of practices, leading to loss of life or limb. Ideally, a grain bin should never be entered with running equipment, but otherwise requires specific procedures to prevent entanglement with sump and sweep augers. There will be a tremendous temptation this fall to rush, drive fast on roads and keep an exhausting pace to get crop out of the fields. Hard work and long hours are part of the business for farmers, but it needs to be done responsibly. Before reacting hastily, take a moment to remember what’s important, and that’s to go home safely. The work will still get done — it’ll just be done right. Kevin Frye serves as GROWMARK’s safety services manager. His email address is kfrye@growmark.com.

M A R K E T FA C T S Feeder pig prices reported to USDA* Total Composite Weighted Average Receipts and Price (Formula and Cash): Weight Range Per Head Weighted Ave. Price 10-12 lbs. (formula) $37.50-$56.17 $45.59 40 lbs. (cash) $76.00-$89.00 $84.94 Receipts

This Week 75,771 ern Corn Belt prices picked up at seller’s farm

Last Week 61,649

Eastern Corn Belt direct hogs (plant delivered) Carcass Live

(Prices $ per hundredweight) This week Prev. week Change $102.46 NA NA $75.82 NA NA

USDA five-state area slaughter cattle price (Thursday’s price)

Steers Heifers

This week $159.98 $158.00

Prev. week $153.00 $153.00

Change $6.98 $5.00

CME feeder cattle index — 600-800 Lbs.

*East-

Beef from Argentina?

Trade issues concern livestock groups

BY DANIEL GRANT FarmWeek

Supplies of U.S. beef certainly remain tight. The number of cattle placements in feedlots (1.72 million head) and marketings of fed cattle (1.69 million head) numbered the lowest in August since the USDA statistical series began in 1996. But, while the supply situation continues to drive up cattle and beef prices, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) sees no reason to potentially risk herd health in the U.S. by importing beef and cattle from South America. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) paved the way for such imports when it announced the Patagonia Region of Argentina will be added to the list of regions considered free of foot-andmouth disease (FMD). The proposed rule was published in the Aug. 28 Federal Register.

USDA subsequently proposed to allow Argentina to export chilled and frozen beef into the U.S. USDA previously proposed an expansion of Brazil’s ability to export beef to the U.S. “We strongly believe that these recent actions by APHIS present a significant risk to the health and well-being of the nation’s cattle herd through the possible introduction of FMD virus,” said Bob McCan, NCBA president. The last outbreak of FMD in the U.S. occurred more than 80 years ago. Brazil, on the other hand, dealt with the virus as recently as 2006. “FMD is an extremely contagious viral disease of clovenhooved animals and many wildlife species,” McCan said. “This disease is considered to be one of the most economically devastating livestock diseases in the world.” Public comment for the proposed rule concerning imports from Argentina remains open until Oct. 28.

In other livestock trade news, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) late last month expressed deep disappointment in Japan’s ongoing rejection of fundamental terms in a valuable free trade agreement (FTA), known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which includes 11 other nations. Japan continues to demand exemptions from tariff elimination for a number of ag products including beef, dairy, pork, rice and wheat. “Acquiescing to Japan’s demand would represent a radical departure from past U.S. trade policy,” NPPC noted. “The United States should not accept an offer from Japan that is anything less than what it has demanded of, and received from, its other FTA partners.” A special deal for Japan also could set a bad precedent and weaken the U.S. position for negotiations with the European Union on a TransAtlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.

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This is a composite price of feeder cattle transactions in 27 states. (Prices $ per hundredweight) Prev. week Change This week $236.42 $230.48 $5.94

Lamb prices Negotiated, wooled and shorn, 84-162 lbs. for 150-171.25 $/cwt. (wtd. ave. 159.86)

Export inspections (Million bushels) Week ending Soybeans Wheat Corn 9/25/2014 25.3 21.1 23.7 9/18/2014 17.2 19.1 41.5 Last year 14.5 33.1 22.0 Season total 54.8 325.6 123.7 Previous season total 36.3 497.8 68.3 USDA projected total 1700 900 1750 Crop marketing year began June 1 for wheat and Sept. 1 for corn and soybeans. ©2012 GROWMARK, Inc. S13268

Corn Strategy

Trade focused on October crop report

The data in the October USDA crop report should offer significantly better insight into this year’s corn and soybean crops. The yield numbers themselves are not so important as are implications of the specific data USDA uses (and provides) to reach its forecasts. For soybeans, the pod count data may be most important as it can change significantly from the September to the October report. It can still change some going forward, but the changes are more limited in comparison to the September-October change. The slower pace of development this year may have accentuated the pod count change. You’ll remember USDA started with an unusually high pod weight this year (Sept. 15 FarmWeek). We expect the higher pod numbers to pull pod weights down to a more normal level, but still a his-

torically high one. For corn, the issue is not so much ear count as it is ear weight. If anything, ear counts have a tendency to decline, but the change should be limited. USDA enumerators should have been able to pull ears to weigh, giving statisticians better insight into what this year’s ear weight might be. In years like this one, ear weights have a tendency to go up, but because the initial weights were so high, we think the increase from September will be more modest. There have been private yield forecasts near 176 to 178 bushels and 48.5 bushels for corn and soybeans, respectively. We expect more modest levels near 175 and 47.1. Still, there will be production uncertainty going forward, other than yield, tied to the areas planted to corn and soybeans. Given the skepticism with the planting data released by USDA Farm Service Agency in September, no one is certain if USDA will make adjustments this month, nor how much — if they do.

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ü2013 crop: The corn market may be languishing, but the absence of downside energy suggests the low is close at hand. At this point, if you still have old crop, storing it for the long haul should pay dividends. ü2014 crop: At this juncture, it’s really a matter of defining “how low is low,” and both cash and futures suggesting it is close. It should pay to store corn commercially unless the storage rates available to you are unreasonably high. There’s reason to expect $4 cash prices next spring. If you need to price corn by early post harvest, use a move to $3.50 on December futures to make needed sales. If you move corn at harvest, have the basis locked up. vFundamentals: Expansion indications in the pork sector are one sign prices have achieved a level that invigorates demand. Export sales are accumulating as quickly as they did last year. Still, prices may languish until we get deeper into harvest. Given the weather, that may be a drawn out affair this year. The Oct. 10 report will be important.

Page 15 • Monday, October 6, 2014 • FarmWeek Cents per bu.

Soybean Strategy

ü2014 crop: High early yields have reinforced the “large crop” talk, but we’d expect yield numbers to erode as harvest moves north, although they will still be good. With harvest just beginning, we may not have a good “handle” on the crop size until the November USDA report. At these prices, we don’t see big downside risk. There should be a good post-harvest bounce, enough to justify short-term storage. ü2015 crop: The first 15 percent of the 2015 crop was priced at $12.07 basis November 2015 futures. vFundamentals: The weather forecast for the next two weeks doesn’t bode well for soybean harvest. Neither do forecasts for the month as a whole. If those hold up, this could be a slow, arduous harvest like 2009. The difference is processors and merchandisers have big sales commitments they need to fill. Planting has started in Mato Grosso, Brazil, but the rainy

season has yet to begin. Shortterm strength in the dollar may be the biggest item keeping prices on the defensive.

Wheat Strategy

ü2014 crop: The spring wheat harvest has wrapped up with mostly good results. Quality issues are less concerning here than they are in Canada. Winter wheat planting is on track in the Great Plains, but delayed in the Corn Belt. Catch-up sales should be made if the December Chicago contract rebounds to $5.50. Producers that are comfortable carrying wheat may do so with the goal of resuming sales at $6. ü2015 crop: Better oppor-

tunities are likely for 2015 sales. vFundamentals: Wheat prices are attempting to carve out a bottom now that U.S. prices have become competitive in world trade. Weekly export sales reported last week were strong at 27 million bushels and traders are optimistic about the potential for an improved pace. Russia seems content to sit on the sidelines now that exportable surpluses have dwindled, and domestic demand is growing. European wheat is still competitive, but France is finding it tougher to put together shipments that meet quality standards.

Think safe bin storage

FarmWeek • Page 16 • Monday, October 6, 2014

“Our neighbor’s grain bin is on fire and four area fire departments are hauling water to get it under control.” This recent Facebook post from my mother reminded me of the considerable challenges associated with storing grain on the farm. Fires can cause tremenDENNIS BOWMAN dous economic loss, but grain safety shortfalls can result in even more tragic outcomes. Late planting and a cool growing season left many farmers with a late-maturing crop that would not dry down in the field. We normally recommend corn be dried down to about 15 percent moisture for safe storage. The cold nights and cool days of November don’t provide much heat energy for in-field drying. Typical November weather only provides enough energy to dry an additional 4 to 5 percentage points. Think safe storage. As a bin is being filled, make sure leveling devices are functioning. Grain that is peaked in the center will result in uneven airflow and prevents uniform drying. Monitor grain temperature with sensors

or probes to detect any “hot spots.” It is also good practice to let aeration fans run a while before igniting the heaters. Dust and debris will have dispersed before potential flash ignition is possible. Gases released by spoiling grain can also serve as an ignition source. If you suspect a fire, make sure everyone is accounted for and safe. Shut off gas at the heater and supply tank. Shut off fans and call the fire department. Keep fire away from fuel supply tanks. Seal fan and any other openings to smother the fire. Do not enter a bin that is on fire. Grain may smolder for days. Do not restart fans until all risk of reignition is gone. This may only be possible after completely removing grain. Once unloading the bin starts, do not enter the bin without following safety protocols. Crusting or “bridging” may create a deceptive hollow core that will trap and suffocate workers. An excellent review of grain storage and handling safety procedures is available online from Missouri Extension by visiting {exten sion.missouri.edu/p/G1969}.

Remember what is truly important to us T

he other morning our daughter, Ainsley, greeted me when she got up with a book from the Ag in the Classroom program on beef cattle. She turned to the page where a child had its 4-H steer and said, “Show cow.” I was amazed that a child not even 2 years old would be able to pick that up. I shouldn’t be. When we went to the Boone County Fair, all she wanted to do was look at the livestock, especially the BRENT POLLARD cattle. The things our children learn growing up on the farm are invaluable. We also take these things they Those who learn for granted somegrow up on times. wife, Carrie, as farms gain partMy of the Illinois Farm Families Field Mom pen valuable pal program had her pen learning pal, Sara, out to the farm along with her children experiences and extended family. from a Our 2-year-old was showing all kinds of stuff young age. to the other children, and the adults noted that she’s not afraid of some things like the other children. We had lots of conversations about our farm and why we farm the way we do. Some of it got very detailed and scientific, probably a little too scientific, but when your career

Dennis Bowman serves as a University of Illinois Extension educator in commercial agriculture-crops.

before farming was training to be a research scientist, that happens. But both our far ming family and their family from the Chicago suburbs had one thing in common — we want the ver y best for our children. It’s easy for us, as far mers, to get ver y concerned about consumer perceptions and the bad press we get. If that isn’t bad enough, we have random inspections from the Food and Dr ug Administration, and government agencies unilaterally making r ule changes that drastically affect the way we far m because they redefined the “waters of the U.S.” But those of us who have grown up on far ms have been given valuable experiences in biolog y, ecolog y and business from a young age. Recently, Ainsley brought me a copy of Hoard’s Dair yman and pointed at one of the show cows in a ring in Madison, and said again, “Show cow.” It didn’t look like the beef steer, but she knew that’s what it was. I’m still amazed that someone so young could figure that out, but I shouldn’t be surprised. All of this reminds me how important it is to remember, as this world moves pretty fast, to take the time and remember ever ything that is tr uly important to us.

Brent Pollard represents District 2 on the Illinois Farm Bureau Young Leaders Committee. Keep up with the Young Leaders by visiting {www.ilfb.org/get-involved/ young-leaders/yl-blog}.

Stay safe this fall

Just a short drive out through the country and anyone would notice har vest season has begun. As far m equipment begins to consume country roads, a little reminder about safety could save a life. As it may be fr ustrating to be slowed down while waiting for a tractor or combine to pass, keep in mind that the far mer who drives that piece of equipment doesn’t have the same visibility that you do from a vehicle. Please be patient and either wait for the equipment to slow down and pull over, or make sure you have a good long stretch of flat road before trying to pass. It’s not just about your vehicle having enough room to go around but also does that tractor or combine have room to get over? JOHN It’s also possible that the destination for KLEMM that piece of equipment is nearby. The far mer could be turning into a field or far mstead soon. So, the key when following far m equipment is — stay alert, pay attention and be patient. As for our far mers out there, they need to have the same key values in mind every day. We, as far mers, need to remember that safety first is far more important than getting that one extra load for the day! A little rest today will result in a more efficient har vest all fall. So, just as our patrons on the road, we must stay alert and slow down. Simple tasks such as getting out of the combine, tractor or tr uck just to stretch our legs can help reduce the risk of an accident or injury. Another good way to get a quick break is to actually take a lunch break. This doesn’t have to be a drawn out amount of time, but rather a chance to break up the day to keep yourself focused and refreshed. So, whether you are out working in the fields this fall or out for a drive through the country, take a moment to remind yourself that a second of risk is never worth a lifetime of disaster. Let’s all stay safe this fall, and happy har vesting to all of the far mers out there. John Klemm of DeWitt County serves as District 11 Young Leader representative. Stay on top of the latest Young Leader news by visiting {www.ilfb.org/get-involved/young-leaders/yl-blog/}.