January 13 2014

From ag education to RFS, a legislative roundtable focused on the future of Illinois agriculture..............3-4

Speciality growers got some tips from a Maine herb and vegetable grower at their annual conference..................5

Meet new Young Leader State Committee Chair and Iroquois County farmer Jared Finegan............7

A service of

®

Arctic air retreats; warmer days expected to continue Illinois Farm Bureau mission: Improve the economic well-being of agriculture and enrich the quality of farm family life.

Monday, January 13, 2014

Two sections Volume 42, No. 2

BY DANIEL GRANT FarmWeek

Periodicals: Time Valued

The weather pattern late last week returned to more tolerable conditions and that trend is expected to continue this week.

James Auten, meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Lincoln, last week forecast temperatures this week could climb to highs in the mid-30s in northern Illinois, mid-40s in central Illinois and upper-40s to the south.

The warming trend started late last week and continued through the weekend.

“It looks like we’ll be warmer (this) week,” Auten told FarmWeek. “That will be good to get relief from the cold (experienced the first half of last week).”

The temperature swing early this week compared to the first of last week could be 50 to 60 degrees in some locations.

Low temperatures recorded last Monday around the state during the polar vortex included -21 in Mount Carroll, -19 in Freeport, -18 in Princeton, -16 in Bloomington and Galesburg, -15 in Effingham, -11 in Springfield, -10 in Nashville and -9 in Mount Vernon. The record low temperature recorded in Illinois still stands at -36 degrees in Congerville

Neither snow nor artic blasts could keep Brian Behrends of Clifton from his grain delivery duties last week.

Behrends trucked corn for Ron and Rick Hansen of Kankakee to Eastern Grain Marketing near Lehigh. (Photo

by Ken Kashian)

on Jan. 5, 1999, according to Jim Angel, state climatologist with the Illinois State Water Survey.

“After what we’ve been through (last week), close to 50 degrees (this week) may feel like it’s time to break out the short-sleeve shirts,” quipped Steve Stallman, a Randolph County farmer.

Auten said Illinois residents should take caution again this

week even with the milder conditions.

“One thing to look out for (this) week is as we thaw (during the day) and possibly refreeze at night, some roads could return to being slick at night,” the meteorologist said.

The winter storm/blizzard in some areas last week won’t soon be forgotten, though.

Mike Steenhoek, Soy Transportation Coalition executive

director, said Midwestern rail service experienced weather delays of 24 to 72 hours.

Ice accumulation in the Illinois River and the segment of the Mississippi River between Quincy and St. Louis narrowed the channel, decreasing the number of barges that can be lashed together to form a tow or flotilla.

“An important backdrop to these logistical concerns is the

BY KAY SHIPMAN FarmWeek

not a new problem for Crawford County farmers, but has increased in frequency because

ers along with county and Illinois Farm Bureau staff discussed the abandoned well

fact that 80 percent of U.S. soybean exports occur between September and February. When we experience some sort of logistics or transportation delay during this critical period of the year, it causes great concern among U.S. soybean exporters.

The soybean industry — given the competitive pressure from South America — does not enjoy the luxury of holding onto a shipment of soybeans for an elongated period of time and then resuming those shipments once the logistical constraint has been addressed without some sort of penalty or cost,” Steenhoek noted.

Other weather concerns included: • A 10-ton National Guard vehicle and about 100 emergency personnel were called to a scene near the intersection of Interstates 57 and 70 where nearly 400 vehicles were stranded in the snow after semis jackknifed. No injuries were reported.

• Nearly 500 Amtrak train passengers were stranded overnight near Mendota after ice and snow drifted over the tracks southwest of Chicago.

• Thousands of flights were canceled in Chicago and downstate airports, which left some travelers unable to return home for days.

Farmers seek help with devastation from abandoned wells Crawford County farmer Mike Rosborough watched saltwater — at times a twoinch stream — flow across his Hardinville field last year, essentially sterilizing his soil, and into a county road ditch.

“We lost 1.5 to 2 acres because we couldn’t contain it,” Rosborough said last week.

The brine “sterilizes the soil basically forever.”

The brine and oil, in some cases, has been forced to the surface from leaking abandoned oil wells in the area. It’s

Illinois Farm Bureau staff worked with members to highlight for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources issues of abandoned oil wells and to give information to members with similar problems.

more oil companies with operating wells are injecting brine at a high volume into nearby wells, according to Rosborough.

Recently Rosborough and several Crawford County farm-

FarmWeek on the web: FarmWeekNow.com

problem with Illinois Natural Resources Director Marc Miller and Department of Natural Resources (DNR) oil and gas resource management staff.

“Our goal is to bring light

to it,” Rosborough said of the environmental impact in the county.

“This is a serious problem for our members, and we’re glad the department took the time to discuss the problem with individual farmer members,” said Lauren Lurkins, IFB director of natural and environmental resources. She participated in the Crawford County meeting.

Rosborough attributes the resurfacing problem to the haphazard materials, including See Wells page 2

Illinois Farm Bureau on the web: www.ilfb.org ®

Quick Takes

ISSUES

FarmWeek Page 2 Monday, January 13, 2014

NEW FARMWEEK STAFF — FarmWeek staff bid adieu last week to Martin Ross and welcomed Deana Stroisch as agricultural policy editor.

Ross, who covered federal agricultural policy issues for FarmWeek readers the last 24 years, retired to warmer winter climes in Arizona.

Stroisch brings 13 years of experience as a city and county government reporter to FarmWeek. She began her career at the News-Gazette in Champaign. She’s also worked at The Olympian in Olympia, Deana Stroisch Wash., The Palm Beach Post and most recently, The State Journal-Register in Springfield.

Stroisch plans to provide Illinois Farm Bureau members with comprehensive coverage about the farm bill, immigration legislation, transportation issues and many other federal policies.

COUNTRY LIFE TO PAY DIVIDEND — COUNTRY Life Insurance Company® plans to pay an estimated $72 million in dividends to whole life policyholders this year.

The estimated payout represents an increase of nearly 3 percent over last year’s dividend of $70 million.

“Approving a strong dividend to our policyholders and keeping our dividend scale unchanged demonstrates the long-term value we deliver to our customers,” said Kelvin Schill, vice president of financial products for COUNTRY Financial.

NRCS EXTENDS CSP DEADLINE — The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced last week the application deadline for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) has been extended until Feb. 7 for fiscal year 2014.

“Extending the enrollment deadline will make it possible for more farmers, ranchers and forest landowners to apply for this important farm bill conservation program,” NRCS Chief Jason Weller said. NRCS has partnered with farmers to enroll more than 59 million acres nationwide through CSP. While local NRCS offices accept CSP applications year round, NRCS evaluates applications during announced ranking periods. To be eligible for this year’s enrollment, farmers must submit their applications to NRCS by the closing date.

IFB MEMBERS NAMED TO AFBF ADVISORY COMMITTEES — Three Illinois Farm Bureau members have been named to 2014 American Farm Bureau Federation Commodity Advisory Committees by the AFBF board.

Dean Campbell of Randolph County will serve on the soybean advisory committee, while Kevin Miller of Effingham County will serve on the feed grains advisory committee. Patricia Titus of Douglas County will serve on the swine advisory committee.

The trio will attend national committee meetings in Washington, D.C., in mid-February. Committee members discuss and recommend solutions to problems directly affecting the specific commodities they represent. Members serve in an advisory capacity to the AFBF president and board of directors.

(ISSN0197-6680) Vol. 42 No. 2 January 13, 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.

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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 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

Miller: Important to know proper steps for abandoned well issues

Salt brine and oil float on the surface of this Crawford County field. Brine and oil leaking from abandoned oil wells has damaged the soil permanently. (Photo courtesy Jonathan Rosborough)

BY KAY SHIPMAN FarmWeek

The Illinois Director of Natural Resources (IDNR) last week advised a course of action for farmers and landowners encountering leaking oil wells on their property.

“We certainly want to be aware and assist as best we can. We do need farmers to help us to Marc Miller know what is going on on the landscape,” Director Marc Miller told FarmWeek. Recently Miller and his staff discussed leaking oil wells with Crawford County farmers and Illinois Farm Bureau staff.

When farmers find a leaking oil well, tank battery or

Wells

flow line from a well, they should first contact the operator of the nearest active well, Miller advised. Law requires that contact information be posted at the site, he noted.

“If the operator is not permitted for that well, they likely will know who the operator is,” Miller said.

If contact doesn’t resolve the problem, the next step is to contact one of three district IDNR oil and gas resource management offices. Those are located in Mount Carmel at 618-262-2106 and Centralia at 618-533-8979. Those staffs serve southern Illinois. The Springfield office at 217-7827756 serves the rest of Illinois.

Miller advised individuals reporting an abandoned well issue to provide information about the location, the operator and other relevant information.

Continued from page 1 stumps and gunny sacks, used to fill abandoned wells in the 1910s, ‘20s and ‘30s. Now pressure from operations several hundred feet away is finding weak points and pushing to the surface.

“We need their (DNR) help” to properly seal abandoned wells with funding from the Plugging and Restoration Fund (PRF), Rosborough said. “The director (Miller) seemed receptive to our problem.”

Farmers know the state has a long list of abandoned wells, but not all those are causing current damage, he explained. Rosborough is interested in the state giving top priority to sealing abandoned wells causing damage.

Another issue is a lack of Crawford County contractors who are certified by DNR to seal the wells. Lurkins agreed the lack of certified area contractors is a problem.

One of IFB’s goals is to inform members

IDNR is aware of a lack of certified contractors in some areas and has sent information about license requirements and other needed information to contractors, Miller said.

“We are working to find interested contractors, and we will move quickly on those wells that pose health and environmental risks once we have contractors,” he said.

The state’s list of abandoned oil and gas wells is lengthy and a limited amount of funding is available to seal wells for the first time since Miller became director.

“We will prioritize those wells that pose health and environmental risks,” he added.

“We certainly want to encourage producers to help us by identifying problems,” Miller concluded.

experiencing problems from abandoned wells about the exact steps they should take to report the problems to DNR, according to Lurkins.

“We want our members to know exactly what steps, including documentation, are needed,” Lurkins said.

“We understand leaks happen, but we need some kind of emergency funds to address problems,” Rosborough said. “Long term, we want to get contractors with the state.”

Rosborough emphasized he does not blame oil companies carte blanche for the current problems. “Ninety-nine percent of the oil companies down here do a fantastic job, but there’s always one or two.”

IFB is aware of the problem and will work with members and DNR to address the issues, Lurkins added.

FarmWeek will publish additional information when it becomes available.

POLICY

Page 3 Monday, January 13, 2014 FarmWeek

Farm bill, biofuels, immigration among top national priorities

BY DEANA STROISCH FarmWeek

The new year brings a higher level of optimism that a farm bill — now three years in the making — will be passed, said Adam Nielsen, Illinois Farm Bureau’s director of national legislation and policy development.

“We have the inevitability factor going our way,” Nielsen told participants of the Illinois Agriculture Roundtable last week.

“After a piece of legislation has been sitting around a long enough time, and there’s been a lot of work done on it … there’s a feeling that it just needs to be done.”

Nielsen said a number of issues must first be resolved, including the National Milk Producers Federation’s (NMPF) dairy policy reform proposal.

The plan’s supply management thrust has been a sticking point for ag groups including the Illinois Farm Bureau.

He said IFB will have a call to action as soon a proposed

bill makes it to the floor.

Other national priorities for the coming year include: • Renewable Fuel Standard. IFB continues to work with the governor’s stakeholders group and elected officials to oppose the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed 2014 Renewable Fuels Standard.

• Waterways. Congress is “inching closer” to Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) reauthorization. IFB continues to work with U.S. Reps. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, and Cheri Bustos, an East Moline Democrat, who both serve on the conference committee, he said.

• Ag labor. Nielsen said IFB hopes the House leadership advances immigration reform, including ag labor reform, and will be open to conferencing with the Senate.

• Trade. IFB plans to work with its delegation to build support for Congress to pass trade promotion authority.

• Tax reform. Although it’s

FSA ‘plugging holes’ to staff offices

Illinois Far m Ser vice Agency’s (FSA) workforce shrunk by 114 people in the last three years, the combined result of budget cuts, retirements and a hiring freeze.

“By losing 114 employees, we essentially lost 23 county offices — just wiped them off the map with the number of staff we lost,” Rick Graden, Illinois FSA’s executive officer, told participants of the Illinois Agricultural Legislative Roundtable last week.

The agency, which is responsible for administering federal far m programs locally, has been “plug ging holes,” sharing staff across county lines and relocating some workers to other county offices, Graden said.

The agency had 621 employees to administer programs when the far m bill passed in 2008. There currently are 487 on the payroll. The agency was recently given approval to hire five new employees.

“We’ve played a lot of chess in Illinois with our employees,” Graden said. “And unfortunately, it’s people and that’s not fun to do sometimes.”

The agency is closely watching what happens with the far m bill.

“If it’s a complicated far m bill, all we can hope is they provide us some funding to increase our staff size,” Graden told Far mWeek. “We can only hope.

That’s what gives us the positive attitude to keep at it every day.”

Graden told the group last week that the agency has 93 county offices in Illinois. Twenty-six of those offices are considered understaffed.

And it could get worse.

The majority of the current employees are eligible for retirement, he said.

“Depending on what the far m bill is, depending on what the mood is, they might decide to leave,” he said.

“If we aren’t able to replace them …”

Despite the challenges, Graden said FSA will continue to do its best with the resources it has.

“We don’t have a choice,” he said. “That’s our job. We will do it. We’ve always done it. Our staff is extremely dedicated.”

He said Scherrie Giamanco, FSA state executive director, believes there’s no excuse for bad customer ser vice.

“We intend on providing the customer ser vice it takes,” he said. — Deana Stroisch

been discussed for the past year, there’s still no clear direction on what will happen with tax reforms this year, Nielsen said. IFB has been working with Aaron Schock, a Peoria Republican, on a number of critical agricultural

issues, such as Section 179.

Farmers want to continue Section 179 expensing and bonus depreciation, which serve as incentives to farm investment and rural economic growth.

Nielsen said IFB hopes to get tax extensions passed in

Illinois Farm Bureau last week hosted a group of agricultural stakeholders working to take a united stance on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

The group also plans to invite EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy to Illinois to tour an ethanol plant, meet with stakeholders and see firsthand how the proposed reductions would affect the state. Former IFB President Philip Nelson suggested doing so in his final speech.

The meeting, which followed the Illinois Agricultural Legislative Roundtable, was facilitated by the staff of Gov. Pat Quinn, who was recently named chairman of the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition.

“This issue, maintaining the Renewable Fuels Standard, is a very high priority for Governor Quinn,” said Justin Cajindos, Quinn’s deputy chief of staff.

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.

“Given the proposed changes by the EPA, the feeling here in Illinois was that it would be very important for all the stakeholders to come together to develop a unified Illinois position and work with our Washington partners and try to make the case for main-

FarmWeekNow.com

case reforms aren’t.

But since this year is an election year, eventually the focus will turn to the election instead of policy.

“We hope that is farther down the road than sooner,” he said.

IFB unites state leaders on RFS For more information on the proposed 2014 Renewable Fuel Standard go to FarmWeekNow.com.

taining our current levels,” Illinois Agriculture Director Bob Flider told FarmWeek.

Representatives from a variety of groups attended the meeting in person or by phone.

A formal position wasn’t taken at the meeting.

Kristy Moore of the Renewable Fuels Association encouraged everyone to submit comments to the EPA by the Jan. 28 deadline.

“On the E15 waiver, there were 70,000 comments sent to EPA — 70 percent of those were against EPA approving E15,” Moore told the group.

“And they still did it. So, they do have the will to do the right thing with the right data.” — Deana Stroisch

IFB petition: ‘Save the RFS’

A petition signed by nearly 900 Illinois Farm Bureau members was sent last week to President Barack Obama and the head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), urging them to save the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

IFB President Rich Guebert Jr. wrote a letter to Obama, urging him to “roll back” the EPA’s proposed rule.

“Farm Bureau members are motivated to do something to show their deep concern over this latest threat to a renewable fuels policy that has helped drive billions of dollars of investment, created thousands of jobs, and lifted our industry and the rural economy during the Great Recession,” Guebert wrote.

“There’s no question this policy is doing what it was intended to do.”

In November, EPA proposed the renewable fuel mandate in the RFS be lowered from 14.1 billion gallons to 13 billion gallons. The advanced fuel mandate, including biodiesel and E85, would drop from 3.75 billion gallons to 2.2 billion gallons.

Adam Nielsen, IFB director of national legislation and policy development, said IFB has been working closely with Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and other Congressional leaders even before the proposed rule was announced.

IFB delegates will head to Texas this week to defend the American Farm Bureau’s renewable fuel policy.

After the meeting, IFB delegates will work with county Farm Bureaus to identify members that have close relationships with the renewable fuel industry with personal stories to share with the EPA. — Deana Stroisch

Deere & Company official mulls farm data value

Deere & Company leaders agree with the Illinois Farm Bureau’s policy that farm data should belong to the individual. However, Don Borgman, Deere director of industry relations, said the “problem is in the details.”

“Whenever we get down to it, we don’t know whether the data is worth 10 cents an acre, or it’s worth $100 an acre, or it’s worth $1,000 an acre,” Borgman said during the Illinois Agricultural Legislative Roundtable last week. “Now would be a lousy time for us to strike a deal and say, ‘OK, let’s make it 50 bucks an acre’ because if it turns out to be worth 10 cents, we’re not going to be in business very long.”

IFB delegates approved policy at their annual meeting that states data collected from farming and agricultural operations should remain the property of the individual.

The policy also supports efforts to require companies collecting, storing and analyzing data to provide full disclosure of how the data will be used.

Calling it an emerging technology, Borgman said there are many unknowns.

“In principle, we want the farmer to own the

data,” he said. “We are in absolute lockstep agreement.

“But when the fertilizer dealer comes out with his fertilizer applicator and hardware that he has purchased, and software that he has purchased, and he maps his fertilizer application on your field, who does that data belong to? Does it belong to the fertilizer applicator or does it belong to the farmer?

Or does it belong to the landlord?”

He said Deere attorneys said it should be an issue of control because “we’re not sure that we can defend or ensure ownership.” He encouraged farmers to contact his company with any concerns.

“In a very real sense, we’re just designing a tractor,” he said.

Borgman also talked about issues of supply and demand and gave a historical look at where the industry has been.

“Underlying all of this, the issue that makes life a lot easier and problems that are a lot easier to solve is if we figure out how to create enough demand,” he said. “I would suggest that always be our foundation going forward.” — Deana Stroisch

ROUNDTABLE

FarmWeek Page 4 Monday, January 13, 2014

Illinois collegiate ag programs sharing challenges

BY KAY SHIPMAN FarmWeek

With agriculture graduates in demand, agriculture programs are popular at the four state universities. However, those ag programs also are facing the challenge of reduced state funding, the Illinois Agricultural Legislative Roundtable heard in Bloomington last week.

The Ag Roundtable is comprised of more than 50 agricultural organizations, universities, agribusinesses, and state and federal government agencies and representatives.

Bob Hauser, dean of the

College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) at the University of Illinois, reported on the staBob Hauser tus of agriculture at his university, Southern Illinois University (SIU), Western Illinois University (WIU) and Illinois State University (ISU).

“There’s common themes across all the ag programs ...

Demand at the undergraduate level is going through the

roof,” Hauser said. “We are placing students well.”

Last fall, ag student enrollment increases were reported at WIU, SIU and ISU. While demand is strong for admission into ACES, freshmen enrollment is capped at the university, Hauser noted.

Of particular note, ISU reported its number of ag education graduates was outstripped by demand. University administration and faculty are aware of high demand for grads in certain fields, such as crop science, and are working to recruit students.

“It’s a puzzle we’re trying to solve,” Hauser said.

Sky’s the limit for U of I’s

Blue Waters, agriculture

BY KAY SHIPMAN FarmWeek

The University of Illinois’ supercomputer, known as Blue Waters, holds unlimited potential for advancements in agriculture, according to U of I computer science professor Roy Campbell.

The capability to look at huge amounts of information and do huge calculations “will change the environment for everyone, including farmers,” Campbell told members of the Illinois Agricultural Legislative Roundtable last week.

“That data tells us down to the centimeter everything we want to know about a farm,” Campbell said.

The U of I officially launched Blue Waters, one of the world’s most powerful computers,

last March. “We can beat most folks out there on the planet at whatever we want to compute,” Campbell said.

The cloud computer expert envisioned agriculture’s basic building blocks of genetics and soils being more thoroughly understood. “What Blue Waters offers ... is lots of data capability and the capability to give really good research answers,” he explained.

“We are going to understand how crop and animal cells operate. There are interesting ways to match that against the environment they operate in,” he added.

“You have data; each organization has data,” he told Roundtable members. “You put that together and you can create a lot more wealth and food ... The question is how you’re going to do that.”

Scientists finding key ways to waterhemp resistance

Weed science researchers at the University of Illinois have identified two unique mechanisms in waterhemp that have allowed the weed to resist HPPD-inhibiting herbicides, such as Callisto, Impact and Laudis.

The study, funded by Syngenta Crop Protection, was prompted in 2009 when a continuous seed corn grower from central Illinois realized the HPPD-inhibiting herbicides he was using no longer killed waterhemp plants, which by then had grown into a literal mat of weeds across the field, said Dean Riechers, U of I weed physiology professor.

“It became obvious to the grower that something was wrong, but it probably started years before that,” Riechers said, adding that the grower had been planting continuous seed corn using HPPDinhibiting herbicides for at least eight years in a row.

‘It became obvious to the grower that something was wrong ...’

— Dean Riechers U of I weed physiology professor

Working with Syngenta, the maker of Callisto, the researchers first looked at herbicide target genes in the waterhemp plants, expecting to find signs of a mutation in the plant’s gene sequence, expression or in reduced herbicide absorption. None of these measures affected resistance.

Instead, the researchers found resistance was due to increased metabolism of mesotrione and atrazine via P450 enzymes for mesotrione and GST enzymes for atrazine. The faster metabolism of the HPPD-inhibiting

herbicides in waterhemp resembles the natural mechanism in corn.

What are the implications for growers now that this resistance has emerged?

Growers should consider not using the same herbicide mode of action repeatedly.

They could also use tillage because there’s no resistance to tillage, Riechers noted.

U of I researchers are now looking at new ways to overcome the resistance mechanism by blocking P450 enzymes in the weed while it is still small by using a different chemical inhibitor.

The four universities’ ag programs also share an issue of decreased state funding.

Last year, WIU’s School of Agriculture received a 10 percent cut in reoccurring state funding, while replacement costs continue to increase on the university research farm.

“The fiscal issues we all face require tuition increases in light of declining state funding and a search for more external (sources of) funding,” Hauser said.

Faculty hiring varied from university to university.

WIU reported all its faculty positions were filled, and SIU hired new ag faculty

although there was a significant loss of faculty to other universities and retirement.

Ag faculty numbers also dropped significantly at the U of I, Hauser reported.

Agriculture’s importance is being elevated at two universities. Recently, WIU’s School of Agriculture was designated as one of 12 signature programs on the Macomb campus.

At the U of I, agriculture relates directly to several new Urbana campus priorities.

Those priorities include food, energy, water and health, and will “involve our college in a big way,” Hauser said.

Flider: Illinois ag profiting from partnerships

From increased exports to finding solutions to water problems, Illinois agriculture gains through public-private partnerships, Illinois Agriculture Director Bob Flider told the Illinois Agricultural Legislative Roundtable last week in Bloomington.

“One thing this industry does well is get together and come up with a game plan,” Flider said during an update on the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA).

The director highlighted a laundry list of 2013 challenges — many of them weather related — that required pooling of public and private resources.

Looking ahead, pressure on IDOA’s budget remains although the agency experienced a 10-year reversal of funding cuts and received a modest increase for the current fiscal year, Flider reported.

“This year, we will have similar pressure on our budget; we’re working with OMB (Office of Management and Budget) to maintain our operations but do more to market

your products,” the director said.

Marketing promotions not only sell Illinois ag goods, but also boost the state economy Bob Flider and provide a return of more than $100 for every dollar spent, according to Flider.

He illustrated the point by noting increased sales related to a tour of international grain buyers. In 2011, Illinois experienced $20 billion in sales; that increased to $53 billion the next year.

In 2013, “we saw $175 billion in projected sales of grain,” Flider said. “When we go to the legislature, we need to make the case those (marketing) dollars are well spent.”

Flider also highlighted the benefits stemming from the Nutrient Reduction Education Council (NREC). “This is an opportunity for industry to come together,” Flider said.

“NREC will help us achieve those (environmental) objectives with a public-private partnership.”

Farmers wishing to apply restricted-use pesticides to land they own or control in the production of an agricultural commodity must be certified as private applicators in Illinois.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture certifies and licenses pesticide applicators involved with agriculture production.

Several training and testing clinics and testing-only ses-

sions have been planned around the state in January, February and March.

Pre-registration for private applicator clinics and testing is required. The registration fee is $30 per person for a clinic.

Testing is free.

A list of all statewide applicator training and testing clinics and registration details are available at {web.extension.illinois.edu/psep/training/private/index.cfm}.

BY KAY SHIPMAN FarmWeek

Private applicator sessions scheduled around state

SPECIALTY CROPS

Page 5 Monday, January 13, 2014 FarmWeek

Sippin’ cider

Contest puts judges’ senses to the test Glasses of golden or amber liquid — some fragrant, others less so — served as visual fruits of Illinois apple growers’ labor last week.

The 25th Annual Cider Contest and the 12th Annual Hard Cider Contest hinged on the senses and personal tastes of 10 judges. Sangamon County Master Gardeners helped maintain the secrecy of contestants’ entrees — no names, only numbers — and entered tally scores for bouquet, body, flavor and color into a computer grid.

“Contest numbers are assigned so the judges don’t know what they’re tasting,” explained Elizabeth Wahle, a University of Illinois Extension educator who coordinated the judging.

Stakes were high as apple growers vied with their best ciders in hopes of winning U.S.

best of show, or perhaps, Illinois best of show. Wahle explained the traveling U.S. trophy only travels if an Illinois grower wins that honor. A winning out-of-state contender receives a special certificate.

“The original intent of the contest was to generate interest in the apple industry,” Wahle said. “Local (consumer) interest is just as important because most of our growers are not wholesalers.”

Consumer interest in cider, especially hard cider, has exploded. Last year, Chicago held its first Cider Summit and is expected to get its first cider bar this spring. More than 100 varieties in bottles and on tap will be served.

These factors make cider judging serious business.

Last week, each judge used different techniques. Some held glasses up to the light and swirled the liquid. One sniffed from the edge of the glass,

Eliot Coleman, nationally renowned vegetable and herb grower, views farming as an adventure and specialty crops as challenges.

Coleman, who stopped for cellphone photos in the hall before his speech, shared his wit and wisdom with long-time fans and others at the Illinois Specialty Crops, Agritourism and Organic Conference last week in Springfield.

From his wheeled unheated greenhouses to his drill-powered cultivator, Coleman shared the inventions and innovations that allow him to grow 35 specialty crops and herbs on his profitable 13-acre farm. Coleman’s year-round production of vegetables in unheated greenhouses is one part of his intensive farming operation.

“You can add heat (to greenhouses) but it’s a slippery slope,” he said. Coleman quipped such expenses might lead one to try to become Maine’s largest — and soonto-be-bankrupt — mango grower.

“What we’ve learned is you have to have standards. The (greenhouse) crop has to earn $1.50 per square foot for the two months it’s in there,” he

explained. Specialty basil grown in March for a chef made the cut; peas grown for another chef ’s March event did not — and weren’t tried again.

“Part of this game is not just biological, it’s also economical,” Coleman said.

After an expensive wheeled greenhouse on tracks proved less than successful, Coleman’s Yankee ingenuity led him to develop a “wheel unit” with the help of a blacksmith friend to transport each of his greenhouses. A set of 10, $35 wheels allows him to move every greenhouse on his farm, he noted.

Another tool made, again with the blacksmith’s help, of plumbing parts from Home Depot is used to plant leeks with the 9-inch blanched shank preferred by chefs. He used 1inch conduit to construct small, portable greenhouses at a cost of $1 per square foot. “We’re always trying to do things less expensively,” he noted.

Coleman didn’t mind sharing his trade secrets with his audience, but he also reminded them his information didn’t come cheaply. “I’ve learned this at great expense — you aren’t,” he said with a laugh. — Kay Shipman

BY KAY SHIPMAN FarmWeek

Maine grower delights fans with innovations

Ben Wright of Brownsburg, Ind., examines a cider sample for color and clarity at the 25th Annual Cider Contest during the Illinois Specialty Crops, Agritourism and Organic Conference last week in Springfield. (Photo

by Cyndi Cook)

while another with furrowed brow cupped his hands around the rim and created a funnel to inhale the aroma.

Ben Wright, a long-time judge from Brownsburg, Ind., noted cider judging is very subjective and a matter of opinion. “I like mine with a little tartness; too sweet, it’s apple juice, but that’s OK. My grandkids like that,” he said.

Jim Shannon, another longtime judge, gained personal experience from his childhood. “Living in Cobden, you’re around apples all your life. You know a green one

from a fresh one,” he said.

Shannon explained he seeks that perfect apple taste.

“When I drink something, I like to think of biting into a fresh apple. I want freshness, a little tartness,” he said. “Some people like it a little sweeter.”

The National and Illinois Cider Contests were won by Tom Schwartz of Schwartz Orchard, Centralia. The National Hard Cider Contest was won by Trevor and Dalton Grissom of Grissom’s Lost Creek Orchard, Greenup.

Between bites of cracker and sips of palate-cleansing

water, the judges chatted about their cider preferences and speculated about artisan recipes that make signature ciders.

Harvard farmer and judge Harry Alten expounded on the influence new apple varieties have made on cider blends. Some family recipes are passed down from generation to generation. “Like Coca Cola,” Alten added with a nod.

Those secret recipes, like the tastes of the judges, come down to personal preference of growers and consumers.

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WEATHER

FarmWeek Page 6 Monday, January 13, 2014

Snow likely protected wheat from frigid temps

BY DANIEL GRANT FarmWeek

Farmers won’t know for months how the winter wheat crop fared during last week’s blast of arctic air.

But one thing seems certain at this point — the frigid temperatures would have been more devastating to the wheat crop had it not been for the protective blanket of snow that fell just prior to the arrival of the polar vortex.

Snowfall totals around the state last week generally ranged from 4 to 12-plus inches, with the largest totals in east central and northern Illinois.

“Where there was snow cover it definitely was a big help protecting the wheat from the severe cold,” said Steve Stallman, a farmer from Chester (Randolph County) and president of the Illinois Wheat Association. “If we wouldn’t have had any snow cover, and with these temperatures and wind, I’m sure there would have been a lot of freeze damage to wheat.”

The temperature was below zero in most of the state for two days last week before warmer air arrived prior to the weekend.

Winter wheat that was most vulnerable to winterkill last week was on hillsides and parts of deep southern and southeast Illinois that received less snow than the rest of the state.

Nationally, areas where farmers are concerned about winterkill to the winter wheat crop include northern Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota.

“There was a lot of wind involved (in last week’s winter storm) and some snow blew off hillsides,” Stallman said.

“I’m concerned in some areas

of fields the wheat didn’t have real good cover.”

Stallman reported his area last week received about 6 inches of snow, but high

winds stripped some areas of snow cover while lower areas had snow drifts that were several feet deep.

“I think we got enough snow to help out considerably,” he added. “We’ll have to wait until spring to assess the damage.”

The winter wheat crop entered dormancy in pretty good shape statewide. The condition of the crop at the end of November was rated 75 percent good to excellent, 24 percent fair and 1 percent poor.

A large portion of stored grain likely froze during last week’s polar plunge.

But farmers should continue to regularly monitor crops in on-farm storage to reduce chances of any spoiled grain, according to Randy Holthaus, GROWMARK grain systems operation manager.

“You’ve got to be persistent with your diligence,” Holthaus told the RFD Radio Net-

work®. “Inspect your grain regularly.

“Check for crusting and condensation,” he continued.

“If moisture is starting to form on top, it’s an indicator you’ve got heating going on.”

Farmers should make sure grain is dry and probe the grain to check the temperature and for hot spots.

A regular check of bins also allows farmers to monitor for

insect and rodent activity.

“We believe you should check your bins weekly,” Holthaus said. “It (stored grain) is a considerable investment sitting there.”

Holthaus believes there is a considerable amount of crops in on-farm storage as U.S. farmers this year harvested a record corn crop.

“There is a lot in storage and, with pricing the way it is, it’s not priced to ship,” he said.

“It’s going to be there a while.”

Last week’s subzero temperatures likely froze some grain. But Holthaus recommended farmers keep the temperature in bins slightly above freezing.

Otherwise, if grain contains moisture that freezes, it can turn into solid masses that can be hard to unload and possibly damage bins.

“It’s a double-edged sword,

but we don’t recommend freezing grain,” Holthaus said.

Tips for monitoring bins, provided by DuPont Pioneer experts, include the following.

• Smell the exhaust to detect musty odors that indicate the possible development of molds.

• Check the grain surface for crusting, wet areas and molds.

• Check inside the roof of the building for condensation and leaks.

• Make sure the building exterior is well-drained, weather-tight, rodent-proof and not physically damaged by the forces of the grain.

If any problems are detected, correct them as soon as possible. Farmers in some cases may have to move grain to a different storage facility so they can limit grain damage and correct any issues. — Daniel Grant

‘ If we wouldn’t have had any snow cover, and with these temperatures and wind, I’m sure there would have been a lot of freeze damage to wheat.’

— Steve Stallman President, Illinois Wheat Association

Farmers advised to monitor stored grain

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Conservation crop focus on Jan. 28

A variety of conservation topics will be discussed from 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 28 in the Mendota Civic Center, Mendota.

The registration fee is $20.

Topics will include soil health improvements, cover crop success and nutrient management.

Register online to reserve a seat {ccswcd.com}. The fee may be paid by check or credit card. For more information, contact Marty McManus at 309-738-7227.

Tuesday: • Freese-Notis Weather • Kirk Liefer, Randolph County Farm Bureau immediate past president: county activities excellence finalist • Deana Stroisch, FarmWeek and FarmWeekNow.com, new ag policy editor • Doug Yoder, Illinois Farm Bureau: American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting Wednesday: • Illinois Department of Agriculture representative • Jim Bower, Bower Trading • Linda Olson, Illinois Farm Families: 2014 Field Moms and upcoming tours Thursday: • Illinois Beef Association rep-

resentative • Stu Ellis, AgEngage: Farming 2014 Conference • Heather Wolfe, Monsanto: America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education • Harry Cooney, GROWMARK: propane shortage Friday: • Monty Whipple, LaSalle County Farm Bureau president: mining operation taking place in LaSalle County • Ivan Dozier, Natural Resources Conservation Service: farm bill progress, extension of the Conservation Stewardship Program application deadline To find a radio station near you that carries the RFD Radio Network ®, go to FarmWeekNow.com, click on “Radio,” then click on “Affiliates.”

YOUNG LEADERS

Page 7 Monday, January 13, 2014 FarmWeek

New YL chairman focuses on increasing IFB involvement

BY DANIEL GRANT FarmWeek

Jared Finegan always wanted to be involved in farming and farm-related activities.

The desire was so great for the Iroquois County man, who recently began his one-year term as chairman of the Illinois Farm Bureau Young Leader State Committee, that he still recalls making a deal with his parents when he was young.

“I talked my parents out of sending me to preschool so I could help farm,” Finegan told FarmWeek.

Finegan, of course, had to go to school the following year and eventually graduated from Joliet Junior College with an associate’s degree in ag production.

He fulfilled his boyhood dream in 2003 when he started working full time on his family’s farm shortly after his grandfather retired. Finegan currently raises corn and soybeans in a farming

Jared Finegan takes a break from repairing an auger in his Iroquois County farm shop. Finegan serves as the new chairman of the Illinois Farm Bureau Young Leader State Committee. Right, a barn quilt hangs on the Finegan farm, highlighting important activities, including 4-H involvement and grain production. (Photos by Ken Kashian)

partnership with his parents and brother on 2,300 acres.

“I always wanted to farm,” Finegan said. “I was excited for the opportunity to step in (in 2003).”

YL State Conference scheduled Illinois Farm Bureau Young Leaders will host the annual Young Leaders State Conference Jan. 31 and Feb. 1.

The event will be held at the Marriott Hotel and Conference Center in Normal.

“It’s a great way to network with different people around the state, build friendships and learn a little bit along the way,” said Jared Finegan, YL State Committee chairman from FordIroquois County.

The event will feature two keynote speakers — Steve FarmWeekNow.com Gilliland, a master storyteller, Visit FarmWeekNow.com to author and businessman, and learn more about the upcoming Jon Petz, an inspirational enterYL State Conference. tainer.

There also will be a variety of educational breakout sessions, live and silent auctions that will benefit the Harvest For All program and a live band.

Families are encouraged to attend. There will be licensed child care available at the conference on Feb. 1.

For more information, visit the website {ilfb.org} or email Dianne Fleming at dfleming@ilfb.org.

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Finegan also had an opportunity to be involved in various ag leadership roles soon after he graduated from college.

He joined IFB Young Leaders and continued a family tradition of Farm Bureau involvement. Finegan was the chairman of the Ford-Iroquois Young Leader Committee from 2005 to 2010 and has served on the State Committee since then.

“When I came back from college, our county Young Leader

Committee asked me to get involved and by the third or fourth meeting they talked me into becoming chairman,” Finegan said. “Then I got on our State (YL) Committee (in 2010).

This is my fourth and final year.”

Finegan as Young Leader chairman hopes to inspire Young Leaders and other Farm Bureau members across the state to get involved in IFB at the county and state level.

“I want to focus on getting the word out to all Young Leaders to embrace their opportunities and encourage involvement,” he said. “We’re lucky in our state to have one of the premier Farm Bureaus in the country.”

Finegan believes the commodity price boom in recent years helped fuel a resurgence of interest in farming and ag-related careers among young people.

Young Leader involvement subsequently picked up in recent years and Finegan hopes to continue that trend.

“A telltale sign (of the uptick in ag involvement among young people) is our (YL State) conference has had record attendance the last few years,” Finegan said.

The YL State Conference

this year will be held Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 at the Marriott Hotel and Conference Center in Normal.

Finegan after this year said he may set his sights on running for a spot on his county’s Farm Bureau board.

“My dad was a long-time county board director and my grandpa was as well,” he added.

“We’ve always been a Farm Bureau family.”

Finegan will be joined in his YL leadership role this year by Vice Chairman Matt Rush of Wayne County and Secretary Matthew Starr of Hancock County.

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FarmWeek Page 8 Monday, January 13, 2014

2013 Illinois Farm Bureau速 Member

Photo Contest

Grand Prize

Alyson Lentz/Ogle County

Members Choice Award & 2nd 1-"$& t i* -PWF *MMJOPJTw Theresa Luitjohan/Clinton County

Page 9 Monday, January 13, 2014 FarmWeek

134Photo_W3

1st 1MBDF

2nd 1MBDF

i#FZPOE 5IF 'FODFw

i#FZPOE 5IF 'FODFw

Larry Nelson/Stephenson County

Megan Coffman/Macon County

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ALTERNATIVE FUELS

FarmWeek Page 10 Monday, January 13, 2014

Why not just harvest invasive plant species?

Although invasive Asian carp have been successfully harvested and served on a dinner plate, harvesting invasive plants to convert into ethanol isn’t as easy.

According to a recent study at the University of Illinois, harvesting invasive plants for use as biofuels may sound like a great idea, but the reality poses numerous obstacles and is too expensive to consider — at least with the current ethanol pathways.

“When the topic of potential invasion by non-native biofuel crops has been raised at conferences I’ve attended, the ecologists in the room have suggested we use biomass from existing invaders instead,” said Lauren Quinn, an invasive plant ecologist at U of I’s Energy Biosciences Institute.

“They worry about the potential deployment of tens of thousands of acres of known invaders like Arundo donax for ethanol production. They’d say, ‘we have all of these invasive plants. Let’s just harvest them instead of planting new ones!’

But when I analyzed the idea from a broader perspective, it just didn’t add up.”

Arundo donax, an invasive plant, invades a bank along the Santa Ana River in Riverside, Calif. Harvesting invasive plants for use as biofuels may sound like a great idea, but the reality poses numerous obstacles.

(Photo by Lauren Quinn)

Quinn explored the idea of harvesting invasive plants from many angles, but said the overarching problem is that the profit stream is not sustainable.

“From a business person’s perspective, it just doesn’t function like a typical crop that is harvested and then replanted or harvested again the following year,” she said.

“Here, land managers are trying to get rid of an invasive plant using an array of methods, including herbicides, so there wouldn’t necessarily be multiple years of harvest.”

Other obstacles Quinn examined include the need for specially designed harvesting equipment, the development of new conversion technolo-

gies for these unique plants and problems associated with transportation.

“One of the biggest issues is the absence of appropriate biorefineries in any given area,” Quinn said. “If there isn’t one nearby, growers would have to transport the material long distances, and that’s expensive.”

Perhaps more important, Quinn noted the issues with high variability of the cell wall composition across different species.

“Most existing or planned biorefineries can process only a single, or at best, a small handful of conventional feedstocks, and are not likely to be flexible enough to handle the variety of material brought in from invasive plant control projects,” Quinn said.

While Quinn doesn’t discount the idea of harvesting invasive plants, she does not believe invasive biomass can replace dedicated energy crops at present.

“One day there might be a pathway toward ethanol conversion of invasive biomass,” Quinn said. “But until we do get to that point, there may be possibilities to use invasive plants as alternative sources of energy, like combustion for electricity. Invasive biomass could drop into the existing supply of biomass being cofired with coal in the already huge network of electrical power plants across the country. That would eliminate the technological barriers that conversion to ethanol presents.”

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GALC

Page 11 Monday, January 13, 2014 FarmWeek

Yepsen: Illinois politics to heat up in 2014

GALC keynote

BY KAY SHIPMAN FarmWeek

Politics this year promise to bring heat no matter how frigid the weather, and Illinois politics continue warming, according to a distinguished national political journalist.

David Yepsen, director of Southern Illinois University’s Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, knows the political landscape as a former political writer, editor and columnist for the Des Moines Register.

He will discuss emerging political issues Feb. 26 during the Illinois Farm Bureau Governmental Affairs Legislative Conference (GALC) in the Crowne Plaza, Springfield.

Looking ahead and examining different political factors are useful to groups, such as Farm Bureau, Yepsen told FarmWeek.

“In Illinois, given all the state’s problems, this ought to be a good year for Republi-

cans. But Republicans’ internal problems have to be solved” for the party to win, Yepsen said.

Yepsen’s examination of political issues also will cover 2016 and a “wide-open presidential race,” he added. As a veteran of the Iowa presidential caucuses, Yepsen will share some of those experiences too.

The Illinois political landscape ultimately gets down to legislative districts and the process that determines them.

“One thing I think everybody in Illinois needs to think about is how legislative districts are

drawn,” Yepsen said.

He noted an effort currently is under way to put a state constitutional amendment to change the redistricting process on the ballot. Yepsen said he won’t make an endorsement, but the Simon Institute has long been involved with redistricting issues.

The GALC will be Feb. 2627 and offer Farm Bureau members a range of sessions and activities. In addition to two keynote addresses, participants may select from 24 breakout sessions. Those topics include: trucking regula-

tions, livestock regulations, water quality issues, transportation and infrastructure issues, the farm bill, renewable fuel standards and issues of transmission, easements and utility lines.

A statewide legislative reception will be held at 6 p.m.

Feb. 26.

The two-day registration fee is $70. Registration for Wednesday only is $50 and $30 for Thursday only.

Accommodations are extra.

For more information or to register, contact your local county Farm Bureau or visit {ilfb.org}.

Young Leaders to collect canned goods at GALC

The Illinois Farm Bureau Young Leader Committee again will collect nonperishable food and donations during the Governmental Affairs Leadership Conference (GALC) Feb. 26-27 at the Crowne Plaza, Springfield.

Dubbed Fill a Ford, the activity launched last year collected 532 pounds of food and $270 that was distributed in 21 central Illinois counties served by the Central Illinois Food Bank.

The Young Leaders’ goal is to fill the bed of a Ford truck with food. The donations will be applied toward their Harvest for All campaign totals.

Datebook Jan. 18 University of Illinois Herb Day, Holiday Inn Hotel and Conference Center, Urbana. To register, visit {http://tinyurl.com/n5n9rdg} or call 217-244-1693.

Jan. 22-23 University of Illinois crop management conference, Mount Vernon. Visit {web.extension.illinois.edu/c srec} for more information.

Jan. 28 Conservation cropping seminar, Mendota. Visit {ccswcd.com} for information.

Jan. 28-29 Cattle breeding workshop, Dixon Springs Agricultural Center, Simpson. Registration deadline Jan. 21. Call 618-6954917.

Jan. 29-30 University of Illinois crop management conference, Springfield. Visit {web.extension.illinois.edu/csrec} for more information.

Jan. 30 Food entrepreneur conference, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., CGH Medical Center, Sterling. Call 815626-2665.

Jan. 30, Feb. 1 Illinois Farm Bureau Young Leader state conference, Normal. Visit {ilfb.org} for more information.

Feb. 4-5 Illinois Pork Expo, Peoria. Visit {ilpork.com} for more information.

Feb. 5-6 University of Illinois crop management conference, Champaign. Visit {web.extension.illinois.edu/csrec} for more information.

Feb. 12-13 University of Illinois crop management conference, Malta. Visit {web.extension.illinois.edu/c srec} for more information.

Feb. 18 Illinois winter wheat forum, Mount Vernon. Visit {illinoiswheat.org} for more information.

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FarmWeek Page 12 Monday, January 13, 2014

PENNY WAR DONATION

Steve Ericson, front row center, of Northern Illinois Food Bank accepts $9,007.10 on Dec. 30 from Illinois Farm Bureau District 1 representatives, left to right, Andy Lenkaitis and Mike Kenyon of Kane County, Mark Tuttle and Phil Montgomery of DeKalb County, Michele Aavang of McHenry County, Joe White of Kane County and Andy Blaul of Lake County. The four county Farm Bureaus pooled their winnings from the annual Young Leaders penny wars during the Illinois Farm Bureau annual meeting. The food bank will use the money for its Milk to My Plate program, with a goal of providing a constant milk supply at a consistent, affordable price to the food bank’s network partners. (Photo by Ryan Klassy, Kane County Farm Bureau information director)

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FSA advises farmers to anticipate payment reductions — The Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds farmers and ranchers who participate in FSA programs to plan accordingly in fiscal year 2014 (FY2014) for automatic spending reductions known as sequestration.

The Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA) mandates that federal agencies implement automatic, annual reductions to discretionary and mandatory spending limits. For mandatory programs, the sequestration rate for FY2014 is 7.2 percent by law, adjusted up or down dependent on the specific program.

Accordingly, FSA is implementing sequestration at varying rates for the following programs: • Dairy Indemnity Payment Program; • Marketing Assistance Loans; • Loan Deficiency Payments; • Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program; • 2013 Direct and CounterCyclical Payments; • 2013 Average Crop Revenue Election Program; and • 2011 Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program.

Conservation Reserve Program payments are specifically exempt by statute from sequestration, thus those payments will not be reduced. The sequester percentages reflect current law estimates. However, with the continuing budget uncertainty, Congress still may adjust the exact percentage reduction.

This announcement is intended to help farmers plan for the impact of sequestration cuts in FY2014. At this time, FSA is required to implement the sequester cuts in FY2014.

At this time, FSA is required to implement the sequester reductions. Due to the farm bill expiration on Sept. 30, FSA does not have the flexibility to cover these payment reductions in the same manner as in FY2013. FSA will provide notification as early as possible on the specific payment reductions.

For information about FSA programs, visit your county USDA Service Center or go to {fsa.usda.gov}.

Increased guaranteed loan limit — The FSA announced the loan limit for the guaranteed loan program increased to $1.355 million on Oct. 1.

The limit is adjusted annually based on data compiled by the National Agricultural Statistics Service. The lending limit is

Farm Service Agency

adjusted every year according to an inflation index.

The maximum combined guaranteed and direct farm loan indebtedness will also increase to $1.655 million. As a reminder, the one-time loan origination fee charged on FSA guaranteed Farm Ownership and Operating loans is 1.5 percent of the guaranteed portion of the loan.

Farmers should contact their local FSA office with questions about farm loans.

Farm storage loans available — FSA Illinois State Executive Director Scherrie Giamanco reminded farmers and ranchers that farm storage facility loans (FSFL) are available through FSA. FSA offers low-interest loans to grain farmers for building new or upgrading existing storage facilities and permanent drying and handling equipment.

Loans are available for, but not limited to: • New conventional-type cribs or bins, oxygen-limiting and other upright silo-type structures, and flat-type storage structures designed for whole grain storage; • Perforated floors, safety equipment, quality improvement equipment, electrical equipment and concrete components considered essential for a fully functional storage facility; and • Remodeling of existing storage facilities to increase storage capacity.

FSFL must be approved prior to site preparation, equipment purchase or construction, and must be secured by a promissory note and security agreement.

The new maximum principal loan amount is $500,000 for each FSFL. Participants are required to provide a down payment of 15 percent, with Commodity Credit Corp.

(CCC) providing a loan for the remaining 85 percent of the net cost of the eligible storage facility, and permanent drying and handling equipment.

Additional security is required for poured-cement open-bunker silos, renewable biomass facilities, cold storage facilities, hay barns and for all loans exceeding $50,000.

Loan terms of seven, 10 or 12 years are available depending on the amount of the loan.

Interest rates for each term rate may be different and are based on the rate which CCC borrows from the Treasury Department.

Contact your local FSA office for more information.

FROM THE COUNTIES

Page 13 Monday, January 13, 2014 FarmWeek

B

UREAU — Farm Bureau’s annual meeting will be at 6 p.m. Jan. 23 at Wise Guys Bar & Grill in Princeton. Cost is $10. Call the Farm Bureau office at 8756468 for tickets by Jan. 20.

• Farm Bureau will co-sponsor an agribusiness seminar at 9:30 Jan. 28 at Wise Guys Bar & Grill in Princeton. David Kohl, Virginia Tech, will be the speaker. Cost is $20. Call the Farm Bureau office at 8756468 for reservations by Jan. 21.

• COUNTRY Financial will host crop insurance seminars at 7:30 a.m. Jan. 21 at Wise Guys Bar & Grill in Princeton, Jan. 22 at Kewanee Dunes and Jan. 23 at the Geneseo Moose.

To register, visit {countrycrop.com/update} or call your local COUNTRY representative by Friday.

ASS-MORGAN — Farm Bureau and COUNTRY Financial representatives will co-sponsor crop insurance seminars at noon Jan. 20 at the Pike County Farm Bureau office in Pittsfield and at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 20 at Hamilton’s in Jacksonville.

Doug Yoder, Illinois Farm Bureau, will be the speaker.

Call the Farm Bureau office at 245-6833 or your COUNTRY Financial representative for reservations.

OOK — Farm Bureau will offer reduced price tickets for Disney On Ice at the United Center. For additional information on selected shows and dates visit {cookfb.org}.

• Farm Bureau is accepting applicants for the School Garden Grant. The grant provides limited funding for Cook County elementary, middle and high schools for the continuation or implementation of a school garden. Applications are available at {cookcfb.org/AgLiteracy/Grants}. Deadline to apply is Feb. 1.

• Farm Bureau will cosponsor a five-week beekeeping basic class from 7 to 9 p.m. Feb. 18 and 25, March 4, 11 and 18 at the Farm Bureau office. Cost is $60 for Farm Bureau and Cook/DuPage Beekeepers Association members and $90 for nonmembers. Call (708) 354-3276 to register.

FFINGHAM — Prime Timers will sponsor a defensive driving class from 8 a.m. to noon Feb. 4 and 5 at the Farm Bureau office. Dave Maxey, retired Illinois state policeman, will conduct the class. Call the Farm Bureau office by Tuesday for reservations.

• Prime Timers will host an evening of dinner and theatre beginning at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 15

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at the Farm Bureau office then traveling to the Effingham Performance Center. Cost is $36 for members and $41 for nonmembers. Call the Farm Bureau office at 342-2103 for reservations by Tuesday.

NOX — Farm Bureau’s annual meeting will be at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the Lake Storey Pavilion in Galesburg. Katie Pratt, U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Allliance Faces of Farming, will be the speaker.

Tickets may be purchased at the Farm Bureau office or at the door.

• Foundation scholarship and 2014 summer internship program applications are available by emailing knoxcfb@knoxcfb.org or by calling the Farm Bureau office at 342-2036. Application deadline is Feb. 11.

EE — Applications for Books by the Bushel Program are available by visiting {leecfb.org}, emailing leecfb@comcast.net or by calling the Farm Bureau office at 857-3531. Deadline to apply is Feb. 1.

IVINGSTON — Foundation scholarship applications are available at {livcfb.org}. For more information call the Farm Bureau office at 842-1103. Application deadline is at 4:30 p.m.

Feb. 28.

ERCER — Farm Bureau will sponsor a blood drive from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Jan. 21 at the Aledo VFW Hall. Call the Farm Bureau office at 582-5116 to set up an appointment.

• The Marketing Committee will sponsor a market outlook seminar at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Farm Bureau basement.

Dale Durchholz, AgriVisor, will be the speaker. For more information call the Farm Bureau office at 582-5116.

ONTGOMERY — Farm Bureau will host an Ameren easement informational meeting at 1 p.m. Jan. 20 at the Farm Bureau building.

An IFB Office of the General Counsel attorney will be in attendance to discuss the amendments and to answer questions. Call the Farm Bureau office at 532-6171 for more information.

EORIA — Farm Bureau and Barnyard Discoveries will sponsor an exhibit at Family Fest from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday at the Peoria Civic Center.

• Young Leaders will sponsor an FFA acquaintance day to Fair Oaks Farm in Indiana Jan. 22. Young Leaders may make reservations by calling the Farm Bureau office at 6867070 by Tuesday.

ERRY — Foundation scholarship applications are available. Call the Farm

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Bureau office for applications or more information. Application deadline is March 31.

• Farm Bureau will sponsor a market outlook seminar at noon Jan. 23 at the Farm Bureau office. Dale Durchholz, AgriVisor, will be the speaker. Call the Farm Bureau office for reservations by Thursday.

IATT — Farm Bureau Foundation will cosponsor a cash bash at 5:30 p.m. Friday at the Best Western in Monticello. Cost is $40 per person or $75 for two. Proceeds will benefit the Foundation and Community Action of Piatt County. Call 762-2128 or email ezelhart@piattfs.com for reservations.

• Farm Bureau will sponsor an on-the-road seminar at 9 a.m. Jan. 21 at the Monticello Community Building. Kevin Rund, IFB, will be the speaker.

Call the Farm Bureau office by Friday to register.

IKE — Farm Bureau and COUNTRY Financial representatives will cosponsor crop insurance seminars at noon Jan. 20 at the Farm Bureau office and at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 20 at Hamilton’s in

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Jacksonville. Doug Yoder, IFB, will be the speaker. Call the Farm Bureau office at 2852233 or your COUNTRY Financial representative for reservations.

OCK ISLAND — Farm Bureau will cosponsor a booth at the Quad Cities Farm Show Jan. 19-21 at the QCCA Expo Center.

Stop by the booth for a free sandwich coupon with paid membership. Kevin Rund, IFB, will be at the booth from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 20 to answer transportation questions.

COTT — Farm Bureau and COUNTRY Financial representatives will cosponsor crop insurance seminars at noon Jan. 20 at the Pike County Farm Bureau office in Pittsfield and at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 20 at Hamilton’s in Jacksonville. Doug Yoder, IFB, will be the speaker. Call the Farm Bureau office at 7423351 or your COUNTRY Financial representative for reservations.

ERMILION — Farm Bureau will host a market outlook seminar at 9 a.m.

Tuesday in the Farm Bureau

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auditorium. Dale Durchholz, AgriVisor, and Curt Kimmel, Bates Commodities, will speak.

ASHINGTON — Foundation, upperclassman and Agriculture Future of America scholarship applications are available. Contact the Farm Bureau office for more information.

• Farm Bureau will sponsor a market outlook seminar at 8 a.m. Jan. 23 at the Little Nashville Restaurant. Dale Durchholz, AgriVisor, and a COUNTRY Financial representative will speak. For reservations, call the Farm Bureau office by Thursday.

• Young Leaders will host a weed management seminar at noon Jan. 28 at the Little Nashville Restaurant. Barry Nash, GROWMARK, will be the speaker. For reservations, call the Farm Bureau office by Jan. 23.

• Farm Bureau’s annual meeting will be at 6:30 p.m.

Jan. 30 at the Community Center in Nashville. IFB President Rich Guebert Jr. will be the speaker. Cost is $5. For reservations, call the Farm Bureau office by Jan. 20.

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PROFITABILITY

FarmWeek Page 14 Monday, January 13, 2014

Numerous options available to breach the ‘blend wall’

Imagine a clear jar that represents the gasoline industry and some large pebbles that represent the gallons of ethanol blended at 10 percent into gasoline — E10. Is there still room in the jar for more ethanol Brigette Harlan gallons?

Let’s add some smaller pebbles that represent the gallons of ethanol blended at 85 percent into gasoline — E85. The

BY BRIGETTE HARLAN

jar is getting fuller. Still room?

Now, let’s add some sand that represents all of the other blends that are not as readily available — E15, E30, E50.

The jar is full, but continues to gather more pebbles and sand.

Each year, the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2) increases the amount of blending required for four categories of renewable fuels. The volume of ethanol in the United States is quickly outweighing the available gasoline gallons into which it can blended at 10 percent. This is commonly referred to as the “blend wall.”

Since the blend wall is

but hurdles still remain before the fuel can fully evolve.

While the renewable fuels industry and its supporters are frustrated with the proposal’s cuts, the EPA states they still strongly support renewable and alternative fuels. The comment period for the proposed 2014 RVOs closes on Jan. 28. For additional information, contact your local FS energy salesperson today.

expected to be reached in 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is receiving pressure to reduce the Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) set forth in the RFS2. The proposed ruling for 2014 RVOs reduces the Renewable Fuel category, primarily ethanol, from 14.4 billion gallons to 13 billion gallons. The cut is much larger than many were expecting.

Not only does the proposal reduce the Renewable Fuel category, it also impacts other renewable fuels sectors that do not have a direct impact on the

blend wall. For example, the Biomass-based Diesel category would remain at 1.28 billion gallons and the Advanced Biofuel category would be reduced by just over 1.5 billion gallons.

This would negatively impact the biodiesel industry by stifling growth the industry has worked to achieve.

The blend wall could be partially alleviated by use of higher ethanol blends. Gasoline blended with 15 percent ethanol — E15 — has gained some traction over the last year. The fuel has been approved for use in vehicles built since model year 2001,

Brigette Harlan is GROWMARK’s renewable fuels supply manager. Her email address is bharlan@growmark.com.

lot of fringe areas of the Corn Belt had awfully nice yields,” which may have been offset by lower-than-expected yields in parts of Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois where late season drought was a factor.

USDA pegged average corn yields in Illinois at 178 bushels per acre, down 2 bushels from the previous estimate but up 73 bushels from 2012. Soybean yields averaged 49 bushels per acre, unchanged from the previous estimate and up 6 bushels from a year ago.

Ending stocks for 2013-14 were scaled back 161 million bushels for corn to 1.6 billion

bushels, while soybean ending stocks were left unchanged at 150 million bushels.

“Demand is the key thing to look for after this report now that the government got the supply numbers ironed out,” Paulson said.

The outlook for crop demand was encouraging in the world supply and demand estimates released by USDA. Feed and residual use of corn was raised 100 million bushels, while corn used for ethanol jumped 50 million bushels due in part to increased weekly ethanol production and higher projected gasoline use in 2014.

Meanwhile, soybean exports were raised 20 million bushels to 1.495 billion bushels due to record shipments during the first quarter of the marketing year and strong sales through December.

Terry Roggensack, analyst with The Hightower Report, believes China will remain a large importer of corn and beans for the foreseeable future.

“I think China is content to be a feed grain importer (due in

part to expanding aquaculture, dairy, poultry, and hog industries),” Roggensack said during a webinar hosted by the CME Group. “(The Chinese) are not going to be able to keep up from a production standpoint.”

Elsewhere, USDA lowered its corn production estimates in Argentina, Russia and the European Union by a combined 70.7 million bushels.

But Brazilian soybean production was boosted 36.7 million bushels to a record 3.26 billion bushels due to increased plantings.

“We’ve got a lot of grain in the world and good (growing) conditions in South America will keep a lid on rallies,” Paulson said. “And we’re coming to the time of year (when farmers must pay taxes and input expenses). Producers need to move grain, so it will be hard to rally this market much.”

USDA on Friday projected 2013-14 season average prices of $4.10 to $4.70 per bushel for corn and $11.75 to $13.25 per bushel for beans.

Final crop production numbers not as large as expected; markets rally

BY DANIEL GRANT FarmWeek

USDA in its crop production report Friday confirmed U.S. farmers last fall harvested the largest corn crop (13.925 billion bushels) and thirdlargest soybean crop (3.29 billion bushels) on record.

But the crop estimates generally weren’t as large as traders expected and, when combined with friendly demand projections, the corn and soybean markets actually closed the week in rally mode.

USDA estimated 2013 crop yields averaged 158.8 bushels per acre for corn, down 1.6 bushels from the November estimate, but up 35.4 bushels from 2012.

Soybean yields were estimated at

43.3 bushels per acre, up 3.5 bushels from a year ago.

“I’m surprised corn production was cut that much (64 million bushels),” said Brad Paulson, market analyst with Northern Crops Marketing and Investments, during a teleconference hosted by the Minneapolis Grain Exchange. “A

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) $38.00-$70.00 $51.00 40 lbs. (cash) $85.00-$100.00 $92.89 Recipts

This Week 85,444 *Eastern Corn Belt prices picked up at seller’s farm

Last Week 71,618

Eastern Corn Belt direct hogs (plant delivered) Carcass Live

(Prices $ per hundredweight) This week Prev. week Change $78.34 $76.28 $2.06 $57.97 $56.45 $1.52

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

This week NA NA

Prev. week $137.36 $137.29

Change NA NA

CME feeder cattle index — 600-800 Lbs. This is a composite price of feeder cattle transactions in 27 states.

(Prices $ per hundredweight) Prev. week Change This week $171.60 $169.47 $2.13

Lamb prices NA

Export inspections (Million bushels) Week ending Soybeans Wheat Corn 1/02/2014 56.4 13.6 19.3 12/26/2013 43.7 13.4 28.7 Last year 40.0 13.8 7.3 Season total 922.6 743.0 472.0 Previous season total 820.0 529.1 263.1 USDA projected total 1450 1100 1400 Crop marketing year began June 1 for wheat and Sept. 1 for corn and soybeans.

Winter wheat seedings surprisingly low in U.S.

U.S. farmers didn’t plant as much winter wheat as many traders expected based on USDA’s first acreage estimates of the 2014 crop released on Friday.

USDA projected U.S. farmers last fall seeded 41.9 million acres of winter wheat, down 3 percent from the previous year.

The largest decline in plantings from a year ago was for soft red winter wheat, which declined 16 percent to 8.44 million acres.

White winter wheat plantings declined 3 percent to 3.39 million acres, while hard red winter wheat plantings increased 2 percent to 30.1 million acres.

“Wheat acres were less than expected,” said Brad Paulson, market analyst with Northern Crops Marketing and Investments, during a teleconference hosted by the Minneapolis Grain Exchange.

“The problem with wheat is there is plenty of it in the world,” he continued. “That may be factored into the planting (decisions).”

Illinois wheat growers last fall seeded 740,000 acres of soft red winter wheat, down 15 percent from the previous year.

Paulson was unsure why growers didn’t plant as much wheat as traders expected, but he believes it could have had more to do with eco-

nomics than the late corn/soybean harvest or weather conditions in some areas.

John Brink, a wheat grower from Washington County, confirmed that many farmers planted all the wheat they intended last fall.

“Most of the wheat got planted in the optimum window,” Brink previously told FarmWeek. “It all emerged real well.”

Wheat prices declined Friday as USDA slashed feed and residual use of wheat by 60 million bushels and raised ending stocks 33 million bushels.

USDA lowered the 2013-14 season average price estimate by a dime to a range of $6.60 to $7 per bushel.

Analysts dismissed the recent subzero temperatures as a major threat to wheat production at this time.

“It’s hard to kill winter wheat this time of year. The crop is dormant right now,” Paulson said. “I don’t think much damage was done to wheat with the cold temperatures.”

Bill Tierney, chief economist with AgResource Company, agreed.

“I’d dismiss at this time any talk of the winter wheat crop being in trouble,” Tierney said during a webinar hosted by the CME Group. — Daniel Grant

PROFITABILITY

Page 15 Monday, January 13, 2014 FarmWeek

CASH STRATEGIST A January thaw — at the USDA

Just as temperatures warmed up across the U.S. in the wake of the most significant cold wave in 20 years, the corn market heated up after the latest numbers from USDA. Even though the numbers weren’t universally friendly to all the grains, they were friendly to the dominant grain produced in the U.S., corn. Soybean numbers were not a lot different from expectations.

The wheat numbers had both negative and positive attributes.

But it was the corn numbers that caught most of the focus.

Not only did the USDA forecast production under expectations, but under their last forecast, too. Even though they raised the harvested acreage 436,000, they lowered the yield to 158.8 bushels from 160.4.

The trade was looking for an upward revision in yield. As a result of the changes, the crop was forecast at 13.925 billion bushels. The trade expected something more than 14 billion.

Because the Dec. 1 stocks came in well under expectations, USDA increased its demand forecast, notably the feed/residual demand. A number of analysts had been theorizing the USDA’s 5.2 billion bushel forecast could be as much as 500 million too high.

Instead, the stocks number implied something different, causing the USDA to raise it 100 million.

USDA raised its ethanol grind forecast another 50 million bushels, but that was offset by a similar reduction in

other industrial demand.

In aggregate, the end result produced a 1.631 billion bushel carryout, not something close to, let alone over the 2 billion traders feared.

The new data didn’t provide any earth shattering changes for the soybean complex. Production was raised 31 million bushels to 3.289 billion on a combination of both increased acreage and yield.

The larger supply allowed USDA to raise crush and export forecasts 10 and 20 million bushels, respectively. But the carryout is still forecast to hit 150 million bushels.

Going forward, the key ingredient is the ultimate size of the South American crop, and the speed with which it enters the world pipeline. China reported a record monthly import for December of 7.4 million metric tons. There’s reason to think they have built inventories to prevent problems they had last year because of the slow start to Brazilian shipping. If so, cancellations remain a possibility.

The wheat market had a mix of bearish and bullish ingredients. Dec. 1 stocks were a lot higher than anticipated, dictating a cut in the feed consumption forecast. That reduction in demand resulted in the ending stocks forecast being increased to 608 million bushels.

But the winter planting estimate again came in below trade expectations, continuing a string of too optimistic expectations. The average forecast was 1.6 million acres more than the 41.89 million the USDA forecast. Hard red plantings were 300,000 less than expected, with soft red plantings 1.1 million less than expected and 1.5 million less than last year.

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Corn Strategy

ü2013 crop: Corn futures homed in on their primar y downside target ahead of the USDA reports. While the numbers still project a comfortable structure, there’s little that might make the picture more negative for now. Refrain from making sales unless you need the cash flow; even then, use a strategy that keeps pricing open. Producers might consider using the government loan to generate cash. ü 2014 crop: T here are many reasons to remain longterm bearish regarding corn prices, but with the 20-week cycle due to bottom, shortterm downside risk should be limited. December futures may h ave c o m p l e t e d t h e m ove down off the August high.

December has little to stop a rally until $4.75 to $4.85. vFundamentals: Once the USDA reports are put behind, the fundamental structure will be reasonably well established, and it’s less neg ative than before. We expect end users to become more active in pushing coverage forward given the change in structure.

Cents per bu.

Soybean Strategy

ü2013 crop: Although far from perfect, Argentine weather has improved. Brazilian conditions are good. Without significant bullish implications in the USDA numbers, prices will struggle with those large supplies soon to start entering the world pipeline. Spot cash sales may be the best alternative with the forward bids at a discount. ü2014 crop: Even though there’s long-term downside risk, there should be better opportunities to make sales. Wait for November futures to rebound to $11.20 to make catch-up sales. Check the Hotline. We could recommend making another sale at the same time. vFundamentals: There’s still a possibility South American crops could fall short of expectations, but with each passing week, a big crop becomes more realistic. Brazil is expecting a 90 million metric ton (mmt) crop with potential as high as 95 mmt.

And if showers continue, Argentina should at least produce 50 mmt, if not 55 mmt.

Wheat Strategy

ü2 0 1 3 c r o p : T h e b r e a k after the USDA numbers may finally put an end to the decline in prices. That fits with the cycle count indicating a shortterm low is due at any time.

Hold off making sales for now.

Still, nearby Chicago futures aren’t likely to easily get above $6.25 to $6.40 this winter. Plan on making sales on a move into that range. ü2014 crop: Like old-crop prices, new-crop prices should offer better marketing opportunities this winter/spring than they do at present, especially with the

smaller plantings. Target a move from $6.35 to $6.50 on Chicago July futures to make sales. vFundamentals: The new USDA forecasts were negative old crop, but friendly new crop. As much as anything, they confirmed what everyone already knew — supplies are ample. Still, the warmth and dryness across the European Union and Black Sea crop a r e a s i s a s i t u a t i o n wo r t h watching. And even though winterkill in the Great Plains may not have been significant, it still took some potential off the crop.

PERSPECTIVES

FarmWeek Page 16 Monday, January 13, 2014

(Editor’s note: The following blog post was named the nation’s fourth best AgBlog post of 2013 by the AgChat Foundation. Reprinted here with permission.)

So, I have a sweet friend. Her name is Katie. She has three lovely EMILY WEBEL children — guest columnist super cute, and, coincidentally two of the three are exactly three months older than my two youngest ...

This is not about babies ... it’s about our interesting conversations over the years. Katie is smart. She is a great mom. She asks lots of questions, and she listens to all sides.

So, yesterday (Nov. 6), when I received a text from her in regards to the Dr. Oz show yesterday, I listened. I did my research. I watched online, and I have six words to say to “Dr.” Oz. “Hey Oz! Where’s the farmer?”

Dr. Oz is not my favorite.

He’s a sensationalizer.

He strikes the fear of God in our hearts when we bite into anything that isn’t made entirely of flax seed and red pepper. He is of the Oprah persuasion. While I was able to tolerate Oprah at times (hello! Favorite THINGS??? Love that!), he is just trying to basically scare the bejeezus out of us all.

When I began to watch the trailer for yesterday’s episode, I was nervous. The music alone was nerve wracking.

Then, the picture of a combine in a wheat field showed up, dissolving into a cornfield waving in the breeze, and then a crop duster (cue even scarier music), followed by ripe fruits and vegetables.

All the while, the intense voice-over guy was spewing details in regards to the “best kept secret in the food industry.”

I watched as Dr. Oz then illustrated the use of pesticides using people spraying small spraying devices on a bucket of corn. Woman after woman joined this illustration. All the while, Dr. Oz was explaining

how the use of pesticides since the ‘90s has increased, and how also we can blame all the miscarriages, learning disabilities and birth defects on us, the evil farmer.

But, surprisingly missing during this time was — a farmer.

He had experts. He had doctors. He is a doctor.

He had the women in the audience so freaked out you could read it on their faces as the camera panned the audience.

Audible gasps were heard during the discussion.

But where was the agricultural representative?

Honestly “agvocates,” I think we are to blame here to some extent. Why am I going to libraries and coffee shops to meet with urban folks, when these women and men generally are getting information from Dr. Oz? Dr. Oz isn’t reading this blog; however, I would love to welcome him to do so and come to our farm. So am I just preaching to the wrong choir?

Why aren’t agricultural people

asked to be on a show like this to add our 2 cents about how our crops require LESS pesticides than before because of the technology we use in the tractor and applicator itself as well as the engineered seed?

I don’t want a dude in a suit from a corporate company. I want a farmer. An educated, wellintentioned farmer to sit on a panel on Dr. Oz. But where’s our invitation?

Well, here’s six reasons: 1. Money. People like Dr. Oz don’t want to be refuted. They want to be retweeted, shared on Facebook, watched on TV to become more famous and ultimately make more money.

2. Spin. Even if Dr. Oz invited someone level-headed like my husband to the show to refute his argument, Dr. Oz doesn’t want to hear that. He wants you to believe everything he’s telling you is true, and that we as farmers are just out to make a buck and harm the earth.

3. Pop culture. We can’t get in. Honestly. There’s a disconnect between our advocacy efforts and pop culture. While groups that I participate in are doing a good job in getting our stories out, unless we infiltrate shows like Dr. Oz, we will continually bang our heads against a computer screen trying to refute old arguments, such as pesticides.

4. Fear. We are driven by fear.

I am signing the kids up for flu shots because I read that this year’s flu strand is deadly, and there was a 4-year-old who died ... and on and on. However, isn’t this said every year? While I’m not advocating for you to not vaccinate your kid, I tend to freak out about issues like this because it sounds like me, looks like me, applies to me.

That’s exactly what Dr. Oz is trying to do. He is advocating for health through fear, not facts on

We have too much government in Illinois.

That’s the fundamental conclusion of a new study released in early November by the Illinois Policy Institute (IPI). It was written by Brian Costin, the IPI’s director of government reform.

For decades, Illinois has had more units of KEVIN local governRUND ment than any state in the nation. And that number is growing despite continuing consolidation among schools.

The growth is largely due to the creation of new special purpose districts.

Costin attempts to build a case showing the need for local government “to be consolidated and simplified.” He uses the

overwhelming number of units in Illinois and compares them with other, similar states to show that — by comparison — Illinois is out of step with the rest of the nation.

His arguments lose credibility in a few cases where he doesn’t account for factors affecting some downstate government systems and fails to detail his generalized claims of overall cost savings through consolidation.

He clearly is more comfortable talking about the Chicago metropolitan area counties than he is the rural downstate counties.

Also, in a couple of cases, he unrealistically uses Cook County examples as the basis of arguments he applies broadly to other local units statewide.

Elsewhere in the report, however, Costin’s arguments

ring true, such as his observation that having so many units of government makes it difficult for citizens to track what is going on, and when he points out some rather flagrant imbalances in how local governmental units are sheltered from consolidation attempts.

For example, in the case of township consolidation, he cites the fact that “voters must get petitions signed by 10 percent of the registered voters in each township of their county for a referendum question to be put on the ballot, and they must do so in less than 90 days.”

Costin puts that into context when he adds, “By comparison, for citizens to initiate a constitutional referendum in Illinois, they only need to gather signatures from 8 percent of the total votes cast for governor in the last election

(approximately 4 percent of registered voters) and have an 18-month timeframe in which they can collect signatures.”

He concludes his argument by stating, “The citizen-initiated process to consolidate or eliminate township government should be no more difficult than the process to amend the state constitution.”

That same argument could be applied to many special purpose districts.

Another concept Costin presented is the notion that almost all consolidation efforts — and laws — are focused on merging similar units of government — lateral consolidation.

He contends there should also be focus on vertical consolidation — having general purpose units of government absorb special purpose units.

The study questions the

A reflection from a Dr. Oz episode

Emily Webel of Farmington, second from right, shares the life of an Illinois farmer and mother through her online blog, “Confessions of a Farm Wife.” Her family, left to right, includes Amelia, 4; Joe, holding Jack, 2; Anna, 8; and Josie, 7. (Photo courtesy Emily Webel)

all sides. That’s not hard-hitting journalism, and pardon the word, that’s crap.

5. Justification and a reason.

Obviously, we want a reason for the allergies, the birth defects, the learning disabilities. Unfortunately, we need a scapegoat, and Dr. Oz is using agriculture as such. Lucky us.

So, while I agree that I don’t want to hang out underneath a crop duster nor do I dance in the spray as it’s applied in the spring on our fields, I will tell you that, thanks to technology, we are able to pinpoint exactly where it’s needed and apply it only in that specified location. It’s amazing, and I would love to invite Dr. Oz on a round during the application of such.

6. Pride. On both ends, we think we’re right. Dr. Oz, I surely hope, has your best interests in mind, as do we, and we’re not coming together because of the big, nasty human trait of pride.

If we’d all put this aside, and realize that we’re all humans, who need to eat and survive together on this earth, maybe we’d make a dent in this argument.

I’m not the person to sit on the panel. I am not an expert. I cannot tell you the complete technical explanation why everything’s safe around here, other than in general terms.

However, I implore you to be like Katie. Text your farmer friends. Watch shows like this with a critical eye, and ask questions. Ask me questions.

Fortunately, I’m well connected with experts who are in the industry, not just on the production end, but in the seed, chemical and animal industries.

Don’t freak out thanks to Oz.

advisability of having so many taxing districts providing services to any single parcel of property and its residents.

Corbin cites the Kane County portion of the city of Elgin where he claims there are 16 units of local government collecting taxes on each parcel.

All in all it’s thought-provoking, and at only seven pages long, worth a read to get a better grasp on at least one side of the debate about consolidation.

Editor’s note: Costin’s report, “Too much government: Illinois’ thousands of local governments” is available online at {illinoispolicy.org/wp-content/files_mf/ 1384372675Too_much_gov.pdf}.

See the AgChat Foundation’s list of Top 10 #AgBlog posts for 2013 at {agchat.org/2013/12/top-10agblog-posts-of-2013.html}.

Study claims Illinois’ thousands of local governments duplicative

Kevin Rund is Illinois Farm Bureau senior director of local government.