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May 8, 2020

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Milk and meat for those in need FFA chapter nears $20,000 goal in campaign By Ashley Langreck

AGRINEWS PUBLICATIONS

THORNTOWN, Ind. — Members of the Western Boone FFA Chapter have stayed busy the last several weeks, despite not being in school, by starting a fundraiser aimed at helping those in their community who are facing difficult times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Milk and Meat Campaign for Boone County was started after FFA chapter members saw on the news dairy farmers dumping milk when they couldn’t get it to their normal markets due to restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19. Jaden Maze, president of the Western Boone FFA Chapter, said that after she and her FFA peers saw milk being dumped

248,761 meals for food bank

seed money for the cause. A long w ith a $1,000 do nation from an anony mous donor, the chapter received an additional $2,000 in donations from local organizations to help fund the project before it went public. Maze said P rair ie Far ms has helped coordinate with the chapter to arrange the donation of 500 gallons of milk monthly during the pandemic to food pantries and organizations in Boone County, including the local Boys and Girls Club. The FFA chapter president added that they are working with local farmers and meat shops to get hundreds of pounds of beef and pork to donate to those in need, as well. Through the Western Boone FFA Chapter’s Milk and Meat for Boone County Campaign, organizations in the local com“It is awesome that as an munity are receiving donations of food to help those in need who are facing hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic. FFA chapter we are able to help people in need during this on television, they began brain“We decided to buy meat chapter could star t buy ing pandemic,” said Korden Bush, storming ways they could give and dairy products from local meat and milk, they had to the assistant reporter for the back to the less fortunate in farmers and donate them to raise money. Western Boone FFA Chapter. their community while helping local food pantr ies,” Maze Maze said the FFA chapter doSee MILK, Page A2 support local farmers. said, adding that before the nated $1,000 of its own funds as

‘Stressful time for everyone’

2020 INDIANA HEMP UPDATE

Purdue colleges raise $82,365 in virtual fundraiser

Managing stress during pandemic By Erica Quinlan

By Ashley Langreck

AGRINEWS PUBLICATIONS

WEST LAFAYET TE, Ind. — Purdue University’s College of Agriculture teamed up with nine other colleges on the campus to help raise $82,365, which equates to 248,761 meals for the local Food Finders Food Bank t h r ou g h a virtual fundraiser. Melissa Funk, an administrative assistant in Purdue’s Col lege of Agriculture’s Office of Multicultural PrFunk ograms, said the college has held an annual food drive the last several years, where the departments have a friendly competition to see which could collect the most food. Before the COVID-19 pandemic started, Funk said that Karen Plaut, the Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture, challenged other Purdue colleges to join the ag department to see which college could collect the most food over a twoweek period and earn bragging rights. Funk said nine other academic colleges accepted the challenge and decided to join the food drive. However, the dates the food drive was supposed to take place occurred during the time that restrictions were put in place prohibiting face-to-face contact to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Funk said that instead of the normal food drive that the college usually hosts where it has events on campus for individuals to drop off canned foods and paper goods, the food drive was all virtual this year. “As a college, we raised $29,225, which equated to 88,000 meals,” Funk said. See MEALS, Page A2

CLASSIFIEDS SEE A11

Vol. 42 No. 32

CONTACT AGRINEWS: 800-426-9438

A research field of industrial hemp is grown at a Purdue University farm.

AGRINEWS PHOTO/ERICA QUINLAN

THE PLOTS THICKEN Grow sites increase to 623 By Erica Quinlan

AGRINEWS PUBLICATIONS

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Indiana is expecting more than 600 industrial hemp sites to be planted this year. Robert Waltz, Indiana state chemist, shared a hemp update during a webinar. “This year is research-only (hemp farming) again, but it’s blended because we do have a state plan in process and emergency rules in place,” Waltz said. There is a limit of 300 licenses to be issued to hemp farmers this year, but it is doubtful that number will be

reached. There still will be plenty of room for people to apply to be a grower, Waltz said. Farmers should do their homework before starting the process. There are 445 outdoor grow sites, more than 8,500 acres, planned. More than 170 indoor grow sites are in the works, for a total of 1.72 million square feet. “Compared to last year, we had 353,000 square feet,” Waltz said. “It looks like the real growth this year is going to be indoor rather than outdoor, probably because of the weather we had last year.” Last year’s numbers included 5,300 acres planned, 4,200 acres planted and 3,300 acres harvested. The discrepancy between planted versus harvested acres

2020 hemp numbers n 247 total hemp licenses n 28 handler-only licenses n 82 grower-only licenses n 137 grower/handler licenses n 623 total grow sites

was due to three main causes: destruction due to high THC, bad stand or weed pressure. Weather issues were a challenge for many growers in 2019. Learn more at www.oisc.purdue.edu/hemp or www.purduehemp.org. Erica Quinlan can be reached at 800-426-9438, ext. 193, or equinlan@agrinews-pubs.com. Follow her on Twitter at: @AgNews_Quinlan.

INSIDE

New aid packages support ag A3

Mother’s Day gifts that keep on giving A10

4-H’ers stick with animal routines A12

GAINSVILLE, Fla. — Now more than ever, finding ways to cope with stress is essential. Heidi Liss Radunovich, licensed psychologist and associate professor at University of Florida, shared ways to manage stress during a pandemic. “This is a stressful time for everyone,” she said. “When people are stre s s ed t he y aren’t going to be at their best. It’s a difficult time, so try to be Radunovich patient with yourself and others.” Keep in mind that anybody that already has problems with anxiety or depression is going to be at even more risk of having these types of issues during a pandemic, Radunovich said. “As people are isolated it can lead to a lot of loneliness,” she said. “We need to keep an eye out for people who are living alone, who are particularly at risk for feeling sad or depressed.” High levels of stress can not only affect your mental health, but your physical health. “Doing what we can to stay calm and keep our spirits up is going to be very important,” Radunovich said. “Let’s start thinking about what we can control. There are a lot of things about this situation that we cannot control. For those of us who like to have control, this can be very difficult. What are some things you can control to keep you and your family safe?” Whether it’s washing your hands thoroughly or eating healthy, there are many ways you can take care of yourself. Radunovich also advised limiting the amount of news that you consume. See STRESS, Page A2

AgriTrucker A5

Lifestyle A10

Alan Guebert A4

Livestock A12

Auction Calendar A11

Markets A9

Business A9

Opinion A4

Classifieds A11

Science A7

Farms For Sale A6

Weather A6

A2 Friday, May 8, 2020

| INDIANA AGRINEWS | www.agrinews-pubs.com

Know before you grow Industrial hemp advice for 2020 By Erica Quinlan

AGRINEWS PUBLICATIONS

USDA PHOTO

Inspirational quotes decorate a wall at the Connections Withdrawal Management Center in Harrington, Delaware, which opened in November 2015 with assistance from U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Community Facilities Direct Loan Program. The program supports essential community facilities and services in rural areas.

Tips for coping with stress By Erica Quinlan

AGRINEWS PUBLICATIONS

AUBURN, Ind. — Farming is an innately stressful, high-risk job. “There are so many farms out there right now that are in financial distress, putting farm families under prolonged stress,” said Elysia Rodgers, Purdue Extension educator in DeKalb County. “This prolonged stress is causing severe mental and physical health issues.” Chronic stress may manifest as a decrease in livestock care quality, increase in illness, increase in farm accidents, decline in appearance of farmstead, changes in routine or children showing signs of stress. Angela Sorg, Purdue Extension educator in DeKalb County, shared six ways to handle stress. 1. Deep breathing. Try breathing deeply five times. Release the air slowly. 2. Self-talk. Tell yourself you can get through it. You

STRESS FROM PAGE ONE

“While it is very important to stay informed, too much is not a good thing and can leave us feeling depressed and upset,” she said. Radunovich encouraged people to find positive dis-

MILK

FROM PAGE ONE

Bush noted that through the campaign his FFA chapter is able to provide food for individuals in the community that need the assistance right now and they won’t have to go hungry during these difficult times. Since the FFA chapter started the fundraiser about a month ago, Maze

MEALS

FROM PAGE ONE

She added that the amount of meals the college was able to donate this year surpassed the

body and protect against negative impacts of stress. 5. Connect with people in your social network. “We’re kind of like pack animals,” Sorg said. “We don’t do well in isolation — hence what’s going on right now. “We’re seeing people struggle with isolation because Sorg we’re people of community.” Brainstorm ways to boost your social difficult situations. life, whether it’s video 3. Meditating. “Medchatting with a friend or itating can mean going writing a letter. out and fishing,” Sorg 6. Speak with a mental said. “Just sitting there and watching the trees. It health professional. “This one gets scary for our can mean a mindless TV farm families and comshow that you don’t have munities, because this to think about. There is a section of society are a lot of different ways that does not typically to meditate. Maybe it’s seek mental health treatpaying attention to what ment,” Sorg said. “Also, you’re eating and having more mindful eating — it’s in our rural communities, there’s a huge lack of whatever is relaxing for mental health help as far you.” 4. Exercise. “It can mean as finding a professional taking the long way when goes.” A professional can help you create a plan you’re checking your for a healthier mind and crop, or walking down to body. get the mail,” Sorg said. Learn more about “There are lots of different Purdue’s Farm Stress ways you can exercise.” Physical activity can help Team at www.extension. purdue.edu/article/36917. to lessen cortisol in the have come through rough times before. You can do it again. You have gotten through

tractions and hobbies to brighten their day. Try to find the silver lining that comes with social isolation. “Can we use this pause in life to do something positive? Some of us feel like we’re always on the run. Maybe this is a good opportunity to get caught up on things we’re doing in life. Maybe things at

home that we’ve put on the backburner, like home projects. “See if you can manage to get something positive out of this. Try to find something enjoyable to do every day, even if it’s just coloring, baking or watching something fun on TV.”

said that they have already raised $15,000 and are quickly approaching their $20,000 goal. The Milk and Meat Campaign for Boone County also has caught the attention of the National FFA Organization, which highlighted the FFA chapter’s efforts on social media platforms, and Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, who mentioned their efforts in one of his daily COVID-19 press briefings. To donate to the Milk

and Meat Campaign for Boone County, monetary donations can be mailed to: Western Boone High School, Attention Lori Keppel, 1205 IN-75, Thorntown, IN 46071. Checks should be made out to Western Boone FFA.

highest amount they have raised and donated in the past. T he Col lege of A griculture ended up collecting the most donations dur ing the food drive, but the College of Science and Engineering

gave it a run for their money by raising $21,536. “All of Purdue really shined during the twoweeks of the food drive,” Funk said.

Erica Quinlan

Ashley Langreck can be reached at 800-426-9438, ext. 192, or alangreck@ agrinews-pubs.com. Follow her on Twitter at: @AgNews_Langreck.

Ashley Langreck

Did you know?

1. Marijuana production is not legal in Indiana. 2. If you are growing unlicensed hemp, you are a marijuana producer. 3. Indiana’s Hemp Plan will be submitted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture prior to the end of the year. 4. In 60 days, a response is given from the USDA to determine if the program is in compliance. 5. Administrative rules have been created to facilitate legal hemp production and will include licensing, background checks, recording of sites with proper GPS formatting, minimum acreage or square footage and compliancy THC testing of plants. 6. A license to grow hemp is required, and hemp must test below 0.3% THC. In the absence of a license, any cannabis production regardless of THC level is considered marijuana. 7. For 2020, a license must have a research project tied to hemp production. 8. Hemp growers will need to register with their local Farm Service Agency. Source: purduehemp.org

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana farmers are in the early stages of learning to grow industrial hemp. Extensive rules and regulations make the process tricky to navigate. Justin Swanson, president of Midwest Hemp Council, shared advice for growers and handlers during a webinar. 1. Work backwards. “The general advice for 2020 is kind of like any business model — work backwards and figure out who is going to buy your product,” Swanson said. “Are you taking it to processing? Does the buyer have specifications they’re looking for? Is it for CBD? If so, what’s the least amount of CBD content they will take? “All of this stuff is really good to know before you even think about putting it in the ground. “That being said, our rules allow for research permits and licenses. If you can’t answer these questions, but just want to get a year of growing under your belt to learn, team up with a researcher.” 2. Create a contract. “Make sure you spend time and money memoand cleaner for everyrializing your business deals with a legally bind- body involved.” 3. Check your genetics. ing contract,” Swanson “Properly vet your gesaid. “It’s so much better

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Erica Quinlan can be reached at 800-4269438, ext. 193, or equinlan@agrinews-pubs.com. Follow her on Twitter at: @AgNews_Quinlan.

Transaction platform for grain buyers FARGO, N.D. — Bushel, an independently owned software company and leading provider of software technology solutions for growers, grain buyers, protein producers and food companies, announced the launch of the Bushel Offer Management System, a full-ser vice solution for creating and managing cash bids and offers and performing hedge management. Bushel OMS provides direct business ties among grain companies, their growers and the futures market. Users of OMS utilize a simple interface to manage their grower’s offers, including cash, hedge-to-arrive and basis contracts, quickly and confidentially. Bushel OMS seamlessly integrates with Bushel’s core digital offerings, allowing growers to submit offers through their Bushel-powered apps and grain buyers to manage and hedge all offers, regardless of how they are submitted. “Bushel continues to build the ‘last mile’ of communication between growers and grain buyers,” said Bushel founder Ryan Raguse. “With 25,000 growers using Bushel-powered apps

provided by their local grain facility today, our team at Bushel is focused on continuing to provide technology that strengthens relationships between two critical parts of the agriculture value chain – growers and grain buyers. “This is not a marketplace. We are not creating another middleman. This is a tool for grain buyers to do business directly and digitally with their growers.” The Bushel OMS is Futures Commission Merchant agnostic and positioned to work with participating grain accounting systems. Bushel OMS provides grain buyers a tool to power: n One-stop cash bid management: Enter cash bids in the OMS and populate cash bids in Bushel-powered apps and websites, eliminating logins to multiple platforms and databases. n FCM agnostic digital platform: Manage futures orders across multiple FCMs within a single digital platform. n Zero-touch working order adjustments: Automatically revise offers when the basis moves. n Grower/merchandiser offer transparency: Easily

view offer price, quantity, and status visible, regardless of which party entered the information into the system. n Universal commodity management: Manage any commodity — no futures contract required. n Reduced slippage: Reduce error and omission points and increase bushel value. “The Bushel team is nimble and knows how to build software that is intuitive, easily adopted and useful,” Raguse said. “We have prioritized the development and launch of Bushel OMS due to current conditions. It’s one more way we can provide value to our customers and the growers they do business with.” With a mission to connect and enhance the grain industry through digital infrastr ucture, Bushel software provides real-time account information directly to growers by integrating into a grain elevator’s accounting system and market feeds. Offered through elevator-branded apps, Bushel powers real-time scale tickets, contracts, commodity balances, futures, prepaids, cash bids, e-sign and contract management.

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netics to make sure they grow well in Indiana’s climate, soil and light cycle,” Swanson advised. “Just because it grows well in Oregon or Colorado does not mean it’s going to be a good strand for Indiana’s soil and light cycle.” 4. Have a plan. “Develop relationships with labs to create and execute a THC monitoring plan,” Swanson said. “This is going to allow you to actually take your crop to harvest and also signal if you may need to harvest earlier than you thought in order to stay compliant.” 5. Stay secure. “Take security operations seriously,” Swanson said. “I had a number of clients last year, their (plots) were vandalized or stolen from.” Use security cameras and avoid posting details about plant locations on social media. 6. Read the fine print. “Understand your legal obligations as a hemp grower or handler,” Swanson said. “It’s better for the industry and it makes the seed commissioner’s life a little easier.” Learn more about industrial hemp at www. midwesthempcouncil. com.

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www.agrinews-pubs.com | INDIANA AGRINEWS | Friday, May 8, 2020

New aid packages support ag By Tom C. Doran

AGRINEWS PUBLICATIONS

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Safetynet programs already in the books along with a series of new aid packages were outlined in a recent University of Illinois farmdoc-hosted webinar. “Farmers are no stranger to uncertainty dealing with unpredictable variables including weather, international trade dynamics and global economic challenges, but yet our farmers continue to feed and fuel the world,” said Brooke Appleton, Nat iona l C or n Gr ower s Association vice president of public policy. “This current pandemic represents yet another level of unpredictability that we’re all working through.” One piece of the relief packages to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic was the appropriation of $16 billion in direct payments to farmers and ranchers. Those included: n $9.6 billion for the livestock industry, including $5.1 billion for cattle, $2.9 billion for dairy and $1.6 billion for hogs. n $3.9 billion for row crop producers. n $2.1 billion for specialty crop producers. n $500 million for other crops. Producers will receive a single payment determined using two calculations. The first is price losses that occurred Jan. 1 through April 15. Producers will be compensated for 85% of price loss during that period. The second part of the payment will be expected losses from April 15 through the next

two quarters and will cover 30% of the expected losses. “The last eligibility piece of the program is that qualified commodities must have experienced a 5% price decrease between Jan. 1 and April 15. That won’t be an issue for corn as our losses are showing losses between 16% and 20% during that timeframe,” Appleton explained. “We still have some questions on eligibility for this direct payment program and what methodology USDA will use to set the price per commodity. We’re not sure how that $3.9 billion will breakdown between commodities. We’re not sure what the formula looks like for determining losses. “The program is subject to the rulemaking process, and we expect to see some of these details coming in the next couple of weeks once the rule is complete and before signup begins.” ADDITIONAL AID The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act also includes provisions the farmers, ethanol producers and, in some cases, cooperatives can utilize. These programs are administered by the Small Business Administration and include: n Paycheck Protection Program provides $350 billion to support loans. n Economic Injury Disaster Loans and Emergency Economic Injury Grants provide an emergency advance of up to $10,000 to small businesses and private non-profits. “We’ve been closely tracking these programs which are newly available to our farmers, encouraging farmers to reach

out to their lenders for information on eligibility to see if they are viable options for them,” she noted. Congress also passed a $484 billion Appleton relief package that was signed into law April 24, which included additional $321 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program and an additional $60 billion for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. The EIDL appropriation also provided clarity that agricultural businesses with fewer than 500 employees are eligible for EIDL funds. “This is an unprecedented amount of money going out the door in a short period of time and discussions on a fourth more comprehensive stimulus package are currently underway,” Appleton said. Appleton also noted the following safety net programs that were already in place.

year, analysis shows that PLC will generate a corn payment of $17 an acre for the 2019 crop. If prices should increase, then no payment will be generated, which would be a positive sign that corn prices are recovering and the safety net PLC program is working exactly as it is intended to. While the ARC program is unlikely to pay out for the 2019 crop year, producers in this program will be protected against revenue losses for their 2020 crop, particularly if low prices persist for an extended period of time or yields unexpectedly decline.

ON CROP INSURANCE Current projections indicate that it is unlikely a payment will be generated under the widely used 85% revenue protection policies for corn as was reported in the March 24 farmdoc daily report. However, crop insurance will be key to managing the uncertainty created by COVID-19. If yields decline due to unexpected weather or prices continue to fall as the result of this economic downturn, then crop insurance support may kick-in to manage the damage to proON ARC AND PLC The Agriculture Risk Coverage ducers. and Price Loss Coverage programs were designed to provide ON ACCESS TO CAPITAL Adequate cash flows are key the frontline of financial defense for producers as revenues or for farmers to continue operating their business, especially when prices fall. The 2019-2020 calculators prices are low and the future from the University of Illinois is uncertain. The Farm Service and Texas A&M generally rec- Agency operates as a lender of ommended that most producers last resort providing a variety take PLC for corn acres. If corn of programs and opportunities prices stay at their current lev- for producers that have limited els for the rest of the marketing resources available through tra-

ditional lending institutions. USDA also announced that it is providing some flexibilities in these loan programs such as extending marketing assistant loan terms to 12 months and also providing flexibilities in loan deadlines. ON MARKET DEVELOPMENT With corn’s two largest demand markets — livestock feed and ethanol — currently under extreme stressed due to the pandemic, international markets are more important than ever. International trade is continuing to flow, and Appleton said NCGA is working with industry partners to prevent disruption in the market. “We will also continue to enforce existing trade agreements while aggressively pursuing new market opportunities,” she added. “A strong farm safety net, partnerships with our key customer industries and an aggressive international trade strategy creates a stable foundation at a time when so many are facing total uncertainty. “Keeping growers safe and their farms operational remains our focus, and we’ve created a variety of tips designed to help growers manage COVID on their farms, as well as a number of documents laying out current policies and information based COVID relief.” Those resources can be found at ncga.com/covid-19. Tom C. Doran can be reached at 815-780-7894 or tdoran@ agrinews-pubs.com. Follow him on Twitter at: @AgNews_ Doran.

FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM SURVEY

Farmers’ economic conditions weaken By Tom C. Doran

AGRINEWS PUBLICATIONS

CHICAGO — A boots-on-theground look at the impact of the pandemic on economic activity was reported across Federal Reserve districts. The Federal Reserve System’s Beige Book included information collected on or before April 6 through reports from bank directors, interviews and questionnaires completed by businesses, community contacts, economists, market experts and other sources. “Economic activity contracted sharply and abruptly across all regions in the United States as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Producers of food and medical products reported a strong demand but faced both production delays, due to infection-prevention measurers and supply chain disruptions,” the report noted. “Income prospects for the agricultural sector deteriorated substantially as the spread of the coronavirus led to a dramatic fall in many commodity prices. A large drop in ethanol prices led ethanol plants to cut production and corn consumption, which pushed corn prices lower,” according to the Seventh Federal Reserve District of Chicago survey, which includes the northern two-thirds of Illinois and Indiana and all of Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan. “The drop in ethanol production also reduced the availability of corn byproducts needed for nutritional balance in cornbased animal food rations. This led livestock operations to switch to soy-meal and helped support soybean prices. “In spite of shortages of some meat products in stores, most livestock prices fell as demand from restaurants and other food service providers weakened. Milk sales declined substantially as schools closed, but egg prices spiked. “Contacts expressed concern about the health and availability of agriculture workers, particularly for specialty crop production. Access to credit for farm operators was little changed, though loan requests increased.” MODEST IMPROVEMENT The Eighth Federal Reserve District of St. Louis reported “agricultural conditions improved modestly from the previous reporting period.” The number of acres planted in the Eighth District for corn, cotton, rice and soybeans increased 8% compared with last year. All states in the district increased their number of acres planted as planting season in 2019 was severely affected by poor weather. Corn, rice and soybeans were planted in greater quantities

compared with last year. Southern parts of the St. Louis district have planted fewer acres of cotton and more of rice. District contacts stated that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a relatively muted effect on the agricultural sector to date. “Several contacts reported that farmers and agricultural suppliers do not have current plans to reduce output or employment at this time. Contacts cited continued trade disputes with China, weather, commodity prices and deteriorating credit conditions as sources of uncertainty for the industry,” the Eighth District reported. The district includes the southern parts of Illinois and Indiana and eastern half of Missouri, as well as parts of Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky and Mississippi. POTENTIAL ‘PERFECT STORM’ “District agricultural conditions were steady at low levels. Some contacts described the COVID-19 pandemic as a potential ‘perfect storm’ for an already struggling rural economy,” according to the Federal Reserve District of Minneapolis summary. Early reports suggested that Ninth District farmers intended to plant less wheat and more corn and substantially more soybean acres this year. The Minneapolis-based district includes all of Minnesota, the Dakotas and Montana, northwestern Wisconsin and all of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. PRICE PRESSURE The Tenth District Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City reported agricultural economic conditions weakened. Macroeconomic developments related to COVID-19 were expected to put downward pressure on prices for many agricultural commodities, despite sharp increases in short-term demand for retail food products. District cattle prices declined rapidly in mid-March which reduced profit opportunities for producers. Corn prices also decreased sharply as demand declined alongside a substantial drop in ethanol production. Credit conditions weakened modestly from the prior survey period, and while many farm lenders cited uncertainty about the extent of the impact, most expected conditions to deteriorate further in coming months. Tenth District contacts connected to food processing and retailing reported supply chains have been well maintained despite rapid increases in demand. The Kansas City district includes the western part of Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Colorado and the northern New Mexico.

AGRINEWS PHOTO/TOM C. DORAN

Ephemeral waterbodies such as this waterway will no longer fall under the jurisdiction of the “waters of the United States” in the Clean Water Act. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers published the final “Navigable Waters Protection Rule” on April 22 to replace the WOTUS provisions.

WOTUS NOTICE Most ditches, ponds no longer ‘navigable’ By Tom C. Doran

AGRINEWS PUBLICATIONS

WASHINGTON — The final hurdle was cleared for the revised definition of “waters of the U.S.” within the Clean Water Act and will take effect June 22. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers published the final “Navigable Waters Protection Rule” on April 22 to replace the WOTUS provisions in the act. The finalized rule repeals the 2015 WOTUS rule that opponents believed “muddied” the water in terms of its broad definitions of what constitutes a water body and now eliminates many seasonal streams, small waterways and wetlands from federal oversight. Under the final “Step 2” rule, four clear categories of waters are federally regulated: n The territorial seas and traditional navigable waters. n Perennial and intermittent tributaries to those waters. n Certain lakes, ponds, and impoundments. n Wetlands adjacent to jurisdictional waters. The final rule also details 12 categories of exclusions, features that are not “waters of the United States,” such as features that only contain water in direct response to rainfall, for example, ephemeral features; groundwater; many ditches, including most farm and roadside ditches; prior converted cropland; farm and stock watering ponds; and waste treatment systems. The final rule clarifies key elements related to the scope of federal Clean Water Act juris-

“This action gives states and tribes more flexibility in determining how best to manage their land and water resources.” ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

diction, including: n Providing clarity and consistency by removing the proposed separate categories for jurisdictional ditches and impoundments. n Refining the proposed definition of “typical year,” which provides important regional and temporal flexibility and ensures jurisdiction is being accurately determined in times that are not too wet and not too dry. n Defining “adjacent wetlands” as wetlands that are meaningfully connected to other jurisdictional waters, for example, by directly abutting or having regular surface water communication with jurisdictional waters. Earlier definitions of the 2015 WOTUS were considered too vague and subject to interpretation that critics said went to far with its jurisdiction stretching onto farmland ditches and field low spots that temporarily have water after a rainfall. The final definition achieves the proper relationship between the federal government and states in managing land and water resources. The agencies’ Navigable Waters Protection Rule respects the primary role of states and tribes in managing their own land and water resources, according to the EPA. “All states have their own protections for waters within their borders and many already regulate more broadly than the

federal government. This action gives states and tribes more flexibility in determining how best to manage their land and water resources while protecting the nation’s navigable waters as intended by Congress when it enacted the Clean Water Act,” the EPA stated. Proponents of the rule change note that farmers have a deep care and appreciation for the land and protection of clean water, both essential resources that provide families and future generations the means to produce healthy food and fiber for the world. This action is touted as the last step in the regulatory process to repeal the 2015 WOTUS rule and replace it with a common-sense rule protecting water quality. LAWSUIT FILED Seven days after the ruling, a coalition of environmental groups filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts to block the Trump administration’s move. The lawsuit was filed by the Conservation Law Foundation, Connecticut River Conservancy, Clean Wisconsin, Massachusetts Audubon Society, Merrimack River Watershed Council, Natural Resources Defense Council, New Mexico Wilderness Alliance and Prairie Rivers Network. “Our nation’s majestic waterways depend for their health on the smaller streams and wetlands that filter pollution and protect against flooding, but the Trump administration wants to ignore the science demonstrating that,” said Jon Devine, NRDC director of federal water policy. “This regulation is plainly unlawful. It violates the simple but powerful mandate of the Clean Water Act to protect the integrity of our nation’s waters.”

A4 Friday, May 8, 2020

| INDIANA AGRINEWS | www.agrinews-pubs.com

OPINION

What’s trending

These are this week’s most read stories on the AgriNews website: 1. Think twice before buying baby chicks 2. Growmark product deliveries unimpeded by pandemic

hybrids and varieties aid early start 5. High-capacity combines provide efficiencies to farmers

3. Empty shelves don’t indicate food shortages 4. Planting season ramps up: Better

What’s your opinion? Send correspondence to: Letters, Indiana AgriNews, 420 Second St., La Salle, IL 61301; or email: editorial@agrinews-pubs.com

Digging Supply chain shows vulnerabilities deeper for ‘news’ “Both sides of the news media reported on that.” Our 34-year-old friend made that statement as he was telling us about a recent story about testing for COVID19 antibodies. I Rural Issues shook my head. He asked me Cyndi Young- why, and I asked Puyear him to repeat what he said. Then I pointed out that there should never be two sides in news media, there should be one and it should cover all sides of a story. My young friend then shook his head and said it is hard to know what is true because there is “liberal news” and “conservative news,” but rarely can you find “news.” I remember when national network news was a reputable source for news relevant to American viewers. I remember clearly the introductory “sounder” of the nightly newscast that would silence conversation and draw people nearer to the television set. Sadly, pertinent news content has, for the most part, disappeared. Ethics have gone out the window. Accountability is a thing of the past. Integrity has become obsolete. They call it a news show, but let us be honest, folks, we typically get only one side of an issue, and that is the one that further advances the social and political interests of those behind the curtain. The company for which I work owns several state news networks along with Brownfield Ag News. Several years ago, an up-and-comer in middle management at the state news networks suggested that all newsrooms should keep an eye on what is trending on Twitter to determine which news stories should be covered that day. Granted, Twitter is one of many places to go to get leads to be followed up on to determine if there is a relevant story there, but a social media platform should never be a single source for the day’s news. Social media platforms are rife with misinformation, much of which is posted with a humorous intent. I liken it to sorting through the National Enquirer, looking for bylines of reporters I trust to determine if the content has been through a journalistic filter. I have nothing against social media platforms; as a matter of fact, I rather enjoy them. But I do not believe everything I read, and if something “newsworthy” sparks my interest, I dig a little deeper than the post to be sure I am not being hoodwinked. Tabloid journalism is not journalism, it is an abomination to the craft. Most of us do not trust mainstream media to present the facts and seek the truth. The good news is there are many talented journalists out there doing the research and covering all sides of the stories that matter to the people. The bad news is those reporters are less likely to show up in the air chair on the television news set than some yellow journalist whose claim to fame is creating a major food scare that was later proven false. Be cautious in whom you trust and what you believe in the 24/7 news cycle. We deserve to know all sides of a story, not just the one that the “conservative” or “liberal” media outlet wants you to believe.

For over a month now, nearly anyone who can lift a fork has asked what the “new normal” in American agriculture will be after COVID-19 loosens its terrible grip. Six weeks later, we now have a pretty good Farm & Food idea that ag’s new normal will look like ag’s old File normal even if it takes a presidential executive Alan Guebert order to ensure it. That should give everyone — farmers, ranchers and eaters — deep concern. If no food supply chain is strong enough to withstand COVID-19 now, what will happen when climate change hammers farms and ranches in the next decade or two or, God forbid, a war or another pandemic strikes sooner? A quick look at one of the most vulnerable chains, pork, spotlights its weakest links and shows how it can be shortened — and backstopped — by more local production. According to Successful Farming magazine’s late 2019 Pork Powerhouses, 40 national and international companies now own 4,290,700 sows, or mama hogs, in the United States. Those 40 operations, in fact, own two out of every three sows in America today, reported Successful Farming. Equally remarkable, if each of those sows, on average, delivers 25 baby pigs this year — intensely managed sows will “farrow” 30-plus piglets per year — these

40 powerhouses will produce and control 107.5 million hogs. That, too, is roughly two-thirds of the 150 million or so hogs that will be born, raised, and slaughtered in the United States this year. Interestingly, the other one-third of the hogs the “Fab 40” don’t have a direct hand in nearly equals the amount of pork exported by the United States to the rest of the world. That effectively means the entire domestic pork market is controlled by 40 companies, 15 of which are either owned outright or integrated with a global meatpacker. It also means that when American taxpayers give their money to “livestock farmers” during this ongoing pandemic, most will go to a handful of industrial meatpackers who, in fact, are today’s “hog farmers.” But that’s not the only price Americans will pay. Last week, our highly efficient, industrialized system snapped after the virus landed in its workplace. The collapse was so concerning the White House stepped in with its muscle and our money — again. It was all so predictable. Just ask Mike Callicrate, a Kansas rancher who raises, slaughters, packages and sells his own beef and other farmers’ local lamb, poultry, pork and cheese through Ranch Foods Direct, his company. He foresaw the rise of industrial meatpackers and predicted the nation would pay for its growing, reckless devotion to cheap, unhealthy industrial food. He’s also spent the last 40 years fighting meatpackers’ rising market power. As

a result, he has the battle scars and dwindling bank account to prove it. But those battles convinced Callicrate that government should be far more proactive in underwriting the rebirth of local agriculture and not reactive in sweeping up the pieces of our increasingly broken food system. “If our nation really wants to protect our farmers, ranchers and food workers while making sure we feed every American,” Callicrate says in an April 28 telephone interview, “Congress should write a law that requires all government agencies to buy their food locally. Local ranchers, local farmers, local meatpackers, local markets, local restaurants.” Callicrate estimates those purchases — by schools, hospitals, the military, federal and local food assistance programs and other public agencies — could total as much as 20% of domestic production. “But that small share would mean everything to local economies — good jobs with good benefits; new investments in local meatpackers, wholesalers and retailers; better housing; better tax bases; better schools; better food; better everything.” The cost? “We still don’t know what this pandemic will cost, but we do know it’s trillions,” says the rancher. “The next one will cost us even more — maybe everything — and there’s no fixing anything after that.” Farm & Food File is published weekly through the U.S. and Canada. Source material and contact information are posted at www.farmandfoodfile.com.

Dairy supply chain backlog a temporary challenge By Sarah Hetke

Have you been to the grocery store lately only to find many of the shelves and coolers picked over? Maybe you went in for a loaf of bread or a couple gallons of milk, but had a hard time finding either. Every week, my grocery list has a few staples, one of which is milk. And every week when I go to the grocery store, I am blessed with coolers filled with of milk in different flavors, sizes, brands and so forth. That was up until COVID-19 started making the headlines. Lately, I go to the store and I see a more limited selection of many items, including milk. My milk choice is pretty standard, a gallon or two of 2% white milk, so I’m usually able to find what I’m looking for. I am sure I’m not alone in the alarm I felt when I started noticing signs asking patrons to limit the quantities of milk they were purchasing. Some went so far as to specify the number of gallons allowed. I then started seeing stories of dairy farmers being asked, by their creamery, to dispose of their milk. This is good quality milk that is literally being dumped down the drain. This all started to get very confusing, very fast. Turns out that with more and more states encouraging residents to stay at home and limiting dining options, dairy products aren’t moving through the supply chain like normal. Almost overnight, the large food-service sector demand for cheese dropped dramatically, while the demand for milk skyrocketed. This led to some complications in getting the right products made in the right quantities in a relatively short amount of time.

Dairy products aren’t moving through the supply chain like normal. To put this into perspective, the Wisconsin Cheesemakers say that 50% of cheese produced in the United States goes directly to food service or to companies that prepare cheese products for food service. With restaurants, schools and sports arenas closing or offering limited options, this has put a strain on dairy processing. Wisconsin is known for cheese and we have a lot of creameries that buy milk to make cheese. It is nearly impossible to quickly turn a cheese-making plant into one that bottles milk. You can see where this leads to some strain on the supply chain. Dairy industry representatives, including Farm Bureau, have been very vocal about asking stores to remove dairy product limits because the supply chain backlog is a temporary challenge. Dairy supporters on the local, state and national levels are stepping up and talking about solutions, asking for action and encouraging everyone to chip in. The cows are still making milk and dairy farmers are working every day to bring that milk to our grocery stores and ultimately the dinner table. Any shortages you see will only be temporary. The quick swing in consumers’

dairy product preference will continue to be a challenge, but there will always be more milk, cheese, yogurt and other dairy products made daily. While it can be frustrating to go to the store and not have the same selection we’re used to seeing, farmers are equally frustrated that there is no market for some of the best quality milk in the world and that overall market prices are fluctuating dramatically. So, what can you do to help? Easy, buy more dairy products. Maybe you buy an extra gallon of milk or make a homemade pizza loaded with cheese. Maybe you can make a monetary donation to your local food pantry specifically earmarked to purchase dairy products. Just as our farmers need our support, our community members who have lost their jobs need it, as well. More people are relying on food pantries, so even the smallest donation can make an impact. I have heard of some heartwarming stories of individuals, groups and local businesses stepping up to donate cheese curds, milk or other dairy products to a local food pantry. This is a win-win-win for farmers, local businesses and members of the community who rely on the food pantries. So, as you find yourself at the grocery store, listening to the news or browsing social media wondering why the milk case isn’t as full as normal, remember our dairy farmers, creameries and transportation workers who are working hard to help us through these challenging times. Join me in raising a cold glass of fresh milk as you gather around the dinner table to show your appreciation for our nation’s hardworking farmers. Sarah Hetke is Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s director of communications.

Cyndi Young-Puyear is farm director and operations manager for Brownfield Network.

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www.agrinews-pubs.com | INDIANA AGRINEWS | Friday, May 8, 2020

BRIEFS

New Farmall utility 95A, 105A and 115A tractors feature an efficient yet powerful 4-cylinder engine that provides high torque for maximum performance — ideal for handling a variety of implements.

Case IH adds new models to Farmall tractors lineup RACINE, Wis. — Building on nearly 100 years of power and legacy and with millions of Farmall series tractors sold, Case IH is adding three new models to its Farmall family of tractors: Farmall utility 95A, 105A and 115A. Known for exceptional value, the utility A series delivers performance w ithout breaking the bank. The new models provide more horsepower, durability and useful features that producers need to tackle demanding tasks on beef and dairy operations; mixed farms; and specialty operations, such as poultry farms, orchards and vineyards. “Producers need a reliable tractor that’s ready for a hard day’s work and offered at an excellent value,” said Greg Lucey, Case IH Farmall tractors marketing manager. “These new feature-loaded models provide just that and also meet demands for the toughest chores around the farm.” The new models feature an efficient yet powerful 4 -cylinder engine that provides high torque for

maximum performance — ideal for handling a variety of implements, such as a loader, round baler, auger, disc mower conditioner, disc rotary cutter and field mower. Designed to match the capacity of the Case IH L575 loader, these tractors are equipped with simple, powerful hydraulic PTO for increased productivity and efficiency. Boasting 120 engine hp,1 the new Farmall 115A delivers 100 PTO horsepower — the highest available in the Farmall utility A lineup chassis class. The same cutting-edge, fuel-efficient technologies available across the lineup of Farmall tractors are incorporated into the new models to maximize efficiency and power while increasing uptime and productivity. With a proven FPT engine, the tractors do not require a diesel particulate filter or regeneration. The technology is designed to increase uptime and decrease operating costs — all while meeting Tier 4 B/Final engine emissions standards.

“T he fact that this lineup doesn’t require engine regeneration is a game changer,” Lucey said. “Producers often don’t anticipate the high costs associated w ith maintaining and cleaning diesel particulate filters in competitive models. Our advanced emissions system eliminates that worry completely.” In addition, tractor models are engineered with more weight where it makes a difference — from heav y-duty power train components to the axle and transmission. Through this, Case IH creates a heavy, durable tractor to match demanding jobs and heavy loads. More weight enables operators to push more, pull more and lift more, and it may minimize the need for front and rear wheel weights. To help producers stay productive through long, demanding workdays, the new models feature an ultra-comfortable cab with easy-to-operate ergonomic controls and a flat-deck platform. A right-hand console keeps all the controls close to the operator.

Tesla ekes out first-quarter profit

$240M loss for Mitsubishi Motors

DETROIT (AP) — Tesla reported that it eked out a first-quarter net profit April 29 and its CEO went on a rant about the legality of government stay-home orders issued to prevent the coronavirus from spreading. The electric car and solar panel company said it made $16 million from January through March, its third-straight profitable quarter. But the company suspended its near-term profit outlook, and on a conference call, CEO Elon Musk railed against the orders, one of which is keeping his Fremont, California, assembly plant from reopening. “Forcibly imprisoning people in their homes is against all their constitutional rights,” Musk said. “People should be outraged.” An order in the sixcounty San Francisco Bay Area forced Tesla to close the plant starting March 23 to help prevent the virus’ spread, and it was extended until the end of May. As other automakers move to reopen their U.S. factories, it’s unclear when Tesla will be able to restart production in Fremont. Musk called the plant closure a “serious risk.” The factory had recently begun cranking out Tesla’s new Model Y small SUV, which it said has been profitable early in its life cycle. It also appears the stayhome order may force Tesla to dial back its forecast produce more than 500,000 vehicles in 2020. The company didn’t give a new estimate and said it’s unclear how fast parts makers can resume production.

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors Corp. said April 24 it expects $240 million in losses for the fiscal year through next March, as sales plunge because of the coronavirus pandemic. Tokyo-based Mitsubishi, allied with Nissan Motor Co., announced the revision to its earnings projection. The maker of the Pajero sports utility vehicle earlier forecast a profit of $46 million. It revised its sales projection to $21 billion, down from $23 billion. Demand for autos has plunged because of the outbreak at a far greater pace than the automaker had expected, despite cost-cutting efforts, it said in a statement.

after regulators started shifting the burden to automakers by cutting subsidies and imposing minimum sales quotas. First-quarter sales plunged more than 50% from a year earlier after China shut down most of its economy to fight the virus. Subsidies will be limited to vehicles with a sticker price below $42,500, the Finance Ministry said. That excludes Tesla’s Model 3 made at its factory in Shanghai, which starts at $45,800.

Indiana trooper fatally shoots man

JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (AP) — An Indiana State Police trooper fatally shot a southern Indiana man April 29 during an exchange of gunfire following a traffic stop, authorities say. Malcolm Xavier China subsidies for Ray Williams, 27, of electric car sales Clarksville, died at an BEIJING (AP) — China area hospital after being shot just before 1 a.m. in is promising more subsidies to shore up plunging Jeffersonville, state police spokesman Sgt. Carey electric car sales amid Huls said. the coronavirus panWilliams had been a demic, but set limits that passenger in a vehicle exclude Tesla’s made-inthat was pulled over for China model. Subsidies and tax breaks having no taillights on. After making the stop, that were due to end this the trooper called for the year will be extended by ambulance because the two years in response to “an accumulation of unfa- female driver of the car was having a “possible vorable factors” including medical situation,” Huls the virus, the Finance said. Ministry said April 23. While the trooper Beijing has spent talked to Williams, the billions of dollars subsisuspect pulled out a dizing electrics in hopes handgun and fired at the of cleaning up China’s trooper, who returned smog-choked cities and fire, Huls said. taking an early lead in a It wasn’t clear what led promising global indusWilliams to shoot. try. The trooper who hasn’t That helped to turn been identified suffered China into the biggest a powder burn and abramarket for electrics, acsions from Williams’ counting for about half gun. The driver was not of global sales. But deinjured. mand sank in mid-2019

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A6 Friday, May 8, 2020

| INDIANA AGRINEWS | www.agrinews-pubs.com

REGIONAL WEATHER

Outlook for May 8 - May 14

Shown is Fridayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s weather. Temperatures are Fridayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highs and Friday nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lows.

Rock Island 55/32

Chicago 49/34

ÂŠ2020; forecasts and graphics provided by

Peoria 55/34

SUNRISE/SUNSET

Quincy 58/35

Springfield Date May 8 May 9 May 10 May 11 May 12 May 13 May 14

Rise 5:50 a.m. 5:49 a.m. 5:48 a.m. 5:47 a.m. 5:46 a.m. 5:45 a.m. 5:44 a.m.

Decatur 58/34

Set 8:00 p.m. 8:01 p.m. 8:02 p.m. 8:03 p.m. 8:04 p.m. 8:05 p.m. 8:06 p.m.

Gary 46/35

Champaign 57/31 Lafayette 57/33

Springfield 59/35

Central Illinois: Friday: cool with times of sun and clouds. Winds north-northwest 10-20 mph. Expect four to eight hours of sun with good drying conditions and average relative humidity 40%. Saturday: partly sunny and cool.

Fort Wayne 52/29

Muncie 57/32

Southern Illinois: Friday: cool with sun. Winds north-northwest 6-12 mph. Expect four to eight hours of sun with good drying conditions and average relative humidity 45%. Saturday: mostly sunny, except some clouds to the east.

Indianapolis 57/33 Terre Haute 60/32

Mt. Vernon 62/34

East St. Louis 63/37

TEMPERATURES

Evanston 45/32 South Bend 47/28

Rockford 51/31

Vevay 59/30

Evansville 62/36

PRECIPITATION

MOON PHASES Full

Last

May 7

AGRICULTURE FORECASTS

New

First

May 14 May 22 May 29

GROWING DEGREE DAYS Illinois Week ending May 4 Month through May 4 Season through May 4 Normal month to date Normal season to date

77 41 216 27 126

Indiana Week ending May 4 Month through May 4 Season through May 4 Normal month to date Normal season to date

64 37 219 19 68

Anna 61/36

Today Hi/Lo/W 57/31/c 49/34/pc 58/34/c 63/37/pc 45/32/c 50/30/pc 62/34/pc 55/34/pc 58/35/pc 51/31/pc 55/32/pc 59/35/pc

Tom. Hi/Lo/W 59/38/pc 56/39/c 59/40/pc 61/45/s 52/41/pc 55/37/pc 61/37/s 59/40/pc 59/44/s 58/38/pc 59/41/pc 59/41/s

Sun. Hi/Lo/W 60/41/sh 55/39/sh 61/41/sh 65/43/sh 49/39/sh 50/37/sh 62/40/sh 59/41/sh 63/42/sh 56/37/sh 54/37/sh 62/41/sh

Indiana Bloomington Carmel Evansville Fishers Fort Wayne Gary Lafayette Indianapolis Muncie South Bend Terre Haute Vevay

Today Hi/Lo/W 60/32/pc 57/30/c 62/36/c 57/30/c 52/29/pc 46/35/pc 57/33/pc 57/33/c 57/32/c 47/28/pc 60/32/c 59/30/sh

Tom. Hi/Lo/W 58/37/pc 54/36/c 60/39/pc 54/34/c 53/35/pc 54/41/pc 60/39/pc 57/39/c 57/40/c 52/36/pc 60/39/pc 54/31/pc

Northern Indiana: Friday: partly sunny, brisk and colder. Winds northwest 8-16 mph. Expect six to 10 hours of sun with fair drying conditions and average relative humidity 50%. Saturday: cool with times of sun and clouds. Central Indiana: Friday: cool with clouds and sun. Winds north 7-14 mph. Expect four to eight hours of sunshine with fair drying conditions and average relative humidity 55%.

For 24-hour weather updates, check out www.agrinews-pubs.com Illinois Champaign Chicago Decatur E. St. Louis Evanston Joliet Mt. Vernon Peoria Quincy Rockford Rock Island Springfield

Northern Illinois: Friday: cooler with sunshine and some clouds, except more clouds to the east. Winds north-northwest at 8-16 mph. Expect six to 10 hours of sunshine with good drying conditions.

Sun. Hi/Lo/W 59/39/sh 53/40/sh 62/43/sh 56/39/sh 57/36/sh 57/39/sh 60/40/sh 57/40/sh 61/39/sh 54/36/sh 62/40/sh 59/41/sh

Southern Indiana: Friday: cloudy and cool; a few showers in the west. Winds west-northwest 6-12 mph. Expect two to four hours of sun with fair drying conditions and average relative humidity 50%.

SOUTH AMERICA Much of Argentina and southern Brazil to Paraguay will have dry weather through the weekend. A few showers and thunderstorms are possible in Paraguay and southeast Brazil early next week.

Weather (W): sâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;sunny, pcâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;partly cloudy, câ&#x20AC;&#x201C;cloudy, shâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;showers, tâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;thunderstorms, râ&#x20AC;&#x201C;rain, sfâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;snow flurries, snâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;snow, iâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;ice

Nutrient runoff, climate change challenges Advances in water drainage By Erica Quinlan

AGRINEWS PUBLICATIONS

WEST LAFAYET TE, Ind. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; actions in Indiana and the Midwest affect the entire country, and even the world, said Jane Frankenberger, professor of agricultural and biological engineering at Purdue University. Frankenberger is an expert in water quality and watershed management, particularly in agricultural systems. In celebration of World Water Day, she shared how sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s working on solutions to challenges at the intersection of water and climate change. Fra n kenber ger â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s re -

search has advanced water drainage design and management, watershed modeling of agricultural systems and soil and water conservation strategies. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have a network of what people call tile drains or drain tubing about three feet below the surface over most of our agricultural area,â&#x20AC;? she explained. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The strong majority of our water flows through those. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been found in the past 20 or 30 years that they carry a lot of nitrate with them, and nitrate causes problems downstream, both locally and especially in the Gulf of Mexico.â&#x20AC;? Once the high nitrate water reaches salt water, it removes the limitation that stops algae from growing, she said. As algae overgrows and then decomposes, oxygen

USDA PHOTO

Barge traffic travels on the Mississippi River at the Melvin Price Locks and Dam Facility near Alton, Illinois. is consumed â&#x20AC;&#x201D; resulting in hypoxia, or low oxygen levels, in water. Hypoxia kills fish, which depletes valuable fisheries and disrupts ecosystems. â&#x20AC;&#x153;More recently Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve really tried to think about how climate change is

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172 acres acres 710+/-

LAND FOR SALE IN INDIANA

Newton County â&#x20AC;˘ 137.08 A, 130.75 Tillable, 3.7 CRP, W of Brook.

â&#x20AC;˘ 28.95 Ac, 21.85 Tillable, 4 miles north of Lebanon, includes home and outbuildings - Farmland Sales - Farmland Investments & Management

For more information go to hagemanrealty.com

Multiple Parcel Possibility

HLS# PJK-12343 (20)

SM-LA1776343

SM-LA1772405

Todd Litten: 812.327.2466 | Pat Karst: 260.563.8888

800.424.2324 www.halderman.com

FEATURED LISTINGS Bartholomew County, IN: 60.25+/- Acres Contact: Dave Bonnell 812.343.4313 or Michael Bonnell 812.343.6036

Clinton County, IN: 14.5+/- Acres â&#x20AC;˘ 2 Tracts Contact: Sam Clark 317.442.0251 or Jim Clark 765.659.4841

Decatur County, IN: 80+/- Acres â&#x20AC;˘ Contact: Dave Bonnell 812.343.4313 or Michael Bonnell 812.343.6036

Delaware County, IN: 295.51+/- Acres Contact: Chris Peacock 765.546.0592 or Lauren Peacock 765.546.7359

Marshall County, IN: 31.72+/- Acres â&#x20AC;˘ Contact: Julie Matthys 574.310.5189

Porter County, IN: 92.30+/- Acres â&#x20AC;˘ 4 Tracts Contact: Julie Matthys 574.310.5189

Vermillion County, IN: 979.89+/- Acres Contact: Todd Litten 812.327.2466 or Pat Karst 260.563.8888

MANAGING 100s of

FARMS

SELLING 100s MORE

FARMS

AND APPRAISING EVEN MORE

THAN BOTH COMBINED

For more information, visit halderman.com

HAGEMAN REALTY

Clinton Township | Vermillion County

OWNER: Krieger Farms

Erica Quinlan can be reached at 800-426-9438, ext. 193, or equinlan@ agrinews-pubs.com. Follow her on Twitter at: @AgNews_Quinlan.

Contact: Julie Matthys 574.310.5189

- Sale Leaseback Options

+/-

of it will be transpired by the crops,â&#x20AC;? Frankenberger said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Therefore it lessens the flow and gives more opportunity for a process called denitrification â&#x20AC;&#x201D; which is the best way to solve the nitrate problem in water.â&#x20AC;? Frankenberger also researches a solution called drainage water recycling, in which farmers would capture water in a pond or a small reservoir and use that to irrigate crops later in the season. For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/ y78prhsd or https://tinyurl.com/ybjx39b8.

LaPorte County, IN: 60+/- Acres â&#x20AC;˘ Galena Township 58.26+/- Acres â&#x20AC;˘ Coolspring Township 30.22+/-

Boone County

FOR SALE

also affecting the same (nutrient runoff ) problem,â&#x20AC;? Frankenberger said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really changing is the temperature, but also the precipitation. Our wetness is changing. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always needed drainage, but thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more

water going through the drain tiles, especially in winter and spring, when our rainfall has already increased and is expected to increase even more. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This just makes the problem more difficult to solve. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a different problem. But thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s even more of the problem than we already have.â&#x20AC;? Solutions to agricultural runoff challenges include controlled drainage or drainage water management. Drainage water management is the practice of using a water control structure to raise the drainage outlet to various depths. This allows farmers to have more control over drainage. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The idea there is that it forces the water to go through different pathways through the soil, or more

18390 S. 480 W. Remington, IN 47977 219-261-2000

HRES IN Auct. Lic. #AC69200019, IL Lic. #417.013288 MI Lic. #6505264076 AUCTIONEER: RUSSELL D. HARMEYER, IN Auct. Lic. #AU10000277, IL Auct. Lic #441.002337 SM-LA1777339

www.agrinews-pubs.com | INDIANA AGRINEWS | Friday, May 8, 2020

Science

Interest growing in Purdue startup’s small home greenhouse Device fits under kitchen counter WEST L A FAYET TE, Ind. — A Purdue University-affiliated startup that designs, distributes and supports direct-toconsumer, in-home greenhouses is seeing increased interest for its innovation during the COVID -19 pandemic. Heliponix LLC, founded by Purdue Polytechnic Institute graduates Ivan Ball and Scott Massey, sells the GroPod Smart Garden Appliance. It is a small in-home greenhouse to grow daily servings of

ARS PHOTO/GUIHUA BAI

A healthy wheat line (right) and a wheat line infected with “scab,” or Fusarium head blight (left).

Pure Produce from subscription Seed Pods. The dishwasher-sized device is priced at $1,995, f it s under a k itchen counter and grows produce year-round, providing consumers with lettuce and other greens that are fresh and pesticide-free. “We have experienced an explosion of inquiries in light of the pandemic from consumers who want control of their own produce supply,” Massey said. “Consumers want food that tastes better, while being healthier for them from a trusted source to maintain a strong immune

system.” Heliponix, a startup from Purdue Foundry’s Startup Class of 2017, presented at the Consumer Electronics Show this year in Las Vegas. “We are now deep into the fourth industrial revolution with blockchain, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and Internet of Things connecting everything in our homes to our phones,” Ball said. “Development of these systems will provide the architecture we need to begin connecting biological organisms to our digital world.” Computer vision and

machine learning are the tools needed to understand a plant’s response to a given environment and enable Heliponix’s automated device to adapt the environment to a plant’s preference in real time. Massey and Ball met while working as student research engineers on a NASA-funded project at Purdue, which contributed to the efforts to grow food on the International Space Station under Cary Mitchell, a professor of horticulture. They received their first preseed and seed investments from the Purdue Ag-celerator, which was

Claas Disco 3600TRC 11’2” Cutting Width, Center Pivot, Roller Cond . . . . . . . . . . Call

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Claas Variant 460RC 83” Pickup, 14 Knives, Roto Cut, Net Only . . . . . . . . . . . . . Call

Gehl WR418 8 Whl . . .$2,600

Claas Liner 2700 22’4”24’3”Working Width$21,000

Claas Variant 380RC 1103 Bales, Net Only, 540 PTO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $39,900

Kemco 355 Pro-2 Dual Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Call

Econo Wrap 450A 3 Pt, 4x5 Max Bale . . . . . . . . . . . . Call

2009 MacDon FD70 35’, Been Thru Our Shop. . . . Call

(9) Used MacDon FD70 40’, Been Thru Our Shop. . . . Call

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2013 CIH 2162 45’, Been Thru Our Shop . . . . . . . . Call

2013 MacDon FD75 40’, New Guards & Sections, Been Thru Our Shop . . . . . $59,000

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New MacDon FD130, FD1 D130 FD135, FD13 FD 13 FD140, FD145. . . . . . . . . Call

MacDon C3012CF 12CF 12R3 12 12R30”, R30” Chopping, Folding, JD . . Call

2016 Capello 1230F JD, Folding, Chopping, End Row Augers . . . . . . . . . $84,000

Unverferth 1400 NutriMax 1400 Gal, 40’, 30” Sp, Dual Delivery, ISO . . . . . . . . . Call

Buffalo 5030 8R30”,NoTill, 3 Pt, Kinze Corn Meter $5,500

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Great Plains 1500 CPH,15’, 8” Sp, 2x12 PW, 5586 Acres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $8,900

Great Plains PL5700-CH-1630 16R30,Grnd Dr,600 Gal FertTank, 3 Bu Hoppers . . . . . . . . . . .Call

Great Plains 2400TM 24’, New Blades, Rolling Reel & Harrow. . . . . . . . . . $44,000

Great Plains 3000TT 30’, Rolling Reel & Harrow . . . . . . . . .$27,500

John Deere 2623VT 30’9”, Hyd Basket,19”FR Blades,20” RR Blades . . . . . . . $31,000

Great Plains HS2100Velocity 30’, Conditioner Reel . . . Call

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Heliponix, a Purdue University-affiliated startup that designs, distributes and supports in-home greenhouses, is seeing increased interest for its innovation. founded jointly by Purdue and Purdue’s College of Ventures, Purdue Foundry Agriculture in 2015.

Gene could stop wheat head blight WASHINGTON — Agricultural Research Service scientists and their colleagues have discovered a gene that can be used to develop varieties of wheat that will be more resistant to Fusarium head blight, a disease that is a major threat both overseas and to the nation’s $10 billion annual wheat crop. A paper reporting the discovery and the cloning of the gene, known as Fhb7, was published April 10 in the journal Science. The study was led by scientists at the Shandong A g r icu lt u ra l Un iver s ity in Shandong, China, and co-authors include ARS researchers Guihua Bai and Lanfei Zhao in Manhattan, Kansas, and Steven Xu in Fargo, North Dakota. The discovery is a major advance in addressing a significant threat to the world’s wheat supply. FHB, also known as “scab,” is caused by a fungal pathogen, Fusarium graminearum, and results in significant losses in the United States, China, Canada, Europe and many other countries. It also attacks barley and oats. W hen the pathogen grows unchecked in infected grains, it releases mycotoxins that can induce vomiting in humans, as well as weight loss in livestock when they refuse to eat the grains. The prevalence and severity of FHB outbreaks also could potentially be exacerbated by climate change and varying weather conditions and by an increasing trend toward more corn production and no-till farming, which both may be increasing the prevalence of the pathogen in fields. Growers often must use fungicides to reduce FHB damage. The researchers found that the gene effectively reduces FHB by detoxifying the mycotoxins secreted by the pathogen. The gene also confers resistance to crown rot, a wheat disease caused by a related pathogen. The researchers originally identified the gene in Thinopyrum wheatgrass, a wild relative of wheat that has been previously used to develop varieties of wheat with beneficial traits, such as rust resistance and drought tolerance. They cloned the gene and introduced it into seven wheat cultivars with different genetic profiles to study its effects on plants grown under field conditions. The results showed that the gene not only conferred resistance to scab in the new plants, but it also had no negative effects on yield or other significant traits.

736W SR 32, Veedersburg, IN 47987 765-722-7040 For More Info & Pictures Visit:

gesales.com SM-LA1776337

* Subject to Credit Approval

A8 Friday, May 8, 2020

| INDIANA AGRINEWS | www.agrinews-pubs.com

Business Purdue ag center hosts Corn and Soybean Outlook webinar WEST LAFAYETTE, Corn and Soybean OutInd. — The Purdue Center look webinar from 12:30for Commercial Agricul1:30 p.m. EDT May 15. ture will be hosting a free To register, visit ex-

Sealed Bid Auction

Auction Calendar

+/- 19.84 Acres Prime Development Site Currently Zoned Residential Property Address: 10950 Harrison Rd., Osceola, IN

Tues., May 26

OSCEOLA, IND.: Sealed Bid Auction, 19.84 +/- Acres, bids due 5/26 at 5 p.m., Ag Exchange, Travis Selby, 217-304-1686. See p. A8

If any type of business needed help to weather this latest storm, it was farms and ranches.

Farming is a business By Zippy Duvall

When Congress passed and the president signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, many small business owners were anxiously awaiting the lifeline the bill would throw out to them in the form of Paycheck Protection Program loans, to help maintain their payroll, and the Economic Injury Disaster Loans program, to help mitigate disruptions to supply chains and other impacts of COVID-19. Farms and ranches are businesses, nearly all of them small businesses. But many farmers and ranchers were disappointed to find that the Small Business Administration did not consider agricultural operations eligible for the EIDL. There was also considerable confusion around the country concerning whether farms and ranches were eligible for PPP loans — which is understandable given how quickly the agency had to get these programs up and running. Farm Bureau and other agricultural organizations swung into action — first, to clarify for farmers and ranchers that their businesses were eligible for PPP loans, and second, to correct SBA’s directive on the agency’s website that applicants for EIDL must certify they are “not an agricultural enterprise (e.g., farm), other than an aquaculture enterprise, agricultural cooperative or nursery.” The text of the CARES Act itself did not exclude agriculture producers and stated that all businesses with fewer than 500 employees could participate in the program — and, of course, that’s the vast majority of, if not all, farms. Farms and ranches are businesses, and more than possibly any other kind of businesses our farms and ranches went into the COVID-19 crisis already limping due to low commodity prices, trade disruptions and weather disasters. If any type of business needed help to weather this latest storm, it was farms and ranches. Farm Bureau joined 30 other agricultural organizations and businesses in calling on the SBA to include agricultural businesses in the EIDL, writing that not only are farms and ranches businesses, but they’re critical to the nation’s economy and food supply. The SBA responded that Congress needed to make a statutory change, so we turned our attention back to Congress. In the bill enacted to provide more funds for COVID-19 response, which the American Farm Bureau supported, there is language making it crystal clear that farms and ranches are eligible for the EIDL assistance. Farm Bureau weighed in to ensure that bill extended eligibility to farms and ranches with fewer than 500 employees. These results come on top of our work early on in this crisis to ensure that farm workers entering the country under H-2A visas would continue to be able to come in during this critical time in the growing season. We were able to ensure that H-2A workers were

declared essential, at the same time that Farm Bureau organizations around the country have worked to share information with farmer members about how to keep their employees safe. We’re proud of all the work Farm Bureau has done to help agriculture through this crisis and ensure that farms and ranches are included in the SBA programs. But our work with SBA programs or other COVID-19 response programs isn’t done. AFBF along with 37 other agriculture organizations sent Congress a letter with more specific technical corrections for farmers and ranchers to fully par-

ticipate in the PPP. We’re also working to remove payment limitations on the agriculture-focused COVID-19 assistance — payment caps that reduce the help for dairy and livestock farmers, who need the help so badly, as well as others. We are working with lawmakers as they craft the next round of COVID19 aid to come in May. And we’re keeping a very close watch on the impact of processing plant shutdowns and price fluctuations. Zippy Duvall, a poultry, cattle and hay producer from Georgia, is the president of the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Wed., May 27

TERRE HAUTE, IND.: 39.63 Acres, 2 p.m., Clomeyer Farm, LLC, Johnny Swalls Auction Inc., 812-4956119.

tension.purdue.edu/ event/28104. Call 765494-7004 or email comagctr@purdue.edu.

Parcel State ID: 71-10-21-100-002.000-031 (19.84 Acres) Real Estate Tax: $389.68 Part of the NW of section 21, T37N-R4E Penn TWP. St. Joseph County IN. School District: Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation Sealed Bid Submission Deadline: 5 pm, May 26th

Multiple Dates

SEE AD: Upcoming Auctions & Featured Farms, Schrader Real Estate & Auction Company, Inc., 800-4512709. See p. A8

For bid packet contact Auctioneer Travis Selby IN Lic.# AU10700091 217.304.1686 travis@agexchange.com www.agexchange.com

SM-LA1774789

Upcoming AUCTIONS MAY

REAL ESTATE

9 –13.07±ACRESIN2TRACTS.Allen County (New Haven, IN). 2955 sq. ft. custom home with an 18’ x 36’ shop • Wildlife is prevalent • Soils are mostly Nappanee silty clay loam, eel silt loam, also with some St. Clair clay loam and Hoytville silty clay. Contact Dennis Bennett 260-433-2159. 11 – 85± ACRES IN 4 TRACTS. Lenawe e C ou nt y ( Hud son, M I ). Home a nd Bui ldings • Product ive, Ti l lable Acres • Wooded Acres. Contact Jerry Ehle 866-3400445. 26 – 42 ACRES IN 1 TRACT. Marshall County (Bourbon, IN). Contact Gary Bailey 260-4174838.

FARM EQUIPMENT

MAY

11 – FARM EQUIPMENT. ONLINE ONLY. Contact Robert Mishler 260-3369750 or Eric Ott 260-413-0787. 15 – FARM EQUIPMENT. ONLINE ONLY. Contact Robert Mishler 260-3369750. Check our website daily for auction updates and real estate listings — Over 60,000,000 hits annually Follow us on:

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Featured Farms

NEWTON COUNTY, IN. 392.4± ACRES with 355± Acres cropland of which 17.1 are in CRP. JUNE Woods, stocked pond, 48’ x 96’ Machine 10 – 250± ACRES IN 10 TRACTS. Franklin Shed with c/c floor. Beautiful setting for County (Brookville, IN). Picturesque South- home or cabin and hunting/recreational ern Indiana Farm • Abundant WHITETAIL & opportunities. Northeast of Morocco. Call TURKEY • Rolling Pastures with Beautiful Jim Hayworth 765-427-1913 or Matt Wiseman Elevated Views • GREAT LOCATION within 219-689-4373. (JH/MWW06N) 30 minutes to Cincinnati • Impressive Country Home with Picturesque Barns • 2020 Crop 82.78 ACRE PARCEL OF LAND WITH 82.24 Rights to BUYER, 68± FSA Crop Acres • Po- CROPLAND ACRES. This tract has excellent tential Building Sites. Contact Andy Walther soils and frontage on CR 325 South. Call Jim Hayworth at 1-888-808-8680 or 1-765-427-1913 765-969-0401. or Jimmy Hayworth at 1-219-869-0329 (JH43C) 800-451-2709 MANY OTHER LISTINGS AVAILABLE

SM-LA1774322

SM-LA1777358

260-244-7606

SchraderAuction.com

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www.agrinews-pubs.com | INDIANA AGRINEWS | Friday, May 8, 2020

Business

Market data Bewildered by markets FOR WEEK ENDING MAY 1, 2020

Futures Prices This Last This week week Chg. week CATTLE HOGS JUN 20 87.25 82.62 4.63 MAY 20 62.87 AUG 20 92.55 88.90 3.65 JUN 20 62.70 OCT 20 96.80 94.47 2.33 JUL 20 64.12 DEC 20 100.97 98.42 2.55 AUG 20 64.67 FEB 21 105.37 102.85 2.52 OCT 20 59.00 APR 21 107.52 105.17 2.35 DEC 20 57.37

Last week Chg. 52.52 51.52 54.67 58.32 53.97 52.97

10.35 11.18 9.45 6.35 5.03 4.40

0.37 1.25 1.25 0.98 0.15 0.10

MILK CLASS III MAY 20 11.23 JUN 20 12.19 JUL 20 13.61 AUG 20 14.57 SEP 20 15.22 OCT 20 15.75

10.80 11.66 13.23 14.47 15.06 15.52

0.43 0.53 0.38 0.10 0.14 0.23

CORN MAY 20 3114 3156 -42 JUL 20 3184 3230 -46 SEP 20 3254 3274 -20 DEC 20 3366 3366 0 MAR 21 3502 3492 10 MAY 21 3582 3556 26

SOYBEANS MAY 20 8472 JUL 20 8494 AUG 20 8506 SEP 20 8510 NOV 20 8550 JAN 21 8576

8322 8394 8400 8390 8414 8420

150 100 106 120 136 156

CHICAGO WHEAT MAY 20 5214 5266 -52 JUL 20 5164 5304 -140 SEP 20 5202 5332 -130 DEC 20 5290 5402 -112 MAR 21 5364 5454 -90 MAY 21 5374 5450 -76

K.C. WHEAT MAY 20 4820 JUL 20 4830 SEP 20 4896 DEC 20 5000 MAR 21 5090 MAY 21 5146

4746 4832 4900 5002 5104 5162

74 -2 -4 -2 -14 -16

BRENT CRUDE OIL 22.54 21.44 1.10 JUN 20 JUL 20 26.44 24.81 1.63 AUG 20 28.07 27.11 0.96 29.36 28.88 0.48 SEP 20 OCT 20 30.44 30.26 0.18 31.40 31.32 0.08 NOV 20

ETHANOL MAY 20 JUN 20 JUL 20 AUG 20 SEP 20 OCT 20

0.935 0.956 0.984 0.984 0.984 0.984

0.079 0.039 0.024 0.035 0.035 0.035

FEEDER CATTLE MAY 20 117.82 AUG 20 127.65 SEP 20 129.05 OCT 20 129.90 NOV 20 130.47 JAN 21 129.07

117.45 126.40 127.80 128.92 130.32 128.97

1.014 0.995 1.008 1.019 1.019 1.019

Stocks of Agricultural Interest

This Last 52-wk week week high

ADM 35.12 35.99 47.20 Corteva 25.49 26.27 32.78 AGCO 50.29 49.75 81.39 Dupont 45.07 41.90 81.81 BASF 12.43 11.97 20.65 Deere 138.19 138.63 181.99 Bunge 37.89 39.61 59.65 FMC 89.92 88.20 108.77 CF 26.61 28.00 55.15 Mosaic 11.15 11.33 26.26

Export Inspections (MIL BU.) This Year Cumulative Cumulative Cml. week ago this year year ago % diff. WHEAT 501.333 645.662 22502.45 21411.163 5.10 CORN 1078.175 1366.477 22294.82 34655.621 -35.67 SOYBEANS 555.748 507.750 33478.42 31538.846 6.15

Livestock Summary % diff. This Last Year week year week week ago ago ago Hog Slaughter-est 11000 HD 1545 1986 2366 -22. -34.70 Cattle slaughter-est 1000 HD 425 465 673 -8.60 -36.85 MEAT PRICES This week Last week Change Pork Cutout Bellies Loins Hams Yld Gr 3 Choice Beef Select Beef 5-Mkt Fed Cattle Live 5-Mkt Fed Cattle Carcass

105.62 72.56 33.06 161.67 81.50 80.17 124.96 99.05 25.91 69.04 47.83 21.21 373.85 289.61 84.24 357.16 277.18 79.98 95.92 96.95 -1.03 154.50 154.27 0.22

OKLAHOMA CITY This week Last week Change Low High Low High Low High FEEDER STEER 4-5 Wt Mf 1’S 5-6 Wt Mf 1’S 6-7 Wt Mf 1’S 7-8 Wt Mf 1’S 8-10 Wt Mf 1’S

138.50 183.50 153.75 169.50 -15.25 14.00 135.00 160.50 125.00 158.50 10.00 2.00 122.50 138.75 122.50 144.25 0.00 -5.50 113.00 132.25 111.00 142.50 2.00 -10.25 98.00 113.50 99.25 118.50 -1.25 -5.00

Eastern Corn Belt Direct Feeder Cattle Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Kentucky and Ohio Reported sales this week, 590; last week, 825; last year, 60. Supply included 100% over 600 pounds, 90% heifers. Feeder Steers Medium and Large 1-2 Head Wt Range Avg Wt Price Range Avg Price Delivery 803 803 105.00 105.00 Current FOB 60 130 335

750 725

750

Feeder Heifers Medium and Large 1 750 100.65 100.65 Current FOB 725 107.50-111.20 108.99 July FOB Feeder Heifers Medium and Large 1-2 750 97.00 97.00

Current FOB

USDA National Grain Market Review Compared to last week, cash bids for corn, wheat and sorghum were lower; soybeans were higher. For the week ending April 23, an increase of 53.4 million bushels of corn export sales for 2019-20 were reported, with an increase of 39.6 million bushels of soybean exports sales, and an increase of 17.2 million bushels of wheat export sales. Sorghum export sales showed an increase of 12 million bushels. Ethanol production for the week ending April 24 reported a decrease of 24,000 barrels per day to 0.537 million barrels a day. Ethanol stocks decreased 1.4 million barrels at 26.3 million barrels. For the week ending April 26, corn planted was 27%, 15% higher than a year ago; soybeans planted was 8%, 6% higher than a year ago; and sorghum planted was 20%, 1% higher than a year ago. Wheat was 6 1/2 to 21 cents lower. Corn was 2 3/4 to 11 1/2 cents lower. Sorghum was 14 to 27 cents lower. Soybeans were 11 to 14 cents higher.

CORN Kansas City US No 2 rail White Corn was 10 1/2 to 11 1/2 cents lower from 3.03 1/2-3.13 per bushel. Kansas City US No 2 truck Yellow Corn was 2 3/4 to 5 3/4 cents lower from 3.11 1/2-3.19 1/2 per bushel. Omaha US No 2 Yellow Corn was 6 to 7 cents lower from 2.923.02 per bushel. Chicago US No 2 Yellow Corn was 7 3/4 cents lower from 3.11 1/2-3.13 1/2 per bushel. Toledo US No 2 rail Yellow corn was 6 1/4 to 7 3/4 cents lower from 3.01 1/2-3.03 per

bushel. Minneapolis US No 2 Yellow corn rail was 9 1/4 cents lower at 2.87 per bushel.

OILSEEDS Minneapolis Yellow truck soybeans were 14 cents higher at 8.38 1/4 per bushel. Illinois Processors US No 1 Yellow truck soybeans were 11 to 13 cents higher from 8.55 1/48.70 1/4 per bushel. Kansas City US No 2 Yellow truck soybeans were 11 cents higher from 8.30 1/4-8.50 1/4 per bushel. Illinois 48 percent soybean meal, processor rail bid was 4.00 to 5.00 higher from 295.10298.10 per bushel. Central Illinois Crude Soybean oil processor bid was 0.49 to 0.59 points higher from 25.3025.60 per cwt.

WHEAT Kansas City US No 1 Hard Red Winter, ordinary protein rail bid was 6 1/2 cents lower from 5.595.69 per bushel. St. Louis truck US No 2 Soft Red Winter terminal bid was 21 cents lower at 5.49 per bushel. Portland US Soft White wheat rail was 7 to 10 cents lower at 6.05 per bushel.

SORGHUM US No 2 yellow truck, Kansas City was 14 to 23 cents lower from 5.47-6.10 per cwt. Texas High Plains US No 2 yellow sorghum (prices paid or bid to the farmer, fob elevator) was 26 to 27 cents lower from 5.08-5.43 per cwt.

OATS US 2 or Better oats, rail bid to arrive at Minneapolis 20 day was 6 to 11 cents lower from 2.843.54 per bushel.

Futures Prices compiled by faculty and staff of the Ag Economics Department at the University of Missouri.

This is my week to vent — to express amazement and bewilderment toward a Commodity number of marInsight kets and how they Jerry Welch have been performing in recent days. In some cases, I understand what is motivating the markets and prices. In other cases, I am appalled at what is unfolding. But I also accept the abstract idea, it is what it is. THE CATTLE MARKET This week, boxed beef prices rose to new alltime highs and up to levels never before seen. Boxed beef is nothing more than various cuts of beef put in boxes for shipping from a packer and packing plant to retailers such as grocery stores. In the period of November 2014 to the spring 2015, cattle futures and cash cattle traded $168 to $172, respectively. But this week, as boxed beef prices rose to new record-high prices, cattle futures traded under $85 and cash cattle no better than $95 to $100. In other words, in today’s marketplace, the packer is buying cattle on the cheap, but selling beef at record-high levels. Thus, a huge amount of money is being made in the cattle industry, but by the packers, not cattle ranchers. Never have I witnessed such a lopsided scenario. But it is what it is. THE STOCK MARKET VS. COMMODITY MARKETS Stocks as measured by the Dow Jones collapsed

until about a month ago. Since then, the Dow has rallied more than 6,000 points and is up 35% in April, the best monthly performance in 82 years and down 16% from the all-time high point set in early February. And not a day goes by without traders on Wall Street wringing their collective hands about how poorly stocks are doing, showing a 16% loss for the year. However, the CRB index, which is to the commodity markets as the Dow Jones is to the stock market, is 42% lower for this calendar year. The CRB index is weighted towards 19 commodities: aluminum, cocoa, coffee, copper, corn, cotton, crude oil, gold, heating oil, lean hogs, live cattle, natural gas, nickel, orange juice, reformulated blendstock for oxygenate blending gasoline, silver, soybeans, sugar and wheat. The bottom line with commodities is clear: They are doing far worse than stocks, equities, the Dow and so forth. It is those who produce commodities of all kinds that are justified in wringing their collective hands about the markets, not the traders on Wall Street. But it is what it is. CRUDE OIL AND CORN PRICES The CRB Index has been slammed so hard this month it is back down to levels not seen since late 1999 to early 2002. One of the main fundamental reasons the CRB is dropping so sharply is because of crude oil. An old saying in the world of hard asset markets is, “as crude goes, so go commodities,” and that is the big problem commodities, per se, are facing. Collapsing crude

oil values are pulling most commodity markets deep into the red. Here’s a question that needs answering: What is the fate of corn prices with crude now at low levels never before seen in history while at the same time the CRB index at a 19- to 20-year low? From AgWeb.com, a headline: “As oil trades below $0, will corn or ethanol be next?” AgWeb goes on to state: “The oil trade on Monday was one for the history books. For the first time in history, oil traded below $0, providing proof the downside risk with commodities is not just $0.” Corn prices in the years 1999 to 2002 averaged around $2.12 a bushel or so, but in 1999 the market did fall to a low $1.96. Can history repeat itself moving forward, even though corn prices for new crop 2020 are around the $3.36 level? Fundamentally, I can build a case for new crop 2020 corn to eventually fall to $2.70, give or take a bit. But I doubt corn can fall below $2 a bushel. Crude oil prices have collapsed to the lowest levels in history, and the CRB index is today where it was 18 to 20 years ago. Where were gas prices at the pump, you ask, back then? From 1999 to 2002, gas at the pump averaged $1.37 a gallon. However, in February 1999, prices at the pump fell to 99 cents a gallon with prices in St. Louis falling as low as 79 cents per gallon. Big Oil is not lowering gasoline at the pumps to save consumers money. The cattle packing industry is not sharing the windfall profits with cattle ranchers. It is a frustrating situation. But it is what it is.

Professors bring mentorship for underrepresented students WEST LAFAYET TE, Ind. — Levon Esters and Neil Knobloch, professors in the Department of Agricultural Sciences Education and Communication at Purdue University, recently received funding from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture to establish a mentoring network across 13 land-grant institutions. Esters and Knobloch are co-project directors of a program called Multiinst it ut iona l mEntor ing Network for Transforming Organizational culture, or MENTOR, which focuses on increasing underrepresented minorities and women in the agricultural and life sciences. MENTOR will partner with six historically black colleges and universities and seven predominantly white institutions to bring intentional and inclusive mentor ing-based pro grams to these campuses. “This project builds the collective capacity of and facilitates interactions between two disparate land-grant institutional types to help identify challenges and develop effec-

Purdue ASEC professors Levon Esters (right) and Neil Knobloch. tive strategies to increase diversity in STEM-based agricultural and life sciences disciplines,” Esters said. The mentoring initiative, based out of Purdue, will achieve this through three main strategies. MENTOR will distribute mini-grants to pilot mentoring programs at participating institutions, which will allow teams at these schools to tailor the initiative to the needs of the student body. Fac u lt y le ader sh ip teams will receive a total of $15,000 over the next two years. Additionally, the program will sponsor two conferences to allow faculty leadership teams to network and share ex-

periences from their home institutions. Finally, this initiative will create an online archive of best practices and outputs related to the successful recruitment and retention of women and underrepresented minorities at land-grant institutions. “The immediate and long-term success of this program is dependent on the ability of faculty leadership teams and participating students to strengthen relationships while sharing successes and challenges in creating inclusive and intentional mentor ing practices,” Knobloch said. Institutions par ticipating in the MENTOR program are Alabama A&M University, Florida A&M University, North Carolina A&T State University, Purdue University, Tennessee State University, Tuskegee University, University of Kentucky, University of Missouri, Ohio State University, Pennsylvania State University, Michigan State University, University of Nebraska-Lincoln and University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.

2020 aid package similar to 1933 act A Purdue historian says the recent aid package for farmers has parallels to the Great Depression. What: The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program will provide $16 million in direct payments to farm families and $3 billion to purchase fresh produce, dairy and meat. Farmers have been forced to destroy their milk, eggs and crops due to disruptions in the food supply chain caused by COVID-19. Who: Historian Douglas Hurt, a professor in the College of Liberal Arts at Purdue University, focuses on the history of United States agriculture and has

written several books on the Dust Bowl and Great Depression. Hurt Hurt says the recent stimulus package for farmers is similar to the Agricultural Adjustment Act in 1933, which also sent direct payments to farm families and set apart money to purchase surplus food from producers. Quote: “The parallels

are very clear. In both cases, particularly in the 1930s, the federal government needed to get money to farm families quickly. The agricultural prices had really collapsed in 1932, there’s a problem of overproduction and farmers simply needed operating and living money. The federal government addressed this first in 1933 with the Agricultural Adjustment Act, which tried to do two things: to reduce surplus production of seven major commodities hoping that eventually prices would go up; and to pay farmers to make production cutbacks.”

AAFCO award to Indiana state chemist WEST LAFAYET TE, Ind. — Robert Waltz, Indiana state chemist and seed commissioner, received the E.B. Voorhees Award from the Association of American Feed Control Officials. Waltz has served as a member of A AFCO since 2006 and o c c upi ed several key positions, includ i n g p r e s i d - Waltz ent, committee chair, board member and external liaison. Most recently, Waltz represented AAFCO as a member of the Partnership for Food Protection, an FDA program that draws on expertise from professionals around the country to safeguard the national food chain and public health. Waltz was presented with the E.B. Voorhees Award for his extensive service, numerable contributions and thoughtful leadership. “I am deeply honored to be a recipient of the E.B. Voorhees Award granted by AAFCO. It has been my privilege to have been given opportunities to serve in a number of different and challenging roles. Along the way I have worked with a great number of amazing leaders throughout the nation in AAFCO, FDA, National Association of State Depar tments of Agriculture and the feed industries, among others,” Waltz said. “I have also been greatly blessed by having a very competent and professional staff that has allowed me to bridge my duties as state chemist with professional service in an organization like AAFCO.” The Office of Indiana State Chemist is based at Purdue University within the College of Agriculture. The office works closely with researchers on issues directly related to Indiana agriculture, including pesticides, animal feed, pet foods, fertilizers, soil and seed. “Robert Waltz’s contributions to Hoosier agriculture, Purdue University and the college are numerous in nature and vast in scope,” said Karen Plaut, the Glenn W. Sample Dean of Purdue Agriculture.

Indiana Crop Progress for week ending April 26 Planting began in earnest thanks to a mostly dry week, though cool soil temperatures and wet fields were still concerns in some parts of the state. The average temperature for the week was 50.6 degrees, 4.1 degrees below normal for the state. The amount of rainfall varied from 0.01 inches to 2.21 inches over the week. The statewide average precipitation was 1.14 inches. Corn and soybean plantings were off to a quick start last week, as farmers took advantage of the relatively dry week before the weekend rains moved in. Corn and soybean plantings both ended the week ahead of the five-year average. Source: USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Great Lakes Regional Field Office.

Indiana Crop Progress Week ending April 26, 2020 (% completed) 4/26 Last 5-yr. 2020 year avg. Corn planted 18 2 11 Corn emerged 1 0 1 Soybeans planted 11 0 3 Winter wheat jointing 42 48 52

A10 Friday, May 8, 2020

| INDIANA AGRINEWS | www.agrinews-pubs.com

Lifestyle KITCHEN DIVA

Mother’s Day gifts that keep on giving By Angela Shelf Medearis

The COVID-19 crisis might make shopping for Mother’s Day a little challenging this year. Like many of you, our special family celebrations have taken place online via Zoom. Even though most of us are unable to celebrate Mother’s Day the way that we’ve done in years past, there’s no reason why you can’t start a new tradition. Why not give your mom a subscription for happiness all year long? Subscription gift boxes can be ordered online, customized and arrive weekly, monthly or quarterly depending on the frequency you choose. Here is a selection of subscription gift boxes with wonderful products that your mother will love all year round. FOR THE HEALTHY HOME COOK — SHE PLANS DINNER She Plans Dinner (www.sheplansdinner.com) is a subscription menu plan that focuses on eating healthy. Its Fit and Healthy plan emphasizes proteins and fresh ingredients and eliminates most canned foods and starches. Many recipes are

TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH

adaptable to gluten-free, paleo or dairy-free diets and includes a grocery shopping list. To gift a subscription, go to checkout and use your mother’s name and email address, but put in your billing information. FOR THE HEALTHY SNACKER — LOVE WITH FOOD Love With Food (www.lovewithfood.com) subscriptions are $10 per box (three-, six- or 12-month gift subscriptions). Each box includes eight or more packaged snacks that are “either organic or all-natural, GMO-free, gluten-free or free of artificial junk.” For every box, Love With Food donates at least one meal to American families in need. ‘DO-IT-YOURSELF’ GIFT BOX Why not give Mom a “Casserole a Month” coupon for a casserole that you make yourself? Try my Chicken Tetrazzini with Spring Peas Casserole recipe and give Mom a night off from the kitchen for Mother’s Day and throughout the year! © 2020 King Features Synd., Inc.

Chicken Tetrazzini With Spring Peas Casserole

PROCEDURE

Servings: 6 INGREDIENTS 1 (7 ounce) package vermicelli 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil 1/2 cup fresh, sliced shiitake, Portobello, cremini (or porcini) mushrooms 3 ounces finely chopped prosciutto 3 cups chopped cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken works well) 1/2 cup (4 ounces) shredded Parmesan cheese 2 cups Alfredo and Parsley sauce 3/4 cup chicken broth 2 tablespoons poultry seasoning 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1 cup fresh or frozen baby English peas, thawed 1/2 cup slivered almonds For the Alfredo and Parsley Sauce: 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) 2 cloves garlic, minced

This chicken tetrazzini is simple to make and is a great way to transform leftover chicken, or turkey. 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 cups heavy cream 2 cups grated Parmesan or Romano cheese 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Add garlic, salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, nutmeg and cayenne pepper. Remove pan from heat and stir in cream. Turn heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add cheese and stir quickly, heating through. Stir in parsley and set aside. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Heat oil in a large pan over high heat. Sauté mushrooms in oil 3 minutes. Add the prosciutto and cook until prosciutto is crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in chicken, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, the Alfredo and Parsley sauce, chicken broth, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper until well-combined. Stir in the peas and the pasta. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 11- by 7-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with almonds and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake for 35 minutes or until bubbly. TIP: Select a baking container made out of glass, ceramic or cast iron to prepare your casserole in. Your mom will have a beautiful dish as a keepsake.

ANTIQUES & COLLECTING

DONNA’S DAY: CREATIVE FAMILY FUN

Pain off the charts By Dr. Keith Roach

Why is pain measured by numbers? I have severe pain, and doctors do not know what to do when I say it is an 11 on a scale of one to 10. My pain can’t be measured by numbers. It depends on the time of day, what I have done during the day and the weather. I have arthritis in most of my joints, specifically my spine and hips. Having had five spine surgeries, epidurals and hip shots, I have pain every day. There is not much more that can be done but to take opioids. There is no chronic pain support group in my area, and no one can understand how I feel, even the professionals, unless they have gone through it. So, when asked how I am, I say “fine.” Other people don’t want to hear about my pain. Why is there not another way the doctor can measure your pain? I have given up everything I love to do in life because of pain. There’s no way to get “better” from pain. It is disappointing for me to hear that you haven’t found a pain specialist in your area who seems to care about helping you. Although the one to 10 pain scale is thoroughly entrenched, it has its flaws. The biggest one is that what one person might consider a two, another person might consider a nine. I’ve seen people with horrifying injuries gritting their teeth and saying their pain is a three while other people claim their pain from what seems to be a minor condition is a 10. I had one person tell me the pain from getting his blood pressure taken was a 10. Because pain is subjective, there is no way of standardizing what a person means with their pain rating. However, a 10 on a scale of one to 10 is supposed to be the worst pain imaginable. My father, 90, has neuropathy in his feet and legs, and it is very painful. He recently talked to a clinic that is offering stem-cell treatment to relieve the pain. The clinic says it helps 85% of those who get the treatment; however, because of HIPAA laws, they don’t provide any referrals. The treatments are very expensive — $16,000 — and results are seen in six weeks to six months. Are you familiar with this treatment, and is it effective for most people? Is this something you can recommend? I also have seen advertisements for stem-cell treatments for many conditions. For neuropathy in particular, there are no good studies that give an estimate of effectiveness. It may be the case that 85% of people treated at the clinic report improvement. But the risk of a placebo effect is very high with this kind of procedure, and I could not recommend stem-cell treatments for neuropathy without better information about the risks, the benefits and how long those benefits might last. © 2020 North America Synd., Inc.

Advertising collectibles are very popular today despite decreased interest in displaying old signs in family restaurants, a popular decorating idea in the 1980s. This seed tape box is in great condition with original small boxes of seed tape filling each compartment. It sold for $1,033.

Make your own seed tape By Terry and Kim Kovel

Treat Mom on her special day with a delicious breakfast.

Breakfast in bed will make her day By Donna Erickson

It’s morning. You’ve opened the newspaper, or you are reading it online. Wouldn’t a fluffy, crisp waffle taste good right now? Keep that thought, and now think about Mother’s Day, coming up on Sunday, May 10. Mom would no doubt be delighted with breakfast-inbed waffles smothered with her favorite toppings. Dollops of whipped cream and strawberries on top, or real maple syrup flooding the plate. I could go for that! Here are two ways to celebrate Mom with delicious waffles and more on her plate. BREAKFAST IN BED If your children aren’t old enough to make homemade waffles for Mom’s special day, just pick up good frozen waffles. Hopefully, you’ll be able to find frozen toaster waffles in boxes for a variety of tastes and dietary requirements, including gluten free and grain free, in the freezer section of your grocery store. Simply

heat them in the oven, or pop in your toaster and top with her favorites. For a creative presentation on Mom’s breakfast plate, use clean scissors to cut three toaster waffles into letters to spell “MOM” before you bake them. For the “M,” make an M letter template with an index card to fit the size of one waffle. Set on top of the waffle and snip into shape with the scissors. Your child will discover that the little square pocket designs — like a honeycomb — are a handy guide. For the “O,” do the same, or if you are using a round toaster waffle, simply cut out and remove an inner circle shape 1/2 inch from the outside edge. After completing the letters, place on a baking tray and bake in toaster or regular oven. Set the plate on a tray with a beverage, a flower and a homemade Mother’s Day card created by the kids. You may wish to use the empty “O” space to fill with berries or a small pitcher of warm syrup.

FAMILY WAFFLE BAR If Mother’s Day brunch with family is more your style, plan a casual and scrumptious waffle bar midmorning. Set up a stack of plates and silverware at one end of your kitchen counter or buffet where the waffles from your favorite recipe come out of the waffle iron, steaming hot and delicious. Family members can add their favorite toppings and sides. Here are some ideas for toppings and sides: n Melted butter. n Pure maple syrup, warm. n Fresh blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and cut up seasonal fruit. n Whipped cream. n Lemon curd. n Granola. n Peanut butter. n Nutella. n Cooked bacon and sausage. To find more of Donna Erickson’s creative family recipes and activities, visit www.donnasday.com. © 2020 Donna Erickson distributed by King Features Synd.

It’s spring and time to plant the seeds that grow into vegetables and flowers that often are tasty salads for deer, rabbits, squirrels and other local wildlife. In 1790, a Shaker religious community started to sell packets filled with seeds saved from the previous year. It was a new idea. Seeds for farmers had only sold in bulk quantities. At first, the packets held only vegetable seeds, but by the mid1800s, flower seeds also were sold. Sometime before 1918, Shaker seed tape was invented and sold. Today, gardeners can buy seed tape for hundreds of plants or make their own. Just unroll some toilet paper and press one or two seeds into the paper at spaced intervals. Then roll up the paper until it’s time to plant. The seed tape can be stretched into a shallow line in the dirt, then covered with more dirt, watered and kept free of weeds. Rows of plants will come up in a few days. The American Seed Tape Co. of Newark, New Jersey, had a seed tape brand called Pakro that advertised in farm publications from 1918 to at least the 1920s. Recently, a Wm Morford advertising auction offered an early cardboard Pakro seed tape display box that held 60 different types of seed tapes in original small boxes with color pictures like those on the packets. The 15-by-18-inch display sold for $1,033. CURRENT PRICES Doorstop, organ grinder and monkey, red jackets, double sided cast iron, 1920, 10 in. $480. Plate, yellow hand, figure, holding urn, green, blue, Viola Frey, c. 1986, France, 6 1/2 in. $550. Baby Grand Piano, Steinway & Sons, high gloss black, E grade, bench, c. 1999, 60 x 57 in. $2,400. © 2020 King Features Synd., Inc.

www.agrinews-pubs.com | INDIANA AGRINEWS | Friday, May 8, 2020

BEEF CATTLE (2) Registered Yearling Polled Hereford Bulls, good genetic docile. 217-543-3259 217-543-3063 3 LINE 1 Reg.Hereford Bulls. calving ease, production tested, Semen tested,gentle disposition Ready to go to Work. EPDs available. $2,000.765-652-3558 ANGUS YEARLING BULLS. Performance tested with exc EPDs. Work on heifers and cows. Guaranteed. Also one proven herd bull.

Sunnyhill Angus. 309-338-2957 BULLS FOR SALE! Purebred Angus & Composite Simmentals, Performance EPDs,Yearling & aged Bulls. Runner Farms, Blandinsville, IL (405)334-2653 or (309)255-1727 runnerfarms@mtcnow.net PRESCOTT ANGUS Yearling Angus Bulls For Sale Richard Prescott 815-228-2069 prescottangus.com REG. YRLG SIM. Ang bulls, BSE, and DNA tested, docile, blk, & bwf, $3,000 free del. In IL. River Bend Farm 815-674-8090 SWINE EQUIPMENT D&M portable loading chute, 36 SS double drinkers, 4ft., Winpower pressure washer 2000 psi 4 gal/min. 217-756-8268 MISC. LIVESTOCK EQUIP MISC JAMESWAY CATTLE feed conveyors, Call 815-252-7117 SEED CORN EQUIPMENT WANTED REVERSABLE EAR seed corn conveyer, ear seed corn converyor on outside of drying shed, 60' or longer Call 815-449-2668 COMBINES/PLATFORMS/ HEADS 25ft 925 John Deere grain platform w/30ft head mover, $8900. 618-927-7858, 618-927-7857 640 V8 Perkins turbo diesel, $2500. 3.9 Cummins turbo, $3000. Both in good condition, 618-214-2194 SEED GT SOYBEANS FOR SALE, Call 765-719-3995 OLDER FRIESEN 110 bulk seed tender Honda engine good used last season, $1,500/offer Call 309-287-7135 OPEN POLLINATED SEED corn, out produces Hybrids for silage. $67 per bu. Plus shipping. 217-857-3377 TRACTORS 2010 FARMALL-95C, 97 hp., 540 PTO, 1830 hrs., MFD, A/C, Heat, CD radio, quick attach loader, Like New, $35,000 obo. (309)883-6340 JD 3010, good paint and tires, good sheet metal and fenders, sat for awhile, gas engine is free, $3500. 618-214-2194 JD 4640, 18.4x42 tires, quad range, 8228 hours, 50 series engine, good condition,$18,500. Call 217-430-4023 INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT

PLANTERS

Crawfordsville, IN (765) 866.0253 Eaton, OH (937) 456.6281

LOANS/ FINANCIAL SERVICES FARM LOANS. We have the Best term/interest rates avail. Fixed rates, 5-25 yrs. 618-5282264 c, 618-643-2264, The BelRay Co, Don Welch and Jeff Welch, McLeansboro, IL MANURE EQUIPMENT BETTERBILT-2600 VAC. SPREADER, 3 knife plow down, 1000 RPM pump, good paint & tires, Call 217-756-8268 PARTS & SALVAGE

Georgetown, OH (937) 378.4880 La Crosse, IN (219) 754.2423

AUGER

BINS & DRYERS

High capacity Westfield Augers

Leb. Spray Center, IN (765) 481.2044 Pendleton, IN (765) 778.1991

Early Season Pricing Bunker Hill Supply Co Hutsonville, IL 618-563-4464

ELEC. MOTORS/GENERATORS

2005 5.9 electronic cummins, turbo with Funk, 3 hydraulic motor setup, $4500. 618-214-2194

REPAIR FLIGHTING

Helicoid Super Edge & Sectional. For Grain Augers, Dryers, & Grain Carts, Feed Wagons, Mixers, Combines, Sweeps and Stirring Machine. Down Minimum

301 German dsl, 282 Int'l glow plug diesel, both fit 560 or 706 IH tractors, $1000-ea. 504 Case turbo, $2000. 618-214-2194

Perry Equipment, Inc. 115 West 580 North Crawfordsville, IN 765-362-4495 800-433-8783

Generators: used, low hr takeouts. 20KW to 2000KW. Dsl, Propane, Nat. Gas. 701-3719526. abrahamindustrial.com

Please say....

Winco Generators. PTO portables & eng. sets avail., Large Inventory. Albion, IL. Waters Equip. 618-445-2816

www.perry-equip.com

Plymouth, IN (574) 936.2523 Remington, IN (219) 261.4221 Terre Haute, IN (812) 234.2627

I saw it in AgriNews

CARS/TRUCKS/TRAILERS

Wilmington, OH (937) 382.0941

GRAIN VACS

1976 PROGRESS, SS 4800 gal. tanker, Call 309-224-9186

New& Used REM & Kongskilde grain vacs. Used Kongskilde 1000 & 500 grain vacs. Cornwell Equipment, Arthur, IL 217-543-2631

2004 VOLVO VNN, ALL GOOD tires, low miles, Very Good Cond., $6,000 Call 309-368-1097

Winamac, IN (574) 946.6168 Wingate, IN (765) 275.2270 LS-779039

Bane-Welker.com

Buy it! Sell it! Find it! Classifieds

SM-LA1774293

HAY & STRAW HAY AND STRAW, Pandemic Sale, existing inventory 10% off plus 50% off delivery cost for qualified orders, Call David 815-685-5344, Mike 815-685-9646

BINS & DRYERS

SPRAYERS 1998 Rogator 854, 90ft boom, trimble ez glide 250, retired, low acres, good cond., $22,000. 618-214-5775 5TH WHEEL SPRAYER trailer, duel tandems brakes, lights, $6,700 obo, 1600 Yetter 4 wheel steer 309-531-7576 JD-6700, 3-WHEEL, 60-ft. boom, triple nozzles, w/drops 2375 hrs, spray star monitor, Trimble light bar, foamer, Good Cond., $41,000. 815-260-0249, can text pics. INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT

SM-LA1774310

MISC GRAIN HANDLING WANTED TO BUY used grain cleaners, Neco DMC Sukup and others, also, small farm fan grain dryers, Call 815-228-2652 WAGONS & GEARS JD-716A SILAGE WAGON, 3 beaters, roof, wood floor, unloading apron ext., PTO shaft, variable floor spd. On a JD-1075 4 wheel running gear, with tongue ext., trails straight, well maintained and shedded, Asking $4,500. Wanatah IN. 219-252-0510 MISC. FARM EQUIPMENT

FORAGE We Repair Baler Knotters on your Farm! Service Calls also available for farm equipment! Used Rakes & New Tedders for Sale! Kings Repair, Marshall IN 765-597-2015

2007 International 8600, AR, tandem axle, 10-spd. transmission, C13 Cat eng., 167-wb, Nice Truck, $19,500. 217-924-4405 8-5pm.

CULTIVATORS IH-183 12R30” good flat fold C shank row crop cultivator, new sweeps, $3,900. Call 309-287-7135 TILLAGE EQUIPMENT/ PLOWS ETC. Case IH 25ft 3950 disk, w/271/2ft Case IH Crumbler, both in very good condition, field ready, $22,900. 618-927-7858, 618-927-7857

FARMS FOR SALE/RENT 39+/- AC. MARSHALL Cnty, IL.1872 Cnty Rd. 900 N. Varna, IL., Surveyed, 2 creeks, partial timber, $7,800/ac. Call Ray 417-217-9688 PLANTERS greendrills.com (740)756-4810 Hizey Farm Service LLC

International snow blower, 3pt hitch, hydraulic spout, $1100. JD rotary hoe, 15ft. $450. 618-214-2194

Don't Need it? Sell it Here! JD MULCH MASTER, MODEL 550, 25-FT., EXTRA SWEEPS, GOOD COND., $4,750. 812-204-4587 JD plows: 2 to 7 bottom, semi mounted or pull-type, 25 to choose from. 812-304-0395 FEED & GRAIN

LENAN CORP. HI-140 Heater, includes 300 gal. waste oil tank, flue pipe, Call 812-530-6732 IRRIGATION EQUIPMENT

FOR SALE GRAIN Bin Drying System, 42' Shivvers Drying System w/level dry & computer system & Cross Augers, 2 turbo Fans & Burners, 26hp a piece, Call 217-821-6232 for price

SPRA-COUPE 3440, PERKINS, 60-ft. straight booms, 300 gal, foamer, EZ Guide 250, 1998, 3600 hrs, Exc. Cond., $12,500. 309-303-1292.

GSI FLOORING New-Weather: 18' , 21' , 24' Floor. 50% off. While They Last. Call Place Order. Brush Enterprises, Bethany, IL 1-800-373-0654

6-Row corn liquid nitrogen applicator, 3pt hitch, red ball monitor, PTO pump, includes tractor tanks, can also spray herbicide, Delivery possible, $4500. 814-322-8090

Kinze 3600, 16/31 row, great shape, ready to go, no-till, insecticide, corn & bean meters, KPM II monitor, 815-712-3703

MISC PARTS FOR Gandy Orbit Air, Call 815-252-7117

Want Ads Get Attention! Kinze 3650 16-31, 3-bu. boxes, mech drive, liq. fert., recent disk pivot transport, openers, $36,900. 217-808-2772

New Steel Storage tanks available Capacity up to 50,000 gal. 618-553-7549, 562-4544 www.dktanks.com TANKS: STAINLESS. PIPE For Culverts 10-inch to 10ft DIA. 618-553-7549, 618-562-4544, www.dktanks.com TOTAL CONTROL SYSTEM fertilizer meter with ticket printer $1000. Call 563-920-1125

Buy Sell Trade Lincolnland Agri-Energy, LLC Buying Corn Clint Davidson Commodity Mgr 10406 N 1725th St Palestine, IL 618-586-2321 or 888-586-2321 AUGER 8x62 MAYRATH AUGER, $2,000 Call 309-368-1097

MISC. FARM EQUIPMENT

*Fast, low rate shipping. We can help keep your Bush Hog mower running like new!

SPRAYERS MILLER SELF-PROPELLED SPRAYER, Model 4240, 1000gallon tank, 90ft booms, Ag Leader Integra Monitor, lots of options, 720-hours, like new cond., $160,000-obo. Delivery Possible. 814-322-8090

Harms Land-Rollers, Brand New! 12 - $6,800, 14 -7,300, 16 - $8,000 , 24 - $14,800, 32 - $17,500, 42-$21,500 Any size Available. 715-234-1993

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Livestock

‘The essence of 4-H’ Producers prepare for grim task ahead Youth advised to stick with animal routines By Ashley Langreck

AGRINEWS PUBLICATIONS

BROOKVILLE, Ind. — Mary Rodenhuis, Purdue Extension agr iculture and natural resources educator in Franklin County, said one way for 4-H youth to find normalcy during the COVID19 pandemic is to stick to the routine they have in place for caring and working with their animals. Rodenhuis said that even though there are a lot of unknowns about whether county fairs will

be postponed, held virtually or in person, it is still important that 4-H members keep going to the barn every day and working with their show animals. “What 4-H is all about is the whole middle part of the journey, from buying and picking out the animal to caring for it,” Rodenhuis said. Rodenhuis said that while blue ribbons and purple banners are great, if a 4-H member doesn’t do the hard work of going to the barn every day and interacting with their livestock, they wouldn’t even have a chance to compete. “Kids getting out there and in the barn with their animals is the es-

sence of 4-H,” Rodenhuis said. Rodenhuis said that feed i ng a nd work i ng with animals at night and in the morning can help normalize things for youth, who are finishing their school year online. “If one is inside too much, it can start to lead to the feeling of going stir crazy. Working with animals is a chance to get away from the computer and out of the house,” Rodenhuis said. Ashley Langreck can be reached at 800-4269438, ext. 192, or alangreck@agrinews-pubs. com. Follow her on Twitter at: @AgNews_ Langreck.

Pastures ‘growing strong’ 2020 hay crop looks promising By Ashley Langreck

AGRINEWS PUBLICATIONS

MARTINSVILLE, Ind. — Due to an extremely wet spring and unfavorable growing conditions, pasture rotation and the quality and quantity of available hay has been down. However, pasture grazing and the quality of forages for 2020 is still good. Chris Parker, a retired Purdue Extension agriculture and natural re-

sources educator in Morgan County, said pastures have had a fast start. “Pastures came early, and they are growing strong,” he said, adding that good soil moisture can Parker be attributed to pasture grasses and legumes growing so well. Parker said cooler temperatures have been ideal for pasture forages such as tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass. “The first cutting is coming on strong,” he

s a id , a dd i n g that unless cold weather occurs during the rest of the growing season, the first hay cutting of 2020 should be abundant. Parker noted, in his opinion, he believes the f i r s t c ut t i ng , which is always the largest cutting, will provide farmers with a good start on their hay crop for the year. “We had a period of dry weather a few weeks ago, and a lot of fertilizer and tillage was done,” he said.

By Jeannine Otto

AGRINEWS PUBLICATIONS

WASHINGTON — The U.S. pork industry faces difficult decisions created by a sudden drop in demand for pork, packing plant shutdowns due to coronavirus and a backup of market-ready pigs. “Temporary shutdowns and other plant labor issues across the country are causing even more of a backup of pigs on farms. Severe backups can cause animal welfare issues that farmers may have to take drastic measures to resolve,” said Josh Trenary, executive director of the Indiana Pork Producers Association in an April 24 statement, following the temporary shutdown of the Indiana Packers plant in Delphi, Indiana. As of April 24, two plants in Indiana, the Indiana Packers plant at Delphi and the Tyson Foods plant in Logansport, were on temporary shutdowns due to COVID-19. In Illinois, Smithfield’s Farmland Foods plant announced it was suspending operations starting April 24 and until further notice due to employees testing positive for COVID-19. “The shutdown of packing plants across the Midwest and now specifically in Illinois has a direct impact on our pig farmers’ ability to market their hogs. The disruptions at

Dairy association offers Family Resources Page By Ashley Langreck

AGRINEWS PUBLICATIONS

INDIANAPOLIS — To help provide creative outlets and resources for individuals to keep busy during the shelter-in-place order, the American Dairy Association of Indiana Inc. has been creating informative and fun content for families to help pass the time. Meg Magsamen, who serves as the youth wellness program manager for ADAI, said that when restrictions and regulations went into place limiting face-to-face contact and large gatherings of people

or activities that allow the public to interact. Some of the activities the association has provided include Moo-vie Mondays and Foodie Fridays, which show tasty dishes interjected with information about dairy nutrition. To learn more about the Family Resources Page, visit https://winnersdrinkmilk.com.

to help slow the spread of COVID-19, the dairy association made a special plan to help individuals stay connected with the dairy industry. “We were able to shift our work and resources to connect dairy and nutrition with fun content people can do at home in their free time,” Magsamen said. Magsamen said the association started the Family Resources Page for activities people can do at home, including watching videos of dairy farmers, virtual farm tours, fun crafts and recipes utilizing dair y products. Magsaman said the Family Resources Page is available for anyone to use and has activities teachers can include in their e-learning coursework. The program manager said the association puts up at least one social media post throughout the week providing fun facts about the dairy industry

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Remember the scramble for quality forage?

Meg Magsamen, youth wellness program manager

Service announced on April 24 that it was opening a National Incident Coordination Center “to provide direct support to producers whose animals cannot move to market as a result of processing plant closures.” APHIS also announced the mobilization of the National Veterinary Stockpile. The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service said it will provide technical assistance at the state level to producers and also will provide cost-share help under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program in line with program guidelines for disposal.

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“We were able to shift our work and resources to connect dairy and nutrition with fun content people can do at home in their free time.”

the plants are also causing dire financial concerns for our farmers,” said Jennifer Tirey, executive director of the Illinois Pork Producers Association. On April 23, Rep. Collin Peterson, chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, released a letter to Vice President Mike Pence, the former governor of Indiana and chairman of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, in which Peterson calls on Pence to coordinate “a robust federal response to address this dire situation.” “Without fast action and clear coordination, the situation will only get worse, not just for pork producers but for other livestock and poultry producers as well,” said Peterson in the letter. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection

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