BUSINESS
The following information was released by the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA):In the past week, corn growers nationwide hit their fields in earnest and planted more than a quarter of their 2011 crop, finally enjoying a break from cold, wet weather. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that, as of May 8, 40 percent of the 2011 corn crop has been planted, compared to 13 percent May 1.
Agreement focuses on the development of sustainability best management practices.
Transformative changes in markets, policy and science, rather than just incremental changes in farming practices and technology, will be critical if the United States is to achieve long-term sustainability in agriculture, according to a nationwide team of agriculturists that includes a University of California, Davis, animal scientist.
Legislation would reduce the current blender’s credit, also known as VEETC, for a two-year period.
Almond hulls should be in good supply for dairies next year.
A Washington dairy producer explains the options that allow him to put the best feed where it will have the greatest return.
The price and supply of corn remains Beijing’s top food security concern as the country’s demand for feed grain and corn-related industrial products continues to rise, analysts say.
Negotiating is a skill producers must learn for consistent business success.
Mandatory dairy programs, such as the Dairy Price Support Program, MILC and DEIP, are not affected by the budget cuts
Dairy demand improves as economy recovers.
A freestall herd rolling along at 24,000 lb/cow had a breakeven of $17.44.
Drops in milk production, increases in mastitis cases expected.
State ag commissioner touts program that offers up to $25,000 to convert hot water from electric to solar.
Group refutes ‘bogus claims’ against the ethanol industry.
Australia should not take its domestic food supply, and food security, for granted. That’s the view of a report published to coincide with the National Sustainable Food Summit in Melbourne. It says the industry needs to focus on local business models and take a more sophisticated view of food production.
California Gov. Jerry Brown declared an end to the state’s drought emergency today.
The state agency that regulates Oregon’s $473 million dairy industry has given kudos this month to three dairy operations that have gone above and beyond the call of duty in protecting water quality.
In February, 249,000 dairy cows were sent through Federally inspected slaughter plants, 12% more than a year ago.
America’s largest cooperative of organic farmers has distributed a $5.3 million cash payment to members.
Since 2006, the range from profit highs to loss lows has nearly tripled--to $9.81/cwt.
EPA’s Jackson seeks to counter ‘myths’ on agency’s actions
A coalition of 90 agricultural businesses have sent a letter to Congressional leadership urging Congress to let the refundable Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit expire and to resist calls for spending on infrastructure for conventional biofuels.
USDA announced this afternoon that the U.S. all-milk price for February was $18.40/cwt., up $1.70 from January and up $2.50 from a year ago.
India, Feb. 23 -- After years of political wrangling by European Union policy makers, rising food prices may be putting genetically modified, or GM, food on the menu.Officials are set to vote later Tuesday on whether to allow trace amounts of unauthorized GM material in animal-feed imports, a move campaigners say could herald a shift in the bloc’s attitude to biotechnology and would mark a victory for the GM lobby, which has been pushing for a relaxation in the EU’s zerotolerance rules on imports for years. The pro-GM lobby argues current restrictions are hurting the profitability of raising livestock, in some cases making it uneconomic. The lobby says this puts thousands of jobs at risk by contributing to a supply crisis that is likely to raise meat prices for consumers already struggling with food-price inflation. Anti-GM groups, meanwhile, say the EU measure, should it pass, is the thin end of the wedge toward easing other safety regulations.
2011 prices could reach their second-highest level ever.
If 2009 was the bottom and 2010 was a year of stability, this could be the year of recovery for Yakima Valley dairy producers.
When Super Bowl XLV kicks off Feb. 6 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, football fans may be surprised to know how agriculture plays into the gridiron game plan.
David Rings is a Kentucky farmer with about 200 head of certified Angus cattle. Last fall he sold seven steers to Eastern Livestock, one of the country’s biggest cattle brokers, for a total of $7,200. When Eastern’s check bounced, Rings discovered he was one of hundreds of sellers across 30 states who’d sold to the company, was out his money and was left with the distinct impression that something doesn’t smell right in cattle country.
A Columbia County dairy is using an outside $1.65 million investment to purchase land, double its size and build a processing plant. Milk Thistle Farm, a Ghent-based milk producer and bottler that’s popular in New York City, will move its herd and operations to a 250-acre farm off Allendale Road in Stuyvesant, near Kinderhook.
Rain that caused billions of dollars of destruction in Australia could propel wheat output in the fourth-largest exporter to a record next harvest and boost irrigated crops after floods swept parched land.