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Articles by Dicamba Disruption
WASDE Oilseeds: Higher U.S. Crush, Reduced Ending Stocks
Mature soybean pods ready for harvest. ©Debra L Ferguson This month’s U.S. soybean supply and use projections for 2020/21 include higher beginning stocks, higher crush, and slightly lower ending stocks. Beginning stocks are raised 5 million bushels with higher crush for 2019/20 more-than-offset with lower production and a lower export forecast. Lower 2019 production reflects the latest re-survey by NASS for North Dakota.
WASDE Cotton: Lower Domestic Use, Increased Ending Stocks
Cotton modules lined up in a gin yard. ©Debra L Ferguson The most significant revision to this month’s U.S. cotton supply and demand estimates is a 200,000-bale decrease in 2019/20 mill use, to 2.5 million bales. U.S. mill use in 2020/21 was also revised downward by 100,000 bales, and ending stocks are now projected at 7.3 million bales in 2019/20 and 8.0 million bales in 2020/21.
WASDE Wheat: U.S. Supplies Up
U.S. 2020/21 wheat supplies are up on a larger crop and a slight increase in beginning stocks. The change in beginning stocks reflects a 5-million-bushel reduction in 2019/20 exports. Winter wheat production is forecast up 11 million bushels to 1,266 million with increases in Hard Red Winter and White Winter more than offsetting small decrease for Soft Red Winter. Total 2020/21 wheat production is now forecast at 1,877 million bushels, and total supplies are raised 16 million to 3,000 million.
WASDE Coarse Grains: Corn Outlook Little Changed
This month’s 2020/21 U.S. corn outlook is little changed from last month, with fractional increases to beginning and ending stocks. Beginning stocks are raised, as a 45-million-bushel reduction in estimated production for 2019/20 is largely offset by a 50-million-bushel reduction in projected corn used for ethanol.
WASDE Rice: Greater Domestic Use, Increased Ending Stocks
Sunrise over rice field at flood. ©Debra L Ferguson The outlook for 2020/21 U.S. rice this month is for larger supplies, greater domestic use, reduced exports, and increased ending stocks. Most of the 2020/21 revisions are the result of 2019/20 supply and use changes. The 2020/21 all rice beginning stocks are increased 1.5 million cwt to 32.0 million, a result of higher 2019/20 imports, now forecast at a near-record 33.5 million, raising 2019/20 ending stocks.
Rice Market Update: Increased Imports Contribute to Bearish WASDE Report
Rice irrigated with poly pipe. ©Debra L Ferguson Despite the tropical system that has settled over much of the rice growing region, the industry has stayed the course over the past week and continues the slow progression to new crop. Export sales were significantly lower this week than the previous report, largely due to order reductions and cancellations. This week’s numbers were actually a net negative after several significant tonnages were taken off of the books.
Webinar: COVID-19, Ag Law Update - June 17
Photo: Nick McMichen In a field already disrupted by weather disasters, depressed commodity prices and trade disputes, COVID-19 has proved to be yet another obstacle for those in agriculture. Harrison Pittman, director of the National Agricultural Law Center, said farming and its attendant industries have suffered under the pandemic in ways that are both unique to the sector, and shared across society. “Since March, COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on the nation’s agricultural sector,” Pittman said.
Moving Grain: Ocean Freight Rates Inch Up
Ocean Freight Rates Inched Up After Declining 11 Consecutive Weeks After declining 11 consecutive weeks, ocean freight rates for shipping bulk grain have been creeping upward for the past 2 weeks. As of March 5, the rate for shipping a metric ton (mt) of grain from the U.S. Gulf to Japan was $43.75, and the rate from the Pacific Northwest (PNW) to Japan was $23.75.
Rice - Coastal Crop Dodges A Bullet | Midsouth Flooding Gains Momentum - AgFax
CROP REPORTS DeWayne Dopslauf, Crop Production Services, Wharton, Texas “The tropical storm (Cristobal) didn’t really affect us. We’ve been having a few typical summer showers, but nothing too bad. Some of our older rice is just starting to head. We’re applying fungicides now, and a few rice fields just need to be cleaned up a bit more, and that’s about it. “I don’t want to jinx anything by saying this but it’s been kind of an easy year so far.
DTN Livestock Closing: Contracts Still Trending Lower
Cattle feeding. Photo: ©Debra L Ferguson Livestock Continuing to Trend Lower Thursday was a tough game for the livestock market as all three contracts traded lower and cash cattle were extremely pressured. GENERAL COMMENTS: Fine wine may get better with age, but we can’t say the same about this week’s market. As the week has progressed, livestock contracts have continued to trade lower and the cash cattle market is significantly lower.
DTN Cotton Closing: Cotton Lower
Cotton modules lined up in a gin yard. ©Debra L Ferguson Cotton Lower on Data, Industrials The cotton market ended its Thursday session lower in the face of a rising U.S. dollar and a sharp decline with industrial commodities. The cotton market ended its Thursday session lower in the face of a rising U.S. dollar and a sharp decline with industrial commodities. Crude Oil was down some 3%, along with Copper and Lumber, as concerns heighten for the domestic economy.
DTN Grain Closing: Wheat Prices Show Harvest Pressure
DTN Grain Closing: Wheat Prices Show Harvest Pressure June 11, 2020 By DTN Contributor Soybean planting into living cover crop. Photo: IntegratedWeedManagement.org July KC wheat dropped 10 1/2 cents Thursday to a new low in June as prices were pressured by favorable harvest reports, a higher estimate of world ending stocks from USDA and from higher trade in the U.S. dollar. Corn and soybeans were mixed to higher, not showing much reaction to USDA’s new estimates.
ARC, PLC - June 30 Last Day for 2020 Enrollment
Hail damaged corn. Photo: University of Minnesota Agricultural producers who have not yet enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for 2020 must do so by June 30. Although program elections for the 2020 crop year remain the same as elections made for 2019, all producers need to contact their local USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) office to sign a 2020 enrollment contract.
Wheat Market: Commercial U.S. Export Sales Top USDA Estimate
Despite challenging market factors, U.S. wheat exports for marketing year (MY) 2019/20, which ended May 31, totaled 26.9 million metric tons* (MMT) (988 million bushels), ahead of USDA’s export volume estimate of 26.4 MMT (970 million bushels). That is 4 percent ahead of MY 2018/19 and 10 percent greater than the 5-year average of 24.4 MMT (897 million bushels).
Minnesota: Soybean Gall Midge - What You Should Know
Soybean gall midge larva. Photo: Iowa State University The first detection of adult soybean gall emergence for 2020 was June 10 in Cass County, Nebraska. We expect that emergence will soon begin in Minnesota. Emergence of the adults of the overwintering generation will be tracked in infested states, including Minnesota (Figure 1). Updates can be found here. Counties where the soybean gall midge has been observed. Map: Justin McMechan, UNL.
Kansas Wheat: New HRS Variety Offer Improved Disease Resistance
Wheat field. Photo: University of Kentucky A researcher at the Agricultural Research Center in Hays has taken a good thing and made it even better. Wheat scientist Guorong Zhang announced in early June that he is ready to release a hard red winter wheat variety that is suited for the drier, western Kansas climate. The new variety does not yet have a name, but it builds off the success of a hard red wheat released just one year earlier, KS Dallas.
DTN Grain Midday: Grains Mixed
Soybean harvest. ©Debra L Ferguson Corn is 2 to 3 cents higher, soybeans are narrowly mixed, and wheat is 2 to 6 cents lower. The U.S. stock market is off sharply with the Dow 1050 points lower. The dollar index is 17 points higher. Interest rate products are mostly higher. Energies are mixed with crude down $3.10. Livestock trade is weaker. Precious metals are mixed with gold up $30.
DTN Livestock Midday: Livestock Contracts Lower
Cattle feeding. Photo: ©Debra L Ferguson Scaling Lower Through Livestock Contracts Thursday hasn’t granted the livestock complex any favors as all three contracts trade lower and cash cattle prices are following in the same direction. General Comments As Thursday slowly enters into the noon hour, the livestock complex hasn’t had a grand day as all three contracts are trading lower and cash cattle are developing for lower money that what even Wednesday traded for.
Oklahoma Wheat: Harvest Rolling from Border to Border
Wheat harvest. Photo: K-State Research and Extension - Creative Commons Oklahoma wheat harvest continues to move forward with great progress being made in the Southwest and Central regions of the state. Parts of South Central Oklahoma have been moving slower due to the grain being ready but greener straw.
Livestock Markets: Pay Attention to All the Details - DTN
With the market’s recent drunken binge of events — COVID-19, slaughterhouses shutting down, cattle backing up and slim feedlot placements — I’d like to think that we could rely on history to help us see clearly into the current market. History is a beautiful, faithful tool when studying psychological patterns and human behavior. Unfortunately (or fortunately?) the market hasn’t danced with the mistress named coronavirus before.
Wheat: HRW Crop Shows Good Milling Properties - DTN
In their annual U.S. Wheat (USW) Crop Quality Report, it was noted that the 2019 hard red winter (HRW) wheat crop received abundant moisture during the planting and growing season throughout the Great Plains, while swings in temperature and severe weather occurred in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) and Montana. “Unexpectedly high yields resulted in lower wheat and flour protein, but the crop exhibits good milling and end-product characteristics.
Corn, Soybeans: Farm Profitability - More Federal Aid Needed
Federal aid in the form of Market Facilitation Program (MFP) and Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) payments have increased returns and the financial stability of grain farms in 2018, 2019, and likely in 2020. However, corn and soybean returns have been low since 2013, when the growth of corn use in ethanol plateaued. Recent declines in soybean exports have made worsened returns. The uses of corn and soybeans must grow in the future if corn and soybean returns are to reach higher levels.
DTN Livestock Open: Traders Searching for Price Support
©Debra L Ferguson Stock Photography Firm cash market pressure is seen in cattle and hog markets this week, creating additional concerns that there will be further market pressure in the near future. This has limited early-week hope of nearby livestock futures breaking away from the mundane but weaker tone in early June.
DTN Grain Open: Mixed to Weaker Ahead of WASDE
Pre-6 a.m. Globex Prices: July corn is up 1/4 cent per bushel, July soybeans are down 1 3/4 cents, and July KC wheat is down 3 3/4 cents. CME Globex Recap: Grain markets are mostly lower with the exception of corn which is bouncing around either side of unchanged and Minneapolis wheat. Traders are prepping for the June WASDE, although a major narrative change isn’t expected in today’s data.
Kentucky Soybeans: Dicamba Alternatives for Palmer Pigweed, Waterhemp Control
Kentucky Soybeans: Dicamba Alternatives for Palmer Pigweed, Waterhemp Control June 10, 2020 By Travis Legleiter, University of Kentucky Extension Weed Science Specialist Pigweed in soybean field. ©Debra L Ferguson The EPA has officially canceled the labels of Xtendimax, Engenia, and FeXapan and has ceased the sale and distribution of these three products effective June 3, 2020.
Louisiana Soybeans: Difference Between Determinate, Indeterminate Varities
Louisiana soybean producers were able to plant an additional 6% of the crop during the week ending on June 7, 2020. The soybean crop in LA is now 94% planted with 87% emerged. Saturated soils and the threat of tropical storm Cristobal prevented some of the remaining 6% from being planted. A total of 31% of the crop has reached reproductive stages, 10% more than the 5-year average. A total of 1% of the crop is setting pods.
Cotton - Southeast - Planting Winds Down, Now On To Other Challenges - AgFax
CROP REPORTS Ron Smith, Extension Entomologist, Auburn University “We have a hodgepodge, with different stages of cotton and different insect challenges in various places. We are still dealing with this spring’s main players, plus spider mites are on the scene now, too. “We have snails in north Florida and slugs in Talladega County, Alabama. The slugs cost at least one farmer a stand. Armyworms are turning up in southwest Alabama on conventional corn.
Iowa Field Reports: Sidedressing Corn, Managing Weeds
Fertilizer application on young corn. ©Debra L Ferguson Stock Photography Sidedressing nitrogen, post emergence herbicide applications, and putting up hay were the main field activities that took place over this past week across the state.
Alabama Hemp: Risk Management and Economics - Video
Alabama Hemp: Risk Management and Economics – Video June 10, 2020 By Jessica Kelton, Alabama Cooperative Extension Industrial hemp grown for CBD. Photo: Kansas State University In this video, Jessica Kelton, an Alabama Extension farm and agribusiness management regional agent, talks about risk management of industrial hemp as well as some of the economic factors that drive the market.
DTN Livestock Midday: Contracts Tipping Lower
Cattle feeding. Photo: ©Debra L Ferguson Livestock contracts endure pressure throughout Wednesday, pushing prices lower into the afternoon. General Comments As the week meets Wednesday livestock contracts have traded lower throughout the day and cash cattle trade is slowly starting to show some interest.
Ag Markets: FAPRI Baseline Update for U.S.
On Tuesday, the University of Missouri’s Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) released its June Baseline Update for U.S. Agricultural Markets. The update incorporates government payment programs that were announced before June 1, 2020 and analyzes some of the market impacts of those programs. After outlining important assumptions, the FAPRI report included key outcomes relating to government payments, farm income, as well as corn and soybean prices.
DTN Grain Closing: Grains Mixed Ahead of USDA Reports
DTN Grain Closing: Grains Mixed Ahead of USDA Reports June 10, 2020 By Todd Hultman, DTN Lean Analyst Soybean harvest. ©Debra L Ferguson Grains Quietly Mixed Ahead of USDA Reports Grains were quietly mixed Wednesday with small gains in July soybeans, meal and Chicago wheat. The Federal Reserve generated brief excitement with an estimate of 5% GDP growth for 2021.
DTN Cotton Closing: Cotton Closes Mixed Ahead of Data
Cotton modules lined up in a gin yard. ©Debra L Ferguson After trading in negative territory for most of its session, the cotton market staged a late day rally. After trading in negative territory for most of its session, the cotton market staged a late day rally. That comeback helped to minimize spot July’s losses, but actually pushed new crop December into positive levels.
Gulf Coast Rice: Cristobal Causes a Scare But Leaves No Scars
The past few days had growers in the Gulf Coast region watching the weather and wondering what conditions Tropical Storm Cristobal would bring as forecast models had the storm tracking along the coastline. Although never forecasted to become a major hurricane, you can never discount Mother Nature’s potential — a storm that has earned a name can be scary.
Texas Field Reports: Peach Quality, Prices Look Good
Peach producers in the Hill Country are reporting good quality and good demand despite an odd winter and remaining COVID-19 restrictions, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert. Jim Kamas, AgriLife Extension fruit specialist, Fredericksburg, said Hill Country peach producers have been harvesting cling-stone fruit for more than a week.
Fuel Report: Diesel Prices Inch Higher, Gasoline Jumps
The U.S. average diesel fuel price rose 1 cent from the previous week to $2.40 per gallon on June 8, 71 cents lower than a year ago. The West Coast price rose nearly 2 cents $2.92 per gallon, the Rocky Mountain and Midwest prices each increased by more than 1 cent to $2.35 per gallon and $2.24 per gallon, respectively, the East Coast price rose nearly 1 cent to $2.50 per gallon, and the Gulf Coast price rose by less than 1 cent, remaining virtually unchanged at $2.17 per gallon.
DTN Grain Midday: Grains Mixed
Freshly harvest soybeans loaded in truck for transport to grain elevator. ©Debra L Ferguson Corn is 1 to 2 cents lower, soybeans are 2 to 3 cents higher, and wheat is flat to 2 cents higher. The U.S. stock market is mixed with the Dow 220 points lower. The dollar index is 6 points lower. Interest rate products are firmer. Energies are mixed with crude down $0.50. Livestock trade is weaker. Precious metals are firmer with gold up $1.
Cotton - Southwest - EPA Didn’t Waste Time with Response to Dicamba Ruling - AgFax
Loading herbicide. ©Debra L Ferguson Stock Photography Here is this week’s issue of AgFax Southwest Cotton, sponsored by the Southwest team of PhytoGen cottonseed. OVERVIEW EPA’s Reprieve – If you’ve got dicamba, use it. The EPA wasted little time in responding to the 9th Circuit Court’s decision on June 3 to outlaw XtendiMax with vapor grip technology, Engenia and FeXapan herbicides used in dicamba-based technology.
DTN Cotton Open: Lower, Awaits Fed, USDA Data
The cotton market continues to weaken in the face of the Federal Reserve’s announcement on future monetary policy and the upcoming USDA reports. To the former, the Fed is expected to hold interest rates steady in its 2 p.m. EDT press conference report Wednesday. However, there is widespread fear rates could move into negative levels. These fears have been pushing the U.S. dollar lower. In addition, the dollar is also weakening under the current civil unrest.
DTN Grain Open: Corn Posts Follow Through Losses
Corn approaching V4 stage. Photo: Paul Kassel, Iowa State University Extension Pre-6 a.m. Globex Prices: July corn is down 1 1/4 cents per bushel, July soybeans are up 3 1/4 cents, and July KC wheat is up 6 1/4 cents. CME Globex Recap: Grain markets are mixed with gains in wheat and soybeans while corn posts follow through losses. Weather and the June WASDE are the tone-setters at the moment, and neither look to detract from the big supply narrative currently in place.
DTN Livestock Open: Cash Cattle Weakness Starting to Develop
Limited cash cattle trade early in the week could bring additional price weakness as the week continues. Limited purchases compared to the past couple of weeks could limit the appetite for activity over the next couple of weeks.
DTN Livestock Closing: Cattle Shoot Higher
Cattle feed lot. Photo: K-State Research and Extension - Creative Commons Cattle Shoot Higher, Lean Hog Contracts Close Mixed Livestock contracts closed with more optimism than anticipated Tuesday. As the week progresses the cash cattle traders continue to wonder where the bulk of packer’s bids will land this week. GENERAL COMMENTS: Lean hog contracts fought some nearby pressure, but other than that, the livestock complex was able to close mostly higher for the day.
Virginia Cotton: Right on Time for Date It Was Planted
Cotton seedlings. ©Debra L Ferguson Stock Photography The growing season started in a way that prevented us from planting cotton during the first half of May. Since then, we have had above normal temperatures and good moisture. The distinguishing characteristic of the cotton crop this year is not the lack of heat units, but rather the whole crop was planted during the second half of May and is physiologically only about a week apart in age.
Crop Progress: Drier Conditions Aid Planting, Emergence - DTN
Soybeans. ©Debra L Ferguson Stock Photography Warmer, drier weather across much of the central U.S. the first week of June allowed farmers to push ahead with planting and also aided crop emergence, USDA NASS said in its weekly Crop Progress report on Monday. NASS estimated that 97% of the nation’s intended corn crop was planted as of Sunday, June 8, a gain of 4 percentage points from the previous week’s 93%.
Arkansas Rice: Nitrogen Management Plans
©Debra L Ferguson Stock Photography Flood-Irrigated Rice While we have seen a drier period emerge, unexpected rains are popping up to further complicate matters. Next week a hurricane has the potential to drop several inches of rain across Monday and Tuesday. With those things in mind, we need to be prepared to manage nitrogen (N) in several different ways.
Texas High Plains: Cotton Development and Insect Pest Scouting - Video
Texas High Plains: Cotton Development and Insect Pest Scouting – Video June 9, 2020 By Blayne Reed, Texas AgriLife Extension County Agent for Hale, Swisher, and Floyd Counties Cotton fleahopper. Photo: Danielle Sekula Hey folks! As you may know, we were not able to host our annual Field Scout School this year. Don’t worry, opportunity still knocks! Dr. Suhas Vyavhare and I recorded our 2020 cotton scouting presentation when we trained my few field scouts our first day of work.
Texas Blacklands: Insects on the Rise, Watch for Fleahoppers, Spider Mites
Adult two spotted spider mites with eggs. Photo: CSIRO GENERAL: Wheat harvest across the area is almost finished with yield reports still ranging from upper 40 bushels per acre to as much as the low 60 bushels per acre. Corn conditions vary across the area depending on soil type, planting date, and the amount of rain received during the last round of rain.
Texas Plains Cotton: Heavy Thrips; Storms Bring Rains, Hail
Normal (left) and damaged cotton seedlings in Lubbock County. The seedling on the right survived wind damage and the growing point is alive, producing new leaves. Photo: Calvin Trostle, Texas AgriLife Extension General Status The biggest event of the week happened last night (June 4) with a rainstorm finally moving through the area. While widespread, rainfall totals varied from “at least we finally smelled rain” up to 2-inches. The largest totals were also accompanied by a focused and pounding hail.
Louisiana: Dean Lee Research Station Virtual Field Tour, July 20
Photo: University of Florida The 2020 Dean Lee Research and Extension Center virtual field tour will be on the internet starting at 8:30 a.m. on July 20. “Our scientists’ research at Dean Lee has continued during the pandemic,” said Daniel Stephenson, Dean Lee resident coordinator.
Ag Business: Great Time to Hire - Take Advantage of Expanded Talent Pool - DTN
Farm laborers, muscadine grape harvest. ©Debra L Ferguson Believe it or not, now is a great time to hire. The agricultural supply chain has been experiencing a talent shortage for years. The good news to come out of this pandemic is the pool of available talent has expanded, and we need to capitalize on this opportunity. Many talented technicians, operators, managers, engineers and more are being furloughed or permanently laid off.
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