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Articles by Forage Conditions
Rice Market: Near Term Outlook Has Positive Scenarios
The rice industry continues to move along with even more news to digest since the last report. The weekly export sales report indicated another boost in net sales nearing a total of 58,000 MT for the week. This number remains far from optimal but is still enough to be considered healthy for the industry. Additional sales to Iraq or even a few thousand metric tons to Central or South America would be highly welcomed at this time in an effort to alleviate the current glut of rice in the marketplace.
Global Markets: Rice - Brazil Reasserts Role as Top South American Exporter
Brazil is the top Western Hemisphere rice producer and consumer. It is also a significant import market, and in fact a net importer as recently as 2016 and 2017. However, this year with more ample supplies, Brazil is reverting to its position as not only a net exporter but also as the top South American supplier to the global market. Brazil is forecast to export 1 million tons (milled basis) in 2018, declining to 850,000 tons in 2019 on rising competition from Paraguay, Guyana, and Argentina.
Moving Grain: Flooding Stops Barge Traffic; Railroad Congestion at Mexican Border
Heavy rains and severe storms in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin, from June into October, have resulted in several instances of flooding through the region. As of October 10, the latest round of rain closed six locks on the Upper Mississippi River. The southern-most lock closure is at Lock 22, near Hannibal, MO, which has stopped all export-bound barge shipments originating from points north; including Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and parts of Missouri and Illinois.
World Rough Rice Prices Down from Last Week
The Department of Agriculture’s Commodity Credit Corporation today announced the following prevailing world market prices of milled and rough rice, adjusted for U.S. milling yields and location, and the resulting marketing loan gain (MLG) and loan deficiency payment (LDP) rates applicable to the 2018 crop, which will become effective today at 7:00 a.m., Eastern Time (ET).
Diesel, Gasoline Prices Jump Higher
The U.S. average diesel fuel price increased more than 7 cents from last week to $3.39 per gallon on October 8, 2018, 61 cents higher than a year ago. Gulf Coast prices increased nine cents to $3.17 per gallon, Midwest prices rose over seven cents to $3.35 per gallon, East Coast prices increased nearly seven cents to $3.36 per gallon, West Coast prices rose more than six cents to $3.87 per gallon, and Rocky Mountain prices increased over two cents to $3.39 per gallon.
LSU AgCenter Receives Grant to Train Small Farmers
The LSU AgCenter is launching an initiative to train small- and medium-scale farmers who are new to the business. The Grow Louisiana Beginning Farmer Training Program is funded by a nearly $590,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture grant. It will target those with 10 or fewer years of farming experience. “This is a great opportunity to grow more farmers in Louisiana,” said AgCenter horticulture professor Carl Motsenbocker, who is the principal investigator for the project.
WASDE Cotton: Increased Domestic Production, Reduced Exports
The 2018/19 U.S. cotton supply and demand estimates show higher ending stocks, based on slightly larger production and lower exports relative to last month. Production is raised 81,000 bales, with higher production in Texas and Georgia largely offset by lower production in the Carolinas. Domestic mill use is unchanged from last month, but the export forecast is reduced 200,000 bales to 15.5 million, due to reduced world trade and consumption.
WASDE Rice: U.S. Production Lowered on Reduced Yields
The 2018/19 rice crop is reduced 0.7 million cwt to 218.8 million on lower yields. The average yield forecast is lowered 24 pounds per acre to 7,539 pounds. Decreases are in Texas and California. The long-grain crop is reduced 0.5 million cwt to 159.0 million. Medium- and short-grain production is lowered 0.2 million cwt to 59.8 million. All rice ending stocks are lowered 0.7 million cwt to 44.2 million as no other supply and demand changes are made this month.
WASDE Wheat: Reduced Domestic Use, Larger Supplies
The outlook for 2018/19 U.S. wheat this month is larger supplies, reduced domestic use, unchanged exports, and higher ending stocks. Wheat production is raised 7 million bushels to 1,884 million from the NASS Small Grains Summary, issued on September 28. Projected imports increased 5 million bushels to 140 million on higher-than-expected imports of spring wheat and Durum in the first quarter (June-August).
WASDE Coarse Grains: Lower Corn Production, Increased Exports, Higher Ending Stocks
This month’s 2018/19 U.S. corn outlook is for lower production, increased exports, reduced feed and residual use and larger ending stocks. Corn production is forecast at 14.778 billion bushels, down 49 million on a reduced yield forecast. Harvested area is virtually unchanged from last month. Corn supplies are forecast record high, as a smaller crop is more than offset by an increase in beginning stocks based on the September 28 Grain Stocks report.
WASDE Oilseeds: Higher Domestic Soybean Yields Offset by Reduced Harvest Area
U.S. oilseed production for 2018/19 is projected at 138.4 million tons, down 0.1 million from last month with lower soybean and sunflowerseed production only partly offset with higher canola production. Soybean production is forecast at 4,690 million bushels, down 3.5 million with higher yields offset by lower harvested area. The soybean yield is projected at 53.1 bushels per acre, up 0.3 bushels from the September forecast. Harvested area is reduced 0.6 million acres to 88.3 million.
Midwest Nitrate Escape: Buffer Strips, Control Boxes Are Key, Study Says
In-field installation of a control box with outlets attached to new perforated pipe that serves as a distribution pipe. Photo: Dan Jaynes Spring in America’s heartland is often wet. That makes its soil too soft for planting. One solution to that issue is tile drainage. Growers insert a series of pipes (drain tiles) under their fields, which drains water from the soil into nearby streams and lakes. Many of the existing tile drains were installed over 50 years ago and helped increase yields.
South Dakota Soybeans: Waiting on 2018 Harvest
The cool, damp weather has put the brakes on many acres of soybean harvest this year. Although South Dakota has seen late harvest seasons in the past, this year is testing many farmers’ patience considering the wet weather of the past few weeks and current climate outlook. October has started out very wet, which has followed on the heels of an exceptionally wet September. In the Sioux Falls area, 9.5 inches of rain was reported between September 1 and October 9.
Iowa Corn: Mycotoxins Smartphone App Available
With all eyes now on harvested grain quality and scouting for mycotoxins as a result of ear rot, it’s important that producers and agronomists have access to all the information possible, on whichever medium they prefer to use. An application is available on both Android and iOS that can serve as a guide for naviagating the sometimes confusing world of grain quality.
Georgia Pecans: Preparing for Hurricane Michael Cleanup
In preparation for cleanup following Hurricane Michael, I spoke with Tas Smith, state director of FSA for Georgia regarding the steps growers need to take in preparation for potential ECP funds. Unfortunately, most growers became very familiar with this process last year following Irma. The normal protocol is for growers to start cleanup only after they have contacted their local FSA office and FSA staff has visited the orchard to document damage.
Texas: Soil Health - 5 Common Misconceptions
This week I was in Mitchell County, Texas to talk about cover cropping (see companion article in this month’s RCNL). As cover cropping has become a national topic of interest in agriculture, sometimes I think the interest and enthusiasm gets carried away with some statements about soil and our farming practices that need some perspective. This could very well be purely unintentional.
Minnesota Soybeans: Is It Feasible to Lower My Soil pH?
There are a lot of ideas out there on how to manage pH of soil to optimize plant growth. One major issue with high pH soils is iron deficiency chlorosis (IDC) in soybean. Soybean growers have been looking for the magic bullet for managing IDC and while there are options out there, nothing is long term. Some wonder if soil acidification to lower pH would help solve IDC. In most Minnesota soils, which are poorly buffered, adding nitrogen fertilizers over time will acidify soils.
Texas Field Reports: Cattle Prices Rise Amid Improving Hay, Forage Conditions
Cattle prices have been rising following widespread rains and improved winter grazing prospects, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert. Dr. David Anderson, AgriLife Extension livestock marketing economist, College Station, said calf prices have risen in recent weeks due to improving pasture and rangeland conditions and prospects for winter grazing. Local auction prices have been steadily creeping upward over the last six weeks. “Rain has helped local prices,” he said.
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