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Articles by Land values
Who owns the most farmland in Illinois?
Share Who is the biggest absentee farmland owner in Illinois? That’s the question Michael Lauher set out to answer recently. Lauher is incoming president of the Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, and he’s also assistant vice president and farm manager at First Mid Ag Services, Mattoon, Ill. He authors the Land Values column for Prairie Farmer and ISPFMRA.
Who owns the most farmland in Illinois?
Who is the biggest absentee farmland owner in Illinois? That’s the question Michael Lauher set out to answer recently. Lauher is incoming president of the Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, and he’s also assistant vice president and farm manager at First Mid Ag Services, Mattoon, Ill. He authors the Land Values column for Prairie Farmer and ISPFMRA.
Corn, Soybean Prices Climb, Record Chinese Corn Imports Expected
Corn harvest. Photo: Texas A&M AgriLife Bloomberg writers Kim Chipman and Michael Hirtzer reported on Wednesday that, “Corn prices climbed above $6 a bushel to the loftiest level in almost eight years after the U.S. said it expects China to buy an all-time high amount of the grain off global markets.
USDA Raising CRP Rates to Spur Acres - DTN
Photo: USDA In an effort to increase carbon sequestration and conservation land, USDA on Wednesday announced plans to sign up as many as 4 million acres to the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and increase rental rates, looking to counter a trend of declining CRP enrollment. Ahead of President Joe Biden’s climate summit, USDA announced multiple climate-related programs.
DTN Fertilizer Trends: Anhydrous Hits Highest Prices Since 2015
The upward momentum in fertilizer prices appeared to level off this week. The average retail price of all eight major fertilizers increased; however, none were up a significant amount, which DTN considers a price move of 5% or more. This is the first week since the beginning of February that no fertilizer’s price was up by double-digit percentage points. For the second week of April 2021, the average retail prices of anhydrous, UAN28 and UAN32 increased by 4%.
Policy: Groups Support Ag Carbon Credit Bill - DTN
U.S. Capitol, Washington D.C. Photo: Suranga Weeratunga The U.S. Senate is ready to move ahead with an agricultural climate bill that has bipartisan support and backing from major agricultural lobbies. The Growing Climate Solutions Act was reintroduced Tuesday in the U.S. Senate by a larger bipartisan group of senators, led by members of the Senate Agriculture Committee. Senators signed on to the bill include 17 Democrats and 17 Republicans.
Land Values, Irrigation Needs Increase When Ethanol Plant Opens, Say Study
Ethanol plant. Kansas State University agricultural economists have found that the growth of ethanol plants in the state over the past 20 years has had an impact on irrigation and land values. Gabe Sampson, an agricultural economist with K-State Research and Extension, said that during the past 20 years, Kansas has seen an increase from three ethanol plants to 12, boosting the state’s capacity from 40 million gallons produced per year to more than 500 million gallons per year.
Texas Field Reports: 100+ Temps and Mostly Dry
Wilting cotton from drought, heat stress. Beef consumers should be seeing lower prices on beef, whether steaks or ground chuck, at grocery stores as production increased and wholesale prices continue to decline, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert. David Anderson, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension economist, College Station, said the U.S. Department of Agriculture retail market report showed prices on beef and other meats are moving downward.
North Carolina Cotton: How Much Longer Will Insects Matter?
Plant bug. Photo: University of Georgia For audio version, click here. This is a quick update on insects in cotton, especially now that we’re approaching our last effective bloom date. We need to think about how to strongly finish out the season. Bollworms numbers are down in the fields, and we haven’t seen a lot of them and we’re not catching many moths in light traps. But I do expect that to change with yet another generation picking up soon.
Sorghum: Researchers Aim to Develop Fall Armyworm Resistant Varieties
Mature sorghum heads. Photo: Lindsay Pace, Mississippi State University Sorghum is a major crop, but its inability to fight off the fall armyworm creates significant problems for South Carolina farmers and farmers across the southeastern United States. Rick Boyles, a Clemson University cereal grains breeder and geneticist housed at the Clemson Pee Dee Research and Education Center (REC), is part of a team studying sorghum’s resistance to fall armyworm.
Iowa Corn: Silage Harvest of Drought-Stressed, Severely Lodged Crops
Corn silage harvest. Photo: Penn State Extension The decision to chop corn for silage should be made when there is no further potential to increase grain dry matter and whole plant moisture is in the proper range for the storage structure. The proper harvest moisture content is the same for drought stressed and normal corn.
Are Export-Oriented Farm Policies Part Of The Problem? - Commentary
U.S. Capitol, Washington D.C. Photo: Suranga Weeratunga The difference between us and many other agricultural economists is that over the years we have developed our agricultural policy proposals based on the economic characteristics of aggregate crop agriculture: The low price-elasticity of supply, The low price-elasticity of demand, The fixity of resources, Agriculture has the ability to create both positive and negative externalities, and Farmers operate between two great power...
USDA: Weekly National Peanut Prices
Photo: Clemson University The following prices are effective from Wednesday 08/19/20 at 12:01 am Eastern Time until midnight Tuesday 08/25/20. The next announcement is scheduled for Tuesday 08/25/20 at 3:00 pm Eastern Time. * $424.55 per ton for Runner peanuts * $415.57 per ton for Spanish peanuts * $428.74 per ton for Valencia peanuts * $428.74 per ton for Virginia peanuts These NPP are based on the loan rates for 2020-crop peanuts announced on July 9, 2020.
Minnesota Corn, Soybeans: Is Boron Deficiency a Problem?
Signs of boron toxicity in soybeans. Boron toxicity can also be an issue, so be cautious if you're considering applying boron fertilizer. Photo: Dan Kaiser, University of Minnesota Extension Boron (B) is a micronutrient needed in small quantities by crops. Since the need for the nutrient is low, there have not been recommendations for boron fertilizer application in most crops across Minnesota. Based on tissue sampling results, some say boron fertilizer is needed to maximize yields for some crops.
Louisiana Crawfish: Coronavirus Relief Now Available
Crawfish harvest. Photo: USDA From now until Sept. 11, crawfish farmers can apply for assistance from a U.S. Department of Agriculture program to compensate them for losses related to the coronavirus pandemic. “This program will help producers deal with economic problems caused by the low prices and the inability to move crawfish,” said LSU AgCenter economist Kurt Guidry.
Georgia Cotton Commission Board Reappoints Cromley, Hopkins, Ruark
The Commodity Ex- Officio Committee reappointed three members to the Georgia Cotton Commission Board of Directors. The members include Lee Cromley of Bulloch County, Chris Hopkins of Toombs County, and John Ruark of Morgan County. They will serve on the Commission’s board for another three-year term. Cromley is a sixth-generation cotton farmer from Brooklet, Ga. Cromley has been growing peanuts and cotton since 1983.
Rice Market: Iraq Positioned to Purchase from U.S.
Sunrise over rice field at flood. ©Debra L Ferguson Last Friday, the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) unanimously approved a $450 million loan to assist Iraq in the purchase of U.S. goods and services, including rice and other agricultural products. This agreement follows a $5 billion Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by the government of Iraq and the EXIM in October 2019 to identify potential projects in Iraq that fit the procurement criteria.
Nebraska Corn: Weather Impacts to Pollination and Kernel Fill
The following are factors that are known to impact pollination: Heat over 95°F depresses pollen production. Prolonged periods of heat can reduce pollen production and viability. High humidity, without a drop in humidity during the day, can delay pollination or prevent pollen from leaving anther sacs. When soil moisture is sufficient, one day of 95-98°F has little or no impact on yields. After four consecutive days, there can be a 1% loss in yield for each day above that temperature.
Derecho Damage: Current Estimates of 37.7Mln Farmland Acres
Corn lodged from high winds. Photo: Nikki Bell, University of Kentucky Reuters writer Tom Polansek reported on Friday that, “A storm packing hurricane-force winds on Monday impacted 37.7 million acres of farmland across the Midwest, including 14 million in Iowa, the Iowa Soybean Association said on Friday, citing estimates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Nebraska: Terminating a Verbal Farmland Lease
Some farm leases are not written but are verbal or “handshake” agreements. Because nothing is in writing, the parties may have different recollections of their agreement, making lease disputes more difficult to resolve. The most common legal issue associated with verbal farm leases is how a lease may legally be terminated. For both year-to-year leases and holdover leases, six months advance notice must be given to legally terminate the lease.
North Carolina Soybeans: Dealing with Corn Earworms - Video
Corn earworm on soybeans. Photo: University of Tennessee Did you know that corn earworm (CEW) is our most important insect pest of soybean? It’s August, so NC State Extension Specialist Dr. Dominic Reisig tells us about CEW management in this short video. August is time to scout for CEW in soybeans. They don’t show up in every field every year, so it is important to scout and treat only when necessary. Scouting tools include a sweep net and a drop cloth.
Hubbs on Grain: Record Soybean Yield Forecast Sparks Skepticism
Mature soybean pods ready for harvest. ©Debra L Ferguson The highly anticipated August Crop Production report presented a record yield for soybeans this year. Despite the forecast of higher production, soybean futures went into the weekend up over 30 cents for the week. Strong Chinese demand and skepticism surrounding production levels supported this rally. The soybean crop forecast of 4.425 billion bushels is 873 million bushels above last year.
Texas Plains IPM: Insects All Over but Few at Economic Thresholds
Bollworm burrowing into cotton boll. Photo: University of Tennessee General Status Still very dry, with several things to scout and consider in triple digit temperatures. Some additional rains have come in the past week, but these too have been spotty and limited in benefit. Most of our scouting program fields are on the back side of peak water use with needs still quite high with others just coming into this ‘crunch time’ and still a handful of others with it on the near horizon.
U.S. Patents Granted for Envita Nitrogen-Fixing Technology
Maturing corn. Photo: University of Illinois Azotic Technologies, the UK-based global ag-tech company, announces that the US Patent and Trademark Office has just granted Azotic two significant patents. The first patent being, US patent titled: “Novel Microorganisms and Their Use in Agriculture”. The second patent being, US patent titled: “Plant Inoculation Method”.
Illinois: Farm Real Estate Values Increase Slightly for 2020
Photo: Michigan State University Each year the National Agricultural Statistics Service of the USDA releases estimated average farm real estate values by state. The estimates are based on surveys of farmers from selected geographical areas. The surveys follow strict statistical guidelines. Estimated values maybe revised the following year based on additional information. Revisions may also be made based on data from the 5-year Census of Agriculture.
Thompson On Cotton: Cap On Prices - Easy To Understand Why
The market began last week at 62.36 with many fearing follow through selling after the previous significant late week decline. Fortunately, such fears were unfounded though not a smooth ride by any means. With little in the way of surprises on the geopolitical scene, the week’s trading was more influenced by crop condition concerns, the August Supply/Demand numbers, and export sales.
Weekly Cotton Market Review - USDA
Cotton modules lined up in a gin yard. ©Debra L Ferguson Spot quotations averaged 166 points lower than the previous week, according to the USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service’s Cotton and Tobacco Program. Quotations for the base quality of cotton (color 41, leaf 4, staple 34, mike 35-36 and 43-49, strength 27.0-28.9, and uniformity 81.0-81.9) in the seven designated markets averaged 57.62 cents per pound for the week ending Thursday, August 13, 2020.
Mississippi Corn: Grain Drydown and Harvest Strategies - Podcast
Mississippi Corn: Grain Drydown and Harvest Strategies – Podcast August 14, 2020 By Erick Larson, Mississippi State University Extension Corn Specialist Dr. Erick Larson and Corn Verification Program associate Mr. Nolan Stapleton discuss corn grain drydown in the field, and strategies to hopefully ensure a smooth and efficient corn harvest.
Cleveland On Cotton: Nothing Bullish In The Market…Not Even O.A. Cleveland
Cotton picker dropping cotton module during harvest. ©Debra L Ferguson The AgMarket Network group hashed out USDA’s August supply/demand report and seemingly agreed the report was particularly bearish. Yet true to form, the market traded slightly higher on the heels of the report. However, by week’s end trading turned negative, validating the bearishness of the group’s discussion.
Mississippi Peanuts: Where Are We, What to Look For - Podcast
Mississippi Peanuts: Where Are We, What to Look For – Podcast August 14, 2020 By Bobby Golden and Jason Bond, Mississippi State University Extension Specialists Brendan Zurweller, MSU Peanut specialist, and Jeff Gore, Peanut Entomologist, sit down with Bobby Golden and Jason Bond to discuss the current status of Peanuts in Mississippi and issues to look for between now and harvest.
South Carolina: Cotton, Soybean Insects Plenty Active
Bollworm burrowing into cotton boll. Photo: University of Tennessee Jonathan Croft, county agent in Orangeburg County, reported that he “checked soybeans on the edge of Calhoun and Orangeburg Counties this morning [yesterday] and found about 50% threshold on soybean looper and kudzu bug nymphs. Also picked up a few immature green stink bugs and a few velvetbean caterpillars. These were in beans setting pods. No podworms.
Corn Belt Farmland Values Hold Steady
Farmland values held steady in the first half of 2020 in the Corn Belt states of Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming, says Deb Stanbro, president of the Iowa Chapter of American Society of Farm Manager and Rural Appraisers (ASFMRA) and an appraiser at FCSAmerica. Stable demand for land, decreased sales volume and low interest rates continue to provide support and the market adjusted to pandemic induced social distancing.
Georgia Peanuts: Spider Mites Make Their Appearance, Scout Your Fields
Spider mite injury on peanuts. Photo: Clemson University We knew they were coming, and now they are here. The calls, emails, and texts have started to roll in reporting peanut fields in Georgia infested with twospotted spider mite. Finding mite infestations early, choosing an effective miticide, and applying the miticide correctly are critically important if we hope to manage this pest. Correct application means increasing spray volume to ensure good coverage of the canopy.
Louisiana Rice: Slight But Expected Yield Drop As Harvest Progresses
©Debra L Ferguson Stock Photography Rice yields over the past week have dropped off a bit as compared to the excellent yields we have seen since harvest has begun. This decline in rice yields is expected as we move into later planted rice. There are many reasons why rice yields decline as the year progresses, including increased temperatures during reproductive growth, increased disease pressure and increased insect pressure.
Iowa Corn: What Insects Are Active in Fields?
Corn earworm feeding injury. Photo: Mississippi State Universtiy Caterpillars have been extremely active this year, especially in soybean. We suspect that late-season infestations of caterpillars in corn are no exception. These infestations are serious because these caterpillars feed on the ear and/or tunnel into stalks. Their feeding can also lead to secondary infestations of other, less common insects, and severely infested fields can be at risk for ear molds and mycotoxins.
Arkansas Rice Farmer Robert Petter, Sr. Passes On
Robert Petter, Sr. Photo: USA Rice USA Rice extends condolences to the family and friends of Robert Franklin Petter, Sr., of Tollville, Arkansas, who passed away August 12, at the age of 84. He is survived by his wife, Shirley, and sons, Robert and David. “Bobby,” as he was known to all, never met a stranger. He farmed in Stuttgart and Tollville, and also served on the BancorpSouth board of directors. “Bobby loved people and rice farming,” said Arkansas crop consultant Merle Anders.
USDA: Weekly National Peanut Prices
Peanut prices received by farmers for all farmer stock peanuts averaged 20.5 cents per pound for the week ending August 8, up 0.3 cent from the previous week. Marketings of all farmer stock peanuts for the week ending August 8 totaled 83.0 million pounds, up 23.2 million pounds from the previous week. Runner-type peanut prices averaged 19.6 cents per pound for the week ending August 8, down 0.4 cent from the previous week.
Drought Monitor Weekly: Hit or Miss Rains Across Most of the U.S.
Summary As Tropical Storm Isaias made its way up the east coast, many areas in the Northeast were beneficiaries of good precipitation amounts, but others missed out completely. In typical summer fashion, rains were hit and miss across the country, with the West and into the southern Plains as well as most areas of the South mainly being missed. Mixed precipitation was recorded through the Plains and Midwest as well as portions of the Southeast.
Moving Grain: Officials Sign Agreement for Deepening Lower Mississippi River
Barges on Mississippi River. ©Debra L Ferguson Officials Sign Agreement for Deepening the Lower Mississippi River On August 7, officials with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the State of Louisiana, and the Port of New Orleans signed an agreement to deepen the Lower Mississippi River to 50 feet, from its current depth of 45 feet.
Arkansas: Corn, Sorghum Research Compendium Released
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture has released its first compendium of studies focusing on corn and grain sorghum. The report, which gathers studies spanning two to three years and completed in 2019, is intended for growers, consultants and other agricultural industry professionals.
Texas West Plains Cotton: Insects Quiet, but Don’t Stop Scouting
Cotton ranges from early bloom with more than 5 nodes above white flower (NAWF) to past physiological cutout with less than 2 NAWF. The area cotton crop reflects that 2/3 of fields have less than 2.5 nodes above white flower (NAWF) currently, with the remaining third ranging from 5 to 3 NAWF. Ideally, we would literally be blooming out the top this next week. I do think most acres will achieve this goal.
Tennessee: Ag Sectors Taking Hit from COVID-19
Blooming cotton field next to to corn with maturing ears. ©Debra L Ferguson Stock Photography The latest research from the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of agricultural commodity production and distribution, leading to substantial price declines and reduced income for farmers. Price declines for corn, cotton and soybeans occurred in the first five months of 2020 and are projected to continue.
Iowa: Drones Help Scout Derecho Crop Damage
Monday’s derecho event took a toll on crops across Iowa. Satellite imagery shows millions of acres of Iowa crops impacted by the high wind events. As growers dig out from the destruction left after the storm, decisions regarding how to manage the impacted crop will be front and center. For wind damaged corn, the decision about how to manage the crop will largely depend on if the plants are bent over or snapped off. Plants that are bent can still transport water and nutrients.
Iowa: Assessing Grain Bin Damage
Weather damaged grain bins. Photo: University of Nebraska-Lincoln When steel grain bins sustain wind damage, careful inspection is needed to evaluate repair or replacement options. Inspection assistance and advice from a consulting engineer or bin manufacturer representative is the best option. When damage is confined to the roof, sidewall sheets, or wall stiffeners of the bin, replacement of damaged materials may be feasible.
Louisiana: Sugarcane Planting Off to Successful Start
A planter pulled by a tractor drops sugarcane into the rows. Photo: Bruce Schultz, LSU AgCenter Good weather has allowed sugarcane farmers to get started planting their new crop. LSU AgCenter sugarcane specialist Kenneth Gravois said July was wet. “These first two weeks in August have been drier, and people have made tremendous progress. We’ve got some people approaching the halfway mark,” he said. Farmers tend to plant their poorest ground first.
Minnesota Corn: Interseeding Wide Rows with Cover Crops
High-quality cover crops in a bed of harvested corn stalks. Photo: Alan Kraus, Cannon River Watershed Partnership Cover crop adoption across the U.S. is on the rise, but Minnesota adoption has hovered around 2%. While Midwestern farmers understand the importance of soil health, adopting sustainable technologies that offer limited near-term economic returns is challenging.
Ethanol Production Profits During the COVID Pandemic
It is widely acknowledged that the U.S. ethanol industry has been negatively impacted by the COVID pandemic. The plight of ethanol producers has prompted calls for financial relief from the Federal government. The latest aid package for the economy passed by the U.S. Senate, the Heals Act, provides $20 billion in additional support for agricultural producers and processors, at the discretion of the Secretary of Agriculture.
Rice Market Update: Harvest in Full Swing, 1st Shipment Underway
First Rough Rice Export of 2020 With the 2020 rice harvest in full swing, Southwest Louisiana farmers wasted no time in loading the first vessel of rough rice in the Port of Lake Charles for shipment to Honduras. Efforts of the South Louisiana Rail Facility (SLRF) and their farmer members have resulted in the development of strong relations with numerous buyers in the most important markets for U.S. rice in Central America and Mexico.
Shurley on Cotton: USDA Numbers Offer an Unfavorable Surprise
Cotton modules lined up in a gin yard. ©Debra L Ferguson Today’s USDA numbers were an unfavorable surprise to the market. Prices fell as a result. Today’s production numbers were based on conditions as of August 1. The numbers do not reflect events, good or bad, after that date until now. September and subsequent reports will offer revisions. Earlier this week, it was reported that crop conditions as of August 9th were down from a week earlier.
Minnesota: Soybean Gall Midge - Late Season Scouting Tips - Video
Minnesota: Soybean Gall Midge – Late Season Scouting Tips – Video August 13, 2020 By Bruce Potter, University of Minnesota Extension IPM Specialist Soybean gall midge larva. Photo: Iowa State University With a large number of adults emerging at research sites in southwestern Minnesota this past week, now is a good time to find the soybean gall midge larvae. A short video has been updated to include late season scouting.
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