AgDay Daily Recap - 10/29/09
10/29/2009
TODAY ON AGDAY:
October 29, 2009
Blanche Lincoln-biofuels: IN WASHINGTON TODAY, A HOUSE AG SUBCOMITTEE WILL HOLD A HEARING TO LOOK AT THE FUTURE OF BIOFUELS. LAWMAKERS WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S THE NEXT FEEDSTOCK AFTER CORN. ACROSS THE COUNTRY, UNIVERSITIES AND PRIVATE FIRMS ARE ANALYZING EVERYTHING FROM ALGAE TO CORN-STOVER. WITH AG INTERESTS CLOSELY TIED TO BIOFUELS, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT TOPIC FOR THE NEWLY-NAMED CHAIR-PERSON OF THE SENATE AG COMMITTEE -- SENATOR BLANCHE LINCOLN OF ARKANSAS. PRO FARMER WASHINGTON EDITOR ROGER BERNARD RECENTLY SAT DOWN WITH LINCOLN TO DISCUSS THE FUTURE OF BIOFUELS AND HOW THEY PERTAIN TO AGRICULTURE.
Corn Stover Dollars: PART OF THE NEXT GENERATION OF BIOFUELS INCLUDES THE USE OF CORN STOVER AND COBS. WHILE THERE HAVE BEEN SOME OFFERS FROM A COUPLE OF ENERGY COMPANIES TO BUY CORN STOVER THIS YEAR, RESEARCHERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT LINCOLN SAY FARMERS NEED TO THINK LONG AND HARD BEFORE COLLECTING THE RESIDUE. THEY ENCOURAGE PRODUCERS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE SOIL STRUCTURE LOSS AND NUTRIENT LOSS BEFORE MAKING THAT DECISION. NOT ONLY IS STOVER BEING USED FOR ETHANOL, IT CAN ALSO BE MADE INTO PELLETS AND SOLD TO COAL BURNING POWER PLANTS. U-N-L SAYS COMPANIES ARE OFFERING 15-DOLLARS A TON FOR SHORT TERM CONTRACTS AND UP TO 20-DOLLARS A TON FOR LONGER TERM CONTRACTS. NEBRASKA AG ENGINEER PAUL JASKA SAYS WHILE AT FIRST GLANCE THIS MAY SOUND LIKE A LOT OF MONEY, WHAT IS LOST IN THE VALUE OF THAT RESIDUE FAR EXCEEDS WHAT IS BEING OFFERED. JASKA SAYS IT NEEDS TO BE CLOSER TO 50-DOLLARS A TON.
Missouri Corn Delays: NOW TO SOUTHWEST MISSOURI WHERE FARMERS ARE BEHIND IN THEIR HARVEST. ONLY 43-PERCENT OF THE STATES' CORN CROP IS HARVESTED. USUALLY, IT'S OVER 80-PERCENT. BUT THEY'VE HAD 16 DAYS OF RAIN THIS MONTH. LINDA RUSSELL FROM AGDAY AFFILIATE K-Y-THREE IN SPRINGFIELD REPORTS ON THE DELAYS. GADDY PLANNED ON PLANTING WINTER WHEAT IN THESE FIELDS AFTER HARVEST...BUT NOW HE'S PUSHING THAT DEADLINE. WITH ONLY 20-PERCENT OF THE NATION'S CORN HARVESTED AS OF MONDAY, THE USDA SAYS IT'S BEEN AT LEAST 20 YEARS SINCE THE CORN HARVEST HAD SUCH A POOR START.
Tease Ohio Issue 2: THANKS MIKE...NEXT WEEK, OHIO VOTERS WILL DECIDE WHETHER TO CREATE A BOARD TO OVERSEE LIVESTOCK CARE. IT'S CALLED ISSUE TWO -- AND MUCH OF THE COUNTRY IS WATCHING THIS CLOSELY. IT WOULD REQUIRE A CHANGE IN THE STATE CONSTITUTION, IN A PLAN PUSHED BY THE AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY TO FIGHT OFF ANIMAL RIGHTS GROUPS. WE'LL LOOK AT THAT ISSUE ON FRIDAY'S EDITION OF AGDAY.
Deere rehire: DEERE & COMPANY SAYS THAT THE MAJORITY OF MANUFACTURING EMPLOYEES WHO HAD BEEN LAID-OFF AT THEIR PLANT IN OTTUMWA, IOWA ARE BEING RECALLED. FOUR-HUNDRED-50 EMPLOYEES WILL REPORT TO WORK AT THE END OF NOVEMBER. HOWEVER, 78 EMPLOYEES WILL REMAIN ON LAYOFF UNTIL MARKET CONDITIONS IMPROVE ENOUGH TO REQUIRE THE ADDITIONAL WORKFORCE. WORKERS AT THE PLANT BUILD BALERS AND FORAGE HARVESTERS.
AGCO Earnings: AGCO RELEASED ITS THIRD QUARTER FINANCIAL REPORT WEDNESDAY...AND IT FOLLOWS THE SAME PATH AS OTHER EQUIPMENT MAKERS -- A DROP IN SALES. THE COMPANY SAYS NET SALES WERE DOWN ABOUT A THIRD WHEN COMPARED TO SAME TIME LAST YEAR. AGCO REPORTS NET SALES OF ONE-POINT-FOUR BILLION DOLLARS, COMPARED TO TWO-POINT-ONE BILLION.
Analysis: Charlie O’Brien, Vice President of Ag Services, Association of Equipment Manufacturers.
In the Country: LOCATED IN SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA, KOUPAL ANGUS SITS ATOP OF ROLLING PRAIRIES, UNDER WIDE-OPEN SKIES. IT'S BEEN IN THE FAMILY SINCE THE EARLY 1900'S. IN THIS REPORT PROVIDED BY THE AMERICAN ANGUS ASSOCATION, LAVERN AND ALICE KOUPAL TELL US THEIR STORY -- IN THEIR OWN WORDS -- ABOUT LIFE ON THEIR RANCH. IN ADDITION TO LAVERN AND ALICE, BUD AND BERNIE KOUPAL, ALONG WITH THEIR CHILDREN, OPERATE "B AND B" ANGUS. DAVE AND PEGGY KOUPAL AND THEIR FAMILY OPERATE SLEEPY HOLLOW ANGUS. ALL OF THE FAMILIES LIVE WITHIN FIVE MILES OF EACH OTHER. OBVIOUSLY THE FUTURE LOOKS PROMISING FOR THOSE ANGUS PRODUCERS.
Trick or Treats: IN FOOD AND YOUR FAMILY... FOR MANY OF OUR VIEWERS IN FARM COUNTRY, YOU PROBABLY DON'T GET MANY TRICK OR TREATERS AT YOUR DOOR. BUT IF YOU DO, WHAT DO YOU HAND OUT? OF COURSE, MOST KIDS ENJOY BRINGING HOME A BIG SACK FULL OF CHOCOLATE -- SOME DADS DON'T MIND IT EITHER! BUT WITH ONE OUT OF FIVE U-S CHILDREN OVER CONSIDERED OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE, YOU MAY WANT TO RE-THINK THE GOODIES. RAISINS, POPCORN AND PRETZELS ARE ALL HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVES TO SWEETS. ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL CONFECTIONERS ASSOCIATION, TRICK OR TREATERS WILL COLLECT ABOUT 20 MILLION POUNDS OF CANDY CORN -- JUST CANDY CORN -- THIS WEEKEND! THE AVERAGE CHILD GETS ABOUT 50 PIECES OF CANDY.
Tease tomorrow: COMING UP TOMORROW...WE'LL HAVE OUR REGULAR FRIDAY FEATURE -- RUBES FRIDAY FUNNIES...AND GARY WILHELMI WILL BE ALONG. PLUS, OUR GOOD FRIEND CHUCK DENNEY WILL TELL US ABOUT THE MYSTERY INSIDE THIS GOTHIC-LOOKING BUILDING ON THE U-T CAMPUS. BY DAY, IT'S THE CENTER OF STUDIES FOR THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE. BUT BY NIGHT, SOMETHING ELSE IS GOING ON. YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS IT.
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