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Cargill Installs Controlled Atmosphere “Stunning” System in Canada Operation

Cargill announced today that it’s installing a $22 million Controlled Atmospheric Stunning system at its poultry facility in London, Ontario. Cargill credits the investment to increasing customer and consumer demand for better animal welfare standards in food production. There are also electric stunning systems available to processing plants. Both electric and atmospheric systems are acceptable, approved, and proven as more humane ways to harvest animals. However, Cargill says more and more consumers are in favor of CAS systems in poultry facilities. Cargill first began using a controlled atmosphere system at a U.S. poultry plant more than ten years ago. They were also leaders in the use of third-party remote video auditing. Cargill’s global head of poultry welfare says, “We are dedicated to animal welfare because it’s the right thing to do.” Cargill says it’s made more than $900 million in investments to its North American protein business in recent years.

Community Bankers Announce Farm Bill Recommendations

As Congress ramps up its work on a new Farm Bill, the Independent Community Bankers of America released a white paper with its recommended principles for the new bill. ICBA President and CEO Camden Fine says his association believes a new farm bill is vitally important to the nation’s producers and the independent community bankers who work so closely with them. “A new farm bill provides a multi-year framework for farmers and their community bank lenders to engage in longer-term business planning,” Fine says. “It also offers an essential portfolio of risk-management tools.” The white paper asks Congress to adequately fund commodity programs and crop insurance, both of which are key risk-management tools that enable producers to obtain farm loans. They also are asking Congress to enhance the USDA’s Farm Loan Programs. They provided more than $7.7 billion worth of loans to producers in 2017. The loan programs supported 42,000 farmers and ranchers by increasing loan limits, providing greater flexibility for loan approvals while eliminating unnecessary regulatory burdens. Other recommendations included sustaining USDA Rural Development Programs, as well as reforming the Farm Credit System.

USDA Stocks/Prospective Plantings Reports Show a Lot of Soybeans

A DTN recap of the USDA Grain Stocks and Prospective Planting reports today shows the U.S. definitely has its share of soybeans, with a whole lot more on the way. Quarterly soybean stocks rose to a record 2.11 billion bushels. That’s 21 percent higher than March of 2017. Soybean acres also officially took the lead over corn acres in 2018’s planting intentions. USDA estimates 89 million acres of soybeans will be planted in 2018, with corn right behind at 88 million acres. Both of those estimates are down from last year, by one percent for soybeans and two percent for corn. USDA says the lower numbers are a consequence of a lot of grain stocks on hand, along with lower commodity prices. The estimate of 2.11 billion bushels of soybeans follows a disappointing marketing quarter for the crop. Between December of 2017 and February of this year, only one percent of the total soybean stocks were moved, nine percent lower than the same time frame from the previous year. USDA estimates that corn stocks were at 8.9 billion bushels as of March 1, three percent higher than last year. The report says farmers are projected to plant 47.3 million acres of wheat, three percent higher than a year ago but still the second-lowest acreage number since the early 1900’s. Cotton producers are predicted to plant 13.5 million acres, up seven percent from last year and higher than most pre-report expectations.

Thursdays closing grain bids

March 29th, 2018

markets closed Friday for the holiday

St Joseph

 

Yellow Corn

3.57 – 3.64

White Corn

no bid

Soybeans

9.87 – 9.90

LifeLine Foods

 3.63

 

 

Atchison

Yellow Corn

 3.71 – 3.73

Soybeans

 9.89

Hard Wheat

 4.22

Soft Wheat

 3.61

 

 

Kansas City Truck Bids

 

Yellow Corn

3.73

White Corn

no bid

Soybeans

10.00 – 10.05

Hard Wheat

4.57

Soft Wheat

 4.09

Sorghum

6.21


USDA Cash Grain Prices

For more information, contact the 680 KFEQ Farm Department.
816-233-8881.

BASF seeks farm families to help preserve monarch habitats

courtesy photo

(BASF) As monarch butterflies prepare to fly north, BASF is encouraging farm families to provide a layover for these iconic insects by planting milkweed habitats along the migration path as part of the company’s Monarch Challenge. The Monarch Challenge is a program of BASF’s biodiversity initiative Living Acres, which seeks to restore the monarch population, by planting milkweed habitats in non-crop areas of a farmer’s land. Milkweed is an important part of the monarch’s life cycle, as it is the only plant where adult monarchs will lay their eggs. The leaves of the milkweed serve as a main food source for monarch larvae. The Monarch Challenge shares best practices on milkweed development with farmers to help support the monarch butterfly. Last year, nearly 500 farm families signed up for the Monarch Challenge and received a combined 9,000 seedlings and kits to create their own milkweed plots. With the success of last year’s challenge and the continued interest in aiding these iconic insects, BASF is looking to grow the program to 1,000 farm families in 2018. Now is the time for farm families to get involved with the challenge and receive their own milkweed seedlings to plant this spring. To sign up, visit www.monarchchallenge.com.

Lighthizer Hopeful of New NAFTA Deal

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer told CNBC television Wednesday he is “hopeful” there will be compromise and a deal reached on the North American Free Trade Agreement. His comments follow those from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who earlier this week said a “win-win-win deal is not only possible but likely.” Lighthizer said Wednesday he is optimistic the three NAFTA members can “get something done in principle in the next little bit.” He acknowledged there is a short window to reach an agreement, as Mexico will hold summer elections and the U.S. will hold midterm elections in the fall. Round eight of the negotiations are scheduled for Washington, D.C., in early April. In the last round of talks, some agricultural topics advanced, including sanitary and phytosanitary measures. However, the American Farm Bureau Federation reported there was much work left to be done on market access, referring to the U.S.-Canada dairy trade issue.

KORUS Agreement a Relief to Agriculture

Agriculture was ‘left out’ of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement renegotiation effort, a relief to the sector. For many in agriculture, there was more to lose than gain in the renegotiation effort. The U.S. is the largest supplier of beef to Korea and the second largest pork supplier. Data from the U.S. Meat Export Federation shows red meat exports to Korea set a record last year of $1.7 billion, up 19 percent from the prior year and up 69 percent from 2012. USMEF spokesperson Joe Schuele told Meat industry publication Meatingplace the revised KORUS is “excellent news” for U.S. beef and pork because it ensures the U.S. “will continue to be able to serve the growing South Korean market.” South Korea is also a top-five importer of U.S. corn, buying more than 5.3 million metric tons in the last marketing year, which is more than 200 million bushels. Under the new agreement, South Korea will limit its steel exports to the U.S. and allow more imports of U.S. autos. The U.S. agreed to exempt South Korea from Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs.

Wednesday’s closing grain bids

March 28th, 2018

 

St Joseph

 

Yellow Corn

3.41 – 3.49

White Corn

no bid

Soybeans

9.60 – 9.63

LifeLine Foods

 3.52

 

 

Atchison

Yellow Corn

 3.56 – 3.57

Soybeans

 9.63

Hard Wheat

 4.16

Soft Wheat

 3.55

 

 

Kansas City Truck Bids

 

Yellow Corn

3.59

White Corn

no bid

Soybeans

9.73 – 9.78

Hard Wheat

4.51

Soft Wheat

 4.04

Sorghum

5.96


USDA Cash Grain Prices

For more information, contact the 680 KFEQ Farm Department.
816-233-8881.

Mexico and Canada Face U.S. Tariffs If NAFTA Talks Extend Beyond May

President Donald Trump says Mexico and Canada will face steel and aluminum tariffs if the North American Free Trade Agreement talks don’t progress to his likings by May first. The administration has granted an exemption to Canada and Mexico from the tariffs. However, a White House document says Trump will decide by May first “whether to continue to exempt these countries from tariffs, based on the status of discussions.” The move, Bloomberg reports, puts pressure on Canada and Mexico to progress and complete the talks. Mexican officials have hoped to wrap-up the process by the end of April, before the country’s summer election, and the U.S. midterm election later this year. The move by Trump comes as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says momentum is building, and that “a win-win-win deal is not only possible but likely.” Still, there are many issues left to agree on, including major agriculture issues. An American Farm Bureau Federation economist speculated earlier this month that the NAFTA renegotiation effort would stretch into next year.

Spring Food Prices Increase

The annual Spring Picnic Marketbasket Survey by the American Farm Bureau Federation shows higher retail prices for several foods. The informal survey showed the total cost of 16 food items that can be used to prepare one or more meals was $51.05, up $1.02 or two percent compared to a year ago. AFBF attributed the increase to higher retail prices for several foods including eggs, orange juice, meat products, bagged salad, shredded cheddar and vegetable oil. AFBF market intelligence director John Newton says eggs own the highest price increase, saying: “Easter eggs are going to be a bit more expensive, 37 percent higher than a year ago.” U.S. egg exports were up nearly 50 percent in 2017 while egg production remained flat. Meanwhile, the price of orange juice increased 7.5 percent, due to the devastating hurricane late last year that came through parts of Florida, where most orange juice comes from. The hurricane led to growers harvesting the smallest crop in 70 years. Of the 16 items surveyed, nine increased and seven decreased in average price.

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