WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A report shows Kansas farmers harvested a winter wheat crop this year that had lower than usual protein levels.
The report issued Thursday by the National Agricultural Statistics Service and Kansas Grain Inspection Service showed protein content averaged 11.6 percent. That is down from 11.7 percent last year as well as the 10-year average of 12.5 percent.
Wheat crops with protein levels of 12 percent or more fetch premium prices for farmers because that higher quality wheat is used to make bread. The protein in flour is what gives it strength when mixed with water and yeast, allowing the bread to rise better for fluffier loaves.
The average test weight in Kansas was 60.5 pounds per bushel.
About 67 percent of the crop was graded No. 1, the highest rating.
An immigration attorney told the Capital Press this week that any changes to DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, would have little impact on agriculture. Tom Roach, a Pasco, Washington immigration attorney, says ending deportation deferrals for illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children may not be a big hit to agriculture. He says most of those in the program are in other occupations. Roach estimates that only five to ten percent of the 800,000-people benefiting from DACA deportation deferrals work in agriculture. Roach went on to say the administration’s action may be a blessing because it may force Congress to save DACA, noting that 80 percent of Americans favor the program. DACA is a two-year renewable deferral of deportation with work authorization granted to children of illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. under 15 years-old. The program was granted by executive order by President Barack Obama in 2012.
The Trump administration offered support this week to the 2018 spending package the U.S. House is set to consider that includes the ag spending bill. The measure includes funding for the Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency, and other federal agencies. In a statement, the White House says that if the bill was “presented to the president in its current form, his advisers would recommend that he sign the bill into law.” Politico reports that the White House supported putting aside money for rural broadband and infrastructure; for providing full funding for USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service budget request; and for the $7 billion it would give for Farm Service Agency loans to farmers. But administration officials took aim at the measure’s inclusion of certain rural development programs, including the Rural Business-Cooperative Service and wastewater and housing grants, which the White House wants eliminated.
Another poll released this week shows optimism is decreasing in farm country. DTN-The Progressive Farmers released its August Agricultural Confidence Index this week. The survey finds that while farmers are more optimistic than August 2016, the strong optimism they started the year with is waning. The overall index for August fell more than 26 points, to a moderate 104.3, compared to results of the previous survey conducted in March. While still 45 percent above the 71.9 Index conducted in August 2016, it’s a sign the so-called “Trump Bump” is fading. The next Ag Confidence Index will be conducted just before the end of the 2017 calendar year. Earlier this week, the monthly Purdue-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer indicated similar results. The barometer drifted lower in August to 132 points, down seven points from July, but still stronger than the year ago level of 96. Both surveys’s come as commodity prices drifted lower in August, while at the same time, the Department of Agriculture predicted a slight increase in farm income for 2017.
The Environmental protection Agency is considering establishing limits to dicamba-based herbicides next year. Agriculture officials from several states that are advising the EPA on dicamba tell Reuters that the EPA is considering banning the use of dicamba after a cutoff date, likely in early 2018. The initiative is similar to rules being considered in Arkansas, which would ban the use of dicamba after April 15th. The cutoff date would aim to protect plants vulnerable to dicamba, after thousands of complaints were filed this year with states over spray drift of dicamba herbicides. State regulators and university specialists from Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Iowa and North Dakota are pressuring the EPA to decide soon on rules guiding usage because farmers will make planting decisions for next spring over the next several months.
Agriculture groups responded to President Donald Trump’s comments regarding a free trade agreement with South Korea over the weekend by urging the President not to withdraw from the accord. Trump said the U.S. would consider withdrawing from the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement, known as KORUS. U.S. Wheat Associates chairman Mike Miller says: “it would be irresponsible to unilaterally walk away from this or any other trade agreement.” Korea was the third largest volume importer of U.S. wheat in marketing year 2016/17. The U.S. Grains Council says walking away from KORUS is a “rash move that will harm relationships” at the expense of U.S. farm country. South Korea is the third largest importer of U.S. corn this marketing year, buying 5.3 million metric tons, more than 200 million bushels. Over the weekend President Trump confirmed reports that he was considering formally notifying South Korea as early as this week.
Round two of the renegotiation talks regarding the North American Free Trade Agreement were largely uneventful, according to those included in the talks. While the U.S. is suggesting a deal can be completed by the end of this year, many see the slow progress as an indication of a much longer negotiation process. Mexico’s top agriculture official told Bloomberg, however, “there is a will of the three countries” to get a deal finished. Dairy Farmers of Canada called a lack of policy proposals from the U.S. “surprising,” making it unbelievable to finish a deal by December. The U.S. took aim at Canada ‘s dairy supply and demand management system over the weekend. While negotiators have made some progress, they have yet to agree on any major contentious issue and are far from a deal on individual NAFTA chapters. Round three of negotiations is scheduled later this month in Canada.