Farm Bureau Press for Feb. 17, 2017

In Farm Bureau Safety poster contest Arkansas Farm Bureau and the State Committee on Rural Health and Safety are sponsoring a statewide safety promotion poster contest for elementary students to run in conjunction with Farm Bureau’s Agricultural Safety Awareness Week, March 5-11. This is a national effort of the Farm Bureau Safety and Health Network to promote safety in agriculture.

This year’s theme is “Get Out of My Space” and will highlight Confined Space, Animal Space, Equipment Operator Space, Electrical Space and Driver Space. There will be three categories of competition for 1st- and 2nd- grade students, 3rd- and 4thgrade students, and 5th- and 6th- grade students. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three winners in each category.

Entries must be submitted electronically to the state office by March 30. For additional contest rules and information, email Amanda Williams at amanda.williams@arfb.com.

® More than 150 Arkansas Farm Bureau leaders from throughout the state posed for a photo inside the State Capitol Feb. 8 during Farmers’ Day at the Capitol. The event provided opportunities for leaders to meet with legislators to talk about ag issues, and included guest speakers such as Chuck Culver with UA’s Department of Agriculture, Arkansas tourism director Joe David Rice, Arkansas Natural Resources Commission executive director Bruce Holland and more.

ArFB Women’s Conference Arkansas Farm Bureau’s State Women’s Conference is set for March 10-11 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Little Rock.

Registration will begin at 11 a.m., March 10. Events scheduled that day include a welcome from ArFB President Randy Veach and workshops on Books You Want for Ag in the Classroom, Caring for Your Relatives and Current Legislation Affecting Agriculture. Friday’s evening meal will be at Murray’s Dinner Playhouse where guests On Feb. 3, Arkansas Farm Bureau State Women’s Committee members donated $4,000 to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas. The money will buy fresh foods for family meals at RMHCA’s new Little Rock facility. The ladies are standing in the new RMHCA kitchen financed by an additional $40,000 in donations from the Women’s Committee.

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will see the play “Driving Miss Daisy.”

The March 11 schedule includes more workshops (working With different personalities, How to Start a Backpack Program, Changes in the Sew with Cotton Contest and Navigating Quarterly Reports), a closing luncheon featuring keynote speaker Kim Breemer, a nationally recognized motivational agriculture speaker.

For more information, contact Harry Willems at 501-228-1247.

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A Publication of Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation

February 17, 2017 • Vol. 20, No. 4

In Arkansas

On Feb. 1 in Fayetteville, Judge Joseph Wood (fourth from right) signed a proclamation declaring Feb. 6-10 to be Farm Bureau Week in Washington County. Attending the ceremony were (l to r) agency manager Vince Massanelli and board members Cassie Davis and her daughter Ella, President Porter Smith, Barbara Horn, Mary Smith and Lonnie Horn.

Tommy Young of Tuckerman, chairman of the Arkansas Corn & Grain Sorghum Board, welcomed guests to the 2017 Producer Conference held Feb. 10 at ASUNewport. More than 60 farmers attended the event to learn more about irrigation water management, price risk management, crop insurance and new genetic weed technology.

The Business Workshop for Landowners is scheduled for March 9 at the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute in Morrilton. This workshop, in partnership with the institute, will cover some of the same topics, but will focus on habitat management for forest landowners.

Registration for each workshop is $30 per individual, or $50 per couple.

To register for the Feb. 23 workshop, contact Becky McPeake at 501-671-2285 or rmcpeake@uaex.edu. To register for the March 9 workshop, contact the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute at 501-727-6257.

New forestry booklet Some interesting findings have been published in Economic “Contributions of Arkansas Forestry,” a new booklet released by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Forest Resources Center in Monticello. Did you know, for example, that the thousands of acres of timberlands that cover Arkansas are valued at $12.6 billion? Arkansas is also four times more dependent on its forestry industry than the entire United States.

“Right now the forestry industry contributes about 5 percent to the state economy,” said Philip Tappe, director of the Arkansas Forest Resources Center.

“Forestry means jobs.”

Readers of the booklet can expect to gain insight into this growing economic driver and the many impacts it has on the state. To get a free copy, visit the Arkansas Forest Resources Center website, http://bit. ly/Ark-Forestry-2017.

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Workshops could boost farm income Arkansans interested in earning additional income from farm or agricultural land, recreational property or timberland are invited to two workshops from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture in partnership with Mississippi State University and the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute.

The Advanced Outdoor Business Workshop for Landowners is scheduled for Feb. 23 at the Stan Jones Mallard Lodge in Alicia. The workshop will offer attendees the opportunity to talk directly to experts and business owners, learn about different outdoor businesses, and gain insights into developing a business plan, legal liabilities, marketing and more.

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Harvest for All The farm and ranch families of Farm Bureau raised more than $1.1 million and donated a record of more than 28.9 million pounds of food to assist hungry Americans in 2016 as part of Farm Bureau’s “Harvest for All” program.

Combined, the monetary and food donations also reached a record level of the equivalent of more than 31 million meals.

In addition to raising food and funds for the initiative, farmers and ranchers tallied 9,067 volunteer hours assisting local hunger groups.

Baxter Co. FB President Elliott Golmon and his wife Roberta (left) of Norfork had the opportunity to meet Miss Arkansas 2016, Savannah Skidmore, and her parents Jerry and Kim Skidmore of Calico Rock, Feb. 8 during Farmers’ Day at the Capitol.

Skidmore assumed the duties of Miss Arkansas 2016 when Savvy Shields was crowned Miss America 2017.

Miller Co. FB was well represented at the Four States Agricultural Expo Feb. 9 in Texarkana. Eleven board members and four Women’s Committee members, including (l to r) Don Sutton, Barbara Sutton and Clyde Davis, set up a display table for ValuePlus benefits, had a drawing for a rice cooker and served hamburgers to vendors, farmers and ranchers attending the event.

UA signs on with soybean group The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture has signed a new five-year agreement with the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board, a partnership that will continue the research and extension work performed by division faculty to enhance the state’s soybean industry.

“This new agreement will continue the special relationship between the division and the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board that provides industry-critical

Donate to the 4-H Foundation For a 12-hour period on April 6, a few minutes of your time can make a lifetime of difference through the Arkansas 4-H Foundation.

The Arkansas 4-H Foundation will be part of Arkansas Gives, a 12-hour giving event (8 a.m.-8 p.m., April 6) for registered Arkansas nonprofit organizations.

“This event is a terrific opportunity for us to show our support for Arkansas’ 4-H Youth Development, which has changed

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breeding programs, verification trials and a variety of new best practices to increase the efficiency and yield for Arkansas’ soybean growers,” said Mark Cochran, vice president-agriculture for the University of Arkansas System and head of the Division of Agriculture. “The farmer assessments that come through the state checkoff program enable Division of Agriculture scientists to work on specific projects selected and approved by the farmer members of the promotion board. These projects are coordinated into the overall Division of Agriculture soybean program.”

The partnership between the Division of Agriculture and the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board began soon after the board’s establishment in 1971. In the collaboration between the two, the Division of Agriculture provides several dollars in program support for every dollar provided by the promotion board.

On Feb. 15 at Farm Bureau Center in Little Rock, ArFB President Randy Veach (second from right) and Vice President Rich Hillman (far left) recognized members of the 2016 class of the President’s Leadership Council. The council is a developmental program for men and women ages 25-45 who have a desire to grow and strengthen their leadership skills. the lives of thousands of young people in more than a century,” said Ewell Welch, executive director of the Arkansas 4-H Foundation. “Our goal for this 12-hour period is $1,500. It may seem small to some, but even modest amounts can make an enormous difference. And this year will be the final Arkansas Gives event. We hope our supporters will enable Arkansas Gives to go out with a bang while helping the 4-H Foundation.”

The minimum donation during Arkansas Gives is $25 and may be made online with Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express. Last year, 600 nonprofits took part in Arkansas Gives, with $1.98 million raised. For more information, visit www.arkansasgives.org.

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Elsewhere

During a morning session at Embassy Suites in Little Rock, Arkansas Speaker of the House Jeremy Gillam (standing) and Senate President Pro Tempore Jonathan Dismang (left) addressed Farm Bureau leaders attending Farmers’ Day at the Capitol. The two legislators updated farmers and ranchers on important issues being addressed by the 91st General Assembly.

National Young Farmer Survey The National Young Farmers Coalition is calling for participation in the 2017 National Young Farmers survey that will inform citizens, policy makers and advocates of the greatest issues young farmers face.

Through the first survey in 2011, young farmers and ranchers came together to tell the nation who they were and what they needed in order to succeed. The results inspired new programs and influenced policies in every state.

By taking the new survey, farmers can speak up again and help tell Congress that #FarmersCount. Results will help elevate the issues that matter most to young farmers.

Survey takers who provide their mailing address will receive a bundle of coupons from NYFC’s partners, including Harney &

Sons, Chobani and Kashi.

For more information, visit www.youngfarmers.org/takethesurvey/.

New rice coloring booklet USA Rice has released a new coloring booklet for children ages 2-6, to teach them about rice grown in the United States. This new resource joins USA Rice’s collection of other educational resources, including the U.S.-Grown Rice in the Classroom pamphlet and the Think Rice classroom curriculum.

“The U.S.-Grown Rice in the Classroom pamphlet is always a hit with kids, but since its content is geared toward 4th-6th grade students, it left out younger kids,” said Mary Jemison, USA Rice meetings and member services associate. “So we decided to create a simple, fun and easy-to-print coloring activity that tells the farm-to-table story of U.S. rice while also being age appropriate for the younger audience.”

The four-page booklet features a map of the U.S. on the front and asks kids to color in the six outlined rice-growing states. The center page spread shows the life cycle of rice by season and allows kids to color in different scenes from the farm. The last page brings rice to the table where kids can color in a family making dinner and draw a MyPlate-inspired dish with rice.

“Since kids are seeing MyPlate all the time at school, it’s a good opportunity to show them that rice has a place on MyPlate too,” said Jemison.

The new coloring booklet is available for download at www.thinkrice.com. Physical copies can be requested by emailing kmaher@usarice.com.

Editor Keith Sutton

keith.sutton@arfb.com

the Argentine soybean crop at 55.5 MMT, with exports expected to total 9.0 MMT.

In the Market As of Feb. 15, 2017

Update on Dow/DuPont merger Dow Chemical and DuPont have offered to sell assets to address the European Union’s competition concerns and gain regulatory approval of their $130 billion merger agreement.

A decision is expected by April 4, and the companies still hope to close the deal the first half of 2017. Meanwhile, Syngenta now says it does not expect the takeover deal by ChemChina to close until the second quarter of 2017, though it did note progress toward regulatory approval.

Argentine beef exports Argentina expects to receive final approval to ship fresh beef to the U.S. in either April or May, according to Marisa Bircher, Argentina’s secretary of agroindustrial markets. Bircher also expressed hopes of boosting corn shipments to Mexico and other Latin American countries if U.S. relations with such countries sour or the country takes a more isolated approach. Last year, Argentina sent Mexico less than 100,000 MT of corn.

Chinese bird flu outbreak Seventy-nine people in China died from H7N9 bird flu in January, which is four times higher than the same month the past two years, according to the government. This has raised concerns that this could be the worst season for the virus on record.

Officially, China says there have been 306 cases of the virus since October, including 192 cases reported last month. But others believe the tally is higher.

Argentine soybean export forecast A U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) ag attaché in Argentina forecasts the nation’s 2016-17 soybean crop at 55 MMT, which is steady with its previous crop forecast. The post estimates Argentina will export 9.5 MMT of soybeans this marketing year.

Last week, USDA officially estimated

Pro Farmer raises bean estimate Pro Farmer’s South American crop consultant Dr. Michael Cordonnier raised his Brazilian soybean crop peg another 1 MMT to 105 MMT, noting timely rains in northeast Brazil recently, as well as ongoing “very good” yields out of Mato Grosso.

Cordonnier has a neutral to slightly higher bias going forward. He left his Brazilian corn crop peg unchanged at 86 MMT, with a neutral to higher bias. He says yields are stronger than expected in Rio Grande do Sul, but the timing of safinha corn crop planting will be key. Nationwide, Brazil’s second corn crop is around 25 percent planted.

NCC cotton expectations The National Cotton Council’s (NCC) Annual Planting Intentions survey found producers plan to plant 11.017 million acres to cotton in 2017.

This would represent a 9.4-percent increase over 2016, when producers planted 10.07 million acres in cotton, according to the USDA. The NCC distributed its annual survey on Dec. 15, 2016, and collected responses through mid-January. The NCC is also projecting the U.S. will export 12.8 million bales of cotton in 2016-17.

During the week of Feb. 6, the USDA projected the U.S. would ship 12.7 million bales of cotton this marketing year.

Notable Chinese soybean imports China imported 7.66 MMT of soybeans in January, the highest figure for the month since at least 2010, according to customs data. Shipments were down from 9 MMT in December but up 35 percent from January 2016. Traders explained that delayed shipments arrived last month, plus crushing demand remains strong.

OPEC cut higher than expected Since Jan. 1, the 11 members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) have cut their crude oil output by 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) to 29.921 million bpd, according to the average

assessment of six secondary sources OPEC uses to monitor this output.

This equates to 92 percent compliance with their output-cutting goal that’s aimed at curbing the supply glut and lifting prices. This compliance level was much higher than anticipated and well above an initial 60 percent compliance in 2009 when OPEC last agreed to cut production.

Argentine machinery sales surge Ag machinery sales totaled 17,566 units in Argentina for 2016, a surge of 26.8 percent from the year prior, according to the government statistics agency. Farmers have quickly invested in better inputs and equipment to take advantage of the profit potential presented by relaxed export rules under President Mauricio Macri.

Intervention in trade spat sought U.S. ethanol industry backers asked President Donald Trump to intervene in a trade dispute with China over ethanol and its animal-feed byproduct.

The Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy and the U.S. Grains Council sent a letter to Trump asking the administration to address “China’s recent implementation of protectionist trade barriers that are shutting out U.S. exports of ethanol and distillers’ dried grains” (DDGs). The U.S. shipped more than $300 million of ethanol to China in 2016. In 2015, China bought $1.6 billion of DDGs. China pushes regional subsidies China is encouraging regional authorities in its top four cornproducing regions in the northeast to offer livestock feed companies subsidies to stimulate demand for a large crop. China recommended that the subsidy only be available to feed makers who produced more than 50,000 MT in 2015 and have local operations, according to a source cited

by Reuters.

CONTACT

Matt King 501-228-1297, matt.king@arfb.com