Farm Bureau Press - May 24, 2013

Arkansas Farm Bureau state board member Jon Carroll fills a planter with soybean seeds at his farm near Brinkley on April 30. Like many Arkansas farmers, Carroll was taking advantage of fair weather to get in fields after a spring-long rain-and-cold delay postponed planting of many crops. The latest (May 13) crop report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service showed soybeans were 19 percent planted, 50 percent behind last year and 19 percent below the five-year average.

Plantings of cotton, corn and rice are lagging as well.

In Farm Bureau

7450 or email wbarker@uaex.edu for more information.

“A Day with Janet Carson” The Jackson Co. Farm Bureau Women’s Committee, with the Jackson Co. Cooperative Extension Service and the White River Garden Club, will host a gardening seminar, “A Day with Janet Carson,” on June 14 at the ASU-Newport Student/ Community Center. Carson is a horticulture specialist with the UofA Cooperative Extension Service and the Master Gardener State Coordinator. She provides information to the 75 counties for all areas of horticulture related to home gardening, with an emphasis on ornamentals. She also writes a weekly gardening column for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

The program will start at 9:30 a.m. and will end by 3 p.m. The cost is $15, which includes lunch and door prizes. Preregistration by June 10 is required. Call the Jackson County Extension Office at 870-523-

Farm Bureau Photo Contest The American Farm Bureau Federation, in conjunction with the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, has announced the 2013 Farm Bureau Photo Contest.

The contest is open to all state and county Farm Bureau members and staff above 18 years of age at the time of entry, including professional photographers.

UofA horticulture technician David Dickey checks strawberries in a high tunnel being used for research in Fayetteville.

UofA’s Division of Agriculture is performing research on high tunnels as a potential means to extend the strawberry growing season in Arkansas.

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www.arfb.com

Photo submissions will be used to accurately portray today’s agriculture and safe practices of farmers and ranchers, and also for future publications and promotions

by AFBF and related companies.

Photo submissions must exemplify safe practices on the farm or ranch.

The contest will run May 20 through Oct. 15, and photos may be entered in three categories: Sharing the Story, Working on the Farm or Ranch and My Scenic Farm or Ranch. Monetary prizes will be

UofA/Fred Miller photo

A Publication of Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation

May 24, 2013 • Vol. 16, No. 10

Earlier this month, 156 fifth-grade students in Van Buren County received ATV safety training at a session sponsored by Van Buren Co. FB and UofA’s Cooperative Extension Service. Certified ATV instructor Brad Runsick presented the training with the help of the young men pictured here.

In Arkansas Arkansas Water Plan meetings

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UofA/mary hightower photo

The list of Arkansas Water Plan public meetings to be held by

Lifestyle and gardening expert P. Allen Smith (left) and commercial grower Jeff May led a waterfowl session at the first Backyard Poultry Workshop on April 20 at Smith’s Moss Mountain Farm near Little Rock. The session was one of three the 250 participants rotated through to learn the basics of small-scale poultry farming.

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awarded to the top three photos from each category. First place winners will be awarded $100, second place $75 and third place $50.

New to the contest this year, special $200 awards may be given to photographers showcasing animal care, safety or the Farm Bureau Proud initiative in their contest submissions. Judges also will select a Best in Show winner for the most dynamic photo entered as well as two runnersup. The Best in Show winner will receive $400, with first runner-up and second runner-up receiving $300 and $250, respectively.

Contest winners will be announced Nov. 15 on Farm Bureau’s social media platforms and website, and celebrated at the AFBF Annual Convention in January 2014 in San Antonio.

For more information on how to register and to view the contest rules and regulations visit the Newsroom at www.fborg. Questions about the contest can be sent via email to photocontest@fb.org.

ArFB environmental specialist Evan Teague was guest speaker at an informational meeting about EPA CAFO inspections sponsored by Scott Co. FB. One hundred twenty poultry growers from Scott, Polk, and Montgomery counties attended to learn about Clean Water Act compliance for poultry farms.

auditorium, 1:30 p.m. the Arkansas Natural Resources • June 6, Harrison: North Commission in June has been Arkansas College, Durand Center, revised considerably since its Durand B, 6:30 p.m. publication in the last issue of Farm • June 6, Stuttgart: Phillips Bureau Press. The most up-to-date Community College, Grand Prairie schedule, with several additions, is Center, Salon B, 6:30 p.m. as follows: • June 6, Russellville: Location • June 3, Arkadelphia: Henderson and time TBA State University, Garrison Center • June 11, Fayetteville: Pauline Auditorium, 6:30 p.m.

Whitaker Animal Science Center, 3 • June 4, Fort Smith: Fort Smith p.m. & 5:30 p.m.

Convention Center, 6:30 p.m.

• June 12, Clinton: Annex Court • June 4, Pine Bluff: House Room, 3 p.m. & 5:30 p.m.

Family Church, 8 a.m. (water plan • June 13, Searcy: Carmichael presentation at 11 a.m.)

Community Center, 1 p.m.

• June 5, Little Rock: Arkansas • June 17, Jonesboro: Arkansas Game & Fish Commission State University Convocation Center, 6:30 p.m.

• June 18, Forrest City: East Arkansas Community College Fine Arts Center, 6:30 p.m.

• June 19, Heber Springs: Community Center, 5:30 p.m.

• June 20, Smackover: Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources, 6:30 p.m.

Jon Zawislak, extension bee specialist for UofA’s Division of AgriculUofA in top 100 ture, shows students how to use According to rankings just a smoker to manage bees. The released by QS, an information demonstration on April 24 was part service for institutions of higher of a “Beekeeping for Beegineducation, the University of ners” class at Little Rock’s Two Arkansas ranks in the top 100 Rivers Park, the first youth beekeepinstitutions in the world in its ing class offered by the Cooperative programs for agriculture and Extension Service. forestry. The University of California, Davis, ranked No. 1

van buren CO. FB photo

Pesticide collection program A program to gather outdated, unused or otherwise unwanted agricultural pesticides to keep them out of the environment has collected more than 1 million pounds of pesticides, according to the Abandoned Pesticide Advisory Board.

Reducing the risk of human and environmental exposure, plus having the chemicals properly disposed of at no cost to the farmers, “is a win-win-win for everyone,” said Ples Spradley, extension pesticide safety education specialist for UofA’s Division of Agriculture.

The ongoing program is funded by the agricultural pesticide industry.

Through the cooperative efforts among county judges, the Cooperative Extension Service, county Farm Bureaus, county Conservation Districts, the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, the Natural Resource Conservation Commission, state Plant Board and the agricultural pesticide industry, this program has now held collection events during the past seven years for all 75 counties in Arkansas.

“This would have cost farmers hundreds of thousands of dollars if they had contracted for removal

Van Buren Co. FB board member Bobby Brown and his wife Judy (right) assisted with a poison control safety exhibit for second-grade students attending the annual health fair at South Side Bee Branch school in Bee Branch..

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overall. UofA was No. 88 among agricultural universities worldwide.

Members of LeadAR Class 15, a two-year leadership program through UofA’s Division of Agriculture, posed in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square in March. The group, which included ArFB graphic designer/editorial coordinator Chris Wilson (kneeling, right), visited China for its international study trip. by private firms,” said Greene Co. extension agent Dave Freeze.

Beef and Forage Field Day An interactive tour of rotational grazing fields and a step-by-step how-to on tire tank watering systems are among the activities on tap June 24 at the Delta Beef and Forage Field Day at Arkansas State University. The field day runs 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the ASU Research Farm, 3000 Longhorn Drive in Jonesboro.

Dinner is included. There’s no cost to attend, but participants are asked to RSVP to ensure there’s enough food. Please RSVP by contacting Craighead County extension agent Brittany Carwell at 870-933-4565 or brcarwell@uaex.edu.

“For beef cattle ranchers who survived last year’s drought, this field day includes topics that will not only help them manage if drought returns, but also offer tactics that can help them reduce the cost of inputs,” said Carwell.

The agenda also includes presentations on stockpiling Bermudagrass, planting cool season annuals and how the EQIP program can help Arkansas ranchers.

The meeting is a presentation by the Craighead County Extension office in cooperation with Arkansas

State University Farms and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Elsewhere $10 million catfish purchase The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service has announced plans to purchase up to $10 million in frozen U.S. farm-raised catfish for federal food nutrition assistance programs, including charitable institutions.

“We are proud the USDA is choosing U.S. farm-raised catfish to provide nutritious and safe meals to Americans in need,” said Ben Pentecost, president of the Catfish Farmers of America. “The USDA’s purchase will provide a tremendous economic benefit to the U.S. catfish industry while encouraging domestic consumption. We look forward to working with the USDA as they begin the purchasing process.”

USDA’s Section 32 program allows the federal agency to purchase and donate meats, poultry, fruits, vegetables and fish to domestic nutrition programs for low-income Americans.

Editor Keith Sutton

keith.sutton@arfb.com

In the Market As of May 21, 2013  CORN planting went from way behind to near the five-year average with one week of good weather.

Forty three percent of the U.S. crop was planted last week as the total moved to 71 percent complete versus 28 percent the previous week. Iowa and Illinois planted 56 percent and 57 percent respectively last week. Others obviously made big jumps as well. Whether that is good or bad will depend on summer weather at pollination time. For now the market takes it as a good thing, with overnight trading sending corn lower. Old crop July has retracement objectives of $5.69 and $5.04. But for now, tight stocks and strong ethanol values likely will limit downside pressure and hold the market above $6. On the other hand, new crop December is testing support at the contract low of $5.11 and is in a technically weak situation, which could move the market toward long-term chart support at $4.50. $5.44 stands as strong resistance for any rebound.  SOYBEAN planting surged last week as well, with 18 percent of the crop completed to bring the total to 24 percent. This is still well below the norm of 42 percent, and widespread rain this week will likely keep planting at a minimum. But it is obvious that, given a brief window, producers can make significant progress in a hurry. While a very tight supply situation will limit downside for old crop futures, the recent surge that has carried the market to significant resistance around $14.75 to $14.85 may be ending. A wide trading range between $13.30 and $14.80 is likely to prevail for some time. New crop November has been moving in a very tight range between $12.30 and $11.90, with more significant resistance at $12.50. Prolonged planting due to weather could push the market toward the higher price

resistance, but longer-term increased acreage suggests a move toward $11.90 or lower. Long-term charts have support starting at $11.00.  The WHEAT rally failed as harvest nears. After breaking down trend resistance, it appeared July futures might test resistance at $7.40 or perhaps even higher at $7.52. That didn’t happen, as wheat couldn’t rally on its own and declined after rising to $7.35 on two separate days. From there, the easiest path was lower. A stronger dollar, coupled with strong export competition, has put the market on a path that will likely test support at the recent low of $6.65 or perhaps the contract low, which is a few cents lower.  COTTON has been challenged by polar extremes: huge stocks on one hand and a very slow pace of planting on the other. World stocks are projected near 85 million bales, with almost 70 percent being held

by China. That means only 27 million bales will be held by the rest of the world. Planting improved last week but still lags the norm by 13 percent. Rain will delay some areas still further. Technically, December is trading in a huge triangle with converging support and resistance.

Currently, resistance is around 87 cents and support around 84 cents.

A breakout to one side or the other is inevitable, as is further movement in the direction of the breakout.  RICE continues as a “tale of two markets.” The Asian market is dominated by huge supplies and a generally weak undertone, while the Western market, including

the U.S., has firm demand with tightening stocks and a U.S. crop that is back on target as far as planting goes. Arkansas is a little behind the norm, but everywhere else except Mississippi is in good shape. September futures are moving in a dollar trading range — $15.60 to $14.60 — which is expected to persist for the time being.  CATTLE futures have been under significant pressure in recent days, with many contracts hitting new life with contract lows. Higher placements in the monthly cattle on feed report resulted in weakness, especially in the deferred contracts.

However, buying interest has picked up this week on stronger cash fundamentals. Packer margins are back in the black and improving, and market-ready fed and feeder cattle supplies are more manageable at present. June live futures now have support at the new low of $118.70 and resistance between $121.40 and 121.45. August feeders have support at the contract low of $132.42 and resistance beginning at $147.77.  HOG futures charted a huge bearish reversal last week, but the market has not seen follow-through selling as a result. An outbreak of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) has been confirmed in Indiana, Iowa and Colorado. The disease, which poses no risk to humans or other animals, can have a high mortality rate in young pigs. This has traders expecting a smaller supply of market-ready pigs in the deferred months. June hogs have support at Friday’s low of $90.75 and then $90.

Contact •Gene Martin (501) 228-1330, gene.martin@arfb.com.

•Brandy Carroll (501) 228-1268, brandy.carroll@arfb.com.

•Bruce Tencleve (501) 228-1856, bruce.tencleve@arfb.com.

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