The Illinois Pollution Control Board decided a proposed CAFO rule isn’t necessary. page 4
Farm safety is no accident, according to farmers addressing an international safety meeting. page 5
Monday, June 29, 2015
American Agri-Women celebrate their 40th anniversary with a Drive Across America. page 8
Two sections Volume 43, No. 26
FAMILIAR FIELD SCENE
Hundreds rally to oppose proposed RFS rule A flooded cornfield just south of LaSalle depicts an all-too-familiar June scene in Illinois. The month, so far, ranks as the fifth wettest for the state. See more weather-related photos and stories on pages 3-4. (Photo by Cyndi Cook)
BY DEANA STROISCH FarmWeek
Periodicals: Time Valued
Illinois Farm Bureau joined more than 200 agricultural groups, ethanol supporters and elected officials last week voicing concerns about the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) volume requirements for 2014, 2015 and 2016. People trekked to EPA’s public hearing in Kansas City, Kan., by the busload. Opponents participated in a “Rally for Rural America” outside the Jack Reardon Center. Governors joined in, too, with Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad telling EPA: “Don’t mess with the RFS.”
Opponents hope EPA will again scrap proposed renewable fuel volume obligations (RVOs) that fall below federal mandates. “Congress set the standard. EPA must meet it. Without making excuses. Without rewriting the law. Because Henry County, Illinois depends on it,” said Wayne Anderson, an Illinois Farm Bureau board member. Illinois Corn Growers Association President Ken Hartman said he testified during a similar hearing 18 months ago. “Illinois farmers are still wondering:
“What are you thinking and where is the authority,” he said. “You have violated the intent of Congress and the RFS by protecting oil’s monopoly on the gasoline market by reducing the volume numbers of a fuel that is cheaper, cleaner and more valuable,” he said. “EPA is definitely picking a winner, siding with big oil as the winner over farmers and consumers.” The Clean Air Act requires EPA to set annual volume requirements for cellulosic biofuel, biomass-based diesel, advanced biofuel and total renewable fuels. “While Congress specifies volumes for each year, for all four categories of
fuel, Congress also provided the authority to EPA to change those volume requirements under certain conditions,” said EPA’s Christopher Grundler, who helped moderate the hearing. EPA released a proposal in 2013 to lower the renewable fuel mandate below congressional-approved targets. It was met with strong opposition and revised. EPA’s new proposal, released last month, still calls for lowering RVOs below federal mandates, but increasing them over time. EPA hopes to finalize the rule by November. Specifically, EPA’s proposal calls for
The next day, Rauner vetoed 19 separate budget bills. “The veto of the other 19 bills was anticipated. What the next several weeks will bring is uncharted,” Semlow said. “It does not appear an immediate government shutdown will occur,” Semlow continued. “However, there are questions how the state will continue to provide services past mid-July without a budget.” During the budget debate on education funding, many legislators asked if school districts would receive full funding, Semlow noted. During the current fiscal year, schools only received 87 percent of the appropriated funding due to a lack
of cash flow to the state, he added. “If the overall fiscal situation of the state does not change, will this prorating (of appropriated funds) continue in fiscal year 2016?” Semlow asked. “The lack of appropriations also brings into question how key agricultural programs, such as meat, poultry and egg inspections, grain warehouse oversight, environmental and fertilizer services, and other programs, will continue to operate,” Semlow said. The House will meet as a committee of the whole to discuss government operations on the final day of fiscal year; the Senate also is expected to meet Tuesday.
Rauner OKs education funding, vetoes rest of budget
BY KAY SHIPMAN FarmWeek
Illinois gained a new budget for early childhood, elementary and secondary education last week, but not the rest of state government as a new fiscal year starts Wednesday. Midweek, Gov. Bruce Rauner signed the General Assembly’s budget that increased funding for kindergarten through 12th grades by $244 million and funding for preschool by $25 million. The budget included $1.8 million for the ag education line item. “This action will allow schools to open in August with no delay,” said Kevin Semlow, Illinois Farm Bureau director of state legislation.
See RFS, page 10
Quick Takes
Senate OK’s Trade Promotion Authority
FarmWeek • Page 2 • Monday, June 29, 2015
RAUNER, STATE UNION SET 30-DAY EXTENSION — Gov. Bruce Rauner and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees’ (AFSCME) Council 31 late Thursday announced state employee contract negotiations would continue through July without a strike or lockout. The state’s contract with about 38,000 union employees expires Tuesday. Jason Barclay, Rauner’s general counsel, and Mike Newman, AFSCME Council 31 deputy director, issued a joint statement: “This agreement preserves all legal and contractual rights of the parties as of the contract expiration date. More importantly, it allows both sides to continue to negotiate during the month of July without the threat of disruption to important public services.”
IFB CAPTURES AFBF AWARDS — The Illinois Farm Families (IFF) program and Rita Frazer, RFD Radio Network® (RFDRN) director, earned communications awards recently from the American Farm Bureau Federation. The IFF program captured the Best Website award, while Frazer received the Best Audio Feature Story award for her profile on the Price family of Stark County. The story represented one in a series of RFDRN stories on Illinois centennial farms. AFBF gave the awards as part of its communications competition among state Farm Bureaus.
SHARE YOUR FELFIES WITH IFB — Want to communicate with fellow farmers and provide nonfarmers a glimpse of farm life? Share your felfies (farmer self-portraits) with Illinois Farm Bureau. Post your image on your Facebook page, add @ILFarmBureau and #FelfieFriday in your post.
ISA EARNS TRANSPORTATION AWARD — The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) received an award recently from the United States Maritime Administration for its efforts in helping lead inland waterway transportation innovation. The America’s Marine Highway Leadership Award recognizes ISA’s role in a collaborative effort to develop a new river freight service between Chicago and Minneapolis to New Orleans. This “container-on-vessel” initiative leverages the use of empty shipping containers on river barges to export agricultural commodities, including soybeans. ISA works on the container-on-vessel initiative alongside public and private stakeholders, including Inland Rivers, Ports & Terminals, Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative, St. Louis Port District, America’s Central Port at Granite City and Ingram Barge Company, all of whom were recognized during the award ceremony.
(ISSN0197-6680) Vol. 43 No. 26 June 29, 2015 Dedicated to improving the profitability of farming, and a higher quality of life for Illinois farmers. FarmWeek is produced by the Illinois Farm Bureau. FarmWeek is published each week, except the Mondays following Thanksgiving and Christmas, by the Illinois Agricultural Association, 1701 Towanda Avenue, P.O. Box 2901, Bloomington, IL 61701. Illinois Agricultural Association assumes no responsibility for statements by advertisers or for products or services advertised in FarmWeek. FarmWeek is published by the Illinois Agricultural Association for farm operator members. $3 from the individual membership fee of each of those members goes toward the production of FarmWeek. “Farm, Family, Food” is used under license of the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation.
Address subscription and advertising questions to FarmWeek, P.O. Box 2901, Bloomington, IL 61702-2901. Periodicals postage paid at Bloomington, Illinois, and at an additional mailing office. POSTMASTER: Send change of address notices on Form 3579 to FarmWeek, P.O. Box 2901, Bloomington, IL 61702-2901. Farm Bureau members should send change of addresses to their local county Farm Bureau. © 2015 Illinois Agricultural Association
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BY DEANA STROISCH FarmWeek
The Senate narrowly approved Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) last week, sending the socalled fast-track legislation to the president for his signature. A day later, the House approved Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA), which provides aid to workers, firms and farmers harmed by trade. Agricultural groups, including Illinois Farm Bureau, applauded the Senate’s approval of TPA. The House had previously approved the measure. “It sure wasn’t pretty, but we won, and our negotiators have the leverage they need to bring back the best possible deal for agriculture,” said Adam Nielsen, IFB’s national legislative director. “Our members spoke loudly and we’ll need to maintain that same level of grassroots intensity when a completed Trans Pacific Partnership lands before Congress.”
American Farm Bureau President Bob Stallman said the Senate’s approval “sends a strong signal to foreign governments that we mean business at the bargaining table, and are ready to complete new agreements that will break down trade barriers and open new markets from Asia to Europe.” “American farmers and ranchers lead the world in exporting food, fiber and energy products to customers near and far,” he said. “But if this success story is going to continue, we must expand access to new markets across the globe.” TPA would allow the president to negotiate trade deals without Congress changing them. Congress can still vote up or down on the deals, but can’t amend them. National Corn Growers Association president Chip Bowling called TPA’s passage a “huge victory for America’s corn farmers and the entire agriculture industry.”
GROWMARK chairman: Pass GMO bill BY DEANA STROISCH FarmWeek
John Reifsteck, chairman of the GROWMARK Inc. board, urged a House subcommittee recently to support legislation to develop uniform, voluntary labeling standards for genetically modified food. “Biotechnology provides substantial benefits to producers, to the environment and to consumers,” he said. “To reverse course now would wreak havoc among AmerJohn Reifsteck ica’s agriculture industry.” The Champaign County farmer testified before the House Energy & Environment subcommittee on behalf of GROWMARK, the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives and the Coalition for Safe and Affordable Food. Illinois Farm Bureau is a member of the coalition. He said farmers and co-op managers worry a “patchwork of biotech labeling laws” will be passed not only by states, but also by individual cities, counties and townships. “Food and agriculture companies, including cooperatives like GROWMARK, would have no choice but to comply with hundreds, even thousands, of varying, if not directly conflicting, labeling laws — a near impossible task.” He supports HR 1599, the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act as does IFB. The bill, introduced by Reps. Mike Pompeo, R-Kan., and G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., has 65 co-sponsors. If approved, the legislation would: • Ask food companies to notify FDA before marketing any new genetically modified food products. • Develop uniform volun-
tary labeling standards. • Pre-empt state and local food labeling mandates. • Establish a USDA certification program for nongenetically modified foods. Reifsteck also shared how biotech crops help his farming operation. “In the past, I have abandoned parts of fields riddled with insect damage or overcome by weeds. Harvesting
these fields would not just be an economic loss, but would present a real risk of physical harm to me and my farm employees. These are memories I won’t soon forget. They represent past challenges that biotechnology has helped me to overcome.” He said GROWMARK has provided biotechnology to producers since it was first introduced in the 1990s.
Anti-GMO activist changes stance on mandatory labeling As Congress considers a federal law to provide a national standard for labeling food, an environmentalist who helped start the antiGMO movement in Europe continues to publicly apologize for doing so. “Putting a GMO label on something does not convey any meaningful information,” said Mark Lynas, visiting fellow with Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. “There is no scientific basis for classifying all genetically modified crops as the same thing.” Lynas stunned the environmental community two years ago when he issued a public apology for donning hazardous material suits and helping destroy crop test plots in Britain that had been planted with seed enhanced through the use of biotechnology. He recently addressed an American Farm Bureau Federation conference, noting his own research changed his mind on GMOs. “This is a rich world, food secure preoccupation,” said Lynas. “It has been exported to places where people are food insecure. That’s the real moral challenge here. If you BY MIKE ORSO
oppose this technology, you could in fact be damaging people’s livelihoods in foreign countries.” Farm Bureau wants Congress to pass bipartisan, federal legislation, such as HR 1599, the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act. The proposal would create national GMO labeling uniformity and provide consistent information to consumers about “non-GMO,” “GMO” and “natural” food labels. GMO labeling advocates want the right to know if food contains products from biotech crops. Farm Bureau has taken the position that consumers’ right-to-know should be respected and not jeopardized or weakened by stateby-state mandatory labeling requirements that can potentially mislead consumers by suggesting some products are healthier or safer than others. Lynas believes more biotech crops with benefits consumers can see directly, such as biotech potatoes that don’t brown when sliced and have a reduced risk of containing carcinogens, may help curb concerns about GMOs.
Mike Orso serves as IFB director of news and communications.
Severe weather strikes again; crops, livestock suffer
Page 3 • Monday, June 29, 2015 • FarmWeek
BY DANIEL GRANT FarmWeek
Another round of severe weather, including a pair of tornadoes in northern Illinois, clobbered the state last week. The tornadoes, which touched down in parts of Grundy, LaSalle and Lee counties and surrounding areas, damaged homes, outbuildings, trees and downed power lines from Mendota and Ottawa to Coal City, Braidwood and Sublette, among other locations. Gov. Bruce Rauner last week declared Grundy and Lee counties state disaster areas. During a news conference in Coal City, Rauner projected federal disaster assistance appears unlikely, although state officials continue to assess storm damage and will know more later. “We had damage on our farm,” Jesse Faber, Pontiac ag teacher, said of his family’s farm southeast of Sublette in Lee County operated by his parents Randy and Kathy Faber. “A machine shed and
Randy Faber of Sublette and his sister, Donna Wallace of Rockford, remove parts of a machine shed destroyed on Faber’s farm by a tornado June 22. Tornadoes touched down in Grundy, Kankakee, LaSalle, Lee and Will counties. (Photo by Ken Kashian)
another small outbuilding were completely destroyed, we have a lot of downed trees and a rental home on the property
had some roof damage. “Fortunately, no people or livestock were hurt,” he continued. “We had 40 head of
claims director. COUNTRY has already paid out more than $14 million to cover claims filed as a result of storms and heavy rains that occurred in Illinois from June 1-22. Following Monday night
storms that left a path of destruction across much of northern Illinois, COUNTRY opened a mobile claims office in Coal City. Customers can also submit a claim by calling 1-866-COUNTRY or by visiting {countryfinancial.com}.
COUNTRY reports flood of storm claims COUNTRY Financial has received hundreds of auto and property claims as a result of Monday’s storms. “Most of the claims involve wind or tornado damage,” said Tom Tracey, COUNTRY property and material damage
Emergency maps lifesaver for farmers, first responders BY KAY SHIPMAN FarmWeek
Imagine firefighters racing to a farm emergency. Where’s the main power source, fuel and propane tanks? What about livestock and water sources? An emergency map showing locations and providing relevant details could save time when seconds count, according to Amy Rademaker, farm safety specialist with the Carle Center for Rural Health and Farm Safety in Urbana. “We’re trying to save farm lives and property, and also those of EMTs (emergency medical technicians) and firefighters,” Rademaker told FarmWeek after speaking last week to the International Society for Agricultural Safety and Health. Essentially, the map includes an aerial farm map denoting electrical breakers, Amy Rademaker fuel tanks, livestock and machinery locations, and other emergency information. The map is stored in a waterproof pipe (about the size of a flashlight and dubbed an Emergency Action Tube) and mounted on a farm meter pole. The map’s on-farm site, ideally in a central location and a power source, plays a key role, Rademaker explained. She noted sometimes individual firefighters drive directly to a site. Preferably, local firefighters visit individual farms and work with farmers to complete map information, Rademaker said. However, mem-
bers of farm and ag organizations, such as county Farm Bureau committees, FFA chapters, 4-H clubs and local commodity organizations, could compile information and complete maps. She recalled one Boy Scout made the emergency maps his Eagle Scout service project. Interested individuals may contact Rademaker at the Carle Center for Rural Health and Farm Safety at 217-326-8506 for information. to see an example Rademaker of an Emergency Action Tube. estimated a farm map interview takes about 10 minutes, and a computersavvy individual could complete a map in 15 minutes, depending on the complexity of a farm operation. Individual farmers determine how much information to put on a map, she added. In some cases, a firefighter may see a need for special details. Rademaker remembered firefighters wanting the distance from the road to different locations on the farm. They planned to use that information if they needed hoses, she explained. Since the Carle Center and Rademaker launched the emergency map project in 2003, about 100 east-central Illinois farms installed emergency maps. Rademaker recommended maps be revisited and updated every few years. “Every farmer I’ve met has been receptive,” Rademaker said. Asked if any of the maps was used for an emergency, she shook her head no and quickly added, “Thank goodness!”
beef cattle (in a facility just 30 feet from the demolished machine shed) that wasn’t touched at all.” Mark Wills, a farmer from Coal City (Grundy County), had one outbuilding completely destroyed and another damaged by a tornado along with the devastation of a number of blue spruce and ash trees. “It looks like we’re on the edge of the whole thing. We’ve got (debris) all over the place,” Wills said. “We’re in the process of cleaning up. We’re trying to get machinery out (of a damaged shed).” The severe storms also dumped large amounts of rain
on many parts of the state that created flash flooding due to previously saturated soils. “It’s been an incredibly wet month in Illinois,” Jim Angel, state climatologist with the Illinois State Water Survey, told the RFD Radio Network. “We’re already in the top five wettest Junes on record (as of the first of last week). I think we’ll probably come close or beat the alltime record.” Ron Moore, a FarmWeek Cropwatcher from Roseville (Warren County), reported 13 inches of rain on his farm this month, four times the normal amount. “We have dead beans and stunted corn in every field,” he said. “Even the cattle are suffering. I have treated several with foot rot because of the wet ground underfoot.” A large amount of bean acres remain unplanted, including a big chunk in northern Vermilion County, according to Chris Elliott, a farmer from Rankin. “I’ve still got 80 acres of beans left to plant,” Elliott said late last week after his farm missed some of the recent rain. “Things do look better. A couple days of sun made a big difference.” However, Elliott remains unsure how his yellow and uneven corn crop will respond the rest of the season. “There’s no way we’ll have top yields,” he added. “All we can hope for is average at best.” Kay Shipman contributed to this story.
Registration under way for IFB Commodities Conference
Illinois Farm Bureau members, staff and agriculture industry professionals can attend the 2015 Illinois Farm Bureau Commodities Conference July 29 at the Marriott Hotel and Conference Center in Normal. Titled “Farming: The Next Hundred Years,” the conference will feature two general sessions and multiple breakouts, which focus on farmland prices, the economic impact of agriculture, markets, weather, farm legacies, cover crops, precision farming and consumer trends. Mary Shelman, director of the Harvard Business School’s Agribusiness Program, will kick off the first general session, speaking about global economic and consumer trends. In addition to the conference, Illinois Farm Bureau will host a farmer-consumer dialogue reception from 6 to 8 p.m. July 28 at the Marriott. The reception will include an international buffet and moderated discussion between farmers, consumers and area civic leaders about food, farming and families. Those wishing to attend the conference may pre-register online through July 20 at {www.ilfb.org/commodities conference} or contact their county Farm Bureau. Registration is $35 per person and includes lunch. Registration the day of the event will begin at 7:30 a.m. at the Marriott. For more information or questions about the conference, please visit the website or contact Nicole Moore at nmoore@ ilfb.org.
Prevent plant acres expand
Uncertainty, anxiety flare up prior to USDA reports
FarmWeek • Page 4 • Monday, June 29, 2015
BY DANIEL GRANT FarmWeek
Many traders’ belief that “rain makes grain” possibly delayed concerns about crop production so far this year. But the latest round of pounding storms over much of the Midwest finally caught the market’s attention ahead of to sign up for the July 1 farmdoc grain price webinar.
this week’s key USDA acreage and quarterly grain stocks reports. USDA releases the two much-anticipated reports Tuesday (June 30). Crop prices rallied 22 cents per bushel for corn and 64 cents per bushel for beans in a seven-day stretch from June 17-24. “We’ve come from a time frame of little anxiety in the grain markets (due to expectations of more than ample supplies),” David Hightower, president of The Hightower Report, said last week during a
webinar hosted by the CME Group. “Now, there’s a massive amount of uncertainty (pertaining to crop stocks),” he continued. “That’s a clear signal of volatility.” The difference in the range of pre-report estimates of bean stocks totals about 175 million bushels. Traders also are quite uncertain about corn stocks estimates. The uncertainty stems from variability in crop production estimates as crop acres and yields become more questionable with each heavy downpour and damaging wind. COUNTRY Financial last week received 163 prevent plant claims and counting, more than 1,000 replant claims and nearly 600 hail damage claims. The number of prevent plant claims increased by about 100 from the previous week “as a result of continued excess moisture and the fact that farmers can’t get in (to fields) to plant,” said Brad Clow, COUNTRY Financial crop claims manager.
Corn in a field south of LaSalle suffers from rampant rainfall and ponding. COUNTRY Financial last week received 163 prevent plant claims with more expected, and more than 1,000 replant claims. (Photo by Cyndi Cook)
“Right now, it’s not even practical to attempt to plant corn,” he continued. “And it’s borderline for soybeans, which
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results in prevent plant (claims).” USDA in March estimated total planted acreage at 89.2 million acres of corn and 84.6 million acres of beans. But 10 percent of soybean acres still were unplanted nationwide as of last week, while a significant portion of corn acres were damaged or destroyed by storms or were underwater. “What’s in the ground? We don’t know,” Hightower said. “(Uncertainty about)
what comes up and what it yields also compounds the issue.” Soybean planting in Illinois last week was 91 percent complete, 5 percent behind the average pace. But soybean planting was just 68 percent and 77 percent complete in southwest and southeast Illinois, respectively. Meanwhile, the portion of the corn crop rated good to excellent statewide declined from 82 percent in mid-May to 70 percent last week.
Ag coalition successfully opposes duplicative state CAFO rule
The Illinois Pollution Control Board (IPCB) recently agreed with a state agriculture coalition that a proposed state requirement related to Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) was not necessary. Under the IPCB ruling, large livestock operations that do not currently have a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit do not have to submit identifying information to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA). The coalition, which included the Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Pork Producers Association, Illinois Beef Association and Illinois Milk Producers Association, stressed during the CAFO rulemaking the requirement was a burden to livestock farmers and duplicated other requirements, including the Livestock Management Facilities Act, according to Lauren Lurkins, IFB director of natural and environmental resources. Originally, IEPA included the requireLauren Lurkins ment in the agency’s initial proposal, but the agency later determined it was not necessary after both the federal and state environmental agencies changed their positions. While the ag coalition remained adamant the requirement was not needed, environmental groups resolutely insisted the requirement be implemented. IPCB ruled in the ag coalition’s favor. “This positive result was a long time coming, and it serves as evidence of how cooperation among the livestock groups and IFB can be very effective at producing good results for all our members,” Lurkins said.
Farm safety no accident, farmers tell ag safety experts
Page 5 • Monday, June 29, 2015 • FarmWeek
BY KAY SHIPMAN FarmWeek
A quartet of central Illinois farmers shared their farm safety practices last week with professionals attending the International Society for Agricultural Safety and Health conference in Normal. A few recommendations grew from experience. Chenoa farmer Brian Schaumburg, a FarmWeek CropWatcher, admitted he learned the importance of carrying his cellphone after his tractor caught fire. “If your cellphone is on the dash of a tractor and you jump out of a tractor that’s on fire, you’re not going back in after it,” Schaumburg said with a laugh. Likewise, Downs farmer Mark O’Rourke recently was reminded about the dangers of heat stroke after his wife became ill while working in their vegetable fields. “You need to make sure there are others around, a partner, in case of heat stroke,” he added. Arrowsmith farmer Pat Bane and Chenoa farmer Clayton Rosenberger provide safety training regularly on their farms. Bane ensures his eight employees, who speak Spanish, know the risks related to different areas of his birth-to-
Be prepared and stay safe
Four central Illinois farmers share their farm safety and health practices with medical, health and safety professionals at the International Society for Agricultural Safety and Health conference last week in Normal. Seated left to right are: Mark O’Rourke, Downs; Pat Bane, Arrowsmith; and Brian Schaumburg and Clayton Rosenberger, both of Chenoa. Peggy Romba, far left, Illinois Farm Bureau program manager, moderated the discussion. (Photo by Kay Shipman)
wean hog operation. His insurance company provides safety workbooks and posters in Spanish. Employees know the locations of fire extinguishers in each building. Bane also provides a stormsafe area in a double-wall room in one of the buildings. For Rosenberger’s seasonal employees, the grain farmer offers a breakfast safety meeting two weeks before harvest starts and covers main points, including locations of first aid kits. When fieldwork starts, each
NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT FOCUS
Nutrient management and the state Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy drew 150 farmers and others in the ag industry last week to the McLean County Fairgrounds, Bloomington. During the 10th of 11 meetings, representatives of Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Council on Best Management Practices and the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association discussed strategies to reduce nutrient losses. The meeting series, which occurred around Illinois, conclude Monday evening in Pittsfield. (Photo by Kay Shipman)
Sangamon County SWCD extends survey deadline The Sangamon County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) extended the deadline to submit surveys about the Lake Springfield watershed until Aug. 10. Through the survey, farmers, landowners and other interested parties provide views on a comprehensive plan for Lake Springfield and its entire water-
shed to improve water quality. To receive a survey, contact the county SWCD at 217-2416635, extension 3, or email michelle.seman@il.nacdnet.net or eric.golden@il.nacdnet.net. Mail completed surveys to the Sangamon County SWCD, 2623 Sunrise Drive, Suite 1, Springfield, Ill., 62703 by Aug. 10.
employee keeps a copy of a printed farm plat map attached to a clipboard. “If there is an emergency, they can give (first responders) road intersections,” Rosenberger added. In addition, Rosenberger worked with local emergency agencies to assign 911 location numbers for each uninhabited farmstead that he
farms around. Schaumburg added each employee receives formal safety training and then he reinforces those safety practices through constant repetition. “You want to teach good habits through repetition,” he said. “You’ve got to know it (safety) matters.” As for making their opera-
Four McLean County farmers offered the following farm safety tips: • Carry cellphones on your person for emergencies and quick evacuations. • Know heat stroke symptoms, work with partners and take necessary precautions. • Keep a fire extinguisher in every building. • Refresh safety procedures, and provide safety and operation training each year for seasonal employees. Sources: Pat Bane, Mark O’Rourke, Clayton Rosenberger, Brian Schaumburg tions even safer, Bane and Rosenberger said they encourage their employees to share suggestions. “I’m always looking for feedback from my employees. They’re a valuable asset,” Bane said.
FarmWeek • Page 6 • Monday, June 29, 2015 Brian Sisson, Belvidere, Boone County: Along the state line, we were spared the damaging wind and heavy rains yet again. Most of the area received 1 to 1.5 inches of rain spread out across three rain events. The overall corn crop continues to look good with the majority being about chest high. The soybean crop, however, could use some more sunshine and a drier weather pattern. After looking at the two-week extended forecast, we are fortunate that this year’s soybeans are shorter than normal with conditions for white mold starting to look more favorable. Hope everyone has a safe and fun Fourth of July. Pete Tekampe, Grayslake, Lake County: We received 1.4 inches of rain for the week. Early corn is looking good except in the clay and wet spots, which are deteriorating with every shower. The same is happening with the early planted beans, but the late beans need some sun and heat as they don’t seem to be growing at all. Not much hay has been baled, and the hay that is left is all twisted up. Winter wheat is changing color despite the lack of heat. Oats are all headed out and looking good. Unfortunately, rain is in the forecast three of the next seven days. No hay making weather. Leroy Getz, Savanna, Carroll County: Rain for the week of 2.4 inches at my place brings June’s total to 10.3 inches. Some areas received more than 6 inches last week. Very high winds and much flooding occurred. Fields are too soft to do any spraying, and hay won’t dry, so we are not mowing any at this time. All oat fields have been blown flat. It almost looks looks like a roller has gone over it. I don’t know what our next approach will be. I saw some early commercial potatoes being dug on the sand. Everybody’s morale would be a little higher if we could have some drier, sunny days. Ryan Frieders, Waterman, DeKalb County: It was another wet week here on the farm. Fieldwork has not resumed, and the weeds continue to get larger and larger. People have been trying to be productive by mowing road ditches, but even that is hazardous due to standing water and sinkholes. Fields have wet spots and are drown out where they have never been before. Crops are trying to grow, but are very uneven. Record yields are definitely not going to be the case when you assess all the damage. Larry Hummel, Dixon, Lee County: Back-to-back weeks of crazy weather. After last week’s excessive rains, another 4.5 inches of rain on Monday (June 22) was hard to believe. We ended up being the lucky ones. Four tornadoes just to the south of us laid a path of destruction. After seeing some of the damage firsthand and viewing tons of pictures, we can celebrate the fact that only one person was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. Corn handled the weather better than you would think. With the ground completely saturated, corn plants tipped over instead of breaking off. They should be able to right themselves well before pollination. I’m more concerned that the last half of the corn planted just can’t get enough oxygen and nitrogen to the roots due to saturated soil. Ken Reinhardt, Seaton, Mercer County: More heavy rains and storms. I had additional green snap on some corn Saturday night (June 20). A third tornado this season in northern Mercer and lower Rock Island counties occurred Monday evening (June 22). Crops are showing the effects of being waterlogged for too long. Uneven growth and yellowing are evident in many fields of corn and beans. There may be some corn tassels showing by the first of July in the earliest planted corn. Jacob Streitmatter, Princeville, Peoria County: Another wet week across the area. The corn crop is deteriorating very rapidly. Drown out spots and nitrogen loss will lead to a poor corn yield in this area. If it ever dries out, there will be a lot of soybean replanting in wet holes unless it becomes the middle of July. Then it’s too late.
Ron Moore, Roseville, Warren County: It is wet again. More than 3 inches of rain last week with some high winds and driving rain Thursday night. Crops are deteriorating more each week because of the excessive rains. We have dead beans and stunted corn in every field now. If it wasn’t so serious, it might be funny. We’ve received more than 13 inches of rain for the month of June and closing in on four times our normal rainfall. Even the cattle are suffering with so much rain. I have treated several with foot rot because of wet ground underfoot. Let’s hope things dry out soon. Tim Green, Wyoming, Stark County: It was an extremely wet week. Some are saying we are up to 11 inches of rain for the month of June so far, depending on where you live and how often the rain gauge is read. Corn and beans are both suffering. The cornfields really started going backwards this week. A lot of little, yellow corn. The later planted corn is taking it the hardest. A little bit of the big corn is starting to show some yellow on the side of the hills. People are trying to figure out what they can do about it, and most of the agronomists and people in the know are saying there isn’t a lot that can be done. Warm, dry weather would be the best. Diseases are starting to show up, and some are discussing replanting. It’s getting kind of late for that, but time will tell. Be safe. Mark Kerber, Chatsworth, Livingston County: More rain last week with some locally heavy downpours. Some beans got sprayed in the drier areas. Some are using airplanes to get herbicide applied. There is also some spreading of dry nitrogen over the top of corn that didn’t get nitrogen on earlier. Dry boxes on sprayers with narrow tires are performing this task. I’ve even heard of one farmer sowing soybeans from an airplane to get them planted. Some corn looks good and some really bad that was planted late on tight ground. Corn is yellow and stunted in the wet areas. Soybeans are growing, but are also turning yellow. Sweet corn is tasseling. Ron Haase, Gilman, Iroquois County: The rain continues. Our farms received a range of 2.8 to 3.1 inches last week. Crop conditions have continued to deteriorate due to the excessive rainfall and saturated soils. I saw many fields Thursday that would be classified as poor to very poor condition. Some fields have not been planted yet. The only activity in the field was walking soybeans. Weed control is a problem in many fields. Most area cornfields are near the V10 to V12 growth stage. Those plants at V10 are beginning a rapid, steady increase in nutrient and dry matter accumulation. At V12, the number of potential kernels per ear is being determined. Most soybean fields are in V4 growth stage with those planted early at the V6 up to the R2 or full bloom growth stage. Local closing prices for June 25 were nearby corn, $3.55; new-crop corn, $3.56; nearby soybeans, $9.97; new-crop soybeans, $9.40. Steve Ayers, Champaign, Champaign County: Water, water everywhere … continued. Battened down the hatches and watched the green, yellow, red and purple radar readings as Thursday night’s storm approached. We were awoken by the flash flood warning Thursday morning that dropped 2.6 inches of rain. Our neighbors to the east in Vermilion County have been hard hit by planting season rains that began with 3 inches April 20 and has been wet ever since. Thousands of acres in northern Vermilion County did not get planted, so hopefully, they will be able to get planted in early July. As of June 23, Vermilion County had 10.65 inches of rain compared to a 4.55 inch average; second wettest June since 1895. By the end of the month, I imagine 2015 will be the record. U of I Ag Economist John Newton said this week that 8.6 million acres of corn, and 19.3 million acres of soybeans nationwide, are at risk due to the excessive rain. That’s 10 percent of expected corn acres and 23 percent of soy acreage. Let’s be careful out there!
Brian Schaumburg, Chenoa, McLean County: Large deposits in the Weed Seed Bank will be made this year as post spraying is at a standstill with all the wet weather. Every time we get a chance to get in the field for replant or spraying, another rain system pushes through. Some reports of aerial herbicide applications. Corn is two leaves away from tassel, and if sweet corn is any indicator, we are in for some girthy ears. Rally hats on? Corn, $3.61, fall, $3.66; soybeans, $9.92, fall, $9.50; wheat, $4.92. Wilfred Dittmer, Quincy, Adams County: Seems like every week it is a report on how much rain we got in the gauge, and this week it picked up 3 1/2 inches. Some areas also received strong winds. Corn was blown down as were some tree limbs, but overall damage was light considering the activity upstairs. The overall lightning show was also quite interesting. Have a good week and watch the guy behind the guy in front of you as you travel. Carrie Winkelmann, Tallula, Menard County: It seems like every time I write a crop report this year I see a storm coming on radar and know my rainfall report is going to be off by the time you read it! Rain is the story this year, and in our area, we have been so much luckier than elsewhere in the state. Riding in the semi hauling soybeans and corn to Jacksonville and Havana, respectively this week, you get a different perspective looking over the cornfields. There are definitely some wet spots really showing up as problem areas in fields. The soybeans that didn’t get posted in the area have weed issues with the most noticeable one being volunteer corn, but there are bigger problems than that coming if farmers can’t get in to spray soon. Our rainfall for June is up to 7.05 inches with 1.9 of that coming in the last two days (and did I mention there is more on the way). Tom Ritter, Blue Mound, Macon County: The rains keep coming. The 1.5 inches midweek put us over the saturation point. We are now seeing ponding, especially in soybeans where it is more visible. The soybeans seem to be stressing a lot more than the corn due to the surplus moisture. We should be seeing tassels by the Fourth of July. Another concern seems to be the corn standability due to shallow root systems. Not much field activity, but many need to finish post application of herbicides on their soybeans. Todd Easton, Charleston, Coles County: A lot can happen in 12 hours, such as the 12 after last week’s report was submitted. Remnants of a tropical storm crossed over the area overflowing rain gauges with 3 to 6 inches of water. Ponding was bad but could have been worse, and it will be a while before any spots can be replanted. Corn has been growing so fast that it has treaded the water so far, and we may actually see some tassels by next week. Soybean fields are bearing the brunt of the damage with any low, saturated spots in the fields yellowing up. This is typically occurring on around half of any given field, and we can only hope the yield hit will be minimal, but time will tell. Wheat might be ready in a week if the promised rain to come misses us. Stay high and dry everyone! Doug Uphoff, Shelbyville, Shelby County: RAIN AND MORE RAIN. Approximately 6 inches all together between June 14 and June 26. Lots of toads, frogs and ducks are happy, I guess. We have been mowing between rains. Some hay still hasn’t been cut for the first time around here, and ours is about ready for second cutting. Corn has good color where there is no standing water, and some has wind damage. Beans look decent, but there is a lot of yellowing where fields are saturated. Some won’t make it and ponds definitely won’t be replanted. We have some beans by Assumption that we haven’t been able to spray for the second pass yet. There is even some corn that hasn’t been sprayed, and waterhemp looks a bit out of control in those fields. Please don’t drive through standing water if it’s across the road, especially when it is 1/4 mile of road underwater. I know of two motorists that were stranded west of Findlay. Be careful out there. Maybe a good time to buy a kayak and take up a new hobby.
Page 7 • Monday, June 29, 2015 • FarmWeek Jimmy Ayers, New City, Sangamon County: We have anywhere from 1.25 to 3.1 inches of rain in numerous rain events. It was wet all week. No activity that I know of in the area. Still some crop that needs to be sprayed — mainly beans. I am aware of two cornfields that began to tassel this week. It still has a dark green color. There is concern about nitrogen losses with all of the rain. Markets have responded somewhat to the more than abundant water supply. Still a lot of pockets of yellow, struggling beans, as well as corn. Be sure to slow down at intersections in the country due to the tall crop. It may be your own life you save. It rained nearly every day for the county fair. It had a good activity schedule and still had good attendance. David Schaal, St. Peter, Fayette County: What a wet June. Since last report, I received 2.5 inches of rain and most of that came on Friday afternoon (June 19). As this report was being made Thursday night, thunder, lightning and rain was on the radar again. The last two or three days, there has been some soybean spraying where field conditions have allowed. The farmers that have wheat are cutting it, but it’s not totally dry. I haven’t heard of any yields. It has been running at 56- to 58-pound test weight, but the big issue with wheat harvest is sprouting in the head. Elevators in the area are watching this pretty closely. Some reports are up to 18 percent damage. Low and bottom grounds are toast. Wet weather has driven commodity prices up some this week. Jeff Guilander, Jerseyville, Jersey County: When Monsanto announced a couple years ago they were developing hybrids to handle the “extremes” of weather, I did not think we would test them so soon. Heavy rain with high wind is followed by heat indexes well above 100 degrees. The ruts being left by sprayers are welcome given the alternative of not getting things sprayed at all. Some wheat has been cut, but I am not hearing anything positive. On a good note, some early Calhoun peaches are being picked with plans that the midseason varieties will be ready this week.
Dan Meinhart, Montrose, Jasper County: It has been a very wet and warm week. Heavy rains moved through the area Friday (June 19) and again Sunday night (June 21), bringing the rivers out of their banks and causing a lot of flooding in the river bottoms. No field activity took place until Tuesday and Wednesday when some wheat harvest began where ground conditions permitted until heavy rains came Thursday evening. Some wheat has sprout damage and some has been rejected at the elevator due to aflatoxin. A lot of fields are suffering extreme stress due to super-saturated soils. There are a lot of fields yet to be planted and replanted. Rain is in the forecast almost every day for the next week. Dave Hankammer, Millstadt, St. Clair County: The remnants of Tropical Storm Bill brought us rainfall totals of 6 inches or more, depending on where you live. Flash flooding occurred in many of the lowlying areas and streams. The Mississippi River has been running above flood stage levels, forcing river terminals to shut down grain deliveries. No planting activity occurred due to the wet conditions. Wheat harvest got underway as the crop dried out. Although field conditions were muddy, combines traveled across the ground with little difficulty. Yields have been good, but grain quality has been compromised by the rain. Grain test weight has been in the lower 50 pounds per bushel versus the standard 60. Some post-herbicide application occurred in some corn and soybean fields this week. These planned treatments have been a challenge due to the wet conditions farmers are facing. As I submitted this report Friday morning, storms were moving through the area leaving up to 1.8 inches of rain and some hail. This isn’t the type of weather a wheat farmer wants to see during harvest. Local grain bids are corn, $3.62; soybeans, $10.03; wheat, $4.65. Have a safe week.
Kevin Raber, Browns, Wabash County: Heavy rains during the past two weeks have left us with a lot of river and stream flooding. It looks like it will be replant time when the waters recede. The saturated soils are causing the beans to lose their color and take on a sickly green color. Wheat harvest has started. My quality is better than I expected, but with rain forecast before I can get done with harvest, quality could deteriorate quickly. Dean Shields, Murphysboro, Jackson County: After last week’s report, it rained 4 to 6 inches. The locks are down, so our internal water cannot get to the river. We have some flooding, but come Monday (June 29) we will have some wheat being harvested. The wheat growers I talked to said the yield was good and no disease. Some corn is shoulder high, and the beans are looking better. Randy Anderson, Galatia, Saline County: We finally had six days of dry weather after Bill moved through. We had some wind damage to some corn on my farm. The ground is so saturated that the low spots are dying from water ponding. The last beans I planted are struggling, too, but the weeds love it. It’s like a greenhouse with all the humidity. Some of my early corn will start to tassel by the end of the week. Found some gray leaf spot in the lower leaves of some cornfields. Ken Taake, Ullin, Pulaski County: I can hear it thundering in the distance as I called in this report Thursday evening. Last weekend (June 18-21) was wet. We received a little less than 3 inches at my house, but we were among the lucky ones. Some areas received up to 7 inches of rain. A lot of crop went underwater and some of it is going to have to be replanted. Temperatures last week were in the 90s. It certainly made it feel like summer. We managed to get back in the fields to spray soybeans on Wednesday. Wheat harvest in the area is progressing as rapidly as people can. They are concerned about the wet weather hurting the quality. Please have a safe week.
Tips for scouting corn rootworm larvae Reports received Friday morning. Expanded crop and weather information available at FarmWeekNow.com.
Both adult and lar val forms of corn rootworm can cause significant crop damage. Larvae feed on corn root hairs and roots, and develop through three instar phases before developing into adult beetles. Larvae rob th e p la n t o f valuable water and nutrient flow, and put Tim Laatsch the corn under yield-reducing physiological stress. Feeding sites on the plant are also a common pathway to infection by pathogenic diseases, which can further compromise stalk integrity later in the season. When to scout Female western and northern corn rootwor m beetles lay eg gs in the soil in late summer. The eggs overwinter and begin to hatch when sufficient soil growing degree days have accumulated t h r o u g h t h e s p r i n g. I o wa State University research suggests that 50 percent eg g hatch occurs between 684 BY TIM LAATSCH
and 767 accumulated degree days (a base soil temperature of 52°F). Rootworm hatch is often thought to coincide on the calendar with lightning bug activity, but this indicator is far less reliable than degree days. Peak hatch nor mally o c c u r s i n Ju n e a c r o s s o u r Midwest trade ter ritor y, so June marks the beginning of the period of time to actively scout for corn rootworms and evaluate their feeding damage. Where to scout Scouting lar vae can be labor intensive and costly, so we recommend targeting your s c o u t i n g a c t iv i t y t o t h o s e fields which are known to be at greatest risk for infestation. Higher risk fields include corn following corn rotations, fields with high populations of adult beetles the previous August (including previous year soybean fields for variants), weedy fields, hybrids
with single corn rootwor m traits, fields with a history of performance issues with either soil insecticides or traits or both. Because adult beetles are mobile, fields adjacent to these areas can also be at risk for rootworms. Aerial imagery collected by an unmanned aerial vehicle can be helpful for identifying field areas with root lodging f o r t a r g e t e d s c o u t i n g. B e aware that corn does not have to be obviously lodging to have serious root damage, so don’t be complacent based on good appearance as you could have a g rowing problem going undetected. How to scout Lar vae of both wester n and northern species are very difficult to tell apart. Both are slender white and small (1/2 inch or 13 mm) with a brown head and a dark tail plate. Dig one plant from each of several representative locations in the field.
Dig a 7-by-7-inch cube of soil sur rounding the roots and lift the entire plant and root mass out of the ground undisturbed. Gently break away the soil from the root system over black plastic and attempt to visually identify the white rootwor m lar vae against the black background. Larvae can be difficult to find by hand-sorting soil, and you may have better success immersing the roots and soil in a bucket of water and floating the larvae to the surface. Count the lar vae for each plant and average across all plants. Economic thresholds are two larvae per plant with the black plastic method or eight larvae with the wash and float method, according to Purdue University recommendations. If you find threshold numbers of larvae in higher risk fields, expand your sampling net to look at other fields. Unexpected rootworm activi-
ty on rootwor m-treated hybrids or with insecticides could signal a resistance issue. Please notify your field sales agronomist in those circumstances. Recurrent heavy rains in late May and early June have led to some ‘wet feet’ symptoms in our corn crop. The upside is that newly hatched rootworm larvae need oxyg e n t o s u r v ive. S a t u r a t e d soils during the hatch period can lead to significant larval mortality, which should lower population pressure and limit crop damage. This fact does not diminish the importance of timely scouting for rootworm larvae, but in the battle against corn rootworm, we’ll take all the help we can get! Tim Laatsch serves as GROWMARK’s insect and plant disease technical manager. His email address is tlaatsch@grow mark.com.
Drive Across America tour stops in Illinois
FarmWeek • Page 8 • Monday, June 29, 2015
Trip celebrates American Agri-Women’s 40 years, highlights role of women in agriculture BY DEANA STROISCH FarmWeek
American Agri-Women (AAW) leaders decided to drive across the country in a colorful pickup truck to promote agriculture and the role women play in it. They’re now more than 4,000 miles into their Drive Across America tour. And yes, they’ve noticed the looks. “I think people are a little surprised when they see women behind the wheel,” Doris Mold, AAW vice president, told FarmWeek. “They don’t expect that because the assumption is that women are more in the background. We’re truly trying to put women in the forefront where they deserve to be.” Mold and Sue McCrum, president, visited Illinois last week — the 15th state on their five-month tour. They
Park Ranger Robert Petruney gives members of American Agri-Women (AAW) and Illinois Agri-Women an overview of operations at the Starved Rock Lock & Dam in Utica. Illinois Agri-Women hosted Sue McCrum and Doris Mold of AAW, who are driving across the country to bring attention to American agriculture and women’s role in it. Illinois represented the 15th state on the five-month tour. (Photo by Cyndi Cook)
met with members of Illinois Agri-Women and visited the Starved Rock Lock & Dam in Utica. The idea of a cross-coun-
try trip began as a way for McCrum and Mold to visit with members and affiliates. AAW has more than 40,000 members and 50 state, com-
modity and agribusiness affiliates across the country. It grew into much more. The trip, which coincides with the organization’s 40th anniversary, will include a “Planting Our Future” challenge to develop a new program or activity related to the anniversary. Other AAW leaders will also participate in the driving tour. The trip began June 3 in Maine. It will end there in November. By the time they reached Illinois, McCrum and Mold had already seen the gambit: equine race tracks, orchards, greenhouses, fruit and vegetable operations, corn and beans, dairy cattle, sheep and tobacco. And they met all sorts of interesting people. “We live in such an amazing country,” Mold said. “I get almost a little teary eyed. You just admire the work ethic. There’s differences across the country, but there’s so many similarities with those of us who work in agriculture.” Mold and her family live on a dairy farm in Wisconsin. McCrum and her family farm potatoes and small grains in Maine. McCrum and her husband
Tuesday: • FarmWeek: “The Early Word” • Chuck Spencer, GROWMARK, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives conference • Mike Doherty, Illinois Farm Bureau senior economist and policy analyst: potential impact of Greece debt crisis Wednesday: • Nicole Mandeville, Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs: Illinois Hires Heroes consortium • Dr. Jim Lowe and Dr. Mark Ernst, University of Illinois Col-
planted their 42nd crop this year. Early on, she didn’t consider herself a farmer. She worked outside of the home, but co-signed on farm loans and spent her vacations during planting and harvest to help on the farm. It took time before she realized: “It’s not the brawn that makes the farm; it’s the brain. “Good marketing decisions and the books, many of them have been kept over the years by the farm wife,” McCrum said. “And I think we’re just stepping forward and recognizing our role in agriculture after all these years.” Mold serves on an expert panel convened by USDA to study the role of women in agriculture. She said people are just now paying attention to women in agriculture, but they’ve been involved since the beginning. “Sometimes, it’s us women who aren’t stepping up and saying ‘I’m farming. I’m actively involved in that operation,’” Mold said. “I think, too, people don’t always look at keeping the books and running for parts, and keeping meals on the table and feeding calves ... . They don’t always look at that as farming if you’re not out there doing the manual labor all the time. That is as much farming as anything else.” In addition to highlighting women’s role in agriculture, McCrum said they hope the driving tour helps counter activists who base their food stories on emotion instead of science. “By us sharing the sciencebased facts and putting the face with where your food is grown is going to do a lot for agriculture,” she said. to find the latest stop on the American Agri-Women’s Drive Across America.
lege of Veterinary Medicine: Illinois State Fair partnership Thursday: • Matt Jungmann, Farm Progress Companies: Farm Progress Show expansion • Frank Butterfield, Landmarks Illinois: endangered Illinois landmarks Friday: • Mark DePue, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library: Fourth of July • Lori Culler, AgHires: job growth in the ag industry • Peter Liebhold, Smithsonian: agriculture exhibit update • Don Guinnip, Illinois Soybean Association: sustainability
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UREAU — CPR training, 9:30 a.m. July 11 at Henry and Stark County Health Department in Kewanee. Certification will not be provided. Call 875-6468 to register by July 8. • Nauvoo trip, leaving 6 a.m. July 30. Tour of historic sites and homes in Old Nauvoo and Baxter’s Vineyards. Cost is $75. Call 875-6468 for reservations by July 14. HAMPAIGN — Foundation Pull 4 Agriculture, 8 a.m. July 11 at Olde Barn Sporting Clays in Oakland. Shooters must bring their own gun and ammunition. Cost is $60. Shotgun raffle, need not be present to win. Only 300 tickets will be sold. Call 352-5235 for more information. Register on site or prior to the event. Visit {ccfarm bureau.com} for more information. OOK — Discounted Home Run Inn Pizza gift cards available. Cost is $20 for a $25 card, and $8 for a $10 card. Call 708-354-3276 to purchase gift cards. OUGLAS — Kiddie tractor pull. Registration 5 p.m. July 9 at MoultrieDouglas Fairgrounds in Arthur. Cost is $1. Pull begins at 5:30 and will be held rain or shine. Call 253-4442 for more information. FFINGHAM — Member appreciation picnic, 6 to 9 p.m. July 19 at Evergreen Hollow Park in Effingham co-sponsored by COUNTRY Financial and South Central FS Inc. Quick and Bradley will perform; free swimming, 7 to 9 p.m. at Kluthe Pool. A drawing will be held for preregistered members that attend. Call the Farm Bureau office at 342-2103 by July 10 for reservations. ULTON — Women’s Committee “I Shopped the Sheriff Grocery Cart Race,” 10 a.m. June 29 at Lewistown County Market. Event is held in recognition of National Hunger Awareness Month. Jeff Standard, Fulton County sheriff, and Mark Pedigo, Fulton FS, will compete. Food collected will benefit the Lewistown Association of Churches Food Pantry. ANCOCK — 8th Hancock County Residue Management Conference, 7:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. July 14 at Sullivan & Son Auction and Events Center, Carthage. Sessions and farmer panels focus on residue management, nutrient management and soil health. No cost to attend; noon meal provided. EE — Commemorative plat books available at the Farm Bureau office. Cost is $35 or $100 for three. Call 857-3531 for more information.
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ARSHALL-PUTNAM — Young Leaders “Crops for College” scholarship tractor drive, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 12 leaving from the Marshall-Putnam Fairgrounds, Henry. Tractors will travel through Henry and Whitefield Townships. Cost is $35. Proceeds will benefit the “Crops for College” scholarship fund. Call 364-2501 or email mpfb@mchsi.com for more information. ERCER — Young Leaders pedal tractor pull, July 8 at Mercer County Fairgrounds in pavilion by main gate for children 12 and under. Registration begins at noon; pull begins at 1 p.m. Tractors are provided. Fair admission and pull are free. Call 582-5116 for more information. OULTRIE — Kiddie tractor pull. Registration at 5 p.m. July 9 at Moultrie-Douglas Fairgrounds in Arthur. Cost is $1. Pull begins at 5:30 and will be held rain or shine. Call 253-4442 for more information. EORIA — Members may place Michigan blueberry orders by visiting {peoriacounty farmbureau.org} or the Farm Bureau office. Order deadline is 5 p.m. July 9. Pickup will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 16. IKE — Grain Belt Express landowner meeting, 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Farm Bureau auditorium. William Shay, attorney representing landowners associated with Landowners Alliance of Central Illinois, will speak. OCK ISLAND — Market outlook meeting, 6:15 p.m. July 9 at Lavender Crest Winery, Colona. Andy Shissler, Roach Ag Marketing, and Mike Schaver, Gold Star FS, will speak. Cost is $25 if preregistered. Call 736-7432 to register by July 1. COTT — Grain Belt Express landowner meeting, 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Pike County Farm Bureau in Pittsfield. William Shay, attorney representing landowners associated with Landowners Alliance of Central Illinois, will speak. TARK — CPR training for family and friends, 9:30 a.m. July 11 at the Henry and Stark County Health Department in Kewanee. Training is free. Participants will receive a “CPR Anytime Kit.” Call 286-7481 to register by July 8. Training is sponsored by Bureau, Henry and Stark County Farm Bureaus. HITE — Young Leader pistol shoot, 8:30 a.m. July 18 at Carmi Rifle Club. Event will include Speed Steel and Display of Marksmanship. Cost is $25 per shooter if registered by
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Wednesday; $35 after. Visit {whitecfb.com/pistolshoot. html} for more information. Proceeds will benefit the Young Leader Collegiate Scholarship. HITESIDE — Tractor drive for Ag in the Classroom (AITC), 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 17 leaving from Whiteside County Fairgrounds in Morrison. Early bird registration is $35 through July 24. Proceeds will benefit Whiteside’s AITC program. To register, visit whitesidecfb.org or call 7722165. ILL — Young Farmers Golf for Ag Education, noon July 31 at Cinder Ridge Golf Course in Wilmington. Cost is $100 per golfer if registered by July 10 and $125 after. Cost for dinner only is $30. Call 727-4811 for event details and to register by July 24. Proceeds will benefit Will County Ag Education.
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EXCHANGING AGRIBUSINESS INSIGHT
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“From the counties” items are submitted by county Farm Bureau managers. If you have an event or activity that is open to all members, contact your county Farm Bureau manager.
Ken Colbert, co-owner of Windy City Winery, shows Cook County governmental officials and staff members wine processing equipment during Cook County Farm Bureau’s annual Staff Exchange Program. One of three licensed Chicago wineries, the business serves as the parent company of Little City Vineyards, which assists families who are interested in installing their own boutique vineyards. Sixteen participants also toured Tyson Food’s Chicago Hospitality plant. Since 2012, 91 officials and their staff have participated in the program aimed at connecting individuals to farm businesses in the county. (Photo by Bona Heinsohn, Cook County Farm Bureau governmental affairs and public relations director)
FarmWeek • Page 10 • Monday, June 29, 2015
Sloppy harvest: Rain wreaks havoc on wheat, hay crops BY DANIEL GRANT FarmWeek
Wheat farmers know that, as the crop ripens, it will deteriorate the longer it stands in rainsoaked fields. A number of growers, therefore, kicked off harvest the
past week to 10 days in less than ideal conditions with the hope of saving a pretty good crop at many locations. Wheat harvest, as of the first of last week, was 3 percent complete statewide, 26 percent behind the average pace.
“Ground conditions are wet, but we have to harvest the crop as soon as possible,” Steve Stallman, Illinois Farm Bureau District 16 director from Chester (Randolph County), said on his cellphone from the cab of his combine last week. “The more
Marketing — it’s always risk versus reward
Finding the balance between risk and reward at any given price level is the biggest challenge in building an effective marketing program for any crop in any given year. There are no hard rules or guidelines. The fundamental structure of the grain markets constantly evolves with new information assimilated into the structure daily/weekly/ monthly. Even then, the fundamentals primarily dictate an average price for a marketing year, one that changes with the new information assimilated into the knowledge base. Amid that, emotional attitudes regarding fundamentals and prices cause prices to overshoot and undershoot reality in the shorter-term time window. That is why it is important at any given time to understand where prices are within their broad price range as well as where they are relative BY DALE DURCHHOLZ
to key price cycles. That helps guide when it’s appropriate to take on more risk or to reward the market more willingly. For example, at $6 or more for corn, one should expect to be a more active seller, while at $4 or less, one should be willing to take on more risk. The Continuous Commodity Index, a broad index of commodity prices like the Standard & Poor’s 500 index, is a catalog of stock prices with all the earmarks of having posted a three-year low in March. It needs a close over the last two interim highs at 441 and 439 to confirm its trend is turning up out of the three-year low. Individual commodities don’t necessarily follow the road commodity index step for step. But grain prices, like energy, tend to have a reasonably strong correlation. The grains (check the June 22 FarmWeek charts) posted what looks like key cycle lows last fall, although
confirmation is still lacking. Corn had a 5 ½-year low, soybeans a three-year low, with wheat having a nineyear low. The performance subsequent to the rallies out of those lows looks like a correction of the rally on all three. It’s important to recognize that all three are still trading at the lower end of their “modern” historical ranges. Clearly, the situation would suggest higher prices are more likely than lower ones. That implies you should be willing to assume more risk and be more patient marketing grain. Still, barring a 2012-like drought, you shouldn’t expect sharply higher prices anytime soon. But $4.50 to $5 corn, $11 to $12 soybeans and $6 to $7 wheat are not beyond the scope of reality. Dale L. Durchholz serves as an AgriVisor senior market analyst. His email address is ddurchholz@ agrivisor.com.
it rains, it will further deteriorate the crop.” Stallman, as of the middle of last week, harvested two wheat fields with mixed results. He had to put his combine in fourwheel drive to get through some of the slickest spots. “In the first field, yields were good (close to 75 bushels per acre), it had decent test weights and vomitoxin was low,” he said. “The second field had lower test weights and more vomitoxin. There’s going to be some dockage.” Many growers tried to protect the wheat crop this year with fungicide applications after an outbreak of Fusarium head blight created major quality issues and price docks last year. But timing was an issue for some. “This year, vomitoxin will be the big worry on everybody’s minds,” Stallman said. “Timing is critical for fungicide applications. A lot of days (this spring) it was rainy, too wet or too windy so a lot of wheat wasn’t sprayed at the proper time or sprayed at all.” Stallman also noticed a difference in vomitoxin levels on his farm based on the variety of wheat. “It seems variety selection makes as much or more of a difference (than fungicide applications),” he said. “We’re going to have to weed out the varieties that are more susceptible (to scab).” Leon McClerren, a wheat farmer from Thompsonville and president of the Franklin
County Farm Bureau, recently started wheat harvest and said it’s yielding “surprisingly well” so far. “The quality of the crop seems to be good right now,” he said. “In our area, we’re not as wet as other areas of southern Illinois. The fields are carrying us pretty good.” Other wheat farmers, though, have issues with muddy conditions. “I talked to one grower who could only cut (wheat) going downhill,” McClerren said. “He couldn’t get (the combine) uphill without sliding sideways.” Wheat conditions the past month deteriorated from 10 percent to 18 percent poor to very poor. “From here on out, any harvest delay will have a direct correlation on the quality of this crop,” McClerren said. “With the weather forecast (still wet), farmers are better off to get it in the bin.” Quality and the timing of harvest also are major issues for those attempting to bale alfalfa hay. The first cutting of alfalfa was 84 percent complete last week (6 percent behind the average pace), while just 3 percent of the second cutting was complete (15 percent behind the average pace). “The first-crop hay that has not yet been cut is way past maturity,” said Leroy Getz, a FarmWeek Cropwatcher from Savanna (Carroll County).
Hog report indicates long-term industry growth BY CHRIS ANDERSON FarmWeek
Hog price margins, breeding herd numbers and weight breakdowns all point to a return to a long-term industry growth rate prior to losses caused by porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV). USDA’s quarterly hogs and pigs report released Friday estimated hog and pig inventories at 66.9 million head as of June 1, up 9 percent from a year ago and up slightly from March. Illinois’ hog inventory increased 7 percent from a year ago to 4.6 million head. The market hog inventory of 61 million head increased 9 percent compared to last year, while the pig
RFS
blending 16.3 billion gallons of renewable fuels to gasoline or diesel this year and 17.4 billion gallons in 2016. EPA said its reproposed 2014 requirements match levels that were actually produced and used as transportation Continued from page 1
crop of 29.6 million head increased 8 percent from a year ago. Average pigs saved per litter jumped to a record 10.37 for the March-May period compared to 9.78 last year. The breeding inventory increased 1 percent from last year to 5.93 million head. During a Pork Checkoff-sponsored teleconference, panelists agreed with most of the numbers except farrowing intentions. Producers said they intend to decrease June-August farrowings to 2.91 million sows, a decrease of 3 percent from a year ago. “I thought farrowing intentions would be even with a year ago. Pro-
fuel, heating oil or jet fuel. “We think there’s room for a much steeper trajectory for the RVOs and we urge you to find it,” said Adam Nielsen, IFB’s director of national legislation and policy development. Nielsen said EPA has “tak-
‘The breakeven summerto-fall price is $64.’ — John Nalivka Sterling Marketing president
ducer margins have been at $20 to $30 per head during March through May,” said John Nalivka, president of Oregon-based Sterling Marketing. “The breakeven summer-to-fall price is $64. It’s been in the low- to mid-$70s. That would not suggest a 3 percent decrease in farrowings.”
en the teeth out of the RFS.” “By redefining inadequate supply, you have made it up as you’ve gone along and in doing so, thumbed your nose at congressional intent and rendered the law meaningless,” he said. John Caupert, executive
Jim Robb, director of Coloradobased Livestock Marketing Information Center, agreed that farrowing intentions don’t seem to align with margins and breeding herd numbers. “Weight breakdowns are fairly accurate from year to year percentage-wise. We are front-loaded for the next few months,” said Robb. “We are back on track for longterm, pre-PEDV, historical growth patterns.” Market hogs weighing under 50 pounds totaled 19.4 million, up 7 percent from a year ago; 50 to 119 pounds, 17.2 million, up 9 percent; 120 to 179 pounds, 12.8 million, up 11 percent; and more than 180 pounds, 11.5 million, up 13 percent.
director of the National Corn to Ethanol Research Center, said EPA’s proposed rule created uncertainty, resulting in the postponement of millions of dollars worth of contractual biofuels research projects. “If the proposed levels are
finalized, the result will be financially devastating to many sectors of the U.S. economy,” he said. “Why? Because with this level of RVOs, investment in research, development and commercialization won’t be postponed or slowed down. It will stop.”
Corn Strategy
Mother Nature can be a cruel mistress
At the start of the growing season, the trade was comfortable with its prognosis of big acres, big yields, big crops, and as a result, the persistence of more than adequate supplies of grains. The USDA World Crop Board projected larger newcrop ending stocks for wheat, feed grains and soybeans in its May 12 supply/demand report. The minor concern for the Southern Plains wheat crop quickly dissipated with the more abundant rains that started in late April. In short, big crops were all but guaranteed. But as the trade has learned during the last six to eight weeks, there is too much of a good thing — in this case, rain. May was the wettest month on record for the continental U.S., even with persistent dryness in the far west. And June is shaping up to be an equally wet month. During the last week, we’ve heard more than a few bring out possible comparisons to 1993. With corn, there’s not a lot of uncertainty regarding acres because planting mostly went well until recently. Still, some acres may have been lost in the South. But the persistent wetness, and its various implications, is pushing yield expectations lower. We’d guess many might be uncomfortable talking a national yield much higher than 164 to 165 bushels. With soybeans, it’s a case of both acreage and uncertainty. As of June 21, there was still 8 to 8.5 million acres to plant, much of it double crop. The final crop insurance planting dates are in the rearview mirror, allowing producers to now designate acres as prevent plant, although the shift may not
accelerate for another week. How much might be lost is a “moving target,” but at a minimum, we think 1.5 to 3 million acres will go unplanted, and maybe more. The first good check will be USDA Farm Service Agency’s preliminary acreage report in mid-August. For wheat, it’s a matter of how many acres could be abandoned, how the wetness/lodging might impact yield and what the quality might be. It’s well known that Mother Nature has not been kind to us, but she has also not been kind to the crops around the world, other than maybe those in Brazil. The potential impact the El Nino might have on Australia’s wheat crop to be harvested later this year has been well documented. But during the last month, there’s been indications crops in Canada, Europe, India, China and maybe Russia might be less than stellar, too. Dryness has been an ongoing problem in Canada’s western prairies, potentially affecting hard red spring wheat and canola output. This past week, various analysts started reducing their European wheat expectations because of heat. Argentine wheat area is expected to fall short of early expectations because of dry conditions at planting. India is said to have contracted wheat for import, the biggest deals in more than a decade. And there’s talk China’s wheat imports could hit 3 million metric tons after weather impacted their crop. For the first time, the International Grains Council has started to trim production and stocks for the coming year. Stay tuned. If we’ve learned one thing during the last month, this year’s crops are far from “in the bin,” and the trade is just coming to grips with that. As Yankee great Yogi Berra said, “It ain’t over till it’s over.”
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ü2014 crop: Basis has weakened with the higher futures prices stimulating producer sales. We had been suggesting getting basis locked up. Prices may have a temporary break, but the picture increasingly points to higher levels yet. We prefer to hold off sales, but if you are uncomfortable holding to summer’s end, this is an opportunity to make needed sales. ü2015 crop: The recent surge has validated the longterm technical outlook pointing to higher prices. Continue to hold off sales. vFundamentals: The weather continues to deteriorate the condition of the crop across much of the Corn Belt. Yield expectations are finally edging lower, albeit they are still at historically good levels. There’s some talk of 1993, but we don’t believe the crop has deteriorated that much yet. Producers have significant bushels yet to sell. But end users may be even more behind in hedging their needs against increasing upside price risk. That should moderate price weakness during the next few weeks.
Page 11 • Monday, June 29, 2015 • FarmWeek Cents per bu.
Soybean Strategy
ü2014 crop: Even though we expect to see higher levels yet, this is an opportunity to pare risk a little. Get sales up to 75 percent now. With the bigger picture turning, we still want to own some crop into late summer. ü2015 crop: The weather/planting difficulties are having the most impact on soybean prices. Technical features fit with fundamental changes pointing to better prices to come. Still, current strength can be used for making sales if you want. vFundamentals: The weather during the last month has created an uncertain environment for both acreage and yield. Even though the June 30 report will give us an acreage “update,” the persistent wetness will increase the amount of the unplanted area (8 million acres) that will be declared prevent plant. The trade is talking about increasing disease and weed pressure with the persistence of wet conditions. Old-crop export sales remain good, albeit seasonally
slow. New-crop export sales are lagging, but the changing price sentiment should stimulate business on price weakness.
Wheat Strategy
ü2014 crop: Use this surge to wrap up 2014 crop sales if you already haven’t. ü2015 crop: For those with the ability to store wheat on the farm, we prefer to hold bushels for expected price strength later in the summer. For others, use this rally to price a portion of what you are comfortable selling. vFundamentals: Harvest results are helping guide the trade. But the shifting world
picture has lifted prices to, or above, highs that occurred this winter. Yield has been better than expected in the early going. Quality concerns will persist as long as wet weather remains an issue. Some sprouting and head scab have been observed. Producers are going to harvest a good crop, so usage needs to pick up, exports in particular. Export sales are not off to a strong start for 2015-16. Competition from Russia and Europe is a head wind. With milling demand a constant, the U.S. will need to move more wheat to the world market to sustain price strength.
FarmWeek • Page 12 • Monday, June 29, 2015
Effective trade negotiations not secret, just private The foes of free trade have a new favorite line of attack: They’re against secrecy. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, condemns the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) as a “secret trade deal.” AFL-CIO boss Richard Trumka complains that TPP has been “devised in secret.” It sounds so sinister. Yet JOHN RIGOLIZZO nothing could be more ordinary. As with any negotiation, the talks surrounding TPP have not been “secret,” so much as “private.” And that’s exactly the way they should be — even though WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange last week offered $100,000 for a copy of the draft agreement. If you’ve ever bought a house, you’ve probably engaged in a confidential negotiation. Perhaps you told a real estate agent about how much you’re willing to pay or whether the owner must fix
that leaky roof before you sign a contract. Maybe you want the house so much you’re willing to fix the roof on your own later. It would make no sense to let the seller read a transcript of this private conversation. Surely the critics of TPP know this. When Sen. Warren meets with her staff about a bill they’re writing, do they conduct “secret” negotiations? Or do they merely have a private talk about what to put in, what to leave out and where she’s willing to compromise? So until Sen. Warren starts to broadcast her staff meetings on C-SPAN, none of us should take seriously her denunciations of a “secret”
trade deal whose details are still not finalized. The same goes for Trumka. Is he willing to let reporters or the general public join him at his next labor negotiation when he sits across the table from management? I have some experience with labor talks. As a volunteer board member of the Camden County Mosquito Extermination Commission, I help negotiate salaries, benefits and working conditions for our employees. These can require months of difficult bartering. Making them public as they occurred might make it impossible ever to reach an agreement.
I’ve also joined U.S. trade delegations to Geneva for conversations at the World Trade Organization. Several years ago, we met with representatives from Central America and India to discuss reforms to agricultural trade. The stakes were high, both then and now, and they’re complicated by all kinds of factors, including language and culture. The only way to have an honest conversation is to know that nobody is eavesdropping. TPP is an intricate proposal that involves the United States and 11 other countries. The goal is to make it easier to buy and sell goods and services across borders. The Peterson Institute for International Economics has estimated TPP could boost U.S. exports by $124 billion per year. TPP enjoys the strong support of President Obama. Several Republican presidential candidates have said they support it as well in an example of the bipartisanship that our country sorely needs. Talks began a decade ago, but only now is the end in
sight. If these negotiations had been televised or if draft documents had been released along the way, nothing would have gotten done. Participants would have performed for the cameras rather than engaging in a serious give-and-take that serves the public interest. That’s why TPP must remain “secret,” at least for now. Our trade diplomats are still working on it. When they’re done, the text of the deal will see the light of day. Everyone will have time to read it over and join a vigorous debate about whether the United States should accept the agreement. I’m hopeful about TPP. Yet I’m also happy to withhold final judgment until the appropriate time when what’s private becomes public. Then there will be no secrets, and we’ll all have our say. John Rigolizzo Jr. is a fifth-generation farmer, raising fresh vegetables and field corn in southern New Jersey. He serves as a volunteer board member of Truth About Trade & Technology.
Drones: Next step in precision ag, improved sustainability
Once a science fiction dream and then used extensively for military surveillance and warfare, small unmanned aerial systems — commonly known as drones — are moving rapidly into daily business and consumer use, and are poised to become powerful tools for farmers. Drones could revolutionize precision agriculture and ROBERT enable farmers to GIBLIN enhance yields and production, while profoundly contributing to reduced environmental impacts. The benefits are not confined to crop fields. Drones can be used by ranchers to observe grazing patterns, monitor predators or find animals stranded in inclement weather. Similarly, environmental managers are already using
Veteran suggests labeling change
drones to observe wildlife habitat, including endangered bird species. Some of the most significant benefits of drones, however, may come through increased precision and contributions to sustainability. Precision agriculture has revolutionized American farming by allowing farmers to maximize yields while reducing water, fertilizer and pesticide use. Drones are the next step in this evolution. Farmers are eager to embrace drones, not only to reduce costs and increase yields, but also to help meet targets for sustainability and reduce environmental impact. A study conducted by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International concluded that among different types of businesses that will use drones, the commercial agriculture market is “by far the largest segment, dwarfing all others.” From 2015-25, drone integration is
expected to contribute $75.6 billion in economic impact by agriculture, compared to $3.2 billion by public safety and $3.2 billion by other activities. Another study conducted by GRA Inc. in cooperation with Booz Allen Hamilton estimates that annual crop savings from using drones could reach more than $200 million by 2035. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently approved the first exemption of current rules to allow use of drones over crops for the purposes of spraying water, fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. But the rules are still very strict. The exemption only allows drones to be flown in visual line-of-sight during daylight hours at a maximum altitude of 400 feet, and requires FAA-certified pilot training for the user along with another person acting as a spotter. It also must be used under the direction, supervision and control of the manu-
facturer, which means that for now, drones can’t be purchased and used by most custom applicators or farmers. American agriculture trails other countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Australia and Japan in using drones, in part because of prohibitive regulations. American farmers and ranchers need performance-based standards so they can use drones themselves, round-the-clock, beyond visual line-of-site and with other low-risk rules. Technology is advancing rapidly, and the regulatory structure needs to advance as well. Farmers and ranchers need access to secure technology to unlock the potential for drones to improve precision, productivity and sustainability. Robert Giblin writes, speaks and consults about agricultural and food industry issues, policies and trends.
Letter to the editor Letter writing policy
Editor: I am in agreement with Paul Honnold on the labeling of locally produced products as Homegrown By Heroes. I served four years in the military in the late 1960s, and that wasn’t a good time when we returned home. Most of us don’t consider ourselves heroes, so we won’t use that logo. I also think Homegrown By A Veteran would be better accepted by veterans. I have honey Produced By God and Processed By A Veteran. Most of the heroes either didn’t come home, or came home with wounds or memories that are difficult to heal. To all veterans, thank you for serving. RICH RAMSEY Rochester
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