Indiana AgriNews_032020

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March 20, 2020

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Farmer health bill advances Insurance plan gets approval in House and Senate

By James Henry

AGRINEWS PUBLICATIONS

INDIANAPOLIS — Hoosiers who don’t have access to employer-sponsored health coverage and must purchase their own may soon have a new option.

The state General Assembly, which concluded it non-budget-

Corn prices fall in USDA crop report

year short session on March 12, passed legislation that if signed

by Gov. Eric Holcomb will enable Indiana Farm Bureau to provide an underwritten health benefit plan to its members.

“This is a good day for Indiana agriculture,” said INFB President Randy Kron.

The bill, Senate Enrolled Act 184, garnered unanimous 49-0 approval in the Senate on Feb. 4, followed by similarly positive 94-2 support in the House on March 3; and then, as amendments and changes were considered, a final vote of 47-1 back in

THE PROBLEM Farmers across the Midwest are facing tight profit margins and rising healthcare costs. And that means some hold off getting medical treatment or forgo health insurance altogether.

“Anything we can do to help them and bring some relief is important,” Kron said.

That is why state Rep. Bob Cherry, R-Greenfield, supported the legislation.

“The high cost of health care is driving some farmers to continue working without benefits or to leave the industry in search

the Senate on March 11.

But Kron stressed people should not judge the process by those lopsided numbers and think this has been easy.

It has taken a lot of work by INFB staff and members who shared their personal stories with lawmakers in hallways and committee hearings at the Statehouse, as well as in their local communities across Indiana.

“INFB’s grassroots was noticed by many at the Statehouse and made a huge difference,” Kron said.

GIVE THE GIFT OF BLUE

Keeping food on the move No disruptions so far in supply chain

By Tom C. Doran

AGRINEWS PUBLICATIONS

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s projected season-average corn and soybean prices were lowered by a nickel each despite no changes in the anticipated ending stocks in the March 10 supply and demand estimates report.

Here are the report’s highlights.

By James Henry

AGRINEWS PUBLICATIONS

Soybeans: The domestic season average price is projected at $8.70 per bushel, down 5 cents from the February estimate. Why?

See PRICES, Page A4

INSIDE

March 27 deadline for EQIP sign-up A2 Don’t fear eating fruits and veggies B4 Preparing for ASF amid COVID-19 concerns B7 AgriTrucker B6

From The Barns A8

Auction Calendar B1

Lifestyle B4

Business C5

Livestock B7

Classifieds C2 Farms For Sale C1

Opinion B3 Science C8 Weather A6

Vol. 42 No. 25

CONTACT AGRINEWS: 800-426-9438

See HEALTH, Page A4

COVID-19 UPDATE

Soybeans down a nickel in supply, demand estimates

n With soybean crush and exports projected at 2.1 billion bushels and 1.8 billion bushels, respectively, ending stocks remain at 425 million bushels, down 484 million from last year’s record. n Global soybean production was increased by 2.4 million tons to 341.8 million, mainly on a 1-million-ton increase for both Argentina, to 54 million and Brazil, to 126 million.

Argentina’s larger crop is due to overall favorable conditions in higher-yielding central and northwestern farming areas. n With higher South American production and lower use, global soybean stocks were increased by 3.6 million tons to 102.4 million. n Another notable oilseed change includes a 1-million-ton reduction for palm oil production, mainly in Malaysia and Colombia, leading to a 19% year-over-year decline in global vegetable oil stocks.

of other opportunities with coverage. Access to quality affordable health care is critical in a physically demanding job like farming,” Cherry said.

“Working in the agriculture industry for many years, I know how physically demanding the job can be and how crucial it is to have healthcare benefits for your family.”

Known legally as “health benefit plans,” the new policies would vary in cost and coverage options.

Allison Burns, a member of the North Miami FFA Chapter, is presented with her official FFA jacket by Tess Seibel, 2019-2020 National FFA eastern region vice president. Burns became a part of FFA history as she received her FFA jacket because it was the 10,000th FFA jacket donated through the Give the Gift of Blue program.

10,000 JACKETS FFA donations reach milestone

By Ashley Langreck

AGRINEWS PUBLICATIONS

DENVER, Ind. — Although its only her first year in FFA, Allison Burns, a sophomore at North Miami Middle/High School and a member of the school’s FFA chapter, has already become a part of FFA history.

Burns recently received her official blue corduroy FFA jacket through the Give the

Gift of Blue program, and it happened to be the 10,000th jacket the program donated since it began in 2014.

The Give the Gift of Blue was started to provide funding for FFA members who otherwise might not have been able to own a blue FFA jacket of their own.

Burns was nominated to receive her FFA jacket by her FFA chapter adviser Jim Wildermuth.

Wildermuth said that after some members of the community bought FFA jackets for all the freshman FFA members of the chapter in honor of a fam-

ily member, since Burns was a sophomore, he decided to fill out an application through the Give the Gift of Blue program on her behalf.

However, when he filled the application out one random Saturday while he was working in the agriculture classrooms at the school, he had no idea that Burns and the North Miami FFA Chapter would be part of the 10,000th jacket donated through the Give the Gift of Blue program and part of a special presentation during the 2020 National FFA Week.

See JACKETS, Page A4

WOMEN CHANGING THE FACE OF AGRICULTURE

By Martha Blum

AGRINEWS PUBLICATIONS

DECATUR, Ill. — All young people can find a way to positively move the message of agriculture forward.

“Every one of your voices can make an impact,” said Michelle Miller, a social media influencer that many know as the Farm Babe.

“As we move forward with technology our messages can go so much further,” said Miller during a presentation at the Women Changing the Face of

Agriculture event or ganized by the Illinois Agri-Women.

“With a click of a button, we have an opt ion to reach millions of peoMiller ple for free and easily through the rise of social media.”

An inf luencer on social media is an extension of advertising, she explained during the event held at Richland Community College.

“Online influencers have a trusted fan base,” she said.

See FOOD, Page A4

Extension cancels events

“I reach 3 million people per month, so think about the power of what you can do to help raise awareness and education in agriculture.”

Building a fan base is like establishing your own little community, Miller said.

“People will feel connected and part of a tribe,” she said.

Although Miller said she doesn’t have the following of someone like the Kardashians, she has had posts reach 8 million to 12 million people.

“Think about what would happen if everyone in this room did something along those lines,” she said.

WEST LAFAYET TE, Ind. — Purdue University President Mitch Daniels and Provost Jay Akridge announced the university’s response to COVID-19, which includes moving to online classes for a period of time and guidelines for events.

The following guidelines apply to all Extension events throughout Indiana: n All face-to-face events are canceled or postponed through April 6. n All events with more than 50 attendees are canceled or postponed through May 2. n The decision to resume face-to-face events with less than 50 attendees will be made by March 30. If it is decided to resume face-toface events with less than 50 attendees, events would start on April 6.

See MESSAGE, Page A3

See EVENTS, Page A4

Farm Babe’s ag message a hot topic Reaches millions on social media

WASHINGTON — The coronavirus is spurring panicked shoppers to stock up on food, toilet paper, bottled water and cleaning products as they pr epa r e to hunker down in the midst of the growing pandemic.

National C a t t l e m e n ’s Beef Association CEO Colin Woodall Woodall said the agricultural industry is taking COVID-19 — which President Donald Trump on March 13 declared a national emergency — extremely seriously.

“Not only is it an issue that we have seen in the markets and the financial impact on cattle producers across the country, but it’s also looking at the overall beef supply chain. There are a lot of things that we can do to make sure that we are coordinating and talking to all segments of the chain, and that’s where we have spent our time, talking to the packers, the processors, the retailers to make sure that we keep beef moving,” Woodall said.

“We all need to understand that we need to keep beef moving throughout the chain in order to make sure that this market situation is not any worse than it currently is.”

So far, Woodall stressed, that has been working.

A2 Friday, March 20, 2020

| INDIANA AGRINEWS | www.agrinews-pubs.com

March 27 deadline for EQIP applications Funds to improve natural resources

By Ashley Langreck

AGRINEWS PUBLICATIONS

INDIANAPOLIS — Hoosier producers wa nting to improve natural resources and implement conservation practices on their land should apply for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program through the U.S. Department

of Agriculture’s Natural Resou rces Conser vation Ser vice.

All Indiana EQIP applications are due on March 27.

Jerry Roach, the assistant state conservationist for programs with Indiana NRCS, said that although NRCS accepts EQIP applications year-round, ones that are turned in after the March 27 deadline will not be considered for the current round of funding that is available.

“We take applications thr- prove soil health, water and air oughout the year because there quality and establish wildlife is potential for more funding,” habitat.

Roach said.

Roach said Indiana received $19.1 million in funding that VOLUNTARY PROGRAM landowners can apply for to Through the help of EQIP, address conservation issues on which is a voluntary conserva- their property. tion program open for agriculApplicants that apply for tural producers, NRCS is able funding are typically interested to help provide financial and in using the funding to address technical assistance to install soil erosion and water quality isand implement conservation sues on their property, but fundpractices that will help reduce ing also can be used for pasture soil erosion and sediment, im- and grazing land, confined live-

sorb water faster and deeper.

Once it infiltrates the ground, it reduces soil and water tension, allowing soils to absorb and retain water and nutrients 3 to 5 times faster.

It also relieves capillary pressure in the soil to allow soil respiration to occur. This puts more water at the root zone and increases nutrient uptake to the plants, all while utilizing less water and inputs.

H2OExcel is safe for use on all crops, turf and vegetation in all geographical areas and will not harm plants, animals or humans. When mixed with water, H2OExcel can be applied as a spray or soil-drench and can be safely blended with fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides.

Ashley Langreck can be reached at 800-426-9438, ext. 192, or alangreck@ agrinews-pubs.com. Follow her on Twitter at: @AgNews_ Langreck.

We Have You Covered

H2OExcel seed treatment boosts emergence, growth O’FALLON, Ill. — Utilizing Brookside Agra’s natural water conservation agent and soil amendment H2OE xcel as a seed treatment in spring can boost overall crop emergence, quality and growth rate, according to soil microbiologist Ben Elliott of Insight Bio Ag LLC. Elliott has worked in the chemical formulating and research fields for the past 10 years, providing consultation services both nationally and internationally.

He specializes in intensive management for growers adopting new practices based on biological aspects of decision making, data management and systems integration.

“Using H2OExcel as a seed treatment, the point at which you can get the earliest activity of the chemistry, can help crops emerge more quickly and evenly,” Elliott said.

“In early applications, at emergence, H2OExcel has been proven to support the early development of plants at a critical stage where photosynthesis has not yet fully started within the plants.”

According to Elliott, using H2OExcel as a seed treatment sets the stage for native microbes in the soil to begin coming out of dormancy earlier than normal.

Even though the plants have yet to begin photos y nt hesi s, u si ng H2OExcel as a seed treatment can help build up the amount of total available nutrients within the root zone so a plant can load up quickly when those processes begin.

The recommended use rate for all crops is 4 ounces of H2OExcel per 100 weight of seed.

H2OExcel is a proprietary blend of desert plant extracts and high-quality, humic acid-containing biologicals and other natural, non-plant derived nutrient enhancers.

Research-proven H2OExcel enables soils to ab-

stock operations, organic producers, drainage water management, invasive plant control and wildlife habitat improvement.

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Brookside Agra is a global, fifth-generation, family-owned business based in O’Fallon, Illinois, that manufactures and distributes a variety of research-proven, natural products for specialty feeds; animal health and production; agriculture; and commercial, industrial and environmental use.

Brookside also offers agronomy services, which include crop nutrient recommendations, soil sampling, water and fertilizer analysis, and precision mapping. For more information, visit www.brookside-agra.com.

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www.agrinews-pubs.com | INDIANA AGRINEWS | Friday, March 20, 2020

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WOMEN CHANGING THE FACE OF AGRICULTURE

Women come Full Circle WCFA initiative assists with career discovery process

By Martha Blum

AGRINEWS PUBLICATIONS

DECATUR, Ill. — Haley Pfaffe has participated in the Women Changing the Face of Agriculture event several times, including the first one held in 2010.

As a junior at A-C Central High School, Pfaffe attended the WCFA event organized by the Illinois Agri-Women because she saw it as an opportunity to figure out her future plans.

“I grew up in a small town and I was very involved in FFA,” she recalled. “Science has always been a part of my background since my dad is a chemistry and physics teacher, so it was something I wanted to do.”

However, since Pfaffe didn’t grow up on a farm, she didn’t think there was a spot for her in agriculture because she didn’t have those experiences growing up.

“I went to the Pioneer booth because my grandpa sold Pioneer seed and I recognized that symbol,” she explained. “I thought that was a safe place.”

At the booth, one of the Pioneer representatives talked about her job that included working in the field and collecting data.

“She mentioned that she didn’t grow up on a farm and her college degree was in psychology,” Pfaffe said. “I thought I should be able to make this work too so we talked a little more and she became a mentor for me and helped me get some internships with Pioneer.”

A f t er g r a du at i n g f r om Western Illinois University with a bachelor’s degree in agronomy and from the University of Illinois with a master’s degree, Pfaffe worked at Monsanto for several months before a position became available at Pioneer’s Macomb Research Center.

“My job with Monsanto was

At the first Women Changing the Face of Agriculture event in 2010, Haley Pfaffe met a lady working at Pioneer that became her mentor. This year, Pfaffe AGRINEWS PHOTOS/MARTHA BLUM together with nine additional Corteva employees talked with students about Kelsey Litchfield shows her banner that she received for the Full Circle Initiatheir job responsibilities during the career fair portion of the event. tive of the Women Changing the Face of Agriculture event. more lab focused and I really want to be outside,” Pfaffe said. “This job with Pioneer and now Corteva has allowed me to be outside.”

As the senior research associate, Pfaffe works on corn research and is part of the predictive agriculture group.

“We test up and coming technologies to help our research group,” she said. “We’re working with drones, robots and developing apps to help our research happen quicker and get products out to growers in a more timely manner.”

Pfaffe finds great value in the WCFA event and is one of several young ladies who is part of the Full Circle Initiative that was started for the 10th anniversary of WCFA to highlight participants that have used contacts from WCFA and Illinois Agri-Women to find jobs in agriculture.

“Finding that mentor at the Pioneer booth was huge and that’s why I’m such an advocate for it now as a professional coming back,” Pfaffe said at the

event held this year at Richland Community College. “I want to see Corteva have a presence every year because I find such value in it.”

Last year, Pfaffe was the only representative from Corteva in the career fair portion of WCFA. “This year, I pursued with the company early on to get a grant to sponsor WCFA, so this year Corteva is a gold level sponsor,” she said. “I brought along nine other women from the company and we had two booth spaces, so we’re on a good trajectory now and I hope this continues.”

KELSEY LITCHFIELD Kelsey Litchfield is also a Full Circle member who attended WCFA during her senior year of high school in 2013.

“It was at Southern Illinois University that year and I had already decided I was going to U of I to study ag communications,” she recalled.

“I went to WCFA knowing I wanted to learn more because

you can go into any field with ag communications, so I wanted to get more specific on what I wanted to do,” she said.

WCFA helped Litchfield learn about the vast number of opportunities available in the agricultural industry.

“I remember thinking that I’ve made a really good choice to be in agriculture,” she said.

Litchfield graduated from the U of I with a degree in agricultural communications in 2017.

As a U of I student, she was a member of Illini ACT and assisted with WCFA during the years it was held in UrbanaChampaign.

“We did social media for the event and photography, which was a really great opportunity,” she said. “I thank IAW for allowing ACT members get that hands-on experience that we’re always looking for outside of the classroom.”

This year, Litchfield served as a liaison between the WCFA planning committee and the ACT chapter.

“I really applaud the Illinois Agri-Women for evolving this event year after year to stay relevant to what’s going on in the ag industry and putting a face to the amazing work some of these women are doing,” she stressed.

Currently, Litchfield is the marketing manager for the Galesburg Area Chamber of Commerce. In addition she owns her own business, Kelsey Litchfield Creative.

“I do digital marketing, social media and website design for small business owners,” she explained. “I have also worked with Colleen Callahan’s consulting business and she was the one that got me started with my own business.”

For more information about the Illinois Agri-Women, go to www.illinoisagriwomen.org.

Martha Blum can be reached at 815-223-2558, ext. 117, or marthablum@agrinews-pubs. com. Follow her on Twitter at: @AgNews_Blum.

Hands-on lesson “One of the best things Animal sciences about animal sciences program offers research experience is we can prepare you to

By Martha Blum

AGRINEWS PUBLICATIONS

DECATUR, Ill. — The animal sciences program at the University of Illinois is a good fit for students who are interested in studying veterinary medicine.

“Animal sciences not only teaches you biology, chemistry and physics, but it also helps prepare you for the animal handling part of becoming a veterinarian,” said Katelyn Jones-Hamlow, undergraduate recruiting coordinator and adviser at the U of I, Department of Animal Sciences in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.

“Animal sciences is a hands-on curriculum,” said Jones-Hamlow during a presentation at the Women Changing the Face of Agriculture event organized by the Illinois Agri-Women and held at Richland Community College.

The Department of Animal Sciences includes undergraduate and graduate programs.

“U of I is the only place in Illinois that you can become a veterinarian,” Jones-Hamlow said. “But before that you must have a bachelor’s degree.”

Although the U of I is a large university, Jones-Hamlow said, animal sciences students get to know one another.

“One of the cool things about

MESSAGE FROM PAGE ONE

Miller has found the Social Media Bluebook is a very helpful website source.

“Whatever platforms you use, you enter the information and the website tells you what you’re worth,” she said.

Influencers can develop a media kit to provide to companies that may be interested in a partnership.

“A media kit is like a résumé for influencers to talk about what we do, how many followers you have and your demographics,” Miller said.

Miller partnered with the

become a veterinarian and simultaneously prepare you to become other things like a nutritionist or to work in reproduction.”

Katelyn Jones-Hamlow, undergraduate recruiting coordinator U OF I DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL SCIENCES

animal sciences is the average freshman class has 125 students,” the university adviser said. “The average graduating class size is 150 students because we gain 25 to 30 transfer students.”

The animal sciences program is unique, Jones-Hamlow said, because the university is a tier 1 research institution.

“We do a lot of research and our students spend a lot of time working in labs,” she said.

U of I students have the opportunity to study in other countries.

“If you have the desire to study somewhere we have 17 course options that will give you an animal experience,” Jones-Hamlow said. “You have the ability to spend a whole semester abroad.”

Many organizations are available to U of I students.

“We have two student clubs that train service dogs so you Idaho Potato Commission.

“This post had over 1,700 likes and it was me talking about potato storage,” she said.

“Sometimes in agriculture we take for granted our knowledge because the average person doesn’t know what a combine is or what a soybean field looks like,” she said.

“So, when you’re introducing the simplest thing like potato storage people find it really interesting and want to connect you to as young agriculturists.”

While working with the potato commission, Miller ate French fries right out of the field.

“They harvested, cut and fried the potatoes right there and they were the best French fries I’d ever had,” she said.

AGRINEWS PHOTO/MARTHA BLUM

Katelyn Jones-Hamlow (left) instructs students on the proper techniques for administering intramuscular and subcutaneous shots with the use of oranges and dextrose colored with food dye. This workshop was one of many offered to students during the Women Changing the Face of Agriculture event held at Richland Community College. can learn to be a service dog trainer,” Jones-Hamlow said.

“You are the dog’s handler and it lives with you.”

“One of the best things about animal sciences is we can prepare you to become a veterinarian and simultaneously prepare you to become other things like a nutritionist or to work in reproduction,” said Jones-Hamlow, who teaches two classes at the university. “If you don’t get into vet school, you are still prepared to do something that has an animal in it.”

During the session, WCFA participants had the opportunity to practice administering subcutaneous and intramuscular shots by injecting dextrose into oranges.

“Intramuscular injections are given at a 90-degree angle into the muscle,” Jones-Hamlow said.

“This is for medications that we want to be long lasting because it takes some time for the blood steam to get the medication out of the muscle and through the body.”

This type of injection is used

for antibiotics and vaccinations.

“It is a really great way of delaying how long you get the medication to allow you immune system to ramp up,” Jones-Harlow explained.

A subcutaneous injection is given at a 45-degree angle right under the skin.

“It is opposite of intramuscular, it is for drugs that we want to be fast acting,” Jones-Hamlow said.

For more information about the Illinois Agri-Women, go to www.illinoisagriwomen.org.

In addition to partnering with brands, influencers can also monetize their work by selling affiliate links or banner ads on their websites.

“There are some companies that will pay you commission per click,” she said. “And you can get sponsorship if you do a podcast.”

Sometimes little things that people do on farms everyday can have a significant impact with social media. This was the case when Miller posted on her Facebook page the day Joe was turned out to pasture, and it was viewed almost 50,000 times.

“My boyfriend, Doug, is a sixth-generation farmer and I came from a city background, so

the first time I saw him turn a 2,200-pound bull out to pasture and he rolled around and kicked his feet up, I thought it was the coolest thing,” she said. “Doug looked at me like I was crazy because he’s worked with cattle his whole life.

“When you create personal stories to get people excited and interested in agriculture, little things can really make a difference,” she said.

Miller has traveled to Auburn University to learn about the science and research that goes into producing chicken and last month she was in Ecuador to tour one of South America’s largest shrimp farms.

“We’re in an industry that’s so productive, forward thinking

and tech savvy that it is really neat to share these stories and see it in person,” she said.

To start advocating, Miller advised the students to choose a name that is catchy, memorable and simple.

“Comment as your page instead of using your personal name, so your handle is uniform across all platforms,” she said.

In addition, Miller told the students to be authentic.

“Stay true to what makes you unique,” she said. “Hot topics and humor are always popular.”

For more information about the Farm Babe, go to www.thefarmbabe.com.

Martha Blum

A4 Friday, March 20, 2020

PRICES FROM PAGE ONE

Corn: USDA lowered the season-average price received by producers by 5 cents to $3.80 per bushel, based on observed prices to date. Why? n This month’s 2019-2020 U.S. corn supply and use outlook was unchanged relative to last month. n Major global trade changes for 2019-2020 included higher projected corn exports for Ukraine, South Africa and the European Union. n For 2018-2019, Brazil’s exports for the marketing year ending February 2020 were lowered based on smaller-than-expected late-season shipments.

Partly offsetting is an increase for Argentina. n Corn imports for 20192020 were increased for Canada and Peru but lowered for the Philippines. China’s sorghum imports were raised reflecting recent purchases from the U.S. n Foreign corn ending stocks were hiked, as increases for South Africa, Canada and Russia more than offset a decline for Argentina. Global corn ending stocks of 297.3 million tons are up 0.5 million from last month’s estimate.

Wheat: The supply-and-demand outlook left the average price unchanged from last month at $4.55 per bushel. Why? n Output was raised on higher production forecasts for India and Argentina more than offsetting reductions for Turkey and Australia. India’s production was increased by 1.4 million tons to a record 103.6 million, mainly on an updated government production estimate. n World exports were increased by 0.8 million tons to 183.6 million as higher exports by Russia and Argentina more than offset reductions for Canada and Australia. Russia’s exports were increased by 1 million tons to 35 million, primarily on higher projected imports

by Turkey as Russia is its leading supplier. n Turkey’s wheat imports were raised by 2 million tons to a record-large 10.5 million on higher consumption, reduced production and government policies to import additional quantities duty-free to stabilize domestic prices. Turkey’s wheat imports have been rising for the last decade and the country is now projected to be the third-largest importer for 2019-2020 behind Egypt and Indonesia. n Wheat imports are also higher for Bangladesh as they increased to a record 6.5 million tons on a robust pace. n Global consumption was raised by 0.7 million tons as increases for Turkey, Bangladesh and Canada more than offset reductions for the EU, Iraq and Lebanon. n Global ending stocks are projected lower this month but remain record large for the 2019-2020 crop year at 287.1 million tons with China comprising 52% of the total.

| INDIANA AGRINEWS | www.agrinews-pubs.com

WASDE ANALYSIS

Trade ponders USDA projections on exports

By Tom C. Doran

AGRINEWS PUBLICATIONS

MINNEAPOLIS — While the March 11 U.S. Department of Agriculture’s supply and demand estimates report was “benign” to the market, there were some underlying numbers the trade is focusing on going forward.

“I don’t know if we’ll find a report that’s going to have as little direction for the market as what we saw today,” Brian Hoops, Midwest Marketing Solutions president, said in a Minneapolis Grain Exchangehosted teleconference.

The report kept 2019-2020 corn ending stocks unchanged at 1.892 billion bushels, above the trade’s anticipated 1.888 billion bushels, soybeans at 425 million bushels, below the trade’s expected 435 million bushels, and wheat stocks at 940 million bushels, below the trade’s projected 944 million.

How do these numbers stack up year-over-year?

“The wheat and soybean numbers are down considerably from levels a year ago. The corn is also down from last year.

So, we did have a production shortfall in corn and soybeans last year due to the increased amount of prevent plant and lower yields and not so much as far as our longer term exports.”

Were there any significant changes on the world crop balance sheets?

“The USDA did make some changes on the world ending stocks and production numbers that are possibly something to watch. There was a big increase in world soybean stocks to 102.4 million metric tons. Last month it was 98.9 million. So, world soybean ending stocks up significantly.

“USDA left a Brazil’s soybean crop at 126 million tons, Brazil’s corn crop at 101 million tons, the Argentine corn at 50 million tons and the Argentine soybean crop at 54 million tons.

“The soybean crop in Brazil is much larger than a year ago – about 9 million larger than last year. Argentina’s soybean and corn crops are down slightly from last year. World wheat stocks is down slightly and corn is slightly higher from last month.”

USDA left the 2019-2020 corn export estimate at 1.725 billion bushels. Will that estimate become a reality?

“To reach that forecast we need to average about 40 million bushels of exports each week through the end of August and not once in this marketing year have we hit 40 million bushels. In fact, last week inspections were 32.7 million bushels.

“It certainly looks like in the future USDA is going to have to lower this export forecast down at some point. We’re already 44% down from last year’s numbers, but the USDA is only pro-

Supply and demand

CORN (2019-2020 marketing year): Total corn supply: 15.962 billion bushels Exports: 1.725 billion bushels Feed, residual use: 5.525 billion bushels Food, seed, industrial use: 6.82 billion bushels Ethanol and byproducts: 5.425 billion bushels Ending U.S. corn stocks: 1.892 billion bushels SOYBEANS (2019-2020 marketing year): Total soybean supply: 4.482 billion bushels Seed, residual: 128 million bushels Exports: 1.825 billion bushels Crush: 2.105 billion bushels Ending U.S. soybean stocks: 425 million bushels

jecting a decline of 17%.

“So, either our exports are going to have to dramatically increase at a time when Ukraine and Argentina are going to increase their harvest activity and their export activity or USDA is going to be forced to lower its corn export forecast. I certainly believe that will be the case in subsequent reports.”

U.S. soybean exports were left unchanged from last month at 1.825 billion bushels.

“I think the soybean export number is pretty much justified.

Last week we had 21 million bushels exported. That was a marketing year low and we need to be averaging about 26 million bushels exported each week through the end of August to meet that number.

“We can still do that because China could come in very late in the year and buy product similar to what they did last year, then ship it late in the year after they’ve bought South American supplies.”

Domestic wheat exports were unchanged from last month at 1 billion bushels, an increase from 936 million in 2018-2019. Do you believe those numbers will be reached?

“We need to average about 21.4 million bushels exported per week to reach USDA’s projection of 1 billion bushels and we have a three-month window to do that.

“Our accumulative exports are still up about 9% from last year and the USDA right now is forecasting an increase of about 7%. So, we’re pretty much in line with the USDA and don’t really see a need to change wheat exports at this time.

“There isn’t another country that’s stepped in and aggressively competed with us, nor is there one that’s going to see a sharp reduction that would allow U.S. wheat exports to improve dramatically.”

“We need to make sure that everybody understands that we do not have any issues right now, we do not have any issues with packing plants scaling back, we don’t have any issues with inspection by the Food Safety and Inspection Service — that things are moving forward,” he said.

But, he added, this is a very fluid situation.

“This is a disease that is having a different impact on the country and the globe. Almost every day, we are seeing something new,” he said, citing the national emergency declaration, which freed up billions of dollars in federal funds and set the Federal Emergency Management Agency in motion.

“So, every day is going to be a little bit different. It’s because of that we have to maintain the contact between NCBA and all the segments of the chain so that way we are always apprised of what is happening and if there are additional changes that need to be made that we can be a part of that discussion and to ensure that we can continue to keep beef on the shelves.”

RISKY BUSINESS Markets for agricultural commodities are in a “risk-off” type of environment, particularly live cattle futures, which have continued to freefall, said Kevin Good, CattleFax industry relations vice president.

“It’s pretty tough, there’s no doubt about it,” Good said.

“We’re at or below breakevens.”

“From a ‘big picture’ standpoint, the industry has done a very adequate job year to date of harvesting cattle. The product has moved exceptionally well. Demand has been extremely strong. But, unfortunately, the markets are building in a lot of uncertainty. They’re building in a lot of softer type demand levels than we would expect to see,” he said.

“Right now, I think the key is to get down the road a few weeks, let the markets become a little more sure of when the coronavirus outbreak will be contained, when we can expect to see more normal commerce and travel and, therefore, expenditures from our consumer base. At that point in time, the market should, going back to other past events, recover to some degree.”

James Henry can be reached at 815-223-2558, ext. 190, or jhenry@agrinews-pubs.com.

Follow him on Twitter at: @AgNews.

JACKETS

Help stop COVID-19 1. Wash your hands often.

2. Cough into your elbow 3. Don’t touch your face.

4. Stay more than 3 feet from other people.

5. Stay at home if you are sick.

FROM PAGE ONE

Ashley Langreck can be reached at 800-426-9438, ext. 192, or alangreck@ agrinews-pubs.com. Follow her on Twitter at: @AgNews_ Langreck.

FROM PAGE ONE

UNITED WE STAND Woodall said he sympathizes with farmers and ranchers, noting some were headed to livestock shows that were canceled after officials asked people to practice social distancing and avoid large gatherings.

“We are all in this together,” he said.

Woodall encouraged producers to adhere to the recommendations f rom the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“Do everything to try to protect yourself the best you possibly can,” he said, emphasizing the importance of properly washing your hands.

Tom C. Doran can be reached at 815-780-7894 or tdoran@ agrinews-pubs.com. Follow him on Twitter at: @AgNews_Doran.

Wildermuth said that within a few weeks of him submitting the application, the National FFA informed him that the 10,000 th jacket would be presented in front of the entire school.

Tess Seibel, the 2019-2020 National FFA eastern region vice president, was on hand to present the jacket to Burns and help her put it on for the first time.

“It was a really cool experience. I got to meet Tess, who was super sweet and kind,” Burns said.

Burns said that the timing of receiving her jacket was perfect because she will be able to wear it in her horticulture demonstration, which she will present at her district’s upcoming leadership contests.

“It was a great experience.

I’ll be allowed to pursue more in FFA with this jacket than without,” Burns said.

FOOD

EVENTS INFB President Randy Kron testifies in support of an Indiana Farm Bureau health benefit plan at the Statehouse in Indianapolis.

HEALTH FROM PAGE ONE

The new policies would allow members to choose the best option for their family, Kron said.

Even though they offer members similar coverage to health insurance, the policies don’t have to follow the rules that apply to health insurance.

The plans are expected to have lower premiums than standard health insurance policies and cover maternity services, mental health care, addiction treatment and prescription drugs.

They will require a health evaluation — and that might

cause some to be denied, Kron noted.

If signed by the governor, SEA 184 will become law and go into effect July 1.

The next step is for INFB to create the products, most likely partnering with Tennessee Farm Bureau, which has offered a health benefit plan to its members for over 25 years.

To get an idea of the plans that might be offered, Kron suggested perusing www.f bhealthplans. com.

“We have established an ambitious goal of the fourth quarter of 2020 for benefits being available,” he said, adding that the policies would take effect Jan. 1.

Looking back at Indiana

Farm Bureau’s esteemed history of helping farmers, including its ballyhooed Stop Taxing Our Property campaign, Kron said this is one of the most important legislative accomplishments in the organization’s 100 years.

“This innovative solution to making health coverage more affordable will help a significant number of farmers, ag professionals and others in rural communities,” he said.

“We appreciate the Indiana General Assembly’s support and recognition of a solution that will have a positive impact for many Hoosiers in rural Indiana.”

James Henry

FROM PAGE ONE

“We will be adding a list of canceled and postponed events to this page beginning early the week of March 16,” said Extension Director Jason Henderson in a message on the Extension website, extension.purdue.edu.

“We will also be providing some insights from Extension educators and specialists on how to respond to how COVID-19 might impact your daily living and decisions.

“I appreciate your patience and understanding during this time. As always, Purdue Extension will work to provide the information that you, your families and communities need during this challenging time.”

www.agrinews-pubs.com | INDIANA AGRINEWS | Friday, March 20, 2020

A5

New test measures corn nitrogen needs AMES, Iowa — The soil fertility tests farmers have used for decades to measure nitrogen levels don’t account for the vast majority of the nitrogen in soils, so Iowa State University scientists helped develop a new test that yields more accurate results by using soil biology.

Marshall McDaniel, an assistant professor of agronomy, recently led a study published in the peer-reviewed Agronomy Journal that analyzed a combination of soil tests to gauge corn nitrogen needs more accurately than standard chemical tests.

Nitrogen plays an essential role in plant growth, and farmers need to know how much nitrogen is present in their soil to optimize their application of nitrogen fertilizer.

McDaniel said the study, completed in collaboration with

other universities, could lead to more accurate fertilizer nitrogen recommendations, resulting in economic benefits to farmers and improved environmental quality.

McDaniel said farmers have relied on chemical extraction tests for roughly 50 years. Most of these tests measure only immediately plant-available forms of nitrogen such as nitrate and ammonium.

But those tests don’t account for the majority of nitrogen stocks stored in soil organic matter. This form of nitrogen requires soil microorganisms, which McDaniel referred to as nitrogen “gatekeepers,” to release the plant nutrient from soil organic matter to become available to corn.

To address that, McDaniel and his colleagues used 30 biological

and chemical soil tests to find the best test, or combination of tests, to predict nitrogen needs of corn crops across 56 experimental field sites from the late 1990s.

The researchers then applied a machine-learning algorithm capable of finding the best combination of tests to predict optimal nitrogen fertilizer application for corn.

The best combination of tests included a chemical test that measured nitrogen trapped in clay and a biological test that measured nitrogen released by soil microbes in a 14-day incubation at optimal temperatures and moisture to cause the microbes to release nitrogen from soil organic matter.

They also compared the results from their combination of chemical and biological tests

with those of the standard chemical tests. They found their combination testing method reduced overapplication and underapplication of nitrogen fertilizer by about 40%.

That’s important because farmers want to make the most efficient use of their fertilizer as possible. Overapplying nitrogen can result in excessive runoff and other environmental impacts, while underapplication can lower crop yields.

Typically, farmers take soil samples in the spring or soon after their crops emerge and send them to a laboratory that conducts the chemical test.

McDaniel said biological tests, such as the one incorporated in his experiments, have grown in popularity over the last few decades. But he said the 14-day incubation period required for

the biological test carried out in his lab probably will prevent the method from being used more broadly.

Private laboratories conducting soil tests for farmers have to turn their results around faster than two weeks, he said.

Now McDaniel’s research group is working on shorter biological tests that would more likely be adopted by laboratories. But he predicted that labs will begin to combine multiple tests, especially using biological tests like the one they used, to get more accurate corn nitrogen recommendations.

“I don’t think this exact process will be adopted broadly, but the combination of using machine learning with biological and chemical tests shows great promise for the future,” he said.

Lower density rates may improve edamame yield

DORIS LAGOS-KUTZ PHOTO

David Voegtlin is pictured with suction trap in Wisconsin.

Researchers study aphids by sucking them from sky URBANA, Ill. — Like most invasive species, when the soybean aphid arrived in the Midwest in 2000, it brought none of its natural enemies along for the ride. So, naturally, finding itself in the soybean capital of the world, the tiny insect went bonkers.

Taking advantage of a nifty ability to reproduce without mating, populations exploded and the soybean aphid quickly became the number one insect pest affecting the crop.

Scientists from the University of Illinois got to work almost immediately to track the pest’s movement. They have been collecting soybean aphids throughout the Midwest for the past 18 years, but along the way, they learned a lot more than they expected.

In a new report published in American Entomologist, the researchers share their insights.

In 2001, David Voegtlin of the Illinois Natural History Survey set up the first in what would become a regional network of suction traps: PVC pipes extending 20 feet into the air above agricultural fields.

Inside, a fan whirls and directs sucked-in insects down into a solution of water and antifreeze, which turns out to be an excellent preservative for bugs, microbes and genetic material.

For many of the past 18 years, 30-odd traps across the Midwest have been running continuously during daylight hours. And weekly, the contents of the trap are collected and sent to the U.S. Department of Agriculture research lab at the U of I for analysis.

That’s where Doris LagosKutz comes in.

“There is so much we have learned about the soybean aphid, including spatial and temporal patterns of migration, and about other bugs found in the traps,” said Lagos-Kutz, research associate in the USDA Agricultural Research Service and Department of Crop Sciences at the U of I, suction trap analyst, and co-author on the report. “Ultimately, data from the suction traps will help explain the factors that affect insect population dynamics on a continental scale.”

Glen Hartman, report co-author and soybean pathologist for the department and USDAARS, added the pattern of aphid outbreaks often differs from year to year.

“By learning where the aphid outbreaks occur, we can associate that back to weather patterns, which could help us project the distribution of these insects under various weather and climate change scenarios,” Hartman said.

Because the traps don’t discriminate, the scientists have been able to identify many other insects, including some that appear to be expanding their range due to climate change or habitat suitability.

For example, in 2015, the traps allowed Lagos-Kutz to detect sugarcane aphid in Kansas and northern Wisconsin for the first time. Detection of the insect, usually only found in southern coastal regions in the United States, could signal an early threat to sorghum, Miscanthus, and other economically important crops outside the sugarcane growing region.

The traps have also captured cannabis aphids near industrial hemp operations; thrips, which can be vectors for crop-damaging viruses; and mosquitoes, an important vector of human diseases.

Lagos-Kutz noted that the contents of the traps are preserved and available for investigation by other scientists and hinted that there’s an untapped mine of information in the collection.

“Using next-generation sequencing, we could potentially discover previously unknown organisms in these samples,” Lagos-Kutz said.

Hartman said the traps could also provide information about the air microbiome and air pollutants.

“We have a goldmine here.

The traps collect all kind of things in the air, inert and biological,” Hartman said. “Who knows what other biological and chemical entities could be pulled out of these samples?”

The ultimate aim is to find funding and collaborators to spread the suction trap network nationwide and keep it going indefinitely.

URBANA, Ill. — Edamame may be a niche crop in the United States, but growers and processors still need the best possible information to make sound management decisions.

That’s why U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service and University of Illinois researchers are making new plant density recommendations for machine-harvested edamame, at less than half the rate suggested by seed companies.

“Until now, edamame processors and growers had no research-based information to determine crop density. While some seed companies make recommendations, the basis for these recommendations is unclear,” said Marty Williams, ecologist with the ARS and the Department of Crop Sciences at the U of I. Seed companies recommend plant densities from 80,100 to 139,200 plants per acre, and at $11 to $22 per pound of edamame seed, the cost adds up very quickly.

Williams said these recommendations may be based on what works for grain-type soybean, but they’re not necessarily appropriate for edamame, which is harvested while pods are bright green and seeds are still immature.

To get a better handle on what’s realistic and profitable for the crop, Williams and crop sciences graduate student Daljeet Dhaliwal planted four edamame cultivars at five densities, ranging from 10,000 to 160,000 plants per acre.

T hey measured multiple growth, harvest, and processing characteristics for each cul-

Edamame is the same species as the soybeans grown elsewhere in the country, but specific breeds are grown to produce the most tender, best-tasting immature beans, and American farmers have basically no experience with those. tivar at all five densities over two years. Finally, they derived the economically optimal planting density based on the cost of seed, yield of marketable pods and sales price.

“Results identified that the EOPD for machine-harvested edamame ranged from 35,200 to 48,600 plants per acre,” Dhaliwal said. “That’s less than half of what’s recommended by seed companies.”

Lower densities were more profitable, in part, because increasing plant density led to a lower ratio of pod mass to vegetative mass.

“We showed that higher plant densities change the architecture of the crop. For the most

part, as plants are added beyond the EOPD, the crop is less suitable for mechanical harvest.

It’s taller, with more leaf area, and fewer marketable pods.

Obviously, we need enough plants to utilize available resources, but there are diminishing returns beyond the EOPD,” Williams said.

The new report underscores that edamame agronomy is not interchangeable with grain-type soybean. For the U.S. edamame market to maximize profitability and become competitive with China, Williams said, growers and processors should follow research-backed recommendations specific to the unique aspects of the crop.

Synthetic amino acids take market share in swine feed Inclusion rates of soybeans tumble JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — If soybean producers need a target to vent their frustration over plummeting soy-inclusion levels in swine feed, they need look no further than declining soybean feed quality and the rising use of synthetic amino acids.

The increasing use of synthetic amino acids as an alternative to soybean meal in livestock rations, especially for swine, cuts revenue from soybean growers and much of the value chain.

Checkoff-funded research has found that soybean inclusion rates in swine feed have dropped 70% since 1990, in large part replaced by synthetic amino acids and corn byproducts.

Given that 70% of soybeans produced in the United States go to feed livestock, and the displaced soybeans pay farmers more than the corn byproducts, this synthetic incursion is costing U.S. farmers millions of dollars in lost revenue. On a global scale, the losses would run in the billions.

These losses manifest themselves in several different ways.

One 90,000-sow swine operation in the Midwest has reduced soybean meal purchases by 6,222 semi-truck loads per year, all of which were replaced by 146 semi-truck loads of synthetic amino acids and 6,068 semitruck loads of corn byproducts.

If soybean meal is $326 per ton and corn byproducts are $165 per ton, $26 million in soybean revenue is lost by farmers across this one single swine operation. Multiply this experience across the entire swine industry and you have some significant and sad losses.

It’s the amino acid levels in soybeans — not protein, or oil — that determine livestock feed value. Livestock producers and nutritionists rely on seven essential amino acids to drive animal growth, productivity and profitability.

If soybeans don’t deliver those amino acids, then customers in livestock markets go elsewhere for them. Synthetic replicas are abundant, cheap and fighting for the soybean share of swine rations.

The sales organizations behind synthetic amino acids have sales teams that aggressively and effectively market directly against soybean meal.

And, synthetic amino acid prices have been driven down by the African swine fever epidemic in China, which is forecast to reduce the swine herd in that and neighboring countries by 50%. As a result, manufacturers are reducing prices for synthetic amino acids to recoup sales, further displacing soybeans.

“The economic ramifications for the soybean industry are as simple as they are devastating,” said Chuck Hill, specialty products manager for the LG Seeds

and AgriGold seed brands.

“Growers, seed suppliers and most processors, for instance, don’t make any money off synthetic amino acids. They make money from soybeans via the price they receive. Replacing soybeans with synthetic amino acids has a negative impact on soybean demand and market price, as well as on farm revenue.”

LG Seed and AgriGold are the first two seed companies to join the Illinois Soybean Association’s High Yield PLUS Quality program designed to identify and encourage selection and planting of those soybean varieties which feature high livestock feed value based on essential amino acid profiles.

At present, these two seed companies have more than 20 varieties in their portfolios that meet the HY+Q criteria for designation as superior varieties for livestock feed and also yield well.

“Nearly half of the soybean varieties available on the market today already offer above average feed quality without sacrificing high yield potential,” said Linda Kull, director of ag innovations for ISA. “Farmers can increase the demand for their soybeans through fully informed seed selection and planting high-feed-value soybean varieties. That simple step can help the soybean industry maintain and recapture market share in critical livestock feed markets.

A6 Friday, March 20, 2020

| INDIANA AGRINEWS | www.agrinews-pubs.com

REGIONAL WEATHER

Outlook for March 20 - March 26

Shown is Friday’s weather. Temperatures are Friday’s highs and Friday night’s lows.

Evanston 45/27 South Bend 56/26

Rockford 42/22 Rock Island 43/23

Chicago 46/28

©2020; forecasts and graphics provided by

SUNRISE/SUNSET Rise 7:02 a.m.

7:00 a.m.

6:58 a.m.

6:57 a.m.

6:55 a.m.

6:53 a.m.

6:52 a.m.

Decatur 55/26

Quincy 49/25

Springfield Date March 20 March 21 March 22 March 23 March 24 March 25 March 26

Peoria 48/25

Set 7:11 p.m.

7:12 p.m.

7:13 p.m.

7:14 p.m.

7:15 p.m.

7:16 p.m.

7:17 p.m.

Champaign 57/25 Lafayette 59/27

New

Mar 16 Mar 24

First

Apr 1

Muncie 65/31

Full

Apr 7

Illinois 4 9 9 0 0

Indiana Week ending March 16 Month through March 16 Season through March 16 Normal month to date Normal season to date

Southern Illinois: Friday: strong thunderstorms possible during the morning, but any time to the east; chance for rain and thunder in the north. Winds west-northwest 10-20 mph. Expect two to four hours of sunshine.

Indianapolis 62/29

Mt. Vernon 63/29

Terre Haute 61/29

Vevay 69/33

Evansville 66/33

PRECIPITATION

GROWING DEGREE DAYS Week ending March 16 Month through March 16 Season through March 16 Normal month to date Normal season to date

Central Illinois: Friday: chance for rain, except a shower possible in the west.

Winds northwest 20-30 mph. Expect less than two hours of sunshine with a 35% chance of precipitation and poor drying conditions.

Fort Wayne 61/27

MOON PHASES Last

TEMPERATURES

Gary 52/29

Springfield 55/26

East St. Louis 58/31

AGRICULTURE FORECASTS

6 7 7 0 0

Anna 64/31

Today Hi/Lo/W 57/25/r 46/28/r 55/26/r 58/31/t 45/27/r 46/25/r 63/29/t 48/25/r 49/25/c 42/22/r 43/23/sh 55/26/r

Tom. Hi/Lo/W 40/24/s 40/26/pc 40/26/s 44/29/s 34/26/pc 37/23/pc 45/26/s 41/24/s 40/26/s 40/23/s 40/23/s 42/26/s

Sun. Hi/Lo/W 46/28/c 44/30/s 47/31/c 50/34/c 44/33/s 45/29/s 49/33/c 46/30/c 47/32/c 44/28/s 47/30/c 47/31/c

Indiana Bloomington Carmel Evansville Fishers Fort Wayne Gary Lafayette Indianapolis Muncie South Bend Terre Haute Vevay

Today Hi/Lo/W 66/29/t 62/28/r 66/33/t 62/28/t 61/27/r 52/29/r 59/27/r 62/29/t 65/31/r 56/26/r 61/29/t 69/33/t

Tom. Hi/Lo/W 43/26/s 39/24/s 46/30/pc 39/24/s 40/23/s 38/27/pc 41/25/s 42/25/s 43/26/s 41/22/pc 42/27/s 43/27/s

Northern Indiana: Friday: breezy with rain and a thunderstorm possible. Winds westnorthwest 10-20 mph. Expect less than two hours of sunshine with a 30% chance of precipitation and fair drying conditions.

Central Indiana: Friday: breezy with rain and a thunderstorm possible; however, strong thunderstorms possible in the south. Winds northwest 15-25 mph. Expect less than two hours of sunshine with a 35% chance of precipitation.

For 24-hour weather updates, check out www.agrinews-pubs.com Illinois Champaign Chicago Decatur E. St. Louis Evanston Joliet Mt. Vernon Peoria Quincy Rockford Rock Island Springfield

Northern Illinois: Friday: windy with rain and a thunderstorm possible. Winds northnorthwest 10-20 mph. Expect less than two hours of sunshine with a 30% chance of precipitation and poor drying conditions.

Sun. Hi/Lo/W 49/31/pc 46/30/pc 51/37/c 45/29/pc 44/26/s 45/31/s 46/29/s 46/30/pc 46/31/s 45/26/s 47/32/c 51/40/pc

Southern Indiana: Friday: winds subsiding with strong thunderstorms possible.

Winds west-southwest 10-20 mph. Expect two to four hours of sunshine with a 35% chance of precipitation and poor drying conditions.

SOUTH AMERICA Dry and hot from northern Argentina into Paraguay and southeast Brazil into at least early next week can stress some crops.

Scattered rain across central Brazil will bring adequate moisture.

Weather (W): s–sunny, pc–partly cloudy, c–cloudy, sh–showers, t–thunderstorms, r–rain, sf–snow flurries, sn–snow, i–ice

John Deere AutoTrac Controller 300 expands Automated steering for more machines

OL AT HE , K a n. — Adding AutoTrac guidance to wide variety of non-guidance-ready machine platforms is now easier and less expensive with John Deere AutoTrac Controller 300.

This new universal after-market steering kit gives producers the benefits of integrated AutoTrac precision guidance with no impact on operator ergonomics and no steering wheel modifications.

According to John Mishler, precision ag marketing manager for John Deere,

the AutoTrac Controller 300 system is customizable to different types, ages and brands of ag machines that have hydraulic steering from a single source and at least four wheels.

“We know that not all farmers operate new John Deere machines factory equipped with AutoTrac,” Mishler said. “This solution is compatible with many newer Deere vehicles not already equipped with AutoTrac, as well as older machines and other equipment brands. It integrates with a John Deere precision ag display and StarFire receiver for a complete guidance system and a consistent John Deere Precision Ag experience across the entire fleet.”

John Deere AutoTrac Controller 300 is a dealer-installed kit that is easy to setup, calibrate and maintain with no modifications needed to the original steering wheel or operator area.

It utilizes proven hydraulic and electrical components that provide quick guidance line acquisition with the feel and function of a fully integrated system.

AutoTrac Controller 300 is an economical guidance solution for a wide variety of non-guidance equipped machines with single-point steering, including utility tractors, 2WD, 4WD and articulated configurations.

Later this year, John Deere plans to expand compatibility to include machines other than trac-

The benefits of AutoTrac are well-known: reduced skips and overlaps resulting in lower input costs. tors. It can be used on cabbed or open-station Deere and other brands of ag machines with front- or rear-wheel steering and is compatible with both open- and closed-center hydraulic systems.

“The benefits of AutoTrac are well-known: reduced skips and overlaps resulting

Court to decide future of fish farming in federal waters NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The potential environmental and economic consequences posed by proposals for fish farming in federal waters dictate that Congress — not a federal agency — must decide how to regulate the industry, an attorney told a federal appeals court.

At issue before the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was a September 2018 ruling by a federal judge who threw out National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s rules for fish farms in the Gulf of Mexico, saying Congress never gave the agency authority to make them.

An attorney for groups representing commercial and recreational fishing interests, food safety advocates and conservationists urged the three-judge appellate panel to uphold the 2018 ruling.

Those groups site numerous worries about the effect of fish farming on market prices for wild-

caught fish and the effects on fishing communities, the environmental consequences of the use of antibiotics to control disease, the unpredictable genetic effects on wild, native fish stocks if farmed fish escape from farm pens and other concerns.

NOAA maintains that fish farming, including that on the open sea, is vital to future seafood production and can help provide yearround jobs while rebuilding protected species and habitats.

A three-judge appellate panel closely questioned NOAA attorney Frederick Turner on whether current fisheries law enables the agency to develop regulations _ and about past failures by Congress to pass legislation addressing the issue.

“Why would we step in and say you get what Congress hasn’t given you?” Judge Stephen Higginson asked Turner at one point.

Turner argued that the existing law is broad and

Indiana Beef Evaluation Program Creighton Hall of Animal Sciences 270 S. Russell St. West Lafayette, IN 47907-2041 Office: (765) 494-6439 • Fax: (765) 494-9346 Bull Test Station: (812) 279-4330 Sale Day Phone: (812) 279-1282 https://ag.purdue.edu/ansc/ibep/

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gives NOA A’s National Marine Fisheries Service the authority to permit and regulate fish farming, not just the taking of wildcaught fish.

The appellate panel is expected to rule later this year.

Attorney George Kimbrell, speaking for a variety of groups who say Congress must act first,

said after the hearing that NOAA may indeed be the right agency to permit and regulate federal water aquaculture, but not until Congress addresses the issue and passes a law.

“Don’t shoehorn it into a law that was never intended for that purpose and whose metrics just don’t match,” Kimbrell said.

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www.agrinews-pubs.com | INDIANA AGRINEWS | Friday, March 20, 2020

ASA Corteva Young Leaders explore issues, participate in leadership training SAN ANTONIO — The 35th class of American Soy be a n A s s ociat ion Corteva Agriscience Young Leaders completed their training in San Antonio in conjunction with the annual Commodity Classic Convention and Trade Show.

“The ASA Corteva Agriscience Young Leader Program helps provide the soybean industry and all of agriculture with strong and forward-thinking grower leaders,” ASA President Bill Gordon said.

“The program focuses on leader development and emphasizes collaboration,

Young Leaders program

The American Soybean Association Corteva Agriscience Young Leaders program is a leadership training program designed for individual farmers and farm couples who are interested in developing their skills to represent the soybean industry’s ideals domestically and internationally and to pursue leadership positions at the state or national level.

providing us with growers who are working together to amplify the voice of the farmer. We are grateful to Corteva for their longstanding support of this program and for helping to secure the future of the soybean industry.”

While in San Antonio, the Young Leaders partic-

ipated in training focused on leadership development, industry issue updates and outreach. The Young Leaders also were recognized at ASA’s annual awards banquet.

“Corteva has been a proud sponsor of the ASA Corteva Agriscience Young Leader Program for over 35 years.

This program has a rich history of developing soybean growers from across the country and providing opportunities to strengthen their leadership skills and build their network in the agriculture industry,” U.S. Commercial Unit Leader Nate Miller said.

“I have interacted with this year’s class of Young Leaders and am excited about the positive impact these leaders will make on agriculture for generations to come.”

For more information about the ASA Corteva Young Leader Program, visit SoyGrowers.com.

A7

2020 American Soybean Association Corteva Agriscience Young Leaders Adam and Brittany Davis, Virginia Nathan Engelhard, Michigan Josh England, Nebraska Justin and Emily Esselburn, Ohio Noah and Anna Fedders, Iowa Brady Holst, Illinois Houston and Katy Howlett, Kentucky Jesse King, South Dakota Mike and Dawn Kunerth, Minnesota Trey and Rebecca Liverman, North Carolina Ryan Mackenthun, Minnesota Lucas and Becky Miller, Nebraska Allison Morse, Michigan

Ryan and Kristin Oberbroeckling, Iowa Jeremy Olson, Kansas Jesse Patrick, Georgia Drew and Lauren Peterson, South Dakota James Ramsey, Indiana Matt Rehberg, Wisconsin Chris and Rachel Renwick, Canada Garrett and Cara Riekhof, Missouri Caper and Alison Robinson, Arkansas Scott Ruck, Ohio Eric Schwenke, Indiana Justin Sherlock, North Dakota Casey Youngerman, Tennessee

Program to reduce sow mortality rates DUR H A M, N.C. — Looking to help the U.S. pork industry raise the bar for performance and reverse the surge in sow mortality rates, Zoetis has introduced Individual Sow Care — a comprehensive, on-farm training program that teaches caregivers and production managers the value of conducting health, welfare and perfor mance assessment s on every sow, from every breed group, every day.

“Sow mortality rates in the United States have increased dramatically in recent years and now average about 15%,” Eva Jablonski, a technical services veterinarian for Zoetis, said at the 2020 Iowa Pork Congress in Des Moines, where the program was unveiled.

“While pelvic prolapses and lameness are among the most visible conditions associated with sow mortality, 39% of sow deaths are categorized as unknown.

“We believe that taking a more holistic and individualized approach to sow care — one that proactively assesses sow health, performance, body condition, environment — will go a long way toward reducing losses and improving sow productivity.”

ONE-DAY PROGRAM Individual Sow Care is a one-day program that combines classroom instruction and hands-on training in the barn.

Weeks before the session, Zoetis representatives conduct an on-farm review of the sow farm’s history and performance, as well as facilities, health challenges and other factors that may contribute to production losses or mortality. The training program is then customized to meet the needs and challenges of that specific farm.

“Our goal is to help each farm identify opportunities for improving the well-being and performance of each sow,” Jablonski said.

FOCUS ON OBSERVATIONS Individual Sow Care, which may be used with sows housed in stalls or groups, focuses on the importance of conducting daily observations of each sow — evaluating animal behavior, environment, feed and water intake, and stools and urine, in addition to temperature, posture, body and teat condition, lesions, perineal area damage, lameness, milk supply and the condition of piglets.

Zoetis awards a plaque to each group of trainees that completes the program. Zoetis also has developed an in-barn poster to remind trainees of specific Individual Sow Care checkpoints.

Individual Sow Care was built on the success of Individual Pig Care, which was introduced in 2005.

According to Jablonski, that program has helped to train hundreds of caregivers and production managers on the importance of walking the pens and checking every pig, every day, to help ensure optimum health, welfare and performance.

“The response to Individual Pig Care, combined with the surge in sow mortality rates, led Zoetis to create Individual Sow Care,” she said.

Claas Disco 3600TRC 11’2” CW, Ctr Pivot, Roller Cond. Call

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2015 Capello Quasar 1820 18R20, Rigid, Chopping, Frontier Head Cart . $72,000

2013 Geringhoff NS830 JD, 2 Sensor, True Sight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $45,000

Used MacDon FD70 & FD75 35’, 40’, 45’. . .$39,000 & Up

New MacDon FD130,FD135, FD140, FD145. . . . . . . . . Call

John Deere 2623VT 30’9”, Hyd Basket, 19” FR Blades, 20” RR Blades. . . . . . . . $36,000

Great Plains Turbo Max 12’, 30’, Rolling Reel & Harrow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Call

Great Plains 2400TM 24’, Rolling Reel & Harrow, New Blades. . . . . . . . . . . $44,000

Great Plains MC5109 9 Sh, Chopper Wheel & Roller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Call

Holcomb 1200 108” Cut, 12 Yd Cap, Been Shedded, Very Nice. . . . . . . . . . . . . $27,000

JUST IN Kuhn Knight 3042 Reel Auggie, Hyd Slide Tray $8,900

Kuhn Knight 5073 Magnet on Discharge Tray, 2 Auger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $9,500

Haybuster CMF425 Twin Screw, 1000 PTO, 44” Discharge, Scales $19,000

Jay Lor 5350 Front Right Corner Door, Scales, Full Set of Knives. . . . . . . . . . . . . .Call

Jay Lor 5750 Right Discharge, Scales, 6’ Conveyor w/ 48” Hydraulic Extension. . . . . . . Call

Unverferth NutriMax 1400 40’, 1400 Gallon, Dual Delivery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Call

Buffalo 5030 8R30, No Till, 3 Pt, Lift Assist, Sq Pump . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,500

GP 1300 End Wheel Drill 13’, 7.5” Sp, 21 Row, Acre Meter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Call

1998 Great Plains 15008”Sp,CPH, 11,340 Ac, 3x13 PW. . $10,500

GP PL5700-CH-1630 16R30, Gnd Dr, 3 Bu Hopper, 600 Gal Fertilizer Tank . . . . . . . . . . . Call

Vail X-Series Disc Mulcher 79”, Hi Flo . . . . . . . . . . . . . Call

Jay Lor C118 18 Ton, Radial Tires, Towing Eye Hitch . . Call

Case IH MX240 Cummins, 4 Remotes, 6543 Hrs, Power Shift, 1000 PTO . . . $50,000

07 Dodge Ram 2500 207,000 Mi, 5.9 Cummins, 6 Sp Man, C&M Util Bed w/Gooseneck $16,000

Summers RH8420 30’, 18,600 Lbs, 42” Roller Diameter . . Call

736W SR 32, Veedersburg, IN 47987 765-722-7040 For More Info & Pictures Visit:

gesales.com

A8 Friday, March 20, 2020

| INDIANA AGRINEWS | www.agrinews-pubs.com

From The Barns Early grazing warning March has come in like a lamb, so does it go out like a lion?

I have seen some research and a book — “A January Fog will Freeze a Hog” by Hubert J. Davis — that explains how some of the old-time sayings and folklore about weather were right and could be accurate scientifically. I imagine that without our many weather sources today, we would become more accurate with our very own predictions based on personal observation. Mostly, we just need to work through all our changes and challenges and have some fun with all the weather cussin’ and discussin’.

We spent two weeks in Gulf Shores, Alabama, and had some disappointment with the cool temperatures and winds. My photo of the boardwalk to the beach with the red flag flying for riptide warning pretty much sums up the weather there. We did enjoy the downtime and were able to read several books, something we usually don’t seem to have time for. We are grateful that our stay in Nashville, Tennessee, on the return trip was Saturday night, Feb. 29, not Monday night, March 2, when tornadoes ripped through the region.

There was much to do when we arrived back here at River Oak, and we relished being able to get out there and continue some projects. I am feeling a bit left out from the hustle with calving and late spring feeding.

I do keep an eye on the group of lead cows here.

There is one early calf, the rest being April and May calvers.

We were able to complete the machine work on all the fencerows in the new South 20 before we left for the south. Several days of chainsaw work ended in a snowstorm the day before we left. We got a lot done, especially those days when three saws were working and Adam Lucie was moving and stacking and burning with his Bobcat. My neighbor, Mike, removed all the large burnables for his outside wood burner. We are hoping it is dry enough to seed some parts before the next rains, maybe March 7 or 8.

In our travels, we saw a lot of cattle on pasture.

Perhaps some of them were being supplemented, but that was difficult to see. The concern with that scenario is that the cattle being out there too early are severely damaging those pastures.

I know winter feed is expensive and in short supply, but allowing cattle on early short pasture growth is bad practice.

Grass should be 6 to 8 inches and the ground

Dealing with illnesses

solid before turnout. Then move rapidly in a rotation to keep up with rapid growth. Take less than half of the growth and move on. You will be back there in your rotation when that grass is more mature and not subject to damage from overgrazing.

Cattle being allowed to wander out on grass now and bite down to the ground the first sign of green is a killing practice.

The best practice, if dry space for calving is needed, is to designate a “sacrifice pasture” and then reseed and give an extended rest to that area when cattle are removed, all the while protecting the rest of your pastures.

Have a great March and have patience with the grass.

Trevor Toland

Who would have ever thought that human health would be harder to manage than cattle health, but that has proven to be the case over much of January and February. I had a bout with pneumonia, and everyone else here at the farm has had some sort of illness to deal with. I hope we’re finally past that.

Speaking of cattle health, it has been surprisingly good the past couple of months, considering the terribly wet and everchanging weather patterns we have dealt with. Not that it has been perfect by any means, but I expected it to be worse. Instead, mortality and morbidity have been holding close to expected numbers. That is the reason we put in place and follow an effective vaccination and treatment protocol.

I also did not expect that we would have another winter with as much precipitation and mud as we did over that 2018-2019 season, but here we are again. The only difference is it started raining in October and just has not let up. I don’t think we have gone more than four to five days without moisture. Pasture and pen conditions are way less than favorable and cattle comfort has not been ideal and our working environment has been tough, to say the least. The forecast for the next week looks good. Let’s hope it starts drying up soon and doesn’t continue into June, like it did last year.

Our cattle inventory is down right now. Having shipped nine loads of cattle in January and early February, we normally would have quickly replaced them with more feeder calves. However, with all of the mud and the poor health of me and all the others, we backed off and didn’t place any new cattle over the past month.

Hopefully, we will start back this week, and that will be determined by sale runs and the price of calves. With all that’s going on around the world, this market sure has been topsy-turvy, and it seems like we are all unsure when to sell and when to buy. Hopefully, this thing steadies up and fears will ease.

Bulls came out from the fall calving herds over the last few weeks, and we should begin calving heifers within two weeks, with the cows to follow a week or two later. We have pushed our spring calving season back the past couple of years to avoid calving in conditions like we currently have. That certainly looks to have been a good decision.

If this ground will firm up this week, we will go back on the rye fields for some late winter and early spring grazing. Sure will be

MACOMB

Markets now in panic The fear and confusion surrounding the coronavirus has thrown all the markets into a panic and really cast a pall on our marketing plans. Going to grass with all of our 2019 calves looks like the only play to make right now.

Putting off sale dates from this fall to next spring looks like a $200 a head bonus play. Keeping the calves from growing too big is the only challenge.

The wheat we seeded last fall may be better utilized for steers than for our cows.

It’s been a great winter for feeding. Marketings and cattle weight are exceeding expectations.

All of last year’s calves are on feed, and their mothers are getting fattened up nicely in anticipation of a new batch of calves due starting next month.

The great start we had to March makes me nervous that there’s still another winter blast on our horizon, and I hope it doesn’t wait until April.

It’s dried off enough to do some manure hauling, so we’ve relieved the pressure on that project.

Getting some new hay seeding done is a priority as soon as it dries just a little more. Some tracked up fields and lots will need a little seeding, too, when we find a few spare hours. It seems like any spare time we had all winter was spent in the shop fixing on any number of broken toys, and while we have shortened the list, there’s still lots of tools needing attention.

We’ve been hoping to make a run to Georgia and get our calves run through the chute for the first time and get the cows vaccinated before turning out the bulls. Unfortunately, it’s been raining every day and the pens would be a wreck in about 10 minutes, so we are in a holding pattern until it dries a bit.

Steve Foglesong ASTORIA

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nice to feed less hay and deal with trying to get that in the bale rings or unrolled. We had to go strictly to hay feeding and supplementing with our Mix 30 liquid protein

and energy feed. That has been a huge help getting through these elements, but ready to get back to some grass.

Hoping that March comes in like a lamb —

and goes out like one, as well. We can all use some relief. Hope all have a successful calving season.

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TRACTORS 2013 JD 8360R, IVT, ILS, 2500 HRS 2008 JD 8530, IVT, ILS, 5200 HRS 2013 JD 7280R, IVT, TLS, 1700 HRS 2006 JD 7220, IVT, TLS, 2700 HRS 2018 JD 6130R, 24SPD PQ, MFD, LDR, 500 HRS 2016 JD 6110R, 24SPD PQ, MFD, LDR, 650 HRS 2009 JD 6330, CAH, PQ, TWD, 2600 HRS 2008 JD 6330, OS, MFD, LDR, 300 HRS 2007 JD 6715, CAH, PQ, TWD, 1300 HRS 2005 JD 5425, CAH, MFD, LDR, 400 HRS 2014 CIH 450 ROWTRAC, PTO, GUIDANCE, 1800 HRS 2015 CIH MAGNUM 250, PS MFD, 2300 HRS 2006 CIH MX 255, PS, MFD, 3100 HRS 2003 CIH JX100U, CAH, MFD, LDR, 1400 HRS 2010 CIH FARMALL 45, OS, TWD, LDR, 1500 HRS MCCORMICK C70L, OS, TWD, 970 HRS 2009 NH T8050, PS, MFD, 2780 HRS 2007 NH TG245, PS, MFD, 2100 HRS 2015 NH T6.145, PS, MFD, 1600 HRS 1995 FORD NH 4630, OS, MFD, LDR, 2200 HRS KUBOTA L4600, OS, HST, MFD, LDR, 1100 HRS KUBOTA L3710, OS, HST, MFD, LDR, 1200 HRS 2006 KUBOTA L48, OS, MFD, LDR, HOE, 900 HRS 2018 TS GATOR 4X2 200 HRS

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HEADS 2016 MAC DON FD75S 35FT DRAPER, IH WIDE THROAT 2012 MAC DON FD70S 30FT DRAPER, JD ADAPTER 2013 CIH 2162 35FT DRAPER, IH WIDE THROAT 2011 CIH 2161 30FT DRAPER, IH WIDE THROAT 2005 CIH 1020 25FT GRAIN HEAD 2003 CIH 1020 30FT GRAIN HEAD 2010 JD 625F HYDRAFLEX GRAIN HEAD 2003 JD 925F GRAIN HEAD 2012 JD 606C KR, HD, HH, RS, SINGLE POINT 2002 JD 893, HD, HH, SINGLE POINT 2012 GERINGHOFF RD800B, 8R30, HD, HH, JD ADAPTER MISC HEAD TRAILERS

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SM-LA1763506

Insights for helping growers increase yields through better crop management

Soybean Seedling Diseases Soybean seed and seedling

result, more growers are seeing

fields and heavy or compacted

either be superficial, causing

For more information, contact your

diseases can stop a promising

an advantage for f ungicide

soils are at higher risk because

no noticeable damage, or may

local Pioneer sales representative

season before it even starts,

seed treatments. Adding an

of cooler, wetter conditions.

girdle the stem and kill or stunt

or visit Pioneer ® agronomy at

and planning for disease

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P y th i u m m a y a t ta c k s e e d s

plants.

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solid

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before or af ter germination;

investment for many farmers.

f ro m inse cts like B e an Le af

seeds killed before germination

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is

a

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Seedling diseases are on the

entry port for disease infections.

Three diseases to keep an eye on are P y thium, Rhizoctonia and Fusarium.

are sof t and rotted with soil adhering to them.

Fusarium is caused by a complex

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different conditions; some prefer

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Rhizoctonia is more common

prefer cool and wet soils. Some

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s o i l s w h e re g e r m i n a t i o n i s

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slow or emergence is delayed.

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Infection is characterized by a

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PIONEER® brand products are provided subject to the terms and conditions of purchase which are part of the labeling and purchase documents.

Trademarks and service marks of Dow AgroSciences, DuPont or Pioneer, and their affiliated companies or their respective owners. © 2020 Corteva. 4307

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INDIANA AGRINEWS | www.agrinews-pubs.com

AUCTIONS

Auction Ads inside MARCH 20, 2020 | B1

Auction Calendar Fri., March 20

PENFIELD, ILL.: Farm Toys, 5 p.m., I & I Antique Tractor & Gas Engine Club.

Sat., March 21

HANNA, IND.: Farm Machinery & Construction Equipment Consignment, 9 a.m. Central, Lestinsky Auction Service, 219-608-9615.

OXFORD, IND.: Spring Farm Machinery Consignment, 10 a.m.

EST, Scherer’s Auction Service, LLC, 765-385-1550.

PENFIELD, ILL.: Farm Equipment, 10 a.m., I & I Antique Tractor & Gas Engine Club.

Tues., March 24

ST. ANNE, ILL.: Farm Machinery, 8 a.m., St. Anne Consignment Auction & Equipment Sales, 815-427-8350.

Fri., March 27

CULVER, IND.: Farm Equipment, 2 p.m., Morris Family Farms, Ryan Morris, Ball Auction & Realty, Inc., 574-342-8299. See p. B2

Sat., March 28

OXFORD, IND.: 46th Annual Benton Central FFA Auction, 9 a.m. EST, Benton Central FFA, 765-8841600, ext. 2164.

NEW PARIS, IND.: Annual Spring Collector Tractor, Toy, Literature & Memorabilia Auction, 8:30 a.m., Polk Auction Company, 877-915-4440. See p. B2

RUSH COUNTY, IND.: 100 +/- Acres, 6:30 p.m., Forgey Family Farms LLC, Halderman Real Estate & Farm Management, 800-4242324. See p. B2

Thurs., April 2

NEW PARIS, IND.: Annual Spring Collector Tractor, Toy, Literature & Memorabilia Auction, 8:30 a.m., Polk Auction Company, 877-915-4440. See p. B2 WAYNE COUNTY, IND.: 76.78 +/- Acres, 6:30 p.m., Louis & Doris Kettler Revocable Trust, Halderman Real Estate & Farm Management, 800-424-2324.

NEW PARIS, IND.: Annual Spring Collector Tractor, Toy, Literature & Memorabilia Auction, 8:30 a.m., Polk Auction Company, 877-915-4440. See p. B2

AUCTION

Sat., April 11

Tues., April 21

Fri., April 10

Wed., April 1

BOURBON, IND.: Triton FFA Consignment, 9 a.m. EST, Bates Auction & Realty, 574-342-2955.

Tues., April 14

RANDOLPH COUNTY, IND.: 40 +/- Acres, 6:30 p.m., David L. & Marjorie L. Moore, Halderman Real Estate & Farm Management, 800-424-2324.

Wed., April 15

SHELBY COUNTY, IND.: Online Only, 39.9 +/- Acres, bidding opens 4/14 at 8 a.m. EST & closes 4/15 at 5 p.m. EST at halderman.com, JJ & MJ Farm Trust, Halderman Real Estate & Farm Management, 800-4242324. See p. B1

ONLINE ONLINE ONLY ONLY

HOWARD COUNTY, IND.: 152 +/Acres, 6:30 p.m., Silver Dawn Farms, Inc., Halderman Real Estate & Farm Management, 800-424-2324. See p. B2

Wed., April 22

DECATUR COUNTY, IND.: Online Only, 79.5 +/- Acres, bidding opens 4/21 at 8 a.m. EST & closes 4/22 at 6 p.m. EST at halderman.com, Webb Estate Farm, Halderman Real Estate & Farm Management, 800-4242324. See p. B2 RANDOLPH COUNTY, IND.: 89.84 +/- Acres, 6:30 p.m., Richard & Judith Keltner, Halderman Real Estate & Farm Management, 800-424-2324. See p. B1

halderman.com

UNION CITY COMMUNITY ROOM 105 N. Columbia St, Union City, IN 47390

Shelby County | Addison Township

39.9 acres

86.97+/- Tillable, 2.87+/- Other

Chris Peacock: 765.546.0592

+/-

| Lauren Peacock: 765.546.7359

Dave Bonnell: 812.342.4313 Michael Bonnell: 812.343.6036 Rusty Harmeyer: 765.570.8118

In the coming days, your household will receive an invitation to participate in the 2020 census. It’s part of a constitutional mandate for the federal government to count every man, woman and child living in the United States. This has happened every decade since the initial census in 1790, shortly after the founding of our new nation.

While the Constitution only requires a simple accounting of every living soul, the census has been used since its inception to gather other vital information about the nation’s population. Federal and state officials will use the data in numerous ways, including to allocate spending.

The census has been used since its inception to gather other vital information about the nation’s population.

See CENSUS, Page B2

Warren County | Warren Township

ONLINE ONLINE ONLY ONLY

BIDDING OPENS: April15th, 8 am EST

SM-LA1762870

3 TRACTS

BIDDING CLOSES: April16th, 5 pm EST

Productive Cropland and frontage on Wabash River

Auctioneer: Russell D. Harmeyer IN Auct. Lic. #AU10000277 HRES IN Auct. Lic. #AC69200019 HLS#PDB-12473 (20)

106+/acres

Gary Bohlander: 765.794.0221 OWNER: JJ and MJ Farm Trust

OWNER: Richard and Judith Keltner

800.424.2324 | www.halderman.com

By Greg Doering

halderman.com

BIDDING OPENS: April14th, 8 am EST

BIDDING CLOSES: April15th, 5 pm EST

acres

Be counted in census

AUCTION AUCTION

April 22nd • 6:30 p.m.

Auctioneer: Russell D. Harmeyer IN Auct. Lic. #AU10000277 HRES IN Auct. Lic. #AC69200019 HLS#LAP-12492 (20)

Thurs., April 16

LYNNVILLE, IND.: Farm Auction, 10 a.m. CDT, Estate of Bill Wesselman, Johny Ray Auction & Realty, 812-598-3936. See p. B2

PRINCETON, IND.: 336 +/- Acres in 5 Tracts, 5:30 p.m. CT, Estate of Lester Moore, William Wilson Auction Realty, Inc., 812-6824000. See p. B2

CLINTON, ILL.: 553.78 Acres, 10 a.m., Schmid Family, Martin Auction, 217-935-3245. See p. B1

PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO: 111 +/Acres in 3 Tracts, 6:30 p.m., Brown Revocable Living Trust, Halderman Real Estate & Farm Management, 800-424-2324.

WARREN COUNTY, IND.: Online Only, 106 +/- Acres in 3 Tracts, bidding opens 4/15 at 8 a.m. EST & closes 4/16 at 5 p.m. EST at halderman. com, Mitchell D. Johnson Estate & Diana Marion, Halderman Real Estate & Farm Management, 800424-2324. See p. B1 DELAWARE COUNTY, IND.: 36.919 +/- Acres in 2 Tracts, 6:30 p.m., Horton Living Trust, Halderman Real Estate & Farm Management, 800-424-2324.

Wed., April 8

Tues., March 31

Randolph County | Jackson Township

+// 89.84 acres

Sat., April 4

HOPEDALE, ILL.: Farm & Construction Equipment Consignment, 9 a.m., S&K Auctions LLC, 309-202-8378 or 309-696-9019.

Fri., April 3

To place your own advertisement, call 800-426-9438

800.424.2324 | www.halderman.com

OWNER: Mitchell D Johnson Estate and Diana Marion Auctioneer: Russell D. Harmeyer IN Auct. Lic. #AU10000277 HRES IN Auct. Lic. #AC69200019 HLS#GDB-12495 (20)

800.424.2324 | www.halderman.com

PUBLIC AUCTION Schmid Real Estate Auction

Offering 11 t racts!

Tuesday, March 31st at 10:00 A.M. Auction will be held at 9515 Texas Church Rd., Clinton, IL 61727

553.78+/- Acres Auction Hosts

Jesse & Jodi Schmid Family Brody, Royce & Hank Auction Management:

9515 Texas Church Rd. CLinton, IL 61727 (217)935-3245 www.martinauction.com

1401 Koester Drive Forsyth, IL 62535 (217) 876-7700 www.heartlandaggroup.com RT Nord: Lic. #440.000328 Lucy Nord: Lic. #441.001845

Grain Drying & Storage • Farmland • Recreational Land

www.martinauction.com SM-LA1763391

B2 Friday, March 20, 2020

| INDIANA AGRINEWS | www.agrinews-pubs.com

Farmers for a Sustainable Future Association has been involved with FSF since its inception to play an active role in the direction of the new D.C.-based group.

“Soybean farmers have an awesome story to tell, including their sustainability initiatives, so it’s great to be able to collaborate with like-minded organizations to facilitate sound policy and program decisions and have a platform to share our efforts,” said ASA CEO Ryan Findlay.

The coalition will share with elected officials, media and the public U.S. agriculture’s commitment to sustainability and the

incredible strides already made to reduce agriculture’s environmental footprint.

As policy proposals are developed and considered, the goal is for the coalition and its guiding principles to serve as a foundation to ensure the adoption of meaningful and constructive policies and programs affecting agriculture.

Farmers are committed stewards of the land, leading the way on climate-smart farming by promoting soil health, conserving water, enhancing wildlife, using nutrients efficiently and caring for their animals.

home you live in, whether you own or rent and your phone number in case FROM PAGE B1 there are any questions about your responses.

Answering the census The census always has also is the first step in been about more than just choosing who will reprecounting the population. sent us in state capitals The initial 1790 questionand Washington, D.C., naire asked for the name because the information is of the head of the family used to reapportion U.S. and the number of people congressional districts. living in the home delinThe boundaries of every eated by the following: state’s representatives and free white males 16 and senators will change for older; free white males the next 10 years. younger than 16; free Of course, the census white females; all other will ask how many peofree people; and slaves. ple were living in your That first survey rehousehold on April 1, also corded nearly 4 million known as Census Day. people living in the origOther questions include inal 13 states plus the queries about your age, districts of Kentucky and sex, race, what type of Vermont, in addition to

the Southwest Territory; we now call it Tennessee.

It was a daunting task to count everyone in our sprawling, new nation.

While we’ve stopped adding states and territories, counting all 320-plus million of us is still a major undertaking, but it’s been modified for today’s technology.

This year will be the first time you can choose to respond online or by phone. If you don’t respond, you’ll receive a paper form to complete and mail back.

If you don’t respond in any fashion, there’s a good chance you’ll receive an in-person visit from a census worker sometime between May and July.

Up to 10 states could lose federal representatives. Seven are expected to gain congressional seats, led by Texas and Florida with at least three and two seats, respectively.

We only get one chance every decade to say, “I’m here.” In addition to apportionment, the census plays a role in state and federal policy through the allotment of tax dollars to hospitals, fire departments, roads and other projects.

In short, it’s an opportunity to make sure you count.

WA S H I N G T O N — Twenty farm groups represent ing m illions of U.S. farmers are publicly launching Farmers for a Sustainable Future, a coalition committed to environmental and economic sustainability.

This coalition will serve as a primary resource for policymakers as they c on s ide r s u s t a i n a bi l ity and climate policies impor t ant to ag r iculture.

The American Soybean

CENSUS

ADAMS TOWNSHIP • DECATUR COUNTY

ONLINE ONLY

Auction

AT HALD ERMAN.C OM

79.5 acres +/-

Potential Home Site

BIDDING OPENS: April21st, 8 am EST BIDDING CLOSES: April22nd, 6 pm EST Dave Bonnell: 812.342.4313 | Michael Bonnell: 812.343.6036 OWNER: Webb Estate Farm Auctioneer: Russell D. Harmeyer IN Auct. Lic. #AU10000277 HRES IN Auct. Lic. #AC69200019 HLS# PDB-12473 (20) SM-LA1763509

800.424.2324 | www.halderman.com

Greg Doering is a writer and photographer at Kansas Farm Bureau.

More information about the coalition members, guiding principles and sustainability achievements can be found at sustainablefarming.us.

ATTENTION FARMERS, HUNTERS & INVESTORS!

INDIANANEAR LAND AUCTION PRINCETON, IN • GIBSON COUNTY 336± Acres

Offered in (5) Separate Tracts, Combinations & the Entirety

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8TH • 5:30PM (CT)

AUCTIONEERS NOTE: William Wilson Auction Realty is pleased to offer the Moore Estate Farms at Public Auction. This farm represents large tillable tracts with good recreation and hunting opportunities. Plan to attend this auction.

PROPERTY LOCATION: Located in Sections 24, 27, and 30 of White River Township [GPS LOCATOR: 38.407399, -87.705273] DIRECTIONS: From Hwy 64 West of Princeton, turn North on CR 950 at East Mt. Carmel across from Duke Energy Gibson Plant, then North on CR 875, then East on CR 350 to reach the south end of the farm and Tract 1 -- or to reach the north end of the farm, proceed north on CR875 to East on CR 400.

Watch for signs.

AUCTION LOCATION: Gibson County, IN Fairgrounds, Toyota Events Center - 709 N Embree St, Princeton IN 47670 PROPERTY DESCRIPTION – Tract 1: 83 Total Acres, 70.84 Acres Cropland For the farmland buyer, this tract has frontage along CR 350 N and features Vincennes silt loam as the predominant soil type.

Tracts 2-4: 238 Total Acres, 140.91 Acres Cropland For the farmland or recreational buyer, these tracts have good qualities for investment featuring Elkinsville and Armiesburg as the predominant soil types. Frontage on CR 350 to the south, CR 700 to the East, and CR 400 that dissects the property on the North, allows for good access.

Tract 5: 10 Total Acres, Approx. 8.91 Acres Cropland. For the farmland investor, this tract is productive Gibson County farmland featuring Wilhite silty clay and Steff silt loam as the Mon, March 30th, 12-1 PM CT predominant soil types.

Meet a Wilson Representative at Tract 1 Please refer to website for FSA and soil

INSPECTION DATE:

information.

SELLER: Estate of Lester Moore Bill Wilson, CAI IN#AU01037816 Andrew Wilson, CAI, CES IN#AU19800110 Aaron Wilson, CES IN#AU10300104 SM-LA1762884

Farm groups launch resource for policymakers

Get more info

Call or Visit our Website For a Detailed Bidder’s Packet

812.682.4000 • Toll Free 877.338.3272

AUCTION AUCTION Howard County | Howard & Liberty Township

Rush County | Center Township

April 21st • 6:30 p.m.

Property will sell with a bid of $6,000 per acre.

KOKOMO SHRINE CLUB | 3892 E OO N S, KOKOMO, IN 46901

152+/-a/ ccres res John Miner: 765.438.2699

Tract 1 - 96.5+/- Tillable,

SM-LA1762860

April 1st • 6:30 p.m.

0.1+/- Non-Tillable

CARTHAGE VOL. FIRE DEPT. 208 S. Main St., Carthage, IN 46115

Tract 2 - 38.21 Tillable, 0.63+/- Non-Tillable, 16.56+/- Other +/-

| Jaret Wicker: 765.561.1737 OWNER: Silver Dawn Farms, Inc.

Auctioneer: Russell D. Harmeyer IN Auct. Lic. #AU10000277 HRES IN Auct. Lic. #AC69200019 HLS#JMM-12490 (20)

100+/- Acres

LOCATION 2400 W. 1000 N. Knightstown, IN 46148 DATE March 19, 4:30 - 6 pm

Russell Harmeyer: 765-570-8118 8 0 0.42 4 . 232 4 | ha lder ma n .c om Owner: Forgey Family Farms LLC

800.424.2324 | www.halderman.com SM-LA1756551

GOOD FRIDAY FARM AUCTION

Friday, April 10 • 10 a.m. CDT • 114 E. SR 68, Lynnville

Featuring the Estate of Bill Wesselman Tractors, Combine, Tillage Equipment, Semi and Grain Trucks, Backhoe, Tools and more.

Auction pickups available Call Johny Ray for Details

Lic. #AU10800006

SM-LA1763699

Open Open House House

812-598-3936

SM-LA1762879

IN Auct. Lic. #AU10000277 , HRES IN Lic. #AC69200019, HLS# RDH-12484 (20)

MORRIS PUBLIC AUCTION 17520 Pine Road, Culver, IN FRIDAY MARCH 27, 2020 2:00 P.M.

TRACTORS - HAY EQUIP. - IMPLEMENTS - LIVESTOCK EQUIP., JD 4230 D Tractor; JD 7520 4 WD Tractor; 2015 NH H 7220 round baler; 2012 NH Pro cart 1022 wheel rake; Pequea Mod. 70 7' PTO tedder, 3 pt. bale spear; (2) Flat rack wagons; Bradford round bale carrier w/10 ton gear; Golden Bell Goose Mixer; JD #40 PTO Manure spreader, 10:00x20; spacing's; Brillion 13' Culti Mulcher w/ solid front & rear. Livestock equipment related to sheep flock.

AUCTION NOTE: for complete list & pictures log on to our website.

CALL BALL AUCTION OR OWNER. MORRIS FAMILY FARMS OWNER Ryan Morris - 574-210-8630 Ball Auction & Realty, Inc. 302 E. Center St., Bourbon, IN 574-342-8299 or ballrealtygroup.com AC39500040

SM-LA1762874

www.agrinews-pubs.com | INDIANA AGRINEWS | Friday, March 20, 2020

OPINION

B3

What’s trending

These are this week’s most read stories on the AgriNews website: 1. Field Notes: Weed, pest challenges after mild winter 2. Critical tipping point: Prepare for an-

4. Students get firsthand look at grain bin entrapment 5. 2020 soybean price prospects

other wet spring 3. Corn hybrids evolve to keep up with yield demands

What’s your opinion? Send correspondence to: Letters, Indiana AgriNews, 420 Second St., La Salle, IL 61301; or email: editorial@agrinews-pubs.com

Ending global February’s paradox, March’s struggles hunger by 2030 Earlier this year, I traveled to Austin and spoke at the Texas Global Food Security Summit held on the sidelines of the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Annual Convention.

The meeting brought together more than 5,000 farmers from across the country, featuring participation from ‘Big Kenny’ national and state agriculAlphin tural leaders, corporate executives and other leaders from Artist, the agricultural sector in songwriter policy, research, economics and aid.

This convention and summit were a great place to talk with the experts in food security and agriculture on how we might all join together for the shared goal of ending hunger by 2030.

Though you may know me from the Big & Rich stage and songs like “Coming to Your City” on ESPN’s College GameDay, I was thrilled to put on a different hat as a son of a farmer and a multi-generation farming family from Culpeper, Virginia, raised to believe farmers feed the world and no one needs to suffer from hunger.

My life has led me to witness hunger in many places, from the slums of Mathare and Kibera in Kenya to the edges of war in South Sudan to school-age children right here in the United States.

Bearing witness to this critical issue that plagues more than 820 million worldwide, I came to ask a big question: How can I play a role in getting to the roots of hunger and malnutrition issues for my neighbors at home, and around the world?

Food is a key basis for peace. Where there is peace, there can be access to resources; but where there is instability, food can be scarce.

And when people live in food insecure environments, unrest ensues. It’s a horrible cycle of poverty and potential violence.

At this summit, leading experts advised us how we can put a stop to these cycles of food insecurity. Food security is of critical importance for local security issues and national security issues.

We’ve all got to be on the frontlines of these discussions because they are important to the peace and wellbeing of our own nation and uplifting people around the world.

When we feed a mother’s starving child, we are making friends and contributing to global peace and productivity.

If you are asking the same questions as I am, I urge you to get involved with me in ending hunger across the United States and in developing nations worldwide. Start by looking around your own community. Be aware of how hunger affects the young and old.

I think we can all agree there should be no hungry children. There should be no hungry veterans. There should be no “hungry” anywhere.

Did you know that in 2017 alone, globally the United States reached more than 22 million children in developing nations with nutrition interventions? That’s 22 million lives saved thanks to American tax dollars.

It’s amazing we can do so much in global health and development, like feeding 22 million kids, with less than 1% of the U.S. budget!

More good news: Congress offered a modest increase to global nutrition to feed more children in the fiscal year 2020 appropriations budget in December.

We have such great abilities in this country; I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Being part of the solution to end hunger is not only the smart thing to do; it’s the right thing to do. We need to help others help themselves.

Talk to your children about hunger. Be engaged in your school community. Be engaged in your faith community. If you have a lot, give a lot. If you don’t have a lot, give what you can or volunteer.

I know I’ve got to do my part to raise a voice for the hungry. We are all making a great difference from what we’re doing as a nation, and we are all making a difference in what we’re giving of ourselves.

I know “We The People” can do this and even more inspired seeing Farm Bureau, “The Voice of Agriculture,” taking such a huge role in leading the way. Join me in this ambitious goal to end hunger by 2030.

“Big Kenny” Alphin is an artist, songwriter and humanitarian. He grew up on a cattle farm in rural Virginia.

February is a paradox. Leap Year or not, it’s the shortest month of the year, yet it always feels like the longest month of winter.

Endless gray skies bleed into endless Farm & Food gray days into an almost endless gray File month. Then March appears with its light, Alan Guebert color and hope and February’s dreariness is soon forgotten.

Light, color and hope are needed this March as political leaders, markets and the world economy tumble into a virus-choked mud hole of confusion, finger-pointing and inaction.

Worse, this mess will likely get messier.

How much messier? Unknowingly messier.

For example, the coronavirus essentially shut down China for 45 days before the nation somehow — no one knows exactly how — claimed that the number of newly diagnosed citizens began to fall.

What we do know, however, is that 45 days is 12% of one year, so China, as a nation, may have lost up to 12% of its economic activity already this year because of the wide-sweeping illness.

What will the world economy look like if key nations such as Italy, already locked down, and America, where schools, universities and convention centers are beginning to shut down, take a similar — and, frankly, as miraculously short — time to return to normal? It’s truly a guess and guess high, not low.

Farm & Food File is published weekly through the U.S. and Canada. Source material and contact information are posted at www.farmandfoodfile.com.

Let’s stop treating our youth like dummies At a recent training event to evaluate various types of rescue devices and strategies to extricate victims from partial entrapment in free flowing grain, a group of volunteer high school students were invited to participate as test dummies.

For each trial or test, two youth were equipped with a full-body harness and lifeline, asked to stand on the surface of a semi-truck load of dry corn and were allowed to be drawn into the grain as the bottom discharge gate under each was opened.

Both “victims” were drawn into the grain at either end of the same semitrailer at the same time, each located over the deepest section of the trailer directly over the hoppers. Photos were taken of the entrapped youth with little more than their shoulders and head showing above the surface of the grain.

The lifelines were then disconnected from the body harnesses and various rescue coffer dams were demonstrated to assess their efficacy to extricate the “victims” from the grain.

The cranks used at each end of the trailer to open and close the bottom discharge gate were not locked out, or tagged out, and were left unsupervised. In some cases, based on the photographs taken, it appeared that the level of the grain surrounding the “victim” was higher than the airway of the entrapped youth.

This exercise was repeated with several different students participating as the “victims.” In each case observed, there was no provision in place to prevent the intentional or unintentional opening of the bottom gate which, if occurred, would had resulted in the complete engulfment of the unsecured “victim” within seconds.

Each youth was in a position that a simple human error could have resulted in suffocation with dozens of first responders present who would have been nearly helpless to extricate the victim in a timely manner.

It is our opinion, based on extensive studies of grain entrapments, including over 175 incidents involving grain transport vehicles, that these youth were placed in a position of unacceptable risk of not only suffocation, but also entrapment related injuries due to the pressures placed on their bod-

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oil war exploded onto world markets March 9, American biofuel players dove for cover. “U.S. ethanol margins got crushed,” that day, “as cheaper crude makes the biofuel less appealing.”

Share prices of ethanol makers, it continued, were hit first and hard: Shares in producer Pacific Ethanol Inc. “plunged as much as 28%” and “Archer-Daniels-Midland Co., which is trying to sell its dry ethanol mills, slumped as much as 7.1%.”

Worse, according to biofuel officials on March 11, the “White House now appears ready” to appeal a “unanimous court decision that would halt the Environmental Protection Agency’s abuse of Small Refinery Exemptions… which have destroyed demand for billions of gallons of homegrown biofuels.”

But the president’s always-weak promise to protect the U.S. ethanol market is a campfire compared to the implosion of the global crude market.

If crude prices remain at half their March 1 value, either ethanol prices — and corn prices, too — must fall to remain competitive or ethanol plants must close because they can’t cover their variable costs.

Either way, court battles over refinery exemptions will be one of ethanol’s — and agriculture’s — smaller problems this year if today’s coronavirus woes continue to snowball.

If so, March, the traditional month of hope and spring, will belittle different than gray February.

OUR TURN

AGRINEWS

Indiana AgriNews is published weekly for $30 per year by AgriNews Publications, 420 Second St., La Salle, Ill.

Now add to that sour picture the Saudi Arabian and Russian fight over the global crude oil market. In just two weeks, the virus-fueled dual to cut production to push up prices devolved into a produce-or-die match between two oligarchies hoping to drown each other.

Almost every nation expected the brawl to bring higher crude prices. On March 8, however, the race to the bottom between the two began and crude prices collapsed from $60 per barrel the week before to $30 per barrel that night.

And, just like that, the world’s leading commodity lost half its value to one virus and two autocrats. Thirty-dollar crude sounds great until it hits the American economy’s kneecaps: higher unemployment, decreased spending, lower exports, greater federal spending, higher government deficits.

To get a closer-to-home idea of the devastating impact of crude’s price collapse, consider what would happen to rural America’s economy if cash soybeans fell from $9 per bushel to $4.50 or if corn prices dropped from an already-low $3.60 per bushel to $1.80. Now consider both price collapses happening in less than two weeks.

While that hasn’t happened, both — and, really, all commodity — markets are under the triple threat of stillin-place American tariffs, coronavirus-slammed world demand and now a bloodletting oil war whose shock waves will pound the U.S. ethanol market and global oilseed markets throughout the spring and summer.

For proof, reported Yahoo Business, just moments after the Saudi/Russia

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ies by both the grain and the weight of no fewer than four adult first responders on the surface surrounding them.

Even though this “teaching methodology,” involving the use of youth as “victims,” appears to be increasingly used to demonstrate the entrapment process, little attention has been given to the potential consequences if something goes wrong, and who will bear the liability.

Placing any human, no less a high school student, in such a position is incompatible with the provisions of any university responsible conduct of research policy or Institutional Review Board oversight. It appears to be also in violation of the required safe work practices found in two federal work place safety and health regulations.

Even though the youth in this situation were not employees at the time, and the farm may not had been under current OSHA jurisdiction, an OSHA compliance officer would have certainly found what was taking place a serious violation for any covered occupational setting.

Organizers of the event were specifically asked if any of the youth were under 18 and the response was that care had been taken to ensure that the youth were over 18 to avoid the “need for parental consent.”

Those in leadership roles at this event were clearly unaware of the potential risks associated with deep entrapment that have been documented in the published research literature.

It was also stated that use of “live victims” provided the first responders with a “real world” environment in which to conduct the testing of rescue devices and train for actual entrapments.

It should be noted that while the use of youth as test subjects was occurring, there were no fewer than three full-size test mannequins available to the researchers. They were never used.

In our research, we have documented incidents involving trained first responders who volunteered to be partially buried for training purposes and experienced harmful physical and emotional effects of entrapment.

This has included elevated heart rates, breathing difficulty and post incident emotional discomfort.

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The staff supervising and conducting this event were not experienced in the procedures of grain rescue and were not adequately briefed on the potential hazards involved.

Placing a group of youth in a position of such high risk confirmed the lack of understanding, on the part of those involved, of the health and safety issues involved with deep grain entrapment.

Having conducted numerous training and safety demonstration events related to grain storage and handling, the use of youth as test subjects or for training purposes cannot be justified based upon actual need or any reasonable risk assessment model.

We don’t use youth as automotive crash dummies, drop them off the deep end of the pool to test the capabilities of life guards, or test the effectiveness of ROPS by putting youth inside the cab and rolling the tractor down a hillside. That is the purpose of mannequins or test dummies.

We encourage the re-evaluation of the practice of using youth as “victims” at public awareness events, first responder trainings and in testing of rescue devices. We raise the possibility that such involvement by an uninformed or untrained population may, in fact, be an unintentional form of exploitation.

Finally, we encourage those conducting these exercises to consider that making entrapment in grain a “fun” experience with only safe outcomes, may, in fact, communicate the wrong message about the very real hazards associated with grain entrapment. Let’s stop being professional dummies and discontinue the use of youth as if they were expendable test dummies.

Bill Field, Yuah-hsin Cheng and Roger Tormoehlen PURDUE UNIVERSITY

Robert Aherin

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

Charles Schwab

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

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NATIONAL EDUCATION CENTER FOR AGRICULTURAL SAFETY

Matt Roberts

ROBERTS FARMS

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B4 Friday, March 20, 2020

| INDIANA AGRINEWS | www.agrinews-pubs.com

Lifestyle

Don’t fear eating Crayons, sandpaper combine for impressive art fruits and veggies DONNA’S DAY: CREATIVE FAMILY FUN

By Donna Erickson

COVID-19 food “While viruses may safety concerns be transmitted WEST LAFAYET TE, Ind. — Modern supermarkets with their many open displays of fruits and vegetables are truly a marvel and a reminder that our nation enjoys the safest and most abundant food supply in the world.

However, in the face of the current nationwide COV ID -19 outbrea k, many questions about the safety of fresh fruits and vegetables have arisen.

According to Amanda Deering, an Extension specialist in Purdue’s Department of Food Science, current research indicates that the virus is not foodborne or foodtransmitted.

“From all indications, the virus that causes COVID-19 appears to be transmitted just like other viruses,” Deering said.

“This is very positive in that the same practices that we normally use to reduce contamination risk, such as washing your hands and washing fruit and vegetables before eating, should be applicable to reduce the risk of contracting COVID19.”

Scott Monroe, Purdue Extension food safety educator, points out that many produce growers already incorporate good agricultural practice that reduce the risk of contamination by a human pathogen.

“While viruses may be transmitted from surfaces, most growers take steps to prevent contamination. At this point in time, fear of COVID-19 should not be a reason to stop purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables,” he said.

Although the risk is

from surfaces, most growers take steps to prevent contamination.”

Scott Monroe, food safety educator PURDUE EXTENSION

small that any individual would contract COVID19 from selecting fresh produce, Deering and Monroe recommend the following steps to further reduce the risk: n Frequent hand-washing effectively reduces risk. After a trip to the supermarket, make sure to wash your hands, especially if tongs or other shared utensils are used. n Try not to manipulate produce items. While part of the buying experience is feeling, touching and manipulating the produce, this may increase the probability of a pathogen being deposited on or acquired from the produce. n Consumers who are immunocompromised should consider purchasing pre-packaged fruits and vegetables as an added measure of caution or choose to eat cooked fruits and vegetables at this time. n All produce items should be washed thoroughly before consumption.

By taking a few common-sense precautions, such as frequent handwashing and washing of produce, consumers can continue to reap the health benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables without incurring excessive risk of acquiring COVID19.

backside of the sandpaper as if ironing a hanky. Pass I have a variety of it over the back evenly and bright, chubby crayons my slowly, counting to 20 sectoddler-age granddaughter onds with your kids before loves to grab tightly in her picking up the sandpaper fist and press on paper, or to reveal the picture on the to be honest, anything in paper in dot form. reach. I’ve also observed 4. There it is. Sandpaper older school-age kids who pointillism. Never mind enjoy pressing crayons French postimpressionists firmly on paper to express for the moment. You’ll have themselves with designs your own very “impressive” and images. artist in residence.

This activity using sandpaper for the “paper” is To find more of Donna an interesting twist for Erickson’s creative famengaging those impulses ily recipes and activities, to create with verve, while visit www.donnasday.

Expand your child’s thinking and encourage experimentation enhancing a child’s natucom. © 2020 Donna ral creativity and love of with this art project that uses sandpaper and crayons to make a Erickson distributed by art. It’s an easy technique King Features Synd. heat transfer work of art. to offer a new expression using everyday crayons in bright colors and sandpaper out of the toolbox.

The texture of sandpaper will create a beautiful picture composed of tiny dots that might resemble pointillism, a painting technique used by postimpressionist painter Georges Seurat. He used thousands of dots of color that you can see up close but that blend into an image when you step back, away from the painting.

Try these steps to create a clever piece of pointillist-like art in seconds.

What is the magic ingredient? A dot, your kids might say. Uh-uh. It’s an iron.

Here’s the stuff and the fun: 1. Pick out an array of bright crayons. Vibrant blues, greens, purples and reds are ideal.

2. Create a drawing on a sheet of medium-grain sandpaper, pressing very hard as you color. Designs that use blocks of color rather than thick lines work best here.

3. When the drawing is done, turn the sandpaper over on top of a plain, SM-LA1762847 white piece of drawing or construction paper. An adult should heat an iron on a low temp and iron the

MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE. MINIMUM COMPACTION Want to be in control of when and how you spray? The cab-forward/rear-engine configuration of Case IH Patriot ® sprayers minimizes rutting and soil compaction and allows you to get in the field sooner. And our exclusive AIM Command ® spray system technology option allows application rate and spray pressure to remain constant, regardless of sprayer speed or field conditions. To learn more see your Case IH dealer or visit us online at caseih.com/patriot-sprayer

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SM-LA1762822

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B5

Lifestyle SENIOR NEWS LINE

IRS tax form designed with seniors in mind

Buyer’s Bonus Seed Tender Rebate Check Promotion

By Matilda Charles

Security, but are under age 65, you cannot use Thanks to the this form. But you can use Bipartisan Budget Act it if you file jointly with a of 2018, the Internal spouse, even if only one of Revenue Service has come you is age 65 or older. up with a tax filing form It looks generally like just for us: Form 1040-SR, the standard Form 1040, the tax return for seniors. but the print is bigger, This is an alternative the text boxes are bigger form for those of us who and there is more space are age 65 or older and re- between the lines of print. places the 1040-EZ form.

The instructions are the If you have a straightforsame as for Form 1040. ward, uncomplicated tax You can take the stansituation, this could be the dard deduction or itemize form for you. your deduction, and it Compared to the uses the standard 1040 1040EZ form, however, forms. If you have extra this one allows reporting of income, such as prize more types of income, and money, you need to add there is no limit to interest Schedule 1. income. You can list your Remember that our Social Security income, as standard deduction is well as interest, dividends, larger this year. pensions and more.

If you usually take adYou don’t need to be re- vantage of free tax prepatired to use this form, but ration by AARP volunyou need to have turned teers, they’re sure to have 65 by the end of 2019 — these new forms already. born before Jan. 2, 1955.

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ANTIQUES & COLLECTING

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By Terry and Kim Kovel

to early 1800s. They were shipped to many countries The English word and overpainted with col“clobbered� has been ored glazes because the used since at least the public would pay more for 1600s, but its meaning has colored urns or dishes. changed. It still means The decorations did not beaten up, badly injured follow the blue-and-white or damaged. outlines of the original But the word had a very glaze, but were applied as different meaning in the new pictures and orna1700s. It describes porcemental designs over the lain dishes or ornaments old glaze. The English did with blue-and-white unthe same overglaze decoderglaze decoration that rating, but many thought were altered. it was damaged, not And in an auction catimproved. The Germans alog or antiques display, called it “schwarzlot,� or the clobbered alterations blackish, decoration. are not bad and not damA pair of “Chinese aging, but enhancing, Export clobbered porcelain and not a reason to pay a vases� were sold at a New lower price.

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B6 Friday, March 20, 2020

| INDIANA AGRINEWS | www.agrinews-pubs.com

Bost bill puts spotlight on truck parking needs

By Jeannine Otto

AGRINEWS PUBLICATIONS

CARBONDALE, Ill. — A resolution introduced this month by an Illinois congressman could ease a longtime concern for truckers — lack of safe truck parking.

“One concern for truck drivers is the lack of enough safe parking spots,” said Rep. Mike Bost, R-12, in introducing HR 6104, the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act. The bill, introduced March 5, is a bipartisan effort with Rep. Angie Craig, D-2, Minnesota.

“Right now, there is a lack of places for truck drivers to safely stop,”

Craig said.

Bost said he understands the truck parking headaches from the perspective of a truck company owner and as someone who has driven big rigs.

His grandfather started Bost Truck Service in Murphysboro in 1935. The business, which Bost ran prior to his election to the U.S. House, is now operated by Bost’s brother and cousin.

Bost said that the mandatory use of electronic logging devices adds to the truck parking challenges for drivers.

“If a driver is coming up on the time they are going to run out of hours, they can’t always make it to a

rest area that’s safe. They will be penalized if they don’t stop exactly when they are supposed to stop,” Bost said.

He pointed to increased numbers of trucks parked on ramps and shoulders.

“That’s why you have a lot of these trucks — the rest areas get full or overfull and then they are parking on the off ramp or on any ramp or they are parking out somewhere and that’s unsafe. You can have drivers getting robbed and shot or killed,” he said.

The leader of one of the Midwest’s major truck groups agreed that the lack of safe truck parking has been highlighted by ELDs,

as well as the increase in the number of trucks on the road.

“This is an issue, it’s always been an issue. The problem is we get more and more trucks, we need more and more parking spaces and we have never really caught up in terms of the inventory,” said Don Schaefer, executive vice president of the Mid-West Truckers Association.

Schaefer said ELDs make a hard stop mandatory and require a driver to either stop or be penalized.

“The clock is ticking.

With the clock ticking, you’ve got a definite shutoff time and that may mean you are on the side of the road or on an off ramp or

you are desperately searching for a location where you can pull over and safely park. It’s made it a lot more difficult because it used to be that a driver had minutes and time to make it up,” Schaefer said.

Bost said his legislation would make $755 million in funds available over five years through a competitive grant program specifically for the construction of new truck parking spaces.

“What is so important about this legislation, this money can’t be shifted.

The money is committed specifically for truck parking. The language focuses only on truck parking, it can’t be used for other things. This has to be for

the creation of new truck parking spaces,” Bost said.

Bost said that while the legislation could add spaces, other issues impact the demand for truck parking.

“Is this going to cure all the problems? No. I still think we need to look at Hours of Service. We need to put common sense back into the decision-making process and not automatically think that everybody is in the same situation,” Bost said.

Jeannine Otto can be reached at 815-2232558, ext. 211, or jotto@ agrinews-pubs.com.

Follow her on Twitter at: @AgNews_Otto.

John Deere launches versatile 4M HD tractor

The trade war hit U.S. agricultural exports to China, leaving farmers struggling to turn a profit and hurting purchases of new farm machinery.

Gains in large tractor sales highlight February report M I LWA U K E E — Febr uar y saw mi xed results in overall U.S. sales of tractors and self-propelled combines.

The bright spot was fourwheel-drive and 100 plus horsepower tractors which showed healthy gains year over year.

However, overall tractor and combine sales fell for February, according to the latest data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers.

U.S. total farm tractor sales decreased 7.5% in February compared to last year, while U.S. February self-propelled combine sales fell 21.1%.

However, within those numbers, AEM saw a 6.2% gain in tractors above 100 horsepower to 946 units and a 7.3% rise in fourwheel-drive units to 177 sold.

Total U.S. sales of twowheel-drive tractors fell in February a total of 7.5% year over year. Sales of under-40 horsepower twowheel-drive tractors were

down 9.7%, and sales of 40 to 100 horsepower tractors went down 5.6%.

For Canada, November four-wheel-drive tractor sales gained 43.5%, from 23 to 33 units sold yearover-year, and self-propelled combine sales fell 46.3%.

November two-wheeldrive tractor Canadian sales were down overall 18.7%, with the sub-40 horsepower segment falling 20.2% while the 40 to 100 horsepower segment fell 10.3% and the 100plus horsepower segment fell 29.4%.

“What we’re seeing in tractor and combine unit sales is in line with expectations,” said Curt Blades, AEM senior vice president of ag services. “A lot of uncertainty in overall global markets is being reflected in agricultural goods markets, and that ultimately gets reflected in the capital expenditure decisions, like major equipment purchases, that farmers make.”

CARY, N.C. — John Deere, a world leader in providing advanced products and services for customers whose work is linked to the land, announced the launch of the new John Deere 4M Heavy-Duty tractor.

Designed with commercial customers and large property owners in mind, the new 4M Heavy-Duty delivers all the performance customers demand from their utility tractor in a compact, easy to use package.

The new 4M Heavy Duty is available in two output ratings, the 52 horsepower 4052M HD and the 66 horsepower 4066M HD. Both units feature John Deere’s innovative three range eHydro transmission with Twin Touch pedals, allowing for easy direction changes and increased productivity while decreasing operator fatigue.

The eHydro transmission also includes eThrottle, LoadMatch, MotionMatch and SpeedMatch systems along with automotive style cruise control.

In order to make this one of the most versatile tractors available today, John Deere equipped the 4M Heavy-Duty with a category I/II hitch with telescoping draft links.

Customers can use one tractor across a broad range of implements with various hitch specifications. Thanks to the telescoping draft links, implement hook up is a simple task.

Operators will be able to spend more time completing the task at hand versus struggling to attach their implements. Factory installed hydraulics also

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www.agrinews-pubs.com | INDIANA AGRINEWS | Friday, March 20, 2020

B7

Livestock

Preparing for ASF in face of COVID-19

By Ashley Langreck

AGRINEWS PUBLICATIONS

INDIANAPOLIS — As much of the country learns to adjust to a new normal due to quarantine restrictions because of COVID19, Hoosier swine producers need to stay alert as African swine fever continues to spread throughout Asia.

Kelli Werling, swine director for the Indiana State Board of Animal Health, said ASF keeps being diagnosed in swine herds in Europe and Asia.

Werling said BOAH continues to encourage swine producers to take steps towards disease preparedness and prevention on their operation.

Werling said as cases of ASF continue to be diagnosed in swine throughout Asia, BOAH continues to facilitate Securing Indiana’s Pork Supply, which is part of the national Secure Pork Supply Plan, to help reassure consumers that ASF is not a public health or food safety concern.

Werling said BOAH

modified the national Secure Pork Supply Plan to Indiana, and it includes five action plans that producers can implement on their operation to be prepared for a disease outbreak of ASF if it happens. n Premise Identification Validation — Werling said this is an important step of the plan because it is important to have an accurate and up-to-date count of where all the hogs are in the state. n Biosecurity Assessment — Veterinarians throughout the state are volun-

teering to help producers accomplish the steps in the plan, including walking through all barns and facilities on a farming operation to make sure they have a biosecurity plan in place and the site is prepared for any biosecurity threats. n Certified Sampling Training — If ASF hits Indiana, there will be many hogs that need to be sampled in a small time frame. Werling said Indiana has been asking swine vets to help train producers on how to take

and send samples to a diagnostic lab. After vets have trained a producer, BOAH has been asking them to submit the names so they can get an accurate count of how many individuals are certified per site to take samples. n Attend Securing Indiana’s Pork Supply meeting with BOAH staff — Werling said members of BOAH will be traveling the state with members of Indiana Pork, talking about what an outbreak may look like and what the responsibility’s of a

producer are if there is a disease outbreak. n Electronic Movement Permit Training — Werling said this is the important documentation step of the plan because if there is an outbreak of ASF then documentation may be required to authorize movement out of a certain geographic area.

Ashley Langreck can be reached at 800-426-9438, ext. 192, or alangreck@ agrinews-pubs.com.

Follow her on Twitter at: @AgNews_Langreck.

Alltech conference will be online due to COVID-19 concerns LEXINGTON, Ky. — Alltech has been closely monitoring the COVID19 outbreak, with particular consideration for ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference.

The annual event was scheduled for May 17–19 in Lexington and typically assembles more than 3,500 attendees from 70 countries for an exploration of innovative solutions across

the global food supply chain.

In light of rising health concerns related to coronavirus, Alltech will present ONE session topics online, transitioning to a virtual experience instead of a live event in 2020.

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tations from past years’ events, will be available beginning May 18.

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New valine product provides adequate nutrition in pig diets URBANA, Ill. — Many animal feeds contain crystalline amino acids, nitrogen-based building blocks for protein sy nthesis.

Often, crystalline amino acids are manufactured by genetically engineered bacteria, which do not trigger any safety concerns but are capable of producing mass quantities of the protein precursors.

Once the amino acids are synthesized, they are typically filtered out and crystallized for inclusion in diets. But the industry is recognizing that the remaining deactivated bacterial biomass has intrinsic nutritional value, and some companies are testing the potential to skip the filtration step.

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A recent study from the University of Illinois shows that the amino acid valine in dried bacterial biomass is just as nutritious as pure crystallized valine.

“The biomass contains small quantities of other amino acids, energy from the sugars in the fermentation process, and there’s still quite a bit of valine left that didn’t get taken out via the separation.

Some companies are saying, ‘Why don’t we use it all?’” said Hans Stein, professor in the Department of Animal Sciences and the Division of Nutritional Sciences at the U of I. Stein is co-author on a recent study published in the Journal of Animal Science.

Stein explained that the dried biomass contains approximately 64% valine by volume, whereas the crystalline product is nearly pure valine, at 98%.

His research team for-

mulated six experimental diets with equivalent levels of valine from the crystalline product or from the spray-dried bacterial biomass with valine.

They fed the diets, which were formulated based on corn, distiller dried grains with solubles, corn gluten meal, lactose and soybean meal, to 224 weanling pigs for 20 days.

The diets were analyzed for nutritional value.

Average daily gain, feed intake and gain-to-feed ratio of pigs were calculated.

Nitrogen and amino acid concentration in the blood were measured, as well.

The study showed that pigs gained weight a little faster with valine from biomass, but otherwise the two sources of valine yielded similar results.

“We found that biomass-derived valine was at least as bioavailable as the crystalline product. But we wondered why pigs ap-

peared to gain faster if fed the biomass product. We think it’s probably because there are other components in the biomass such as glutamine and some sugars that could potentially be beneficial for the pigs,” Stein said.

He added that the likelihood of seeing spray-dried valine biomass in the feed industry will depend on the economics.

“Producing the valine biomass is less costly than producing crystalline valine because separation and granulation of the final product are avoided.

On the other hand, because the valine biomass contains only 64% valine, transport costs will be slightly increased,” he said.

“An additional advantage of utilizing the spraydried biomass is that it provides a better recovery rate, because the product distributes more homogeneously through the feed.”

Warning: ing: Polaris aris offoff-road road veh vehicle icless can icle ca be haz hazardous us to to operat operat erate e and and are are not not in intend tended ed for for on-ro on-ro n-road ad use. use. Driv Driver er must must be at at least least 16 years years old wit with h a vali valid d driver driver iver’s ’s licen licen icense se to to operat operat erate. e. Passe Passe assenger ngers, nger s, if if permit permit rmitted, ted, mus mustt be at leas leastt 12 yea years rs old. old. All ride riders rs should s always ways wea wearr helmet helmet lmets, s, eye eye prote prote rotectio ction, ctio n, and and prote prote rotectiv ctive ctiv e clothi clothi othing. ng. Always use seat beltss an and d ca cab b ne nets orr do doors ors (as equipped). equipped equi pped). pped ). N Never ever engage age in stunt stunt dri driving, ving,, an ving and d avoid avoid exce excessiv excessive ssive speeds ssive speeds and sha sharp rp tturns. urns.. Riding urns Riding and alc alcohol alcohol/drugs ohol/drugs d don’t on’t mix mix.. Al Alll riders riders sho should uld take a ssafet safety afety tr training traini aining aini ng course. Call 800-342-376 cour -3764 4 for for additi additional onal information tion.. Check Check loca locall laws laws befor befor efore e riding riding on trai trails. ls. ©202 ©2020 0 Polari Polari lariss Inc. Inc.

B8 Friday, March 20, 2020

SM-LA1762741

| INDIANA AGRINEWS | www.agrinews-pubs.com

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www.agrinews-pubs.com | INDIANA AGRINEWS | Friday, March 20, 2020

ADVERTISE YOUR FARMLAND FOR SALE

Call Your Local AgriNews Representative or 800-426-9438 Ext. 113 SM-LA1761907

UPCOMING AUCTIONS Rush County, IN: April 1 • 100+/- Acres - 1 Tract Contact: Rusty Harmeyer 765.570.8118

Wayne County, IN: April 2 • 76+/- Acres - 1 Tract Contact: Rusty Harmeyer 765.570.8118 or Chris Peacock 765.546.0592 or Lauren Peacock 765.546.7359

Randolph County, IN: April 14 • 40+/- Acres - 1 Tract Contact: Chris Peacock 765.546.0592 or Lauren Peacock 765.546.7359

LAND FOR SALE IN INDIANA

Newton County

Shelby County, IN (Online): April 14-15 • 39.9+/- Acres - 1 Tract Contact: Dave Bonnell 812.343.4313 or Michael Bonnell 812.343.6036 or Rusty Harmeyer 765.570.8118

• 137.08 A, 130.75 Tillable, 3.7 CRP, W of Brook.

Contact: Gary Bohlander 765.794.0221

Boone County

Preble County, IN: April 15 • 111.25+/- Acres - 3 Tracts

• 28.95 Ac, 21.85 Tillable, 4 miles north of Lebanon, includes home and outbuildings

Contact: Chris Peacock 765.546.0592 or Craig Springmier 937.533.7126 or H. John Kramer 937.533.1101

- Farmland Sales - Farmland Investments & Management - Sale Leaseback Options

For more information go to hagemanrealty.com

HAGEMAN REALTY

SM-LA1762889

FARMS FOR SALE

C1

Warren County, IN (Online): April 15-16 • 106+/- Acres - 3 Tracts

Delaware County, IN: April 16 • 36.9+/- Acres - 2 Tracts Contact: Chris Peacock 765.546.0592 or Lauren Peacock 765.546.7359

Howard County, IN: April 21 • 152+/- Acres - 2 Tracts Contact: John Miner 765.438.2699 or Jaret Wicker 765.561.1737

Randolph County, IN: April 22 • 89+/- Acres - 1 Tract Contact: Chris Peacock 765.546.0592 or Lauren Peacock 765.546.7359

FEATURED LISTINGS Decatur County, IN: 80+/- Acres • Contact: Dave Bonnell 812.343.4313 or Michael Bonnell 812.343.6036

18390 S. 480 W. Remington, IN 47977 219-261-2000

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For more information, visit halderman.com

HRES IN Auct. Lic. #AC69200019, IL Lic. #417.013288 MI Lic. #6505264076 AUCTIONEER: RUSSELL D. HARMEYER, IN Auct. Lic. #AU10000277, IL Auct. Lic #441.002337 & OH Auct. Lic. #2001014575 SM-LA1763229

C2 Friday, March 20, 2020

| INDIANA AGRINEWS | www.agrinews-pubs.com

BEEF CATTLE

BEEF CATTLE

BEEF CATTLE

HEART OF AMERICA HEREFORD ASSOCIATION Cattlemen's Livestock Center, Wayne City, IL Spring Sale Saturday March 28 2020, 11am CST

York Farms Production Sale

SELLING 63 LOTS 9 - Hereford Bulls, 17 - Open Hereford Heifers 18- Bred Hereford Heifers / Cows 11- Hereford Cow/Calf pairs 8 Hereford Influenced (Baldy)Lots Please contact for a catalog or sale info.:

Contact: Kevin Babbs 3605 Bannister Road, Salem, IL 62881 Cell 618-322-5880 Email: kevinbabbs@sbcglobal.net heartofamericanherefordassociation.com BEEF CATTLE

BEEF CATTLE

CATTLEMEN’S C ho ice

SUNDAY MARCH 22 @ 1pm PALESTINE, IL 20 FALL & SPRING YEARLING BULLS 5 OPEN HEIFER PROSPECTS AND 20 SPRING AND FALL COW/CALF PAIRS, MANY WITH CALVES AT SIDE. CONTACT 618-562-2714 FOR MORE INFORMATION OR VISIT yorkfarmsangus.com Kramer Angus 22th Annual Bull and Female Sale March 28, 1:30pm at at the farm located 4 mi's N. of Farina, IL on Rte 37, then 1 mile W

Sat., March 28th • 1 p.m.

SELLING: 30 Bulls w/50K 20 Bred Heifers/Cow Calf Pairs Fall Born show heifers Marvin Kramer, 618-267-3884

Simmental

Ph. 217-433-0242 Email: lmcs2000@gmail.com

Angus

Simmental

www.larrymartinlivestock.com Catalogs upon request or website

19 open heifers, coming yearling Reg. Hereford heifers, all shots, 217-827-5796, 217-565-3275 BRED HEIFERS, SPRING calving, BLK, BWF and Red Angus. 618-528-8744 POLLED SHORTHORN BULLS, 2-yr. olds & yearlings, calving ease genetics, prices to sell, Call 217-737-1023

PRESCOTT ANGUS Yearling Angus Bulls For Sale Richard Prescott 815-228-2069 prescottangus.com

RED AND BLACK ANGUS BULLS. (618)528-8744

SWINE EQUIPMENT FARMWELD FARROWING CRATES w/SS dividers and cast iron flooring, 4 x 5 nursery pens w/tenderfoot flooring, Farmweld gestation crates.

Call 618-553-3672 MISC. LIVESTOCK EQUIP For Sale 24ft feeder wagon hay and silage, Heavy duty, exc shape, several available, $4500. 618-528-8744

Bulls • Breds • Cow/Calf Arthur Livestock Barn • Arthur, IL

BEEF CATTLE

To view Pictures & Videos Go to DV Auction mkramerangus@gmail.com THREE 2 YR. old Polled Shorthorn bulls, easy calving, AI Sired, calves on ground Sired by each. Also, a yearling Horned Hereford and Polled Shorthorn bull. Priced to move. text 815 494 5588 SWINE EQUIPMENT (12) FARMWELD JUMBO feeders, SS 3 hole, Very Good Cond., (36) SS double drinkers, 4'; D&M portable loading chute, 217-756-8268 40 Auqua feeder tube feeders, stainless steel, like new condition. Make Offer.

641-660-6838

MODERN MILL 2" Feed blower, single ph. 7.5 HP motor, complete unit, $2,500. obo Call 574-315-9657 Roto-grind bale grinder, less waste, feed less hay, I use a 85hp w/540 or 190-hp w/1000. $12,500-obo. 618-777-2077 Westendorf loader fits several models will fit MFWD, $3500.

618-528-8744

Don't Need it?

Sell it Here!

LIVESTOCK TRAILERS DELTA TRAILERS & LOW PRO HOG TRAILERS 6-1/2 tall, 16 long, 2 axle brake & spare tire, Starting at $5,495. Wackerline Trailers Sandwich, IL. 815-786-2504 wackerlinesales.com

FEATHER LITE LOW profile livestock trailer, model 81076716, great condition, maybe pulled 6 times a year. Comes with spare tire & plexieglass inserts, bought new in Jan. 2017, clean title, asking $9,250 call 309-224-8935

COMBINES/PLATFORMS/ HEADS 2000 CAT-460, 3037 Eng. 2225 sep., rice package, duals @ 70%, Ag Leader, yield monitor w/mapping, inspected yearly, shedded, clean machine, w/F30 platform, & 830 corn head, will separate, $32,500 obo Call 815-848-2300 2005 CIH-2388, 2145R, 2725 eng. Hrs., new 30.5x32 tires, chopper, 4wd, through shop, good paint, $39,850. Call 217-556-5807 2011 JD-9570, 1927/1315 hrs., duals, CM, bin ext., Call 574-857-6750 216 John Deere bean head, very gd cond., $1600. 426 Allis turbo out of N6 Gleaner, runs very gd, $2500. 618-214-2194 25ft 925 John Deere grain platform w/30ft head mover, $8900. 618-927-7858, 618-927-7857 436 International turbo diesel, $1600.

618-214-2194 466 JD turbo diesel out of 8820 combine, runs good, $2500.

618-214-2194 640 V8 Perkins turbo diesel, $2500. 618-214-2194 Cat Track w/JD final drive, rebuilt after last used, good shape, $5000. Can Deliver. 618-777-2077 FOR SALE GRAIN Bin Drying System, 42' Shivvers Drying System w/level dry & computer system & Cross Augers, 2 turbo Fans & Burners, 26hp a piece, Call 217-821-6232 for price

Want Ads Get Attention!

JD 9750 combine, 2000 eng/.

1500 sep hrs, exc tires, field ready, shed kept, top cond, $58,500. 618-927-7858, 7857 JD-9650, 2192 SEP. hrs., 3108 eng. Hrs., $48,000 obo; JD-893 corn head, $11,000 0b0; JD925 bean head, $7,000 obo Call 309-546-2831 SEED OPEN POLLINATED SEED corn, out produces Hybrids for silage. $67 per bu.

Plus shipping. 217-857-3377

SEED

NGMO SEED CORN, 107-113 Day Maturity, $85.00 for 80,000 Per Kernel Count,

(618)339-2200 TRACTORS 1992 CIH-7140, MFWD, 6600 hrs., new frt. tires, like new rears, duals @ 50%, Exc. Paint, new turbo, injectors, rebult fuel pump & head, $42,500 Call 815-760-0798 2004 VERSATILE-2425, 3300 hrs., exc cond., $72,500, OBO retiring. 563-357-4300 2005 CIH MX255, 2950 hrs, near new front tires, heated leather seats, hi-flow hyd. pump 3 remotes w/power beyond, hammer strap. $75,000. Call 815-693-7695.

2007 AGCO-DT180, 4890 hrs., $70,000 obo Call 309-546-2831 JD-7830 MFD, IVT Trans, frt susp., active seat, higher hrs., nice, $42,500 715-574-4561 JD-8200, 1997, 6618 hrs., SN P011285, MFWD, 18.4x46, nice tractor, $60,000, Call 217-249-3912 JD-8430 2007 ILS, Guidance Ready, Firestones, Front Duals SN P016327 60 gal. pump, active seat, nice tractor 4148 hrs. $105,000 (217)379-3912 JD-8430 MFD DUALS, IVT, wts., active seat, 50" tires, HID lighting, guidance ready, 5032 hrs., $79,900 Call 715-572-1234 NH-T6175 TRACTOR, LESS than 1200 hrs. Call 219-869-5433 INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT 684 HOES TILE trencher, Call 608-295-9287 Ashland I950 scraper, 9-1/2 yard, front dolly wheels, like new condition, $28,500.

815-275-0699 Ashland I950 scraper, 9-1/2 yard, front dolly wheels, like new condition, $28,500.

815-275-0699

www.agrinews-pubs.com | INDIANA AGRINEWS | Friday, March 20, 2020 INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT

INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT

PLANTERS

FORAGE

Eaton, OH (937) 456.6281 Georgetown, OH (937) 378.4880

* Tile Lift Pumps * 150 to 15,000 GPM *Electric Motors * *Farm Drainage Pumps * * Generator Sets * Shoemaker Welding North Liberty, IN 574-656-4412 EMPLOYMENT Full-time large grain farm, Coles Co., Must have CDL, sprayer, planter, combine experience preferred.

Paid Vacations.

217-348-0394 FARMS FOR SALE/RENT FOR SALE 175-AC, class A soils, in Big Rock IL, Kane Co., solid investment. Serious inquires only. 847-980-7956 For sale by owner, 475Ac's, Pope Co., IL 25 mi's NE of Paducha KY Consist of 340 Ac's till. cropland, 25 Ac's pasture, & over 100 Ac's of hard wood timber. 40,000 bu. Grain storage, large barn, large field & exc deer hunting, w/good lease income. Open crop lease for 19, price below appraised value, 618-528-8744 PLANTERS 1998 CIH-955 SOLID stand, 23 row planter, $13,000 Call 217-839-4284 2000 JD-1760 FINGER pick up planter, 12R30”, flex frame, half width disconnect, precision meters, bean & corn, Keetons, sensor one seed population monitor, w/GPS speed sensor, 1 cast iron spike closing wheel per row, books & spare parts, small farm, retired, can send photos, 217-473-2548 2004 JD-1750 Conservation planter, 8R30”, 250 monitor, corn & bean units, nice low acres. $13,900 309-826-8347 2015 JD-1755 PLANTER, 8 row liq. Fert., planted less than 3000 ac., Call 219-869-5433 24 JD 1770 liquid fertilizer applicator, $250-each.

618-562-7550

PLANTERS 2011 White 8531, 16x31, 2 bu. boxes, hi-rate sensors, pt row clutches, HD down springs, unit mount no-till cutters, Keeton seed firmers, 4 insecticide boxes, GTA console 1 monitor, always been shedded, $33,000.

217-246-5600 2700 KINZE 24 Row 30inch planter, c and b meters, 2000 acres on complete rebuild, $15,000. 217-556-4106 DEUTZ ALLIS-385 6 ROW, notill, liquid fert. $1,800 Call 574-875-5648 greendrills.com (740)756-4810 Hizey Farm Service LLC Harms Land-Rollers, Brand New! 12 - $6,800, 14 -7,300, 16 - $8,000 , 24 - $14,800, 32 - $17,500, 42-$21,500 Any size Available. 715-234-1993 INT'L-800 PLANTER, 12R30”, insect & herb., Chedderman fold, hyd., 900 update, $2,600 (815)257-8712 JD 1760 12Row 30 inch planter, equipped w/insect boxes, no-till cutters, Yetter residue managers, very sharp, no welds, used on small acreage. 217-259-2168 JD 7200, 8r30”, hydraulic wing fold, no-till, finger meters, insecticide, nice cond., $15,500.

815-275-0699 JD-7200 6-ROW 30" planters, dry fertizler and insect boxes, like new no-till cutters seed firmers w/monitor ,$7,500 Call 812-865-3238 Kinze 3600, 16/31 row, great shape, ready to go, no-till, insecticide, corn & bean meters, KPM II monitor, 815-712-3703 KINZE 3600-ASD 16-30", loaded, low acres, 2012, $67,500. Call 563-357-4300

Want Ads Get Attention!

MERIDIAN-240RT, LIKE NEW, $15,000 obo Call 309-546-2831

Lebanon, IN (765) 482.2303 Leb. Spray Center, IN (765) 481.2044 Pendleton, IN (765) 778.1991 Plymouth, IN (574) 936.2523 Remington, IN (219) 261.4221 Terre Haute, IN (812) 234.2627 Wilmington, OH (937) 382.0941 Winamac, IN (574) 946.6168 Wingate, IN (765) 275.2270 LS-779039

Bane-Welker.com SM-LA1760180

ROTARY 2017 JD-1570 TERRAIN CUT front mount mower, dual wheels, 4wd, air seat, hyd. Wts, transfer kit, 37 HP diesel, 72" 7iron pro side discharge mower deck, Excellent Condition, 430 hrs, $19,750. (618)836-5906, 618-535-2800 cell HAY & STRAW 1st & 2nd Cut Quality Hay and Straw, big and small squares, limited quantity, delivery available, Call now while there is no quarantine!

David 815-685-5344, Mike 815-685-9646

PARTS & SALVAGE

New Steel Storage tanks available Capacity up to 50,000 gal. 618-553-7549, 562-4544 www.dktanks.com

Crawfordsville, IN (765) 866.0253

La Crosse, IN (219) 754.2423

FERTILIZER EQUIPMENT DMI-3300 NUTRI PLACER, NH3 applicator, pull type, 13shank, no-till coulters, Blu-Jet independent cover disk, Hiniker 8150 controller monitor, stored inside, exc., $15,500.

765-426-5711, Frankfort, IN

C3

NEW HOLLAND 27P windrow pickup, off of fp230 pull-type chopper, will fit other models.

2015 model, good as new.

309-255-4000.

Vermeer 4 basket tedder, like new, $6500. 618-528-8744 We Repair Baler Knotters on your Farm!

Service Calls also available for farm equipment! Used Rakes & New Tedders for Sale!

Kings Repair, Marshall IN 765-597-2015 WEST LAKE 135K App. $1,900; PMI 135K App., $1,600; DMI-4200II, 125K, App w/marker, $2,500; 3 pt. West Lake 115K 28% App. W/1000 gal, pull tank & ground driven pump, no till coulters, $3,200.

(815)592-3656 SPRAYERS 1100 GALLON TOP AIR Sprayer, 60-ft. folding hyd. boom, foam maker, Raven monitor. $6,000. (815)471-8088 1985 GMC TIPKICK, floater, 1600 gal. Tank, 60' booms, Allison auto, exc. Tires, $8,800 obo call 815-674-0720 1995 INTERNATIONAL Silver wheels, floater, 466, Allison auto, 1600 gal. Tank, 60' booms, good shape, $23,000 obo Call 815-674-0720 GREEN SEEKER RT200, variable rate, application & maping system, new in box, Call 815-672-7640 JD-6700, 3-WHEEL, 60-ft. boom, triple nozzles, w/drops 2375 hrs, spray star monitor, Trimble light bar, foamer, Good Cond., $41,000. 815-260-0249, can text pics.

FERTILIZER EQUIPMENT (4) 2500 GAL. green poly fertilizer tanks, $2,000 or $900. ea, Call 815-252-7117

Buy Sell Trade Try AgriNews Classifieds It Works!!

PROGRESSIVE 28% 12-ROW applicator, w/rebuilt ace hyd.

Pump, spraymate II monitor & GPS controller, 1000 gal. Tank, call for price, 815-370-2453 TANKS: STAINLESS. PIPE For Culverts 10-inch to 10ft DIA. 618-553-7549, 618-562-4544, www.dktanks.com

Please say....

I saw it in AgriNews LOANS/ FINANCIAL SERVICES FARM LOANS. We have the Best term/interest rates avail.

Fixed rates, 5-25 yrs. 618-5282264 c, 618-643-2264, The BelRay Co, Don Welch and Jeff Welch, McLeansboro, IL

CULTIVATORS JD-845 12R30" FLAT fold, C shanks, rolling shields, Neese levelers, shedded, Exc. Cond., $6,000. Call 309-303-2848

MANURE EQUIPMENT

TILLAGE EQUIPMENT/ PLOWS ETC. (2) IH-4600 FIELD cultivators, 24-1/2', $1,800 each.; Wilrich field cultivator, 27', $1,000 Call 815-326-1190 Case IH 25ft 3950 disk, w/271/2ft Case IH Crumbler, both in very good condition, field ready, $22,900. 618-927-7858, 618-927-7857

BETTERBILT-2600 VAC. SPREADER, 3 knife plow down, 1000 RPM pump, good paint & tires, Call 217-756-8268

Buy it!

Sell it!

Find it!

Classifieds

LARGE SQUARE BALES of grass hay, 1, 2nd & 3rd cutting, Call 815-757-4951

1903 w/16ft Chandler litter bed, Cat power, torque boost trans., 4800-hours, 73x44-32, $39,500.

618-562-7550 6-Row corn liquid nitrogen applicator, 3pt hitch, red ball monitor, PTO pump, includes tractor tanks, can also spray herbicide, Delivery possible, $4500. 814-322-8090

28Lx26, 23 degree Firestone tires, like new, $1200; On JD Rims. 23L-26 tires, V gd, $750.

On JD Rims. 618-214-2194,

CIH-700, HIGH CLEARANCE 8 bottom 16” pull type on land plow, $3,500; CIH-516 720 plow, 3 pt. $2,000. Call 217-456-7641

STRAIGHT GRASS, $130/ton; alfalfa grass mix, $160/ton; corn stalks, $80/ton. All big square bales. 815-848-7899

DMI 13-SHANK 3-PT., anhydrous applicator, coulters, disc sealers, Dicky John controller, $3,500 815-693-8952

4 GoodYear Tractor Tires Size 620/70R26. Asking $2000.

563-920-1125

JD MULCH MASTER, MODEL 550, 25-FT., EXTRA SWEEPS, GOOD COND., $5,250.

812-204-4587

5x6 round bales, grass hay, net wrapped, no rain, $60 a bale. 815-651-7426

TIRES

CIH 200 field cultivator 43-1/2ft, knock off shovels, 4 bar tine harrow, hitch, exc cond.

Farmer owned. 309-224-9186

C4 Friday, March 20, 2020 TILLAGE EQUIPMENT/ PLOWS ETC. CIH-496 24' 7-1/2" spacing, 21" frt. 19-1/2 rear blades, 3-bar Remlinger harrow, Ser. JAG0162738 $7,900; IH-490, 21' 2-1/2" spacing, 19-3/4 frt., 19-3/4 rear blades, Ser. 04700004032969, $3,500; JD235, 25', 7-1/2" spacing, 21-1/4 frt, 19-1/4 rear blades, Ser. 015828A, $3,700; Brillion XL 144 33' Packer Xfold, good rolls, weld on hitch, Ser. 164772, $5,900; Krause, 2011, 15' offset disc, 11" spacing, 251/2" blades; Glencoe, 55K soil saver, New paint, Hoses & Points, $3,300. (815)592-3656

Don't Need it?

Sell it Here!

JD-637 32ft Disc; JD-630 25ft disk, excellent condition, 618-528-8744 JD-726 2005 34ft finisher, knock on sweeps 5 bar spike harrow, field ready, nice cond., $23,500. 815-275-0669 KRAUSE-8200 CLASS II, 25' with rolling basket, Call 219-869-5433 LANDOLL-876 TILLOLL 30' soil finisher, Excellent Condition Located near Yorkville, IL. $23,500 Call 630-669-0437 SUNFLOWER 26' SOIL finisher, 300 ac. Since complete rebuild, new 20” blades & Bearings, 10” hard serface shovels, rolling basket, 5 bar harrow on rear. Call 217-725-5236 FEED & GRAIN

| INDIANA AGRINEWS | www.agrinews-pubs.com FEED & GRAIN

BINS & DRYERS

BINS & DRYERS

MISC. FARM EQUIPMENT

Buyers and Feeders Of Damaged corn, soybeans, screening, wet, hot, dry, fire, and silo corn

Iroquois Equipment Bush Hog Dealer

Trucks Available

Onarga, IL. 815-351-8124 *New/used Bush Hog mowers on hand. *Full line of Bush Hog parts.

ZBAR Feed Yards 319-480-1673, 480-1426 563-926-2190

*Fast, low rate shipping.

We can help keep your Bush Hog mower running like new!

IRRIGATION EQUIPMENT

FEED & SEED OATS, large quantity available. Bulk bin run at $4. per bu. (32 lbs). 50. bu super sacks cleaned at $5. per bu. Cleaned and bagged in 50lb bags at $8. Kewanee, IL. 309-853-7517

WANTED LOOKING FOR A good used Mix Mill or Sentry stationery hammer mill grinder. Call or text 309-238-1439

Check out our Auction Section in today's AgriNews

AUGER

REPAIR FLIGHTING Helicoid Super Edge & Sectional. For Grain Augers, Dryers, & Grain Carts, Feed Wagons, Mixers, Combines, Sweeps and Stirring Machine.

Down Minimum

CARS/TRUCKS/TRAILERS 1986 ALLIED FUEL tanker, 9000 gal., 5 comp. 11R22.5 tires, air ride, tires & brakes 50%, new dollies, painted silver & blue, nice looking trailer, $12,000 Call 309-335-0573

Same Day Shipment Perry Equipment, Inc. 115 West 580 North Crawfordsville, IN 765-362-4495 800-433-8783

1992 GMC Topkick, Cat engine, 10ft bed, new paint, good condition, $7500.

618-528-8744

www.perry-equip.com

GRAIN VACS New& Used REM & Kongskilde grain vacs. Used Kongskilde 1000 & 500 grain vacs.

Cornwell Equipment, Arthur, IL 217-543-2631 BINS & DRYERS 3-ACRES INCLUDES GRAIN elevator w/80-ft. scales, office, 3 storage buildings & bins, etc.

6 miles East of LeRoy, IL $220,000. 309-825-5017 GSI FLOORING New-Weather: 18' , 21' , 24' Floor. 50% off.

While They Last. Call Place Order. Brush Enterprises, Bethany, IL 1-800-373-0654 NEW GT RECIRCULATING Batch Grain Dryers. Cornwell Equipment. (217)543-2631

Want Ads Get Attention!

ELEC. MOTORS/GENERATORS

Winco Generators. PTO portables & eng. sets avail., Large Inventory. Albion, IL. Waters Equip. 618-445-2816

Lincolnland Agri-Energy, LLC Buying Corn Clint Davidson Commodity Mgr 10406 N 1725th St Palestine, IL 618-586-2321 or 888-586-2321

Buy it!

Sell it!

Find it!

Classifieds

MISC. FARM EQUIPMENT

SM-LA1760232

Buy Sell Trade Try AgriNews Classifieds It Works!!

1997 REITNOUER STEP deck, 48 X102, all alum.,10.2 spread. $9,250 obo; 2007 Manac, step deck, 48x102, all alum.10.2 spread, $12,500 obo; 1999 Roadmaster rgn, 50-ton tri-axle, 48x102 with 26-ft. well, $25,000 obo. 815-674-0720.

SM-LA1760265

WAGONS & GEARS

2007 International 8600, AR, tandem axle, 10-spd. transmission, C13 Cat eng., 167-wb, Nice Truck, $19,500.

217-924-4405 8-5pm.

EZ Trail 3400 seed wagon, w/Shur-lock tarp, shed kept, very good condition, $6250.

618-927-7858, 618-927-7857 JD-716A SILAGE WAGON, SN 01266zw, 3 beaters, roof, wood floor, unloading apron ext., PTO shaft, variable floor spd. On a JD-1075 4 wheel running gear, SN 014541w with tongue ext., trails straight, well maintained and shedded, Asking $6,000.

Wanatha IN. 219-252-0510 KILLBROS 375 WAGON JD 1075 gear, Shur-lok roll tarp, Ficklin 16-ft. bean auger. Call 815-488-6553.

MISC. FARM EQUIPMENT 16 ROW DAWN PLURIBUS on B&D tool bar w/liquid, $40,000; Call 815-252-7117 YEAR ROUND TRACTOR cab Fits 66 series tractor, Call (309)854-2708

Check out our Auction Section in today's AgriNews SM-LA1760236

Used Zimmatic center pivot 9 tower 1500 ft long, $15,000; Kifco water winch & 6" alum pipe, 815-303-3650 Putnam, IL Wanted: Irrigation Equipment Pipes, Pumps/Travelers.

HOEKSTRA FARMS, LLC. St. Anne, IL. Call 815-427-6510 ELEC. MOTORS/GENERATORS

Generators: used, low hr takeouts. 20KW to 2000KW. Dsl, Propane, Nat. Gas. 701-3719526. abrahamindustrial.com

2010 DELTA HYD. tilt bed goodeneck trailer 24', (2) 7,000 lb. Single axles, floors in good cond., pic avail. Asking $6,500 obo 309-525-2390 2013 Freightliner Cascadia 125, Air Ride susp., tandem axle, Detroit engine, 241,000 miles, auto, Very Nice truck Call for price.

217-924-4405 8-5pm.

DODGE RAM 3500, flat bed truck, gas, new tires, 1000,000 mi., 4wd, Excellent, Call 217-415-6405 or Email nobes99@hotmail.com for pictures, Call 217-415-6405

www.agrinews-pubs.com | INDIANA AGRINEWS | Friday, March 20, 2020

C5

Business

Market data FOR WEEK ENDING MARCH 13, 2020

Futures Prices This week

Last week

Chg.

This week

Last week

95.57 89.75 89.17 93.80 98.70 101.97

105.75 100.02 101.07 106.20 110.47 113.45

-10.18 -10.27 -11.90 -12.40 -11.77 -11.48

HOGS APR 20 MAY 20 JUN 20 JUL 20 AUG 20 OCT 20

Chg.

56.37 62.70 71.30 72.50 72.02 60.87

65.92 71.37 79.75 80.95 80.80 69.42

-9.55 -8.67 -8.45 -8.45 -8.78 -8.55

FEEDER CATTLE MAR 20 113.00 APR 20 112.60 MAY 20 114.47 AUG 20 121.17 SEP 20 122.27 OCT 20 122.92

130.70 130.05 131.15 138.50 139.92 140.70

-17.70 -17.45 -16.68 -17.33 -17.65 -17.78

MILK CLASS III MAR 20 16.34 APR 20 15.90 MAY 20 15.78 JUN 20 15.98 JUL 20 16.35 AUG 20 16.56

16.37 16.03 16.28 16.48 16.73 16.87

-0.03 -0.13 -0.50 -0.50 -0.38 -0.31

3706 3656 3684 3676 3730 3826

3772 3760 3792 3774 3814 3916

-66 -104 -108 -98 -84 -90

SOYBEANS MAR 20 8466 MAY 20 8486 JUL 20 8560 AUG 20 8594 SEP 20 8604 NOV 20 8644

8832 8912 9000 9016 9016 9054

-366 -426 -440 -422 -412 -410

CHICAGO WHEAT MAR 20 5146 MAY 20 5060 JUL 20 5070 SEP 20 5130 DEC 20 5236 MAR 21 5336

5212 5156 5166 5240 5352 5450

-66 -96 -96 -110 -116 -114

K.C. WHEAT MAR 20 4312 MAY 20 4314 JUL 20 4384 SEP 20 4474 DEC 20 4610 MAR 21 4732

4392 4462 4534 4630 4760 4876

-80 -148 -150 -156 -150 -144

BRENT CRUDE OIL MAY 20 33.85 JUN 20 35.44 JUL 20 36.77 AUG 20 37.85 SEP 20 38.71 OCT 20 39.38

ETHANOL 45.27 -11.42 APR 20 45.52 -10.08 MAY 20 45.80 -9.03 JUN 20 46.14 -8.29 JUL 20 46.50 -7.79 AUG 20 46.84 -7.46 SEP 20

1.241 1.262 1.277 1.277 1.277 1.277

-0.049 -0.051 -0.051 -0.051 -0.051 -0.051

CATTLE APR 20 JUN 20 AUG 20 OCT 20 DEC 20 FEB 21

CORN MAR 20 MAY 20 JUL 20 SEP 20 DEC 20 MAR 21

1.192 1.211 1.226 1.226 1.226 1.226

Stocks of Agricultural Interest This week

Last 52-wk week high

34.64 55.33 12.49 38.56 27.68

37.64 61.41 14.89 46.85 36.84

ADM AGCO BASF Bunge CF

47.20 81.39 20.98 59.65 55.15

Export Inspections WHEAT CORN SOYBEANS

This week

Year ago

415.548 829.865 572.416

615.715 793.570 888.690

This week

Last 52-wk week high

Corteva 24.82 Dupont 37.10 Deere 138.96 FMC 88.05 Mosaic 11.01

25.30 32.78 40.50 83.72 164.04 181.99 90.53 108.77 14.30 29.16

(MIL BU.) Cumulative Cumulative this year year ago 19228.49 14947.80 30130.67

Cml. % diff.

17625.944 26611.680 26858.27

9.09 -43.83 12.18

Livestock Summary % diff.

This Last Year week year week week ago ago ago Hog Slaughter-est 11000 HD Cattle slaughter-est 1000 HD CASH HOGS, LIVE PRICE Interior Illinois

2648 630

2680 647

2453 608

This week

Last week

36.00

35.00

-1.19 -2.63

7.95 3.62

Change 1.00

USDA Grain Market Review CORN Kansas City US No 2 truck Yellow Corn was 14 cents lower from 3.77 3/4-3.79 3/4 per bushel.

Omaha US No 2 Yellow Corn was 18 to 26 cents lower from 3.51-3.61 per bushel.

Chicago US No 2 Yellow Corn was 17 to 25 cents lower from 3.67 3/4-3.76 3/4 per bushel.

Toledo US No 2 rail Yellow corn was 16 cents lower to 12 cents higher from 3.79 3/4-3.85 3/4 per bushel.

Minneapolis US No 2 Yellow corn rail was 18 cents lower at 3.35 3/4 per bushel.

OILSEEDS Minneapolis Yellow truck soybeans were 28 1/2 cents lower at 8.33 1/2 per bushel.

Illinois Processors US No 1 Yellow truck soybeans were 35 1/2 to 37 1/2 cents lower from 8.63 1/2-8.73 1/2 per bushel.

Kansas City US No 2 Yellow truck soybeans were 36 1/2 to 37 1/2 cents lower from 8.49 1/28.59 1/2 per bushel.

Illinois 48 percent soybean meal, processor rail bid was 1.10 lower from 302.80-305.80 per bushel.

Central Illinois Crude Soybean oil processor bid was 2.76 to 3.41 lower from 25.88-26.88 per cwt.

WHEAT Kansas City US No 1 Hard Red Winter, ordinary protein rail bid was 6 1/2 cents lower from 5.12 3/4-5.22 3/4 per bushel.

St. Louis truck US No 2 Soft Red Winter terminal bid was 17 cents lower at 5.38 per bushel.

Minneapolis and Duluth US No 1 Dark Northern Spring, 14.0 to 14.5 percent protein rail, was 23 cents lower from 6.39-6.49 per bushel.

Portland US Soft White wheat rail was 8 to 15 cents lower at 5.85 per bushel.

SORGHUM US No 2 yellow truck, Kansas City was 28 to 29 cents lower from 6.00-6.53 per cwt. Texas High Plains US No 2 yellow sorghum (prices paid or bid to the farmer, fob elevator) was 28 to 29 cents lower from 5.91-6.43 per cwt.

OATS US 2 or Better oats, rail bid to arrive at Minneapolis 20 day was 1/2 to 14 1/2 cents higher from 3.20-3.55 per bushel.

Want to help Hoosier farmers?

Seek election to the corn checkoff board

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Corn Marketing Council will have elections for five positions on its board of directors this year. Hoosier farmers interested in directing Indiana’s corn checkoff investments may now petition to run for election to one of those seats.

ICMC manages the corn checkoff investments with the goal of supporting and growing Indiana’s corn industry.

“The volunteer leadership of those who have ser ved on the ICMC board have benefited Indiana corn farmers for many years,” said ICMC President Joshua Miller, a corn grower from Anderson.

Board members determine the promotional, educational and research activities funded by the corn checkoff. ICMC’s strategic plan focuses on market development, production research and farmer services.

Priorities include ethanol, transportation infrastructure, production research, livestock promotion and international exports.

To run for an ICMC director seat, Indiana corn farmers must be at least 18 years old, a registered Indiana voter and a resident in the appropriate district.

All farmers who submit a valid petition by June 12 will be listed as a candidate on the election ballot. Voting takes place at Purdue Extension county offices in August.

Here is the breakdown of each district: n One open seat —

District 3 includes the counties of LaGrange, Steuben, Noble, DeKalb, Whitley, Allen, Huntington, Wells and Adams. n One seat up for re-election — District 6 includes the counties of Blackford, Jay, Delaware, Henry, Randolph, Wayne, Fayette and Union. n One seat up for re-election — District 9 includes the counties of Franklin, Jennings, Jefferson, Ripley, Dearborn, Ohio, Clark, Switzerland and Scott. n Two statewide at-large seats up for re-election.

Farmers can download any necessary forms at www.incorn.org/elections, or by calling Chris Weldon at the ICMC office at 800735-0195. Forms also are available at all Purdue Extension county offices.

Newly elected directors will begin a three-year term Oct. 1.

Indiana Farm Bureau offers H-2A assistance INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Farm Bureau has partnered with Great Lakes Ag Labor Services LLC to offer its members assistance in navigating the H-2A program, which allows U.S. agricultural employers in need of seasonable labor to petition for non-immigrant, foreign workers.

GLALS was established

by Michigan Farm Bureau in 2015. Through its partnership with Varnum Law, GLALS may now provide legal support and 24-hour online access to a Labor Compliance guide to interested INFB members.

Services now available to INFB members through GLALS are: n Pre-approval management review conducted by Varnum Law. n Drafting, filing and pro-

cessing of three government agency applications including your employment contract in English and Spanish. n Translation services and support. n Domestic recruitment advertising, bilingual applicant interviews, reference checks and documentation. n Foreign recruitment matching worker expertise to meet specific labor needs. n Arranging and providing in-country support for visa appointments at each U.S. Consulate. n Complete transportation coordination from worker’s hometown to the worksite. n Calculation and payment of individual worker reimbursement.

n Bilingual worker orientation and training. n Streamline on-boarding process by providing prefilled documents. n Support during U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division audit.

“Many labor-intensive agricultural operations rely heavily on seasonal workers,” said John Shoup, an attorney at INFB. “The process of applying for and coordinating seasonable labor can be stressful and time consuming, regardless of the type of operation.”

The services offered through GLALS are available at a variety of price points, depending on the level of support needed.

Interested INFB members may contact Shoup at 317692-7801 or jshoup@infb.org or visit http://infb.org/h2a.

C6 Friday, March 20, 2020

| INDIANA AGRINEWS | www.agrinews-pubs.com

Business

Optimism amid market mess Purdue’s AgGrowBOT Commodity Insight Jerry Welch

It was bad and bearish enough to deal with the coronavirus impacting most all markets, but then the other shoe, so to speak, was dropped — that shoe being a price war erupting suddenly between Russia and Saudi

Arabia.

Over the weekend, OPEC negotiations fell through to cut crude oil production in an effort to support prices as suggested by the Saudis. The Russians refused to go along with a production cut, and the Saudis quickly decided to escalate the conflict by boosting production to a record 12.3 million barrels a day. Within minutes, Russia retaliated, saying they would increase output by 500,000 barrels per day.

As a result, crude oil prices shed 25% in value in one day, the largest drop since 1991 with futures trading under $28 a barrel. Historically, crude oil is a leading indicator for commodities, per se, and the stock market.

The dramatic drop with crude oil values amid more cases of coronavirus in the United States and across the globe caused stocks and commodities to collapse. The Dow experienced an 8% decline, falling 2014 points, the largest point decline in history.

However, the Dow fell deeper yet with a new record one-day point decline only three days later. And all due to the price war between Russia and Saudi Arabia and fears of coronavirus.

Every time I see markets collapsing with investors, traders and agriculture producers wringing their collective hands, I am reminded of one of President Ronald Reagan’s favorite jokes.

From “How Ronald Reagan

Changed My Life” by Peter Robinson, here it is and I hope you enjoy it as much as I have over the years: The joke concerns twin boys of 5 or 6.

Worried that the boys had developed extreme personalities — one was a total pessimist, the other a total optimist — their parents took them to a psychiatrist.

First, the psychiatrist treated the pessimist. Trying to brighten his outlook, the psychiatrist took him to a room piled to the ceiling with brand-new toys. But instead of yelping with delight, the little boy burst into tears.

“What’s the matter?” the psychiatrist asked, baffled. “Don’t you want to play with any of the toys?”

“Yes,” the little boy bawled, “but if I did, I’d only break them.”

Next the psychiatrist treated the optimist. Trying to dampen his outlook, the psychiatrist took him to a room piled to the ceiling with horse manure.

But instead of wrinkling his nose in disgust, the optimist emitted just the yelp of delight the psychiatrist had been hoping to hear from his brother, the pessimist. Then he clambered to the top of the pile, dropped to his knees and began gleefully digging out scoop after scoop with his bare hands.

“What do you think you’re doing?” the psychiatrist asked, just as baffled by the optimist as he had been by the pessimist.

“With all this manure,” the little boy replied, beaming, “there must be a pony in here somewhere!”

The largest percentage collapse in history for the stock market took place on Oct. 16, 1987, known as, Black Monday.

The Dow dropped 22.6% that day.

But here is how the U.S. soybean market did that fateful day 33 years ago, in 1987. Initially, as the Dow collapsed on Black Monday, along with gold prices and a host of other markets, soybeans dropped limit down at

30 cents.

By the close, however, the market was off 15 cents to settle at $5.24 a bushel. And nine months later, due to hot and dry conditions surfacing in the Grain Belt, in the spring and summer of 1988, soybean prices peaked out at $10.99.

Soybean prices more than doubled in value from lows posted on Black Monday. If you doubt me, do as Baseball Hall of Famer Casey Stengel was fond of saying: “You can look it up!”

In early January, I stated boldly there were three dominant forces lined up to impact the Big Four, stocks, bonds, currencies and commodities. Those three forces were coronavirus, the trade deal with China and climate change issues.

The marketplace is still dealing with the coronavirus mess, but I fully expect China to honor their pledge to buy copious amounts of U.S. foodstuffs. And as we approach the growing season, I expect climate change issues to begin surfacing, as well.

In today’s market environment, it is difficult to be bullish towards any market. After all, January was the most bearish January in history for stocks and commodities. February was worse yet.

And in early March, the bearish madness saw a new and negative market force surface, a price war between Russia and Saudi Arabia over crude oil. By any measure, 2020 is one of the most bearish years witnessed in a long time.

Nonetheless, I argue that somewhere under this week’s pile of horse manure is a pony.

There was on Black Monday, 1987, and there is likely one now.

And yes, to fess up, I am kindred spirit to that overly optimistic boy looking for a pony under that huge pile. Believe me, there is at least one pony down there right now.

Or, just maybe, a herd of ponies.

showcases innovations

WEST LAFAYET TE, Ind. — Purdue University’s College of Ag r iculture w ill host AgGrowBOT May 7-8 at the Agronomy Center for Research and Education.

The event amplifies Purdue’s commitment to leadership and innovation in digital agriculture with technologies that improve agricultural productivity, efficiency and sustainability.

“By supplying a competitive outlet for students, the AgGrowBOT program helps create tomorrow’s agricultural inventions,” said Ronald Turco, professor and department head of agronomy.

The first day of AgGrowBOT, GENAG Day, will feature hands-on, educational experiences designed for junior and senior high school students.

Events will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 7 at ACRE, 4540 U.S. 52 West, West Lafayette.

On GENAG Day, students can learn about innovations and career opportunities in agriculture. Interactive exhibits focused on farm management, soil health, rural broadband and other topics will engage students as they explore their interests. Participants also will have

the opportunity to interact with AgGrowBOT Challenge teams.

The AgGrowBOT Challenge, May 8, consists of the Agdevice and BOT competitions.

Collegiate teams may enter either or both.

The Ag-device competition features entries designed to solve problems through novel approaches to agricultural processes. Entries for the competition face few restrictions, which encourages creative solutions. Examples include software builds, remote data implementations and handheld devices.

The BOT competition tasks entrants with the construction of an autonomous device, capable of finding, identifying and eliminating weeds in a field of wheat. The self-powered vehicles will be tested under real field conditions without direct input from an operator.

Spectators are welcome to attend both competitions. The BOT competition begins at 8 a.m., and the Ag-device competition starts at 1 p.m.

Admission and parking are free. Pre-registration and additional details are available at https://ag.purdue.edu/aggrowbot.

Mid-Co Commodities celebrates 40 years BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Mid-Co Commodities celebrates four decades of serving customers with price risk management services for agricultural commodities.

It’s a dedication to customer service that has helped fuel the growth of Mid-Co from about 29,000 transactions in 1980 to more than 600,000 transactions today.

“Mid-Co risk consultants understand that our personalized service focused on customer success is what sets us apart from our competitors,” said Aaron

Curtis, Mid-Co’s commodity risk management manager.

T ho s e c u s t ome r s are wide-ranging including farmers, commercial grain elevators, and GROWMARK system cooperatives. For the Mid-Co team, it’s the personalized touch that sets them apart.

“World events like coronavirus and trade wars all have an impact on the markets, so we make sure to keep our customers ahead of the ‘why’ behind daily prices,” Curtis said.

For more information, visit www.mid-co.com.

www.agrinews-pubs.com | INDIANA AGRINEWS | Friday, March 20, 2020

C7

Business

Agribusiness Leader of Year Arm & Hammer adds NAMA honors Druker with award OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — The National Agri-Marketing Association has named Scott Druker, general manager of Arm & Hammer Animal and Food Production, the 2020 Agribusiness Leader of the Year.

This award, which is NAMA’s highest honor, recognizes outstanding leadership in private, public or academic service and is conferred each year to a senior agribusiness executive who not only exemplifies excellence in agribusiness, but has also made significant contributions to the industry.

Now in its 20th year, the award will be presented at the 2020 Agri-Marketing Conference, April 15-17, in San Diego.

Druker joined the Arm & Hammer Animal Nutrition business unit of Church & Dwight Co. as senior business manager in November 2009. He was pro-

moted to director of animal nutrition in 2012 and to his current position of general manager in 2017.

During these years, Druker led ChDruker urch & Dwight through multiple acquisitions in the livestock and food safety sector, transforming the company’s focus from a primarily North American dairy feed ingredient business to a global, multi-species and multi-channel livestock production and food safety enterprise.

Under his leadership, Arm & Hammer Animal and Food Production has met its business vision of becoming the only food chain partner integrating diverse technologies for animal and food production systems, providing solutions from on-farm through

processing to improve the safety and reliability of the world food supply.

Today, Arm & Hammer Animal and Food Production is the industry’s only comprehensive animal nutrition, food production and food safety solutions provider, employing about 130 across the globe-and still growing-compared with 19 employees in North America before 2015.

Druker is a member of the board of directors and executive committee of the American Feed Industry Association and the organization’s chair-elect, taking office in May 2020.

Druker continually encourages his marketing teams to deliver innovative and highly creative solutions to reach the marketplace. Over the years, the company has been a strong contributor of entries to Best of NAMA. In 2018, Arm & Hammer’s # S c ienc eHe a r t e d nat iona l multi-media campaign won a national NAMA Best of Show award.

AFA selects student ambassadors K ANSAS CITY, Mo. — Agriculture Future of America has selected 25 ambassadors to serve for the organization’s 2021 fiscal year.

These students represent 25 schools from 21 states.

During their year of service, these students will interact with agribusiness leaders, campus faculty and fellow students as they represent AFA. “AFA has always valued students as leaders,” said Mark Stewar t, AFA president and CEO. “These 25 AFA ambassadors have been selected to represent our organization on their campuses, in their regions and nationally as we work to build bridges to foster engagement and innovation in food and agriculture. This highly competitive group was chosen because

of their passion and commitment to agriculture and AFA.” The AFA ambassadors set goals to increase awareness of A FA prog rams on their campuses and in their regions and work to establish creative strategies to accomplish those goals.

Ambassadors also will interact with industry professionals at various events and meetings on behalf of AFA. The health of AFA’s relationship with a college campus relies heavily on the work of our ambassadors.

“As AFA’s director of collegiate relations, one of my main objectives is to diversify our student participation in our programs so that our group of students represents the enrollment in agriculture programs throughout the United States,” said Ashley Collins.

“When we have a strong ambassador on a college campus, we see strong applications and participation from that campus.

I’m excited to be able to work alongside this group of ambassadors as we work to reach more students on more campuses.”

On average, 66% of the applicants to AFA’s leader development programs come from a school where AFA has an active ambassador.

The ambassador’s first meeting will be in April. This will be a joint meeting with the AFA Student Advisory Team and will include team building, inclusivity training and planning for their year of service.

AFA’s student leadership program has been made possible through strategic partnership with the CHS Foundation.

to ruminant sales team

PRINCETON, N.J. — Continuing its commitment to providing innovation and expertise to the industry, Arm & Hammer Animal and Food Production is strengthening its ruminant sales team with five experienced and talented industry professionals.

Mark Stehno joins the company as senior region manager.

Jeff Turner, Kemp Caudill, Kevin Arand and Patty Sinclair join as ruminant account managers.

“Hiring these individuals is a great investment in the growth of our ruminant sales team and will ultimately benefit our customers,” said Jim Rainey, Arm & Hammer Animal and Food Production director of Americas sales.

“We are excited to have these individuals with varied industry knowledge join our team. Their additions rein-

force our commitment to providing customers across the nation with solutions that fit their needs.”

Stehno manages a team in the south-central U.S., including Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.

Turner will serve dairy and beef customers in Ohio, Indiana and Michigan. In his new role, Caudill will provide services to dairy and beef customers in nine southeastern states.

Arand joins the sales team serving eastern and southern Wisconsin, northern Illinois and northeast Iowa, where he will work with nutritionists, producers, veterinarians and other key influencers.

Sinclair will have a similar role, serving customers in eastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

2020-2201 AFA Ambassadors Kayla Bashore, University of Florida Lily Beasley, University of Kentucky Kendra Betz, Missouri State University Jailynn Britt, University of Maryland-Eastern Shore JC Campbell, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Erin Chalupa, Iowa State University Sophie Chance, North Carolina State University Landry Cunningham, Texas A&M University Morgan Duenke, Northwest Missouri State University Kalie Ellis, Tennessee State University Ines Frazier, Prairie View A&M University Morgan Hasler, North Dakota State University Grace Hasler, Purdue University

Joseph Jangulo, Illinois State University Morgan Kanemoto, California State University-Fresno Tori McGuire, Fort Valley State University Tiffany Patrick, Virginia State University Alan Ramos, University of Idaho Patrick Rush, The Pennsylvania State University Claire Sheppard, Oklahoma State University Nicole Stafford, Kansas State University Caleb Swears, University of Arkansas Cara Teigum, South Dakota State University Julie Ustach, Utah State University Haylee Young, Texas Tech University

C8 Friday, March 20, 2020

| INDIANA AGRINEWS | www.agrinews-pubs.com

Science

To Bt or not to Bt, that is the question

ARS scientists tag corn plants identified in the lab as having molecular markers associated with resistance to Aspergillus flavus and aflatoxin accumulation.

Digging deep for prized crop genes STARKVILLE, Miss. — A new computer application from Agricultural Research Service scientists could speed the search for genes that underpin important crop traits, like high yield, seed quality, and resistance to pests, disease or adverse environmental conditions.

Known as the Pathway Association Studies Tool, the app allows users to build on the results of genome-wide association studies of crops. GWAS takes a kind of bird’s-eye look at a crop plant’s genome for marker regions called single nucleotide polymorphisms.

Finding SNP markers near the gene or genes encoding a desired trait can flag the genomic whereabouts of those genes and also help plant breeders follow the trait’s inheritance and expression. This makes it easier to select plants that have the desired trait and develop new, elite varieties from them for producers.

However, GWAS’s use of a statistical threshold means that only markers with the strongest gene associations are identified, noted Marilyn Warburton, a geneticist with ARS’s Corn Host Plant Resistance Research Unit at Mississippi State University.

This can blind researchers to

the presence of other gene markers that fall below the threshold, but are no less meaningful to their studies, she added.

PAST picks up the slack by taking an additional step known as metabolic pathway analysis. This added step doesn’t just find interesting markers that GWAS misses; it also reveals important biological information about their associated genes and how each contributes to the biochemical assembly of a plant trait, function or response — regardless of the crop species.

Warburton’s team published a paper describing PAST in the January 2020 issue of the journal Plants and posted an announcement about the app to her LinkedIn account, which has received 5,500 views to date.

About 900 users from around the world have downloaded the app so far, and Warburton hopes for even greater awareness of it following the March 12 release on the MaizeGDB website, a database with extensive genomics and genetics information about corn.

In her ow n resea rch, Warburton’s use of both GWAS and PAST has already led to the identification of genes in corn plants for resistance to the corn earworm, a caterpillar pest, and

Aspergillus flavus, a greenish mold that produces a carcinogen called aflatoxin.

Unchecked, corn earworms feed on the corn plant’s silks and kernels, causing damage that fosters Aspergillus growth and aflatoxin contamination.

By federal law, corn or other grains with aflatoxin levels exceeding 20 parts per billion cannot be sold for human consumption, and the grains’ use for animal feed is restricted.

In the United States, outbreaks of Aspergillus molds that produce the carcinogen inflict more than $200 million annually in economic losses for corn and $300 million for peanuts and other crops combined.

Warburton’s research is part of a broader effort at CHPRRU together with MSU collaborators to pre-empt aflatoxin on multiple fronts — with plantings of resistant corn varieties being a keystone defense.

Warburton expects the app’s ease of use and versatility could also buttress GWAS studies of animals and even humans, in which the identification of genes linked to inherited diseases can lead to personalized medicines to treat these diseases.

Bt, an abbreviation for Bacillus thuringiensis, is a naturally occurring soil bacterium that controls some forms of leaf-eating larJeff Burbrink val pests. In 1996, the seed Purdue corn marExtension ket changed significantly when the first varieties of Btenhanced genetics came available for control of corn borer. In 2003, another group of Bt products was released that controls corn rootworm.

Both of these products significantly reduced the amount of insecticide needed to control these pests, which saves farmers money and helps to reduce yield losses. In fact, corn borer populations dropped so low, some younger growers have never seen a corn borer infested plant.

In 2020, there are some people considering no Bt corn options. There is a premium in some markets for non-transgenic corn, and that makes it attractive.

Another factor, the enhanced corn varieties are more expensive to plant, and with lower crop prices, this makes the conventional corn even more attractive. What should you be thinking about?

There is some concern that Bt hybrids are higher yielding than conventional varieties, but researchers have learned there is not much truth to that. The key thing is to look at hybrids as individuals, not as a group of Bt versus non-Bt varieties, and select those that best fit your farm.

If you go the route of planting conventional corn, you will want to keep an eye on the field, especially if the field is back-toback corn. I know most farmers

do not scout their fields often.

If a number of fields in your neighborhood are planted to conventional corn, eventually, the pest numbers will build up and scouting will become critical.

Remember: when corn rootworm attacks the roots, there is no reliable rescue treatment if issues arrive. The standard control for rootworm is a prevention treatment at planting.

Seed treatment has been shown to have low to moderate effect on corn rootworm larva.

Crop rotation can reduce the threat somewhat, but keep in mind that some strains of rootworm beetle have now adapted to crop rotation and lay their eggs in bean fields in anticipation of corn the following year.

European corn borer populations have been very low for years. Gardeners, more than farmers, have had issues with them. As long as much of the acreage is planted to Bt borer resistant varieties, numbers will probably remain relatively low.

Just be aware, the borers are not gone, the numbers are just suppressed. If they find a field where they can thrive, the first generation will probably not be a big issue. Scouting for first generation will be needed beginning at about 800 growing degree-days, which occurred in 2019 on June 24.

The second-generation corn borer, which usually attacks the ear or ear shank, could be a problem. Scouting for them begins at 1,500 growing degree-days, which occurred on July 20 in 2019.

There are rescue sprays available for corn borer, but they must be in place before the borer is inside the stalk. Once inside the stalk or ear, there is nothing that can change the fate of the field.

Jeff Burbrink is the Purdue Extension agriculture and natural resources educator in Elkhart County.