USDA Extends ARC and PLC Decision Deadlines Til April 7th

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Friday provided farm owners and producers one additional week, until April 7, 2015, to choose between Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC), the safety-net programs established by the 2014 Farm Bill. The final day to update yield history or reallocate base acres also will be April 7, 2015.


"This is an important decision for producers because these programs help farmers and ranchers protect their operations from unexpected changes in the marketplace," said Vilsack. "Nearly 98 percent of owners have already updated their yield and base acres, and 90 percent of producers have enrolled in ARC or PLC. These numbers are strong, and continue to rise. This additional week will give producers a little more time to have those final conversations, review their data, visit their local Farm Service Agency offices, and make their decisions," said Vilsack.


If no changes are made to yield history or base acres by the deadline, the farm's current yield and base acres will be used. If a program choice of ARC or PLC is not made, there will be no 2014 crop year payments for the farm and the farm will default to PLC coverage for the 2015 through 2018 crop years. Producers who have an appointment at their local FSA offices scheduled by April 7 will be able to make an election between ARC and PLC, even if their actual appointment is after April 7.

Covered commodities under ARC and PLC include barley, canola, large and small chickpeas, corn, crambe, flaxseed, grain sorghum, lentils, mustard seed, oats, peanuts, dry peas, rapeseed, long grain rice, medium grain rice (which includes short grain and sweet rice), safflower seed, sesame, soybeans, sunflower seed and wheat. Upland cotton is no longer a covered commodity.

 

Click here to read more about this deadline extension from USDA.

American Agri-Women Meet in OKC and Prepare to Connect with Congressional Leaders and Consumers

Women involved in agriculture gathered this past weekend in Oklahoma City. The newly reorganized Oklahoma Agri-Women Chapter is hosting women from across the nation involved in their national organization. Members of the American Agri-Women will be developing policy while building relationships with other women involved growing food, fuel and fiber.


"This year's legislative discussions take on an even greater meaning since we are celebrating our 40th anniversary," says AAW President Sue McCrum. "Our members take the discussions very seriously, knowing we are representing more than 50 state and commodity affiliates when we craft our final positions."


Those policy positions will be delivered to elected officials in June during the organization's annual Fly-In to Washington, D.C. McCrum said among their top priorities include private property rights. 


Our report that was published on our website on Friday featured our audio conversation with McCrum and the State of Oklahoma's AAW President Kristi Bishop- click here to hear that conversation and to read more.

AND- these two ladies were featured on our Video segment seen Saturday mornings on KWTV, News9 called In the Field.  In case you missed it- click here to check out that video conversation.   

Australian Drought Provides Supply to a Tight Global Market

According to the latest Rabobank Beef Quarterly report, herd liquidation in Australia cannot continue at the high rates seen through 2013 and 2014, and without any global beef expansion forecast in the short term, global supplies are expected to remain tight.


"Global beef supply continues to remain tight in Q1 2015, although Australian exports remain high as drought continues," says Rabobank Animal Protein Analyst Angus Gidley-Baird. "Continued liquidation of the cattle herd and possible improved seasons will lead to a reduction in Australia's beef production through 2015."


The dry conditions in Australian cattle regions have continued into 2015. As a result, slaughter and export volumes remain high. This continues to offset some of the tight global cattle and beef supplies experienced in 2014 and forecast for 2015. 

Click here to read more about what this means to global beef production.  

Death Tax Repeal Included in Senate Budget Resolution- Ag Groups Cheer

The National Cattlemen's Beef Association hails the passage of South Dakota Senator John Thune's amendment to the Fiscal Year 2016 budget resolution to create a deficit neutral reserve fund to eliminate the death tax. Following the vote, Sen. Thune issued the following statement:


"Senate Republican's budget is a framework for more efficient, effective, and accountable government, which is why it was so important that we take steps to eliminate barriers to small business survival and growth by passing this important amendment that will help to repeal the death tax. Imposing a tax rate as high as 40 percent on savings is not just bad for the economy, it's unfair to families that have saved and built job-creating small businesses in their local communities. I'm pleased the Senate acted today in favor of this common-sense amendment, and hope we can continue promoting policies that give farmers, ranchers, and family business owners peace of mind of knowing that they no longer have to spend substantial sums on planning to minimize their death tax liability."


Earler this month, several ag groups had representatives in front of the House Ways and Means- calling on Congress to eliminate the Estate Tax.  Click here to read more. 
  

Oklahoma and Texas peanut growers can look forward to a new peanut variety in the near future. At the Oklahoma Peanut Expo held Thursday, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) peanut breeder Dr. Kelly Chamberlin made the announcement. Chamberlin said "VENUS" becomes the first High Oleic Virginia-type peanut developed specifically for the southwest, which is a significant milestone for the region's peanut industry. She said the industry is now demanding High Oleic peanuts in almost everything that they produce, because consumers are demanding High Oleic peanuts because of the longer shelf life and nutritional benefits.  


The variety called "VENUS" offers farmers disease resistance and higher yield potential. The variety's parentage goes back to Jupiter, which was developed and released by Oklahoma State University in 2000. Chamberlin said Jupiter was not High Oleic, so they crossed the High Oleic trait, along with adding disease resistance to Sclerotinia blight and pod rot. She said this new variety has been tested and developed over the last ten years. She said VENUS yields similar to Jupiter, plus growers will get a premium for their peanuts, as a High Oleic variety.


Approximately 45 percent of the peanut acres in Oklahoma and Texas was grown in Virginia varieties. With strong demand for High Oleic Virginia varieties, Chamberlin said this will be a great asset for farmers. She said peanuts grown in the southwest are among the best in the nation for flavor and quality, so she believes farmers can look forward to planting this new variety and will profit from it.   

I caught up with Chamberlin at the Peanut Expo at Quartz Mountain Resort this past week.  Click or tap here to read more or have the opportunity to listen to my full interview.  

Award winning broadcast journalist Jerry Bohnen has spent years learning and understanding how to cover the energy business here in the southern plains-  Click here to subscribe to his daily update of top Energy News.

CropLife America Supports Pollinator Stewardship During Spring Planting

CropLife America (CLA) supports sound stewardship practices for promoting pollinator health as growers prepare for the 2015 planting season. Stewardship in seed treatment and crop protection helps growers ensure that they can produce abundant high-quality food in an environmentally sustainable way. For instance, growers can minimize the risk of exposure of seed treatments to pollinators by following label directions for all components of the treated products, as detailed in The Guide to Seed Treatment Stewardship, jointly produced by the American Seed Trade Association and CLA along with a host of grower organizations.


"Spring planting is an essential time to use the best available tools and practices to promote crop growth," stated Jay Vroom, president and CEO of CLA. "The crop protection industry looks forward to continuing to work with growers, beekeepers, regulators and other stakeholders to help ensure that we all play a part in supporting bee health through stewardship and other efforts. When crop protection products are applied according to label directions, bee colonies should not experience any unreasonable adverse effects."


A recent study from the University of Maryland examining the effects of the insecticide imidacloprid on honey bee colony health found that the product "does not significantly harm honey bee colonies at real-world dosage levels." In fact, seed treatment products, applied to nearly every acre of corn planted in the U.S. in 2011, helped support nearly $80 billion worth of crop value to American farmers.
 

Click here to read more about how honey bee colonies has increased in the U.S. and about CLA has developed educational resource that highlighs the connection between pollinators and agriculture.

Pork Producers React to White House Plan on Combating Antibiotic Resistance

Responding to Friday's release of the White House "National Action Plan For Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria," the National Pork Producers Council said the U.S. pork industry is committed to continuing its efforts to use antibiotics responsibly, to support research on antibiotic resistance and to comply with recent directives related to antibiotic use from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.


The $1.2 billion plan's primary purpose is to direct activities by the federal government to address antibiotic resistance, but it also is designed to guide action by public health and healthcare professionals and veterinarians "in a common effort to address urgent and serious drug-resistant threats that affect people in the U.S. and around the world."

"Pork producers have been at the forefront of developing programs that ensure that antibiotics are being used responsibly," said NPPC President Dr. Ron Prestage, a pork producer from Camden, S.C. "And the U.S. pork industry is committed to doing its part to help address the issue of antibiotic resistance.


"That said, antibiotics are an important tool we use to keep our animals healthy and to produce safe food, and we will continue to employ them for those purposes."

Read more here on the NPPC reaction to the White House proposal.