AgDay Daily Recap -May 24, 2013

FOOD LABELING LAW:

GOOD MORNING I'M CLINTON GRIFFITHS. USDA ANNOUNCED CHANGES TO A FOOD LABELING LAW, BUT IT MAY HAVE CREATED MORE PROBLEMS FOR AMERICA'S FOOD PRODUCERS. THE NATIONAL CATTLEMEN'S BEEF ASSOCATION IS CRITICAL OF THE M-COOL RULE, CALLING IT SHORT-SIGHTED. NCBA PRESIDENT SCOTT GEORGE SAYS - QUOTING NOW - "... THAT THESE PROVISIONS WILL NOT BRING THE U-S INTO COMPLIANCE WITH OUR WTO OBLIGATIONS AND WILL RESULT IN INCREASED DISCRIMINATION AGAINST IMPORTED PRODUCTS AND IN TURN RETALIATORY TARIFFS..." FROM CANADA AND MEXICO. OUR PARTNERS AT AGRI-TALK RADIO TALKED WITH A MEMBER OF THE CANADIAN PARLIAMENT ABOUT THE M-COOL RULE. WHILE CANADA IS NOT HAPPY WITH THESE NEW RULES, THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE AN AMENDMENT IN THE U-S FARM BILL TO HELP. AND RETALIATORY TARRIFS WOULD BE A LAST RESORT.

GMO LABELING:

IN OTHER NEWS ABOUT FOOD LABELS, THE SENATE HAS OVERWHELMINGLY REJECTED AN AMENDMENT ALLOWING STATES TO REQUIRE LABELING OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS. THE AMENDMENT CAME-UP DURING DEBATE OF THE FARM BILL. THE AMENDMENT WAS REJECTED ON A 71-27 VOTE.

KEYSTONE PIPELINE:

MOVEMENT ON THE KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE. LATE WEDNESDAY THE HOUSE PASSED A BILL THAT WOULD APPROVE THE PROJECT WITHOUT NEEDING A PRESIDENTIAL PERMIT. SOMETHING THAT'S CURRENTLY REQUIRED BY LAW . THE PIPELINE CROSSES AND INTERNATIONAL BORDER. ORIGINALLY PROPOSED IN 2008, THE 17-HUNDRED MILE PROJECT WOULD MOVE OIL FROM CANADA TO HOUSTON. THE VOTE WAS LARGELY ALONG PARTY LINES.

AG DEATHS:

THE AG INDUSTRY IS DANGEROUS. THAT'S WHAT A RECENT REPORT FROM THE AFL-CIO FOUND. IN 2011 THE AG SECTOR WAS THE THIRD HIGHEST IN TOTAL DEATHS AMONG ALL SECTORS IN THE NATION. 12 PERCENT OF ALL WORKPLACE DEATHS WERE IN AG. THE LABOR GROUP IS POINTING TO GAPS IN OSHA--OR THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY HAZARD ACT..AS PART OF THE REASON BEHIND THE STATISTIC.

BEEF DEMAND:

WITH MEMORIAL WEEKEND SET TO START, IT'S USUALLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST EVENTS OF THE YEAR FOR AMERICAN GRILLERS. YET CATTLE PRICES ARE DOWN THIS WEEK.

DROUGHT MONITOR:

FINDING ENOUGH FOR SOME OF THOSE STOCKERS TO EAT MAY BE TOUGH IN PLACES.

THE LATEST DROUGHT MONITOR SHOWS, THE EASTERN HALF OF THE COUNTRY REMAINS RELATIVELY FREE OF DROUGHT WITH A FEW POCKETS IN THE NORTHEAST AND FLORIDA.

BUT OUT WEST DRY CONDITIONS PERSIST. IN TEXAS 76 PERCENT OF WINTER WHEAT IS NOW RATED POOR TO VERY POOR. IN NEW MEXICO 98 PERCENT OF IT'S RANGELANDS AND PASTURES ARE NOW VERY POOR TO POOR. STATES LIKE NEVADA AND NEBRASKA ARE CLOSE ON ITS HEALS. WITH NEARLY 70 PERCENT IN THAT CONDITION. AS MEMORIAL WEEKEND ROLLS AROUND TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE CENTRAL PLAINS ARE EXPECTED TO HIT THE CENTURY MARK.

CROP WATCH:

WITH MEMORIAL DAY UPON US, ITS HOT TEMPERATURES NOT SNOWFALL THAT THE WEATHER GUYS ARE WATCHING. NOT THIS YEAR. MIKE HOFFMAN HAS DETAILS ON A LATE MAY SNOW FROM THE AGDAY WEATHER CENTER.

HURRICANE SEASON:

IT COULD BE ANOTHER BUSY HURRICANE SEASON. AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT NOAA IS PREDICTING. IN IT'S ANNUAL HURRICANE SEASON FORECAST, THE AGENCY PROJECTS 13 TO 20 NAMED STORMS IN THE ATLANTIC. NOAA SAYS UP TO 11 OF THOSE COULD BECOME HURRICANES WITH 3 TO 6 MAJOR HURRICANES. 2012 MARKED THE THIRD BUSIEST TROPICAL STORM SEASON ON RECORD, WITH 19 NAMED STORMS.

HURRICANE SURGE TOOL:

OFTEN IT'S NOT THE STORM BUT WHAT FOLLOWS THAT MAKES THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON FARMERS. AFTER STORMS LIKE SANDY INUNDATED COASTAL AREAS LAST YEAR, FORECASTERS DEVELOPED AN EXPERIMENTAL MODEL TO SHOW POTENTIAL AREAS OF IMPACT IN A DEADLY "STORM SURGE."

SEED TRREATMENT:

IN AGRIBUSINESS... IT SOUNDS LIKE THOSE COLORFUL TREATED SEEDS ARE HERE TO STAY.

PROFIT BRIEFING:

CORN FUTURES IN CHICAGO BOUNCED OFF THE FLOOR THURSDAY....CLOSING A FEW CENTS HIGHER. IN OUR PROFARMER PROFIT BRIEFING EDITOR CHIP FLOREY AND SENIOR MARKET ANALYST BRIAN GRETE ARE HERE TO DISCUSS NEW CROP MARKETS AND HOW LOWER PRICES ARE ENTICING DEMAND.

GLOW ART:

ART COMES IN ALL SHAPES, SIZES AND FORMS. AND OFTEN, BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE TIME YOU HAVE LOOK AT IT WITH THE LIGHTS ON. TEXAS COUNTRY REPORTER BOB PHILLIPS, INTRODUCES US TO ONE WOMAN WHO'S CREATING BEAUTIFUL ART IN THE LIGHT AND THE DARK.

FROM THE FARM FAVORITES:

IN OUR WEEKLY "FROM THE FARM FAVORITES", WE HAVE A RECIPE THAT'S A FAMILY FAVORITE. IT COMES FROM RUTH WERRIES OF CHAPIN, ILLINOIS. SHE SAYS THE RECIPE IS SIMPLE AND EVEN THE GRANDKIDS HAVE STARTED MAKING IT.

LOW CALORIE BRAIN:

NOW, ACCORDING TO OUR NEXT STORY YOU MAKE WANT TO LIMIT HOW MANY SQUARES YOU EAT.