TODAY ON AGDAY
AUGUST 8, 2017
HEADLINES
COTTON HARVEST BEGINS TO RAMP-UP IN SOUTH TEXAS. HOW ARE CROP CONDITIONS SHAPING-UP THIS WEEK IN THE CORN BELT? “I’M TYNE MORGAN. I’LL CHECK CROP CONDITIONS IN MINNESOTA COMING UP ON AGDAY. IN AGRIBUSINESSS - MEGA MERGERS - WHAT COULD THEY MEAN TO U-S AG? FROM THE DAIRY SECTOR - SHARING THE PRIDE OF CHEESE-MAKING. AND A SLIPPERY PREDICAMENT FOR THESE NEW ENGLAND FISHERMEN WHO FEEL THE EFFECTS OF POACHING. “JUST CUT A HOLE IN THE BOTTOM OF IT AND DUMP IT IN THE BUCKET. " AGDAY - PRESENTED BY CHEVY SILVERADO. HIGH-STRENGTH STEEL FOR HIGH-STRENGTH DEPENDABILITY.
CROP CONDITIONS
GOOD MORNING I’M TRICIA SLOMA. CLINTON GRIFFITHS IS ON ASSIGNMENT. COTTON HARVEST ‘TWENTY-17' IS NOW UNDERWAY IN THE NATION’S NUMBER ONE COTTON GROWING STATE OF TEXAS. COTTON PICKERS ARE ROLLING IN SOUTHERN TEXAS. FARMERS SAY YIELDS ARE GOOD AND MAY BE BETTER THAN 2016. IN THIS FIELD THEY’RE GETTING TWO-AND-HALF-BALES OF COTTON ON DRY-LAND ACRES. CHARLES RING OF SAINT PAUL TEXAS SAYS THEY’RE DONE WITH CORN AND SORGHUM. THEIR FOCUS NOW TURNS TO COTTON. “WE’RE SEEING SOME 2.5 TO 2.75 BALE COTTON DRYLAND. AND WE HAVENT’ EVEN GOTTEN INTO THE IRRIGATED. THAT WILL BE ABOUT A WEEK OR TWO AWAY. BUT COTTON IS LOOKING GOOD AND QUALITY IS GOOD BUT WE HAVEN’T HAD A RAIN SINCE IT OPENED."NOW FOR A CLOSER LOOK AT COTTON CONDITIONS AND THE REST OF THIS WEEK’S USDA CROP CONDITIONS REPORT, WE TURN TO JOHN HERATH WHO SIFTED THROUGH MONDAY’S DATA. THANKS TRICIA. WE’LL BEGIN WITH COTTON. THE NATIONAL FIGURE SHOWS THE OVERALL CONDITION RATING HAS CLIMBED. 57-PERCENT IS GOOD TO EXCELLENT. THAT’S A ONE POINT IMPROVEMENT IN THE COMBINED CATEGORIES. BUT THREE POINTS BETTER IN THE EXCELLENT CATEGORY FROM LAST WEEK. SOUTH CAROLINA CONDITIONS ARE NEARLY UN-MATCHED. 56-PERCENT IS CALLED EXCELLENT. ANOTHER 40-PERCENT IS GOOD. TURNING TO CORN, WE SEE ANOTHER ONE POINT DROP THIS WEEK. OVERALL 60- PERCENT IS GOOD TO EXCELLENT. ILLINOIS HAD A FIVE POINT DROP IN CONDITION. IOWA IS DOWN A POINT, BUT INDIANA IS UP THREE. CORN IS STARTING TO DENT, REGISTERED SEVEN PERCENT. FOUR POINTS BEHIND THE FIVE YEAR AVERAGE. AND SOYBEANS SEEING A ONE POINT GAIN FROM LAST WEEK. 60-PERCENT IS GOOD TO EXCELLENT. AND SPRING WHEAT SEEING A ONE POINT IMPROVEMENT. BUT STILL ONLY A THIRD OF THE CROP IS GOOD TO EXCELLENT WITH MUCH OF THE CROP SITTING IN DROUGHT CONDITIONS. THIS IS JOHN HERATH FOR AGDAY.
MINNESOTA CROP CONDITIONS
THANKS JOHN. TYNE MORGAN IS ON THE ROAD THIS WEEK TO MINNESOTA. SHE CHECKS-IN NOW ON CONDITIONS IN THAT STATE, TYNE THANKS TRICIA WE’RE HERE IN MINNESOTA YOU KNOW WE’RE JUST TWO WEEKS AWAY FROM CROP TOUR I CAN’T BELIEVE IT. SO WE’RE KIND OF DOING A PREVIEW HERE RIGHT OUTSIDE OF MINNEAPOLIS IN NORTHFIELD MINNESOTA I’M WITH A FARMER JOHN PETERSON AND THEN ALSO OUR EASTERN LEG AGRONOMIST MARK BARNARD. BUT JOHN LET’S START WITH YOU. LOOKS LIKE A BEAUTIFUL FIELD OF SOYBEANS BEHIND US. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE CROP CONDITIONS THIS YEAR. I’D SAY IT’S PRETTY GOOD. PROBABLY NOT AS GOOD AS WE WERE IN 2015. I’D SAY WE’RE PRETTY SIMILAR TO WHERE WE WERE LAST YEAR IN 2016. MARK I MEAN IT HAS BEEN A ROLLER COASTER OF WEATHER THIS YEAR. AGAIN YOU KNOW WE HAD SOME COOLER TEMPS LAST WEEK AT THIS POINT. DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH GROWING DEGREE DAYS TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT THIS CROP FINISHES STRONG. I THINK WE DO. IF WE CAN GET A LITTLE WARMER WEATHER THAN WHAT WE’VE HAD HERE. JUST THIS LAST SEVERAL DAYS THAT’S GOING TO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE. YEAH JOHN YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU’VE HAD SOME DISEASE PRESSURE RECENTLY SHOW UP. WHAT DISEASES ARE YOU. ARE YOU SEEING AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ADDRESS IT. WE’VE SEEN SOME REUST AND CORN ARE STILL WORKING ON GETTING A FOR SURE CURE FOR THAT. THE THING THAT CONCERNS ME PROBABLY MORE THAN ANYTHING IS ON SOYBEAN SIDE WHERE WE’RE SEEING SOME WHITE MOLD SHOW UP. ALL RIGHT WELL JOHN OVERALL SOY BEANS AND CORN SOYBEANS WHAT ARE YOUR AVERAGE YIELD. CORN WHAT ARE YOUR AVERAGE YIELDS AND WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL REACH THIS YEAR. IT’S A LONG TERM AVERAGE ON SOYBEANS WOULD BE 55 TO 60 BUSHEL AVERAGE ON OUR FARM. I’M THINKING WE CAN BEAT THE 60 BUSHEL AVERAGE HOPEFULLY GET CLOSE TO 70 BUT THAT’S KIND OF THE BIG UNKNOWN ON THAT CORN LONG TERM AVERAGES RIGHT AROUND 200. SO AT THIS POINT I’M THINKING WE CAN BE TO 10 TO 15 HOPEFULLY BUT THERE’S STILL A LOT OF VARIABLES THAT CAN TRIM THAT BACK TOO. SO OVERALL NOT JUST HERE IN NORTHFIELD MINNESOTA BUT MARK OVERALL IN ALL OF SOUTHERN MINNESOTA. WOULD YOU SAY YOU KNOW WE’VE SEEN SOME REALLY GOOD YIELDS IN 2015 AND 2016. DO YOU THINK WE CAN REACH THAT IN EITHER OF THESE CROPS THIS YEAR. I THINK WE CAN CAN PROBABLY BE ON A PAR IN THIS PART OF THE STATE WITH WHAT WE HAD IN 2015. I THINK AS FAR AS OVERALL ON MEETING 2016 PROBABLY NOT GOOD YIELDS BUT NOT RECORD YIELDS YOU WOULD BOTH SAY. YEAH YEAH. ALL RIGHT THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH WELL I MEAN THEY ARE SOME PRETTY LOOKING CROPS HERE IN MINNESOTA. SO DON’T FORGET TWO WEEKS WE START THE FARM JOURNAL MIDWEST CROP TOUR SO WE’LL BE ABLE TO GROUND TRUTH SEE EXACTLY WHAT HOW THESE YIELDS COULD PAN OUT THIS YEAR AND SEE IF USDA IS CLOSE WITH YIELD PROJECTIONS SO FAR. TRICIA BACK TO YOU.
CROP COMMENTS
THE FARM JOURNAL MIDWEST CROP TOUR RUNS AUGUST 21ST-THROUGH THE 24TH. TEAMS OF SCOUTS WILL CONDUCT IN-FIELD ANALYSIS OF THE CORN AND SOYBEAN FIELDS FROM OHIO TO NEBRASKA. AT WEEKS’ END, OUR PARTNERS AT PROFARMER WILL ANNOUNCE THEIR ANNUAL CROP PRODUCTION ESTIMATES FOR THIS GROWING SEASON. CINDI CLAWSON IS FILLING IN FOR MIKE HOFFMAN. SHE JOINS US WITH CROP COMMETNS. GOOD MORNIGN CINDI. GOOD MORNING TRICIA. WE START IN CUSTER COUNTY, NEBRASKA. FARMER CLAY GOVIER (GOE-VEE-UR) TWEETED OUT A PHOTO OF HIS FIELD PEA HARVEST. HE SAYS RAIN SLOWED DOWN HARVEST BUT OTHERWISE WAS SUCCESSFUL. AND HE’S CERTAINLY NOT COMPLAINING ABOUT RAIN. HIS COUNTY IS ENTERING INTO A MODERATE DROUGHT ACCORDING TO THE DROUGHT MONITOR. AND FROM BUFFALO COUNTY, NEBRASKA A FARMER POSTED SOME COMMENTS ON AGWEB. HE SAYS CROPS NEAR KEARNEY (CARNEY) LOOK GOOD. THEY’VE HAD SOME TIMELY RAINS SO YIELD ON DRYLAND CROPS SHOULD BE DECENT. ON THE DOWNSIDE THE RAINS CAME JUST AS HE’S BEEN TRYING TO CUT HAY. SO IT’S JUST LYING THERE. ...AND NOW HERE ARE SOME HOMETOWN TEMPS. THIS IS MACHINERY PETE - INVITING YOU TO CHECK OUT MY NEW WEBSITE - MACHINERYPETE.COM - OFFERING FARMERS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF USED EQUIPMENT LISTINGS TO SEARCH. LET MACHINERY PETE HELP YOU FIND AND VALUE YOUR NEXT PIECE OF USED EQUIPMENT.
TEASE
UP NEXT WE HAVE A STATUS CHECK ON ONE OF THE BIGGESTS MERGERS IN AGRICULTURE AND DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL IMPACT ON U-S AG. LATER WE LOOK AT EFFORTS BY GROCERY STORES TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CHEESE INDUSTRY...AND HOW THAT COULD HELP SALES AT THE CHECKOUT. AND THE GROWING CONSUMPTION OF SUSHI HAS CREATED A BLACK MARKET FOR EEL. FIND OUT HOW THAT ILLICIT TRADE IS HAVING AN EFFECT ON AMERICAN FISHERMAN.
FLOOR OF THE CME
IN AGRIBUSINESS - RED MEAT EXPORTS FROM THIS COUNTRY CONTINUE TO HAVE A STRONG SHOWING. THE U-S MEAT EXPORT FEDERATION JUST RELEASED ITS MONTHLY ANALYSIS. JUNE BEEF EXPORTS WERE THE LARGEST OF 2017 REACHING 109-THOUSAND METRIC TONS. THAT’S 11 PERCENT HIGHER THAN A YEAR AGO. IT’S ALSO THE HIGHEST LEVEL FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE IN SIX YEARS. PORK EXPORTS TOTALED 200-THOUSAND METRIC TONS IN JUNE. THAT’S UP SIX PERCENT YEAR-OVER-YEAR. ACCORDING TO U-S-M-E-F THAT LEVEL IS THE LARGEST JUNE VOLUME ON RECORD, IT WAS A MOSTLY UP DAY ON THE GRAIN BOARDS. WE HEAD TO THE C-M-E IN CHICAGO FOR A LOOK AT MONDAY’S CLOSE. IT’S BEEN A HIGHER DAY IN CHICAGO GRAIN AND OILSEED MARKETS. CORN AND SOYBEANS AND WHEAT ALL TRADING HIGHER OVER THE COURSE OF THE DAY. IN PART BECAUSE OF A LOWERED U.S. DOLLAR AND IN PART BECAUSE OF SOME DEMAND ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM USDA THIS MORNING. MOSTLY I THINK WE’RE STILL IN A WEATHER MARKET AND THE WEATHER LOOKS TO REMAIN DRY FOR THE NEXT WEEK TO 10 DAYS. THIS DRY WEATHER COMES AT A TIME WHEN THE CROPS REALLY STARTED NEEDING MOISTURE THE MOST. CORN IS BASICALLY THROUGH POLLINATION AND A LOT OF AREAS BUT THE SOYBEANS ARE TRYING TO FLOWER AND AND SET PODS AND THEY NEED THE MOISTURE RIGHT NOW. WE DID A BRIEF CROP TOUR OF CENTRAL ILLINOIS THIS WEEK AND WE SAW SOME VERY HIGHLY VARIABLE CONDITIONS FOR BOTH THE CORN AND SOYBEANS. IT SEEMS UNLIKELY THAT CENTRAL ILLINOIS IS GOING TO HAVE A TOP PRODUCING CROP OF EITHER CORN OR SOYBEANS THIS YEAR. THANKS VERY MUCH. THIS IS JACK SCOVILLE VICE PRESIDENT OF PRICE FUTURES GROUP HERE ON THE CME GROUP FLOOR WITH SOME COMMENTS FOR THE MARKETS.
AGRIBUSINESS
WITH ALL OF THE REGULATORY APPROVALS NOW IN PLACE IT APPEARS DOW CHEMICAL AND DUPONT ARE READY TO CLOSE THEIR MASSIVE MERGER. THE TWO COMPANIES PLAN TO COMPLETE THE SALE AFTER THE STOCK MARKET CLOSES ON AUGUST 31TH. THE COMBINED COMPANY - KNOWN AS DOW-DUPONT - WILL START SELLING ON THE NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE ON SEPTEMBER FIRST. THE NEW CONJOINED ORGANIZATION SAYS IT WILL SPLIT INTO THREE SEPARATE COMPANIES FOCUSED ON AGRICULTURE, SPECIALTY PRODUCTS AND MATERIALS. THE COMBINED FORCES OF THESE TWO AG-CHEMICAL COMPANIES WILL BE FELT IN THE INDUSTRY. TYNE MORGAN - DOING DOUBLE-DUTY TODAY - EXPLAINS WHAT WE MIGHT SEE. WELCOME BACK WELL CHRIS WHEN WE LOOK AT CONSOLIDATION IN THE AG INDUSTRY I MEAN WE HAVE TONS OF MEGA-MERGERS SET TO STILL TAKE PLACE AND SET TO BE FINALIZED BY THE END OF THE YEAR. HOW DOES THAT KIND OF CHANGE THE GAME IN AGRICULTURE MOVING FORWARD. HONESTLY I THINK IT ACTUALLY SETS UP SOME OPPORTUNITIES. AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS WHEN YOU SEE THESE LARGE FIRMS STARTING TO MERGE JUST FROM A REGULATORY STANDPOINT THEY HAVE TO DIVEST ASSETS. IT CAN BE FROM A BUSINESS LINE JUST BECAUSE THEY’RE TRYING TO CONSOLIDATE AND THEY WANT COMPLEMENTARY OR KIND OF SCALE. NOW THERE’S GOING TO BE ASSETS. THEY HAVE TO SPIN OFF. THAT ACTUALLY GIVES THE OPPORTUNITY MID-SIZE COMPANIES TO STEP IN AND SEE SOME OF THE SCAPINO ASSETS UP AS WELL. AND EVEN ON THE SMALLER SIDE YOU’RE SEEING YOU KNOW I’M SEEING INTEREST NOW NOT JUST IN PHARMA INVESTMENT WHICH WE’VE BEEN SEEING FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW BUT IN ANIMAL HEALTH AND PLANT NUTRITION AND MEDICAL TYPES. I WAS TALKING TO A COMPANY IN CANADA THAT’S WORKING ON BETTER WAYS TO DETECT MASTITIS IN DAIRY COWS YOU KNOW QUICKER FASTER MORE CHEAPLY. AND SO AND THEN IT’S JUST YOU ADD CHECK SPACE’S WELL YOU KNOW LOOKING AT WHETHER IT’S DRONE TECHNOLOGY PRECISION PLANNING YOU KNOW TYPE STUFF WE’RE SOURCING MUCH MORE AND MORE OF THAT. I THINK AFTER A WHILE AS THESE ENTITIES GET TO BE SO BIG THEY LOSE THEIR NIMBLENESS AND THAT GIVES AN OPPORTUNITY NOW FOR THE SMALLER MID-SIZED COMPANIES TO COME IN AND ACTUALLY SCOOP UP ASSETS CHEAPER ESPECIALLY IN THE INTEREST RATE ENVIRONMENT WE’RE IN AND THEN CONTINUE TO GROW. I MEAN WE’VE SEEN CONSOLIDATION TAKE PLACE WE’RE CONTINUING TO SEE TO THIS CONSOLIDATION TO TAKE PLACE BUT IT SEEMS LIKE IT’S HEATING UP. SO DO YOU THINK THAT SLOWS DOWN AT ANY POINT OR ARE WE JUST GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE THIS HAPPEN. NO I THINK WE SHOULD PROBABLY START SHIFTING FROM THE TYPES OF COMPANIES OR THE SIZE OF COMPANIES MORE MORE LIKELY I THINK THE BIG GUYS ARE PRETTY MUCH DONE AT THIS POINT BUT WE CERTAINLY WILL OVER THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS AS YOU KNOW. WE’LL CONTINUE TO SEE M&A ACTIVITY IN A SMALLER MIDSIZE COMPANIES AS WELL I THINK THAT’S JUST THE NEXT ITERATION OF IT. AND SO NO I DON’T I MEAN AGAIN BARRING ANY KIND OF FINANCIAL CRISIS OR YOU KNOW PLUNGES IN COMMODITY PRICE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT I THINK WE CONTINUE TO SEE THAT GROWTH. I THINK WHEN YOU SEE A SHIFT FROM WORDS CASH COMING FROM. ALL RIGHT THAT MAKES SENSE. THANKS SO MUCH CHRIS. STAY WITH US WE’LL BE BACK WITH MORE AGDAY IN JUST A MOMENT.
TEASE
THE LOCAL WEATHER CAN HAVE A BIG IMPACT NOT ONLY ON YOUR DAY, BUT ALSO ON YOUR CROPS. START YOUR DAY OFF RIGHT WITH YOUR LOCAL FORECAST DELIVERED RIGHT TO YOUR MOBILE PHONE, JUST TEXT WEATHER TO 31313 TO GET STARTED!
WEATHER
WELCOME BACK TO AGDAY WHERE WE HAVE A COUPLE OF FEATURES TO WATCH OUT FOR AS WE HEAD INTO THE NEXT 24 HOURS OR SO WE HAVE A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM A TRAILING COLD FRONT ACROSS THE SOUTHERN STATES THAT’S BEEN BRINGING A FAIR AMOUNT OF RAIN ESPECIALLY TO THE GULF COAST STATES. A SECOND FRONT’S GOING TO START BRINGING SOME MOISTURE INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST. BUT IN THE MEANTIME HIGH PRESSURE IS KEEPING THINGS DRY IN MUCH OF THE MIDWEST AND INTO THE CORN BELT AS EVERYTHING KIND OF SHIFTS OFF TO THE EAST WE SEE THE FRONT MOVE TO THE SOUTH WE’LL START TO PICK UP A LITTLE BIT MORE MOISTURE ON THE WESTERN END OF THAT INTO THE PLAIN STATES. SO WE CONTINUE TO SEE VERY LITTLE MOVEMENT IN THIS FRONT ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST SO WE’LL SEE MORE RAIN WITH THAT AS WE HEAD INTO TONIGHT AS WELL. IN THE OVERNIGHT HOURS HIGH PRESSURE CONTINUES TO MOVE OFF TO THE EAST AND AS WE HEAD THROUGH WEDNESDAY WE’LL START TO SEE MORE MOISTURE ESPECIALLY IN THE PLAINS NOW GETTING INTO THE WESTERN CORN BELT AND WE CONTINUE TO SEE WET WEATHER ALONG THE GULF COAST STATES WILL START TO SEE A LITTLE BIT OF UNSETTLED WEATHER OUT IN PARTS OF THE MOUNTAIN WEST AS WELL. NOW AS FAR AS PRECIPITATION IS CONCERNED BOY WE HAD A LOT ESPECIALLY ALONG THAT FRONT IN THE SOUTH EASTERN UNITED STATES HEADING INTO MUCH OF THE EASTERN PART OF TEXAS. A FAIR AMOUNT OF RAIN THERE. LOT OF FOLKS MAYBE GET IN TWO TO THREE INCHES OR EVEN MORE WE’VE HEARD ABOUT SOME FLOODING DOWN IN PARTS OF NEW ORLEANS AS WELL AND AND AND DOWN INTO THE GULF COAST STATES AS WE ADD ON THE NEXT 24 HOURS IT DOESN’T GET BETTER BECAUSE SOME OF THESE SAME AREAS ARE GOING TO BE HIT WITH THAT MOISTURE. NOW SOME OF THE DRIER AREAS IN THE NORTHERN PLAINS UPPER MIDWEST YOU’LL GET SOME NEEDED RAIN BUT WE DON’T REALLY NEED A WHOLE LOT MORE DOWN IN THE SOUTHEAST RIGHT NOW. ALL RIGHT. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT TEMPERATURES AND WE’RE GOING TO BE SEEING SOME WARMER ONES AS WE HEAD OUT THERE TODAY. A LOT OF 70S AND 80S ACROSS THE NORTHERN TIER STATES IN THE 80S AND EVEN A FEW 90S ACROSS THE SOUTH STILL SOME TRIPLE DIGITS IN THE FAR SOUTH WEST INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS WE GO AND WE’LL SEE THOSE LOW TEMPERATURES IN THE 50S AND 60S ACROSS THE NORTHERN TIER STATES AND MOSTLY 70S ACROSS THE SOUTH. WHAT ABOUT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER INTO THE FUTURE. HERE’S A LOOK AT THE JET STREAM. WE’VE HAD A TROUGH IN THE NORTHEAST BUT WE’RE GOING TO START TO SEE THIS RIDGE KIND OF STARTING TO BUILD A LITTLE BIT FURTHER INTO THE EAST BY THE TIME WE GET TO THE WEEK’S END AND TEMPERATURES KIND OF STABILIZING A LITTLE BIT AS WE HEAD INTO THE WEEKEND AS WELL. SO LOOK FOR THOSE TEMPERATURES TO REMAIN A LITTLE BIT NORMAL AS WE SEE THIS BIG RIDGE BUILDING ALL THE WAY UP INTO CANADA. THAT’S A LOOK AT YOUR NATIONAL FORECAST. NOW LET’S CHECK ON THE WEATHER WHERE YOU LIVE YUMA COLORADO. MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES WITH SOME SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS AND A HIGH OF 72 DEGREES. MONTEZUMA INDIANA SUNNY AND PLEASANT FOR YOU WITH A HIGH OF 80 DEGREES. AND SELMA ALABAMA SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS LIKELY WITH A HIGH OF 85.
TEASE
STILL TO COME - EELS ARE SLIMEY, BUT NOT AS BAD AS POACHERS WHO ARE MAKING A KILLING IN U-S PRODUCTION. WE’LL INVESTIGATE. BUT FIRST WE’LL VISIT A CHEESEMAKER IN WISCONSIN WHO’S WILLING TO SHARE THEIR SKILLS WITH THE PEOPLE WHO SELL IT. OUR DAIRY REPORT IS NEXT.
DAIRY REPORT
IN THIS WEEK’S DAIRY NEWS - WISCONSIN CHEESEMAKERS LOVE TO SHARE THEIR STORY, ESPECIALLY WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE SELLING THEIR CHEESE. IN THIS VIDEO FROM THE WISCONSIN MILK MARKETING BOARD WE SEE HOW CERTIFIED CHEESE PROFESSIONALS FROM A MIDWEST GROCERY CHAIN ARE GETTING HANDS-ON KNOWLEDGE FROM A FOURTH GENERATION CHEESE- MAKING FAMILY. AT SARTORI CHEESE IN ANTIGO, WISCONSIN, MASTER CHEESEMAKER MIKE MATUCHESKI IS LEADING A GROUP OF HY-VEE CERTIFIED CHEESE PROFESSIONALS THROUGH THE PROCESS OF MAKING A BATCH OF SARTORI’S AWARD-WINNING BELLAVITANO GOLD. MIKE MATUCHESKI, MASTER CHEESEMAKER SARTORI CHEESE COMPANY ANTIGO, WI “IT’S WORTH IT. CUSTOMERS JUST LOVE TO VISIT HERE. OUR TEAM MEMBERS ON THE FLOOR; THEY’RE VERY PROUD OF WHAT THEY DO, AND EVEN THE NEW ONES, THEY JUST LOVE BEING ABLE TO SHOW HOW SPECIAL THIS PLACE IS.” IT’S ALL IN AN EFFORT TO EDUCATE CHEESE SPECIALISTS ABOUT THE ENTIRE CHEESEMAKING PROCESS - FROM FARM TO STORE. MIKE MATUCHESKI, MASTER CHEESEMAKER “THERE WAS SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT THIS AREA UP HERE THAT HAD SARTORI CHEESE COMPANY ANTIGO, WI TO DO WITH THE CLIMATE, AND THE COWS AND HOW THE FARMERS FEED THOSE COWS, AND THEN WHEN IT GETS INTO THE PLANT HERE IS TO WORK OUR MAGIC!” HY-VEE IS FULLY IMMERSING ITS CERTIFIED CHEESE PROFESSIONALS IN ALL THINGS WISCONSIN CHEESE. THEY TOURED A LOCAL DAIRY FARM TO SEE WHERE THE MILK COMES FROM AND EVEN GOT THE CHANCE TO HELP MAKE THE CHEESE THAT WILL SELL IN THEIR STORES LATER THIS YEAR. MARK MCCUTCHAN, DIRECTOR CHARCUTERIE & DELICATESSEN HY-VEE USA “THERE’S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IF YOU’VE EVER READ ABOUT THE OCEAN AND ACTUALLY GOING TO SEE THE OCEAN, AND SPECIALTY CHEESE IS REALLY NO DIFFERENT. WHEN I HAVE THE CHANCE TO MEET THE MAKERS, EXPERIENCE THE FARMS, THE PASSION THAT THEY HAVE FOR THEIR PRODUCTS, IT REALLY MAKES A CONNECTION THAT FUELS THE PASSION BACK AT STORE LEVEL.” THE END GOAL FOR THESE CERTIFIED CHEESE PROFESSIONALS IS TO UNDERSTAND THE ART AND THE SCIENCE BEHIND CHEESEMAKING SO THEY CAN ENGAGE THEIR CUSTOMERS. MARK MCCUTCHAN, DIRECTOR CHARCUTERIE & DELICATESSEN HY-VEE USA “IF WE CAN HAVE THE SPECIALIST IN THERE AS A CONDUIT THAT CAN SAY, “I’VE BEEN THERE, I’VE FLIPPED THE WHEELS, I MET THE CHEESEMAKER,.” IT’S REALLY THE PASSION THAT PULLS AND ENGAGES THE CONSUMER IN TO THE STORY. IT’S INCREDIBLE.” . AND THAT’S WISCONSIN DAIRY NEWS. ) ALL THE MILK SARTORI USES COMES FROM FAMILY FARMS WITHIN A ONE-HOUR RADIUS OF THE CHEESE PLANT.
TEASE
NEXT WE HEAD TO COASTAL MAINE WHERE EEL HARVEST CAN MEAN BIG BUCKS...ESPECIALLY FOR POACHERS. HOW THAT ILLEGAL FISHING IS HURTING LEGIT PRODUCERS.
IN THE COUNTRY
IN THE COUNTRY - BROUGHT TO YOU BY KUBOTA. CHECK OUT KUBOTA’S RTV-X-1140, A RUGGED UTILITY VEHICLE WITH SEATING FOR FOUR. SYOP BY YOUR LOCAL DEALER TODAY, OR VISIT KUBOTA.COM. CHANGES IN THE WORLDWIDE SUSHI INDUSTRY HAVE TURNED BABY AMERICAN EELS INTO A COMMODITY. THEY END UP IN ASIA TO GROW FULL-SIZE. BUT THE BIG DEMAND HAS SPAWNED A BLACK MARKET. KRYSTA FAURIA HAS DETAILS FROM MAINE’S COASTLINE. GET OVER HERE. WE’RE GOING OVER TO THE BACK OF THIS SLEDGE.” THE TWILIGHT HOURS...THE BEST TIME FOR EEL FISHING IN MAINE… ONE OF ONLY TWO STATES IN THE US WHERE THEY CAN BE FISHED LEGALLY. JULIE KEENE, EELCATCHER: “THERE IS NOT TOO MUCH CURRENT. AS THE TIDE CARRIES THEM THE NEXT THING THEY’LL DO IS THAT THEY’LL COME HERE.” JULIE KEENE WAITS PATIENTLY FOR BABY EELS _ CALLED ELVERS – TO SWIM INTO HER NETS. IT’S A HARD PROFESSION, BUT ONE WITH A BIG PAYOFF. AFTER EEL STOCKS IN ASIA AND EUROPE DRIED UP SEVERAL YEARS AGO... EELS BECAME AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF THE WORLDWIDE SUSHI INDUSTRY. MASAMIYAKE, CHEF: “BUT CHINA IS, THEY EAT MORE EEL. AND JAPANESE RESTAURANTS ALL OVER THE WORLD… PEOPLE LIKE EEL MORE THAN BEFORE.” THAT DEMAND NOW MEANS EELS CAN FETCH UP TO $2,000 A POUND AT THE DOCK.. SPAWNING A BLACK MARKET AND POACHING THAT WILDLIFE OFFICIALS SAY IS JEOPARDIZING THE SPECIES. A MULTI-STATE CRACKDOWN ON UNLICENSED EEL FISHERMEN AND ILLICIT SALES ALONG THE EAST COAST – KNOWN AS “OPERATION BROKEN GLASS” – SO FAR HAS RESULTED IN 15 GUILTY PLEAS FOR ILLEGAL TRAFFICKING WORTH AROUND $4 MILLION DOLLARS. “YOUR NET IS FISHING LIKE HELL.” FISHERMEN LIKE KEENE AND JEREMY CARD SAY THEY NEED HELP FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT TO STAY IN BUSINESS. JEREMY CARD, EEL FISHERMAN: “BECAUSE THEY DON’T USUALLY GET CAUGHT AND THEY WILL EITHER UNTIE AND DUMP OR JUST CUT A HOLE IN THE BOTTOM OF IT AND DUMP IT IN THE BUCKET THAT WAY. OR THEY WILL STEAL YOUR WHOLE NET.” KRYSTA FAURIA, ASSOCIATED PRESS.
CLOSE
THAT’S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE THIS MORNING. WE’RE GLAD YOU TUNED IN. FOR TYNE MORGAN AND CINDI CLAWSON, I’M TRICIA SLOMA. HAVE A GREAT DAY. AGDAY IS POWERED BY RAM TRUCKS - AMERICA’S LONGEST LASTING PICKUPS.
