TODAY ON AGDAY
FEBRUARY 24, 2017
HEADLINES
LOOKING AHEAD IN 2017--WE’VE GOT THE LATEST PREDICITONS FROM USDA. IN THE PRO FARMER PROFIT BRIEFING-- UPDATING SOUTH AMERICA’S PROGRESS. KEN FERRIE AND SCOUTING TIPS ON FARM JOURNAL COLLEGE TV. AND AN ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY WAY TO MARKET PRODUCE BY SWAPPING PLASTIC STICKERS FOR LASER LETTERING. AGDAY-BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE DEPENDABLE, LONG LASTING CHEVY SILVERADO.
USDA ACREAGE PREDICTIONS
GOOD MORNING I’M CLINTON GRIFFITHS. USDA ROLLING OUT PREDICTIONS FOR 2017 DURING ITS ANNUAL AGRICULTURAL OUTLOOK FORUM. LOOKING THE YEAR AHEAD, USDA FORECASTING 90 MILLION ACRES OF CORN--THAT’S DOWN 4 MILLION FROM LAST YEAR. ON PRICES IT’S CALLING FOR AN AVERAGE OF 3-50 PER BUSHEL. SOYBEAN ACREAGE MOVING THE OTHER DIRECTION WITH PLANTINGS OF 88 MILLION ACRES...THAT’S 4 POINT 6 MILLION ABOVE LAST YEAR. PRICES FORECAST TO AVERAGE 9 DOLLARS 60 CENTS PER BUSHEL. AND ALL WHEAT ACREAGE COMING AT 46 MILLION--WITH A PRICE OF 4-30. THERE HAS BEEN PLENTY OF SPECULATION REGARDING SOYBEANS AND CORN. ECONOMISTS SAY THE PRICE RATIO FOR SOYBEANS IS PROJECTED TO BE 2 POINT 6 TIMES THAT OF CORN. IF THAT HOLDS IT WOULD BE THE MOST FAVORABLE PRICE SPREAD SINCE 1997. ANALYSTS SAY IN PLACES LIKE THE NORTHERN PLAINS-- A LOT OF THESE DECISIONS WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE WEATHER. <" IF WE HAVE A NICE GOOD SPRING, AND IF WE CAN GET OUT, I DONT KNOW IF CORN ACRES WILL BE DOWN AT ALL IN THESE FRINGE AREAS UP HERE, 22 BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE, SOYBEANS NEED 4 MILLION ACRES IF YOU ASK ME. WE NEED 4 MILLION ACRES AND WE NEED THAT YIELD CLOSE TO 50, THE WAY THIS DEMAND LOOKS TO ME. THAT’S TOUGH TO DO. WE’RE GETTING A LITTLE COMPLACENT WITH ALWAYS HAVING THESE RECORD YIELDS. I’M PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THE NEW CROP SOYBEAN OUTLOOK IF WE DON’T GET THOSE ACRES."> OTHER HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE OUTLOOK FORUM...RICE ACRES ARE FORECAST DOWN NEARLY 17 PERCENT DUE TO ABUNDANT GLOBAL SUPPLIES. COTTON ACRES WERE HIGHER THAN EVEN THE COTTON COUNCIL’S PREVIOUS PREDICTION. USDA CALLING COTTON ACREAGE 11 AND HALF MILLION ACRES--A 14 PERCENT INCREASE...WHICH WOULD BE THE HIGHEST TALLY SINCE 2012. COTTON PRICES WERE FORECAST AT 65 CENTS.
WHEAT EXPORTS
USDA SAYS WHEAT EXPORTS SEEM TO BE ROBUST DESPITE RECORD WORLD WHEAT SUPPLIES AND A RELATIVELY STRONG DOLLAR. THE DEPARTMENT EXPECTING WHEAT EXPORTS TO EXCEED EXPECTATIONS-- CALLING FOR A 50-MILLION BUSHEL INCREASE IN THE 2016 AND 2017 MARKETING YEAR. THAT FORECAST INCLUDES BOTH HARD RED SPRING WHEAT AND HARD RED WINTER WHEAT. USDA SAYS EXPORT DEMAND IS HELPING PRICES, BUT IT’S STILL BELOW THE 5 & 10 YEAR AVERAGE. SOME ANALYSTS SAY HIGH QUALITY AND STRONG PROTEIN DEMAND IS THE BULL BEHIND THE WHEAT MARKET. <" WHAT WE’VE SEEN IN SPRING WHEAT SPECIFICIALLY IS A LOT OF COUNTRIES BECAUSE THEY HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO GIVE THEIR TYPICAL 11 TO 12 PERCENT WINTER WHEAT OUT OF THE U.S. SO THEY’VE HAD TO BUY 14 PERCENT TO DO A LOT OF BLENDING WITH. WE’VE SEEN EXCELLENT DEMAND FROM CHINA AND A LOT OF COUNTRIES THAT DON’T USUALLY BUY SPRING WHEAT LIKE VENUZEULA, EGYPT, ACTUALLY BECUASE THEIR QUALITY WASN’T THE GREATEST, WE’VE BEEN BEEN EXPORTING SPRING WHEAT TO CANADA. WHICH IS ISN’T THE CASE BECAUSE NORMALLY WE’RE AN INPORTER OF SPRING WHEAT FROM CANADA."> CRONIN SAYS THE U.S. IS LOOKING AT DECLINING STOCKS OF SPRING WHEAT AND BUILDING BUSHELS OF WINTER WHEAT.
TRUMP ADMIN GOING TO MEXICO
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SENDING SENIOR OFFICIALS TO MEXICO THIS WEEK TO HELP SMOOTH OVER RELATIONS. TRADE CONTINUING TO BE TOP OF MIND. SENIOR OFFICIALS FROM CANADA AND MEXICO NOW SAY RENEGOTIATIONS OF NAFTA WILL HAPPEN WITH ALL NATIONS AT THE TABLE. THIS COMES FOLLOWING INDICATIONS THE TRUMP TEAM MAY PURSUE INDIVIDUAL TRADE AGREEMENTS WITH BOTH CANADA AND MEXICO. HOWEVER, THE OTHER TWO NATIONS SAID THIS WEEK ANY RENEGOTIATIONS SHOULD INCLUDE ALL THREE NATIONS. GIVEN THE IMPORTANCE OF TRADE, THE AG INDUSTRY IS WATCHING CLOSELY. <"I THINK MR. TRUMP IS A BUSINESS MAN. YOU GO INTO A BUSINESS DEAL HARD WITH GOALS AND THEN YOU NEGOTIATE AND HE TALKS THAT TYPE OF LANGUAGE. I THINK HE’S GOING TO GET US TO A POINT WHERE WE’RE GOING TO BE OK WITH THAT. SHORT TERM, THE DAMAGE OR RIGHT AROUND THIS SITUATION MAY BE DIFFICULT ON AG. SHORT TERM. BUT I THINK IN THE LONG RUN WE WILL GET IT SMOOTHED OUT AND DO SOME REALLY GOOD THINGS."> <"FIRST OF ALL, I HOPE WE DON’T TEAR APART NAFTA. IF YOU LOOK AT THE BEEF AND PORK COMPLEX, WE’VE HAD NAFTA FOR 22 YEARS. WE’RE AT ZERO DUTIES FOR BEEF AND ZERO DUTIES FOR PORK. WE’VE HAD SOME BUMPS IN THE ROAD BUT FOR THE MOST PART, IT’S BEEN VERY POSITIVE."> <"ANY TRADE DEAL THAT OLD PROBABLY DOES HAVE SOME PIECES THAT NEED TO BE REVISITED. BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PRESIDENT KNOWS HOW GOOD THAT PIECE OF TRADE LEGISLATION HAS BEEN FOR AGRICULTURE. WE WENT FROM 9 BILLION DOLLARS OF TRADE UP TO 38 OR 39 BILLION. IT’S QUADRUPLED OVER THE YEARS. IT’S BEEN GOOD FOR AGRICULTURE."> 50
MERGER UPDATES
IN BUSINESS NEWS, BAYER LEADERSHIP EXPECTS IT’S MERGER WITH MONSANTO TO CLOSE BY THE END OF THIS YEAR DESPITE REGULATORY HURDLES. ACCORDING TO DOW JONES, BAYER’S LEADERSHIP SAYS THEY’RE CONFIDENT THE PLANNED 57 BILLION DOLLAR ACQUISITION OF MONSANTO WILL GET DONE DESPITE DELAYS BOTH HERE AND IN EUROPE. BAYER AG CEO WERNER BAUMANN SAYS HE EXPECTS THE BAYER- MONSANTO DEAL WILL CLOSE BY THE END OF THIS YEAR. BAUMAN SAYS HE IS CONFIDENT THE PLANNED $57 BILLION ACQUISITION OF MONSANTO WOULD OVERCOME ANY REGULATORY OBSTACLES AND CLOSE BY THE END OF THE YEAR, DESPITE DELAYS WITH U.S. AND EUROPEAN ANTITRUST AUTHORITIES, ACCORDING TO A REPORT BY DOW JONES. BAUMAN MADE THE COMMENTS DURING BAYER’S ANNUAL EARNINGS CONFERENCE. BAYER FILED FOR APPROVAL WITH THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT FOR THE ANOTHER MEGA MERGER MOVES FORWARD...DOW DUPONT CLOSING IN ON APPROVALS FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION AS WELL. IT’S EXPECTED TO APPROVE THE DEAL AS LONG AS THE BUSINESSES FOLLOW THROUGH ON PLANS TO DIVEST PORTIONS OF THEIR BUSINESSES. THE E-U IS EXPECTED TO MAKE A DECISION BETWEEN NOW AND APRIL 4TH. AND THE SYNGENTA--CHEM CHINA DEAL NEEDS ANOTHER EXTENSION. IT’S NOW PUSHING THE 43 BILLION DOLLAR TAKEOVER OFFER INTO APRIL AS IT CONTINUES TO SEEK REGULATORY APPROVAL. THE ANIMAL HEALTH MARKET IS EXPECTED TO BE WORTH 58-POINT-5 BILLION DOLLARS BY 2025. GRAND VIEW RESEARCH REPORTING THAT’S THANKS TO TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS IN VETERINARY CARE WHICH SHOULD SPUR GROWTH. STUDY ALSO FINDING VACCINE USE IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE DURING FORECAST PERIOD.
CROP COMMENTS
SOME INTERESTING CRITTERS ARE COMING OUT AND ENJOYING THE NICE WEATHER. MIKE HOFFMAN HAS A LOOK IN CROP COMMENTS. MIKE
TEASE
UP NEXT ITS OUR WEEKLY PROFARMER PROFIT BRIEFING. THE TEAM IS TALKING SOUTH AMERICA AND SHIPPING. LATER WE’LL GO SKY HIGH FOR SCOUTING TIPS FROM KEN FERRIE ON FARM JOURNAL COLLEGE TV. AND MARKETING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES GOES HIGH TECH. SEE HOW LASER COULD HELP YOU TRACK YOUR PRODUCE LATER ON AGDAY.
FLOOR OF THE CME
LET’S SEE HOW THE MARKETS CLOSED THURSDAY. FOR THAT, WE’LL HEAD TO THE CME FLOOR IN CHICAGO. WE ARE SEEING SOME RED ACROSS THE BOARD AS WE CONTINUE TO SEE PRICES FALL BACK. I WANT TO START TO LOOK AT SOME TECHNICAL LEVELS SPECIFICALLY IN THE CORN CONTRACT, WE’RE LOOKING AT THE MAY FUTURES. THAT’S GOING TO BE THE MONTH OF INTEREST FOR US WITH MARCH GOING OFF THE BOARD HERE VERY SHORTLY. WE ARE LOOKING AT $3.72 TO $3.73 IS GOING TO BE VERY KEY SUPPORT. THAT’S THE TRENDLINE FROM DECEMBER LOWS AS WELL AS THE DECEMBER 200 DAY MOVING AVERAGE. IF WE’RE ABLE TO SUSTAIN PRICE ACTION ABOVE THIS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO GO AHEAD ABOVE OUR TREND WITH HIGHER LOWS AND HIGHER HIGHS, $3.80 IS THE RESISTANCE LINE IN THE SAND. WE’VE SEEN SOME BUYING COME IN OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS IN THE CATTLE MARKET, BOTH THE LIVES AND THE FEEDERS VERY CONSTRUCTIVE. NOT ONLY IN THE FUTURES BUT ALSO CASH. CASH CAME IN VERY FIRM ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON WHICH CARRIED THINGS OVER TO A BID TODAY. WE’RE LOOKING INTO TOMORROW WHEN WE HAVE A CATTLE ON FEED REPORT AFTER THE CLOSE. WE ARE LOOKING AT PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT OF PROFIT TAKING FROM RECENT BUYERS SO I’M NOT SURPRISED TO SEE THIS RUN OUT OF A LITTLE BIT OF STEAM. IT’S BEEN OLIVER SLOUP WITH II TRADER FROM THE FLOOR OF THE CME.
PRO FARMER PROFIT BRIEFING
IN TODAY’S PROFARMER PROFIT BRIEFING THE TEAM CATCHES US UP ON SOUTH AMERICA’S HARVEST AND HOW GRAIN IS MOVING AROUND THE WORLD. BRIAN LET’S TALK TRADE. IT ‘S ALWAYS AN IMPORTANT TALKING ABOUT THE GRAIN MARKETS LIVESTOCK MARKETS AS WELL BUT ON THE GRAIN SIDE OF THINGS THERE ‘S A COUPLE OF THINGS GOING ON RIGHT NOW. LET ‘S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE RAINS OF THEIR GETTING ON A HARVEST READY BEAN CROP DOWN IN BRAZIL AND ARGENTINA YEAH WE WE’VE SEEN THE PICTURES WE’VE SEEN THE VIDEOS. SOME OF THOSE BEANS ARE ARE VERY MUCH OUT OF CONDITION. SOME ARE NOT BEING HARVESTED IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS IT PROBABLY DOESN’T MEAN A WHOLE LOT IT’S STILL GOING TO BE A RECORD DROP DOWN THERE. YOU TAKE SOME OF THAT OFF THE TOP AND IN AN ANT THAT ‘S IT ‘S STILL RECORD AND THE QUALITY. THE ISSUES TRY THE BIGGER THING. I THINK RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THESE EARLY HARVESTED SOYBEANS SO IT ‘S SLOWING DOWN THE FLOW OF MOVEMENT OF THE NEW CROP BEANS TO PORT AND PROBABLY MAKE IT MORE OF A TRICKLE. THEN AN ACTUAL FLOW AT THIS POINT I’M COMING OUT OF BRAZIL ‘S OK. SO IF IT IS A TRICKLE CAN WE SHARE THAT CHINESE BEING DEMAND WITH BRAZIL FOR A LONG A PERIOD TIME TO HAVE AN IMPACT. I THINK SO BECAUSE WE’VE SEEN IN THE PAST WERE CHINA WILL TURN IF THERE ARE QUALITY ISSUES WITH SOUTH AMERICAN CROP THOUGH CONTINUED TO BUY FROM THE UNITED STATES I THINK THAT THAT’S WHAT WE’RE SEEING PLAY OUT NOW WE’RE INTO A TIME FRAME BECAUSE OF THE EARLY PLANTING SEASON DOWN AND IN BRAZIL THIS YEAR WERE WE THOUGHT WE WOULD HAVE THE EXPORT WINDOW IF NOT CLOSED BE CLOSING PRETTY RAPIDLY AND WE AREN’T SEEING THAT PLAY OUT YET OK THEN IN ARGENTINA THEY RELY SO MUCH MORE ON THE EXPORT OF MEAL AND OIL. IF THEY RUN INTO SOME QUALITY ISSUES RIGHT THEY AREN’T HAVING THOSE ISSUES RIGHT NOW. BUT WE’LL CONTINUE TO WATCH TODAY THAT THEY ARE SATURATED IN SOME OF THOSE AREAS. BUT IT ‘S STILL FAR ENOUGH BACK WITH THEIR THEIR PRODUCTION CYCLE THAT THEY AREN’T IN INTO THE CRITICAL HARVEST TIME FRAME YET SO THAT HELPS THEM OUT A LITTLE BIT THERE IF THEY DRY OUT OK LET ‘S LOOK AT A TRADE ISSUE HERE IN THE U S WE GOT SHIPPING DELAYS OUT OF THE PNW IT IS AWFULLY DIFFICULT TO MOVE CORN FROM THE PNW THE END OF THE ASIAN MARKET AND THERE’S SOME INTERESTING TRADE TAKING PLACE IN CORN BECAUSE OF THAT SOUNDS LIKE A JAPAN IS TALKING TO CHINA ABOUT BOOKING SOME CARGOS. THEY’RE REALLY NOT ANYTHING OF SIGNIFICANCE OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT THAT IS A FEW CARGOES OF U S CORN THAT DEMAND. WILL BE LOST SO ANY YEAR WHEN WE HAVE I A QUOTE UNQUOTE OVERSUPPLY YOU KNOW WE DON’T WANNA LOSE AND THAT THE MAN SO THAT IS AN ISSUE GETTING THAT THE RAINS AND SNOWS AND ALL THE OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE IMPACTING THE WEST COAST YEAH IN JAPAN IS HEADED TAP INTO SOME OF THEIR EMERGENCY STOCKS AND NOW THEY’VE STARTED BY SEVENTEEN EIGHTEEN TWO THOUSAND SEVENTEEN EIGHTEEN MARKETING YEAR CORN FROM THE U S ARE THEY BRIEFED THE BOOKING THAT CORN REFILL STOCKS AND POSSIBILITY AND I THINK THAT THAT YOU KNOW AS WE MOVE FORWARD ON ALL THOSE THINGS COME INTO PLAY SO IT ‘S KIND OF MOVING PARTS ON THE TRADE SIDE OF THINGS IN AND WHEN THERE ‘S MOVING PARTS THAT MEANS THERE ‘S MOVING MARKETS YEP ABSOLUTELY ARE RIGHT KEEPING AN EYE ON TRADE ISSUES FOR BRIAN GRETE IN ALL THE EDITORS OF PRO FARMER IN CEDAR FALLS IOWA I’M CHIP FLORY
WEATHER
WELCOME BACK TO AGDAY WITH MIKE HOFFMAN. MIKE, LOOKING AT THE DROUGHT MONITOR, SOME OF THESE PLACES GETTING A BIT OF RELIEF OVER THE LAST WEEK OR TWO. YOU HAVE NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. SO WE’VE HAD SOME MORE MOISTURE THAT ‘S KEPT THINGS FROM A STARTING TO GET WORSE IN SOME PLACES THAT CONTINUES TO GET BETTER. SO PICK OUT YOUR AREA AND LET ‘S GO BACK A MONTH AND SEE WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE AND YOU CAN SEE IT WAS DEFINITELY A MUCH LARGER AREA IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA I THINK OVERALL, THE AERIAL COVERAGE IN BOTH THE SOUTHEAST IN THE SOUTHERN PLAINS WERE LARGER A MONTH AGO THAT YOU CAN SEE AS WE GO WEEK BY WEEK THINGS HAVE A BASICALLY SHRUNK BUT THEY HAVEN’T GOTTEN MUCH WORSE IN PLACES THAT A LITTLE BIT DRIER THERE LOOKS LIKE IN EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE NORTH CAROLINA BUT BOY, CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT DROUGHT IS ALMOST NOTHING IN CALIFORNIA NOW. THAT IS AMAZING IN A WEAK LA NINA YEAR ESPECIALLY. STORM SYSTEM CAUSING SOME SNOW ON THE NORTH SIDE OF IT, RAINS NORTH OF THE A WARM FRONT ANOTHER SYSTEM OUT WEST. WE WILL KIND OF BOTH BE A DIVING OFF TO THE SOUTHEAST BUT YOU’LL NOTICE WITH THIS ONE A OF THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOP LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING THERE COULD EVEN BE ANY SEVERE WEATHER. TORNADOES NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION IN PARTS OF THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY. THAT’S SOMETHING FOLKS WILL BE WATCHING BUT SNOW GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN IN THE NORTHERN MISSOURI BEHIND THE STORM SYSTEM. THEN IT CONTINUES TO TRACK NORTHEASTWARD STRONG COLD WITH A LINE PRESSING INTO THE APPELLATIONS WITH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS BY TOMORROW MORNING, YOU CAN SEE SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS THROUGHOUT THE WEST. RAIN SHOWERS BY THE TIME WE GET TO THE A CENTRAL AND WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE CALIFORNIA AND BY LATER IN THE DAY TOMORROW, SYSTEMS OUT WEST CONTINUE TO GO SOUTH. COLD FRONT ALMOST TO THE EAST COAST AND STARTING THE MOVE AWAY. NOW LET ‘S CHECK OUT PRECIPITATION ESTIMATES OVER THE PAST TWENTY FOUR HOURS. YOU CAN SEE THE HEAVIER AMOUNTS. MOST OF THIS BEEN SNOWACROSS NEBRASKA, IOWA AND TO SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF WISCONSIN. WE ADD IN THE NEXT THIRTY SIX AND THAT STREAK CONTINUES IN THE EASTERN PORTIONS OF CANADA AND NORTHERN PORTIONS OF NEW ENGLAND. MOST OF THIS ACTIVITY OUT WEST ISN’T GOING BE REAL HEAVY BUT YOU’LL STILL GET SOME DECENT SNOWS ALREADY HAVE OVER THE PAST TWENTY FOUR HOURS IN THE NORTHERN ROCKIES BUT ESPECIALLY THAT STRIP ACROSS THE NORTH CENTRAL PLAINS. YOU CAN SEE THAT GOES ON ACROSS WISCONSIN.IN THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF MICHIGAN A LITTLE LAKE EFFECT RIGHT AT THE BACK EDGE OF THAT. HIGH TEMPERATURES TODAY WARM IN THE OHIO VALLEY SOUTHWARD SEVENTIES TWENTIES THOUGH ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS SO THAT ‘S THAT BIG COLD AIR MASS COMING IN. LOWS TONIGHT IN THE TEENS IN THE NORTHERN PLAINS, STILL MILD IN THE SOUTHEAST AND THEN SEE TOMORROW AFTERNOON HIGHS ONLY IN THE FIFTIES AND SIXTIES IN THE SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. TWENTY ‘S IN THE NORTHERN PLAINS SO A LOT COLDER AIR COMING IN ALL BECAUSE OF THIS TROUGH THAT ‘S A MOVING THROUGH THE AIR AND YOU CAN SEE HOW THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BRING SOME SHOTS OF COLDER AIR. I DON’T SEE THIS BECOMING A WHOLE EASTERN NORTH AMERICA TYPE THING QUITE YET. BUT IT IS DEFINITELY GOING TO BE COLDER THAN WE’VE SEEN. THAT ‘S A LOOK ACROSS THE COUNTRY NOW LET ‘S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME LOCAL FORECASTS. WHERE THE KINGMAN, ARIZONA FIRST OF ALL, COOL AGAIN, LOTS OF SUNSHINE. HIGH TEMPERATURE OF FIFTY THREE. FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA, VARIABLY CLOUDY WITH SOME SUNSHINE IN THE AFTERNOON, HIGH OF TWENTY SEVEN AND JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI, WARM WITH TIMES OF CLOUDS AND SUNSHINE, HIGH OF EIGHTY ONE.
TEASE
KEN FERRIE AND FARM JOURNAL COLLEGE TV JOIN US FOR OUR WEEKLY AGRONOMIC DISCUSSION. AND LATER THIS HIGH TECH LASER IS MAKING MARKETING SMUDGE FREE ON THE PRODUCE AISLE.
FARM JOURNAL COLLEGE TV
IN OUR WEEKLY AGRONOMY DEEP DIVE WE CATCH UP WITH KEN FERRY FOR ANOTHER TIP ON SCOUTING YOUR FARM FROM ABOVE. TODAY WERE HERE WITH FARM JOURNAL FIELD AGRONOMIST KEN FERRIE WE’RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT SCOUTING TOOLS SO KEN I KNOW WE’VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT GOING OUT TO OUR FIELDS BEING HANDS ON AND SCOUTING. BUT TODAY WE HAVE A LOT OF TECHNOLOGIES AVAILABLE IN ORDER TO LOOK IN OUR FIELDS FROM A BIRD’S EYE VIEWS LET ‘S TALK FOR A FEW OF THOSE OPTIONS FARMERS HAVE THAT’S TRUE YOU KNOW TRADITIONAL SCOUTING. WE’LL WALK IN A ZIGZAG PATTERN. WE COLLECT SAMPLES FROM DIFFERENT AREAS THAT TYPE OF THING AND WE TRY TO GET A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF THE FIELD. WE DON’T HAVE TO DO THAT ANYMORE BECAUSE OF THE SCOUTING TOOLS WE GOT WE CAN ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE FIELD FROM DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND DECIDE OKAY WE’RE GONNA GO TO A SPECIFIC SPOT CHECKED THAT LOCATION THIS TECHNOLOGY IS REALLY BLOOMED HERE IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS FOR SURE BUT WE CAN DO EVERYTHING FROM THE STANDARD NDVI AERIAL IMAGERY WE CAN LOOK AT HIGH RESOLUTION PICTURES FROM THE AIR AND THEN THERMAL IMAGERY ITSELF SO YOU CAN PERSON CAN COME IN AND SHOOT THEM FROM AN AIRPLANE OR EVEN FROM A SATELLITE AND YOU CAN SIT DOWN AND STUDY THEM IN AND LOOK AT IT IT ‘S OUT JUST LATELY NOW HAS BEEN THE ONSET OF USING DRONES OR UAV’S TO DO THAT AND THAT ‘S GOT A LOT OF POSSIBILITIES AND THE PRICE OF THEM IS WENT DOWN CONSIDERABLY AND MAYBE NOT SUCH HIGH END AS FAR AS THE OUTPUT GOES WITH JUST A GOOD BIRD’S EYE VIEW OF THE FIELD ITSELF SUCH AS SOMETHING THAT IS AS THE SIMPLE AS THIS QUAD COPTER HERE BASICALLY SEND OUT OVER THIS FIELD FROM HERE THIS BILL LOOKS LIKE IT’S IN GOOD SHAPE BUT WE CAN’T ASSUME THAT AND WE WILL COULD WANDER ALL OVER OUT HERE LOOKING FOR ANY ISSUES AND ACTUALLY MISS IT WHERE WE GET SEND SOMETHING LIKE THIS UP AND DO A KIND OF A BIRD’S EYE SURVEILLANCE VIEW OF IT AND ACTUALLY COME BACK WITH INFORMATION WE COULD REACT WHEN MINUTES AS FAR AS TRYING TO GO OUT AND KNOW WHERE WE’RE GONNA BE
TEASE
WHEN WE COME BACK, A NEW WAY TO PROMOTE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES THAT DOESN’T INCLUDE A HARD TO WATCH STICKER.
IN THE COUNTRY
IN THE COUNTRY - SPONSORED BY KUBOTA. DISCOVER THE POWER BEHIND THE M6 SERIES AT KUBOTA.COM. COULD THIS BE AN END TO SIMPLE FRUIT AND VEGETABLE STICKERS? A SWEDISH SUPERMARKET CHAIN IS TRIALLING THE USE OF LASER MARKING ON CERTAIN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, RATHER THAN USING TRADITIONAL PLASTIC STICKERS OR PACKAGING. THE SWEDISH CHAIN SAYS IT WENT IN SEARCH OF AN ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL PLASTIC STICKERS OR PACKAGING. AND IT FOUND A LASER CAPABLE OF ETCHING THINGS LIKE POTATOES AND AVOCADOS WITH A PRODUCT’S NAME, COUNTRY OF ORIGIN AND CODE NUMBER. THEY CALL THE PROCESS NATRUAL BRANDING USING A LOW ENERGY CARBON DIOXIDE LASER TO REMOVE PIGMENT FROM THE OUTER SKIN. THEY SAY THE PROCESS HAS NO NEGATIVE EFFECT ON THE TASTE, SMELL OR SHELF LIFE OF THE FRUIT OR VEGETABLE. PETER HAGG, ICA SWEDEN: “THE PLASTIC BRANDING, THERE IS OF COURSE POSITIVE THINGS WITH IT. SOME PRODUCTS, YOU HELP THE SHELF LIFE WITH SPECIFIC MATERIAL SO IT’S JUST NOT AN ENEMY FOR US. BUT IN SOME ITEMS IT’S JUST UNNECESSARY BECAUSE IT DOESN’T BRING YOU BETTER SHELF LIFE, IT JUST BRINGS YOU EXTRA COSTS AND SOMETIMES WE’RE USING IT JUST TO DIFFERENTIATE THE PRODUCTS, IN THE CASHIER OR BY ANY OTHER REASONS.” KIERRA BOX, CAMPAIGNER, FRIENDS OF THE EARTH: “WE KNOW THERE’S A HUGE AMOUNT OF WASTE ACROSS THE SUPPLY CHAIN BEFORE WE GET TO THE PACKAGING WE SEE ON OUR SHELVES. WE KNOW THAT MANUFACTURERS AND RETAILERS HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DECREASE THIS, BUT THEY’RE NOT GOING TO GET THAT DOWN TO ZERO UNLESS WE MOVE TO FORMS OF PACKAGING THAT ARE BIODEGRADABLE, THAT ARE NATURAL AND FORMS OF PACKAGING THAT AREN’T GOING TO BE LEFT IN LANDFILL AFTER WE FINISH USING THEM.” THE SUPERMARKET STARTED WITH SWEET POTATOES AND AVOCADOS--PRODUCE THAT CONSUMERS DONT TYPICALY EAT. THEY PLAN TO TRY IT ON EDIBLE SKINS LATER THIS YEAR. INTERESTINGLY THEY SAY THE SKIN OF CITRUS FRUIT HAS A UNIQUE ABILITY TO HEAL ITSELF, THE LASER MARKINGS DISAPPEAR AFTER JUST A FEW HOURS.
CLOSE
THAT’S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE THIS MORNING. WE’RE GLAD YOU TUNED IN. FOR MIKE HOFFMAN, AND ALL OF US AT AGDAY, I’M CLINTON GRIFFITHS. HAVE A GREAT DAY IN FARM COUNTRY.
