AgDay Daily Recap -January 3, 2017

TODAY ON AGDAY
JANUARY 3, 2017

HEADLINES
COMING UP TODAY ON AGDAY - 2016 WAS AN HISTORIC YEAR FOR THE U-S DOLLAR. HOW WILL THAT LINGER INTO HTE NEW YEAR? IN AGRIBUSINESS, LESSONS LEARNED IN 2016... WE LEARN HOW TO APPLY THAT IN 2017. MORE CHEESE, PLEASE. WHAT TRENDS COULD DRIVE DEMAND? AND THIS WOMAN FROM MAIN IS ON MISSION TO SAVE A RARE PIG BREED.... <"IT’S NOT JUST TO MAKE A LIVING FOR ME. IT’S TO HELP THE BREED COME BACK."> WE’LL HAVE HER STORY AS WE HEAD IN THE COUNTRY. AGDAY-BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE DEPENDABLE, LONG LASTING CHEVY SILVERADO.

DOLLAR HITTING HIGH
GOOD MORNING I’M TYNE MORGAN, IN FOR CLINTON GRIFFITHS. THE U-S DOLLAR HITTING A 14 YEAR HIGH IN 2016. AND THE MOMENTUM COULD BE FELT INTO THE NEW YEAR. 2016 PROVING TO BE A STRONG YEAR FOR THE STOCK MARKET OVERALL. THAT’S AFTER A SHARP DROP IN OIL PRICES KICKED OFF THE YEAR, CAUSING WALL-STREET TO HAVE IT’S WORST START EVER. BUT VOLATILITY PROVED TO BE THE CASE, WITH THE DOW ON A BULLISH RUN, CHASING 20 THOUSAND, OIL HITTING IT’S HIGHEST CLOSE IN 17 MONTHS AND NATURAL GAS PEAKING OUT AT A 2-YEAR HIGH. THE STRONG U-S DOLLAR SLIGHTLY FADING THE FINAL WEEK OF 2016, BUT IT’ COULD STILL BE A WET BLANKET ON AG EXPORTS IN 2017. HERE’S BETSY JIBBEN. THE DOLLAR IS TRADING AT 14 YEAR HIGHS DURING THE END OF 2016. LEAVING A MARK ON THE AG. EXPORTS- SOME MORE THAN OTHERS. <"WHEAT, WHEAT IS ALREADY STRUGGLING ON THE EXPORT SIDE OF THINGS. THE STRONGER DODLLAR DOESN’T HELP ANY. THE MEATS, THEY SURPRINGLY HAVEN’T SLOWED DOWN ON THE EXPORT FRONT YET. WILL THAT CONTINUE? AND CORN, I THINK THAT COMES INTO PLAY AS WELL. SOYBEANS, NOT SO MUCH. THAT’S MORE OF A SEAONAL PLAY WITH THE SOUTH AMERICAN CROP,"> <"SOYBEANS, THERE’S NOT A LOT OF PLACES TO BUY. WHEAT, IT’S OBVIOUSLY HURTING US. CORN, IT’S HURTING US,"> SOME ANALYSTS SAY BEEF SHOULD STAY COMPETITIVE DESPITE THE HIGHER DOLLAR. <"I THINK THE DEMAND FOR BEEF OVERALL IS GOING TO STAY STRONG. EVEN THOUGH WE’VE HAD A NICE RALLY BACK IN THE CATTLE MARKET, WE’RE STILL FAIRLY CHEAP COMPARED TO WHERE WE’VE BEEN HERE OVER THE LAST SAY 5 YEARS."> ANALYSTS SAY THE DOLLAR ISN’T HAMPERING BEEF EXPORTS AS MUCH AS IT COULD. <"WITH THE STRONG DOLLAR WE’VE SEEN MORE EXPORTS THAN WE THOUGHT WE WOUDL SEE WITH A LACK OF CHINA."> <"THE CHINESE MINISTER SAID A FEW MONTHS AGO THAT THEY WERE GOING TO IMPORT U.S. BEEF DURING THE CALENDAR YEAR 2016. THAT DIDN’T HAPPEN. SO THERE’S STILL HOPE THAT COULD PICK UP AT SOME POINT. BUT THAT DOLLAR BEING HIGHER AGAIN AND AGAIN IS SORT OF MAKING IT SEEM FURTHER AND FURTHER AWAY."> DESPITE CHINA, USDA’S DECEMBER COLD STORAGE REPORT SAYS BEEF IN THE FREEZER IS DOWN SLIGHTLY FROM THE PREVIOUS MONTH BUT UP FROM LAST YEAR. BUT ANALYSTS SAY WE’RE SLOWLY CHEWING THROUGH IT FOR NOW. <"THINGS MAY BE BETTER IN DEMAND AND TIGHTER WITH SUPPLY OVER THE NEXT SAY 3 OR 4 MONTHS. BUT ONCE WE GET INTO THE SPRING AND JUNE, WHICH WE SEE A BIG DISCOUNT IN THE CATTLE FUTURES, THAT’S WHEN THINGS COULD OPEN UP A LITTLE BIT. AND WE CAN MAYBE EXPECT LOWER PRICES. DOESN’T MEAN DEMAND IS GOING ANYWHERE, JUST MEANS WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A BIGGER SUPPLY BASE,"> THAT’S AS THE MARKET TRIES TO FIND A BALANCE BETWEEN A STRONG CURRENCY AND ROBUST EXPORTS. REPORTING FOR AGDAY, I’M BETSY JIBBEN. THANKS BETSY. SOME ANALYSTS SAY GOLD IS ALSO SEEING A BOOST THANKS TO THE VERY ‘SLIGHT’ RETREAT IN THE U.S. DOLLAR. THE METAL HAS BEEN REBOUNDING FROM AN 11-MONTH LOW.

GLOBAL BEEF MARKET
MEANWHILE, THE GLOBAL BEEF MARKET COULD SURGE BY 2020. A NEW STUDY PROJECTS IT TO HIT 2 POINT 1 TRILLIONBY 20-20. THAT’S LARGELY DUE A JUMP IN EXPORTS, FROM 67 POINT 4 MILLION TONS IN 2012 TO A PROJECTED 72 POITN 9 MILLION IN 2020. THE NUMBERS ARE FROM GRANDVIEW RESEARCH OF SAN FRANCISCO, LOOKING AT THE NUMBER OF CONSUMERS WHO COULD TURN TO MEAT AS A MAJOR SOURCE OF PROTEIN IN THE COMING YEARS AS INCOMES IMPROVE.

ESTATE TAX
THE HIGHLY DEBATED ESTATE TAX IS A TOUCHY SUBJECT AMONG FARMERS. AND NOW REPUBLICANS ARE HOPEFUL A NEW ADMINSTRATION MEANS THE DEATH TAX CAN BE LAID TO REST. REPUBLICANS PLAN TO ABOLISH THE ESTATE TAX, CLAIMING IT FORCES CHILDREN OF RECENTLY DECEASED FARMERS TO SELL LAND IN ORDER TO PAY FOR IT. BUT NOW DEMOCRATS ARE ARGUING THAT’S FALSE. THE FINANCIAL TIMES REPORTING IOWA STATE PROFESSOR NEIL HARL SAYS IN MANY CASES, THE CHILDREN SELL THE FARMS AFTER A PARENT’S DEATH BECAUSE THEY DON’T WANT TO FARM, NOT BECAUSE THEY NEED THE MONEY TO PAY FOR IT. BUT MANY REPUBLICANS STILL WANT TO SEE THE ESTATE TAX GONE, SAYING IT’S A TAX PUNISHING HARD WORK, SAVINGS AND SUCCESS.

STRONG COTTON YIELDS
FARMERS IN AREAS OF OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS RAKED IN THEIR HIGHEST COTTON YIELDS EVERN THIS YEAR. THAT AND STRONGER COTTON PRICES HAVE SOME STATES EYEING MORE COTTON ACRES IN 2017. 2016 SAW A BIG BOOST IN COTTON PLANTINGS, UP AN ESTIMATED 17 PERCENT OVER 2015. AND 2017 COULD SEE AN EVEN BIGGER JUMP. NATIONAL COTTON COUNCIL TELLS AGDAY COTTON PRICES SAW A DECENT YEAR, STRENGTHENING THROUGHOUT 2016. FUTURES MARKETS STARTED IN THE LOW TO MID 60S, BUT TRADED IN THE UPPER 60S AND EVEN INTO THE LOW 70S THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR. THAT PRICE DIFFERENCE COULD BUY ACRES IN THE NEW YEAR. <"WE TYPICALLY DO SEE COTTON PRICES STRONGER RELATIVE TO PRIMARY COMPETING CROPS AND IT’S NOT THAT WHERE COTTON PRICESA RE COMPARED TO COST OF PRODUCTION ARE NECESSARILY THAT ATTRACTICVE TO GROWERS, BUT IT IS MORE ATTRACTIVE TO CORN AN SOYBEANS, AN I THINK THAT’S WHY THE FEEDBACK WE’RE GETTING IS A LOT OF GROWERS ARE LOOKING AT INCREASING THEIR COTTON PLANTINGS FOR 2017.” > ADAMS SAYS IT’S STILL TOO EARLY TO PUT A NUMBER ON THE MAGNTITUDE OF AN ACREAGE SHIFT. WHILE COTTON ACRES COULD SEE A RESURGENCE THIS YEAR, THE DRASTIC DROP IN PLANTINGS OVER THE PAST DECADE TAKING ITS TOLL ON COTTON GINS. TODAY, CHARLES DENNEY SHOWS US WHY THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE IS USING A WELL WORN COTTON GIN THAT’S STILL PRODUCTIVE IN MODERN TIMES. A MACHINE THAT’S BEEN AROUND A WHILE, BUT IT’S JUST GETTING BROKEN IN. OUR COTTON CROP HAS BEEN PICKED, BUT IT STILL NEEDS WORK. THAT’S WHEN IT GOES TO A GIN, LIKE THIS REPLICA OF A COMMERCIAL UNIT, HOUSED AT UT’S AGRESEARCH CENTER IN JACKSON. UP TOP, THE CROP IS FED INTO THE MACHINE, WHERE IT SEPARATES LINT FROM THE SEED. LINT IS USED TO MAKE CLOTHING, AND OIL IS EXTRACTED FROM THE SEED FOR FOOD OR COSMETICS. (DR. BOB HAYES) “IT’S SIMPLY USING SAWS TO SAW THE LINT AND PULL THE LINT THROUGH AND LEAVE THE SEED ON THE OTHER SIDE. WE HAVE TWO LINT CLEANERS. IT GOES THROUGH THOSE TWO LINT CLEANERS, THEN A CONDENSER, AND THEN FROM THAT CONDENSER IT’S MOVED THEN TO THE BALE PRESS.” DR. BOB HAYES SAYS IT’S UNIQUE FOR A UNIVERSITY TO HAVE ITS OWN GIN. THIS UNIT IS FOR COTTON GROWN IN VARIETY TESTING PROGRAMS WITH UTIA, AS WELL AS SAMPLES FROM AS FAR AWAY AS FLORIDA AND TEXAS. THE GIN MEASURES YIELD AND QUALITY - DATA PASSED ON TO FARMERS TO DETERMINE THE VALUE OF THEIR CROP. (DR. BOB HAYES) “IT ALLOWS US TO PROVIDE THEM A COMPLETE PACKAGE OF INFORMATION TO MAKE WISE DECISIONS FOR THEIR FARM.” (CHARLES DENNEY) “THIS OLD BOY WILL CELEBRATE HIS 50TH BIRTHDAY NEXT YEAR. YES, THIS GIN HAS BEEN OPERATING NEARLY HALF A CENTURY. AND IT’S STILL PRODUCTIVE. IN A TYPICAL YEAR, SOME 25-HUNDRED SAMPLES WILL BE PROCESSED HERE.” (DR. TYSON RAPER) “THIS FACILITY WAS BUILT WITH ROUGHLY $6,000 IN 1968, SO VERY PROUD THE INDUSTRY CAME TOGETHER AND PIECED THIS MACHINE.” DR. TYSON RAPER IS UTIA’S COTTON SPECIALIST, AND USES THE GIN IN HIS RESEARCH. HE SAYS THIS SCALED-DOWN VERSION OF A COMMERCIAL GIN IS A VALUABLE PIECE OF SCIENCE. (DR. TYSON RAPER) “TREMENDOUS TOOL, SO WE’RE LOOKING AT ONE OF ABOUT SIX IN THE COUNTRY, AND THIS GIN IS VERY UNIQUE IN THAT WE CAN PROCESS A VERY, VERY SMALL SAMPLE SIZE TO GET VERY ACCURATE TURNOUT AND FIBER QUALITY NUMBERS.” THE OLD GIN REQUIRES FREQUENT UPKEEP, BUT THE RESEARCHERS HERE BELIEVE IT SHOULD STILL BE CRANKING FOR YEARS TO COME.DOES IT HAVE ANOTHER HALF CENTURY IN IT? COULD BE. HERE WHEN PLANTS MEET MACHINE, TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS US TO GET WORK DONE, AND LEARN. THIS IS CHARLES DENNEY REPORTING.

CROP COMMENTS
< “CROP COMMENTS IS POWERED BY RESICORE HERBICIDE FOR CORN, FROM DOW AGROSCIENCES.” > MANY OF YOU ARE BRACING FOR ANOTHER COLD WEEK.. MIKE HOFFMAN HAS MORE IN THIS MORNING’S CROP COMMENTS. GOOD MORNING, TYNE. LET’S START OFF IN WAUBAY, SOUTH DAKOTA. CORY ZIRBEL SENT US THIS PHOTO OF THE ICE STORM AFTERMATH WHICH SWEPT THROUGH THE MIDWEST DURING CHRISTMAS. TEMPERATURES COULD DROP DOWN TO THE SINGLE DIGITS THROUGHOUT THIS WEEK. AND MARK ROHRICH SENT US THIS PHOTO OF TYPICAL NORTH DAKOTA CONDITIONS IN JANUARY - SNOWY FARMS AND ICY ROADS. THAT AREA COULD ALSO SEE TEMPS DIPPING DOWN TO THE SINGLE DIGITS. AND NOW HERE ARE SOME HOMETOWN TEMPS.

TEASE
STILL TO COME, 2016 WAS A YEAR OF THE UNEXPECTED. SO, HOW CAN YOU APPLY THAT IN THE NEW YEAR? THAT’S ANALYSIS. AND IT’S A RARE PIG BREED, ONCE ON THE VERGE OF EXTINCTION. BUT A LADY IS MAINE IS A MISSION TO SAVE THE BREED BY ENCOUARING MORE PEOPLE TO EAT IT. WE’LL HAVE THE STORY COMING UP ON AGDAY .

AGRIBUSINESS
MANY SURPRISES OCCURED IN 2016. BUT WHAT DID WE LEARN LAST YEAR AND WHAT SHOULD WE WATCH IN 2017? CLINTON GRIFFITHS HAS MORE IN ANALYSIS. CRAIG VANDYKE TOP THIRD AG MARKETING OUR GUEST HERE TODAY. CRAIG AS WE LOOK BACK IN 2017, WHAT DO YOU THINK STANDS OUT AS LESSONS YOU’VE LEARNED, MAYBE HIGH POINTS THAT YOU’RE GOING TO TAKE WITH YOU DURING YOUR CAREER? I MEAN 2016, THERE ARE A LOT OF EVENTS THERE PEOPLE THOUGHT COULDN’T HAPPEN. YOU LOOK AT BREXIT. YOU LOOK AT THE ELECTION. YOU LOOK AT DIFFERENT AREAS MARKETS HAVE GONE AND WONDERED, HOW DID WE GET HERE AND HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? APRIL RALLY IN BEANS AND THE RALLY WITH CORN IN MAY AND THINGS PEOPLE WEREN’T EXPECTING AT THE TIME. RIGHT, WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT, EXPECT IT. AND I THINK WE’VE SEEN THOSE LESSONS TAUGHT THROUGHOUT THE LAST YEAR. THERE’S BEEN A LOT OF VOLITALITY. YOU’VE SEEN A 1.20 RANGE IN CORN AND A BIG RANGE IN SOYBEANS. A LITTLE DIFFERENT STORY AND A CONSISTENT DOWNTREND AND BIG MOVES IN THE LIFESTOCK MARKET. SO, OFTENTIMES I FIND THE EXCITEMENT WHEN THE MARKET IS UP HIGH WITH GREAT LEVELS IS A GREAT FEELING UNLESS YOU DON’T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. AND WITH THE SAME TOKEN, WITH THE DOWNSIDE, WE’RE NEVER GOING TO COME BACK. 2016 HAS TAUGHT A LOT OF LESSONS THAT ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN AND YOU HAVE TO MANAGE WHAT IS HAPPENING LIKE WHAT WE’VE SEEN WITH BREXIT AND WHAT WE’VE SEEN WITH THE ELECTION. AND NOW WITH THE ALL OF THE MACRO-ECONOMIC FACTORS, GRAINS WON’T BE ANY SHORT OF EXCITING MOVING TO 2017. AS YOU GO INTO 2017, GIVE ME A COUPLE OF THINGS YOU’RE WATCHING FOR, MAYBE A KEY YOU’RE GOING TO KEY IN ON. AS FAR AS THE GRAIN MARKET GOES, I THINK YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE 2017 SOYBEAN CONTRACT AND MANAGE RISK THERE. THIS IS A 1.20 STARTING POINT BETTER THAN WHERE WE WERE LAST YEAR. THE CORN MARKET, IT ISN’T TERRIBLE TO 2017 YET. 3.90 AND 3.80 ISN’T AWFUL. THIS MIGHT BE A 3.40 T O 3.50 RANGE WE MAY NEED TO DEAL WITH FOR SOME TIME. BUT THE WHEAT MARKET, I THINK THERE COULD BE POTENTIAL. WHY? BECAUSE WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT, EXPECT IT. FUNDS ARE BIG TIME SHORT. IF YOU START TO SEE THE SPREADS GIVE US SIGNALS IN THE FUTURES MARKET, MAYBE WE’RE READY FOR SOMEONE TO BE CAUGHT OFF GUARD. ALRIGHT, WE’LL BE WATCHING FOR IT. THANKS CRAIG. WE’LL BE BACK WITH MORE AGDAY IN JUST A MINUTE.

WEATHER
( AGDAY WEATHER - BROUGHT TO YOU BY CORVUS PRE-EMERGENCE CORN HERBICIDE FROM BAYER. THE ONLY HERBICIDE TO OFFER THREE LEVELS OF DEFENSE AGAINST WEEDS - BURNDOWN, RESIDUAL A REACTIVATION WITH RAIN. ) AND WELCOME BACK AND GET READY FOR SOME COLDER AIR TO LIVE IN THE NORTHERN TIER STATES ANOTHER SHOT OF ARCTIC AIR COMING IN SOON WITH THE JET STREAM AS WE START THE WEEK KIND OF A BLOCKING PATTERN WE CALL THIS IN THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE AND I CAN GET CAN A STABLE AND CAN HOLD BUT WILL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE ON THAT AT LEAST INITIALLY IT LOOKS LIKE THE ARCTIC AIR COMING INTO THE NORTHWESTERN PORTIONS OF THE COUNTRY. THEN AS WE HEAD TOWARD TUESDAY AND DIRECT SHOT COMING INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS AS WE HEAD TOWARD WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY, IT STARTS MAKING IT INTO OTHER GREAT LAKES AND EVENTUALLY THE NORTHEAST. LOOK AT THE LINES ARE COMING STRAIGHT OFF THE NORTH POLE DOWN IN THE NORTHERN PLAINS, HOWEVER IF YOU LIVE IN THE SOUTHERN STATES LIKE IT THAT YOU’RE JUST RAIN ‘S COMING FROM THE SOUTHWEST WHICH WILL KEEP YOU A LITTLE MILDER NOW THE COLD AIR WILL PRESS PRETTY FAR SOUTH BUT I THINK IF YOU LIVE IN THE FAR SOUTHERN AREAS YOU’RE PROBABLY NOT GONNA SEE A WHOLE LOT OF IT AT LEAST THIS WEEK YOU CAN SEE IS WE END THE WEEK WERE STILL PRETTY COLD FOR THE NORTHERN TIER OF STATES. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS WEEK FOR TEMPERATURES AND I’M GOING BELOW NORMAL FOR THE GREAT LAKES, DOWN THE NORTHERN TEXAS THROUGHOUT THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE COUNTRY. AND AN ABOVE NORMAL FOR THE FAR EASTERN PORTIONS AS WELL IS A FAR SOUTH TEXAS, OTHERWISE NORMAL PRECIPITATION FOR THE COMING WEEK, GREAT LAKES DOWN IN THE SOUTHEAST NORTHEAST ABOVE NORMAL BELOW NORMAL FROM A KANSAS WESTERN MISSOURI DOWN INTO A NORTHERN MEXICO AND ABOVE NORMAL FROM WESTERN COLORADO ALL THE WAY TO THE WEST COAST. ALRIGHT, HERE ‘S A NINETY DAY OUTLOOK WILL SPLIT UP INTO THE THE THREE MONTHS FOR TEMPERATURES. BELOW NORMAL FROM THE GREAT LAKES DOWN ARKANSAS ALL THE WAY UP THE WASHINGTON MOST OF THE CENTER OF THE COUNTRY ABOVE NORMAL FOR FLORIDA AND THE FAR SOUTHWEST. FEBRUARY, WE WILL SHIFT THE BELOW NORMAL AREA INTO A MOST OF THE EAST TAKEN AWAY FROM THE FAR NORTHWEST COAST OTHERWISE BELOW NORMAL FOR THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL PORTIONS OF THE COUNTRY, ABOVE NORMAL FOR SOUTH FLORIDA AND THE FAR SOUTHWEST IN THE MARCH WILL GO A LITTLE SHIFT THAT BELOW NORMAL AREA EVEN FARTHER TO THE EAST WHICH TAKES SOME OF YOU OUT OF IT IN THE NORTHERN ROCKIES ABOVE NORMAL THEN FOR THE SOUTHWESTERN SECTIONS ALL THE WAY AND A SOUTHERN IDAHO AND IN THE 90 DAY OUTLOOK FOR PRECIPITATION OF COURSE IS ALWAYS TOUGHER BUT FROM THE SOUTHEAST TO THE NORTHEAST ARE GOING ABOVE NORMAL FROM KANSAS DOWN INTO A TEXAS. SOME GOING BELOW NORMAL OTHERWISE WE’RE GONNA KEEP IT NEAR NORMAL FOR NOW THAT ‘S A LOOK ACROSS THE COUNTRY NOW LET ‘S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME LOCAL FORECASTSWE HEAD TO PHOENIX, ARIZONA FIRST OF ALL MIX OF SUN AND CLOUDS AND COOL. HIGH OF SIXTY DEGREES. ROLLA, MISSOURI, MOSTLY CLOUDY RATHER CHILLY HIGH OF FORTY FOUR AND SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, VARIABLY CLOUDY AND WARM THERE IS A CHANCE OF A SHOWER OR THUNDERSTORM HIGH SEVENTY SIX.

TEASE
WHAT WAYS WILL CONSUMERS EAT EVEN MORE CHEESE IN 2017? THAT’S OUR DAIRY REPORT. AND SHE’S ON A MISSION TO SAVE A RARE PIG BREED FROM EXTINCTION. AND IT’S WITH THE HELP OF A USDA GRANT. WE’LL AHVE THE STORY AS WE HEAD IN THE COUNTRY.

DAIRY REPORT
U-S CHEESE STOCKS HITTING A RECORD HIGH IN 2016. SO WHAT ARE SOME WAYS CONSUMERSCOULD EAT MORE CHEESE IN 2017? THE WISCONSIN MILK MARKETING BOARD CREATING A LIST AS THEY EXPLORE THE TOP FOOD TRENDS. AND THEY SAY IT’S OBVIOUS AMERICANS LIVE CHEESE, WITH THE AVERAGE AMERICAN EATING 35 POUNDS OF CHEESE IN 2016, THAT’S UP A POUND FROM 2014. THE BOARD SAYS THE TOP TREND CREATING MORE CHEESE DEMAND IS CONSUMERS WANTING COMFORT FOOD YEAR ROUND, NOT JUST DURING THE WINTER MONTHS. NUMBER 2-- THE ALL DAY BREAKFAST TREND, WITH A NEW REPORT SHOWING 7 OUT OF 10 CONSUMERS PREFER THAT RESTAURANTS SERVE BREAKFAST ALL DAY. THIRD ON THE LIST-- SKYROCKETING DEMAND FOR CHEESY BREAKFAST BOWLS. THE ALFALFA INDUSTRY IS PUTTING MORE RESEARCH DOLLARS INTO ITS CROP THANKS TO A NEW CHECKOFF PROGRAM. SET TO LAUNCH IN JANUARY, THE CHECKOFF RATE IS ONE DOLLAR FOR EVERY BAG OF ALFALFA SEED SOLD. SEED COMPANIES CAN VOLUNTARILY PARTICIPATE. THOSE IN THE INDUSTRY SAY MORE MORE RESEARCH DOLLARS ARE NEEDED AS ACREAGE IS DECLINING.

TEAE
COMING UP, THERE ARE ONLY 500 ANIMALS OF THIS BREED ALIVE IN THE COUNTRY. BUT ONE WOMAN IS TRYING TO CHANGE THAT. WE’LL HAVE THE STORY NEXT.

IN THE COUNTRY
THE PORK INDUSTRY HAS CHANGED OVER THE PAST DECADE, WITH MANY PRODUCERS INVESTING IN MORE EFFICIENT BREEDS. BUT ONE NEW ENGLAND FARMER IS TRYING TO SAVE A BREED ON THE VERGE OF EXTINCTION BY ENCOURAGING CONSUMERS TO EAT THEM. THE AP HAS THE STORY. THESE SQUEALS AND GRUNTS ARE THE SOUNDS OF A RARE SPECIES’ RESURGENCE SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) SUSAN FRANK, FARMER: “IT’S NOT JUST TO MAKE A LIVING FOR ME. IT’S TO HELP THE BREED COME BACK.” NATS SUSAN FRANK, A FARMER IN MAINE, IS TAKING A 50- THOUSAND DOLLAR GRANT FROM THE U-S DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO HELP PROMOTE THIS HAIRY HOG, THE MULEFOOT PIG-WHICH ABOUT A DECADE AGO WAS DOWN TO ONE HERD ON THE VERGE OF EXTINCTION. THE HOG’S SLOW GROWTH AND SMALL LITTERS OF PIGLETS MAKE THEM ILL-SUITED TO INDUSTRIAL HOG FARMING, BUT THEIR ADVANTAGES - INCLUDING HIGH YIELDS OF MEAT AND LARD - MAKE THEM APPEALING TO SMALL FARMERS. THERE ARE NOW NEARLY 500 PUREBRED BREEDING MULEFOOTS IN THE COUNTRY, AND FRANK’S FARM ACCOUNTS FOR A DOZEN OF THEM. WITH PIGLETS ARRIVING BY THE LITTER, FRANK SAYS DEMAND FOR THEIR MEAT HAS INCREASED. “I KNOW IT SOUNDS WEIRD, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS IS YOU HAVE TO EAT A RARE BREED TO HELP THEM COME BACK. IF THEY’RE NOT POPULAR, IF PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO BUY THEM, NOBODY IS GOING TO GROW THEM.” FRANK PLANS TO ORGANIZE A FOOD FESTIVAL BASED AROUND MULEFOOT PRODUCTS TO HELP BOOST THEIR REPUTATION. THE INCREASING NUMBERS, MAKE THIS FARMER HAPPIER THAN A (PIG IN SLOP) ….YOU GET THE IDEA. JOSH REPLOGLE THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

CLOSE
THANKS, JOSH. I HADN’T EVEN HEARD OF THAT BREED BEFORE. INTERESTING. WELL, THAT’S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE THIS MORNING. WE’RE GLAD YOU TUNED IN. FOR ALL OF US AT AGDAY, I’M TYNE MOREGAN. HAVE A GREAT DAY IN FARM COUNTRY.