TODAY ON AGDAY
MARCH 20, 2015
OPEN HEADLINES:
TODAY ON AGDAY SPRING ARRIVES...TO A NEW CASE OF AVIAN FLU. PLUS THE RURAL AG ECONOMY CONTINUES TO STRUGGLE...IN THE PROFARMER PROFIT BRIEFING....LOOKING AHEAD TO LIKELY PLANTINGS....PLUS TAMING MOTHER NATURE THRU WATER AND NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT. AND A SLOPPY START TO STRAWBERRY SEASON ISN’T SOURING GROWERS ON THE CROP’S POTENTIAL. AGDAY BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE DEPENDABLE, LONG-LASTING CHEVY SILVERADO AND BY BASF. WE CREATE CHEMISTRY.
AVIAN FLU UPDATE:
GOOD MORNING I’M CLINTON GRIFFITHS. AVIAN FLU CONTINUING TO POP UP IN U.S. FLOCKS AS ANIMAL HEALTH OFFICALS RACE TO HALT ITS SPREAD...AND THAT’S OUR TOP STORY ON AGDAY.
DIETARY GUIDELINES EXTENDED:
USDA SAYS ITS PLANNING TO EXTEND THE COMMENT PERIOD ON THE DIETARY GUIDELINES ADVISORY COMMITTEE’S REPORT. MANY IN AG- CHARGE THE REPORT LOOKS BEYOND CLEAR NUTRITIONAL AND SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE-- OVERSTEPPING INTO AREAS THAT SHOULDN’T BE PART OF THE DISCUSSION. THE EXTENSION WOULD BE FOR 30 DAYS.
BNSF:
THE BNSF RAILROAD PRESIDENT AND CEO CARL ICE IS APOLOGIZING TO GRAIN SHIPPERS FOR LAST YEAR’S POOR SERVICE. HE MADE THE COMMENTS DURING THE NATIONAL GRAIN AND FEED ASSOCIATION’S ANNUAL CONVENTION. ICE SAYS BNSF KNOWS IT DISAPPOINTED AND DIDN’T MEET EXPECTATIONS - BUT HE BELIEVES THE RAILROAD IS RUNNING BETTER NOW.
WATER SALES:
IN CALIFORNIA, NEW REPORTS THAT FARMERS IN THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY ARE SKIPPING PLANTING SEASON--OPTING INSTEAD TO CASH IN ON THEIR WATER RIGHTS. ONE FOURTH-GENERATION RICE FARMER ALONG THE YUBA RIVER TELLING REPORTERS, HE AND FELLOW GROWERS ARE PLANNING TO SELL 20 PERCENT OF THEIR WATER ALLOTSMENTS TO LOS ANGELES. THE GOING RATE--700 DOLLARS PER ACRE FOOT OF WATER…
TEASE:
STILL AHEAD WE STOP AT THE CME FOR OUR DAILY UPDATE. PLUS OUR PARTNERS FROM PROFARMER ARE HERE FOR THE PROFIT BRIEFING.
TEASE TMN:
WE LOOK AT THE INCREASING IMPORTANCE OF WATER AND NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT IN THE FACE OF CHANGING WEATHER PATTERNS.
TEASE STRAWBERRY:
AND CONSTANT RAIN IN SOME PARTS OF THE SOUTH ARE MAKING STRAWBERRY SEASON RATHER SLOPPY.
CLOSE:
LOUISIANA FARMERS WILL PICK ABOUT 360 ACRES OF STRAWBERRIES. FOR COMPARISON, CALIFORNIA HARVESTED ABOUT 35-THOUSAND ACRES IN 2013. BUT THAT NUMBER HAS DROPPED BY TWO THOUSAND ACRES OVER EACH OF THE PAST TWO YEARS. SO THIS YEAR, IT’LL BE CLOSER TO 31-THOUSAND ACRES. THE CALIFORNIA STRAWBERRY COMMISSION SAYS THE DROUGHT PLAYED A ROLE IN SOME PLANTING DECISIONS. BUT THE DIFFICULT LABOR MARKET HASN’T HELPED EITHER. THE COMMISSION SAYS FARMERS ARE PLANTING HIGHER YIELDING VARIETIES, WHICH IS HELPING TO OFF-SET THOSE ACREAGE LOSSES.
.THAT’S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE THIS MORNING. WE’RE GLAD YOU TUNED IN.
