TODAY ON AGDAY
MARCH 8, 2017
HEADLINES
FARMER SENTIMENTS FALL IN FEBRUARY. PLUS, WILDFIRES BLAZE THROUGH THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. CHINESE TARIFFS WEIGH ON ETHANOL AND DDG’S--BETSY JIBBEN REPORTS. IN AGRIBUSINESS...THE OUTSIDE INFLUENCERS. WINTER WEATHER WORRYING FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS. AND A HIGH TECH SPONGE THAT SOAKS UP OIL -- NOT WATER. AGDAY-BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE DEPENDABLE, LONG LASTING CHEVY SILVERADO.
PURDUE AG BAROMETER
GOOD MORNING I’M CLINTON GRIFFITHS. AS WE HEAD TOWARDS PLANTING SEASON, FARMER’S SENTIMENTS ABOUT THE ECONOMY HAVE RETREATED SOMEWHAT FROM THE POSITIVE MOODS SEEN IN JANUARY. THAT’S THE CONCLUSION OF THE MONTHLY AG ECONOMY BAROMETER FROM PURDUE UNIVERSITY AND THE CME GROUP. THE FEBRUARY READING DECLINED TO ONE-HUNDRED-34, DOWN 19 POINT FROM THE RECORD HIGH IN JANUARY. THE BAROMETER IS A MEASUREMENT OF FARMERS SENTIMENTS BASED ON A SURVEY WITH 400 PRODUCERS. “PEOPLE ARE FEELING A LITTLE BIT BETTER ABOUT THE ECONOMY THAN THEY WERE LAST FALL. THEY’RE FEELING BETTER ABOUT THE FUTURE. OUR SURVEY STILL SUGGESTS THAT. BUT THERE’S STILL SOME STRESS IN THE AG ECONOMY. AND I THINK FROM THE VIEWER PERSPECTIVE AND LENDER PERSPECTIVE, THAT MEANS SOME CAUTION STILL MUST BE EXHIBITED WITH RESPECT TO DECISIONS GOING FORWARD."MIN-TERT SAYS SAYS THEY ASKED FARMERS IF THEY EXPECTED CORN OR SOYBEANS TO BE MORE PROFITABLE IN 2017. TWO THIRDS OF THOSE SURVEYED SIDED WITH SOYBEANS AS BEING MORE PROFITABLE. HE SAYS THESE RESULTS SUGGEST THERE WILL BE EVEN MORE INTEREST THAN USUAL IN USDA’S PLANTING INTENTIONS REPORT COMING OUT MARCH 31.ST. GETTING TO PLANTING SEASON NOW DEPENDS ON THE WEATHER.
DRY PLAINS FUELS FIRE
DRY WINDY CONDITIONS HAVE FOLKS IN THE SOUTHERN PLAINS ON ALERT. THIS WAS THE SCENE MONDAY. MULTIPLE WILDFIRES BURNING THEIR WAY THROUGH KANSAS, OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS. EVACUATIONS HAVE BEEN ORDERED IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS. OKLAHOMA OFFICIALS SAY ONE FIRE BURNED MORE THAN 15½ SQUARE MILES. IN NEIGHBORING KANSAS ANOTHER FIRE SCORCHED 62½ SQUARE MILES...INCLUDING A HOME AT THE GARDINER ANGUS RANCH. WHILE IN THE TEXAS PANHANDLE, WILDFIRES FORCED EVACUATIONS OF SOME RESIDENTS. AT ONE POINT UP TO 150 HOMES WERE BEING THREATENED. AND IT WASN’T JUST WILDFIRES FORECASTERS SAY A MASSIVE, LATE-WINTER STORM SYSTEM SPAWNED TORNADOES, BASEBALL-SIZED HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS IN AN AREA STRETCHING FROM OKLAHOMA TO WISCONSIN. THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER IN NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, SAYS IT RECEIVED 32 REPORTS OF TORNADOES LATE MONDAY AND EARLY TUESDAY IN KANSAS, MISSOURI, IOWA AND ILLINOIS. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS SAY ABOUT 10 TO 15 INJURIES WERE REPORTED IN OAK GROVE, MISSOURI, ABOUT 25 MILES EAST OF KANSAS CITY FOLLOWING TORNADOS IN THAT AREA. LAST WEEK AT COMMODITY CLASSIC, RENEWABLE FUELS WERE A HOT TOPIC.
CHINA HIKING DDGS
RECENTLY, CHINA HIKED ITS TARIFFS ON BOTH U.S. ETHANOL AND DDG PRODUCTS. IT’S A MOVE THAT’S ALREADY IMPACTING U.S. MARKET PRICES AND EXPORTS- BRINGING SHIPMENTS OF THOSE PRODUCTS TO A NEAR HALT. NATIONAL REPORTER BETSY JIBBEN HAS MORE. TRUCKS ARE RUNNING SMOOTHLY AT MARQUIS ENERGY IN HENNEPIN, ILLINOIS - ONE OF THE LARGEST ETHANOL AND DDG FACILITIES IN THE U..S.. WHAT YOU DON’T SEE ARE THE HIGH FEES CHINA PUT ON THOSE U.S. PRODUCTS. “YES, IT’S REDUCED THE PRICE OF DDGS TO PROBABLY 60 TO 80 DOLLARS A TON,"> WHEN IT COMES TO DDGS - IT STARTED OVER A YEAR AGO... WHEN LOCAL DDG SUPPLIERS IN CHINA SAID CORN SUBSIDIES IN THE U.S. FLOODED THEIR MARKET - LAUNCHING AN ANTI-DUMPING INVESTIGATION BY THE AS A FINAL RULING, THE MINISTRY PUT A NUMBER OF FEES ON U.S. DDG PRODUCTS. IT RANGES BY COMPANY - BUT MOST ARE SEEING HEFTY TARIFFS, SOME EVEN TOPPING 90 PERCENT! HOWEVER, CHINA IS THE UNITED STATES NUMBER ONE BUYER OF U.S. DDGS. THE U.S. GRAINS COUNCIL SAYS THE COUNTRY’S IMPORTS ARE DOWN TO A TRICKLE. “WE’RE SEEING LESS THAN 10 THOUSAND TONS IN A MARKET THAT WAS A 1.6 BILLION DOLLAR MARKET FOR US AND WELL OVER 3 TO 4 MILLION TONS. YES, IT WOULD SLOWED DOWN. I WOULDN’T SAY ABSOLUTELY SHUT OFF BUT VIRUTALLY SHUT OFF,"CHINA IS ALSO CANCELLING SHIPMENTS AND PUTTING TARIFFS ON U.S. ETHANOL AS WELL. CHINA UPPING THOSE TARIFFS FROM 5 PERCENT BUT IT VARIES BY COMPANY AND TYPE.IT’S HALTED SHIPMENTS TO THE COUNTRY. “THEY STOPPED PURCHASING RIGHT ABOUT SEPTEMBER AND HAVEN’T REALLY PICKED UP AGAIN,"SLEIGHT SAYS THE U.S. GRAINS COUNCIL IS WORKING AT SOLVING BOTH PROBLEMS -AND THERE ARE A COUPLE OF POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS. THE U.S. COULD WORK OUT AN AGREEMENT WITH CHINA - THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE A TRADE DEAL.OR THE U.S. COULD CHALLENGE CHINA IN THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION. HOWEVER, THE DDG POLICY IS IN PLACE FOR 5 YEARS - A CHALLENGE AT THE WTO COULD TAKE YEARS. “WE FOLLOWED THEIR MATHMATICS, AND WE DON’T BELIEVE THEY’VE USED HTE WTO STANDARDS OR THAT THEIR MATH TO SET THE TARIFF IS ACCURE. I WOULD BLAME THE WTO POLICY,"> SLEIGHT SAYS THE TARIFF HIKE WITH ETHANOL IS LEGAL, BUT SOME LIKE MARQUIS BELIEVE THE DDG TARIFFS VIOLATE THE WTO RULES. “IT’S A VERY SLOW PROCESS. IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN MORE QUICKLY AND SO WE’RE ENCOURAGED HTE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION COULD DEAL WITH IT DIRECTLY AND GET IT RESOLVED MORE QUICKLY,"IN THE MEANTIME, THE AG INDUSTRY IS LOOKING FOR MORE BUYERS. SLEIGHT SAYS OTHER MARKETS ARE CHEWING THROUGH DEMAND BUT IT’S NOT GOING TO REPLACE THE NUMBER ONE DDG IMPORTER OVERNIGHT. “NORTH AFRICA, SOUTH EAST ASIA, JAPAN , KOREA, LATIN AMERICA, MEXICO - MEXICO HAS STARTED TO BE AN AGGRESSIVE BUYER OF DDGS. EVEN COLOMBIA AND SO FOURTH.""IF IT DOESN’T GO TO CHINA, IT WILL FIND A HOME. IT JUST MAY BE FOR A TIMEFRAME AT A LOWER PRICE,” BOTH SAY WHILE THE DDG INDUSTRY IS HIT HARDEST - SINCE A LARGER PORTION IS EXPORTED- ETHANOL IS DIFFERENT. “IF YOU THINK ABOUT ETHANOL, IT’S A 15 BILLION DOLLAR A YEAR SUPPLY, 14 BILLION GALLONS IS USED IN THE U.S. AND ONE BILLION IS EXPORTED,""I THINK WE’RE ON PACE TO HAVE A RECORD YEAR IN 2017 ON ETHANOL EXPORTS MAINLY BECAUSE OF BRAZIL, BRAZIL IS COMING ON STRONG, CANADA IS BUYING MORE, OTHER MARKETS WE ARE WORKING ON ARE GETTING CLOSE TO HAVING BREAKTHROUGHS LIKE JAPAN , INDIA, AND MEXICO, COLOMBIA,"UNTIL THEN, MARQUIS ENERGY IS CONTINUING ON WHILE URGING WASHINGTON FOR HELP. REPORTING FOR AGDAY, I’M BETSY JIBBEN. THANKS BETSY - SLEIGHT SAYS THE U.S. NEEDS TO ENGAGE AND PRESS BUT HAVE A GOOD CONVERSATION WITH CHINA SINCE THE COUNTRY IS STILL A KEY MARKET FOR U.S. AG.
RUMORED RFS CHANGES
SPEAKING OF ETHANOL AND RENEWABLE FUELS, THERE’S BEEN PLENTY OF CONFUSION AROUND POTENTIAL CHANGES TO RFS AND THE POINT OF OBLIGATION. NOW, IOWA GOVERNOR TERRY BRANSTAD IS THROWING A WRENCH INTO RECENT DEBATES.BRANSTAD TELLING THE DES MOINES REGISTER THAT THESE CHANGES ARE RUMORS AND WON’T HAPPEN. HE SAYS QUOTE “I KNOW THE RUMORS AN I CAN TELL YOU WHO WAS INVOLVED AND I CAN TELL YOU THEY ARE NOT TRUE."BUT IF THEY ARE, ONE OF THE FOREMOST ETHANOL EXPERTS IN THE COUNTRY SAYS IT WOULD CREATE A BIG HEADACHE FOR FUEL DISTRIBUTORS. “RIGHT NOW IT’S ALL REFINERS OF CRUDE OIL IN THE U.S. AND ALL IMPORTERS OF GASOLINE AND DIESEL. THERE ARE ABOUT 150 OF THEM. IF THE POINT OF OBLIGATION IS CHANGED FURTHER DOWN THE SYSTEM TO THE BLENDERS OR TERMINALS, THERE WOULD BE ABOUT A THOUSAND OF THEM INSTEAD OF150. IT WOULD BE MUCH HARDER TO ENFORCE, MUCH HARDER TO ACHIEVE COMPLIANCE. SOME HAVE ARGUED IT WOULD BE THE END OF THE RFS BECAUSE YOU COULDN’T ENFORCE IT. TYNER SAYS NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS WITH R-F-S, HE THINKS CORN ETHANOL IS HERE TO STAY SINCE PETROLEUM REFINERS HAVE FOUND THE BENEFIT OF ADDING CORN ETHANOL TO THE OCTANE LEVELS IN GASOLINE. IF ANYTHING, TYNER SAYS, BIODIESEL AND CELLULOSIC ETHANOL COULD BE IN JEOPARDY.
BIRD FLU
TUESDAY WE TOLD YOU ABOUT A NEW OUTBREAK OF HIGHLY PATHOGENIC AVIAN FLU IN TENNESSEE.A SUPPLIER TO TYSON REPORTING THE OUTBREAK. ALSO THIS WEEK, WISCONSIN CONFIRMING A CASE OF LOW PATH H5N8. NOW THREE ASIAN COUNTRIES ARE IMPOSING BANS ON CHICKEN FROM THE STATE. GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN HONG KONG, KOREA AND TAIWAN ALL ANNOUNCING BANS ON THE IMPORT OF POULTRY FROM THOSE TWO STATES. IN TENNESSEE 30 FARMS IN THE AREA ARE UNDER QUARANTINE FOR TESTING.
CROP COMMENTS
THERE’S A VARIETY OF WILD WEATHER THIS WEEK IN FARM COUNTRY. CINDI CLAWSON IS IN FOR MIKE. SHE JOINS US NOW FOR CROP COMMENTS. GOOD MORNING, CLINTON. LET’S START OFF IN AN AREA WITH SOME SNOW... TYNE MORGAN SENDING US THIS PHOTO NEAR GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA. SHE SAYS IT’LL BE AWHILE BEFORE OUR FRIENDS IN NORTH DAKOTA ARE READY FOR PLANTING SEASON. AND ANOTHER MORGAN - JOHN MORGAN SENDING US A PHOTO OF SOME DAMAGE IN HARDIN, MISSOURI. IT’S THE SAME STORM SYSTEM THAT HIT KANSAS CITY. THE FARMER IN THIS AREA ISN’T SURE IF THIS DAMAGE WAS FROM A TORNADO OR MICROBURST. HOMES ARE DESTROYED NEAR THE AREA AS WELL.
TEASE
UP NEXT WE’LL TALK ABOUT THE OUTSIDE INFLUENCERS ON COMMODITY MARKETS AND HOW THAT COULD IMPACT PRICES IN THE COMING MONTHS. AND LATER CLEANING UP OIL SPILLS CAN BE A MASSIVE UNDERTAKING. BUT A NEW SPONGE COULD CHANGE THE GAME-- IT GRABS THE OIL BUT NOT THE WATER. WE’LL SHOW YOU TODAY ON IN THE COUNTRY. AGDAY - BROUGHT TO YOU BY TOP THIRD AG MARKETING. FARMER-FIRST, WITH A PLAN FOR EVERY MARKET.
FLOOR OF THE CME
IN AGRIBUSINESS MORE RED THAN GREEN DURING THE TRADING DAY TUESDAY. DETAILS FROM THE FLOOR OF THE CME IN CHICAGO. GRAIN MARKETS HAVE BEEN LOWER PRETTY MUCH ALL DAY LONG AFTER SOME PRETTY SLOW OVERNIGHT TRADE, THE FUNDS CAME OUT AND SOLD THESE MARKETS LOWER, REALLY WITHOUT ANY REAL NEWS TO SUPPORT THE MARKET MUCH ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. THE BIG NEWS ITEM TODAY WAS AN UNKNOWN DESTINATION BOUGHT 120 TONS OF U.S. CORN WHICH IS THE FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT WE’VE SEEN ON THE DAILY SYSTEM NOW FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS. THAT ALONE IS A SIGN OUR EXPORT DEMAND SEEMS TO BE ON THE WAY. THERE HASN’T BEEN ANY NEW SALES ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR SOYBEANS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. THAT’S A TREND THAT CAN’T CONTINUE AND ONE OF THE REASONS WHY SOYBEANS ARE LEADING THE WAY DOWN. CATTLE MARKETS ARE UNDER SOME FUNDAMENTAL PRESSURE HERE. THERE ARE REPORTS FROM USDA IN THEIR DAILY RECAPS OF SOME LIGHT VOLUME CATTLE TRADE IN PARTS OF THE GREAT PLAINS ABOUT 4 DOLLARS LIGHTER THAN WHAT WE SAW LAST WEEK. THAT SEEMS TO HAVE HURT THE CATTLE MARKET ONCE AGAIN. IDEAS ARE THE CASH CATTLE MARKET HAS MADE A PEAK AND A SEASONAL HIGH IN PRICES AT THESE LEVELS AND WILL PROBABLY START TO COME DOWN.THANKS VERY MUCH, THIS IS JACK SCOVILLE I’M VICE PRESIDENT OF PRICE FUTURES GROUP HERE ON THE CME FLOOR WITH SOME COMMENTS ON THE MARKETS.
AGRIBUSINESS
BOB UTTERBACK OF UTTERBACK MARKETING OUR GUEST HERE TODAY BOB LET ‘S TALK ABOUT THESE THESE OUTSIDE MARKETS AND HOW THEY’RE MAYBE THEY’RE PLAYING WITH OUR COMMODITIES WHEN I GO OUT AND DO PRESENTATIONS WITH CLIENTS I DO I DO SEMINARS AND ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK WE HAD FARMERS SOMETIMES FORGET ABOUT IS THE OUTSIDE MARKETS ARE WE CREATING A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR US OR NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENT A HEAD WIND OR TAIL WIND AND I THINK THE THREE BIG PRIMARIES ON THE EQUITY MARKETS WE KNOW IS IS OVERHEATED AND I I WOULD MY BIGGEST FEAR IS BY LATE SUMMER IF THE CONGRESS IS NOT GET SOME DOWN ON HEALTH CARE SIGNIFICANTLY AND OR TAX INFLATION POLICY THE MARKET WILL BE REACTING NEGATIVELY AND THAT WHAT I THINK THAT ‘S WHAT ‘S OUT THERE JULY AUGUST HE HAD BE VERY CAUTIONS THAT THE EQUITY MARKETS TO OVERHEAT IN I WOULD PREPARE FOR SOME SEASONAL DECLINE IN EQUITIES NORMALLY THE OTHER ONE IS THE INTEREST RATE MARKETS THE FED RIGHT NOW IS HAVING MEETINGS I THINK THEY ARE INCLINED NOW THERE TO RAISE INTEREST RATES I THINK YOU COULD SEE AT LEAST TWO IF NOT THREE POINT INCREASE IS IN THE INTEREST RATES IN THE SECOND THIRD QUARTER REALLY IS IF YOU HAVE GOT YOUR SHORT TERM RATES LOCKED UP I THINK YOU REALLY GET A MOVE HERE I WOULD WANT TO BE LOOK IF I HAD LAND FREE AND CLEAR AND HAD A LOT OF SHORT TERM DEBT I WOULD THINK ABOUT ANSWERING MY FROM LONG TERM CAPITAL DID A GOOD MOVE TO SHORT AND LONG TERM LONG TERM RATES LOCKED UP SO THAT ‘S MORE ABOUT UNCERTAINTY AS IT RELATES TO THE DOLLAR I THINK THE DOLLAR ‘S CONTINUED STAY STRONG AND THEN TO SECRETARY TREASURY SAID AT THE STRONG DOLLAR IS BETTER FOR US BUT IT GIVES MORE TO COVER ON THE BORDER TAX BECAUSE IF YOU INCREASE IN IMPORTS THEY SAY HEY WE ALL THESE IMPORTS WE NEED WITH MORE ATTACKS IS NEED TO BE DONE IN POST SO I THINK THAT ALL FITS IN A POLITICAL AND SO THE OTHER ONE IS ENERGY IF YOU LOOK HISTORICALLY ENERGY AND CORN AND BEANS ARE HIGHLY CORRELATED AND IF ENERGY’S RALLY CORN BEANS DRIFT HIGHER UNLESS YOU HAVE OVER DOMINANT SELF MY FAMILY AND I THINK THE ENERGY MARKET HAS PUT A BOTTOM AND AND IS TRYING TO DRIFT HIGHER AND THERE ‘S TALK NOW I THINK THAT MARKET IS PROBABLY SIXTY FORTY IN FAVOR OF HIRING PIS IN THE FOURTH QUARTER. OKAY SO I THINK OVERALL IT ‘S NEUTRAL TO POSITIVE BUT YOU BETTER WATCH OUT AUGUST TO OCTOBER TIME PERIOD. THAT ‘S WHY YOU GOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE APRIL AND JUNE SIGNING WINDOW ALL RIGHT BOB GOOD INSIGHTS WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE IT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE WILL BE BACK WITH MORE AGDAY IN JUST A MINUT.GET THE ROOTS YOUR CROPS NEED, BY GETTING RADIATE FIRST. VISIT LOVELAND PRODUCTS.COM SLASH RADIATE. SEE YOUR CPS DEALER TODAY.
WEATHER
WELCOME BACK TO AGDAY METEOROLOGIST CINDI CLAWSON IN FOR MIKE HOFFMAN TODAY CINDI AS WE LOOK ACROSS MOISTURE WE CAN SEE WHERE THAT RAIN HAS REALLY BEEN FALLING. OH ABSOLUTELY AND YOU KNOW WE’VE BEEN SEEING A LOT OF THE SPECIALLY OUT IN THE WEST. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THE MAP AND IT REALLY SHOWS THAT HEAVY RAIN THAT WE’VE BEEN SEEING ALONG THE PACIFIC COAST ALL THE WAY FROM OREGON DOWN INTO CALIFORNIA. WE ALSO SEE SOME WETTER CONDITIONS IN PARTS OF THE EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTRY WHERE WE WILL START TO SEE THAT MORE TO PICKING UP THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS WE’VE BEEN SEEING THOSE STORMS MOVING THROUGH AND THEY REALLY CANNOT START TO GAIN THAT MOISTURE AS YOU GET TO AROUND THAT MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND SOME TO THE WEST BUT MORE SO TO THE EAST IS WHERE WE’VE BEEN SEEING THE HEAVY RAIN AND WE ARE SEEING SOME AREAS WITH PLENTY OF MOISTURE TO START OFF THE GROWING SEASON. ALRIGHT, LET ‘S TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT WE HAVE IN STORE FOR US THIS WEEK. WE HAVE THAT FRONT LINGERING ACROSS THE EAST COAST THAT WILL PULL OFF SHORE AS WE HAD THERE TODAY. WATCH FOR A LITTLE BIT OF SNOW YOU GET WE’RE GONNA BE WATCHING THAT AS WELL AND THAT SOME OF THE GREAT LAKES BUT ESPECIALLY OFF INTO THE NORTHWEST, MONTANA, WYOMING, IDAHO, WASHINGTON, ALL GOING TO BE SEEING SOME DECENT SNOW ON THOSE HIGHER ELEVATIONS. TEMPERATURE WISE WE’RE GONNA BE SEEING THE COOL TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE NORTHERN TIER WHERE IT ‘S PRETTY WARM IN THE SOUTH WHERE WE’RE SEEING SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES ACROSS THE BOARD. HEADING INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS, WE WILL SEE THOSE TEMPERATURES DIPPING DOWN PRETTY CHILLY DOWN INTO THE TEENS ACROSS THE NORTHERN TIER STATES. A LOT OF FORTIES FIFTIES THINGS AND SIXTIES DOWN SOUTH. AND AS WE HEAD THROUGH TOMORROW, TEMPERATURES SLIGHTLY COOLER FOR A LOT OF FOLKS AND ALONG THE NORTHERN TIER OF STATES STILL LOW SEVENTIES THOUGH DOWN IN THE SOUTH. THAT ‘S A LOOK AT YOUR NATIONAL FORECAST, NOW LET ‘S CHECK ON SOME LOCAL CITIES. SALMON, IDAHO, WARMER WITH RAIN LIKELY FOR YOU TODAY WITH A HIGH OF FORTY SIX DEGREES. TEXACO, MISSOURI, SUNNY AND WARMER WITH A HIGH OF SIXTY SIX AND STANLEY TOWN, VIRGINIA, MOSTLY SUNNY A LITTLE BIT BREEZY WITH A HIGH OF SIXTY FIVE.
TEASE
WHEN WE GET BACK WE’LL CONTINUE THE WEATHER CONVERSATION AND HOW WARMER TEMPS ARE IMPACTING FRUIT GROWERS THIS WINTER. AND LATER LOOKING FOR A WAY TO PULL OIL OUT OF WATER-- LOOK NO FURTHER THAN THIS HIGH-TECH SPONGE. I’LL EXPLAIN ON IN THE COUNTRY. HERE’S YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A DREAM SPORTS TRIP, PLUS A $10,000 DONATION FOR A COMMUNITY SPACE. TEXT DREAM TO 31313 TO ENTER TODAY.
PACKER TV
THE WORLD SAW ITS FOURTH WARMEST FEBRUARY ON RECORD IN 2017. INCLUDING THE WARMEST FEBRUARY ON RECORD FOR THE CONTIGUOUS 48 STATES. THAT’S ACCORDING TO THE EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCE CENTER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA, THE TEMPERATURE IN THE U.S. AVERAGED NEARLY 4 DEGREES WARMER THAN NORMAL FOR THE MONTH. THE WARMEST SPOT ON THE GLOBE WAS OVER WARRENSBURG, MISSOURI FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY. MICHIGAN SEEING UNSEASONABLY WARMER TEMPERATURES AS WELL. “THE WINTERS AREN’T WHAT THEY USED TO BE 27 BE IT WHAT IT MAY, WE HAVEN’T HAD GOOD SNOW COVERS. WE GET SNOW. THEN WE’RE BACK IN THE 40S AND THE SNOW GETS MELTED AWAY AND THE SNOW DOESN’T COME AND STAY, NOR DOES THE COLD,""WE HAVE TO BACK TO 1930 TO FIND A SIMILIAR FEBRAURY IN SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN WHERE THEY HAD MULTIPLE DAYS IN A ROW OF 60 PLUS AND THEY HAD 7 STRAIGHT IN 1930. WE’RE GOING TO GET 7 OR 8 THIS YEAR,"WEATHER ALSO TO BLAME FOR ANTICIPATED SUPPLY GAPS FROM VEGETABLE GROWERS ON THE WEST COAST. THE PACKER REPORTING THAT CALIFORNIA SPRING VEGETABLES WILL BE IMPACTED BY RECORD RAINFALL. PLANTING, HARVEST, EVEN QUALITY LIKELY TO FEEL THE STRAIN OF THIS WINTER WEATHER. COASTAL REGIONS GROWING LETTUCE, BROCCOLI, CELERY AND CAULIFLOWER ANTICIPATE CHALLENGE WITH CROPS THIS SPRING.
TEASE
STILL TO COME - FIND OUT ABOUT THE NEWEST TOOL TO HELP CLEAN-UP AFTER MAJOR OIL SPILLS IN OCEANS AND RIVERS. IN THE COUNTRY IS NEXT.
IN THE COUNTRY
IN THE COUNTRY - BROUGHT TO YOU BY KUBOTA. SEE THE ALL-NEW KOMMANDER-PRO ZERO-TURN MOWER AT KUBOTA.COM. RESEARCHERS HAVE CREATED A NEW TOOL TO CLEAN UP OIL SPILLS BY CHANGING THE “SCIENCE” OF SEAT CUSHIONS. THEY MODIFIED POLYURETHANE FOAM, ALLOWING IT TO COLLECT OIL ON AND BELOW THE SURFACE OF WATER. SIMILAR TO A KITCHEN SPONGE, ONCE THE FOAM IS FULL OF OIL YOU CAN WRING IT OUT AND USE IT AGAIN. WHAT MAKES THIS DIFFERENCE IS THAT THE FOAM ATTRACTS ONLY THE OIL...NOT WATER! THE OIL DISPERSED DOWN IN THE WATER CAN WREAK DESTRUCTION ON AN UNPRECEDENTED SCALE, AND WE HAVE NO WAY TO CLEAN IT UP TODAY. WHAT THIS SPONGE IS IS THE FIRST TECHNOLOGY THAT WE KNOW OF THAT CAN ACTUALLY GET IN THERE AND PULL THAT OIL OUT OF THE WATER."SOT VERBATIM> DARLING SAYS THEY TESTED TWO FOOT BY TWO FOOT PADS. IF YOU STICK IT IN PURE OIL,, IT WOULD SOAK UP SOMETHING LIKE 10 POUNDS OF OIL, WHICH IS ABOUT A GALLON AND A HALF.
CLOSE
THAT’S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE THIS MORNING. WE’RE GLAD YOU TUNED IN. FOR ALL OF US AT AGDAY. I’M CLINTON GRIFFITHS. HAVE A GREAT DAY.
