TODAY ON AGDAY
OCTOBER 3, 2017
DRY WEATHER HALTING TRAFFIC ON THE OHIO RIVER, BUT IT’S ALSO COSTING FARMERS ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI. WE’LL TELL YOU HOW MUCH. IN AGRIBUSINESS, WET WEATHER DRENCHES A MAJOR COTTON REGION, BUT HOW COULD IT IMPACT PRICE?
OUR ANALYSIS DIGS INTO WHICH REGION THE MARKET IS WATCHING. IS CASHEW MILK REALLY MILK? DAIRY PRODUCERS LOOKING TO FEDERAL AUTHORITIES FOR HELP. AND THE EXPERIENCE OF DRIVING A MODEL T -- IN MODERN DAY MICHIGAN. AGDAY-BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE DEPENDABLE, LONG LASTING CHEVY SILVERADO.
BACKLOGGED BARGES ON OHIO RIVER
GOOD MORNING I’M CLINTON GRIFFITHS. THE DRY WEATHER DRAINING MAJOR WATERWAYS DURING HARVEST. AND NOW BACKLOGGED BARGES AND PRESSURED BASIS MEANS THE MARKET IS BASICALLY PAYING FARMERS TO HOLD ON TO THEIR GRAIN UNTIL DECMEBR. IT COULDN’T COME AT A WORSE TIME, AS FARMERS WORK TO HARVEST WHAT USDA THINKS IS THE THIRD LARGEST CORN CROP EVER. THE ISSUE IS ALONG THE MISSISIPPI, ILLINOIS AND OHIO RIVERS. U-S WATERWAYS COUNCIL SAYS PORTIONS OF THE OHIO RIVER ARE NOW CLOSED TO RIVER TRAFFIC, AT LOCK 52, LOCATED NEAR BROOKPORT, ILLINOIS AND LOCK 53, WHICH SITS UPSTREAM FROM CAIRO, ILLINOIS WAS CLOSED BUT NOW IS BACK OPEN THIS MORNING. THE U-S ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEER SAYS THEY AREN’T SEEING ANY MAJOR RIVER DELAYS ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI, BUT THAT’S NOT THE STORY FROM USDA AND GRAIN HANDLERS LIKE ADM. ADM REVEALING LAST WEEK THAT BARGE RATES SURGED, AS REPORTS INDICATE BARGES ARE ONLY ABLE TO HANDLE HALF NORMAL CAPACITY. NOW SOME FARMERS SAY THEY’RE BEING ASKED TO STORE THEIR GRAIN UNTIL THE ISSUE EASES. USDA REPORTING THOSE BARGE RATES ARE UP AS MUCH AS 50 PERCENT IN SOME AREAS. AND THEY EXPECT THIS TO CONTINUE THROUGH MID- OCTOBER. KARL SETZER OF MAX GRAIN YIELD TELLING AGDAY THAT LOOKING AT THE CARRY IN THE MARKET, IT’S PAYING GRAIN MERCHANDISERS 80 CENTS TO HOLD ONTO GRAIN UNTIL DECEMBER, WHICH MEANS BETTER BASIS FOR FARMERS, TOO. WITHOUT WIDESPREAD RAINS LAST WEEK, HARVEST CONTINUES TO HEAT UP. THE LATEST HARVEST PROGRESS NUMBERS OUT FROM USDA LATE MONDAY.
I-80 TEASE
OUR OWN BETSY JIBBEN IS ON THE ROAD AGAIN THIS WEEK FOR OUR I-80 HARVEST TOUR.THIS WEEK SHE’S IN ILLINOIS WHERE FARMERS HAVE SEEN A HOST OF CHALLENGES THIS GROWING SEASON. BUT SO FAR, THE GROWERS BETSY SPOKE WITH ARE SEEING YIELDS ABOVE EXPECTATIONS. “WE GOT SOME PRETTY GOOD STANDS BUT THEY STRUGGLED TO GET UP. AS YOU LOOK AT HARVEST YOU HAVE TO BE PRETTY PLEASED WITH THIS. THERE’S 105 PODS AND A NUMBER OF 4 BEAN PODS BEING FOUND ON THIS SO THERE’S A LOT OF POTENTIAL IN THESE BEANS."YOU CAN SEE MORE OF BETSY’S INTERVIEW TOMORROW MORNING DURING OUR I 80 HARVEST TOUR...OR ONLINE AT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE OR AGWEB DOT COM
CROP COMMENTS
CROP COMMENTS LOOKING AT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT CROPS TODAY. MIKE HOFFMAN JOINS US WITH DETAILS. GOOD MORNING MIKE. GOOD MORNING CLINTON. WE BEGIN IN WISCONSIN WITH CRANBERRY HARVEST. OUR OWN WES MILLS SENT US THIS PHOTO FROM THE GERALD OLSEN CRANBERRY MARSH. THEY FARM ABOUT 10 ACRES OF CRANBERRY’S AND ARE STILL AN INDENPENDENT OUTFIT-- NOT PART OF A BIGGER CO-OP. THE FAMILY ALSO RAISES CORN, SOYBEANS AND BEEF CATTLE. THE WISCONSIN STATE CRANBERRY GROWERS ASSOCIATION SAYS THE STATE WILL PRODUCE AN ESTIMATED 5.6 MILLION BARRELS OF CRANBERRIES THIS YEAR. AND TAKE A LOOK AT THIS PHOTO FROM OUR FACEBOOK PAGE. SAM RODE OF DELPHOS OHIO POSTING IT THERE. SHE SAYS SOYBEAN HARVEST JUST STARTED AND THE CROPS LOOK GOOD--- THAT’S ACCORDING OF COURSE TO KAYLEIGH AND OLIVIA AGES 3 AND 2. VERY CUTE. NOW HERE ARE SOME HOMETOWN TEMPS. WITH MARKET PRICES CONSTANTLY CHANGING, IT’S IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHERE CURRENT PRICES STAND. GET MARKET PRICES DELIVERED RIGHT TO YOUR MOBILE PHONE, JUST TEXT MARKETS TO 31313 TO GET STARTED!
WORLD DAIRY EXPO
WORLD DAIRY EXPO OFFICIALLY KICKS OFF THIS MORNING IN MADISON WISCONSIN. THE EVENT TYPICALLY PULLS IN 75-THOUSAND PEOPLE FROM MORE THAN 100 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. THIS YEAR MARKS THE 51ST ANNUAL EXPO AND INCLUDES SHOWS, 850 COMPANIES EXHIBITING AT THE TRADE SHOW AND MUCH MORE. WE’LL HAVE MORE FROM WORLD DAIRY EXPO AND A FRESH LOOK AT THE DAIRY INDUSTRY LATER IN THE WEEK.
BACK ON THE FARM, IT CAN BE HARD TO RELAY THE MESSAGE OF AGRICULTURE TO CONSUMERS. ONE PRODUCER WHO IS ALSO A DIETICIAN IS USING HER PASSION FOR BOTH THE FARM AND FOOD TO TACKLE MISCONCEPTIONS IN A VERY UNIQUE WAY. BETSY JIBBEN HAS THE STORY OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA PRODUCER, SARAH KNEEN-ERT IN THIS SEGMENT OF REAL FACES OF DAIRY.
ADVICE ON STARTING THE CONVERSATION AS SHE ENCOURAGES OTHER PRODUCERS TO FOLLOW. <"IT’S JUST HAVING AN OPEN MIND AND BEING OPEN TO HAVING THAT CONVERSATION WITH SOMEONE WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY ARRISES,"> REPRORTING IN FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, I’M BETSY JIBBEN. THANKS BETSY. KEUHNERT SAYS THE ANNUAL FALL FESTIVAL IS GOING STRONG AND WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT MOST OF OCTOBER.
TEASE
WHEN AGDAY CONTINUES WE’LL TALK COTTON AND PRICE PREDICTIONS AT THE AGRIBUSINESS DESK. AND LATER GETTING DRIVING EXPERIENCE BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THIS ICONIC CLASSIC CAR.
FLOOR OF THE CME
IN AGRIBUSINESS A LOT OF RED FOR GRAINS IN MONDAY’S TRADE. LIVESTOCK HOWEVER STARTING HIGHER. BUT HOW DID IT ALL FINISH? FOR THAT ANSWER WE HEAD TO THE FLOOR OF THE CME IN CHICAGO. CORN MARKET WAS MOSTLY LOWER HERE ON MONDAY FOLLOWING A FRIENDLY QUARTERLY GRAIN STOCKS REPORT FROM USDA THIS PAST FRIDAY THE USDA TOLD US THAT AS OF SEPTEMBER 1ST THE GRAIN STOCKS OF CORN WERE A LITTLE BIT LIGHTER THAN WHAT THE TRADE HAD EXPECTED. SO WE DID RALLY A LITTLE BIT INITIALLY FOLLOWING THAT REPORT ON FRIDAY BUT ALL THOSE GAINS WERE GIVEN BACK HERE ON MONDAY PRETTY PRETTY QUICKLY. SO THE MARKET UNABLE TO SUSTAIN A RALLY DESPITE WHAT WAS REALLY A FRIENDLY REPORT OF CATTLE MARKET TRADED BOTH SIDES OF UNCHANGED. ON MONDAY WE STARTED THE DAY A LITTLE BIT HIGHER AND THEN WEEK TWO OVER LATER IN THE SESSION. CASH CATTLE MARKET WAS STEADY LAST WEEK WE WERE I BELIEVE 1 0 8 IN MOST AREAS. KIND OF A THIN TRADE AND THAT WAS STEADY WHICH AGAIN I KIND OF CONSIDER TO BE A VICTORY FOLLOWING THAT BEARISH CATTLE ON FEED REPORT WE HAD A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND THE SUBSEQUENT SELL OFF IN THE BOARD. THE FUNDS HAVE MAINTAINED A LONG POSITION THROUGH ALL OF THIS AND THEY’VE ACTUALLY ADDED TO THEIR LONG POSITION JUST MODESTLY HERE DURING THE LAST THREE OR FOUR WEEKS. AGAIN JOE BACK FROM CME GROUP HERE IN CHICAGO.
AGRIBUSINESS
JOHN PAYNE DANIEL AG MARKETING OUR GUEST HERE AT AGRIBUSINESS DESK TODAY. JOHN LET’S TALK ABOUT THE COTTON MARKET BECAUSE WE’VE BEEN KIND OF WATCHING THIS WITH A LOT OF INTEREST. WE HAD THE HURRICANES COME THROUGH AND WE’RE GETTING NUMBERS BUT WE’RE NOT SURE IF THEY’REIS THE RIGHT NUMBERS. YEAH IT’S THIS NEXT OCTOBER REPORT IS GOING TO BE ACROSS THE BOARD I THINK MUCH BIGGER THAN THE NUMBERS WE GOT TODAY. SPECIFICALLY COTTON GIVEN THAT WE’RE GOING TO GET SOME DATA ON WHAT HAPPENED WITH HARVEY AND THEN THE DOWNGRADE AND THE GEORGIA CROP THAT WAS IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS FROM CROP PROGRESS. WHAT IS THAT GOING TO SHAKE OUT. YOU KNOW IF YOU TAKE THOSE TWO EVENTS THIS HAS BEEN A FANTASTIC GROWING SEASON FOR COTTON AND WE’RE LOOKING AT ALMOST 1.5 BALES A BUSHEL OR AN ACRE WHICH IS YOU KNOW SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER THAN WHERE WE’VE EVER BEEN BEFORE. RIGHT. THE FOLKS UP IN THE NORTHWEST PART OF TEXAS THEY’RE THE PANHANDLE ARE SITTING ON FANTASTIC PRODUCTION REGARDLESS. SO I THINK HOW MUCH DAMAGE ARE WE LOOKING AT. IF WE LOSE A MILLION BALES, I MEAN WE COULD SIMPLY FIND OURSELVES RIGHT BACK TO WHERE WE THOUGHT WE WOULD BE A MONTH AGO. USDA IS SLOW TO GET TO IT. WE COULD BE LOOKING TO CARRY OUT THAT DOUBLE WHAT THEY WERE A YEAR AGO. WOW INTERESTING PRICES ARE SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER THAN THAT. SO WE WILL FOR SOME DOWNSIDE RISK TO COME. THAT WOULD HAPPEN. YEAH WE KNOW YIELDS HAVE BEEN PRETTY STRONG WHERE THEY’VE BEEN ABLE TO GO IN AND GET STARTED PICKING. BUT TEXAS ITSELF LAST WEEK EVEN SEEN QUITE A BIT OF RAIN IN NORTHERN TEXAS RIGHT. FOLKS IN IT AND I HAVE A COUPLE GUYS DOWN THERE TODAY WHO CALLED ME SITTING ON FIVE INCHES OF RAIN JUST WATCHING THE FIELDS GO UNDER WATER AND THIS ISN’T THE TIME OF THE YEAR FOR THAT. TEMPERATURES ARE IN GOOD SHAPE BUT SHARES ARE STARTING TO OPEN UP AND AGAIN I THINK YOU WATCH THOSE FORECASTS AROUND LUBBOCK IF IT TURNS BAD, I THINK THE MARKET RALLIES. I STILL THINK THERE’S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO SELL. BUT I LOOK FOR BULL SPREADING ACTION HERE. DECEMBER LOOKS TO BE LIKE A CONTRACT THAT MIGHT NOT BE ACHIEVABLE FOR A LOT OF FOLKS THAT MARCH CONTRACT WILL BE. I THINK THERE’S A LAGGER THERE. SO 70 CENTS ON MARCH YOU KNOW THAT THAT GETS THROWN UP THERE OFF OF A BULLISH REPORT OR SOME WEATHER PROBLEMS IN TEXAS I THINK THAT’S WHERE YOU STEP IN, AND MAYBE YOU KNOW MAYBE LOOKING AT 18 BECAUSE WITH PRICES WHERE THEY ARE COTTON IS GOING TO REMAIN IN VOGUE RIGHT. THAT’S ALL I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU IF COTTON HAS DONE WELL ENOUGH THIS YEAR TO KEEP THE ACRES THAT GOT BACK. ABSOLUTELY. COTTON IS I THINK THE ROSY STORY ON THE U.S. AG SIDE RIGHT NOW ESPECIALLY THE SUMMER ROW CROPS. THERE ISN’T A LOT OF PROFIT MARGIN IN ANY OF THE MARKETS WE’VE DISCUSSED HERE. COTTON HAS IT. AND I THINK YOU’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FIND PRODUCTION IN THE COMING YEARS. NOW AGAIN DEMAND OVERSEAS HAS BEEN THERE. SO A YEAR AGO WE MADE OUR LOWS AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR WITH THE TAKE. I THINK WE’RE MORE LIKELY TO MAKE OUR HIGHS FOR THE SHORT TERM THIS YEAR IN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS. ALL RIGHT JOHN APPRECIATE IT. THANKS FOR THE INSIGHT. WE’LL BE BACK IN JUST A MINUTE.
WEATHER
AGDAY WEATHER - BROUGHT TO YOU BY KAWASAKI AND THE NEW MULE PRO-FXR™ SIDE X SIDE. RIDE LIKE A BOSS WITH HIGH-END STYLING AND RUGGED CAPABILITY. HERE NOW WITH METEOROLOGIST MIKE HUFFMAN WATCHING THIS FRONT KIND OF SITTING ACROSS THE MIDDLE OF THE COUNTRY MIKE THAT YOU SAY THAT’S THE DIVIDING LINE. REALLY IS BETWEEN THE VERY WARM AIR FOR THIS TIME OF THE YEAR AND THE COLDER STUFF OFF TO THE NORTHWEST. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT’S KIND OF THE ONLY THING ON THE MAP SEPARATING ONE WARM AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE FROM A COLDER AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE THERE’S SOME SNOW IN MONTANA YOU GET THAT TYPICALLY WITH THAT NORTHEAST WIND SOMETIMES. AND ALONG THIS FRONT NEAR THE FRONT ESPECIALLY CLOSE TO THE AREA OF LOW PRESSURE SOME DECENT MOISTURE. SO SOME AREAS COULD REALLY USE SOME AS IT COMES INTO THE NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI VALLEY AND EVENTUALLY INTO THE GREAT LAKES AND OHIO VALLEY. WE HAVE A LOT OF GULF MOISTURE FOR A CHANGE ACTUALLY COMING NORTHWARD TO INTERACT WITH THAT FRONT AND THAT WILL PRODUCE SOME OF THOSE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. YOU CAN SEE THEM SCATTERED FROM EAST TEXAS ALL THE WAY UP TO WISCONSIN BY LATER IN THE DAY TODAY HEADING THROUGH TONIGHT. WE’LL CONTINUE TO SEE THAT FRONT EVER SO SLOWLY PRESSING TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST IS NOT BLASTING SOUTHEASTWARD BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION. AND IT’S NOT GOING ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE SOUTHEAST OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS BUT YOU CAN SEE THIS IS SOME NICE MOISTURE THERE FROM KANSAS ALL THE WAY INTO MICHIGAN AND NORTHERN INDIANA AS WE HEAD THROUGH THE NIGHTTIME HOURS AND INTO THE DAY TOMORROW. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT CONTINUES TO BE JUST A LITTLE BIT FARTHER SOUTHEAST AS THAT FRONT DOES MOVE. SO THIS COULD BE YOU KNOW A 12 24 HOUR EVENT IN SOME AREAS NOT STEADY RAIN BUT NONETHELESS OCCASIONAL SHOWERS AND THAT COULD BE SOME GOOD NEWS HERE. THE PRECIPITATION ESTIMATE OVER THE PAST 24 HOURS. SOME PRETTY GOOD AMOUNTS FROM WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE GREAT LAKES BACK INTO NEBRASKA ALSO NEAR NEW ORLEANS ADDING IN THE NEXT 36 HOURS YOU CAN SEE HOW WE CONTINUE TO SPREAD THAT TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST WITH SOME AREAS THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY LOWER GREAT LAKES GETTING AN INCH OR TWO OF MOISTURE OUT OF THIS SYSTEM AND IT’S BEEN A WHILE FOR THOSE AREAS TO HAVE GOTTEN TOO MUCH. THERE’S A SNOWFALL PAST 24 HOURS. WE’RE NOT GOING TO ADD TO MUCH MORE FOR YOU FOLKS NEXT 36 JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE BEFORE IT ALL KIND OF TAPERS OFF. HIGH TEMPERATURES TODAY THERE’S THE COLD AIR MONTANA THE WARM AIR AT LEAST FOR THIS TIME OF THE YEAR FROM THE GREAT LAKES ALL THE WAY TO THE GULF COAST. THAT INCLUDES THE DESERT SOUTHWEST AND WE’LL KEEP IT MILD FROM CHICAGO TO OKLAHOMA THIS EVENING. LOWS IN THE LOW 70S FOR THIS TIME OF THE YEAR. HIGHS TOMORROW THEN THE ONCE AGAIN INTO THE 70S AND 80S SOUTH OF THE FRONT BUT ONLY 40S AND 50S TO THE NORTH OF THE FRONT. THERE’S THE JET STREAM AND THAT’S WHY IT’S WARM THE BIG RIDGE IN THE EAST THAT GETS CUT DOWN AT LEAST IN THE GREAT LAKES AND THE NORTHEAST LATER THIS WEEK AND IT GETS CUT DOWN A LITTLE BIT MORE. YOU CAN SEE THIS IS NOT GOING TO COOL THINGS DOWN IN THE SOUTHEAST AS THESE LITTLE SYSTEMS CONTINUE TO MOVE FROM WEST TO EAST. THAT’S A LOOK ACROSS THE COUNTRY. NOW LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME LOCAL FORECASTS. FIRST OF ALL LARAMIE WYOMING TODAY A GOOD DEAL OF SUNSHINE AND CHILLY HIGH OF ONLY 44 ELDORADO ARKANSAS A MIX OF CLOUDS AND SUNSHINE HIGH OF 86 AND FINALLY AKRON OHIO SUNNY AND PLEASANTLY WARM AFTERNOON HIGH AROUND 80.
TEASE
IS CASHEW MILK REALLY MILK? A MAJOR DAIRY GROUP IS NOW ASKING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO WEIGH IN. AND THESE STUDENT DRIVERS AREN’T NEW TO THE ROAD--BUT THEY ARE NEW TO THIS CLASSIC CAR.
DAIRY REPORT
THE FIGHT OVER WHETHER NUT BASED MILK IS REALLY MILK CONTINUES. THE NATIONAL MILK PRODUCERS FEDERATION URGING FEDERAL FOOD REGULATORS TO LOOK INTO BLUE MAGIC CASHEW MILK, SENDING A LETTER TO BOTH FDA AND THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. N-M-P-F CLAIMING THE PRODUCT IS AN IMITATION DAIRY DRINK USING THE WORD MILK, BUT IT’S A PLANT BASED PRODUCT MADE FROM NUTS AND WATER. THE FEDERATION SAYS THAT VIOLATES CURRENT GOVERNMENT STANDARDS THAT DEFINES MILK AS A PRODUCT FROM A DAIRY ANIMAL. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME N-M-P-F RAISED ITS CONCERNS OVER BLUE MAGIC CASHEW MILK. IN TRADE NEWS, THE U.S. DAIRY INDUSTRY ALSO TELLING JAPAN TO “PROCEED WITH GREAT DILIGENCE” AS IT PREPARES A LIST OF PROTECTED FOODS UNDER GEOGRAPHIC NAMES AS PART OF A TRADE AGREEMENT WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION. JAPAN AND THE EU AGREED ON A MASSIVE TRADE DEAL EARLIER THIS YEAR INCLUDING PROTECTIONS FOR FOOD PRODUCTS WITH GEOGRAPHICAL PLACE NAMES. U.S. DAIRY PRODUCERS HAVE LONG FOUGHT THE EU’S EFFORTS TO GET OTHER COUNTRIES TO RESTRICT GENERIC PRODUCT NAMES AS SO-CALLED GEOGRAPHICAL SPECIALTIES. FOLLOWING THE LATEST ROUND OF NAFTA, CANADA’S PRIME MINISTER SAYS THE NATION IS IN A BETTER POSITION NOW THAN IT WAS 23 YEARS AGO TO NEGOTIATE THE AGREEMENT. FORMER PRIME MINISTER JEAN CHRETIEN (JOHN KRAY- TE-AN) SAYS BOTH SIDES WOULD BENEFIT IN THE END EVEN THOUGH SOME SECTORS WILL WIN AND OTHERS WILL LOSE. HE SAYS AMERICANS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN DIFFICULT TO NEGOTIATE WITH FOR SOFTWOOD LUMBER AND DAIRY AND THAT IT’S NOT UNCOMMON IN SUCH NEGOTIATIONS FOR AGREEMENTS TO BE SIGNED ON THE LAST DAY. THERE COULD SOON BE CHANGES TO HOW FLUID MILK IS PRICED.. AND IT COULD COME UP IN FARM BILL NEGOTIATIONS. THE DAIRY INDUSTRY PROPOSING TO DO AWAY WITH WHATS CALLED THE “HIGH OF” CALCULATION, INSTEAD, LOOKING TO MOVE TO A MORE STRAIGHT FORWARD PRICING SYSTEM. THE NEW PRICE STRUCUTURE WOULD BASE CLASS 1 PRICES OFF A SIMPLE AVERAGE OF CLASS THREE AND FOUR PRICES, PLUS 74 CENTS. THE INDUSTRY SAYS THE CHANGE WOULD HELP BOTH FARMERS AND FLUID MILK USERS MANAGE THE RISK OF THE MARKET BETTER.
TEASE
NEXT HOP ABOARD A TIME MACHINE..OF SORTS. THE CLASSIC MODEL T IS TAKING TO THESE MICHIGAN ROADS ONCE MORE.
IN THE COUNTRY
IN THE COUNTRY - BROUGHT TO YOU BY KUBOTA’S M7 SERIES. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LARGEST TRACTOR IN KUBOTA HISTORY AT KUBOTA.COM. A LOT OF US PROBABLY LEARNED TO DRIVE IN AN OLD CAR--BUT A DIFFERENT KIND OF DRIVING LESSON IS GAINING TRACTION IN MICHIGAN. MORE THAN 500 PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED UP TO LEARN TO DRIVE HENRY FORD’S MODEL T. MIKE HOUSEHOLDER REPORTS ON THE AGELESS EXPERIENCE. IT DOESN’T START … RUN … OR OPERATE LIKE THE CARS OF TODAY. THAT’S WHAT MAKES THE MODEL T SO MUCH FUN TO DRIVE. “ABSOLUTELY RECOMMEND THIS FOR EVERYBODY TO DO. IT IS JUST A BALL.” KEITH MAES RECENTLY LEARNED HOW TO DRIVE HENRY FORD’S HISTORIC CREATION THAT ESTABLISHED A MASS MARKET FOR AUTOMOBILES. “FIRST, I WAS TERRIFIED. ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED THAT I WAS GOING TO BREAK SOMETHING, BUT THEN YOU REALIZE THAT THESE THINGS WERE BUILT BULLETPROOF.” THE GILMORE CAR MUSEUM NEAR KALAMAZOO OFFERS THE ONE DAY, FOUR-HOUR CLASS FOR A HUNDRED-AND- FIVE DOLLARS. THE CHANCE TO SIT BEHIND AN AUTHENTIC MODEL T FORD BUILT BETWEEN 1908 AND 1927. 12-YEAR-OLD ALAN BENNETT IS THE YOUNGEST PERSON EVER TO COMPLETE THE COURSE. “IT WAS FUN, REALLY, BECAUSE I ONLY DID GO-CARTS BEFORE, WHICH ARE LITTLE.” BY THEIR SIDE, 92-YEAR-OLD INSTRUCTOR JIM BRAND ...”THEY’RE OLD _ LIKE ME.” WHO FONDLY RECALLS OWNING THREE MODEL TS IN HIGH SCHOOL. “THEY WERE CHEAP. HIGH SCHOOL KIDS LOOK FOR CHEAP CARS.” BENNETT AND HIS CLASSMATES SUCCESSFULLY OPERATED THE “TIN LIZZIES.” THREE FOOT PEDALS, ONE HAND LEVER AND TWO HAND CONTROLS ON THE STEERING WHEEL … AND NEGOTIATED THE MUSEUM’S TWO-AND-A-HALF MILES OF PAVED ROADS. THEIR REWARD? A PIECE OF PAPER … AND THE EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME. MIKE HOUSEHOLDER, ASSOCIATED PRESS, HICKORY CORNERS, MICHIGAN.
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 IN FARM COUNTRY.
