TODAY ON U.S. FARM REPORT
MARCH 11-12, 2017
HEADLINES
WELCOME TO U.S. FARM REPORT. I’M TYNE MORGAN, AND HERE’S WHAT WE’RE WORKING ON FOR YOU OVER THE NEXT 60 MINUTES. MOTHER NATURE’S FURY CHARS 1 MILLION ACRES OF RANCHLAND ACROSS THE PLAINS, CLAIMING THE LIVES OF RANCEHRS AND CATTLE IN ITS PATH. USDA’S THROWS A BEARISH REPORT AT SOYBEANS AND BRAZIL HAS A MONSTEROUS CROP ON THEIR HANDS. THE U-S IS IN NEED OF AN INFRASTRUCTURE FACELIFT. <"WE’VE HAD PROJECTS PEACE MILLED WHICH CAUSES PROJECTS TO TAKE LONGER AND GET DONW THE WRONG WAY,"> OUR FARM JOURNAL REPORT LOOKS AT THE PLANS TO FIX WHAT’S BROKEN. AND IN JOHN’S WORLD...
SOYBEAN ENDING STOCKS
NOW FOR THE NEWS THAT MOVED THE MARKETS THIS WEEK, USDA THROWING OUT A BEARISH REPORT ON THURSDAY, RAISING SOYBEAN ENDING STOCKS. USDA PEGGING SOYBEANS STOCKS AT 435 MILLION BUSHELS, UP 15 MILLION FROM MARCH. BUT OFFICIALS DID LEAVE CORN STOCKS UNCHANGED. THE AGENCY MAKING BIG JUMPS TO ITS SOUTH AMERICAN PRODUCTION FORECAST FOR BOTH CORN AND SOYBEANS. USDA PEGS BRAZIL’S SOYBEAN CROP AT 108 MILLION METRIC TONS, UP FROM 104. BRAZIL’S CROP JUST KEEPS GETTING BIGGER. BRAZIL’S OFFICIAL CROP BUREAU, CONAB, RAISING ITS FORECAST FOR BOTH CORN AN DSOYBEANS TO RECORD HIGHS. THAT’S ON BETTER WEATER, AND DESPITE RAINS DAMAGING SOME OF HTE CROP IN MATO GROSSO.
MEAT EXPORTS
THE LATEST ANALYSIS OF MEAT EXPORTS SHOWING JANUARY WAS A STRONG START TO THE YEAR. THE U-S MEAT EXPORT FEDERATION SAYS BEEF EXPORTS DURING THE FIRST MONTH ARE UP 17- PERCENT IN VOLUME FROM A YEAR AGO.PORK EXPORTS ALSO HAD A BIG START - UP 21-PERCENT IN VOLUME FROM A YEAR AGO. US-MEF SAYS THE MEXICAN MARKET CONTINUES TO AGGRESSIVELY BUY U-S PORK. THE JANUARY VOLUME WAS NEARLY A THIRD HIGHER THAN A YEAR AGO. FEEDYARDS ARE ENJOYING HIGHER PROFITS THROUGH THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OF THE YEAR - MARKING THE 15TH CONSECUTIVE WEEK OF PROFITS. ACCORDING TO THE STERLING PROFIT TRACKER, THE AVERAGE FEEDYARD EARNINGS INCREASING NEARLY 70 DOLLARS, NOW TOTALING 370 DOLLARS PER HEAD. THOSE MARGINS ARE NEARLY 40 PERCENT HIGHER THAN A MONTH AGO.
COTTON PRICES
COTTON PRICES RACING HIGHER EARLIER THIS WEEK, WITH THE JULY CONTRACT POSTING AN 80 CENT HANDLE. THAT WAS BEFORE CONTRACTS SAW PRESSURE FROM TALKS OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE RAISING INTEREST RATES AND CHINA SELLING MORE COTTON ON THE WORLD MARKET. WE’VE SEEN A LOT OF FUND MONEY COME IN THE LAST THREE OR FOUR MONTHS THAT’S PUSHED PRICES UP TO PRETTY GOOD LEVELS HERE. 70 CENTS IS EXCITING FARMERS WHEN WE’RE AT THESE SHOWS AND TALKING ABOUT IT. 24:55 SOT VERBATIM> THE COTTON COUNCIL’S PLANTING INTENTIONS REPORT ALSO SHOWING NEARLY A 10 PERCENT JUMMP IN COTTON ACRES THSI YEAR.
JAPANESE TRADE TALKS
AS JAPAN PREPARES FOR AN ECONOMIC MEETING WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP, JAPANESE OFFICIALS WANT TO LEAVE AGRICULTURE OUT OF HTE TALKS. ACCORDING TO REUTERS, TOKYO WILL PROPOSE AN AGENDA,W HICH INCLUES A WIDE RANGE OF ISSUES SUCH AS TECHNICAL ASSITSNACE FOR U-S RAILWAY PROJECTS AND INCREASE IMPORTS OF U-S SHALE GAS TO JAPAN. MANY AG GROUPS SAY JAPAN SHOULD BE ONE OF THE TOP BILATERAL TRADE AGREEMTNS FOR THE U-S, CONSIDERING THE POTENTIAL FOR NOT ONLY GRAINS AND OILSSEEDS, BUT MEAT EXPORTS.
WEATHER
THOSE ARE THE HEADLINES...METEOROLOGIST CINDI CLAWSON IS FILLING IN FOR MIKE HOFFMANM THIS WEEK. CINDI, WE SAW EXTREME WILDFRIEST HISWEEK. AND THE DROUGH TMONITOR REMINDING US THAT THE PLAINS COULD REALLY USE A DRINK. YET THAT ‘S RIGHT TYNE WE HAVE SEEN DROUGHT EXPANDING IN MUCH OF THE EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTRY WE’VE SEEN THE END OF THE IMPROVING CONDITIONS OF COURSE IN THE SOUTHWEST BUT WE ARE SEEING SOME WILD FIRES WERE SEEING VERY VERY DRY CONDITIONS PLUS THE WINDS REALLY HAVE NOT BEEN HELPING A LOT OF FOLKS IN THE PLAINS STATES AND WE’VE SEEN THAT DRYNESS EXPANDING IN EVEN INTO THE EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTRY AND YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THE PROGRESSION OVER TH LAST MONTH OR SO WHAT WE’VE SEEN THE DROUGHT WHEN THE LAW IN CALIFORNIA WE’VE BEEN SEEING THAT EXPAND IN THE EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTRY AND IT ‘S GONNA BE STICKING AROUND AT LEAST FOR A LITTLE WHILE LET ‘S HEAD TO THE MAPS FOR THIS WEEK A STORM SYSTEM THAT ‘S GONNA BE MOVING THROUGH INTO THE EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTRY BRINGING SOME RAIN AND SNOW AS THIS LOW PRESSURE TRAVELS OFF TO THE EAST WILL BIT OF RAIN IN PARTS OF THE SOUTHEAST WITH A COLD FRONT THERE ARE A STATIONARY FRONT ALSO INTO THE SOUTHERN PARTS OF TEXAS AND OF COURSE MORE UNSETTLED WEATHER A STORM AFTER STORM KEEPS COMING IN TO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AS WE HEAD INTO WEDNESDAY WE’LL SEE A STATIONARY FRONT BRINGING SOME RAIN AND SOME SNOW INTO PARTS OF THE HIGH PLAINS AND INTO THE NORTHWEST ‘S A LITTLE BIT OF SNOW IN THE NORTHEAST. BUT FAIRLY DRY ACROSS MOST OF THE REST OF THE COUNTRY. ON WEDNESDAY THAT ‘S GONNA CHANGE AS WE GET INTO FRIDAY AS WE SEE SOME STORMY WEATHER WAS A COLD FRONT WILL BE ACROSS THE EASTERN SEABOARD DOWN ACROSS THE GULF COAST STATES. SOME RAIN AND SNOW WITH THAT AND WE’LL SEE SOME OF COURSE RAIN AND SNOW OFF INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST FAIRLY DRY IN THE NATION ‘S MID SECTION WILL HAVE MORE WEATHER COMING UP IN THE NEXT HALF HOUR.THANKS, CINDI.
TEASE
WE’RE ON THE ROAD AGAIN THIS WEEK TO GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA. MIKE NORTH, ANDY SHISSLER AND JOE VACLAVIK JOIN ME ENXT.
ROUNDTABLE 1
US FARM REPORT ON THE ROAD AT THE AG INDUSTRY DAY IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY CHS AG SERVICES. PROUD TO SERVER YOU AND 20 LOCATIONS IN NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA. WISHING YOU A SAFE AND PRODUCTIVE PLANTING SEASON. WE’RE ON THE ROAD THIS WEEK WERE HERE IN GRAND FORKS NORTH DAKOTA FOR THE CHS AG INDUSTRY DAY ALWAYS A GOOD TURNOUT FOR THE AG INDUSTRY DAYS WE APPRECIATE THE INVITE OUT ART SO MUCH TALK RIGHT NOW ABOUT THE NEXT ACREAGE REPORT THAT WE HAVE COMING UP SO LET ‘S START OFF WITH THAT DO YOU THINK MIKE THAT WE COULD HIT NINETY MILLION PLUS ACRES IN CORN? I THINK WE WILL CONTINUE TO FARM A LOT OF CORN AGAIN THIS YEAR, NORTH OF NINETY MILLION. AND IF THERE IS A BIG GRAB ON MOVEMENT TOWARD SOYBEANS, I THINK IT COMES FROM WHEAT. AND WHILE WE’LL GIVE UP SOME CORN, THAT GOES WITHOUT SAYING I THINK WHEAT WILL BE THE GREATEST CONTRIBUTOR TO THAT BIG BEAN NUMBER THAT EVERYBODY ‘S TALKING ABOUT. HOW BIG OF A B NUMBER TO THINK WILL HAVE ANYTHING TO IT WE WE HAD NINETY? MILLION AND SOYBEANS THIS YEAR? IT ‘S NOT IMPOSSIBLE. LOGIC TELL YOU THAT WE SHOULD SEE A BIG SHIFT. IS JUSTQUESTION OF WHAT WAS DONE LAST FALL. HOW MANY FARMS ARE SET UP TO DO CORN ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS.THAT BEING SAID REMEMBER THAT THE TRADE IS TERRIBLE I GUESS IN THE ACREAGE NUMBERS. THEY MISSED CORN BY FOUR MILLION LAST YEAR. THEY COULD JUST AS EASILY DO IT THIS YEAR. IT ‘S VERY DIFFICULT TO PREDICT THIS STUFF. AND THEN THIS WEEK LAST YEAR TO WRITE FIVE MILLION WAS A IT WAS A BIG MISS. SO LET ‘S SAY THE TRADE DOESN’T HAVE THIS THIS THIS NEW ACREAGE NUMBERS ARE ACCURATE AND IN AND IT COULD PROVIDE SOME BENEFIT FOR A SIN THAT IN OUR MARKETS. HOW CAN GROWERS PREPARE HOW COULD WE USE THESE TOWARD VINTAGE THIS YEAR ANDY? USUALLY WE ERR ON THE SIDE OF HEAVY CORN I WOULD SAY. SO I WOULD SAY WORK TOWARDS NINETY ONE WOULD BE MY GUESS. IT ‘S ANYTHING LESS THAN THAT, TOWARDS THE NINETY OR LIKE THE REALLY BULLISH PEOPLE SAY LIKE EIGHTY NINE, I THINK CORN PRICES WILL BE REALLY EXPLOSIVE GOING INTO THE SUMMER AND I THINK THEY COULD GO HIGHER THAN YOU THINK. WE’LL HAVE TO SEEEVERYBODY’S ALWAYS WRONG ON THIS REPORT. SO IT WON’T BE WHAT THEY EXPECT. THAT JUST LIKE LAST YEAR THEY’RE OFF BY CORN. WHEN YOU SAY EXPLOSIVE IN THIS CORN MARKET A HOUSE CLOSE OF OUR?? WELL I THINK IF IT ‘S ON THE LIGHT SIDE ACRES, WITH THE TOUGHER WEATHER COMING AND A DRIER SOIL PROFILE OUT WEST WITH POTENTIAL FOR MORE HEAT, WERE TALKING BEFORE FIFTY, FOUR EIGHTY UPSIDE. AND I THINK IT ‘S IT ‘S PROBABLY WARRANTED BECAUSE I THINK IT WILL COME FROM MAYBE A DETRIMENT OF YIELD. FOUR FIFTY FOUR A D IN CORN YOU DO YOU THINK THAT ‘S THAT ‘S LIKELY?? I WON’T USE THE WORD LIKELY, BUT I’LL USE THE WORD POSSIBLE. AND THAT LARGELY STEMS FROM THE FACT THAT IN THE LAST TEN YEARS, FOUR FIFTY HAS BEEN A MEANINGFUL HIGH NUMBER OF OCCASIONS IN IT CERTAINLY HAS AN OPEN DOOR TO GET THERE. OUR CHALLENGE WILL BE FINDING ENOUGH BUYERS TO PUSH THE MARKET. WE’VE ALREADY GOT A FUND POSITION THAT ‘S MOVED OFF OF SHORT INTO A LONG POSITION AND THAT WAS THE POWDER KEG LAST YEAR. WHEN THEY FLIP-FLOPPED FROM THEIR SHORT TO LONG POSITIONS THAT ‘S WHAT GAVE RISE TO THE DOLLAR RALLY. IT ‘S GONNA BE HARD TO BUILD THAT BACK INTO THE INTO THE MARKET STRUCTURE AGAIN THIS YEAR WITH THEM ALREADY LONG . YOU KNOW WHAT LIKE IT OVER OUR MARKET HAS BEEN A LIST OF OLD CROP CORN THAT WE HAD ON PRICE SETTING IN THE BEN DO YOU THINK THAT SITUATION IS CHANGED IN THE END OF SO JOE HOW COULD THAT OPEN UP A TOWER OF OF OF OPPORTUNITY FOR PRICES MOVING FORWARD?? IT’S CHANGED. I MEAN THE REASON WHY FUNDS ARE ABLE TO BE LONG IN CORN BECAUSE THE FARMER SOLD IT TO THEM. SO WE’VE SEEN AS A SHIFT IN THE OWNERSHIP STRUCTURE FOR SURE. AND HISTORICALLY SPEAKING WHEN FARMERS ARE HEAVY OWNERS OF ANYTHING, THE MARKET HAS A TOUGH TIME RALLYING. SO YEAH IT ‘S A POSITIVE FORCE FOR THE MARKET. I THINK CERTAINLY. DO YOU THINK THE SLIDE IN PRICES THAT WE HAVE TODAY LOOKING AT THE POSSIBLE INCREASE IN ACREAGE IN SOME POSSIBLE EXPORT ISSUES DO YOU THINK THE SWING IN PRICES ARE AS GOOD AS THEY GET?? WELL I MEAN WE CAN SEE THE CRAZY NUMBERS ON THE VOLATILITY SIDE WITH SUMMER WEATHER. BUT FUNDAMENTALLY RIGHT NOW ARE TOO HIGH. AND LIKE THE BASIS WOULD SUGGEST AS MUCH. THE SPREAD WOULD SUGGEST AS MUCH. IF THE ACRES ARE THIS HEAVY, WE SHOULD REALLY BE TRADING 9.20 ON THE BOARD AND WE’RE NOT. SO I’M PRETTY HEAVY SHORT BEANS IN HERE AND I DON’T THINK THAT THAT ‘S WRONG. I MEAN IT ‘S BEEN SO IMPRESSIVE HOW RESILIENT THESE SOYBEAN PRICES HAVE BEEN I KNOW WE CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT IT BUT THERE THERE ‘S BEEN A LOT OF NEWS MIKE IN SOYBEAN PRICES TO CONTINUE TO HOLD UP?? IT’S THE BIGGEST WORLD MARKET. A LOT OF ATTENTION FROM AROUND THE GLOBE. ULTIMATELY THE MONEY THAT PROPPED THIS THING UP. ANDY POINTED OUT WERE TRADING AWAY OVER FAIR VALUE IN OUR IN OUR CASH MARKETS. IF YOU LOOK AT THE PRICE CURVE, IT DOESN’T SUGGEST WE SHOULD STAY HERE.AND THE REALITY FOR US IS THAT CARRIES A LOT OF WEIGHT GOING FORWARD ESPECIALLY IF WE HIT IT WITH AN EXCLAMATION POINT AT THE END OF MARCH. AND SAY NINETY MILLION ACRES OF BEANS. NOW SUDDENLY YOU ARE SWIMMING IN SOY. FUND POSITIONS WAVING ‘S WHAT IS THAT RIGHT NOW ON WHAT IMPACT DOES THAT HAPPEN ON PRICES?? THEY’VE BEEN AGGRESSIVELY LONG FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS. AND THEY STARTED TO SCALE IT BACK HERE RECENTLY. THEY KNOW THAT OUR EXPORTSARE GOING TO FALL OFF. THEY KNOW THAT WE’VE GOT A LOT OF BEANS HERE. SO IT STILL BIG LONG POSITION BUT IT ‘S BEEN REDUCED A LITTLE BIT.AND THAT ‘S DIFFERENT THE NEXT AND THEN THE FUND ‘S POSITION IN CORN AND WE RIGHT?? YES SO THE CORN POSITION THEY MOVE TOWARDS A LONGMODEST LONG OFF OF WHAT WE SAW LAST YEAR AS A RECORD SHORT ABOUT THIS TIME. AND COMING OFF THEIR SHORT POSITION LAST YEAR IN THE FALL. BUT YOU KNOW THAT THE WHEAT POSITION IS INTERESTING. THEY MOVED TOWARDS A LONG POSITION ESPECIALLY ON PROTEIN. THEY’VE BEEN BUYING UP KANSAS CITY, CARRYING A LITTLE BIT OF A SHORT CHICAGO. AND THAT FLIP FLOPPED. THE REALITY IS THATYOU KNOW THAT THAT ‘S THAT GOING FORWARD ULTIMATELY I THINK SEE SOME VOLATILITY.ARE WHEN YOU TAKE TAKE A QUICK BREAK BUT WE OUGHT BUT WE HAVE A LOT STILL TALK ABOUT INTERES RATES. WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT THE SITUATION IS WITH CHINA WILL DO ALL OF THAT WHEN WE COME BACK ON U S FARM REPORT IT’LL GO ANYWHERE.
ROUNDTABLE 2
US FARM REPORT ON THE ROAD AT THE AG INDUSTRY DAY IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY CHS AG SERVICES. PROUD TO SERVER YOU AND 20 LOCATIONS IN NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA. WISHING YOU A SAFE AND PRODUCTIVE PLANTING SEASON. IXTY TO ONE HUNDRED MILLION BUSHELS TO GO IN JAPAN SOUTH KOREA. THEY’VE GOT AN ISSUE WITH THE HOGS FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL STANDPOINT AND THE REGULATIONS ARE COMING DOWN. SO MIGHT BE HARDER TO DO AS MANY PIGS IN CHINA. SO THERE’S SOME NEGATIVE FUNDAMENTALS HANGING OUT THERE AGAINST SOYBEANS HERE THAN I HAVE SEEN IN TEN YEARS. GETTY THINK IT IMPACTSOUR SOYBEAN SHIPMENTS TO CHINA WE LIVED THERE. SUCH A KEY?? ANY GROWTH IN THEIR PRODUCTION AFFECTS OUR SHIPMENTS TO CHINA. WHETHER AND AND IT ‘S OURS AND SELF AMERICAN IT ‘S A SHARED INTEREST. WHEN YOU WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR PARTICIPATION, WE SEND THEM HALF OF OUR SOYBEANS. IF THEY CUT THAT BACK A LITTLE BIT, WE TAKE A FIVE PERCENT OF THAT AWAY, TEN PERCENT OF THAT AWAY, NOW WE JUST FOUND SOME EXTRA BUSHELS ON OUR BALANCE SHEET. TO DO THAT WORRY YOU WELL IT ‘S COMBINED WITH ACRES, AND AN ALREADY SUBSTANTIAL CURIO, IT DOES WORRY ME. IT ‘S WHY YOU SEE THESE REALLY LOW NUMBERS GET KICKED AROUND IN THE CONVERSATIONS OUT THERE. AND THEY BECOME REALLY VALID ESPECIALLY IF WE GAIN ANY SORT OF MOMENTUM.OUT OF SPEC MONEY. OUR EXPORTS HAVE BEEN SO STRONG SO JOE THAT SOUNDS LIKE A STORY THAT COULD THAT COULD CHANGE IN OUR INNER SOYBEAN MARKET??? IT SHOULD. I MEAN WE’VE ALREADY STARTED TO SEE A LITTLE BIT HERE THE LAST FEW WEEKS IN SALES AND YOU’RE GONNA SEE A LOT MORE OF IT ONCE BRAZIL IS ABLE TO SHIP THE BEANS OUT. WE’RE GOING TO SEE BIG DROP AND THAT’S PRICED INTO THE MARKET WE WE KNOW THAT THAT HAPPENS. INTEREST RATES AT A FEDERAL CHAIR A FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIR JANET YELLEN A MINUTE ‘S PRETTY MUCH CERTAIN THAT WE’RE GONNA SEE HER RAISE INTEREST RATES.IT WON’T MOVE UP FAST ENOUGH OR HIGH ENOUGH TO BE AN IMPACT. BUT YOU CAN SEE WHY THEY WOULD DO THAT. IN THERE SO MUCH MONEY FOR US IT ‘S RIDICULOUS LIKE THE STOCK MARKETS LIKE BLOWN EVERY HIGH FOR EVER AND IT ‘S SO OVERHEATED, IT JUST LOOKS LIKE A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN TO ME. SO I THINK IT IS A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN?? I THINK THE STOCK MARKET ‘S SO SCARY AND WHEN THEY GOT A MARGIN CALL, AND IT WILL HAPPEN, IT’LL TAKE OUR GRAINS WITH IT. THAT’S THE SAME THING THAT HAPPENED IN ’08. WE SEE CORRECTIONS LIKE THIS SO DANGEROUS. YOU THINK WE’RE WAY TOO OVERDONE?? ANDY MAKES A GREAT COMPARISON OF THE O SEVEN O EIGHT MARKET. WE WERE HOT HOT HOT AND WE BOILED RIGHT OVER. AND REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED IN GRAIN PRICES THAT YEAR. WE TOOK A CORN FROM EIGHT DOLLARS TO SUB THREE DOLLARS IN A MATTER OF MONTHS. IT HAPPENS REALLY FAST. AND SO WHEN THE MONEY FLOW TURNS AGAINST YOU IT ‘S LIKE TRYING TO STEP IN FRONT OF THE BUS AND BRING IT TO A STOP. THIS DOESN’T HAPPEN. BUT WE DON’T HAVE A REPEAT OF THAT THIS YEAR. BUT BIG NEWS THIS WEEK ON AVIAN FLU FRONT OF AN AVIAN FLU AND INTO TENNESSEE? A IN TERMS OF POSSIBLY SOME OTHER PLACES AS WELL. JOE WHAT HAVE THE IMPACT COULD THAT HAVE ON POULTRY PRICES??? I THINK IT COULD HAVE A SHORT LIVED IMPACT, BUT I DON’T THINK IT ‘S GONNA BE MUCH MORE THAN THAT. WE DON’T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF EXPERIENCE WITH THIS BEING A LONG TERM ISSUE IN OUR COUNTRY. I I’M JUST NOT READING INTO IT A LOT AT ALL REALLY. ALL RIGHT ALL RIGHT WELL TIME NOW TO TAKE A BREAK. BUT WHEN WE COME BACK WE’LL GET THE CLOSING THOUGHTS DON’T GO ANYWHERE.
MARKETS NOW
ALL RIGHT TIME NOW FOR CLOSING THOUGHTS MIKE NORTH WILL START WITH YOU. I THINK AS WE GO FORWARD, IT ‘S IMPORTANT TO BE REALISTIC ABOUT THE MARKET THAT WE’RE IN. WE HAVE PLENTY OF INVENTORY, WE BEEN PROPPED UP BY A SPECULATIVE INFLUENCE BUYERS BACKED AWAY ON A BASIS. SO WE NEED TO BE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF PRICE OPPORTUNITIES AS THEY COME. GOOD VALUE AT FOUR DOLLARS AND TEN THIRTY IN BEANS, BE MAKING SOME SALES SET SOME TARGETS UNDERGIRD WITH PUTS AND BE READY FOR A VOLATILE SUMMER. JOE VACKLIVIK. WE DISCUSSED SOME PRICES IN THE CORN MARKET THAT REALLY START TO MAKE THINGS WORK FOR EVERY CORN FARM IN THE COUNTRY. ENOUGH FOR FIFTY FOUR EIGHTY FIVE DOLLARS ALL WORK PHENOMENALLY FOR YOU GUYS. IN DECISION CAN BE A GREAT MARKETER ‘S WORST ENEMY. SO YOU GET THOSE PRICES MAKE SURE YOU DO SOMETHING ABOUT THEM. ALL RIGHT ANDY. WE WERE SEEING MORE MONEY IN THE MARKET THAN I’VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE WHICH U S PRICES ARE HIGHER THAN WE THINK FOR YOU TO CONTRACT AND TAKE OF YOUR OPERATION AND HAVE A GOOD DAY. ALL RIGHT STAY WITH US JOHN PHIPPS JOINS US WHEN WE COME BACK
JOHN’S WORLD
POSSIBLE CHANGES TO THE RENEWABLE FUELS STANDARD BROKE LAST WEEK WHILE WE WERE ATTENDING COMMODITY CLASSIC. THERE’S STILL A GREAT DEAL OF CONFUSION AROUND IF THOSE CHANGES WILL ACTUALLY OCCUR AND HOW IT WILL IMPACT FARMERS’ BOTTOMLINE. HERE’S JOHN PHIPPS. LAST WEEK AT THE COMMODITY CLASSIC, I JOINED MIKE ADAMS ON AGRITALK ALONG WITH CHIP FLORY FROM PROFARMER AND BOB DINEEN FROM THE RENEWABLE FUELS ASSOCIATION - THE ETHANOL INDUSTRY GROUP. THE TOPIC WAS THE ONGOING DRAMA OVER AN EXECUTIVE ORDER CONCERNING THE POINT OF OBLIGATION FOR RIN CERTIFICATES - RENEWABLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS. AT THIS POINT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO GIVE A BRIEF, CLEAR DESCRIPTION OF THE BASICS OF THIS DEBATE. ONLY I CAN’T, AND AS NEAR AS I CAN TELL NOBODY ELSE CAN. THE BEST INFORMATION I’VE FOUND IS THE WORK OF SCOTT IRWIN AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, AND I CAN’T MAKE IT THROUGH ONE OF HIS PAPERS WITHOUT MY EYES GLAZING OVER. THE BOTTOM LINE FOR ME IS THE BIOFUELS MARKET IN AN INSANELY COMPLEX AND ARTIFICIAL CREATION OF GOVERNMENT REGULATION THAT EVEN THE PARTICIPANTS CANNOT FULLY COMPREHEND. WHEN I ASKED BOB WHETHER THE RFA HAD TRIED TO MODEL OR PREDICT WHAT THE EXECUTIVE ORDER MIGHT DO TO THE ETHANOL MARKETPLACE, WHAT I HEARD WAS THE CONSEQUENCES WERE ESSENTIALLY UNKNOWABLE. IRWIN SUGGESTS THAT OVER THE LONG RUN IT SHOULD NOT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE, CALLING TO MIND THAT OLD QUOTE FROM FAMED ECONOMIST JOHN MAYNARD KEYNES, “IN THE LONG RUN WE ARE ALL DEAD.”.SO MY TAKEAWAY FOR THE STILL ONGOING TURMOIL IN THE ETHANOL INDUSTRY AND MARKETS IS WE FARMERS HAVE BASED A SERIOUS CHUNK OF OUR BUSINESS MODEL ON COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY THAT IS SHROUDED IN REGULATORY ILLOGIC, SUBJECT TO THE WHIMS OF AN UNPREDICTABLE ADMINISTRATION, AND NOT FULLY UNDERSTOOD BY ANYONE INVOLVED. WE’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE WITH THE INFAMOUS CDO’S - COLLATERALIZED DEBT OBLIGATIONS - THE ARCANE MORTGAGE INSTRUMENTS THAT BROUGHT DOWN WALL STREET IN 2008. BY THE TIME YOU SEE THIS, MORE FIREWORKS MAY HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN THE BIOFUEL POLITICAL ARENA. CORN FARMERS MAY KEEP MURMURING “THE RFS IS SAFE”, BUT I THINK IT WILL TAKE MORE THAN THAT TO CONVINCE OURSELVES IN THE WEEKS AHEAD.THANKS, JOHN. FROM ROADS TO OUR BOATS AND SHIPS ON THE NATION’S WATERWAYS, AG GROUPS SAY OUR INFRASTRUCUTRE IS IN THE NEED OF A MAJOR FACELIFT. THAT’S OUR FARM JOURNAL REPORT AFTER THE BREAK.
HEADLINES
WELCOME BACK TO U-S FARM REPORT. WE HAVE MUCH MORE AHEAD. SCORCHED RANCHLAND LEAVING SCARS FROM A RECORD BREAKING WILDFIRE IN TEH PLAINS. ROADS, BRIDGES AND LOCKS... WHY AN INFRASTRUCTURE FACELIFT IS A PRIORITY FOR MANY IN AG. RANCHING IS A FAMILY AFFAIR. WE’LL HEAR FROM BAXTER BLACK. AND IN CUSTOMER SUPPORT, JOHN ADDRESSES HIS CARBON FOOTPRINT.
NOW FOR THE HEADLINES... WILDFIRES LEAVING ITS MARK ON THE SOUTHERN PLAINS - 60- 70 MILE PER HOUR WINDS HELPING CHAR MORE THAN A MILLION ACRES OF LAND....AND CLAIMING THE LIVES OF AT LEAST SIX PEOPLE. WILDFIRES BURING IN KANSAS, OKLAHOMA, COLORADO AND TEXAS..LIVESTOCK LOSSES ARE EXPECTED IN THE TENS OF THOUSANDS. NEARLY A HALF MILLION ACRES IN THE TEXAS PANHANDLE BURNED...FUELED BY BY AMPLE SUPPLY OF DRY GRASS AND BRUSH, LOW HUMIDITY AND STRONG WINDS. “IT’S TERRIBLE. BUT IT CROSSING THE RIVER, TOO, I THINK THAT’S THE FIRST TIME WE’VE EVER HAD ONE THAT’S DONE THAT. SO THE WIND CHANGING LAST NIGHT, YOU KNOW, FROM THE NORTH, JUST FORCED IT RIGHT ON."> A WILDFIRE IN GRAY COUNTY, NEAR AMARILLO, KILLED THREE PEOPLE TRYING TO SAVE CATTLE, INCLUDING THIS YOUNG COUPLE - CODY CROCKETT AND SYDNEY WALLACE. THE THIRD VICTIM IN THAT COUNTY - SLOAN EVERETT - SEEN HERE WITH HIS FAMILY, ALSO DIED WHILE TRYING TO SAVE LIVESTOCK. I N KANSAS...MORE THAN 500 THOUSAND ACRES BURNED...MOST OF THAT IN CLARK AND COMANCHE COUNTIES.THE ONE GRASSFIRE IN THOSE COUNTIES BREAKING THE RECORD FOR HTE MOST ACRES BURNED IN KANSAS FROM A SINGLE FIRE.. THERE ARE REPORTS OF SIGNIFICANT CATTLE LOSSES AS ENTIRE RANCHES WERE ENGULFED. THIS FARMER BARELY ESCAPED. VETERNARIANS ARE VOLUTNEERING TIME TO HELP ETHANIZE THE ANIMALS SEVERELY BURNED BY THE FIRES.
HEAD OVER TO AGWEB DOT FORWARD SLASH WILDFIRES FOR CONTINUING COVERAGE AND A LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS HELPING VICTIMS OF THE FIRE.
MIDWEST TORNADOES
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. MORE THAN 400 HOMES DAMAGED IN THAT AREA.
AVIAN FLU
THE FIRST CASES OF AVIAN FLU FOR 2017 HAVE HIT THE U-S. USDA RESEARCHERS SAY A POULTRY FARM LINCOLN COUNTY, TENNEESEE WAS INFECTED WITH HIGHLY PATHOGENIC H-7-N-9 STRAIN OF AVIAN FLU IT’S GENETICALLY DIFFERENT THAN THE H7N9 STRAIN IN CHINA THAT IMPACTED POULTRY AND INFECTED HUMANS IN ASIA. THE TENNEESEE FARM WAS A CONGRACT GROWER FOR TYSON, AND 30 FARMS IN A 6 MILE RADIUS WERE PUT INTO QUARENTINE. ANOTHER CASE IN GILES COUNTY, TENNEESEE WAS FOUND LATER IN THE WEEK, BUT WITH LOW-PATH AVIAN FLU. ALSO THIS WEEK, WISCONSIN CONFIRMING A CASE OF LOW PATH H5N8. MORE THAN 30 NATIONS ARE IMPOSING BANS FROM THOSE TWO STATES, INCLUDING HONG KONG, KOREA AND TAIWAN
AS WE HEAD TOWARDS PLANTING SEASON, FARMER’S SENTIMENTS ABOUT THE ECONOMY HAVE RETREATED SOMEWHAT FROM THE POSITIVE MOODS SEEN IN JANUARY. PURDUE AG BAROMETER MEASURES FARMERS SENTIMENTS ON THE ECONOMY. THE FEBRUARY READING DECLINED TO ONE-HUNDRED- 34, DOWN FROM THE RECORD HIGH 153 IN JANUARY.
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.
CLATON YUETTER DIEDAND TO END ON A SAD NOTE, FORMER AG SECRETARY CLAYTON YEUTTER IS BEING REMEMBERED FOR HIS UNBRIDLED SUPPORT FOR AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. YEUTTER DIED SATURDAY AFTER A FOUR YEAR BATTLE WITH CANCER. HE WAS 86. FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS ON THE FARM HE ROSE TO BECOME AG SECRETARY UNDER PRESIDENT GEORGE H- W BUSH. . BEFORE THAT, HE WAS U-S TRADE REPRESENTATIVE FOR PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN.
WEATHER
THOSE ARE THE HEADLINES...METEOROLOGIST CINDI CLAWSON IS FILLING IN FOR MIKE THIS WEEK. CINDI, MANY OF OUR VIEWERS ARE KEEPING AN EYE ON YORU 30 DAY FREOCAST AS PLANTING SEASON APPROACHES. YEAH WE’RE GONNA HAVE THAT COMING UP FOR YOU IN JUST A SECOND TIME BUT YOU KNOW WE HAVE GOT SOME REALLY JUST UP AND DOWN WEATHER THAT WE’VE BEEN SEEING IN THE JET STREAM REALLY WILL SHOW THAT WE HAVE SOME PRETTY COLD AIR IN THE NORTHEASTERN QUADRANT OF THE COUNTRY AS WE HEAD INTO THE NEXT FEW DAYS OF THAT TROUGH ALL THE WAY DOWN INTO THE MID ATLANTIC THE WAR WHETHER WE HEADING OUT INTO THE WEST ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTHWEST OVER ANY SYSTEM REALLY WARM AIR AS WE GET INTO THE NEXT WEEK THAT A LITTLE TROUGH FOR THE NORTHEAST UNITED STATES TO FINISH OFF THE WAY. BUT WE CONTINUE TO SEE THOSE WARMER TEMPERATURES. RISE INTO PARTS OF THE NORTHWEST START TO SEE ANOTHER TROUGH COMING IN TO THE NORTHWEST BY NEXT WEEKEND ALL RIGHT. THIS IS WHAT WE’RE LOOKING AT AS FAR AS THE THIRTY DAY TEMPERATURES LOOKING AT ABOVE NORMAL FOR THE SOUTHERN HALF HALF OF THE UNITED STATES THE ONLY REAL CLEAR SIGNAL FOR COOLER THAN NORMAL TEMPERATURES WILL BE WITH ALL OF UNSETTLED WEATHER IN THE NORTHWESTERN UNITED STATES AS FAR AS PRECIPITATION YOU GOT IT ABOVE NORMAL UP THERE FOR ALSO LOOKING AT ABOVE NORMAL FROM THE UPPER MIDWEST DOWN INTO THE TENNESSEE AND OHIO VALLEY LOOKS LIKE DRIER WEATHER IN THE SOUTHWEST
FARM JOURNAL REPORT
INFRASTRUCTURE ON OUR NATION’S WATERWAYS IS IMPROVING, BUT STILL NEEDS A MAJOR FACELIFT. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP VOWING TO PUSH TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO IMPROVE INFRASTRUCTURE ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE AMERICAN SOCIEITY OF ENGINEERS RELEASING ITS ‘REPORT CARD’ ON THE CONDITION OF WATERWAY INFRASTRUCTURE THIS WEEK - IMPROVING TO A D FROM A D- IN 2013. IN THIS FARM JOURNAL REPORT, BETSY JIBBEN LOOKS AT WHY FUNDING IS SO CRUCIAL FOR OUR CHEAPEST FORM OF TRANSPORTATION. LOCK AND DAM 17 HAS BEEN A STALWART ON THE MIGHTY MISSISSIPPI IN NEW BOSTON, ILLINOIS. AND THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS ARE DOING THEIR BEST - TO MAKE SURE IT STAYS STANDING <"THEY NEED SOME WORK. THAT’S FOR SURE. OUR NATION DEPENDS ON IT."> EASIER SAID THAN DONE. <"ORG. DESIGN FOR THE LOCK WAS 50 YEARS AND THE REHAB DESIGN LIFE WAS 25 YEARS. IF YOU DO THE MATH, WE’RE WELL PAST BOTH OF THOSE,"> A LOT OF THE FUNDING FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND REPAIRS ARE MANDATED BY CONGRESS. THE WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT - ALSO KNOWN AS WRDA WAS PASSED LAST YEAR.. A TWO YEAR BILL WHICH FIRST AUTHROIZES - HOW TO IMRPOVE AND MAINTAIN THE WATERWAY SYSTEM AND THEN APPROPRIATES FUNDS TO ACHIEVE WHAT NEEDS TO GET DONE. THE CORPS IS STILL WAITING ON MONEY. <"WE NEED TO GET BACK TO THE POINT TODAY WHERE WE’RE ALLOCATING RESOURCES TODAY IN EXCHANGE FOR VALUE TOMORROW. THAT REQUIRES LONG-TERM THINKING,"> RIGHT NOW, THE ENTIRE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS UNDER A CONTINUING RESOLUTION UNTIL THE END OF APRIL. THAT MEANS FUNDING IS FROZEN AT PRIOR YEAR LEVELS. <"THAT’S QUITE COMMON NOW. I WISH IT WASN’T THAT WAY."> <"WE’VE HAD PROJECTS PEACE MILLED WHICH CAUSES PROJECTS TO TAKE LONGER AND GET DONW THE WRONG WAY,"> <"ONCE THIS COMES UP AGAIN, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE AHVE A ROBUST AMOUNT OF FUNDING FOR HTE INLAND WATERWAY SYSTEM. THAT’S UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE ARMY,"> THOSE LIKE CASTRO ARE STILL USING FISCAL YEAR 17 FUNDING - A YEAR BEHIND- SO PROJECTS ARE LIMITED. <"WE ARE STILL SEGMENTING OUR BUDGETING. WE HAVEN’T RECEIVED OUR FULL BUDGETING FOR THE YEAR...."> ALL WHILE WAITING TO SEE WHAT FISCAL YEAR 18 HOLDS. IF LAWMAKERS DON’T TAKE ACTION BY APRIL 28TH, IT COULD LEAD TO A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. PRESIDENT TRUMP IS VOCAL ABOUT ABOUT A POTENTIAL TRILLION DOLLAR PLAN TO UPGRADE INFRASTRUCTURE. <"IT IS LONG AMBITION AND LONG ON SPECIFICS BUT THAT BEING SAID WE ARE VERY PLEASED WHEN THE PRESIDENT DOES TALK ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE. A LOT OF TIMES YOU DONT’ HEAR THE PRESIDENT TALK ABOUT THE NEED TO INVEST IN OUR MULTI SYSTEM,"> <"WE’D LOVE TO SEE BACKLOGS OF PRIOIRTY PROJECTS, THAT’S ABOUT 8.7 BILLION DOLLARS AND IF WE WERE TO GET A SHOT IN THE ARM FOR THAT MOUNT, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MODERNIZE OUR SYSTEM AND THOSE 25 PROJECTS FOR THE NEXT 2 DECADES,"> THERE’S ALSO TALK ABOUT COMBINING BOTH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS TO GET MORE FUNDING FOR THE NAITON’S WATERWAYS. STEENHOEK SAYS HE WANTS TO SEE A COMBINATION OF BOTH- ADDING THAT THERE’S A ROLE FOR PRIVATE EQUITY. <"WHEN YOU ACCESS PRIVATE CAPITAL, USUALLY WORK GETS DONE MORE ON TIME AND MORE WITHIN BUDGET."> <"AT THIS POINT, WITH WHAT’S BEEN TRANSPIRED OVER THE PAST 25 YEARS, THE LACK OF INVESTMENT, I THINK ANY OR ALL OPTIONS SHOUDL BE ON THE TABLE,"> OPINIONS ARE SPLIT CALHOUN SAYS PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS MAY WORK IN SOME AREAS OF INFRASTRUCTURE BUT BELIEVES IT WON’T WORK WELL FOR WATERWAYS - ESPECIALLY IF TOLLS ARE ADDED FOR EXAMPLE. <"THERE’S NO ON AND OFF ON THE WATERWAYS. THE ONLY TAX PAYER IS THE COMMERCIAL OPERATORS MOVING OUR FREIGHTS. THEY WOULD PAY SOMEHTING UNAFFORDABLE FOR SHIPPERS AND THEN THAT WOUDL DIVERT TRAFFIC OFF THE INLAND WATERAYS AND ONTO OTHER MODES OF TRANSPORTATION,"> <"TIME IS MONEY, IF IT’S NOT MOVING, IT’S COSTING."> THAT’S WHY THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS HOPE THOSE COSTS KEEP FLOWING SO THE LOCK AND DAM SYSTEM CAN STAY AFLOAT. REPORTING FOR USFR I’M BETSY JIBBEN. THANKS BETSY. WE ALSO DISCUSSED INFRASTRUCTURE AT LENGTH DURING COMMODITY CLASSIC. THE ASSOCIATION CEO’S TOLD ME IT’S INVESTMENT IN OUR NATION’S WATERWAYS THAT WILL HELP THE U-S MAINTAIN ITS COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE.
TEASE
NEXT UP, JOHN PHIPPS.
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
I HEARD FROM MANY OF YOU WHO ENJOYED JOHN’S COMMENTARY STRAIGHT FROM THE CAB OF HIS TRACTOR. BUT IT CREATED A LEVEL OF CONCERN FOR SOME VIEWERS. HERE’S JOHN. AS I EXPECTED, MY COMMENTARY FROM THE FIELD PROMPTED SHARP RESPONSES SUCH AS THIS ONE FROM KENT STONES: “YOU STATED THAT FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS YOU HAVE SUBSCRIBED TO THE THEORY OF MAN INFLUENCED GLOBAL WARMING. MY QUESTION IS IF THIS IS SETTLED SCIENCE IN YOUR VIEW, WHY WOULD YOU NOT BE CONTRIBUTING TO THE SOLUTION BY ADOPTING A LOWER CARBON DIOXIDE EMITTING CULTURAL PRACTICE ON YOUR OWN FARM I.E. NO-TILL. OR IS THE SOLUTION SOMEONE ELSE’S PROBLEM?” THANKS FOR THE QUESTION, KENT AND SEND ME AN ADDRESS FOR YOUR MUG. I THOUGHT I KNEW THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION BUT MY RESEARCH SURPRISED ME. LET’S DEAL JUST WITH THE CARBON SEQUESTRATION ISSUE TODAY. THE BEST INFORMATION I COULD FIND WAS FROM A 2014 STUDY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS. IT WAS A META- STUDY, OR A COMPILATION OF ALL AVAILABLE WORK TO DATE. THE CONCLUSION WAS THAT WHILE NO-TILL MAY INCREASE THE SOIL-ORGANIC CARBON (SOC) IN THE TOP FEW INCHES, THE LOWER LAYERS ARE A DIFFERENT STORY. THE SUMMARY BY LEAD SOIL SCIENTIST KEN OLSON WAS: “THE SUBSURFACE LAYERS ALSO NEED TO BE SAMPLED AND TESTED TO THE DEPTH OF ROOTING, OR 1 OR 2 METERS. THAT NO-TILL SUBSURFACE LAYER IS OFTEN LOSING MORE SOIL ORGANIC CARBON STOCK OVER TIME THAN IS GAINED IN THE SURFACE LAYER.” ONE IMPORTANT NOTE IS OLSON STRESSES USING COVER CROPS COULD IMPROVE SEQUESTRATION, BUT MUCH MORE RESEARCH NEEDS TO BE DONE ON THAT FACTOR. TO BE SURE, CONVENTIONAL TILLAGE WAS NOT BETTER, BUT WASN’T MUCH WORSE EITHER. IN FACT, THE MOST GENEROUS SEQUESTRATION CLAIM I FOUND FOR NO-TILL IS UNDER ONE TON PER ACRE. ACTUAL FIELD FUEL USE IS MUCH LESS. WE AVERAGE ABOUT 4 GALLONS OF DIESEL PER ACRE PER YEAR. NO-TILL MIGHT CUT THIS IN HALF, DROPPING EMISSIONS BY ABOUT 40 POUNDS PER ACRE. THIS IS NOT TRIVIAL, BUT IT IS NOT THE WHOLE ANSWER EITHER. EVEN IF ALL THE CROPLAND IN THE US COULD SEQUESTER 1 TON PER ACRE, OUR SECTOR, WHICH GENERATES 9% OF EMISSIONS, WOULD APPROACH ZERO NET EMISSIONS. LARGER REDUCTIONS CAN BE MADE FASTER BY DECREASING FOSSIL FUEL-ELECTRICITY USE WITH SOLAR POWER, FOR EXAMPLE, OR DRIVING HIGHER MILEAGE VEHICLES. I WILL TALK ABOUT GREENHOUSE GAS ACCOUNTING ANOTHER TIME, BUT THE SHORT VERSION IS THE DECISION TO NO-TILL CAN BE MADE FOR MANY REASONS. CARBON SEQUESTRATION DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT. THANKS, JOHN. AND IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, JUST EMAIL JOHN AT MAILBAG AT U-S FARM REPORT DOT COM.
TEASE
NEXT UP, FARMING AND RANCHING TAKES A SUPPORT SYSTEM. BAXTER BLACK TELLS US WHY NEXT.
BAXTER BLACK
IT’S TIME NOW TO CHECK IN WITH BAXTER BLACK AS WE HEAD OUT WEST. MOST FAMILY FARMS AND RANCHES ARE A TEAM EFFORT. I LIVE AROUND AND HELP HIM WITH THEIR COWS NOW AND THEN. I SEE THEM AT THE AG MEETINGS, AT THE SCHOOL SPORTING EVENTS AND AT CHURCH. THE BIGGER THE FAMILY THE LESS HELP IN AID FROM OUTSIDE THEY’RE PRETTY SELF-SUPPORTING AS FAR AS LABOR GOES THIS BUNCH. THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE PRETTY CLEAR FROM FEEDING THE COWS TO CHECKING THE DOG’S WATER THE DAD IS USUALLY THE BOSS. THE MOM IS THE HEAD ADVISER. PIE BAKER, CHILD RAISER, CHORE DIVIDER SCHOOL COORDINATOR BIRTHDAY REMEMBER, TEN PM HEFFER CHECKER, CHECK WRITER AND WOUND EXAMINER BUT WHEN THEY’RE AMONGST OTHER LIVESTOCK PEARS, HE USUALLY INTRODUCES HER THIS WAY THIS IS MY WIFE SHE DOES THE BOOKS AND I DO THE IMPORTANT STUFF LIKE MEND THE FENCE AND CHECK THE GIRLS AND MAKE SURE THEY AND COMES IN AFTER COVER THE COST A FARM IN TO FACE TIGHT AS I KNOW HIM AND I NEED TO BUY AND NO BAELOR AND SHE FIGURES OUT IF WE CAN SPEND ALL DAY ON THE TRACTOR SHE ‘S IN THE OFFICE ALL DAY TALKING WITH A S A S A DRAG ON THE PRIZE. THEY ARE DEALING WITH THE ACCOUNTANTS FOR CAPE IN THE BACK OF FIRST RATE MAY IN TIME I MAY CLAIM A MANDATE RATHER THAN ARRESTING EIGHT. SHE FILLS OUT ALL THE BLAST OF FORM THE GOVERNMENT MAKES ESCAPE. HERE IS THE OVER REGULATION OF RIDE IN A MANNER FULLY PLAY. I GO TO FLEE BUT REHMAN BOWLS FROM BARNES IN SALES IN THE FACE FRAME AND TORREY ARE ESTIMATING MAILS IF YOU’RE STILL FINDS TIME TO MAKE THE PIE BETWEEN HER BUSINESS THEY ALL ‘S. I CAME IN. THEY ALL OF THIS REASON A SQUEAKY VOICE WELL I TOLD MY WIFE THAT WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT GETTING A HIRED MAN. YOU KNOW RUNNING A FARM AINT EASY. GOOD MANAGERS NEED A PLAN. BUT SHE AGREED THAT IT WEREN’T EASY TO MANAGE AND KEEP ABREAST BUT WHY SHE ASKED TO GET A HIRED MAN I’VE ALREADY GOT THE BEST. THIS IS BAXTER BLACK A HIRED MAN FROM OUT THERE THANKS, BAXTER. YOU CAN HEAR MORE OF HIS HUMOR ONLINE, AT BAXTER BLACK DOT COM.
TEASE
WHEN WE COME BACK, MACHINERY PETE IS WITH US THIS WEEK,
TRACTOR TALES
TRACTOR TALES BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE MOST TRUSTED NAME IN FARM EQUIPMENT, MACHINERY PETE!. WELCOME BACK TO TRACTOR TALES FOLKS. WE’RE OFF TO THE WOLVERINE STATE FOR A JOHN DEERE A, STILL IN IT’S WORKING CLOTHES. RUSTY SHAFER IS THE 3RD OWNER OF THIS CLASSIC DEERE. HE TELLS US IT WAS IN PRETTY ROUGH SHAPE WHEN HE CAME ACROSS IT AND NOW, AFTER A LITTLE T L C, THIS WORKHORSE DOES JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING. WE HAVE A NINETEEN FIFTY ONE JOHN DEERE A SOLD BY LOCAL DEALER BRAND NEW AND IT ‘S BEEN WITHIN TEN MILES OF WHERE WE’RE AT RIGHT NOW ALL ITS LIFE I’M THE THIRD OWNER. A FRIEND OF MINE HAD A WHERE HE SOLD TRACTOR PARTS IN STUFF LIKE THAT OUT OF HIS OWN SHED HE SOLD SOME MACHINERY OLD OLD STUFF AND WE HAD A SITTING IN THE BARN AND THE MOTOR WAS STUCK IT DIDN’T HAVE NO BACK TIRES ON IT HAD ONE FRONT TIRE AND WE HATCHED OUT A DEAL. FIVE MINUTES AND I BOUGHT IT AND GOT THE MOTOR FREED UP AND PUT TIRES AND RIMS IN ALL OUT ON TO IT AND ITS GOT THE ORIGINAL PAINT ON AND I CAME TO LIKE COLLECTING FROM OUR LOCAL DEALER SO THIS WAS KIND OF A UNIQUE PIECE AND MY MAIN TRACTOR USE IT FOR EVERYTHING WHEN WE PUT ON A SHOW ALL YOU KNOW WE THRASH AND ALL THAT WE CUT GRAIN WITH IT WE THRASH WHETHER IT WILL HAUL WAGONS FOR THE THREE POINT ON TO IT AND USE IT FOR BOX SCRAPER AND GRADE THE DRIVEWAY IN USE FOR EVERYTHING AND ITS GOT ITS WORKING CLOTHES ON YET. IT’S PRETTY MUCH ALL ORIGINAL PAINT AND ALL OUT SO I NEVER DECIDED THE PAINT IT AND I’VE USED IT ALL THE TIMES I NEVER HAD TIME TO A PAINT IT SO I DON’T KNOW, IT’S OK THE WAY IT IS. SOME OF THEM HAVE ASKED ME HOW MUCH AND TAKE FOUR. BUT THIS IS MY BABY AND I’M NEVER PARTING WITH THIS AND I WANT TO BE BURIED WITH IT.
COUNTRY CHURCH SALUTE
TODAY’S COUNTRY CHURCH SALUTE GOES TO THIS STONE CHURCH IN BARTONVILLE, ILLINOIS. IT’S AN HISTORIC CHURCH, STILL STANDING REPRESENTING A STRONG HISTORY IN THE AREA, BUT NO SERVICES ARE HELD IN THE BUILDING TODAY. OUR THANSK TO MISTY JOHNSTON FOR SENDING THAT IN. AS ALWAYS WE WANT TO LEARN ABOUT YOUR HOME CHURCH AS WELL... SALUTES CAN BE SENT TO THE ADDRESS ON THE SCREEN. STAY WITH US - CROPWACH IS NEXT.
FROM THE FARM
LOOK AT THESE GUT WRENCHING PHOTOS FROM CANADIAN, TEXAS. THE FIRST FROM SOUTHWEST KANSAS FARMER ON TWITTER. HE TOOK A 45 MINUTE DETOUR AROUND THE FIRE NORTH OF CANADIAN. AND THEN HERE IS SOME OF HTE AFTERMATH. AND JACQUELINE CLAWSON POSTED THIS PICTURE OF THE FIRES, SAYING SHE WAS PRAYING FOR SOUTHWEST KANSAS, AS WELL AS FOR HER FRIENDS AND FAMILY FIGHTING IT. AND WE LED THE SHOW WITH THE TRAGIC NEWS OF THREE INDIVIDUALS WHO LOST THEIR LIFE WHILE TRYING TO SAVE LIVESTOCK FROM THE WILDFIRES THIS WEEK. THEIR STORY REACHING AND TOUCHING THOUSANDS ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER. SO, I WANT TO END ON THIS. RANCHING ISN’T JUST A JOB OR A CAREER. IT’S A WAY OF LIFE. THE WORLD LOST TWO SELFLESS COWBOYS AND ONE SELFLESS COWGIRL THIS WEEK, SACRIFICING THEIR LIFE TO SAVE THEIR LIVESTOCK FROM MOTHER NATURE’S FURY. THOSE YOUNG INDIVIDUALS’ LIVES WERE CUT WAY TOO SHORT, LEAVING BEHIND FAMILY, FRIENDS AND COMMUNITIES. I DIDN’T KNOW THE THREE BRAVE INDIVIDUALS, BUT I KNOW THIS... THEY WEREN’T TRYING TO BE HEROES .. THEY WERE DOING WHAT THEY THOUGHT THEY HAD TO DO TO SAVE THEIR LIVESTOCK. SO, REST IN PEACE AND FLY HIGH, SIDNEY, CODY AND SLOAN. YOUR STORY AND LEGACY WILL LIVE ON FOR GENERATIONS. OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES DURING THIS TOUGH TIME
CLOSE
FROM ALL OF US AT U.S. FARM REPORT, I’M TYNE MORGAN. THANK YOU FOR WATCHING U-S FARM REPORT. BE SURE TO JOIN US RIGHT HERE AGAIN NEXT WEEK, AS WE WORK TO BUILD ON OUR TRADITION. HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND, EVERYONE.
