/article/ en stu@farmgateblog.com Copyright 2013 2013-06-19T02:17:55+00:00 http://www.farmgateblog.com/site/buckle-your-seatbelt-for-the-house-consideration-of-the-farm-bill http://www.farmgateblog.com/site/buckle-your-seatbelt-for-the-house-consideration-of-the-farm-bill#When:02:17:55Z The Farm Bill had a cakewalk through the US Senate two weeks ago.  Now it is swimming in a swamp infested with crocodiles as it tries to survive in the House of Representatives.  House leadership called for amendments on Monday and received over 200, many of them from out and out opponents to farm legislation.  The House Rules Committee sorted out the more salient and comprehensive amendments for debate, and late Tuesday House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas opened debate urging his House colleagues to accept the bi-partisan efforts of his committee that approved it 36 to 10.  Unfortunately, that is not going to happen quickly. Agricultural Policy, 2013-06-19T02:17:55+00:00 http://www.farmgateblog.com/site/usda-sets-the-stage-for-the-june-28-planted-acreage-report http://www.farmgateblog.com/site/usda-sets-the-stage-for-the-june-28-planted-acreage-report#When:01:04:33Z The USDA’s June Supply-Demand report decreased the expected size of the 2013 corn crop, but using a reduced national yield estimate, not the expected reduction in acreage.  USDA statisticians are not yet ready to quantify barren corn acres just yet, and may wait until the June 28 planted acreage report.  Nevertheless, the lower production did not impress the traders and new crop corn contracts reflected the disappointment of the market. Marketing, Crop Production, 2013-06-13T01:04:33+00:00 http://www.farmgateblog.com/site/planting-is-unfinished-and-for-some-may-never-be-this-year http://www.farmgateblog.com/site/planting-is-unfinished-and-for-some-may-never-be-this-year#When:03:29:41Z In some parts of the Cornbelt many farmers have been dodging showers to get as many acres of corn and soybeans planted as possible, despite being beyond the final date for planting for crop insurance coverage.  Late planting deducts 1% coverage per day, but there will be many farms which finished planting by the deadline to secure their full coverage.  However there will be many farms which remain too wet to plant, particularly in the northern Cornbelt states which had perfect weather and great yields last year and planned to expand their corn and soybean acreage this year.  As this report indicates it is not a pretty sight everywhere. Marketing, Crop Production, Spring Planting, 2013-06-12T03:29:41+00:00 http://www.farmgateblog.com/site/plenty-of-corn-may-already-be-planted http://www.farmgateblog.com/site/plenty-of-corn-may-already-be-planted#When:04:25:15Z You may have eaten some of the ice cream at the Farm Progress Show, frozen with the help of a Rumely oil pull engine.  While the ice cream was good, the engine is fascinating as it operates with a series of fits and starts. And the 2013 planting season has been the same way, a season of fits and starts that just could seem to get going.  Just as you waited for the single cylinder engine to fire again, you have waited for the opportunity to get back in the field and plant for a day until there was an interlude of three days of rain and four days of slow drying.  There may be several million acres that will go unplanted this year, but farmers will not celebrating with any Rumely ice cream. Cornbelt Update, Spring Planting, 2013-06-07T04:25:15+00:00 http://www.farmgateblog.com/site/is-your-budget-prepared-for-higher-production-costs-and-lower-commodity-pri http://www.farmgateblog.com/site/is-your-budget-prepared-for-higher-production-costs-and-lower-commodity-pri#When:05:42:50Z If the commodity market is satisfied there will be more than enough corn and soybeans produced in 2013 to fulfill diminished demand, commodity prices will be significantly lower than what has been offered during years of increasing demand and finally a drought.  Normal production and lower demand because of the demand destruction from the drought could easily result in prices that are 25 to 33% lower than the past year.  But as crop prices fall, will crop production expenses fall along with them?  Input suppliers have been raising prices in lockstep with grain prices, but will that trend continue when prices fall?  How will your budget fare if costs and returns go in opposite directions? Farm Business Economics, 2013-06-06T05:42:50+00:00 http://www.farmgateblog.com/site/what-should-you-do-about-nitrogen-apply-more-or-hope-you-have-enough http://www.farmgateblog.com/site/what-should-you-do-about-nitrogen-apply-more-or-hope-you-have-enough#When:06:45:21Z Getting your planting completed has been your top priority this spring, and your number one headache.  The weather just has not cooperated.  And that has lead to your number two headache this spring, what should you do about nitrogen for corn.  Supposedly there was a lot left in the ground that was unused by the 2012 crop.  You applied some last fall or this spring. But word is that the heavy rain has washed it out of the field through the tile lines. So what can be done? Crop Production, Spring Planting, 2013-06-03T06:45:21+00:00 http://www.farmgateblog.com/site/so-you-are-thinking-more-about-prevented-planting-are-you-now http://www.farmgateblog.com/site/so-you-are-thinking-more-about-prevented-planting-are-you-now#When:05:19:19Z You are not finished planting corn.  Your fields are saturated.  Rain is coming in torrents.  More rain is in the forecast.  You know the final planting date for crop insurance is (past) (in a few days).  You may have already lost 10-15% of your potential yield. What is the first thing you do? Crop Production, Crop Insurance, Spring Planting, 2013-05-31T05:19:19+00:00 http://www.farmgateblog.com/site/2013-corn-crop-where-it-is-and-where-it-may-be-going http://www.farmgateblog.com/site/2013-corn-crop-where-it-is-and-where-it-may-be-going#When:04:06:53Z Corn planters, which covered 42 million acres of ground the week of May 12th, slowed considerably this past week and covered 14 million acres for the period beginning May 19th.  When USDA issued its weekly crop progress report Tuesday, it found 86% of the US corn crop had been planted, with another 14 million acres to go.  And questions are certainly justifiable about how much of that will be planted to corn, enroute to USDA’s March 28th estimate of just over 96 million acres. Crop Production, Crop Insurance, Spring Planting, 2013-05-29T04:06:53+00:00 http://www.farmgateblog.com/site/has-the-crop-insurance-pendulum-reversed-direction http://www.farmgateblog.com/site/has-the-crop-insurance-pendulum-reversed-direction#When:13:15:57Z Crop insurance can be compared to a long, slow pendulum.  It took a long time to get started, but when it did, it swung in the direction of farm popularity.  Farmers were quite happy with options, costs, and a wide variety of plans that would fit the needs of most farms.  Now it may be swinging back the other direction in its long cycle. Farm Business Economics, Agricultural Policy, 2013-05-27T13:15:57+00:00 http://www.farmgateblog.com/site/here-is-the-next-farm-program-and-heres-how-you-work-it http://www.farmgateblog.com/site/here-is-the-next-farm-program-and-heres-how-you-work-it#When:02:53:43Z Coincidence, possibly. But the timing is perfect.  Economists from the USDA’s Economics Research Service and Mississippi State University evaluated one of the primary safety net programs under consideration by Congress in its deliberations on the 2014 Farm Bill.  Whether the Congress pays any attention to the evaluation is hard to predict, but their analysis will play an important part in farmers’ decisions when it comes time to sign up for a farm program, should the alternative become part of the new safety net.  And it likely will. Agricultural Policy, 2013-05-23T02:53:43+00:00