Enrollment for Dairy Risk Management Program Begins Sept. 2nd.

Starting Sept. 2, 2014, farmers can enroll in the new dairy Margin Protection Program. The voluntary program, established by the 2014 Farm Bill, provides financial assistance to participating farmers when the margin – the difference between the price of milk and feed costs – falls below the coverage level selected by the farmer.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) also launched a new Web tool to help producers determine the level of coverage under the Margin Protection Program that will provide them with the strongest safety net under a variety of conditions. The online resource, available at www.fsa.usda.gov/mpptool, allows dairy farmers to quickly and easily combine unique operation data and other key variables to calculate their coverage needs based on price projections.

The Margin Protection Program, which replaces the Milk Income Loss Contract program, gives participating dairy producers the flexibility to select coverage levels best suited for their operation. Enrollment begins Sept. 2 and ends on Nov. 28, 2014, for 2014 and 2015. Participating farmers must remain in the program through 2018 and pay a minimum $100 administrative fee each year. Producers have the option of selecting a different coverage level during open enrollment each year.

Dairy operations enrolling in the new program must comply with conservation compliance provisions and cannot participate in the Livestock Gross Margin dairy insurance program. Farmers already participating in the Livestock Gross Margin program may register for the Margin Protection Program, but the new margin program will only begin once their Livestock Gross Margin coverage has ended.

The 2014 Farm Bill also established the Dairy Product Donation Program. The program authorizes USDA to purchase and donate dairy products to nonprofit organizations that provide nutrition assistance to low-income families. Purchases only occur during periods of low dairy margins. Dairy operators do not need to enroll to benefit from the Dairy Product Donation Program.

Visit FSA online at www.fsa.usda.gov/factsheets, or stop by a local FSA office to learn more about the Margin Protection Program or the Dairy Product Donation Program.

New Tool in Irrigation

The Oklahoma Mesonet, a network of environmental monitoring stations, is offering farmers a new irrigation tool to get "the most from the water.  It helps determine 'which and how much,'" said Al Sutherland, Oklahoma State University Mesonet Agriculture Coordinator, in a recent interview with South West Farm Press.

"Often in hot, dry summers, farmers simply turn on irrigation systems and let them run,' Sutherland said.  "But with subsurface drip irrigation systems and in years with more rain, producers need to make decisions on when to irrigate."

The system uses multiple factors including soil type, temperature, humidity, wind speed and solar radiation to determine the evaporation rate.  An irrigation planner is also included to help farmers determine when and how much water to apply.

The Oklahoma Mesonet consists of 120 automated stations covering Oklahoma.  There is at least one Mesonet station in every Oklahoma county.

To view a video of the system, go to South West Farm Press.

Depressed Prices Ups Farmers Hedging

What do farmers need to keep in mind about the futures market?  Let Dave Leheman, CME Group Managing Director of Research and Product Development, tell you.  Here's a short video from an interview by Agriculture.com.

Knock Down Weeds With Grit

If you're battling weeds in the field, a recent report shows that spraying them at this point may not work.  So what do you do?  Knock them down, literally.

A system being tested by USDA-ARS researchers in Minnesota.  Targeted primarily at organic production systems, the "Propelled Abrasive Grit Management" (PAGMan) replaces chemical with compressed air and "grit particles" to control weeds "around the base of the corn, soybean, and other row crops," according to a report from USDA-ARS by Jan Suszkiw.

The system expels .5 millimeter wide particles in a "cone shaped pattern" at a 100 pound/square inch rate.  The results have been eye opening.

"Field trial results from 2013 showed season long weed control levels of 80% to 90% in corn using two treatments of the abrasive grit - one at the first leaf stage, and the second at three or five leaf stage of corn growth," he said during an interview with Agriculture.com.

"Ongoing field trials may foretell of the systems potential to help organic growers tackle within row infestations of weeds that have sprouted around the base of corn, soybean and other row crops," he says.  "For organic systems, the grit selection can have more of an effect than just knocking down weeds."

Corn & Soybean Crops Continue Historic March

U.S. corn and soybean producers are again on pace to set a new high in yields according to USDA's Aug. 12th Crop Production report.  Last years corn crop was a new record, and soybeans were the third highest ever.

Corn

Corn production is projected at 14 billion bushels, based on conditions as of Aug. 1st.  Yields are expected to average 167.4 bushels per acre, up 8.6 bushels from 2013.  If this turns out to be correct it'll be the highest yield recorded in the United States.  

Market analyst Brain Basting, Advanced Trading, said in a recent interview with Delta Farm Press that the corn production numbers "were a little below the average trade guess of 14.25 billion bushels.  It's a start, a mark on the wall.  Historically, there have been significant changes over time relative to the August report."

USDA's estimated ending stocks for corn, at 1.8 billion bushels, was also well below the average trade guess of 2.03 billion bushels, according to Basting.  "The key thing now is to see if we have some more export demand surface at these lower prices."

Soybeans

Soybean production is forcasted at a record 3.82 billion bushels, up 16 percent from last year.  Based on Aug. 1st conditions, yields should average 45.4 bushels per acre, up 2.1 from last year.  Area for harvest in the United States is expected to be 84.1 million acres, up 11 percent from last year.

Soybean carryout is expected to be 430 million bushels "which is exactly triple the estimate for 2013-14, at 140 million bushels," Basting said.  "That is a burdensome carryout.  The trade is going to be watching the weather the last three weeks of August.  The southwestern Midwest did get some good rains recently which helped those double-cropped soybeans there.  The soybean market is looking at what could be the largest soybean crop ever."

Automated Soil Sampling

The detail is in the dirt.  As any practicing farmer knows, you must understand the land you're working on to get the greatest yield.  

The way most do that is buy hiring cheap labor to go into the field and retrieve soil samples by shovel.  Problem with that is, you often don't get good soil samples.  The workers are often more interested in quantity not quality.

Allen Baucom, a North Carolina farmer, said in a recent interview with Agriculture.com, "That probably wasn't smart, because the sample is too important to trust just anyone."

That's why he custom-engineered the Falcon - an automated soil-sampling system.

"The premise was to develop a system for taking quality soil samples and doing it efficiently and effectively.  The Falcon takes soil sampling from prehistoric to the future.  Gone are the days of time consuming, labor intensive, inconsistent, and tedious sample collection." says Baucom.  "Falcon technology delivers better samples and better analysis to make smarter input decisions."

Weighing 2,200 pounds, at the heart is a five foot diameter stainless steel drum.  Once lowered, a probe takes a sample every fifteen feet at a depth determined by the length of the probe, which can range from from four to twelve inches.

When the sample is collected, the drum is raised and a twelve volt motor takes over, which continues to rotate it, mixing the soil.  "This gives a good homogeneous sample of the area being probed," said Baucom.

A funnel then lowers into the drum, and the sample flows into an individual container.  As the funnel returns to its original position, the tray rotates itself to ready for the next sample.

"All of this is done without stopping," he notes.  "It's completely on the fly."

The tray holds twelve samples before it has to be replaced.  "On average, the system gathers twelve samples every forty minutes.  When the tray is full, you go to the back of the machine and grave another tray to take further samples," he explains.

The component on the back holds twelve trays.  "In total the system can hold one hundred and fifty six samples, which includes the tray collecting," he said.

A limited number of systems will be available at the end of September.  Base price is expected to be less than $50,000.

Monsanto's New Roundup Ready in 2016

In 2016 you'll be able to use Monsanto's Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System for dicamba-tolerant soybeans.
Monsanto officials say they expect the USDA to give the all clear for the Roundup Ready by the years end.  However, Chinese approval for the system's soybeans won't be done by the the end of 2014.

"In the interest of stewardship, that will push us back for (Roundup Ready Xtend) soybeans to 2016 (pending regulatory approval)," says John Combest, a Monsanto spokesperson during a recent interview with Agriculture.com.  He said the farmers need to know that Roundup Ready Xtend soybeans will be able to be exported.  It's key to have China's approval first before introducing the product to farmers.

Monsanto originally planed on releasing the product in 2014.  That was before the USDA decided to have Animal and Plants Health Inspections Services (APHIS) launch two separate environmental impact statements (EIS) for traits that tolerate 2, 4-D and diacamba herbicides.

Dow AgroScience is still aiming for a 2015 release of its Enlist Weed Control System that includes soybeans tolerant 2, 4-D.  Just how large the scope and size of the release is up to the US approvals and import approvals from foreign nations.  Like the Roundup situation, China is a stickler for gaining import approvals of Enlist system components.

"There are still some approvals that need to be gained there," says Damon Palmer, Dow AgroSciences US commercial leader for Enlist.  That applies to other soybean systems as well as Enlists technology.  Authorities in Canada, Australia, Japan, Colombia, Taiwan, and Mexico have all cleared Enlist components for export.

Two New Varieties of Winter Wheat

Wheat growers in the Central US have learned about new Winter Wheat that will hit the market in 2015.

In a recent story by Agriculture.com, Syngenta announced the launch of SY Clearstone CL2 for Montana and Western North Dakota.  Also, Kansas State University's KanMark will be marketed to Kansas and the surrounding states.

"SY Clearstone CL2 is an ideal option for planting this fall because it excelled in a broad range of yield trials in this area and combines excellent yield potential with the agronomics growers have been looking for," said Corey Dathe, Northern Plains cereals key account lead, Syngenta.  "As certified seed, it provides growers with added assurance for consistent performance and high quality."

A hard red variety, it is a taller, semi dwarf variety with good test weight and can stand up to harsh winters.  It has high protein content with a two-gene herbicide tolerance.  It gives growers better weed management options while still offering a high yield.

KanMark is more suited for the central Plains.

It is from Kansas State's wheat breeding team.  It features reliable yield potential even under low precipitation ideal conditions, according to wheat breeder Allen Fitz.

It's targeted primarily for western Kansas but can also be used in central Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Texas, and eastern Colorado.

Fitz warns it is moderately susceptible to acidic soils and scab, so farmers would have to take necessary precautions.

KanMark boasts resistance to stripe rust, leaf rust, and soil-borne mosaic virus.  However, it is susceptible to Hessian fly and moderately susceptible to powdery mildew and tan spot.  It contains multi-gene resistance to leaf and stripe rust, and tends to yield towards the top of the yields chart.

KanMark is the product of a three way cross and was originally bred for resistance from leaf and stripe rust.  Its pedigree includes Parula, Pastor and Karl 92.  Fitz added that this is a very short-statured, upright variety and that producers may not see much of a canopy.  But he warns not to judge it until it comes across the scale.

"I always thought this was an ugly duckling wheat," said Fitz.  "But we're not here to release bouquet wheat, we're here to release varieties that will make money for producers, and I think it will do that."

KanMark is named to honor Mark Carleton, who was a wheat researcher at Kansas State.  He brought back varieties from Russia and used them to breed Kanred nearly a century ago.  Carleton was also the first president of American Society of Agronomy.  His contributions to the American wheat industry were substantial.