Focus on Ag

June is Dairy Month

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:14:00 +0000

For decades in Minnesota, June has been known as Dairy Month. Following are some interesting facts and figures about the dairy industry:

Focus on Ag

Focus Shifts to Soybean Planting, Prevented Planting

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 20:14:00 +0000

The prevented and delayed corn and soybean planting in Minnesota is likely to have a bigger impact on the final statewide average yield in 2013 than in some other years, due to the fact that the unplanted acres are in some of the highest production areas of the state.

Focus on Ag

Prevented Planting Becomes the Focus of Farmers

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 21:20:00 +0000

It’s hard to believe that a mere two to three months ago we were still talking about continued drought in much of the Upper Midwest. Now, in some areas of southern Minnesota and northern Iowa wet field conditions and delayed crop planting has become so severe that producers are considering not planting a portion of their crops in 2013.

Focus on Ag

General CRP Sign-Up Underway

Tue, 28 May 2013 20:01:00 +0000

A general Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) sign-up is currently occurring at local Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices throughout the United States. The general CRP sign-up period runs from May 20 through June 14. General CRP sign-ups were also held in 2012 when 3.6 million acres were accepted into CRP, in 2011 with 3.75 million acres were accepted into CRP and in 2010 when about 4.2 million acres were accepted into CRP.

Focus on Ag

Corn Planting Progress Mixed

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:19:00 +0000

If you ask someone, “How much corn is planted, or how much spring fieldwork has occurred in your area?” the response is likely to be quite different. A major snowfall event in early May, followed by frequent rainfall events throughout most of May, in the eastern half of southern Minnesota, as well as areas of northern Iowa, has caused significant delays in corn planting.

Focus on Ag

May 10 WASDE Could Cause Grain Market Concerns

Tue, 14 May 2013 19:38:00 +0000

The USDA Crop Production and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WADSE) Reports released on May 10 were regarded as bearish for the corn market and neutral to bearish for the soybean market in the coming months. Corn stocks are expected to more than double by the end of the next crop marketing year, while the ending stocks for soybeans are expected show more moderate increases for the 2013-2014 marketing year, which runs from Sept. 1, 2013 to Aug. 31, 2014.

Focus on Ag

ACRE Program Decisions for 2013

Tue, 07 May 2013 21:24:00 +0000

The Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) Program was implemented by USDA for the 2009 crop year, as part of the 2008 Farm Bill, and continued for the 2010 to 2012 crop years. For 2013, eligible farm operators will again have the option to enroll in the ACRE Program, as an alternative to the current Counter-Cyclical Payment (CCP) Program.

Focus on Ag

Waiting To Start Spring Field Work

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 21:23:00 +0000

Like the start of a big race, or the beginning of a championship game, farmers in Minnesota and Iowa are eagerly awaiting the initiation of full-scale field work. Very cool temperatures and moist soil conditions have existed across the region during most of the month of April, resulting in cold soil temperatures and soil conditions that have not been conducive to the initiation of corn planting in Minnesota and Iowa.

Focus on Ag

Earth Day 2013

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 21:07:00 +0000

For over four decades, an annual event called Earth Day has been held in late April across the United States, which has been a time for all U.S. citizens to reflect on our country’s environmental resources, and what we can do individually and as communities to help enhance our environment for the next generation. In recent years, it has become fashionable to point the finger of blame at agriculture and farmers for many environmental issues.

Focus on Ag

8 Considerations with Custom Farming Agreements

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 20:31:00 +0000

An alternative to leasing farmland is a custom farming agreement. In a typical custom farming agreement, the custom operator agrees to perform all the machine operations on the owner’s land in exchange for a set fee or rate. The landowner pays for all seed, fertilizer, chemicals, crop insurance and other input costs; receives the all grain produced and all eligible farm program payments on the land; and is responsible to store and market the grain.

Focus on Ag

Weather, Cold Soil Holding Back Planting in Minnesota, Iowa

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 20:03:00 +0000

In 2012, most farmers in southern Minnesota and Iowa began full-scale fieldwork during the week of April 10-17, with most of the corn being planted by the end of April. By comparison in 2013, we are not likely to see much full-scale fieldwork across the region until after April 15, and we are probably a couple a weeks away, at a minimum, from seeing a significant amount of corn being planted.

Focus on Ag

2013 Custom Farming Rates Up Slightly from 2012

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 18:01:00 +0000

As would be expected with increasing fuel costs, average 2013 custom rates for farm work have a1so increased, compared to 2012 custom rates. Most custom rates for farm work in 2013 are 3-5% above the rates for similar operations in 2012, with an average increase of about 4%.

Focus on Ag

National Agriculture Week 2013

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 15:30:00 +0000

National Ag Week is being celebrated March 17-23 all across the United States, with Tuesday, March 19, being designated as National Ag Day. As we celebrate National Ag Week, it is a good time to reflect on all the traditions and advancements that help make the U.S. agriculture industry second to none! Following are some interesting statistics about today’s agriculture industry.

Focus on Ag

Future of the Conservation Reserve Program

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 20:50:00 +0000

In 2013, the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is celebrating its 27th anniversary, and over two and a half decades of conservation success. CRP was originally established in the 1985 Farm Bill, and today has over 390,000 landowners participating, most of which are farmers and ranchers, and currently has just over 27.0 million acres under some-type of CRP contracts. Another general CRP sign-up will be held in 2013, from May 20 through June 14, at local FSA offices.

Focus on Ag

Crop Insurance Decision Time

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 20:38:00 +0000

March 15 is the deadline to purchase crop insurance for the 2013 crop year for corn, soybeans and spring wheat in Upper Midwest states. As of March 1, the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) has finalized the 2013 crop prices in the Upper Midwest for Yield Protection (YP) policies, as well as the base prices for Revenue Protection (RP and RPE) policies.

Focus on Ag