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Mar. 28, 2013

Article

March 2013 Grain Stocks Report: Corn Stocks Down 10% from March 2012, Soybean Stocks Down 27%

Corn stocks in all positions on March 1, 2013 totaled 5.40 billion bushels, down 10% from March 1, 2012. Soybeans stored in all positions on March 1, 2013 totaled 999 million bushels, down 27% from March 1, 2012....More
Mar. 25, 2013

Article

2013 Corn, Soybean Acreage and Yield Prospects

Corn and soybean production prospects in the U.S. in 2013 will hinge mostly on the nature of the growing season and yield prospects. The magnitude of planted acreage, however, will provide the basis for anticipating total production. Likely acreage has been the topic of discussion all winter, with projections in a fairly wide range....More
Mar. 12, 2013

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Future of the Conservation Reserve Program

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....More
Mar. 8, 2013

Article

March 2013 WASDE: Corn, Soybean Ending Stocks Unchanged, Prices Lowered, Narrowed

Projected 2012-2013 U.S. corn ending stocks are unchanged this month as an increase in imports and lower exports support higher expected feed and residual disappearance. U.S. soybean supply and use projections for 2012-2013 are unchanged this month, leaving ending stocks at 125 million bushels. Prices are also down and narrowed for both crops for the 2013 season....More
Mar. 8, 2013

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Numbers on the March 8 USDA WASDE, Crop Production Reports

USDA's supply and demand report (WASDE) is the focus of the trade. In a nutshell somewhat disappointing for soybeans, mixed for corn and disappointing for wheat. Here are a few quick highlights along with specific numbers and estimates....More
Mar. 5, 2013

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Ag Secretary on Budget Cuts

In an eloquent speech at the Commodity Classic in Florida on Friday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack explained how the sequester will affect the USDA budget, the food supply and farmers....More
Feb. 26, 2013

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How USDA Figures Yields

In case you are among the many wondering why USDA would project such high trend-line corn and soybean yield estimates (163.6 and 44.5, respectively, for 2013), here’s an explanation from the Ag Forum in Washington today. They are based on weather-adjusted yield models that account for temperature and rainfall during the growing season....More
Feb. 19, 2013

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USDA Announces 45th General Sign-Up for the Conservation Reserve Program

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that the USDA will conduct a four-week general sign-up for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), beginning May 20 and ending on June 14. CRP has a 27-year legacy of protecting the nation’s natural resources through voluntary participation, while providing significant economic and environmental benefits to rural communities across the United States. Under Secretary Vilsack’s leadership, USDA has enrolled 11.7 million acres in various CRP efforts....More
Feb. 19, 2013

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2013 Net Farm Income Predicted Up, But Net Cash Income Down

All of the newspaper and television headlines will scream that net farm income for 2013 will be up 14% compared to last year. And many of those readers and viewers will remember prior headlines that indicated farmers were raking in cash from the USDA’s crop insurance program at levels higher than they would have received in a normal production year. Unfortunately, agriculture needs Paul Harvey to tell, “The rest of the story.”...More
Feb. 12, 2013

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Corn Supply Increased Slightly in Feb. 8 WASDE

On Feb. 8, USDA released the latest World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) Report, which showed slight increase in the expected U.S. corn ending stocks for 2012-2013, compared to the January estimates. The projected 2012-2013 corn ending stocks are now estimated at 632 million bushels, as compared to 602 million bushels in the January report. By comparison, corn ending stocks at the end of 2011-2012 marketing year were 932 million bushels, and were just over 1.1 billion bushels at the end of the 2010-2011 crop year....More
Feb. 11, 2013

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Feb. 8 WASDE Corn and Soybean Consumption Projections

On Feb. 8, the USDA released new projections for marketing year consumption of U.S. corn and soybeans. Prices will now be at least partially influenced by how closely the rate of consumption tracks these projections....More
Feb. 11, 2013

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USDA Extends Census Deadline, Not too Late  to Return Agriculture Census

Farmers and ranchers across the country are heeding the call to have their voices heard and their farms represented in the 2012 Census of Agriculture. With 1.4 million Census forms returned, the USDA is thanking everyone for speaking up for their communities, their industry and their future by sending in their Census form. For those who missed the deadline, USDA reminds producers that their farm is important and needs to be counted. As a result, Census forms are still being accepted....More
Jan. 17, 2013

Article

Farmers: Remember to Complete Your 2012 Census of Agriculture 1

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack this week continues to remind farmers and ranchers to complete forms for the Census of Agriculture – the only source of uniform, comprehensive and impartial agricultural data for every county in the nation. The 2012 Census of Agriculture will provide the USDA with current information to help ensure an abundant, safe and accessible food supply for all of America....More
Jan. 15, 2013

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Jan. 11 USDA Report Recap

As expected, the USDA Crop Production Report released on Jan. 11 indicates that the total U.S. corn crop in 2012 will decline significantly, and the 2012 soybean production will drop slightly, as compared to production levels in 2011. The final average yields per acre for corn and soybeans in 2012 are also expected be lower than the 2011 yields; however both corn and soybean yields for 2012 were increased from the previous report. Following are some highlights of the latest USDA Crop Production report, as well as the latest supply and demand (WADSE) reports....More
Jan. 14, 2013

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USDA Reports Provide Some Price Direction

On Jan. 11, the USDA released a series of reports that provide important fundamental information for the crop markets. The information included the final estimate of the size of the 2012 United States corn and soybean crops, estimates of Dec. 1 crop inventories, a winter wheat seedings estimate and updated U.S. and world supply and consumption forecasts for the current marketing year. University of Illinois agricultural economist Darrel Good offers his analysis of the reports....More
Jan. 11, 2013

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Crop Production 2012 Summary: Corn 13% Below 2011, Soybeans Down 3%

Corn for grain production is estimated at 10.8 billion bushels, up 1% from the Nov. 1 forecast but 13% below 2011. The average yield in the United States is estimated at 123.4 bu./acre. Soybean production in 2012 totaled 3.01 billion bushels, up 1% from the Nov. 1 forecast but down 3% from 2011. United States production is the seventh largest on record. The average yield per acre is estimated at 39.6 bu....More
Jan. 8, 2013

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Jan. 8 WAOB Summary

Much of the Midwest experienced a dry week, except for some light precipitation across the southern tier of the region. Nevertheless, snow remained on the ground in much of the Corn Belt, particularly across the Ohio Valley and the Upper Midwest. Elsewhere, cold, mostly dry weather covered the West, with light precipitation confined to the Rockies and the Pacific Coast States. Weekly temperatures averaged at least 10-20° F below normal in snow-covered sections of the Intermountain West.
Dec. 18, 2012

Article

Census Provides Opportunity to Grow the Future of Agriculture

It's not every day that a walk to your mailbox leads to an opportunity to help shape farm programs, boost rural services and grow your farm future. But for producers across the country, that opportunity will soon become a reality. The 2012 Census of Agriculture, the only source of consistent and comprehensive agricultural data for every state and county in the nation, is currently being mailed to millions of farmers and ranchers across the United States....More
Dec. 14, 2012

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Emerging Opportunities in Rural America, Importance of Farm Bill: #askUSDA your questions

Pull up that Twitter account and get your questions ready. On Monday, Dec. 17, 2:30 p.m. (Central time) Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will host a live Virtual Office Hours session on Twitter to answer questions on the important role of rural America to the national and global economy, increasing agricultural opportunities in U.S. communities, and the importance of passing a five-year Farm Bill....More
Dec. 13, 2012

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USDA, NOAA Enter into Agreement to Improve Drought Weather Forecasting

In the wake of a series of regional drought conferences with farmers, ranchers, business owners and other stakeholders, USDA is entering into a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Commerce, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), to improve sharing of data and expertise, monitoring networks and drought forecasting efforts. The MOU is a direct outcome of the regional conferences....More
Dec. 11, 2012

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December 2012 WASDE Corn, Soybean Summary

U.S. feed grain supply and use projections for 2012-2013 are unchanged this month, but price outlooks for corn are lowered based on prices reported to date. The season-average farm price for corn is lowered 20¢ at the midpoint and the projected range is narrowed to $6.80-8/bu. Prices received by farmers through October remained well below cash market bids and this year’s early corn harvest appears to have boosted early season marketing placing further downward pressure on the outlook for the season-average price....More
Nov. 20, 2012

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EPA Denies RFS Waiver

The EPA recently announced that it would be denying the request for a waiver of the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). The EPA indicated that the agency did not find the necessary evidence to support a finding of “severe economic harm” that would have warranted the RFS waiver to be granted. EPA used a series of economic analyses and modeling done in conjunction with USDA and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)....More
Nov. 13, 2012

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USDA Increases Expected Soybean Production

The USDA Crop Production report released on Nov. 9 increased the estimated total soybean production in 2012 to 2.97 billion bushels, which is 4% above the 2.86 billion bushel estimate in October. The 2012 soybean production estimate is still 4% lower than the 2011 U.S. soybean production of 3.09 billion bushels, and 11% below the 2010 production level of 3.33 billion bushels. This production increase is a fairly major production adjustment for this late in the year....More
Nov. 12, 2012

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Corn, Soybean Prices Following Short-Crop Pattern

The USDA November forecasts of the size of the 2012 U.S. corn and soybean crops were larger than expected, particularly for soybeans. As a result, the general downtrend in soybean prices since mid-September has accelerated, with January futures now at the lowest level since June 29. Corn prices have moved into the lower half of the trading range that has been in place since mid-September and December futures are at the lowest level since Sept. 28....More
Nov. 9, 2012

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November 2012 WASDE: Corn, Soybean Ending Stocks Up, Prices Down

U.S. feed grain supplies for 2012-2013 are projected slightly higher with small increases forecast for corn and sorghum production and higher projected corn imports. Forecast corn production for 2012-2013 is raised 19 million bushels with a 0.3-bu. increase in the corn yield to 122.3 bu./acre. Total U.S. oilseed production for 2012-2013 is projected at 91.4 million tons, up 3.2 million from last month due to higher soybean, peanut and cottonseed production. Soybean production is forecast at 2.971 billion bushels, up 111 million from last month. The soybean yield is forecast at 39.3 bu./acre, up 1.5 bu. as several states show the benefit of late-season rainfall....More