FarmWeek edition November 2 2009

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Monday, November 2, 2009 Two sections Volume 37, No. 44

FarmWeek on the web: FarmWeekNow.com Illinois Farm Bureau®on the web: www.ilfb.org

CHINA’S DECISION lastweek to lift its H1N1-related banon U.S. pork was viewed as a posi-tive step, but an immediate impactis not expected. ...............................2

FARM BUREAU opposes aHouse bi l l that would requirecompulsory national health insur-ance and a government-run insur-ance option. .................................4

A R E C O R D P E RC E N T -AGE of Illinois cropland acreswas farmed with conservationtillage last year, according to anew survey. ................................3

BY KAY SHIPMANFarmWeek

Livestock producers should be awarethe U.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency’s (EPA) plans to step up enforce-ment of the Clean Water Act include con-centrated animal feeding operations(CAFOs), according to an environmentalspecialist with the American Farm BureauFederation (AFBF).

Don Parrish, AFBF senior director forregulatory relations, referred to recentcongressional testimony by EPA Adminis-trator Lisa Jackson.

Jackson outlined a plan to address“water pollution challenges” caused bynumerous sources, such as CAFOs, seweroverflows, contaminated water fromindustrial facilities, construction sites, andurban street runoff.

Parrish said producers should be pre-pared for inspections by state agency or

regional EPA personnel. “Livestockenforcement is a high (EPA) priority,” hesaid.

Last week, the Illinois EnvironmentalProtection Agency (IEPA) issued a gener-al state permit to implement nationalCAFO regulations within Illinois. Produc-ers had faced a Feb. 27, 2009, deadline toapply for a National Pollutant DischargeElimination System (NPDES) permit eventhough the permit procedure hadn’t beenfinalized.

Throughout the permit developmentprocess, the Illinois Farm Bureau hadraised concerns and submitted commentsabout the permit to IEPA.

IEPA’s latest general permit issuancestems from EPA revisions to the CleanWater Act more than six years ago. Otherstates also have been struggling.

After nearly a year-long legal challenge,Maryland recently announced it will issue

a general permit effective Dec. 1. With concerns about disease transmis-

sion to their animals, livestock producersare more cautious with biosecurity proce-dures.

According to IEPA, its inspectors arerequired to follow IEPA biosecurity pro-tocol and follow routine and practicalbiosecurity procedures. Those practicesinclude wearing clean protective footwearand driving vehicles that have not been toother livestock facilities for an extendedperiod.

This fall, livestock producers are facingadditional challenges with the delayed har-vest and wet weather.

“We know about the struggle withmanure applications this fall,” said JimKaitschuk, executive director of the Illi-nois Pork Producers Association (IPPA).

He encouraged producers with ques-tions to call IPPA at 217-529-3100.

CAFO concerns: EPA ramping up focus with inspections

ANOTHER USE FOR SOY

Justin Kurdi with Prairie State Insulation sprays soy foam insulation in the attic of Rodger Sprague’sDeWitt County home. The back of drywall to the right has yet to receive a foam coating. The foamexpands once it is applied. Sprague chose soy foam to make his new home energy efficient and to in-crease demand and markets for soybeans. See story on page 8. (Photo by Cyndi Cook)

BY MARTIN ROSSFarmWeek

A major renewable energyalliance last week labeled Sen-ate cap-and-trade legislation “awork in progress,” long onconjecture but short on agspecifics.

The Senate Environmentand Public Works Committeelast week launched hearings onChairman Barbara Boxer’s (D-Calif.) plan to reduce annualgreenhouse gas emissions 80percent by 2050.

The measure would capemissions by an estimated7,500 energy providers,refineries, and companiesnationwide.

The group 25x’25 noted theKerry-Boxer plan fails toexplicitly exclude U.S. agricul-ture and forestry from pro-posed emission caps.

Nor does it specificallyenable producers to marketemissions “offsets” to regulat-ed industries at a level neededto meet a goal of reducingannual greenhouse gas emis-sions to 20 percent below 2005levels by 2020, the group said.

The measure’s offsets title“falls far short of ensuring anoperationally viable program,”25x’25 Policy CommitteeChairman Bart Ruth argued.

According to the former

American Soybean Associationpresident, lawmakers must ful-ly address biological sequestra-tion (use of trees and crops totrap carbon dioxide) if theyhope to generate short-term,low-cost offsets “in the quanti-ty expected and at the pricesdesired.”

House cap-and-trade pro-posals spearheaded by HouseAg Committee ChairmanCollin Peterson (D-Minn.)would charge USDA withdetermining eligible ag offsetsand recognize ag carbon offsetpractices adopted as far backas 2001.

The Boxer plan empowersthe White House to authorizewhich agencies identify offsetsand pinpoints no eligible croppractices, though Boxer claimsher bill includes an agricultural“placeholder.”

Peterson’s provisions“raised the level of comfortconsiderably” for farmers,Ruth said.

However, he believes thefinal package should go fur-ther,” warning “when thingsare left open to interpretationby those drafting rules and reg-ulations, there’s always roomfor mischief.”

“There’s a lot of conjectureabout what (cap-and-trade leg-islation) can do for agriculture,but until we can see specificsdrafted into legislation, I thinkpeople across rural Americaare going to be very reluctantto be supportive of the legisla-tion,” Ruth told FarmWeek.

“It’s important we recog-

nize things we’re already doingthat are having a huge impact.Part of that is reduction ofenergy being consumed. We’redoing a great job with no-tilland all the other fuel-savingpractices we’re engaged in.”

According to 25x’25, sena-tors must set down specificson environmentally acceptable

“permanence” standards forcarbon sequestration practices;allowances for accidental car-bon “leakage” (through fires,disease, and the like); programrisk management; liability pro-tections for both offset buyersand sellers; and one-to-oneoffset-to-allowance “equiva-

25x’25: Climate plan lacks ag specifics

See Climate, page 4

FUTUREGEN DEAL RISKY PROPOSITION? —FutureGen — the long-delayed, revolutionary coal ener-gy/carbon sequestration project tentatively slated for Mat-toon — could cost Illinois tens of millions of dollars morethan initially believed, critics of a proposed state plan warn.

Illinois lawmakers are considering an arrangement thatwould require the state to purchase all electricity initially pro-duced at the proposed power plant, which was put back onthe drawing board by the administration after being shelvedby the previous administration.

The facility would operate with near-zero emissions andtrap carbon dioxide underground near the plant. It is viewedas crucial to helping existing utilities adapt to proposed newgreenhouse emissions caps. Because the facility will be stateof the art, it is expected to cost more than a traditional coal-burning power plant.

Supporters say an Illinois deal would help FutureGenqualify for more than $1 billion in federal grants to helpfinance its construction.

But concern about the impact of the proposal on thestate’s budget and/or taxpayers could endanger prospectsfor final FutureGen approval in January.

ESTATE TAX ‘FREEZE’? — Amid Democrat con-cerns about 2010 elimination of the federal estate tax andRepublican concerns about its proposed return at pre-2002rates in 2011 under current law, Congress reportedly is con-sidering a virtual freeze in estate tax exemptions and ratesnext year as it ponders a solution.

With health care debate dominating the congressionalagenda, some on Capitol Hill are predicting a mere exten-sion of the current $3.5-million-per-person exemption and45 percent top estate tax rate for 2010.

Illinois Farm Bureau Director of National LegislationAdam Nielsen reiterated continued support for a bipartisanalternative that would raise the individual exemption to $5million and lower the top rate to 35 percent. Because the billwould be phased in over a 10-year period, the result wouldbe virtually the same in 2010.

“The overall impact on the budget is mitigated because ofthe 10-year phase-in,” Nielsen argued, addressing Democratconcerns about lost revenues related to estate tax relief.“We’re hoping that bill really picks up traction — it’s the bestplan out there.”

NOT A WHEAT CONVERGENCE FIX? — A pro-posal to allow variable storage rates at grain facilities likelywould not fix the lack of convergence between wheatfutures and cash prices, according to Gary Gensler, chair-man of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission(CFTC).

The CME Group has backed a plan that would allow stor-age rates at grain facilities eligible for delivery to changebased on the price difference between futures contracts.

However, Gensler at a CFTC Agricultural Advisory Com-mittee meeting last week expressed concern about whetherthe plan to implement variable storage rates would addressthe fundamental issue with the wheat contract, ReutersNews Agency reported.

Gensler reportedly urged the CFTC committee to exploreother options, such as using cash-settled contracts or movingthe delivery points, to improve the convergence issue.

FarmWeek Page 2 Monday, November 2, 2009

(ISSN0197-6680)

Vol. 37 No. 44 November 2, 2009

Dedicated to improving the profitability of farm-ing, and a higher quality of life for Illinois farmers.FarmWeek is produced by the Illinois FarmBureau.

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© 2009 Illinois Agricultural Association

STAFFEditor

Dave McClelland ([email protected])Legislative Affairs Editor

Kay Shipman ([email protected])Agricultural Affairs Editor

Martin Ross ([email protected])Senior Commodities Editor

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Quick TakesEMERGING ISSUES

Senators want redistricting reforms to be consideredBY KAY SHIPMANFarmWeek

Republican members of the Illinois SenateRedistricting Committee last week urged thestate to change its process for drawing leg-islative boundaries.

The committee chairman, meanwhile,said such proposals would be consid-ered in the usual legislative process.

During the fall veto session, Com-mittee Chairman Sen. Kwame Raoul(D-Chicago) said, “We’ll considerproposals as they are referred to thiscommittee. The same as we considerall proposals in committee ... I don’tintend this committee to be a tool toblock proposals.”

The Redistricting Committee took testimonyin what may be its final hearing last week afterhearings in Chicago, Springfield, and Peoriaover the past three months.

Republican committee members pushed for“meaningful independence” between those whodraw the legislative boundaries and the politi-cians who will run for seats determined bythose lines.

“The politicians should not be allowed todraw the (district) lines in which they will lat-

er run,” Sen. Dale Righter (R-Mattoon)said.

The timing also is right for redistrict-ing reform, the senators noted.

“If people in Illinois want to knowwhy redistricting is important to them,you will never see change in this Capi-tol building until there is redistrictingreform,” said Sen. Kirk Dillard (R-Hinsdale).

The redrawing of legislative districts willbegin in 2011 after the 2010 census. A constitu-tional amendment would be required to changethe redistricting process.

China to remove ban on U.S. porkBY DANIEL GRANTFarmWeek

China’s decision last weekto lift its H1N1-related ban onU.S. pork was a “positivedevelopment” for strugglingproducers, according to PhilBorgic, president of the Illi-

nois PorkProducersAssociation(IPPA).

China,which imple-mented theban in Aprilwhen H1N1was con-firmed in theU.S., was the

third-largest importer of U.S.pork in 2008, purchasing400,000 metric tons of porkvalued at nearly $690 million.

“This is good news for U.S.pork producers,” said DonButler, president of theNational Pork ProducersCouncil. “China is by far thelargest potential money-mak-ing opportunity for the U.S.pork industry.”

Borgic agreed the reopen-ing of the Chinese market iscrucial to taking U.S. porkexports back to record levelsof 2007-08 when nearly one-fourth of all U.S. pork wassold outside the country. Buthe cautioned his fellow pro-ducers not to expect immedi-ate results.

China during negotiationswith U.S. Trade RepresentativeRon Kirk, Ag Secretary TomVilsack, and Commerce Secre-tary Gary Locke did not estab-lish a time frame for when itwill resume purchases of U.S.pork.

“It’s a positive developmentafter a lengthy process,” Bor-gic said. “But, until we see

Read views on redistricting

— page 16

Phil Borgic

orders from China, this (deci-sion to lift the H1N1-relatedban) won’t affect the prices wereceive” for hogs in the U.S.

Hog prices in the pastyear plummeted by $30 to$40 per head due to the com-bination of the worldwiderecession and confusioncaused by the H1N1 out-break, which originally wasmislabeled “swine flu” eventhough the virus is not relat-ed to pork consumption,according to Borgic, a hogproducer from Nokomis.

Borgic believes most con-sumers now know that porkconsumption is safe and is notrelated to H1N1. However,

the key to boosting porkexports back to record levelscould be economic recoveryaround the world.

Pork prices “have beenaffected by the economicslowdown as there has been acutback in overall meat con-sumption,” the IPPA presidentsaid. A revitalized export mar-ket is “very important” toreversing the trend, he said.

Borgic previously special-ized in sales of weaned pigsbut said he started finishingsome of the animals due to aloss of customers. The changein production systems roughlydoubled the capital require-ments on his farm.

Quinn makes appointmentto Commerce Commission

Gov. Pat Quinn last week appointed John Colgan to the Illi-nois Commerce Commission. Colgan had been vice president forpublic policy for the Illinois Association of Community ActionAgencies. He will fill the vacancy left by Robert Lieberman.

Colgan has more than 30 years experience in communityorganizing and administration. In 2004, he co-authored theAffordable Energy Plan, which was used as the basis for the newIllinois Percentage of Income Payment Plan that helps low-income families, seniors, and others pay their utility bills.

The Commerce Commission is a bridge between consumersand Illinois’ utility companies.

CONSERVATION


BY KAY SHIPMANFarmWeek

Conservation practices have signif-icantly reduced erosion in the IllinoisRiver watershed over the last 15 years,according to an Illinois Departmentof Agriculture (IDOA) official.

Alan Gulso, an IDOA land andwater resource specialist, reported on2009 conservation survey results.Since 1994, IDOA and Soil and WaterConservation Districts have surveyedtillage practices and soil losses acrossthe state.

Speaking at the recent Illinois Riv-er Conference, Gulso focused on sur-

vey data collected from more than20,000 fields within the river water-shed.

“The real story isthat more than 50 per-cent of soybeans areplanted with no-till inthe Illinois River water-shed,” Gulso reported.

This compares toabout 30 percent no-tillsoybean fields in 1994.

“The amount ofconventional tillage has dropped sig-nificantly since 1994 in the water-shed,” he said.

Within the watershed, soybeanacres in conventional tillage dropped

to 8 percent in 2009 from 39 percentin 1994. During the same period,corn acres under conventional tillage

declined to 36 percent from 64 per-cent.

When the first survey wastaken, the overall average ero-sion rate for the watershed was2.5 tons per acre. This year, theoverall average had decreasedto 2 tons per acre.

Gulso calculated the reduc-tion in average erosion wasabout 5 million tons on the 10million to 10.7 million croplandacres in the watershed.

He attributed the reduction in per-acre erosion to a decline in sheet andrill erosion.

Conservation practices lowering erosion rates

‘The realy story is that more than 50percent of soybeans are planted withno-till in the Illinois River watershed.’

— Alan GulsoIllinois Department of Agriculture

U of I awarded water quality research funds

The University of Illi-nois recently was awarded$660,000 for water qualityresearch through USDA’sNational Integrated WaterQuality Program(NIWQP).

Illinois, one of 12 statesawarded new 2009 fundingto address critical waterissues, received the maxi-mum funding amount andwas the largest grantrecipient for a single ini-tiative.

Mark David, U of I bio-geochemistry professor,will be the main researcheron the USDA-fundedresearch project.

David had a principalrole in a Council on Foodand Agricultural Research(C-FAR) project on waternutrient standards.

The U of I project willfocus on reducing nitratelosses in tile-drained agri-cultural watersheds.

The research team indi-cates scientists will workwith an active watershedgroup in all phases of theproject.

The C-FAR nutrientstandards research and anearlier C-FAR water quali-ty project allowed U of Iscientists to develop a for-midable proposal to com-pete for national researchdollars, David said.

George Czapar, waterquality coordinator for Uof I Extension, providedleadership for the C-FAR-funded water quality stan-dards project.

Czapar, who will partic-ipate in the USDA-fundedproject, attributed the suc-cess of the nutrient stan-dards project to awardingof national funding.

Illinois farmers increas-ingly are farming the conser-vation way.

A record percentage ofIllinois cropland acres, 49.9percent, was farmed withconservation tillage last year,according to a statewide sur-vey released last week by theIllinois Department of Agri-culture (IDOA).

IDOA, Soil and WaterConservation Districts, andthe USDA Natural ResourcesConservation Service startedthe soil erosion and croptillage survey in 1994.

“Conservation tillage isgood for the environmentbecause it prevents soil ero-

sion and improves waterquality,” said Illinois Agricul-

ture DirectorTom Jen-nings.

Since 1994,farmers’ useof conserva-tion tillagehas increasedfrom 32 per-cent up to49.9 percent

on all cropland acres. Con-servation tillage leaves atleast 30 percent crop residueon the ground after planting.

In addition, Illinois farm-ers have reached tolerablesoil loss or T on 85 percent

of cropland acres. No-till farming is the

most widespread conserva-tion practice, applied on29.2 percent of all croplandacres.

IDOA officials point tothe large percentage, 48.8percent, of no-till soybeanacres compared to 13.2 per-cent of no-till corn acres.

However, overall no-tillacres declined slightly com-pared to the 51 percent in2006, the previous surveyyear.

“The number of no-tillacres actually declined,probably because this springwas so wet,” said Alan Gul-

so, IDOA land and waterresources specialist.

Some farmers opted toswitch from no-till to mulchtill in an attempt to dry outsaturated fields and get acrop planted, Gulso said.

The survey recorded a 6percent increase in mulch-tillacres this year.

Illinois experienced theninth wettest April-July peri-od this year. During thosefour months, state rainfalltotals were 20.94 inches —4.74 inches above average.

Survey data were collectedlast spring and summer frommore than 50,000 fieldsacross Illinois.

Illinois farmers using more conservation tillage

More than 20 recommen-dations were prioritized underthree general topics — fund-ing, public access, and involv-ing youth in outdoor sportsand recreation — during therecent Illinois ConservationCongress in Springfield.

Stacey Solano, aspokesman for the IllinoisDepartment of NaturalResources (IDNR), said therecommendations mainly areintended for constituentgroups.

Several of the recommen-

dations would requireincreased funding, while acouple seek to stabilize fund-ing levels.

One recommendationseeks passage of legislationto increase the cost of hunt-ing and fishing licenses andother fees with guaranteesthat the revenue would beused only for intended pur-poses.

To address public accessissues, participants recom-mended passage of legisla-tion to restore liability pro-

tection for private landown-ers who allow recreation ontheir properties.

Another recommendationsupports establishing a newprogram to study ways toexpand access on private land,including landowner incen-tives. Participants also favoreda plan to buy more land forpublic recreation.

Generating interest amongyoung people was anothergeneral topic. Participantsfavor working with educatorsand informing children about

existing outdoor programsand activities. Another recom-mendation seeks to developadult-youth mentoring pro-grams with partner organiza-tions.

Constituent groups need totake the next steps, Solanosaid.

A complete report, includ-ing detailed information onthe discussions and recom-mendations, will be posted onIDNR’s website{http://dnr.state.il.us}. —Kay Shipman

Funding needs surface at Conservation Congress

Tom Jennings

Illinois River report now available online

A report summarizing conservation efforts in theIll inois River Watershed is available online.

“A Decade of Changes in the Il l inois River Water-shed” compiles the scope of conservation work onfarmland and reserved land enrolled in long-term con-servation programs.

In addition, profiles of individual landowners andtheir environmental practices and work are featured.

Included are color photos and maps of the water-shed.

To view or download a copy, go to{www.conferences.uiuc.edu/ilriver/Documents/Decade_Changes_IllinoisRiverWatershed.pdf}.

The U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency (EPA)last week issued its firstorders for pesticide chemi-cals to be screened forpotential effects on hor-mones.

Endocrine disruptors arechemicals that interact withand disrupt the hormonesproduced or secreted byhuman and animal endocrinesystems that regulate growth,metabolism, and reproduc-tion.

EPA released a schedulefor issuing test orders tomanufacturers for 67 chemi-cals.

The data generated are toprovide information to helpEPA determine whetheradditional testing is neces-sary or whether other stepsare needed to address poten-tial endocrine-disruptingchemicals.

Testing eventually will beexpanded to cover all pesti-cide chemicals.

EPA orders 67 pesticidesbe tested for hormone effects

GOVERNMENT


Continued from page 1adequately compensated.

Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) is expected soon to intro-duce proposals directing USDA and the U.S. Environmental Pro-tection Agency to create an offset program within a year anddevelop a registry of approved credits.

Stabenow favors having agencies focus first on offset prac-tices “that present the fewest technical challenges and greatestcertainty of net atmospheric benefits,“ such as forestry and agri-culture.

Stabenow serves on Senate Energy, Agriculture, and Financecommittees, and Ruth suggests she may be able to push ag safe-guards “probably beyond even what Congressman Peterson wasable to accomplish.”

He stressed Senate Ag Chairman Committee Blanche Lincoln(D-Ark.) also has a major role to play. Last week, Lincolnstressed, “You can’t do climate change legislation without agri-culture.”

Lincoln, who plans hearings on the measure’s ag input-foodprice impacts by year’s end, argues passage of a plan by Thanks-giving, in time for December’s global climate conference inCopenhagen, is unrealistic.

Because of Senate Environment rules, committee Republicansopposed to the bill potentially could delay floor debate until2010.

ClimateLand use change theories lack scientific ‘maturity’

Lawmakers must “park”theories about indirect biofu-els impact until science cancatch up with reality, a renew-able fuels advocate and pro-ducer maintains.

House cap-and-trade pro-posals delay for five years theU.S. Environmental Protec-tion Agency’s use of indirectland use change (ILUC) con-siderations in evaluatingfuture federal biofuels sup-port.

Bart Ruth, Policy Com-mittee chairman with therenewable energy alliance25x’25, argued the Senatemust follow suit and sus-pend land use speculationthat threatens to penalizecorn-based ethanol and soybiodiesel growth.

Draft legislation by theSenate Environment and Pub-lic Works Committee current-ly includes no such provi-sions. ILUC provisions

included in 2007’s update ofthe federal renewable fuelsstandard were enacted “with-out the benefit of mature anddefensible scientific study,”Ruth maintained.

Ruth, former presidentof the American SoybeanAssociation, acknowledgedthere is an expanding port-folio of biodiesel feed-stocks, including alternativeoilseed crops, animal fats,and waste grease. That fur-ther reduces what he arguesis an already inflated per-ception of soy biodiesel’sland displacement-carbonfootprint.

“The House did a fairlydecent job of setting thisissue aside until we get betterscience and fully understandwhat’s happening with landuse,” he told FarmWeek.“It’s imperative the Senate dothe same.

“We need to make sure

we’re using sound science,and not basing (regulations)on hearsay. I think land usechanges are far less extensivethan a lot of people think.The idea that every time weincrease the demand for soy-bean oil we’re damaging rain-forests in South Americadefies logic.”

Ruth’s concerns came inthe wake of a new U.S.Marine Biological Laboratoryreport that suggests cellulosicbiofuels production will dis-place food production andpasture use and will accountfor more than half of theworld’s total nitrous oxideemissions from fertilizer by2100.

The report argues policy-makers have miscalculatedbiofuels impacts, raising somesuggestions that Congressrevise climate provisionsregarding potential credits forbioenergy. — Martin Ross

House unveils health plan; AFBF opposedBY MARTIN ROSSFarmWeek

The emergence ofrevised U.S. House healthcare proposals at least indi-cates “the moderates con-tinue to play a role in thediscussion,” according toIllinois Farm BureauNational Legislative Direc-tor Adam Nielsen.

The new “AffordableHealth Care Act for Ameri-ca” introduced last weekwould create a government-run “public option” for unin-sured or underinsured Amer-icans and impose new restric-tions on private health insur-ers. The full House may voteon the nearly 2,000-pagepackage this week.

Illinois reaction was divid-ed. Rock Island DemocratRep. Phil Hare said the planis a significant improvementover original House propos-als and “will go a long, longway” toward addressing con-cerns raised at recent Hare-held town hall meetings.

Collinsville RepublicanRep. John Shimkus chargedHouse Democrat leaders“want government to controlyet another sector of theeconomy.”

The American FarmBureau Federation (AFBF)opposes the bill because itrequires compulsory nationalhealth insurance and a gov-ernment-run insuranceoption.

“We’re going to be review-ing all bills over the comingdays and comparing them

pools, some lawmakers arepromoting the idea of allow-ing states to “opt out” of apublic system.

Another proposal wouldallow employees to decline to

accept employer-providedpolicies in favor of lower-cost, streamlined publicplans, potentially enablingworkers to pocket the differ-ence in cost.

with Farm Bureau policy,”Nielsen reported.

“We’re opposed to thepublic option. “We support(health-related) tax creditsfor businesses and are seek-ing relief for businesseswith temporary or seasonalworkers. We’re looking toensure that any bill main-tains quality, affordableaccess to health care in ruralIllinois.”

Hare said the new billwould expand coverage foryounger Americans, improvelong-term insurance options,and end antitrust exclusionsfor health insurers, but would“not add one penny to the(federal) deficit.”

It would exempt smallbusinesses with payrolls ofup to $500,000 (vs. $250,000in the original House plan),and address disparities inMedicare payments that tendto penalize the Midwest, hesaid.

Shimkus argued the mea-sure would impose “addi-tional taxes on businesses— in the form of penaltiesfor not providing healthinsurance — which manysmall businesses cannotafford.”

Proposals to mandate stateMedicaid expansion, regard-less of need or fundingresources, are “particularlytroubling for Illinois, whichalready struggles to meet itsMedicaid obligations,” hesaid.

Meanwhile, Senate healthdiscussion “seems to change

on almost a daily basis,”Nielsen said. Amid conflict-ing proposals advocating apublic option vs. develop-ment of health co-ops toextend coverage to consumer

Congressional health proposals couldimprove rural hospital survival rates, but Illi-nois hospital advocates warn effective treat-ment requires provider flexibili-ty, adequate resources, and aneye to health “outcomes.”

Illinois Critical Access Hospi-tal (CAH) Network ExecutiveDirector Pat Schou supports pro-posals that allow crucial CAHsnow held to 25 or fewer inpatientbeds year-round to maintain anannual 25-bed average. “If there’sa flu epidemic, they can’t go above(the 25-bed limit),” she said.

Further proposals would enable some hospi-tals with limited resources but more beds toconvert to CAHs. CAHs receive 101 percent of“reasonable” Medicare outpatient service costsand improved capital improvement resources.

Illinois Hospital Association Senior VicePresident Howard Peters reports progress in“realigning” incentives for rural providers: Schounotes discussion of “bonus payments” for ruralprimary care practitioners and surgeons.

But he sees much work to be done in termsof local demonstration projects needed to testrural incentives and innovations.

“A lot more work needs to be done as itrelates to creating accountable care organiza-tions where you can realign incentives so thatthe focus is on (patient) outcome rather than

(provider) input,” Peters told FarmWeek. He urged “resource assistance” to help devel-

op high-tech telemedicine/-remote diagnosticcapabilities that extend access tocare to rural communities. CAHincentive payments for “healthinformation technology” arecapped well below those formany larger hospitals, Schousaid.

Current U.S. Senate healthcare proposals would:

• Extend grants for ruralservices ranging from ambu-lance transport to local hospi-

tal development and changes in health deliverysystems.

• Ensure small rural hospitals receive addedMedicare payments if their outpatient reim-bursements under any new payment system areless than under the existing system.

• Expand to all states a rural demonstrationprogram that tests the feasibility of CAH-stylereimbursements for non-CAH hospitals. Illi-nois currently does not participate.

• Extend support for rural hospitals with ahigh proportion of Medicare patients.

• Reinstate a 3 percent add-on payment forrural home health care providers for 2010-15.

• Expand study into the adequacy ofMedicare payments for rural providers. —Martin Ross

Health care proposalsoffer hospital therapy

‘A lot more workneeds to be done.’

— Howard PetersIllinois Hospital Association

PRODUCTION


More rain pounds state

Harvest halts as soil conditions continue to deteriorateBY DANIEL GRANTFarmWeek

Farmers were able to dodgethe raindrops and harvest somecrops early last week, but amonsoon-like storm Thursdayand Friday left most combineseither sitting in the shed orstuck in the field.

Harvest in Illinois as of thefirst of last week was just 14 per-cent complete for corn and 33percent complete for soybeans. Itis the slowest harvest pace forsoybeans and second-slowestcorn harvest on record, accord-ing to the National AgriculturalStatistics Service state office.

“The soil conditions are moreconcerning at this point than thegrain moisture levels,” said RockKatschnig, a farmer from HenryCounty. “We have water stand-ing between the rows.

“The ground is going to haveto be frozen before you can

they’ve got to go get it.”Elliott said corn moisture in

his area last week remained ashigh as 25 to 30 percent. The

huge demand for grain dryingservices has created lines andearly shutdowns at some grainfacilities, he added.

drive a combine over it,” hecontinued. “We could be look-ing at January before we can cutsoybeans (in low-lying fields).”

Rainfall in Illinois for Octo-ber, as of Friday morning,totaled 8.35 inches (5.6 inchesabove normal), according toJim Angel, state climatologistwith the Illinois State WaterSurvey. As of Friday, this wasthe second-wettest October onrecord, based on the prelimi-nary numbers, behind only the9.23 inches of precipitationrecorded in 1941.

“I’m not sure if we’ll beatthe record, but we’ll comeclose,” Angel said Friday morn-ing as rain continued to fall atsome locations. “There still israin on the radar.”

Some locations already hadset new records for local rainfallfor the month. Angel reportedEdwardsville endured 16 days in

October with some measurablerainfall. As of Friday, that area’srainfall totaled 11.5 inches.

“That’s four times the normalrainfall and double the numberof days with rain,” he said. “It’sno wonder farmers are havingtrouble getting in the fields.”

The weather forecast for thefirst half of this month looks alittle more favorable, Angel said.

And farmers are going tohave to take advantage of everyopportunity to get the cropsout, according to Rob Elliott,president of the Illinois CornGrowers Association.

“The window (for in-fielddrying) is getting away from us”as the days are getting shorterand temperatures are gettingcooler, Elliott said. “The cornhas been extremely wet for themost part but, at this stage, peo-ple don’t have a choice. Nomatter what the moisture is,

High moisture readings in corn and soybeansthis year have done more than slow harvest.

The situation literally is cutting into farmerreturns at the elevator.

Rock Katschnig, a Henry County farmer, lastweek told FarmWeek he was docked 30 centsper bushel on a load of soybeans due to high-moisture discounts.

“When I drive away from the terminal and thediscount is 30 cents on a load (of soybeans) thattested at 14.1 percent moisture, that’s a little dis-heartening,” Katschnig said.

Unfortunately, discounts due to high moisturereadings have become commonplace this year,according to Jeff Adkisson, executive vice presi-dent of the Grain and Feed Association of Illinois.

“This year, because the moisture levels are somuch higher, the numbers (of discounts) arebigger than what they have been in the past,”Adkisson said. “We’re very frustrated by thisharvest season as well.”

Katschnig expressed additional frustrationthat some elevators apply discounts of 10 cents

for every half percentage point of moisture andround the numbers up to the next highest point.

He suggested elevators dock moisture for eachtenth of a percentage point so in his recentexample the soybeans he delivered at 14.1 percentmoisture (1.1 percent above the optimum 13 per-cent) would’ve been docked 22 cents per bushelinstead of being rounded up to 30 cents.

“This isn’t something new, and in a normal year,the only time we have a concern (with moisturediscounts) is early in the season,” Katschnig said.“But it’s going to amount to millions of dollars thisfall with the excessive moisture conditions.”

Adkisson said many country elevators aresimply passing on the discounts they incur fromend-users.

“We’d encourage producers, since (discounts)are driven by the marketplace, to shop around tosee where they can get the best deal,” he said.

Otherwise, about the only other options forfarmers are to dry their grain on the farm or letit remain in the field and hope for natural dry-ing conditions. — Daniel Grant

High-moisture crops lower farm returns

BY MARTIN ROSSFarmWeek

A biomedical research innovation is expectedto help a major crop genetics company morequickly boost farm yields and protect producersfrom the ravages of pests and weather.

Syngenta Ventures, Syngenta’s new venturecapital subsidiary, announced last week it wasinvesting in Metabolon, a privately held biotechcompany that focuses on metabolomics — thestudy of the so-called chemical “footprints” leftbehind by cellular activity.

Metabolon focuses primarily on biomedicalapplications such as early disease diagnosis. But itstechnology will enable Syngenta to “look deeplyinto the cells of plants,” identifying biochemicalchanges that occur at various development stagesor under crop stress, Syngenta head of cropgenetics research Roger Kemble told FarmWeek.

Researchers can then “work backwards” toidentify and potentially modify genes that con-trol those changes. By expediting or redirectingreactions or preventing them from occurring,scientists can produce varieties tolerant todrought or other stressors.

“This is enhancing our knowledge of what’sgoing on in a plant when it’s subjected to stress-es that will not enable you to achieve the yield

potential the plant has,” Kemble said. “We’vebeen flying in the dark for a long time now, notreally understanding what goes on in plant cells.

“It’s easy to see how insects stress a plant —they bite holes in the leaves. When you look atthe complex stresses like drought, heat, or cold,they’re all due to biochemical changes that aregoing on in the cell.

“Unless you find out what these biochemicalchanges are, you really can’t approach changingthem and producing higher-yielding plants.”

Metabolomics research also could aid incharting plant reactions to crop chemical appli-cations and assist in the development of newprotection products, Kemble said.

The scientist believes a doubling of cornyields over the next 40 years is “achievable.”Syngenta hopes by 2011 to release corn hybridswith a non-GMO “water optimization” trait thatKemble said could contribute up to 25 percentyield recovery under drought conditions.

Syngenta’s Viptera trait could help address con-cerns at the opposite end of the spectrum, whereIllinois producers currently find themselves.

Viptera offers resistance to a broad spectrum oflepidopteran insects, but it also reduces incidenceof aflatoxin, fumonisin, and other fungal contami-nations related to insect damage and moisture.

Technology could ramp up yield improvements

Bernie Walsh, Durand, Winnebago County: More of thesame with very difficult har-vesting conditions, to say theleast. We were able to com-bine beans last Sunday (Oct.25), then it rained 0.6 of aninch Monday (Oct. 26). Westarted combining corn onTuesday (40 percent mois-

ture), more on Wednesday and Thursday(closer to 30 percent those days), and 0.5of an inch of rain fell Thursday night. Therewere reports of up to 2 inches of rain 10miles west of us. Southwest WinnebagoCounty has received close to 5 inches inthe last seven to eight days. The forecastlooks better for this week, and we can onlyhope November is better than Octoberwas. The yields are running very good inboth corn and beans with 60-bushelbeans fairly common and also 200-bushelcorn in most fields. The quality of the cornis going to be a big issue, though, withvery low test weight and extremely highmoisture. Combines aren’t designed toharvest corn this wet, and dryers take for-ever to dry it.

Leroy Getz, Savanna, Carroll County: The weather iscausing havoc with harvesting.Muddy fields, combines gettingstuck, grain carts falling intocreeks and upsetting, and wetcorn that is hard to dry. We haveto dry small layers in our bin justto save it from spoiling betweenharvest delays. A very costly

way to dry corn. Rain for the week — morethan 2 inches and still falling Friday morning.October total is now at 6.2 inches.

Ron Frieders, Waterman, DeKalb County: A few farm-ers started on corn mid-week,only to be rained out againThursday afternoon. Corncoming to the elevator was 32-37 percent moisture. It had ahigh percentage of foreignmaterial and 50- to 53-poundtest weight.

Larry Hummel, Dixon, Lee County: Maybe this week. A lit-tle corn was harvested this pastweek, but not soybeans. Overthe past month, we have com-bined just 10 percent of our cornand 38 percent of our soybeans.At that rate, we won’t finishbeans until the middle ofDecember and corn in July. I’venever done it before, but we are

looking at the possibility of running soybeansthrough the dryer. With no room for soybeanstorage at our dryer, it would have to betrucked to a different site later, slowing downan already slow pace.

Joe Zumwalt, Warsaw, Hancock County: There was littleharvest activity in WesternIllinois in the past week. A fewproducers worked on corn for afew days before the rainsreturned on Thursday and leftus with extremely saturatedfields. No beans have been cutfor more than a week, but the

forecast looks promising for this week.Yields continue to be quite good and ourmoistures have been running around 20percent in corn. We are a little over halfdone with the acres we have to cover. Localelevators have been keeping up, but dryersare running at capacity, and there is a riskof them filling with wet corn or soybeans.The weather has allowed them to keep upwith drying so far. With any luck, we will beback in the field by the time you’re readingthis.

Ken Reinhardt, Seaton, Mercer County: More than 2 inch-es of rain Thursday to Fridaymorning. There was corn har-vested during the week, enoughto close even the biggest eleva-tors by Thursday so they couldkeep up with the dryers. The onlysoybeans harvested that I knowof were at 20 percent moisture.

The biggest terminal has dropped theacceptable moisture to 14 percent on beans.There was corn harvested at as high as 40percent moisture. What I harvested was in25-27 percent range. I may have to put thesnowplow on to plow mud off the roads.There will be lots of filling trucks on the road-way this year.

Ron Moore, Roseville, Warren County: We receivedanother 2 inches of rain lastweek. We did get some corn har-vested in between rains. Themoisture is still 26 to 30 percent,and it doesn’t look like it will drydown to normal levels at all. Theelevators are doing their best tohandle this crop. No soybeans

were harvested last week in this area. Theforecast this week is for some dry and sunnyconditions, so maybe we can get some soy-beans done.

Jacob Streitmatter, Princeville, Peoria County: October isgone but the same scenarioexists: The majority of the soy-beans are yet to be harvestedand we have not touched thecorn crop. The moisture of thecorn is not coming down. It is stillaveraging between 30-35 per-cent. After Thursday night’s rain, I

would estimate the soil conditions to besoupy as they were far from solid before therain. Our final go date was Nov. 1 on corn. Inever thought we would still have soybeansleft standing. It’s rumored that the elevatorsare shutting down before noon because ofwet corn, and there are not a lot of peopleharvesting corn. I hope the sun shines inNovember because it is getting hard toremember what it looks like. Hopefully, thisnext week there is a better report.

Tim Green, Wyoming, Stark County: Same old thing —rain, rain, rain. Thursday after-noon we got quite a bit of rain. Itrained pretty much all Thursdaynight, and it looked pretty wetout there Friday morning. It was-n’t very dry to begin with. Cornseems to be staying around that32-33 percent range. The later-

planted corn is even wetter. Not much beancutting because of all of the rain. People aregetting a lot of machinery fixed and a lot ofbins ready, but we would like to use them.Have a safe fall.

Mark Kerber, Chatsworth, Livingston County: I justpoured another 1.5 inches ofrain out of the gauge. No soy-beans were combined last weekand only a small amount of corn.Field conditions are muddy andgetting worse. Remember 1972,1977, and 1993. LivingstonCounty probably has about 60

percent of the soybeans harvested and only5 percent of corn completed. Looks like awinter harvest coming up. Markets are notpaying any attention to fundamentals, onlythe strength and weakness of the dollar.

Ron Haase, Gilman, Iroquois County: Prior to the rainbeginning Thursday night, I hadreceived 0.4 of an inch earlier inthe week. I received 1.6 of aninch overnight and it is still rain-ing as I wrote this report Friday.We might receive 2 to 3 inches.We harvested corn on Oct. 26,27, and 29. On Oct. 29 there

were a few others harvesting corn as well.We had to find areas where the soil was nottoo wet to operate. Harvest was brought to ahalt by the current rainfall event and the ele-vator closing due to not taking any more wetcorn. The drying rate at the local elevator hasbeen running at less than 30 percent ratedcapacity. The corn I have harvested stillranges in moisture from 23.6 to 32.3 percent.From what I have selected to harvest, theaverage moisture remains at 27 percent.Everything I have harvested was planted onor before May 12. We have harvested a littleless than 8 percent of our acres (100 percentcorn). The local closing prices for Thursdaywere: $3.55 for nearby corn, $3.58 forDecember corn, and $9.74 for nearby soy-beans.

Brian Schaumburg, Chenoa, McLean County: More than9.5 inches of rain for the monthand 6 inches in the last 10 dayshas stopped everything but thesump pumps. Many NationalWeather Service stations reportthat this has been the wettestOctober since 1941. Harvestingprogress is gauged in hours, not

days. Mud! Keep your resolve. Corn, $3.61,$3.74 for January; $3.84 for fall 2010; soy-beans, $9.65, $9.70 for January, and $9.34for fall 2010.

Steve Ayers, Champaign, Champaign County: Rain keptfield activity to a minimum. A fewcombines rolled Monday,Wednesday, and Thursday com-bining corn. Fertilizer floaterswere spreading lime or dry fertiliz-er on corn fields. Last Friday (Oct.23) we had 0.9 of an inch of rain,then 0.1 of an inch Monday, 0.26

of an inch Tuesday, 0.15 of an inch Thursdayand 0.8 of an inch as of 6 a.m. Friday withrain continuing throughout the day.Champaign had 7.31 inches in Octoberbefore our latest rain. With last night’s 0.8 ofan inch, we have had the second-wettestOctober on record with 8.11 inches. The pre-vious second wettest was 7.78 inches in1949 and the record wettest was 9.01 inchesin 1941. Normal October rain is 2.81 inches.It rained 21 of the 31 days of October. Totalprecipitation for 2009 has been 42.87 incheshere while the average yearly total is 41 inch-es. The National Agricultural StatisticsService has our crop reporting district with 11percent corn harvested and 55 percent soy-beans harvested. Looks like we may get afew days of running this week. Think safety!

Wilfred Dittmer, Quincy, Adams County: Rain, rain, go away.Come again sometime next year.We have had enough for this yearafter receiving another inchThursday, which brings our totalfor October to 6.2 inches. Theforecast is for dry weather thenext four days so maybe we cancome out of our Ark sometime.

Needless to say, machinery has been parkedsince last Saturday (Oct. 24) when a few wereable to roll. Everything is pretty wet, includingthe crops, and they are not drying much in thefield or in the bin. Maybe November will be bet-ter. Have a safe week.

Harry Schirding, Petersburg, Menard County: Rainfall lastweek, 2.72 inches. Total rainfallfor October, 10.25 inches.Normal rainfall for October, 2.6inches. Harvest resumed forabout seven hours on Oct. 25.Little was accomplished sincethen, and it will be days beforewe can think about returning.

With four times the normal monthly rainfall,the Sangamon River likely will flood lowareas. Corn is 10 to 15 percent harvestedwhile soybeans are at 50 percent. Some ofthe wheat planted this fall likely has drownedout. Corn nearby, $3.64, down 20 cents; soy-beans nearby, $9.67, down 25 cents; Corn forJanuary, $3.59, down 22 cents; Soybeans forJanuary, $9.78, down 22 cents.

Tom Ritter, Blue Mound, Macon County: Another wet weekwith very limited field activity. Didget in to do some spotty harvest-ing around muddy spots andstanding water for a day or two,but that quickly came to a halt withrain Thursday afternoon. Probablyless than 30 percent of the corn isdone in this area. There is still 50

percent of the soybeans to be harvested — ifnot more — and this is the first of November.This will be the latest that we’ve completed har-vest for decades. Corn moisture is still not com-ing down. Finding very little corn under 25 per-cent coming out of the fields, creating a majorproblem not only for on-farm storage trying todry that down, but overloading elevator capac-ities with many elevators stopping the dumpingof wet corn by 1 p.m. It is definitely going to bea long struggle to get out the remainder of thecrop. We need several dry days in a row beforewe can even be think of harvesting soybeans.

Doug Uphoff, Shelbyville, Shelby County: We picked cornfor two days and now it looks likewe may get another week off. Itseems like that’s the way thisseason has gone so far. Still a lotof crops in the field around here.The elevators are filling up andclosing every day. We get to worktwo days and the elevators close

early. This thing is going to be dragged out forawhile. We may be lucky to be done byChristmas. Corn yields are decent. No beanswere cut last week and I doubt if they will becut this week. It’s probably going to have tofreeze before we cut many beans in this area.I know everybody is getting discouraged andbehind and is trying to hurry and cut corners,but just be careful out there. It doesn’t matterhow quickly you get it done if you get killedalong the way. May the sun shine this week.

CROPWATCHERS


Rick Corners, Centralia, Jefferson County: I just tallied upthe rainfall for October month —11.6 inches with 4-plus morepredicted for Friday andSaturday night. A few tried toshell last week and were leavingbelly deep ruts. I think if we getwhat is predicted, it may be cur-tains for the harvest. I’ve never

see this many crops still in the field on thefirst of November. This is probably worsethan 1984 or 1972.

Kevin Raber, Browns, Wabash County: There were severaldays for harvest this past week. Itrained us out Thursday eveningand it is still raining as of Fridaya.m. Corn seems to have stoppeddrying in the field. My moisture isbetween 18 percent and 20 per-cent. That’s where it was twoweeks ago. The elevators seem to

be caught up, but I don’t know if they wouldstay that way if we had a week or more of goodharvest weather. I think I’ve given up on sowingwheat this year. This will be my first year everof not having any wheat in the ground.

Dean Shields, Murphysboro, Jackson County: The weekgave us only about a day and ahalf to harvest. I was able to har-vest Sunday afternoon andMonday late (Oct. 25-26) andthen we got about an inch or bet-ter of rain. We had more rainThursday and the prediction wasfor 3-4 inches in our area, which

would create a terrible amount of flooding inthe river bottom lands and areas on our farm.Things are really running slowly herebecause of the wet weather. The corn doesnot seem to be drying down and a lot of theguys don’t have the facilities to dry corn likethey used to. Everybody is waiting and hop-ing the weather will clear up so they can getback at harvesting. We’re keeping our spiritsup, and we will have to wait to see what thisweek brings us. The forecast seems to bepretty good. Corn seems to be yielding pret-ty decent and so are the soybeans. Therehas not been any additional wheat sown.

Ken Taake, Ullin, Pulaski County: It was another wet weekhere in Pulaski County. We didget in the field over the weekendof Oct. 24-26. We got 0.9 of aninch on Tuesday. We tried to getback in the field on Thursday.We were there until about 10:30a.m. when we got rained outagain, so we got maybe 11

acres done. As I call this in on Friday morn-ing, we’ve had 0.6 of an inch of rain and it isstill raining. Not a lot of progress made. Iguess every day you get in the field is anoth-er day that you got in the field. Looks like it isgoing to be a slow, wet harvest. Please taketime to be careful. I realize harvest is a realstruggle, but your family needs you.

Ted Kuebrich, Jerseyville, Jersey County: JerseyCounty is still very wet. We hadrain on and off all week. Thefirst part of the week there wassome harvesting on some hill-sides. On Thursday at about 11a.m. it started to rain and itrained just about all day.Sometimes it rained hard. With

all the rain and the wet fields, farmers whodo not already have drive axial on the backof their combines are thinking about puttingthem on. Some of the beans are starting tomold in their pods. By 4:30 a.m. Friday, wehad received 4 inches of rain for the week.There was still more rain in the forecast.Prices at Jersey County Grain, Hardin:October corn, $3.66; January corn, $3.77;June 2010 corn, $3.97; October beans,$9.88; January beans, $10; June 2010beans, $9.65.

Dan Meinhart, Montrose, Jasper County: Another wetweek. 0.5 of an inch of rain camein early week and another 0.5 ofan inch as of 7 a.m. Friday morn-ing, and it was still raining. Verylittle harvest was done last week.Some of the July-planted beansjust matured while others are stillgreen. Corn is running 26-30

percent moisture — some even higher.Wheat sowing is over with very little wheatsowed. The stands are marginal in fieldswhere the wheat has emerged. Most farmershave their own drying and storage facilitiesfor corn. Drying capabilities and soggygrounds will be the limiting factors for aspeedy harvest. Most area elevators have notstarted their dryers up as of yet as most areafarmers are concentrating on beans ratherthan corn. According to the weather forecast,we can hope for a drier period throughThursday.

Bob Biehl, Belleville, St. Clair County: Another 3.5 inch-es of rain so far for the week.The way it was raining Friday, 4to 4.5 inches of rain is not out ofthe question. Thursday night’srain should put us above 12inches for the month of October.As far as harvest, on Oct. 24-26,we did get some corn shelled

with moisture about 21 percent. However,we are down to the last 10 acres of May-planted corn. The rest was planted orreplanted in June. We are about 25 to 30percent complete on corn harvest and only10 percent complete on bean harvest. Looksas if the Chicago Board of Trade has confi-dence we will get the crops out, though,because the market looked pretty souragain Friday morning.

Todd Easton, Charleston, Coles County: The calendar hasturned saying it is November, butlooking across the countryside,it is hard to believe. I neverthought I would ever see somany crops still out afterHalloween, and I hope it is aonce-in-a-lifetime experience.Progress was stop and go once

again last week. Corn harvesters startedback up over the weekend (Oct. 24-25),stopped again on Tuesday by rain, resumedwork on Wednesday and Thursday, until onceagain more rain fell. Corn moisture has beenshowing a small improvement — many fieldsare in the lower 20s, but elevators are stillhaving to limit wet corn deliveries on a regu-lar basis as dryers are pushed to the limit.The remaining soybean crop remained most-ly untouched through the week as precipita-tion came at the wrong times. Among all thelimited delivery e-mail notices from elevators,there are pictures of grain dryer fires at bothcommercial elevators and on farms. Makesure you closely monitor your dryers andclean them out on a regular basis.

Jimmy Ayers, Rochester, Sangamon County: As I write thisFriday morning, we have received1.75 inches of rain. TheSangamon River that runs throughmuch of the Sangamon County isin a flash flood warning. Rivertonmay get quite a bit of water. It waswet most of the week. A few peo-ple tried to shell corn in some

areas, but as far as getting many of these cropsout of the field, it just didn’t happen. Somedayit will dry up and we will be wishing for thewater, but not right now. The elevators are pret-ty well caught up, although the moisture does-n’t seem to be dropping much. The corn thatwas brought in last week was wetter than it wasa week earlier. Damage seems to be gettingless in the fields. I don’t know whether that ismaturity or timing of rains earlier in the season— not exactly sure what is going on there.Damage scales seem to be changing at themajor terminals about weekly. Going to have tostay on top of your moisture docks and dam-age scales throughout the season.

David Schaal, St. Peter, Fayette County: The topic aroundhere again last week was rain,rain, and more rain. Bean har-vest happened on Sunday andMonday (Oct. 25-26) and then0.7 of an inch of rain came onTuesday. Some producers wentback to corn on Wednesday andearly Thursday until rains moved

in again on Thursday. It was still raining Fridaymorning with 0.5 of an inch in the rain gaugealready and quite a bit more rain to come. Thecorn and beans seem to carry quite a bit ofmoisture. Mid-20s on up to 30 percent orabove. Wheat sowing in the area probably ishistory. Fields will continue to get softer as wesee the rain falling here. Have a safe harvest.

CROPWATCHERS


Reports received Friday morning.

Soybean rust found in more counties than usualBY KEVIN BLACK

According to the USDAipmPIPE website{http://sbr.ipmpipe.org/cgi-bin/sbr/public.cgi}, Asiansoybean rust has been foundin 16 states and 480 countiesor parishes in the UnitedStates as of Oct. 28.

In Illinois, 20 countieshave been found to havesoybean rust in 2009, but allfinds occurred Sept. 29 orlater. Illinois also boaststhe farthest north 2009

Research Service indicatedthat a kudzu patch in South-ern Illinois was confirmedto have been infected bysoybean rust.

This is the first report ofsuccessful soybean rustinfection of kudzu in Illi-nois. Kudzu in Illinois losesits leaves in the fall and,therefore, will not serve asan overwintering host forsoybean rust.

The presence of soybeanrust this late in the seasonis no reflection of a grow-er’s skill or ability. Fur-ther, the disease is about tolose out to freezing weath-er.

With this disease, we startover again every year.Depending on how severeour winter, soybean rustoften freezes back to a fewlocations near the GulfCoast.

The principle value totracking the late-seasonoccurrence of soybean rustin northern locations is thatthis information helps vali-date the computer modelsthat are being fine-tuned forrust prediction.

Kevin Black is GROW-MARK’s insect/plant disease tech-nical manager. His e-mail addressis [email protected].

finds ofAsian soy-bean rust inthe U.S. withreports fromMcDonoughand Perrycounties.

With itslate arrival,soybean rust

poses absolutely no threat tothe soybean crop in theGROWMARK trade areas,even though it is interestingto note that more U.S. coun-ties have been found to havesoybean rust this year thanever before.

Winter weather is still the

principle determinant of howsuccessful soybean rust will bethe following season. Thebroad distribution of soybeanrust this fall will have littlemeaning if cold weathermoves into the deep Souththis winter.

Carl Bradley, plantpathologist at the Universityof Illinois, said soybean rustseems to be shifting slightlyin its pathogenicity.

Apparently, there havebeen kudzu populations thathistorically were not infect-ed by soybean rust but noware. In addition, Bradleyand Glen Hartman ofUSDA’s Agricultural

Kevin Black

MARKETS


Soy-based insulation? No brainer for farmer or company BY KAY SHIPMANFarmWeek

Rodger Sprague’s newhome is increasing demand forthe soybeans grown on his

DeWitt Coun-ty farm. Trulya case ofreaping whatyou sow.

Spraguedecided toinstall soyfoam insula-tion to makehis house

energy efficient and expandhis soybean market.

“It’s a no brainer. I have a

through the soybean checkoff. In fact, Kane, then a recent

college graduate, first read aboutsoy foam insulation in a soy

check off publication. That arti-cle planted the idea in his mindof marketing soy insulation.

“I wanted to find some-thing to help farmers andanother way to increase mar-kets for soybeans,” said Kane,whose family farms.

In addition to promoting asoy-based product, Kane helpsfarmers in a very practical way— insulating their homes andbuildings. About 40 percent ofhis business is installing soyfoam insulation in metal build-ings, including machine sheds,because the foam adheres tometal, he said.

Kane has installed soyinsulation in a variety ofbuildings throughout North-ern and Central Illinois.

For more information, visit{www.prairiestateinsulation.com}or contact Erick Kane, PrairieState Insulation, 26th St.,Roseville, Ill., 61473.

farm and we grow soybeans. Ifthere’s another market forthem, it makes sense,” saidSprague, who also is DeWittCounty’s assistant engineer.

Soybean oil replaces nearly97 percent of the petroleumused in other foam insulation,

said ErickKane, ownerof PrairieState Insula-tion, based inRoseville.

The soy oilis refined,bleached, anddeodorized.“By the time

it gets into the spray foam, it(the oil) has no soy character-istics,” Kane said. Soy insula-tion has no odor and does notattract rodents or insects, headded.

The soy foam insulationusually is less expensive than itspetroleum-based counterparts,according to Kane. Althoughfoam insulation costs twice asmuch as fiberglass insulation, itwill pay for itself in three yearsbecause it seals all gaps andcracks, he said.

Soybean growers can thankthemselves for helping to fundresearch and development ofsoy oil in foam insulation

Soy nutrition good for students, producersBY MARTIN ROSSFarmWeek

As Congress eyes theneeds of a diverse, nutri-tionally at-risk student pop-ulation, Soyfoods Associa-tion of North America(SANA) Executive DirectorNancy Chapman notes agefforts literally to “step upto the plate.”

In detailing administra-tion priorities under reau-thorization of the ChildNutrition Act, Ag Secre-tary Tom Vilsack cited anew Institute of Medicinestudy indicating U.S. chil-dren eat too few darkgreen/dark orange vegeta-bles, fruits, whole grains,and low-fat/non-fat dairyproducts.

That increases risks ofdiabetes, heart disease,cancer, and other “obesity-related” conditions, thestudy warned.

The Nutrition Act,renewed every five years,guides school programsthat feed more than 31million children.

Chapman notes anexpanding focus on “plant-based proteins” in healthand education programs.Soy foods cut cholesteroland reduce saturated fats inschool menus, and schooldemand for soy has risensharply, she toldFarmWeek.

An upcoming Journal ofSchool Health article willdetail success in substitut-ing soy foods for popularofferings such as chickennuggets and burgers inMaryland student tastetests.

Soymilk has foundacceptance alongside dairyin school cafeterias, espe-cially with federal approvalof reimbursement for itsuse, Chapman said.

She cited Vilsack’s

recognition of the needfor protein-rich legumessuch as soybeans in schooldiets. Edamame (wholegreen soybeans) are pop-ping up on school saladbars.

“What is good for thechildren of America can begood for agriculture,”Chapman argued. “Agricul-ture’s really beginning tostep up to the plate to tryto find solutions to ensur-ing kids are getting healthymeals.

“Schools are looking forvegetarian alternatives, andthere’s a real need forschools to follow (USDA)dietary guidelines. In orderto meet guidelines for sat-urated fats, cholesterol,and calories, one needs tolook at including moreplant-based proteinfoods.”

The School NutritionAssociation reports thenumber of schools offeringvegetarian options has morethan doubled over the pastyear. Beyond lifestyle choic-es and conditions such aslactose intolerance that limitdairy intake, some culturesembrace a vegetarian diet.

Chapman nonethelessstressed use of soy toexpand offerings ratherthan to replace animal pro-tein. The Maryland schoolstudy featured soy/beefburgers, and SANA and cat-tle interests have promotedblended products withreduced fat and cholesterolto keep meat on schoolmenus.

SANA, meanwhile, ispushing to credit more soy-based items as federally“reimbursable meals.” Forexample, some tofu-basedfoods are not eligible forschool reimbursements,based on USDA proteincontent standards.

A dietitian on the front lines of federalnutrition policy applauds soybean and foodindustry “partners” with helping keep soy oilon school menus.

Soy oil offers a nutritionally “terrific com-position,” rich in beneficial essential fatty acids,according to Nancy Chapman, executive direc-tor with the Soyfoods Association of NorthAmerica and a registered dietitian.

However, concerns about potentially harm-ful “trans fatty” acids in processed soy oil andfederal requirements for labeling of trans fatsin foods have raised grower concerns, despitesoy oil’s low saturated fat and other benefits.

USDA has recommended schools begineliminating products with trans fat or servingthem less often.

With assistance from the United Soybean Boardand others, manufacturers have explored chemical,enzyme, and blending processes that reduce transfat content in cooking oils and food ingredients.

At the same time, biotech/crop research hasproduced a variety of soybean traits aimed at fur-ther improving soy oil’s nutritional profile.

A major success story is Vistive, Monsanto’sline of low-linolenic soybean varieties that

require little or no hydrogenation — theprocess that causes higher trans fat levels in oil.

The St. Louis company has partnered withCargill in contracting Midwest Vistive produc-tion, and Kellogg’s and KFC are among thoseusing Vistive-based oils.

Pioneer is seeking USDA approval forrelease of beans with Plenish, a biotech high-oleic trait. And Monsanto and soy food con-cern Solae announced last week the U.S. Foodand Drug Administration had issued a “Gener-ally Recognized as Safe” notice approvingdevelopment and testing of foods containing anew heart-healthy omega-3 soy oil.

“The food industry in general has taken thisseriously — they’ve done a lot of innovation inthe products that are available to restaurants,”Chapman told FarmWeek.

“Probably 30 or 40 metropolitan areas havebanned use of trans-fatty acids, and whenrestaurants do that nationwide, you create ademand for these kinds of products.

“That spills over to school lunches. Many ofthe schools have put into place this same needfor very low trans fatty acid products.” —Martin Ross

Ag/food industry partnershelping keep soy oil in schools

Rodger Sprague

Erick Kane

FarmWeekNow.comLearn more about the bene-fits of soy-based insulation atFarmWeekNow.com.

LIVESTOCK


Livestock producers may see better prices in 2010BY DANIEL GRANTFarmWeek

Livestock producers whoare able to survive the currenteconomic crisis could see bet-ter pricing opportunities bynext year.

Economists and a livestockindustry leader recently pre-dicted economic recoveryaround the world will sparkdemand for meat, milk, andeggs.

“When the economy recov-ers, demand will return,” ScottBrown, program director forthe Food and Ag PolicyResearch Institute at the Uni-versity of Missouri, toldFarmWeek at the recentAmerican Farm Bureau Feder-ation Commodity OutlookConference.

Brown pointed to “dreadfuldemand” the past year as oneof the main reasons that meatand dairy prices dropped tobelow break-even levels.

Consumer demand fromJanuary through July reported-ly declined 1.5 percent forbeef and 3.5 percent for broil-ers. Meanwhile, the demandindex for dairy products

dropped nearly 20 points,according to Brown.

“This came at a time whenwe had higher feed prices,” hesaid. “I think we (in the live-stock industry) could’ve dealtwith one or the other. But thecombination (of lower pricesand higher input costs) hasbeen hard to deal with.”

Quarterly U.S. meat exportsslipped from about 3.5 billionpounds in 2008 to nearly 3 bil-lion pounds this year asdemand dwindled around theworld.

Brown predicted U.S. meatexports in the coming yearcould improve due to the low-er value of the dollar.

“If you believe the econo-my is improving, and it willimprove, prices couldrebound,” he said.

Brown predicted prices in2010 could climb above $90per hundredweight for cattle,$50 per head for hogs, and $16per hundredweight for all milkbased on the strength ofincreased demand.

Joe Glauber, USDA chiefeconomist, made similar pro-jections, forecasting prices

next year could average $90.50for cattle, $44.50 for hogs, and$15.15 for milk.

“I think we will start seeinga recovery in the livestockmarket by year’s end withhigher prices forecast for2010,” he said.

A return of demand alsoshould bring the price of vari-ous meat cuts back to moretraditional relationships.

Brown noted that demandfor higher-priced meat cutstook the worst hit during thecurrent recession. The price ofhigher-quality chicken breast,for example, recently was$1.20 per pound compared to$1.40 per pound for wings thatwere of lower quality but ingreater demand.

“One of the last things togo out of a consumer’s diet(during a recession) is meatproducts,” Jim Fraley, IllinoisFarm Bureau livestock direc-tor, told the RFD Radio Net-work.

“One of the first things tocome back is meat and dairyproducts. Hopefully, we willsee that recover very strong inthe coming months.”

New program allows producers to calculate cost of feed rations

A new program is available to help livestock producers siftthrough many available feed options and determine the bestration for their animals.

The “Cost of Feedstuffs Calculator” developed at the Univer-sity of Illinois is a new Farm Analysis Solution Tool (Fast) avail-able online at{www.farmdoc.uiuc.edu/pubs/FASTtool_special_feedstuffs.asp}

The program also can be accessed at the U of I IlliniDairyNET and Illini BeefNET websites{www.livestocktrail.uiuc.edu/} and at the website of the Illi-nois Value Added Sustainable Development Center at WesternIllinois University {www.value-added.org/renewableEnergy/ethanol/ddgs/}.

The cost of feed is the most expensive part of dairy andlivestock production, according to the U of I.

Co-products from ethanol production have added feedingoptions for producers, but theyalso can have varying moisturelevels and nutrient value. Also,storage losses can be quitevariable among the differentproducts.

The calculator allows live-stock managers, consultants, and veterinarians to compare thecost of purchasing and transporting, 120 different feedstuffsincluding a number of co-products, byproducts, grains, forages,crop residues, silages, and supplements. Storage losses also canbe determined.

Each of the feedstuffs can be compared to No. 2 shelledcorn, 44 percent soybean meal, and mid-bloom alfalfa hay.Groups of different feedstuffs also can be compared andranked on a “cost per pound of energy” or a “cost per poundof protein” basis.

Support for the development of the new program was pro-vided by the Illinois Corn Marketing Board, the U of I Exten-sion, the U of I department of agricultural and consumer eco-nomics, and the U of I animal sciences department.

For more information about the program, contact MikeHutjens, U of I Extension dairy specialist, at 217-333-2928;Dave Seibert, U of I Extension animal systems educator, at309-694-7501; or Gary Schnitkey, U of I Extension farm man-agement specialist, at 217-244-9595.

FarmWeekNow.comCheck out the latest U of I onlinef e e d s t u f f c a l c u l a t o r s a tFarmWeekNow.com.

CONSERVATION


Auction CalendarMon., Nov. 2. 7 p.m. 46.9 Ac.

Champaign Co. Donald R. Pratherand Beverly Jane Prather, URBANA,

IL. Gordon Hannagan Auction Co.Fri., Nov. 6. 11 a.m. 78.49 Ac.

Morgan Co. Louise Coop Estate,JACKSONVILLE, IL. Middendorf

Bros. Auctioneers.Fri., Nov. 6. 10 a.m. 160 Ac. BrownCo. Koch Farm, MT. STERLING, IL.

Sullivan Auctioneers, LLC.Sat., Nov. 7. 12:30 p.m. 115 Ac.

LaSalle Co. Robert O. Hagie Estate,GRAND RIDGE, IL. Bradleys’ and

Immke Auction Service.Sat., Nov. 7. 10 a.m. 127.5 Ac. FordCo. Burris Family Revocable Trust,

ROBERTS, IL. Schrader Real Estateand Auction Co., Inc.

Mon., Nov. 9. 10 a.m. 163 Ac.Woodford Co. Arthur P. KennellResiduary Trust, ROANOKE, IL.

Terry Wilkey Auction Service.Mon., Nov. 9. 10:30 a.m. Land

Auction Champaign Co. Norma J.Elkins, PHILO, IL. Gordon

Hannagan Auction Co.Thurs., Nov. 12. 10 a.m. 64 Ac.Henderson Co. Farmland. Harlan

Miller Estate, Dale Miller, Executor,GLADSTONE, IL. Burns Auction

Service.Thurs., Nov. 12. 6 p.m. 145 +/- Ac.Bond Co. Jim and Peggy Darnell,

Shoalsburg Farms. LanghamAuctioneers.

Sat., Nov. 14. 1 p.m. GreeneCounty Real Estate Auction. Kenand Brenda Timpe, WHITE HALL,

IL. Langham Auctioneers.Sat., Nov. 14. 10 a.m. UnbelievableHuge 2 Ring Event. Tom and Elsie

Blomenkamp, FREEBURG, IL. MarkKrausz Auction Service.

Sat., Nov. 14. 10 a.m. Real EstateAuction. MARION, IL. Jamie

Scherrer Auction Co.Sat., Nov. 14. 11 a.m. Jo DaviessCo. Land Auction. David Kempel,

PEARL CITY, IL. Jim Calhoun,Auctioneer.

Sat., Nov. 14. 8 a.m. Machineryconsignment auction. Route 9

Auction Co., CANTON, IL.Tues., Nov. 17. 10 a.m. 240 Ac.Farmland. Chrystal F. ThompsonTrust, PONTIAC, I L. Immke and

Bradleys’ Auction Service.Tues., Nov. 17. 10 a.m. 575 +/- Ac.McLean Co. David Davis IV Trust,

Commerce Bank, N.A. Trustee,HEYWORTH, IL. Farmers National

Co.Wed., Nov. 18. 10 a.m. 199.79 Ac.

McDonough Co. William E. Miller St.and James A. Miller, BUSHNELL, IL.

Roberts Auction Service.

Friend: Do best you can to reduce soil compaction BY KAY SHIPMANFarmWeek

Harvesting in wet fields isa given this fall, but farmershave options to reduce theamount of soil compaction,according to Duane Friend,a University of IllinoisExtension natural resourceseducator based in Jack-sonville.

increased soil compactionand harvesting as much cropas quickly as possible, afarmer needs to choose“whatever you think is thelesser of two evils,” Friendsaid.

When unloading the com-bine, use the combine’s pre-vious wheel tracks. Don’tcross a field diagonally. Parksemi trucks on adjoiningroads when possible and onthe headlands as the nextbest alternative.

Correct tire pressure alsowill help lessen compaction,Friend noted. Over-inflatedtires concentrate loads ontosmaller areas and compactsthe soil. Use of large wheels

and tires for a given loadallows lower inflation pres-sures to be used.

Some people may consid-er waiting until the ground isfrozen before harvesting wetfields, Friend said. Heremembered some MasonCounty farmers waited untilJanuary to combine wet soy-bean fields from the 1993growing season.

Once compaction occurs,farmers will have to wait toaddress it next fall, accord-ing to Friend. Depending onthe winter weather, a wetand dry cycle will help somewith compaction but won’tcorrect it by spring, headded.

“It (compaction) may besomething we have to livewith next year,” Friend con-cluded

“Soils at field capacity arethe absolute worst condi-tions for compaction,”Friend said.

Friend advised farmers tofollow the same tracks in thefield as much as possible.The first trip through thefield will cause the mostcompaction, while the nextpass over the same area will

not increase the compactionsignificantly, he said.

Friend cautioned farmersabout driving a tractor andwagon alongside a combinethrough the field. A single-axle wagon with 1,200bushels of grain putstremendous pressure inthose wheel tracks, he noted.

Given the choice between

The 18th annual National No-Tillage Con-ference will be held Jan. 13 to 16 in DesMoines, Iowa.

The conference agenda recently was com-pleted and is available online at{www.NoTillConference.com}.

Speakers at the event include no-tillers,

agronomists, and university experts who willdiscuss topics such as fertility management, pre-cision ag, soil quality, equipment modifications,and cover crops.

The annual conference, to be held at theMarriott in downtown Des Moines, is organizedby the No-Till Farmer publication.

National no-till conference to be held in Des Moines


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The news-gathering team of FarmWeek and the RFD Radio Network gives you news when it happens.

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PRODUCTION


FLOOD PROTECTION PETITIONS

U.S. Rep. Phil Hare, left, a Rock Is-land Democrat, accepts a sheaf ofpetitions seeking expanded floodprotection for Western Illinois from

producer Don Kerr of Warsaw during a recent stop at Oquawkain Henderson County. Warren-Henderson County Farm Bureaujoined with Hancock, Adams, and Pike County Farm Bureaus; theUpper Mississippi, Illinois, and Missouri River Association; andHunt, Lima Lakes, Fabius, and Sny drainage districts in a drivethat has yielded 7,000 signatures in support of the U.S. ArmyCorps of Engineers’ Upper Mississippi/Illinois River comprehen-sive flood management plan and 500-year flood protection forarea farms, businesses, and residents. Hare has been a leadingHouse advocate of floodplain protection on the Upper Mississip-pi. (Photo by Carol Ricketts, manager of Warren-Henderson FarmBureau)

Tips for drying high-moisture corn, improving dryer efficiencyThis year’s corn crop obvi-

ously is putting high demandon grain drying systems. MikeRoegge, University of IllinoisExtension crops system educa-tor in Adams County, offersthe following suggestions fordrying high-moisture corn:

Generally speaking, themore air that can be moved,the better conditions are fordrying. Certain minimum airflows are required based ongrain moisture and tempera-ture.

The lower the heat, thehigher the air flow should be,Roegge noted. The higher theheat, the quicker and moreefficiently grain moisture levelswill be lowered.

Roegge offered several tipsbased on a paper by Ken Hell-evang of North Dakota StateUniversity. Hellevang’s paper isavailable online at{www.extension.org/pages/Postharvest_Tips_for_Later-maturing_Corn}.

High-temperature grain dry-

In addition, drying higher-moisture corn for longer peri-ods at high temperatures canlead to corn browning anddiscounts.

Using in-storage coolingrather than in-dryer coolingwill boost your capacity. Itrequires airflow rates ofabout 0.2 of a cubic foot perminute per bushel (cfm/bu)or a fill rate of 12 cfm/bu perhour. Cooling should startimmediately when corn isplaced in the bin. About 1percentage point of moistureis removed during corn cool-ing.

Dryeration will increasedryer capacity by 50 percentor more, reduce energy by 25percent, and remove 2 to 2.5points of moisture (0.25 of apoint for each 10 degrees thecorn is cooled).

Place the hot corn fromthe dryer into a bin, let it sitfor 4 to 6 hours without air-flow, then turn on the fan tocool it. There will be atremendous amount of con-densation, so you must movethe corn to a different bin,said Roegge.

Use the following formulato estimate costs for high-temperature drying. The cost

per bushel point equals 0.022times the propane cost pergallon.

For example, the drying costis 2.9 cents per bushel point ifthe cost of propane is $1.30per gallon (0.022 X $1.30). Itwill cost about $34 for propaneto remove 10 points of mois-ture from 120 bushels of cornusing $1.30 propane.

The estimated quantity ofpropane needed to dry is 0.022of a gallon per bushel of mois-ture removed. For example, 26gallons of propane are neededto dry 120 bushels of cornfrom 25 percent to 15 percent(0.022 X 120 bushels X 10points).

Test weight also will increaseas corn moisture decreases.Normally, test weight increasesabout 0.25 of a pound for eachpoint of moisture removedduring high-temperature graindrying. However, mechanicaldamage during harvest andgentleness during the dryingprocess can affect test weights.

Remember also to accountfor shrink when drying grain.To dry corn to 15.5 percentmoisture, the shrink factor is1.1834. The shrink in dryingcorn 5 points would be 5 times1.1834 or 5.92 percent.

ing using the maximum dryingtemperature that will not dam-age the corn increases the dry-er capacity and can reduceenergy consumption.

The amount of energyrequired to remove a pound ofmoisture is about 20 percentless at a temperature of 200degrees Fahrenheit (F) than itis at 150 degrees F.

Remember, however, tem-peratures that are too high canlead to increased cracking ofgrain and lower test weights.

While exploring cornfields at night,USDA Agricultural Research Service ento-mologist Jonathan Lundgren found a differ-ent group of predators with a great appetitefor corn rootworms, the most costly pest ofcorn in the world.

Research on day-active and night-activepredatory insects is important for scientistswho are developing strategies that maximizethe potential of the natural predators in croppest control.

During his night studies, Lundgren focus-es on the top few inches of the soil surface,where rootworm larvae do most of theirdamage to corn roots. Lundgren works at theUSDA North Central Agricultural ResearchLaboratory in Brookings, S.D.

He found that during the night, there isabundant and diverse life underground withpredators that include ground beetles, rovebeetles, spiders, crickets, and daddy-longlegs.

Wondering how so many and such diversespecies could manage in the confines of the

upper surface of soil near corn roots, Lund-gren’s research revealed the answer might beseparation by time, with some insects con-fining their activity to as little as a three-hour window.

Scientists have two ways to spy on preda-tors. One is to place pinned rootworms assentinels. The researchers come back laterwith a red light to see which rootworms havebeen attacked and which predators are hang-ing around. Insects can’t see red light.

The second way is to collect predators in atimed trap. Trapped predators are analyzedfor corn rootworm DNA. This givesresearchers information about how long thepredators are hunting and the amount ofrootworms the predators eat.

Lundgren found that one common carabidbeetle prefers day work, while another com-mon carabid works a night shift from 10p.m. to 3 a.m. Wolf spiders search for root-worms during the night, while some otherspiders hunt during the day.

Some corn rootworm predators work night shift

FROM THE COUNTIES


BUREAU — Bur -eau, Henry, Knox,

and Stark County Far mBureaus, the University ofI l l ino is Extens ion, andBlack Hawk East (BHE)wil l sponsor a ser ies oft h r e e e q u i n e s e m i n a r sf rom 6 :30 to 8 :30 p.m.Thursdays, Nov. 5, 12, and19, in the Black Hawk Easta g a r e n a . T h e r e i s n ocharge for 4-H and FFAmembers. Cost for othersis $9 per session or $20 forall three sessions. Call theFarm Bureau office at 815-875-6468 for reservationsor more information.

• Bureau, Marshall-Put-nam, and Stark CountyFarm Bureaus will sponsora college open house from10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednes-day, Nov. 18, at the Mar-shall-Putnam County FarmBureau office, Henry. Sev-eral colleges that offer agri-culture programs have beeninv i ted . Ca l l the Far mBureau office at 815-875-6468 for more information.

HA N C O C K —The annual meet-

ing will be at 7 p.m. Thurs-day, Nov. 19, at the FarmBureau office. Cal l theFar m Bureau off ice formore information.

LASALLE — FarmBureau is accepting

orders for Florida fruitand Amish country cheese.Deadline to order is Tues-day, Nov. 24. Forms area v a i l a b l e a t t h e F a r mBureau office or online at{www.lasallecfb.org}.

LEE — Steve John-son, Iowa State Uni-

versity Extension farm andag business managementspecialist, will be the speakerat a “managing crops risksand revenue” seminar at 7p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 24, at theQuality Inn, Dixon. Lee,Ogle, and Whiteside CountyFarm Bureaus, and Sauk Val-ley Bank will sponsor themeeting. Visit the website at{www.leecf.org} or call theFarm Bureau office at 857-3531 for reservations ormore information.

PE O R I A — D r .Donald Crane will

g ive a p r e sen t a t ion onhealth care refor m at 1p.m . Wednesday a t theFarm Bureau auditorium.C a l l t h e Fa r m B u r e a uoffice for more informa-tion.

• The annual meetingwill be at 5 p.m. Saturday,Nov. 14 , a t the DunlapHigh School. Tickets are$ 1 0 a n d m u s t b e p u r -chased by Wednesday.

ROCK ISLAND —S t e v e J o h n s o n ,

I o w a S t a t e U n i ve r s i t yExtens ion far m and agb u s i n e s s m a n a g e m e n ts p e c i a l i s t , w i l l b e t h e

speaker at a “managingcrops risks and revenue”seminar at 9:30 a.m. Tues-day, Nov. 24 , a t HappyJoe’s, Coal Valley. Cost is$15, which includes lunchand materials. The semi-nar is sponsored by Hen-ry and Rock Island Coun-ty Far m Bureaus, GoldStar FS, and BankORI-O N . C a l l t h e H e n r yC o u n t y F a r m B u r e a uoffice at 309-937-2411 orthe Rock Island CountyFa r m Bureau o f f i c e a t309-736-7432 by Monday,Nov. 23, for reservationsor more information.

STEPHENSON —The annual meeting

o f F a r m B u r e a u a n dStephenson Service Co.will be at 6:30 p.m. Tues-

day, Nov. 24, in the NewellRoom, Highland Commu-nity College’s conferencecenter. A light dinner willbe served. The FreeportVarsity Choir will providethe entertainment. Callthe Farm Bureau office at815-232-3186 by Thurs-day, Nov. 19, for reserva-t ions or more infor ma-tion.

VE R M I L I O N —The annual meeting

will be at 6 p.m. (Illinoistime) Monday, Nov. 23, atthe Beef House BanquetCenter, Covington, Ind. As i l e n t a u c t i o n w h i c hincludes an Illini basketballs igned by Coach Br uceWeber, an Americana com-forter, a series of dessertsprovided by Sheila Lane,

Danville Dans season tick-e t s w i l l be he ld . MikeMarron, a Fithian farmer,will give a presentation onthe market study tour toC h i n a . C a l l t h e Fa r mBureau office at 217-442-8713 for more informa-tion.

• F a r m B u r e a u w i l lsponsor a defensive dri-ving program for memberswho are 55 and over. Theprogram will be from 10a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday andWednesday, Dec. 1-2, atthe Farm Bureau auditori-um. Par t i c ipants mustattend both days to receivea discount on their autoinsurance. Cost is $35,which includes lunch. Callthe Farm Bureau office at217-442-8713 for reserva-

tions or more information.

WI L L — F a r mB u r e a u a n d

Heroes West Restaurant,1530 C omme rc e Lane ,Jo l i e t , w i l l s p o n s o r afundraiser Monday, Nov.23, to raise money to pur-cha s e phone c a rd s fo rtroops in the OperationCare Package promotion.Ten percent of purchasesat the restaurant will bedonated to purchase thephone cards. Inform thes e r ve r yo u a r e a Fa r mBureau member. A draw-ing on that day wi l l beheld for a $100 gift cardto Heroes West. Call theFa r m Bure au o f f i c e a t815-727-4811 or go onlineto {www.heroeswest.net}for more information.

PROFITABILITY


Feeder pig prices reported to USDA*

Weight Range Per Head Weighted Ave. Price10 lbs. $22.00-$34.45 $29.2940 lbs. $30.00-$31.00 $30.4850 lbs. n/a n/aReceipts This Week Last Week

20,187 24,200*Eastern Corn Belt prices picked up at seller’s farm

MARKET FACTS

Confirmed lamb and sheep salesThis week 881 Last week 895 Last year 413Wooled Slaughter Lambs: Choice and Prime 2-3: 90-110 lbs, $98; 110-130 lbs.,$91. Good and Choice 1-2: 60-90 lbs., $105. Slaughter Ewes: Utility and Good 1-3: $28-$30. Cull and Utility 1-2: $28.

Lamb prices

Eastern Corn Belt direct hogs (plant delivered)(Prices $ per hundredweight)

This week Prev. week ChangeCarcass $49.20 $49.58 -0.38Live $36.41 $36.69 -0.28

Export inspections

(Million bushels)Week ending Soybeans Wheat Corn10-22-09 43.8 14.3 24.010-15-09 40.3 18.9 31.4Last year 47.0 22.1 25.2Season total 149.3 348.4 270.1Previous season total 144.9 524.7 255.0USDA projected total 1305 900 2150Crop marketing year began June 1 for wheat and Sept. 1 for corn and soybeans.

(Thursday’s price)This week Prv. week Change

Steers 87.75 85.83 1.92Heifers 87.88 85.85 2.03

USDA five-state area slaughter cattle price

This is a composite price of feeder cattle transactions in 27 states.(Prices $ per hundredweight)

This week Prev. week Change93.25 93.29 -0.04

CME feeder cattle index — 600-800 Lbs.

The economics of farm fertilizer decisionsBY SID PARKS

What a difference a yearmakes! Last year, producerswere facing unprecedentedprices for ag inputs, includingnitrogen and phosphorus fer-tilizers.

As a result,many produc-ers alteredfertilizer usedecisions toreflect thechanges infertilizer costsand cropprices.

Today, theworld economy has enduredmonths of recession, andpressure on investments andmanufacturing have con-tributed to declining demand

for energy and fertilizersworldwide.

On the farm, many produc-ers have faced another toughyear in the fields. Delayedplanting, excess rainfall, cooltemperatures, disease pressure,and more have contributed toa late harvest and disappoint-ing yields for many.

While there remain chal-lenges on the farm, I wouldlike to encourage you to con-sider next year’s crop fertilityneeds. Commodity priceshave returned to more “nor-mal” levels, which shouldallow you to return to prac-tices for optimum productivi-ty.

I recently reviewed a studypublished by the InternationalPlant Nutrition Institute enti-

tled The Fertility of North Amer-ican Soils. This study analyzeddata from 3.4 million soil sam-ples submitted by farmers andcrop professionals to 70 majorNorth American public andprivate soil testing laborato-ries. These data were com-pared to those collected fiveyears previously.

One of the conclusions wasthat in some states, soil testlevels appear to be trendingdownward. Reasons for thechange are varied, but amongthem is the fact that replace-ment fertilizer applicationshave not kept pace with nutri-ents removed by the crop asyield levels have improved. InIllinois, the percentage of soiltests requiring maintenancelevels to avoid profit loss was

45 for potassium and 40 forphosphorus.

Grid soil sampling is a goodmethod to determine whetheryour current fertilizer programis on target. Using that infor-mation to generate a variablerate recommendation will fur-ther improve nutrition man-agement.

Areas testing near or aboveoptimum will receive reducedrates or recommendations forno fertilizer. Areas testingbelow desired levels willreceive rates above cropremoval to build availablenutrients and help increaseproduction.

Yet another option using ayield map with data collectedfrom GPS-enabled yieldmonitors to help direct main-

tenance applications. Thisprocess replaces only thatnutrient volume removed bythe previous crop, therebynot making applications inareas that may have floodedout or had less productionthis year.

Your FS crop specialist hasmany tools available which canbe used to help make soundagronomic recommendations.Good, representative soil test-ing and variable-rate nutrientmanagement are two impor-tant methods of maximizingprofitability while reducinggrower risks.

Sid Parks is GROWMARK’smanager of precision farming.His e-mail address [email protected].

Sid Parks

Economist: Care needed in derivatives reformBY MARTIN ROSSFarmWeek

A University of Illinoiseconomist is concerned thatcongressional efforts to regu-late “over-the-counter” (OTC)commodity derivatives couldlead to potential disruption ofcash prices.

Derivatives include a varietyof largely unregulated, off-exchange agreements oftenaimed at offsetting financialrisk. Market speculationinvolving certain types of gen-eral OTC derivatives has been

implicated in the recent finan-cial crisis.

In an effort to improveaccountability in and strength-en oversight of both regulatedexchanges and OTC derivativemarkets, the House Ag Com-mittee has proposed a clearingor registration requirement forall OTC swap transactions(asset exchanges) betweendealers and large market par-ticipants such as index funds.The proposal also wouldrequire reporting of non-cleared swaps.

The bill would strengthenposition limits on futures con-tracts for physically deliverableand OTC commodities as away to prevent potential pricedistortions caused by excessivespeculative trading.

While on the surface, themeasure would appear to pro-vide greater market trans-parency, the U of I’s ScottIrwin said he harbors “realhesitations” about proposednew clearing requirements.

Irwin questions how effec-tively clearing requirementswould apply to privately nego-tiated, off-exchange contractswithout “all the elements thatare required to ensure thesoundness of the exchangeclearing process.”

Further, he is unconvincedindex fund and related specu-lation have had more thanmerely “short-term, marginalimpacts” on recent commodi-ty price volatility.

“Unless you’re owningand holding off the marketphysical cash bushels, you’renot going to affect determi-nation of equilibrium pricesin the cash market,” Irwinadvised.

“But there’ve been noisescoming from the financialindex fund industry that ifreally tight limits are put ontheir ability to take long posi-tions in commodity markets,they’ll simply form new fundswhere shares are actually

backed by physical bushels.They’re going to buy grain ele-vators someplace and storephysical bushels.

“Now, we have the poten-tial for a real mess. This couldbe a dramatic example of the

law of unintended conse-quences.

“Imagine if a very largeinvestment fund owned 500million bushels of corn —the impact it could have oncash markets by holdingcorn or dumping it very sud-denly.”

Commodities Futures Trad-ing Commission ChairmanGary Gensler last week rec-ommended even more strin-gent measures, includingextending new regulations toall market participants and allOTC products.

‘This could be a dramatic example ofthe law of unintended consequences.’

— Scott IrwinUniversity of Illinois economist

Milk price continues to improveThe Class III price for milk adjusted to 3.5 percent butterfat

for the month of October was $12.82 per hundredweight. Thisis a 71-cent increase from the previous month and marks thethird straight month of higher prices.

Prices continue to move higher as milk production adjust-ments and increased product demand work together to improvethe supply situation. The higher prices are allowing producersfinally to get closer to matching their cost of production.

PROFITABILITY


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CASH STRATEGISTCorn Strategy

�2009 crop: Corn mighttemporarily shift into a side-ways pattern after losing 35 to40 cents. Weather forecastsimply a better harvesting envi-ronment, but drying capacitywill limit the speed of harvestfrom now forward. We seelimited downside risk below$3.50 on December futures.Wait for strength before mak-ing a sale, even if you need toprice corn for harvest delivery.If market forces carry Decem-ber futures to $4.25, boostyour sales to 50 percent. Con-tinue to check the Cash Strate-gist Hotline frequently forchanges. Because of the largefutures carry, a hedge-to-arrive contract for aApril/May/June delivery maybe the best pricing strategy. Ifyou are a cash seller, be sureto check forward bids, too.

�Fundamentals: Lowerexport interest because ofhigher prices is a bit of a neg-ative. Still, the size of thecrop, and level of harvestlosses may be the more impor-tant short-term fundamentalfeature. Soybean Strategy

�2009 crop: We see noreason to sell soybeans onweaker prices. If weatherforecasts hold up, pricesshould be soft the first weekof November and maybe eventhe second. However, pricecycles are due to bottom bymid-November, implying bet-ter prices should come later inthe month or in December.Continue to plan to boostsales to 50 percent if Januaryfutures move to $10.90.Check the Cash Strategist Hot-line frequently as we couldadjust strategies or prices atany time.

�Fundamentals: Ifweather forecasts hold up,soybean harvest should finallymake significant progress.Still, because the harvest is 2to 2 1/2 weeks behind nor-mal, field losses should startto mount. An Iowa State Uni-versity agronomist indicatedthat yields tend to fall 2 per-cent for every week harvest isdelayed. In the upper Mid-west, that implies productionlosses could be as high as 50

million bushels on the 1.5 bil-lion acres yet to be harvested.Wheat Strategy

�2009 crop: It appears anear-term top is in place.Prices on the December con-tract penetrated both the 20-day moving average and psy-chological $5 support. Userallies to make catch-up sales.Hold off making additionalsales. Continue to target amove near $5.70 on theDecember as a potential trig-ger for making a sale.

�2010 crop: We are con-sidering an initial sale if

Chicago July futures approach$6.50.

�Fundamentals: Wheatfundamentals remain a mixedbag, but with a negative tiltbecause of the abundantworld supplies. Still, with theplanting of the winter cropunder way, the focus is startingto include uncertainties sur-rounding next year’s crop. Thedelayed soft red winter wheatplantings have been a recentplus for prices. Weekly exportsales were disappointing again,but we expect better businesslater in the marketing year.

Many times, history can offeran insight into what to expect inthe future. This year, producershave been fighting MotherNature at every turn, and thisfall is no exception. This couldhave significant implications forthis year’s plantings of soft redwinter wheat in the Corn Belt.

Typically, producers prefer toplant soft red winter wheat onharvested soybean fields. How-ever, this fall’s wet pattern haspushed soybean (and corn) har-vest well behind normal. Illinoissoybean harvest is only 33 per-cent complete, corn even less.

Missouri is slower, andArkansas only slightly better.Indiana is further along, butOhio is the only soft red statewith a near-normal soybeanharvest pace.

This year reminds us muchof 1977, the most recent yearthat had as wet a fall as thisyear. Even then, the wetnessdidn’t extend through the fallas long as it has this year.

Basis charts

Across much of the Midwestand Midsouth, October isgoing to go down as one of thewettest, if not the wettest, onrecord. Soft red wheat plant -ings declined sharply in the fallof 1977. A total of 4.66 mil-lion acres was planted, downnearly 50 percent from the 8.47million planted the prior year.

Part of that was due toweather and the delay in get-ting the crop planted, althoughother ingredients played intothe picture as well. In August1977, wheat prices fell to theirlowest level of the 1970s afterhitting their all-time highs in1974, close to $2 on Chicagowheat futures.

With farm programs stilloriented to supply manage-ment, the low prices triggereda set aside program. Producers“set aside” 8.4 million wheatacres for the 1978 crop. Thathad been the first governmentcontrol program since 1973.

We no longer have diversionprograms. Instead, acreagedecisions are now beingimpacted by crop insuranceprovisions. Many producersalready have decided to takethe prevented-planting pay-ment instead of planting wheatat this late date.

Because many of the CornBelt/Midsouth acres are double-cropped, they still can plantthose acres to another crop nextspring. Even if weather opensup in the short-term, the focuson harvesting and the latenessfor planting wheat will causemany to forgo wheat this year.

USDA issues its first winterwheat planting estimate in earlyJanuary. It’s still a little early toeasily forecast that number, butsoft red acres could easily dropanother 2 million to 3 millionthis year.

Cents per bu.

Fewer wheat acres expected

PERSPECTIVES


In the decades before becoming a state sena-tor, David Luechtefeld guided the OkawvilleRockets to 738 victories, more than all but ninecoaches on the fiercely competitive Illinoishardwoods of boys’ prep basketball.

None of those wins came without a foe.Coach Luechtefeld’s teams earned theirlaurels in the crucible of competition.

But too many in Senator Luechte-feld’s legislative arena have triumphedwithout trial.

So, we need to demand lawmakersallow us in the 2010 election to amendthe state Constitution and junk a systemthat permits them to choose their con-stituents instead of vice versa.

If they balk, we must move to force— through citizen initiative — asweeping constitutional change in the processto map the districts from which we elect our

representatives. Noreform will do more tomake state legislatorsmore responsive andresponsible.

More than 20 of Luechtefeld’s Senate col-leagues and half of the House members gar-nered election last November unopposed.

Only a couple of the 40 Senate seats at stakewere closely contested; likewise, a scant dozenor so of the 118 House slots.

Democrats were virtually guaranteed amplemajorities — due in large measure to a pro-found miscalculation by the framers of thestate’s 40-year-old Constitution.

When they were developing a method todetermine the new legislative districts requiredafter every census, theframers devised animpasse-breaker to scareRepublican and Democrat-ic lawmakers into biparti-san, balanced agreement.

In the event of a stale-mate, the party chosenthrough a lottery would begiven control over redis-tricting and the otherwould suffer the conse-quences.

No party leader, even inthe byzantine world of Illi-nois politics, would darerisk everything, the framersreasoned.

Well, this is Illinois, after all. The Constitu-tion’s authors did not foresee Democratic andRepublican legislative kingpins becoming mysti-cally mesmerized by Illinois roulette, focusingon the 50 percent chance for mastery, not theeven odds for misery.

Lady Luck blessed the Democrats in 1981and 2001 and Republicans in 1991.

Each time, the partisan cartographers maxi-mized the opportunities for their party and thevast majority of its incumbents, even if itmeant splintering cities, communities, andneighborhoods into different legislative dis-tricts.

MIKE LAWRENCE

guest columnist

DRAWING THE LINEChange redistricting;stir up competition

That, together with the traditional Democ-ratic or Republican enclaves within the state,spawned a slew of one-party districts — evensome ceded to the mapmakers’ opposition.

For example, the Democrats in 2001 packedeven more Republicans into a traditionallyGOP district, allowing Dale Righter, a MattoonRepublican, to waltz into the Senate the nextyear.

Why? To enhance the Democrats’ chancesof capturing neighboring territory the Republi-cans also had occupied.

Righter curses his good fortune these days.He and other Republican lawmakers havejoined editorial writers and groups, such as theIllinois Campaign for Political Reform, in tout-ing overhaul.

They have little, if anything, to lose; thecombination of reapportionment and the

George Ryan scandal deci-mated their ranks.

Democrats savoring theirhuge majorities are lessenamored. But Senate Presi-dent John J. Cullerton hasexpressed support forreform, and House SpeakerMichael J. Madigan earlierbacked a plan fashioned by abipartisan panel formed bythe Paul Simon Public Poli-cy Institute.

The proposal would haveprovided more transparency,given a higher priority topreserving community inter-

ests than to protecting incumbents, and placedultimate power in the hands of a SupremeCourt-appointed master in the absence of abipartisan accord.

There is no politically impregnable solution,but several of the proposed reforms would putmore candidates for positions that affect thelives of millions in the same posture as theOkawville Rockets. They won’t get a win with-out the competition.

Mike Lawrence is the retired director of the PaulSimon Institute for Public Policy. He recently testifiedbefore a special Senate committee on redistricting.Reprinted with permission of the author.

IFB to form working groupfor legislative redistricting

The Illinois Farm Bureau is to forma Legislative Redistricting WorkingGroup to serve as an advisory groupto the IFB board and the board’s Illi-nois Government Committee.

Board action at the October meet-ing led to forming the group. It willstudy the issue of amending the Illi-nois Constitution’s legislative articleon redistricting.

The working group will be com-prised of two IFB board members andfive Farm Bureau members who rep-resent different areas of the state.

IFB should support ‘concealed carry’ lawEditor:

I believe Illinois Farm Bureau would be doing a great serviceto its membership by supporting a “shall issue conceal and car-ry law” in Illinois.

The Illinois Sheriff ’s Association has voted to support such alaw, realizing that citizens, due to the large area the sheriffs arecommissioned to protect, at some point will be their own firstline of defense when confronted with a crime.

I believe a majority of IFB members would be interested in aconcealed carry permit, based on the number of men andwomen who take instruction offered by the Highland Pistol andRifle Club. The three classes held so far have had a minimumof 50 people attending and the current list stands at 45 for thenext date.

It has been duly documented that states which permit con-cealed carry have had a reduction of crime to persons ofassault, rape, robbery, etc.

There should be no option for various municipalities to pre-empt concealed carry within their jurisdictions. This confoundsthe principle of concealed carry and poses the possibility ofmaking a law-abiding citizen a criminal by simply entering a citylimit after leaving an area in which concealed carry was legal.

All requirements of minimum age, residency, backgroundchecks, including a psychological check, and proper instructionby a certified trainer should be met. Once the applicant has metthese requirements, it must become a “shall issue” situationwithout further delay, within a time frame of no more than 45days from the time of the application submission.

There should be no requirement of registration with any lawenforcement agency of any firearm the applicant intends to use,beyond the forms required by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,Firearms, and Explosives for the legal purchase of any firearm.BILL SCHROEDER,Hillsboro

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