2016 Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) Awards of Excellence winners pictured with ISA chairman Daryl Cates and CEO Craig Ratajczyk. From L to R: Thomas Titus, Marcia Willhite, Cates, Todd Dail, Jason Bond, Warren Goetsch and Ratajczyk.

Topping this week’s farm and rural news roundup, USDA announced that the October Prices Received Index for Illinois ag production is down 9.3 percent from 2015. Another report, not surprisingly, illustrates the slide in gross revenue and income projections for 2016 crops compared with last year. Also: Illinois Soy recognized industry leaders during itsr annual meeting last week. For those and other news items for farmers and rural dwellers, read on…

NASS: PRI slips by 9.3 percent

SPRINGFIELD — The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) issued its Illinois Agricultural Prices Received Index for October on Nov. 30, showing a 9.3 percent decline in prices received by the state’s farmers compared to October 2015. “The Crop Production Index decreased 1.0 percent and the Livestock Production Index decreased 21 percent,” reported NASS-Illinois State Statistician Mark Schleusener, who compiles the data and issues the monthly PRI reports. “In addition to prices, the indexes are influenced by the monthly mix of commodities producers market. Increased monthly movement of soybeans, corn, and cotton offset the decreased cattle, milk, and broiler sales. The Food Commodities Index, at 84.2, decreased 6.1 percent from the previous month and is down 10 percent from October 2015.”

Corn in Illinois brought $3.30 per bushel in October, a 3 cent increase over September’s price but down 40 cents from October 2015. Soybeans, at $9.60/bu., were down 10 cents from September but up 60 cents from October 2015, according to the report.

2016 gross income: corn lower, beans higher

URBANA — 2016 gross revenue for corn will be lower in 2016 compared to 2015 despite much higher yields, while soybean gross revenue is projected higher due to higher yields and prices. These are the not-so-surprising conclusions of University of Illinois farm economist Gary Schnitkey, who issued his “2016 Gross Revenue and Income Projections for Corn and Soybeans in Central Illinois” report Nov. 29 on the U of I’s farmdocDAILY website.

“Overall, returns will average positive across corn and soybeans, but will still be at very low levels,” noted Schnitkey in the post-harvest report. “Incomes in central Illinois will be higher on most farms in 2016 than 2015, but still at low levels.”

The projections consider crop revenue, Agricultural Risk Coverage at the county level and crop insurance payments. “Positive soybean returns, along with continuing ARC-CO payments, are leading to higher returns in 2016 as compared to 2015,” Schnitkey reported. “Central Illinois is having above-average yields for both corn and soybeans. Regions or farms that have average yields or lower will have much lower incomes. For these farms, incomes in 2016 likely will be lower than 2015 incomes.”

Soy farmer-leaders feted

BLOOMINGTON — The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) board of directors honored six industry leaders with awards of excellence during their December 1 annual meeting. The honorees were chosen for excellence in promoting Illinois soy in the areas of animal agriculture, transportation, yield, composition and profitability, freedom to operate and organizational leadership excellence.

“Partnerships are vital at ISA. Working together with other industries in Illinois and beyond is what makes our projects impactful,” stated Daryl Cates, ISA chairman, in a news release. “Each of the people and groups we recognized have made significant contributions to the Illinois agriculture industry and serving Illinois soybean farmers.”

Those honored included Thomas Titus, a pork producer from Elkhart (Excellence in Animal Agriculture Award), John Grueling of Will County (Excellence in Transportation), Jason Bond of Southern Illinois University (Excellence in Yield, Composition and Quality), the Illinois Council on Best Management Practices (Excellence in Freedom to Operate), and Marcia Willhite and Warren Goetsch (Excellence in Leadership) for their work on the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy.

Illinois Farm Fact:

2014-2016 ISA Soy Ambassadors completing their leadership programs are Cory Ritter of Blue Mound, Elliot Uphoff of Shelbyville, Heath Houck of Nokomis, Tyler Uden of Monticello, Aaron Downs of Mowequa, Ryan Vance of Onarga and David Wessel of Chandlerville.

Unique barn centerpiece of open house

GRIGGSVILLE — The first deep-pit monoslope cow gestation barn built in Illinois will be available for tour during an open house set for Saturday, Dec. 10 at JK Ranches in Pike County. Jack and Jarrod Kirk are celebrating the opening of the new, 300 head cow gestation barn, located between Griggsville and Pittsfield, with a free lunch and barn tours from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to Tim Maiers of Maiers Ag Consulting.

“This building design and production system is unique due to cows and calves being housed in a deep-pit barn with rubber mats. This is an innovative approach for a cow-calf operation,” said Maiers, who is promoting the open house for the Illinois Livestock Development Group. “Jack Kirk has built many livestock barns in Illinois for several years. He can discuss the many changes seen in the livestock industry over the years and what it was like to build a barn for his own farm.”

Many local businesses benefitted from construction of the barn, Maiers added. Representatives of Quincy Farm Products will be on hand to discuss different by-products available for cattle feed ingredients that help save money and improve performance.

Illinois pork represented on battleship

SPRINGFIELD — Illinois pork producers have many ties to the newly-christened USS Illinois nuclear submarine battleship. During its Oct. 29 commissioning in Connecticut, 500 pounds of pulled pork barbecue provided by the Illinois Pork Producers Association was served to guests of the ceremony. The pork BBQ was said to be the culinary hit of the event. In addition, an Illinois native with a background in pig farming, Frank Huftalin of Malta, is stationed on the Navy vessel. Thanks for your service, Frank! (IPPA news)

—R.F.D. NEWS & VIEWS–