The University of Illinois Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics (ACES) has issued its revised 2016 Illinois Crop Budgets report, with the “June 2016” version now available on farmdoc.com. The most significant change from the December 2015 report is an increase in soybean price. (Photo by Mlabar)

Leading your weekly farm news roundup: A national GMO labeling law has passed the Senate and is now before the House. But with Vermont’s own labeling law in effect, is the horse already out of the barn on genetic labeling? Also: we’ll look at crop development around the state, and let you know the results of the U of I’s revised 2016 crop budget. For all that and more, read on …

National GMO labeling law passes Senate

BLOOMINGTON — Vermont’s new genetics labeling law took effect July 1, leading many food companies to declare they would begin labeling their GMO food products in all states. But that didn’t stop the U.S. Senate from passing its own national GMO labeling law last week, with the goal of avoiding a possible patchwork of state-by-state laws.

Proponents of a national standard, including Illinois Republican Sen. Mark Kirk, fear that states’ mandatory labeling laws could force food companies to create multiple supply chains, warehousing and delivery systems in order to comply. Illinois Corn President Jeff Jarboe, a farmer from Loda, praised Kirk for voting in favor of the bill, which would prevent Vermont from dictating regulations that could be placed on other states by food companies that choose to label GMO products across the board. Jarboe was “extremely disappointed,” however, by the thumbs-down vote given by Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, a Democrat.

“Senator Durbin has voted in favor of science before, so our organization still can’t understand why he is against science in this case. Specifically, we have proven that GMO foods are no different than non-GMO foods,” Jarboe said, in an Illinois Corn news release. However, Durbin is far from alone in his disdain for the Senate legislation, which would require biotechnology products to be labeled. House Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway (R-Texas) lambasted the measure.

“After spending the past week and a half studying the legislation and meeting with agricultural producers, along with a variety of other stakeholders, I have come to the conclusion that the Senate bill is riddled with ambiguity and affords the Secretary a concerning level of discretion,” Conaway said in an issued statement. “I have sought written assurances for USDA on the more problematic provisions, and I appreciate the efforts of the Department to provide some level of clarity.” 

Illinois Farm Fact:

If food companies are forced to create multiple supply chains, warehousing and delivery mechanisms to comply with a state-by-state patchwork of GMO labeling laws, the impact on Illinois families will be approximately $1,188 per family each year. (Coalition for Safe Affordable Food)

Crop quality varied throughout state

BLOOMINGTON — During a board meeting last week, Illinois Corn district leaders swapped crop progress reports with each other and Lindsay Mitchell, special projects coordinator for the association. “Word around the table was that most everyone has amazing crops and some even said they think this could be the best crop they’ve ever had,” Mitchell said, in an email to RFD News & Views. “The exception to that was the guys in southern Illinois who are in dire straits and not sure they will have a crop at all.”

District leader Bill Long, who farms near Jacksonville, reported a good crop, despite some stresses. Colleague Jim Raben, who farms in far southern Illinois across the river from Paducah, Ky., said his crop is poor. But Tom Mueller, from near Moline in northwest Illinois, called this year’s crop his best ever.

Cooler weather and rain through much of the state helped relieve some stress on corn plants, USDA-NASS noted in their July 5 “Illinois Crop Progress and Condition” report. Corn condition was rated 2 percent very poor, 5 percent poor, 21 percent fair, 54 percent good and 18 percent excellent. Soybean condition was rated two percent very poor, five percent poor, 22 percent fair, 56 percent good and 15 percent excellent.

Revised crop budget boosts soybeans

URBANA — The University of Illinois Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics (ACES) has issued its revised 2016 Illinois Crop Budgets report, with the “June 2016” version now available on farmdoc.com. The most significant change from the December 2015 report is an increase in soybean price. But even with the price increase, projected returns contained in the June version will likely result in very low incomes on Illinois grain farms, according to U of I economist Gary W. Schnitkey.

“Average cash rents for high-productivity farmland in central Illinois are projected at $268 per acre. A $268 cash rent results in a farmer return of a loss of $9 per acre. Farmer return on soybeans is projected at $31 per acre,” Schnitkey said. “Taken together in a rotation, the two returns suggest a positive farmer return. However, returns are low and will result in working capital reductions on many farms.”

All in all, the revised 2016 Illinois Crop Budgets call for a modest improvement in returns over 2014 and 2015. Still, Schnitkey advises producers to cut costs when able. “Cost cutting likely will need to be the continued focus this autumn,” he said. “Much will depend on Midwest yields and attended price changes. Return projections will come into clearer focus this August once more accurate information is available on yields.”

Reclaim Act focus of discussion in Canton

CANTON — Revitalizing the Economy of Coal Communities, or the RECLAIM Act, is a bipartisan bill in the U.S. House that would provide an estimated $100 million or more for economic development in communities with abandoned, pre-SMCRA coalmines that were in operation before federal mining regulations were adopted. It was also the topic of a discussion, led by the Sierra Club’s Elizabeth Scrafford, at the Fulton County Health Department in Canton last week.

Funds can be used for job training, environmental improvements, and other projects of benefit to rural communities. For more information on the RECLAIM Act, contact Brenda Dilts with Canton Area Citizens for Environmental Issues (CACEI) at (309) 649-1938.

–R.F.D. NEWS & VIEWS–