The Midland High School FFA Ag Debate team took top honors in debate competition during this year’s Illinois FFA Convention and will head to Indianapolis for national debate competition this fall. (Photo by Tim Alexander)

For Illinois Farmers and Rural Dwellers

This week: Illinois agricultural commodity group leaders are ecstatic over the compromise GMO labeling bill passed by the U.S. Senate and House that removes the mandatory phrase “genetically modified food product” from food labels. Also: Illinois experienced the seventh-warmest January-June in history, with some areas of the state experiencing drought status. How have crops responded? For all that and more rural-centric news, please read on …

GMO bill in hands of President Obama

BLOOMINGTON — Leaders from top agricultural commodity organizations in Illinois were quick to express their gratitude after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Roberts-Stabenow GMO labeling compromise bill with a vote of 306-117. The measure, having previously passed through the Senate, now moves to President Barack Obama’s desk. He is expected to sign the bill into law, establishing a national standard and avoiding a patchwork of state-by-state labeling laws.

“We are proud of Congress for passing a national standard for GMO labeling,” said Daryl Cates, chairman for the Illinois Soybean Growers (ISG) and part of the ISG delegation that met with legislators during debate over the bill. “Maintaining this national standard reduces confusion for consumers and ensures choices for farmers like me.”

Illinois Corn Growers Association (ICGA) President Jeff Jarboe also praised the Senate vote, which took place on July 14, two weeks after Vermont’s GMO labeling law went into effect. Vermont’s state law required food companies to label all food products containing GM ingredients, potentially costing consumers an extra $1,000 or more per year at the grocery store, analysts claimed.

“16 out of 18 Illinois House members voted in favor of the (federal) bill. This is a signal that a national law superseding state by state laws was needed,” Jarboe said. “This is a positive vote for science-based standards in our government. Scientifically, there is no difference between genetically modified foods and traditional foods. They are equally healthy and nutritious for all Americans. I am happy to see that we will now have a law that both provides information about food products to the people who want to know, while not vilifying foods that were produced using conventionally grown, genetically modified crops.”

The new federal law requires food companies to disclose GM ingredients within a barcode that can be accessed by consumers by scanning the barcode with a smartphone.

Warm start to 2016; most crops faring well

URBANA — Average statewide temperatures for the first half of 2016 ran above average during each month save May, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, from the Illinois Water Survey on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana. January-through-June average statewide temperature was 49.7 degrees, 2.8 degrees above normal and the seventh-warmest January-June on record (normal was represented by the 1981-2010 average).

Meanwhile, the statewide average for precipitation during the period was 16.24 inches, down 3.59 inches from normal. March was the only month with below normal precipitation. Most of the dryness was centered in western Illinois, Angel reported.

“We would have had more drought problems in 2016, except that precipitation in November and December of 2015 was six inches above normal, leaving soils saturated and rivers. Streams and wells fully recharged,” he said in an email.

Widespread rain across the state helped crops and pastures during the week ending July 10, according to the July 11 USDA-NASS “Illinois Crop Progress and Condition” report, with precipitation averaging 2.11 inches, or 1.26 inches above normal. With topsoil moisture rated at 79 percent adequate and subsoil moisture at 78 percent adequate, corn silking reached 53 percent, a jump of 31 percentage points over the prior week.

Corn condition was rated at 2 percent very poor, 4 percent poor, 18 percent fair, 56 percent good, and 20 percent excellent. Soybean condition was rated at two percent very poor, 5 percent poor, 19 percent fair, 58 percent good and 16 percent excellent, according to the report.

Illinois Farm Fact:

Illinois USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service obligated more than $10.8 million for landowners who enrolled 26,424 acres in the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) during 2015. (USDA-NRCS)

‘Soy 20-20’ focused on profitability

BLOOMINGTON — The Illinois Soybean Association’s (ISA) biannual Soy 2020 roundtable event, held in late June, brought together farmers and industry partners with one unifying goal: increasing soybean profits. Steve Meyers, accredited farm manager and certified crop adviser with Busey Ag Services and the Illinois Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, noted a trend of fixed cash rent going toward flex rate cash rent leases (likely due to lower commodity prices). He urged farmers to cut costs by reviewing opportunities in specialty markets, dumping less profitable production practices and sharing production information with peers.

In addition to other topics, the Soy 20-20 group discussed factors affecting the marketplace and the best approaches to staying profitable, including the value of planning and leveraging relationships, collaborating and sharing ideas. Farmers were encouraged to explore niche markets and embrace their entrepreneurial skills to develop new markets for their commodities.

“With the future uncertain, it is great to collaborate, discuss and propose solutions,” said Daryl Cates, ISA chairman from Columbia, Illinois. (ISA news)

Midland FFA takes debate honors

VARNA — Belated congratulations are due to the Midland High School (Varna, Lacon, Sparland) FFA Ag Debate team for their first-place finish in debate competition at the Illinois State FFA Convention. The team gave its presentation on the pros and cons of antibiotic-free meat production. This columnist was fortunate enough to witness the team’s run-through in preparation for state competition in April, during a debate at Forest Park Nature Center in Peoria Heights hosted by the Heart of Illinois Sierra Group. The Midland debaters will advance to national competition in Indianapolis this fall. Good luck!

–R.F.D. News & Views–