R. F. D. News & Views, December 25, 2013

USDA Issues Call to ARMS

SPRINGFIELD – “Accurate data is the key to better decision making,” said Mark Schleusener, director of the USDA-NASS Illinois Field Office, when referring to the upcoming Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS). NASS will spend the next several months gathering information about farm production practices from Illinois farmers and ranchers for use as a primary source of information for many federal agricultural policies and programs.

“By responding to ARMS, Illinois farmers ensure that decisions impacting them are based on accurate real-life information,” Schleusener added. Conducted jointly with USDA’s Economic Research Service, the survey will encompass 33,000 farmers nationwide and more than 1,600 in Illinois, gathering data on operating expenditures, production costs and household characteristics. Respondents to the survey– the results of which will be published August 1, 2014– are promised anonymity under federal law.

“We realize that this survey is lengthy and some producers may have questions or need clarification. In February, our interviewers will begin reaching out to those farmers who have not yet responded to answer any questions they may have, and help them fill out their questionnaires,” Schleusener said. (USDA news release)

Corn Breakeven Price, RFS Top ICGA Concerns

NORMAL – The topics of corn’s break-even price and the EPA’s proposed 2014 RFS renewable volume obligations (RVOs) were front and center during the recent 2013 Illinois Commodity Conference, where Gary Hudson, new president of the Illinois Corn Growers Association (ICGA), discussed the double whammy of low corn prices and EPA’s lowered RFS recommendations for biofuel production. He said many producers are locking in corn prices as far in advance as the 2016 market.

“Sell ahead and hope you have crop insurance,” Hudson said, when asked what farmers could do to prepare for below break-even corn prices that are expected by some ag economists to trend for several years. “I don’t know how else you’re going to do it. I’ve been told for the last six or eight months that we need to be selling (as far out as) the ‘16 crop. I’ve sold some 2014s and 2015s on the board, but jumping into the Board of Trade to sell your corn can be a pretty scary thing to do.”

ICGA plans to mobilize their membership to reach out to the EPA to inform officials about the ripple impact a reduction of 1.4 billion bushels in corn production for ethanol could cause– not only to farm operations, but entire rural economies. “First of all, fertilizer and implement dealers will (suffer). Farmers may have to cut back on the fertilizers they use or the equipment they buy. Any place they can cut back to eke out a profit, they will cut if they are not profitable,” Hudson warned, adding that farmers may put off buying that new car, land values will decrease and less taxes will be generated to fund schools, roads and other public properties and facilities.

The 2013 Illinois Commodity Conference was held November 26 in Normal.

ISA Announces Pair of Soybean Summits

BLOOMINGTON – Two locations, including Peoria, have been named by the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) as host sites for the 2014 Soybean Summit. The first will take place February 6 in Effingham, with the second event slated for March 7 at the Peoria Civic Center, the ISA announced. The single-day summits will focus on various soybean management techniques that may produce higher yields and greater profitability. ISA Chairman Bill Raben said the summit is the fastest-growing agricultural education event of its kind in Illinois.

“This year, discussion is all about boosting yields and helping farmers reach that 100 bushel per acre mark,” Raben said. To that end, ISA has invited Matt and Sherrie Kay Miles, Arkansas producers of 100-plus bu./acre soybeans in 2013, to offer tips and strategies for Illinois growers. “This will be a great opportunity to learn from our friends from the south [on how they] achieved this milestone,” said Don Guinnip, ISA production committee chairman.

Key sessions for the Peoria event include Markets and Outlook, Strategies for Weather Volatility, Sustainable Soybean Production Built on Soil Productivity and Strategies for Producing 100 Bushel Soybeans. In addition, breakout sessions will encompass topics such as cover crops, soil management, fertility and soil health.

The 2014 Soybean Summit is free to attend, with online registration available at www.soyyieldchallenge.com or by calling (888) 826-4011. More info is available at www.ilsoy.org. (ISA news release)

Fertilizer Conference to Tackle Tough Issues

BLOOMINGTON – Hot-button issues such as safe handling of anhydrous ammonia, field nutrient management and the ongoing investigation into the deadly elevator explosion in West, Texas will all be on the table during the 2014 Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association (IFCA) Conference and Trade Show when it comes to the Peoria Civic Center January 20-22.

An itinerary released by IFCA reflects a packed two-day agenda beginning with a 9 am, Jan. 20 presentation from two University of Illinois weed specialists titled “Preparing for the Inevitable: How to Survive Palmer Amaranth.” The discussion will cover the establishment and growth of the invasive weed along with chemical and nonchemical management options to reduce yield loss and weed recurrences. Other topics covered during the conference’s first day will include cover crop management, lost nitrogen in soils, results of the Illinois Council on Best Management’s N Watch program, building a complete weed management system, bees and insecticides and more. The day concludes with a reception at the new Peoria Marriott Pere Marquette Hotel.

Jan. 21 session topics include pesticide applicator training and testing, anhydrous ammonia safety training, attracting, keeping and growing an effective employee team, safely extracting “stuck” equipment, and the keynote address: “The Alchemy of Air: How Synthetic N Changed Ag and the World.” The annual trade show will open at 11:30 am on Jan. 21.

The conference concludes Jan. 22 with sessions covering investigations and findings from the West, Texas fertilizer explosion, changes in Illinois ammonia regulations and Illinois Extension nutrient strategies. See the IFCA website (www.ifca.com) for more information.

Illinois Farm Fact:

Corn, soybeans and wheat account for more than 90 percent of Illinois’ cultivated acres for field crops. (ILAGRICULTURE.com)

(Tim Alexander is a freelance reporter who writes agriculture, news and feature articles for the News Bulletin, Farm World and many other publications.)