RFD News & Views

By Tim Alexander for Chronicle Media

Phil Borgic from Nokomis was recently named to the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance board.

Commodity board elections, awards, conferences and farm industry studies are always under farmers’ Christmas trees this time of year. This year is no exception: as the 2016 University of Illinois Farm Economics Summit makes its five-day, five-city trek across the state this week (look for our report next week), we’ll catch you all up on the latest farm and ag industry news. Please read on …

Soybean exports net governor’s award

CHICAGO — The 2016 Agricultural Business Exporter Award, given for outstanding export achievement in the field of agricultural products, service and technology in Illinois, was bestowed on the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) last week. The award, presented by Illinois Lt. Gov.Evelyn Sanguinetti and the Illinois Dept. of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Office of Trade and Investment, was given to ISA for increasing the volume of soy exports through hosting trade team visits, consultations, trade missions, market research and development, and technical assistance.

“We are so pleased to receive this recognition,” stated Doug Schroeder, a Mahomet grower and ISA secretary, in a December 7 news release. “Sixty percent of the soybeans grown in Illinois are exported each year with a value estimated at $3 billion. It is for this reason that we work so hard to promote preference of Illinois soy. We increase export markets using our strategic advantage of rail, road and waterways that many other states do not have.”   

The award was presented at the Union League of Chicago during a ceremony honoring export leaders from Illinois. ISA had previously won the agriculture export award in 2011.

Ron Moore elected ASA president

BLOOMINGTON — Ron Moore, a well-known farmer-leader from Roseville, and past-chairman of the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA),was elected president of the American Soybean Association Dec. 8. Moore’s election comes at the end of a wave of other ISA representatives who have been elected to national positions in the past month, including Dan Forney, a past ISA director from Morton, who was elected to the executive committee of the United Soybean Board. In addition, current ISA district director Roberta Simpson-Dolbeare was elected secretary for the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance, and past ISA board member Mike Cunningham, a Bismarck farmer, was elected vice president for the National Biodiesel Board.

“It’s great to have strong voices from Illinois sitting on national boards,” noted Daryl Cates, ISA chairman from Columbia, Illinois. “These farmers take the values and leadership we have in Illinois and make sure our issues are known and spoken across the United States.” (ISA news)

Illinois Farm Fact:

Borgic Farms in Nokomis raises 166,400 weaned piglets each year for their 15 growing partners. The Borgics and 30 farm employees believe in doing what is right for pigs, people and the environment. (IPPA news)

Economist: Hog prices at 10-year low

URBANA — Prices paid to farmers for hogs has joined corn and wheat at 10-year lows, but slightly better days for producers are in the offing. That is according to Purdue University agricultural economist Chris Hurt, whose Dec. 5 essay, “Hog Prices Join Corn and Wheat at Ten-Year Lows,” is published at www.farmdocdaily.illinois.edu.

“Prices for wheat, corn and lean hogs in the fall of this year fell to 10-year lows, dating back to 2006 or earlier. Unfortunately, costs of production are not at 10-year lows and this means narrow margins or losses are likely for many producing these commodities,” said Hurt, who cited a 3 percent increase in this quarter’s pork production as one of the forces keeping prices low. Shortages of packer capacity, however, is also adding downward force on already low prices.

“Over time, the pork industry growth has reached a point where more packer capacity is needed. In addition, the largest hog supplies of the year tend to be in the final quarter, which puts added seasonal pressure on capacity. It is generally thought that 2.5 million head per week is near federal inspection capacity. In four of the past seven week, the number of head processed at federal inspected plants has been above 2.5 million head.”

Two new processing plants expected to be accepting hogs by the fall of 2017 are expected to relieve the capacity issue and allow for higher prices, Hurt concluded, although hog supplies will be higher. Expect losses during the first quarter of 2017, break-even the middle quarters and slight losses during the final quarter, Hurt advises.

Borgic elected as USFRA director

SPRINGFIELD — Phil Borgic of Nokomis is a veteran pig farmer who has seen several price cycles (see previous related article) come and go during his leadership ventures with the Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA), and, currently, the National Pork Producers Council. Borgic can now add the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance board of directors to his resume following his recent election by the USFRA at their annual meeting in Kansas City, Mo.

“We are lucky to have Phil on the USFRA board to represent our Illinois pork producers,” IPPA executive director Jennifer Tirey said in a press release. “Borgic is a seasoned producer that appreciates and understands that our industry is ever-changing. His close involvement with USFRA will allow our industry to continue evolving.”

ISA looks to honor CCAs

BLOOMINGTON — The Illinois Soybean Association is looking for a few good certified crop advisers (CCAs) who focus on soybean management to vie for an honor during the ILSoyAdvisor Soybean Summit in Peoria on Feb. 16. ISA is seeking nominees for the first-ever Soybean Master Adviser Award as part of their effort to recognize CCAs for their contribution to soybean production in Illinois. ISA supports a “Soy Envoy” group of registered CCAs who blog about soybean management on www.ILSoyAdvisor.com.

More information about nominations, which are open until Jan. 15, can be found at www.ilsoy.org/master_adviser.com.

–RFD News & Views–