Illinois pig farmers, Illinois Pork Producers Association staff, and Future Farmers of America state officers will be handing out BLT sandwiches to legislators at the Illinois State Capitol in honor of Illinois Bacon Day May 1.

The latest health crisis involving agriculture — bird flu in livestock and the milk supply — has set off a firestorm of controversy and conjecture. We’ll tell you what we know about the safety of our milk supply. Also, farmers found out just how much more they paid to produce corn last year than in 2022. For this and more please read on … 

 Farmers anticipating climate-smart policy 

URBANA — U.S. corn producers and ethanol makers were anxiously awaiting a Tuesday, April 30 announcement by the Biden administration that was expected to dictate how ethanol producers can use climate-smart agriculture to qualify for tax credits in the production of sustainable aviation fuel. That’s when the administration planned to release a preliminary climate model for its SAF subsidy program, which is seen by many as a lifeline for the ethanol industry. 

In turn, farmers would receive incentives from ethanol producers to grow corn in adherence to the administration’s climate-smart production policies. Reuters news service reported that under the new model, ethanol producers may be required to reward participating corn growers to receive the tax credits. The model “will make it more difficult for ethanol producers to take part in lucrative new U.S. tax credits for so-called sustainable aviation fuel, seen as crucial to the industry’s growth,” according to Reuters’ Jarrett Renshaw. “It will still leave them a pathway to the subsidies if they can partner with corn growers that use sustainable farming practices.” According to the Illinois Corn Growers Association, the SAF industry could generate millions of dollars in economic impact for the state. The Illinois Renewable Fuels Association reports the annual impact of Illinois corn in the Illinois ethanol industry is $6.2 billion. This impact would only grow with the addition of SAF, the ICGA reported last week. (University of Illinois Farm Policy News/ICGA news) 

 Avian flu has not hit Illinois livestock — yet 

Avian influenza, also known as bird flu, has shown up in milk supplies in several states, but so far Illinois, Indiana and Iowa supplies have not been affected — as far as we know. What we do know is that there have also been no reports of bird flu affecting livestock such as dairy cows in the three I-states. A United States Department of Agriculture map, updated daily and available online at www.aphis.usda.gov, showed that as of April 26, 33 cases of bird flu in dairy cow herds had been identified in Ohio, Michigan, North Carolina, Texas, New Mexico, Kansas, South Dakota and Idaho. 

What is most important to remember is that the FDA has stressed that the pasteurization process has been shown to destroy bacteria and viruses, meaning there are no current concerns about the safety of the nation’s milk supply. “Based on available information, pasteurization is likely to inactivate the virus, however the process is not expected to remove the presence of viral particles,” the agency said in its update. 

Illinois Bacon Day is May 1

SPRINGFIELD—Did you know that today, Wednesday, May 1,marks newly designated Illinois Bacon Day? To celebrate the occasion, the Illinois Pork Producers Association will be at the Illinois StateCapitol to celebrate the commemoration of Senate Joint Resolution 50, sponsored by stateSen.Tom Bennett, R-53rd, which proclaims May 1 as Illinois Bacon Day.

According to an IPPA news release, Illinois pig farmers, IPPA staff, and Future Farmers of America state officers will be handing out BLT sandwiches to legislators at the Illinois State Capitol to discuss the role that pork production plays in Illinois.“Illinois Bacon Day is a day for celebration; however, it is also a day to bring attention to theimportant hurdles that Illinois pork producers are facing today, like market fluctuation in pork prices, environmental concerns, high feed costs, and preparedness for disease outbreaks,” the IPPA stated.“To help support our farmers, we are challenging consumers to #BringHomeTheBacon. Keep the demand for pork products high by adding bacon(or any pork product) to your grocery cart every time you shop. In doing so, you are supporting Illinois farms, 96 percent of which are family owned. Additionally, many local restaurants will be participating in Illinois Bacon Day by featuring a pork special on their menu.

Cost of 2023 corn production eclipsed returns

URBANA—The University of Illinois Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics and Illinois Farm Business/Farm Management Association announced their 2023 production cost estimates for corn and soybeans.

The findings confirmed what most farmers already knew: the cost to produce corn was greater than market prices paid to farmers.“In 2023, the total of all economic costs per acre for growing corn in Illinois averaged $1,301 in the northern section, $1,342 in the central section for farmland with ‘high’ soi lratings,$1,291in the central section for farmland with ‘low’ soil ratings, and $1,214 in the southern section.Soybean costs per acre were $915, $967, $905 and $880, respectively. Costs were lower in southern Illinois primarily because of lower land costs.

The total of all economic cost per bushel in the different sections of the state ranged from $5.68 to $6.42 for corn and from$12.90 to $14.43 for soybeans.Variations in these costs were related to weather, yields, and land quality,” reported Brad Zwilling, Illinois FBFM manager, and Brad Zwilling, U of I farm economist. Costs per bushel of corn in 2023 as compared to 2022 were higher in all regions of the state, the researchers found.“Costs per bushel were increased even with higher yields due to greater fertility, seed, machinery depreciation, non-land interest and land costs.Costs per bushel were 52 cents higher in northern Illinois, 72 cents higher in central Illinois with the higher-rated soils, 78 cents higher in central Illinois with the lower-rated soils and 85 cents higher in southern Illinois,” according to the report,“Cost to Produce Corn and Soybeans in Illinois—2023” published on April 19 by farmdocDAILY.

Illinois farm fact: A strain of bird flu, known scientifically as HPAI (highly pathogenic avian influenza) was identified in wild and domestic birds in Illinois as recently as 2022. (Illinois Department of Public Health)