UnitedSoybean

ACRE: If You Need Help With A Decision, Here It Is

There is a major disconnect between farmers and the ACRE program, the Average Crop Revenue Election program that was created by Congress last year for farmers to manage their revenue risk for corn, soybeans, and other program crops. The sign-up deadline is two weeks away and less than 1% of the applicable farms have enrolled in the national program.

the farm gate

Signup next week for Farmable Wetlands Program

As part of the Conservation Reserve program under the 2008 Farm Bill, the wetlands program was modified to include: land to receive flow from a row crop ag drainage system; land that was devoted to commercial pond-raised aquaculature in the past five years; and, land that was cropped during a certain time period that was subject to the natural overflow of a prairie wetland. Incentives include $100 payments per acre, an incentive payment of 40 percent of the cost to set up wetlands and a rental rate of 120 percent. 

Producers can start signing up for the expanded Farmable Wetlands program August 3rd, check with your Farm Service Agency office for more details.

NFU leader: Congress better route to GHG regs

The chair of the National Farmers Union’s legislative committee says regulation of greenhouse gases is inevitable.  So, says John Hansen, it’s more a question of whether the rules will be determined by Congress or dictated by the EPA.

Brownfield story with audio

Grassley wants nominee comment clarified

A comment made by President Obama’s nominee to be the U.S. ambassador to Brazil has Senator Chuck Grassley concerned. Grassley has written a letter to Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk asking for clarification on the comment made by nominee Thomas Shannon who said at his confirmation hearing earlier this month that removal of the import tariff on foreign ethanol would be “beneficial.”

Brownfield story

NFU leader stumps for climate change legislation

National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson says farmers and ranchers can and want to be part of the solution to climate change.Johnson, speaking in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, said that agriculture accounts for about 7 percent of greenhouse gases, but he says agriculture can sequester 20-25 percent of those greenhouse gases. He calls that an opportunity waiting to be developed.

Brownfield story with audio

FSA county committee nomination deadline

Farmers are reminded that Monday, August 3 is the deadline to nominate candidates to serve on local Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committees.

Brownfield story

GOPer’s want USDA climate impact updated

Republicans on the Senate Ag Committee are calling on the USDA’s chief economist, Dr. Joe Glauber, to update the agency’s recent study on the economic impact of a cap and trade system for agriculture.

In the letter, signed by Ranking Committee Member Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, Nebraska Senator Mike Johanns, Indiana Senator Richard Lugar and others, the lawmakers say USDA should use a “range of estimates” when determining the effects on agriculture instead of relying solely on estimates from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Brownfield story

Vilsack: rural health coverage ‘unacceptable’

In an interview with Brownfield Thursday, Vilsack cited 23 percent of Rural Americans being without health insurance coverage and those who have it are paying more.

“Certainly as we’ve got struggling farm families today, health care insurance premiums become very, very difficult to pay for so it requires off-farm income and that takes time away from the farm,” says Vilsack about health care coverage of farmers and others who live in rural areas. “The question is, are we satisfied with the current system and can we do better?”

Brownfield story with audio

‘Navigable’ omission regulatory overreach

Charlie Kruse expressed his concern Wednesday about deleting the term ‘navigable’ from the Clean Water Act.Testifying on behalf the American Farm Bureau Federation to the U.S. House Small Business Committee, the Missouri Farm Bureau President said the action could affect 315,000 farm ponds in his state alone.

Brownfield story with audio

A solid week for corn and soybean exports

According to the USDA, soybean meal sales for the week ending July 16 were larger than expected while corn, soybeans and wheat were within pre-report estimates and bean oil was below projections.

Wheat came out at 342,300 tons (12.6 million bushels), down 19% from the week ending July 9.

Corn was reported at 757,600 tons (29.8 million bushels), 8% higher than the previous week but 8% lower than the four week average.

Soybeans were placed at 320,000 tons (11.8 million bushels), considerably larger than the prior week and the four week average.

Brownfield story