UnitedSoybean

Another strong week for export sales

Sales of corn and wheat for the week ending August 19 were larger than expected while soybeans were towards the high end of estimates. Physical shipments of corn, soybeans and wheat were less than what’s needed weekly to meet USDA projections.

Old crop soybeans were pegged at 167,700 tons (6.2 million bushels), 8% less than the previous week and 15% below the four week average. China was the top purchaser at 114,800 tons. Also towards the end of the current marketing year, soybean sales are 1.517 billion bushels, compared to 1.328 billion a year ago.

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Grain and oilseed inspections within estimates

Corn, soybeans and wheat inspections for the week ending August 19 were all within pre-report estimates but they were also below what’s needed weekly to meet USDA projections for the marketing year.

Corn was reported at 37.606 million bushels, 4.745 million above the week before but 4.726 million below a year ago. Very close to the end of the 2009/10 marketing year, corn inspections are 1.804 billion bushels, compared to 1.728 billion late in 2008/09.

Soybeans were pegged at 11.745 million bushels, 4.77 million less than the prior week but 400,000 more than last year at this time. Also very near the end of the marketing year, soybean inspections are 1.441 billion bushels, compared to 1.218 billion a year ago.

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Corn and soybean development stays ahead of average

As of Sunday, 88% of corn is at the dough making stage, compared to 55% a year ago, 54% of the crop is dented, compared to 17% last year and 37% on average, 8% of the corn crop has reached maturity, .

70% of corn is in good to excellent condition, up 1% from last week and steady with last year.

91% of soybeans are at the pod setting stage, compared to 83% a year ago and 90% on average with 64% of the crop rated good to excellent, down 2% from a week ago.

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State reports:

Wisconsin - with audio

Indiana

Iowa

Nebraska  

Edamame soybeans show potential in Iowa

Even though edamame is growing in popularity with Iowa consumers, nearly all the edible green soybeans available in this soybean-producing state are imported. Soyfoods Council executive director Linda Funk is determined to change that.

This spring, Funk recruited Iowa Soybean director Ray Gaesser to raise an edamame plot on his farm near Corning. On a recent warm summer day, Ray and Elaine Gaesser, along with their son Chris and daughter Jen, joined Funk in hosting an edamame harvest event for nearly 20 chefs, food editors and news reporters.

Brownfield story with audio

House Ag Committee chair touts biofuels

Some straight talk on biofuels from House Agriculture Committee chair Collin Peterson.  He says it’s time to end what he calls “the political correctness and environmental extremism” that’s holding back the biofuels industry.

“You know, this country can’t afford all this pie-in-the-sky stuff—we need to get back to the basics of what is the problem,” Peterson says.

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Pro Farmer U.S. corn estimate below USDA projection

Pro Farmer pegs corn at 13.29 billion bushels with an average yield of 164.1 bushels per acre, compared to USDA’s August guess of 13.365 billion bushels with an average yield of 165 bushels per acre.

On the other hand, soybeans are seen at 3.5 billion bushels with an average yield of 44.9 bushels per acre, compared to the most recent USDA estimate of 3.433 billion bushels with an average yield of 44 bushels per acre.

Brownfield story

Grassley hears talk of more EPA dust regs

Grassley tells reporters, “I’ve been hearing some rumblings about new dust regulations that the EPA might be considering. It seems that there have been questions raised about the rationale behind my inquiry into the EPA’s latest draft dust regulations.”

Grassley says the latest Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) recommendations give more reason to be concerned about the EPA’s action.

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A big week for new crop corn and soybean export sales

It was a strong week for grain and oilseed export sales, but physical shipments of corn, soybeans and wheat continue to trail what’s needed weekly to meet USDA projections for the marketing year.

Old crop soybeans came out at 181,600 tons (6.7 million bushels), down 32% from the prior week but unchanged from the four week average. Near the end of the marketing year, soybean sales are 1.511 billion bushels, compared to 1.325 billion last marketing year at this time.

Brownfield story

Biodiesel product offered to clean up the Gulf

With funding from the USDA and United Soybean Board, a biochemist developed a green product from biodiesel that has been put to the test in removing oil spills – which he hopes to use in the Gulf of Mexico.

Randall von Wedel is the founder of CytoCulture International, which pioneered the method of using a bio-based solvent from methyl esters, the chemical yielded in biodiesel production, to remove harmful oil. He tells Brownfield it is sprayed on oil-covered beaches, vegetation, marshes and rocky shorelines.

Unlike other methods of just dispersing the oil – he says – this method removes it.

Brownfield story with audio

Another slow week for export inspections

 USDA reports corn and wheat inspections for the week ending August 12 were within expectations, while soybeans were above all estimates. Inspections of corn, soybeans and wheat were all less than what’s needed weekly to meet USDA projections for the marketing year.

Soybeans were pegged at 13.481 million bushels, 6.218 million more than the prior week and 6.733 million above last year. So far this marketing year, soybean inspections are 1.426 billion bushels, compared to 1.206 billion a year ago.

Brownfield story