USDA Farm Income Forecast Confirms Producers' Resilience 

The USDA 2012 farm income forecast released by the Economic Research Service projects a net decline in overall farm income, but also shows an expected increase in the value of farm products and higher land values.

"Today's forecast is heartening," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "It confirms that American farmers and ranchers remained impressively resilient in 2012, even with tough odds due to one of the worst droughts in more than a generation. Thanks to its ability to remain competitive through thick and thin, U.S. agriculture is stronger today than at any time in our nation's history, supporting and creating good-paying American jobs for millions."

Net farm income is projected to drop almost $4 billion from its all-time high in 2011. Net cash income is expected to decline almost $2 billion. The value of agricultural sector production is expected to increase with gains anticipated for crops, livestock, and especially revenues from services and forestry sales. Larger gains are predicted for oil crops and other farm income.

"While down slightly from the August forecast, today's estimates for net farm income are the second-highest since the 1970s, while total farm household income is expected to rise. At the same time, the positive trend of falling debt ratios continue. The forecast suggests that strong farm income should remain a positive factor in carrying farmers and ranchers into the 2013 growing season," Vilsack said.

Click here for more on this story as well as a link to the full USDA ERS 2012 Farm Income report.    

Global Irrigated Area at Record Levels, But Expansion Slowing 

In 2009, the most recent year for which global data are available from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 311 million hectares in the world was equipped for irrigation but only 84 percent of that area was actually being irrigated, according to new research conducted by the Worldwatch Institute. As of 2010, the countries with the largest irrigated areas were India (39 million hectares), China (19 million), and the United States (17 million), writes report author Judith Renner.

The irrigation sector claims about 70 percent of the freshwater withdrawals worldwide. Irrigation can offer crop yields that are two to four times greater than is possible with rainfed farming, and it currently provides 40 percent of the world's food from approximately 20 percent of all agricultural land.

Since the late 1970s, irrigation expansion has experienced a marked slowdown. The FAO attributes the decline in investment to the unsatisfactory performances of formal large canal systems, corruption in the construction process, and acknowledgement of the environmental impact of irrigation projects. 

Click here for more.

 

USDA Study Shows Trends in Public and Private Agricultural R&D

Analysis published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Economic Research Service (ERS) in the most recent issue of the journal Science examine the relationship between public and private investments in research and development (R&D) and their importance in agricultural input industries. The Science article is drawn from a recent ERS study that provides new details on the rapid growth and changing composition of private investments in global agricultural R&D and traces the implications for agriculture.

"Agriculture is more dependent on scientific innovation than any other industry," said Catherine Woteki, USDA's Chief Scientist and Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics. "This study shows the great job that private industry is doing in research, much of which was built on the genetic technology USDA scientists have been working on for decades. It's crucial that we continue supporting this kind of R&D."

Research discussed in the article notes that globally, most of the increase in agricultural production over the past 50 years can largely be attributed to rising crop and livestock yields rather than to the expansion of acreage devoted to farming. As private sector investments comprise a greater and growing share of overall R&D spending, the findings from this study will help trace their influence on future productivity gains.

You can read more of this article by clicking here.

 

Bovine Respiratory Disease Requires Broad Response for Effective Treatment

Bovine Respiratory Disease is the most common and costly cattle disease. It takes a substantial toll each year on animal health and productivity. Learning the best management practices as winter approaches is crucial for maintaining profitability says Dr. Eric Moore, technical services manager with Merck Animal Health. A number of factors contribute to BRD, Moore says, and with parts of the country entering a third year of drought, the stress on calves is becoming extreme.

"We're in the second year of drought in most places and maybe even a third year. What that means to the producer is, essentially the stocker producer, number one, there is no wheat pasture. So, that's a big part of it. Number two is the calves that we do bring in were not only stressed nutritionally with the cow on the pasture, but they were stressed as fetuses in those cows also. So, from conception to when you get them, they've been nutritionally challenged. With that, what we see, is a higher susceptibility to BRD this time of year."

Moore says the dry conditions also result in more dust exposure for calves, making them more susceptible to BRD. The calves' system has to work harder to clear the dust and irritants from the lungs, adding more stress. He says a good vaccination program at this time is crucial. Just as humans don't wait until they have the flu to get vaccinated, Moore says a proper BRD vaccination program is most useful before an outbreak can take hold.

Eric Moore joins us for the latest Beef Buzz.  Click here to listen in.

Root Dig Demonstrates Advantages of Drought-Tolerant Corn Hybrids

A root comparison study conducted this season at Monsanto's Gothenburg Water Utilization Learning Center in Gothenburg, Neb., provided a dramatic demonstration of just how important a deep, strong root structure is to help corn plants withstand drought conditions.

The research program evaluated the performance of a DEKALB® drought-tolerant corn product versus two competitor products - a Pioneer® Optimum® AQUAmax™ hybrid and a shallow-rooted product. A root dig conducted in mid-September showed that the DEKALB product had a significantly deeper, more evenly spread root structure than the other two products.

The result was healthier ears and a yield advantage for DEKALB of 12 bu./A versus Pioneer Optimum AQUAmax and 15 bu./A versus the shallow-rooted product.

Michael Petersen, former soil scientist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, compared the DEKALB root structure to a thick, vertical carrot that extended down 85 inches. In comparison, he said   the Pioneer Optimum AQUAmax roots were primarily limited to 24 inches in depth and 20 inches for the shallow- rooted product.

You can click here to read more and to access a link to a video of the research study.

Oklahoma Wheat, Sorghum Associations to Hold Inaugural Joint Conference

The Oklahoma Wheat Growers Association and the Oklahoma Sorghum Association will hold an inaugural joint conference Dec. 8, 2012, at the Express Event Center in Oklahoma City, Okla. The free event will begin with registration at 8:00 a.m. followed by the conference program.

"We are excited to offer this unique line-up of speakers to sorghum and wheat growers from across the state of Oklahoma," said Oklahoma Sorghum Association Chairman Jordan Shearer, "and we hope producers and agribusiness alike will attend this inaugural event."

The conference, sponsored by DuPont Crop Protection and USDA-NASS, will include a keynote address from Larry Combest, former chair of the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture and associate at Combest Sell & Associates. Other speakers will cover featured topics like water, agriculture policy, agronomy and updates from the Oklahoma Farm Service Agency.

"This is a great opportunity for growers to hear the latest issues affecting our industries from both state and national perspectives," said Paul Fruendt, OWGA chairman. "It also gives growers an opportunity to come together and personally interact with these officials and other growers with common interests." 

Click here for more information on this upcoming conference.

 

This Saturday- Two Seedstock Opportunities for Cattle Producers are Happening in Southern Oklahoma

This coming Saturday, December first, the Durant Livestock Market  will host the 31st Annual Oklahoma Select Bull Sale and Super Bull Competition- with the sale staring at twelve noon.  Featured will be a great set of purebred Limousin bulls, as well as Lim-Flex and Percentage bulls as well. A total of 92 hand selected bulls are to be offered. Click here for their auction listing which includes a link to the catalog of the sale offering that can be seen in Durant.

Also on Saturday-  

The Oklahoma Hereford Association's Herefords in Native America Sale is scheduled for Saturday, December 1 at the Brooks Cattle Company Sale Facility in Marietta, Oklahoma.
The sale will begin at 12 noon, selling:

55 Registerd Herford Bulls, Fertility and Trich Tested, Ready for Service
3 Frozen Embryo Lots
6 Registered Hereford Female Losts
40 Commercial Bred Heifers

Click here for their auction listing on our website- which includes a link to their catalog that is found on the National Cattle Services website.