11-09-11 CCAA name Barn Media “Friend of Colorado County Agents” for 2011

(The BARN – Ft Collins, CO) November 9th, 2011 – At the Colorado County Agents Association’s Annual Meeting @ ARDEC in Ft Collins on Wednesday, November 9th, Brian Allmer of the BARN / Barn Media was named “Friend of Colorado County Agents for 2011”. Presenting the award on behalf of the CCAA was Golden Plains Extension Livestock Agent Michael Fischer.

“I am truly honored to be recognized by the CCAA for this award and was truly humbled to receive the award from such a group that I hold the utmost respect and admiration for…County Agents are the backbone of this state & this nation…and play an important role in the success of our agriculture industry in the past, present  & into the future.”, Brian Allmer, Barn Media.

Also receiving CCAA Awards last night for Distinguished Service was Pat McCarty & for Achievement Alan Helm.

My Thanks ONCE again to the Colorado County Agents Association for this award, and I look forward to promoting their organization and theIR tireless efforts on behalf of Colorado’s Agriculture.

11-09-11 Gelbvieh Breeders, Owners Select for Maternal Efficiency

Annual Dam of Merit and Dam of Distinction Honor Roll

The American Gelbvieh Association (AGA) is proud to honor females in their herdbook that exhibit consistent maternal efficiency through the Dam of Merit and Dam of Distinction program. The AGA credits its members who continue to place selection emphasis on the maternal traits of the breed by being owners or breeders of these outstanding Gelbvieh and Balancer® females.

Of the 37,865 active cows in the AGA herdbook, only 5.8 percent qualify for Dam of Merit. Just 1.2 percent of all active cows qualify for the Dam of Distinction honors.

“The Gelbvieh breed has long had the earned reputation of possessing functional, hard-working females with the ability to breed at a young age, rebreed for the second calf and wean one in that would push down hard on the scale,” comments the American Gelbvieh Association’s Frank Padilla. “The females that qualified for the Dam of Merit and Dam of Distinction program did not achieve such a level of productivity by happenstance. Breeders placed selection pressure on these traits in the development of females that would perform at a level that surpasses others.”

The Dam of Merit and Dam of Distinction recognition program was started in 1991 to honor the top-notch cows in the breed. The program recognizes two levels of productivity based on data submitted to the American Gelbvieh Association office. A Dam of Merit must have produced at least three calves, while a Dam of Distinction must have produced a minimum of eight calves. Both levels must still meet the strict qualifications requiring breeders to place selection pressure on early puberty and conception, regular calving intervals, and above-average weaning weights.

“To be the breeder or owner of a Dam of Merit or Dam of Distinction Gelbvieh or Balancer female is a testament to the emphasis our breeders place on maternal efficiency,” said Susan Willmon, AGA director of breed improvement. “The Gelbvieh breed offers females with the genetics to maintain high maternal productively, which ultimately adds profit for cow-calf producers in terms of more pounds of calf per cow exposed.”

The following is the top ten ranking of states for the combined total of Dams of Merit and Dams of Distinction:

11-09-11 New US Forest Service maps link healthy drinking water to healthy forests

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2011 – The U.S. Forest Service today unveiled a comprehensive series of maps that illustrate for the first time the crucial role forests play in sustaining the watersheds that are most important to the quality of American surface drinking water.

The Forests to Faucets interactive maps also identify the extent to which those watersheds are threatened by development, fire, insects and disease. Communities can use the data to help determine the important role their forests play in providing clean drinking water to urban areas.

The Forests to Faucets project will also help identify watersheds where a payment for watershed services project may be an option for financing conservation on forest lands. The cost of treating drinking water increases 20 percent for every loss of 10 percent of forest land in a watershed.

“Spending money on forest management upstream in a watershed saves money on water treatment downstream,” said U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell. “The Forests to Faucets project provides powerful information that can help identify forest areas that play a key role in providing clean drinking water.”

The project found that Appalachian forests critically impact drinking water in East Coast cities including New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington. Forests in the Sierras in California and the Front Range in Colorado are also home to crucial watersheds that provide clean drinking water for millions of Americans.

Watersheds on national forests and grasslands are the source of 20 percent of the nation’s water supply, a value estimated to exceed $27 billion per year. Another 60 percent of the nation’s water flows from private lands.

“We expect Forests to Faucets will support rural economies by steering funding to upstream landowners, encouraging healthy forests and healthy water,” said Tidwell.

The mission of the U.S. Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. Recreational activities on our lands contribute $14.5 billion annually to the U.S. economy. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world.

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11-09-11*Beef Checkoff News* Checkoff Meetings Open to All Checkoff Investors at No Charge

Reminder to all cattle farmers, ranchers and importers: All beef checkoff meetings are open to every person who pays the checkoff.

During the upcoming 2012 Cattle Industry Conference in Nashville, Tenn.,

these meetings include meetings of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB); Federation of State Beef Councils (Federation)

and joint committee meetings that include checkoff representation. We’ve made it easy for those interested to participate.

Click here for more registration details.

Can’t attend the meeting? Be sure to get the latest updates on the MyBeefCheckoff Meeting blog.

11-09-11 Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announces Funding To Reduce Energy Costs for Rural Small Businesses…$300K for Avalanche Ranch in CO

Colorado’s Avalanche Ranch will receive a 300,000 grant for Geothermal generation

AMES, IOWA, November 9, 2011 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA is funding projects to harness wind, solar, geothermal and hydroelectric power to reduce energy costs for farms and small business across rural America.  Rural Development Deputy Under Secretary Doug O’Brien made the announcement on the Secretary’s behalf during his address here today at the Rural Young Entrepreneur Summit (YES).

“The Obama Administration is assisting small businesses, including farmers and ranchers, as they work to reduce their energy costs,” O’Brien said.  “When energy costs are reduced, American rural businesses become more competitive, allowing them to expand and create jobs.”

One of the projects announced today will assist Hawkeye Tri-County Electric Cooperative in Cresco, Iowa, to install a geothermal heating and cooling system in its headquarters building.  Coon Valley Turkeys, LLC, inLake View, Iowa, is receiving funding to install a wind turbine to offset the cost of electricity.  Gary Larson of Underwood, Iowa, will receive assistance to install a geothermal heating and cooling system in a shop that services his farming operations.

The YES event is sponsored by USDA Rural Development, the Community Vitality Center (CVC), Iowa State University’s Extension, Outreach Community and Economic Development  along with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Below is a complete list of funding recipients announced today:

11-09-11 *CSU NEWS* Colorado State University’s Temple Grandin named to Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame

PHOTO Courtesy of Barn Media of Dr Temple Grandin @ the 2010 CCA Convention in Pueblo, CO

FORT COLLINS - Temple Grandin, world-renowned animal scientist at Colorado State University, was named Wednesday among the 2012 inductees to the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame for her trailblazing work in livestock welfare and autism advocacy.

“I’m really pleased and very honored,” Grandin said of the announcement.

She and nine others will be honored during the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame 2012 Induction Gala on March 8 at the Denver Marriott City Center.

Grandin, who has autism, has been a faculty member in CSU’s College of Agricultural Sciences for 22 years. During that time, she has earned international acclaim as a pioneer in farm-animal welfare and as a champion for people with autism and their families.

Grandin impressed the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame selection committee as a woman who has overcome many obstacles, both in her historically male-dominated career field and as someone who has struggled with autism, said Lindy Conter, committee chairwoman.

“Despite all the adversity she’s overcome, Dr. Grandin is dedicated to helping other people as a professor at CSU and as an advocate for people with autism. She has also very steadily helped change her field to raise awareness about animal welfare. That’s truly amazing,” Conter said.

As a child, Grandin developed a unique bond with animals. Insights into animal behavior have led Grandin to develop humane livestock-handling and auditing systems that are used on ranches, in feedlots and in meat-packing plants worldwide. Grandin is not a vegetarian but fervently believes food animals should be treated with respect.

“At CSU, we join in applauding Dr. Grandin’s contributions to our world. She has helped open minds and open doors for other people,” said Craig Beyrouty, dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences. “Temple has improved our food system by promoting livestock welfare and enhancing consumer confidence. All the while, she has been an incredible role model for people in the autism community and for all of us.”

11-09-11 CO Governor Hickenlooper appoints new county court judge in Alamosa County

DENVER ­— Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011 — Gov. John Hickenlooper announced today the appointment of Daniel A. Walzl to serve as an Alamosa County court  judge in the 12^th Judicial District (Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Mineral, Rio Grande and Saguache counties).

Walzl will fill a vacancy created by the resignation of the Honorable Michael Gonzales, who was recently appointed to serve as a district court judge in the 12^th Judicial District.

Walzl, of Alamosa, serves as the Office Head of the Colorado Public Defenders Office for the Alamosa Regional Office.

Before serving as a Colorado Public Defender, Walzl served as a law clerk from 1999-2000 for the Honorable Thomas M. Jahnke, Superior Court, 1^st Judicial District, Ketchikan, Alaska. The majority of Walzl’s legal career has been devoted to criminal litigation. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and a J.D. from the University of Colorado School of Law.

Walzl’s judicial appointment is effective Oct. 1, 2011.

 

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11-09-11 US Representative Gardner aide to be inducted into Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame…Feb 23rd by the CO FFA Foundation

COLORADO – Rep. Cory Gardner congratulated one of his top aides, Dr. Alan Foutz, upon hearing the news that Foutz will be inducted into the Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame in February 2012.

“Dr. Foutz’s devotion to Colorado agriculture can be seen in the countless hours he has spent working on issues that affect that community,” Gardner said.  “It is an honor to have Dr. Foutz as part of the team, and I know he will continue to stand up for Colorado farmers and ranchers and make sure their voice is heard.”

About the Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame:

11-09-11 *Monsanto News* A SPOTLIGHT ON AMERICA’S FARMERS THIS THANKSGIVING

CLICK HERE to learn more...

Advocacy campaign focused on raising awareness about modern American agriculture launches Thanksgiving Day

ST. LOUIS (November 9, 2011) – America’s farm families have an amazing story to tell – and Monsanto is continuing its “America’s Farmers” campaign to help them tell it. On Thanksgiving Day, Monsanto will launch the next wave of television commercials aimed at illustrating the important role of America’s farm families and modern agriculture in meeting the needs of our growing world.

“This Thanksgiving, as people sit down to enjoy dinner with their family and friends, we hope to encourage them to take a moment and thank those who make it all possible – America’s farm families,” says spokesperson Jessica Simmons. “As an agriculture company, Monsanto is proud to advocate on behalf of America’s farmers as they work tirelessly to provide plentiful food, clothing and energy for our country and the world.”

Virginia farmer P.J. Haynie, featured in the new America’s Farmers television commercials, is proud of the role he plays in supporting growing global demand for agricultural products. “Farmers contribute to the global food supply – food, fiber, textiles, so many things,” he says. “The products from rural counties are shipped all over the world. It’s an honor and a privilege to be an American farmer.”

In addition to the new television commercials starting on Thanksgiving Day, the America’s Farmers campaign can be heard on the radio and seen on billboards along major U.S. highways. Each farm family in the campaign will also be featured in a behind-the-scenes look at farm life through a series of webisodes at AmericasFarmers.com.

The three farm families featured in the 2012 campaign include:

11-09-11 *USDA/NASS* Crop Production – COLORADO

CLICK HERE to visit the Colorado Field Office Website

CROP PRODUCTION – November 2011
COLORADO HIGHLIGHTS
Colorado’s corn for grain production for 2011 is now forecast at 162.0 million bushels, down 11 percent from last year’s crop of 182.7 million bushels and down 9.5 million bushels from the October 1 forecast. Expected average yield is forecast at 120 bushels per acre, down 31 bushels from the previous year and 7 bushels per acre less than the October 1 forecast. Producers are expected to harvest 1.35 million acres for grain compared with 1.21 million acres in 2010. If realized, lower than expected yields along with a greater proportion of dryland acreage available for harvest combined to produce the lowest yield in Colorado since 1995. Sorghum production for 2011 remains forecast at 6.24 million bushels, unchanged from the October 1 forecast, but 17 percent below last year’s crop of 7.52 million bushels. A generally dry growing season reduced yield expectations to average 39 bushels per acre, 8 bushels below the 2010 average. The area expected to be harvested for grain remains at 160,000 acres, which is equal to the area harvest for grain last year. Sugarbeet production is now forecast at 804,000 tons, down 19,000 tons from the previous year. Yields are expected to average 28.0 tons per acre, up 2.0 tons from last month but down 1.5 tons per acre from the record high yield attained in 2010. The area for harvest remains forecast at 28,700 acres, up from 27,900 acres in 2010. Fall potato growers in the San Luis Valley produced an estimated 21.29 million hundredweight of potatoes this year, down 237,000 hundredweight from last year’s crop. Average yield was set at 395 hundredweight per acre, an increase of 5 hundredweight per acre from the yield attained last year. The harvested area, estimated at 53,900 acres this year, was 1,300 acres below 2010.
UNITED STATES HIGHLIGHTS

11-09-11 CME Group Provides Update on Customer Account Verification Process in Conjunction With Bulk Transfers of MF Global Accounts

CHICAGO, Nov. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — CME Group today provided an update regarding the process it announced November 4, 2011 to verify customer collateral transferred to receiving firms through the MF Global bulk transfer process, as authorized by the Trustee.

CME Group is committed to ensuring that all customers are treated fairly as CME Clearing works with the Trustee, is making substantial progress on verifications and continues to receive information from the 12 receiving clearing firms and other Derivatives Clearing Organizations (DCOs) to facilitate this process. However, due to the massive undertaking of processing data to verify 15,000 accounts for CME Clearing, ICE Clear US, The Clearing Corporation, KCBOT Clearing Corp., MGEX, NYSE Liffe US and The Options Clearing Corporation, as well as the unique circumstances of the MF Global bulk transfer process, the validation of each account’s collateral balance is taking longer than originally anticipated.

CME Group recognizes the urgency of the situation and is working to complete this process as soon as possible. The company expects that those customer accounts including only futures positions will be verified, and holds will be removed on a rolling basis beginning this morning, November 9. Following the completion of futures-only account verifications, the company will work to complete the process and remove any remaining holds on accounts involving options positions throughout the remainder of this week.

11-09-11 RMFU Media Alert: Transmission Corridor Workshop in Cheyenne, Nov. 17…OPEN TO THE PUBLIC in Cheyenne, WY

At 3 p.m on November 17, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union will host a public meeting at Cheyenne Little America to examine the problem of creating transmission corridors to deliver renewable energy to customers eager for this clean energy.

The panel will be moderated by former PUC commissioner Ron Lehr. Speakers include Craig Knoell (Transmission Infrastructure Manager for the Western Area Power Administration), Loyd Drain (Executive Director of the Wyoming Infrastructure Authority), Brent Orr (President, Cornerstone Transco) and RMFU Director of Renewable Energy Development Bill Midcap.

11-09-11 CME Group Sets Monthly Record for Cleared OTC Interest Rate Swaps and Credit Default Swaps in October, and Announces Further OTC Product Expansion

CHICAGO, Nov. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ – CME Group, the world’s leading and most diverse derivatives marketplace, today announced that it set new monthly records for clearing interest rate swaps (IRS) and credit default swaps (CDS).  For the month of October, the company cleared $45.5 billion in OTC IRS and CDS volume, including $6 billion in dealer-to-dealer volume, exceeding the previous record monthly total of $41.9 billion inSeptember 2011.

As of November 8, 2011, the company has cleared more than $99 billion in OTC IRS and CDS through its open clearing solutions since launch.  Additionally, open interest stood at $77.3 billion in IRS and $7.9 billion in CDS.

CME Group also expanded its existing CDS offering on November 7, 2011, with the launch of the CDX high yield indices, which cleared $644 million in its first two days.  This new offering is in addition to the launch of Euro-denominated IRS on October 17, which has cleared more than euro 4.5 billion to date.  By year-end, CME Group will extend its IRS offering to include the British pound, Japanese yen, Swiss franc and Canadian dollar-denominated IRS.  According to data from the Bank for International Settlements, these six currencies account for 94 percent of the vanilla IRS market.

11-09-11 CO Governor Hickenlooper signs agreement with Oklahoma to increase natural gas vehicles in each state’s fleet

DENVER ­— Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011 — Gov. John Hickenlooper signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today with Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin that is designed to increase the use of natural gas vehicles in each state’s fleet. Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead and Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett have also signed on to the agreement.

The MOU (attached) calls for joint solicitation of a Multi-State Request for Proposal that aggregates annual fleet vehicle procurements. The states involved anticipate this effort will provide a demand base sufficient to support the design, manufacture and sale of functional and affordable natural gas vehicle by automotive manufacturers in the United States.

This effort in Colorado is being led by the Governor’s Energy Office, which is working on adopting natural gas as a component of the state’s clean energy portfolio for transportation fuels.

“Aggregating state and local vehicle purchases is a common sense way to close the price gap between traditional and alternative fuel vehicles,” Hickenlooper said. “We are happy to participate in this partnership with Gov. Mary Fallin of Oklahoma and other governors across the country. Developing markets for vehicles that run on natural gas – an abundant domestic fuel – can help reduce dependence on foreign oil, enhance air quality and showcase how states are leading by example to help tackle the complex energy challenges that our country faces.”

“This MOU ensures that Oklahoma, Colorado and other likeminded states are taking the lead to support the next frontier of American-made energy: natural gas vehicles,” Fallin said. “States have tens of thousands of fleet automobiles, and by asking car manufacturers to partner with us to bring an affordable NGV to market, we’re helping to develop the products and infrastructure for cleaner, more cost-effective transportation. This initiative has the potential to be a true ‘game changer’ for both the automobile industry and the energy industry. I’m proud to join Governor Hickenlooper and others in an effort that will support job creation and bolster both our national security and economic security by promoting American-made energy.”

11-09-11 *NREL News* Farm Fields Could Yield Jet Fuel of the Future

Credit: Dennis Schroeder

NREL is helping develop a process to cost effectively convert cellulosic biomass into a replacement for petroleum-based aviation fuel.

November 8th, 2011 -Ever since the Wright brothers took their historic flight at Kitty Hawk, the aviation industry has been looking for ways to fly further faster. Now with the help of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Virent, Inc. and DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), planes may soon take to the skies using less petroleum.

In June, DOE announced an award of up to $13.4 million dollars to Virent and its partners to develop a process to cost effectively convert cellulosic biomass — in this case the non-edible parts of corn — into jet fuel.

Full story

11-09-11 *USDA/NASS* Crop Production Report…

CLICK HERE to visit the Colorado Field Office Website

Crop Production 

ISSN: 1936-3737

Released November 9, 2011, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service
(NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA).

Small Grain Updates

Survey respondents who reported barley, oat, Durum wheat, or other spring
wheat acreage as not yet harvested in Idaho, Maine, Montana, North Dakota,
Oregon, and Washington during the surveys conducted in preparation for the
Small Grains 2011 Summary were re-contacted in late October to determine how
many of the acres were actually harvested and record the actual production
from those acres. Based on this updated information, several changes were
made to the estimates published in the Small Grains 2011 Summary. Because
unharvested production is a component of on-farm stocks, changes were made to
the September 1 on-farm stocks levels comparable with the production
adjustments.

11-09-11 *USDA/NASS* World Agricultural & Supply Demand Estimates…

CLICK HERE to view the entire USDA/NASS WASDE REPORT for November 9th, 2011

WHEAT: U.S. wheat supplies for 2011/12 are lowered 9 million bushels based on updated  production estimates for the states resurveyed following the September 30 Small Grains report. Adjustments to production in these states, where significant acreage remained unharvested in early September, lowers production estimates for Hard Red Spring (HRS) wheat and durum. An increase in white wheat production is partly offsetting. Projected use for 2011/12 is unchanged for all wheat; however, domestic food use is projected higher for Hard Red Winter (HRW) wheat and lower for HRS wheat. Projected exports are raised for HRS and lowered for HRW. All wheat ending stocks are lowered 9 million bushels in line with the production change. The season average farm price is projected lower at $7.05 to $7.75 per bushel compared with $7.10 to $7.90 last month, reflecting the latest reported prices. Global wheat supplies for2011/12 are projected 2.6 million tons higher mostly reflecting higher production in Kazakhstan and EU-27. Kazakhstan production is raised 2.0 million tons as an extended harvest period capped off a nearly ideal growing season, confirmed by the latest government reports. EU-27 production is raised 1.2 million tons with further upward revisions for France and Spain and higher reported production in the United Kingdom and Czech Republic. Partly offsetting these increases is a 0.5-million-ton reduction for Argentina and 0.3-million-ton reductions for both Algeria and Ethiopia.  World wheat trade is raised for 2011/12 with higher expected imports for China, a number of African countries, including Morocco and Algeria, as well as for Brazil and several FSU-12 countries neighboring Kazakhstan. Partly offsetting is a reduction in projected imports for South Korea where more corn feeding is expected. Exports are raised 1.0 million tons each for EU-27 and Russia reflecting larger supplies in EU-27 and the continued heavy pace of shipments from Russia. Global wheat consumption for 2011/12 is raised 2.4 million tons with increased feeding expected for Kazakhstan, Brazil, and Serbia. Larger crops in Kazakhstan and Serbia support more wheat feeding. Recent rains in southern Brazil have reduced wheat quality in some areas raising the potential for more feeding. Higher consumption is also expected for EU-27, Ethiopia, Kenya, and several smaller FSU-12 countries. Global ending stocks are projected 0.2 million tons higher. Rising stocks in Kazakhstan, China, and Morocco are partly offset by reductions in major exporting countries including Russia, Argentina, and EU-27.

COARSE GRAINS: U.S. feed grain supplies for 2011/12 are projected lower with reduced corn and oats production more than offsetting small increases for sorghum and barley. Corn production for 2011/12 is forecast 123 million bushels lower with the national average yield forecast 1.4 bushels per acre below last month. At 146.7 bushels per acre, this year’s yield would be the lowest since 2003/04. Feed and residual use is lowered 100 million bushels with the smaller crop and further reductions in the outlook for broiler production. Projected U.S. ending stocks are lowered 23 million bushels. The season-average farm price is unchanged at $6.20 to $7.20 per bushel. WASDE-500-2 Other 2011/12 changes include small adjustments to projected ending stocks for sorghum, barley, and oats, reflecting this month’s production changes. Projected sorghum exports are reduced 10 million bushels as sales and shipments continue to lag earlier expectations. A 10-million-bushel increase in expected sorghum food, seed, and industrial use is offsetting. Projected farm prices for sorghum are unchanged, but projected ranges are narrowed for barley and oats, and the barley farm price is projected lower based on reported malting barley prices. Changes for 2010/11 corn mostly reflect a 13-million-bushel increase in food, seed, and industrial use with usage raised for sweeteners, starch, and ethanol, all based on the latest available data. In addition, there are small adjustments to imports and exports based on August trade data from the U.S. Census Bureau. These changes reduce 2010/11 feed and residual use 11 million bushels. Global coarse grain supplies for 2011/12 are projected slightly lower with reduced U.S. corn production and lower EU-27 rye production more than offsetting higher Argentina sorghum production, higher EU-27 corn, barley, oats production, and higher Kazakhstan barley production. Corn production is lowered for a number of countries with the biggest reduction for Mexico where production is lowered 3.5 million tons. A late start to the summer rainy season and an early September freeze in parts of the southern plateau corn belt reduced yields for Mexico’s summer crop. Lower expected area for the winter crop, which will be planted in November and December, also reduces 2011/12 corn production prospects. Reservoir levels are well below those necessary to sustain a normal seasonal draw down in the northwestern corn areas which normally account for 70 to 80 percent of Mexico’s winter corn crop. Increases in 2011/12 corn production for a number of countries partly offset reductions in Mexico, the United States, and Serbia. Corn production is raised 2.5 million tons for China with increases in both area and yields in line with the latest indications from the China National Grain and Oils Information Center. EU-27 corn production is raised 1.9 million tons mostly reflecting higher reported output in France, Romania, and Austria. Argentina production is raised 1.5 million tons with higher expected area. FSU-12 production is raised 0.7 million tons with higher reported yields in Belarus and Russia. There are also a number of production changes this month to corn and sorghum production in Sub-Saharan Africa which reduce coarse grain production for the region. World coarse grain trade for 2011/12 is raised with increased global imports and exports of barley and corn. Barley imports are raised for Algeria, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan with exports increased for EU-27 and Russia. Corn imports are increased for China, Mexico, and South Korea. Higher expected corn exports from Argentina and EU-27 support these increases. Higher sorghum exports from Argentina offset the reduction in expected U.S. sorghum shipments. Global corn consumption is mostly unchanged with higher industrial use and feeding in China and higher corn feeding in EU-27 and South Korea offsetting reductions in Mexico and the United States. Global corn ending stocks are projected 1.6 million tons lower with reductions in EU-27, Mexico, Brazil, and the United States outweighing increases for China and Argentina.