READ the NAFB's National Ag News as heard inside the BARN for August 27th

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“Pro Farmer Corn and Soybean Estimates Lower than USDA’s August Projections”

The 2012 Pro Farmer Midwest Crop Tour has come to a close and the estimates for the nation’s corn and soybean crops are in. Pro Farmer has pegged the U.S. corn crop at 10.478-billion bushels on an average yield of 120.25-bushels per acre. Both of those projections are lower than the estimates released by USDA on August 10th. USDA forecast corn production at 10.8-billion bushels with an average yield of 123.4-bushels to the acre. Pro Farmer is anticipating a harvested acreage percentage of 89.5-percent. For soybeans – Pro Farmer expects a 2012 crop of 2.6-billion bushels with an average yield of 34.8-bushels per acre. Earlier this month USDA projected a 2.69-billion bushel soybean crop with an average yield of 36.1-bushels per acre. Pro Farmer scouts spent the week of August 20th traveling through seven states to look at the corn and soybean crops – releasing state-by-state numbers each night. The final overall estimates were released Friday.

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“Texas Governor Joins Those Requesting RFS Waiver”

Texas Governor Rick Perry has announced that his state is joining the growing list of those requesting a waiver of the Renewable Fuel Standard mandate. More than 180 members of Congress, the governors of Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, New Mexico and North Carolina, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and other livestock groups have turned to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson to waive the RFS and bring relief from high corn prices to the thousands of producers struggling to feed their animals because of the worst drought in 50 years. NCBA Vice President and Texas cattleman Bob McCan says the RFS mandate creates an uneven playing field for farmers and ranchers – and has directly affected the cost of feed in agricultural parts of the country – which could lead to an increase in food prices for consumers. Noting Texas is the largest beef cattle state in the country – McCan says Governor Perry’s announcement makes it clear that cattlemen and women nationwide are continuing to experience the negative effects of the drought.

Texas Cattle Feeders Association Chairman Jim Peters says he’s pleased that a growing number of bipartisan governors and members of Congress from around the country are requesting a common sense waiver that will provide livestock producers and consumers with some relief from the RFS. Peters isn’t sure how anyone could still believe the RFS isn’t a market distorting government policy that props up the ethanol industry at the expense of livestock producers and consumers. He says it is an ill-conceived, economically harmful federal policy.

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“Grains Council Continues Strengthening Relationship with China”

The U.S. Grains Council hosted high-level officials from China on a corn tour across the U.S. last week. Chinese ag development and policy officials viewed corn and value-added produced systems firsthand. This was the second year of USGC’s Corn Study mission – and USGC Country Director in China Bryan Lohmar says the mission builds confidence for the use of trade as a tool to help lower food prices and achieve greater food security.

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“Conservation Innovation Grants Awarded”

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service has awarded 26-million dollars in Conservation Innovation Grants to agricultural and conservation institutions, foundations and businesses for projects and test and prove unique approaches to enhancing and protecting natural resources on agricultural lands. U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says the 59 grants will help spur creativity and problem-solving to benefit conservation-minded farmers and ranchers in 47 states. The grant winners will demonstrate innovative approaches to improving soil health, increasing pollinator and wildlife habitat, protecting water quality and producing on-farm energy savings. Vilsack says everyone who relies on the nation’s natural resources for clean water, food and fiber for their way of live will benefit from these grants.

Twelve of the grants awarded Friday are for development of water quality trading markets. Vilsack says USDA believes there are states around the country that are on the cusp of having thriving water quality trading markets. USDA explains that water quality trading is a market-based approach that enables facilities to achieve needed pollution controls through the purchase of credits for a particular pollutant. Farmers can produce water quality credits by implementing conservation practices that reduce nutrients or sediment losses – and generally at a much lower cost than a municipal treatment facility. The goal is to achieve water quality improvements more cost-effectively by bringing together participating buyers and sellers. This is the first time NRCS offered a separate request for proposals that specified support for water quality trading markets.

SOURCE: NAFB News Service