Ag in the News

11/21/2007

National and International

Hormel expecting higher feed costs, lower hog prices in 2008
Hormel Foods spent an extra $80 million in feed costs in 2007 and expects to pay an additional $40 million in 2008, company executives told analysts on a teleconference Tuesday after reporting fourth quarter earnings. MORE!

T.G.I. Friday's puts new entrees on the menu
Carrollton, Texas-based casual-dining chain T.G.I. Friday's is mixing up its menu items again, this time introducing several new meat-based entrees and appetizers, Nation's Restaurant News reported. MORE!

NTF chairman gives President Bush national Thanksgiving turkey
President George W. Bush on Tuesday "pardoned" the national Thanksgiving turkey in a White House ceremony, as he and National Turkey Federation Chairman Ted Seger celebrated the 60th anniversary of the first modern national Thanksgiving turkey presentation. MORE!

Wrap Up

SENATE – NO FARM BILL:  AS LAWMAKERS TAKE A TWO WEEK BREAK, THEY'LL RETURN IN DECEMBER WITH AN UN-FINISHED FARM BILL.  THE SENATE FAILED TO MOVE THE LEGISLATION FORWARD BEFORE THE RECESS.  TECHNICALLY, THE SENATE'S NOT ON RECESS.  PRO FARMERS ROGER BERNARD EXPLAINS WHY.  MEANWHILE, IN THE HOUSE -- WHICH PASSED THE MEASURE IN JULY -- THERE'S MOVEMENT AFOOT TO EXTEND THE CURRENT FARM BILL.  AGRI-BUSINESS DIRECTOR AL PELL WAS IN KANSAS CITY RECENTLY WHERE HE TALKED ABOUT THE SENATE STALEMATE WITH FORMER AGRICULTURE SECRETARY JOHN BLOCK.

RURAL INTERNET-HEALTH:  HIGH SPEED INTERNET IS FINALLY COMING TO A RURAL HEALTH CLINIC NEAR YOU.  THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THE AWARD OF GRANTS TOTALLING FOUR-HUNDRED SEVENTEEN MILLION DOLLARS TO HELP RURAL HEALTHCARE GROUPS BUILD HIGH SPEED INTERNET NETWORKS TO CONNECT ISOLATED CLINICS TO MEDICAL RESOURCES IN URBAN AREAS.  ACCORDING TO THE WASHINGTON POST, THE THREE YEAR PILOT PROGRAM WILL HELP EXTEND BROADBAND LINES TO APPROXIMATELY SIX THOUSAND HOSPITALS, RESEARCH CENTERS, UNIVERSITIES AND CLINICS IN HARD-TO-REACH AREAS - MANY THAT STILL RELY ON DIAL-UP.  THE F-C-C HAS BEEN UNDER PRESSURE FROM MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND CONSUMER ADVOCATE GROUPS TO PROVIDE BROADBAND IN UNDERSERVED AREAS.

FORUM:  IF YOU WOULD LIKE THE INSIDE SCOOP ON HOW AG POLICY IS FORMED, THEN YOU DON'T WANT THIS YEARS FARM JOURNAL FORUM SET FOR NEXT MONTH IN WASHINGTON.  FARM BILL, TRADE, ENERGY -- THEY'RE ALL ON THE DOCKET.  WE'VE GATHERED KEY PLAYERS INVOLVED WITH AGRICULTURE AND TRADE ISSUES SCHEDULED FOR FOR DECEMBER TENTH AND ELEVENTH.  FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO FARM-JOURNAL-FORUM-DOT-COM...OR CALL 402-330-0289.

COLONY COLLAPSE UPDATE:  AN ARTICLE IN THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL RULES OUT AUSTRALIA AS A SOURCE FOR COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER - THE CONDITION THAT'S CAUSING BEES TO DISAPPEAR ACROSS THE COUNTRY.  USDA RESEARCHERS ARE LOOKING AT COMBINATIONS OF FOUR FACTORS WHICH COULD CAUSE THE DISORDER - PATHOGENS, PARASITES, ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSES AND BEE MANAGEMENT STRESSES...SUCH AS POOR NUTRITION.  BEE EXPERTS HAVE CONCLUDED THAT C-C-D HAS BEEN IN THE U-S SINCE 2002 - BEFORE AMERICAN BEEKEEPERS STARTED IMPORTING BEES FROM AUSTRALIA TO RESTOCK THEIR HIVES.  DISTINCT STRAINS OF A VIRUS CALLED ISRAELI ACUTE PARALYSIS VIRUS HAVE BEEN FOUND - CONTRIBUTING TO COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER IN THIS COUNTRY.   HONEY BEES POLLINATE MORE THAN ONE-HUNDRED THIRTY CROPS IN THE U-S AND ADD APPROXIMATELY FIFTEEN BILLION DOLLARS IN CROP VALUE ANNUALLY.

 CALIF WATER WOES:  CALIFORNIA IS ALREADY SOUNDING THE ALARM ABOUT MAJOR WATER SHORTAGES IN 2008...AND ITS IMPACT ON GROWERS.  WATER REGULATORS SAY 2008 COULD BE A "RECORD LOW YEAR FOR WATER SUPPLIES" RIVERSIDE COUNTY WATER DISTRICTS AND FARM GROUPS HELD A FORUM TUESDAY TO HELP FARMERS PREPARE THE CHALLENGES THEY COULD FACE.  THE CALIFORNIA FARM BUREAU SAYS FARMERS WHO BUY WATER THROUGH SPECIFIC CONTRACTS WITH THE REGION'S WHOLESALE WATER SUPPLIER WILL SEE THIRTY PERCENT LESS WATER IN JANUARY.

AFRICA –COW PEAS:  YOU MAY KNOW THEM AS BLACK-EYED PEAS. BUT IN WEST AFRICA THEY'RE KNOWN AS COW-PEAS... AND THEY ARE A DIETARY PROTEIN STAPLE.  RESEARCHERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-RIVERSIDE HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR DECADES ON HOW TO MAKE THE LEGUME MORE RESISTANT IN DROUGHT-PRONE AFRICA.    U-C-R RESEARCHERS JUST RECEIVED A ONE-POINT-SEVEN MILLION DOLLAR GRANT TO DEVELOP IMPROVED COW PEAS.  USING GENE TECHNOLOGY, THEY HOPE TO FIND THE RIGHT MIX THAT WILL IMPROVE DROUGHT AND PEST RESISTANCE.  THERE ARE AT LEAST FIVE-THOUSAND VARIETIES OF BLACK-EYED PEAS - OR COW PEAS - THROUGH-OUT THE WORLD.  THEIR TEST PLOTS ARE LOCATED EIGHTY MILES EAST OF RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA IN COACHELLA VALLEY....AND EHLERS SAYS THE CONDITIONS THERE ARE EXCELLENT FOR THIS KIND OF DROUGHT RESEARCH.  WHEN OUR CAMERAS WERE THERE LAST WEEK, THE TEMPERATURE WAS IN THE MID-NINETIES.

 PEACH BIOFUELS:  IN AGRI-BUSINESS TODAY.... COULD THE FUTURE OF BIOFUELS BE FOUND AT THE BASE OF A PEACH TREE?  A RESEARCHER IN SOUTH CAROLINA CERTAINLY THINKS SO.  MORE THAN 200-MILLION POUNDS OF PEACHES ARE HARVESTED EACH YEAR IN SOUTH CAROLINA...20-MILLION POUNDS ARE DISCARDED.  RESEARCHER CAYE DRAPCHO (KAY DRAP-CHO) AT CLEMSON UNIVERSITY SAYS BACTERIA THAT GROWS ON ROTTING PEACHES PRODUCES HYDROGEN.  THE SOUTH CAROLINA PEACH COUNCIL IS HELPING TO PAY FOR SOME OF THE RESEARCH AT CLEMSON.  DRAPCHO SAYS TURNING PEACHES INTO A VIABLE FUEL IS STILL A LONG WAYS OFF.

IN THE COUNTRY:  FOR MANY PEOPLE IN FARM COUNTRY, FAITH PLAYS A BIG ROLE IN WHAT YOU DO -- FAITH THAT RAINS WILL COME AT THE RIGHT TIME - FAITH THAT YOUR HARVEST WILL BE SAFE AND SUCCESSFUL.  ONE NORTH DAKOTA FARMER IS SO GRATEFUL FOR HIS MANY YEARS OF ABUNDANT HARVEST THAT HE'S SHARING HIS MESSAGE OF FAITH.  IN THIS REPORT FROM AFFILIATE KFYR-TV, CLIFF NAYLOR SAYS THE MESSAGE STANDS LIKE A BEACON FOR THOSE WHO PASS IT BY.

TURKEY TIPS-HEALTH:  IN AG FOR YOUR HEALTH...PREARING A THANKSGIVING DINNER CAN BE COMPLICATED...AND YOU NEED TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS BEFORE AND AFTER THE MEAL IS SERVED.  HERE ARE SOME TIMELY TIPS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI.  CLARK SAYS THOSE LITTLE POP-UP TIMERS ON SOME TURKEYS ARE USUALLY ACCURATE, BUT THEY ONLY RECORD THE TEMPERATURE IN ONE SMALL SPOT OF THE BIRD.  SO HE RECOMMENDS YOU USE A MEAT THERMOMETER AND CHECK SEVERAL SPOTS ON THE TURKEY.