Minnesota planting ahead of average May 14, 2012

SAINT PAUL - Minnesota farmers continue to make progress on planting corn and soybeans, thanks to warm, dry weather.

According to the USDA's weekly crop-weather report for Minnesota, corn planting jumped to 88 percent planted, with 45 percent of the crop emerged. Soybeans are 44 percent planted, compared with seven percent last year and 29 percent for the five-year average. Three percent of soybeans have emerged.

Small grains are rated in good to excellent condition.

Most areas reported below average rainfall for the week ending Sunday. Rain is still needed in northwestern Minnesota. In southern Minnesota, heavy rains the previous week improved topsoil moisture but kept farmers out of the fields early in the week.

Topsoil moisture is rated two percent very short, 10 percent short, 77 percent adequate and 11 percent surplus.

Iowa farmers making progress on corn crop May 14, 2012

DES MOINES - Iowa farmers are almost finished planting this year's corn crop and are making inroads in getting the soybeans in the ground.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says in Monday's report that farmers took advantage of last week's dry weather and have planted 90 percent of the corn crop The five-year average is 79 percent. Fifty-five percent of the corn has emerged, which is six days ahead of normal.

Thirty-nine percent of the soybean crop has been planted. The average is 30 percent.

The report says Iowa had a much drier week with near seasonal temperatures and no severe storms. The statewide average precipitation was .43 inches, below the normal of about an inch. Topsoil moisture is 91 percent adequate or surplus, with subsoil moisture at 80 percent adequate or surplus.

Policy bill signed into law May 5, 2012

SAINT PAUL - Gov. Mark Dayton signed the 2012 Omnibus Agriculture Policy bill into law Thursday.

The legislation, which received bipartisan support, streamlines and modernizes statutes covering food safety enforcement, grain trade and renewable fuels.

The changes bring greater uniformity to MDA's statutes and make it easier for individuals and businesses to understand what the state requires of them, said Agriculture Commissioner Dave Frederickson.

"The Agriculture Department has a wide range of regulatory responsibilities," Frederickson said. "These duties were assigned by different pieces of legislation over the decades, and the result was often cumbersome and confusing. This bill modernizes our statutes to make them easier to understand and follow without jeopardizing our strong record on food safety."

The bill also extends Minnesota's E20 mandate for two years and directs agencies to develop recommendations for incorporating biofuels other than ethanol into the mandate.

It also creates a new loan progam to address a credit gap that has been a roadblock for some immigrant and minority populations seeking to get into the farm and food sector or to expand their farm. The loans will be available for working capital, the purchase of feed or supplies, or the purchase of machinery or equipment.

Minnesota corn planting nearly half done May 1, 2012

SAINT PAUL - Minnesota farmer's continued planting crops ahead of the average — and Minnesota's corn crop is nearly half planted.

In its weekly crop report for Minnesota, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says the state's corn crop is 48 percent complete. That's compared with just one percent last year and 31 percent for the five-year average.

Spring wheat planting is also well ahead of the average pace. The crop is 93 percent complete, compared with the average of 28 percent. Potato planting is 63 percent complete, and sugar beet planting advanced to 93 percent planted.

Precipitation amounts last week were below normal. Statewide, 4.4 days were rated suitable for fieldwork.

Iowa farmers making good progress May 1, 2012

DES MOINES - Iowa farmers are making good progress on getting the corn crop in the ground.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says farmers took advantage of dry weather early last week and now have planted 50 percent of the crop. That's up from just nine percent the previous week. The five-year average is 32 percent.

The USDA says in Monday's weekly report that five percent of the corn has emerged, which is 10 days ahead of normal.

Farmers have planted three percent of the soybean crop.

The week ended with rain and cooler weather from Friday afternoon to Sunday, which put planting on hold.

The statewide average rainfall for last week was .83 inch. The rain helped soil moisture, with topsoil at 92 percent adequate or surplus.

Discovery of mad cow was stroke of luck April 25, 2012

HANFORD, Calif. - A non-descript building in the heart of California's dairy country has become the focus of intense scrutiny now that mad cow disease has been discovered in a dead dairy cow.

The finding marks the first reported new case of the disease in the U.S. since 2006 — and the fact that the discovery was made at all was a stroke of luck. Tests are performed on only a small portion of dead animals brought to the transfer facility near Hanford.

The cow had died at one of the region's hundreds of dairies, but hadn't exhibited outward symptoms of the disease: unsteadiness, incoordination, a drastic change in behavior or low milk production, officials said. But when the animal arrived at the facility with a truckload of other dead cows on April 18, its 30-month-plus age and fresh corpse made her eligible for USDA testing.

Federal agriculture officials say the animal had atypical BSE. That means it didn't get the disease from eating infected cattle feed.

The director of the New York State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Cornell University, Bruce Akey, says it was a rare mutation that caused the disease.

The disease cannot be transmitted by contact among cows, and experts say it's unclear whether this rare type of BSE ever has been transmitted from a cow to a human by eating meat.

By The Associated Press

Burger King makes cage-free promise April 25, 2012

The movement by U.S. food corporations toward more humane treatment of animals has won a whopper of a shift. That's because Burger King has announced that all of its eggs and pork will come from cage-free chickens and pigs by 2017.

The decision by the world's second-biggest fast-food restaurant raises the bar for other companies seeking to appeal to the rising consumer demand for more humanely produced fare.

Burger King uses hundreds of millions of eggs and tens of millions of pounds of pork annually. The decision could represent a game-change in the egg and pork supply business as a huge new market has opened up for humanely raised food animals. Already 9 percent of the company's eggs and 20 percent of its pork are cage-free.

Earlier this year, McDonalds and Wendy's announced that they have asked their pork suppliers to outline their plans for elimination of gestation crates without setting a timetable.

The issue of the treatment of pigs raised for pork has recently developed. This year, Smithfield Farms and Hormel committed to ending the use of gestation crates by 2017.

By The Associated Press

Soil moisture supplies improve in Minnesota April 24, 2012

SAINT PAUL - Above-average precipitation has improved soil moisture supplies across Minnesota's farm country.

In its weekly crop weather report for Minnesota, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Monday that topsoil moisture was rated four percent very short, 21 percent short, 69 percent adequate, and six percent surplus as of Sunday.

That compares with 14 percent very short, 34 percent short, 49 percent adequate, and three percent surplus a week earlier.

Spring wheat planting is 84 percent complete, compared with zero percent at this point last year when the state had a soggy spring, and 17 percent for the five-year average.

Eleven percent of corn is planted, compared with none last year and a 12 percent average. Sugarbeet planting is 45 percent complete, compared with zero last year and a 13 percent average.

By The Associated Press

Wet weather hampers corn planting in Iowa April 24, 2012

DES MOINES - Iowa farmers are off to slow start in planting corn as cool, wet weather hampers the progress.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says nine percent of Iowa's corn crop is now planted, behind the five-year average of 16 percent. Less than one percent of the soybean crop is in the ground.

The USDA says last week's weather was unfavorable for planting, and farmers are waiting for fields to dry out. However, the rain improved soil moisture, with topsoil at 88 percent adequate or surplus. Subsoil moisture also improved.

Temperatures ranged from the upper 20s to the 70s The report says normal rainfall during the week, just shy of an inch, was exceeded in the northern half of Iowa and came up short in the southern half.

By The Associated Press

Farmers could soon be planting corn April 21, 2012

RICE - Agronomists say this year features the earliest opportunity in recorded history for corn planting.

Farmers have been itching to plant and if the weather favors them it could help make up for last year. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, corn produced on average 21 fewer bushels per harvested acre in 2011 than in 2010.

University of Minnesota Extension agriculture expert Dan Martens urged farmers to wait until at least this past Wednesday before planting.

Bruce Olson plans to soon plant 500 acres of corn and another 100 of soybeans on his farm near Rice. He's never had his corn in the ground earlier. He tells the St. Cloud Times he had a "super crop" two years ago when he was done planting in April.

By The Associated Press

Fertilizer plant to clean up chemical spill April 18, 2012

WASHINGTON, Iowa - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says a fertilizer plant in Washington is cleaning up after releasing herbicides and farm chemicals into a creek.

The DNR said Wednesday an employee of the Liqui-Grow plant was rinsing out totes that contained chemicals in an area designed to hold runoff. When the storage area filled, the DNR says the employee pumped the contaminated water to the ground and it ended up in a storm sewer that empties into a tributary of a creek.

The company estimates at least 400 gallons reached the tributary. Employees flushed the storm sewer with clean water Wednesday and collected contaminated rinse water.

The problem came to the DNR's attention after a resident reported a strong chemical odor and milky white color in his neighborhood stream Tuesday evening.

By The Associated Press

Minnesota farmers continue planting at rapid rate April 18, 2012

SAINT PAUL - Minnesota farmers continue spring planting at a torrid pace, despite a temperature cool-down last week.

According to the USDA's Minnesota crop-weather report Tuesday, spring wheat planting is 56 percent complete, well ahead of the five-year average of 6 percent.

Oats planted were 77 percent complete. That compares with 3 percent last year and 14 percent average. Nineteen percent of the state's oats already have emerged.

Barley planting is 35 percent complete, with 8 percent of the state's barley emerged.

Farmers already are 27 complete preparing land for corn, with 7 percent of corn planted. Sugar beet planting is 24 percent complete.

Temperatures last week fell well below freezing in several areas of the state for the first time since early March. Statewide, five days were suitable for fieldwork.

By The Associated Press

Meat plant owner defends horse slaughter plan April 15, 2012

ROSWELL, N.M. - The owner of a Roswell, N.M., slaughterhouse is defending his plan to become the first plant in the nation since 2007 to handle horses after an outcry from politicians and animal activists.

In interviews with the Roswell Daily Record and the Albuquerque Journal on Friday, Valley Meat Co. owner Rick De Los Santos says he's trying to revive his failing business and that what he proposing is legal.

De Los Santos says the horses he plans to process are being slaughtered anyway in Mexico and his operation would be overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and meet much higher standards.

The company's application for federal inspections triggered an outcry when it became public Friday, with New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez calling on the USDA to deny his application.

Organic farmers hope for boost with rivals' labels April 14, 2012

HARTFORD, Conn. - Many organic farmers are pushing for state laws that require labeling of genetically modified food from industrial producers because it could help the farmers' sales.

Eighteen states are considering such legislation, even though no study says genetically modified food is unhealthy or unsafe. Many legislators say labeling would simply give consumers more information about what they're eating.

Several organic growers say their business benefits from increased consumer scrutiny of agribusiness and rising demand for locally grown food. They say labeling would establish a bright line between their products and those of big growers.

Connecticut lawmakers were the first to advance a measure out of a committee last month, but avoided taking sides in the argument about whether genetically modified food has an impact on health. Legislators say they want to provide more consumer information.

By The Associated Press

Small grain planting advances in Minnesota April 10, 2012

Some processors label beef containing 'pink slime' April 5, 2012

DES MOINES - Some beef processors plan on labeling beef containing the meat product commonly called "pink slime."

The USDA says it has received applications for such labeling for the first time and plans on granting approval after it checks labels for accuracy.

The USDA says the labeling is a voluntary initiative by companies who want to inform consumers.

Some processors who provide the ammonia treated trimmings plan to identify ground beef containing the product with a label that says: "Contains Lean Finely Textured Beef" or a similar statement.

Tyson Foods, which buys it and uses it in some products, says controversy surrounding the product has increased demand for beef without it.

A spokesman says more people also have recently expressed interest in buying ground beef with the product in it.

By The Associated Press

Early planting starts in parts of Minnesota April 3, 2012

SAINT PAUL - Some farmers already are planting in central and southern Minnesota, thanks to the mild, dry winter and record warmth in March.

In its first weekly crop-weather report for Minnesota this season, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says farmers expect full-scale fieldwork to begin on April 12. That's seven days ahead of average.

Spring wheat was three percent planted as of Sunday, oats were 18 percent planted and barley was six percent planted. That compares with zero percent for those crops last year and for the five-year average.

Three percent of land was prepared for corn and one percent was prepared for soybeans.

Statewide average temperatures were 10 degrees above normal last week. Rain helped replenish some soil moisture, but the southern third of Minnesota continues to undergo a severe drought.

By The Associated Press

Corn, soybean farmers worried about dryness April 2, 2012

ROCHESTER - Minnesota corn and soybean farmers are preparing to seed their fields, even as concerns mount over whether the unusually warm weather left enough moisture to yield a decent crop.

The Post-Bulletin of Rochester says a number of counties are dealing with abnormally dry conditions. Farmers in those areas are wondering whether the soil has retained enough moisture.

Bruce Schmoll grows corn and soybean near Claremont, in Dodge County. He says his area got little major rainfall since last summer and little snow this winter. He says he's concerned about dry subsoil.

Fritz Breitenbach is with the University of Minnesota Extension. He says it's hard to predict how the summer will shape up. He says history doesn't provide consistent clues about summer moisture following a dry spring.

SOUTH SIOUX CITY, Neb. - Governors of three states toured a Nebraska plant that makes "pink slime" in a bid to persuade grossed-out consumers to accept the processed beef trimmings as safe.

The governors of Texas, Iowa, and Kansas — and lieutenant governors in Nebraska and South Dakota — toured the main Beef Products Inc. plant to see how the textured beef product is made.

The politicians spent about 20 minutes witnessing the production in a separate room. Then they donned hair nets and goggles for a walking tour of the South Sioux City, Neb., plant. They did not taste the product.

The company suspended operations at plants in three states this week amid criticism that the product is an unappetizing example of industrialized food production.

The product meets federal food safety standards.

By The Associated Press

Governors to tour plant where 'pink slime' is made March 28, 2012

SIOUX FALLS - Governors and lieutenant governors from at least four states are planning to tour the lone remaining Beef Products Inc. plant in operation as a sign of support for the company.

Beef Products Inc. announced Monday that it was suspending operations at three of its four plants around the country amid a public outcry over concerns about the low-cost beef filler that has become known as "pink slime."

Company spokesman Rich Jochum says the governor or lieutenant governor from Iowa, Texas, South Dakota and Nebraska will tour the South Sioux City, Neb., plant Thursday ahead of a scheduled news conference.

The ammonia-treated additive known by the industry as "lean, finely textured beef" has been used for years but recently became a target of activists seeking to have it banned.

SAINT PAUL - Homeowners still need to help their trees and lawns make up for record soil moisture deficits to offset damage done by a dry fall and winter.

Recent wet weather is providing needed moisture to parched soils, but isn’t enough to pull the state out of its moderate to severe drought classification, according to University of Minnesota Extension climatologist Mark Seeley.

CEDAR RAPIDS - The value of Iowa farmland is up by nearly 11 percent over the last six months as commodity prices remain strong.

The Gazette of Cedar Rapids says a survey of real estate agents shows the value of good quality farmland jumped by 10.8 percent to an average of $9,370 an acre.

The Iowa Farm and Land Chapter No. 2 of the Realtors Land Institute released its survey on Thursday. The gains varied from 9 percent in northeast Iowa to nearly 13 percent in southwest Iowa from Sept. 1 to March 1.

Troy Louwagie of Hertz Farm Management says several factors are driving up values, including high commodity prices and low interest rates. He says land sales have been strong in the last six months, and the survey results are not surprising.

By The Associated Press

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SAINT PAUL - The unseasonably warm weather is gumming up Minnesota's maple syrup season.

Maple trees produce sap only when the weather alternates between freezing and thawing temperatures. The sudden onset of warm weather has disrupted that cycle.

Stu Peterson, the president of the Minnesota Maple Syrup Producers Association says he usually produces 250 gallons of syrup each spring on his farm near Fergus Falls. But he hasn't collected any sap this year. And it takes about 40 gallons of sap to produce one gallon of syrup.

Peterson says he's hearing similar stories from many parts of the state.

He says he could still have a crop if he gets a freeze cycle in the next several days. But once the tree buds bloom, the season is over.

By The Associated Press

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States oppose low-carbon fuel rule March 14, 2012

LINCOLN, Neb. - Seven states are opposing California's effort to enforce a state mandate that critics say discriminates against fuels produced outside California.

A federal judge ruled in December that California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard regulation violates the U.S. Constitution's commerce clause by discriminating against ethanol made in the Midwest. California has appealed and asked to be allowed to enforce the rule while its appeal is pending.

The regulation doesn't mandate using specific fuels, but assigns higher carbon scores to fuels made outside California. Groups challenging the regulation say it conflicts with federal standards and rules out fuels from other states.

Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning said Monday the regulation threatens $1.3 billion in annual ethanol sales from Nebraska alone. Also filing challenges are Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

By The Associated Press

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