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News from the Minnesota Association of Wheat |
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U.S. WHEAT GROWERS IN CUBA HAVANA (AP) -- Representatives of American wheat farmers are meeting withCuban trade and food officials amid hopes that the U.S. government will ease restrictions on sales of food and medicine
to the communist island. The visit by U.S. Wheat Associates, an international wheat promotion organization, is the latest in a recent series of trips to Cuba by representatives of American farmers who want the U.S.
trade embargo eased so they can sell their products here. ``Cuba has to pay a high price for a product, and we are denied a market,'' said Paul Dickerson, vice president of overseas operations for the group that
promotes U.S. wheat in foreign countries. ``If it were not for the embargo, the United States would probably be the largest supplier'' of wheat to Cuba, Dickerson said. Arkansas lawmakers and rice farmers made a
similar visit here last week to explore markets for their state's agricultural products, which include pork, poultry and soybeans. President Fidel Castro met with the Arkansas delegation before it left, demonstrating
growing interest here in doing business with American agriculture. ``The Cubans would love to buy food from the United States,'' said Dickerson. He estimated transport costs could be sliced in half if Cuba had wheat
moved across the Gulf of Mexico from the United States. Cuba currently is the European Union's largest market for wheat in Latin America region. The United States Department of Agriculture estimates that Cuba imports
950,000 metric tons of wheat annually, most of it from Europe. The United States is the largest exporter of wheat worldwide, trading about 30 million metric tons of the 104 million metric tons traded globally by all
countries. The largest market in the Caribbean for American wheat is the Dominican Republic, which imports about 250,000 metric tons annually. U.S. Wheat Associates officials on Monday visited with officials from
Cuba's Foreign Trade Ministry and Food Ministry, as well as state enterprises that manufacture pasta, crackers and cookies. It is the group's fifth trip to Cuba since early 1998. On Tuesday, the group is to hold a
marketing seminar at the Foreign Trade Ministry and to meet with millers from flour mills in Havana, as well as other representatives of the state food industry. The organization plans to meet with church and other
humanitarian organizations before returning to the United States on Wednesday. The U.S. House is debating legislation that would allow food and medicine to be sold to Cuba. The Senate overwhelmingly approved a similar
trade measure last year, and the House Appropriations Committee approved the measure 35-24 earlier this month. Some 220 House members have signed a letter supporting an easing of the 38-year old sanctions against Cuba,
but there has been fierce opposition from others.
FQPA AND CHLORPYRIFOS (LORSBAN) EPA's assessments and related documents:
Phillip A. Glogoza The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE) said in its latest quarterly Australian Crop
Report that winter crop production was forecast at 34.4 million tonnes. This would be the third-largest crop on record but down on the previous season, when 19.13 million hectares were sown to winter crops.
"Winter crop planting is well under way in most producing regions. However, dry autumn weather in Western Australia and some pockets in the eastern states has delayed planting in these regions," ABARE's acting
executive director Stephen Beare said in a statement. "Further rain is needed in these regions as delays in planting typically result in a reduction in yield." "The Australian Plague Locust
Commission in May 2000 indicated that a major outbreak of plague locusts currently under way in some westerly areas of New South Wales and northern parts of South Australia has the potential to pose a serious threat to
crops in affected areas in the spring," ABARE said. With the summer harvest now almost complete, ABARE estimated total crop production declining by almost nine percent to 4.39 million tonnes in
1999/2000 from 1.454 million hectares.
WARNING: AMMONIUM THIOSULFATE WITH POAST PLUS
OIL CAN HARM CANOLA The larger the canola is prior to bolting the less damage although it still maybe very severe and can reduce yields. Best
option is to apply the ammonium thiosulfate first with water and then to apply the grass herbicide plus oil several days later . This would reduce the chance of cuticle damage or removal resulting in less
fertilizer burn. Usually 3-5 gallons of liquid sulfur is applied per acre mixed with 15-17 gallons of water to bring the total to 20 gallons per acre to reduce the risk of fertilizer burn.
(Duane Berglund, NDSUProfessor & Extension Agronomist)
NDSU AGRONOMIST OFFERS STRATEGIES FOR LATE PLANTING It's not too late, says Duane Berglund, an agronomist with the North Dakota State University Extension Service. "There are a number of late-planted crops
that provide good options for producers well into mid-June." There are some strategies that will increase the success of replanting, Berglund notes. Most importantly, any crop that is planted must be compatible
with herbicides that have already been applied to the field. "Ideally, you should look at a crop that is listed on the herbicide label," he says. "At the very least, the crop should tolerate the herbicide
relatively well." Other considerations include fertilizer treatments and field preparation. "In many cases, you can top-dress any necessary nitrogen fertilizer," Berglund says. "If frost has done
a good job of killing the existing crop, you may not need any field preparation at all. If volunteers or a portion of the existing crop is still growing or if weeds are becoming a problem, some tillage or chemical
burn-down may be necessary." Although recommendations vary according to summer temperatures and frost dates in various areas of the region, Berglund offers some recommendations for late planting. Field peas, lentils, canola, small grains and corn are usually not good choices for late planting, Berglund says. "The heat of summer and fall frost are too much of a
risk," he says. Corn for silage may be OK, but a forage sorghum would be a better choice if planting late.
THE MARKET ADVISOR: CROP PRICES FACE DOWNSIDE RISK Wheat, corn and soybean futures markets face considerable downside risk even after the sell-off on May 30. To determine how low prices could fall
with favorable growing conditions during the balance of the season, I have prepared a risk analysis. These projections are not meant to be predictions, just warning signs. For my analysis, I measured downside risk
based on the potential price that might result if spring wheat, durum, corn and soybean yields per planted acre were equivalent to the best of the last 10 years and use equaled USDA's May 12 projections. I left winter
wheat yields unchanged at the currently projected levels. On May 30, Minneapolis December spring wheat closed at $3.53, December corn closed at $3.43 and November soybeans closed at $5.24. My potential prices then
are based on historical relationships between stocks/use ratios and these futures prices. Minneapolis December spring wheat could have downside risk to about $2.90 with spring wheat and durum yields of about 40
bushels per planted acre. One reason for the 63-cent lower potential price is the increased supply of wheat. In addition, Minneapolis futures would lose some of its premium to Chicago futures, possibly about 15 cents.
December corn could have downside risk to about $2.10 with a corn yield of about 128 bushels per planted acre or about 139 bushels per harvested acre. Increased supplies without increased use could result in such a low
price. Similarly, November soybeans could drop to about $4.35 with a soybean yield of about 41 bushels per planted acre and a harvested yield only slightly better. Again, increased supplies without increased use
could result in such a low price. In addition, the market would have to expect another good crop in South America and more acres in the United States next year.
SCIENTIST CITES BASIC RULES FOR EFFECTIVE WEED MANAGEMENT 1. The crop needs nutrients, water, and light. Source: Jeff Gunsolus, (612) 625-8130 |
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