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U.S. FARM EXPORTS SEEN AT $51.5 BLN NEXT YEAR
U.S. farmers will export a projected $51.5 billion worth of agricultural goods in
fiscal 2001, up $1 billion from the current year, U.S. Agriculture Department officials said on Wednesday. "Our farm demand is back on track. It's growing at a rapid pace," Gus Schumacher, a USDA
undersecretary, told reporters. Cotton, corn and horticultural products account for most of the expected growth in fiscal 2001, which begins on Oct. 1, the USDA said.
The volume of American agricultural exports will rise by 9.5 million tonnes to 121.9 million tonnes in fiscal 2001. That will be the largest amount of farm
exports -- as measured by volume -- since fiscal 1995, the USDA said.
The department also adjusted its estimate of U.S. farm exports for the nearly ended fiscal 2000, increasing it to $50.5 billion. Earlier this summer, the USDA had forecast U.S. exports of grains, livestock, oilseeds, poultry, tobacco, dairy and other agricultural goods would total $50 billion for the current year. USDA officials said the anticipated improvement in export sales was broad-based, with only a few exceptions.
In volume, American corn exports should grow by 6.5 million tonnes, wheat by 2 million tonnes, soybeans by 800,000 tonnes, and cotton by 300,000 tonnes in
fiscal 2001, the USDA said.
When measured by dollar value, fiscal 2001 exports of wheat were expected to rise by $200 million, corn by $100 million, and cotton by $800 million, the USDA said. U.S. soybean exports were expected to decline by $200 million in the coming fiscal year.
USDA officials credited poor crop harvests in China and France for the demand increase for U.S. agricultural goods.
Tim Galvin, USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service administrator, said China would be "less active" as an agricultural exporter in fiscal year 2001. "We see China not only being a purchaser, but also being less active as an exporter," Galvin said. China ranks as one of the world's biggest agricultural producers.
U.S. farmers should be able to seize a large portion of the feed grain market, which China has given up. China, which has experienced a widespread drought, was
projected to increase its imports of soybeans, corn and wheat in 2001, USDA officials said.
USDA officials also attributed a weak wheat harvest in France for the potential increase of U.S. farm exports in 2001. Earlier this month, the European Union voted to shut the French intervention wheat tender for export to non-EU countries.
USDA officials cautioned that while the overall farm export picture is improving, some problem areas remain. "Certainly not all the news on the trade
front is good news," Galvin said. For example, a farm trade deficit with the European Union is expected "to widen in the coming year," he said. Wheat exports are also lagging behind other
commodities, Galvin said.
Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman told reporters he was "encouraged" by the new export projection, showing a rise in farm sales abroad at a time when
U.S. farmers are preparing to harvest near-record crops of corn and soybeans.
U.S. agricultural exports peaked at nearly $60 billion in fiscal 1996 before slumping on competition from mammoth grain crops around the world and the Asian
financial crisis.
USDA TO PROVIDE $5.5 BILLION IN SUPPLEMENTAL AMTA PAYMENTS
Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman announced today that starting
September 1, USDA will begin making $5.5 billion in supplemental payments to about 1.4 million producers.
"These payments, part of a $7.1 billion relief package, will help our Nation's farmers weather these difficult times," said Glickman. "Even
with these payments, and other assistance USDA is providing, there remain serious, long-term, structural problems in American agriculture. The Clinton-Gore Administration has repeatedly said that the 1996 Farm Bill
does too little to help farmers during bad times. The pain felt in farm country today is evidence that the 1996 Farm Bill is fundamentally inadequate and a stronger farm safety net is desperately needed."
USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation will issue payments to those farmers who received a final fiscal year 2000 Production Flexibility Contract (PFC) payment;
sometimes called Agricultural Market Transition Act payments or AMTA payments.
These payments will be automatically paid to eligible farmers, who will not have to file any forms or visit any offices.
NEBRASKA TO OFFER CASH INCENTIVES TO SEED PRODUCERS WHO PLANT NUPLAINS, A WHITE WHEAT VARIETY
In an unprecedented move, the
Nebraska Wheat Board voted last week to extend a total of $25,000 to seed producers who agree to plant the hard white winter wheat variety Nuplains on their land this fall.
Newswire sources indicate the group hopes to encourage certified seed producers to drill 4,800 acres of ground to Nuplains, the first white winter wheat
developed by the University of Nebraska. With this move, growers who opt to seed Nuplains will receive a $5 per acre subsidy through the Nebraska Crop Improvement Association, with payments being limited to a
maximum of $1,000 per grower, or 200 acres each.
Board chairman Randy Peters believes the key consideration for the proposal was trying to acquire the critical level of seed needed to begin commercial
production for the 2001-02 growing season. The "catch-22" syndrome has left many in the industry with their hands tied behind their backs. Farmers don't want to move away from traditional wheat
varieties unless there is a consistent market, domestic or international, for the crop, while the buyers don't want to start purchasing it without the assurance of consistent supply.
Ron Mass of the Nebraska Wheat Board suggests successful implementation of a white wheat program could help the US penetrate export markets that traditionally
are dominated by the AWB. Moreover, Mass indicates the Nuplains variety is versatile enough to meet a wide range of food needs, "it bakes a respectable loaf of bread and makes a good noodle".
WITH FERTILIZER PRICES RISING, DEVELOP A NITROGEN GAME PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR
Nitrogen fertilizer prices are on the rise. That means
corn growers should begin to develop their nitrogen game plan for next year, according to a University of Minnesota soil scientist.
"Fall nitrogen applications the last few years have been quite disappointing," says Gyles Randall of the U of M Southern Research and Outreach Center at Waseca.
"Our data show that anhydrous ammonia applied without N-Serve on Oct. 22 last year was almost totally converted to nitrate by April 4 this spring. Much of it was then lost in tile drainage in May, June, and early
July. "A spring application of ammonia on April 26 was not completely converted to nitrate yet on June 7 and N losses were much smaller."
Randall says if fall nitrogen is the game plan, the application of ammonia needs to be late in the fall and needs to include N-Serve in much of southern
Minnesota.
Applying manure may be an option for holding down fertilizer costs. "Perhaps non-livestock producers should consider manure as part of their nitrogen game
plan," says Randall.
He also recommends strongly considering spring nitrogen application and early sidedressing. "Begin to work with your fertilizer dealer now," he says, "to
develop a nitrogen game plan that is most profitable, reduces risk, and is environmentally sound."
COUNTY SOYBEAN AND CORN PLOT TOURS SCHEDULED
The Norman County Corn Variety Plot Tour starting at 3:00 p.m. on Sept. 5th.
Location is one mile west of Perley, MN and ¼ mile south on the Bryan Hest Farmland. Over thirty conventional and Bt corn varieties of 80-85-90 day maturity.
Clay County's Soybean Plot Tour of the Minnesota Reseach Soybean Variety Trials will be held at 4:30 p.m. on Sept 5th at the Alvin Swanson farmland, one mile north of Kragness, MN Co. Rd. # 99 and 1 ½ miles west.
Mahnomen County Soybean and Corn Variety Plot Tour will be on Sept 6th starting at 12:00 noon with lunch sponsored by participating seed companies. The location is on the Paul & Bill Donner Farmland, one mile east of the Norman - Mahnomen County line on County Road # 6 or 5 ¼ miles west of Hwy # 59.
The University of Minnesota Research Variety Plot Tour will be on Sept. 6th starting at 4:30 p.m. at the Swenson Brother Farmland, two mile south of Shelly, MN and ¾ mile west on Rd. # 119. Soybean Research Plots have Public and Private varieties.
Norman County Soybean Plot Tour will be at 6:45 p.m. at the Doug Nelson farmland, three miles north of Ada, MN along Highway # 9. A number of Public
and Private, and Roundup Ready varieties will be viewed.
Norman County Soybean Plot Tour will be at 7:30 p.m. at the Jason Gilbertson Famland, south of Ada, MN ½ mile east of quansets along Highway #9.
The tour will conclude with Brats, Beans and Beverage at the 4-H Building, sponsored by participating seed companies.
Speaker for each plot tour will be Dr. Jim Orf, University of Minnesota Soybean Breeder, St. Paul, MN, variety performance; Ross Rehder, MN Soybean Council
Representative and Mark Beedy, Farmer and Clay County Soybean Grower Member with lobbying efforts in the State and Washington D.C. Corn and Soybean Company Representative are invited to cover their varieties
at each location.
USDA RELEASES EXPORT SALES REPORT 08/31/00
http://www.fas.usda.gov/export-sales/esrd1.html
USDA RELEASES OUTLOOK FOR AG TRADE 08/30/00
http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/reports/erssor/trade/aes-bb/2000/
USDA RELEASED WEEKLY WEATHER AND CROP BULLETIN
http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/reports/nassr/field/weather/2000/
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