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Prairie Shortcuts Section 18 granted for Folicur fungicide in 2001 The exemption allows for one application to be made by ground or air at a rate of 1.8 oz. per acre (4 fl. oz. of product) per year, in a minimum finish spray of three gallons of water by air application, or in a minimum of ten gallons of water by ground application. A maximum of 500,000 acres of wheat in MN and 2 million acres of wheat in ND may be treated for control of head blight. For barley, a maximum of 100,000 acres in MN and 250,000 acres in ND may be treated. Both the Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers and the North Dakota Grains Growers Association were involved in the effort to gain a Section 18 on Folicur in a timely manner. It is hoped that Folicur will receive full Section 3 label approval in the near future. USDA announces 2001 loan rates Toolshed Ag Network adding local basis charts MWRPC program director Tara Dagman says information about the basis—the difference between local elevator prices and futures market prices—is important to producers, but often difficult to find locally. Betsy Jensen, Northland Community and Technical College marketing group coordinator, encourages farmers to track the local basis. “The number one rule in grain marketing is to sell cash grain when the basis is strong,” she says. “Basis usually improves throughout the winter, but there are seasonally strong times such as the end of October and middle of April. It’s important to keep track of your local basis since every elevator is different.” Close to 20 grain elevators in ND and MN are now featured, with more being added. Altogether, the basis is being tracked for about a dozen crops, though not at each elevator. Basis charting for most of the grain elevators involved began last August. Toolshed information is currently available from the following web sites: Red River Farm Network, www.rrfn.com; Northwest Grain, www.northwestgrain.com; KZZY – Devils Lake, www.zzcountry.com, and Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers, www.smallgrains.org. Look for the Toolshed logo or text linking into ag news updated daily. The Toolshed Ag Information Network functions much the same way as a regional radio network, where local and regional content is developed in a central location and then is distributed to many independent outlets. In the case of Toolshed, the outlets are local or regional web sites. News, weather, and marketing information is included. If you would like your local elevator’s basis included, call Tara Dagman at 1-800-242-6119 or by e-mail, tdagman@gvtel. com. Businesses and organizations can receive a free web site as well as print and online advertising opportunities by becoming a part of the Toolshed Ag Information Network. International Crops Expo March 7-8 We are combining three shows into one and looking at a number of different agricultural events and educational programs. The show is based on crop production and takes on a wide variety of features. Our goal is to provide the Northern Red River Valley with the best mix of agriculture education and exhibits found in the Midwest. The Alerus Center is proud to open its doors for the grand opening ceremony on February 10th, 2001 with a community open house. Other Grand Opening Events include: • Bill Cosby – February 11 • Chamber Dinner – February 13 • Backstreet Boys – February 18 • Car Show – February 19-25 • Forx Builders Home Show – March 1-4 • International Crop Expo – March 7-8 • Monster Trucks – March 9-11 For information about the International Crop Expo, please contact Jacki Allen at (701)792-1200. Farm price fluctuations are usually predictable In an average year, corn typically moves about 96 cents per bushel, while soybeans fluctuate about $1.40 per bushel, Weness says. Hogs typically fluctuate $20 per hundred during a year, while fed cattle fluctuate about $13. “These fluctuations provide farmers with opportunities to price their product during periods when prices are at higher levels,” Weness says. He has a chart showing the 10-year range in cash prices for corn, soybeans, market hogs and fed steers in southwestern Minnesota. You can check this and lots of other educational information on the home page of the U of M Southwest Research and Outreach Center at swroc.coafes.umn.edu. Or, contact your county office of the University of Minnesota Extension Service. Weness also has a price probability chart that shows the percentage of time that prices have been at or above a certain price. For example, corn has been at or above $2.50 per bushel 25 percent of the time in the past 27 years and 19 percent of the time in the past 10 years. Price increases in low-price years are shown in another chart. It shows the price increase that occurred in years when the fall cash price was under $2 for corn and $5 for soybeans. Weness says typical price increases from these lows were 69 cents for corn and $1.88 for soybeans. “The price increase in any one year can vary considerably from the average,” Weness says. “Prices have a high probability of peaking in May, June or July.” Marshall, Moorhead will host farmland tile drainage workshops The workshops are designed for farmers, landowners, tile drainage contractors, crop advisers and consultants, soil and water resource technicians, public policy decision-makers, and other interested persons. The first day of each workshop will cover basic subsurface tile drainage design, including planning, tile sizing, lateral spacing, and the Minnesota Drainage Guide. Tile drainage economics and tile drainage experiences in Ohio are other first-day topics. The second day will include a hands-on workup of a tile drainage design. There will also be an opportunity to attend two of several concurrent sessions, including whether landowners should do their own tiling, surveying basics, tile line assessment, alternatives to tiling, and University of Minnesota tile drainage research. Presenters and discussion leaders include U of M research and Extension faculty, tiling contractors with the Minnesota Land Improvement Contractors’ Association, a soil and water instructor from Minnesota West Technical College, a farmer from Mapleton, and a water and land resource manager and attorney. Out-of-state speakers include Larry Brown, Ohio State University Extension engineer, at both locations; and Leon Osborne, University of North Dakota meteorologist, and Michelle Harland, Manitoba soil scientist, at Moorhead. Pre-registration is required for the workshops, and seating is limited. The fee is $100 per person for both days or $65 for a single day. For registration information call Jean Spohr at (320) 589-1711 or e-mail spohrjm@mrs.umn.edu. For program information call Jerry Wright at the same number or e-mail jwright@umn.edu. Six continuing education credits per day have been applied for from the Minnesota Certified Crop Advisers board. Workshop sponsors include the University of Minnesota Extension Service, South Dakota Extension Service, North Dakota Extension Service, Minnesota West Community and Technical College at Canby, and Southwest State University in partnership with the Minnesota Land Improvement Contractors Association and the Minnesota and Red River Valley sections of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers. Minnesota growers advised to take advantage of Minnesota Grown logo Minnesota Grown is a trademarked logo and labeling statement the Minnesota Department of Agriculture e (MDA) offers to farmers, processors and others for use on advertising, packaging and other promotional materials. The logo takes advantage of consumer preference for locally produced agricultural products. Hugoson says the logo is a good marketing investment for growers because Minnesota consumers appreciate the high quality of products grown by Minnesota farmers. “Consumers often say they look for Minnesota Grown labeled products because they taste fresher, are of high quality, or because they want to support the local economy,” Hugoson says. “This is a great marketing opportunity for Minnesota growers because consumer interest in Minnesota Grown products is on the rise.” For an extra $30, licensed producers who sell direct to consumers can be included in a glove box-sized annual publication called the “Minnesota Grown Fresh Produce and More Directory.” They’re also included on a list of the same farms on the MDA web site at www.mda.state.mn.us/mngrown. The “Minnesota Grown Fresh Produce and More Directory” is a free directory, listing apple orchards, berry patches, farmers’ markets, Christmas tree farms and other locations selling products direct from the farm. The deadline for directory applications is Feb. 3, 2001. To request an application for the license and/or directory, growers may call and leave their name and mailing address on the Minnesota Grown Answerline at (651) 297-8695 or 1-800-657-3838. Planning ahead can make retirement for farmers easier, more enjoyable Resch lists several questions a farmer needs to ask when starting the retirement process. They are: Will I quit farming? Will I sell the farm? Will I move? Will I still have some interest in the farm business? Is there someone who can take over the business? “These questions need to be answered first by the person retiring,” says Resch. “Then the answers should be shared with the rest of the family, because the answers will affect everyone in the family. Professionals can help with tax and estate planning.” When planning your retirement, Resch offers these additional points to consider: • What lifestyle will you have? The amount of available income will be a key factor. Previous expense records can help you determine the amount of income you will need. The Social Security Administration office can tell you the amount of Social Security benefits you will receive. If you retire at 62, monthly benefits will be less than if you wait until full retirement age. • Update your net worth statement if you have not done so annually. List all assets and liabilities. Determine if you want to liquidate some assets to reduce liabilities or increase your readily available cash. Also, look at other sources of income that might be available to fund your retirement years. Pension plans, IRAs, and other non-farm investments need evaluation. A tax planning professional can help determine the best way to use these assets. • Prepare a well-developed estate plan. A lawyer specializing in estate planning can help you determine the most favorable options. A will is a must. If you don’t have one, get one written soon. • Consider medical and long-term care. When you turn 65, Medicare becomes effective, but usually will not cover all of your medical needs. Check with your insurance agent to learn more about long-term care insurance if this is a concern. “After all the hard decisions are made, you then need to decide how you will spend your new leisure time,” says Resch. “Many farmers haven’t had much free time before retirement and can become bored with too much free time on their hands. Look into volunteer opportunities in your community.” Once you have put your retirement plan together, it is very important to share the plan with your entire family, says Resch. Review the plan and make sure someone else knows where your important documents are stored. Possibility of protein premiums and discounts for soybeans “Like spring wheat, soybeans are traded as a source of protein, and the soybean market is becoming more of a protein market than ever,” says DeJongh. “The complaint we hear most often from Europe is that our soybeans are low protein. Soybeans from the Valley range from 32-33% — lower than Canadian, lower than soybeans grown south of here, and much lower than soybeans grown in South America where protein runs from 36-38%.” |
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