Minnesota Wheat Briefs

Winter 1994
Minnesota Wheat Briefs

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Prairie Grains is the
official publication of
the Minnesota
Association of
Wheat Growers,
North Dakota Grain
Growers Association,
South Dakota Wheat,
Inc., and the
Minnesota Barley
Growers Association.

KLEVEN NEW STATE -- Bruce Kleven, a Minneapolis attorney specializing in ag law, has been named state legislative consultant for the Minnesota Wheat Growers, Minnesota Barley Growers, and Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Associations.
He succeeds Mark Rokala, who joined MN Congressman David Minge's office in Washington, D.C., last summer as a legislative assistant.

Kleven graduated from the Hamline University School of Law in 1992. He formerly was a staff attorney with the Farmers' Legal Action Group, St. Paul, which specializes in agricultural issues.

Last year, Kleven helped draft federal disaster appropriations legislation. He testified before the U.S. House Ag Committee last April on legal issues in the federal crop insurance reform bill. Further, he monitored the progression of the state's disaster relief package in the last legislative session.

SCAB TAKES TOLL ON SMALL GRAIN PRODUCTION -- Minnesota's spring wheat production this year was 70 million bushels, according to the Minnesota Ag Statistics Service, in its most recent report. That's only slightly above 1993. Average yield at 28 bushels per acre is down from 45 bushels forecast last July and is 3 bushels below the average in 1993.

State durum production was estimated at 875,000 bushels, up substantially from last year's production of 240,000 bushels. However, average yield in 1994 at 25 bushels was down 5 bushels from 1993.

Winter wheat production at 1.1 million bushels is down 11 percent from last year. The average state yield at 29 bushels is down 1 bushel from 1993.

Minnesota barley production of 30 million bushels is down 20 percent from last year. Yield at 50 bushels is 8 bushels below last year.

WHAT'S BEHIND HIGHER FERTILIZER PRICES -- The price tag for fertilizer, particularly anhydrous ammonia, was considerably higher in the fall of 1994 compared to last fall and last spring. What gives?

Brad Englund, Midwest plant food marketing manager, Cenex Land O' Lakes, St. Paul, says ammonia supplies started to become thin earlier this year for several reasons:

Anhydrous used for industrial and manufacturing purposes is up over 30 percent from last year.
No corn set-aside helped boost fertilizer demand.
Eight U.S. fertilizer production plants suffered mechanical breakdowns in the past year.
About 250,000 tons of fertilizer from the Former Soviet Union, a leading exporter, didn't materialize because of infrastructure and shipping problems.

The fertilizer price outlook next spring doesn't appear much rosier. Tight anhydrous supplies may strengthen urea prices, perhaps by about 15 percent next spring compared to fall prices. Englund says it may take until fall of 1995 before anhydrous supplies get in balance with demand.

FULL WORKER PROTECTION STANDARD TO KICK IN -- Some provisions of the EPA's new Worker Protection Standard (WPS) for using pesticides went into effect April 15, 1994. More provisions go into force Jan. 1, 1995. Many of the WPS requirements are already spelled out on pesticide labels.

Employers of farm workers can learn more about the WPS by contacting your local county extension educator or Steve Poncin, Agronomy Services at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, 1-800-967-AGRI.

Another option is to call the MAWG office (1-800-242-6118) for a copy of EPA's manual "The WPS for Ag Pesticides. How to Comply: What Employers Need to Know."

Copyright Prairie
Grains Magazine
Winter 1994

Winter 1994	Minnesota Wheat Briefs

Library Home E-Mail Back Prairie Grains is the official publication of the Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers, North Dakota Grain Growers Association, South Dakota Wheat, Inc., and the Minnesota Barley Growers Association.	KLEVEN NEW STATE -- Bruce Kleven, a Minneapolis attorney specializing in ag law, has been named state legislative consultant for the Minnesota Wheat Growers, Minnesota Barley Growers, and Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Associations. He succeeds Mark Rokala, who joined MN Congressman David Minge's office in Washington, D.C., last summer as a legislative assistant. Kleven graduated from the Hamline University School of Law in 1992. He formerly was a staff attorney with the Farmers' Legal Action Group, St. Paul, which specializes in agricultural issues. Last year, Kleven helped draft federal disaster appropriations legislation. He testified before the U.S. House Ag Committee last April on legal issues in the federal crop insurance reform bill. Further, he monitored the progression of the state's disaster relief package in the last legislative session. SCAB TAKES TOLL ON SMALL GRAIN PRODUCTION -- Minnesota's spring wheat production this year was 70 million bushels, according to the Minnesota Ag Statistics Service, in its most recent report. That's only slightly above 1993. Average yield at 28 bushels per acre is down from 45 bushels forecast last July and is 3 bushels below the average in 1993. State durum production was estimated at 875,000 bushels, up substantially from last year's production of 240,000 bushels. However, average yield in 1994 at 25 bushels was down 5 bushels from 1993. Winter wheat production at 1.1 million bushels is down 11 percent from last year. The average state yield at 29 bushels is down 1 bushel from 1993. Minnesota barley production of 30 million bushels is down 20 percent from last year. Yield at 50 bushels is 8 bushels below last year. WHAT'S BEHIND HIGHER FERTILIZER PRICES -- The price tag for fertilizer, particularly anhydrous ammonia, was considerably higher in the fall of 1994 compared to last fall and last spring. What gives? Brad Englund, Midwest plant food marketing manager, Cenex Land O' Lakes, St. Paul, says ammonia supplies started to become thin earlier this year for several reasons: Anhydrous used for industrial and manufacturing purposes is up over 30 percent from last year. No corn set-aside helped boost fertilizer demand. Eight U.S. fertilizer production plants suffered mechanical breakdowns in the past year. About 250,000 tons of fertilizer from the Former Soviet Union, a leading exporter, didn't materialize because of infrastructure and shipping problems. The fertilizer price outlook next spring doesn't appear much rosier. Tight anhydrous supplies may strengthen urea prices, perhaps by about 15 percent next spring compared to fall prices. Englund says it may take until fall of 1995 before anhydrous supplies get in balance with demand. FULL WORKER PROTECTION STANDARD TO KICK IN -- Some provisions of the EPA's new Worker Protection Standard (WPS) for using pesticides went into effect April 15, 1994. More provisions go into force Jan. 1, 1995. Many of the WPS requirements are already spelled out on pesticide labels. Employers of farm workers can learn more about the WPS by contacting your local county extension educator or Steve Poncin, Agronomy Services at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, 1-800-967-AGRI. Another option is to call the MAWG office (1-800-242-6118) for a copy of EPA's manual "The WPS for Ag Pesticides. How to Comply: What Employers Need to Know."
Copyright Prairie Grains Magazine Winter 1994

Minnesota Wheat Briefs

Copyright Prairie Grains Magazine Winter 1994

Copyright Prairie
Grains Magazine
Winter 1994