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New agriculture defense research center planned
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has announced plans to
replace its Plum Island Animal Disease Center off eastern Long Island with
a new federal biological and agricultural defense center. The location of
the new center has not yet been determined, although ground breaking
on construction is being planned for late 2008 with the new center to open
by late 2011.
The current research center,
which employs about 200, has become outmoded, costs too much to
maintain and is cramped for space, according to Homeland Security officials.
Part of the center's responsibilities is to investigate zoonotic
ailments—diseases that affect both humans and animals. It is the only
laboratory in the country where research on
foot-and-mouth disease is permitted. The main mission of the center to
protect the nation's food supply against foreign
animal viruses and agroterrorism.
Source: AFBF Executive
Newswatch; Aug. 25, 2005
South Dakota leads in planting biotech corn
South Dakota is the leader in planting biotech corn.
USDA's latest survey found 83 percent of the state's planted corn acreage going to biotech varieties. That's well ahead of Nebraska, which saw 69 percent of its acreage planted to biotech corn.
Source: LandOwner; Sept. 1, 2005;
Vol. 26, Iss. 17
Export rule changes
hurt Cuban rice sales
According to a report from USA Rice Federation delegates and Cuban government officials, the restrictions requiring payment for agricultural shipments to Cuba prior to ships leaving port has greatly reduced U.S. rice sales.
Sales have gone down from 172,000 tonnes (metric) in 2004 at this time of year to only 90,000 tonnes.
Source: AFBF Executive Newswatch; Aug. 26, 2005
Brazil: Repeal Step 2 or face retaliation
Brazil expects Congress to repeal the cotton program that has been ruled illegal by the World Trade Organization (WTO) by the end of this year. The Brazilian government plans to consider retaliating against the U.S. if the program is not repealed.
The U.S. did not meet a July 1 WTO deadline for complying with a ruling that required repeal of the "Step 2" cotton program. However, an agreement between the U.S. and Brazil that was forged in early July stopped Brazil from taking retaliatory trade action at that time.
Source: AFBF Executive Newswatch, Aug. 18, 2005
BASF will defend
Clearfield seed rights
BASF Corp. will defend seed rights by going after growers who violate stewardship agreements by planting saved seed for BASF's whole Clearfield portfolio of crops, including rice, wheat, sunflowers, and other crops.
The company says it's the only way it can prevent the development of herbicide resistance.
Source: Doane's Agricultural Report;
Vol. 68, No. 33-1; Aug. 19, 2005
Johanns: 'Real' results
needed in WTO talks
At a ministerial meeting in Australia this past weekend, U. S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said reform of U.S. export subsidies and domestic farm support will not take place unless real results come out of the December meeting of the Doha Round of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Johanns met with representatives of the so-called Quint Group of trading partners, which includes Australia, Canada, the European Union, Japan and the United States.
Johanns also said unless significant progress in opening up new international markets for U.S. farm products is made at the Doha Round, farm subsidy levels in the current farm bill will likely remain in place until 2012.
Source: AFBF Executive Newswatch; August 22, 2005
Controversy balloons
over cattle VOCs
Air district officials of California's Central Valley have compiled an inflated number for annual air emission of volatile organic compounds from cattle, according to dairy farmers and some scientists. The high number would blame dairy cows for more than half of the daily smog-causing emissions of VOCs emitted into the atmosphere—more than all the cars and trucks being driven on the roads.
Dairy farmers refuse to accept that VOCs, mainly methane gas from cud chewing, can be blamed for this much air pollution. The air district study has upped the projected cattle emission of VOCs from 12.8 pounds to 19.3 pounds per head per year, and this new number is being used to determine how many dairies in the eight-county Central Valley air basin will require air district permits. There are about 2.5 million head of dairy cattle in the valley with dairy expansion on track to increase to nearly 3 million cows in the near future.
A University of California researcher thinks the VOCs might be more in the range of seven to eight pounds per head per year based on studies he is conducting with cattle in a "bio-bubble" of continuous air sampling. Dairy industry representatives think the VOCs emitted are more like five pounds per year.
Source: AFBF Executive Newswatch, August 16, 2005
Ethanol production sets
another monthly record
Another monthly record has been set for ethanol production, reports the Renewable Fuels Association.
The nation's ethanol plants cranked out 249,000 barrels per day (b/d) in June, says the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The previous record was 245,000 b/d set in February, 2004. June's production was up more than 12 percent versus a year ago.
Source: LandOwner; Sept. 1, 2005;
Vol. 26, Iss. 17
Farm workers,
wages increase
There were 1,332,000 hired workers on the nation's farms and ranches during the week of July 10-16, 2005, up 2 percent from a year ago. Of these hired workers, 930,000 workers were hired directly by farm operators. Agricultural service employees on farms and ranches made up the remaining 402,000 workers.
Farm operators paid their hired workers an average wage of $9.39 per hour during the July 2005 reference week, up 35 cents from a year earlier. Field workers received an average of $8.62 per hour, up 28 cents from last July, while livestock workers earned $9.25 per hour compared with $8.74 a year earlier. The field and livestock worker combined wage rate, at $8.78 per hour, was up 35 cents from last year.
The number of hours worked averaged 40.6 hours for hired workers during the survey week, up 4 percent from a year ago.
Source: NASS; Farm Labor; Aug. 19, 2005
U.S. rice subsidies
now under attack
The successful attack against U.S. cotton export subsidies has spawned another foreign attack on U.S. farm policy—this time on rice.
Brazil is considering filing a complaint against U.S. rice subsidies with the World Trade Organization (WTO). Both Uruguay and Argentina have also expressed interest in pursuing a case against the U.S.
Brazil contends that U.S. government support for rice farmers is extensive and that these payments distort world prices. Brazil is a net importer of rice, but rice exports are important to Uruguay and Argentina.
EU to send gasoline
stocks to United States
Via the International Energy Agency, the European Union will send stockpiled gasoline stocks to the U.S—an operation that could see stocks arrive in the states by mid-September.
Source: Pro Farmer; Vol. 33,
No. 35; Sept. 3, 2005
Monsanto enforcing
Brazilian biotech fees
Monsanto reportedly is trying to collect a biotech fee on cotton seed sold in Brazil starting with the 2005/2006 crop. Estimates are that 5 percent of Brazil's cotton is from black market biotech Monsanto-gene seed.
Instead of collecting a seed fee at planting, Monsanto, in conjunction with the Brazilian government, exporters and cooperatives, has used a system of collecting soybean biotech royalties from producers when they sell their soybeans. The company has had to negotiate fee collection with each soybean-producing state and is in the process of trying to negotiate higher royalties for the coming year.
Source: AFBF Executive Newswatch; Aug. 25, 2005
New website
promotes biodiesel
The National Biodiesel Board has created a new web site as a resource for truckers (www. Biotrucker.com). It includes the latest information about biodiesel availability, trucker testimonials, technical information, discussion boards, and other current news.
Source: Doane's Agricultural Report;
Vol. 68, No. 34-1; Aug. 26, 2005
