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Texas Agriculture Archive

October 21, 2005

Activist group again after farmers
The Environmental Working Group is pushing the U.S. Agriculture Department to release the names of co-op members who received farm program payments during a nine-year period.

Thus far, USDA has refused to release the names of the individuals in question, all of whom belong to one of four co-ops: Riceland Food, Inc., Producers Rice Mill, Inc., Farmer's Rice Cooperative, and Cenex Harvest States.
Source: AFBF; Executive Newswatch; Oct. 5, 2005

Biodiesel payoff potential is huge
Over a five-year period, the USDA estimates that the new biodiesel tax provisions could add almost $1 billion directly to the bottom line of U.S. farm income and contribute to demand for an extra 600 million bushels of soybeans.
Source: Doane's Agricultural Report; Vol. 68, No. 37-1; Sept. 16, 2005

Japan finds more BT corn
The Japanese government has discovered a 12th cargo of U.S. corn tainted with the Bt-10 biotech strain. The importer of the corn has been told to destroy the tainted part of the shipment or send it back to the United States. Japan currently has a zero tolerance policy for imports of biotech crops that is not approved.

Japan's Ministry of Agriculture has floated a proposal that would allow imports of feed corn containing up to 1 percent of the Bt-10 strain. Using that formula, most U.S. corn shipments would easily be cleared for entry into Japan. The proposal must be approved by Japan's Food Safety Commission, which has not yet considered the issue.

So far, about 35,000 tons of U.S. corn destined for use in Japan has been discovered to contain the Bt-10 strain.
Source: AFBF; Executive Newswatch; Oct. 7, 2005

No fuel cost relief in sight
A 50 percent jump in fuel prices and 20 percent higher costs for all fuel-related expenses versus last fall means producers will be looking at all areas of their operation for savings, says Lori Wilcox, University of Missouri Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI).

Diesel prices are a dollar higher than last fall. And no relief is in sight for planting and harvesting next fall, she says. "Rising costs and lower crop prices will change farm management," she says. "Every farmer must re-examine each cropping practice."
Source: LandOwner; Sept. 22, 2005; Vol.26, Issue 18

Retail food prices drop in third quarter
Retail prices for food at the supermarket dropped just over 1 percent in the third quarter of 2005, according to the latest American Farm Bureau Federation Market Basket Survey. The informal survey shows the total cost of 16 basic grocery items in the 2005 third quarter was $39.96, a decrease of 55 cents from the 2005 second quarter survey.

Of the 16 items surveyed, five increased, nine decreased and two remained the same in average price compared to the 2005 second quarter survey. Sirloin tip roast showed the largest decrease, down 29 cents per pound to $3.54, followed by cheddar cheese and whole fryers, which drop-ped to $3.65 and $1.19 respectively.

The 2004 third quarter market basket survey, published a year ago, totaled $40.38 for the 16 items.
Source: AFBF; Executive Newswatch; Oct. 4, 2005