January 14, 2025

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning, Valley, This is aglife. My name is Bob Quinn,
with you for the next hour talking about agricultural production
here in the valley and all across the country. Well friends.
A recent panel covered continuing issues regarding the agricultural labor
workforce as well as some possible solutions. Rod Bain has
a summary of that for US in our opening.

Speaker 2 (00:21):
Report Agricultural labor or in several cases lack thereof. What
might be surprised that with the multitude of issues within
the ag sector where the consideration of ag labor ranks.

Speaker 3 (00:33):
Whenever we talk with our membership secretaries, commissioners, directors of
agriculture in all fifty states for US territories, we constantly
hear that farmers, ranchers, they need a reliable legal workforce.

Speaker 4 (00:44):
The leaders have followed my membership all the farmer owned
cooperatives across the country. Labor and the availability of a
workforce is their number one issue.

Speaker 5 (00:51):
The labor situation in the plants. We have a lot
of small members, family owned operations that have been in
downtown areas since the late eighteen hundred, and we have
the big rural areas as well with plants and every
single one said labor the availability, particularly on the front lines.

Speaker 6 (01:08):
R J.

Speaker 2 (01:09):
Carty of the National Association of State Directors of Agriculture,
Chuck Connor of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, and
Juliet Ann Potts of the Meat Institute at a recent
Farm Broadcasters pedal event discussing AG labor issues. To put
perspective on how long agg labor has been an industry concerned,

(01:29):
long before his time as Deputy and Acting Agriculture Secretary
of the late two thousands, Chuck Connery calls, during his
time as a staffer on the Senate Agriculture Committee.

Speaker 4 (01:39):
I worked on the last tag labor bill that passed
in nineteen eighty six. This has been four decades ago.

Speaker 2 (01:46):
Part of the calls for addressing ag labor concerns involves
reform of the H two A guest worker program, but
Connor and Potts both believe that doesn't necessarily apply to
parts of the AGG industry.

Speaker 4 (01:59):
Can't bring in legal foreign workers to work in our
dairy operations that is considered full time work. Our H
two A program is banned from providing anything for year
round work. In that regard.

Speaker 5 (02:10):
We also in the processing industry are not able to
take advantage of H two A.

Speaker 2 (02:15):
Beyond policy and legislation, Cardie says, one possible solution is
innovation and technology.

Speaker 3 (02:22):
They're looking for state specific programs that will with regards
to getting young individuals into agriculture in different new capacities
and mechanization AI. All the likes of that is going
to be I think a new opportunity or many young
individuals who maybe don't want to go right back to
the farm to find new avenues to get into agriculture.

(02:42):
Another space here is with regards to the importance of
agricultural research.

Speaker 2 (02:46):
Broadbane reporting for the US Department of Agriculture in Washington,
d C.

Speaker 1 (02:51):
Well, Friends, Last Friday was report day World AGG Supply
and Demand Estimates out. We'll take a look at the
numbers coming up. You're listening life Bob, when here were
some farm used This morning, friends, the latest World agg
Supply and Demand Estimates report shows a drop in US
corn and soybean yields. Chad Smith has a look at

(03:12):
the numbers.

Speaker 7 (03:13):
The reductions in corn and soybean yields were bigger than expected.
In the January Wasdi Betty Resnik, an economist with the
American Farm Bureau Federation says the corn and soybean markets
are getting tighter.

Speaker 8 (03:26):
The drop and yield and production were much larger than
market analysts we're expecting. So corn fell by about two
point one percent, which is is three point eight bushels
and is out under one hundred and eighty bushels acre.
While steel record yield, it's blow trend line and blow
expectations by into the report. Soybeans fell by a bushel
or about two percent, to fifty point seven bushels and acre.

Speaker 7 (03:46):
The USDA's first estimate on winter wheat planet acres increased
from last year to thirty four point one million acres.

Speaker 8 (03:54):
Well, I kind of find interesting is where this growth
is coming from, which is really outside of traditional winter
wheat states. Most of the decline and winter weet acres
came from Kansas and Oklahoma, which are big winter wheat states,
but the increased acres were in west traditional states, in
the Great Lakes region, in the southeast, and the West coast.

Speaker 7 (04:11):
She said the January WISDI wasn't a great report for
cotton producers.

Speaker 8 (04:16):
There was an increase in estimated production numbers and a
decline in X worts and consumption, which caused ending stocks
that increase by about nine percent. Production has bounced back
this year in cotton, largely dude to better growing conditions
in Texas, but demand has fallen over last year. This
has led to nearly fifteen percent decrease in price since
last year.

Speaker 7 (04:35):
Chad Smith Washington Well Friends.

Speaker 1 (04:38):
Earlier in the fall of twenty twenty four, Michael Schadler
was named the new president of the Washington Apple Commission,
taking over a role that's been filled by Todd Fryover
for the past four decades. Shadler says, while there's much
to learn, one of his priorities is to continue to
educate the consumers in the Northwest and internationally about the

(05:00):
Washington apple industry.

Speaker 9 (05:02):
You know, we've got an amazing diversity of apples, we've
got world renowned innovation, we've got world renowned reputation when
it comes to consistency and quality, and we've got promotional
support that we can offer our trade partners in these markets.
So you know, that's what we try to do. That's
what the WHACK has been doing for decades.

Speaker 1 (05:26):
Schadler noted during the first few months of his new role,
he will look at programs currently conducted by the Apple
Commission to determine strengths and where improvements can be made.
He added, coming from outside of the apple industry will
provide him with fresh eyes and the unique perspective that
he feels will benefit the Commission and growers going forward.

(05:46):
It's also important that the Apple Commission works to help
growers overcome several challenging years.

Speaker 9 (05:52):
As this industry changes, and there's been a lot of
change over the last few years, we have to change
with it. It's going to be a learning curve for
me personally. But again, I feel very fortunate to be
stepping into a program and an organization that has been
well run, well managed. It's got a great team, very
hard working, and Todd Fryhover, the outgoing president, has been

(06:14):
just absolutely great to work with so far.

Speaker 1 (06:17):
Chadler said. Growers or anyone connected with the Washington apple
industry who has concerns or questions should not only reach
out and connect with him individually, but give him the
straight talk. Other farm to use col Maine Foods, the
largest producer of eggs in the US, said strong consumer
demand and supply constraints from the ongoing bird flu outbreak

(06:37):
helped push up quarterly net sales by eighty two percent
over the previous year. Sales of conventional and specialty eggs
both increased in the second quarter of fiscal twenty five.
According to cal Maine. Higher prices and lower feed costs
also raised profits. The company said egg prices continue to
break records. With the ongoing spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza,

(07:01):
commercial egg producers have reported more deadly outbreaks that are
forced them to call back flocks to contain the spread
of that disease. Bird flew outbreaks and facility fires in
twenty twenty four resulted in the loss of thirty nine
point nine million commercial table laying layers in twelve states.
According to the US Department of Agriculture, Around forty three

(07:24):
percent of losses occurred during the last two months of
twenty twenty four, with one third occurring in the peak
demand period in December. Farm US This morning, you're listening
to ag Life.

Speaker 10 (07:36):
It's another agnews update. Does it feel like the cost
of food has increased more? After this?

Speaker 11 (07:46):
Chattleton's headed to San Antonio. That you were fourth through
sixth twenty twenty five, where farmers and ranchers gather to
shape our industry's features. Remember, if you ain't at the table,
you might just be on the mayne. Check out the
latest in ranching at the Texas sized inn CBA Trade
Show Network learn and grow your operation. Don't miss this
chance to steer the cattlebiz in San Antonio, where the

(08:07):
Alimo spirit lives on. Is it you mentioned dot NCBA
dot org to get registered Huttle Con twenty twenty five,
where the beef industry meats.

Speaker 10 (08:16):
USDA has released their food price outlook for twenty twenty
four and twenty twenty five. The all Items Consumer Price
Index decreased one tenth of one percent from October of
twenty twenty four to November and was up two point
seven percent from the year before. The CPI for all

(08:38):
food increased a tenth of a percent from October twenty
twenty four to November. Food prices two point four percent
higher than in November of twenty three. Food at home
that's grocery stores supermarket food purchases decreased a tenth of
a percent from October twenty four to November twenty four,

(08:59):
but still one point six percent higher year over year.
Food away from home. This is restaurant purchases increase three
tenths of a percent month over month and three point
six percent year over year. What's ahead, US food price
is expected to continue decelerating, not going lower, just not

(09:24):
increasing at a rapid pace. In twenty twenty four, prices
for all food predicted to increase two point three percent.
I'm totally Saint James.

Speaker 7 (09:36):
Before I started working as a soil scientist, before I
became assistance engineer, before I got started in aerospace, I
was a kid making discoveries. I did my first live experiment.
I found out science a school in four h in
four h in four h one million new ideas. Learn

(09:57):
more and see how you can help at four dash
h dot org.

Speaker 10 (10:06):
American Cattle News. How did markets close out last week?
We'll find out after this.

Speaker 11 (10:16):
Cattle cons headed to San Antonio. Have youwear fourth through six,
twenty twenty five, where farmers and ranchers gather to shape
our industry's future. Remember, if you ain't at the table,
you might just be on man. Check out the latest
in ranching at the Texas sized NCBA Trade Show Network
Learn and grow your operation. Don't miss this chance to
stare the cattle biz in San Antonio, where the Alimo

(10:38):
spirit lives on. Visit Convention dot NCBA dot org to
get registered Kettle con twenty twenty five, where the beef
industry meets.

Speaker 10 (10:46):
How did markets close out last week? Oliver Slope is
with blue line futures in Chicago at Friday's close.

Speaker 12 (10:55):
It was a mostly lower day, with the exception of
February live cattle, which sattled forty five cents higher to
one ninety four oh five. Important to note that was
about two dollars and fifteen cents off of the early
morning high. The next most actively traded contract April five
cents lower, settling out one ninety six. Even over on
the feeder kettle side that we did see new highs

(11:17):
this morning on the open, but that market retreated and
finished lower, with the most actively traded March contract settling
two dollars and two cents lower to two sixty four seventeen,
and on this outside of February future settled thirty seven
cents lower to eighty seventy seven, with the deferred contracts
showing more weakness. This morning's wholesale box fee report was firm.

(11:39):
We saw choice cuts a dollar forty six higher to
three twenty four ninety four and select cuts a dollar
eighty three higher to two ninety six oh six Thursday
afternoons slaughter that was reported at one hundred and twenty
five thousand head and the five very average price for
live steers that was reported at one ninety three point
ninety seven. There was chatter this morning of a higher

(12:00):
trade in Texas this morning, as well as Nebraska weekly
export sales were released this morning. Met showed net sales
of b that fourteen hundred metric tons for the marketing
year twenty twenty four. That was up twenty nine percent
from the previous week, but down seventy one percent from
the prior four week average. A lot of that volume
shifting out to marketing year twenty twenty five, where we

(12:23):
saw net sales of eleven one hundred metric tons, with
South Korea, Taiwan, and China coming in as the.

Speaker 3 (12:29):
Top three buyers.

Speaker 10 (12:31):
Oliver Slow, Blue Line Futures, American Cattle News.

Speaker 1 (12:37):
This is Dairy Radio Now with Bill Baker.

Speaker 13 (12:42):
On today's Producer Tuesday is sponsored by the Professional Dairy Producers.
We take a look at the initiative Your Farm, Your
Footprint jj Pegel from Pegel's Ponderosa explains on a recent
PDP dairy signal.

Speaker 14 (12:54):
We had a meeting within our team and we're working
on our values, and one of the people in our
group brought up, you know, sustainability is more than just
a buzzword, and that's really where our sustainability tour started.
At that point, we started working on those types of things.
At that point, we had already had digestors and we
were making electricity for about sixteen hundred homes in our area.

(13:16):
So that's where our journey had started. Along the sustainability train.
We've been looking for something like your farm your footprint
for quite some time because we needed to get a
baseline so we can understand where we're at. Sustainability to
us is leaving it better than we got it right,
So how can we do a better job taking care
of our cows, taking care of our employees, taking care
of our environment, and you know, leading up to things

(13:37):
that'll just make it better for the next generation to come.
So we're the third generation, our children are the fourth
generation coming into the dairy. Our dad always said, you know,
farmers themselves are environmentalists because if you don't take care
of the ground, it won't take care of you. So
farmers themselves are always trying to figure out the best
way to recycle, the best way to take care of
the ground, the best way to get the best out

(13:58):
of our crops, and you know what's the best way
we can do to take care of everything.

Speaker 13 (14:02):
Listening to comments from JJ Pegel from Pegel's Ponderosa, who
helped pilot the initiative Your Farm Your Footprint on a
recent PDP dairy signal, and he continues to talk about
how your footprints on your farm affects the entire community.

Speaker 14 (14:17):
When you're out there at a children's event, baseball game,
whatever it may be. Having the ability to have some
of these uses taking cars off the road, dump trucks.
People know what a dump truck load of soil looks like.
People know how big a dump truck is. So like
our number, if you took five hundred and ninety one
pass or cars off the road, what does that look like?
You get rid of every single car that's in this

(14:37):
parking lot today, that's at this baseball game, or it's
at this family function. Right, So it's a really cool
way to explain to people kind of what's going on
they get excited to having conversations about it, them understanding
that agriculture is really the only occupation out there where
we can sequest their carbon right, so we can help.
So when everybody wants to be carbon neutral by twenty fifty,

(15:00):
reduced by a third by twenty thirty, you know they're
looking towards agriculture. They're looking to the US dairy farmers
to really help out with these types of things. And
so the cool part is once you get into this,
you learn a lot about being more efficient. And I
think one thing that farmers have always been really good
at is doing more with less. So we're understanding what

(15:21):
more we can do with what we have. I've had
the benefit of traveling over to Europe and I've been
in Ireland the last couple of years and seeing what's
going on over there. Ireland's going to reduce their herd
and the Netherlands are reducing their herd. Between both those countries,
they're reducing their herds by five hundred thousand cows in
the next two years. Due to knowing their curbon footprint,

(15:42):
it's five to ten percent of the US of where
we are at today, we're milking ninety million cows in
the US. And when those countries are going to look
for where are we going to get our product from?
If we are going to reduce our herd numbers for
whatever reason, we decide where are we going to get
those products from? I think the US dairy producer, knowing

(16:02):
their score US as farmers, will put ourselves in the
driver's seat to grow our export business exponentially because these
countries are going to be looking for somewhere to get
their dairy products from, and they're going to want to
know what our scores are because again in their countries,
it's normal everybody's scored. They already know them. So as
they look at reducing their herd numbers consolidating herds, when

(16:26):
they start doing that kind of stuff, they're going to
have to get it from somewhere, and who better than
the US dairy farmer to provide it for them. And
this is all about educating people and getting them their
carbon footprint. So any questions that anybody has, please reach out.
You can reach out through PDP. Any questions you got,
you want to talk to an actual producer who's been
through it. By all means, let us know.

Speaker 13 (16:45):
That's JJ Pagel from Pagel's Ponderosa helping piloting the initiative
Your Farm, Your Footprint on a recent PDP Dairy signal
and more details at pdpw dot org. Our thanks to
the Professional Dairy Producers for today's sponsorship of Producer Tuesday.

Speaker 15 (17:00):
Neil Armstrong waited six hours and thirty nine minutes to
step onto the surface of the moon. Jackie Robinson waited
twenty months to play his first game with the Brooklyn Dodgers,
and even DiCaprio had to wait twenty two years to
win an oscar. You can wait until your destination. Don't
text and drive.

Speaker 7 (17:20):
Visit stoptech, stoprex dot org.

Speaker 11 (17:22):
A message brought to you by the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration, Project yellow Light and the AD Council.

Speaker 13 (17:29):
Thank you for listening. I'm Bill Baker Dary Radio now.

Speaker 16 (17:35):
Helping monarch butterflies that migrate to the Central Valley of California.
I'm Patrick Cavanaugh with the California Tree Nut Report, part
of the vastag Information Network. Aaron Arnstein is the Western
coordinator from Monarch Joint Ventures. She comments on these monarch
butterflies and the need to keep them moving.

Speaker 17 (17:54):
I help implement habitat with land stewards all across the
Western United States, specifically in California, and we have a program,
the Monarchs and More Western Habitat Program, which provides regionally
native wildflower seed mixes, milkweed plugs when appropriate, and also
technical assistance to get that habitat implemented on land all

(18:14):
across the state.

Speaker 16 (18:15):
In the Monarch joint ventures targeting the amine industry because
many other orchards are in the Central Valley.

Speaker 17 (18:21):
Which is one of the priority zones for monarch butterfly migration.
As they leave the coast of California and fly over
the Central Valley kind of more inland seeking their host plant, milkweed,
they're flying right over these farms, so it's in a
really important place for the monarch butterfly as it's flying
over during its seasonal migration. And we're looking for growers

(18:42):
to dedicate some more permanent, safe habitat, pesticide free habitat
that is dedicated to milkweed and also these nextar producing
flowers for the butterflies as they're flying through, laying their
eggs on the milkweed plants and then developing caterpillars and
then starting their next generations. It's just in a really
important spot here in the Central Valley.

Speaker 18 (19:02):
You've probably been told that to reach a millennial farmer
you have to go digital hmm, Facebook, Vimeo, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn,
and online publication or maybe a podcast hmm, but which one? Oh,
and how receptive is this age group to your sales
pitch during non work social time. Maybe the best place

(19:24):
to reach a farmer with a farming solution message is
when they are well, quite frankly farming. You know, it's
easy for us to find them during the day, as
most farmers are behind the wheel of a pickup truck
or farm equipment with the radio on, listening to this
station featuring the AG Information Network News. If you'd like

(19:45):
to deliver information about your terrific product or service, give
us a call and we'll connect you directly with our
community of loyal farmer listeners. Reach real farmers right here,
right now, as they listen to what is important to
their farm operation. They trust us, They'll trust you.

Speaker 16 (20:01):
With the AG Information Network. I'm Patrick Kavanaugh.

Speaker 2 (20:05):
In several cases saying goodbye to twenty twenty four's weather
at its impacts on agriculture, communities, and livelihoods couldn't come
fast enough.

Speaker 19 (20:15):
If you look at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's
billion dollar Disaster list, you've seen twenty four billion dollar
disasters in twenty twenty four across the nation.

Speaker 2 (20:25):
Many of those billion dollar disaster events weather related. But
which ones perhaps made the list of top ten weather
events for the year. I'm broad bathe USDA burologists Brad
Rippe joins us as we look at the stories that
made his list of the top ten weather events of
twenty twenty four. In this edition of Agriculture USA. USDA

(20:49):
burologist Brad Rippy says in an eventful year of weather
and climatic events, he admits difficulty in pairing down to
create a list of top ten weather stories of two
twenty twenty four. Criteria that comes to mind when compiling
the list.

Speaker 19 (21:04):
Realize that a lot of the billion dollar disasters tend
to be severe weather events with very very localized damage.
So if you get one big hailstorm that hits for example,
Texas or Colorado, that can very quickly rack up a
billion dollars in damage, but the overall impact on say
US agriculture is relatively minimal. Those type of events don't
tend to make the final cut in the top ten list.

(21:27):
We're looking for more of those broader, regional to national
scale events that really have a huge impact well, not
just agriculture, but the broader economy at large.

Speaker 2 (21:36):
Rippy's list is in no particular order and starts with
four hurricanes that reached the US Gulf Coast.

Speaker 19 (21:43):
What Helen will always be remembered for is the flooding
in the southern Appalachians, including Asheville, North Carolina, coming likely
the most costly US hurricane in the nation's history. Hurricane
Milton category five hurricane at one time in its existence,
one of the top ten in the all time realm
of Atlantic Basin storms for both wind speeds and lowest

(22:04):
pressure damage. Justain is still being tabulated, but it too,
could be one hundred billion dollar storm.

Speaker 2 (22:10):
Two early season hurricanes joined Jalda Milton on the top
ted Weather Stories list.

Speaker 19 (22:16):
Hurricane Barrel. It struck in early July. It was the
earliest Category five hurricane on record in the Atlantic Basin.
Was a Category one hurricane when it moved ashore and
eventually moved right across the Houston metropolitan area wind speeds
of eighty to ninety miles per hour and eventually spawned
a significant tornado outbreak that spread all the way from

(22:36):
East Texas into the Great Lakes region. About a month later,
we saw Hurricane Debbie move ashore in Florida's Big Bend.
It too was a Category one hurricane, eventually moved offshore
and then came back in as a tropical storm across
South Carolina.

Speaker 2 (22:49):
Also qualifying among Brad Rippy's top ted weather stories wildfires.

Speaker 19 (22:55):
The wildfires that tore across the North Texas and western
Oklahoma landscape at the tail end of meteorological winter February
twenty sixth we saw the origin of many of the
fires that eventually burned well over a million acres the
western wildfire season of the summer and autumn. We certainly
saw quite a few fires in the Northwest and in
California in twenty twenty four. Overall, and this does include

(23:17):
the acreage from the Southern Plains fires, we saw about
eight and a half million acres of vegetation scorched across
the country due to wildfires, somewhat below the all time record,
which is just a shade above ten million acres.

Speaker 2 (23:28):
Drought coverage is also considered top ten weathers story for
twenty twenty four.

Speaker 19 (23:34):
Eleven point eight percent of the country in drought on
June eleventh was the lowest coverage in four years, but
just a little over four months later we had more
than half of the country in drought fifty four percent
by late October, and that was the highest drought coverage
in about two years.

Speaker 2 (23:48):
As were two series of tornadic outbreaks.

Speaker 19 (23:51):
That late April outbreak resulted in seven fatalities from six
individual tornades and caused almost two billion dollars worth in damage.
Is the outbreak of late May, we saw extremely active weather,
seven deadly tornadoes resulting in twenty one fatalities and a
price tag more than eight billion dollars in damages.

Speaker 2 (24:11):
With overarching warmth cross country rounding out the top.

Speaker 19 (24:15):
Ten, highlighted by the warmest winter on record, and then
we finished off with our warmest autumn on record. In between,
we had our seventh warmest spring and our fourth warmest summer.
You put that all together January through November and it
turned out to be the warmest first eleven months of
the calendar year on record, with an average temperature that

(24:35):
was about three point three degrees fahrenheit above the twentieth
century mean, So we are on track to come very
close to the warmest year on record when the final
numbers are crunched in early twenty twenty five.

Speaker 2 (24:47):
With that, the top ten weather stories of twenty twenty
four per USDA beurologist Brad Rippey. This has been Agriculture USA.
I'm road Bane reporting for the US Department of Agriculture
in Washington, DC.

Speaker 20 (25:04):
With California AG today, I'm Hailey Ship. This is the
AG Information Network. California's almond industry is facing a dynamic
mix of challenges and opportunities. The Almond Board of California
or ABC, reports a third consecutive year of declining total
acreage now at one point five to two million. That's

(25:27):
down forty thousand acres from the previous year. While bearing
acres saw modest growth, non bearing acreage dropped significantly by
forty seven thousand acres. Nearly sixty seven thousand acres were
removed in twenty twenty four, adding to a three year
trend of sizeable orchard removals. Amid these challenges, demand remains

(25:48):
robust for the first time ever, California almond shipments exceeded
two hundred million pounds for eleven consecutive months, reflecting strong
global interest. ABC President and CEO Claris Turner reaffirmed the
industry's critical role, emphasizing almonds enduring importance to California agriculture
and global markets. As of January first, Alicia Rockwell has

(26:13):
assumed the role of ABC board chair, succeeding Alexei Rodriguez.
Now CEO of the Almond Alliance, Rockwell is the chief
Government and Public Affairs officer for Blue Diamond Growers.

Speaker 21 (26:25):
Today, we're talking with aphids and wife flies about sefena
insecticide from basf.

Speaker 3 (26:30):
We just get nailed with it.

Speaker 10 (26:32):
So tell us how you feeling really, really weird.

Speaker 21 (26:36):
And you still want to devour this few No way, bro.
There you have it, folks. Safena insecticide is specifically engineered
to dissorient aphis and wife flies so they can't eat,
and when they can't eat, they can't destroy.

Speaker 2 (26:49):
He'll protect your alfalfa from aphids with sefena insecticide.

Speaker 10 (26:53):
Always read and follow label directions.

Speaker 18 (26:55):
For the last forty years, the AG Information Network has
been the source of news for farmer and ranchers. Yet
we have never seen such an assault on farming and
our food supply as we do today, from fuel to fertilizer.
Farmers are facing unprecedented economic challenges. This is why agriculture
news that farmers receive comes from the AGG Information Network,

(27:15):
reaching coast to coast, deep roots and farming. In decades
of reporting, the AGG Information Network trusted and transparent journalism
for generations.

Speaker 20 (27:25):
This is California AGG today on the AG Information Network.
I am Hailey's ship. For more AGG news, check us
out online at AGG info dot net.

Speaker 1 (27:34):
Bob when here are some farm used This morning, friends,
The latest World AGG Supply and Demand Estimates report shows
a drop in US corn and soybean yields. Chad Smith
has a look at the numbers.

Speaker 7 (27:45):
The reductions in corn and soybean yields were bigger than expected.
In the January wasdi. Betty Resnik, an economist with the
American Farm Bureau Federation, says the corn and soybean markets
are getting tighter.

Speaker 8 (27:58):
The drop and yield and products were much larger than
market analysts were expecting. So corn fell by about two
point one percent, which is three point eight bushels and
is now under one hundred and eighty bushels acre. While
still record yield, it's blow trend line and below expectations
going into the report, so it means fell by a
bushel or about two percent to fifty point seven bushels
and acre.

Speaker 7 (28:18):
The USDA's first estimate on winter wheat planet acres increased
from last year to thirty four point one million acres.

Speaker 15 (28:26):
Well, I kind of.

Speaker 8 (28:26):
Find interesting is where this growth is coming from, which
is really outside of traditional winter wheat states. Most of
the decline in winter wheat acres came from Kansas and Oklahoma,
which are big winter wheat states, but the increased acres
were in less traditional states in the Great Lakes region,
in the southeast and.

Speaker 19 (28:42):
The West coast.

Speaker 9 (28:43):
She said.

Speaker 7 (28:43):
The January WISD wasn't a great report for cotton producers.

Speaker 8 (28:48):
There was an increase in estimated production numbers and a
decline in exports and consumption, which caused ending stocks that
increase by about nine percent. Production is bounced back this
year in cotton, largely due to better growing conditions in Texas,
but demand has fallen over last year. This has led
to nearly fifteen percent decrease in prices last year.

Speaker 7 (29:06):
Chad Smith, Washington US longshoremen have reached a contract agreement
with ports and shippers, averting a potential strike.

Speaker 1 (29:13):
The two sides had been facing a January fifteenth deadline.
US Meat Export Federation President and CEO Dan Halstrom is pleased.

Speaker 6 (29:21):
With the level of exports. On the pork side, forty
five percent of the waterborne exports are going through the
East Coast and golf In about thirty percent of the beef,
of which on the beef side some of the higher
value chilled business is going through there, so obviously any
snaffoo and supply chains a problem, but especially on the
East Coast and golf as it relates to some of
our key pork and beef products.

Speaker 1 (29:43):
In a joint statement, the two sides said the agreement
protects union jobs and allows ports on the East and
Gulf Coast to modernize with new technology.

Speaker 6 (29:51):
Very appreciative that the two sides were able to come
together on a full contract, and very appreciative of the
fact that there will be no disruption and that we
can continue to focus on the business. And as we
all know, the business has been growing and has a
lot of potential growth in the future.

Speaker 1 (30:06):
Dan Halstrom US Meat Export Federation with us this morning.
Well friends, we talked about THED report world agg supply
and demand estimates, where Friday's combinedd Estimates report, along with
the final crop production estimates for twenty twenty four, provided
some surprises for corn and soybeans. Mike Davis looks back

(30:26):
on the numbers.

Speaker 22 (30:27):
Rook Schaefer is a market analyst with Pinnacle Marketing in Ridgeland,
South Carolina.

Speaker 1 (30:32):
I think the.

Speaker 23 (30:33):
Lower end of the range we were on corn yield,
we were thinking, we were, you know, we could see
as low as one eighty one point three on the
yield and fifty one point one on beans. I mean
was the low end of the estimates. And what USDA
gave us was fifty point seven and one seventy nine
point three, And so that made some pretty significant changes

(30:54):
on carryout. It takes corn carry out down to the
one point five four billion bushels and and take soybean
carry out down to three hundred and eighty million bushels.

Speaker 22 (31:05):
While he called corn and soybean numbers very friendly, he
classified wheat as neutral.

Speaker 10 (31:10):
In these reports, the carryout.

Speaker 23 (31:12):
Came out a little bit higher than last the last report,
But on this January report we get the winter week
seedings and so those came out a little bit higher
than estimate. So you know, we didn't get the friendly
bump that corn and beans did. And honestly, the only
reason that wheat is trading as strong as it is.

(31:34):
I think wheat would have been down more if not
the strengthen corn.

Speaker 22 (31:37):
Schaeffer says, now analyst will be keeping an eye on
South America.

Speaker 23 (31:42):
This was a big adjustment. I mean, one hundred million
bushels on being carry out as a huge adjustment. But
we can make that up depending on the weather in
South America. We can overcome that on the world Balanchye,
we can overcome that pretty quick based on the weather
in South America. So the market's going to take a
day or so here to read us what our trading
ranges are, but then we'll go right back to trading weather.

(32:04):
So that's going to be the most important thing going
forward on beans is what happens in South America going forward,
and that will determine the direction over the next few weeks.

Speaker 22 (32:14):
As for farmers, he says, this is a gift and
they should take it.

Speaker 23 (32:18):
When we get a balance like this, it's easy to
pull back and say I don't want to sell anymore.
You know, we've seen farmers selling at these levels, and
I think we should continue to do that and continue
to scale in here and make them sales as we
get strength. It feels like a gift from beans here,
and I think we need to take some.

Speaker 22 (32:37):
That's market analyst Rook Schaeffer and I'm Mike Davis farm US.

Speaker 1 (32:41):
This morning, you're listening to WAG Life.

Speaker 24 (32:45):
From the HAG Informiation Network. This is your agribusiness update.
The Washington State Department of Agriculture's Pest Program is seeking
permission from property owners in Yakama, Benton, and Franklin Counties
to treat their yarts for Japanese beetle. Over seventeen, six
hundred property owners in the area will begin receiving letters
that include information about the project, as well as a

(33:05):
consent form to have their property treated Japanese beetle. Treatments
are free to those in the treatment area that sign up.
The NCTA, or Rural Broadband Association, released its twenty twenty
four Broadband Internet Availability Survey Report, capping off a year
in which NCTA members made remarkable strides in delivering robust
and reliable high speed connectivity in the most rural parts

(33:28):
of the country. Despite operating in rural areas, Approximately eighty
nine percent of respondents on average can receive downstream speeds
greater than or equal to one hundred megabits per second,
up from eighty four percent in twenty twenty three. Upload
speeds continue to increase as well. Friedrich Merz, a German Conservative,
is considered the front runner to become the country's next chancellor.

(33:51):
He wants the European Union to make another attempt at
a free trade deal once Donald Trump is back in
the Oval office, saying we need a positive agenda that
would benefit both American and European consumers. Merg says a
joint free trade initiative could also halt the dangerous spiral
of tariffs.

Speaker 18 (34:08):
The best place to reach a farmer with a farming
solution message is when they're well farming. It's easy to
find them during the day, as most farmers are behind
the wheel of the pickup truck or farm equipment with
the radio on, listening to this station for the ag
Information Network of the West News. So reach real farmers
right here, right now as they listen to what's important

(34:29):
to their farm operation. Give us a call and we'll
connect you with our local farming community. They trust us,
so they'll trust you. For the last forty years, the
AG Information Network has been the source of news for
farmers and ranchers. Yet we have never seen such an
assault on farming and our food supply as we do today,
from fuel to fertilizer. Farmers are facing unprecedented economic challenges.

(34:53):
This is why agriculture news that farmers receive comes from
the AG Information Network, reaching coast to coast brutes and farming.
In decades of reporting, the AGG Information Network trusted in
transparent journalism for generations.

Speaker 7 (35:07):
From the EG Information Network, I'm Bob Larson with today's
agribusiness update.

Speaker 1 (35:12):
Bob went back to wrap up AGLI for today. Canada
will soon have a new leader. Dennis Sky raps us up.
After nine years as Prime Minister. Justin Trudeau is planning
to step down after his Liberal party chooses a new
leader to replace him. Trudeau announced his decision on Monday,
following weeks of speculation and weakening support from his own

(35:34):
Liberal Party members. Until now, Trudeau has maintained that he
was the right man to lead the Liberals, but on
Monday morning, Justin Trudeau said he will not lead his
Liberal party in this year's election.

Speaker 25 (35:47):
I intend to resign as party leader as Prime Minister
after the party selects its next leader. This country deserves
a real choice in the next selection, and it has
become clear to me that if I'm having to fight
internal battles, I cannot be the best option in that election.

Speaker 26 (36:06):
Trudeau also announced that he met with Governor General Mary
Simon and that she has agreed to suspend Federal Parliament
until March twenty fourth. With that suspension, the active business
session of Parliament is now effectively canceled until spring.

Speaker 25 (36:22):
Despite best efforts to work through it, Parliament has been
paralyzed for months after what has been the longest session
of a minority parliament in Canadian history. That's why this
morning I advise the Governor General that we need a
new session of Parliament. She has granted this request and
the House will now be prorogued until March twenty fourth.

Speaker 26 (36:45):
Trudeau's decision to leave will set off a competitive leadership
race to replace him and find a new leader for
the party against its main rival, the Conservative party in
this year's federal election. That election must be held before
or October of this year. With Trudeau's resignation announcement, there
is a good chance the election could happen much sooner.

(37:07):
Several top cabinet ministers for the party leadership role include
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Jolts and Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc
as well. Just last Friday, former Bank of Canada and
former Bank of England governor Mark Kearney made his pitch
for federal party leadership. He worked in several federal government

(37:28):
posts in his early career, but Carney has not previously
run for political office. US President elect Donald Trump responded
to the news of Trudeau's resignation, suggesting that Trudeau is
leaving because he knows the United States will not put
up with Canada's trade deficits. Trump also repeated his line
that Canada should become the fifty first state. The Prime

(37:51):
Minister's office has not responded to Trump's latest job about
a Canada US merger, but in Toronto, Doug Ford made
Trump a counter offer.

Speaker 27 (38:01):
You know something, to the President. I'll make him a counteroffer.
How about if we buy Alaska? Brow In Minnesota and
Minneapolis at the same time. I know he likes making
these comments and he likes joking around. He may be joking,
but that will never ever happen.

Speaker 1 (38:16):
Reporting from Canada, I'm Dennis Guy with that. Friends, out
of time for today, thanks for joining us. Back tomorrow
morning with another edition of Bag Life.