06.08.2014

India - Government announces special assistance package for 'parched' states

The government plans to provide subsidised diesel and seeds to regions impacted by the weak monsoon and a special assistance package would be given in case of areas that may be affected by drought.Listing out measures to deal with a possible drought, agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday that no state had announced drought conditions so far. Subsidies would be increased on seeds apart from extending assistance for horticulture and fodder production, he said.DIESEL SUBSIDYThe government proposes to have a special assistance package to areas affected by drought. The proposal will be placed before the Cabinet, Singh said replying to a discussion on the flood and drought situation.According to Singh, subsidy on diesel would be extended in areas where the rainfall has been less than 50 per cent and this would be in place from July 15-September 30. Besides, the subsidy on seeds would be increased by 50 per cent in areas where sowing has started but has been affected by shortfall in rain.Rs 700-CRORE PLANIn case drought is announced in any state, Singh said that the government has proposed a Rs 700-crore scheme to rejuvenate horticulture crops and another Rs 100 crore programme for increasing fodder production. Singh also said that the government was taking swift action to address shortage of storage facilities for food grains.Citing initiatives to set up agricultural as well as horticulture universities in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, Singh asserted that there is no politics involved in addressing issues of the agriculture sector. He also assured that issues related to agricultural crop insurance scheme would be discussed with states. A meeting of state agriculture secretaries has been convened next week to discuss crop insurance.On members' suggestions to deal with floods and drought, Singh said that he would take them into account in future planning. Earlier, RJD member Jaiprakash Narayan Yadav demanded that the government should provide Rs 10,000-crore relief package to people affected by Kosi floods.Source - http://businesstoday.intoday.in/

06.08.2014

India - Monsoon: Crop Loss Rs 54.3 Crore

The south-west monsoon which was ‘anomalous’ in the state has led to a crop loss of `54.3 crore till August 3, says the estimate by the Directorate of Agriculture. The figures would go up once they are updated for the last two days during which the state experienced heavy rain.The monsoon affected about 4469 hectares and 20143 farmers across the state, according to the estimate as per on Monday.The heavy downpour continuing incessantly for the past few days in many parts of the state has left Wayanad district the most affected with a crop loss estimated at ` 12.98 crore and 330.72 hectares affected and leaving 3622 farmers in dire straits.Wayanad is followed by Alappuzha district with a loss of Rs 8.88 crore affecting farming in 1791.57 hectares and 532 farmers affected.Kottayam district stands third in the list with an estimated crop loss with ` 6.1 crore, affecting 1314 hectares and 425 farmers. The loss in Malappuram district is estimated to be Rs 5.9 crore and in Kozhikode district it is Rs 4.7 crore. The area affected in Malappuram was 281.7 hectares while in Kozhikode district it was 172.6 hectares and the number of farmers affected in these districts were 3629 and 1814 respectively. The estimated crop loss in Palakkad district was Rs 4.56 crore, area affected 198.62 hectares and farmers 1130.Kannur and Kasargod districts suffered an estimated crop loss of ` 2.8 and ` 2.5 respectively with the area affected 89.9 and 61.3 hectares and farmers affected 3204 and 2773. In Ernakulam district, the crop loss was `2 Crore. Farming in 83.8 hectares suffered in the district affecting 729 farmers. In Idukki district, the crop loss amounted to ` 1.75 crore, area affected 61 hectares and farmers affected were 757.The southern districts received comparatively less rainfall in the monsoon.The Directorate proposed an assistance, as per State Disaster Response Fund norms, of ` 22.25 crore to the affected farmers.“The assistance for farmers who have insurance coverage will be disbursed by the Agriculture Department without any delay whereas for those farmers who have no insurance cover the assistance will be given by the Revenue Department,” said R Ajith Kumar, Director of Agriculture.Source - http://www.newindianexpress.com/

05.08.2014

What Happens if You Pay Crop Insurance Late?

Former Successful Farming editor Loren Kruse once said, “The check for crop insurance is the hardest one to write.” It’s understandable because when you write and mail that check, it is often abundantly clear that there are no substantial crop loss and no indemnity payment to offset the premium. Some buyer’s regret comes with writing a check for something you don’t use, but write the check you must, if you want to continue to have crop insurance.Of course, your right brain tells you that crop insurance is more than a potential claim check and premium credit. Coverage enables operating credit at reasonable rates, allows forward marketing of crops at potentially better prices, and protects a farm from a potential knockout blow. Yet, the time to write that check has caused confusion and unexpectedly dire consequences.You don’t have to write the check when it is immediately due. Following an old agricultural tradition long dropped by other agribusinesses, the insurance premium is due near the end of a crop season instead of up front. In 2010, the due date for Midwestern spring crops was moved to August 1 from October 1 to generate federal budget savings. Since the federal fiscal year ends September 30, the change enabled government accountants to claim two premium payments in one fiscal year.Your portion of the premium is due on a specified date that varies by crop (August 1 for Midwest spring crops) with 30 days grace. An extension of credit is automatic if the payment is not received within 31 days of the due date. The extension of credit is no bargain because it comes with a hefty price tag: 1.25% per month (or any part of it) including the grace period. That’s more than 15% per annum. If that’s not draconian enough, the automatic extension of credit has a tough, nonnegotiable payment date – a true deadline that’s unforgiving.If you don’t pay your full indebtedness by the policy cancellation date (March 15 for Midwestern spring crops), you are not just a deadbeat, you are dead – put on the Ineligibles Tracking System (ITS)) to the crop insurance program going forward. Changing insurance agents, companies, or forming a new partnership or corporate entity will not cloak your demise for long.Since you are no longer eligible for crop insurance on the sales closing date, no crop insurance coverage can be had. Worse yet, eligibility for this next crop year cannot be restored even if you subsequently pay up. Additional time to pay the premium may be allowed by the insurer, but the payment plan must be in place before the deadline. If you falter (miss a payment), you are dead again, and it is retroactive.Many farmers have appealed their plight (technically called an “adverse decision” by the Risk Management Agency) to the National Appeals Division (NAD) of USDA. An administrative judge hears the appeal and makes a decision on whether the adverse decision was made inappropriately by the RMA.Hearing records and decisions of the NAD are available online. They reveal a very hard administrative line on nonpayment of premium. Although the administrative judge many times sympathizes with the farmer, the rules leave little discretion.Following are some of the unsuccessful excuses denied by the NAD.• Farmer misplaces or forgets bills until after the deadline.• Farmer does not remember receiving a bill.• Farmer is away from his/her mail during the month prior to the deadline.• Check is made out in the wrong (lesser) amount.• Check amount in digits doesn’t match the words.• Farmer has an outstanding claim that would cover the premium due.• Check is mailed timely but is lost in the mail.• Check is mailed on the due date but is not received until after the due date.• Farmer disputes the claim.• Farmer does not think he/she should pay interest when the company owes him/her money. (Interest is always deducted first, leaving the unpaid premium.)No matter what you dispute, pay the premium and interest due or negotiate a repayment plan before the cancellation date.Allow plenty of time for the check to arrive prior to the cancellation date. Mailing the check in a certified letter with a return receipt is a good practice. It notifies you that the check was received, and you have proof of delivery.For better or worse, the RMA is not your friendly banker or ag supplier who will overlook a late payment by a day or two or accept a good excuse.Source - http://www.agriculture.com/

05.08.2014

USA - Arkansas banks anticipate more demand for farm loans

Farming is still big business in Arkansas despite being overshadowed by headlines from corporate giants Wal-Mart, Tyson Foods and some of the nation’s largest trucking and logistics companies in the country.Agriculture accounted for $17 billion of valued added to the Arkansas economy in 2011. That’s 17 cents of every $1 linked to the sum of employee compensation, income and indirect business taxes, according to an economic report from the University of Arkansas in 2013.There are more than 259,200 jobs statewide supported by agriculture, that’s one in six jobs in Arkansas, creating almost $10 billion in labor income comprising 15% of the state’s total. The aggregate of the agriculture sector’s share of the state economy in Arkansas is 2.3 times greater than for the U.S. as whole.Some Arkansas banks have taken notice of more demand from the state’s agriculture sector. Arvest Bank recently announced is it ranked No. 26 in the American Bankers Association Top 100 Farm Lenders in the U.S. for the first quarter of 2014. Northwest Arkansas-based Arvest Bank held about $503.68 million in total outstanding agriculture loans to end the first quarter of 2014, according to Steve Griffin, executive loan manager for the Fort Smith region of Arvest Bank.The bank notes that it’s also expanding the agriculture loan products through the Federal Agriculture Mortgage Corporation, commonly known as Farmer Mac. These products provide several tools that help farmers/ranchers mitigate risks that have plagued the industry for the past few decades.Arvest said the low interest loans help farmers free up funds than can be used to counteract business risks such as drought expenses, falling crop prices and other weather-related disasters.“We’re currently in a situation similar to the farming boom of the 1970’s – which was followed by the farming crisis of the 1980’s. The best way a farmer/rancher can reduce their financial risk is to take advantage of the current low interest rates,” Griffin said.While the average U.S. farmer or rancher is in good financial shape, many in the industry see potential pitfalls that could cause problems similar to what the industry experienced in the 1980s. Land prices are increasing while grain and cattle prices are becoming volatile. Prices often depend on global factors including the Chinese economy, trade agreements between Japan and Australia, exchange rates, weather, inflation and domestic demand.A recent report from Wells Fargo economist notes that the U.S. farm sector made a solid comeback in 2013. Overcoming three consecutive years of slow growth, the industry’s output surged 16.4%, while overall real GDP increased just 1.9%. Arkansas ranked ninth in terms agricultural share of state GDP at 3.8% in 2013, according to the Wells Fargo report.The report also summarizes 2014 as another good year for the nation’s farm economy, noting that repeating the 2013 performance could be tough given drought in large parts of California and unpredictable weather in the Midwest and South.Local lenders also mentioned weather as a threat to 2014 profits for some farmers.“We have a wonderful bunch of farmers in our Brinkley bank that have been with us for many years. We had a terrible rain that dumped up to 10.5 inches about a month ago that has caused major problems with some of the crops,” said Gary Head, president of Signature Bank.He said some farmers may see lower yields as a result of the recent rain deluge.“Our loan demand is steady there and we are prepared to work with our farmers through a potentially rough year,” Head said.Signature Bank has grown its farmland loans to 1.71% of total loans, up from 1.51% a year ago. That totals about $6.5 million, up from $5.8 million in 2013. Other agriculture loans held by Signature Bank total about $6.4 million, up from $5.15 million in 2013, according to bank’s filings with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.Source - http://www.thecitywire.com/

05.08.2014

USA - At Minnesota's Farmfest, drones and data fly onto the agenda

Forget the weather and politics. As thousands of Minnesota farmers gather this week for the big trade show Farmfest, the real buzz is overhead.For a couple of years, small numbers of farmers and farm-equipment dealers have experimented with unmanned aerial devices, known as UAVs or drones, to get pictures and other data above fields.Now, an industry is emerging to promote the concept. Farmers attending the show near the central Minnesota town of Morgan will have a chance to attend seminars on how drones and so-called big data are changing their work. Implement dealers, crop consultants, researchers and a handful of Minnesota companies that are in the drone business will be on hand. The Minnesota Corn Growers Association is even giving away a quadcopter drone in a promotion.“It’s very new,” said Jerry Johnson, chief executive of Farm Intelligence2, a Mankato developer of field-analysis software and two UAVs for farm use. “There’s a lot of educating that is going on. Most people have basic questions like ‘How long does it fly?’ while some ask very sophisticated questions about the data.”Over the past two decades, the use of GPS and data sensors became standard in American farming, a phenomenon known as precision agriculture. Information was chiefly gathered by tractors during planting in the spring and combines during harvesting in the fall. Farmers then studied the data to make planting decisions for the next season.But with drones, farmers can get images quickly and cheaply while crops grow. If there’s a problem, a farmer can take action that affects the current season.And while the term “drones” conjures up images of multimillion-dollar military vehicles or gangly devices carrying packages from Amazon, the machines and related systems being developed for farmers are smaller, sleeker and generally simpler to use. “Even though we’re using the same term, drone, it really is quite different,” says Brendan Schulman, a New York attorney who has become a specialist on the evolving regulation of drones.Farmers can use very simple quadcopters with digital cameras, which cost about $500, for a quick view of their fields. Other systems, ranging from $2,000 to about $30,000, come with near-infrared sensors to make images of moisture content and other characteristics. Such systems then download the information into software that guides tractors through fields. For the moment, most drones and data analysis are being provided by implement dealers, fertilizer suppliers and crop consultants.“You can fly a quarter in 10 to 15 minutes,” said Matt Rohlik, a consultant at Haug Implement of Willmar, referring to one-fourth of a square mile, or 160 acres.Rohlik, who will lead the drone seminar at Farmfest, said one of his clients used an unmanned aircraft in July to determine the portion of his crop that suffered the most during the heavy June rains, then applied new rounds of nitrogen to give the troubled plants a boost for the rest of summer.“Nutrient deficiencies vary across the farm. Some areas have nitrogen deficiency, some other areas have phosphorus deficiency,” says Mike Bazakos, managing director at the University of Minnesota’s robotics center. “A more sophisticated drone with a camera and GPS can provide the coordinates of these areas so that the appropriate treatment can be applied to the corresponding areas.”Bazakos and David Mulla, chief of the U’s precision agriculture center, are jointly researching the use of drones to maximize farm production. Mulla estimates farmers can save $10 to $30 an acre in fertilizer and in related costs by examining the progress of crops while they are still in the ground.“You can correct problems today that in the past would have led to disastrous losses or yields,” Mulla said.At the moment, the farm drone industry is as frothy as any in high-tech, with start-ups scrambling to get capital from investors, deals with distributors and attention from customers. Major issues, such as possession of data collected on farms, are unsettled.Johnson, who in the 1980s and 1990s led a computer distributor, said the business reminds him of the early days in the PC industry. He said he expects prices for drones to fall steadily, just as they did for PCs. That prospect is also likely to further the use of drones in other industries, such as real estate, media and law enforcement.Bazakos says that in the future, ground-based, radio-controlled robots will emerge to work with the information collected from the aerial drones. Eventually, those ground-based devices will be able to take leaf and dirt samples and even apply fertilizer, saving farmers from making a trip out to a field with a tractor and sprayer.Lawmakers and regulators are still catching up. While the Supreme Court has ruled that landowners possess the right to the air up to 500 feet above their property, the Federal Aviation Administration controls the nation’s air traffic and has declared that authority to include UAVs or drones. “The unsettled question is ‘Why is the use of this technology an air transportation issue just because it’s a camera that lifts off the ground using propellers?’ ” attorney Schulman said.Source - http://www.startribune.com/

05.08.2014

USA - Farmers seek payment from state for diverted water

Four Nebraska farmers are demanding compensation from the state because it diverted irrigation water away from their crops to comply with the Republican River Compact.The farmers allege in a lawsuit that their yields were lower last year because they were denied access to water that could have been stored in nearby dams and canals. Nebraska released the water downstream to Kansas to meet its obligations under the 1943 river compact.Dave Domina, an attorney for the farmers, said Nebraska is placing a statewide obligation on the backs of those farmers without reimbursing them for their losses. The farmers agree that the state has the authority to divert the water, but they contend that the state is obligated to pay them just as it would be if it seized land to build a road, he said Monday.The farmers are seeking class-action status, which would increase the number of plaintiffs to more than 150 who receive water through the Frenchman Cambridge Irrigation District."They couldn't get the water they were entitled to," Domina said.The amount they're seeking is based on the difference between the corn, soybeans, wheat and alfalfa that they could have produced with the water and what they actually did, Domina said. The total losses haven't been counted but are expected to cost tens of millions, he said.Source - http://www.westport-news.com/

05.08.2014

India - Flooded Nala Damages Crops

Hundreds of acres of agriculture land on the banks of Bellary Nala have been submerged for the past 10 days following floods in the Nala resulting in heavy loss to the farmers.Paddy was cultivated in around 80 per cent of land on the banks of Bellary Nala. Farmers alleged that the negligence of the district administration caused the crop loss due to flooding every monsoon. Though the water level is receding in the last two days, the actual loss would be known only after the level returns to normal.Farmers of June (old) Belgaum, Vadgaon, Shahapur, Halga, Dhamane, Yellur, Belgaum, Basavan Kudachi and adjoining villages have been affected.“The ongoing construction of a bridge on Old Pune-Bangalore Road is obstructing the flow of Bellary Nala causing the floods,” said Mallappa Patil, one of the affected farmers.Farmer Devidas Chavan said: “Every year before farmers submit memoranda to the administration and City Corporation requesting them to desilt the Nala, but in vain.”Source - http://www.newindianexpress.com/

05.08.2014

USDA Sending Acreage, Yield History to Prepare for Insurance

Farm Service Agency Administrator Juan Garcia announced that farmers should start receiving notices updating them on their current base acres, yields and 2009-2012 planting history. The written updates are an important part of preparing agricultural producers for the new safety net programs established by the 2014 Farm Bill."We're sending these reports to make sure that farmers and ranchers have key information as they make critical decisions about programs that impact their livelihood," said Garcia. "It's important that producers take a few minutes to cross check the information they receive with their own farm records. If the information is correct, no further action is needed at this time. But if our letter is incomplete or incorrect, producers need to contact their local FSA county office as soon as possible."Verifying the accuracy of data on a farm's acreage history is an important step for producers enrolling in the upcoming Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) program and the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program. Later this summer, farmers and ranchers will have an opportunity to update their crop yield information and reallocate base acres."We're working hard to prepare and educate farmers on the new programs created by the 2014 Farm Bill," added Garcia. "I encourage producers to bring their USDA notice to any scheduled appointments with the local FSA county office. This will help ensure they have the information they need with them to discuss the available program options."By mid-winter all producers on a farm will be required to make a one-time, unanimous and irrevocable election between price protection and county revenue protection or individual revenue protection for 2014-2018 crop years. Producers can expect to sign contracts for ARC or PLC for the 2014 and 2015 crop years in early 2015.Covered commodities include barley, canola, large and small chickpeas, corn, crambe, flaxseed, grain sorghum, lentils, mustard seed, oats, peanuts, dry peas, rapeseed, long grain rice, medium grain rice (includes short grain rice and temperate japonica rice), safflower seed, sesame, soybeans, sunflower seed, and wheat. Upland cotton is no longer a covered commodity.Source - http://www.wisconsinagconnection.com/

04.08.2014

USA - Hail took a bite out of Colorado melons

Watermelons and honeydew in Colorado’s Rocky Ford region, expected to start production around Aug. 5, will take a volume hit from the same hailstorm that wreaked havoc on the larger cantaloupe crop.Out of about 260 acres of watermelons in Rocky Ford, 15 were wiped out by the July 16 storm and another 45 or 50 were heavily damaged, said Michael Hirakata, sales director for Hirakata Farms and chairman of the Rocky Ford Growers Association.“We don’t grow too many honeydews, but we doubled our acres this year from about 15 to 30,” he said. “We lost two-thirds of the first planting, about 10 to 15 acres. It doesn’t seem like much, but when that’s all you have it hurts. Our honeydews really produce well so we would have to plant a lot to make up the orders. Even losing two acres of honeydews is a big blow to us.”Cantaloupe, which started production July 21, took the biggest hit – losing 95 acres out of about 600 planted. Still, that’s expected to leave volumes about equal to last year’s pre-expansion numbers.The affected acreage was spread out among four different plantings, so the maturity of melons varied.“Some of the damage was to the early cantaloupes, some was to the middle round and some affected the late cantaloupes,” Hirakata said. “All that damage was spread out through the year but it’s still a pretty big hit. It took away all of our expansion ideas. We’re back to where we were last year with acreage.”Fruit size should be average or a bit larger, Hirakata said, with excellent flavour and good quality.The hailstorm added insult to injury for plants that had already endured a harsh spring.“We had a late freeze,” he said. “We had a problem getting the new planted seeds to come up and thrive because the spring was so windy and cold. It’s hard on those little plants to withstand a 50 mph wind every day. We’re very thankful for what we have left.”“If we can have two or three months of dry weather and it starts raining or snowing in November, that would be perfect,” he said.Rocky Ford Growers Association is working with Colorado State University and private companies to find ways to get faster results on pathogen tests from facilities or fields, Hirakata said. Growers are also working on plant upgrades.In-state demand for cantaloupes remains strong, he told The Packer, but melon growers still have work to do to regain market share lost in the 2011 listeria outbreak traced to Holly, Colo.-based Jensen Farms.Source - http://www.freshplaza.com/

04.08.2014

USA - Farmers troubled by rain

It has been a headache of a year for farmers. Recently, the rainy weather has been troubling.“We gamble every single day with the weather so all we can do is, when we can go, we hammer down and go,” said Dan Stella, 33, of Pagen Farm in LeRoy.This past week, the area got a month’s worth of rain in a week. This after farmers already got off to a late start because of the frost.The Stella family has been running Pagen Farm since 1959. Their main focus is on dairy but they have 700 acres for crops.Stella has been keeping a close watch over his hay. ”When you get it over to the bottom that's where it was kind of sopping wet.”He said the farm cut some on Saturday, but they were again disappointed by the rain.“When we cut it we don't like to get rained off,” said Stella. “It's not the end of the world, but it'll take a little longer for us to dry down so we can get it to where we need to chop it.”If it gets too wet, the farm could end up losing the crop meaning all of their hard work who go down the drain.“You can actually get mold growing down underneath and when you go in and cut it and chop it and the mold goes in your bunk you can contaminate your whole pile of feed,” he said.The equipment is also more likely to break in these wet conditions.“We can't do much about it,” said Stella. “All we can do is, when we get a window, we work three times as hard to try to get it done.”Source - http://www.13wham.com/

04.08.2014

USA - Late blight hits area growers USA - Late blight hits area growers

Late blight, the disease that five years ago wiped out much of the tomato crop of commercial and residential growers in the region, has turned up in Cambria and Somerset counties.While the 2009 spread of the pathogen Phytophthora infestans was devastating, indications are the disease could be even more far-reaching this year, according to Tom Ford, Penn State Extension horticulture educator.“It has the potential of being huge,” Ford said late last week.Often referred to as late tomato blight, it was first detected about a month ago in a commercial potato field in northern Cambria County.Since that time it has been detected in Blair County and by midweek was confirmed in a tomato field of a commercial grower in Bedford County.“We’re seeing it significantly in commercial fields,” Ford said. “In Bedford County, one farmer had his entire cherry tomato crop wiped out.”At about the same time the blight was discovered in the Cambria County potato field, it also was detected in fields in Lancaster and Chester counties, he said.The blight starts with a greenish-gray to black spot or lesion on the leaf surface, he said. As it progresses, dark brown to black lesions will develop on the stems of the tomato or potato plant, followed by gray-colored pores on the underside of the leaves.While modern treatments likely would prevent any type of massive crop loss, Ford said growers and gardeners should not lose sight of the fact that the blight is the same one that caused the Irish potato famine of the 1840s.Commercial vegetable grower Jim Benshoff of Summerhill said he struggles annually to stay ahead of the blight, which favors cooler temperatures and thrives when there is plenty of moisture.“If you can get it to leave, you’d get a gold star,” Benshoff said. “You’ve got to be as proactive as you can. You cannot be on the defensive.”As soon as he got word of the blight, Benshoff said he contacted scores of other growers, in an effort to slow the spread of the pathogen that often moves with ease from one farm to another.It spreads by spores in the air, and once the blight is evident, it’s too late to save the plant. But extreme measures often can diminish its spread, experts said.Ford and others recommend carefully removing the diseased plants, immediately putting them in trash bags and leaving them in the sun, then setting them out with the trash.“Under no condition should the gardener make any effort to compost plants infected with late blight,” Ford said.The spores, when mature, he said, can be picked up by animals and people, blown by the wind and carried on tools or cultivating equipment to other susceptible plants.Concern is increasing over farms in the Amish community of Sinking Valley in Blair County, Ford said.“We’re seeing tomato fields going down; we’re seeing potato fields going down,” he said.While commercial growers have access to a wider variety of chemicals to treat the plants, Ford said residential gardeners can apply fungicides such as chlorothalonil, mancozeb or a mixed copper to uninfected plants every five to seven days.Upper Yoder Township gardener Ron Kohler, who is part of Penn State’s Master Gardener program in Cambria County, said the group had received no samples as of Thursday.“But I suspect we’ll be getting them shortly,” he said.Kohler and other gardeners he knows are spraying and “keeping our fingers crossed.”Source - http://www.tribune-democrat.com/

04.08.2014

USA - Gallatin Valley crops looking good one year after devastating hail storm

It's been one year since a hail storm ripped through the Gallatin Valley, destroying an estimated $50 million worth of crops.On August 1, 2013, golf-ball sized hail destroyed miles of crops in the Gallatin Valley. Manhattan ag producer Matt Flikkema told us it was the worst storm he'd ever seen."A lot of growers here, their entire crop was wiped out and didn't harvest anything," said Flikkema. "This field where we're standing was actually pulverized into the ground, hardly anything left."Despite the devastating loss, most producers managed to get by and this year local farmers are banking on a bountiful harvest."Hail storms are a part of life here and so most people do carry crop insurance and that's how we get through," Flikkema said.While potatoes had some protection under ground, wheat, barley, corn and pea crops didn't fair so well. Fortunately, this year, Flikkema said these crops are actually in better shape than they were last year before the storm."The moisture we had in June and early July has really helped. Even the dryland crops are looking awesome," Flikkema said.That's good news for the small communities of Manhattan, Amsterdam, Churchill and beyond as it's more than just the farmers who will benefit from a good harvest."Farmers and ranchers when they do well, typically will spend money locally, new equipment, just up and down Main Street," said Flikkema. "There's more money flowing around and it just helps the entire community's economy."Flikkema told us he expects to start harvesting in a little more than a week.Source - http://www.kbzk.com/

01.08.2014

Sri Lanka launches drought relief measures for farming families

Sri Lanka’s government will roll out a relief programme to help vulnerable farmers cope with the effects of a worsening drought, as part of a wider effort to protect people from the frequent extreme weather events that are threatening the country’s steady economic gains.“The impact of climate change impact has become severe now,” said Punchi Banda Jayasundera, Secretary to the Treasury and the man primarily responsible for setting national economic policy, as a 10-month-old drought dents agricultural production.Some parts of the country have gone without significant rains since November, especially the arid north and east. The southwestern monsoon - which brings the largest annual rainfall - has been below average so far, although it is expected to be active for at least two more months.Jayasundera told journalists the agriculture sector, which makes up about 10 per cent of Sri Lanka’s annual gross domestic product (GDP) of $60 billion, has been severely impacted by the drought. “(It) will have an off season this year,” he said.The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and Sri Lanka’s Department of Agriculture have released reports indicating that 15 per cent of the rice harvest will be lost this year. The overall paddy harvest is likely to be the lowest for six years, and vegetable prices have increased sharply in the last three months.Jayasundera, the South Asian island’s top finance official, said the government had learned lessons from past droughts, and has set in motion measures to minimise the impact of the dry weather.Rural employmentOn Thursday, the president’s office announced that the cabinet had approved a 1,300 million rupee ($10 million) development programme to provide temporary income to those worst hit by the drought.In a statement, it said nearly 111,500 families are estimated to lack enough water for their daily needs, as well as crop cultivation, reducing their income. The amount of land being farmed in eight drought-hit districts is 42 per cent lower than in 2013, it added.Under the government plan, silt will be removed from water reservoirs and tanks, and 600 agricultural wells rehabilitated so that more water can be stored. Meanwhile, water will be distributed to meet drinking water needs.One member of each drought-affected family will be offered eight to 12 days paid work per month to reconstruct irrigation canals and rural access roads. The silt and mud removed from reservoirs will be distributed to local brick and tile manufacturers free of charge, the statement said.Back in April, a joint assessment by the government and the World Food Programme found that over 760,000 people in Sri Lanka’s Northern and Eastern Provinces and adjoining areas were struggling to get enough food due to the drought.In the same month, the government lifted import restrictions and taxes on rice in a move to keep prices stable. It said it planned to import at least 100,000 tonnes of milled rice, or around 2.5 percent of the 2013 harvest, by the end of this month.“Rice imports will continue until harvesting becomes normal,” Jayasundera said. Sri Lanka bars rice imports when national production levels are high, in order to safeguard local producers.Power problemsJayasundera said Sri Lanka is also gradually moving away from reliance on furnace oil for thermal power generation during periods of water shortages, and shifting to coal, which is cheaper.Policy makers usually plan for hydropower to produce 40-50 per cent of electricity in years of average rainfall. But in years when the rains are poor, as in 2012, fossil fuels become the largest source.By mid-July this year, 48 per cent of the country’s power demand was being met by oil, around 18 per cent by coal, 30 per cent by hydro and 5 per cent through wind.In 2012, during a similar drought, the Sri Lankan currency weakened as oil imports soared due to a reliance on furnace oil. “We are not seeing that kind of energy-related impact right now,” Jayasundera said.Despite the government’s interventions, Jayasundera and other officials said the drought’s impact could widen if the current monsoon remains weak.“We are getting reports that the drought is spreading, especially in agro-rich (farming) districts like Anuradhapura, Kurunegala and Ampara,” said J D M K Chandarasiri, head of research at the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research Institute in Colombo.“If the rains do not come in the next two months, the losses will mount,” he added.Sri Lanka’s mid-year planting season depends heavily on irrigation water, and government officials warn that water levels at the main reservoirs remain low.“Most reservoirs are between 30 and 50 percent capacity. If there are no rains in the next two months, we will not have sufficient water for crops,” Badra Kamaladasa, the country’s director of irrigation, told Thomson Reuters Foundation.Extreme weather events are nothing new for Sri Lankan policy makers. Since 2009, the country has faced at least seven major floods and two major droughts.Jayasundera said overall economic performance - with a predicted GDP growth rate of 7.8 percent - was high this year, enabling the economy to absorb much of the drought-related shock so far.“We are watching the situation closely,” he said, “The drought can worsen, we know that.”Source - http://www.eco-business.com/

01.08.2014

Canada - Weather delays Manitoba vegetable production

A brutally cold and long winter followed by a water-logged spring has frustrated Manitoba vegetable farmers.The growing season for produce is well behind schedule. Some vegetables are two to three weeks delayed. Crops such as corn and tomatoes are particularly behind.Doug Chorney of Keystone Agricultural Producers said the late start to the season mixed with flooding and now cooler nights have had a huge impact.Some crops aren’t as plentiful and that means in some cases availability is driving up prices at farmers markets, he said.If Manitobans want home grown vegetables, now is the time to buy, he added.Many farmers have struggled to recover from the 2011 flood, Chorney said, and he estimates the same amount of farmland has been impacted this year.Source -http://www.freshplaza.com/

01.08.2014

USDA announces farm bill supplemental crop coverage

As stipulated through the 2014 Farm Bill, farmers and ranchers will receive new crop insurance options that will strengthen and expand insurance coverage.The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the new Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) will be available through the federal crop insurance program and set to begin with the 2015 crop year. It is designed to help protect farmers and ranchers from the flux in the market and crop yields. The program will provide additional risk management options and will make crop insurance more affordable for beginner farmers.SCO will be available for corn, cotton, grain sorghum, rice, soybeans, spring barley, spring wheat and winter wheat in selected counties for the 2015 crop year, according to USDA. Winter wheat growers will need to contact their crop insurance agents for eligibility and coverage timetable.Risk Management Agency (RMA) will administer the SCO program. Information on SCO for 2015 winter and spring wheat is available on the RMA website. RMA plans to make SCO more widely available by adding more counties and crops and is due to release a listing of selected counties for other commodities later this summer.Source - http://www.porknetwork.com/

01.08.2014

Canada - Crop insurance claims on the raise after summer flooding

The insurance claims are starting to trickle in from farmers who have had their land affected by flood waters.Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation’s Rae Groeneveld said a total of 792 pre-harvest claims had been submitted as of July 29.“A good majority of those claims are as the result of the flooding,” he said.The southeast and east-central portions of the province were hardest hit.“Producers, at least initially, wanted to give that crop some time to see just how much was damaged as a result of flooding; give that crop some time to see what recovered, what was damaged. Now we’re getting into that point where we’re seeing what survived and what didn’t, and so all that assessment is still ongoing.”In order to get an accurate picture of what the total damage will be for producers, Groeneveld explained they’ll have to wait for harvest in the fall before that’s available.“That’s when the claim gets finalized and we’ll get a real handle on the real impact of the flooding situation from late June and early July,” he said.Groeneveld reminds farmers they can contact their local crop insurance office if they have any concerns or questions about their coverage.Source - http://ckom.com/