07.05.2014

Philippines - After heavy rains and floods, dry spell plagues Mindanao

The current dry spell, which has pushed water tables deeper underground and is drying up lakes, is not just causing hydropower plants to generate less electricity but is also threatening Mindanao’s food production.The worsening weather condition has prompted officials to ask farmers to prepare for the worst by planting drought-resistant root crops, and the public to conserve water in their households.Armando Ansingco, chair of the Southern Mindanao Regional Agriculture and Fishery Council (RAFC), said crop yields this year are estimated to decrease by 20 percent in the region compared to last year, as the absence of rain has already affected some areas.He said some farms in well-irrigated areas might barely feel the effects of the dry spell but “rainfed areas will suffer if the dry spell continues.”Remelyn Recoter, regional director of the Department of Agriculture in Southern Mindanao, said 80 percent of the 53,000 hectares of riceland in Southern Mindanao is irrigated, although irrigation canals have dried up in some places.But even if only the 20 percent that depends on rain is affected by the dry spell, that would still have a considerable impact on food production.Ansingco said the best way to mitigate the effects of the drought is for farmers to quickly switch to drought-resistant root crops.“Let us brace for the worst and prepare ourselves,” he said, “We can do it because we’ve been here before.”Recoter said agriculture officials have considered cloud seeding in some areas, but this has to be thoroughly studied because it can cause damage to crops vulnerable to too much rain such as bananas.“We have to evaluate thoroughly if we consider that option because some crops like watermelon and banana, which thrive well in summer, would not benefit, and might even be destroyed, by cloud seeding,” she said.Southern Mindanao produces more bananas than rice. It contributes only 2 to 2.5 percent of the country’s rice production, Recoter said.In the case of the rice-producing town of Magsaysay in Davao del Sur, officials said the low water level in irrigation systems there had delayed the planting season. It should have started during the first week of this month.Exequiel Elentorio, president of the Badagoy Irrigators Association, said at least 40 percent of their 1,680 members have not planted yet as irrigation ditches have dried up due to the dry spell.For the remaining 60 percent, whose farms are located near irrigation systems still with water, Elentorio said they have had to ration water to be able to plant.The experience of Magsaysay farmers was also being experienced by their counterparts in Maguindanao.Mosa Saligan, a farmer in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, said they could not replant for lack of rain.”There are some areas which are irrigated but most in the upland are without irrigation. We rely on rains that we have not experienced for a long time,” said another farmer, Kali Usman of Upi, Maguindanao.Makmod Mending, ARMM regional secretary of the agriculture and fishery, said his office has sent teams to monitor the condition of farms in Maguindanao so appropriate action could be taken.Source - http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/

07.05.2014

Vietnam to begin replanting process

Plans are afoot in Vietnam to uproot nearly 100 million coffee trees as part of a replanting initiative. It is a process that will not only limit the amount of coffee that the country can grow, but it will also impact export income over the course of the next few years.The decision comes at a time when Brazil, the global leader, is in the midst of a problematic harvest caused by a prolonged period of drought that has ravaged plantations in a number of growing regions.“We are planning to undergo a long-term process of replacing old coffee trees, and this, together with the current dry weather conditions, will hurt coffee output,” said Nguyen Viet Vinh, the general secretary of the Vietnam Coffee-Cocoa Association.Some might argue that the timing is wrong, but conversely, with a global shortage the timing to start planning and protecting the long-term future of coffee plantations and the industry should be of paramount importance. Any short-term profits that could be accrued now, could very easily be lost further on down the line and such making a proactive move now without letting the market influence the decision should be applauded.Vietnamese robusta output for the 2014-15 crop year is expected to drop as a result of the plans, with the Vietnam Coffee-Cocoa Association forecasting a 15-20% decrease on current levels.With the global markets reacting to the adverse weather conditions that have caused shortages in Central and South America, coffee prices have skyrocketed upwards in recent weeks and, for many, it would be easy to maintain stasis. But there are problems that need rectifying.The average age of the coffee trees are getting too high, so says Luong Van Tu, the chairman of the Vietnamese association. Trees that have been exposed to over two decades worth of harvests are likely to average around one ton of beans per hectare. That number is remarkably low when compared to much younger trees that can yield 150% more crop for farmers and exporters.Vietnam themselves have not been in a privileged position in regards to inclement weather conditions. Instead of dry spells and drought, the Asian nation has been experiencing a cold, dry snap which has caused problems for the industry.As well as the reduced crop levels from older trees, the elder members of the plantations are also more susceptible to diseases and stresses associated with inclement weather patterns, patterns of which could be cyclic in the coming years according to meteorologists.A period of (relative) short-term pain will undoubtedly lead to a long-term gain. Taking around ten years to complete the plans will, it is said, cement Vietnam’s place within the coffee industry.Source - http://www.worldcoffeepress.com/

06.05.2014

USA - Wet, cold weather holds up spring planting in Minnesota

The wet, cold weather is preventing Minnesota farmers from getting much planting done.In its weekly crop progress and condition report for Minnesota, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says only 8 percent of the state's corn crop has been planted, which is up 4 percentage points from last week's report but is still two weeks behind normal.The report says southwestern Minnesota continues to be the only part of the state where farmers are making progress.Widespread precipitation last week meant a statewide average of only 0.9 days were suitable for fieldwork. However, the rain is benefiting soil moisture levels. Subsoil moisture supplies are rated 90 percent adequate to surplus and only 10 percent short. Topsoil moisture is rated 99 percent adequate to surplus and only 1 percent short.Source - http://www.twincities.com/

06.05.2014

The coming big dry

The chances of a big dry are increasing.Researchers believe there is now a possibility of a super El Niño developing, which will impact Australian farmers this summer.It is a phenomenon that is not well known, with only two having occurred in Australia, the first in 1982/83 and the second in 1997/98.Already the signs are there according Shayne McGregor, a Research Fellow at the University of NSW who says big increases in ocean warming and strong wind blasts from west to east off the coast of Papua New Guinea are needed to trigger an El Niño. There have been three such blasts so far this year.In countries to Australia's north, like Cambodia, farmers are improving crop varieties and moving to more off-farm income to help support rural livelihoods as tough climate conditions threaten.But for countries like Fiji, Tonga and Samoa the real threat will be the destruction wrought by increased cyclone activity, one of the expected results of a super El Nino.Source - http://www.abc.net.au/

06.05.2014

Thailand - First crop of 2014 not hit by draught

The permanent secretary of Agriculture has confirmed that the amount of agricultural product from the first crop of 2014 is within the normal range, even though as many as 44 provinces have been declared drought disaster zones.The permanent secretary, Chavalit Chukhajorn said on Sunday that with the upcoming rainy season, the total amount of water stored in dams and reservoirs nationwide would be much increased and there would then be enough to irrigate the second and third crops of 2014. Therefore, there is no real concern about a water shortage during the year.However, farmers could be faced with much lower prices for agricultural products, especially rice from the off season crop. Longan are also likely to fetch lower prices this year.The ministry projects that there will be more than 500,000 tons of longan in the crop of 2014. Therefore, the ministry has been seeking solutions because the local market would not be able to absorb the entire amount. Solutions will be submitted to a national committee meeting in May, and a proposal will then be sent to the caretaker government for its decision.Source - http://www.freshplaza.com/

06.05.2014

USA - California cherry production takes a hit

Initial indications suggest abnormal winter weather has exacted a toll on this season’s Californian cherry crop.The US state is struggling through its third year of extreme drought, with growers in the San Joaquin Valley, a hub for cherry production, being notified their irrigation allocations will be drastically reduced this summer. Adding to the San Joaquin’s travails was a hard freeze that lasted nearly all of December, followed by spring-like conditions in January and February that failed to produce the chilling valley fog growers count on to put fruit trees and vines into dormancy.Leading up to harvest, cherry growers were reporting very light fruit sets in southern orchards located between Bakersfield to Fresno. The northern Bing crop, centered in the Stockton-Lodi, also appears to be a concern, with early reports suggest the fruit set appears to be erratic.“The bloom has been all over the board this year – not uniform at all,” said Jim Hansen of Grower Direct Marketing. “Walking the groves, you can see cherries set on one side of the tree with bloom still going on the other side. I’m thinking we’ll only have a moderate Bing crop this year at best.”According to the California Cherry Commission, 3.2m cartons of cherries shipped from the San Joaquin district in 2013. Given the evidence in the orchards, some industry observers feel the southern region may be hard pressed to ship 2m cartons in total this year.California cherry industry shipments have averaged nearly 8m cartons over the last seven seasons but could fall to 5m cartons this year if some of the early predictions prove accurate. Timing also appears to be irregular. “This will be one of the earliest starts to a season ever,” Maurice Cameron of Flavor Tree Fruit Company said.When the first fruit of the season is hydro-cooled and packed, Japan will likely be the first international destination shipped. The island nation remains the Californian industry’s largest offshore market, with exports totalling upwards of 615,300 cartons in 2013. South Korea has emerged as California’s second largest international market, importing nearly 543,000 cartons in 2013, while the combined China/Hong Kong market received just under 348,000 cartons last year.Source - http://www.fruitnet.com/

06.05.2014

USA - Almond output threatened by drought

Federal estimates that California could produce nearly 2 billion pounds of almonds this year comes with a big maybe, spelled D-R-O-U-G-H-T.The U.S. National Agricultural Statistics Service last week pegged this fall's nut haul at 1.95 billion pounds, based on a survey of growers statewide.That would be down 2.5 percent from the 2 billion pounds harvested in 2013, as well as the record 2.03 billion-pound crop of 2011.But an industry expert and San Joaquin County growers said Monday the lack of water due to near-record drought conditions could take an uncertain toll."Whatever the crop is, it will be reduced by the effect of deficit irrigation or the (total) lack of water in some cases," said Dave Baker, director of grower relations for Blue Diamond, the giant almond growers cooperative.He said the federal estimate was a reasonable starting point but continued: "What's going to happen from this point forward is anyone's guess."Certainly, farmers are scrambling to secure water for their orchards, drilling new wells and tapping other sources where possible, Baker said. "But you're going to start to see come June more effect of the water situation, and it'll rear its head in various areas throughout the state."While Baker offered no guess as to the drought's impact, one Ripon almond grower, Rick Veldstra, made a prediction: "The (federal crop) estimate sounds reasonable, but ... you can guarantee the crop will be less," he said."If you go up and down (Interstate) 5, there's a lot of orchards that just got taken out," Veldstra said."A lot of orchards got taken out in just the last six weeks, and we don't know the impact of the drought," he said. "A lot of trees are not going to get the water they need."Almonds are a leading export product for California and one of the top cash crops in San Joaquin County. The county harvest in 2012 was valued at $300 million.Blue Diamond officials reported: "There is strong demand across global markets as we move into the summer months" and that almond sales remain "at a robust pace."Given that demand, Baker said, "We need the 1.95 billion pounds. ... We can use it all."That's good news for another Ripon almond grower, Kevin Fondse, who reported having a secure supply of water for his orchards."I've got a good crop; I've got a super crop," he said. "It was terrific bloom we had this year."But he, too, was concerned about the drought's impact on other growing areas in the state."The worse part of this whole drought thing ... is the trickle-down effect to all the people who work in agriculture," he said. "For the people who don't have a job, those are the ones that really get hit."Source - http://www.recordnet.com/

05.05.2014

USA - Experts: No big wheat harvest

The wheat industry is in for a tough harvest if predictions hold true.Crop advisers reporting at a recent Oklahoma Grain and Feed Association meeting said the state may only produce 66.5 million bushels when harvest begins later this month. That prediction is based on their surveys of fields and the poor weather conditions faced this season.“This is probably the worst crop statewide, border to border, that I can remember,” said association President Joe Hampton.If the projections are accurate, that would mean wheat production is down nearly half of what it was just two years ago, when farmers harvested almost 155 million bushels, he said.Although the report is troublesome, Hampton said most producers could receive help from federal crop insurance. The impact won’t only be felt on farmers.“The elevator industry is going to have a rough year,” he said. “It’ll have a ripple effect on probably fertilizer sales, ag chemical sales, farm equipment dealers — all the way down through the agriculture community.”According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, grain elevators across the state were charging up to 30 cents more Friday, up to $8.11 per bushel.“But the problem with that is it doesn’t do you much good if you don’t have anything to sell,” Hampton said.A month ago, the price was about a dollar cheaper.In Kansas, the outlook is just as grim. Surveyors there estimated this year’s crop could be just 260 million bushels.“If that number comes in at that, it’ll be the lowest production level for the state of Kansas since 1996,” said Oklahoma Wheat Commission Executive Director Mike Schulte. “The crop up there, too, is just not looking good at all.”Drought, along with extreme late-season freezes have caused damage in southern and central Oklahoma. There could be crop failures near Burlington, he said, because of the drought. Schulte sees one bright spot, though, on farms south of Lawton.“On the upland areas there was some decent-looking wheat that was probably going to make anywhere from 35 to 40 bushels per acre,” he said.The harvest is on schedule, so far. But Schulte said if extended periods of dry, 90-degree heat return before Memorial Day, the crop will stress and ripen faster.“The crop is already extremely drought-stricken. What is out there, if we do get the high winds and no moisture, and extreme heat, it really is going to have a detrimental impact to the crop,” he said.If the wheat crop fails, some producers still have a chance to plant summer crops like grain sorghum and soybeans.“But right now they’d just be planting them in the dust,” Hampton said.From his perspective, there’s not much for farmers to do except hope to get by.“That’s all I know to do. I hope that we get this drought broken,” he said.Crop censusThe USDA released its five-year agriculture census Friday. Among the notable statistics, which are current through 2012, is the explosion of canola planting. In Garfield County alone, the number of canola farms increased ten-fold since 2007. In 2012, producers harvested more than 8 million pounds from 6,404 acres.The trend is apparent statewide. There were only 37 farms producing canola in 2007.Oklahoma Department of Agriculture commented on the census, which is a massive study looking at nearly every measurable aspect of farming and ranching across the nation.The state’s takeaway lauded averaged demographics of the Oklahoma farmer, who isn’t aging as fast as other states.According to the census, Oklahoma farmers’ average age is about 58 years old, the national average.“However, the age of Oklahoma producers has slowed since 2007; perhaps indicating an increase in young producers returning to the farm,” the state report concludes.Source - http://www.edmondsun.com/

05.05.2014

North Korea suffering 'severe' drought

North Korea is suffering from its worst spring drought in more than three decades, threatening thousands of acres of staple crops."Severe drought" has been reported across the country, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. Average rainfall between mid-February and late April -- a crucial growing period -- was 23.5mm, barely 35% of the normal seasonal precipitation and the lowest recorded since 1982. "Thousands of acres of spring crops such as barley, wheat and potatoes have been damaged," KCNA said.Source - http://www.freshplaza.com/

05.05.2014

USA - Erosion May Cost Iowa Farmers $1 Billion Each Year

Rain and wind are washing away enough of Iowa’s fertile topsoil to potentially reduce crop yields by $1 billion, so researchers are working to develop a better way to measure erosion.The Des Moines Register reported that researchers think parts of Iowa could be losing up to 12 times more soil than government reports suggest.Iowa State University professor Rick Cruse is leading a team developing a new method to measure erosion’s impact that could paint a grim picture.“We’re losing soil that’s highest in organic matter, highest in nutrients,” Cruse said. “We are losing the cream of the crop.”Some of the most severe erosion happens in western and southeastern Iowa.State Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey said erosion may be getting worse because conservation programs have been scaled back.“Erosion is a decades-old problem,” Northey said. “We’re trying to figure out solutions that are right, individually as well as collectively.”Having better data on erosion could strengthen arguments to expand federal conservation programs that pay farmers not to plant crops on highly erodible land or encourage taking steps like planting buffer strips of grass along streams.Cruse’s new research will use a satellite system to track the type of soil on individual farms, crop rotation, conservation efforts and other factors. That data will be combined with precipitation information.The Environmental Working Group released a 2011 report on erosion based on some of Cruse’s earlier work. Craig Cox, a senior vice president with that group, said there’s no reason to think conditions have improved since 2011.“With the new model, we’re likely to have a more disturbing picture of how badly damaged some of the most vulnerable fields are,” Cox said.Last year’s heavy spring rains — when nearly 18 inches of water fell in March, April and May — highlighted some of the problems of erosion. Northey said the rains kept nearly 730,000 acres from getting planted.That prompted more farmers to try strategies such as planting a cover crop during the off-season to help keep soil in place.“People are working hard to improve,” Northey said. “I think that needs to be appreciated. But we need to do more. ... Erosion control has to happen on 23 million acres.”Source - http://www.kcrg.com/

05.05.2014

Turkey - Cherry campaign expected to start a week earlier

Alanar Fruit Comp is a Bursa-based Turkish company, established in 2006 and devoted to the cultivation and export of cherries, aprıcots, Japanese plums , nectarıns ,pomegranates and figs. It has managed to become Europe’s leading cherry exporter and one of the world’s largest fig exporters.According to the Turkish agricultural department in a normal year the country currently produces a total of around 400,000 tonnes of cherries per season. For its part, Alanar owns 60 hectares of young plantations which produce approximately 300 tonnes, but it also purchases cherries from small growers in almost every producing region. Alanar Fruıt Comp’s strength is due to 550 hectare comp orchards for stonefruits and pomegranates. These processes are managed by Alara’s two separate firms: Alara Nursery and Alanar Fruit Company.Yavuz Taner, CEO of Alanar Fruit Comp, assures that the impact of the recent hail storms that hit part or the cherry regions, spring frost was felt mostly by the region of Malatya’s apricot growers, but as regards cherries, which are produced in 70% of Turkey at different altitudes and climatic conditions, the extent of the damages has not been truly significant and a normal season is still expected.In fact, Turkish cherry trees are in full bloom and some of the earlier varieties have already started bearing some fruit. The harvest of the 0900 Ziraat, which is the most common variety for export, generally begins in the last week of May and this year it is expected to start a week earlier, as long as the weather conditions remain stable. Production volumes, according to Mr Taner, should be satisfactory.Alanar’s main export destinations are Europe and Russia, and to a lesser extent the Far East, where it ships by air. For the early part of the season, California is the greatest competitor in the Far East, but “we are informed that their fruit is a little bit late and also affected by the weather conditions, which should definitely favour us,” affirms Yavuz Taner.Source - http://www.freshplaza.com/

05.05.2014

Australia - Queensland citrus harvest down, a year after flood

Citrus farmers in Queensland's major growing region are expecting big yield losses this season, more than a year on from record floods.The Australia Day floods destroyed about 15 per cent of the Wide Bay Burnett's production, which accounts for most of the state's citrus.This season, tree loss from the floods, frost, a long dry and late rain have reduced yield, skin quality and size.But fruit quality and prices are high.One of the region's 70 growers, Timothy Ulcoq, who farms 9,000 trees outside Gayndah, expects his harvest will be down about 30 per cent."The main factor is we had a very late frost in September. Half the trees were already flowering, so it's basically cooked quite a lot of flower."Down the road, mandarin grower Ken Roth lost 6,000 of his 20,000 trees in the flood, and expects to pick about half his normal rate this season - only 1,300 half-tonne bins.He says the lower volumes mean growers are fetching good prices, up an extra $10 per box."They're a reasonable price this year. Other years we're in a glut and it's very low; you're looking at a $10-$16 market; and they're still reaching their $18-$26 now for a 10-kilo or nine-kilo box."But he's warning growers to be aware of the quality of their fruit, and select only the best to keep the market happy."Some people got in early and had a disastrous start... the skin's just deteriorated and went brown... and it turned up at the markets... and the buyers would bring it back," he said."If we don't give good quality to the (market), all we do is get buyer resistance."There may not be as much fruit coming off farms, but the doors of the Gayndah Packers Co-Op are staying open longer.The association is made up of nine growers, but membership is on the decline because of grower dissatisfaction with the system of pooled production and marketing.However, general manager Barry Scott says they've picked up extra contracts which will create almost year-round production."We've taken on a number of contract packing, and that's included quite a lot of lemons, and lemons come out of the mandarin season, so it extends the packing process."The co-op expects to pack 35,000 bins this year, which is a bit down.Allen Jenkin exports mandarins from his 75,000 trees near Mundubbera to Indonesia, Thailand and China for seven months of the year.He says the long dry has lowered his fruit size but raised sugar and acid levels.However, his biggest problem has been poor fruit colour, forcing him to delay his season to wait to give his fussy importers what they want."We delayed the start of our season by maybe two to three weeks, and even now we're just getting to get what we consider very good quality."Mr Jenkin says importers have been very aware of the flood situation, but have still demanded good product.Source - http://www.freshplaza.com/

02.05.2014

USA - Worst freeze damage to wheat was from Abilene to San Angelo

Two weeks after the late hard freezes of April 14-15, reports of wheat damage from around the state were “pretty close” to what was expected, with most damage occurring in the Central and West Central regions, said Dr. Clark Neely, AgriLife Extension small grains and oilseed specialist, College Station.Temperatures in the Panhandle and Rolling Plains stayed mostly in the mid-20s, and based on reports from other AgriLife Extension specialists and county agents, wheat there was not as advanced in growth and, therefore, not as likely to have been damaged as it was in the Central and West Central regions, Neely said.Though the temperatures in Central and West Central regions were higher, hovering around freezing, wheat there was flowering, a growth stage when the crop is most susceptible to freeze damage, he said.“There’s been some spotty reports of freeze damage in parts of the Blacklands between Dallas and Hillsboro,” Neely said. “I looked at a field north of Hillsboro on Thursday last week (April 22). There was a slope on the field, and at the bottom of the hill, about 50 percent of the heads were blank or sterile; at the top of the field, maybe 10 percent were sterile.”He also heard, he said, reports from Bosque County that a few fields had been completely wiped out, but there were a lot of fields in the same area that didn’t have any damage.“But I expect the worst damage may be from Abilene to San Angelo,” Neely said. “Dr. David Drake, our agronomist in San Angelo, was touring the area this weekend looking at fields, and it was worse than what he expected. A lot of white heads in the fields.”In extreme cases, where it gets cold enough, damage can be very obvious as the seed heads will be bleached completely white, he said. But the signs of a sterile head can be less obvious than whitening. Upon closer examination, it may be found there’s no seed at all in the head or the head may be disfigured.“It’s much harder to tell early on,” Neely said. “Sometimes, you can tell on how the anthers look. Typically, if they’re damaged, they will be shriveled or discolored. But really, the best way to know is just to wait and see if the seed develops or not.”Also, it’s not sufficient to tell from just looking at the field from the road, he said.“In the Hillsboro case, the entire field looked green and the heads looked fine. But when you went into the field and started peeling back the glumes, you could tell no seed was developing.”There was also damage in the South Plains, parts of which actually got colder than the more northern Panhandle.However, in many dryland fields, freeze damage was secondary to yield losses already inflicted from the drought, Neely noted.Most of the wheat in Texas is typically planted in the Panhandle, followed closely by the Rolling Plains and the South Plains. The West Central region and Blacklands also contribute substantial acreage, but to a lesser degree, according to Neely.Source - http://www.yourglenrosetx.com/

02.05.2014

Canada - Beekeepers consider province’s compensation plan weak

Ontario beekeepers are not happy with the provincial government's financial assistance for damaged hives, calling it everything from inadequate to an insult.The province announced this week one-time compensation for beekeepers with 10 or more hives that stand to lose 40 per cent or more of their colonies' population this year. There are a number of conditions for receiving the funding, which offers $105 per hive to beekeepers who qualify.One insider said it is an ineffectual measure that will not help rebuild colonies in the province, while the president of the Ontario Beekeepers' Association said he hopes it is only a first step toward addressing a problem that is getting worse each year."I think it's a slap in the face," said David Schuit, owner of Saugeen Country Honey. "That's like me taking 40 per cent of your income away and saying after that we'll help you out. It's like going to a dairy farmer or pig farmer and saying with 40 per cent of your herd gone, we'll now give you $105 for each of your cows or pigs that died."Schuit said buying and populating a hive costs about $350, so the compensation is just one-third of the value. It is hardly enough to rejuvenate bee populations."It's not going to help at all," he said.Dan Davidson is the president of Ontario Beekeepers' Association."It's a little bit inadequate for what's going on," he said, speaking of the compensation. "We do appreciate that it is only a first step to finding a more permanent solution to this problem that we're having. We think the government that is in now is committed to us."The $105 per hive funding is partly intended to address bee die-off from the harsh winter. Bee populations are expected to sustain higher than normal mortality rates as a result.Davidson said there have been significant losses over the winter and those losses are expected to continue through the spring and summer, as bees are hit with the impacts of the planting season and the pesticides used on crops."It is a problem and it seems to be getting worse," Davidson said.Schuit said the funding is a waste of public funds, since it does nothing to address the issue of what is actually killing bees.Honey bee populations have been in steep decline in Ontario, and many in the industry, including Schuit, suspect highly toxic neonicotinoid pesticides are behind it."If they would ban the neonicotinoids and didn't give us any funding, we would survive," Schuit said.A Ministry of Agriculture and Food news release Thursday states registered beekeepers represent more than 90 per cent of all hives in the province. The government is also exploring a bee mortality insurance program.To qualify for the funding, beekeepers must be registered with the Provincial Apiarist in 2014, must have proof of a 40 per cent or more loss in bee hive inventory, have both an Agricorp and premises identification number and must sign an attestation that proper beekeeping practices were followed.Kathleen Wynne, premier and minister of Agriculture and Food, stated in a news release the government recognizes "the critical role pollinators and beekeepers play in maintaining a healthy environment and productive agri-food sector."Source - http://www.orangeville.com/

02.05.2014

USA - Corn crops increasingly vulnerable to drought

US farmers can grow more corn than ever before thanks to genetic modifications and improved planting techniques, but the crops are also increasingly vulnerable to drought, researchers said.The study in the journal Science found that "densely planted corn appears to be unexpectedly more sensitive to water scarcity," raising concerns about future food supply as the planet warms.The United States is the largest exporter of corn in the world, shipping about 40 percent of the world's corn.In recent years, most commercially produced corn has been modified with new traits that make roots better able to access water and build in pest resistance.That has allowed farmers to plant more corn and set the plants more closely together than they could in the past, resulting in higher yields.But the plants have also become more susceptible to dry spells over the past two decades, which is a concern because most corn crops in the United States rely on natural rain, not irrigation.If predictions for future climate in the midwestern US - known as the Corn Belt - are correct, then corn yields could fall 15 to 30 percent over the next half century, scientists said.The study was led by David Lobell of Stanford University, and was funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration."Recent yield progress is overall a good news story. But because farm yields are improving fastest in favourable weather, the stakes for having such weather are rising," Lobell said."In other words, the negative impacts of hot and dry weather are rising at the same time that climate change is expected to bring more such weather."Soybeans, which are often genetically modified in the United States but have not been more densely planted in recent years, have not become more susceptible to drought the way corn has, Lobell and colleagues said.The study was based on an analysis of more than one million USDA crop insurance records between 1995 and 2012."The study raises a potentially grave concern beyond 2050, when yields are projected to decline at an accelerating rate," said an accompanying editorial by Donald Ort and Stephen Long of the University of Illinois.Changing the way corn is planted can only go so far toward solving the problem, they wrote. The key lies in reducing harmful carbon emissions, caused mainly by burning fossil fuels, which boost global warming."The only real solution will be to avoid the CO2 emissions that will otherwise cause rises in temperature."Source - http://www.nzherald.co.nz/

02.05.2014

USA - Crop Insurance Had Higher Error Rate Than Food Stamps Last Year

The federal crop insurance system made $566 million in erroneous payments last year, giving it a total error rate of 5.23 percent, according to Department of Agriculture (USDA) data.The farm assistance error rate was up from 4.08 percent in 2012 and far above the 3.42 percent error rate in the food stamps program. A substantial portion of those errors comes from underpayments to deserving people. Separating that out to focus on the overpayments rate, which is a better indicator of how to evaluate whether a program is too generous with taxpayer money, doesn’t look any better for crop insurance advocates. The overpayment rate for SNAP was 2.77 percent, compared to 4.84 percent for crop insurance.And improper crop insurance payments may have been even higher in 2013, according to the USDA Inspector General. The internal audit of USDA’s error reporting systems found problems with the monitoring process, and as a result “this estimate may have been understated,” it said. Previous investigations from inside and outside the department have shown that the crop insurance system diverts billions of taxpayer dollars to Wall Street even when the system is working as it is intended to. Erroneous payments of the sort identified in the department’s own reports are separate from those structural problems with the program. Even proper crop insurance payments tend to go to large corporations with high profits rather than individual farmers struggling to get by.The contrast between error rates in programs that help farmers and those that help the poor and hungry reinforces the illogical nature of the current federal approach to food and farm policy. Republican insistence on cutting food stamps helped delay the Farm Bill for about two years.The final compromise bill included an $8 billion cut to food stamps over the coming decade but expanded the crop insurance budget by $7 billion over that period. Because the programs are very different in size, those provisions meant that the bill cut SNAP by about 1 percent and expanded crop insurance by about 8 percent.What rationale did farm policymakers offer for cutting food assistance to the poor while ballooning aid to farmers? Fraud. Food stamp opponents routinely exaggerate the food stamps error rate to justify trimming anti-hunger spending at a time when nearly 49 million Americans and almost 16 million children don’t have enough to eat.In addition to being substantially more prone to error than hunger programs, crop insurance constitutes a giveaway to well-heeled financial companies even when it is working properly. Under the previous, less-generous insurance subsidies system, crop insurers that do business with the government banked $10 billion in profit over a two-decade stretch in which they saw losses in only two of those years. The expanded program will likely mean a larger windfall for those firms.Source - http://thinkprogress.org/