09.04.2014

Canada - Apple farmers worried about snow's impact on crops

The heavy snowfall in parts of New Brunswick has been tough on apple farmers and it could be foreshadowing a difficult season in 2014.The snow has piled up so high on some farms that it has given deer a chance to eat buds farther up the trees.Some farmers are estimating that has ruined roughly 30 per cent of this year's crop.David Coburn, who owns an orchard in Keswick Ridge, near Fredericton, said he often sees dozens of deer on his property at one time."Two feet of snow down, they've just added two feet that they can chew off the trees. And every fruit bud they eat today, that's an apple I won't have next year,” Coburn said.The large amount of snow is not only causing problems for this year’s crop, it has caused an immediate problem.Coburn lost a barn earlier this winter when it collapsed under the weight of the heavy snow.This 40-year-old barn was used for the compost portion of his business and it couldn't handle the snow. The 72-metre-long building collapsed at the end of December.Coburn and his son were just about to shovel off the roof when they realized something was wrong."I said, ‘Well I've got to go get some better footwear.’ He said, ‘Well I'm going to go in there and get the tractor,” he said.“I had no sooner got up to our house when I heard the barn go down. And I was scared that he was in it. He had just gotten out with the tractor when it collapsed.”The roof is now resting on top of piles of compost and machinery.Coburn said his insurance company will cover most of the cost to rebuild the barn. But he's hoping the machinery and the compost is salvageable.Some of the equipment is not insured and is worth upwards of $60,000 and the compost might be contaminated by the insulation. Source - http://www.cbc.ca/

09.04.2014

USA - Beet crop and weeds benefiting from recent rain

SUGAR beet crops have emerged well this season and now weeds are also germinating rapidly after recent rainfall.According to United Phosphorus national technical manager Pam Chambers, volunteer oilseed rape and field pansies are emerging in high numbers and other weeds also putting in an appearance include black bindweed, pale persicaria and redshank. She says: “Generally field pansy is not considered a problem but when it emerges in large numbers at the same time or shortly after the beet it can compete and reduce yields. “At the UPL Suffolk site last year numbers in untreated plots exceeded 50 plants/sq.m by the end of the trial.“When at the cotyledon stage field pansies are relatively easy to control with phenmedipham, desmedipham and metamitron being particularly effective.”The addition of ethofumesate is also useful for field pansy control particularly if the first true leaves are starting to appear. Later germinating field pansies are seldom competitive and tend to be suppressed sufficiently by herbicides used to control other weeds, adds Ms Chambers.Control of volunteer oilseed rape is relatively easy, with triflusulfuron and traditional actives such as phenmedipham and lenacil are also quite capable of controlling rape volunteers, says Ms Chambers.“The addition of desmedipham and adjuvant oils are also beneficial when the weeds are beyond the cotyledon stage. “Compared to many annual broad-leaved weeds volunteer oilseed rape is relatively easy to control and it is safe to wait until the first true leaves or beyond are emerging before spraying. In delaying the control of volunteer rape a reduction in the number of herbicides required during the season may be possible as the last few seasons has seen volunteer rape continuing to germinate well into June. Delaying the start of post-emergence sprays also removes the risk of causing any crop damage.”Source - http://www.farmersguardian.com/

08.04.2014

World wheat worrisome; Valley hangs on hanging on

CHICAGO — It’s been a double-whammy winter for wheat farmers in the United States, the world’s largest exporter.With drought already sapping soil moisture across the Great Plains, the biggest growing region, a polar vortex in early 2014 draped fields in a deep freeze, killing more plants than normal.Since crops began going dormant in November, conditions deteriorated by the most in five years, according to grain brokers Jefferies Bache and CHS Hedging.“We have received less than a third of the normal rain since we planted. Without more than a half inch of rain in the next two weeks, the crop will decline very quickly,” said Ron Suppes, 62, who farms about 10,000 acres near Dighton, Kansas.The prospect of crop damage is escalating supply concerns and elevating prices.Prices also jumped to a 10-month high March 20 after Russia’s annexation of the Crimea region in Ukraine boosted the risk of disruptions to grain shipments from the Black Sea.U.S. exports for delivery before the harvest in June are up 19 percent from last year, and domestic inventories on March 1 were down 15 percent from a year earlier.Extreme weather is raising costs for consumers, sending world food prices to a 10-month high in March as crop damage from dry conditions across the globe lifted everything from meat to dairy to grain, United Nations data show.Drier-than-normal subsoils more than doubled in March to 76 percent in an area from Texas to North Dakota, where farmers grow hard, red winter wheat, T-Storm Weather in Chicago said.Yields may drop to 45.7 bushels an acre this year, compared with 47.4 a year earlier, Pennsylvania- based Planalytics Inc. said March 28.The firm based its estimate on weather and satellite images.As of March 30, state agriculture departments reported crops rated in good or excellent condition fell to 32 percent in Kansas from 63 percent in November, while Texas saw a decline to 11 percent from 32 percent and Oklahoma dropped to 17 percent from 77 percent, USDA data show.The sub-zero winter temperatures across the Plains killed some plants, which means farmers may abandon as much as 10 percent of fields, up from an average of 3 percent, said Jeff Bechard, the president of AgMark, the Beloit, Kansas-based cooperative that handles more than 50 million bushels of grain annually.“Wheat is surviving off the top-soil moisture, because there is very little subsoil moisture,” Bechard said. “There’s no panic yet, but we need half an inch of rain every week for plants to recover.”Rain and the return of more seasonably warm weather could revive the U.S. crop. Wheat is a hearty grass that can withstand periods of extreme weather, and most fields had a protective layer of snow when temperatures were at their lowest. Supplies are increasing from Canada, the second-largest exporter, after rail bottlenecks delayed shipment of a record crop from 2013.Rail operators are ramping up the number of cars to move Canadian grain stuck in storage, Transport Minister Lisa Raitt said March 26 in Winnipeg. The government ordered Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. last month to increase the number of grain cars each sends to prairie elevators to move 500,000 metric tons a week.Money managers are still betting on a wheat rally, holding their most-bullish position since November 2012. Hedge funds and other large speculators as of March 25 were net-long 36,492 futures and options contracts, up for a third straight week, after four months of bearish bets that prices would fall.U.S. sales of wheat for delivery by May 31 totaled 30.35 million tons as of March 27, compared with 25.53 million a year earlier, the USDA said. Sales for delivery in the 12 months that start June 1 are up 17 percent, with increased purchases by Mexico, South Korea and the Philippines, three of the top six buyers of U.S. wheat.Rising demand helped reduce domestic wheat inventories on March 1 by 15 percent to 1.056 million bushels, the lowest for the date since 2009, USDA data show.“You don’t want to be short wheat until more is known about the spring precipitation pattern,” said Rich Feltes, the vice president of research for R.J. O’Brien & Associates in Chicago.Source - http://union-bulletin.com/

08.04.2014

India - More rains in April could harm wheat crop

Untimely rains, which hit many parts of the country recently, could have negative impact on the wheat crop, which is in mature stage. More rain spells are expected during the month of April that could be harmful for the wheat crop, said Director General Met Services, Arif Mahmood. Dry period is good for the wheat crop in April as farmers carry harvest during this month, he added. The met office has advised the farmers to stop irrigating the crops by keeping in view the expected rain in agricultural plains of the country. Weeds are expected to shoot in excess after recent heavy rains and farmers should control its growth, said a met office advisory issued to farmers.They are also advised to ensure field sanitation and prophylactic fungicidal and viral sprays to prevent spread of diseases on their standing crops.Wheat crop is at very crucial development stages of wax maturity/full maturity in Sindh and Punjab. Farmers of these areas are advised to irrigate the crops as per requirement keeping expected rains in mind.Farmers of southern Punjab and Sindh are also advised to prepare land for cotton in time so that best grains conditions may be fully utilized during the whole crop life.Source - http://www.nation.com.pk/

08.04.2014

Canada - Sask wildlife regulations amended to deal with ravens and wolves

The Ministry of Environment has amended The Wildlife Regulations, 1981 to allow landowners the ability to protect their property from ravens without requiring a permit. Further amendments will designate the wolf as a big game species, which will allow hunters to target problem animals in areas experiencing livestock predation.In addition, three more regulations will see changes, which include: relaxed dress regulations for hunters; harmonization of rules for the use of all-terrain vehicles for hunting; and enabling Canadian resident white-tailed deer hunters to use the services of an outfitter.Ravens have re-colonized agricultural Saskatchewan in recent years and populations are increasing. Cattle and grain producers have voiced concerns that ravens have been killing or injuring newborn livestock and damaging grain bags.“Presently, landowners must obtain a permit from the ministry office to protect their property from ravens,” Environment Minister Ken Cheveldayoff said. “These amendments will remove the permitting requirement and add ravens to the list of species that may be killed by a landowner, occupant or designate in order to protect their property or livestock.”"We support the actions the ministry is undertaking to assist landowners in managing problem ravens on their property,” Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities President David Marit said.Wolves are also causing problems for livestock owners in certain areas of the province. Big Game Management Licences are a long-established tool that has been used to address ungulate over-population, wildlife disease or damage to agricultural crops in localized areas. The amendment will enable hunters to harvest wolves where established criteria are met.“The Weekes area within Wildlife Management Zone 49 has been identified as the initial area for a wolf hunt pilot project, based on a high number of livestock losses and documentation by Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation,” Cheveldayoff said. “The ministry will focus on areas where we know we have problems, and we will continue to explore other opportunities as more information becomes available.”This change will not create a general wolf hunting season; rather, it will focus on specific areas which meet established criteria and will only be considered after traditional control methods have failed to reduce livestock losses.Trapping is the traditional means of controlling wolf populations. However, in some areas of the province, trappers are not able to consistently harvest wolves, which can lead to larger populations and increased attacks on livestock.Adding wolf to the definition of a big game animal will enable the ministry to test the effectiveness of using Big Game Management Licences to help control wolves in localized areas with significant livestock predation.“The Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation (SWF) supports these amendments,” SWF Executive Director Darrell Crabbe said. “We recognize that effective wildlife management requires science-based, active management on both game and predator species to provide additional licensed opportunities for hunters to harvest animals whose numbers are creating serious wildlife and livestock issues.”Trappers will still be able to trap wolves as this amendment will give wolf a dual designation as a big game animal and fur bearer, similar to black bears. Hunters who harvest a wolf using a big game licence will also be able to sell the pelt under their hunting licence.Source - http://www.swbooster.com/

08.04.2014

Climate change will reduce crop yields sooner than we thought

A study led by the University of Leeds has shown that global warming of only 2 C will be detrimental to crops in temperate and tropical regions, with reduced yields from the 2030s onwards.Professor Andy Challinor, from the School of Earth and Environment at the University of Leeds and lead author of the study, said: “Our research shows that crop yields will be negatively affected by climate change much earlier than expected.“Furthermore, the impact of climate change on crops will vary both from year to year and from place to place — with the variability becoming greater as the weather becomes increasingly erratic.”The study, published today by the journal Nature Climate Change, feeds directly into the Working Group II report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report, which is due to be published at the end of March 2014.In the study, the researchers created a new data set by combining and comparing results from 1,700 published assessments of the response that climate change will have on the yields of rice, maize and wheat.Due to increased interest in climate change research, the new study was able to create the largest dataset to date on crop responses, with more than double the number of studies that were available for researchers to analyze for the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report in 2007.Shift in consensusIn the Fourth Assessment Report, scientists had reported that regions of the world with temperate climates, such as Europe and most of North America, could withstand a couple of degrees of warming without a noticeable effect on harvests, or possibly even benefit from a bumper crop.“As more data have become available, we’ve seen a shift in consensus, telling us that the impacts of climate change in temperate regions will happen sooner rather than later,” said Professor Challinor.The researchers state that we will see, on average, an increasingly negative impact of climate change on crop yields from the 2030s onwards. The impact will be greatest in the second half of the century, when decreases of over 25 per cent will become increasingly common.These statistics already account for minor adaptation techniques employed by farmers to mitigate the effects of climate change, such as small adjustments in the crop variety and planting date. Later in the century, greater agricultural transformations and innovations will be needed in order to safeguard crop yields for future generations.“Climate change means a less predictable harvest, with different countries winning and losing in different years. The overall picture remains negative, and we are now starting to see how research can support adaptation by avoiding the worse impacts,” concludes Professor Challinor.The study was financially supported by the NERC EQUIP program and the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), with the financial assistance of the European Union, Canadian International Development Agency, World Bank, New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Danida.Source - http://www.manitobacooperator.ca/

08.04.2014

Turkey - Crop output adversely affected by frosty weather

Agricultural yields of various fruits, vegetables and nuts plummeted last month, largely due to frost experienced in March in several regions of Turkey.According to a statement released on Sunday by Turkish Union of Agricultural Chambers (TZOB) President Şemsi Bayraktar, higher than expected temperatures and drought in the months of January and February resulted in the early blooming of fruit trees, rendering them more sensitive to frosts that occurred in March.Droughts also drastically affected water reservoirs nationwide, according to Turkish news outlets, which reported yesterday that reservoirs in İstanbul and Ankara were at just over one-third of their capacity.Central and eastern Anatolia and the Black Sea regions were particularly affected by frost in March, according to Bayraktar. Fields growing hazelnuts, apricots, apples, cherries, plums, peaches, kiwis, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, watermelons and grapes were all negatively impacted.Bayraktar added that grain crops in the provinces of Konya, Ankara, Çankırı, Kırıkkale, Yozgat and Nevşehir experienced yellowing, while beet and sunflower fields in the province of Aksaray were also harmed by frosts. Agricultural yields of several fruits in the province of İsparta decreased by between 60-70 percent. The province of Malatya, known for producing 80 percent of the world's apricots, experienced significant crop damage due to the frosts.The Black Sea region, particularly the provinces of Ordu, Trabzon and Giresun, were hit the hardest according to Bayraktar, who said that between 70-80 percent of hazelnut and kiwi crop output was lost due to frosty conditions. The Black Sea region produces three-quarters of the world's hazelnuts.Market experts predict that the prices of produce affected by frost will increase by at least 25 percent, with hazelnut prices forecast to reach record levels. Source - http://www.todayszaman.com/

08.04.2014

USA - Michigan fruit farmers expect winter damage; cool spring means delayed planting for row crops

Michigan's wine grape vines, cherry trees and other fruit plants sustained damage during the harsh winter, but farmers are holding out hope that the spring will go easy on their crops.Heavy snowfall, low temperatures and hungry animals wreaked havoc on some blueberry bushes, grape vines and cherry, peach and plum trees this winter. The rough conditions also broke branches on some apple trees, though the apple crop weathered the season better than more tender fruits, according to Ken Nye, horticulture and forestry specialist for Michigan Farm Bureau."There still may be enough buds there to make a decent crop, what you don't know is how much were going to lose this spring either with spring frost or poor pollination," Nye said. "We'll just have to see how we get through the next month or so."Some areas may see severe damage while others may be just fine, according to the MFB. For example, blueberry farms located near US-31 and M-45 may see more damage from road salt runoff, which causes blueberry plants to dry up.Michigan's wine grapes also saw mixed results."More delicate varieties like Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc may see bud losses of 50 percent or worse," according to a release from the MFB. "Hardier varieties like Riesling and Chardonnay — the region's workhorse grapes — are more likely to shake off losses of 25 percent of less."The cool spring has so far helped the fruit crop by avoiding a situation like 2012, when early warm temperatures followed by late frosts obliterated much of the cherry and apple crops.But the low temperatures mean sugar beet farmers have to wait longer than usual to start planting. They're usually the first to hit the fields each year.Farmers hope for more sun and wind to firm up their cold, soggy sugar beet fields in order to start planting in the next couple of weeks."Most farmers, especially in Michigan, are equipped to plant their spring crops in about a 10-15 day window," Bob Boehm, MFB's manager of the center for commodity, farm and industry relations, said in a statement. "The longer this pattern lingers on into April, the more concern will begin to rise."Source -

07.04.2014

FCS acquires crop insurance portfolio of Lake Mills agency USA - FCS acquires crop insurance portfolio of Lake Mills agency

Farm Credit Services of America has acquired the crop insurance portfolio of Agland Depot in Lake Mills from owner Dennis Rognes, the Omaha-based financial services provider has announced. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed."We're excited to welcome Agland Depot crop insurance customers to Farm Credit Services of America," said Joe Beland, vice president-insurance for FCSAmerica."Although Agland Depot made the decision to leave the crop insurance marketplace, this change does not affect our company's real estate and farmland auction services," said Dennis Rognes, Agland Depot owner. "Farm Credit Services of America will provide the very best in crop insurance expertise and service to our crop insurance customers."Agland Depot crop insurance customers will be transitioned to the FCSAmerica Mason City office for service. Many of Agland Depot crop insurance customers already have real estate or operating loans with the financial services cooperative, Beland noted.With more than $21 billion in assets, FCSAmerica is a leading provider of credit and insurance services to farmers, ranchers, agribusiness and rural residents in Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming, according to a news release.

07.04.2014

Australia - Farmers want more ability to manage risk

As farmers prepare to plant this year's winter crop, a group of Southern Queensland growers are trying to create a form of insurance for the input costs that go into producing it.It would be a farm risk management scheme that would aim to help farmers mitigate risk.Condamine farmer Rodney Hamilton says that, after successive years of flood and drought, it's becoming extremely difficult for farmers to manage risk and achieve long-term profitability."The last three years have been nothing but destructive for incomes for a certain level of agricultural industries, whether it be flood or drought."So I think it's come to the fore because it's flowed past farmers on to the service industries. Banks are probably recognising debt problems."My little town of Condamine took a long time to recover from the flooding."We are looking for a way to mitigate the losses to cover the extreme years of drought and flood so we can fund the next year of inputs and don't get set back so far that it takes us years to recover ”As a result, Mr Hamilton has spearheaded a push to form a farm risk management scheme.There are various forms of crop insurance available in Australia.However, the farm risk management group wants to research the possibility of protecting the money that goes into producing a crop rather than the crop itself. To do this, the group has turned to Julie Cotter, director of the Australia Centre for Sustainable Business Development at the University of Southern Queensland, to research the possibility of a form of revenue insurance. "We are going to be looking at exactly what sort of data is needed by insurance companies and matching that information with the needs of farmers to find a way forward for setting up an insurance scheme that is affordable and meets the farmers' needs."The research has not yet received funding, but John Rochecouste, from the Australian Conservation Farming Association, says there is growing interest around Australia for such a scheme.Source - ABC

04.04.2014

Canada - Farmers face challenges as they prepare for growing season

As the April 30 crop insurance deadline approaches and farmers in Leduc County prepare to seed their crops, an Alberta crop market analyst says grain growers will be facing some challenges this year. Prices on most commodities, including wheat, canola, and barley, have dropped roughly 40 per cent from the near-record prices Alberta farmers enjoyed last spring, said Charlie Pearson, a provincial crop market analyst with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD).Meanwhile input costs to grow a crop, such as fertilizer, seed, herbicides, and fungicides, haven’t dropped proportionately – creating a cost-price squeeze that is forcing farmers to really sharpen their pencils as they prepare for the growing season, said Pearson. A review of crop costs between January 2013 and 2014 shows fertilizer prices fell 10 to 15 per cent, but have now climbed back to last year’s February levels due in part to seasonal demand, notes Jason Wood, a production crop economist with ARD. Diesel fuel has increased 13 per cent, but producers will be pleased to hear most seed costs and chemical prices have held steady, said Wood, noting treated canola seed varieties have increased two to 14 per cent.“Margins will be a lot tighter than the last few years. Farmers will have to assess every input they use to ensure it gives them the best bang for their buck,” said Pearson. He pointed out today’s lower grain and oilseed prices are due to a general decline in world prices and huge, record grain yields harvested in Alberta and across Western Canada last fall.Another issue facing farmers this year is the backlog of grain waiting to be shipped by rail for export to international markets. “It’s creating cash flow challenges for farmers, and keeping grain and oilseed prices lower in Western Canada than other parts of the world where grain supplies are still relatively tight and demand is strong,” Pearson explained, adding he doesn’t expect commodity prices to move much in Alberta this year.April 30 Crop Insurance Deadline“Farmers are preparing to manage their way through the challenges this year, and as always good risk management will be important,” said Nancy Smith, with Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC) – the provincial Crown corporation that administers crop insurance across Alberta on behalf of the provincial and federal governments. She reminded farmers of the upcoming April 30 crop insurance deadline.“Most producers will invest $200 to $300 or more per acre into their crops over the growing season, and they don’t want to risk losing that to a hailstorm or some other unexpected weather event,” said Smith. She explained that’s why more than 75 per cent of Alberta farmers insured about 15 million acres of annual crops across the province last year.About $295 million was paid out on crop insurance claims for the 2013 crop year across Alberta, including Leduc County, said Smith. The lion’s share of payouts last year – roughly $219 million – was triggered under the Hail Endorsement (HE) rider, an option 90 per cent of producers choose because hail is such a major weather risk in Alberta.Despite more than 3,700 HE claims, actual losses under the production guarantee that crop insurance provides were only $36 million – among the lowest ever, said Smith. She explained crop insurance allows farmers to insure up to 80 per cent of their average production on most crops. “If yields fall below that, a claim is triggered. Even many farmers with hail damage harvested above average yields last fall because growing conditions were ideal across much of the province. Unfortunately the prices weren’t there for farmers in the fall,” said Smith.$38.8 Million Paid on SPE ClaimsThe Spring Price Endorsement (SPE) rider on crop insurance triggered $38.8 million in claims when commodity prices on many crops fell up to 25 per cent last fall. The SPE compensates farmers when crop prices fall 10 per cent or more between spring and fall, explained Smith.Other perils that triggered claims included excess moisture, which led to unseeded acres in some areas.With commodity prices so low and input costs so high, Carlton Fensky expects margins on his family’s mixed grain and cattle operation west of Leduc near Thorsby will be razor thin this year. “Given the massive size of last year’s crop, these commodity prices might be here to stay a while,” said Fensky. “The only thing we can really do is plan for the best and cope with the worst.” He said he’ll look for ways to make his farm more efficient and his margins more positive this year – whether it’s technology advancements on equipment or cutting back on inputs. Fensky said crop insurance is a necessary expense that will continue to play a key role in his risk management plan. “Our biggest risk is weather. We’ve got hailstorms that roll off the foothills and open up right over top of us. I’m just glad we’ve got insurance to help us through. It’s as important as putting fertilizer in the ground,” he said, recalling a hailstorm and small tornado in 2011 that sheared off his peas completely.

04.04.2014

Australia - Doppler needed for MPCI

Memberfor South West Region Nigel Hallett has called on the WA government to immediately release funds available through the government's agricultural election policies to build a comprehensive Doppler radar network (DRT). DRT is considered a necessary component in applying for Crop Mitigation Insurance (CMI), and according to Mr Hallet would significantly boost the likelihood of the introduction of a range of CMI products in the WA market. Mr Hallett said funds available through government's $10m Helping Grain Growers Better Manage Risk policy for the development of DRT, could help farmers to identify seasonal risks and conditions and improve their farming capability. In an address to State Parliament last week, Mr Hallett reiterated the importance of DRT, which provides data at an improved resolution to existing radars and advanced weather forecast and warning services. Mr Hallett said the advantages of DRT capability extended beyond agribusiness to emergency services, mining operations, aviation and marine industries. "I find it quite strange that the rest of the world is using a system such as Doppler radar but WA does not have a single station," Mr Hallet said. "The other States use it extensively and one would have to question why we have missed the boat." Mr Hallett said the instant imaging technology would give farmers the opportunity to plan and manage on-farm risk. "It would provide the opportunity to protect their balance sheets in that if their forecasts are not right they can cut their costs," he said. "With Doppler radar we would get to the other end of the season and know the soil temperature, moisture and yield. "Say there was only three or four days of moisture in the soil, we would know not to apply any more nitrogen. "If the season is tailing off, we know we can cut our costs at the other end." Making reference to a Canadian study conducted in 1999, Mr Hallett said Canadian farmers were picking up about $100 hectare a year as a result of the precipitation forecasts. "If we related that back to WA's 12 million hectares, that would put, approximately, an extra $1 billion into the economy," he said. "If we wanted to have Doppler radar property throughout the whole of WA, it would cost about $20 million. "With just a little help from my good friend the Minister, I found $10m that I think could help us pop up a couple of stations." Mr Hallett said there were 150 Doppler radars scattered throughout the US, the United Kingdom had seven Doppler radars that were being upgraded to dual polarisation, while France had dual and triple polarisation. "We are a long way behind in this technology, and I certainly encourage the State government to track this technology and make it available to WA growers," he said. At a cost of about $3.5million each (installed), Mr Hallet has since suggested the government has sufficient funds through the 2013-14 budget in the Department of Agriculture and Food Royalties for Regions forward estimates to build six new Doppler radars, upgrade existing Perth and Kalgoorlie radars to Doppler technology and develop a comprehensive network of automated weather and soil moisture measuring stations. And an investment of $25m over the next three years to construct a network of six stations would create a series of world class radar-based applications in WA. Mr Hallett also highlighted the installation of two Doppler weather monitoring radar stations in the eastern Wheatbelt as a priority, which would enable the Bureau of Meteorology and farmers to forecast drought and heavy rainfall more effectively. He said farmers were losing faith in the political process following ongoing delays not only with the State government's Royalties for Regions funding, but the roll out of the Federal Government's concessional loan scheme. And both sources of funding could play a critical role in the establishment of CMI in WA. "Some months ago I wrote to the Minister for Agriculture and Food outlining the importance of DRT, which is an essential component to building yield-based insurance products and attracting more CMI companies into the Australian market," Mr Hallett said. Companies that would offer yield-based CMI require DRT to provide high resolution data that provides farmers with the most advanced way to get insight into their paddocks and dramatically improve production decisions. Potential CMI provider Swiss Re and its US partner The Climate Corporation, labelled WA's weather stations yesterday's technology and supported government funds for DRT. He said weather stations could not provide weather, soil and crop data needed for a yield-based, computerised product at a competitive price. Mr Hallett's comments contrast statements made by The Nationals WA MP Shane Love to Farm Weekly last week. Mr Love said while The Nationals supported the technology that was needed to support CMI information gathering, the digital radar in place was sufficient for the task. Mr Love said that digital radar was similar to DRT but was a simple add-on to radars being deployed. Mr Hallett saw merit in providing farmers access to the latest round of concessional loans, which he claims should include compulsory income based Crop Mitigation Insurance (CMI) to assist grain growers to trade their way out of increasing debt levels. He said farmers interested in income-based insurance products could use a portion of their concessional loan to underwrite the CMI policy. The audit process required for this type of product would eliminate high risk farmers. CMI would not only enable farmers to provide sufficient security of the loan, but dramatically reduce their inability to repay the debt. Source - Farm Weekly

03.04.2014

USA - Russian River: Drought adds stress to frost protection plans

For the next several weeks, winegrape growers with vineyards along the Russian River in Mendocino and Sonoma counties will be sleeping fitfully, with one ear tuned to their frost alarms.The mid-March to mid-May time frame is when their newly awakening vines put forth buds and leaves as they emerge from winter dormancy. It is also the period when severe frosts can cause serious damage to the tender, young shoots.What makes this year particularly stressful for winegrape growers is the tight water supply and the knowledge that any direct diversions of water from the Russian River or its tributaries for frost protection could affect salmon and steelhead in the river that are protected by the Endangered Species Act.The practice of using sprinklers to provide a protective covering to new vine shoots has been at the center of a dispute that began following a series of unusually frigid nights in the spring of 2008. Government biologists said water diversions by farmers resulted in two instances of stranding young, protected salmon in streams.Many winegrape growers have created small, off-stream reservoirs in the past two or three years, to assure they would have water available for frost protection. Those growers say they should be OK if 2014 brings a mild frost season. However, if there are several frost events between now and mid-May, they may have difficulty replenishing those reservoirs from the river."Normally, we say we are out of the woods by Mother's Day in May, so we've got a ways to go," said Potter Valley winegrape grower Janet Pauli. "We have been told by some of the weather forecasters that they are not anticipating an awfully cold frost season this year. Maybe we will sneak by without frost protection."Some years, she said, frost protection has only been needed for a night or two, "but we've also had years when we had 25 nights in a row of frost."Growers who do not have off-stream reservoirs or wells are the most vulnerable, said Devon Jones, executive director of the Mendocino County Farm Bureau."It is a very difficult decision to make when your crop is on the line and you know that you will have damage, but I urge growers to not direct-divert unless there is a significant flow in the river from a storm. The only two dependable sources right now are off-stream ponds and wells. For everyone else, it is not worth the risk," she said.Growers have received letters from environmental groups threatening lawsuits if endangered fish are stranded. There is also the risk of action being taken against growers by state and federal regulators.Jones said farmers are employing creative management strategies this year, such as cultivating land to capture more groundwater, mowing cover crops and doing long pruning to protect the vines. In some of the less hilly areas, wind machines can provide frost protection and "pretty much every portable wind machine in the Anderson Valley that our local suppliers can get their hands on has been snapped up," she said.Sean White, manager of the Russian River Flood Control District in Mendocino County, said winegrape growers and water officials are all "pulling together" to make the most with what water is available."I think it is going to be a very tough year and people are going to be very judicious with the use of water for both frost protection and summer irrigation. But if we take everything we have learned over the past six years and put it all into motion this year, we are going to make it—but just barely," White said.He said farmers will need to be "both diligent and intelligent" to protect both the 2014 crop and "the long-term future of viticulture in this valley," as state water regulators consider either banning or severely restricting agricultural water diversions from the Russian River and tributaries.Rain in recent weeks has helped with both groundwater levels and the moisture profile in the soil, and has allowed growers to delay their initial irrigation."This situation now is a lot better than it was back in January, that's for sure," said Doug McIlroy, Sonoma County winegrape grower and director of wine growing for Rodney Strong Winery. "People who have wells along the Russian River are in pretty good shape right now—and if we get a little more rain, that will help even more."McIlroy said purchases of crop insurance have gone up significantly this year as growers hedge their bets regarding potential crop loss."Regarding crop insurance, when I spoke to my broker I was told that everyone is buying 10 percent to 15 percent above what they normally would buy," he said.Another Sonoma County grower, Richard Rued, who farms in several locations, said that since the 2008 frost, farmers have made significant adjustments in water use."I quit using overhead frost protection in Dry Creek Valley and I now use wind machines. I still use overhead sprinklers in Alexander Valley, but I wait until the last minute to start it and then I run it at very low pressure. I find it does about as good a job and uses about half the water. In the Russian River Valley, I've hooked up to the Santa Rosa wastewater (recycling) system for my overhead frost protection," he said.Pauli said the current drought following last year's low water year has served as a wakeup call for all water users."I've been saying over the past several months, we can't let a perfectly good drought go to waste. We should take advantage of all the lessons we are being forced to learn and use them moving forward," she said. "We need to take full advantage of what is happening so we hopefully will not face the same situation again."Source - http://agalert.com/

03.04.2014

UK - Fears for livestock as Defra shuts disease laboratories

The UK’s £11 billion livestock industry faces new threats from disease unless plans to close half the country’s animal health surveillance centres are urgently reviewed.That was the warning from the Royal College of Pathologists, which said the “cost-cutting” also represented a threat to human health.Defra is to close seven of the country’s animal pathology laboratories, including those in Langford, Somerset, and Truro, in Cornwall, as part of a round of cost-cutting measures.As a result, farmers face transporting large carcasses many miles to be tested for disease and a heavy reliance on vets to be at the frontline of disease prevention.And the “dismantling of a tried and trusted system” has nothing to replace it, said one of the country’s leading vets.John Blackwell, president-elect of the British Veterinary Association, said: “There is an assumption that the private sector will step in and of a level of expertise. As well as that, there are concerns about how the data gathered will be collated by the private and public sector. As well as that, there are the logistics to consider. After the closures, some farmers will face journeys of 120 miles. Particularly in summer, this raises questions over spoiling. In some circumstances, vets will be carrying out post mortems in slaughterhouses.”The RCP’s president, Dr Archie Prentice, said: “These plans do not seem to be based on sound evidence but on cost cutting; the effect will be a halving of the existing network of surveillance post-mortem examination facilities.“We think these changes should have been piloted before roll-out. We are not opposed to change but it is vital that expertise in veterinary pathology is sustained and improve so that surveillance if more effective, not less.”The organisation said that the labs are “key” in detecting new and emerging diseases.In the past it warned that plans to halve the laboratories mean new and re-emerging animal infections could be missed. It said these diseases may be transmitted to humans so the health risks are shared by people.If this happens there could be decreased “consumer confidence” in the livestock industry, a spokeswoman said.But the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency said the new system will mean surveillance of diseases will improve.An AHVLA spokesman said: “The new animal disease surveillance system will improve our ability to spot new disease threats by extending the network to include post mortems undertaken within the livestock industry and at other veterinary laboratories, as well as Government-run facilities.“The current model has a good history of detecting diseases but some geographical areas and species are not well covered and the system does not make best use of resources and is becoming unaffordable. It is being replaced with a system that gives the best chance of identifying and acting on new and emerging threats. While there will be a reduction in the number of government owned post mortem centres this will be off-set by including other providers of expert pathology within the system.“Surveillance for serious diseases such as BSE, foot and mouth and avian influenza is not affected by the changes and AHVLA will continue to investigate all reports of notifiable animal disease.”Surveillance at Langford will stop by September, by which time the AHVLA “intends that the procurement exercises will have contracted with a third party supplier of expert post mortem examination services or a carcass transport service”.Ian Johnson, regional spokesman for the NFU, said its members would understand the need for costs to be reined in, and would expect the same level of service to continue.“They’ll understand the concern about such moves but are more likely to be worried about biosecurity controls on imported meat.“Then there are diseases such as Bluetongue, coming across the Channel in wind-blown midges, which are as dependent on the weather as anything else. Vets are already at the frontline, so it makes sense that they are the ones who do the reporting. They are trained professionals and, like doctors, will report anything they see that may be a danger.”Dr Prentice said: “The current surveillance system is a success. It protects public and animal health and breeds confidence in a multi-billion pound livestock industry. The savings made in these proposed cuts are small compared to the health and financial risks they bring. We are always going to see new organisms that we haven’t seen before and we are always going to see old organisms that we thought had been brought under control, reappearing.Alick Simmons, deputy chief vet at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said: “There is no risk to human health and surveillance for diseases such as BSE, bTB and foot and mouth is unaffected.”Source - http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/

03.04.2014

USA - Senate Bill Would Limit Crop Insurance Subsidies

A new bill introduced Wednesday by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) aims to cap crop insurance subsidies, a reform that Environmental Working Group has long advocated.The bipartisan legislation would limit premium subsidies paid by the badly broken federal program at $70,000 per farm each year.“We welcome this much-needed reform legislation,” said Craig Cox, EWG’s senior vice president of agriculture and natural resources. “Congress missed an opportunity during the renewal of the last farm bill to fix the flawed crop insurance program by putting some limit on the amount of subsidies that farm operations can get to lower the cost of their insurance policies. The largest and most financially secure farm businesses harvest most of those subsidies, and this bill is a good start toward leveling the playing field.”Under current law, there is no limit on premium support. As a result, 26 policy holders received more than $1 million apiece in taxpayer-funded crop insurance subsidies in 2011, and more than 10,000 policyholders received more than $100,000 each, EWG’s research showed.“For years, Congress has limited the amount of traditional farm subsidies a producer can receive,” said Cox. “It just makes sense to put similar limits on the much larger subsidies that lower crop policy premiums.”Source - http://www.ewg.org/

03.04.2014

USA - Drought hurting Southern Plains winter wheat

The first U.S. Department of Agriculture Crop Progress Report for the new crop season is days away, but states are reporting some preliminary numbers.USDA Meteorologist Brady Rippey looked at winter wheat conditions in the Southern Plains.“We have seen deterioration in those winter wheat conditions,” said Rippey, which he attributed to drought-like conditions, heat and blowing dust.“We’re looking at well over half of the Texas winter wheat crop rated ‘very poor to poor,’ 59 percent. Oklahoma not fairing much better with 44 percent rated ‘very poor to poor,’” said Rippey.The dryness is also impacting pasture and rangeland conditions in the Southwest and Southern Plains.“Arizona, 55 percent of the range and pastureland rated ‘very poor to poor.’ Also more than half in Texas, 51 percent ‘very poor to poor.’ Oklahoma not far behind at 43 percent,” said Rippey.He added that pasture and rangeland conditions are more favorable in the Southeast and lower Midwest thanks to significant moisture.Source - http://www.rfdtv.com/