22.01.2015

USA - Farm bill brings crop insurance changes

The 2014 Farm Bill has ushered in sweeping changes to agricultural producers’ crop insurance, and last week, about 80 farmers attended a meeting in Waunakee to learn more about them.Badgerland Financial representatives scheduled the Jan. 15 meeting at Rex’s Innkeeper to explain new methods for reporting yields and acreage, along with new programs.Farmers can purchase insurance to protect revenue and yields in the event of natural disasters and “anything Mother Nature can throw at the crop,” said Kyle Maring, crop insurance specialist.In the meantime, ag producers will need to provide data on their yields and acreage. Forms are due to Farm Service Agency offices by the end of February, according to Haley Krohlow, who provided the FSA update.By the end of March, ag producers can choose a program, Krohlow said.Documenting the yields and bases “is a lot of work up front,” Krohlow said, but once completed, farmers can have their programs in place until 2018.“After this time, it’s going to get a lot faster,” she said.Krohlow noted that a program is available for new farmers, as well.“If you do not act, you will be stuck with your old yields,” she added.A final farm bill meeting will be held Jan. 28.Source - http://www.hngnews.com

22.01.2015

USA - New crop insurance option for specialty crop growers, diversified farms

USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) released the Whole-Farm Revenue Protection crop insurance program for the 2015 crop year.The policy allows producers to insure between 50 to 85 percent of their whole farm revenue and makes crop insurance more affordable for producers, including fruit and vegetable growers and organic farmers and ranchers.Whole-farm revenue protection combines and enhances two popular and well-known plans of insurance, Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) and Adjusted Gross Revenue-Lite (AGR-Lite).Policy enhancements include an expanded range of coverage levels, coverage for replanting, provisions that increase coverage for expanding operations, a higher maximum amount of coverage and the inclusion of market readiness costs in the coverage.The Whole-Farm Revenue Protection program is designed to fit any farm with up to $8.5 million in insured revenue, including farms with specialty or organic commodities (both crops and livestock).The policy allows these growers to insure a variety of crops at once instead of one commodity at a time. That gives them the option of embracing more crop diversity and helps support the production of a wider variety of foods.RequirementsWhole-farm revenue protection is available in 45 states, including Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. The whole-farm premium subsidy is available to farms with two or more commodities that meet minimum diversification requirements.Producers can purchase whole-farm revenue protection in conjunction with individual crop policies as long as those policies are at a buy-up coverage level.Sales closing date for the Whole-Farm Revenue Protection program is March 15 for the 2015 crop year.More informationInterested producers and current policyholders are encouraged to visit with a crop insurance agent to learn how whole-farm revenue protection may fit within their farm’s risk management needs.Growers must make all of their decisions on crop insurance coverage on or before the sales closing date.Source - http://www.farmanddairy.com

22.01.2015

Drone pilot agricultural awareness course launched at LAMMA

BASIS has launched an accreditation for pilots of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) or drones in response to the increasing use of this technology in agriculture.The new BASIS Agricultural Awareness for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Operators module, launched at LAMMA in January 2015, is a stand-alone course which will provide drone pilots with appropriate agricultural knowledge and understanding, to ensure best practice and safe operation.“UAS or drones, combined with developments in sensors, image processing, and management software are rapidly changing the science of farm and land management. While this technology offers exciting new opportunities for land and farm management, they need to be used effectively and in a safe manner,” said Dr Richard Green, senior lecturer and academic lead - National Centre for Precision Farming (NCPF) Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Interest Group“Users need to understand how they can get the most out of these systems in order to get the best financial returns on investments in this technology. They also need to be aware of the rapidly developing legislation regarding their use and safe operation, as insurers are unlikely to cover the cost of damage or injuries caused by untrained operators.”BASIS is working in conjunction with Harper Adams University run National Centre for Precision Farming and leading members of the UAS industry to develop a range of suitable training courses to address this new accreditation requirement.Stephen Jacob, business development manager for BASIS, said: “The number of drones being used in agriculture has increased rapidly in recent years and some companies and UAS pilots who offer data collection services will not have come from an agricultural background. As a member of the Unmanned Aerial Systems Special Interest Group, BASIS was asked to put together a form of accreditation for UAV pilots working within the agricultural industry.“The new Agricultural Awareness training course has been developed for UAS pilots and professionals who work in related areas, such as machinery manufacturers, employees of sensors manufacturer and distributors. Successful completion of the course and exam will be a step towards accreditation,” he said.The one day course will cover topics such as farming and farm practices, agricultural supply chain, crops and crop management and legislation (agricultural legislation, data protection and health and safety).Additionally, a voluntary Professional Register for UAS Operators for the Agricultural Industry will be launched for those who work or intend to work within the agricultural industry for: field and crop scouting (plant research, crop production, crop protection); livestock monitoring; flood, fire and other natural disaster impact recording; and any other types of topographic or photographic data collecting activities relevant to the agricultural industry.The Register will establish, develop and promote a standard of conduct which Members will adhere to in order to ensure the safety, security and privacy of the operators, customers, bystanders and general public in the agro-environment and to prevent any risks of damaging crops, natural vegetation, fields, animals and structures present on farms and adjacent areas.Members of the Register will also be required to hold the correct Civil Aviation Authority Licence and appropriate insurance.Source - http://www.farminglife.com

21.01.2015

Australia - Grape harvest cut short by difficult conditions

North of Alice Springs, the grape harvest at Ti Tree Farm has been cut short because of heavy rain, and the operation left without around 30,000 boxes of produce.Farmer Bevan Ball says the rain not only shortened the harvest, but also damaged the grapes.Humid conditions last year also had impacted the quality of the grapes, but Mr Ball remains optimistic.Mr Ball said the quality of the grapes that were able to be harvested this year wasn't "too bad". "It still ate very well; the size just didn't come up as good as it can," he said. "It still went through well and the supermarkets took it well."Ordinarily the farm finishes harvest late in December but "the season was a little bit late this year"."It means the prices drop because other growers are starting to harvest," said Mr Ball. "We try and beat Emerald in Queensland but that didn't pay off this year. You would like about $80 to $90 per 10 kilogram case but it wasn't anywhere near that this year."Mr Ball says he has covered his costs, but probably wouldn't invest in any additional development this year."For the last three years we have put an additional 20 to 30 hectares in," he said."We will probably just sit back a bit this year and take a breath which will be nice.You have to be an eternal optimist being a farmer."Source - http://www.freshplaza.com

21.01.2015

Australia - Melon virus detected in unplanted seeds

A plant virus that has brought the Northern Territory melon industry to a standstill doesn't appear to have spread interstate, although the virus has been found in some batches of unplanted seeds.Queensland recently finished its own assessment of 13 properties linked to the outbreak and found no traces of the virus.Craig Jennings, from Biosecurity Queensland, said no other Australian states or territories have reported Cucumber Green Mottle Mosaic Virus in plant material either.Most countries around the world have opted not to eradicate the virus, including Israel and Canada. In contrast California, like the NT, is trying to rid itself completely of CGMMV.Despite the virus being contained to melon crop in the Northern Territory, Biosecurity Queensland says the virus has been found in six lines of unplanted seed.Mr Jennings said CGMMV has been reported in one commercial variety, and five trial varieties."From what I understand, they [the seeds] haven't been from Queensland. They've been from the other states," he said. "They've been from commercial growers who have gone and got their seed lines tested... and it has shown that there has been virus on those seeds at one stage."Mr Jennings said the isolation of the virus would make it easier to help determine the origins of CGMMV.Source - www.freshplaza.com

21.01.2015

USA - Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program created to help food and vegetable crops

The Non-insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) provides financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops to protect against natural disasters that result in lower yields, crop losses or prevented planting.As part of the reauthorization of the NAP program in the 2014 Farm Bill, there were important changes made for producers. Previously, NAP provided coverage based on the amount of loss that exceeds 50 percent of expected production at 55 percent of the average market price of the crop. The 2014 Farm Bill authorizes additional coverage levels ranging from 50 to 65 percent of production, in 5 percent increments at 100 percent of the average market price.For all coverage levels, the NAP service fee is the lesser of $250 per crop or $750 per producer per administrative county, not to exceed a total of $1,875 for a producer with farming interests in multiple counties.The additional coverage must be chosen by the producer by the application closing date. The schedule of fees and premiums follow a standard formula. The maximum premium for a producer is $6,562.50 (the maximum payment limitation of $125,000 times a 5.25 percent premium fee).Source - www.greenhousemag.com

21.01.2015

Argentina - A lot of fruit won't be harvested

Last week, businessmen and producers were in Buenos Aires trying to get funds to get through the season. On Thursday, they returned empty handed after leaving a counteroffer with numerous demands at the Ministry of Agriculture's Office. Limited funds, credit at subsidized rates, and some compensation on asymmetries that exist today with the Russian market.After the failures of these meetings, a lot of the fruit in the fields won't be collected.At the start of this week the Williams pear will be ready for harvest, but many producers don't have the bins they need to start the harvest.Even the prices paid by companies aren't high enough to offset production costs. Some exporting firms said they would pay $0.20 per batch or $0.26 to pass through a machine (and after a normal discard it's the same as the first offer). The rest of the companies are silent.The Fruit Contract Bureau had set the minimum average price for pears and apples at 32 cents for the 2014/2015 season. The amount was established following a methodological study by the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) Alto Valle. Thus, there is a difference of $0.12 per kilo between the cost of production and the sale value of the product.Meanwhile, the exporting companies stated they can't buy fruit from third parties if they have nowhere to sell it. The Russian market's deteriorated economy and the drawbacks in Europe when place the fruit, condition about 70% of the trade that the Valley sends overseas."We will continue paying our farmers as long as we can, but we must be honest and clarify that we can't buy all the fruit," said a top executive belonging to an exporting firm.Farmers will start collecting more than 415,000 tons of Williams pear this Monday 19. However, in the current situation, less than half of this fruit can be harvested because half of Williams is in the hands of exporters and the rest in the farms of the producers.In these first weeks, some lots may be placed in Brazil and the United States, two markets that haven't shown any serious trouble selling fruit so far. But that's only a small part of what the Valley historically moves at this time of year.The season will also be hard to overcome for the exporters. Apart from the problems of placing their products abroad, they are being limited internally. Given the insensitivity of the national and provincial governments, the producers might protest and prevent the fruit from being taken out of the packing facilities. Additionally, starting this Monday, the workers, which are claiming for wage improvements, will start to block the region's Customs facilities, thus preventing the commercial flow of pears.In short, the season starts with many problems.Source - http://www.freshplaza.com

21.01.2015

Africa - Rwanda: Agric Ministry Moves to Enhance Post-Harvest Handling to Reduce Losses

Over 10 per cent of agricultural produce is lost along the value chain due to poor post-harvest handling, according to figures from the agriculture ministry.However, this could soon be history following implementation of initiatives aimed at increasing crop productivity, and reducing post-harvest losses under the Post-Harvest and Agribusiness Support Project.According to Lucie Zigiriza, the operations manager, the project is being conducted in 11 districts; Musanze, Rubavu, Nyabihu, Ruhango, Muhanga, Kamonyi and all eastern districts, excluding Bugesera and Rwamagana.It focuses on improving skills of farmers so that they are able to reduce losses along the value chain of products like maize, beans, cassava, Irish potatoes, as well as milk.The Minister for Agriculture, Geraldine Mukeshimana, reaffirmed government's commitment to ensure post-harvest losses are reduced further so farmers can reap more from their efforts."It's our responsibility as leaders to ensure that farmers get maximum benefit and profit out of their produce," she pointed out.The government is aiming at reducing it further to 5 per cent by 2017.The minister urged district mayors and field staff in the province to ensure there are enough hangars to dry maize in their respective districts.She directed them to make sure construction of hangars is completed by the end of this month.Close to 1,300 farmers from 43 co-operatives have so far trained in maize and beans post-harvest handling countrywide under the project to improve product quality and reduce losses along the value chain.Sam Rubagumya, a maize farmer in Nyagatare District, said the training will equip farmers and dealers with requisite skills to help deal with challenges of access to potential markets, calculation of the cost of production and control of store pests.The Post-Harvest and Agribusiness Support Project also seeks to establish hubs of post-production skills and technologies in 11 selected districts across the country.The hubs will have access to specialised service providers, business incubation centres and management of climate hazards during post-production processes.Meanwhile, experts project the province to register increased productivity for major crops, including maize, beans, rice and soya beans.The agriculture ministry project maize harvests to hit 373,293 tonnes this season, 86,525 tonnes for beans, as well as 41,226 tonnes of rice and 5,086 tonnes of soya beans.This is testimony that government's efforts to improve the agriculture sector, through modern farming methods like application of fertilisers and use of improved seeds, are paying off, according to Mukeshimana.She also said more has been invested in irrigation schemes, land consolidation and storage facilities to enhance agricultural production and spur growth. Over 80 per cent Rwandans are employed in the sector.In a related development, the Agriculture ministry and National Institute of Statistics Rwanda are seeking ways to streamline data collection to better influence planning and policy formulation.The two are set to come up with a detailed plan on how statistical gaps within the industry can be bridged.Rapahel Rurangwa, the Agriculture ministry's director general for planning, said accurate agricultural statistics are critical for taking informed decisions.Rurangwa emphasised the need to develop strategies, and collect accurate data on how the agriculture industry can better contribute to the national economy."With accurate data, we can be able to draw comprehensive food security and vulnerability analysis strategies, and apply an integrated household approach that could greatly improve agro-productivity," he added.Source - http://allafrica.com

20.01.2015

USA - New Risk Management Options Available for 2015

In the Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014 farm bill), Congress clearly embraced the notion that risk management should be the core component of the U.S. farm safety net going forward. Gone is the Direct Payment program, which crop farmers had relied on for stable income support since the 1996 farm bill, a victim of federal budget pressures and an inability of the agricultural community to explain to the broader U.S. population why a program that made fixed payments to farmers regardless of market conditions was a good idea. In its place, Congress has bolstered the Federal Crop Insurance Program (FCIP) and other risk management policies available to crop and livestock farmers, because most Americans are familiar with the concept of risk-sharing through insurance. State laws require drivers to have some form of auto insurance and the majority of home owners have insurance of some kind on their dwellings and belongings within.As a result, the 2014 farm bill saw a significant shift in federal resources for agriculture from the traditional commodity programs (Title I) to fund new and improved aspects of the FCIP (Title XI). Over the next 10 years, Title I spending is projected by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to decrease by $14.3 billion, while Title XI spending would increase by $5.7 billion. The remaining savings were credited as the farm sector’s contribution to federal deficit reduction.The increases in federal spending on crop insurance were dominated by four provisions, which will take effect in 2015, beginning with spring-planted crops. They include (1) STAX coverage for producers of upland cotton, a shallow-loss revenue policy designed to replace price- or revenue-based programs from the commodity title, (2) Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) in select counties, intended to provide area-based shallow loss coverage to complement revenue or yield coverage for individual crops (producer of crops other than upland cotton retain access to price-based commodity support programs), (3) a provision clarifying access to enterprise unit discounts for producers of irrigated crops, and (4) a provision allowing farmers to exclude extremely low yields due to bad weather from calculation of their Actual Production History (APH) for the purpose of determining insurable yield under the FCIP. Farmers choosing the revenue-based Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) option in the commodity title are not eligible to purchase an SCO policy.As with individual insurance policies that the new shallow loss products are intended to complement, farmers must sign up with their crop insurance agents for SCO or STAX by the sales closing date for their region of the country, February 28th in most of the South and March 15 for the rest of the country. If farmers wish to avail themselves of the APH yield fix, that decision must be made affirmatively under the same deadlines. The new coverage options remain under the jurisdiction of USDA’s Risk Management Agency.The 2014 farm bill also provides producers with diversified crop operations a new and improved whole farm insurance policy, called Whole Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP), also available for spring-planted crops by the sales closing date. WFRP addresses many of the perceived shortcomings in the previously available products, AGR and AGR-Lite, including a level playing field on premium subsidies as compared to conventional single crop policies, coverage for market readying activities, incentives for diversification, and wider availability around the country.Finally, the 2014 farm bill provides dairy producers with a new insurance program called the Margin Protection program. Sign-up for 2015 eligibility ended last month in December, but will resume for 2016 dairy production on July 1, 2015. About half of all U.S. dairy farms enrolled in the program for 2015. Unlike the policies available under the crop insurance program described above, the Margin Protection program is operated by USDA’s Farm Service Agency.It appears that the risk management approach to farm policy is catching on all around U.S. agriculture. Only time will tell if this approach will meet the needs of crop and dairy farmers around the country in the future as well as it has Midwest corn and soybean farmers in recent years.Source - http://www.agweb.com

20.01.2015

Africa - Drought closes KZN sugar mill

Durban - One of South Africa's biggest sugar producers, Illovo Sugar, will close its Umzimkulu mill for the year-long 2015 milling season starting in April.Illovo blames significantly below-average rainfall in KwaZulu-Natal during the 2014 milling season and frost during the past winter which severely affected cane supplies for the forthcoming season.There are fears that next year’s crop is also going to be affected, as the planting season has been delayed by the drought in the province.“Across our entire cane-growing region, serving four sugar factories, estimated cane supplies for the 2015/16 season will fall by approximately 1 million tons (around 18% of our total cane supply) compared against average deliveries in a normal season,” said Dave Howells, managing director of Illovo Sugar South Africa.Deliveries meant for Umzimkulu will be diverted to Illovo’s Sezela mill for processing.The company is committed to paying for the additional transport for the 95km diversionIllovo is not expecting closure of its other mills.This is not the first time the Umzimkulu mill has had to shut down because of drought – the same happened during the 2011 milling season.Staff was moved to other operations within the group, and only critical staff remained at the mill.This past season was particularly unfavourable to the sugar sector with a combination of bad weather and a sugar industry strike.SwazilandIllovo took a further hit when cane production in Swaziland was also affected by weather and another industry strike.Total group sugar production for the period dropped by 9% to 1.3 million tons with the contribution to operating profit derived from sugar production declining from R847 million in 2013 to R692m last year.Paul de Robillard, vice-chairman of the Gledhow Sugar Company in Stanger, said the drought had also hit its growers badly and they were expecting a decrease of at least 20% in crushed cane.Unlike the Umzimkulu mill, Gledhow does not own farms, but its supplying growers own 25.1% of the company.“What’s worrying is that the drought will continue to affect the industry even in 2016. Planting should be under way, but it has been delayed because we have not yet received any good summer rains,” said De Robillard.The next two weeks are critical and could determine the volume of cane to crush next year.Growers have until the end of March to complete their planting before the milling season starts in April.“We need at least 100mm of continuous rains. Cane needs at least 12 months to mature, so a delay in planting results in a delay in harvesting and processing,” said De Robillard.The Food and Allied Workers Union’s Katishi Masemola said they were not expecting job losses at the mills but feared that seasonal employees at the mills and farms could join the unemployed masses.“We've always known that the drought would affect workers in some way.“But the fact that a mill has decided to close means the problem is bigger than we thought,” he said.The union hoped the government would intervene to prevent job losses in the agricultural sector as whole.Masemola also expressed concern about the possibility of local markets being flooded by imported agricultural end products should local producers not meet the demand.“The increase in import tariffs helped to turn things around for the local producers last year and obviously the consumers could also get sugar-based products at affordable prices.“If our producers don’t meet the demand, imports are likely to increase and that will hit consumers’ pockets,” he said.The director of the SA Sugar Association, Trix Trikam, would not comment on the closure of the mill but said the South African sugar industry would first satisfy the domestic market and there was no perceived need for imported sugar.Source - www.iol.co.za

20.01.2015

Colombia - Alert in Caldas as crops are damaged by intense summer

The authorities in Caldas have issued an alert because of the damage that the intense summer has caused to fruit and vegetables. There has been no rainfall in the 27 municipalities of Caldas for the past 18 days, which affects crops.The Secretary of Agriculture of Caldas, Angelo Quintero Palacio, said the dry season was starting to cause damage to the crops of potatoes, cabbage, tomatoes and other vegetables of the municipalities in the central area. There is also damage to citrus and other fruit.He said implementation of irrigation systems was urgent in order to harness water from the rivers that are losing volume because of the intense summer. Currently, there are no shortages of these fruits and vegetables or an increase in prices.Source - http://www.freshplaza.com

20.01.2015

Africa - Malawi floods declared disaster

President Peter Mutharika has described the magnitude of this year's flash floods as a disaster that has never happened before affecting a record fifteen districts in the history of the country.Mutharika said the extent of the damage caused by the flash floods across the country was so severe where in some cases it was leaving scores of people dead while in some instances washed away crop fields and livestock.The Malawian leader said the development was worry some since many people were rendered homeless and huge hectares of crop fields were washed away.Mandere, therefore, to consider providing the affected households with early maturing maize varieties as well as other crops like cassava and sweet potato cuttings to plant as the rains were just in their initial stages.Source - http://www.freshplaza.com

20.01.2015

Australia - Blueberry cull to stop disease spread in Tasmania

The Tasmanian Government is calling on Victoria to explain how it allowed diseased blueberry plants to be shipped south, as it culls two commercial farms' blueberry plants.Tasmanian Agriculture Minister Jeremy Rockliff said he had written to his Victorian counterpart asking for full disclosure about why Victoria certified rust-infested blueberry plants disease-free.The rust came into Tasmania on blueberry plants propagated in Queensland and shipped through Victoria to a major retailer of plants.Biosecurity Tasmania has found the disease on 41 properties so far and has removed all blueberry bushes on affected farms, in a bid to eradicate the infection before it causes significant impacts on the state's berry industries.Mr Rockliff said Tasmania is currently footing the entire bill for the blueberry disease surveillance and eradication. He said the full cost was yet to be quantified and he was seeking answers from Victoria that ensure there were no further quarantine breaches.Hundreds of blueberry bushes removed on two commercial farmsIn the past week, the cull included hundreds of the blueberry plants on two north-west Tasmanian farms.The family-owned Mountain Fruit Berry Farm at Barrington called on the Tasmanian Government to find out who was accountable for the incursion. But Mountain Fruit Berry Farm owner, Ronald Schwind, thought the eradication program has gone too far.Mr Schwind said the destruction of his blueberry plants this week would cost him about $16,000 in fruit sales each year, and it was taking an emotional toll.Source - http://www.freshplaza.com

20.01.2015

Australia - Tas Growers still smiling despite unseasonal rainfall

Tasmania’s cherry harvest may be affected by the state’s rainiest day in 99 years, but any significant damage was contained to the Huon Valley area, with only ‘negligible’ impact on the Derwent Valley, a completely different climate just 7km away, according to Phil Pyke, of Fruit Growers Tasmania. “Lots of growers had over 80% of their harvest picked and packed. Only growers of later varieties were badly affected, and we grow across the state,” said Mr Pyke. “Most cherry growers are also apple growers too, don’t forget, and the apple growers are delighted with the rain, as are the berry growers.” Most blueberry pickers had actually only started harvesting their crops in the past week, according to him.As close to 80mm (two months’ worth) of rain fell over the Huon Valley last Tuesday and Wednesday, forcing growers to use helicopters to dry the remains of the late harvest cherries, at a cost of around $2,300 per hour. Tasmania’s state parliament building was also partially flooded. While there is no further unseasonal rain predicted, besides light showers, the cost in dollar terms, from any damaged crops won’t be known until the end of the season.Harvesting cherries in the Huon Valley, with an average yearly rainfall of 750mm is already a risky business, however growers persist because the fruit can generally be harvested later, is larger and very good quality, worth between $10-15 per kilo.Source - http://www.freshplaza.com

19.01.2015

Saudi Arabia - Frost damage may affect some crops

The extent of the losses caused by the current cold wave to agricultural crops in Saudi Arabia, as well as the impact this will have on fruit and vegetable trade is still difficult to assess.Dr Adel Dheifallah, Professor at the Faculty of Agriculture, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, said that crops grown in greenhouses will naturally not be as affected, but the extent of the damages to open field crops sensitive to cold temperatures is difficult to estimate. Following common procedure, the Ministry of Agriculture will oversee the formation of committees to determine which areas and to what extent they have been hit.Mr Dheifallah explained that deciduous trees, like figs, apricots or pomegranates, among others, will not be as affected, and that the snow may even have a positive effect on them, and that the most damaged will likely be the crops that grow in the ground, like potatoes.For now, Jeddah's market has not reported any shortages in the volume of fruits and vegetables available; the competent authorities will keep in contact with fruit traders and vegetable producers from areas affected in the north of the Kingdom and adjacent countries to follow-up on any developments.Source - http://www.freshplaza.com

19.01.2015

USA - Record year for crop yields

Farm fields across north central Ohio have never been as productive as they were last year.The state as a whole saw record yields in corn and soybeans, according to Cheryl Turner, state statistician for the Ohio field office of the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service — 176 bushels per acre for corn and 52.5 bushels for soybeans.The record numbers were realized despite cooler temperatures and above-average rainfall across the growing season, Turner said. The lower temps and abundant precipitation kept soils from drying out too much, while insects were less of an issue. And yet when harvest approached several weeks of warm, dry conditions allowed the crops to dry on schedule, and let farmers get in their fields when they needed to.New insurance programProducers with up to $8.5 million in insured revenue, both crops and livestock, including organic commodities, are eligible to sign up for the Whole-Farm Revenue Protection crop insurance program, made available by the USDA’s Risk Management Agency.Under the program’s two plans, farmers will be able to insure from 50 to 85 percent of their whole farm revenue, and not just one crop at a time. Coverage levels have been expanded beyond what’s been available before, including for expanding operations, the maximum amount of coverage has been raised, and coverage will also be offered for replanting.The signup deadline for the coming crop year is March 15.Meanwhile, the USDA said about 23,000 dairy farmers in the U.S. — that’s more than half of all dairy farms in the country — signed up for the new Margin Protection Program, which provides financial assistance to participating farmers when their margin, or difference between the price of milk and the cost of feed, falls below the selected coverage level.“Enrollment far exceeded our expectations in the first year,” USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said.Registration for fiscal year 2016 will take place from July 1 to Sept. 30.Source - http://www.marionstar.com