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Archive for May, 2009
Friday, May 15th, 2009
A struggling pork industry is bracing themselves for more hardships.
According to Chris Hurt, agricultural economist at Purdue University, Indiana hog farmers have been losing money every quarter over the last year and half, and it the problem is increasing as the swine flu scare lingers in everyone’s minds.
Hurt said hog producers have lost $5 a head as of April 24 and today it is at $20. Since the news of the outbreak the pork industry lost $30 million.
Despite efforts by the Agriculture Department and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to assure the public pork is safe, few people are listening. Especially after a case of swine flu was transmitted through pork in Canada.
That case was rare, and most every case was contracted from person to person.
“I think it is a new twist. It’s one where the pork producers had said it’s not been found in hogs — well, you can’t say that anymore,” Hurt said. “Maybe it’s the hogs that should be more scared of humans at this point. Or, our hog producers really needing to increase their biosecurity to really try to keep it out of our herds here in Indiana.”
Consumers do not realize there are extremely strict health protection standards in practice. State officials work hard to ensure that the standards are always in effect and producers follow them.
Are you looking for a farm loan? Low-rate farm loans are available today at Farm Plus! Call 866-929-5585 or visit online for more information regarding farm loans.
Tags: losses, pork, purdue, swine flue
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Thursday, May 7th, 2009
The director of the National Farm Medicine Center at Marshall Clinic, Barbara Lee, expressed the center’s commitment to farm safety after the recent death of a four-year-old Oklahoma boy.
Experts are concerned that adults need to be reminded that children should not be allowed to ride on moving tractors. The center has teamed up with farm safety organizations to refresh everyone on the campaign launched two years ago, ‘It’s Easier to Bury a Tradition than a Child,’ a national campaign to keep children younger than 12 away from tractors.
“Now we’re appealing to others outside the network to help us spread the message to keep kids away from tractors,” Lee said.
Information on the campaign is available from The Childhood Agricultural Safety Network at www.childagsafety.org. Free public service announcements by Michael Peterson are just part of the information. One thirty second video shows the Oklahoma boy’s stepfather describing the horrific sight that morning. “He turned around, and saw the upper part of the boy’s body already wrapped in the brush hog.”
Public Service Announcement
100-plus farm-related accidents happen involving children each year, but most accidents occur on tractors and other big machinery.
If you are interested in a farm loan, contact Farm Plus today. Low rate farm loans are available. Call 866-929-5585 or visit online for more information regarding farm loans.
Tags: child safety, oklahoma
Posted in General, Oklahoma Farm Loans | No Comments »
Thursday, May 7th, 2009
The United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced on April 22 that he appointed Dough Caruso as Administrator.
The administers manage farm commodity, credit, conservation, disaster and loan programs through state, county and federal offices. The FSA runs programs to help farmers and ranchers manage their business risks and improve the stability of the domestic agricultural economy.
“As FSA State Executive Director in Wisconsin for 8 years, Doug Caruso compiled an impressive record of improving client services and enhancing outreach to historically underserved farmers,” said Vilsack. “He is the right choice to serve America’s farmers, ranchers, rural landowners and communities that benefit from FSA’s services and to implement USDA’s goals of providing a safety-net for small and mid-sized farmers while promoting a sustainable, safe, sufficient and nutritious food supply.”
Caruso previously worked as CEO of Wisconsin Farmers Union Specialty Cheese and the State Executive Director of the FSA in Wisconsin. This office served 100,000 farmers and rural land owners throughout sixty county offices. He also worked as State Director for United States Senator Herb Kohl from 1989 to 1993.
His resume is quite impressive. During his work at Wisconsin’s FSA, Caruso participated in many programs and changes including multi-agency USDA initiatives and the Milk Income Loss Contract payment program in 2000. That same year the FSA honored him as “Outstanding State Executive Director†for “exemplary leadership, superior management skills, and significant contributions to the betterment of the Farm Service Agency at all levels.”
If you are interested in agriculture loans please contact Farm Plus today. Low rate farm loans and ranch loans are available now. Call (866) 929-5585 or visit online for more information.
Tags: tom vilsack, wisconsin
Posted in General, Wisconsin Farm Loans | No Comments »
Thursday, May 7th, 2009
According to the Andrew Swenson at the North Dakota State University Extension Service, an acre of North Dakota cropland increased in value by 16 percent in 2008. The information comes from a survey conducted by the North Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. An average acre of North Dakota cropland was about $925 by the end of 2008 compared to 2007.
The biggest increase was in the east-central region that is more than 30 percent. Value rose to an average of $961 an acre. The southeastern region is at $1,362 an acre. In the southwest and south-central regions there was only a 5 to 8 percent increase.
Although experts do not see a big increase this year with the current economic conditions, but now is the best time to invest in cropland.
For information on low rate agriculture loans, contact Farm Plus today. Call (866) 929-5585 or visit online for more information about agriculture loans.
Tags: appreciation, land value, north dakota
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Thursday, May 7th, 2009
Raw milk is drawing crowds far away to farms across Wisconsin. Not many farms carry raw milk, but it is a much desired product.
Unpasteurized milk is considered illegal by regulators because it can carry pathogens that can make someone ill or kill them. However, they also believe that it is legal to provide raw milk to the public on a limited scale.
The product is wanted by people who are trying, or have entirely, eliminate process foods from their diets. The raw milk business is a great revenue because people are always looking for an alternative to what is sold in grocery stores.
Linda Conroy, owner of a Sheboygan herbs business, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that raw milk has given her more energy.
“I have never been sick from it,” she said. “In fact, just the opposite is true. My health is a lot better.”
The only problem is that according to Wisconsin state law, farmers cannot sell or give away raw milk. They can however consume milk from the cows they own. To please the public, farmers often sell shares in their cows to would-be customers and provide raw milk to shareholders for a small fee.
Raw milk is just one of many organic options people are turning to. People want to know where their milk is coming from and that is partly why they consume the milk directly from the organic cows.
If you are looking for purchase farm land in Wisconsin or any other state, contact Farm Plus for information regarding low rate farm loans. Now is the best time to make your dream a reality. Call 866-929-5585 or visit online for more information regarding farm loans.
Tags: dairy farm, raw milk, wisconsin
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Thursday, May 7th, 2009
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack, said the controversial plan to track livestock from birth to butcher shop needs input from those affected.
The announcement came after a hearing with several farm and ranch groups, including representatives from Montana, about the National Animal Identification System.
Many farmers and ranchers feel that the system is to overwhelming and unworkable. The program is intended to help track disease spread by animals.
“All of the groups that represent the cattle-raising West are pretty unanimous in our take on it,” said Gilles Stockton, of the Western Organization of Resource Councils. “We’re pretty skeptical.”
Currently the tracking system is purely optional, but if enforced everyone from large operators to small family farms would be required to register his or her animals. Ranchers would also have to track the movements of range animals. Newborns must be tagged within one day of birth. Producers must also report animal deaths within 24 hours.
There is no word when the system will be required, but input is wanted. If you are interested in participating in the trial please contact your FSA today.
Looking to purchase farm land? Need a loan for production costs? Contact Farm Plus today. Low rate farm and ranch loans are available. Call 866-929-5585 or visit online for more information regarding agriculture loans.
Tags: montana, national animal identification system, tom vilsack
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Thursday, May 7th, 2009
After an 11-day Asian trade mission, Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey has a positive outlook that Iowa soybean exports to China and Taiwan will remain strong despite the current worldwide recession.
Parts of China have been hit hard by manufacturing productions shutdowns that will effect U.S. imports, but the demand for pork and chicken livestock remains constant. This is good news for Iowa.
“They’re not going to be able to produce enough grain, certainly not enough soybeans, to feed their own. They’re going to need imports,†said Northey told the Quad City Times.
“It’s going to continue to grow. It may grow at a little slower pace right now. But I think it’s going to continue to grow and I really think that within the next few years they’ll have a need to import corn as well,†the Iowa agriculture secretary said.
While in China, Northey met with feed manufacturers and soybean crushers that cannot keep up with the demand that increases 10 to 20 percent each year. Because they cannot keep up domestically, they must look to outside sources.
Looking to purchase a farm in Iowa? Contact Farm Plus today for a low rate farm loan. Call 866-929-5585 or visit online for more information.
Tags: asia, exports, iowa
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Thursday, May 7th, 2009
The Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac) announced Timothy L. Buzby as the new chief financial officer.
Buzby also holds the title of vice president and has served as controller of Farmer Mac since 2003. He was the acting treasurer of the organization since Oct. 1. Before his Farmer Mac days he was CFO of George Mason Mortgage Corp., a residential mortgage lender.
The position was previously held by William T. Sandalls Jr., who was CFO of Farmer Mac since Oct. 20. He is now a consultant for Farmer Mac.
Looking for a farm loan or ranch loan? Contact Farm Plus today. Farm Plus works alongside government agencies to obtain farm loans and ranch loans for those in need. Call 866-929-5585 or visit online for more information.
Tags: farmer mac, loans
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Thursday, May 7th, 2009
According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, only a small percentage of fatalities and injuries on Minnesota roads are due to farm vehicles.
In 2007, five people died and 84 were injured with farm vehicles. Compared to the 510 killed and 35,318 that were injured this is an incredibly small number.
According to Lt. Jeff Westrum of the state patrol, the most farm accidents occur in spring. This is due to the planting and plowing season. Less accidents happen in mid-summer during hay-cutting and harvesting in the fall.
“Because of their size, they take a big piece of roadway, which they are legally allowed to do,” he said. Farm vehicles move slowly so drivers sometimes hit them from behind. “People just aren’t giving them enough room,” Westrum said. He also added that people are impatient and try to pass when they do not have enough room.
Lisa Behnken, an Extension Office crop specialist in Rochester said that another problem is the size of implements. This causes farmers to avoid smaller gravel roads where bridges aren’t big enough, and like most vehicles tractors have blind spots, too.
In general people are warned to take time and be extremely cautious in these driving situations.
If you are interested in farm loans please contact Farm Plus today. Low rate farm loans are available. Call 866-929-5585 or visit online for more information.
Tags: farm equipment accidents, minnesota
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Thursday, May 7th, 2009
The University of Vermont is looking to invest in a large-scale dairy research farm. The Vermont Feed Dealers are working hard to find the perfect location for the 300 to 400 cow operation. The research projects will be aimed to help farmers across the Northeast.
Ideally the site will be within 30 minutes of the UVM campus and will have “expandable†area. It would also need to be close enough to a sewer system so cheese research can be conducted. A 20-member committee has been sculpting the idea since last fall.
Tom Vogelmann, UVM’s interim dean of agriculture, believes the “Dairy Center of Excellence†as a bold and creative proposal. He feels that it will greatly increase the level of UVM’s agriculture research.
Despite excitement, the plan could take up to two years to complete. Currently, UVM conducts much smaller research projects on a 200-acre farm in South Burlington. The nearest dairy research facility is in Chazy, New York with 272 cow stalls.
Last fall, UVM’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences announced it had a long-term plan for $13.9 million to upgrade the farm complex. This includes a $3.3 million modern large animal facility.
The project will take time and the committee is okay with that. Vogelmann said: “We have one chance to get this right, and we’ll take whatever time is needed to work through the details.”
Looking to purchase land for your own farm? Contact Farm Plus today. Low rate farm loans are available call 866-929-5585 or visit online for more information regarding farm loans.
Tags: New York, UVM, Vermont
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