On Jan. 7, 2010 Colorado Governor Bill Ritter asked the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to declare several Colorado counties disaster areas.
The requests comes after many farmers were hit by freezing temperature Oct. 7- Oct. 11, 2009. Many farmers experience extensive crop losses.
Chaffee, EI Paso, Pueblo, Saguache, Teller, Custer, Park, Delta, Gunnison, Ouray, San Juan, Garfield and La Plata counties are eligible for low-rate farm loans from the USDA.
It’s been a hard year for farmers in Colorado who have experienced a dry summer, flooding and freezing temperatures.
Inflation fears? Refinance with Farm Plus before farm loan rates rise. Farm loan rates starting at 2.99% with 25 year terms. See our rate sheet here or call, toll free, 866-929-5585.
3 million acres of farmland are being taken out of the federal conservation program and may be tilled. The change has many environmentalists concerned about wildlife habitat, water quality and soil erosion.
39 million acres of farmland across the country are protected by the Conservation Reserve Program, but 3.4 million acres were taken out in September. The removal stems from present owners’ not renewing their contracts.
A change in the 2008 Farm Bill also caused the removal because the bill caps the program at 32 million acres.
Most of these acres are located in Texas, Kansas and Colorado. North and South Dakota, as well as Montana are also effected.
Inflation fears? Refinance with Farm Plus before farm loan rates rise. Farm loan rates starting at 2.99% with 25 year terms. See our rate sheet here or call, toll free, 866-929-5585.
Harris Sherman, a Colorado state official, was appointed by President Barack Obama as agriculture undersecretary for natural resources.
Sherman was the director of Colorado’s Department of Natural Resources and is now in charge of the 191 million-acre national forest system and the USDA programs that encourage stewardship of farm and range land.
Although environmental groups oppose his appointment because he had an active role in a state plan that offers logging, oil and gas production in roadless areas, the White House is confident in the appointment. In a statement the White House said that Sherman played an important role in “the largest expansion of the state’s wilderness and parks programs.”
Federal Reserve stated interest rates likely to rise. Refinance your farm loan before rates go up. Call a representative by dialing 866-929-5585 or visit us online.
A federal judge in Colorado overturned the USDA’s approval of genetically engineered sugar beets that cause upset in Boulder County this year.
Judge Jeffrey White said the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service didn’t take a “hard look” into whether the sugar beets, that are engineered to resist weed killer, would share genes with other crops. He feels this violates environmental laws.
90 percent of this year’s crops are considered these “Roundup Ready” beets. Many consumers are concerned for the safety of eating these beets as well as the safety of eating other crops grown within its means.
The Food and Agriculture Policy Council took the concerns into their hands last December and have been researching the issue since. In August the county commissioners decided to wait to vote on the issue and are happy they did so.
“The judge’s ruling “makes me glad we didn’t make a decision on this,” Boulder County Commissioner Will Toor said. “I would think that we want to let the courts and federal government sort through this before we make a decision on sugar beets.”
With new technology emerging genetically modified food is a growing concern for consumers.
Federal Reserve stated interest rates likely to rise. Refinance your farm loan before rates go up. Call a representative by dialing 866-929-5585 or visit us online.
Montana sugar beet growers are looking forward to a large crop.
Estimates show that prices will be near $50 a ton, the highest it has been in 28 years. This is partially due to the world’s current sugar shortage.
The Western Sugar Cooperative believes farmers will yield an average of 31 tons per acre. Although sugar beet farmers are expected to rise above the average numbers, 60 percent of farmers in Colorado and Nebraska are not expected to fair as well with crops damaged from hail.
In the market for a farm loan? Farm Plus offers low-rate farm loans starting at 2.99%. Call today for more information on our current rates. A representative is available at 866-929-5585 or visit our website for more information.
The American Wind Energy Association released data announcing the top states currently producing wind energy and those that have plans for future wind power projects.
1. Texas. Texas currently has 7,907 megawatts of wind power. 1,102 megawatt are in construction now.
2. Iowa. Iowa has 2,883 megawatts and 210 under construction.
3. California. California has 2,653 megawatts of wind power with 125 under construction.
4. Minnesota. With 1,803 megawatts across the state of 10,000 lakes, Minnesota comes in fourth.
5. Washington. Washington is right behind Minnesota with 1,479 megawatts.
6. Oregon. Oregon currently has 1,363 megawatts of wind power with 126 under construction.
7. New York. New York has 1,262 megawatts today, with 21 under construction.
8. Colorado. As the eighth top state in the United States, Colorado has 1,068 megawatts of wind powered electricity.
Wind power is a growing trend among farms because the government offers great subsidies. For more information on subsidies and farm loans contact Farm Plus today. Farm Plus has many low-rate farm loans for your needs. Call 866-929-5585 for more information on farm loans or visit online.
Although many are worried about the drop in dairy prices, a USDA report announced that milk production is up by 1 percent compared to last year. These numbers are based on the production of the 23 leading dairy states in the country.
The increase in production may be indirectly related to the increase in the number of cows. Compared to last year, cow numbers are up by 58,000 compared to last year, but down by 12,000 compared to 2007.
The 2008 summary also showed U.S. milk production climbed over 2.3 percent in 2007 over 190 billion lb. Per cow, milk was 20,396 lb. which is up from 192 lb. in 2007. In January milk production decline 1.4 percent and cow numbers declined by 7,000 and milk per cow 20 lb.
Texas gained the most by increasing by 13 percent in milk production with cow numbers climbing 28,000 head over a year ago.
Kansas increased by 10.6 percent jump in milk production while Colorado and New Mexico were up by 5.5 percent in milk.
Among the other largest dairy states, Wisconsin was up 1% in milk and 5,000 in cows. New York was up just 0.3% in milk, with cow numbers actually declining 2,000 head. Idaho was up 0.9% in milk and 20,000 in cows. Pennsylvania was down 0.3% in milk and 2,000 head in cows.
These numbers are promising compared to other news in the dairy industry. If you are interested in purchasing or refinancing a dairy farm please contact a representative at Farm Plus Financial today. Farm loans are available. Please contact Farm Plus with any questions on farm loans. Call 866-929-5585 or visit online.
Many Eastern Colorado Farmers have valuable revenue simply sitting on their farm, yet no one seems to notice.
Carbon credits, a valuable component for emission schemes that lowers greenhouse gases, can be captured in topsoil. Once captured it can be sold in the pilot greenhouse gas trading market, the Chicago Climate Exchange.
The idea was suggested by Lowell Messman, a specialist with AgraGate Climate Credits Corp of West Des Moines, Iowa, at the 2009 Colorado Farm Show. AgraGate is one of the three companies that are working to have contracts for carbon credits with the Chicago Climate Exchange.
Carbon Credits are not solely for farms, they can be found on ranches, too. Warren Hammerbeck owns a ranch he grew up on in South Dakota, he is also working to have a contract with the Chicago Climate Exchange.
“It’s a source of additional revenue everybody who farms or ranches needs to explore,†Hammerbeck told The Tribune.
“The market has gone from about $1 per ton per year this past year up to $7 per ton. But I think it could go a lot higher than that, unless the government gets involved and puts a cap on how much credits can be sold for,†Hammerbeck said.
For those interested in profiting off carbon credits or starting a farm or ranch of their own, farm loans and ranch loans are available. Contact a representative at Farm Plus for more information on available farm credit. Visit online or call 866-929-5585.
A recent study conducted by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Nebraska Center for Energy Sciences Research, a Improvements in Life Cycle, Energy Efficiency, and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Corn-Ethanol,†proves the implementation of corn ethanol is lowering our GHD emissions. By using corn-ethanol emissions are lowered by 48-59 percent when compared to petroleum. Not only does it lower emissions, but it also returns 29-123 percent of the energy used to produce it. Using more corn-ethanol lowers our dependency on foreign oil as well. This allows for gas prices to stay down 29-40 percent. One barrel of corn ethanol produced replaces 1.2 barrels of petroleum.
If you’re in the market for financing, whether it be for your crop operation or an ethanol plan be sure to contact Farm Plus Fianancial. Two ways to contact someone at Farm Plus, either by clicking here or call them toll free at 866-929-5585.
