Corn & Soybean Cam -- June 6th

Posted on June 7th . . . . here are some CORN and SOYBEAN CAM photos taken on Monday evening, June 6th in Garfield Township, Sioux County, Iowa:

This corn is lookin' good!  And, we're having a couple of days of good corn-growing weather.  It was hot & humid yesterday -- 103 degrees on my vehicle sensor.  It's supposed to be about the same today.  And take a look at how the soybeans are coming along:

However -- Just this morning about 2 miles from this location, I saw someone planting beans.  Well, it's not too late, as long as we don't have an early frost.  See "How Late Can Soybeans be Planted?" on the ISU Extension website -- just click HERE.
Some local cash bids today (June 7th) . . . .
Corn --
Farmers Elevator (Rock Valley) (June 2011) -- $7.09
Farmers Cooperative Society (Sioux Center) (June 30 delivery) -- $7.21
Soybeans --
Farmers Elevator (Rock Valley) (June 2011) -- $13.49
Farmers Cooperative Society (Sioux Center) (June 30 delivery) -- $13.58

Oxfam Predicts Food Prices Will Double, Places Blame on US Energy Policy

Oxfam, an international aid organization with roots to 1942 Britain, has issued a report ("Growing a Better Future") that discusses the symptoms of today’s broken food system.  The report warns that the world has "entered a new age of crisis where depletion of the earth’s natural resources and increasingly severe climate change impacts will create millions more hungry people."  The Oxfam report cites research predicting that the price of staple foods (like corn) will more than double in the next 20 years.  While the report blames half of the increase on climate change, US energy policy is also cited as a factor: "US policy ensures 15 percent of the world’s maize [corn] is diverted to engines, even at times of severe food crisis. The grain required to fill the petrol tank of an SUV with biofuels is sufficient to feed one person for a year."  India is also cited for economic development policies that have doubled the size of its economy between 1990 and 2005 -- yet one in four of the world's hungry people live in India.  Oxfam Executive Director Jeremy Hobbs warns that "Millions more men, women and children will go hungry unless we transform our broken food system."  Oxfam states that it is calling on powerful governments to "lead the transformation to a fairer more sustainable food system by investing in agriculture, valuing the world’s natural resources, managing the food system better and delivering equality for women who produce much of the world's food."  Read the entire report by clicking on the link above.

Corn Cam AND Soybean Cam -- Photos from May 31st

 Corn and Soybean Cam photos . . . . Garfield Township, Sioux County, Iowa:

It's June 2nd and I'm just uploading these photos from the evening of May 31st (about 36 hours ago).  There was fairly significant HAIL at 4:30am that day -- about 3/4" size hailstones -- so, nice to see the corn looking good that day.  Today will be a warm day -- high of 85 -- good growing weather.  We haven't had much of that . . . although it's always good to be thankful for rain when we can get it.

And guess what -- the soybeans are up in the neighboring field -- almost overnight!  So now you'll be able to watch the soybeans grow, too . . . . although that's not quite as much fun as watching the corn grow.  In our area, we still have some corn that is just emerging -- and still have a few folks planting soybeans.  Should be just about finished up by the end of the week.

Some local cash bids today (June 2nd) . . . .
Corn --
Farmers Elevator (Rock Valley) (June 2011) -- $7.39
Farmers Cooperative Society (Sioux Center) (June 30 delivery) -- $7.50
Soybeans --
Farmers Elevator (Rock Valley) (June 2011) -- $13.75
Farmers Cooperative Society (Sioux Center) (June 30 delivery) -- $13.79

Corn Cam -- Watch the Corn Grow

Thursday afternoon, May 26, 2011:  After a sunny, relatively warm day on Thursday . . . good progress:

Compare to the Tuesday, May 24th photos!  But so far today (Friday), it's cloudy and a little drizzly.  Hopefully we'll see some sun over the Memorial Day weekend.
Local cash bids today . . . .
Rock Valley (Farmers Elevator) (May 2011): Corn $7.24  Soybeans $13.52
Sioux Center (Farmers Coop) (May 31st delivery):  Corn $7.34 Soybeans $13.60

Today at the Animal Welfare Conference

Animal Neglect charges -- Webster City, Iowa The Associated Press reported that on May 18, a search warrant was executed by the Hamilton County, Iowa Sheriff's Office at 1835 White Fox Road and 1878 N. Stonega Ave., which resulted in John Patrick Thompson, 56, from Webster City, being charged with a total of 22 counts of livestock neglect and 14 counts of duty to dispose of dead bodies (animal carcasses).  Eleven head of livestock were seized from the property and are being cared for by the Animal Rescue League and a local farmer at undisclosed locations.  As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation of the commission of a come and any defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.  Iowa Code chapter 717 contains the provisions regarding animal abuse and neglect charges. 

So, what role does ISU Extension play in educating producers about animal welfare?  How do we assess the needs and design programming to assist livestock producers about these issues?  These are some of the questions we'll be discussing today.

Corn progress

Reporting to you from Council Bluffs, Iowa (on Day 2 of the Animal Welfare conference).  Yesterday morning as I drove to Council Bluffs, heavy rain followed me the entire way.  Sioux City reported 2.81" rainfall, with a 5.61" total for May 2011 (so far!).  These wet, cool conditions have kept folks out of the field.  However, the Rock Valley forecast for today is sunny at 67 degrees and several nice days ahead.  Nevertheless, reports from earlier this week (May 20th) indicate that northwest Iowa farmers were 94% complete with corn planting, catching up with the rest of the state.  Emerging corn was at 33 percent statewide. Not surprisingly southeast Iowa leads in emergence at 55 percent.  Northwest fields were 22 percent.   Soybean planting was at the midway point with the statewide planting at 47 percent done.  Here in far northwest Iowa, I haven't seen any soybeans emerging yet, but I'm keeping my eyes open.  As of last weekend, northwest Iowa growers have planted 41 percent of their intended bean acres.  I'm still in southwest Iowa at the animal welfare conference -- but it's a beautiful, sunny day, and I'll be checking the corn progress as soon as I return to northwest Iowa.

Local cash bids today . . . .
Rock Valley (Farmers Elevator) (May 2011): Corn $7.25  Soybeans $13.60
Sioux Center (Farmers Coop) (May 31st delivery):  Corn $7.34 Soybeans $13.70

Animal Welfare Professional Development Conference in Council Bluffs, Iowa

Today I'm attending an Animal Welfare Professional Development conference.  I believe that this is an important issue in farm & agribusiness management.  Iowa is being attacked for legislative efforts to criminalize animal welfare "whistleblowers."  Personally, I believe that there are better strategies to respond to concerns about livestock animal welfare.  I look forward to further discussions of best management practices and effective communication regarding the care, housing and treatment of animals in livestock agriculture.