From: Connie Robinson [mailto:connie@idahowheat.org] On Behalf Of Blaine Jacobson
Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2011 1:46 PM
Subject: Idaho Wheat Newsletter March 8, 2011
Idaho Wheat Commission Presents Web-based Workshops
The Idaho Wheat Commission will be presenting a series of web-based grower education seminars (webinars). Each webinar will be approximately one hour. Participation is simple and free! Simply log onto the website at http://connect.cals.uidaho.edu/wheat (requires Adobe Flash Player which is installed on most computers) and enter your email address as a participant.
March 10 at 9:00 a.m. MST – Guest Presenter: Dr. John Oades, U.S. Wheat Associates, Vice President West Coast Operations "Wheat Quality Needs in the Export Market." This was a popular presentation by Dr. Oades in this year’s Northern Idaho Cereal Schools. If you missed John’s presentation during Cereal Schools, be sure to log into this educational workshop.
– Guest Presenter Vince Peterson, U.S. Wheat Associates, Vice President of Overseas Operations “World Wheat Supply, Demand, and Prices.” Learn the global factors behind this year’s surge in exports and run-up in prices and gain current perspective on world plantings, production and prices.
April 7 at 8:00 a.m. MST – Guest Presenter Adam Lyman, Environmental Engineer, “EPA’s Fuel Containment Rules and What You Need to Know.” If your farm stores, transfers, uses, or consumes oil or oil products such as diesel fuel, gasoline, lube oil, hydraulic oil, adjuvant oil, etc, be sure to participate in this informational webinar. Mr. Lyman will explain the SPCC rule, which farms are required to complete an SPCC Plan, and what farmer’s need to do by EPA’s deadline of November 10, 2011.
Governor’s 2011 Trade Mission to Mexico – June 18-22
A group of Idaho political leaders and agricultural officials plan to be in Mexico June 18-22, 2011. Although Mexican millers source much of their wheat from Texas, Oklahoma, and Canada, some millers south of the border have regularly purchased quantities of wheat from Idaho due to our quality and consistent harvest. Recently, Bimbo, Mexico’s largest miller, has indicated an interest in strengthening their connection with Idaho suppliers. Idaho grain handlers who have the wherewithal to put together a rail program and to keep wheat shipments identity preserved from Idaho to final customer in Mexico are encouraged to consider growing their customer base in this rapidly growing market. Idaho grain handlers and elevators who are interested in investing time and money in being part of the 2011 Governor’s Trade Mission to Mexico should contact Blaine Jacobson at 208-332-1522. blaine@idahowheat.org A visit to Bimbo in Mexico City can be arranged as part of the trade visit.
Record Agricultural Export Value for 2010
Agricultural exports for calendar year 2010 were a record value of $115.8 billion, up from $98.45 billion in 2009 and the prior record of $114.8 billion in 2008. Soybean export sales were valued at $18.6 billion, up 13 percent from 2009, corn exports at $9.8 billion were12 percent higher, and wheat exports of $6.7 billion were 25 percent higher than in 2009. Cotton exports increased 75 percent to $5.9 billion. The trade surplus, however, was $33.95 billion, down from the surplus of $34.27 billion in 2008. Every $1 billion in agricultural exports supports 8,000 American jobs, which means agricultural exports supported nearly 1 million jobs in 2010. Detailed information on U.S. agricultural exports can be obtained at the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service's Global Agricultural Trade System ,http://www.fas.usda.gov/gats/default.aspx
Adequate Water Supply Forecast Even With February's Variable Precipitation
Idaho's mountain snowpack will still provide an adequate water supply this season despite weather patterns that pushed winter precipitation to other parts of the country according to hydrologists with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
NRCS measures the mountain snowpack monthly January through June to provide snow runoff predictions and water supply forecasts used in managing Idaho's water resources. February's snow survey shows the mountain snowpack ranges from 80% to 125% of average.
Idaho's central mountains have the lowest snowpack and the Bear River Basin in southeastern Idaho has the highest in the state. The Bear River snowpack is the highest since 1997.
"Above average snowpacks gained from early winter precipitation carried central Idaho through the mid-January to mid-February dry spell," said Ron Abramovich, NRCS Water Supply Specialist. "More precipitation is needed in this area to boost water supplies."
According to the water supply report just released for March, overall Idaho's water supplies should be adequate for most users, but could be tight in the Big Lost, Little Lost and Oakley basins. Spring precipitation would help ensure an adequate water supply for the state.
"Reservoir storage is in good shape with many reservoirs reporting average or better amounts for the end of February," said Abramovich. "The ones we're watching are Owyhee, Salmon Falls, and Oakley reservoirs and Bear Lake which are 60-85% of average."
"The most important streamflow forecast for many of Idaho's Snake River Plain water users is the Snake River near Heise which is east of Idaho Falls. The forecast for this point is 110% of average streamflow from April through July", Abramovich said.
For the full report on February's snowpack, precipitation, runoff and water supply predictions for specific basins, please view the March 2011 Water Supply Outlook Report online at http://www.id.nrcs.usda.gov/snow/ and click on the 'Water Supply' link.
Idaho Wheat Grower Elected NAWG President
Congratulations to Wayne Hurst, Burley, Idaho who was recently elected and installed as president of the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) at the organization’s board of directors meeting on March 5.
Hurst, a former Idaho Grain Producers Association President, has been deeply involved in wheat policy issues for more than a decade. He has served on various NAWG policy committees and the NAWG Budget Committee and was chair of the NAWG/U.S. Wheat Associates/WETEC consolidation committee in 2006.
Weed Management In Direct-Seed Wheat Cropping Systems
Over 100 wheat growers and industry representatives attended the Direct Seed Workshop held recently in Idaho Falls. A variety of presentations provided a wealth of information. Due to requests, the Idaho Wheat Commission will be posting University of Idaho Professor of Weed Science, Donn Thill’s presentation at http://www.idahowheat.org/.
For growers interested in beta testing the herbicide resistance and persistence program click on the following link http://www.hideandfur.com/hpr.
It will be loaded on the Univ. of Idaho website in a couple weeks at this url:
https://marketplace.uidaho.edu/C20272_ustores/web/product_detail.jsp?PRO.
Please direct questions to DTHILL@uidaho.edu.
Global Food Prices Increase for Eighth Consecutive Month
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) expects a tightening of the global cereal supply and demand balance in 2010/11. Global cereal stocks this year are expected to fall sharply because of a decline in inventories of wheat and coarse grains. International cereal prices have increased sharply with export prices of major grains up at least 70 percent from February last year.
The Cereal Price Index, which includes prices of main food staples such as wheat, rice and maize, rose by 3.7 percent in February (254 points), the highest level since July 2008.
The FAO expects winter crops in the northern hemisphere to be generally favorable and forecasts global wheat production to increase by around 3 percent in 2011. The latest estimate for the world cereal production in 2010 is 8 million tons more than was anticipated in December but still slightly below 2009. This month’s upward revision reflects mostly higher estimates for production in Argentina, china and Ethiopia.
The forecast for world cereal utilization in 2010/11 has been revised up by 18 million tons since December. The bulk of the revision reflects adjustments to the feed and industrial utilization of coarse grains. Larger use of corn for ethanol production in the Unites States and statistical adjustments to China’s historical supply and demand balance for maize are the main reasons for the revision.
Ongoing updates from the Idaho Wheat Commission can be found at the IWC website, shown on the link below:
http://www.idahowheat.org/
No comments:
Post a Comment