A team of journalists from Japan were in Nebraska last week, hosted by the Nebraska Corn Board as part of a U.S. Grains Council trade mission. For some, it was the first time they ever saw corn growing in fields. The group visited Darr Feedlot in Cozad, a corn farm in Seward, the Monsanto Water Utilization Learning Center in Gothenberg, Advanced BioEnergy in Fairmont, Bunge Milling in Crete and the University of Nebraska in Lincoln.
Alan Tiemann, chairman of the Nebraska Corn Board, hosted the team on his farm near Lincoln. “They got to see cattle on feed, where distillers grains and corn are fed, and then an ethanol plant where distillers grains is produced,” said Tiemann, pictured here in the blue shirt showing two members of the team a combine. “The new water learning center impressed the team. They found it very educational and it gave them a chance to see a number of seed technologies at one time. The milling operation and stop at the university added to the foundation of U.S. agriculture we provided for the group.”
“Team members were impressed by the high quality of Nebraska corn and the farmers’ use of agronomics and biotechnology to produce an abundant crop more efficiently,” said Tommy Hamamoto, the U.S. Grains Council’s director in Japan, who accompanied the group. “Journalists on the tour have a better understanding as to how U.S. corn is produced and used, which will help them better explain the U.S. grain system in fact-based news articles back home.”
The corn was not quite ready at the 2009 Farm Progress show, but the harvest demonstrations went on as scheduled nonetheless. Farmers are getting eager to get their crops out of the field but it’s just not quite time yet. Driving out to Decatur from mid Missouri, the only fields that seemed to be about ready were around Pittsfield, IL.
The crop could be even bigger than expected, according to some analysts. The Allendale estimate released on Friday predicts higher production than the last USDA forecast, saying that rain and cool weather in August helped to boost yield prospects. Allendale says the corn crop will be 13.127 billion bushels, up 2.9 percent from the USDA’s August forecast and 8.5 percent larger than last year’s harvest of 12.101 billion. Based on grower surveys last month, Allendale is forecasting a corn yield average of over 164 bushels per acre, with a high of 260 in Nebraska and a low of 50 reported in North Dakota.
Between the Allendale estimate and a 13.01 billion figure forecast by Informa Economics, corn fell to the lowest price of the year on Friday. CBOT corn for September closed down 10-1/2 cents at an eight-month low of $3.00-1/2 per bushel, which was down about 6 percent on the week.
While anxious to get the crop harvested, farmers around the Midwest are hoping to avoid a freeze before the beginning of October so they can hold off as long as another month.
The Missouri Corn Growers and the St. Louis Cardinals teamed up for a winning night recently that put corn in the spotlight at Busch Stadium.
Betty Schulze of Troy, Missouri won the honor of tossing out the ceremonial first pitch at the August 29 game against the Washington Nationals. Betty and her husband Jim are grain and livestock farmers and were winners of the Missouri Corn Grand Slam Giveaway, a promotion highlighting the partnership between Missouri Corn and the St. Louis Cardinals Radio Network. The Schulze’s, along with their daughter Paula and her husband Randy Burkemper, were introduced on the field to 40,033 excited fans before Betty threw out the first pitch. The Cards won the game 9-4.
“As big fans of the Cardinals, this was a-once-in-a-lifetime thrill,” said Jim Schulze. “We are grateful to the Missouri Corn Merchandising Council and the St. Louis Cardinals for this wonderful opportunity and for their efforts in educating consumers on the great things corn farmers are doing.”
“We were excited to have the Schulze family represent the state’s 16,000 corn farmers and their families at Busch Stadium,” said Missouri Corn Director of Communications Becky Frankenbach. “Not only was it a great opportunity for this farm family, but the game also highlighted Missouri’s growing corn industry and the great strides our farmers are making in producing the nation’s top crop.”
The Missouri Corn Grand Slam Giveaway was held in conjunction with a summer education campaign with the St. Louis Cardinals Radio Network. Ads featuring the “Food Dude” are being aired on 118 stations during baseball games to inform listeners about the corn farmer’s ability to produce more corn on fewer acres using less fertilizer.
Corn growers nationwide are represented here at the Farm Progress Show by the Illinois Corn Growers Association. New ICGA representative Tricia Braid-Terry, former farm broadcaster, spoke with me about all the things they’re doing in their tent.
Tricia says they’re really focusing a lot of their information on carbon footprinting. In fact, you can follow some very large black footprints around their tent! They’re easy to find with 30+ foot high corn stalks and an E85 blimp hovering over the tent. They also help attendees with submitting comments to EPA about the RFS2.
She says that the National Corn Growers Association and Indiana Corn Growers are also participating in the exhibit. Indiana has their mobile biofuels unit on display.
National Corn Growers Association leader Bart Schott of North Dakota is here at the 2009 Farm Progress Show in Decatur, IL talking with growers and members of the media.
I chatted with him for a few minutes about some of the issues facing corn growers, one of which is the pending EPA decision on the renewable fuel standard. Bart says growers can come by the Illinois Corn Grower tent to make comments on the proposed regulation and they are encouraging them to do so.
Bart says corn growers are also making their voices heard in setting the record straight on the recent TIME Magazine article criticizing modern agriculture. “It’s a continuous battle sometimes with the wrong news out there and we are trying to put that fire out right now,” Bart said.
The biggest challenge facing corn growers right now is the need for patience to finish the corn crop. “We need a few more weeks of really good weather to bring this crop in and if we do it will be the second largest crop ever,” he said.
A team of journalists from Japan were in Nebraska last week, hosted by the Nebraska Corn Board as part of a U.S. Grains Council trade mission. For some, it was the first time they ever saw corn growing in fields. The group visited Darr Feedlot in Cozad, a corn farm in Seward, the Monsanto Water Utilization Learning Center in Gothenberg, Advanced BioEnergy in Fairmont, Bunge Milling in Crete and the University of Nebraska in Lincoln.
Alan Tiemann, chairman of the Nebraska Corn Board, hosted the team on his farm near Lincoln. “They got to see cattle on feed, where distillers grains and corn are fed, and then an ethanol plant where distillers grains is produced,” said Tiemann, pictured here in the blue shirt showing two members of the team a combine. “The new water learning center impressed the team. They found it very educational and it gave them a chance to see a number of seed technologies at one time. The milling operation and stop at the university added to the foundation of U.S. agriculture we provided for the group.”
The corn was not quite ready at the 2009 Farm Progress show, but the harvest demonstrations went on as scheduled nonetheless. Farmers are getting eager to get their crops out of the field but it’s just not quite time yet. Driving out to Decatur from mid Missouri, the only fields that seemed to be about ready were around Pittsfield, IL.
Betty Schulze of Troy, Missouri won the honor of tossing out the ceremonial first pitch at the August 29 game against the Washington Nationals. Betty and her husband Jim are grain and livestock farmers and were winners of the Missouri Corn Grand Slam Giveaway, a promotion highlighting the partnership between Missouri Corn and the St. Louis Cardinals Radio Network. The Schulze’s, along with their daughter Paula and her husband Randy Burkemper, were introduced on the field to 40,033 excited fans before Betty threw out the first pitch. The Cards won the game 9-4.
Corn growers nationwide are represented here at the Farm Progress Show by the Illinois Corn Growers Association. New ICGA representative 
I chatted with him for a few minutes about some of the issues facing corn growers, one of which is the pending EPA decision on the renewable fuel standard. Bart says growers can come by the Illinois Corn Grower tent to make comments on the proposed regulation and they are encouraging them to do so. 