Soybean Gall Midge-An Insect We Happily Did Not Find in Illinois During 2020
01/01/2021
It’s not here yet, but there’s a new soybean pest approaching on the distant western horizon. Illinois entomologists were part of a project to survey for it in Illinois during the 2020 growing season. Resseliella maxima Gagne´(Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), the soybean gall midge (SGM) is a newly-identified pest capable of causing heavy damage in soybean (Gagne´ et …
How to Dispose of a Real Christmas Tree
01/01/2021
Adam Janke, assistant professor in natural resources ecology and management and extension wildlife specialist at Iowa State University, offers these special tips for getting rid of your live Christmas tree after the holiday season. Trees can be disposed of in many different ways. One way to dispose of your tree is to drop it off …
IFES 2020-2021 Market Outlook for Corn and Soybeans
12/30/2020
This is a presentation summary from the 2020 virtual Illinois Farm Economics Summit (IFES). A video of the webinar and PowerPoint Slides (PDF) are available here. The corn and soybean markets have been on a tear since bottoming in mid-August. Both markets have increased over 30% in just three months. This is certainly a welcome change …
The New COVID Relief Bill – What’s in it for USDA?
12/28/2020
Just in time for Christmas, Congress delivered quite a package this morning by passing new COVID-19 relief legislation. President Trump is expected to sign the bill soon. Buried in the 5,593 pages of the legislation is an allocation of nearly $11.2 billion dollars to the USDA. A large portion of the USDA funds will provide …
Food Safety Tips for the Holidays
12/23/2020
Feasting with family is part of many holiday celebrations. Follow these simple tips to help prevent food poisoning, or foodborne illness, during the holidays. Cook food thoroughly. Meat, chicken, turkey, seafood, and eggs can carry germs that cause food poisoning. Use a food thermometer to ensure these foods have been cooked to a safe internal …
Congress Passes COVID Relief Stimulus Package, with Agricultural and Nutrition Provisions
12/23/2020
Emily Cochrane reported on the front page of Tuesday’s New York Times that, “Congress on Monday night overwhelmingly approved a $900 billion stimulus package that would send billions of dollars to American households and businesses grappling with the economic and health toll of the pandemic. “Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said hundreds of dollars in direct payments could begin reaching individual Americans …
Brazil in “Advanced” Talks with China to Boost Corn Sales as China’s Hog Herd Rebuilds
12/22/2020
Last week, Bloomberg writers Isis Almeida, Samy Adghirni, and Tatiana Freitas reported that, “Brazil is close to an agreement that would allow the world’s second-largest corn exporter to boost sales of the grain to China, a move that could threaten the U.S.’s dominance, according to people familiar with the matter. “Talks between the governments of Brazil and …
The Impact of Preseason La Niña Episodes on Corn and Soybean Yields in Brazil and Argentina
12/22/2020
There is considerable interest in the likely magnitude of South American corn and soybean production in 2021, with much of the current focus on weather developments influencing yield prospects. The December USDA WASDE forecasts for Brazil corn and soybean production are 4.330 and 4.887 billion bushels, respectively. Argentina corn and soybean production projections currently sit at 1.968 …
Iowa Farmland Value Grows 1.7% Since 2019
12/17/2020
A news release Tuesday from the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development at Iowa State University and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach indicated that, “Favorable interest rates, a strong demand for land, and substantial government payments helped stabilize Iowa’s farmland market in a year in which Iowa’s farmers faced the destructive onslaught of a derecho, significant uncertainties in US agricultural trade, and a …
Revisiting South American Corn and Soybean Yield Trends and Risks
12/17/2020
South America is a major contributor to global production and trade of corn and soybeans. For example, the latest USDA WASDE report indicates Brazil is expected to produce 37 percent of global soybean production in the 2020/21 marketing year and Argentina is expected to produce 14 percent, or just over half of global production between …