Scotty Hingtgen's land auction experience

You know the saying ......"there's no friends at an auction". They are for  the most part  right. I found tonight that I had some neighbor's who could have bid against me and they didn't. Had people who I thought were friends, found out they weren't !

On a family farm auction. As long as they can sleep at night, that's all that matters I guess.

July Weather

Dave Fogel (@ATI_DaveFogel) tweeted at 9:04 AM on Fri, Aug 02, 2013: July unofficially ranked #6 driest and #12 coolest since 1960 across the key region of Illinois-Indiana-Iowa. #corn #soybeans

Potash sector rocked as Russia's Uralkali quits cartel

As seen on http://uk.news.yahoo.com/potash-sector-rocked-russias-uralkali-quits-cartel-160552423.html

By Polina Devitt and Natalia Shurmina

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's Uralkali quit one of the world's two big potash cartels on Tuesday, heralding a price war for the key crop nutrient and pummelling the shares of companies that produce it.
The break-up of the Belarusian Potash Company (BPC), a joint venture with Belarussian partner Belaruskali, leaves North America's Canpotex as the dominant potash export venture.
It could lead to cancellations of projects by rivals as the industry weighs the effect of lower prices, but may bring better deals for farmers.
"It is as if Saudi Arabia decided to leave OPEC - oil prices would fall immediately," said Dmitry Ryzhkov, equity sales trader at Renaissance Capital.
In negotiations with big buyers like India and China, BPC and Canpotex usually settled for deals at similar prices, and they had no qualms about turning off the supply spigot when the buyers looked likely to gain the upper hand. Together the two accounted for almost 70 percent of global potash sales.
That clubby system is now under threat after a falling out between BPC's members. Uralkali promised to bolster production and sales, even as potash prices are already in decline.
U.S.-listed shares of the Canpotex owners - Potash Corp of Saskatchewan, Mosaic Co and Agrium Inc - plummeted, cutting their market value by nearly $12 billion (7.8 billion pounds) by early afternoon.
In the last few years, BPC and Canpotex raised potash prices well above their production cost, a senior official at a major Indian potash firm said, asking not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter.
"It hurt Indian companies, Indian farmers and the Indian government," the official said. "The break-up will limit their power ... Certainly this will bring down potash prices."
Uralkali is pulling out of the venture after reaching "deadlock" over sales and will export potash via its Swiss-based Uralkali Trading, chief executive Vladislav Baumgertner said.
"In the near future we expect (global) competition to become stronger - that will push prices down," Baumgertner said.
The decision to quit BPC may cut the global potash price to below $300 per tonne in the second half of 2013, from the current $400, Uralkali said. Lower fertilizer prices could mean rising demand from price-sensitive farmers in Asia.
Shares of Uralkali, part-owned by tycoon Suleiman Kerimov, plunged 19 percent, prompting the Moscow bourse to suspend trading in the stock.
Shares of Germany's K+S, a rival fertilizer firm, sank by 24 percent to a six-year low.
Potash Corp shares fell 19 percent, while Mosaic and Agrium lost 18 and 5 percent respectively. Agrium's fall was less steep as it is more focused on nitrogen production than potash.
Farmers would be big winners from a drop in potash prices, although grain prices are also key to their profits, said Charles Neivert, analyst at Cowen Securities.
"You've got the Brazilian season coming up and (farmers) are licking their chops on this one."
Uralkali will now look to boost sales to retain its dividend policy. It plans to boost potash sales to 13 million tonnes in 2014 and 14 million tonnes in 2015 from 10.5 million tonnes this year by expanding market share in China, India and Brazil.
It plans to export more than 2.5 million tonnes to China this year, up from 2 million in 2012.
However, it will be harder to win business in India as companies there have already signed import deals for 4 million tonnes, said a senior official at state-run Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Ltd, declining to be named.
A new emphasis on volume by Uralkali may force Canpotex to consider the same strategy, instead of carefully matching production levels to demand.
The second-biggest Canpotex producer, Mosaic, said on Tuesday that it's too soon to change course, and it doesn't see Canpotex crumbling.
"It seems there's a feud underway between Uralkali and Belaruskali and the rest of the industry's caught up," said Mosaic Chief Financial Officer Larry Stranghoener. "We're still trying to sort out what Uralkali intends to do, which may be different from what it says it will do."

NEW PROJECTS
The price fall could cause new potash projects to be delayed or cancelled, Raffeisenbank analyst Konstantin Yuminov said.
Miner BHP Billiton plans the world's largest potash mine in Western Canada, with a 2017 opening date for the $14 billion Jansen mine.
BHP is expected to take a decision on the Jansen project this fiscal year. Rival industry executives have questioned the project's profitability at current price levels.
BHP declined to comment on the impact of Uralkali's move.
Uralkali said it would delay its Polovodovsky mine, which would cost an estimated $2.4 billion to build and increase its capacity by 2.5 million tonnes. Other projects cancelled or delayed include the $6 billion Rio Colorado potash project in Argentina, which Brazilian miner Vale quit this year.

VOLATILITY
The BPC news came days after Uralkali said shareholder Alexander Nesis had sold his 5 percent stake. Uralkali said it would freeze its buyback programme due to likely volatility in its stock.
Uralkali, with costs of around $60 per tonne, said global prices were likely to be kept above $200 per tonne, supported by European and North American operators that have higher costs.
Potash is the main export product for Belarus, Russia's staunchest ally among the former Soviet republics whose economy is stagnating after a financial crisis in 2011.
Belaruskali was a partner to Uralkali for eight years in BPC, which once held 43 percent of the global potash export market. Uralkali was at one point rumoured to be interested in buying a stake in Belaruskali - which now looks unlikely.
Their joint venture started to crumble this year as rumours emerged that both were selling potash outside the partnership. The two firms previously denied those rumours.
Uralkali said it pulled out because Belaruskali had made key fertilizer ingredient deliveries outside the partnership.
The decision came as a surprise for Belaruskali, said a top manager who asked not to be identified. According to Uralkali's CEO, the company had informed Belaruskali verbally on Monday and then formally on Tuesday. Belaruskali and BPC did not comment.
(Additional reporting by Zlata Garasyuta and Victoria Andreeva in Moscow, Andrei Makhovsky in Minsk, Rajendra Jadhav in New Delhi, Clara Ferreira-Marques in London, Niluksi Koswanage in Kuala Lumpur, Henrik Stolen in Oslo, and Rod Nickel in Winnipeg; Writing by Polina Devitt and Megan Davies; Editing by Timothy Heritage, Dale Hudson and Andrew Hay)

View from above

Chip Flory (@ChipFlory) tweeted at 0:21 PM on Tue, Jul 30, 2013: This is what you can't see from the road. This is probably one of IA's good to excellent fields when viewed from road

2013 Benton County Fair | Res. Grand Champion Steer

Reserve Grand Champion Market Steer
2013 Benton County Fair
Shown by Chase Dunbar- Vinton, IA

Sired by Monopoly
Sold by Pete Burmeister

Congrats Chase, Robin & Bob!!

 

From Jason Orr | Buchanan County, IA

Which will yield better? Root growth hormone may actually pay off this year??

From Rob Rudolphi | Iowa County, IA

Spraying fungicide Sunday morning. Guarantee this is the warmest setting the sprayer heater has ever seen!

Tried buying physical new crop corn lately?

neal brenneman (@sweetnectarfarm) tweeted at 8:14 PM on Mon, Jul 29, 2013: Tried to buy physical new crop corn today. I felt like a Jehovah witness giving a power point presentation about Amway.

Plane Ride

Peter Meyer (@openingprint) tweeted at 5:35 AM on Mon, Jul 29, 2013: I come to IA for the weather. A lovely 48F here in Rowley this morning. Time to jump in a plane and see how big the field holes are.

Rainfall | Jackson County, IA

4/10 " Jackson County. Heard of 8/10" western jackson county.

Rainfall Rowley, IA

2" in Southern Buchanan County, IA

Rainfall Garrison, IA | Dawn Flickinger

2 3/4" in Garrison, IA overnight | Benton County, IA

Iowa will have to import corn

Ethanol, livestock need more than smaller crop will yield, analyst says

Written by

Perry Beeman

Iowa, the nation’s king of corn production, will have to import some of the prized kernels because this season’s dicey crop won’t meet demand, an analyst said Tuesday.

A couple obig reasons: ethanol plants are returning to full production and livestock operations are growing and need more feed.

Ross Korves, economic policy analyst for Michigan-based ProExporter Network, said it’s a rare situation that comes because flooding delayed spring planting, and a year earlier, drought shriveled the state’s usual shining yields.

Korves addressed the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation’s Economic Summit at Iowa State University.

This year’s Iowa corn forecasts are running at a reduced 149 bushels an acre, better than last year’s 137 but far lower than the goals that easily run into the 180s, Korves said. As it stands, Iowa is expected to come in below the projected national average of 152 bushels per acre.

“A whole lot of people are worried about what is going on in Iowa,” Korves said.

A drop in corn prices brought ethanol plants back toward full production, and livestock operations, with the exception of cattle, are expanding at least modestly.

That increases demand for corn, used for animal feed and converted to ethanol. Korves said Iowa will end up buying 221 million bushels of corn, most likely from other states, not from other countries. Iowa is expected to grow about 2 billion bushels of corn.

No bordering state is in Iowa’s predicament. All will end up with net exports of corn, from 584 million bushels leaving Illinois to the 63 million shipped from Wisconsin.

With Iowa using so much of its own corn, the nation now looks to North Dakota to help build reserves. But that state left 4.4 million acres unplanted this spring — double the initial federal estimate and far more than Iowa’s 200,000 to 400,000 unplanted acres — due to weather difficulties, Korves said. “That’s an astronomical number,” he added.

The 4.4 million is equivalent to one-fifth of North Dakota’s 22 million crop acres.

Iowa’s poultry and pork projection is expected to jump up a percentage point or two, but cattle production continues to drop, said economist John Anderson of the American Farm Bureau Federation.

That means continued high beef prices, and consumers are noticing, Anderson said. Some are choosing cheaper meats.

“We still have consumers who are exceedingly cost-conscious,” Anderson said. “Demand has been good but not phenomenal.”

Anderson expects beef production to drop more over the next year or two before rebounding.

Jeff MacKenzie of Orascom, which is building a large fertilizer plant near Wever, predicted the central U.S. will begin to dominate the market. Fertilizer prices should settle in at $400 a ton, down from $700, he added.

“The U.S. went from having the most expensive natural gas in the world to having the cheapest,” MacKenzie said. Natural gas is used to make anhydrous ammonia, a common corn fertilizer.

Partly because of that, he expects corn to hover around $4.37 a bushel most of the time, but it will be higher now and then.

 

 

Gray Leaf Spot Start | From Tim Harbaugh- Agrigold Seed NE Iowa

Very small lesions found but a little bit is starting.

From Shane Beatty | Independence, IA

Thought of your blog when I seen this.

 

Shane Beatty

Burco Sales

1537 Kentucky Ave.

Independence, IA 50644

319.334.6682 or 319.334.4717

Al Kluis is attempting to get a film produced about the American farm family.  Please check out below and if you feel compelled, assist if you can.  Thanks in advance!

 

As you may know, we have been working on our "Against The Grain" TV project for the last few years to bring the story of our country's farmers to the American public. Here's the latest step: A Kickstarter Campaign until August 2, to fund a web series. (Click http://kck.st/11aFzEj.) Our goal is to show we have hundreds of people interested in telling the story of farming. We encourage you to forward our Kickstarter link to anyone you think might be (or should be) interested in our TV show. American farming thanks you!

 

Maquoketa, IA Parade | Great to be a Farmer

Little Dairy Princesses in Jackson County Parade. They along with 10 others handed out 500 cheese sticks on 2 hour parade route in Maquoketa, Iowa. I drove the truck and seen and heard a lot of people yell and jump up for cheese. Felt pretty good to be a farmer.

From Tim Harbaugh | Agrigold Seed Specialist

Japanese beetle seem to be showing up more South of Hwy 20, but we need to be on the lookout for them everywhere.
The rootworm beetles have been slower coming, but we also need to be on the lookout for them.

From Adam White | Pioneer Seed Pro

First plane I have seen spraying. NE of Center Point, IA

From Erin Burmeister | Hell on Wheels

Gives a whole new meaning to hell on wheels!

Cow Calf News

News 10 new results for Cow Calf

Drylot beef cow production a viable option AG Week For the drylot system part of this study, researchers confine cow-calf pairs to a feedlot pen during the summer until crop residue is available for cows to graze in the fall. The drylot calves are weaned at that time. Pasture calves are weaned in late ... See all stories on this topic »

How To Put Up Hay Faster Beef Magazine It's more important than ever to get hay dry and packaged well with speed, says Clif Little, an Ohio State University Extension educator. Cutting and drying hay quickly is always important, he says. But this year's late start due to weather challenges ... See all stories on this topic »

Calf rescued from riverside ordeal Burton Mail Calf rescued from riverside ordeal. A young cow trying to grab a cooling drink from a river in the hot weather had to be rescued by firefighters when it got stuck in the mud. The nine-month-old Belgian blue got stuck trying to reach the River Hamble ... See all stories on this topic »

Beef industry about to make a slow turn CattleNetwork.com These finished cattle prices, along with lower feed prices, should propel calf prices back to $1.75 per pound and higher. Finished cattle prices are expected to trade in the low $120s per hundredweight in the third quarter, but move to the higher $120s ... See all stories on this topic »

Take the mystery out of mineral nutrition CattleNetwork.com Proper mineral and vitamin nutrition contributes to strong immune systems, reproductive performance, and calf weight gain. A properly balanced mineral program requires consideration of previous cow and calf mineral nutrition, hay or pasture forage ... See all stories on this topic »

4 Beef Cattle Stories In The News This Week Beef Magazine Do you worry about cattle rustlers in your area? What precautions do you take to ward off theft? 2. Mini Panda Calf The Newest "Fluffy Cow" In Town. Some call it odd; others call it a rarity. "Peanut" is a miniature Panda calf (a rare breed of ... See all stories on this topic »

AP-ID--Intermountain Grain & Livestock, ID Sacramento Bee Slaughter and feeder cows 58.50-79.00; bred cows none/hd; cow-calf pairs 1000-1430; slaughter and feeder bulls 76.00-88.50; heavy feeder steers 108.00-147.50; light feeder steers 151.00-159.00; stocker feeder steers 181.00-189.00; heavy feeder heifers ... See all stories on this topic »

Idaho Beef Council elects officers Capital Press The IBC board of directors is an eight-member board with representatives from the cow/calf industry, dairy industry, feeder industry, and auction markets. IBC board members are peer nominated and governor appointed and serve three-year terms. See all stories on this topic »

Boonville-Oneida County Fair kicks off week of fun, festivities Rome Sentinel HOSING DOWN — Shelby Coon, 14, of Vernon Center, hoses down her calf, Taylor today outside the cow barn at the Boonville-Oneida County Fair. Coon represents the Burnslin Farm. (Sentinel photos by John Clifford). A CARESS FOR GOOD LUCK ... See all stories on this topic »

The tiny new born-cow promising big things at Barleylands This is Total Essex A dwarf of the cow world, the black male calf is as of yet unnamed but is proving to be quite a character. Mr Finkle said: "His mother is shy and protective but he is already brave. "I'm really fond of Dexters – my grandmother bought me one for my ... See all stories on this topic »

Web 5 new results for Cow Calf

AVMA Convention: Nutrition biggest area vets can aid cow/calf ... Many factors influence profits on cow/calf operations, but vets can have the most influence by guiding nutrition programs. feedstuffs.com/story-avma-convention-nutrition-biggest-area-...

Cow/Calf Seminar | Marathon County Cow/Calf Seminar. 16. Jul, 2013. Oct 22, 2013. 401 Dewey Dr. Stevens Point, WI 54482. Registration and Meal 4 PM. Program 4:30-9:00 PM. A Seminar Series ... marathon.uwex.edu/2013/07/16/cowcalf-seminar/

Bull Fertility More Important Now Than Ever | Cow-Calf content from ... Researchers' genetic diversity study aims to help producers improve herd management and breeding decisions. beefmagazine.com/cow.../bull-fertility-more-important-now-e...

San Angelo, TX Cattle And Calf Auction - Cattle Network SA_LS150 San Angelo, TX Thu Jul 18, 2013 USDA Market News Producers Livestock Auction Co Report, San Angelo, Texas Cattle and Calf Auction: Close and ... www.cattlenetwork.com/.../San-Angelo--TX--Cattle-And-Calf-...

Assorted Ideas: The cow and the calf The soul relates to God in a very special way. Read the story to find out more. ideaassortment.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-cow-and-calf.html

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3rd Week July Crop Conditions | Scott Hingtgen- Jackson County, IA

E.C. Iowa: things are looking good in my area despite temps in the 90's and heat index's in the 95-100F range for the last week . Corn is just starting to tassel around here. most will start here in the next week. Corn is starting to roll on the lighter ground in spots(seen more to the south). We were lucky to catch .8-1" rain a week ago Monday/Tuesday morning. Last planted beans are knee high and looking good. No real bug pressure yet. Did hear of Japanese beetles west of here. Some are putting in insecticide and fungicide with 2nd pass spray. Did have to spray 3rd crop hay for leaf hoppers. As I have been saying all year.....we are very lucky in my area and still feel for those of you who went from flooding to a drought.

1st picture is 30" corn planted 5-17-30.

2nd picture is 15" corn(40K population,100 day) planted May 1.

3rd & 4th pictures are the last field of beans planted 6-4-13.

Buchanan County Fair | Grand Champion Heifer

Grand Champion Heifer
2013 Buchanan County Fair
Shown by Luke Lawless

Sired by Monopoly x Draftpick/ 602 Angus
Raised by Burmeister Farms

CONGRATS LUKE & TJ!!

Japanese Beetle Feeding & Pollination | Tim Harbaugh, Agrigold Seed

Be on the lookout for Japanese Beetle (and rootworm beetle) feeding on corn as the silks start to emerge in the next while.
Call me if you have questions.

Thanks,

Tim
563-580-1212

Benton County, IA | Land Auction Results | From John Holst

Benton County Land Auction Results

Sold for $270,000 or $3,000 per acre

https://mail.google.com/mail/g/?view=att&th=13ff3891430cc809&attid=0.3&disp=emb&zw&atsh=1

90 acres m/l of Benton County farmland, located in Section 10, Bruce Township. Farm provides a good balance of crop and recreational land. Ideal property for those looking for a recreational farm with income potential located near the Cedar Falls/Waterloo area.

Wise Investment?

Jerod McDaniel (@jerodmcdaniel) tweeted at 9:32 PM on Thu, Jul 18, 2013: “@AbandonedPics: Abandoned excavator http://t.co/BfaT5YqOd1” This is your $400k combine in 60 years.... wise investment.

Strange field | Wabash, IN

Jason Webster (@jwebstercilpfr) tweeted at 3:36 PM on Thu, Jul 18, 2013: Flew over this corn field near Wabash, IN this morning. Very strange.......

Re-Spraying

Ted Hamer (@TedHamer1) tweeted at 6:56 PM on Thu, Jul 18, 2013: Having to re-spray some seedcorn. Water hemp came back through the #impact. Toughest weed by far. Hitting a lot of beans with #cobra too

Viagra

Ian Berry (@ianberry) tweeted at 7:25 PM on Tue, Jul 16, 2013: #KCFedAg dinner speaker Michael Swanson: "Last we'll talk about ethanol policy, or as they call it in Iowa, 'Viagra'"