Agriculture - Articles - Zimbio

New Blogs Address Current Food Issues

Fri, 28 Jun 2008 22:26:00 GMT

posted by mus302
There are two new blogs that have recently started that deal with the current food issues.

As we all know commodity prices have been increasing and that many food manufacturers have made the claim that ethanol is to blame. And while the extent to which ethanol is responsible for higher food prices is up for debate, this could also be the perfect situation for food manufactures to increase prices in excess of what input costs dictate in order to increase their profits. Food Before Profit attempts to hold food manufacturers accountable for such practices.

Food Price Truth was developed to counter the public relations campaign being waged against biofuels by the Grocery Manufacturers Association. Their goal is to provide a clearinghouse of information designed to set the record straight on the domestic and worldwide food crisis.

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Beef's Beef with Lester Brown

Tue, 11 Jun 2008 09:06:00 GMT

posted by foodandfuelamerica
The Grocery Manufacturers Association has cobbled together a consortium of odd bedfellows in its battle to blame food cost increases on ethanol: giant multi-national food corporations, extremest environmentalists and agricultural trade groups.

So it's surprising to read that the National Cattlemen's Beef Association has joined lock-step with Lester Brown's prediction that biofuels is fueling world poverty:

“Food-to-fuel policies led to expanded corn planting, which set off a cascade of changing land use at home and around the world that threatens crucial ecosystems. At the same time, global food price spikes are destabilizing nations and driving millions of people deeper into poverty. We cannot afford to ignore these impacts any longer.” - GMA-FoodBeforeFuel press release, June 10, 2008

Dr. Brown is no stranger agriculture. Or to prediction end-of-world food scenarios. A quick look over at the Cattlemen's website shows what others have long known about his "predictions". And very interesting to see what the Cattlemen think too:

It should be noted that Brown has been predicting food security crises for more than 20 years and has yet to be correct in any prediction. - National Cattlemen's Beef Association

Source: BeefUSA.org, Grocery Manufacturers Association - Food Before Fuel

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USDA Report Assesses 2008 Corn Acres

Mon, 1 Jul 2008 12:59:00 GMT

posted by foodandfuelamerica
Despite the recent flooding in the Midwest and a slow start to planting in some areas of the country, U.S. farmers expect to harvest nearly 79 million acres of corn according to the Acreage report released this week by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

The updated report shows U.S. farmers planted 87.3 million acres of corn in 2008, the second largest area since 1946. Of that area, growers expect to harvest 78.9 million acres for grain, the second largest area since 1944.

It's clear that farmers have responded to the marketplace and planted more corn. Despite the severe weather, corn acreage will be higher than anticipated earlier in the year. And with corn stocks and supplies higher than last year at this time, the market is working and US agriculture is responding to help feed the country and the world.

NASS collected the initial data for the annual Acreage report during the first two weeks of June, before the majority of the flooding occurred in the Midwest. In an effort to more accurately determine how much of the planted area producers still intend to harvest for grain, NASS re-interviewed 1,150 farmers last week in flood-affected areas of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin.

“While many farmers are still assessing their damage and their options, this re-interview process provided a first look at how much of the planted corn and soybeans may remain standing for harvest,” said Carol House, chair of NASS’s Agricultural Statistics Board. “And what we are seeing is that the ratio of acres intended for harvest, compared to acres originally planted, is off about 2 percent from what we would have expected prior the floods.”

Source: USDA NASS

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Distillers Grains offer farmers a choice of lower cost high protein feed supplements.

Sat, 15 Jun 2008 06:22:00 GMT

posted by mus302
While corn is currently selling at $233 per ton in Iowa based on recent cash bids, distillers grains are currently being sold direct from the ethanol plants at around $165 per ton (ddgs), and $40 per ton for wet (wdgs). That is a pretty good savings on a high protein (32%) over current prices for soy meal protein which is currently at $409.00 per ton.

Many of the beef and dairy farmers in my area grow their own corn, so corn prices do not concern them that much. However a cheaper substitute to soy meal would be a welcome sight. Hopefully some of distillers by-products will find their way down to the mountain state from some of the new nearby ethanol plants in Ohio.

Related Posts:

Poultry Producer Pilgrim Prompts Perry's Political Punch

Thu, 4 Jul 2008 18:32:00 GMT

posted by foodandfuelamerica
Or, "How Big Chicken Bought Texas Governor's Action".

In this report on CBSNews.com, it's reported that Texas Governor Rick Perry took action to request a waiver from the RFS after a $100,000 donation was made by Bo Pilgrim of Pilgrims Pride.

The report noted the investigation by the Houston Chronicle:

"Gov. Rick Perry's request for a waiver of federal corn-based ethanol production mandates was prompted by a March meeting he had with East Texas poultry producer Lonnie 'Bo' Pilgrim, who six days later gave $100,000 to the Republican Governors Association chaired by Perry,"

It's no wonder that many American's have such low regard for their elected leaders. Rather than looking at the real issues involved with food costs, the Governor appears to have sided with a political contribution.

Source: CBSNews

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Food Before Profit
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