Wednesday April 4 Ag News

UNL Students Hope Husker Food Connection Event Will Raise Awareness About Agriculture!

Students from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources will be educating their fellow students about agriculture Tuesday, April 10 at a new event called the Husker Food Connection.

"There is a huge public disconnect about where our food comes from and how important Nebraska agriculture is to Nebraska's economy. We wanted to start right here on campus to dispel myths about agriculture, answer questions and hopefully get a conversation started about our food and fiber system," Kristin Witte, a student leader for the event said April 9.

The event will be held on UNL’s city campus and is a great opportunity to have students from the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources talk about our food system. They also plan on emphasizing the important role agriculture plays in the state's economy.

"When agriculture does well, then everything does well. We have such low unemployment in Nebraska because of the jobs provided by people working in agriculture. Statistics show that one in three jobs comes from agriculture and that is impressive," Witte said.

The Husker Food Connection will be a combination of fun, food and learning.  The event goes from 10:30a.m. - 3:00p.m on Tuesday, April 10th 2012.  Students can eat lunch, interact with agriculture facts, ride a mechanical bull, see livestock, take part in farm chores and sign up to win a FREE iPad.

"The cool thing about this event is that it is organized by students with a passion for agriculture. It is time for us to connect with other students and share our food stories. While we are talking about food and the importance agriculture has on our daily lives, we are also creating a fun atmosphere in the process.  Those of us in CASNR ultimately want our fellow Huskers to know what we grow," Witte said.

The event is co-sponsored by CASNR and the Alliance for the Future of Agriculture in Nebraska, a collaborative effort to support Nebraska Agriculture awareness.



CASNR Week Offers Up 'Dream Big' Theme

"Dream Big" is the theme for this year's celebration of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources April 11-22.

Students, alumni, faculty, staff and community members are all invited to join the annual celebration, said Ellen Hoffschneider, a junior agricultural journalism major from Arlington and the chair of publicity for the CASNR Week Program Council.

"CASNR week is a week of celebrating the college and the accomplishments of students and faculty," Hoffschneider said.

CASNR Week kicks off April 14 with the 5 K Fun Run and the Burr Hall Bull Fry.  The Fun Run is open to all students, faculty and staff; sign up is 8:30 a.m. and the race will begin at 9 a.m. on the East Campus Loop. The Burr Hall Bull Fry is a benefit for the family of Amanda Yrkoski. Yrkoski has a stage four cancerous brain tumor. Food and games are the highlight with all proceeds to support the family.

The CASNR Week Recognition Banquet will be April 15. This banquet is for all CASNR faculty, staff and students. Keynote speaker will be Aaron Davis, of Aaron Davis Presentations.

Other highlights include:
-- The Love Hall Chili Feed will be from 5-7 p.m. on April 11.
-- The Alpha Gamma Rho and Sigma Alpha barbecue will be April 19 from 5-8 p.m.
      
All events are free and at the Nebraska East Union on UNL's East Campus, unless otherwise noted. A full schedule of events follows:
April 11 -- 5:30 p.m., Love Hall Chili Feed, Love Hall
April 13 - 7 p.m.-midnight, Bull-A-Thon Team Bowling, Nebraska East Union Bowling Alley
April 14 -- 8:30 a.m., registration, 9 a.m. 5 K Fun Run, East Campus Loop
April 14 -- 4-8 p.m., Burr Hall Bull Fry, all proceeds to Amanda Yrkoski family
April 14 -- 9 p.m.-midnight, Steer Stomp, free dance hosted by Student Involvement
April 15 -- 4 p.m., Alpha Zeta initiation; 4 p.m., Student Involvement Reception; 4 p.m., CASNR Week International Studies Reception; 5 p.m., CASNR Week Recognition Banquet
April 16 -- 9 a.m.-3 p.m., CASNR Week Blood Drive sponsored by Nebraska Community Blood Bank
April 16 -- 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Monsanto Interactive Trailer, south of L.W. Chase Hall
April 17 -- 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Monsanto Interactive Trailer, south of L.W. Chase Hall
April 17 -- 11 a.m.-1 p.m., lunch on the Lawn; 5-7 p.m., Community Night
April 18 -- Noon-12:50 p.m., CASNR Club Adviser Luncheon
April 19 -- Noon-1 p.m., Undergraduate TA Luncheon; 5-8 p.m., Alpha Gamma Rho and Sigma Alpha Barbeque, Alpha Gamma Rho parking lot, $5.
April 19 -- 7:30 p.m., UNL Rodeo, Lancaster Event Center, college night performance sponsored by Uncle Ron's, dance following at Uncle Ron's with 32 Below
April 20 - 7:30 p.m., UNL Rodeo, Lancaster Event Center, performance sponsored by Rainy Lake Stables
April 21 -- 1:30 p.m., UNL Rodeo, Lancaster Event Center, performance sponsored by Nebraska Travel and Tourism; Noon, Kids Day, children 12 and under get in free
April 21 - 7:30 p.m., UNL Rodeo, Lancaster Event Center, performance sponsored by Nebraska Travel and Tourism
April 22 - 1:30 p.m., UNL Rodeo, Lancaster Event Center, veteran's day performance sponsored by the Fort Western Outfitters, veterans/military with ID get for $5

Rodeo tickets are $8 in advance and $12 at the door, ages 6-12 are $5, ages 5 and under are free. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Lancaster Event Center and Fort Western Outfitters.

For more information about CASNR Week, contact Susan Voss, CASNR student development and events coordinator at 402-472-0609.



Sign-Up and Re-Enrollment Deadline Extended For CRP General Sign-Up 43

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Bruce Nelson today announced that the sign-up deadline for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) has been extended to April 13, 2012.

"Due to strong interest in CRP, the decision was made to extend CRP sign-up 43 for an additional week. I encourage all eligible farmers and ranchers to take advantage of this opportunity to participate in CRP,” said Nelson. "Whether new enrollees or re-enrolling existing CRP contracts, producers who sign up for CRP help to conserve land and improve our soil, water, air and wildlife habitat resources."

After the CRP general sign-up ends on April 13, FSA will evaluate offers based on cost and the Environmental Benefits Index (EBI). The EBI takes into consideration variables such as wildlife habitat, water quality protection, soil erosion reduction, air quality protection and other enduring benefits. Accepted offers will become effective Oct. 1, 2012.

CRP is a voluntary program available to agricultural producers to help them use environmentally sensitive land for conservation benefits. Producers enrolled in CRP plant long-term, resource-conserving covers to improve the quality of water, control soil erosion and develop wildlife habitat. In return, USDA provides participants with rental payments and cost-share assistance. Contract duration is between 10 and 15 years. Producers with expiring contracts and producers with environmentally sensitive land are encouraged to evaluate their options under CRP.

CRP has a 25-year legacy of successfully protecting the nation's natural resources through voluntary participation, while providing significant economic and environmental benefits to rural communities across the United States. Currently, about 30 million acres are enrolled in CRP.

CRP continues to make major contributions to national efforts to improve water and air quality, prevent soil erosion by protecting the most sensitive areas including those prone to flash flooding and runoff. At the same time, CRP has helped increase populations of pheasants, quail, ducks, and other rare species, like the sage grouse, the lesser prairie chicken, and others. Highlights of CRP include:

CRP has restored more than two million acres of wetlands and two million acres of riparian buffers;

Each year, CRP keeps more than 600 million pounds of nitrogen and more than 100 million pounds of phosphorous from flowing into our nation’s streams, rivers, and lakes.

CRP provides $1.8 billion annually to landowners—dollars that make their way into local economies, supporting small businesses and creating jobs; and

CRP is the largest private lands carbon sequestration program in the country. By placing vulnerable cropland into conservation, CRP sequesters carbon in plants and soil, and reduces both fuel and fertilizer usage. In 2010, CRP resulted in carbon sequestration equal to taking almost 10 million cars off the road.

In 2011, USDA enrolled a record number of acres of private working lands in conservation programs, working with more than 500,000 farmers and ranchers to implement conservation practices that clean the air we breathe, filter the water we drink, and prevent soil erosion. Moreover, the Obama Administration, with Agriculture Secretary Vilsack’s leadership, has worked tirelessly to strengthen rural America, implement the Farm Bill, maintain a strong farm safety net, and create opportunities for America’s farmers and ranchers. U.S. agriculture is currently experiencing one of its most productive periods in American history thanks to the productivity, resiliency, and resourcefulness of our producers.

Producers are encouraged to contact their local FSA service center or visit FSA’s website at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/crp for additional information regarding CRP.



NGFA Urges Senate to Reform CRP While Drafting New Farm Bill

The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) is urging the Senate Agriculture Committee to implement fundamental reforms to the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) as it begins drafting the 2012 farm bill this month. 

While supporting continued use of the CRP to protect truly environmentally sensitive lands, the NGFA said current federal budget pressures make it imperative to allocate farm program spending in ways that provide sufficient funding for federal crop insurance and conservation programs for working farmlands.  The NGFA said there is "compelling evidence" that millions of acres of productive farmland currently idled in the CRP are suitable for row-crop production and are needed to meet growing demand for food, feed, biofuels and exports. 

The NGFA cited a Natural Resources Inventory report published in 2009 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service -- containing 2007 data, the most recent available --  that indicated more than 7.1 million acres of “prime farmland” (Land Classes 1 and 2) were enrolled in the CRP at that time.  "This includes some land that does not even require the use of a conservation plan to be farmed," the NGFA noted.  "The idling of productive resources through land-idling conservation programs costs jobs, stymies growth, and in the case of land resources, has the potential to impact negatively the cost and availability of food and feed."

Established in 1896, the NGFA consists of more than 1,000-member companies from all sectors of the grain elevator, feed and feed ingredient, integrated livestock and poultry, grain processing, biofuels and exporting business that operate about 7,000 facilities nationwide and handle more than 70 percent of all U.S. grains and oilseeds.

The NGFA said idling productive U.S. crop acres also is contrary to environmental protection on a global basis because it encourages shifts in agricultural production to South America and other countries that do not have the same level of environmental protection, regulations and sound agronomic farming practices as exist in the United States.  "Advancements in seed, tillage and other agronomic practices have resulted in more U.S. acreage being environmentally sustainable for row-crop production, a dramatic change from when the CRP was established under the 1985 farm law," the NGFA said.  

The NGFA also said the CRP stymies the ability of young and tenant farmers to get started in production agriculture, which it called a "particularly acute concern" given the aging demographics of the nation's agricultural producers.  "Rather than rent or sell, many landowners choose to reap CRP rental payments, creating another barrier for young and tenant farmers who are struggling to expand and build economic-sized operations," the NGFA said. 

In addition, the association cited the adverse economic impact of the CRP on the economies and quality of life in rural America.  “Land-idling programs like the CRP, if not managed properly with a focus on the most environmentally sensitive land…, slams the door on economic activity, undermining jobs and the positive ripple economic effects associated with production agriculture, encouraging a continued population exodus from rural communities,” the NGFA said.

Noting that the United Nations has projected that a 70 percent increase in food production will be needed by 2050 as world population increases to 9 billion, the NGFA said the United States has a comparative advantage to expand exports of raw and processed grains and oilseeds, as well as meat products, to meet growing demand. 

The NGFA specifically urged the Senate Agriculture Committee to include in the next farm bill statutory language that would:

-    Reduce the current 32-million-acre maximum CRP cap.  At a minimum, the NGFA said prime farmland (Land Classes 1 and 2) should be prohibited from future enrollments and reenrollments.  This land can be farmed in an environmentally sustainable way to meet growing food demand, the NGFA said.
-    Eliminate the discretion for USDA to exceed the 25 percent limit on CRP enrollments in individual counties, and include within the 25 percent county limit at least a 5 percent allowance for acres enrolled in the wetlands reserve and continuous sign-up process.
-    Mandate that USDA permit penalty-free early outs of Land Classes 1, 2 and 3 enrolled in CRP, provided that producers doing so are required to implement prudent conservation practices on such lands.
-    Restrict whole-field and whole-farm enrollments by subjecting such land to a more stringent environmental benefits index (EBI) scoring threshold than partial-field enrollments.

The NGFA also encouraged Congress to include, as part of the farm bill process, language that would provide the following guidance to USDA in its implementation and administration of the CRP program in the future:  1) Freeze CRP rental rates for three to five years or implement a percentage-based limit on rental rates paid for CRP land compared to average county rental rates so young and beginning farmers are not forced to compete against the government for acres; and 2) limit the number of CRP general sign-ups offered.



NCGA Set New Membership Record in March

The National Corn Growers Association reached a new record high number of members, 37,231, at the end of March.  The previous record of 37,160 was set in August 2011.

"It is inspiring to see the level of support for our programs and activities that this new membership record suggests," said NCGA President Garry Niemeyer, who farms near Auburn, Ill. "This increased level of involvement makes obvious the value members believe NCGA staff and grower leaders provide to them and to the industry as a whole."

NCGA membership offers many benefits, including leadership opportunities, academic scholarships and discounts.  Members play an active role in organizational leadership by shaping the direction of activities and influencing public policy that affects all farmers.  Additionally, membership provides valuable discounts with companies such as Office Depot, Dell, Cabela's, Ford and Enterprise, and special access to official NASCAR information, including discounted tickets and merchandise.

In addition to representing individual members, NCGA is part of a federation in cooperation with  the many state-level grower associations and checkoff boards.  More than 300,000 growers contribute to state and national organizations through corn checkoff funds in their states.

"During this election cycle, the amount of influence asserted by large interest groups in government becomes obvious through the onslaught of advertisements and media messaging," Niemeyer said.  "To ensure that our legislators continue to value the vital role corn farmers play in our society, growers must work together through NCGA and state associations that leverage the industry's collective strength.  Together, growers voices are magnified in Washington to ensure agricultural interests are not unceremoniously pushed to the wayside."

NCGA Helps Maintain Strong Biotech Acceptance in the Philippines
This week, NCGA is participating in the New Development in GM Crop Farming meeting held in Manila, Philippines celebrating the tenth anniversary of the country's adoption of this important form of technology. Considered the most progressive country in terms of biotech adoption, officials from the government of the Philippines, major technology companies and other stakeholders, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, are meeting to look at ways to maintain the foothold for biotech adoption in the Asian Pacific region gained here a decade ago.

"Our Trade Policy and Biotechnology Action Team constantly works to promote the adoption of biotech regulations in foreign markets very similar to those in place here," said NCGA Director of Biotechnology and Economic Analysis Nathan Fields, who serves as one of the staff leads for that team.  "Our grower leaders have set a strong path for our work in overseas markets, clearly placing a high priority on the promotion of regulations based in sound science.  This is because they understand, like anyone looking at this situation objectively, that scientific inquiry has demonstrated time-and-again the safety and effectiveness of these products."

Throughout the meeting, government officials have proudly highlighted the science-based acceptance of biotechnology underpinning their regulatory system.  Locally, work on biotech varieties of golden rice, papaya and eggplant is underway.

Organizers invited NCGA to participate by explaining the association's role in promoting biotech acceptance, presenting information on how biotechnology has increased production efficiency in the United States and speaking about strategies and tactics used in educating growers on proper stewardship of these traits, particularly in promoting insect resistance management compliance.  Fields has already spoken on NCGA's organizational mission, goals and structure, U.S. corn production, biotech adoption and on IRM and refuge compliance outreach measures.

"The government here is creating IRM regulations for its native products right now, and this has spurred their growing interest in the practices that have been most effective elsewhere," said Fields.  "But, in the Philippines, they are not only adopting outside practices.  They are also exploring new areas of IRM maintenance as they develop guidelines for eggplant varieties.  We are glad to share our experience with corn, while observing how they tackle applying new and existing tactics to an entirely new genre."

The meeting is being hosted jointly by the Philippine Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service, who are also sponsoring NCGA participation in the event.



Cheese importers upset with REAL® Seal management change

The March 29 announcement that the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) will assume management of the REAL® Seal logo and use it to differentiate domestically produced dairy products from imports violates a law imposing fees on imported dairy products, according to the Cheese Importers Association of America (CIAA).

Effective March 15, NMPF began managing the licensing and use of the REAL® Seal, one of the most iconic and recognizable product integrity logos used in the food industry. The management of the REAL® Seal program was transferred from the United Dairy Industry Association (UDIA).

Beginning last August, USDA extended the dairy checkoff to included imported dairy products. Importers must pay the equivalent of 7.5¢/cwt. on all dairy-based imports, including cheese and butter products, as well as dry ingredients such as casein and milk protein concentrates.

U.S. dairy producers contribute 15¢/cwt. on all milk marketings. The combined money is used by the National Dairy Board to be used for nutrition research, consumer education, issues management, and other programs that build demand for dairy consumption.

“In implementing that law (including importers), USDA ruled that no funds from the National Dairy Board could be expended solely for promotion of domestically produced products,” CIAA said in a press release.“In this way, imports would not be discriminated against by promotion of the domestically produced products. CIAA is disappointed that the REAL® Seal will continue to be used to promote domestic dairy products against imports, even though importers are now paying substantial amounts of money into U.S. promotion programs.”

Ken Meyers, president of the CIAA and a member of the National Dairy Board, said, “It is unfortunate that this action has been taken to circumvent the requirements that were clearly set forth by USDA. This action demonstrates a clear violation of U.S. trade obligations. If the National Milk Producers Federation plans to use checkoff monies that now include mandatory contributions by importers to promote domestically produced dairy products, importers may need to implement a program to tout the benefits of popular cheeses from countries, such as France, Italy, Denmark, Holland, Argentina, Australia, and New Zealand.”

NMPF Statement in Response
“It appears that the CIAA lacks full knowledge of the history, ownership, and use of the REAL® Seal program and the concerns voiced by that organization are clearly misplaced,” said Jerry Kozak, President and CEO of NMPF. Kozak said the following points are important to more completely understand the issue:

-    The United Dairy Industry Association (UDIA), a federation of 18 state and regional dairy research promotion boards, owns the REAL® Seal and is free to license it as the organization deems appropriate. NMPF will now be managing the licensing and marketing of the REAL® Seal, but ownership of the trademark remains with UDIA. NMPF has long-standing relationships with many of the current users of the Seal, making it a natural fit to carry out the aims of the program.

-    UDIA is a different organization from the National Dairy Board (NDB). When U.S. dairy farmers pay their 15 cents per hundredweight promotion assessment, 10 cents goes to state and regional promotion entities affiliated with UDIA or other qualified programs, and 5 cents goes to the NDB. While the NDB and the UDIA created Dairy Management, Inc. ("DMI") through which to share staff resources and maximize organizational efficiencies, the UDIA and the NDB remain separate and distinct entities.

-    The 7.5 cents per hundredweight import assessment that is paid by importers for promotion purposes is directed to the national dairy promotion program operated by the NDB. The import assessment is not paid to the UDIA.

-    Legislation that established the dairy import assessment does not impose limitations on how UDIA manages its assets, including the REAL® Seal. No funds from the NDB have been or will be used for National Milk’s operation of the REAL® Seal Program.



Weekly Ethanol Stocks, Production Down

Domestic ethanol inventories dropped 75,000 barrels (bbl) to 22.553 million bbl for the week-ended March 30, the second straight weekly drawdown, although they are 12.4% higher than a year ago, according to fresh data from the Energy Information Administration released Wednesday morning.

Total U.S. ethanol stocks are up 5.495 million bbl, or about 32.2%, from the level seen on Dec. 9, 2011, when a string of supply builds began.

Meantime, ethanol production from domestic plants declined 16,000 barrels per day (bpd), or 1.8%, to 873,000 bpd last week while down 3.2% from a year ago.

Implied demand, as measured by refiner and blender net inputs, rose 9,000 bpd, or 1.1%, to 816,000 bpd from the prior week, while up 3.8% from a year ago.

Elsewhere, the EIA reported that implied demand for motor gasoline rose by 73,000 bpd to 8.783 million bpd for the week-ended March 30 while four-week average gasoline demand at 8.6 million bpd was down 3.8% from the level seen a year ago.



E15 Approved As A Registered Fuel

The Environmental Protection Agency has approved E15 as a registered fuel, helping clear the way for the 15 percent ethanol blend to be used in all cars, light duty trucks and SUVs model year 2001 and newer.

“The approval of E15 by the EPA is just one hurdle in getting E15 into the marketplace,” said Jerry Mohr a farmer from Eldridge and chair of the Iowa Corn Usage and Production committee. “The ultimate goal of getting E15 to the marketplace is to increase the amount of renewable fuels available to consumers, which can help lower fuel costs and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.”

While EPA gave its go ahead for E15, it may take additional time before the higher blend is available at pumps in Iowa. Fuel retailers need to have the proper forms on file with EPA to offer it as an option for their consumers.

The Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) is also urging members of Iowa’s Congressional delegation to continue their support and defense of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).  The RFS was enacted in 2005 to encourage the use of home-grown fuels, such as corn-based ethanol. The future of our energy independence and our security and at home is taking place in ethanol plants across the country.  U.S. ethanol production has reduced oil imports from the Persian Gulf region by 25% since 2000.  Ethanol also saves the average American consumer $0.89 a gallon on gas every time they fill up.

In a letter to Iowa’s Congressional Delegation, ICGA President Kevin Ross a farmer from Minden asked the delegation to stand with Iowa’s farmers and support the RFS. He also asked that they oppose any legislation that results in the elimination or reduction in the amount of corn that can be used as a feedstock for ethanol and oppose legislation that would prohibit the use of fuels containing more than 10 percent ethanol.



Harkin Welcomes EPA Expansion of E15 in Vehicles

Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today applauded the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) announcement that it has approved the first applications for registration of gasoline blends containing up to 15 percent ethanol (also known as E15) for vehicles of model year 20001 and newer. This announcement marks one further step in allowing retail sales of E15, thus enabling expanded displacement of gasoline with homegrown domestic fuel.

As the former Chairman and now senior member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Harkin has been a long-time leader in promoting the production and use of biofuels as an important part of the nation's energy strategy.

"Ask anyone who has filled their gas tank recently if our country needs to take steps to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Resoundingly, the answer is 'yes,'" said Harkin. "With this announcement, EPA has expanded our country's renewable fuels market, taking steps to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, while at the same time, boosting jobs in the green industry in Iowa and around the country. Allowing this expanded use of ethanol will also moderate the effects of increasing world oil prices on fuel prices at the pump. So I commend the EPA on approving registration of these fuels their announcement, which is a further step in the process of getting E15 in the marketplace.

"As this process moves forward, it is my hope that E15 will become widely available and used, just as E10 is today," Harkin continued. "At the same time, I will do all I can in Congress to expand markets for higher blends of ethanol by increasing the number of blender pump stations across the country, increasing flex -fuel vehicles and incentivizing the construction of biofuels pipelines from production states to more populous areas."



Informa Cuts Brazil, Argentina Soybean Crop Estimates

Private analytical firm Informa Economics on Wednesday cut its outlook for Brazil and Argentina soybean harvests, according to traders.

Informa lowered its forecast for soybean output in Brazil, the world's second-largest producer of the oilseed, as March weather was mostly a continuation of the unfavorable pattern that put stress on soybeans in the southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul since January.

The closely watched agricultural forecaster cut its estimate for Brazil's soybean crop to 66.5 million tons from its previous estimate of 68 million tons, traders said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture last month projected the crop at 68.5 million tons.

Informa also cut its forecast for Argentina's soybean output by 2.5 million tons from last month to 45 million, traders said.

Despite the early January change in the Argentina weather from a dry to a wet situation that continued through March, it was not timely enough to benefit the flowering/filling soybeans, traders said Informa reported in the estimates.

Argentina's crop production is important to global agricultural markets as it is also the world's third-largest soybean exporter, and the leading exporter of soy products.

Informa forecast Brazil corn production at 62 million tons, unchanged from its previous estimate.

Informa pegged corn production in Argentina, the world's second-largest corn exporter, at 22 million tons, down 0.5 million from its previous estimate. The USDA's March estimate was 22 million tons.

Informa pegged world cotton production at 123.8 million bales, up 291,000 from last month, traders said. Informa's reduced production forecast in China by 500,000 bales was offset by an increase of 600,000 bales in Pakistan, Informa noted in the report according to traders.

The USDA is scheduled to release updated figures on Tuesday April 10, at 8:30 a.m. EDT.

Informa also pegged U.S. winter wheat production at 1.631 billion bushels, up 138 million from last year.

Hard red winter wheat production is forecast to total 979 million bushels, 199 million above last year. Hard red winter wheat yields are forecast to average 40.6 bushels per acre, 4.2 bushels above last year, traders said.

Soft red winter wheat production is forecast to total 427 million bushels, with a projected average yield of 58.9 bushels per acre, traders said. Informa's white wheat production is forecast to total 225 million bushels, 31 million bushels below last year, traders said.



Agroconsult Sees Brazil Soy Crop at 65.2 MMT

Extremely dry conditions in the south prompted local consultant Agroconsult to once again lower its forecast for the 2011-12 soybean crop, this time by 1.9 million metric tons to 65.2 mmt.  As a result, output will be 13% lower than the 75.3 mmt produced last year, despite a 3.7% increase in planted area.

"The weather has contributed to a very difficult year. Indeed, we may see Brazil produce more corn than soybeans for the first time in a long time because of it," said Andre Pessoa, director of Agroconsult.

The consultant's number is lower than most estimates, which currently sit in the 66 mmt to 68 mmt range.  The biggest problems were concentrated in the south, where some regions had barely any rain during the whole summer.

In Rio Grande do Sul, average yields will be 17.8 bushels per acre, down from 41.6 bu per acre last year, but the low quality of much of the crop means farmers will have to offer discounts on even those meager amounts.

Yields were also reduced in Parana, the No. 2 soybean state, because of the drought that hit early-planted soybeans particularly hard. As a result, average yields fell to 34.2 bushels per acre from 50.5 bpa last year.

The crop was saved by abundant production in the center-west, led by Mato Grosso. The No. 1 soybean state produced a record crop of 22.4 mmt, 10% higher than the year before.  But even in Mato Grosso, the crop didn't run as smoothly as in previous years. Asian soybean rust attacked fields in the center-north of the state, clipping late harvest yields, while soybean yields were surprisingly light in the east of the state, probably because of the high number of cloudy days.



Monsanto 2Q Net Up 19%
Monsanto Co.'s fiscal second-quarter profit rose 19% as the agricultural biotech company turned in sales ahead of expectations with help from a strong selling season in the U.S. and continued growth in Latin America.

Chief Executive Hugh Grant in January signaled a solid quarter was in the works, saying early seed orders for North America indicated a strong momentum. The quarter is a critical one for Monsanto; it traditionally reports 60% of profit in the period ending in February as the northern hemisphere's planting season begins.

For the year, the company said it now expects earnings of $3.49 to $3.54 a share. The company in January had guided investors to the high end its prior target, saying it expected full-year earnings of $3.39 to $3.44 a share.

For the quarter ended Feb. 29, Monsanto reported a profit of $1.21 billion, or $2.24 a share, up from a year-earlier profit of $1.02 billion, or $1.88 a share. Stripping out items like a settlement, earnings per share rose to $2.28 from $1.87 a year earlier.

Net sales rose 15% to $4.75 billion. Analysts were looking for earnings of $2.12 a share on $4.53 billion in sales, according to a poll conducted by Thomson Reuters.

Monsanto's seed business, the largest contributor to revenue, posted an 15% jump in sales to $3.92 billion. The company said the growth was led by its corn business, particularly in the U.S.