UPI Farming Today

Fed farm bill in time for '02 is a long shot

Agriculture officials want Congress and President Bush to get their act together in time to approve a new farm bill in time for the upcoming growing season but some economists say that's not likely.

Officials say the Senate and House would have to resolve their differences on the issue and have Bush sign a measure into law before the end of the month to have any chance of the measure taking effect this year.

But the current farm bill does not expire until October and Allan Gray and Otto Doering, economists with Purdue University, both think it will take all summer to resolve differences and get through all the required procedures.

"If you think about timing, we might be talking late March, early April," said Gray, about the timing of a final vote. "But that's only part of it, because once the bill is passed, there's supposed to be 60 days of public comment, which would put us into June.

"That's certainly way beyond 2002 crop planting dates," Gray said.

Currently, the Senate is considering a 5-year bill that would spend $46 billion for farm price supports and other subsidy programs. That differs from the version approved last year by the House, which calls for $36 billion in agriculture subsidies.

Republicans tend to prefer the House version, saying it is the most that the federal government can afford to provide for farmers, while many Democrats prefer the Senate version.

Both versions would provide increases over the existing farm bill, which was approved in 1996 as part of an effort to get the federal government out of directly subsidizing farmers.

That is why agriculture groups would like to see a new farm bill, any farm bill, approved now, to provide more funding for farmers for the current growing season.

Deputy Agriculture Secretary Jim Moseley said recently while speaking at Purdue he hopes Congress and Bush can approve a farm bill by March 1.

Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said she expects farmers will be given some form of supplemental aid to help them, if a farm bill is not approved by then.

Feds revise wheat food aid standards

The Agriculture Department is implementing new standards of cleanliness for U.S. wheat exports for use in overseas food aid.

Beginning with invitations to purchase issued on Tuesday and continuing through Sept. 30, the maximum acceptable dockage level for wheat made available for international food assistance will be 0.6 percent -- down from 0.7 percent.

Dockage includes all matter other than wheat that must be removed prior to milling wheat into flour. The federal Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration measures dockage for each export shipment.

Farmers union wants feds to restrict cattle imports

The National Farmers Union is urging the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to use caution when allowing imports of cattle into the United States.

The union testified Wednesday that it believes widespread importation of cattle into the United States from foreign countries is a bad idea that could result in the spread of livestock diseases.

"It jeopardizes the safety of our U.S. beef supply, the health of domestic livestock and the livelihood of U.S. livestock producers," union official John Stencel said during a hearing of the Agriculture Department's service in Fort Collins, Colo.

Tyson workers approve new contract

Poultry workers at the Tyson Foods plant in Berlin, Md., have approved a new three-year contract giving them at least 4.3 percent raises each year.

The United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 27 approved the contract, which gives the raises to all general workers and allows some workers in specific job classifications to get raises of up to 12 percent each year.

The new contract also provides better health and welfare fund benefits and improves vacation perks. Tyson also will provide free equipment to its employees, unlike previous years when they had to purchase needed tools for the job.

Bacterium may fight potato beetle

Agriculture Department scientists think they have an effective weapon against the Colorado potato beetle.

It is a bacterium known as Photorhabdus luminesccens. In laboratory studies, it has been 100 percent effective against the beetle. The beetle has been notorious for developing resistance to insecticides, so the scientists are eager to find natural controls.

The bacterium came to scientific attention during the Civil War, when it was found to make the wounds of combatants glow and so apparently provide a curative effect for infections caused by other microbes. It causes the Colorado beetles to stop eating, though the scientists don't know why.

(by E.W. Kieckhefer)

Grains mixed on CBOT

Grain futures were mostly lower at the close Wednesday on the Chicago Board of Trade.

Soybeans fell on confusion over China's new regulations on genetically modified crops. Many traders believe exports will drop significantly once the new rules take effect March 20.

Corn fell on a lack of any positive information that could have inspired prices to rise.

Wheat was down on recent precipitation in the Plains that could eliminate problems for hard red winter wheat crops, which were struggling because of dry weather conditions.

Oats were slightly higher due to bullish fundamentals that supported higher prices.

The prices:

Soybeans: Mar 4.28 off 4 3/4, May 4.32 1/2 off 4, Jul 4.36 3/4 off 4, Aug 4.37 off 4 1/4.

Corn: Mar 2.04 1/4 off 2, May 2.11 1/4 off 2, Jul 2.18 off 2, Sep 2.23 1/4 off 2 1/2.

Wheat: Mar 2.80 1/4 off 2 3/4, May 2.85 1/4 off 2 3/4, Jul 2.88 3/4 off 2 3/4, Sep 2.93 off 2 1/2.

Oats: Mar 2.06 3/4 up 4 1/4, May 1.88 1/4 up 2 3/4, Jul 1.67 up 1 1/2, Sep 1.42 off 1/2.