Pumpkin crops were damaged severely by the hot, dry weather conditions that spread throughout the Midwest this summer, with Purdue University researchers saying this year's yield will be as much as 20 percent lower than last year.
Indiana climatologist Ken Scheeringa noted rainfall in many areas was cut in half by drought-like conditions. The rain shortage coincided with the prime planting time for the pumpkin crop in June and July.
"Pumpkin growers have suffered the worst losses," said Dan Egel, a plant pathologist at the Purdue Agricultural Center in Vincennes, Ind.
Last month, agricultural researchers at Ohio State University indicated the pumpkin crop was damaged because of the heat, with many pumpkins turning out smaller than usual -- roughly the size of baseballs.
Purdue researchers said the crop's total will be anywhere from 10 to 20 percent less, which will mean that prime pumpkins come Halloween.
"Pumpkins and gourds are ripening smaller and sooner this year," Egel said.
But the situation is complicated by the fact that most of the pumpkin crop will be ready for market too early for the Halloween holiday season at the end of October.
Egel said farmers are going to have to decide whether the cost of storing pumpkins until next month is worth the sale price.
Some growers have suffered complete crop failure due to the lack of rainfall. Most pumpkin and gourd growers do not irrigate their crops, unlike watermelon growers.
Hog slaughter:
Agriculture officials in Illinois, Indiana and Iowa are asking Hormel Foods Corp. to reconsider a move to stop slaughtering hogs at its northern Illinois plant.
Officials said that the plant closure will hurt hog farmers throughout the region by creating a glut of hogs going to slaughter at once, lowering prices paid to the farmers.
Hormel recently said it would halt hog slaughter at its plant in Rochelle, Ill., on Nov. 8. Company officials told the Des Moines Register they have no intention of reconsidering, as they want to convert the plant to a facility for the processing of cured and smoked meats.
Iowa Agriculture Secretary Patty Judge cited the fact that hog prices have already dropped by 25 percent this year. She believes companies should be helping hog farmers by increasing the number of hogs slaughtered.
Lawsuit:
Tyson Foods Inc. is upset that some of the hog farmers it deals with have decided to sue the company because of its proposed restructuring.
"It is unfortunate that in today's litigious environment, plaintiff's lawyers are able to so easily interject themselves into normal business processes before they are allowed to be productively resolved to the mutual benefit of all parties," officials said.
The company is trying to restructure itself, cutting back its pork operations to focus more on poultry. Hog farmers say the company is trying to get out of fulfilling its contracts with them, and they are suing to ensure they are paid in full.
Grants:
The Agriculture Department will provide just more than $5 million to help with local business and community development in rural Oregon.
Grants range from $4.3 million to Harrisburg, Ore., to increase the capacity of its water system, down to $39,000 to Adair Village, Ore., to pay for relining the Hospital Hill Reservoir.
"President Bush's economic summit in August underscored the important role we can play in promoting the development of jobs and business creation in rural areas," Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said.
Rice:
The U.S. Rice Producers Association is putting curricula-based lessons and information for teachers and students on its Web site in hopes of letting people know more about rice farming.
Lesson aids for high school teachers are meant to bolster subjects such as mathematics, science, history, and health and the environment.
Information can be found at riceromp.com.
"Studies have shown that education technology can improve student achievement," association President Dwight Roberts said.
Grains:
Grain futures were mostly lower at the close Friday on the Chicago Board of Trade.
Soybeans fell on lack of buying interest caused by a weak supply/demand from the Agriculture Department.
Corn fell on a lack of positive new information.
Wheat suffered from profit-taking while oats fell on pressure from wheat.
The prices:
Soybeans: Sep 5.63 1/2 off 14 1/2, Nov 5.65 1/4 off 13, Jan 5.68 1/2 off 12, Mar 5.70 off 10 3/4.
Corn: Sep 2.66 1/2 off 7 3/4, Dec 2.76 1/4 off 7, Mar 2.82 1/4 off 6 3/4, May 2.84 1/4 off 6 3/4.
Wheat: Sep 3.95 off 14, Dec 3.92 3/4 off 13 1/4, Mar 3.97 1/2 off 13 1/4, May 3.85 off 6.
Oats: Sep 1.92 1/4 off 10, Dec 1.95 1/2 off 6 3/4, Mar 1.91 off 5 3/4, May 2.84 1/4 off 6 3/4.
