USDA to take closer look at herbicide-resistant crops?
The U.S. specialty crop industry has petitioned the EPA and USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to conduct an environmental impact statement (EIS) for dicamba- and 2,4-D-tolerant crops, saying more study of the technologies is needed.
Hard to ignore 74 million cotton bales
It’s hard for the cotton market to ignore nearly 74 million bales of supply. That’s one reason why cotton analysts say cotton futures dropped precipitously in early May, despite China continuing to buy cotton to add to its reserves.
India clears cotton path
India has cleared the way for exports of raw cotton under existing contracts, according to an article in the Wall Street Journal.
Louisiana weevil fund threatened by budget sweep
Louisiana state legislators are considering several bills to insure that $766,000 in boll weevil eradication funds are not included in a fund sweep that Gov. Bobby Jindal is proposing to help balance the state budget. The fund sweep would divert almost $200 million, including money currently in the weevil fund, to help pay for Medicaid and other expenses.
Bears back in control of global cotton market
A huge increase in estimated world ending stocks, based on cotton discovered in inventory in India, jolted the market in early April. “The numbers on the U.S. side appear bullish, but the USDA report is very bearish in total for the world, with USDA finding so much in inventory,” Cleveland said. “It jerked the rug out from under us.”
Cotton creeps up on world demand
U.S. cotton acreage will probably fall short of USDA’s projected 13.15 million acres, but exports could be higher than projected on increases in world demand and continued stockpiling of cotton by the Chinese.
Bulls and bears always in corn market
Grain analyst Richard Brock didn’t say the bull market run for corn was over for sure, but his firm’s position on corn was very telling – 100 percent sold in old crop and 70 percent sold on new crop.
US rice reputation takes hit after heat-damaged crop
A poor rice crop in 2010, weather, and falling export demand continue to challenge U.S. rice producers. U.S. rice producers paid the price around the world for the 2010 heat-damaged U.S. crop. California a benefactor from opening of Japan's market.
Cotton uncertainties: Price hangover and China's reserve
The cotton market faces two huge uncertainties in the short-term. One is how to deal with the hangover left after high cotton prices of 2010-11 contracted global demand. Another is uncertainty over what China will eventually do with cotton in its strategic reserve program.
Tale of the tape for US agriculture in 2012
This year should be another good one for U.S. agricultural exports with the lower value of the dollar more than compensating for the expectations of slower world growth. USDA’s chief economist projects the highest corn plantings since 1944, a decline in cotton plantings due to lower prices and a small increase in rice acreage for 2012.
Corn profitability to remain strong
The U.S. crops sector will respond in the short term to relatively high prices in 2011-12, the report said. Planted area for eight major field crops in 2012 is projected to reach 251 million acres, the second-largest acreage level of the past 10 years.
