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From K-State Agronomy
Annual cover crops grown in place of fallow can provide high-quality forage during key production periods and may help reduce soil erosion, suppress weeds, and increase soil nutrient profiles. Traditionally grown for agronomic or soil benefits but not harvested, cover crops are being considered for grazing, haying, or planting as annual forages. They are appealing because of the potential for additional revenue from improved cattle performance combined with the benefits of soil stabilization. Those contemplating this decision should know that plants that work well as cover crops may not be suitable for forage or grazing. In fact, some species can be toxic or fatal to livestock. This article describes popular cover crops and the dangers they present for grazing livestock.
Small grains – Barley, Oats, Rye, Ryegrass, Wheat, Triticale
Rapidly growing, lush grasses can lead to grass tetany in grazing cattle. Grass tetany is more common in the spring but can occur with the cool-season growth of small grains in the fall and winter. Highprotein grasses may contribute to bloat. To manage grass tetany, provide magnesium to lactating cows, preferably a free-choice mineral containing 8 to 12% magnesium. Begin supplementation before turnout, making sure the mineral is palatable to ensure adequate intake. Increasing legumes to 30% of the pasture may reduce risk of grass tetany. Nitrate toxicity risk increases with heavy nitrogen fertilization of cool-season grasses. Nitrate can accumulate, reaching dangerous levels on cool, cloudy days, during periods of drought or under environmental conditions that slow grass growth and metabolism. (Read more)
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Membership Renewal Season is Here! |
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Keep an eye out for your KAWG membership renewal form to come in the mail. Most should be arriving next week! If you have any questions on your membership, please contact Jordan Hildebrand, Program Assistant, at
785-539-0255 or by email at jhildebrand@kswheat.com.
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Applications for Herb Clutter Memorial Scholarship now accepted |
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High school seniors pursuing careers in agriculture are encouraged to apply for the 2017 Herb Clutter Memorial Scholarship. The Herb Clutter Memorial Scholarship was established in 2009 to honor Herb Clutter’s influential role in organizing leadership groups on behalf of Kansas wheat producers and is administered by the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers.
The scholarship fund will award one $500 scholarship per year, to a college or university-bound incoming freshman from Kansas, pursuing a career in the field of agriculture. To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must plan to be a full-time student at any two or four year, Kansas college or university. Recipients will be selected based on academic achievement, leadership qualities and career objectives focused around the field of agriculture. Recipients will receive the scholarship to be applied toward tuition for the student’s college or university education. The scholarship is non-renewable. (Read more.)
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NAWG Weekly Update |
| 115th Congress Sworn In and Back at Work
This week Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate returned to Washington, DC to begin the 115th session of Congress. On Tuesday, all House Members were sworn in by House Speaker Paul Ryan and newly elected Senators were sworn in by the President of the Senate, Vice President Joe Biden. Committee assignments for the House and Senate Committees are also being announced, with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announcing Senate Republican Committee Members. Senate Democrats have also their assignments, with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer releasing this list. Committee assignments are also being made in the House, with details slowing being released, but no final membership lists available at this time.
The House and Senate are also proceeding to legislative issues, working on regulatory reform, health care and the budget. The Senate is debating a fiscal year 2017 budget proposal that includes a health care reserve fund. The House of Representatives is expected to consider several regulatory bills including the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2017 (REINS) and the Midnight Rules Relief Act of 2017.
President-Elect Trump Continues Naming Admin. Officials; Still Awaits USDA Secretary
As the 115th Congress began its work, President-Elect Trump continued to name his picks for several important cabinet positions. However, despite continued speculation about the timing and the selection, no nominee for Secretary of Agriculture has been named yet. Earlier this week, Robert Lighthizer was announced as the nominee for U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). Lighthizer was previously the Deputy USTR under President Ronald Reagan and he also served as a senior staffer to former Senator Bob Dole (R-KS). In addition to Lighthizer, President-Elect Trump has also named several other nominees for positions that will have significant implications for agriculture, including Scott Pruitt for Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Pruitt is currently Oklahoma’s attorney general. He’s also named Elaine Chao, the former Secretary of Labor under President George W. Bush, as his nominee for Secretary of Transportation. Rex Tillerson, the chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil, has been named as the nominee for Secretary of State; the U.S. Agency for International Development, which has jurisdiction over food aid program, is a part of the State Department, though the agency is managed by an administrator.
Congress is expected to begin holding nomination hearings next week on several of nominees, and we’re expecting that the Senate Agriculture Committee will quickly take up an Agriculture Secretary nominee once that individual named.
Wheat Industry Winter Conference just around the corner
From the National Association of Wheat Growers staff, we would like to wish you a very happy New Year! 2017 promises many important policy implications for agriculture, particularly with Congressional confirmation hearings of Agriculture Department nominees as well as hearings to start drafting a new Farm Bill. To kick off the year, NAWG and U.S. Wheat Associates will hold our annual Wheat Industry Winter Conference from January 30th – February 2nd in Washington, D.C. During the conference, our policy committees will have important discussions to establish NAWG’s Farm Bill priorities while NAWG and U.S. Wheat’s Joint Trade and Biotechnology committee will also meet to discuss priorities for the upcoming year. We have prepared an exciting slate of speakers and agenda topics for the Joint NAWG/USW board meeting as well as our individual board meetings.. As we have done in the past, we will dedicate one day of our conference to educating new Members of Congress about the economic conditions in wheat country and to advocate for our policy priorities to our day of Hill visits.
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Market Analysis: RALLY WEEK FOR THE WHEAT MARKET |
| Larry Glenn, market analyst for Frontier Ag, Oakley and Leffler Commodities, Augusta, provides market analysis for KAWG members. E-mail Larry at larryglenn61@yahoo.com.
It was an impressive week for the wheat price. As the March Kansas City wheat chart shows, the price traded above the 50 day moving average and took out the last reaction high. The trend following indicator I use points up. This technical action encouraged bearish technical traders which include traditional funds to exit out of some of their short positions. Using the word, impressive, seems strong as the gain over last Friday’s close was 15 cents.
Encouraging better describes the feeling in the wheat market as traders finished this shorten week of trading. Looking back over the March Kansas City wheat chart, this last rally exceeds any other rally during the last six months. Now the question remains; can the wheat rally continue?
Next Thursday, the USDA will release grain reports. Wheat traders will focus on the winter wheat planted acreage report. The pre-report estimate is 34.36 million acres. This compares to last year’s number of 36.14 million acres. At current price levels, the reduction in wheat acres will be replaced with fall crops.
We could see index fund activity next week when this group of traders re-balances their portfolios. They sell their overvalued commodities and replace them with undervalued commodities. With the historical low price, wheat is a candidate for purchases. A news wire report indicated these index funds would purchase 12,979 contracts of Kansas City wheat futures. This re-balancing expected to take place next week.
There are reasons to get excited about a rally in the wheat market. The inventory of wheat here in the United States and around the world leads one to believe the rally in the wheat price will be limited. Wheat producers still holding inventory should take advantage of the recent gains. The cost of storage seems too high to store wheat. I would hold off getting aggressive about marketing next year’s wheat production. The spring time can provide a better opportunity.
LARRY GLENN
FRONTIER AG
800-270-7694
PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE IS AN INHERENT RISK OF LOSS ASSOCIATED WITH TRADING FUTURES AND OPTION CONTRACTS EVEN, WHEN USED FOR HEDGING PURPOSES. PLEASE CAREFULLY CONSIDER YOUR FINANCIAL CONDITION BEFORE INVESTING IN FUTURES AND OPTION CONTRACTS. FUTURE’S TRADING IS NOT SUITABLE FOR ALL INVESTORS. OPTIONS CAN AND DO EXPIRE WORTHLESS. IF YOU PURCHASE A COMMODITY OPTION, YOU MAY SUSTAIN A TOTAL LOSS OF THE PREMIUM AND OF ALL TRANSACTION COSTS.
PAST PERFORMANCE IS NOT INDICATIVE OF FUTURE RESULTS.
SEASONAL TENDENCIES ARE A COMPOSITE OF SOME OF THE MOST CONSISTENT COMMODITY FUTURES SEASONALS THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. EVEN IF A SEASONAL TENDENCY OCCURS IN THE FUTURE, IT MAY NOT RESULT IN A PROFITABLE TRANSACTION AS FEES AND THE TIMING OF THE ENTRY AND LIQUIDATION MAY AFFECT THE RESULTS.
Source: Kansas Association of Wheat Growers |
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