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E-News: Commodity Classic, Pres. Trump speaks to farmers, Kansas Legislature in session and more!

E-News: Commodity Classic, Pres. Trump speaks to farmers, Kansas Legislature in session and more!

Farmers invited to Kansas Commodity Classic on January 26

 

Via Kansas Wheat

All Kansas farmers are invited and encouraged to attend the Kansas Commodity Classic on Friday, January 26, 2018.

 

The Commodity Classic is the annual convention of the Kansas Corn, Wheat and Grain Sorghum Associations, and will take place at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, 530 Richards Drive, Manhattan, Kan., with registration beginning at 8:30 a.m. It is free to attend and includes a complimentary lunch; however pre-registration is requested.

 

The Classic will be emceed by Greg Akagi of WIBW 580 Radio and Kansas Agriculture Network.

 

The program will begin at 9:00 a.m. Welcoming remarks will be given by the Executive Directors of the Kansas Corn Growers Association, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers and the Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association.

 

At 9:15, U.S. Senator Jerry Moran will take the stage to give attendees an update on issues in Washington.

 

Arlan Suderman, Chief Commodities Economist for INTL FCStone will provide a markets update. During the 10:30 break, attendees will have an opportunity to visit with sponsors and growers from across Kansas.

Trade is an important topic for Kansas agriculture, and speakers from the national commodity organizations will address it. Molly O’Connor, Biotech, Food and Trade Policy Advisor with the National Association of Wheat Growers, and Mike Dwyer, Chief Economist with the U.S. Grains Council, will tackle the subject.

 

At 11:30, U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, U.S. Senate Ag Committee Chairman, will provide an agriculture and Farm Bill update.

 

Dr. Barry Flinchbaugh, Professor Emeritus, Kansas State University Department of Agricultural Economics, will be the featured keynote speaker during the lunch. Dr. Flinchbaugh is a renowned expert on agricultural policy and an award-winning professor of agricultural economics at KSU. He has been a long-time advisor on ag policy to politicians of both parties. Drawing on his authority and expertise, Dr. Flinchbaugh will look at lessons learned from the historically long debate on the 2014 farm bill and will look forward to the upcoming farm bill discussions.

 

The Kansas Commodity Classic is hosted by the Kansas Corn Growers Association, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers and Kansas Grain Sorghum Producers Association. The event is sponsored by the following: Kansas Department of Agriculture, Farm Credit Associations of Kansas, Monsanto, Syngenta, Shield Ag Equipment, AgriGold and Perten Instruments, Inc./Fairbanks Scales, Inc. The event is free to attend, but pre-registration is requested.

 

Visit kswheat.com/kscommodityclassic18 for an agenda and to register.

Register Here

News from National Association of Wheat Growers

NAWG Speaks to Growers at the Pacific Northwest Direct Seed Association Conference  

On Tuesday, January 09, 2018, NAWG President Gordon Stoner spoke as a no-till Montana farmer during the Pacific Northwest Direct Seeds Association Annual Conference held at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick, WA. He talked with attendees on his experience as a direct seeder in Montana. NAWG VP of Policy and Communications provided growers with an update and timeline on the 2018 Farm Bill and NAWG’s priorities for the legislation.

 

NAWG Speaks to the Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board

On January 11, 2018, NAWG’s Government Relations Coordinator Craig Burning spoke to the Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board during their funding requests meeting in Grasonville, MD. Berning spoke to several on several of NAWG’s priorities including tax reform, Farm Bill, crop insurance, and trade.

 

Trump Endorses Farm Bill on Time with Crop Insurance, Toughness on NAFTA, Immigration

On Monday, January 08, 2017, President Donald Trump told attendees at the American Farm Bureau Federation convention that “Congress should pass the farm bill on time, including crop insurance, and promised to bring high-speed internet service to rural America,” reported The Hagstrom Report. “But he maintained a tough line on the North American Free Trade Agreement negotiations, and offered farmers no expression of concern about the need for immigrant labor, even though Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall has said it is the No. 1 issue facing agriculture.”

 

Midwest Influence Grows on Senate Ag

“The Senate Agriculture Committee has two new members – and a stronger Midwest flavor – just in time for writing a new farm bill,” reported AgriPulse. The two new additions – Deb Fischer, R-Neb., and Tina Smith, D-Minn., also will bring the number of women on the committee to seven. Fischer will fill the seat vacated by Luther Strange of Alabama, who was appointed to the Senate last year but subsequently defeated in a GOP primary. Smith was appointed to replace Al Franken, who resigned amid allegations of sexual harassment. She also replaces Maryland Democrat Chris Van Hollen, who’s leaving the committee. Minnesota and Iowa will now both have two seats on the committee. Smith is running for election to the seat in November, and she clearly has her eye on rural voters. Nebraska has been without a seat on the panel since Ben Sasse left a year ago. “Nebraska had been on the Ag committee for 50 years, since Carl Curtis in ’69,” Fischer tells Agri-Pulse. “This is an important year to get back on with the farm bill.” Fischer says her top priority will be protecting crop insurance from cuts.

 

Report to the President of the U.S. from the Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity

In April of 2017, President Trump established an Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity with Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue service as Chair. The task force was comprised of cabinet members of several federal agencies. The task force outlined 5 general principals that would allow rural America to have the resources, tools, and support to build and sustain rural communities. Those principles are E-Connectivity for Rural America; Improving Quality of Life; Supporting a Rural Workforce; Harnessing Technological Innovation; and Economic Development.  Read the complete report in detail here.


Wheat Commentary: GRAIN REPORTS DOMINATED THIS WEEK’S WHEAT NEWS                                       

 

Wheat traders took a wait and see attitude during this week of trading.  It was sideways trading until the release of grain reports on Friday at 11:00.  Then the fireworks started and damage was done to the wheat price.

 

On the Monthly Supply and Demand Report, the USDA made downward adjustments to the feed and seed usage.  This accounted for a 29 million bushels increase in ending stocks.  While the ending stock number for wheat of 989 million bushels is not burdensome, it is still a high number compared to our export and domestic demand.  On the world balance wheat, ending stocks came in at 268.02 million metric tons. This is close to the pre-report estimate but also close to a record.

 

The most damaging news for wheat came in the Winter Wheat Planting Acreage Report.

 

Million acres       January 2018     Pre-report Estimate       Final 2017

All wheat acres         32.6               31.5                              32.7

Hard red winter        23.1                22.4                             23.4

Soft red winter           6.0                 5.6                               5.7

White wheat              3.6                  3.5                               3.5

 

This number was large compared to the pre-report and was a major surprise.  Living in the hard red winter wheat country, this number is hard to believe unless I have been talking to the wrong wheat producers.

 

 

 

LARRY GLENN

800-270-7694

 

 

Source: Kansas Wheat