Thursday, August 18, 2011

Coping with Fusarium Head Blight in S. Idaho



To view guest presenter Juliet Marshall's,
"Coping with Fusarium Head Blight in S. Idaho" webinar, click on the following link



Ms. Marshall explains several factors that may substantially be increasing the risk of Fusarium Head Blight. Key factors include environmental conditions, corn, and the increased aggressiveness of Fusarium Crown Rot.

Marshall described during the webinar how these factors have contributed to the incidence and aggressiveness of the disease in irrigated winter and spring wheat production in southeast Idaho.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Idaho Spring Wheat Production Decrease 5 Percent


Based on conditions as of August 1, Idaho’s spring wheat yield is forecast at 76.0 bushels per acre, unchanged from the July 1 forecast and down 2 bushels per acre from 2010, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service. Production of 45.6 million bushels from 600,000 harvested acres is down 5 percent from last year. Idaho’s winter wheat yield of 80.0 bushels per acre is up 1 bushel per acre from last month and down 2 bushels per acre from last year. Producers expect to harvest 770,000 acres of winter wheat with a total production of 61.6 million bushels, up 6 percent from last year.

For the United States, all wheat production, at 2.08 billion bushels, is down 1 percent from the July forecast and down 6 percent from 2010. Based on August 1 conditions, the United States yield is forecast at 45.2 bushels per acre, up 0.6 bushel from last month but down 1.2 bushels from last year. Winter wheat production is forecast at 1.50 billion bushels, up slightly from last month and up 1 percent from 2010. The United States yield is forecast at 46.3 bushels per acre, up 0.1 bushel from last month but down 0.5 bushel from last year. Spring wheat production is forecast at 522 million bushels, down 5 percent from last month and down 15 percent from last year. The United States yield is forecast at 42.5 bushels per acre, up 0.8 bushel from last month but down 3.6 bushels from 2010.

Friday, July 8, 2011

Governor Appoints Ned Moon to Idaho Wheat Commission

Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter recently appointed Ned Moon of Heyburn, to the Idaho Wheat Commission (IWC). Moon will represent wheat growers in District III, which includes Canyon, Owyhee, Ada, Elmore, Camas, Gooding, Twin Falls, Blaine, Lincoln, Jerome, Minidoka and Cassia counties.

Ned, who grew up on a farm in Heyburn, is the marketing manager for Jentzsch-Kearl Farms, a 16,000 acre partnership growing potatoes, sugar beets, wheat, hay, and seed beans. He also is responsible for chemical and fertilizer inputs, handles all land leases, audits and government programs.

Moon earned a bachelor’s degree in Communications from BYU, and then entered the Air Force where he flew jets for over 10 years. In 1993 Captain Moon left the Air Force and returned to the Burley/Twin Falls area and started his own retail business. He also spent several years as the manufacturing manager for an agricultural chemical company prior to working for Jentzsch-Kearl Farms.

“Ned brings a wealth of marketing and business experience to the Idaho Wheat Commission,” said Gordon Gallup, Chairman Idaho Wheat Commission. “The commission and staff look forward to working with Ned and gleaning from his years of agricultural and business experiences. We are confident that Ned’s marketing knowledge will be a benefit to Idaho’s wheat producers.”

The new commissioner is looking forward to serving as well. “It’s both a privilege and an honor to be selected by the Governor to represent District III wheat growers,” said Moon. “Check-off dollars are grower dollars. My goal is to see that those dollars continue to be managed and invested in programs that will help improve profit margins for our wheat growers.”

Ned and his wife Mary have three grown children. He enjoys golfing, playing the piano and wood working.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Idaho Crop Progress Update


USDA’s July 5, 2011 Crop Progress & Condition reports weather conditions improved significantly during the week ending July 3. Warmer weather advanced winter wheat headed to 76% which was a 26 percentage point improvement from last week. Spring wheat and barley headed improved to 27 and 23 percentage points, respectively. Most cereal grains are in good to excellent condition.

Winter wheat conditions continue to be favorable with 74% Good to Excellent, 14% Fair, 10% Poor and only 2% reporting Very Poor. Spring wheat conditions also look favorable with 85% Good to Excellent, 14% Fair and 1% Poor.
To view the entire USDA report click on this link: http//www.nass.usda.gov/id/


U.S. Crop Progress Update
USDA’s July 5, 2011 Crop Progress and Condition reported winter wheat conditions 36%Good to Excellent, 23% Fair, 19% Poor and 22% rated 22% Very Poor. Spring wheat conditions are favorable with 69% Good to Excellent, 27% Fair, 3% Poor and 1% Very Poor.
The spring wheat crop, however, is behind the 2010 crop in progress with 89 percent of the crop emerged, compared to 100 percent emergence in 2010 by this week of the year.
The five-year average for the crop is also 100 percent emergence by June 26.
To view the entire USDA report click link: http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/CropProg/CropProg-07-05-2011.pdf

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Idaho All Wheat Acreage Up 3 Percent


Planted acres for all wheat in Idaho are estimated at 1.45 million acres, up 3 percent from 2010, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service. Acres to be harvested for all wheat are expected at 1.38 million acres, up from 1.35 million acres the previous year. Idaho’s spring wheat seedings, at 620,000 acres, are down 2 percent from the 630,000 acres planted in 2010. Harvested acreage is set at 600,000 acres, a decrease of 15,000 acres from last year. Winter wheat seedings of 820,000 acres increased 9 percent from the previous year. Harvested acres are expected to total 770,000 acres, up 60,000 acres from 2010. Area planted to durum wheat is down 60 percent from last year at 8,000 acres, with 8,000 acres also expected to be harvested for grain.

Idaho's June 1 all wheat stocks in all positions totaled 18.0 million bushels, down 7percent from the 19.3 million bushels in storage June 1, 2010.

Nationally, all wheat stored in all positions on June 1, 2011 totaled 861 million bushels, down 12 percent from a year ago. The March – May 2011 indicated disappearance is 565 million bushels, up 48 percent from the same period a year earlier. Barley stocks in all positions on June 1, 2011 totaled 89.4 million bushels, down 23 percent from June 1, 2010. The March – May 2011 indicated disappearance is 48.8 million bushels, 17 percent above the same period a year earlier. Oats stored in all positions on June 1, 2011 totaled 67.6 million bushels, 16 percent below the stocks on hand June 1, 2010. The March – May 2011 indicated disappearance totaled 18.7 million bushels, compared with 17.7 million bushels during the same period a year ago. Corn stocks in all positions on June 1, 2011 totaled 3.67 billion bushels, down 15 percent from June 1, 2010. The March – May 2011 indicated disappearance is 2.85 billion bushels, compared with 3.38 billion bushels during the same period last year.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Schedule of Idaho Crop Tours/Field Days


The University of Idaho will be conducting Field Days in numerous locations during June and July. Field Days provide an opportunity to learn about new wheat and barley varieties while providing growers a forum to ask UI Extension staff questions.

June 27 – Rimrock: UI Crop Tour, Winter/spring wheat, starts at 8:00 a.m. in Genesee. Contact: Lydia Clayton, (208) 799-3096 Iclayton@uidaho.edu

June 28 – Craigmont: Prairie Area Crop & Conservation Tour. Contact: Ken Hart, (208) 937-2311 khart@uidaho.edu. Hosted breakfast 7:00 a.m. Craigmont City Hall. Transportation provided, pesticide recertification and CCA credits available.

July 7 – Burley: UI Cereals Extension Field day, Contacts: Joel Packham (208) 430-7238 jpackham@uidaho.edu, Juliet Marshall, Juliet.marshall@uidaho.edu. Starts at 10:00 a.m. at winter cereal trials (150 N on Meridian Rd, N of Rupert), lunch provided.

July 14 – Rexburg: BYU-Idaho Contacts: Greg Blaser (208) 496-4527 blaserg@byui.edu Renae Zollinger (208) 496-4521. 35th Small Grains and Forages Field Day, ISDA and CCA credits available, lunch provided.

July 19 – Blackfoot: General Mills, Contact: Brett Wilken, (208) 243-0008, brett.wilken@genmills.com

July 20 – Swan Valley: Direct Seed Field Day, Contacts: Gordon Gallup, (208) 251-9552 gogallup@hotmail.com; Pat Dailey, (208) 334-2353 pdailey@idahowheat.org, Juliet Marshall, Juliet.marshall@uidaho.edu. Starts at 10:00 a.m., Gordon Gallup’s Farm, lunch provided.

July 20 – Ririe: UI Cereals Extension Field day with Bonneville County Grain Growers. Contacts: Matt Gellings (208) 524-4946 mjgellings@msn.com, Juliet.marshall@uidaho.edu. Starts at 4:00 p.m. Extension trials in Ririe at LDS Church Farm.

July 21—Aberdeen: UI Extension Cereals & Wheat Breeding Field day, 3:00 p.m. Twilight Tour: 100th Anniversary of Research & Extension Center. Contacts: Steve Love (208) 397-4181 slove@uidaho.edu, Jianli Chen (208) 397-4181 jchen@uidaho.edu, Juliet Marshall (208) 529-8376 Juliet.marshall@uidaho.edu.

July 27 – Soda Springs: UI Cereals Extension Field day with Caribou County Grain Growers. Contacts: Steve Harrison (208) 547-3205, sharrison@uidaho.edu; Scott Brown, (801) 557-5123, Sam Reed (208) 547-7020. Starts at 4:00 p.m. at Cid Cellen’s farm, dinner provided.

July 28 – Ashton: UI Extension Field Day with Jefferson/Madison/Fremont County Grain Growers. Contacts: Lance Ellis (208) 624-3102 ellis@uidaho.edu or Juliet Marshall, Juliet.marshall@uidaho.edu. Starts at 10:00 a.m. lunch provided.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Peruvian Wheat Buyers Get First Hand Look at Idaho Wheat Industry


Executives directly involved in making wheat purchasing decisions for five flour milling and wheat food companies in Peru were in Idaho June 21 to 23. The team visited General Mills and Pendleton Flour Mills in Blackfoot. They also toured the U.I. Research Center in Aberdeen to learn about Idaho wheat varieties and their end use functionality.

Peru produces only a small amount of wheat and has imported an average of about 55.6 million bushels, or about 1.5 million metric tons, annually for the past five years. U.S. commercial sales to Peru have increased during each of the past three marketing years (June – May) and have grown from 20.8 million bushels in 2009/10 to about 36.8 million bushels in 2010/11.

The U.S. Wheat Associates is targeting Peru's artisan bread market, which has the highest level of consumption and more potential impact on U.S. wheat sales to Peru as a replacement mainly for Canadian spring wheat imports.