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Good times reflected in smiling faces of farmers

Hillsboro Banner — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 00:11:16 +0000

Barry Olson thinks he has a handle on the farmers’ mood: speculative.

Anxious works, too, he said.

Anyway you look at it, he continued, “they’re ready to get rolling.”

The mood of the farmers? Good, bordering on happy.

Happy, bordering on smiling.

“They’re spending money,” he says, smiling.

The John Deere parts man at Oppegards in Hillsboro is hoping the good times continue.

For as long as possible . . . .

Truth be told, he knows, the record prices of the last two years cannot continue indefinitely.

History has proven otherwise.

Which is why Barry Olson is hoping the younger generation is listening to their fathers and grandfathers. Who remember when high prices, take for instance the 1970s, when some farmers went overboard, over-extending their farm operations farming fence row to fence row and buying everything in sight.

“Bingo,” said Olson. The bottom dropped out of the market. “And it didn’t take long.”

Farmers surviving the boom to bust cycle can legitimately talk of tough times, according to Olson.

“They know how tough it can be.”

But, Barry Olson would rather not talk of the tough times.

Not when times are good.

And everyone’s wearing a smile.

“It’s been good.”

Busy good.

Mike Willison welcomes the spring season. The Oppegards salesman can live with the cool, windy and wet days.

Because he knows a couple of warm dry days changes everything.

Willison also has appreciated the successful years farmers and the ag industry have enjoyed.

“We’ve had two good years, two really good years.”

Record high commodity prices have afforded farmers a good opportunity to make money farming, Willison suggests.

“Hopefully, Mother Nature will cooperate again this year so the farmer can have another good year.”

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ccreporter — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 20:12:17 +0000

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Conrad, Dorgan and Johnson discuss 2007 Farm Bill

Traill County Tribune — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 00:49:43 +0000

By Joshua Vice
United States Senators Kent Conrad and Byron Dorgan, along with North Dakota Agricultural Commissioner Roger Johnson, were all present at a 2007 Farm Bill meeting held in Mayville on Saturday, December 8.
The senators and Johnson briefed citizens on the current status of the 2007 Farm Bill, and Conrad detailed his successful efforts to overcome a month-long deadlock that had stalled debate on the bill.
For just over a month, Republican senators had been adding amendments to the farm bill in order to stall debate. Over the past month, 280 amendments were added to the original bill.
A new agreement in the Senate that developed late last week now calls for the bill to only have twenty amendments offered by each party, which will restart discussion and drafting of the final version.
The 280 amendments that had previously been attached to the bill were largely unrelated to agriculture.
“It was good to be able to come to this meeting and have some really good news about the farm bill,” said Senator Conrad.
“This is a good farm bill. Thankfully, we are able to work through partisan differences and now we can move forward on this critically important legislation,” stated Senator Conrad. “This farm bill is too important for North Dakota and our nation to leave hanging any longer,” he added.
Dorgan is offering up an amendment that would establish a $250,000 per farm payment limit and would help clarify who will be entitled to these direct payments. Dorgan stated that this amendment would cut down on the loopholes that exist in the current provision.
“I anticipated a tough fight on this farm bill. We are dealing with an administration and some members of Congress who have been unfriendly to rural America and farm country,” Senator Conrad commented.
The Bush Administration did, in fact, offer a farm bill proposal that would cost $287.2 billion. The Senate version would cost $285.8 billion. Conrad noted that the Bush Administration had criticized the Senate farm bill for being too costly, but found that interesting considering the administration’s farm bill would cost over $1 billion more.
“If they say that our bill costs too much, then what does that say about their farm bill?” said Senator Conrad.
The 2007 Farm Bill has also received criticism for its spending on commodity programs. In the previous farm bill, the commodity programs comprised only three-quarters of one percent of the total federal outlays. In the new farm bill, that number is down to one quarter of one percent.
Criticisms aside, both Dorgan and Conrad stated that the passing of the 2007 Farm Bill was incredibly important to this region.
“This is a very important moment for our region. Nothing is more important to this region’s economy than a good farm bill,” said Senator Dorgan.
Dorgan stated that the 2007 Farm Bill provides a better safety net for farmers and that it comes with a permanent disaster title with $5 billion earmarked for that purpose.
“We are very pleased to be getting back to work on the farm bill. It will provide a better future for more diverse farmers,” added Senator Dorgan.
What is also important to note about the 2007 Farm Bill is that the majority of its funding is allocated to nutritional programs with that portion of the bill making up 61% of the total funding. Examples of such programs include Women-Infants-Children (WIC) and the school lunch programs.
Another aspect of major importance to the Red River Valley is the 2007 Farm Bill's very strong provisions for sugar. The bill also includes language for a Sugar to Ethanol program along with other renewable fuel programs.
“The facts show that North Dakota has the second-highest diesel fuel prices in the nation. This year, North Dakota had long lines for diesel fuel as refineries were hit with shortages. We provide twice as much fuel as we use and should consider building a refinery in North Dakota," suggested Senator Conrad.
Dorgan stated that he had a hearing with the Department of Energy about the timing of shutdown and maintenance of pipelines and refineries and how that affected the seasonal supply of fuel in the Upper Midwest.
The discussion and drafting of the 2007 Farm Bill is still in the works and it will take some time to complete. Senator Conrad estimated that the final resolution may not be completed until early next year.
“This farm bill does not have everything that everyone would like, but it is much stronger than the previous version,” stated Senator Conrad. “Are there defects in the farm bill? Yes. But we need to talk about what it has achieved,” Senator Conrad added.
“You need to be very proud of what you have done for the world,” Senator Conrad said about North Dakota agriculture.
Senator Dorgan said that North Dakota leads the way in agriculture and that the state’s leadership provides a model for the world to emulate.
The 2007 Farm Bill is an extensive resolution that provides government funding to all areas of the USDA. It not only provides a safety net for family farmers, but also ensures that agriculture in the United States stays viable and strong for the future.

Conrad comes to Traill County

Traill County Tribune — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 20:50:21 +0000

By Joshua Vice
Hillsboro was the site of a farm bill meeting with Senator Kent Conrad, Minnesota Congressman Collin Peterson and North Dakota Commissioner of Agriculture Roger Johnson on Tuesday, August 28 at the Lynn Kritzberger Farm.
The meeting was held to celebrate the work Peterson had accomplished on getting a overwhelming majority vote for passage of the farm bill in the U.S. House of Representatives and to also inform the public on how the bill is progressing. The public was also allowed to ask the politicians questions in an open forum.
The farm bill must still pass in the Senate, but the response from the house has Conrad, Peterson and Johnson optimistic about its prospects.
“What Collin Peterson did in the house with the farm bill is nothing short of a miracle,” said Conrad.
Peterson stated that while it was nice to be able to get the bill passed by such a large margin in the house, it was the goal all along and he did not deserve all of the credit.
Peterson is the chairman of the agriculture committee for the house. He said that enlisting Congressman Earl Pomeroy to have a seat on the agriculture committee was a great benefit, because Pomeroy worked tirelessly to get the bill passed.
Some highlights of the 2008 Farm Bill include low rate and target price increases for wheat, barley, oilseeds and soybeans, a new permanent disaster program, payment limit reforms, new mandatory COOL provisions and new investments in renewable energy.
Conrad said that the majority vote in the house means there is a bipartisan effort being built in the capitol.
“Farms in North Dakota and Minnesota have the same kind of concerns as farms in any other region in the country,” said Peterson, who alluded to the fact that agriculture affects everyone.
Although Peterson says he could not get the house to add another $5 billion into the bill for additional aid, he felt that the work done in the house provided great strides for agriculture.
“If you don’t want your program taken out, you have to stop fighting each other and work together,” Peterson added.
Peterson said that agriculture in the United States has been divided by region for many years and that this division has hindered farmers in getting the benefits that they need.
In closing, Peterson thanked Senator Conrad and Commissioner Johnson for their work. Senator Conrad was then given the microphone and he addressed the crowd.
“I want to start by once again thanking Collin Peterson for his leadership in developing the Farm Bill,” said Conrad. “This has been a tough challenge,” he added.
Conrad stated that regionally, agriculture is not supported in other places like it is in North Dakota.
“Eastern headlines have told only one part of the truth about agriculture. They don’t talk about the costs that farmers incur or the work that they put in,’ Conrad stated.
In fact, in other parts of the world, agriculture is supported on a much larger scale by its governments than it is in the United States.
For example, in the European Union, farmers get $251 per acre in government support funds as opposed to just $48 per acre in the United States.
Conrad stated that writing farm bills in the future will only continue to get harder and harder. The reason Conrad states for this difficulty is that the national deficit is only getting larger. Conrad said that by the year 2012, the United States will have a deficit of $12 trillion.
Arguments have been raised against the farm bill that it has been increasing the deficit. Conrad says that isn’t the case.
All money spent on agriculture, which not only involves farmers but a wide range other areas only takes up 4% of the national budget.
Without the farm bill, Senator Conrad stated that even the most successful farms in the U.S. would have failed. “This is critical moment in the United States and agriculture,” he said.
“We have to make the decision on whether or not we want to shift from an energy importer to an energy producer or not. We can choose to send $200 billion a year to the Middle East for oil or we can send that money to North Dakota or Minnesota for homegrown renewable energy,” commented Conrad.

Wheat harvesting gets a good start

Traill County Tribune — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 16:04:10 +0000

by Brad Tastad
In the past week developments regarding the agricultural area of Traill County was a dual case of good news-bad news.
The good news is farmers were able to begin combining of their spring wheat crops. The bad news is, rainfall measuring in the four-tenths of an inch category came to the valley Wednesday afternoon, shutting down wheat combining efforts.
However, in the second good news-bad news scenario, the rainfall that stopped combining efforts, which is bad news, was good news for producers of soybeans and corn.
The latter two crops received an inch of rain last week, and farmers said that rainfall was perfect, but warned that an additional half-inch of rain would be needed each week to make the soybean and corn crops potentially the best-ever.
Farmers received that rainfall on Wednesday, meaning it was good news for those growing soybeans and corn.

The numbers
Some farmers in the west and north part of the county were able to first get into their fields to begin combining wheat Saturday of last week.
However, the majority of farmers with wheat acres in the ground were not able to begin combining until Tuesday of the past week.
Therefore, even though there are not a lot of wheat acres in the county, most farmers still have wheat combining to finish. Although a select few of the farmers were able to finish their wheat combining by Wednesday noon.
The numbers of the wheat crop were steady throughout the county. All farmers were reporting getting 50 bushels of wheat at the small end of the scale, with others netting 60 bushels per acre. Those two numbers were consistent all through the county.
Protein and moisture content numbers were varying, with the average moisture content ranging from 11 to 15. The moisture levels were even more variable, as those numbers were ranging between 13.5 to 18.
One reason protein and moisture content levels are so important to farmers is that additional charges are put in place if the numbers dip, or rise above a certain level.
Farmers have to pay 20 cents a bushel for every point under 14 that their protein measures.

For example. Since the Thursday morning price of wheat was at $6.04 a bushel, if a farmer brought in wheat that the protein level was only at 11, they would only get paid $5.44 a bushel for that wheat instead of the $6.04 market price.
However, the protein level isn’t a two-way street for farmers. If their protein measures higher than 14, they only get an additional five cents per point.
An example in that scenario is, if a farmer brought in wheat that had a protein level of 17, he would only get an additional 15 cents, or 6.19 per bushel, a nickel per percentage point.
In short, farmers get docked 20 cents for every point under 14 that their protein measure, but only get a nickel for every point over 14 that their protein measures.
As for moisture content, farmers have to pay an additional drying fee if the level is over 15.1. A charge of 11 cents a bushel is charged if the moisture content is between 15.1 and 15.5. And additional charge is added for moisture levels higher thatn 15.5.
As of Thursday morning, the market price for corn was $3.02 per bushel with the new price at $2.90.
Soybeans were getting $7.44 on the market price with the new price sitting at $7.64.

Harvest time is here

Traill County Tribune — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 17:16:43 +0000

by Brad Tastad
The recent warm weather has helped push up the harvest times for the small-grain crops in the county.
Some farmers began swathing their barley crops last week with the intention of beginning combining towards the end of this week.
Other farmers were planning to begin combining their wheat crops perhaps early next week, or in ten days, depending on weather.
Combining efforts in both small- grain crops probably would be in full gear if two things had not occurred during the past week: an unexpected rainfall early Tuesday morning that dropped several tenths of precipitation in the county, and extremely humid conditions that have kept crops damp well into the mid-afternoons of each day.
“The barley combining is expected to begin this week, and some of the winter wheat has already been combined,” said Ken Nichols, Traill County Extension Agent. “Some of the winter wheat was good. It ran in the 50 bushel-per-acre range. But some that had drownout from the rains we had in May wasn’t as good. Some of it only ran in the 30 bushel-per-acre-range.”
However, the small-grain crops that did not experience drownout from the six-week period of rain from May into mid-June are looking very good.
“The barley is looking fairly well with decent quality and we’re hoping it will run in the 70 bushel range,” continued Nichols. “And the spring wheat isn’t quite ready for combining yet, but it is also looking good. The spring wheat should bring in 45 to 50 bushels per acre.”
Nichols added that the bushels he’s hoping for won’t be realized over the entire county, because some areas suffered more drownout acres than in other parts. “But for the most part, the small grain crops are looking decent,” summed up Nichols.
Getting started on the barley and spring wheat combining is a little ahead of schedule. “We’re not even into August yet and we’re getting into the small grains,” said Nichols. “We’re in good shape.”
However, combining efforts came to a sudden halt, as the rains returned to the county early Thursday morning, dumping several tenths more of precipitation to the area.
The corn and soybean crops are over a month away from harvest time, but both of those crops, which are the two largest crops in the county, are looking good.
“The soybeans have really perked up and some of the corn crops look super,” remarked Nichols. “For the most part, all of the corn and soybeans look pretty good.”
In a normal year, farmers begin combining their soybeans in mid-September with the corn harvest coming after the soybean harvest is completed.
“If the weather cooperates and doesn’t get real cold in the coming month, which I don’t foresee happening, it should be a good year for the corn and soybean crops,” said Nichols.

The prices
As of Thursday morning, the market prices for mill wheat was at $5.84 with the market price of corn at $2.72 and soybeans were in at $6.60.
The new crop price for a bushel of corn sat at $2.54 Thursday morning with the new crop price of soybeans at $6.75.
The market price for feed barley was $2.40 per bushel on Thursday with malting barley sitting at $3.60 a bushel.
The price for lead free gasoline was at $3.05 per gallon, the same price for road diesel.

Area crops on the rebound

Hillsboro Banner — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 15:12:18 +0000

A month ago crops in the immediate Hillsboro area and across Traill County were spotty, at best.
Too much rain largely in May had taken its toll; early crops were drowned out in the lower areas and in others sectors the moisture promised diseased crops.
Four weeks later and the outlook has improved considerably.
The recent stretch of warm and dry weather pushed crops to where now the Red River Valley stands a good chance of producing another average to above average crop.
Monday’s rain was an added bonus.
“The rain helped, definitely,” said Ken Nichols, Traill County extension agent.
The rain measuring .73 in Hillsboro arrived largely after midnight. The line of thunderstorms, running on a line from Jamestown northeast to Park River before it entered the valley, produced variable amounts of rainfall. Mayville reported .35, Galesburg .65. Showers in the late afternoon added to the region’s totals.
It all helped.
“Anytime you get moisture,” said agronomist Barry DickHoff, the crops will respond.
The valley corn crop, which was coming on strong despite showing signs of stress, needed the rain, said Ken Nichols.
So did the small grains, the county agent added.
Another plus was the cooler temperatures early in the week; Tuesday dawned with low 60-degree temps. The early morning temps the rest of the week were in the 50s.
“The cooler temperatures and rain were welcomed,” said Nichols.
“Hopefully, the small grains will now add some test weight.”
Whenever the crops look as green as they do currently in the Red River Valley, there’s the opportunity for added test weight in the small grains, Nichols explained.
Sure, there’s some areas where crops were drowned out, Nichols knows, resulting in pot holes in numerous fields.
“But where they’re not drowned out, the crops look good.”
In other words the cropland in eastern Traill County is greening up nicely.
The early sugarbeet crop, however, was hurt by the overload of early moisture.
“We’re seeing some root rot,” Nichols said. But it’s not an epidemic, he added. Some Hillsboro area sugarbeet crops are showing significant damage.
The valley’s soybeans — a “tough animal,” according to Nichols — are starting to blossom and, much like the corn crop, are also looking good.
The early moisture, however, threatened the soybean crop.
But all that changed with the recent warm weather.
The difference a year makes, commented both Nichols and DickHoff, Halstad Elevator agronomy plant manager in Hillsboro.
A year ago a warm and dry June pushed roots to tap into the plentiful subsoil moisture supplies.
It helped save and produce record crops, all around.
Farmers entered this year’s planting season with depleted subsoil moisture conditions.
This year’s wet spring solved that problem.
“We’re okay now for subsoil,” commented Ken Nichols.
That said, the heart of the Red River Valley remains ahead of the game in rainfall amounts. Hillsboro has received 9.73 inches of rain, the average at this point is 6.8 inches.
“It would have been nice to have this spring’s rain spread out,” Nichols said, “but it was nice that it replenished the subsoil supplies.”
Again, where it’s not drowned out and despite the early rains and subsequent warm and dry conditions, the crops are looking fairly good.
Said Nichols, “We’ve still got a crop out there.”
Thanks to the recent warm weather, the incidents of scab in the small grains has been reduced.
“We’re not going to have huge losses to scab,” said Nichols.
The new Traill County extension agent credits the valley farmer for being diligent in protecting his crops from leaf diseases. “They did a great job in their fungicide application.”
Nichols describes the varying rainfall and weather conditions as a Catch-22.
“Some fields are hurting, some are average, some are better than average.”
Barry DickHoff likes the potential for both the soybeans and corn.
Both crops, he said, are “looking good.”
Tuesday’s early morning rain was a shot in the arm, according to the Halstad Elevator agronomist.
The soybeans, flowering and needing moisture and sunlight, will benefit with the improved weather conditions.
The accommodating weather is, of course, responsible for the turnaround.
The weather, he said, is the big difference.
But, it’s been that kind of year; interesting, to say the least, he explains.
Farmers were in the fields early, then it started to rain. Rain all too frequent was the problem. Then it turned warm and windy.
“It’s just been a different year,” said DickHoff.
“But it’s looking a lot better than it did three, four weeks ago, that’s for sure."
Credit the weather.
The usual suspect when conditions turn sour, the weather is also the savior when things are right.

Heavy rains in valley push Red River over flood stage

Hillsboro Banner — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 21:27:43 +0000

Heavy summer rains over the past few weeks have pushed the Red River of the North past flood stage.
At Halstad, Minn. the Red was expected to crest June 26 at 30.9 feet, according to the National Weather Service in Grand Forks. Flood stage is 26 feet. Protected by a dike the city of Halstad is not directly impacted by the floodwaters.
Major cities in the Red River Valley — Wahpeton, Fargo and Grand Forks — had also battled record summer flooding, resulting in street closures and other emergency flood protections measures.
Hillsboro had significant rain events June 14 (estimated 3 inches) and June 17 (between 1 and 2 inches). The Goose River was flowing higher and faster than usual in Hillsboro’s Woodland Park.
Wetter conditions have prompted the city crew to start spraying for mosquitoes this week. Last summer, dry conditions meant no spraying was done to fight the pesky insect.
Farther south along the river in southeastern North Dakota, heavy June rains and subsequent runoff flowed into the Red and its tributaries. River levels have slowly increased and then slowly subsided from south to north.
Farmland has been impacted by the heavy rains as standing water could be seen in many fields around the county.

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Traill County Tribune — Tue, 01 May 2007 19:31:03 +0000

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