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PAGE 22
Monsanto sues
Boersen Farms
PAUL W. JACKSON
FARM NEWS MEDIA
The Monsanto Company has filed suit in
U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Mis-
souri, against Boersen Farms, claiming the
farm operation owes it more than $2.3 mil-
lion for seed purchased on credit in 2016.
Monsanto claims in the court filing that
Boersen “purchased a total of $2,359,071.33
on credit under the Farmflex financing
program and was obligated to remit full pay-
ment… no later than Nov. 25, 2016, to avoid
financing charges.” Past-due accounts, the
filing said, accrues “interest at a rate of 1.5
percent per month until paid in full.”
As a result of the alleged failure to pay,
Monsanto claims that “Boersen has been
unjustly enriched and obtained profits that
in equity and good conscience belong to
Monsanto.” Monsanto also seeks a court
judgment for that total, “plus interest and
attorneys’ fees and other collection costs.”
The suit claims that for the 2016 crop
year, Boersen “purchased DEKALB, As-
grow and/or other Monsanto branded crop
seed” through Crop Production Services
(CPS) on credit.
The suit, filed Oct. 4, claims that when
Calhoun County’s Leroy Township is expected to pass a zoning ordinance in which it creates its own Generally Accepted Boersen entered into the “Monsanto Tech-
Agricultural Management Practices (GAAMPs). | Kim Kerr, MFB nology Stewardship Agreement (MTSA), he
agreed to “pay all applicable fees due to
PAUL W. JACKSON (planning and township) kept telling us they farmers to submit a site plan to the zoning
Monsanto for the purchase of seed.”
FARM NEWS MEDIA want agriculture to remain in the com- administrator. It requires the “minimum lot
Boersen was issued a “summons in a
Protection is only as good as its threat. munity, and to be sure it and all citizens area for intensive livestock operations” to
civil action,” the court document claims.
The threat of flies in your butter, for ex- are protected. My question is who will be be 60 acres. It requires a Comprehensive
The suit comes on the heels of several
ample, doesn’t require a shotgun. protected, and from what?” Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP). It
other lawsuits, including the original suit
But as Calhoun County’s Leroy Township While township officials won’t plainly say requires manure applications only by “sub-
filed by CHS, which claims it is owed a
prepares to pass amendments to its zoning that large livestock farms are the threat, or surface injection within the setback areas
reported $145 million, and the estimated
ordinance purportedly designed to protect that potential lawsuits are the threat, the prescribed ….” It requires standards and
value of the crops Boersen still has in
“the public health, safety and general wel- zoning proposal clearly addresses “inten- specifications for buildings found in various
the field is $50 million. CHS claims in the
fare,” some farmers believe the township is sive livestock operation(s)” by redefining handbooks, including “all relevant publica-
complaint that it is “faced with the imminent
trying to eliminate a threat that isn’t really the term and setting specific and restrictive tions referenced therein…”
loss of $50 million of its collateral…”
there. rules about what such an operation can do. After all that, it requires farmers to follow
Anecdotal reports from various parts of
“This is clearly an overreach by a town- It also seems that the ultimate resolution Generally Accepted Agricultural Manage-
the state in which Boersen farmed indicate
ship that is not listening to the community,” will come only through a legal battle.
that the crops have not yet been harvested.
said Andrea Boughton, president of the The proposed ordinance would limit
See TOWNSHIP, page 21 To date, Boersen has not filed for bank-
Calhoun County Farm Bureau. “The boards the number of animals allowed. It requires
ruptcy.
INSIDE Syngenta settles Agrisure “That GMO corn later found its way into
the general corn supply and was loaded on
Opinion............................. 2
Viptera suit for $1.5 billion barges headed for China,” Doyle said. “Chi-
na ultimately rejected the GMO corn, but
FARM NEWS MEDIA
because it was comingled with approved
Markets............................. 6 If the Sept. 27 settlement announcement varieties, all U.S. corn exports to China
between Syngenta and thousands of farm- were halted. Some farmers, as well as ma-
Weather............................ 8 ers was designed to “avoid the uncertainty jor corn processors—including ADM and
of ongoing litigation,” as Syngenta said in Cargill—allege that the embargo caused a
Field Focus......................19
its announcement of the deal, uncertainty collapse in the market price of corn.”
Farm Shop............ Section B remains for farmers. While the suits filed by the two pro-
The settlement, which reportedly will cessors, as well as foreign suits, are not
www.MichiganFarmNews.com have Syngenta set aside $1.5 billion to affected by the settlement, it’s still not clear
P.O. Box 30960 • West Saginaw Highway
pay farmers who are part of one of several how much of the $1.5 billion will be avail-
A Publication of Michigan Farm Bureau
class-action suits, would “establish a settle- able for distribution among farmers.
ment fund for the submission of claims by “I think it all depends on which law firm the
Lansing, MIchigan 48909-8460
eligible claimants who contracted to price farmer used to join the suit,” said Kate Thiel,
corn or corn by-products after Sept. 15, field crops specialist with Michigan Farm Bu-
2013,” Syngenta said. reau. “There are a lot of different factors that
“In 2010, Syngenta released GMO seed will affect the amount of money any farmer
(Agrisure Viptera) before it was approved by gets. The money available will likely be dimin-
some export markets, most notably China, ished by many factors. If a farmer participated
according to Varnum Law attorney Brion
VOLUME 94 • ISSUE NO. 17 Doyle, who explained the suit in a Novem-
COPYRIGHT© 2017, MICHIGAN FARM BUREAU See CLASS ACTION, page 4
ber, 2015, issue of Michigan Farm News.
2 Michigan Farm News | October 15, 2017 REPORTS & OPINIONS www.michiganfarmnews.com
IN BRIEF LETTER
what you enjoy while advancing the ag
industry in a positive way. A great way to
sional committees who are starting to
write the next farm bill
■■ECONOMY start is to reach out to your county Farm • NAFTA renegotiation
from the Bureau and the volunteers in your area. You • Monitoring DEQ’s lawsuit with Michigan
Equipment business PRESIDENT can always contact the various depart-
ments at home office with a specific ques-
Sugar
NORTHERN SEED
5X7.5
4 Michigan Farm News | October 15, 2017 www.michiganfarmnews.com
Class action Thiel said. “This legal action is not over yet,
because there are the two big grain com-
teachers, local infrastructure,
and law enforcement.
Without a federal E-Fairness solution, MI will lose more
than $4.5 billion from 2018-2022.
panies and Canadian interests that haven’t
CONTINUED from page 1 Because Congress has failed to act, Michigan has already enacted its own legislative solution
been resolved. Settlements like this, no mat-
and Governor Rick Snyder has spoken out in favor of E-Fairness.
ter the size, are challenging for companies.”
in the suit, this might end their interest in the Earlier this year, Syngenta was ordered
case, or at least it will when they get a check. by a Kansas jury to pay $217.7 million
I T ’ S T IME F OR A F EDER A L E- FA IR NE S S S OL U T ION
Whether that check is to their satisfaction or
not remains to be seen.”
What also remains to be seen is how the
to an estimated 7,000 Kansas famers. A
reported eight certified class action suits in
various states and regions were filed since
CLOSE THE ONLINE SALES TAX LOOPHOLE.
payout will affect Syngenta’s ability to con- the initial suit.
duct research on new genetic varieties. It was initially unclear if the settlement
“That’s something we can’t know now,” resolves all of those remaining suits.
Michigan AgrAbility
Grant funding available for farmers with
medical impairments to purchase custom
tractor steps or other assistive items.
spinal cord injury | chronic back pain
arthritis | stroke | respiratory impairment
joint injury amputation | visual impairment
hearing impairment | head injury
1-800-956-4106 | www.michiganagrability.org Protecting you, your loved ones, and your farming operation
East Lansing & Troy | www.FraleighLaw.com | 1-800-928-0034
Cultivating success, one farmer at a time
www.michiganfarmnews.com October 15, 2017 | Michigan Farm News 5
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6 Michigan Farm News | October 15, 2017 COMMODITIES www.michiganfarmnews.com
Wheat planting
(Million Acres) (Million Acres) (Million Acres)
Acres Planted 88.0 94.0 90.9 Acres Planted 55.0 50.1 46.0 Acres Planted 82.7 83.4 89.5
down substantially
Acres Harvested 80.7 86.7 83.5 Acres Harvested 47.3 43.9 37.6 Acres Harvested 81.7 82.7 88.7
Yield/Bushels 168.4 174.6 169.9 Bu./Harvested Acre 43.6 52.7 46.3 Yield/Bushels 48.0 52.0 49.9
DR. JIM HILKER (Million Bushels) (Million Bushels) (Million Bushels)
MSU EXTENSION Beginning Stocks 1,731 1,737 2,295 Beginning Stocks 752 976 1,183 Beginning Stocks 191 197 301
Production 13,602 15,148 14,184 Production 2,062 2,309 1,741 Production 3,926 4,296 4,431
Imports 68 55 50 Imports 113 118 140 Imports 24 25 25
Feed & Residual 5,114 5,480 5,525 Food 957 949 950 Crushings 1,886 1,895 1,940
In early October, December corn futures Food, Seed & Ind. 6,648 6,870 6,925 Seed 67 61 66 Exports 1,942 2,170 2,250
seemed to have settled into a fairly tight Ethanol for fuel 5,224 5,435 5,450 Feed & Residual 149 154 120 Seed 97 104 101
trading range, $3.45-$3.55, even with Total Domestic 11,763 12,350 12,450 Total Domestic 1,174 1,164 1,136 Residual 18 48 35
some significant news on Sept. 29. Exports 1,901 2,295 1,850 Exports 778 1,055 975 Total Use 3,944 4,217 4,326
Did information in the Oct. 12, 2017, Total Use 13,664 14,645 14,300 Total Use 1,951 2,219 2,111
Ending Stocks 197 301 431
release of the USDA/NASS Crop Produc- Ending Stocks 1,737 2,295 2,229 Ending Stocks 976 1,183 963
Ending Stocks,
tion Report cause December corn futures Ending Stocks, Ending Stocks, % of Use 5.0 7.1 10.0
to break out of that range? % of Use 12.7 15.7 15.6 % of Use 50.1 53.3 45.6
U.S. Loan Rate $5.00 $5.00 $5.00
On Sept. 29, the USDA/NASS released U.S. Loan Rate $1.95 $1.95 $1.95 U.S. Loan Rate $2.75 $2.75 $2.75
U.S. SEASON AVERAGE
the Sept. 1 Quarterly Grains Stocks U.S. SEASON AVERAGE U.S. SEASON AVERAGE
Farm Price, $/Bu. $8.95 $9.50 $9.20
Report. The report shows how much old- Farm Price, $/Bu. $3.61 $3.35 $3.20 U.S. $/Bu. $4.89 $3.89 $4.60
crop corn is in storage, both on farm and
off farm, on Sept. 1, 2017. The reported
amount becomes the ending stocks for
the 2016-17 corn marketing year, which While this was 32 percent larger than slaughter plant will help use this up, but due to the large amount fed on farm, which
runs from Sept. 1 through Aug. 31. It also the previous year, it was 55 million bushels that is a lot of extra corn. Of course the is impossible to keep track of. Therefore
becomes the 2017-18 beginning stocks, less than the market expected. Corn size of the 2017 corn crop will have a I adjusted 2016-17 feed and residual use
which when added to 2017 corn produc- stored on farm was up 25 percent and bigger effect on local basis, but the more- up 55 million bushels in my projections on
tion and corn imports, becomes 2017-18 corn stored off farm was up 36 percent. than- normal Michigan ending stocks adds Table 1. This may indicate that we need to
total supply as shown on Table 1. There were 49.2 million bushels of old up to about an extra half bushel per acre. increase the feeding rate in our 2017-18
Both the Sept. 12 USDA/WASDE Sup- crop corn in storage on Sept. 1 in Michi- The less-than-expected ending stocks projections. I increased projected 2017-
ply/Demand Estimate and the average gan, 10 million bushels more than the pre- means one of three things: More was fed 18 feed use by 50 million bushels in my
trade estimates forecasted 2016-17 corn vious year. This is the most since the 46 than expected, the 2016 corn crop was less Table 1 projections. Check out the Oct.
ending stocks at 2,350 million bushels, the million at the end of the 2005-06 year. than thought, or a combination of the two. 12 USDA/WASDE update to see how
report showed there were 2,295 million The expanded ethanol capacity and For corn, it is hard to go back and adjust they made the adjustment along with the
bushels in storage September 1. expanded hog numbers due to the new production based on just this information updated 2017 production estimates.
WEATHER
Obs. Dev. from Actual Normal Obs. Normal
9/1/2017 - 9/30/2017
spite abnormally cool weather early in the mean normal Base 50 Base 50 (inches) (inches)
temperatures?
GRAND RAPIDS 66.5 3.6 466 406 0.66 4.28
Since early July, rainfall totals in some
HOUGHTON LAKE 61.4 4.2 402 314 0.73 3.10
central portions of the Lower Peninsula
were less than 4 inches (less than 50 per- LANSING 65.6 3.7 465 396 0.94 3.50
JEFF ANDRESEN
MSU EXTENSION cent of normal), resulting in rapid depletion MARQUETTE 59.2 3.4 339 265 3.25 3.72
A strong upper-air ridging pattern of soil moisture and increasing levels of MUSKEGON 65.4 3.4 454 362 0.82 3.89
brought abnormal hot and dry weather to water stress for many crops. PELLSTON 60.5 4.5 421 317 0.96 3.58
Michigan and much of the Midwest during The recent dryness has delayed winter SAULT STE MARIE 62.9 5.8 354 271 1.05 3.82
late September, with many areas reporting wheat planting in some areas of the state SAGINAW 65.6 4.3 445 373 0.44 3.83
a daily consecutive string of 90 degrees F due to insufficient soil moisture for germi-
or higher maximum temperatures from the nation. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor the middle of the month which could lead For the October-through-December
21st through the 26th. categorizes most of the southern half of to northwesterly flow into the region and period, equal chances of above, near,
Combined with below-normal rainfall totals Lower Michigan in “D0 Abnormally Dry” cooler, more seasonable temperatures. and below-normal categories is forecast
in most areas, the warm weather led to rapid conditions, with south central sections now Regardless, the official NOAA Climate statewide.
maturation and senescence of most annual at “D1 Moderate Drought.” Prediction Center long-lead outlooks
crops and favored early harvest activities. There are hints of some possible chang- for October and the 3-month October- Andresen is a professor of
Freezing temperatures have yet to occur es ahead which would not be favorable for through-December period both call for Meteorology/Climatology with
so far this growing season across the vast harvest operations. increased odds of above-normal mean Michigan State University’s Dept. of
majority of southern Lower Michigan (cli- The most notable is a projected increase temperatures. The outlooks for precipitation Geography, Environment, and Spatial
matological normal dates of first fall freeze in the frequency of weather systems with are more complicated. Sciences; MSUE specialist and the
in range from the first week of October in precipitation in the region leading to more It is worth noting that the outlook also calls state climatologist for Michigan.
south-central sections to the third week in rainfall chances. There is also the potential for drier-than-normal weather in areas of the
the southwest and southeast corners of formation of an upper-air trough during Ohio Valley just south and east of Michigan.
Michigan-made butter
wins first place
in North American Farm Bureau
Insurance Specialists
dairy product contest
MMPA
Butter made in southwest Michi-
gan by farmer-owned Michigan Milk
Producers Association (MMPA) was
awarded top honors from the World
Dairy Expo Championship Dairy
Product Contest.
First- and third-place awards were
granted to unsalted butter made at
MMPA’s dairy plant in Constantine,
Michigan. MMPA has competed in the
nationwide contest for seven years.
“Our recipe for excellence starts
with our farmers’ high-quality milk
along with the dedication of our plant
team to produce award-winning
butter,” MMPA General Manager Joe
Diglio said. “We are proud of these Marc Reinhardt
accomplishments, recognized once Brenda Szach Bay-Thumb Specialist
North Specialist (989) 450-4851
again at the World Dairy Expo.” (989) 329-7290 mreinha@fbinsmi.com
The World Dairy Expo Champion- bszach@fbinsmi.com
ship Dairy Product Contest is the
only North American judging con-
test which encompasses all dairy
products. The contest received
over one thousand entries in 75
product classes including cheese,
butter, fluid milk, yogurt, cottage Ryan Fox
West Specialist
cheese, ice cream, cultured milk (269) 313-5566
and dried whey from throughout the rfox@fbinsmi.com
United States.
A contest auction of all first-place
entries took place during the World
Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin.
As a result of this contest, the Wis-
consin Dairy Products Association
(WDPA) annually funds two schol- Marc Erffmeyer
Southwest Specialist
arships for students preparing for (269) 569-1039
careers in the dairy industry. WDPA merffme@fbinsmi.com
also funds a culinary arts scholarship
Nate Gust
and donates to the National Col- Southeast & Northern
legiate Judging Contest which trains Matt Thelen Ohio Specialist
college students the art of evaluating Central Specialist (517) 605-1076
dairy products. (989) 640-0570 ngust@fbinsmi.com
In addition to a cheese plant in mthele1@fbinsmi.com
Indiana, MMPA operates two SQF
Level 3 dairy ingredient plants in
Michigan. In addition to butter,
MMPA’s dairy ingredient plants manu-
facture nonfat dry milk, condensed
skim milk, cream and whole milk
powder. MMPA sells its products to
food manufacturers who make infant FarmBureauInsurance.com/Crop
formulas, candy, ice cream, pudding,
baked goods, cheese and yogurt.
www.michiganfarmnews.com October 15, 2017 | Michigan Farm News 9
Study might shed light be more cautious about
what they’re ingesting
The survey revealed that 78 percent
would support release of GM mosquitoes in
Americans were likely less informed about
the release of GM crops and found out
on public perception on an ongoing basis.” the United States. Acceptance of GM is 44 about them after they were already a signifi-
Data also show that percent for livestock production; 49 percent cant part of the food chain.
of GM technology acceptance of genetic for grain production; 48 percent for fruit and “The perception of choice matters,”
BRIAN WALLHEIMER modification may be re- vegetable production; 62 percent for human Widmar said. “If you need it to stay healthy,
SEED WORLD lated to sex, education, medicine; and 68 percent for human health. you would probably use it. But if you feel
More than three-quarters of Ameri- income and awareness of GM technology. Males were more likely to accept GM like you were given GMOs and told about it
cans would accept release of genetically Zika, a virus spread primarily through across all categories. Younger respon- later, that might upset you.”
modified mosquitoes to decrease risk of mosquito bites, can cause severe birth dents also accepted at higher rates in ev- Tyner says there may be a lesson in
the Zika virus, but fewer than half accept defects, including microcephaly and erything except for human health reasons, the data for those who want to develop
genetic modification (GM) of animals, grain fetal brain defects. The virus was espe- in which there was no significant difference future GMO technologies. While GMO
crops and produce, according to a Purdue cially prevalent in Brazil during the 2016 among age groups. crops have often been lauded for reduc-
University study. Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, and Higher income groups were more likely ing inputs and lowering costs for growers,
Ag economists Nicole Olynk Widmar mosquito carriers have been reported in to agree with genetic modification for grain, people may be more receptive to informa-
and Wally Tyner led the study to under- parts of Florida and Texas. fruit and vegetables, and livestock produc- tion about how those same crops allow
stand attitudes toward genetic engineer- Mechanisms developed to control the tion than lower income groups. Those with use of less toxic pesticides.
ing in the wake of last year’s heightened virus include the release of GM mosquitoes college degrees were more accepting of “If we can highlight health and environ-
coverage of the Zika virus. The results that will breed with females to produce genetic modification. mental benefits, rather than just focus-
suggest people are far more accepting of eggs that won’t hatch or offspring that die Finally, the findings show that those ing on the bottom line that might have a
genetic modifications that benefit human before reaching sexual maturity. Widmar aware of GM mosquito technology were positive effect on the public attitude toward
health but are still somewhat wary of and Tyner wanted to assess public opinion more likely to be accepting of genetic GMOs,” Tyner said. “If you look back,
modifications to food. of the technologies and understand what modification in all areas assessed. things might have gone differently if we had
“Whenever you have a newly perceived drives acceptance of some genetic modifi- Widmar said she expected respondents the first releases in the medical field rather
health risk, there are calls for technology cations but not others. to be more accepting of genetic modifi- than the food field.”
to solve the problem. If you think about Findings are based on 964 Americans cation for health and medicine, and she Widmar and Tyner plan to continue
the Ebola virus, everybody said, ‘Where’s surveyed with a goal of selecting respon- suspects it may have to do with how those work related to the impacts of GMOs
an Ebola vaccine?’ They wanted technol- dents that matched 2014 census estimates technologies have been released. on society. Widmar continues to assess
ogy to mitigate the risk,” Widmar said. for age, gender, income, education and In the case of mosquitoes, Zika was consumer acceptance, and demand for,
“Food is an everyday choice. In some region of residence. The margin of error all over the news, as was coverage of various technologies impacting the hu-
ways, I can understand why people may was about 3 percent, and results were companies seeking regulatory permission man condition through food production
published in the journal PLoS One. to release their modified insects for trials. and health care.
IS ON BACKING
SEN. STABENOW PRESS AGENT
More than $1.8 million has been
pledged to support Michigan specialty
PERFORMANCE
crop growers who produce fruits,
vegetables, tree nuts, nursery plants,
and flowers, according to U.S. Senator
WITH STABILITY.
Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Ranking
Member of the Senate Committee on
Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.
The USDA’s Specialty Crop Block
Grant Program will award $1,805,339
million to support 19 projects through-
out the state.
“Michigan-grown fruits and veg-
etables are not only a source of great
pride—they are also critical to our
state’s diverse agricultural economy”
Stabenow said. “This new support will
help Michigan farmers get their prod-
ucts off the farm and onto our plates.”
Each of the 19 projects are targeted
to help specialty crop growers sell more
products locally and globally, protect
crops from pests and diseases, and
market products to be competitive.
Grant recipients include the Cherry
Marketing Institute, Michigan Apple
Committee, Grow Eastern Market,
Michigan Carrot Committee, Michigan
Vegetable Council, and Michigan Wine
At Rupp, we realize stability improves when Collaborative, among others.
In 2008, Senator Stabenow au-
performance is consistent. That’s why you can count on thored the first ever fruits and veg-
us for seed that is consistently tailored to be the best for etables section of a farm bill to provide
support for so-called “specialty crops”
your fields, supported by the same people who really which includes fruits, vegetables, tree
get to know you and the needs of your farm. nuts, nursery products and floriculture.
These crops are critical to the state’s
diverse agricultural economy, as
Our team continually evaluates crop issues and adapts Michigan leads the nation in producing
a wider variety of crops than any state
our hybrid lineup to protect performance against
other than California.
ever-changing weed and insect challenges. In fact, we “Support for specialty crop produc-
ers has been a top priority of mine in the
customize seed traits to align your specific needs with
farm bill,” Stabenow said. “I will continue
the best value. to make sure that Michigan families have
better access to healthy, locally grown
food, and support our farmers with the
Protect plant health, maximize production and sustain
tools they need to succeed.”
stability with tailored hybrids from Rupp. Prior to 2008, farm bills focused
largely on traditional commodity crops
and had no section dedicated to
Putting your performance first. fruits and vegetables. The 2014 farm
That’s what good yields. bill strengthens support for specialty
crops and makes major investments in
organic crops and local and regional
877-591-SEED (7333) • ruppseeds.com food systems.
©2017 Rupp Seeds Inc.
10 Michigan Farm News | October 15, 2017 www.michiganfarmnews.com
Cottonseed supply
stable despite
hurricanes
COTTON INCORPORATED
The September WASDE report that
projected a record cotton crop due to
1.54 million more planted acres and
a favorable growing season, came
out just days after Hurricane Irma hit
Florida and its remnants damaged
crops in Georgia.
“The Southern Texas and Texas
Rolling Plains region experienced
significant cotton losses or degrada-
tion,” said Darren Hudson, professor
of agricultural and applied economics
at Texas Tech University, Lubbock,
Texas. “Hurricane Harvey totally
destroyed a couple cotton gins, so
there will be some ‘shuffling of the
deck’ in the Corpus Christi area this
ginning season.”
Yet, the Texas High Plains area
stayed on track to produce a record-
breaking crop. “Gins and oil mills in
the Lubbock area have ample cotton-
Ag Community Relief
raising funds for
barbed wire fencing
for Montana and the
Dakotas
FARM NEWS MEDIA
Thousands of miles of barbed wire
fence was destroyed in Montana and
the Dakotas this past summer due to
one of the worst wildfire seasons on
record. With millions of acres burned,
Ag Community Relief has established
the “Western Wire Roundup” in effort
to help western ranchers rebuild.
Having already sent 12 loads of
hay to the region, Ag Community
Relief will collect donations over the
next few months to send a full semi-
tractor trailer load of Sheffield barbed
wire fence (560 rolls), that meets or
exceeds ASTM Class 1 standards, to
the farmers and ranchers affected by
the wildfires.
Prepared for
Stockmen’s Feed Bunk, a ranch
supply company based in Boise
City, OK, sold fencing supplies to the
ranchers of Texas, Oklahoma, and
Kansas at cost after spring wildfires
the season.
destroyed over a million acres in
those three states. They have agreed
to do this again for the ranchers of
the Northern Rockies. For informa-
tion on how to sponsor a roll of
wire for $50 or to make a monetary
Tax time is quickly approaching and GreenStone is committed to helping you donation towards this project, visit
https://www.agcommunityrelief.com/
maximize your return. Our robust team and specialized resources ensure your product-page/barbed-wire-roll-
business leverages every possible advantage. Contact your local GreenStone tax donation. Also search for them online
accountant today to book an appointment for your 2017 tax preparation. at #agcommunityrelief and #farmer-
shelpingfarmers.
800-444-3276 Ag Community Relief, a non-profit
501(c)3, was formed to bring relief
to active farmers and ranchers that
experience devastation across the
United States by assembling volun-
teers and donations to help mitigate
their suffering. Their goal is to help
them get back to where they were
before disaster struck.
For more information, or to help,
contact Matt Schaller, President, Ag
Community Relief, (810) 614-0968
www.greenstonefcs.com
12 Michigan Farm News | October 15, 2017 www.michiganfarmnews.com
Michigan’s forests are growing considerably faster than they’re being cut—each year
2.7 times more wood is grown than harvested. | Courtesy photo
are
Farmers in your area
DEVELOPED TO DELIVER.
Trait Stewardship
tte r yield Responsibilities Notice
experiencing be to Farmers for Roundup Ready 2 Xtend®
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ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW DIRECTIONS
PLACED TO PERFORM
se lect FOR USE ON PESTICIDE LABELING. IT IS A
Channel Seedsman to VIOLATION OF FEDERAL AND STATE LAW to
their acres.
products like these for
use any pesticide product other than in accordance
with its labeling. NOT ALL formulations of dicamba or
IN MICHIGAN.
Learn more at
glyphosate are approved for in-crop use, in all states
ichigan with Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® soybeans. ONLY USE
www.Channel.com/M FORMULATIONS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY
LABELED FOR SUCH USES AND APPROVED
FOR SUCH USE IN THE STATE OF APPLICATION.
2817R2X
in-crop use with Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® soybeans.
Monsanto Company is a Member of Excellence
2918R2X
Through Stewardship® (ETS). Monsanto products
are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product
Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance
with Monsanto’s Policy for Commercialization of
Brands Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity
Crops. This product has been approved for import
into key export markets with functioning regulatory
systems. Any crop or material produced from this
product can only be exported to, or used, processed
or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory
Account Coordinator:
Account Service:
NEW FOR 2018 should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser
to confirm their buying position for this product.
BOOK & GO
Individual results may vary, and performance may
vary from location to location and from year to year.
September 26, 2017 2:52 PM
08-15-2017
SAVE 10
or 0% financing with additional discount.
$
locations and years whenever possible.
ON ORDERS PLACED For details, go to www.Channel.com/Save ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE
BY OCTOBER 31
LABEL DIRECTIONS. Roundup Ready 2 Xtend®
Soybeans contain genes that confer tolerance to
ADD MORE DISCOUNTS FOR THE SEASON’S BEST DEAL! glyphosate and dicamba. Glyphosate herbicides
will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate.
Dicamba will kill crops that are not tolerant to
dicamba. Contact your Monsanto dealer or refer to
Monsanto’s Technology Use Guide for recommended
weed control programs. Roundup Ready 2 Xtend®
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is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology
LLC. All other trademarks are the property of their
Individual results may vary. Always read and follow grain marketing and all other stewardship practices and pesticide label directions. Please respective owners. ©2017 Monsanto Company.
consult your state before applying dicamba in-crop to ensure compliance with state laws. Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® is a trademark of Monsanto For approved tank-mix products and nozzles
Technology LLC. Channel® and the Arrow Design® and Seedsmanship At Work® are registered trademarks of Channel Bio, LLC. All other trademarks visit XtendiMaxApplicationRequirements.com
are the property of their respective owners. ©2017 Monsanto Company. crnsoy2338c3vNN-P135YV-soy
14 Michigan Farm News | September 30, 2017 www.michiganfarmnews.com
GROW A HEALTHIER
UIC
An antimicrobial compound made
by honeybees could become the
BOTTOM LINE
basis for new antibiotics, according
to new research at the University of
Illinois at Chicago (UIC).
No new antibiotics have been dis-
covered for more than 30 years, and
some bacteria are becoming immune
to the drugs used to treat or prevent
infections, UIC said.
Each year in the U.S., at least 2
million people become infected with
bacteria that are resistant to antibiot-
ics, and at least 23,000 people die
each year as a direct result of these
infections, according to the Centers
for Disease Control & Prevention.
Many more people die from other
conditions that were complicated by
an antibiotic-resistant infection.
In a new study published in the
journal Nature Structural & Molecular
Biology, UIC researchers, led by co-
investigators Alexander Mankin and
Nora Vázquez-Laslop of the College
of Pharmacy’s Center for Biomolecular
Sciences, explained how a derivative
of the antibiotic apidaec in—Api137—
can block the production of proteins in
potentially harmful bacteria.
Many antibiotics kill bacteria by
targeting the ribosome, which makes
all the proteins in the cell. Protein
production can be halted by interfering
with different stages of translation—
the process by which DNA is “trans-
lated” into protein molecules, Mankin
said. Api137 is the first known inhibitor
of translation termination, he said.
Api137 is a natural product pro-
duced by bees, wasps or hornets.
In nature, many organisms defend
themselves from infection by making
antibacterial peptides, which can be
used as antibiotics if “we understand
Win back the 4 billion pounds of annual oil demand you lost to canola and other crops. High oleic how they work,” said Tanja Florin, a
soybeans produce oil with zero trans fat and less saturated fat. That’s why the food industry wants it, UIC doctoral student who served as
and processors and elevators are willing to pay a premium for it. Grow it now and grow your bottom line. one of the lead authors on the paper.
New delivery locations are being added every year, and current programs are expanding their offerings. “This project was a result of an
Ask your seed rep for the best varieties in your area. — S OY I N N O VAT I O N . C O M excellent collaboration of our team,”
said Vázquez-Laslop, who worked
with two research groups in Ger-
many. “We can now harness the
knowledge of how Api137 works
in order to make new drugs that
would kill bad bacteria using a similar
©2017 United Soybean Board
mechanism of action.”
16 Michigan Farm News | October 15, 2017 www.michiganfarmnews.com
Encirca® services are provided subject to the terms and conditions of purchase which are part of the purchase documents.
, , Trademarks and service marks of DuPont, Pioneer or their respective owners. © 2017 PHII PO329. Encirca services
® TM SM
provide estimates and management suggestions based on statistical and agronomic models. Encirca services are not a
substitute for sound field monitoring and management practices. Individual results may vary and are subject to a variety of
factors, including weather, disease and pest pressure, soil type, and management practices.
www.michiganfarmnews.com October 15, 2017 | Michigan Farm News 17
OU GET
W DO Y
HO
E R Y IE LD
IG H
H TIAL AND
PO T E N EE D
E T T ER W
B T RO L?
CO N
The answer is
New Pioneer® brand A-Series soybeans, the highest-yielding soybeans
we’ve ever introduced*. Now with Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® Technology.
Pioneer.com/Aseries
*Statement based upon 10,702 2016 DuPont Pioneer IMPACT ™ plot comparisons against key competitive checks (+/- .03RM) where new A-Series varieties had an average yield advantage of 2.3 bu/acre.
Roundup Ready 2 Xtend® is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC used under license.
PIONEER® brand products are provided subject to the terms and conditions of purchase which are part of the labeling and purchase documents.
, , Trademarks and service marks of DuPont, Pioneer or their respective owners. © 2017 PHII. DUPPSY17014_VC_101317_MFN
® TM SM
18 Michigan Farm News | October 15, 2017 www.michiganfarmnews.com
Location Parts989.777.0090
& Service
Grand Rapids, MI 49548 Bridgeport, MI 48722 New Hudson, MI 48165
www.aisequip.com 616.538.2400 248.437.8121
3311 This ratio has averaged 6 percent over
Lansing Grand Rapids – 616.538.2400 the time frame shown. Although it appears
3600 N. Grand River Ave. Northeast Detroit – 586.727.7502 more volatile than the previous measure,
Lansing, MI 48906 Saginaw – 989.777.0090 this is largely a function of the scale on the
517.321.8000
PIONEER® brand products are provided subject to the Traverse City –231.267.5060
terms and conditions of purchase which are part of the
labeling and purchase documents. ®, TM, SM Trademarks www.AISequip.com West Detroit –248.437.8121
and service marks of DuPont, Pioneer or their respective
owners. © 2017 PHII. DUPPSY17032_VA_MFN
See REAL ESTATE, page 23
www.michiganfarmnews.com October 15, 2017 | Michigan Farm News
BRADY BROWN | SANILAC COUNTY
19
Brady Brown is a Stine seed dealer who grows
In the 2017 Field Focus, we’ve once again tapped into Michigan Farm corn, soybeans, sugar beets alfalfa and milks
Bureau’s ProFile class. The Professional Institute for Leadership cows in Sanilac County with his wife Kellie,
daughter Bailie and son Aaron.
Education is a 15-month program that develops personal potential
Corn is all chopped. It was a little drier
into strong leadership and advocacy. This year, only Judy Bishop and
than we wanted, but we finished the job
Jeff Russcher are not ProFile participants, although Russcher’s wife and are working on soybeans. They’re
Lisa is in the program. really too dry too, at around 10 or 11
percent moisture, but yields are decent.
Only about 120 acres left. Dry beans in
the area are winding down. I imagine they’re too dry like the soybeans.
We took in our third round of sugar beets. It will be the last until the
JEFF & LISA RUSSCHER | ALLEGAN & OTTAWA COUNTIES permanent piling begins, but that won’t happen until it cools down.
Quality is holding pretty good, at around 19 percent sugar. High-moisture
corn is still a little ways away. We tested two loads off the headlands,
Along with their family, Jeff and Lisa Russcher
and it was almost 40 percent moisture.
workson a third-generation farrow-to-finish hog farm
in Allegan & Ottawa counties. In addition to the hogs,
Jeff and wife Lisa also raise corn and soybeans for
use in their farm operation.
Soybean harvest is pretty much finished up. NATALIE PENNINGTON | MECOSTA COUNTY
Yields are averaging between 30-60 bushels
per acre. The beans were very dry. Ground Natalie Pennington and husband Thomas
condition is incredibly dry. It is hard to do any Pennington farm in Mecosta County, growing for
tillage because it is so dry. Corn harvest is just a farm market (fruit and vegetables), along with
beginning. We are thankful for the great harvest sheep, pigs, cattle, petting farm, a greenhouse,
season so far. bakery and a farm-to-table kitchen. They welcomed
the arrival of their first child, Felicity, this year.
Frost’s biting breath has attacked much of our
gardens. Weeds this time of year prove to be
MARK ZACHARDA | SHIAWASSEE COUNTY an ally to delicate fruits hiding in the sticks.
The pumpkins have been nestled under
Mark Zacharda, his father, Mark A., and mother Kathy Zacharda blankets of tarps to protect from the frozen
grow corn, wheat and soybeans, and produce hay and straw nip that threatens to destroy their delicate cells. The colored pumpkins and
from their family farm in Shiawassee County. Mark and wife squash fare the worst if not protected. Autumn has come, but the trees lie
Stephanie have two daughters: Edie, 6, and Maisie, 4. about the season. There are crisp leaves under our feet, but only because
of dry wind. We have yet to see the rainbow of color that brings far off
In mid-Michigan, soybean harvest is progressing ahead travelers our way.
of schedule. Many people started cutting beans earlier
than any year past, and some farmers have completed
their soybean harvest. The extremely dry summer has
rolled into a fall where the weather has remained largely
clear, which has resulted in favorable harvest conditions. BRADLEY JERICHOW | EMMET COUNTY
Despite the dry growing season, yields have been in the
average range. The venerable soybean plant has proved
Bradley Jerichow runs a malting barley and
its resilience again! Many farmers are seeing yields from
beekeeping operation in Emmet County.
20 to 40 bushels/acre. If one’s farm was in an area
fortunate enough to see some extra water, yields may top 50. The dry year has Everything is picked that’s going to be
raised concerns in regard to winter wheat planting. For one, the wheat grain price picked, because I broke the combine.
has not exactly been a motivating factor for farmers to increase wheat acres. The thrashing belt has been bad for a
Also, “dusting in” the wheat adds to concern about emergence. The corn die- long time, and it’s an old Oliver that they
down was expedited by the dry summer (have I mentioned the dry summer?!) quit making a long time ago, so I’m in the
and many farmers will be able to drop the grain platform and transition directly to market for a new machine. I have a year
the corn head. The yield results are likely to be less encouraging, though. to find something. There’s a real good
community here, and people are willing to
help. They know I’m still in the early stages of the farm and I still don’t have
the equipment I need. First, I think I’ll work on getting a barn to put it in. I
found a Quonset hut, if the school will sell it to me. I put on a mite treatment
JUDY BISHOP | CHIPPEWA COUNTY for the bees, and will harvest honey soon. There’s been a badger picking on
one of the hives, but I’m going to let him go because badgers eat skunks all
winter, and they’ve been after the bees, too.
Judy Bishop, along with her brother J.D. Bishop, his
family, and their parents Dave and Jane Bishop, raise
timothy hay, oats and specialty grasses for silage
on 1200 acres in Chippewa County. She works on
Mackinac Island as a barn manager for Mackinac
Island Carriage Tours.
We finally got all the hay off for the year! We
had some of our nicest weather in September!
People in the area are starting to chop corn
and other crops for silage. Things on the island are in a downward flow. We
have about 100 horses here currently and continue to ship more every week.
Eventually it will be just 20 or so left for winter.
Nick Oomen, with his father Ken, Uncle Ralph and cousin Tyler, farms 1800
acres in Oceana County, specializing in asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower,
zucchini, carrots, corn, wheat, rye, tart cherries and summer squash.
We’re staying very busy here in Hart. Broccoli and cauliflower have
finished up along with soybeans last week. We were able to get all of
our wheat planted, except a small percentage that will follow winter
squash, and that should be harvested within the next week or two.
Carrot harvest seems to be keeping us busy. The moderate weather
we got all summer helped with yields. Now it’s just getting them out of
the fields. October and November are going to keep us very busy as
we still have a long way to go, with harvest really just getting started.
20 Michigan Farm News | October 15, 2017 www.michiganfarmnews.com
Top left: Kitty Kurtis Farms’ 2017 calves. | Top right: Kitty
Kurtis Farms has been proudly MAEAP verified since
2005. | Bottom left: Ken Brown is speaking to a group on
conservation practices at the 2014 MCA Summer Round-
Up. | Bottom right: Ian Humphres fixing a calf shelter. | MCA
Michigan Soybean
Promotion Committee
The Soybean Checkoff
michigansoybean.org
YGCB, HX1, LL, RR2 (Optimum® Intrasect®) – Contains the YieldGard® Corn is still appropriate for the machine’s turn- equipment is recycled into a few small
Borer gene and Herculex® I gene for resistance to corn borer. give you a simple, quick look at your sys- off mechanism. field or dry corner machines if they still
tem’s output. Late summer/early fall is
Newer-style stop barricades are designed have useable life left.
the low point in the annual cycle for sur-
to catch and spin the tire against the bar-
YGCB,HXX,LL,RR2 (Optimum® Intrasect® Xtra) – Contains the YieldGard® face water and ground water static water
Corn Borer gene and the Herculex® XTRA genes for resistance to corn borer
and corn rootworm.
PIONEER® brand products are provided subject to the terms and conditions of purchase
which are part of the labeling and purchase documents.
, , Trademarks and service marks of DuPont, Pioneer or their respective owners.
® TM SM
A good end-of-season list of needed irrigation maintenance and repairs can help irrigators prevent in-season system breakdowns.
| Paul W. Jackson, Farm News Media
www.michiganfarmnews.com October 15, 2017 | Michigan Farm News 23
Real estate FIGURE 3. REAL NET FARM INCOME RELATIVE TO FARM REAL ESTATE VALUES,
U.S. FARM SECTOR, 1960-2017
CONTINUED from page 18
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N G U P
PUTTI
U M B E R S P I O N E E R BR A N D C ORN ®
I G N
B WHERE YOU P0 15 7A M ™
N R O O T S P0506 ™ A M ™
PUT D OW P99 98 AM
Pioneer.com/Yield
Pioneer ® brand products with the Yield Hero designation are geographically selected based on a combination of factors, including local product
adaptability, yield performance, defensive traits, agronomic characteristics, trait packages and grower preference.
PIONEER® brand products are provided subject to the terms and conditions of purchase which are part of the labeling and purchase documents.
, , Trademarks and service marks of DuPont, Pioneer or their respective owners. © 2017 PHII. DUPPCO17033VA_091517_MFN
® TM SM
24 Michigan Farm News | October 15, 2017 www.michiganfarmnews.com
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