Input costs increase

AGRICULTURE
MOHSIN ABBAS
The Prince Albert Daily Herald

Despite Mother Nature's best efforts, worker shortage, rising input and machinery costs are big challenges for Northern Saskatchewan farmers this year.

Bruce and Nadia Stevenson manage a lower acreage farm in the RM of Birch Hills. The Stevensons are happy about the recent rainfall but concerned about the rising input costs.

"We needed this rain to keep the crop coming along with a few days of the dryness affecting the crop, and now we've got moisture yield. I think at this very moment the crop is good and excellent," Bruce said.

Bruce paid $500 for a ton of phosphate fertilizer last year and $1,300 for the same amount this year. He predicts the price will rise to $2,000 per ton by this fall.

The price of fertilizer has doubled within one year.

"The input cost for an acre of canola crop was $140 - in the last year it has gone up to $200-$225 and the output is $420, while labor costs are on top of that. Everything is going sky high. We've got risk of frost, drought (and) hail, and the government-provided crop insurance is not enough," Bruce said.

He said the government insurance covers two thirds and if he loses his crop he still loses one third of his expense.

"The government program for the insurance plan had slowly slipped, and it is a big concern," he said adding an average farmer with 500 acres of land is risking well over $1.5 million just for the input, and has to derive an income out of the crop.

With the shortage, some farmers are paying their workers up to $25 per hour, compared to $8-$10 a few years ago.

Bruce said that the high oil prices have been affecting food prices around the world and farmers are struggling.

"Rising machinery costs, the equipment going up as much 25 per cent due to rising steel costs. We are always running, trying to cover our input cost."

mabbas@paherald.sk.ca

‘Government ready to set aside Rs. 500 cr. for buying fertilizers’

Bangalore: Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa on Tuesday gave a categorical assurance to the farming community that his Government was ready to suspend development works in order to allocate the needed funds to take care of their interests.

Referring to farmer suicides, the Chief Minister said the Government was in the process of working out certain long-term measures, including remunerative prices for farm produce, timely availability of farm loans and extending farm insurance across the State and to all agricultural crops. From March till now, 85 farmers have committed suicide in the State owing to various factors including poor remunerative prices for their produce.

In a detailed reply in the Legislative Assembly to the two-day discussion on the serious shortage of chemical fertilizers in the State, Mr. Yeddyurappa refrained from directly blaming the Union Government for the shortage. He said that fertilizer shortage was being reported across the country. In Maharashtra, chemical fertilizers were sold in certain places “under the watchful eyes of the police at police stations. Fertilizer shortage has also been reported from Andhra Pradesh. Karnataka is not the only State facing the problem”.

Soliciting the support of the Opposition parties in finding a lasting solution to the problems faced by farmers, Mr. Yeddyurappa said, “I have taken oath in the name of farmers and there is no question of sacrificing the interests of farmers who provide food to the people. If need be, the Government is ready to set apart Rs. 500 crore straightway to purchase fertilizers. But where are the fertilizers available?”

He said that when the BJP Government took charge in the State on May 30, the fertilizer stocks in the State were already low. As on April 1, 2007, the stock of fertilizers in the State was 31,000 tonnes of DAP, 78,131 tonnes of complex fertilizers and 37,270 tonnes of MOP. The stock as on April 1, 2008 (during President’s rule) was 3,782 tonnes of DAP, 9031 tonnes of complex fertilisers and 12,107 tonnes of MOP. This should explain the precarious situation on the fertilizer front when the new Government took charge, he said.

Mr. Yeddyurappa said there had been no response from the Union Government to the letters regarding the fertilizer crisis written by Governor Rameshwar Thakur and by the new Government. He said, “I am ready to take an all party delegation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and impress upon the Centre that Karnataka requires an adequate supply of chemical fertilizers. I will also hold a meeting with farmer representatives, experts and others and seek a solution to the problem. Within a day after the new Government took charge this crisis started, and I consider it an acid test. I am confident of finding a solution.”

The Chief Minister said that farmer suicides had been going on for over a decade and neither the package announced by the Centre nor by the State Government had helped. In 2006, 4,453 farmers committed suicide in Maharashtra, 2,858 in Chhattisgarh, 2,607 in Andhra Pradesh and in 839 in Karnataka. “We have to work together and find a solution. Society also has a role to play in restoring the self-confidence of the farmers,” he added.

Clarification sought


Leader of the Opposition M. Mallikarjun Kharge, who sought clarifications from Mr. Yeddyurappa after his reply to the debate on the fertilizer shortage and suicide by farmers, wanted the judicial inquiry ordered into the police firing in Haveri to also find out why the firing had taken place in violation of the police manual. Compensation should be paid to the families of farmers who committed suicide, he said.

Conceding the demand to withdraw cases filed against farmers during the agitation demanding fertilizers, Mr. Yeddyurappa rejected the other demands.

The Congress members, led by Mr. Kharge, immediately rushed to the well of the House and staged a dharna, raising slogans against the Government.

When requests by Mr. Yeddyurappa and Speaker Jagadish Shettar to allow the House to function failed, the latter adjourned the House till Wednesday.








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Brazil Boosts Investment in Agriculture by 12% to US$ 40 Billion

In the next few days Brazil is expected to announce the country's annual investment plan in support for agriculture and livestock. which is estimated to increase 12% totaling in the region of US$ 40 billion, said Brazilian Agriculture Minister, Reinhold Stephanes.

The figure was decided last week following a final meeting with Brazilian President, Luiz Lula da Silva, and will be applicable to the 2008/09 harvest season.

Stephanes underlined that in the 40 years he's been linked or working for the Brazilian federal government he had never come across such a "consensus" among all government offices and agencies as to the promotion of investments in agriculture.

"In the past we would have a lot of conflicts with different federal offices pulling or lobbying for their interests, not this time," he said.

The official announcement should take place next July 2 when the agriculture and livestock plan for 2008/09 is officially announced.

Among the different projects included is one for the recovery of pastures and degraded soils to be addressed with soft loans, bearing an interest rate no higher than the inflation.

The annual package extends from actual production to marketing, ample credits for small farmers and an insurance system to reduce the risks of climate change.

Brazil is one of the world's leading agriculture powers and agribusiness represents the equivalent of 25% of the country's GDP, which in 2007 was approximately US$ 390 billion. Brazil is a leading exporter of soybeans, beef, poultry, hogs, coffee, tropical fruit, orange juice, sugar and ethanol from sugar cane.

Farm exports in the first five months of the year have reached the record sum of US$ 27 billion in spite of the constant appreciation of the Brazilian currency against the American dollar, which has an impact in domestic costs.

FSA Encourages Producers to Report Farmland Damage Soon

Crop producers are advised to file an application for emergency conservation assistance before repairing farmland damage due to wind, water erosion, and floods. According to the Wisconsin Farm Service Agency, submitting an application does not guarantee assistance, but keeps a producer eligible should assistance become available in the future.

"To be eligible for possible emergency conservation assistance, producers must file an application and have an FSA employee visit the site before starting repairs," says State FSA Director Ben Brancel. "If you have farmland with flood, wind, or water erosion damage, report it to your local FSA office as soon as possible."

Brancel said FSA's Emergency Conservation Program provides cost-share assistance to agricultural producers who have suffered severe damage to their farmland as a result of a natural disaster, including wind, water erosion, and floods. The assistance is provided to producers that have suffered damage of such magnitude that it would be too costly for the producer to rehabilitate without federal assistance.

Some types of damage that may be covered by ECP include removing debris from farmland; grading, shaping and leveling land that has been damaged; restoring certain permanent fences; and restoring conservation structures such as grassed waterways, diversions, terraces.

Meanwhile, the agency also notes that the reporting of failed acreage to FSA is optional, but may help document crop losses and determine possible eligibility for future disaster programs.

"It is very important that farmers report failed acreage not brought to harvest to their FSA county office prior to destruction," Brancel says. "This simple act of insuring that failed acres are documented could be the determining factor in whether or not a farmer is eligible for future crop disaster program payments."

Form CCC-576, Notice of Loss, is used to report failed acreage and may be completed by any producer with an interest in the crop. For crop losses on crops covered by the Non-insured Assistance Program (NAP), producers must contact their local FSA office within 15 days of the occurrence of the disaster or when losses become apparent. Producers with crop insurance should contact their local agent when losses occur and before destroying the crop.

If a producer switches from corn for grain to corn for silage, a CCC-576 for failed acreage does not need to be filed with FSA. Producers are encouraged to keep good production records on acreage with a low crop yield to document crop losses.

For more information, contact your local USDA Service Center or FSA county office.

The Winchester Star

Hedgebrook welcomes 1,000 guests

By Stephanie Mangino
The Winchester Star

Kernstown — The Frederick County Farm Bureau’s second annual Farm Fun Day lived up to its name Saturday at Hedgebrook Farm.

Families wandered all over the 75-acre dairy farm and agri-tourism destination off Shady Elm Road, petting animals, taking hayrides, riding ponies, and checking out the atmosphere of a working farm.

Mary Connelly, 31, of Winchester, attended with her friend, 32-year-old Erika Francis, and Francis’ children, Pierce, 3, and Tyson, 6.

"The kids love animals, and we thought we’d come out and pet some animals," Connelly said as Pierce fed a goat a piece of greenery.

Francis said Tyson, who had previously visited the farm with his class at Redbud Run Elementary School, was particularly taken with the pony he rode on Saturday.

"He loves Toby the horse," she said.

Francis said the group made its way through most of the farm’s attractions, which varied greatly.

She noted the peacocks that frequently appeared, said Mary got a kick out of the potbellied pigs — a mud pit was made for them on the humid morning — and mentioned that aside from riding the horse, her elder son had another experience with one of the farm’s denizens.

"Tyson held a baby chick," she said.

His mission: Helping Afghans be all they can be

By FELICIA KITZMILLER/Index-Journal staff writer

On May 8, Capt. Brian Pinson, of the South Carolina 218th Infantry Unit, arrived home in Greenwood after a yearlong deployment in Afghanistan.

“It’s exciting to have him home. It’s almost like he never left, it feels so natural now,” said his mother, Carol Pinson.

“It’s still weird,” Brian Pinson said of being back in South Carolina.

Even after a month of being home, simple things still seem foreign to him.
Trees and grass are strange to see after a year of nothing but sand, rocks and mountains, he said.

A lot of things people do automatically have taken some adjusting for Pinson as well. He remembered feeling strange “the first time I got in a car, and I didn’t have to worry about an IED or suicide bomber.”

But there are traffic laws here to worry about, something else that is very different from traveling in Afghanistan.

“I think while I was there I saw one stop sign,” Pinson said.

Pinson joined the National Guard after high school because he knew he wanted to go to college, but not yet, he said. He did his basic training at Fort Benning, Ga., and since then has been to officer school, became Airborne Ranger certified, attended The Citadel and served in Bosnia for seven months in 2003.

While he was in Afghanistan, Pinson was an embedded tactical trainer on the border with Pakistan. He spent most of his time training the Afghan border patrol in marksmanship and logistics.

“We are trying to get them like us,” Pinson said.

The Afghan army is extremely unorganized and inefficient, he said. His unit worked to put in place a system by which the army could operate effectively.

Often their men lack simple supplies such as uniforms, trucks and machine guns. But it isn’t because the materials aren’t out there; it’s because the supply line gets clogged, Pinson said. His unit tried to teach the Afghans record keeping so they would know what they asked for, what they received and what they still needed.

To Pinson, the teaching function of his mission was perhaps the most important.

“If we’re over there and we’re just worried about killing Taliban, we’ve done nothing for the longevity of the province,” he said. “The more resources they have, the more confident they’re going to be. � We want to leave there one day.”

The U.S. Army also helped the Afghan economy by paying local contractors to reinforce lookout posts along the border with updated materials. It helped relations between the Afghan army and the people to have money coming into the local economy, Pinson said.

The 218th went on missions with the border patrol, mostly medical-related, and did some aid drops as well, said Pinson. Soldiers would go into a town and set up security, and the whole day U.S. Army doctors would take care of the people of that town because they don’t have any doctors.

“I saw our taxpayer dollars go to some really good things,” he said. “They loved having us around.”

Of course, not every moment was touching and heartfelt. While Pinson was in Afghanistan, three members of his unit were killed.

His mother said she was always anxious when she saw Afghanistan in the news.

“Whenever I saw Afghanistan on the TV, I got that knot in my stomach,” she said.

“It’s hard. You try not to think about it. Soldiers are still over there fighting for their country,” Pinson said.

Pinson was the only National Guard member of his unit, and though he is home, the rest of the 218th remains in Afghanistan until December.

“I worry about them from time to time,” he said.

Since coming home, Pinson has been spending time with family and friends, and enjoying simple pleasures such as going to the beach and junk food. He’s back working at Farm Bureau as an insurance agent and will continue with the Guard one weekend a month.

Japan Stops UK Poultry Imports On Bird Flu Report

The measure was put in place on Wednesday, Japan´s Ministry of Agriculture said in a statement.

Japan has temporarily suspended imports of all poultry and poultry meat from Britain as a preventive measure after Britain's farm ministry confirmed an outbreak of a strain of bird flu.
The measure was put in place on Wednesday, Japan's Ministry of Agriculture said in a statement.

Japan imported 38,677 live chicks from Britain last year, sharply down from 161,530 in 2006, according to trade data by the Ministry of Finance.

On Tuesday, Britain confirmed an outbreak of bird flu at a poultry farm in southern England although tests indicated it was not the virulent H5N1 strain.

The H5N1 strain has killed more than 230 people worldwide since 2003 and millions of birds have either died from it or been killed to prevent its spread.

Irene Cleans Up After Tornado Damage

By Robert Wilson

The National Weather Service confirms an e-f1 tornado roared through the town of Irene Thursday night. An ef-1 has winds of 86 to 110 miles an hour. Irene is about 35 miles northeast of Yankton.

The city was also pelted with hail stones, some as big as a golf ball. Some resident have started cleaning up, while others have to wait awhile.

On Mark Peterson's farm south of Irene the storm ripped the roof off a machine shed. It did about $100,000 of damage. But this isn't the damage he's most concerned about.

About the same time this storm was churning west of Irene, Mark Peterson was on a golf course. As the sky's turned ominous and hail pelted the area, Mark rode out the nasty weather in a clubhouse. "I got a phone call from a storm spotter that i got a lot of damage to my farm."

As soon as the storm passed he tried to get home. But getting through Irene took a while as others were checking out storm damage as well. One of those was Hans Zink. He was inside a shed at a grain elevator, trying to protect his pick-up. "I'd say it was blowing maybe 70 miles an hour. And all of a sudden I saw the roof of one of the sheds come down."

By the time Mark got though town and back to his farm, others were already there offering to help. "Today we're just having insurance people and contractors deciding our next step."

The frustrating part is it's so wet in these fields, collecting the sheet metal right now would damage the crops.

Mark says thinking about all this...he didn't get a lot of sleep last night. but now he knows with the help of friends he'll be able to clean up and he'll be fine.

5 other buildings on the farm were also damaged in Thursday night's storms.