Alabama farmers and ranchers continued to experience one of the most severe droughts in the United States this year as another week of scattered rainfall did little to alleviate the persistent dry soil conditions across the state. Fruits/Vegetables: The emergence of plum curculio began in central Alabama almost two weeks ago, but dry soils seem to be affecting emergence as the rate and number of insects is less than normal at this time. Cotton/Peanuts: Cotton planting was nearly complete,...

Latent demand, therefore, is commonly defined by economists as the industry earnings of a market when that market becomes accessible and attractive to serve by competing firms. Demand is the notion of an economic quantity that a target population or market requires under different assumptions of price, quality, and distribution, among other factors. As mentioned in the introduction, this study is strategic in nature, taking an aggregate and long-run view, irrespective of the players or...

When I say "secure from challenge," I mean finding ways to support our producers that are less tied to price and production and less likely to avoid challenges in the international trade market. Except for cotton, prices for major commodity crops are relatively high and in some areas historically high. Today the market is driving more of the decisions that farmers make about what crops they plant. For more than 80 years you've been delivering collective purchasing and marketing power to...

Research funding for specialty crops is among the dozens of proposals that will be considered in the legislation, which was last written in 2002 and gives farmers payments and other help to supplement their incomes, support crop prices and manage supplies. Research funding for specialty crops is among the dozens of proposals that will be considered in the legislation, which was last written in 2002 and gives farmers payments and other help to supplement their incomes, support crop prices...

Published May 30, 2007 10:56 pm - To plant or not to plant? Today key deadline for farmers By Alan Mauldin THOMASVILLE As Russell Smith leans his arms across the tailgate of an old pickup truck, a brisk breeze kicks up clouds of dust in the dirt drive at his farm office. Published May 30, 2007 10:56 pm - To plant or not to plant? Today key deadline for farmers By Alan Mauldin THOMASVILLE As Russell Smith leans his arms across the tailgate of an old pickup truck, a brisk breeze kicks up...