If a big farm has a contract with a feed producer, the producer can transport the feed directly to the farm, without the need for packaging and advertising. The first reason is that the cost of producing feed, like corn and beans, in the world has gone up. Furthermore, domestic supply only meets 65 per cent of local demand therefore producers have to import feed. The Breeding Department has suggested that the Breeding Association open a national feed exchange where producers can advertise...

With the average planted corn acreage over the past 15 years at about 78 million acres, the market's dilemma was finding a source for all the extra acres needed, he said. That took away land from other crops, and now corn plantings for this year are set to be their highest in more than 60 years. The increase in intended acres for corn was partially offset by fewer expected acres of soybeans and cotton, the USDA said. All the while, China was cutting back on its global corn exports, said...

Generally, the growth of the ethanol industry likely will reduce the amount of corn available for exports or livestock feed. However, the higher corn prices may be negative for some of the livestock producers that will have to bid for corn against ethanol plants and foreign exports. In a short crop year, the potential is for very strong corn prices as ethanol plants and other corn-dependent industries bid for limited stocks. If there is a short crop from either a drought or flooding, it is...

import prices came off last week's highs, as well as in the local white corn market, which is now at the end of the 2006-07 fall-winter harvest in northern Sinaloa. Physical trading was modest this week in the Mexican cash grains market as purchasing prices for both locally produced and imported grains remained high, traders and importers said Friday. Physical trading was modest this week in the Mexican cash grains market as purchasing prices for both locally produced and imported grains...

Some farmers are already harvesting or preparing to harvest corn. Rows of corn that should be a vivid green and soaring eight to 12 feet in the air are instead barely waist high, their tiny ears sporting feeble, off-white kernels. Throughout Franklin County, crops of soybeans, alfalfa and grass hays have withered away this summer, lacking adequate rainfall to sustain their growth and provide more than one harvest for farmers. Farmers can't wait too much longer to reap the silage and begin...