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. Generally, the growth of the ethanol industry likely will reduce the amount of corn available for exports or livestock feed. 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. The question for the industry is how many more acres will switch...

Although the recent in some cases record high prices for corn and wheat have temporarily cooled the trend toward increased planting of GM or other specialty crops, biotechnology continues to advance and biofuel production may prove to be a powerful driver of additional differentiation. Segmentation has emerged as a powerful dynamic in recent years, impacting both production and marketing of food and feed grains. Although the recent in some cases record high prices for corn and wheat have...

The extension specialist finds the yields of corn and grain sorghum, especially corn, amazing since the season began with many first-time corn growers. Corn farmers were rewarded with an estimated record statewide yield of 160 bushels, which demolished the old record of 146, set last year. Corn prices also raised grain sorghum prices. Many Arkansas corn and grain sorghum farmers will look back on 2007 with fondness. And they also set a record, harvesting an average statewide yield of 93...

Government has introduced a stop order facility to assist wheat and maize farmers to expeditiously harvest and deliver their crops to the Grain Marketing Board. The farmers also reported that they were facing transport problems during a meeting held recently between farmers' organisations and the Ministry of Agriculture. The move follows appeals by farmers' organisations to the Ministry of Agriculture that some of their members were failing to raise enough money to hire combine harvesters....

The elder Duyck farms about 400 acres west of Hillsboro, growing sweet corn, strawberries, grass and clover seed, and raising a few head of cattle. As commissioner, he signs off on Measure 37 claims, and he says county governments have the regulatory power necessary to curb the worst development proposals. Local canneries have closed, forcing farmers to haul row crops greater distances for processing, and heavy traffic makes it difficult to move slow, bulky farm machinery from field to...