If you have $2,500 in gross agricultural income, over the age of 18 and reside in McHenry County; we have a great membership offer for you. This offer is only available through the end of August, so don't miss out. If you are interested, drop Dan Volkers an email at mcfbmgr@stans.net.
McHenry County Farm Bureau and McHenry County Antique Farm Equipment Association co-sponsored their eighth annual "Tractor Trek" on Saturday, July 17.
Over 100 participants had the opportunity to share the day with other antique tractor enthusiast as they traveled through Northern McHenry County to Lake Geneva, Wi. Proceeds raised from this event are donated to the Agriculture in the Classroom program.
A special thank you goes out to the drivers, volunteers, Country Clovers 4-H and our host: Von Bergen's Country Market Hebron, Lake Geneva Convention & Visitors Bureau, Lake Geneva Cruise Lines, Popeye's Restaurant and Mor-Agra Grain of Zenda. We also would like to thank McHenry County Sheriff's Department and Lake Geneva Police Dept for their assistance. Tractor Supply sponsored the afternoon ice-cream break and Conserv FS sponsored the end of the day refueling.
University of Illinois Extension and the McHenry County Farm Bureau are sponsoring a two-part program: growing grapes for wine and a wine-making school. It will be taught by Bill Shoemaker, University of Illinois Extension Specialist. Part I was held on Thursday, March 25, 2010. Part II will be held Saturday July 24, 2010 beginning at 9am and concluding at 3pm. The part II program will be a lecture, visit to the vendors, as well as a demonstration. The lecture part of the program discussing Illinois wine, wine grapes, selection, harvest, quality, and overview of the equipment and processes. Then the program breaks for lunch and the visit local wine vendors in McHenry County. Finally it is concluded with a demonstration on how to make your own wine. This is a step by step process on how to make your very own wine.
Part I was a success and received great feedback. This is a fun program with valuable information as well as a fun hands on experience. Space is very limited and fills up quickly. Pre-registration is required and registration ends at Midnight on Friday July 16, 2010. The cost will be $25.00 per person and includes coffee, rolls, and lunch. It will take at the University of Illinois Extension/ Farm Bureau Auditorium.
Celebrate Dairy month this June 30 at the Woodstock Square Park. Dairy Month has been an annual celebration since 1937. The McHenry County Farm Bureau Women's Committee is hosting an ice cream social to honor the month. Dairy products will be provided by Dean's and the McHenry County Farm Bureau. Dairy calves will also be present at the social. The ice cream social will begin at 6:30PM in the Woodstock Square Park. The social will be accompanied by the Woodstock City Band. The band is one of America's oldest running City Bands. They have played Woodstock hometown concerts for 126 seasons. The band holds weekly Wednesday night concerts through June and July. The evening's performance will feature "Life and Death," -Two Great Inspirers of Music. Duane Peiffer is the conductor of the 50 member band at these performances. Concerts are free to the public and will begin at 7:30PM each Wednesday. Bring your blankets and long chairs for the fun family evening of great entertainment and ice cream.
For More Information Contact (815) 338-1520
For More Information on Dairy Month go to www.midwestdairy.com
Bob Hauser, who has served as interim dean of the College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences (ACES), will become the permanent dean, pending approval by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees this month.
The U of I announced Hauser’s permanent appointment last week. Hauser, an agricultural economist, had served as interim dean since July 2009 when Robert Easter stepped in to serve as the U of I’s interim provost and then later as its interim chancellor.
Hauser had served as head of ACES’ agricultural economics department before he assumed the interim dean post.
In a letter announcing Hauser’s appointment, Richard Wheeler, interim vice chancellor for academic affairs, noted Hauser’s permanent appointment was supported by ACES department heads, associate deans, and faculty.
“I, too, have been impressed by, and grateful for, his forceful advocacy for the college of ACES and his dedicated service to the campus,” Wheeler wrote.
Hauser joined the U of I faculty in 1982. He earned a bachelor’s degree and a doctorate from Iowa State University.
East-Central Illinois came up a big winner this week with $12 million in USDA broadband funding that will build high-speed infrastructure in the area.
Federal and state officials announced the combination of federal grants and loans, state funds, and private investment during a press conference in Danville.
Gov. Pat Quinn called the nearly $24 million public-private project “an information super highway.”
“We don’t have a (digital) divide with some people having very good Internet (services) . . . and some left way behind,” Quinn said.
Cellular Properties, based in Danville, received from USDA a $6 million grant and a $6 million loan to bring third generation (3G) of wireless network technology to Clay, Clark, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Jasper, Lawrence, Richland and Vermilion counties.
In addition to the USDA Rural Development funds, the project funding includes a $1 million from the Illinois Jobs Now public works program, which is administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and about $11 million from Cellular Properties.
“These broadband projects will give rural communities access to the tools they need to create jobs, stimulate local economies, and build a foundation for future prosperity," said Colleen Callahan, USDA Rural Development state director. Seven Illinois projects have received awards in the last two months, Callahan noted.
Illinois broadband projects that recently received USDA funding include:
The price of farmland across the state of Illinois increased only slightly in the first half of 2010 according to a mid-year ‘snapshot’ survey by the Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers. The results of the survey were released today at the Farm Progress Show.
ISPFMRA conducts a survey half way through the year to obtain general directions on farmland prices and cash rents. This information supplements the Society’s larger efforts at year-end to document farmland prices and cash rents across Illinois. The 2010 mid-year survey also focused on use of variable cash rental arrangements to gain information on this lease type that is growing in use.
Below are the key points from the ISPFMRA survey:
Respondents indicated that higher quality land values increased slightly during the first half of 2010. For excellent quality farmland, land prices increased by $131 per acre, or 1.7 percent increase. For fair quality farmland, respondents indicated that land values were stable.
On July 1, 2010, farmland prices averaged $7,665 for excellent quality farmland, $6,639 for good quality farmland, $5,724 for average quality farmland, and $4,646 for fair quality farmland.
Most respondents expect farmland prices to increase during the next 12 months: 16 percent expect farmland prices to increase over 5 percent and 64 percent expect increases between 0 and 5 percent, meaning that 69 percent expect price increases. Fourteen percent of the respondents expect stable prices while 17 percent expect price declines.
Most respondents expect corn prices to average between $3.50 and $4.00 for the 2010 crop. Seventy-one percent expect prices between $3.50 and $4.00 while 27 percent expected average prices between $4.00 and $4.50.
Respondents expect 2011 rents to average slightly higher than 2010 levels, with excellent quality farmland renting on average for $279/acre, up $7 from this year.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) today announced interest rates for September 2010. The CCC borrowing rate-based charge for September 2010 is 0.250 percent, unchanged from 0.250 in August 2010. For 1996 and subsequent crop year commodity and marketing assistance loans, the interest rate for loans disbursed during September 2010 is 1.250 percent, unchanged from 1.250 in August 2010.
In accordance with the 2008 Farm Bill, interest rates for Farm Storage Facility Loans approved for September 2010 are as follows, 2.250 percent with seven-year loan terms, down from 2.500 in August 2010, 2.875 percent with 10-year loan terms, down from 3.000 in August 2010, and 3.125 percent with 12-year loan terms, down from 3.375 percent in August 2010.
The crop-damaging drought in Russia (estimated at $1.1 billion in losses) and surrounding nations could boost U.S. grain prices into next year.
Mid-year projections released this month by the University of Missouri Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) forecast increased exports and higher prices for corn and wheat.
Exports between 2009/10 and 2010/11 were projected to grow from 1.98 billion bushels to 2.11 billion bushels for corn and from 881 million bushels to 1.2 billion bushels for wheat.
The average price of each crop during the same time was projected to rise from $3.55 to $3.68 per bushel for corn and from $4.87 to $5.10 per bushel for wheat.
“Russia and neighboring countries have lowered production estimates and banned (grain) exports,” said Scott Gerlt, FAPRI crop analyst. “There’s going to be a void in the wheat export market.”
And that void should continue to be filled by U.S. wheat and corn, which are key ingredients for livestock feed.
The increased demand for grain is expected to boost U.S. plantings next year by 2.5 million acres for wheat and 1.2 million acres for corn, according to FAPRI. If realized, larger plantings next year or record corn production this year could put downward pressure on the crop markets, Gerlt noted.
The soybean market apparently could feel the burden of record-large plantings this year (78.9 million) combined with a slight drop in exports from a record 1.47 billion in 2009/10 to 1.43 billion in 2010/11.
FAPRI projected the average soybean price from 2009/10 to 2010/11 will slip from $9.60 to $9.35 per bushel.
The good news for livestock producers is feed prices declined from 2008 peaks and exports have improved this year. Meanwhile, pork production this year is down 2.5 percent and cow numbers have followed a similar trend.
“Both supply and demand are moving in the right direction,” said Scott Brown, FAPRI livestock economist. “Reduced supply helps the improved price outlook.”
FAPRI projected the average hog price from 2010 to 2011 would increase from $54.59 to $56.39 per hundredweight and fed cattle prices during the same time would jump from an average of $93.50 to $98.50 per hundredweight.
A growing dairy herd was projected to keep a lid on milk prices, however. The all-milk price average was projected at $16.56 per hundredweight in 2010 with a slight jump to $17 in 2011.
Celebrate Dairy month this June 30 at the Woodstock Square Park. Dairy Month has been an annual celebration since 1937. The McHenry County Farm Bureau Women's Committee is hosting an ice cream social to honor the month. Dairy products will be provided by Dean's and the McHenry County Farm Bureau. Dairy calves will also be present at the social. The ice cream social will begin at 6:30PM in the Woodstock Square Park. The social will be accompanied by the Woodstock City Band. The band is one of America's oldest running City Bands. They have played Woodstock hometown concerts for 126 seasons. The band holds weekly Wednesday night concerts through June and July. The evening's performance will feature "Life and Death," -Two Great Inspirers of Music. Duane Peiffer is the conductor of the 50 member band at these performances. Concerts are free to the public and will begin at 7:30PM each Wednesday. Bring your blankets and long chairs for the fun family evening of great entertainment and ice cream. 