USDA’s Organic Agriculture Survey

I encourage Iowa farmers with organic crops to participate in USDA’s survey of organic agriculture. This will be USDA’s first large scale survey focused on organic production. The survey will be going to farmers during the month of May and the deadline to respond is June 17th. The results will be made available late this year. This will help us get a better understanding of the amount of organic production taking place in the state and the issues organic farmers are facing.

Influenza A/H1N1 Outbreak in U.S. (Formerly known as "Swine" Flu)

First and foremost I think it’s important to say that Iowa’s pigs remain healthy and there is no evidence of this strain of flu in the swine in our state. There are no reports of the virus currently causing these illnesses being found in the U.S. swine herd. In cases discovered in the U.S. so far, the patients report no direct or indirect contact with pigs.

The State Veterinarian’s office is working with the Iowa Department of Public Health, Federal Veterinarians and those in private practice to have a system in place to monitor Iowa’s pig population for significant disease, and those efforts continue around the current outbreak.

The State Vet’s office encourages pork producers to exercise extra diligence in their long held bio-security practices to continue to protect the health of their animals. These steps include limiting access to building to only essential works; thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting equipment; and making sure workers are disinfecting their shoes, clothes and hands. In addition, any workers experiencing flu-like symptoms should be kept from entering facilities
If producers do observe any respiratory illnesses in their pigs, it is important that they do contact a swine veterinarian.

We are working diligently communicating with veterinarians across the state about the situation as needed through the Iowa Rapid Veterinarian Information Network (IRVIN) as a precaution.

Trade Mission to China

Certainly the Chinese market for soybeans is big and it’s growing. If you look ahead you look at all the people and you look at all the development it’s amazing these cities that are as modern as any city in the world that I’ve ever been in and you see the growth continue and know there are some concerns around the recession and what it could do to demand. Undoubtedly, as we talked to people the demand for much of the meat products and some of the food products that they will continue to grow, maybe a little slower in the Chinese marketplace.

Expect growth in Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou that area of the new economic development zone area where there’s been a lot of growth. Yet we got to Chengdu that’s considered an area that’s lesser developed and we’re there and there’s a shopping mall that is as impressive as any street shopping area that we have been. It was hard to find anybody under 25 years old, everyone is carrying a bag this was an impressive sight in an area considered the Southwest a long ways away from the coast. Western restaurants there as well and they’re feeding and using meat supply that has to be fed imported soybean meal.

One of the refrains used a lot was, “We’ve seen the future of China and we are not going back to the way things used to be.” In fact, this is so institutionalized it was impressive to hear the word market used and price used so many times. We said is your business going to expand into integrated livestock production and they said was it depends on the markets, it wasn’t it depends on the government policy or it depends on the 5-year plan, it was depends on the markets. And we constantly heard that, and in fact one of the other phrases we heard when we asked what can we do better for you and they said oh that’s simple it’s all in the price well it got more complex when we started talking about delivery speeds, but certainly price matters and they are very much a market economy now.

China is still one country that remains a mystery to me in this information age, it’s one of history and tradition vs. future and change.

2007 Census of Agriculture

The 2007 Census of Agriculture has been released and illustrates an increased interest statewide in locally grown fruits and vegetables. Not only do specialty crops grow the Iowa economy, but they allow farmers to diversify their production. The Census shows the diversity of Iowa agriculture and the wide range of foods farmers grow and produce in the state.

To learn more visit: http://www.iowaagriculture.gov/

The 2007 Census of Agriculture can be found at http://www.nass.usda.gov/ia

Grain Storage

I’m consistently pleased by the feats we make here in Iowa with the agriculture industry and the sense of pride people have in their work. This year farmers across the state have invested millions of dollars in new storage capacity for corn and soybeans. As a result 225 million bushels in new grain storage was built in 2008. Farmers have likely invested more than $300 million in Iowa for new on-and-off farm storage. The new storage is a significant investment in the Iowa economy, when farmers profit they invest their money right here in the state. It’s a win-win!

To learn more visit www.iowaagriculture.gov

EPAʼs Emissions Regulation

The new emissions regulation announcement by the EPA that requires U.S. pork producers to file reports with the Environmental Protection and Community Right to Know Act highlights the potential impact these regulations can have on Iowa’s livestock producers and its important that they are following the issues and communicating with their producer organizations.