June 10, 2025

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning, Valley. This is aglife. My name is Bob Quinn,
with you for the next hour talking about agricultural production
here in the valley and all across the country. Well friends.
A federal joint memorandum and call for public awareness and
participation are among examples of partnership in wildfire prevention and containment.

(00:20):
As the summer fire season approaches, Rod bain starts us
off this morning.

Speaker 2 (00:25):
From the National Fire Desk at USDA Headquarters. At the
approach to summer.

Speaker 3 (00:31):
More than one point one million acres have burned this year,
exceeding the ten year average.

Speaker 2 (00:38):
Agriculture Secretary Brook Rawlins receiving the Operations Wildfire Briefing from
the US Forest Service prior to the recent Memorial Day weekend.

Speaker 3 (00:49):
These bravemen and women are already working around the clock
in Arizona and Minnesota, alongside state and tribal leadership, local government,
and private sector resources to save laws and to protect.

Speaker 4 (01:01):
Our beautiful homeland.

Speaker 2 (01:02):
Joining Secretary Rawlins at the briefing Interior Secretary Doug Bergham.
His department includes public land and wildfire prevention management across
four sub agencies, the National.

Speaker 5 (01:15):
Park Service or in affairs to aspicial lawland c land management.

Speaker 2 (01:20):
Another product of the briefing event a joint Wildfire Preparedness
Memorandum of Understanding between USDA and Interior, side by both secretaries.

Speaker 6 (01:31):
A memorandum that sets clear expectations about USDA's approach to
responding to wildfire's and directs the entire department to support
our commitment to wildfire preparedness and response. The memorandum further
directs the Forest Service to take several organizational actions to
ensure increased operational readiness.

Speaker 7 (01:51):
This memorandum basically says that we're asking all of the agencies.

Speaker 5 (01:55):
World does use all the authorities to bay out in
their ads to not fight fires, continue action.

Speaker 2 (02:01):
To prevent wildfires. The briefing and memorandum sighting during National
Wildfire Awareness Month in May underscored not just current round
the clock wildfire containment efforts and continued strengthening of collaboration
in future efforts.

Speaker 3 (02:18):
The public plays a valuable role in preventing wildfires. As
you enjoy the outdoors this summer, please enjoy the outdoors, responsibly,
stay vigilant, and make sure that we are not unnecessarily
putting our firefighters in the rows way.

Speaker 2 (02:33):
With citizen wildfire prevention efforts raging from maintaining defensible space
against wildfire around your home and checking local fire restrictions
in our nation's forest, national parks, and public lands prior
to lighting a campfire. I'm broad Bane, reporting for the
US Department of Agriculture in Washington, d C.

Speaker 1 (02:56):
Well, Friends, farmer's outlook on the agg economy is in improving.
That story is ahead on today's edition of Aglife. Bob Quinn,
Here were some farm news this morning, Friends. According to
the latest Purdue University CME Group AG Economy Barometer, farmer
sentiment reached a four year high in May. Purdue University's
James Mitchart says the barometer rose ten points to a

(03:19):
reading of one point fifty eight.

Speaker 8 (03:20):
That's the highest barometer reading we received since May of
twenty twenty one. The current condition index rose five points
to reading of one forty six. Once again, that's the
highest current condition index since December of twenty twenty one,
while the future Expectation index rows twelve points to one
sixty four, which was the highest future expectation index readings
since April of twenty twenty one.

Speaker 1 (03:41):
Now, the farm financial Performance Index increased by eight points
to a reading of one oh nine, suggesting producers expect
twenty twenty five to be somewhat stronger for income than
last year. When it comes to ag exports, Metter says
farm country is feeling more confident.

Speaker 8 (03:56):
And this month the percentage of producers he said they
expect exports to increase over the next five years skyrocketed
to fifty two percent. That's up from just thirty three
percent who felt that way a month earlier. This was
the highest percent and she said they expect to see
ag exports grow over the next five years. Since November
of twenty twenty.

Speaker 1 (04:14):
Ventured added the short term farmland value expectations in texts
rose sharply in May as well well. Friends. The US
wheat harvest in these southern plains is off to a
slower start than usual. Harvest is more challenging because of
persistent wet weather and earlier drought conditions in the South
that are impacting the pace. Paul Paplow of Paplow Custom

(04:35):
Harvesting talked about their start to the harvest.

Speaker 9 (04:38):
We've got started. We've cutting about a day and a
half in wish tough fall Texas so far, and so
We just got two machines sent down there, and we
got eat machines up by the canstall clomb the line
waiting to get started up here.

Speaker 1 (04:47):
They typically start each harvest season in Texas.

Speaker 9 (04:50):
So we typically start with everything wash off fall Texas.
A lot of our acres were adjusted out down there
this year because of the really drought, so right now
we're getting a little bit of a slower start. So
we've started w wassh touff Falls. We got some stuff
in Kingfisher, Oklahoma to do, which machines, which toft falls
to go there. From there, we usually come up to
the Kansas Oklaoma line in Kiawa and Anthony area. So
we're starting a little bit later this year than normal,
just because of the craft failure down south.

Speaker 1 (05:11):
He has a lot of work to do and needs
to push north as soon as possible.

Speaker 9 (05:14):
I myself from somewhat kind of concerned because I was
told that Montana is about ten days two weeks ahead
of schedule heard normal, So we're going to a lot
of acres get over here this next month to make
it to Montana on time.

Speaker 1 (05:24):
Paplo talks about his impressions of this year's wheat crop.

Speaker 9 (05:27):
You know what they've done on which tot falls so
far has been around twenty five to thirty bushel wheat,
which is probably a pretty fairite crowd for them up
here in this area. And I'd say anywhere like Kingfish
went out, the crop looks extremely good. I'd say probably
better than the last ten years. So I think if
we were able to get to the crop, I think
it's gonna be a nice crop.

Speaker 1 (05:43):
Custom harvester Paul Poplou this morning, Well friends, Mexico's demand
for US pork continues to grow. As we hear in
this report.

Speaker 7 (05:50):
Following our record year, pork exports to Mexico continue to
grow in twenty twenty five. The US Meat Export Federation
has been working to build demand for pork in the country,
and consumption has grown more than fifty percent over the
past fifteen years, according to the USMEF Mexico director Roto Rodriquez.

Speaker 10 (06:05):
And that's due to several reasons. Number one is the
confidence that people have on the product. Number two is
the amount of exposure that people are seeing the product nowadays.
And remember when we start the free TRAID agreement in
mid nineties, pork it was perceived just as an ingredient
to do further process. Nowadays, we're seeing not only in

(06:28):
the retail sector. We see them in the food service,
We see it in the high end restaurants, and we
see it also in the convenience stores. So the matter
and the fact that you are able to see pork
in all the different channels is easier for us to
keep expanding the consumption per capita.

Speaker 7 (06:46):
That market growth built by usmefs prompted new competitors to
enter Mexico, which makes duty free access for US pork
more important than ever.

Speaker 10 (06:54):
More than fifty percent of the total amount is imported pork,
so on poark coming from international markets is very important
for Mexico and we have over eighty five percent of
the market share, So that means that the relationship between
Mexico and the United States in regarding pork is very
very important. So at the end of the day, where

(07:15):
we want is how can we keep the markets open.
We don't want to have any retaliation or anything like that,
because at the end of the day, nobody wins and
everything lose wealth and value, and that is where we're
trying to keep open as much as possible for the.

Speaker 7 (07:30):
US meat Export Federation. I'm John Harrath Farm News.

Speaker 1 (07:32):
This morning, you're listening to AG Life.

Speaker 11 (07:35):
It's another AG news update, how to handle crops and
saturated soils.

Speaker 12 (07:42):
More after this at the American Veterinary Medical Association Annual
Convention in Denver, we caught up with Michael Gerghi from
Student Loan Advisor.

Speaker 13 (07:52):
I think the biggest thing to remember when it comes
down to student loans and student loan forgiveness is that
you have to be very, very vigilant because it really
can be one of the biggest empowering choices of your
life to go out and get this degree inside of
the veterinary field, or it can be a tremendous roadblock
if it's not managed properly. So we really try and
encourage that as the overarching theme and the top line
piece of advice that we give it us.

Speaker 12 (08:11):
There's more valuable information on AVMA dot.

Speaker 11 (08:14):
Work saturated soil. Tina Sullivan is a Kansas state agronomist.

Speaker 14 (08:20):
Saturated soils and you know, standing water can be a
concern to corn. A lot of times it can recover.
We're still pretty early in the season. We may see
some mealed things later on. We may see a disease
situation flow up. That's more of a water born er
soil born situation. Kind of take each situation as it occurs.

(08:43):
If we see some really stark yellowing of corn and
dying back, then depending on when that happens, we may
do a free plant. Probably not, kind of depends on
how widespread that damage is. Another kind of key point
to think about when it comes to corn. The growing
point for the corn plant is still below ground up

(09:04):
until the V five stage, so it still has some
protection below ground. So these cooler days with the rain,
it should pull back out.

Speaker 15 (09:15):
So say I was talking about that wind damage.

Speaker 14 (09:18):
If we were above V five in some fields and
we snapped it, we can think of it as like
green snap. The corn might not come back from that
because that growing point has officially broke.

Speaker 11 (09:29):
It's another agnews update.

Speaker 1 (09:32):
Hey there's hello, Hello, huh hey, y'all, hey orl hi.

Speaker 16 (09:40):
It takes a lot of voices to create the sound
of us. The why welcomes all of them with open arms,
from career readiness to safe spaces. The why is there
no matter who we are, now more than ever, they
need your support, support your local wy today. The why
poor better.

Speaker 2 (09:59):
Us fed by members.

Speaker 10 (10:01):
Of the Why.

Speaker 11 (10:03):
American Cattle News. Today we take a look back at
how the cattle market wrapped up the month of May.

Speaker 12 (10:11):
After this, at the American Veterinary Medical Association Annual Convention
in Denver, we caught up with Michael Gerghi from Student
Loan Advisor.

Speaker 13 (10:20):
I think the biggest thing to remember when it comes
down to student loans and student loan forgiveness is that
you have to be very, very vigilant because it really
can be one of the biggest empowering choices of your
life to go out and get this degree inside of
the veterinary field, or it can be a tremendous roadblock
if it's not managed properly. So we really try and
encourage that as the overarching theme and the top line
piece of advice that we give the books.

Speaker 12 (10:40):
There's more valuable information on AVMA dot org.

Speaker 11 (10:43):
Virginia McGathy is with McGathy Commodities in Chicago. With the
look back at how markets ended the week.

Speaker 17 (10:52):
Blive Kettle was a little bit mixed and mixed affirm
even that cashtrade was a little bit higher. Futures did
not a new high for the week, though before the month.
Then profit taking ensued and pushed that market back back
down towards unchanged. August was up above fifty three, we
got up to two eleven sixty before all was said
and done, with June even hitting a high of two

(11:13):
seventeen point fifty. The seaball for the live cattle is
at fifteen point three percent.

Speaker 10 (11:19):
Now.

Speaker 17 (11:20):
Feeders were also firm. The feed lots seemed to be
holding out for higher prices as box prices did rise,
would Choice up sixty seven cents and select up of
dollars ninety and that really just means that the consumer
demand is still pretty strong. Futures did trade on both
sides of unchanged though, with August two dollars and thirty
three cents at one point to three oh two twenty

(11:40):
five and September getting up to three oh one, so
above that three hundred dollars mark. Seaball is at fourteen
point six percent for those feeders. Leen Hoggs were the
one that surged today. That higher cash and even better
cutouts really gave that market a lift and pushed futures
back to prices that we have not seen since February.

(12:01):
A grilling season has arrived really pushing that market higher.
July was up two dollars and thirty eight cents at
one point we got up to one five thirty five,
with August right behind it at one oh five twenty seven.
See velf the lane Hoggs is at twenty point six
percent and.

Speaker 11 (12:17):
For cash cattle two twenty three to two twenty five
in the South and the North two thirty four to
two thirty seven, dressed mainly at three seventy. To wrap
up the month of May.

Speaker 18 (12:32):
This is Dairy Radio Now with Bill Baker.

Speaker 19 (12:37):
Now.

Speaker 20 (12:38):
On this week's Producer Tuesday, sponsored by the Professional Dairy Producers,
we focus on how to keep the kids safe on
the farm with Melissa Pluckelman, outreach specialist with the National
Farm Medicine Center at the Marshfield Clinic Research Institute.

Speaker 21 (12:51):
Raising children on the farm has a lot of benefit,
but we're also going to talk about youth that are
not raised on the farm, but are working on farms
or visiting farms. When the weather's right, we make hay right,
and a lot of times a farmer can't do it
on his own, and so he needs some help, and
a lot of times we see him hiring the local
youth in the area. So we see high schoolers out

(13:15):
of school for the summer and working on their neighbor's farm.
And there are so many benefits to that. You know,
they are out in the sun, they're getting that vitamin D,
they're getting some exercise, they're learning about the circle of
life and where food comes from. But there's also just
a lot of risk to raising children on the farm
or hiring youth to work on the farm. Every day,

(13:37):
about thirty three children are injured in an agricultural related
incident that's across the US, and that number is just
too high because we think about those injuries and they
can be life altering injuries, and so we want to
change that and prevent that because we don't want youth
going through the rest of their life with some type

(13:57):
of injury or disability because of some that happened on
the farm. As parents, we can have youth working on
our farm NonStop all the time. There are no regulations,
which seems very crazy, but if you are actually hiring
a child to work or a youth to work on
your farm, there are age limits, there are our limits,
there are fair payment laws, and so to protect yourself

(14:20):
and your farm it's good for you to know some
of those laws and some of those regulations for your state.
So we have a couple campaigns and a couple resources,
the Child's Agricultural Safety Network for anyone who's interested in
kind of talking about keeping children safe, and anyone can
join this network. Just go to the website cultivatesafety dot org,

(14:42):
backlash cassin and you can join the network. With this network,
we even have online networking system where you can ask questions,
share your thoughts, share ideas, maybe share concerns. And then
the last campaign we have there is the im raising campaign.
I am raising cattle, I am raising corn, I am

(15:04):
raising potatoes, I am raising cranberries, I am raising kids.
And we understand that, yes, you are raising kids on
the farm, and that's okay, and that's great. They are
again getting that sunshine and getting that vitamin D, getting exercise,
getting outside, knowing where their food comes from. But remember
to always be a parent first and a farmer second.

(15:26):
And if you're wondering, what are some of the incidents
that are happening in my area, what are some of
the injuries and fatalities that are happening. Egg Injury News
is a collection of news reports of injuries and fatalities
that are happening all over the United States. So you
can actually go on there. You can create your own account.

(15:47):
It's free to join, but you do have to create
an account, so you can actually filter out your area
or maybe the topic that you're most interested in. So
I could do Wisconsin if I just wanted to know
injuries and fatale in Wisconsin. Or I could filter out
and say, I want to know how many ATV injuries
have happened in the United States. And so you can

(16:08):
filter and you can kind of see and that'll kind
of show you the trends in your area of what
injuries are happening, what fatalities are happening, and then you
can start to kind of figure out, well, how can
I prevent that from happening on my farm? So again,
join us, share with us. What do you know, What
are you doing to keep your children safe? What questions

(16:28):
do you have, Are you looking for someone to collaborate
with on a project or anything?

Speaker 22 (16:33):
You know?

Speaker 21 (16:33):
Join us on that online network because really a lot
of great information is shared there, and I just want
to say, I hope at the end of the day
that really I've brought safety back to the forefront in
our minds, and I hope that if even one small
tidbit of information stays with parents or with adults, it's
just to remember to think about safety each and every day,

(16:56):
each and every minute, because at the end of the day,
there's nothing better than knowing that our youth and our
kids are tucked safe into bed and having those sweet
dreams after a long day on the farm.

Speaker 20 (17:08):
Those are comments from Melissa Pluckelmann, outreach specialist with the
National Farm Medicine Center at Marshfield Clinic Research Institute on
a recent PDP Dairy signal that you can hear in
its entirety for free at pdpw dot org. I'm Bill
Baker Dairy Radio Now.

Speaker 23 (17:26):
Early Bird from Sierra Gold is self fruitful and has
many other attributes. I'm Patrick Cavanaugh with the California Tree
Nut Report, part of the VASDAG Information Network. Chuck Fleck,
as a breeder at Sierra Gold Nursery, talks about that earliness.

Speaker 24 (17:42):
You know, four days befor an umbrel is the same season.
If anybody that's grown Sonora before may not have had
good pollen for it, because there's nothing else blooming first up,
and since Sonora needs pollen from another variety, it's going
to come up short some years. And people have also
commented that the Sonori is kind of disease, a little

(18:03):
bit of a disease. Magnet gets the more anouivle orange
worm because its out there after non parrell, whereas the
early bird isn't out there after non parell, So you
don't have as much a naval orange worm overall of
susceptibility and picks up because you're harvesting in July, and
so that's going to be Anything that we're going to
release is going to be a bit of a game changer.

Speaker 23 (18:23):
That's Chuck Flick and he's talking about that early bird
self fruitful variety from Sierra Gold. A wide array of trucks,
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(18:51):
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Speaker 25 (18:52):
For over forty years, the AG Information Network has been
providing news and information for the most important industry in
the world. Agriculture Bag Information Network gives you worldwide updates
from local producers to regional organizations, from major crops like
wheat and corn, to animal agriculture to specially crops like apples, almonds,
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(19:14):
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Speaker 26 (19:21):
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Speaker 27 (19:26):
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Speaker 11 (19:32):
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So a fungicide that is out of this world, I
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Speaker 25 (19:45):
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Speaker 28 (19:48):
For is it always reading Holle.

Speaker 23 (19:50):
Librations with the ag Information Network. I'm Patrick Kavanaugh. While
beef demand remains strong, it's important to constantly look for
ways to improve production metho and the price should get
for your cattle. Kara Lee is the director of Producer
Engagement for Certified Angus Beef, and Kara talks about maximizing
the prop of potential in your herd.

Speaker 19 (20:12):
Everyone has the responsibility of looking at their own cow
herd and determining where are the areas that I have
room for improvement. When we look at profitability opportunities for
cattle producers, especially folks who are retaining ownership or maybe
doing some progressive feeder calf marketing, trying to leverage the
genetic value of those feeder cattle. Being more focused on

(20:32):
quality genetics is a good hedge of opportunity.

Speaker 12 (20:36):
From a pricing perspective, it's.

Speaker 18 (20:38):
All about being able to quantify your herd genetics cut too.

Speaker 19 (20:42):
In twenty twenty three alone, we saw that cattle that
met certified Angus Beef qualifications earned nearly one hundred dollars
per head over the market average. And so, if I'm
a commercial cow calf producer thinking about either retaining ownership
on my own calves or even again leveraging that value
to the next customer on the chain. From a feed
yard perspective, being able to quantify the quality genetics that

(21:04):
I have in Mike Colverd adds more profitability.

Speaker 12 (21:06):
To my potential.

Speaker 18 (21:07):
Again, that is Carol Lee, director of Producer Engagement for
Certified Angus Beef. Questions remain about when cattle producers may
begin rebuilding the size of America's herds. Doctor Darryl Peel,
Livestock Marketing and Specialists at Oklahoma State University Extension talks
about where things are at today.

Speaker 5 (21:28):
We don't have any data yet to confirm it. My
feeling is just anecdotally in terms of talking to producers.
You look at the improvement and drought conditions at least
in the southern part of the country, the southern plains,
and just kind of the general atmosphere. I think we're
probably beginning some heifer retention now. The only real indication
we've had of that was the abral Cattle on Feed
Report had the quarterly breakdown of steers and effers on feed,

(21:51):
and it did show the biggest decrease in heifers on
feed in about five years.

Speaker 18 (21:55):
There's still a long way to go yet before the
full rebuild it kicks into gear.

Speaker 5 (22:00):
Not still at average levels. It's got to drop a
lot farther to be sure that we're retaining heifers that
would lead to herd rebuilding. But it looks like maybe
that we're in the early stages of that. So I
think it's probably happening, and I think that's part of
the reason why these markets continue to be very strongly supported.

Speaker 18 (22:15):
He says. Cattle prices are continuing in uncharted territory.

Speaker 5 (22:19):
You know, again, the longer term or the underlying fundamentals
would suggest that if we are beginning some Heffer retention,
that's the early stages of what will lead to the
tightest squeeze in feeder cattle, suggesting that prices will go
higher before they would peek out. Le's it may not
happen in twenty twenty five. We could be several months
away from that. So there's that. At the same time, again,

(22:40):
awfully strong prices and the market is sending very strong signals,
particularly to the CALCF sector, to engage in this herd
rebuilding when we can.

Speaker 7 (22:48):
As the US Red Meat industry gathers in Fort Worth
this week for the US beat Export Federation Spring Conference,
keynote speaker Randy Block, CEO of Cattle Facts, informed USMEF
members that the cattle herd rebuilding may finally be gaining track.

Speaker 29 (23:00):
We're still in in tight fed cattle supplies. We've got
more hooks than we have cattle to fill those hooks,
and we see that not only at the fed cattle level,
but we said at the non fed level as well,
So non fed slaughter, non fed cow bullslaughter has declined
significantly as you would expect. So we're stabilizing and heard

(23:20):
from a lack of harvest of the cows. We're seeing
very gradual, slow, slow, slow expansion. But it does look
like when we look back, January of twenty twenty five
will be the low and the beef cow herd. So
as I look at the numbers out here, I think
it's important that people recognize that our per capita beef

(23:40):
supplies really are pretty flat. They haven't changed much. This
price increase that we're experiencing in the industry is demand driven.
Beef demands at are thirty seven year high, and I
think when people think about demand, obviously quality has been
the key to that. We've seen the quality of the
animals being produced has increased substantially.

Speaker 7 (24:03):
USMEF President and CEO Dan Hallstrom said that robust global
demand shows the industry needs to stay focused on the
long term.

Speaker 30 (24:10):
We see a lot of disruption the first quarter of
twenty twenty five. The disruption and our tariff's on or
they off. Who will be affected who won't. This is
just the nature of the market that we're in. The
reality is that demand continues. Demand is record breaking. I'm
both beef ham port in a variety of markets, so
we have the ability to adjust as needed, a good
example being China currently. But I think the message is

(24:33):
that we got to keep our eye on the ball,
and our eye is to stay on the ball, keep
growing demand looking a little bit medium to longer term
because in the end, I really think all this noise
around what may or may not happen will be superseded
by demand. For more.

Speaker 7 (24:47):
Please visit USMEF dot org for the Usbed Export Federation.
I'm John Harrith.

Speaker 31 (24:51):
It's time for California Egg today on the ag Information Network.
I am Haley's ship. Ever been a beginner trying to
navigate agriculture, wouldn't have been great to have someone right
there beside you, someone who'd already been through the learning curve.
That is exactly the idea behind expanding our roots, a

(25:12):
mentorship program from the California Farm Bureaus California Bountiful Foundation
launched in the spring of twenty twenty four with support
from both state and federal funding. The program connects beginning
farmers and ranchers with experienced ag professionals, people who've lived it,
learned from it, and are now stepping up to help
others do the same. According to an ag alert from

(25:35):
the California Farm Bureau, Expanding our Roots is designed to
help new producers navigate the many complexities of agriculture, from
regulatory roadblocks and land access to crop planning and long
term business decisions. Tyler Rude, the program's coordinator and a
senior project specialist at the Foundation, says the relationships being

(25:57):
built are meaningful and they're creating a stronger future for
California agriculture. If you would like to learn more about
the program and see where you might possibly fit in,
you can visit California Bountifulfoundation dot com.

Speaker 26 (26:13):
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(26:35):
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Speaker 31 (27:12):
This is California ag today on the AG Information Network.
Find more agricultural news at aginfo dot net.

Speaker 1 (27:19):
Bob Quinn, here were some farm news this morning, friends.
According to the latest Purdue University CME Group AG Economy Barometer,
farmer sentiment reached a four year high in May. Perdue
University's James Mitchard says the barometer rose ten points to
a reading of one point fifty eight.

Speaker 8 (27:35):
That's the highest barometer reading we've received since May of
twenty twenty one. The current condition index rows five points
to reading of one forty six. Once again, that's the
highest current condition index since December of twenty twenty one,
while the future Expectation index rows twelve points to one
sixty four, which was the highest future expectation index readings
since April of twenty twenty one.

Speaker 1 (27:56):
Now, the farm financial Performance Index increased by eight points
to reading of one oh nine, suggesting producers expect twenty
twenty five to be somewhat stronger for income than last year.
When it comes to ag exports, Metter says farm country
is feeling more confident.

Speaker 8 (28:10):
And this month the percentage of producers who said they
expect exports to increase over the next five years skyrocketed
to fifty two percent. That's up from just thirty three
percent who felt that way a month earlier. This was
the highest percent and she said they expect to see
EG exports grow over the next five years since November
of twenty twenty.

Speaker 1 (28:29):
Mentored added the short term farmland value expectations in techs
rose sharply in May as well.

Speaker 30 (28:36):
Well.

Speaker 1 (28:36):
Friends The US wheat harvest in these southern plains is
off to a slower start than usual. Harvest is more
challenging because of persistent wet weather and earlier drought conditions
in the South that are impacting the pace. Paul Paplow
of Paplow Custom Harvesting talked about their start to the harvest.

Speaker 9 (28:52):
We've got started. We've cutting about a day and a
half in which tough all Texas so far, and so
we just got two machines sent down there, and we
got eight machines up by the Canstall Calm Line waiting
to get started up here.

Speaker 1 (29:01):
They typically start each harvest season in Texas.

Speaker 9 (29:04):
So we typically start with everything Wischtoff Falls, Texas. A
lot of our acres are adjusted out down there this
year because of it really drought. So right now we're
getting a little bit of a slower start, so we
have certain Wishtuff Falls. We got some stuff in Kingfisher,
Oklahoma to do, which machines and Wichtoff Falls to go there.
From there, we usually come up to the Kansas Okahoma
line in Kaiwa and Anthony area. So we're starting a
little bit later this year than normal, just because of

(29:24):
the craft failure down south.

Speaker 1 (29:26):
He has a lot of work to do and needs
to push north as soon as possible.

Speaker 9 (29:29):
I myself from somewhat kind of concerned because I was
told that Montana is about ten days two weeks ahead
of schedule. Heard normal, So we're going to a lot
of acres get over here this next month to make
it the Montana on time.

Speaker 1 (29:38):
Paplo talks about his impressions of this year's wheat crop.

Speaker 9 (29:41):
You know, what they've done in Wichtoff fall so far
has been around twenty five to thirty bushel wheat, which
is probably a pretty fair crowd for them up here
in this area, and I'd say anywhere like Kingfish went out,
the crop looks extremely good. I'd say probably better than
the last ten years. So I think if we were
able to get to the crop, I think it's gonna
be a nice crop.

Speaker 1 (29:57):
Custom harvester Paul Poplou This morning, Well friends, a little
more pork optimism is showing up in the US pork industry.
Riley Smith has a report for US this morning.

Speaker 15 (30:08):
Following a historic downturn in the swine industry in twenty
twenty four, producers are feeling more optimistic about what twenty
twenty five will bring. So far, the first half of
the year has been good to producers across Iowa, Chris Ford,
vice president of Swine Agribusiness with Farm Credit Services of America,
so that swine producers are also cautiously optimistic for what
the rest of the year will look like.

Speaker 22 (30:28):
It's been really a tale of the last twenty four months.
We've gone through one of the worst downturns in this
economic in the swine industry that we've seen probably in
the last thirty or forty years. And so as we've
kind of come out of that with lower feed costs
corn swaby meal and we see production kind of getting
itself back straightened out, guys are really optimistic about what
twenty five is going to give us. First half has

(30:49):
been very successful, and I would say the second half
there's a lot of cautious optimism as we continue forward.
So guys are thinking very positively as we go through
twenty five.

Speaker 15 (30:58):
Ford said, there are a few important factors to monitor
for producers to be successful in today's economy.

Speaker 22 (31:03):
The three things that I think are the most important
in this industry is to continue to have good books,
have good financial acting, and know your cost production as
you kind of go through this because you can make
better decisions as you kind of go through. I think
the second thing is risk management. There's a lot of
tools out there. We think about using the board, using
the insurance products, finding folks that are around you to
help consult and make good decisions. And then again a

(31:26):
third thing is just making sure that we're adhering to
the best and highest technology around biosecurity because production is
going to be key as we go through. So those
are probably the three biggest things that I encourage guys
to continue to focus on going forward.

Speaker 15 (31:39):
This can be a lot for one swine producer to handle,
but fortunately they don't have to do it alone. Ford
Sei Farm Credit has a swine team that is thoroughly
invested in highly experienced in the swine industry.

Speaker 22 (31:49):
We have a team of folks both underwriters, closers, and
relationship managers that specifically work in just the swine industry,
so we understand the industry. We work with twenty eight
of the top four producers in the nation, so we
get a great perspective of not just Iowa, but we
also can bring some of that nationwide perspective back to
our IERO producers to kind of give them ideas around

(32:10):
what you're doing well, what are some areas maybe you
can improve on? So by having that expertise, we work
in swine every day and again it's the same with
our beef, our poultry, swine. We have those experts in
our company to help you guys navigate the waters.

Speaker 15 (32:22):
That again was Chris Ford, vice president of swineagri Business
with Farm Credit Services of America. For more information, visit
fcsamerica dot com. I'm Riley Smith reporting.

Speaker 1 (32:32):
Some farm us this morning. You're listening to ag Life.

Speaker 4 (32:37):
For me, the AGA information that worked. This is your
agribusiness update.

Speaker 14 (32:40):
Well.

Speaker 4 (32:41):
The apricots, fragile nature and short shelf life have long
been at Achilles heel. That's why most of the state's
crop has traditionally been used for canning, drawing, and freezing.
But California growers have made major inroads in elevating apricots,
with roughly fifty percent now going to the fresh market
verses eight to sixteen percent in the nineteen eighties. Factors
leading to the chain include cannery closures, improved fresh varieties,

(33:03):
and efforts to adapt to consumer preferences. The May Rural
Main Street Index fell below the growth neutral reading of
fifty for the nineteenth time in the past twenty months.
The index came in at forty four in May, up
from forty in April. The index ranges from between zero
and one hundred, with fifty representing growth neutral. Creighton Universities
Ernie Gross says, according to Bank CEOs in our survey,

(33:26):
the economic outlook for twenty twenty five, farm income remains weak.
The National Corn Growers Association responded to the Making America
Healthy Again Committee or MAHA report, which raised unfounded questions
about the safety of pesticides. The NCGA released reports speaking
to the economic impact of widely used technologies like atrazine
and glyphosate. NCGA chief economist Christas Swanson says one of

(33:49):
the central tenets to producing crops is controlling pests, and
the safety and efficacy of pesticides have been repeatedly tested
and documented for decades.

Speaker 32 (34:00):
We're talking with aphids and white flies about sophena insecticide
from BASF.

Speaker 12 (34:04):
We just get nailed with it. So tell us how
you feeling really, really weird.

Speaker 32 (34:09):
And you still want to devour this feel No way, bro,
there you have it, folks. Safena insecticide is specifically engineered
to disorient aphis and wifelies so they can't eat, and
when they can't eat, they can't destroy.

Speaker 26 (34:23):
He'll protect your alfalfa from aphids with sefena insecticide. Always
read and follow label directions.

Speaker 33 (34:28):
Farmwork is tough, and so is staying safe on a road.
Every year, accidents happen when tractors and traffic share the
same space, whether you're behind the wheel of a tractor
or a car.

Speaker 12 (34:38):
Here's what you need to remember.

Speaker 33 (34:39):
Tractors move slower, be patient, don't pass on hills or curves. Farmers,
make sure your slow moving vehicles, signs and lights are
visible and everyone's sailor, especially on rule roads. One moment
a caution can save a life. Let's work together to
keep our roads and are farms safe. This message was
brought to you by the ag Information Network.

Speaker 28 (34:59):
From the Egg Andmation Network. I'm Bob Larson with today's
agribusiness update.

Speaker 1 (35:03):
Bob went back to wrap up agli Fordiday friends. US
tariffs on steel and aluminum imports doubled and Canada is
not happy about that, Dennis Guy as our report, President
Trump signed in order that doubled tariffs on all imported
steel and aluminum products from twenty five to fifty percent
to take effect immediately for the American market. The US

(35:24):
is the largest importer of steel in the world after
the European Union, and is the world's largest aluminum importer.
It currently gets most of those raw products from Canada.
Canadian metals industry is calling on ODWA to retaliate and
to match those fifty percent tariffs. Shortly after the US
announcement was made, Prime Minister Mark Carney's reaction was to

(35:47):
say that tariffs are both unjustified and illegal. However, with
discussions currently in place and the fact that Canada was
not specifically targeted, Carney says that Canada is going to
take a breath before reacting.

Speaker 34 (36:01):
We will take some time, not much, because we are
in intensive discussions right now with the Americans on the
trading relationship. I would note that the American action is
a global action, it's not one targeted at Canada, so
we will take some time, but not much.

Speaker 28 (36:17):
Ontario Premier Doug Ford was more direct in his response.
Ford says that he wants the American public to realize
that a tariff is a domestic consumer tax. Andy said
because much of Canada's raw exports are bought back as
finished products. This latest action will only hurt US steel

(36:38):
and aluminum workers now that the Canadian raw products are
priced out of the US market.

Speaker 29 (36:43):
He just tax Americans fifteen billion dollars by adding these tariffs.

Speaker 28 (36:48):
Steel mills are the largest employer in Sus Saint Marie, Ontario.
That town's mayor, Matthew Schumaker, agrees with Premier doug Ford's assessment.
A fifty percent tariff on import ard steel into the
American market will cripple and possibly kill production.

Speaker 35 (37:05):
Makes the product uneconomic to sell at a fifty percent
increase in cost. They were able to hobble along, I
would say with the twenty five percent tariff, but at
fifty percent there might not be Canadian steel being produced.

Speaker 28 (37:16):
Already, high metal prices are continuing to rise as the
result of the new measures. David Frumm is a Canadian
and a political analyst living in Washington from believes that
this surprise doubling of teriff rates on industrial foundation goods
like steel and aluminum is soon going to cost President
Trump the goodwill of many of his most loyal supporters.

Speaker 36 (37:39):
They're going to come as a tremendous shock to a
lot of people who trust to Trump. Imported goods suddenly
cost a lot more, including cars and trucks, because of
Trump's tariffs. Sooner or later they feel the reality and
the reality is going to hurt, and they may be mad.

Speaker 28 (37:51):
Reporting from Canada, I'm Dennis Guy with that.

Speaker 1 (37:54):
Friends, out of time for today, thanks for joining us.
Back tomorrow morning with another edition A Bad Life.