There is plenty of misinformation being spread about High Fructose Corn Syrup. The Corn Refiners’ Association is working to set the record straight through their Sweet Surprise campaign. They have been running a series of television ads (see below) that confront some of the popular misconceptions about HFCS. And more ads are coming. Listen below to hear Audrae Erickson of the Corn Refiners’ talk about the campaign.
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Over 4,000 turned out last week in Anaheim, California for Commodity Classic, the joint meeting for corn, soybean, wheat and sorghum growers. Â This event continues to grow and the format of combining several commodity groups together for a single event has proven to be very successful. Â Each group of course has their individual agendas and policy sessions but several issues are common to all of them. Â One of them is the weather and concerns heading into this planting season. Â On the positive side, fewer areas are dealing with drought conditions but on the other side many areas are still covered by several inches of snow on top of already saturated soils. Â There was a lot of concern expressed last week about possible flooding and late planting again this spring. Â I talked with a couple of farmers from the deep south who said normally they would have been in the fields last week but it was still too wet. Â Even normal rainfall this spring will be a problem because the ground just can’t absorb much more at this point.
Another area of concern is trade. Â Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack spoke at Classic last week and told those in attendance about USDA’s new approach to trade. Â Meanwhile trade deals with Panama, Columbia and South Korea still aren’t moving forward, leaving many in agriculture wondering when they will see the benefits of this new trade strategy.
Thursday we heard from Mike Stegman of AGROTAIN about how another wet spring will have a dramatic impact on fertilizer applications and the effectiveness of those applications.
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Carroll Moseley and Mark Jirak of Syngenta shared with us that nematodes are a growing problem, particularly in corn, and that they can impact yield even very early in the season. They also gave an update on Syngenta’s Weeding Out Hunger initiative.
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Are we finally getting closer to opening up trade and travel with Cuba?  I hope so!  I think 50 years is more than enough time to realize that the embargo was a flawed policy that has failed.  I understand the thinking behind the original decision which was to drive Fidel Castro out of office.  Time and health did what the embargo could not and now his brother Raul is calling the shots.  So what has the embargo accomplished?  It has made food harder to come by for Cuban citizens and deprived U.S. producers a good market for their goods.  It did not cause a revolt against Castro and I don’t think he has missed many meals or lost much sleep because of it.  Instead he used it as a public relations tool to make the U.S. look like the villain.  I contend we would have had a better chance of initiating change in Cuba by sending them more, not less, of what we have in this country.  In the meantime other nations have moved in to establish a foothold in a market we should dominate.  I don’t like the Castros’(either one of them) politics but why treat them differently than other countries we don’t agree with.  Our biggest customer is Communist China plus we do business with countries we have fought wars with such as Germany, Japan and Viet Nam.  Still the Cuban embargo remains in place.  Maybe we are about to take a step towards changing that.  Congressman Collin Peterson, chairman of the House Ag Committee, has introduced legislation to require agricultural exports to Cuba to meet the same payment requirements as to other countries and allow U.S. citizens to travel to Cuba. (I’ve never understood why our government should be allowed to restrict our travel to a country we are not at war with or that poses no health or safety concern).  Co-sponsored by more than 30 other members of Congress, this bill seems to have a good chance of getting to the President’s desk and being signed.  I understand there are still people in Florida who have hopes of someday returning to Cuba and reclaiming their lost property but realistically that isn’t going to happen, so it’s time to stop holding two countries hostage and move on. I’ve been to Cuba twice and hope to go again someday without the restrictions now in place for trade and travel.
Despite growing opposition by states, organizations and even members of Congress, EPA announced last week they intend to go ahead and implement rules to regulate greenhouse gases on their own. Â It looks like it will take an act of Congress or a judicial decision to reign in an agency that seems to be over stepping their authority.
Monday, March 8, 2010 The Corn Refiners Association is pushing back against some of the misinformation about agriculture. We'll talk with Audrae Erickson about the "Sweet Surprise" campaign.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010 Missouri ag groups have formed Missourians for Animal Care to fight back against an HSUS ballot initiative. We'll get details on the new group and how it plans to educate the public about animal care.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010 We'll hear how U.S. soybean farmers will be helping rebuild Afghan agriculture and feed the Afghan people through a new arrangement through the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health.
Thursday, March 11, 2010 Is Russia finally opening to U.S. pork products? We?ll get an update on that and other meat trade issues with the U.S. Meat Export Federation.
Friday, March 12, 2010 Open Line
Last Week's Poll Results
Do you think the U.S. should allow more trade and travel to Cuba?
There is plenty of misinformation being spread about High Fructose Corn Syrup. The Corn Refiners’ Association is working to set the record straight through their Sweet Surprise campaign. They have been running a series of television ads (see below) that confront some of the popular misconceptions about HFCS. And more ads are coming. Listen below to hear Audrae Erickson of the Corn Refiners’ talk about the campaign.
Over 4,000 turned out last week in Anaheim, California for Commodity Classic, the joint meeting for corn, soybean, wheat and sorghum growers. Â This event continues to grow and the format of combining several commodity groups together for a single event has proven to be very successful. Â Each group of course has their individual agendas and policy sessions but several issues are common to all of them. Â One of them is the weather and concerns heading into this planting season. Â On the positive side, fewer areas are dealing with drought conditions but on the other side many areas are still covered by several inches of snow on top of already saturated soils. Â There was a lot of concern expressed last week about possible flooding and late planting again this spring. Â I talked with a couple of farmers from the deep south who said normally they would have been in the fields last week but it was still too wet. Â Even normal rainfall this spring will be a problem because the ground just can’t absorb much more at this point.
