Study Shows Biofuel Mandates Could Push Prices Up
US - Grocery shoppers face hefty price increases if bad weather withers a US corn crop that is now tethered to grain-intensive renewable fuel mandates, a new University of Illinois study warns.

Industry Speaks out Against Ethanol Tax Credits
US - A coalition of meat and poultry associations has provided a joint comment on the introduction of Pomeroy-Shimkus legislation to extend ethanol tax credits

Renewable Fuel Standard Increases Net Farm Income
US - Analysis by a Texas AgriLife Research economist reveals new renewable fuel standards would lead to more than a $13 billion increase in net farm income, yet cost consumers on average $10 more for food...

Weekly Outlook: South American Production Prospect
US - The month long decline in corn and soybean prices has slowed and signs of a near term low have emerged, writes Darrel Good, agricultural economist at the University of Illinois.

CME: Corn and Soybean Markets Under Pressure
US - All eyes will be on USDA’s monthly Crop Report and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) when they are released at 8:30 EST on Monday, write Steve Meyer and Len Steiner.

High-Protein Distillers Grains Replace Soy
US - As swine producers continue to find ways to survive in today's economic situation, researchers at the University of Illinois are exploring alternative feedstuffs in growing pig diets to provide producers...

Corn Futures Present Opportunity for Pork Producers
US - With corn futures retreating in recent weeks, pork producers may see an opportunity to lock in production profits. Some industry observers say if the opportunity is there, it is something producers...

CME: November Pork Demand Markedly Lower
US - Steve Meyer and Len Steiner write, "In response to comments from readers, we offer two items of additional information on topics discussed earlier this week."

CME: Can Firms Be Made More Competitive?
US - A decision handed down today by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans once again affirmed that the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921 (PSA) is primarily about competition in the markets...

Smithfield Attributes Losses to Poor Hog Market
US - Smithfield Foods has reported a second quarter net loss of $26.4 million Despite lower production costs and a 13 per cent reduction in its sow herd.

CME: Feed Prices and Supplies Cause Concern
US - Feed supplies and prices remain a significant concern for US livestock producers, write Steve Meyer and Len Steiner.

Weekly Outlook: More to Corn, Soybean Demand?
US - The recent strength in crop prices has been lead by soybeans, writes Darrel Good, agricultural economist at the University of Illinois.

Groups Urge Congress to Aid Ailing Pork Industry
US - “There are many challenges facing the economic viability of the pork sector including higher input costs for feed and energy, an over-abundance of supply in the domestic market, weakening demand...

CME: Ethanol Uses as Much Corn as Livestock
US - According to Steve Meyer and Len Steiner, the US corn harvest continues to track well below year ago and five year average levels, raising concerns not just about current harvest output potential...

Chinese Swine Team Increases Interest in US DDGS
US - A team of nine large-scale hog producers traveled to the United States from China this week to gain practical experience and expand their knowledge in order to improve production efficiency and reduce...

EPA Told Changes to RFS Could Affect Ag Prices
US - Comments submitted on Friday (25 September) to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by the American Meat Institute (AMI), National Turkey Federation, National Chicken Council and FarmEcon LLC...

US DDGS Quality Impresses Major Korean End-users
US - A team of grains industry professionals traveled from Korea to the United States on a mission to visit suppliers of distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS), a co-product of US ethanol pro...

NPPC Asks USDA to Save US Pork Industry
US - Asking for help to save the US pork industry and thousands of jobs, the National Pork Producers Council yesterday urged the US Department of Agriculture to lend assistance to US pork producers to...

Chinese Swine Producers Receive Training on US DDGS
US - Chinese pig producers have received training from the US Grains Council aimed at increasing the use of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS).

US Livestock Industry Under Stress
US - At a time when many crop producers continue to show profits, even with sharply higher input costs, the entire livestock industry is under extreme financial stress, according to the Iowa Pork Industry...

No Antibiotic Residues Detected in DDGS
US - Phibro's Ethanol Performance Group has reported no detection of virginiamycin residues in more than 40 samples of distillers' grains (DDGS).

Carbon Market Opportunities for Agriculture
Carbon credits generated by agriculture are a relatively new commodity according to Dr Dave Beede and Dr Wendy Powers of Michigan State University in the latest MSU Pork Quarterly.

Report Evaluates Intelligent Use of Manure
US - The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture to evaluate the role of animal manure as a source of fertilizer, and its other uses.

Sen Webb Wants Study Done of Ethanol Blend Impact
US - Senator Jim Webb (D-VA), along with 20 other Senators, wrote to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson Tuesday to request more comprehensive testing on ethanol prior to raising the ratio that can be mixed...

Nineteen Digesters Operating on US Pig Farms
US - As of February 2009, AgSTAR estimates that there are 125 farm-scale digesters operating at commercial livestock farms in the United States. Six of these installations are systems that provide manure...

Weekly Roberts Report
US - Agricultural US Commodity Market Report by Mike Roberts, Commodity Marketing Agent, Virginia Tech.

Weekly Outlook: Crop Markets React to Swine Flu
US - In the first trading session following the announcement of incidences of swine flu in Mexico and the United States, corn, soybean, and wheat futures declined sharply, writes Darrel Good, Extension...

Biofuel Byproducts Both Economic and Environmental
US - Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists of the USDA have found environmentally and economically sound uses for the byproducts of biofuel production.

NPPC Insists that Ethanol Expansion be Studied
US - With US pork producers still smarting because of high feed-grain prices, the National Pork Producers Council has insisted that the Obama administration study the economic impact of an expansion of...

Weekly Outlook: Pressure for 2009 Growing Season
US - The USDA’s 31 March Prospective Plantings report revealed producer intentions to reduce corn acreage and to marginally increase soybean acreage in 2009. That report pointed to the potential...