Information compiled by Greg Lamp and published in the January Corn and Soybean Digest says, USDA continues to contend that farmers will see big net benefits from the cap-and-trade climate change bill, according to Doane's. However, on closer analysis, most of the benefits come from planting trees on crop and pasture land to earn carbon offsets to sell to industry. According to USDA's analysis, about 27 million acres are planted to trees when the carbon price is $27/ton, which could happen by 2013. By 2050, the carbon price is estimated at $70/ton, resulting in an additional 60 million acres planted to trees. USDA says that about 35 million of those acres will come from cropland, with the rest coming from pasture. The USDA analysis also shows big declined in livestock production as a result of the cap-and-trade legislation.
Manure storage covers have been found to capture greenhouse gas emmissions, and could potentially provide income for farmers looking to trade carbon credits. Manure covers are often considered too costly to use, but the carbon credit programs and the loan program to use manure covers to mitigate climate change could reduce that cost, according to Lingying Zhao, Ohio State University Extension Ag Engineer.
CONAG, the supply division of Brazil's Agriculture Ministry, raised it's estimate of that country's 2009-2010 soybean crop to reflect larger expectations for planted area. CONAG pegged Brazilian soybean production at a record 64.56 million metric tons (mmt), up from a November range of 62.5-63.6 mmt and 13% above 2008's crop estimate of 57.1 mmt.
According to a study funded by the United Sorghum Checkoff Program, abouth 29% of the grain sorghum produced in the U.S. is used to produce ethanol. Almost all ethanol made from grain sorghum comes from plants in Kansas and Texas. The USCP's goal is to raise that percentage to 50% by 2011.
The University of Missouri Extension Council of Johnson County recently held an election to select council members to serve two year terms. Newly elected council members include:
Marlene Stewart Northwest Quarter of Johnson County
Sally Davidson Southwest Quarter of Johnson County
Jean Woods Southeast Quarter of Johnson County
Robert Cox Southeast Quarter of Johnson County
Heather Counts Norhteast Quarter of Johnson County
Larry Purcell City of Warrensburg
Jim Tye North Half of Johnson County
New members will begin their term on March 1st, 2010.
Save this date on your calendar also, and make plans to attend this event. The 2010 Lafayette County Women Landowners Ag Conference will be held on Tuesday, November 9th at the Concordia Community Center. More information will be coming at a later date.
Josh Ryan
