Russia bans 2010 grain exports amid drought
MOSCOW (AP) — Russia says it will ban grain exports for the rest of the year after a severe drought destroyed 20 percent of its wheat crop.
Russia is among the world’s largest exporters, and fears that it would cut exports had already helped drive up wheat prices by nearly 70 percent since early June.
The ban goes into effect Aug. 15 and runs through Dec. 31.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin announced the ban at a Cabinet meeting on Thursday, saying it was needed to prevent a rise in domestic food prices, preserve the number of Russia’s cattle and build up reserves.
The CME Group, which operates the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT), reported record volume Friday in CBOT’s wheat futures and options on futures listings of 354,169 contracts. The prior record was 294,345 on Aug. 2.
Additionally, CBOT wheat futures alone hit a record 316,053 contracts, surpassing the old record of 263,120 contracts traded on Feb. 27, 2008.
NCBA applauds Senate approval of price reporting
WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Aug. 5, the U.S. Senate reauthorized by unanimous consent the Livestock Mandatory Price Reporting Act (LMPR), which was set to expire Sept. 30. If passed, the expiration would instead happen Sept. 30, 2015.
Colin Woodall, vice president of government affairs for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Assoc. (NCBA), said the reauthorization will continue to encourage transparency in the marketplace. He said producers have come to rely on the information provided by the LMPR to aid in their negotiation of sales prices for cattle and meat products.
“This mandatory reporting provides U.S. producers with readily understandable and timely information regarding pricing, contracting for purchase and supply and demand conditions for all segments of the beef industry,” said Woodall.
According to the NCBA, the LMPR was signed into law by former President Clinton as part of the 2000 Agricultural Appropriations Bill.
The LMPR still needs approval from the U.S. House. Woodall said NCBA will continue to urge the House to reauthorize LMPR before it expires next month.
2 die in barn collapses at Ohio’s biggest egg farm
CROTON, Ohio (AP) — Winds reaching 70 mph knocked over three barns being renovated Aug. 4 at the state’s largest egg farm, killing two workers, authorities said.
Two construction workers who were laying concrete blocks at Ohio Fresh Eggs were killed in one of the barns, said Bill Schwaderer, a spokesman for the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Three other workers escaped with minor injuries.
Authorities blamed the barn collapses on high winds. The National Weather Service said the area, about 25 miles northeast of Columbus, was hit by a line of strong thunderstorms with winds estimated at 60-70 mph.
The workers were employed by an outside contractor, not by the farm, Ohio Fresh Eggs spokeswoman Hinda Mitchell said. Licking County Sheriff Randy Thorp identified them as 25-year-old Kevin Maddox and 33-year-old Joseph Dixon.
The deaths were the third at Ohio Fresh Eggs in less than a year. A worker died at a different facility in September when he fell from a ladder inside a grain bin.
Indiana officials raid farm in cockfighting case
FAIRLAND, Ind. (AP) — Indiana authorities say they’ve raided a farm as part of a crackdown on cockfighting.
The Indiana Gaming Control Division said the raid happened Aug. 4 near Fairland in Shelby County, about 20 miles southeast of Indianapolis. The agency said undercover officers made several buys at the farm.
Agents have seized about 200 hens and roosters. The birds are in the care of the Humane Society of the United States.
Humane Society animal fighting expert John Goodwin said his group alerted state officials after an individual at the farm gave an interview to a cockfighting magazine in the Philippines.
Farm pesticide disposal tomorrow in NW Ohio
REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio — The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) is sponsoring a collection for farmers to dispose of pesticides on Aug. 12, from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at the Putnam County extension office, located at 124 Putnam Parkway in Ottawa.
The pesticide collection and disposal service is free of charge, but only farm chemicals will be accepted. Paint, antifreeze, solvents and household and non-farm pesticides will not be accepted.
Pesticide collections are sponsored by the ODA in conjunction with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. For more information, call 614-728-6987.
Tickle-Me-Elmo III wins hog contest at Indiana State Fair
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (AP) — Tickle-Me-Elmo III is the winner of the World’s Largest Male Hog competition at the Indiana State Fair.
In a news release Friday, the state fair stated the three-year-old Duroc from Sellersburg tipped the scales at 1,277 pounds.
Elmo III beat Reggie, a Red Wattle from Austin, who checked in at 1,201 pounds. The third-place hog weighed 1,174 pounds.
Elmo III will spend the rest of the fair in a labeled pen near the entrance at the west end of the Swine Barn. |
