Ukraine: No grain export limits through Sept. 15
KIEV (AP) — The Ukrainian government announced recently it will not limit grain exports at least for another week.
Russia imposed an export ban in early August after severe drought hurt harvests across the region. Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Slauta, who oversees agriculture, said Aug. 27 that no export quotas would be introduced at the moment but that the government would revisit the issue after Sept. 15. Ukrainian traders had asked for the delay to allow them to export about 2 million tons of grain awaiting shipment.
The government has forecast a harvest of 42 million tons, down from 46 million last year, with exports to amount to 15 million-17 million tons. But the Agriculture Ministry said as of Aug. 26, only 29.2 million tons had been harvested, 21 percent fewer than at the same time last year. Of the total harvested so far, 17.9 million tons was wheat. Ukraine also is a major producer of barley.
Slauta said quotas could be introduced if prices rose abruptly on world markets or if speculation began to distort the Ukrainian market.
UN: Global food prices highest in two years
ROME (AP) — International food prices have risen to their highest level in two years, fueled in part by a drought in Russia that lifted the cost of wheat, a U.N. agency said last week.
The Rome-based U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization said its food price index shot up 5 percent between July and August. But that was still 38 percent down from its peak in June 2008.
Drought in Russia forced a sudden sharp rise in wheat prices, the agency said. Higher sugar and oilseed prices also were factors in the higher index.
The agency’s Abdulreza Abbassian said there were sharp differences between the current price situation and the spring of 2008, when high oil prices and growing demand for biofuel pushed world food stocks to their lowest levels since 1982. Stocks are much higher now and even while the forecast for world cereal production in 2010 has been lowered, it is still expected to be the third-highest on record.
VeraSun seeking repayment from some farmers
DES MOINES, Iowa — According to Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey, some farmers who sold grain and received payments in the 90 days prior to the VeraSun Energy Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing on Oct. 31, 2008, have received a letter asking for repayment.
“If you have received the letter from the Silverman Acampora law firm, you need to seek out an attorney for legal advice, preferably a bankruptcy attorney,” Northey said in a statement. “Contact your attorney before you respond to the letter. Don’t sign anything until you have contacted your attorney; but, it is important to not ignore the letter.”
In response to questions raised by growers, the National Corn Growers Assoc. (NCGA) is providing online a one-page guide to responding. The NCGA stresses this does not constitute legal advice and advises growers to consult an attorney.
The document, prepared with information from David A. Lander of Thompson Coburn LLP in St. Louis, Mo., may be downloaded from www.ncga.com/files/ pdf/VERASUN-BRIEFING-083010.pdf
EWR trial for marketing assistance loans begins
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is now accepting electronic warehouse receipts (EWRs) for corn, soybeans and wheat pledged as collateral by producers for marketing assistance loans for the 2010 crop year.
Uniform Grain and Rice Storage Agreement warehouses from eight states (Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota and Texas) are eligible to participate in the EWR trial system. Participating FSA county offices were trained last month to use the eGrain, Inc. system and this will be the first time EWRs have been authorized as collateral under the grain and oilseed marketing assistance loan program.
Warehouses and producers from the selected states interested in eliminating the need to safeguard and physically deliver warehouse receipts may utilize EWRs. Grain and oilseed warehouses, producers, banks and other entities interested in participating in the trial should contact eGrain through www.egrain.com or call 800-278-6799. U.S. sues western Michigan farm for antibiotics in cows
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — The federal government is seeking a permanent injunction against a western Michigan dairy operation it says sold cows with illegal traces of antibiotics in their bodies.
The U.S. Justice Department said last week that Scenic View Dairy of Hamilton sold the cows for human consumption.
A complaint was filed Aug. 31 in Grand Rapids federal court.
Authorities say the company had “numerous warnings” and still sold the cows for slaughter from three farms. The complaint names the company’s president and the farm managers.
The Associated Press left a message after business hours Aug. 31 seeking company comment, but had not received reply as of Farm World’s press time.
The complaint stated authorities found the cows had illegal residues of the antibiotics neomycin, penicillin and sulfadimethoxine. |
