European drought could cut wheat
NEW YORK (AP) — Wheat and corn prices jumped last week as bad weather continued to create problems for crops in the United States and Europe.
Wheat settled up 6.9 percent and corn rose 4.1 percent May 18 as part of a broad rally in commodities that included metals, oil and energy products.
Investors are growing concerned that stockpiles of wheat and corn – already at low levels – may shrink even more if harvests are reduced this year.
Cool, rainy weather has delayed planting in parts of the United States, particularly in Indiana, Ohio, Minnesota and North Dakota. Forecasts are calling for more rain, which could put farmers even farther behind, said Jason Ward, an analyst with Northstar Commodity.
Meanwhile, dry conditions have prevailed in Russia, Germany and France that could affect wheat production, Zuzolo said. That comes on the heels of a drought last summer that severely damaged wheat crops in the Black Sea region, prompting Russia to impose an export ban.
Deere plans to build new plant in China
MOLINE, Ill. (AP) — Deere & Co. plans to invest $80 million in a new agricultural equipment manufacturing plant in northeastern China to help meet increased demand in the region.
Deere announced the new plant May 18 as it released its quarterly earnings report. The factory will be located in Harbin in the Heilongjiang Province, where the company already runs John Deere Jiamusi Works.
The new factory will build mid- and large-sized tractors, sprayers, planters and harvesting equipment. It will be Deere’s seventh manufacturing plant in China, although two of the existing plants are joint ventures. The new factory is expected to begin making Deere equipment in late 2012.
Michigan gas leak larger than reported
WHITE OAK TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — A gasoline leak in mid-Michigan is anywhere from two to four times as large as first reported, according to new estimates provided by Marathon Pipe Line LLC.
The company originally estimated that 126,000 gallons had leaked into the soil before it was detected April 13 by a man in Ingham County’s White Oak Township whose 16-acre farm backs up to four fuel storage tanks. Officials confirmed the larger leak after a memo explaining it to county officials was obtained by the Lansing State Journal Thursday.
“As a result of this ongoing investigation and recent deployment of new technology we have revised our initial estimate. We now estimate the released product to be between 7,000 barrels and 11,000 barrels,” the company memo reads.
At 42 gallons per barrel, the new estimate puts the size of the leak at between 294,000-462,000 gallons. The company has not said how long the pipe was leaking before it was discovered or why its safety mechanisms failed to notice it was losing gasoline.
Marathon was planning to hold a public meeting at the township hall sometime this week to discuss the revised estimate, said Kim Sakowski of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, which is overseeing the cleanup effort.
Environmental and health officials have been monitoring and testing nearby wells since the leak was discovered. All tests have come back clean, but some worry that potential danger remains.
Authorities: 83,000 chickens killed in fire VERSAILLES, Ohio (AP) — Authorities estimate that about 83,000 chickens were killed in a barn fire at a western Ohio egg farm.
WHIO-TV said about 70 firefighters were called out shortly before 4 a.m. May 17 to fight the fire near Versailles. The barn is on a farm owned by Kissinger Brothers Poultry and was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived. Fire officials said the barn was a total loss and estimate damage at about $1.5 million.
Authorities say the cause of the fire is under investigation.
Deadly horse virus spreads to 34 animals BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The number of horses infected with the deadly and contagious Equine Herpes Virus-1 continues to grow. The USDA says the outbreak that started at an Ogden, Utah, competition has infected at least 34 horses in nine states and Canada.
At least seven horses have died from the virus, which poses no risk to humans and can be airborne and transmitted by touch or by sharing feed, brushes, bits and other equipment. More than 1,000 animals are known to have been exposed through direct or indirect contact with infected horses, which are among 400 that attended the National Cutting Horse Assoc. Western National Championships in Ogden earlier this month.
Fewer people are showing up to compete on a professional rodeo circuit. Organizers of one group sent out an alert to members reminding them not to share equipment or water troughs and to take other precautions.
The number of infected horses is likely higher than the official count, which comes from the federal Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The agency relies on states to report their own numbers. Infected animals usually get sick between two and 14 days after they are exposed to the virus. Symptoms include fever, sneezing, staggering and partial paralysis.
Farm worker hurt when water tank falls ROBINSON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — A wooden platform collapsed at a West Michigan farm, dropping a 400-gallon water tank on top of a man working in a blueberry field.
Gregorio Rojas was critically hurt in Friday’s incident. The 67-year-old Robinson Township resident was unresponsive when authorities arrived at the Ottawa County farm. Police told The Grand Press the farm’s owner had removed the debris that was on top of Rojas.
WHTC-AM in Holland reported Rojas was taken to Spectrum Health-Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids. A message seeking comment on Rojas’ condition was left Saturday by The Associated Press for a Spectrum Health spokesman.
It wasn’t immediately clear how much water was in the tank when it fell on Rojas and trapped him underneath it. |
