Soybean processing to stop, costing Danville jobs
DANVILLE, Ill. (AP) — Bunge North America plans to stop processing soybeans at an eastern Illinois plant, which will result in the loss of about 100 jobs.

The St. Louis-based company announced last week soybean processing operations at the plant in Danville, located near the Indiana state line, will end on April 23. Bunge said it will stop using the facility because the industry has too much processing capacity.
Bunge spokeswoman Deb Sidell said the job cuts aren’t layoffs and the closure is permanent. The company said the plant’s corn mill will remain open. Farmers also will be able to continue dropping off soybeans at the plant for transport elsewhere.

Deere & Co. recalls workers to two Iowa plants
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Deere & Co. is recalling 117 workers at its plants in Dubuque and Davenport as market conditions in its construction and forestry divisions improve.

The Moline, Ill.-based farm equipment maker in February boosted its outlook for 2010 after an unexpected increase in agricultural orders helped drive first-quarter profit 19 percent higher. Deere spokesman Ken Golden on Thursday confirmed 65 workers at its Dubuque plant and 52 others at its plant in Davenport will return to work on March 8.

He said the recalls are needed to meet market demand and to replace normal retirements in the workforce. In March 2009, Deere announced plans to lay off 220 workers in Dubuque and 105 in Davenport as the recession weakened demand for its products.

Crop-related disaster loans available in Michigan
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Federal disaster loans are available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and private nonprofits in Michigan because of cold weather that hurt crops last year.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) recently announced the loans because of freeze, frost, excessive snow, low temperatures and cold weather that hit the state between Jan. 1-July 24, 2009. The SBA’s disaster declaration includes a number of Michigan counties.

The loans can be up to $2 million with a 4 percent interest rate and terms of up to 30 years. Details are available on the SBA’s website at www.sba.gov

Carlisle Valley Irrigation honored as Performance Plus Dealer
VALLEY, Neb. — Valmont Irrigation has announced Carlisle Valley Irrigation of Carlisle, Ind., as a Valley Performance Plus Dealer. Carlisle Valley has earned this designation for excelling in the areas of sales, service and aftermarket parts.

Each dealership is scored based on departmental evaluations and annual customer satisfaction surveys, as well as the success of its own dealership growth plans. Focusing on best practices, Valley dealers strive to deliver the highest standards of service and product support to their mechanized irrigation customers.

The Dealer Performance Plus program, now in its seventh year, focuses on the recognition of dealers as they continue to meet the ever-increasing and changing needs of production agriculture.
Carlisle Valley Irrigation is a first time Performance Plus Award winner.

AgVenture of Michigan marks first anniversary
KENTLAND, Ind. — At a time when many Michigan agribusinesses are struggling, AgVenture of Michigan is celebrating its first anniversary.

AgVenture, Inc. is a nationally recognized organization that management states is consistently ranked in the top 10 seed companies in the nation. Its unique business model allowed it to have access to the latest seed genetics and technologies on the market, with the freedom to do business as an independent seed company.

As the nation’s largest network of independently owned and operated regional seed companies, AgVenture has continued its solid growth since opening doors in 1983. It now reaches growers across 26 states through companies such as McKillip Seed Co. and
Gray’s Seed, Inc. in Indiana.

Really Cool Foods donates to two Indy charities
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Gov. Mitch Daniels and Indiana-based company Really Cool Foods celebrated the Indianapolis Colts’ AFC Championship by making a Feb. 2 donation to two local faith-based organizations that serve food to Hoosiers in need.

The food was Daniels’ wager with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on the Colts vs. New York Jets game, but the company wanted to contribute the meals even though the Colts won. Daniels delivered 25 cases of fresh prepared foods to The Lord’s Pantry at Anna’s House, Inc. in the Stringtown/Haughville area of Indianapolis, to be served free of charge to members of the community.

Another 25 cases of food were donated to The Open Door program at Tabernacle Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis, where Daniels has been a member for nearly 50 years. The program serves lunch to those in need each Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

FSA launches online crop program calculator
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The USDA Farm Service Agency announced the 2008 crop program payment calculator is now available to assist producers in determining the benefits they may receive through the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE) program.

USDA reminds producers that to be eligible, a 10 percent production loss on a “crop of economic significance” must have been sustained. To be eligible, growers must also meet a risk management purchase requirement by having either federal crop insurance or being enrolled in the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program.

With the new SURE program producers gain an additional tool to help manage revenue losses. More specifically, the SURE program helps mitigate the threats of lower-than-expected yields and prices by providing a revenue guarantee for producers’ total farming interest. The SURE program is designed to work in combination with federal crop insurance. To access the calculator, visit www.fsa.usda.gov/Internet/FSA_File/sure_calculator_2008.xls

University of Illinois launches ACRE payments estimator
URBANA, Ill. — A new farm management tool estimates the amount of Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) payments a farm will receive for its 2009 crop. The ACRE payment estimator is available for download from the farm analysis solution tools (FAST) section of the farmdoc website at www.farmdoc.illinois.edu

Users of the ACRE payment estimator enter their state and crop for which ACRE payment estimates are desired. The program then estimates the state ACRE payment. This estimate equals the state guarantee minus state revenue. State revenue equals the state yield times the market year average price.

State yields are projected using estimates released by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistical Service. Market year average price is estimated with a combination of actual monthly and forecast prices, weighted by historical marketings. A forecast price equals the futures price traded on the Chicago Board of Trade, minus historical basis.

The farmdoc website received initial funding from the state of Illinois through the Illinois Council on Food and Agricultural Research.