cropvillage industry

Dr. Lisa Becton provides background on African Swine Fever situation in Russia, and in so doing provides some great background on the state of Russian pork production. Of note is almost half of the Russian pork production is on communal farms, peasant farms, or private small home farms, where the main use of pork production is a waste removal system.

This Drought Monitor resource helps people plan short term and long term planting resource needs, harvest, vacation, gardens, and other water focused activities.

Rural america makes one think of small towns and farm land as far as one can see. Rural America is more than just space and size. More than 51 million people live in rural areas. Poverty and unemployment are higher in rural areas. And rural areas are where America's food is grown.

Measures of rural employment trends over the past year were mixed. Nonmetro unemployment fell slowly in 2010 and more rapidly in first-quarter 2011 before leveling off in the second quarter, similar to the national trend. The apparent improvement, however, largely reflects a decline in the labor force participation rate; the percentage of rural adults who were employed has not risen in recent quarters.

For a comparative view of rural America, the USDA publishes Rural America At A Glance. 2009, 2010, and 2011 editions are available.

Photo Farm Sanctuary

Presenting an update on the recently launched social media marketing campaign for veal, George Quackenbush, Director of Promotions for the Michigan Beef Industry Commission, shares the vision and scope of the fast moving initiative.

Lewis Martin, West Pennboro Township in Cumberland County Pennsylvania, is proposing to build a 31,000 SF poultry barn located 1,645 feet from the Big Spring Creek watershed. In his National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit application, he proposes to disturb 8.24 acres to construct poultry houses on his property. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit application is required to address the project's erosion and sediment control and post-construction storm-water management.

"DEP has received numerous requests for a public hearing from citizens wanting to voice their concerns about the potential for runoff and disturbance to water sources from the poultry barns," DEP South-central Regional Director Rachel Diamond said. "Those comments are valuable to DEP and will be considered with final review of the permit application."

Of concern is the effect of the poultry operation on the Big Spring Creek watershed, which is a trout fishery and high-quality stream. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, March 6, 2012, to receive testimony.

Paragon Economics Dr. Steve Meyers walks through meat demand, corn prices ($4-$8??) and weather issues.

The total feed supply is going down. Long term we need to get more efficient or we get smaller. Can we get efficient enough to that we can grow with a shrinking supply of energy feed?

Dr. Meyers also looks into the ethanol industry, how it fared in 2011 and what it may do in 2012, with respect to their need for corn inputs.

Dr. Ken Macklin, Auburn University, provides an overview of his International Poultry Scientific Forum on the effect of DDGs on necrotic enteritis. Dr. Macklin seems to believe there is a relationship between the two.