CROP COPTER UNVEILS LATEST VERSION OF EZ HEALTH 4.0

As the co-owner and sales manager of Crop Copter, Brett Haas has worked with UAV users nationwide to capture accurate data that is timely.

“In the past, we have struggled to cover the acres in a day needed to use UAV imagery in a scalable way,” says Haas, who is also a central Illinois farmer. “We knew we needed to cover more ground and fly more hours in a day, but the quality of the data and accuracy couldn’t be compromised.”

Rather than build a longer-flying UAV, the latest version of Crop Copter’s EZ Health 4.0 can now capture images at speeds in excess of 70 mph while still maintaining image quality and spatial accuracy. The company has integrated this NDVI camera onto the DJI Inspire 2, which can travel up to 58 mph. By combining EZ Health with an Incident Light Sensor, it can use more of the daylight hours to gather data than the typical 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. recommended window for NDVI flights.

“This idea of speed vs. size has been extremely successful in planter technology during the last couple of years, and we knew it would work,” says Haas. “We can essentially cover twice the acres with the same accuracy and image quality and fly earlier and later in the day.”  

EZ Health will continue to use its own software, allowing for immediate on-site processing of data.

HIGH ATTENDANCE, MEASURED OPTIMISM AT COMMODITY CLASSIC

SOME FARMERS AND AG BUSINESSES REMAIN POSITIVE

SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- If you gauge this year’s Commodity Classic by the attendance of nearly 9,400, America’s largest farmer-led, farmer-focused convention and trade show sure seems like another successful event.

At times, walking the aisles, watching the ‘full house’ attendance at the Ag Connect stage that Successful Farming helps operate and visiting with farmers from around the country and world, it gives the feeling that agriculture is in a boom stage.

Even some seed and grain equipment dealers were reporting very strong business results, so far this year.

The sentiment at this year’s winter convention seems to be measured but optimistic.

2017 could be a make or break year for some farmers, but most believe they will be planting corn again in 2018.

Scott Wettstein, Lidgerwood, North Dakota says that according to the stats given here at the Commodity Classic, farmers are all optimistic about the future of agriculture.

“After the Presidential election and last year’s good crop, apparently has something to do with that. Personally, I’m optimistic that we are going to raise another nice crop like last year,” Wettstein says. “I’ve been saying this for three years, but I’m thinking there is going to be another opportunity to sell corn above breakeven.You have to be ready to jump on that.”

Wettstein adds, “This low price environment is pushing us back to old-school farming. We have to do everything right. You can’t just plant it and go to the lake.”
I’m optimistic that we will make it through another year. it’s not going to be easy. You’re not going to be able to plant the crop and forget about it.”

Bob Huttes, a Roca, Nebraska, farmer that grows corn and soybeans, says while he remains an optimist, he senses an uneasiness amongst farmers at this year’s Commodity Classic.

“Things are not good out there in farm country. Everyone that I know have cashflows that are suffering. It’s about as bad as I’ve ever seen it. I have farmed through some difficult livestock times, but we made it through somehow. And I’m hopeful for the future of agriculture,” Huttes says.

However, the southeast Nebraska farmer admitted that his operation just bought another farm and is investing in technology, for the first time.

“We’re late innovators. We’re adopting the global positioning systems into our tractors with auto steer. This is all happening as one generation of our family is handing the operation to the next generation,” Huttes says.

Mark Westfall, a Woodstock, Ohio, farmer says that he has always noticed in his career that challenging economies can be looked at with optimism.

“There is more opportunity in tough times than there is good times, if you are financially solid. During those good times, everybody is bidding against you to buy anything and everything,” Westfall says.

Wasteful adds, “I’ve been farming for 47 years, and our biggest strides forward have been in really difficult times."

A BLESSED FARM BILL

It’s looking more and more like the new farm bill will be a blessed one. 

It’s been well reported that Sonny Perdue, the candidate for the position of USDA Ag Secretary has prayed for rain for his farmer constituents. His friends describe him as “a good Christian fella.” 

Now, Mike Conaway, House Ag Chairman, addressing farmers at the Commodity Classic convention, received multiple ovations openly discussing his reliance on God to help folks in agriculture endure the tough economic times.

“I live a Judeo-Christian model. Jesus Christ is my personal savior. I try to live up to it everyday, and we all need to – for our country and the world,” Conaway says. 

“To keep this Republic, we need to focus more on the core values that build this country. We need to take inventory of our blessings. Can God bless the 54 million babies aborted in this country? Can God bless the language used in our society that comes out of Hollywood that we call entertainment?” Conaway asks.

He and his wife attended the latest women’s march in Washington, D.C.

“It was a great event that was tainted by the signs that women were wearing describing body parts. This was a crude, krass way imaginable. Think about the deterioration of the family unit and the impact this behavior has on our young children,” Conaway says.

As he claims his confidence in completing a new farm bill in 2018, on time for the first time in 16 years, with meaningful reforms made to current programs and attention given to Midwestern and Southern farmers alike, Conaway paused to bless a sneezing reporter.

On regulatory relief, Conaway pointed out that God started us all out with 10 regulations, why add more?

The Texas congressman then reminded the audience that the top 20% of the U.S. socioeconomic level spend more on food than the bottom 20% population of the socioeconomic level make in disposable income.

“The families who I am going to be focused on are the bottom 20%, when constructing the farm bill. We have the most affordable food supply in any developed country. I am not going to screw that up,” Conaway says.

It’s the single mom, living paycheck to paycheck, regardless of being on food stamps or not, that Conaway will be thinking about while working on a new farm bill.

“I think that we have a good ally in the White House. President Trump has said time and time again that he wants a farm bill done on time,” Conaway says.

NO DRAMA

Conaway is going to work real hard to construct a farm bill without the drama, he told a general session of the farmer’s convention, Commodity Classic in San Antonio.

“If you want the drama of short-term program extensions or expirations and permanent law – all that drama that we normally get on the farm bill – then I need you to go to a different theatre,” Conaway says.

The certainty of farmers to be able to give their bankers and creditors that next five-year look is important. "Colin Peterson, House Ranking Member, and I are committed to getting it done on time. We will need the public’s health to get the Senate moving forward," he says.

FARM BILL SPECIFICS

With a low commodity price environment, Conaway sees it easier to explain to lawmakers of the importance of a farm bill safety net than it was in 2014.

There is support to get a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and a farm bill done, Conaway says. “If it is easier to get them done together, we’ll get them done together. If they have to be done separately, we’ll do that instead," Conaway says.

Conaway added, “The only people I’ve talked to who want to separate the two are people who want to kill the farm program.”

Going forward, Conaway needs the commodity groups to get their policy wishes to him. Getting new money will be hard to get, the Texas Congressman admitted.

Listening sessions will be held for farmers as the year progresses. 

FARM BILL OBSTACLES

One of the roadblocks to getting the farm bill pieced together will be a proposal by House Speaker Paul Ryan for welfare reform in 2018. Because the SNAP program is a large piece of welfare reform, it will be part of that process.

Other specific fixes to the current farm bill involve cotton, dairy, and the county-by-county variability factors of the ARC crop insurance program.

“We’ve put in a budget request for the same amount of funding that was used for the 2014 Farm Bill. We have to respect that the country is $20 trillion in debt. If somebody is going to ask me for new money for something, they will have to tell me how we are going to pay for it,” says Conaway.

Tax reform is a big issue to tackle. “I would ask to keep your powder dry on tax reform; we don’t know the details on the new Administration’s tax program," Conaway says.

On trade, it’s imperative that President Trump’s trade advisers get on top of this issue. 

“Trump's top trade advisers told me that even though the imbalances of import trade have been the focus, they realize that exports have an impact on the trade deficit. I nodded in agreement and said, ‘There you go,’ ” Conway says.

FG to issue $20 bn bond to address climate change

Climate change remains one of the greatest challenges of the present age even as its effects and threats continue to plague the nation’s ecosystem. However, plans are underway by the Federal Government to issue a $20 billion bond to raise funds to tackle these challenges in the country.

This was disclosed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Dr Bukkar Hassan, during the ministry’s 2017 budget defense with the House of Representatives committee on climate change in Abuja.

Hassan said the ministry would execute 31 projects nationwide with each of the six geopolitical zones getting its own fair share of the projects.

Speaking on this budgetary allocation, the Chairman of the committee, Sam Onuigbo expressed that the N8.1 billion set aside to combat climate change in the budget was insufficient.

According to Onuigbo, “Nigeria’s investment pales rapidly into insignificance” when compared with the budgetary allocations of other countries for climate change.

“We have noted with profound concern that modest amount deliberately set aside by the budget office for agencies to tackling climate change and also lay the foundation for the nation to benefit from investment opportunities that abound in this exercise”, he added.

He however informed that the National Assembly was working on a bill to make the Executive arm create an enabling regulatory framework to facilitate investment in climate change.

Meanwhile the World Bank has said that Nigeria needs about $140 billion by 2030 to effectively take action on climate change.

The Practical Manager, Africa Environment and Natural Resource at the World Bank, Benoit Bosquet, who disclosed this during a Climate Change Knowledge Immersion workshop organised by the World Bank in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment informed that measures should be taken urgently to address this challenge as agricultural production in many regions will decrease in many regions due to temperature, desert warming and rising of the sea level.

Speaking further on the impacts of climate change, Bosquet noted that the underprivileged in the society were likely to suffer the aftermaths more, particularly women, children and elderly citizens.

World food prices rose in February – FAO

According to a report posted on the website of the United Nations for Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), world food prices rose slightly in February, boosted in particular by cereals.

FAO Food Price Index averaged 175.5 points in February, its highest value in almost two years, marking a 0.5 percent increase from its revised January value and 17.2 percent above its February 2016 level.

“The FAO Cereal Price Index rose 2.5 percent from January, led by increasing prices for wheat, even as maize and rice prices also posted modest increases” the report revealed.

The increase pushed food prices on international markets to their highest level since February 2015.

The FAO Vegetable Oil Price Index bucked the trend, declining 4.1 percent amid slowing global import demand for palm oil, along with higher soy crop forecasts for Brazil and Argentina, two important exporting countries.

According to FAO , meat Price Index rose 1.1 percent, buoyed by higher bovine meat prices as ranchers in Australia rebuilt their herds. The Dairy Price Index rose slightly, led by butter and whole milk powder.

“The FAO Sugar Price Index rose 0.6 percent in February, as ongoing supply tightness in Brazil was only partly offset by expanded beet plantings in the European Union” it said.

FAO on thursday also released its first forecast of global wheat production in 2017, projecting 744.5 million tonnes, which would signal a 1.8 percent decline from its record 2016 level.