Colleen Scherer
Farmers will need to adapt as Corn Belt shifts north
Gradually, the Corn Belt has been shifting north as areas in North Dakota and Canada are now planting corn, soybeans and canola where they only used to be able to grow wheat. Likewise, parts of Kansas are decreasing their corn acres in favor of less water-intensive crops such as wheat, triticale and sorghum.
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Despite drought, world wheat production to increase
If the weather cooperates, world wheat production could see a “significant increase” in 2013, the United Nations said.
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ASA launches Soy Action Center
As Congress returns from recess this week, the American Soybean Association (ASA) announced the launch of the Soy Action Center, a grassroots communications portal through which ASA's 21,000 farmer members can connect with their members of Congress, administration and federal agency officials, and state and local offices.
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Higher farmer incomes could spur fertilizer sales
Although this summer’s drought and heat have caused fertilizer demand to slump, new data suggests that farmers’ incomes are expected to rise and therefore so are fertilizer sales.
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EPA concerned over more evidence of resistant WCR
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) expressed its concern recently about what it calls “mounting evidence” that Monsanto’s corn modified to control western corn rootworms (WCR) is losing its effectiveness.
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Swiss study shows GM plants pose low risk
The new research from Switzerland is the latest in several recent studies finding few risks with adopting and consuming GM crops.
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India to set up institution for ag biotechnology
In a new move, the country announced it would set up the Indian Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology that will support research into developing crops with traits for yield and tolerance to stress. Officials gave approval to develop the proposed institute.
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In Perspective: Impact of 2012 drought
The summer of 2012 will always be remembered as the year of one of the worst droughts in nearly 50 years. Many in the media first compared this year’s drought to the one in 1988 that devastated many acres. But as the drought lingered and temperatures soared past 100 degrees in many areas, more began comparing it to the drought of 1956. A few reports even surfaced comparing this year’s drought to the one in the 1930s that created the infamous Dust Bowl.
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More consolidation in the fertilizer industry
Pan American Fertilizer Corp. announced its intention this week to acquire Pacific Potash Corp. Pan American is a Canadian company focused on the extraction of a specific type of fertilizer called calcium sulphate (also referred to as “Agricultural Gypsum”).
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Fertilizer demand may not be weakened by drought
Market analysts are predicting that fertilizer consumption will not decline as a result of the current drought conditions in the nation’s Corn Belt.
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New potash report shows increasing demand
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) released a new report showing that global potash markets are recovering from the economic downturn of 2010 as consumption is increasing and production is returning to pre-2008 levels.
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