January 17, 2017 - In This Issue:

Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) is seeking Committee Nominations

GIPSA is seeking nominations to serve on the USDA Grain Inspection Advisory Committee. Nominees would have a chance at serving on the Advisory Committee to replace seven members whose terms will expire in April of 2017. 

The Advisory Committee meets twice a year to advise GIPSA on the programs and services it delivers under the U.S. Grain Standards Act (USGSA). Recommendations by Committee members help GIPSA better meet the needs of its customers who operate in a dynamic and changing marketplace. 

Those who are interested in applying will need to submit for AD-755 and email it to Terri.L.Henry@usda.gov or fax it to (202) 690-2173 by January 20, 2017.
U.S. Drought Monitor

Most of the lower 48 states were in temperatures that averaged well below normal. Weekly anomalies of -5 to -15 degF were found in the Great Plains and Midwest. Much of the Midwest has adequate moisture with abnormal dryness and drought limited to a few small areas in the Ohio Valley. In western Ohio and Eastern Indiana about 0.5 to 1 inch of precipitation fell that eliminated D0 areas. Looking towards the days of January 12-16 precipitation was forcasted for the Ohio Valley and eastern Great Lakes region. Much of the lower 48 should see above-normal temperatures from January 17-21.


 

Illinois Soybean Association Reports State Regained Top Soybean Producing State After 2016 Crop

From data released on January 12, 2017, Illinois has claimed the title of top soybean-producing state, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. Illinois produced nearly 593 million bushels of soybeans in 2016. that number is up from 544 million bushels that the state did in 2015. 

The 2016 crop was harvested from 10.05 million acres. "We are excited to regain the title as top soybean-producing state," said Daryl Cates, soybean farmer in Columbia, Illinois and ISA chairman, "we have some of the best producers in the nation."  

Sixty percent of the soybeans in Illinois are expected to be exported with a value estimated at $3 billion.  




Too Much Wheat is Forcing its Farmers to Other Crops

After four consecutive seasons of record harvests for wheat, bins are bulging from Kansas to Western Australia and prices are near the lowest in a decade. 

Farmers have now started to plant less because many of them are losing money. But at the same time, global consumption is at an all time high. "It's difficult to be overly bullish," said Benjamin Bodart, a director at adviser CRM AgriCommodities in Newmarket, England. "The world is still awash with wheat. You cannot deny it. But when you dig a bit further, the downside now is fairly limited." 

Wheat is now expected to gain in 2017 for the first time in the last five years.