Bayer CropScience has reviewed the study for publication in the June issue of the
Bulletin of Insectology regarding imidacloprid’s supposed impact on honey bee colony health. The study is factually inaccurate and is seriously flawed, both in its methodology and conclusions.
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Farm policy lags U.S. ag and food structural changes
As discussions surrounding the 2012 Farm Bill heat up, there will be no shortage of material for debate. Adding to that mix is a new report released from the American Enterprise Institute that looks at the “Market Structure and Competition in the U.S. Food Industries; Implications for the 2012 Farm Bill.”
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Big look at China trade and investment trends
International trade with China and investment by the Chinese in the U.S. will continue to be big news, according to an outlook co-authored by John Grobowski and Kim Walker with the law firm of Faegre Baker Daniels.
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BASF, NAAA continue support of Operation S.A.F.E.
BASF and the National Agricultural Aviation Association are teaming up for another year in support of Operation S.A.F.E. (Self-regulating Application and Flight Efficiency).
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Ag researcher strives to protect Bt technology
Through collaborators at the USDA, a University of Tennessee researcher is working to pinpoint the exact mechanism responsible for resistance to Bt corn in order to prolong the use of the technology.
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Except for iron and zinc, micronutrients not warranted
In Nebraska, deficiencies of iron and zinc can be common, depending on soil properties, but deficiencies of the other five micronutrients are rare.
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El Niño possible after U.S. summer
The U.S. Climate Prediction Center raised the prospect that El Niño conditions could return after the Northern Hemisphere summer, causing adverse weather that could potentially disrupt the harvest of vital crops such as cotton, corn and soybeans.
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EPA registers Foxfire herbicide on wheat
Syngenta announced federal Environmental Protection Agency registration of Foxfire herbicide to control annual grass weeds in spring wheat (excluding durum) and winter wheat.
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DuPont opens $40 million ag research facility
DuPont opened a $40 million plant genetics research facility in Johnston, Iowa, to further support its commitment to increasing agricultural productivity and food security worldwide.
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Drift wording on product labels coming closer
There definitely is going to be new spray drift language on product labels in the foreseeable future as required by the Environmental Protection Agency, and the outlook is that labels could also include suggested or required use of “validated technology” to reduce drift.
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BIG PICTURE
By Doane EconomistAccording to the China National Grain and Oils Information Center, China will import about 29 million metric tons of soybeans in the first half of the year. This would be up 25 percent from the same time period last year. Strong demand from animal feed producers is expected to drive the demand. Chinese crushers have bought enough soybeans to last until June, and they are now looking for cargoes from July to October, the China National Grain and Oils Information Center said. Rising domestic soybean meal prices have provided crushers with good profit margins. Soybean meal prices have jumped more than 10 percent this year due to higher demand from pig farms.
