Harvest 2019
A look at
farming today in
Ogle County
Published By Ogle County Life & The Rochelle News-Leader
with contributions from the
Ogle County Farm Bureau and
other local agricultural
agencies
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Section E - Page 12 Ogle County Life/Rock Valley Shopper Monday, Aug. 12, 2017
Yield-boosting stay-green
gene Beef identified herd from long expansion near end?
experiment in corn
URBANA – A corn – gene Looking back a decade
identified from a 118-year-old
experiment or so, the at the University high-feed-price era from
of 2007 Illinois to could 2013 boost yields caused downsizing of
of today’s elite hybrids with
no
the
added
beef
inputs.
industry.
The gene,
Beef cow numbers
identified reached in a recent low in Plant 2014, study. which resulted
Biotechnology
in record-high
Journal
finished
study,
cattle prices near
controls a critical piece of
senescence, $148 per or live seasonal hundredweight dieback,
Record-high in corn. When the gene calf prices then stimu-
in 2015.
is turned off, field-grown elite
hybrids lated yielded expansion 4.6 bushels of the breeding herd.
more As per an acre example, on average than Kentucky 500-tostandard
plants.
550-pound
Dating back to
calves
1896, the
were
trait in
$236
corn.
per hundredweight
experiment in was 2015, de-
explains Purdue
Illinois
signed to test whether corn
University agricultural economist
grain composition could
be Chris changed Hurt. through artificial
“From selection, the a relatively low point in 2014, beef
new concept introduced by
Charles cow numbers Darwin just 37 have years expanded by 9 percent.
Repeated Total cow selection numbers of including dairy
earlier.
high- and low-protein corn
lines
cows
had
are
the intended
up 7 percent.
effect ery
Commercial
with practical impact.”
beef
within production about 10 generations. has increased by 11 percent;
As selection for the traits continued,
however, additional
a combination of 7 percent more cows
changes and a were 4 percent noticeable. increase in beef output
per “One cow,” of the things Hurt that was says.
noted as early as the 1930s
The mid-year Cattle Invento-
was that the low-protein line
stays greener longer than
the high-protein line. It’s
really obvious,” says Stephen
Moose, professor in the Department
of Crop Sciences at
Illinois and co-author of the
Staying green longer into
the season can mean more
yield. The plant continues
photosynthesizing and putting
energy toward developing
grain. But, until now, no
one knew the specific gene
responsible for the stay-green
“The stay-green trait is
like a ‘fountain of youth’ for
plants because it prolongs
photosynthesis and improves
yield,” says Anne Sylvester,
a program director at the National
Science Foundation,
which funded this research.
“This is a great basic discov-
The discovery of the gene
was made possible through a
decade-long public-private
partnership between Illinois
and Corteva Agriscience.
Moose and Illinois collaborators
initially gave Corteva
“From the low
point in 2014, beef
cow numbers have
expanded by 9
percent.”
Chris Hurt
scientists ry from access USDA to a population
tends to support the
idea
derived
that
from
the 5-year
the longterm
corn protein experiment
herd expansion rate
with has differences leveled in off, the staygreen
end trait. to the Corteva expansion. scientists The total number
perhaps signaling an
mapped the stay-green trait
to of a cattle particular and gene, calves NAC7, was typically unchanged use. in
and the developed July survey corn plants of producers. Beef cow
with low expression for the
trait.
numbers
Like the
were
low-protein
unchanged from a year
parent, ago, and these milk plants stayed cow numbers dropped 1
green
percent.
longer.
USDA
They tested
also reported that the
these plants in greenhouses
and 2019 fields calf across crop the country may actually be down
over modestly, two field seasons. which will slow beef production
increases for 2020 and
Not only did corn grow
2021.
just fine without NAC7,
yield increased by almost 5
bushels per acre compared
to conventional hybrids. Notably,
the field results came
without added nitrogen fertilizer
beyond what farmers
“Collaborating with the
University of Illinois gives
us the opportunity to apply
leading-edge technology to
one of the longest running
studies in plant genetics,”
says Jun Zhang, research scientist
at Corteva Agriscience
and co-author of the study.
“The insights we derive from
“Another sign of producers’ unwillingness
to continue expansion are
fewer replacement heifers going back
into the breeding herd,” Hurt says.
“Beef replacement heifers were down
4 percent and dairy replacement heifers
were down 2 percent. In addition,
weaker calf prices are not providing
financial incentives to expand. Kentucky
steer calf prices so far this year
are $7 lower than for the same period
this last relationship year.” can result sometime in the last 100 years
in more bushels without of this experiment, and fortunately
has been preserved
Trade has been a negative factor an increase in input costs,
potentially cattle prices increasing so both far this so that year, we can but benefit that from
profitability
may improve,
and productivity
Hurt notes.
it now,”
“Beef
Moose says.
exports
for farmers.”
He can’t say for sure
in Moose’s the first team five then sequenced
percent. the However, NAC7 gene in current because sales in the indicate 1920s crop
months when the were mutation down occurred, 3
the high- and low-protein sciences faculty threw out
corn a more lines and rapid were export able to pace the original for seed the from rest 1896. of
figure the year, out just how and the USDA gene analysts Future potential suggest for this
facilitates senescence and
why
annual
it stopped
exports
working
may
in
be unchanged for
the low-protein year,” corn. he says.
“We could see exactly
what the mutation was. It
seems to have happened
innovation could include
commercialized seed with
no or reduced expression of
NAC7, giving farmers the
option for more yield without
See HERD page 4
additional fertilizer inputs.
2 Today’s Farm - Fall/Winter 2019
Inside this issue
Weather hitting crops hard...........................................................................page 5
Soybean yield uncertainty significant in price movements........................page 7
A showing at the fair.....................................................................................page 10
‘Off the Cuff’ with Ron Kern......................................................................page 12
Study advances possible genetic control for weeds...................................page 14
Helping behind the scenes...........................................................................page 17
Rainwater corn a summer tradition...........................................................page 20
New farmers.gov feature helps producers ................................................page 22
Rochelle News-Leader
The Ogle County Life
3
HERD: More heifers going to feedlots
From page 2
“China remains the biggest concern
as their volumes were down 39 percent
in the five months for which we have
official census data. China purchased
around $1 billion dollars of U.S. beef
per year prior to our trade conflicts. So,
prospects of negotiations with China on
trade will likely have impacts on the
cattle markets as well as a number of
other important agricultural products,”
Hurt adds.
In the Cattle on Feed report, USDA
indicated a 2 percent increase in the
numbers on feed, which was a recordlarge
inventory for July since 1996,
when they started just reporting on
feedlots with 1,000 head capacity or
larger. While a record, the numbers
were in line with expectations prior to
the report.
While there are more animals on
feed, the mix of steers and heifers provides
further evidence that brood cow
producers are sending more heifers to
the feedlots rather than holding them
back for breeding stock compared to a
year ago. While total numbers on feed
are up 2 percent, the number of steers
are down 2 percent, but heifers are up
8 percent from last year. This lends additional
support to the idea of the brood
cow expansion leveling off.
Domestic beef production so far this
year has been nearly unchanged with 1
percent more animals being offset by
1 percent lighter market weights. For
the remainder of the year, numbers are
expected to rise about 2 percent, but
with a continuation of lighter marketing
weights, beef supplies may only rise by
a modest 1 percent.
“Higher feed prices will generally
support lighter marketing weights for
the rest of this year and into 2020,”
Hurt notes. “Reduced production of
corn and soybeans will increase the
costs of energy and protein in diets,
but cattle also utilize grazing and forages.
The adverse 2019 planting season
has opened opportunities to graze and
harvest cover crops on prevented plant
acres including corn silage starting
September 1.”
In some areas this may increase
feedstocks substantially and keep forage
prices from rising. But in other
regions, spring crop planting was not
as delayed, and cattle concentrations
may be low in areas where prevented
plant acres are high.
“Forages by their nature are bulky
and expensive to transport. So, matching
the locations of cattle and excess
forages is imperfect. Regardless, opening
cover crops to grazing and harvest
on these qualified acres in September
will be a benefit to the beef and dairy
sectors,” Hurt says.
See STEER page 23
Agriculture generates more than $19 billion annually in Illinois.
6% of all U.S. agricultural exports are from Illinois.
Illinois farmland covers nearly 27 million acres.
Agriculture means
business in Illinois.
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4 Today’s Farm - Fall/Winter 2019
Weather hitting
crops hard
By Brad Jennings
EDITOR
THIS summer has
been a tough one
for area farmers.
First, May saw so much
rain that farmers couldn’t
get crops into fields. Then
the rains stopped and the
extreme heat moved in.
It has certainly led to
some concern.
“We are probably at
a lot more risk this year
than we have been most
years,” said Keith Poole,
an area farmer and president
of the Ogle County
Farm Bureau.
Jennie Atkins, Water
and Atmospheric
Resources Monitoring
(WARM) Program manager
at the University
of Illinois’ Illinois State
Water Survey, said that
soils in July were warm
across Illinois. They were
certainly higher than the
average temperatures last
year.
Atkins said soil moisture
levels also fell during
July. That is a concern for
people like Poole.
See CROP page 6
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Rochelle News-Leader
The Ogle County Life
5
CROPS: Reduced yields expected
From page 5
He said that because the early rains
led to later planting, theoretically a
warmer July would have been fine. But
there just wasn’t enough rain, he said.
“We really needed some moisture to
go with that heat,” said Poole, adding
that at his farm there has been very
little rain since June.
He said because of the early rains,
the roots didn’t have to go very deep
for moisture. Once they needed to
go deeper for that moisture, there
weren’t developed enough to do that.
The state Water Survey supports
that, saying there is plenty of moisture
deeper in the soil.
Poole said what is important now
is that the first frost doesn’t come to
early. Because so many crops were
planted late, farmers need a longer
season.
But even if the season is longer, it is
still not looking like it will be a good
one.
“We’re going to have reduced
yields, no doubt about it,” Poole said.
But it could be worse for Ogle
County farmers. Poole said that in
some parts of Illinois farmers didn’t get
anything planted.
The weather, coupled with trade
concerns, has made 2019, “a year for
the record books,” Poole said.
While Poole will be keeping an eye
to the sky hoping for more rain and a
late frost, he said farmers are certainly
concerned.
“We are probably at a lot more risk
this year than we have been most
years,” he said.
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6 Today’s Farm - Fall/Winter 2019
Prospects for soybean demand
URBANA — Uncertainty regarding soybean acreage
and yield potential will continue to be significant factors
in soybean price movements through harvest. Without a
severe crop shortfall, higher soybean prices rely on demand
prospects over the next year, according to University of
Illinois agricultural economist Todd Hubbs.
Soybean crush slowed in the final quarter of the current
marketing year. The USDA lowered 2018-19 marketingyear
crush by 15 million bushels to 2.085 billion bushels in
July. Estimates of monthly soybean crush from the USDA
through May totaled 1.58 billion bushels. The NOPA crush
report indicated a June crush of 148.8 million bushels. For
this marketing year, USDA monthly crush numbers have
run approximately 6 percent above NOPA crush report estimates.
At this rate, June crush equaled 158 million bushels
and brought the total crush for the first 10 months of the
marketing year to 1.734 billion bushels. Hubbs says crush
during the last two months of the marketing year needs to
total 350 million bushels to reach the USDA projection,
on par with totals crushed in the previous year over the
same period.
The USDA estimates soybean exports this marketing
year at 1.7 billion bushels, down 434 million bushels from
the 2017-18 marketing year. As of July 25, exports totaled
approximately 1.54 billion bushels. Outstanding sales sit
at 315 million bushels with 173 million bushels slated for
China. Export inspections need to average 30.2 million
bushels per week over the remainder of the marketing year
to hit the USDA estimate. Inspections averaged 29.5 million
bushels over the last four weeks.
“The current pace of exports appears to be slightly below
the pace to meet the USDA estimate. Based on the latest
consumption levels, ending stocks look certain to exceed 1
billion bushels at the end of August,” Hubbs says.
Soybean demand over the next year depends on China.
“The current state of Chinese tariffs on U.S. soybeans
and the continuing spread of African swine fever does
not bode well for U.S. soybean exports,” Hubbs explains.
“Resumption of negotiations with China this week provides
some hope for a resolution to the trade impasse. China’s
approval of goodwill purchases totaling approximately 110
million bushels offers some support for exports.
“Chinese soybean purchases remain contingent on
progress in negotiations. Based on previous negotiation
outcomes, a decent probability exists that tariffs stay in
place through the next marketing year,” he adds.
The outbreak of African swine fever in China last year
led to the Chinese hog herd dropping nearly 20 percent in
2019. Prospects of an additional 10 percent reduction in
2020 and a 30 percent drop in the sow herd indicate the
current outbreak may take many years to resolve. Hubbs
says reports from the World Organization of Animal Health
(OIE) indicate the disease continues to spread in Asia and
parts of Europe. In Asia, reports of ongoing outbreaks of
“The current pace of
exports appears to be
slightly below the pace to
meet the USDA estimate.
Based on the latest
consumption levels, ending
stocks look certain to
exceed 1 billion bushels at
the end of August.”
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Todd Hubbs
the disease in Vietnam, Mongolia, Laos, Cambodia, and
North Korea point toward a long-run continuation of the
disease in the region.
See SOY page 8
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Rochelle News-Leader
The Ogle County Life
7
SOY: Bushel forecast for Chinese soybean imports in billions
From page 7
“Lower pork consumption, substitution
from other protein sources, and pork imports
look to take up the slack in Chinese pork
production,” Hubbs says. “A rapid escalation
of U.S. pork imports to China expected
at the start of the year failed to materialize,
but expectations of increased pork exports
in the latter half of 2019 remain in place.”
A larger herd in the U.S. supplying
Chinese protein needs supports soybean
crush, he adds. “However, reduced soybean
exports to China due to lower feed demand
and tariffs point toward another marketing
year of weak exports.”
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8 Today’s Farm - Fall/Winter 2019
MEAL: Large herds support soybean meal use
From page 8
The forecast for Chinese soybean
imports during the 2019-20 marketing
year come in near 3.2 billion bushels, up
slightly from last year and around 260
million bushels less than seen before
the disease outbreak.
In conjunction with the prospects of
weak demand from the world’s largest
soybean importer, soybean production
in South America is forecast up 2.3
percent in 2020 at 6.8 billion bushels.
Brazil’s production forecast sits at 4.5
billion bushels, up 220 million bushels
over the estimate for the 2018-19 crop.
Another good crop year in South America
creates a highly competitive export
environment in 2020. Hubbs says.
The USDA projects the 2019-20
marketing-year consumption levels for
crush and exports at 2.115 and 1.875
billion bushels, respectively. Large
“A national average yield near 44.7 bushels
per acre is necessary to reduce ending stocks
to 500 million bushels under current acreage
and consumption scenarios...”
livestock herds look to support domestic
soybean meal use despite the potential
for lower soybean meal exports. Expansion
in biodiesel production supports
soybean oil use from crush as well.
Reduced Chinese demand combined
with larger South American soybean
crops places the current export forecast
in question, Hubbs says.
Outstanding sales for the 2019-20
marketing year came in at 111 million
bushels through July 18 and lagged
last year’s total by approximately 250
million bushels.
Todd Hubbs
Hubbs adds that the potential for a
sharply lower soybean crop in 2019
remains a possibility.
“Reduced yield potential due to lateplanting
and lower acreage point to a
smaller crop. A national average yield
near 44.7 bushels per acre is necessary
to reduce ending stocks to 500 million
bushels under current acreage and
consumption scenarios put forth by the
USDA. Under a lower demand scenario,
the yield must fall further. Pricing some
new crop soybeans on rallies this summer
may be prudent,” he said.
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Rochelle News-Leader
The Ogle County Life
9
A ‘fair’ showing
BY MONETTA YOUNG
LEVI Eden has grown
up attending the Ogle
County Fair. He actually
attended his first 4-H fair
when he was just 6-weeks-old
and his older sisters were showing
projects.
Eden, now 14, had multiple
projects at the fair this year:
food, swine, poultry and horticulture/crops
— this is his sixth
year in 4-H.
For his food projects he
entered yeast bread dinner rolls
and a white cake. He enjoys
time in the kitchen. For swine he
had three show pigs, a carcass
pig and competed in showmanship.
Swine are judged on
breeding gilt or market gilt. The
judges look at mothering characteristics
of breeding pigs and
features for future litters. For
market pigs, they look at how
the animal will dress out.
He also entered 15 chickens
in the annual show. The chickens
are judged on coloring,
formation and breed standards.
He grows many vegetables
in his garden for 4-H projects as
well. This year he grew tomatoes,
hot peppers, sweet corn,
onions and potatoes.
See FAIR page 11
Levi Eden has been
in 4-H for six years.
This year, one of
his projects at the
Ogle County Fair
included showing
swine.
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10 Today’s Farm - Fall/Winter 2019
FAIR: 4-H fun for Eden
From page 10
“The wet spring made a difficult start
this year,” said Eden. “But once they got
planted they seemed to grow ok.”
His favorite parts of the fair include
the Ag Olympics where teams of
four participate on an obstacle course.
Throughout the year he lends a helping
hand at the extension office helping Jodi
Baumgartner.
Eden is a member of the Carefree 4-H
Club. He will be a freshman at Oregon
High School this fall, where he participates
in soccer and baseball. In his spare
time he enjoys fishing, trapping and
hunting. The family has a variety of pets
including an energetic puppy, fish and a
bearded dragon, who watched intently as
we chatted at the dining room table.
Chickens and pigs are a
big 4-H projects for Levi
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Rochelle News-Leader
The Ogle County Life
11
Gearing up for annual meeting
THE Ogle County Farm Bureau
has announced that they will
host its annual member meeting
on Sept. 12 at St. Mary’s Community
Center, in Oregon.
The meeting marks
the one-hundred second
anniversary for the Ogle
County Farm Bureau,
which was started in
1917.
Ogle County Farm Ron Kern
Bureau members and
their families are invited to attend the
September 12th meeting and participate
in the dinner and business meeting
of the organization.
The evening begins at 7 p.m. with
a roast pork dinner. Following dinner,
Ogle County Farm Bureau President
Keith Poole will convene the annual
business meeting of the members.
During the business session members
will elect directors for the farm bureau
organization, receive committee and
board reports and conduct business as
scheduled prior to the meeting.
Last year more than 200 Farm
Bureau members and guests attend the
annual meeting and more are expected
to attend this year.
Tickets for the annual meeting must
be purchased in advance for $5 each.
Tickets can be obtained from the Ogle
County Farm Bureau office, in Oregon,
or from directors of the organization.
For more information on the meeting
or on obtaining tickets contact Ron
Kern at the Ogle County Farm Bureau
at 815-732-2231.
********
A recent report from the Agriculture
department shows full implementation
of rural broadband could increase farm
and ranch production.
USDA’s report “A Case for Rural
Broadband” highlights the benefits
full deployment of broadband offers to
agriculture. Megan Nelson, American
Farm Bureau Federation economic
analyst, says the report shows policy
makers the importance of fully implementing
rural broadband.
This is showing an approximate 18
percent of total production could be
added to the agriculture sector if these
technologies were meeting producer
demand. However, an important thing
to realize, too, is that these estimations
are illustrating more for policy makers
and educating them on some of these
amazing technologies that are helping
producers today.
Nelson says the livestock sector
holds the biggest potential economic
gain from full implementation of rural
broadband.
See BUREAU page 13
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TFP2018
12 Today’s Farm - Fall/Winter 2019
BUREAU: Direct payments to be made to producers
From page 12
Livestock and dairies stand to benefit
the most with about $20.7 billion added
annually to this sector. Row crops stands
to benefit about $13.7 billion annually,
this is mainly yield improvement and
reduced costs by limiting the number of
inputs put on the fields.
The report also provides a plan for
moving forward.
This is something that the administration
has talked about, it’s definitely on a
lot of people’s minds. Probably the most
important part of this USDA report is
their strategic action plan. They’re outlining
some of the key priorities, which
is full broadband deployment in addition
to creating an environment for these innovations
to be created.
********
Market Facilitation Program for
2019, authorized under the Commodity
Credit Corporation Charter Act
and administered by the Farm Service
Agency, will provide $14.5 billion in
direct payments to producers.
Producers of alfalfa hay, barley,
canola, corn, crambe, dry peas, extralong
staple cotton, flaxseed, lentils,
long grain and medium grain rice,
mustard seed, dried beans, oats, peanuts,
rapeseed, safflower, sesame seed,
small and large chickpeas, sorghum,
soybeans, sunflower seed, temperate
japonica rice, upland cotton, and
wheat will receive a payment based
on a single county rate multiplied by
a farm’s total plantings to those crops
in aggregate in 2019. Those per acre
payments are not dependent on which
of those crops are planted in 2019, and
therefore will not distort planting decisions.
Moreover, total payment-eligible
plantings cannot exceed total 2018
plantings.
Dairy producers will receive a per
hundredweight payment on production
history and hog producers will receive a
payment based on hog and pig inventory
for a later-specified time frame.
Tree nut producers, fresh sweet
cherry producers, cranberry producers,
and fresh grape producers will receive a
payment based on 2019 acres of production.
These payments will help farmers
to absorb some of the additional costs
of managing disrupted markets, to deal
with surplus commodities, and to expand
and develop new markets at home
and abroad.
Payments will be made in up to three
tranches, with the second and third
tranches evaluated as market conditions
and trade opportunities dictate. The
first tranche will begin in late July/early
August as soon as practical after Farm
Service Agency crop reporting is completed
by July 15. If conditions warrant,
the second and third tranches will be
made in November and early January.
Ron Kern is the director of the Ogle
County Farm Bureau
Rochelle News-Leader
The Ogle County Life
13
Illinois study advances possibility of genetic
control for major agricultural weeds
URBANA – Waterhemp and
Palmer amaranth, two aggressive
weeds that threaten the food supply
in North America, are increasingly
hard to kill with commercially available
herbicides. A novel approach known as
genetic control could one day reduce
the need for these chemicals. Now,
scientists are one step closer.
In a study published today in Weed
Science, researchers from the University
of Illinois identified genetic signatures that distinguish
male waterhemp and Palmer amaranth plants from females. The
discovery is a crucial part of developing a genetic control system
for the damaging weeds.
The researchers’ goal is to one day introduce genetically
modified male plants into a population to mate with wild females.
Modified male plants would contain a gene drive, a segment of
DNA coding for maleness, which would be passed on to all its
offspring, and their offspring, and so on. Ultimately, all plants
in a given population would become male, reproduction would
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cease, and populations would crash.
It’s a controversial strategy, but Pat
Tranel, the U of I scientist leading the
project, says they’re still in the very
early stages.
“It’s important to emphasize that we
are not at the point of releasing genetically
modified waterhemp and Palmer.
We are doing basic research that could
inform how we could do that,” says
Tranel, professor and associate head of
the Department of Crop Sciences in the College of Agricultural,
Consumer and Environmental Sciences at U of I.
He adds that the team hasn’t found the specific gene or genes
for maleness in either species. Instead, they identified small
genetic sequences associated with a male region, presumably
on a particular chromosome. They think the specific gene(s) for
maleness lies somewhere within that region.
In the study, the researchers grew 200 plants of each species
and each sex, then extracted DNA and determined whether any
sequences were unique to a given sex.
“We found sequences present in waterhemp and Palmer males
that were not found in females, but no female-specific sequences.
Then we took known males from other populations and looked
for the sequences – they were there,” Tranel says. “Our sequences
not only worked, they confirmed males are the heterogametic sex
in these plants,” Tranel says.
In humans, males have an X and a Y chromosome, and male
gametes, sperm, contribute either an X or a Y to the next generation.
Females have two X chromosomes, and every egg carries an
X. Males are heterogametic; females, homogametic. Similarly,
male waterhemp and Palmer amaranth plants produce pollen
with either the male-specific Y region or not.
See WEEDS page 16
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FARM2017
14 Today’s Farm - Fall/Winter 2019
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RIGHT IN OUR SHOWROOM!
The Ogle County Life
O.K. WITH CORRECTIONS BY:________________________
15
TFHARVEST2019
WEEDS: Genetic sequences can
accurately identify males before flowering
From page 14
“The fact that males are the heterogametic
sex suggests that maleness is
dominant. That’s good in that it’s easier
to control the trait (maleness) if the gene
for that trait is dominant,” Tranel explains.
“When we get to the point of identifying
the specific genes for maleness, they would
be an obvious target for a gene drive where
you could spread that maleness gene in
the population.”
In the meantime, however, having a set
of genetic sequences that can accurately
identify males before flowering could
help the researchers better understand the
biology of the plants and their response
to the environment. For example, Tranel
says the discovery could help determine if
the weeds are able to switch sexes under
certain conditions or if one sex is more
“I’d never see this as replacing all our
other strategies. But it’s super cool to
imagine this as part of the solution.”
sensitive to herbicides. Both concepts
have been proposed by previous research
or anecdotal reports.
In addition to pursuing these basic
questions, Tranel’s team is now working
to find the needle in the haystack: the
maleness gene within the male region.
When they find it, it will take time before
genetic control of waterhemp and Palmer
amaranth could become a reality. And even
then, Tranel says it will still be important
to use all the tools in the weed management
toolbox.
Pat Tranel
“I’d never see this as replacing all our
other strategies,” he says. “But it’s super
cool to imagine this as part of the solution.”
The article, “Sex-specific markers for
waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus)
and Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri),”
is published in Weed Science [DOI:
10.1017/wsc.2019.27]. Authors include
Jacob Montgomery, Ahmed Sadeque,
Darci Giacomini, Patrick Brown, and
Patrick Tranel. Funding was provided by
the USDA National Institute of Food and
Agriculture.
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16 Today’s Farm - Fall/Winter 2019
Because your farm
is much more than land
and structures.
Along with serving as a parent volunteer, Jeanette Mingus
spent time assisting in setting up exhibits at the 2019 Ogle
County Fair.
Helping behind
the scenes
Your farm is your livelihood, your passion,
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BY MONETTA YOUNG
JEANETTE Mingus
has been serving as
a parent volunteer
for the past 12 years. She
participated in 4H as a
youth but never felt that it
was the right fit for her.
She is the club leader
for the Kings and Queens
4-H Club and has one
child in the Clovers 4-H
Club.
In the summer time,
Mingus is busy assisting
in set up of the projects
in the Exhibit Building.
Her official title is Assistant
Superintendent of
the Exhibit Building. The
exhibit building houses
all general projects from
poster displays, visual
arts and more.
There are 15 clubs in
Ogle County for kids to
be involved in. There are
currently 358 members
registered in Ogle County.
Most members who have
been active remain active
for a year after graduating
from high school.
“After high school,
many of them become
adult volunteers,” said
Mingus. “It is good to see
them mentoring younger
members and helping to
plan for the fair.”
Her favorite parts of
the fair are seeing the
look on the faces of children
who are seeing animals
for the first time and
watching the transition of
the fair buildings as they
prepare for fair week. It
takes a lot of hours to
make the fair happen.
For the projects in the
exhibit building, they get
judged one by one with
the judge and the creator
(4-H member) having a
conversation. Sometimes
it might not be the most
polished project in the
group, but the member
has extensive knowledge
about the project. Members
are not segregated by
gender for any project.
See HELP page 18
Source: 2014 SNL Financial Report. Based on statutory data.
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TFM2017P
Rochelle News-Leader
The Ogle County Life
17
HELP: Setting the scene
From page 17
There are 53 divisions in
the project handbook with
multiple classes in each division.
It’s not just cooking,
sewing and farm animals
anymore.
Judges are community
members, many are repeaters
in the judging field. They are
often recommended by friends
of the fair and asked to volunteer.
The judges are utilized
according to their knowledge
and interests. Absentee judging
is also available for members
who cannot be at the fair
for one reason or another.
If you missed the fair this
year, be sure to mark your
calendar for the 2020 fair.
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TFH2019
18 Today’s Farm - Fall/Winter 2019
Yield-boosting stay-green gene identified
from 118-year-old experiment in corn
URBANA – A corn gene identified
from a 118-year-old experiment at the
University of Illinois could boost yields
of today’s elite hybrids with no added
inputs.
The gene, identified in a recent Plant
Biotechnology Journal study, controls a
critical piece of senescence, or seasonal
die-back, in corn. When the gene is turned
off, field-grown elite hybrids yielded 4.6
bushels more per acre on average than
standard plants.
Dating back to 1896, the Illinois experiment
was designed to test whether corn grain composition
could be changed through artificial selection, a relatively
new concept introduced by Charles Darwin just 37 years
earlier. Repeated selection of high- and low-protein corn
lines had the intended effect within about 10 generations.
As selection for the traits continued, however, additional
changes were noticeable.
Photo, dated 1919, from long-term
experiment, with seeds from both
corn varieties. (Photo by Lauren D.
Quinn)
“One of the things that was noted
as early as the 1930s was that the lowprotein
line stays greener longer than
the high-protein line. It’s really obvious,”
says Stephen Moose, professor in the Department
of Crop Sciences at Illinois and
co-author of the study.
Staying green longer into the season
can mean more yield. The plant continues
photosynthesizing and putting energy
toward developing grain. But, until now,
no one knew the specific gene responsible
for the stay-green trait in corn.
“The stay-green trait is like a ‘fountain of youth’ for plants
because it prolongs photosynthesis and improves yield,”
says Anne Sylvester, a program director at the National
Science Foundation, which funded this research. “This is
a great basic discovery with practical impact.”
See YIELD page 21
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TFH2018
Rochelle News-Leader
The Ogle County Life
19
A summer tradition
BY ANDREW HEISERMAN
STAFF WRITER
FOR many families in the
Midwest, sweet corn is a
staple food during the summer
months. One family farm has been
supplying both residents and businesses
with homegrown sweet corn for nearly
30 years.
Rainwater Farms owners, Raymond
and Brenda Rainwater, started selling
their homegrown sweet corn through
roadside stands in 1990. When they first
began they operated three different stands
around the region, but since have focused
their attention on two stands and supplying
grocery stores.
“When my kids were in high school,
we started selling sweet corn as a way
to make money for college,” explained
Brenda Rainwater. “Now we have two
stands, one on farm at 17557 Twombly
Road just north of Rochelle and also
on IL Route 64 in the middle of Kings,
and then we supply all of Schnuck’s in
Rockford, Woodman’s in Rockford and
Janesville and the Super Valu warehouse
in Champaign.”
Along with the two stands near Rochelle
and the grocery stores, Rainwater
Farms also sends sweetcorn to Hinckley,
Franklin Grove and Paw Paw. The stands
offer either all yellow sweet corn or
bi-colored sweet corn. All yellow has a
much longer history, but bi-colored has
become very popular in recent years.
Brenda is a die-hard yellow fan because
it brings her back to the old days,
but the younger workers on the farm tend
to prefer the bi-colored.
“I like the bi-colored because it tastes
a little sweeter in my opinion,” said Zack
Bernardin, Rainwater farm worker.
Originally, the Rainwaters would
plant a variety of seeds out of the seed
corn books, but through many years of
taste testing two types of seeds stood out
and the family has stuck with them ever
since.
“Part of what we do here is we pride
ourselves on a superior product. The seed
that we plant is the best that you can get
and we spray the crops to protect them
from worms and other insects,” explained
Jeff Rainwater.
The cost of sweet corn seed is nearly
three times the price of field corn, with
two and a half acres of sweet corn costing
nearly $1,200 worth of seed compared
to $350-400 for field corn.
The family takes all factors into consideration
in order to offer their customers
the quality product they have come
to know and love. Former customers
who have left town even make sure to
stop by whenever they return to Rochelle.
“I had a lady come from Florida that
said she couldn’t wait to get back to our
corn when she came to visit. Or people
will ask us how we ship our corn because
they have relatives out in California
that want it,” Brenda Rainwater said.
Rainwater Farms sweet corn stands
are open every day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
mid-July through August as long as there
isn’t pouring rains or extreme winds
stopping them from harvesting the fields.
“If you haven’t tried our corn, then
you don’t know what you are missing,”
Rainwater Farms sweet corn stands are open every day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. mid-
July through August as long as there isn’t pouring rains or extreme winds stopping
them from harvesting the fields.
20 Today’s Farm - Fall/Winter 2019
YIELD: Gene sequenced to find mutation
From page 19
The discovery of the gene was made possible
through a decade-long public-private
partnership between Illinois and Corteva
Agriscience. Moose and Illinois collaborators
initially gave Corteva scientists access to
a population derived from the long-term corn
protein experiment with differences in the
stay-green trait. Corteva scientists mapped
the stay-green trait to a particular gene,
NAC7, and developed corn plants with low
expression for the trait. Like the low-protein
parent, these plants stayed green longer. They
tested these plants in greenhouses and fields
across the country over two field seasons.
Not only did corn grow just fine without
NAC7, yield increased by almost 5 bushels
per acre compared to conventional hybrids.
Notably, the field results came without added
nitrogen fertilizer beyond what farmers
typically use.
“Collaborating with the University of
Illinois gives us the opportunity to apply
leading-edge technology to one of the
“They had no way of knowing then
that we could one day identify genes
controlling these unique traits.”
longest running studies in plant genetics,”
says Jun Zhang, research scientist at Corteva
Agriscience and co-author of the study. “The
insights we derive from this relationship can
result in more bushels without an increase
in input costs, potentially increasing both
profitability and productivity for farmers.”
Moose’s team then sequenced the NAC7
gene in the high- and low-protein corn
lines and were able to figure out just how
the gene facilitates senescence and why it
stopped working in the low-protein corn.
“We could see exactly what the mutation
was. It seems to have happened sometime
in the last 100 years of this experiment,
and fortunately has been preserved so that
we can benefit from it now,” Moose says.
Stephen Moose
He can’t say for sure when the mutation
occurred, because in the 1920s crop sciences
faculty threw out the original seed
from 1896.
“They had no way of knowing then that
we could one day identify genes controlling
these unique traits. But we have looked in
other corn and we don’t find this mutation,”
Moose says.
Future potential for this innovation
could include commercialized seed with
no or reduced expression of NAC7, giving
farmers the option for more yield without
additional fertilizer inputs.
Moose emphasizes the advancement
couldn’t have happened without both partners
coming to the table.
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• Roadside Assistance
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Maintenance
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8834 S. IL RT 251
Rochelle, IL 6106
815-524-6100
Monday-Friday 8am-7pm
Saturday 8am-12pm
(by appointment only)
Closed Sunday
TFP2018
Delicious, Quality Raw Milk
Fresh at the farm!
Monday - Saturday 6:30 - 8:00 am & 4:30 - 6 pm
Sunday 6:30 -8:00 am & 5 - 6:30 pm
(please bring your own containers)
Shane B Huber, Agent
1211 Currency Ct
Rochelle, IL 61068
Bus: 815-562-7011
shane.huber.ugnd@statefarm.com
When it’s your
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387 S. Malta Rd., Rochelle, IL 61068
815-762-6867 • PreciousPastures.com TFH2017 1001336 State Farm Fire and Casualty Company, Bloomington, IL
Rochelle News-Leader
The Ogle County Life
21
New farmers.gov feature helps producers
find farm loans that fit their operation
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A new online tool can
help farmers and ranchers find information on U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) farm loans that
may best fit their operations. USDA has launched
the new Farm Loan Discovery Tool as the newest
feature on farmers.gov, the Department’s self-service
website for farmers.
“Access to credit is critical in the agriculture industry,
especially for new farmers,” said Bill Northey,
Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation.
“This new interactive tool can help farmers find
information on USDA farm loans within minutes.
We are working to improve our customer service,
and part of our solution is through improving how
farmers can work with us online.”
USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers a
variety of loan options to help farmers finance their
operations. From buying land to financing the purchase
of equipment, FSA loans can help. Compared
to this time last year, FSA has seen an 18 percent
increase in the amount it has obligated for direct farm
ownership loans, and through the 2018 Farm Bill,
has increased the limits for several loan products.
USDA conducted field research in eight states,
gathering input from farmers and FSA farm loan
staff to better understand their needs and challenges.
“We received suggestions from both farmers and
our staff on how to improve the farm loan process,
and we wanted to harness this opportunity to be more
efficient and effective,” Northey said. “This feature
is one step in our efforts.”
How the Tool Works
Farmers who are looking for financing options to
operate a farm or buy land can answer a few simple
questions about what they are looking to fund and how
much money they need to borrow. After submitting
their answers, farmers will be provided information
on farm loans that best fit their specific needs. The
loan application and additional resources also will
be provided.
Farmers can download application quick guides
that outline what to expect from preparing an application
to receiving a loan decision. There are four
guides that cover loans to individuals, entities, and
youth, as well as information on microloans. The
guides include general eligibility requirements and
a list of required forms and documentation for each
type of loan. These guides can help farmers prepare
before their first USDA service center visit with a
loan officer.
Farmers can access the Farm Loan Discovery
Tool by visiting farmers.gov/fund and clicking the
“Start” button. Follow the prompts and answer five
simple questions to receive loan information that is
applicable to your agricultural operation. The tool
is built to run on any modern browser like Chrome,
Edge, Firefox, or the Safari browser, and is fully
functional on mobile devices. It does not work in
Internet Explorer.
About Farmers.gov
In 2018, USDA unveiled farmers.gov, a dynamic,
mobile-friendly public website combined with an
authenticated portal where farmers will be able to
apply for programs, process transactions, and manage
accounts.
The Farm Loan Discovery Tool is one of many
resources on farmers.gov to help connect farmers to
information that can help their operations. Earlier this
year, USDA launched the My Financial Information
feature, which enables farmers to view their loan
information, history, payments, and alerts by logging
into the website.
USDA is building farmers.gov for farmers, by
farmers. In addition to the interactive farm loan
features, the site also offers a Disaster Assistance
Discovery Tool. Farmers can visit farmers.gov/recover/disaster-assistance-tool#step-1
to find disaster
assistance programs that can help their operation
recover from natural disasters.
With feedback from customers and field employees
who serve those customers, farmers.gov delivers
farmer-focused features through an agile, iterative
process to deliver the greatest immediate value to
America’s agricultural producers – helping farmers
and ranchers do right, and feed everyone.
For more information or to locate your USDA
Service Center, visit farmers.gov.
22 Today’s Farm - Fall/Winter 2019
STEER: Some strength in prices
can be anticipated for 2020
From page 4
Prices for finished cattle have been about $1 lower so far
this year compared to the same period last year, based on
USDA’s five-area direct cattle prices. In 2018 those prices
averaged near $117. USDA’s current forecast is for a 2019
average of $115.50. Using futures prices after the report
and a historic basis has the annual average near $116 for
the year.
Some strength in prices can be anticipated for 2020 with
the small increase in beef production and potential strength
in exports. USDA’s July forecast is for finished steer prices
to rise to near $119 in 2020. The futures market forecast
(using historic basis) was not as optimistic immediately
following the report at $117.
Kentucky steer calves weighing 500 to 550
pounds averaged in the mid-$150 range in 2018 and
are expected to average in the higher $140s this year
as a result of slightly weaker finished cattle prices and
higher feed costs. For 2020, calf prices are expected to
rise into the lower $150s for these same Kentucky calves.
These price levels are unlikely to provide brood cow producers
with the financial incentives to continue the recent
five-year expansion.
“Two additional reasons for brood cow producers to
not make major changes in herd size now are the ongoing
trade uncertainties and the impact of 2019 weather on feed
and forage supplies and prices,” Hurt concludes.
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Visit us online: www.fmic.org
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Chris Criddle
Financial Representative
813-234-2886
103 Grant St.
P.O. Box 1039
Byron, IL 61010
Kerry Wickler
Financial Representative
TFH2019
Rochelle News-Leader
The Ogle County Life
23
Professional Fuel & Lubricant
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TFP2019
24 Today’s Farm - Fall/Winter 2019
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