But we have noticed some recent price trends that have piqued our curiosity and led us to wonder what will happen to soybean and wheat acreage in the coming years. Usually we are content to leave crop price comparisons to extension economists and the marketing services because they are on top of the technical issues on a day-to-day basis. Based on the historic multiples, we would not be surprised to see even more corn acres and fewer soybean and wheat acres than currently expected. At the...

Today, dozens of lifesaving drugs are on the market, while many crops are genetically engineered to withstand weed killers. Others are genetically engineering microbes to produce enzymes that will convert the cellulose in crop waste, wood chips and other plants into ethanol. Most of the five billion gallons of ethanol produced annually in the United States is still made by fermenting corn, but the crop is expensive, and its use in biofuels cuts into the nation's food supply. After decades...

As a precautionary measure, Del Monte Pet Products is voluntarily recalling select product codes of its pet treat products sold under the Jerky Treats(R), Gravy Train(R) Beef Sticks and Pounce Meaty Morsels(R) brands as well as select dog snack and wet dog food products sold under private label brands. As a precautionary measure, Del Monte Pet Products is voluntarily recalling select product codes of its pet treat products sold under the Jerky Treats(R), Gravy Train(R) Beef Sticks and...

Purina is confident that the contaminated wheat gluten has been isolated to this limited production quantity of ALPO Prime Cuts canned products. The Company is taking this voluntary action after learning today that wheat gluten containing melamine, a substance not approved for use in food, was provided to Purina by the same company that also supplied Menu Foods. The contamination occurred in a limited production quantity at only one of Purina's 17 pet food manufacturing facilities....

Ethanol fuel, which is blended with gasoline, is consuming 20 percent of last year's corn crop and is expected to gobble up more than 25 percent of this year's crop. The California crop will be 39 percent smaller than last year, and combined with freezes that are expected to reduce the Florida crop, the nation's crop is expected to be 18 percent smaller than last season. Meat and poultry production will fall as producers face higher feed costs, the department said in its monthly crop...

Winter wheat condition looks very good for now; however some areas reported greenbugs, beetles and aphids. Winter wheat is in fair to good condition and is growing rapidly due to warmer temperatures and rainfall. Very little irrigation will be required prior to planting the spring crops. Grasses are beginning to break dormancy, and with the good moisture and warm weather, pastures should recover quickly. Most winter and spring pastures are in fair to poor condition. Winter wheat is in very...

The new prices and the size of the possible US winter wheat crops might not be good news for Australian growers as they finalise their winter crop plantings, but the size of the US corn crop will influence grain process across the board. It seems some speculators misread the market and were caught off guard when it became apparent the size of the US corn harvest would be so huge. Corn and wheat futures fell sharply in Chicago on Friday night but traders said a lot of that was driven by...

Students at Kit Carson and Mayfield elementary schools got some hands-on experience this week with the means of food production, also known as farming. While the milking demonstration was only simulated, the students got some real experience as they attempted grinding grains of wheat with stone mortars and pestles. The students also tested the acidity of soils, learned the most favorable acid levels for various crops and about applying limestone to reduce acid levels. After watching a...

usDiggRedditYahooMyWebGoogle What's this? Valley's Iranians celebrate Norooz BY NAZ BANOO PAHLAVI, Guest Columnist Article Last Updated:03/22/2007 09:06:52 PM PDT THE diversity of the San Fernando Valley leads us to unexpected finds - none of which is more beautiful than the view from the top of Mulholland, where all four corners of the Valley glitter in one breathtaking patchwork. usDiggRedditYahooMyWebGoogle What's this? Valley's Iranians celebrate Norooz BY NAZ BANOO PAHLAVI, Guest...