News Update
May 11, 2011

Turning ‘Leftovers’ Into Power

Manure, grain and stalks all have a value as a biomass or source of energy. Texas AgriLife Research in Amarillo is trying to determine just how much “bang for the buck” there might be in these agriculture leftovers.

Brent Auvermann, AgriLife Research environmental systems specialist, said in an effort to serve the livestock industry and grain producers in this region, two facilities have been added recently at the AgriLife Research farm near Bushland — a biomass characterization and drying facility.

“We’ve added to our instrumentation as we’ve expanded our facilities,” Auvermann said. “We now have a bomb calorimeter, which burns small samples of the biomass and measures the amount of heat liberated by the combustion.”

This tells the research team the amount of fuel energy contained in a pound of the material using the same instrumentation used by the commercial industry to determine coal’s heating value, he said.

The research has a multitude of purposes, in addition to estimating the fuel value of the biomass source, Auvermann said.

“We are using this to figure out how to manage the production of these biomass sources to ensure high-quality material,” he said. “If biofuels are ever going to replace a significant proportion of our fossil-fuel consumptions, we need to support the development of a market-based incentive framework for producing that high-quality product.”

Auvermann said in the U.S. “market incentives equal both jobs and environmental progress.”

Another benefit to this research is improving the environment by making sure the waste materials from agriculture can and are used as a biofuel, he said. That includes feedlot and dairy manure, grain sorghum, corn grain and crop residues, such as cotton gin trash or corn stover.

“The same management practices that improve manure quality for fuel also improve the fertilizer quality and help reduce air emissions,” he said.

The addition of a near-infrared spectrometer at the facility will help the science world determine what a quality load of manure looks like in the truck or on the feedlot surface, Auvermann said.

“A quick, handheld method will enable a potential customer to determine whether a truckload of manure is fuel-grade, fertilizer-grade or low-grade material,” he said.

Two other pieces of equipment housed in the new biomass characterization facility are a muffle furnace, which allows the ash content or noncombustible parts to be measured, and a drying oven, which allows the water content of a biomass source to be measured. Water and dirt are manure contaminants, he said.

The facilities were built in part through grants from the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Texas Legislature.

“Biomass energy isn’t going away, and we need to know how to make it, how to make it well and how to improve its value to those who make it and use it,” Auvermann said.

Feedlot manure is primarily a substitute for natural gas or coal, or it can be converted indirectly to ethanol, he said. The highest-quality manure is roughly equivalent to lignite coal and about two-thirds the full energy value of coal from Wyoming’s Powder River Basin.

“If we can provide cheap, fast and accurate tools to measure feedstock quality, and if we can scientifically document the techniques that generate the highest quality feedstocks, we will have moved the biomass energy industry a little closer to the mainstream marketplace,” Auvermann said.

— Release written by Kay Ledbetter for Texas AgriLife Extension.

High Heat and Winds Could Reduce Wheat Yields

Wheat in most of Kansas has faced numerous challenges this spring — primarily a severe and ongoing drought, said Jim Shroyer, Kansas State University (K-State) Research and Extension crop production specialist.

Now, temperatures at or near 100° F and high winds have come just when the wheat needs cool temperatures and rain to recover lost yield potential, Shroyer said. This heat stress may affect wheat that is flowering or in grain fill.

“If wheat is flowering, you might see some floret abortion and possibly some kernel abortion as a result of temperatures nearing 100°. The plants could recover if they receive some rain and cooler temperatures within the next week, but you won’t get any new florets. Once they are gone, they are gone,” Shroyer said.

The high winds accompanying the high temperatures will add to the drought stress of the plants, causing leaves to roll or dry up and turn blue or brown, he added. This will have the same effect on yield as a bad infection of a leaf disease that destroys the flag leaf.

“If the flag leaf is lost at this stage of growth, whether due to diseases or drought stress, the kernels will not be able to fill adequately. This reduces yield potential and test weight,” he said.

If the wheat is still in the flowering or early grain fill stage, it can still fill kernels well if the weather would turn cool and the fields would get some rain, Shroyer added. The later the grain fill stage, the less likely the plants are to recover and the more likely the effect on kernel fill will be irreversible, he said.

Where wheat has not yet headed, the drought and heat will cause plants to be shorter than normal, and tillers will abort, Shroyer said. This wheat is in a precarious position right now.

“If the plants remain alive, they can eventually recover if they get some rain by the boot or early heading stage, but yield potential will be reduced. In severe cases, the plants can turn blue and may die,” Shroyer said.

— Release by K-State Research and Extension.

Iowa Beef Producers Invited to Greenhorn Grazing Series

Beef producers interested in learning to optimize forage and livestock production while conserving natural resources may attend the southern Iowa Greenhorn Grazing series. Iowa State University (ISU) Extension beef program specialist Joe Sellers is organizing this series, which consists of five daylong modules set for May through November. The program brochure is available on the Iowa Beef Center (IBC) website.

“The series will cover concepts relevant to all producers of grass-based livestock with topics ranging from the importance of managing forage to legal fencing and lease issues to winter feeding plans,” Sellers said. “All sessions will have classroom and field segments.”
Sellers and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) area grasslands specialist Rick Sprague are coordinating the program. Discussions will be led by ISU, NRCS, industry and producer grazing experts.

“This series was developed by ISU Extension, NRCS and industry staff to deliver timely materials and hands-on workshops for producers interested in improving their forage management system,” Sellers said. “Producers will learn how to improve the productivity and use of their land.”

The workshops are scheduled for May 26, June 23, Aug. 25, Sept. 15 and Nov. 15. Each session begins at 10 a.m. at St. Patrick’s Church Hall, 607 6th St., in Corning, and concludes at a farm location in early afternoon. Grants from the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, the Iowa Beef Center, the Southern Iowa Forage and Livestock Committee, and Dow AgroSciences help keep the series cost low at $75. Participants are urged to attend all sessions, but fees for individual sessions are available. The fee includes a meal and educational materials for each session.

Producers are asked to register by May 21 by contacting the Adams County Extension Office at 641-322-3184, or by emailing Sellers at sellers@iastate.edu.

— Release by Joe Sellers and Shelly Hoyer for ISU Extension.

World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates Released Today

The USDA’s initial assessment of U.S. and world crop supply and demand prospects and U.S. prices for the 2011-2012 season was released today, May 11. Also presented are the first calendar-year 2012 projections of U.S. livestock products. Projections reflect economic analysis, normal weather, trends, and judgment. Because spring planting is still underway in the Northern Hemisphere and remains several months away in the Southern Hemisphere, these projections are highly tentative. Forecasts for U.S. winter wheat area, yield, and production are from the May 11 Crop Production report. For other U.S. crops, the March 31 Prospective Plantings report is used for planted acreage.

Wheat: The 2011-2012 outlook for U.S. wheat is for reduced supplies with lower carry in and production than in 2010-2011. Beginning stocks for 2011-2012 are down 14% from 2010-2011, but remain the second highest in a decade. All-wheat production is projected at 2,043 million bushels (bu.), down 7% from 2010-2011. The survey-based forecast of winter wheat production is down 4%, as lower expected harvested area and yields in Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas sharply reduce hard red winter (HRW) wheat production. Partly offsetting is higher production of soft red winter (SRW) wheat with a rebound in area and higher forecast yields. Spring wheat production is expected lower despite higher expected planted area for other spring wheat. A return to trend yields from record levels of the previous two years is expected to reduce durum and other spring wheat production. U.S. wheat supplies for 2011-2012 are projected at 2,992 million bu., down 9% from 2010-2011.

Total U.S. wheat use for 2011-2012 is projected down 7% as lower projected exports more than offset higher expected domestic use. Food use is projected at 945 million bu., up 15 million from 2010-2011 as flour extraction rates are expected to decline modestly from their historical highs during the past 3 years and consumption grows slightly driven by slowly rising population. Feed and residual use is projected at 220 million bu., up 50 million from the 2010-2011 projection as higher corn prices and a rebound in SRW production encourage more summer quarter wheat feeding.

U.S. exports are projected at 1,050 million bu., down 225 million from the 2010-2011 projection. Export prospects are sharply diminished with reduced HRW production and increasing competition as Black Sea production and exports are projected to rebound. U.S. ending stocks are expected to continue their decline from the recent high in 2009-2010. At a projected 702 million bu., 2011-2012 ending stocks are expected down 137 million from 2010-2011 and 274 million below 2009-2010. The season-average farm price for all wheat is projected at a record $6.80 to $8.20 per bu., compared with $5.65 for 2010-2011.

Global wheat supplies for 2011-2012 are projected 1% higher as a projected 25.9-million-ton increase in foreign production more than offsets lower beginning stocks and the drop in U.S. production. At the projected 669.6 million tons, global production for 2011-2012 would be up 21.4 million from 2010-2011. A sharp rebound in FSU-12 production, combined with larger expected crops in India, North Africa, Canada, and EU-27 account for most of the increase in world wheat output for 2011-2012.

Global wheat trade is expected higher in 2011-2012 with world exports projected up 2% to 127.3 million tons. Increased supplies in Russia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan and a return to exporting are expected to increase competition for EU-27 and U.S. wheat. A recovery in production and improved wheat quality in Canada is also expected to increase export competition. Global wheat consumption is projected up 8.4 million tons or 1% with increased feeding and food use expected in 2011-2012. Global ending stocks for 2011-2012 are projected slightly lower on the year at 181.3 million tons, compared with 182.2 million for 2010-2011.

Coarse Grains: Projected U.S. feedgrain supplies for 2011-2012 are nearly unchanged from 2010-2011 as record production is offset by the smallest beginning stocks in 15 years. Corn production for 2011-2012 is projected at a record 13.5 billion bu., up 1.1 billion from 2010-2011 as a 4.0-million-acre increase in intended plantings and a recovery from last year’s weather-reduced yields boost expected output. The 2011-2012 corn yield is projected at 158.7 bu. per acre, 3.0 bu. below the 1990-2010 trend reflecting the slow pace of planting progress through early May. The 2011-2012 yield is expected to be the third highest on record. Corn supplies for 2011-2012 are projected at 14.3 billion bu. This is below the 2009-2010 record of 14.8 billion bu., but up 75 million from 2010-2011, as a 5-million-bu. increase in 2010-2011 imports and a 50-million-bu. reduction in 2010-2011 exports boost current year carryout this month.

Total U.S. corn use for 2011-2012 is projected down 1% from 2010-2011. Corn use for ethanol is projected up 50 million bu., reflecting slow expected growth in gasoline consumption and continued export demand for ethanol in the coming year. Domestic corn feed and residual use is projected 50 million bu. lower than in 2010-2011 reflecting increased availability of feed byproducts from ethanol production and lower expected residual use as compared with the current year. U.S. corn exports for 2011-2012 are projected down 100 million bu. from 2010-2011 with larger foreign corn supplies. U.S. corn ending stocks for 2011-2012 are projected at 900 million bu., up 170 million from the current year projection. Stocks remain historically tight with stocks-to-use projected at 6.7% compared with the current year projection of 5.4%. The season-average farm price is projected at a record $5.50 to $6.50 per bu., compared with the 2010-2011 forecast of $5.10 to $5.40 per bu.

Global coarse grain production for 2011-2012 is projected at a record 1,146.8 million tons, up 6% from 2010-2011. A 52.4-million-ton increase in global corn output to 867.7 million tons accounts for 84% of the year-to-year increase in coarse grain production. Foreign corn production is projected up 25.5 million tons with the largest increases expected in Argentina, China, Russia, Mexico and Ukraine. Global 2011-2012 production is raised for barley, oats, and rye, mostly reflecting a recovery in production in Russia. World production for all three crops remains below recent highs as more attractive returns for corn and oilseeds limit area expansion in these traditional coarse grains. Global corn exports are projected higher for 2011-2012 with increases for Argentina, Russia, and Ukraine more than offsetting reductions for the United States, Canada, and Brazil. Global corn consumption is projected at a record 860.8 million tons, up 22.2 million from 2010-2011, with nearly all of the increase in foreign markets.     World corn ending stocks for 2011-2012 are projected at 129.1 million tons, up 7.0 million from 2010-2011.

Livestock and Poultry: Total U.S. meat production in 2012 is projected to be about unchanged from 2011 as lower beef production largely offsets higher pork and poultry production. Declines in cattle inventories will diminish the pool of cattle available for placement during 2012, which, in turn, will reduce the number of fed cattle available for slaughter. Placements will also be constrained in 2012 if producers begin rebuilding herds by retaining heifers from the 2011 calf crop for addition to the breeding herd. Pork production is expected to increase gradually, largely due to increases in the number of pigs per litter; growth in farrowings is expected to be modest. Both broiler and turkey production for 2012 are forecast higher as returns improve following expected production cutbacks during the latter part of 2011. However, as feed prices remain relatively high, the rate of expansion during the year is expected to be modest. Little expansion is expected in 2012 egg production as returns during 2011 will be squeezed. Egg production declines, which are forecast to begin in 2011, will likely carry into the first part of 2012 before production increases.

The total meat production forecast for 2011 is raised from last month as higher beef, pork, and turkey production more than offset a small decline in broiler production. Higher-than-expected first-quarter placements of cattle on feed and continued relatively heavy cow slaughter support a higher beef forecast for 2011. Pork production is raised on continued heavy carcass weights. Broiler production is lowered from last month. First quarter production was higher than expected but forecast production in the middle of the year is reduced as poor returns are expected to weigh on the sector. The turkey production forecast is raised from last month, with a more moderate decline in production forecasts for late in the year.

Tight supplies of U.S. beef and increasing supplies of competitor beef are expected to constrain U.S. beef exports in 2012. Pork exports in 2012 are expected to increase from 2011 as world economic growth supports demand for U.S. pork. Broiler exports are forecast higher for 2012 as the U.S. continues to diversify its export markets. Beef imports are expected to be higher in 2012 as U.S. cow slaughter declines. The 2011 red meat export forecast is unchanged from last month. Broiler exports are forecast lower than last month on slower-than-expected sales to several markets.

In 2012, cattle prices are forecast to rise above 2011 as cattle supplies continue to tighten. Hog prices are little changed from 2011. Broiler and egg prices are forecast to be above 2011 but turkey prices are forecast lower. For 2011, cattle price forecasts are raised from last month as demand for fed cattle remains relatively strong. Hog and broiler prices are unchanged from last month, but turkey and egg prices are forecast higher.

Read the entire report at www.usda.gov/oce/commodity/wasde/latest.pdf.

— Release by USDA.

— Compiled by Linda Robbins, assistant editor, Angus Productions Inc.