Without U.S. Rules, Biotech Food Lacks Investors - New York Times

Without U.S. Rules, Biotech Food Lacks Investors - New York Times

GMO animals feel kind of creepy to me. I know in my head this should not make a difference, but in my heart " eeww" creepy. Pig/Roundworm cross "eeww". Goat/human manipulation "even more eeewww"

I hope this doesn't happen, but if there is money to be made I think it will find a home. If not in America they can ship offshore, its a big world with lots of hunger people and less sensitive people

Professor Profiles Companies That Customers Hate (ING Direct, Bank of America, Commerce Bancorp, Netflix, Life Time Fitness) | SmartMoney.com

Professor Profiles Companies That Customers Hate (ING Direct, Bank of America, Commerce Bancorp, Netflix, Life Time Fitness) SmartMoney.com

You know the company I just left to become a farm manager was starting to talk a lot about "the most profitable customers" at the end of my employment. And I sure see a lot of what this article talks about in my business life.

Professor Profiles Companies That Customers Hate (ING Direct, Bank of America, Commerce Bancorp, Netflix, Life Time Fitness) | SmartMoney.com

Professor Profiles Companies That Customers Hate (ING Direct, Bank of America, Commerce Bancorp, Netflix, Life Time Fitness) SmartMoney.com

You know the company I just left to become a farm manager was starting to talk a lot about "the most profitable customers" at the end of my employment. And I sure see a lot of what this article talks about in my business life.

PE for PE

145.465 That's Pacific Ethanol's PE ratio. PE numbers should be more like your shoe or hat size not a pregnant woman's weight

StockHouse.ca : Pacific Ethanol, Inc. Accepts Resignation of CFO

StockHouse.ca : Pacific Ethanol, Inc. Accepts Resignation of CFO

Well that didn't work out very well did it.

And here we go with some Pacific Ethanol information and answers

Company News- July 23, 2007: Dutton Associates Announces Investment Opinion: Pacific Ethanol Strong Speculative Buy Rating In Update Coverage By Dutton Associates
Dutton Associates updates coverage of Pacific Ethanol maintaining a rating of Strong Speculative Buy and a $21.00 price target. The report by Dutton senior analyst Paul Resnik, CFA is available at www.jmdutton.com as well as from First Call, Bloomberg, Zacks, Reuters, Knobias, Investars and other leading financial portals.
The ethanol sector continues to be an area of debate and, in our judgment, an unusual level of misinformation. In December 2005, the conventional thinking was that ethanol was a form of farm welfare and of interest only to those who lived in the Midwest. After the 2006 State of the Union address, ethanol became a hot market sector. As investors became increasingly concerned about the possibility of tight corn supplies and excess ethanol supplies in 2007, the sector turned ice cold. While the euphoria of last summer was clearly overdone, we believe the current negativism regarding this sector is also unwarranted. We believe the US farmer is very much up to the task of producing adequate supplies of corn and we believe the US driver will need all the ethanol that the industry can produce. With regard to PEIX, it has consistently met expectations as it executes an aggressive plant construction program. PEIX's first production facility in Madera, CA was completed on time and began producing ethanol in October 2006, and its next production facility (Boardman, OR) should begin production by the end of the 2Q 2007, its third wholly-owned facility should be completed in the 1Q 2008; and its next two plants should commence operations in the 2Q 2008. Our estimates are for EPS of $0.28 in 2007 and $1.05 2008. Assigning a 20 multiple on 2008 EPS, we generate a 12-month target of $21.00, a greater than 50% price advance from the current level.

How Bearish Are Ethanol Stocks? ; I'll answer my own question "not bad"

Pacific Ethanol - I don't know much about these guys. But this chart looks real bad. Kinda like a roller coaster going down, and for a while. That blue line on the price chart is the 200 day average and when you trade way below that it ain't good
NYSE- the stock exhange as a whole. This chart reflects the recent drop and the gut wrenching recent drop. But note that things are still above the 200 day average

ADM - I talk about this company a lot. I think it is a good bellweather of how North Ameican ag industry is going to "do" in the new biofuel world. OK so kind of up and down but seem to be trading in a range. You don't want to see things not recover from this "market correction" Going more below 200 day average could really start a free fall

Andresons Inc - diversified ag stock with interests in biofuel. If it can recover again from this latest dip Andersons should continue on the move up it's 200 day ave indicates. Andersons in no as "pure" an ethanol stock as Pacific Ethanol or identified with ethanol as ADM, but it is an ag stock with conections to ethanol.

Pacific again Sorry I don't know how to get rid of this chart. And my second look at this chart says "ugly, ugly, ugly" Young "pure play" ethanol

processor. I'm going to look at there financials and the news. I they are not making any money, look at there business are they ever going to make money? Are they a promotion stock playing on a "new" trend or do they have legs? Do they have smart experienced management and a good business plan? Do they have access to money and credit? Do they have some bricks and morter? Do they have production?

Whitewood Herald Article: Local farmers learn about selling carbon credits

Whitewood Herald Article: Local farmers learn about selling carbon credits

American AG subsidy programs in perspective: And that perspective ain't good for the opposition

National Priorities Project - Cost of War

Take this all as perspective on US ag policy on subsidies. PLEASE!!

I don't really have an strong opinion one way or the other on the cost of war. ($$ at least, stuff cost money, it is all a matter of perspective and value) I do understand the human cost is terrible on all sides, but that does not relate to the clarity or point on Ag subsidy policy in the US.

OK, that said, the cost of war (in Iraq since 2003) is 456 billion dollars. That is 271.3 million a day. This is just Iraq and numbers from one outfit {National Priorities Project, these cats seem opposed to the war, and Bush in general, but I needed some data!(?)} Check the link for there counter thing!



Danm three paragraphs to make a point.



Bottom line:

1. US ag subsidy policy yearly cost 5 Billion


2. US war in Iraq Policy yearly (average) cost 101.3 billion

MY POINT ( at last) The USA can support there ag subsidies for ever (virtually) if they want and they are immune to world opinion or any level of local oppositition. Unless the majority of the American public and several levels of goverment (dems and reps too for that matter) want (and really want) these subidies to dissappear they will never be removed.

Party In Portage: BBQ to celebrate the end of CWB monopoly on barley marketing

http://www.nunweilers.com/barley_freedom_day.html

They will likely drink malt liquors!

Bringing Moos and Oinks Into the Food Debate - New York Times

Bringing Moos and Oinks Into the Food Debate - New York Times

Here's the article on the influences on animal rights groups. I really think this is a debate that is an opportunity for producers to profit from.

Farm Subsidies Seem Immune to an Overhaul - New York Times

You have to note not a farmer hat in the bunch!

Farm Subsidies Seem Immune to an Overhaul - New York Times

US farm subsidies are so ingrained in the system they may never be removed;

My takeaway points from the article:

• Food stamps etc are part of the subsidy programs, real smart on the supporters of these programs


• The White House is against subsidies and it is shrugged off. In our system (Canada) the PMO would bury this so deep it would never again see the light of day. Kind of speaks to maybe a few more checks and balances on the PMO


• I did not realize the power a few congressmen have. I knew a senator with the two per state system could hold a lot of power, but I did not understand the scope of power a group of congressmen could have.


• It is only 5 billion dollars. I think that only about a month of Iraq's costs. ( I will have to check that)

PETA 's New "Gentle" Image: Timeline and article on Farm Animal rights

http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2007/07/25/dining/25sanc.graphic.ready.html The farm producer must become more aware of what his customer wants. The linked timeline shows the development of this.

Press Release: SEC Charges Conagra Foods, Inc. in Financial Fraud and Accounting Case; 2007-142; July 25, 2007

Press Release: SEC Charges Conagra Foods, Inc. in Financial Fraud and Accounting Case; 2007-142; July 25, 2007

Golly this does not show Conagra in a very flattering light.

For fear of lawsuit I will not comment to much. Oh what the heck! Man! Long term and systemic incidents cited in the article make me kind of cringe. This is a big dog in the Ag industy and if they aren't playing square it really has far ranging consequences

Hemp Growers; You gotta have the right paper (work)

Planetary Potential: Whole Foods Merket:Maybe not such a niche market

Planetary Potential

Whole Foods Market is a big success story. So this organic thing may be a little bigger than I thought

My God Not Cheese Too: Ethanol Is Running Amok!

DTNAg.com

Cheese! What next! Beer! No that can't be. Where will this end(?)

Tequila Shortage Because of Ethanol Corn Acres (?); Just One G#%D#^&M Minute Here

DTNAg.com

I mean soy prices rising or the cost of tacos going up is one thing, but don't screw with Tequila

Organic Farming: Niche market?

Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune - Doyle: Organic farming booming in Wisconsin

People who can afford organic food will pay the premiums for their beliefs. I use to scoff at "organic" production. Now (in my old age) if there are marketing opportunities for producers or a organic technique that reduce cost on the production side? Well I'm in!

Yes! I know some of it is bull. Some of the product passed off as "organic" comes with a pretty broad definition of "organic"! However if producers can provide healthy food that fits the consumers definition of "organic" and make some good coin, well I say go for it.

Organic will not feed the world. Nor will it clean up food production. That "cat is long out of the bag". Pesticides and genenic engineering dominate food production. And they are no going away soon. But if "organic" production in wealthy middle americs can find a market, good for them.

CARBON TRADING: I DIDN'T SIGN UP AND KIND OF REGRET IT, BUT IS ANY BODY SEEING CHEQUES(?)

DTNAg.com

You know I should have signed up the farm. The add I saw in the producer said I would get between 3 and 5 dollar an acre. But has any one seen a check. I have zero till buddies with 6000 acres. Thats $30,000, not chump change

Andersons Offers Ethanol Exposure With Less Risk (Andersons, Pacific Ethanol, Aventine Renewable Energy, US BioEnergy) | SmartMoney.com

Andersons Offers Ethanol Exposure With Less Risk (Andersons, Pacific Ethanol, Aventine Renewable Energy, US BioEnergy) SmartMoney.com

I own some Anderson stock along with some Sask Potash (well lots of Sask Potash 400 shares that's lot for me)

It has done well, I hope that keeps up

WCE Weekly Outlook: Bumper Canola Crop Lost

WCE Weekly Outlook: Bumper Canola Crop Lost

I really agree with this assement of the canola. I know our late (sowed May 28) canola really took it on the chin with this heat. I looked today and the top flowers are heat blasted. I think at least 10% of the yield will be gone from what I saw.

On the positive side a touch of rain cooled things off so a few flowers will keep going, maybe to add a bu or two.

I still think 30 bu maybe plus that

$9 per bu. Canola

I just sold 1/3 of my estimated canola production ( a little short of it really) I felt 30 bu/ac. was a conservative yield at this point, so I sold 10 bu/ac. at $9.06 per bu for July delivery. That will cover my cash cost of growing the crop and I'm pretty sure we will get enough canola to cover that. I don't mind delivery a year away, we have cash in the bank and we will move our wheat and barley this year. Plus I still have an est. 20 more bu to move and price. I will make no more moves till I see what I have in bin. I may the rest in thirds or let it all go.

As I've mentioned before all our 06 production sold at $8.50 bu and the elevator tells me Aug delivery (?)

Other marketing news, we sold our hay for 1.5 cents a lb (the going rate I hear for hay?) I hope that nets us $3500 plus. If we can get that by the end of next month we will have a little coin in the bank to keep thinks going.

A little more marketing. I've been thinking about our barley we grew Metcalf for malt, but we will not produce enough to fill a car. I remember from my farm days that you needed enough to fill a car to get a malt accepted.(3500 bu plus I recall?) I going to have to market this stuff as feed. Still I hope to net over $7000. I can move it locally as feed maybe?

If our fill crop is ok we could gross over $25,000 off it. Likely more! That should keep us over the winter till we get funds for 2007 projects.Plus over the winter industry plots we did this year will be paid to us. Hopefully we can put a bit of coin aside for a rainy day

Sorry that ended being bit of a ramble. But hey $9 a bu for canola is pretty cool.

Sued By Scotts: TerraCycle sued by Scotts Miracle-Gro

Sued By Scotts: TerraCycle sued by Scotts Miracle-Gro

I really can't comment on this for fear of being sued.

OH hell why not! These two are likely too busy suing each other to bother with me!

Now the posted article may be grossly one sided, and the press loves the underdog and I don't know how accurate the author is. {he does site the evidence and provides a link(?), but it's the internet afterall}.
But the world is full of weasels and bully's and I can see a corporate VP or lower getting pissy about a smart ass little competitor showing them no respect.

And this related to agriculture because it's about fertilizer. A stretch I know!

bugs and fungus on my wheat

I pulled the trigger last Wednesday night on spraying the farms Imagine wheat. I had a neighbour come in with his "high boy" Apache to apply both Bumper and Lorsban. I have never used or recommented that tank mix before but conditions made it my choice.


On monday morning our wheat was just starting to head. out. (Mainstem but some tillers) It was foggy with the heads soaking wet ( in my mind perfect for scab) I have seen fusarium really destroy quality so I had to go.

Midge were a different story. I talked to a agronomist from Sask. Ag on tuesday. She warned me Wheat Midge would be a potential problem. I know last year I had a couple of producers have midge damage. I looked for them on a couple of evening, but only found limited numbers. I made the call to go but I really think it was a borderline risk at best.

I'm thinking like a producer, as an agronomist I never would have gone after the midge with out really establishing a potential problem. As producer I was spending the money on an application any way why not spend $3.50 more to control midge?

As a note we used 16 gal of water and we used a combo of Bumper 418ec with Tilt 250ec to top up the application. (Full rate)

Crop Fungus Has North Dakota Longing for Hemp - New York Times

Crop Fungus Has North Dakota Longing for Hemp - New York Times

What does scab have to do with hemp production? What in the world is this reporter talking about??

Ethanol (AC, CBOT): Weekly Price Chart: Very Bearish

Ethanol (AC, CBOT): Weekly Price Chart
Bearish outlook for ethanol(?)

Nestle to cut plants: Food company adjusts to new pirce (higher) environment

Nestle to cut plants, products as prices soar Reuters Recommends Reuters.com

Interestng article about how Nestle is reacting to higher priced commodities. Food processors may have a challanging time adjusting to paying higher prices for farm products. Good for us, bad for them(?)

Canada's 2007/08 Special Crop Ending Stocks Decline

Canada's 2007/08 Special Crop Ending Stocks Decline

Sweet news to the Special Crop growers ears.

Signs Of Increased Disease In Western Canadian Crops

Signs Of Increased Disease In Western Canadian Crops

I agreed with the "take" the guy from SK. relates. And with increased prices it's easier to pencil out a profit from fungicide apps.

My favourite rule of thumb "A crop protection application has to gain you back Double to be worth the trouble"

July agriculture around the globe

Broker has his ear to the ground: Grass-roots relationships with farmers keep Brock on top of complex markets

Broker has his ear to the ground: Grass-roots relationships with farmers keep Brock on top of complex markets

Just a feel good story, and kind of interesting.

Cleantech Blog: A Blog on "green" industry with posts and opinion on biofuel

Cleantech Blog

Worth monitoring(?) I will find out it going on the favs. list

Snake oil sales: or what are farm supplies doing selling foliar applied fertilizer

I was leaning on a counter at my local farm supply when another customer began praising our trusted manager on his recomendation to spray his entire 2000 acres of cereals with foliar applied fertilizer. The product was a market gardening blend dissolved into water and applied with his herbicides. The result would be minute amount of fertilizer on the crop and $5 dollars an acre changing hands.

Our manager holds a degree in agriculture and is actively promoting this product to his customers (neigbour and friend and relatives)

Current Map - Fusarium Head Blight Risk Forecast for Wheat in Manitoba - Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives

Current Map - Fusarium Head Blight Risk Forecast for Wheat in Manitoba - Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives

An old friend in the custom spraying business was telling me they started spraying for fusarium on thursday and friday. I always had a horrible time trying to stay ahead of fungicide applications for head blights. Just check out the variety of warnings on the enclosed web site maps. How do you make a rational decision based on the rapidly changing conditions reflected on these maps?


Unless a grower has his own high clearance unit(s) you would have little chance of getting any type of protection planned effectivly. Even then it's like a 50/50 chance the blight will attack the head.

I'm at the point where if you get fusarium control (with custom units) it's a bonus. Look for leaf disease or rust. Control that and if you can get the timing by chance to get fusarium go for it.

I could go on and on about this. Water rates, chemical used, and /or timing dew levels all have to be right for effective control. Depending on a salesman and/or a contractor to put that together for you is a lost cause. You better know your stuff or really really trust your advice before you go whole hog after head blight control.

Second or Third Weather Problem Article on Wheat I've Read: good news for us(?)

Bloomberg.com: Commodities

COOL more bad news for somebody else. Danm that's sick!

Mary Jane, Ganja, Weed, Cash Crop(?)

Bloomberg.com: Opinion

Hemp is a well established crop in Manitoba. Dauphin and area grow most but there are crops all over Man. (seed and fiber both)

I checked out a crop at a diversifcation centre today. I'm going to demo some next year on my farm if I can get a permit.

Did He Say $10/bu. for Canola

Markets Receive Shock $10.00/bu Canola Coming?

The rich Nile Delta.

Jim Rogers - Still a bull on commodities

Resource Investor - Base Metals - More Quantum Leaps in Commodities?
Did he say I will make more money on agriculture than mining? Or something like that. Rogers is an investment guru, who has touted commodities for the last 10 (?) years as the place to make money.

He has not made me any since I started following some of his "stuff" a year ago. Maybe I'm to late into the boat?

The ag information just keeps comin

I have never ever seen this much coverage in the media on agriculture. The last two years it seems like business has discovered what is going on down on the farm. And it is covered with knowledge and intellegence. It use to be crap if it appeared, and it seldom appeared.

Betting The Farm On Monsanto

Betting The Farm On Monsanto

I've been in the ag bus for 25 years and monsanto ( or the devil) are not loved, but they are seldom wrong. There biotech seed strategy seems to be paying off big time.

You have likely grown there seed! and used there chemical. You will likely continue to use there herbicide, they make a lot of generic glyphosate!

CropLife Lobby presentation to Feds(?)

http://www.croplife.ca/english/pdf/resourcecentre/grow2007/Shaping%20the%20Future%20of%20Canadian%20AgriculturePresentation_Jan07.pdf

http://www.croplife.ca/english/pdf/resourcecentre/grow2007/Shaping%20the%20Future%20of%20Canadian%20AgricultureSpeakingNotes_Jan07.pdf

Interesting take on where we should go with ag.

Industry News Articles - BusinessWeek: Canada's Plant Science Industry supports Growing Forward - The Federal, Provincial, Territorial Governments' new vision for Agriculture

Industry News Articles - BusinessWeek: Canada's Plant Science Industry supports Growing Forward - The Federal, Provincial, Territorial Governments' new vision for Agriculture

I have not read the feds new policy framework. I had better by the sound of this.

Market Talk: New Crop Canola Carryover Tight?

Market Talk: New Crop Canola Carryover Tight?

I read this after I sold DUH!

You know the call that there is going to be a great supply of canola, I don't think that will be right. I don't see more than normal around me and this crop is not a real great one(!) I realize that is just my little part of the country and that it is early, buuttt!. We have lots of peas, lots of drown out and a ave. looking crop where it is.

Another tip. After calling short on canola seed all year Bayer appears to have come up with all the Invigor seed everyone needed this past spring (?) That speaks to ave planting

Hey sold some canola!!!

For the first time in 26 years I sold some canola. $374 and some change a tonne. We had enough on the farm to pay the bills for a month. (or to pay the fert and chem fill for the whole farm.)

http://futures.tradingcharts.com/chart/CA/W

State Sponsors of Terrorism: Some Aggie names(?)

State Sponsors of Terrorism. This is a post of companies dealing with the five countries the US believes are sponsors of terror around the world(?) Just in the interest of knowing, ckeck it out, you will find a one or two familiar ag company names. There are "blurbs" on the way the company does business there,(Some are very detailed)

Commentary: Grain futures likely to see more gains in July - MarketWatch

Commentary: Grain futures likely to see more gains in July - MarketWatch

The bulls are really running in the grain markets. Are we just seeing a hint of what high prices are yet to come? Right now a lot of the added profit is being sucked up by fuel and fertilizer prices, along with the rising cost of "iron and dirt"

My dad always said bad news for someone is good news for ag prices. There is a lot of bad new in ag production maybe there will be more legs to this rally. I hope so.

Up Corn Acres Chart

NASS - Charts and Maps - Field Crops
Corn Acres Up!! WOW!!

NASS - Charts and Maps - Field Crops

NASS - Charts and Maps - Field Crops
Soybean acres down. Wow!! This chart really show it.