U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman announced today that the United States has requested WTO consultations with Canada concerning its provisional antidumping and countervailing duties on U.S. grain corn. In particular, the United States seeks to consult with the Canadian government on the preliminary injury finding of the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) authorizing those duties.

Canada imposed provisional countervailing and antidumping duties on imports of U.S. grain corn in mid-December. Under WTO rules, provisional antidumping and countervailing duties cannot be imposed unless there is a preliminary finding that the imports have injured domestic producers. In its injury finding in this case, the CITT appears not to have considered a number of factors required by WTO rules. In addition, the CITT declined to examine relevant evidence that other factors, and not U.S. imports, were injuring Canadian corn growers, such as exchange rate movements and unusually large world corn harvests. This would not appear to be consistent with WTO rules requiring that such evidence be taken into account.

Source: Office of the U.S. Trade Representative/ News Release, March 17, 2006
Source URL: http://www.ustr.gov/Document_Library/Press_Releases/2006/

March/United_States_Requests_WTO_Consultations_with_Canada_Over_Duties_on_Grain_Corn.html

U.S. dairy export values increased 56 percent in the last two years, reaching a record-high $1.66 billion in 2005. For the second straight year, U.S. suppliers showed they can compete internationally at historically strong prices, according to data analyzed by the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC).

Exporters responded to robust worldwide demand for dairy protein in 2005, the Export Council says. Economic growth in Asia – China in particular – Russia, Mexico and the Middle East created opportunities for increased sales of milk components. The United States took advantage, reigning as the world’s leading supplier of skim milk powder (SMP), whey and lactose last year.
Significantly, global demand was undeterred by historic-high world prices, explains Tom Suber, USDEC president.

Source: U.S. Dairy Export Council/ News Release, March 20, 2006
Source URL: http://www.usdec.org/files/PressReleases/2005Numbersrelease0306.pdf

More than 3 million rural Pennsylvanians rely on private wells and springs for drinking water, but studies have shown that the majority of these supplies fail at least one drinking water standard. The widespread use of drinking water that contains pollutants in excess of standards represents an economic problem and a health threat to the rural population.

In addition, the volunteer researchers will complete an extensive survey form for each water supply tested to determine the type of well, type of well cap, presence of grout, approximate age and yield, presence and type of water-treatment equipment, presence of visible casing and ground slope around the water supply.

Source: Penn State University/ News Release, March 23, 2006
Source URL: http://live.psu.edu/story/16864

Class III milk futures during the spring months have been holding the line at $11 per cwt. But the reality of unbridled growth in the milk supply and increases in commodity inventories are pressuring futures prices. As of March 24, Class III futures for April and May are now just below $11 per cwt, signaling the possibility of even lower prices in the months ahead.

Source: Penn State University/ Ken Bailey, March 24, 2006
Source URL: http://dairyoutlook.aers.psu.edu/Weekly/2006/WeeklyDairyMarketOutlook032406.htm

ConAgra Foods Inc., one of North America's leading packaged food companies, today reported results for the fiscal 2006 third quarter ended Feb. 26, 2006. Third-quarter fiscal 2006 diluted loss per share was ($0.06), including $0.43 per share of net expense from items that impact comparability. Excluding the $0.43 per share of net expense from items that impact comparability, third-quarter diluted EPS was $0.37.

The items that impact comparability for the quarter largely include significant impairment charges, restructuring charges associated with implementing cost-savings programs, and litigation charges.

Source: ConAgra Foods/ News Release, March 23, 2006
Source URL: http://investor.conagrafoods.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=97518&p=irol-newsArticlemedia&ID=834740&highlight

Hackers willing to unleash viruses on unsuspecting computer systems might be able to use RFID tags to do their dirty work, according to a study by a group of European computer researchers.

Scientists at Vrije University in The Netherlands have published a paper showing how the tags, including those compliant with Electronic Product Code (EPC) global standards, could be used to send a computer virus capable of bringing an entire computer system to its knees.

RFID tags have been under discussion in the livestock industry as one possible method of tracking animals during a disease outbreak.

Source: RFID Journal/ Jonathan Collins, March 15, 2006
Source URL: http://www.rfidjournal.com/article/articleview/2201/1/1/

A total of 13 agricultural dust explosions were reported in the United States in 2005, according to Robert Schoeff, professor emeritus at Kansas State University, and Mavis Rogers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS).

This compares to six in 2004 and a 10-year average of 10.5 explosions.

Source: Grainnet/ News Release, March 22, 2006
Source URL: http://www.grainnet.com/info/articles.html?type=bn&ID=32202

Following is a list of national and international events of importance to the dairy industry. To see events more than a month out, follow the “Click to read more” link. If you have an upcoming event that you would like publicized, please send it to Patt Ligman, pattligman@metafarms.com or MetaFarms, 423 W. Travelers Trail, Burnsville, MN 55337. The next EventTrak is scheduled for April 10, 2006.

April

--National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA), April 3-6, 2006, Galt House Hotel and Suites, Louisville, Kentucky. Contact: www.animalagriculture.org or 270-782-9798

--Bio 2006, April 9-12, 2006, McCormick Place Convention Center, 2301 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, Illinois. Contact: http://www.bio.org/events/2006/

--International Cheese Technology Exposition, April 25-27, 2006, Alliant Energy Center, Madison, Wisconsin.

--International Cheese Technology Exposition, April 26-27, 2006, Alliant Energy Center, Madison, Wisconsin. Contact: 800-999-2454

--Rural Forum 2006, April 27-29, 2005, Keystone Center, Brandon, Manitoba. Contact: http://www.gov.mb.ca/index.html

Many livestock owners are concerned about how they affect the environment. It doesn't matter what kind of livestock you have. They can all be quite easy on our lakes, streams and forests. However, if the owner isn't careful, livestock operations can be quite hard on our resources.

Betsy Gilkerson, University of Minnesota Extension Service, Hennepin County, has developed a quiz for livestock owners to take to help assess their impact on our environment.

Source: University of Minnesota/ Betsy Gilkerson, March 14, 2006
Source URL: http://www.extension.umn.edu/extensionnews/2005/ecofriendlybarn.html

What is your job in this world? Is it growing corn and raising hogs, or is it producing revenue to feed and clothe your family? If you don’t know, ask your spouse. Now that you have the correct answer, let’s continue this conversation, which may have begun with your lender earlier this year; and that next question is: Are you efficient at using assets to generate income? Sure, you can only raise one crop of corn in a given year, and only one pig can occupy a given space at a time. But how many pieces of your machinery are sitting idle in your machine shed unless you are using them on your fields? If the answer is “all,” this conversation has a long way to go. Sit back, warm your coffee, and let’s talk.

Source: Farmgate/ Stu Ellis/ University of Illinois, March 21, 2006
Source URL: http://www.farmgate.uiuc.edu/archive/2006/03/post_19.html