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Wisconsin pork, corn and soybeans

On Wednesday we caught up with some of the Wisconsin commodity groups at Ag Day at the Capital:

A.V. Roth is in his third year as president of the Wisconsin Pork Association; he is the fifth generation on the Century Farm near Wauzeka and runs a 3,000 sow farrow-to-wean operation. He is at Ag Day to talk to his representatives about concerns about air emissions around farms. He is also hoping to get the legislature to extend the road weight limits in fall to manure haulers. Last fall some manure haulers in Central Wisconsin were ticketed for being overweight; that has prompted a closer look as to just what kind of pressure is placed on roads by floatation tires on manure tanks along with thoughts that we may need to reassess the integrity of town roads. Roth is going to serve on a Wisconsin Farm Bureau Task Force charged with seeking a solution to the problem.

Listen to Roth’s comments here 5:12 mp3

Bob Karls is Executive Director of the Wisconsin Soybean Association and the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board. He is just coming off a very successful Corn/Soy Expo last Thursday and Friday in Wisconsin Dells. “It was an amazing event, we had 1,500 people there all together under one roof discussing grain production, grain marketing and all the things that can help a corn and soybean producer become more profitable.”

Karls is as Ag Expo mainly to “support the agenda” noting the groups participating are “our number-1 customer.” He says they always want to help livestock producers in their effort to produce and raise animals “in the fashion that they deem appropriate.”

As for the Soybean Association, Karls says right now they are working on research proposals for the coming year, yield issues, disease issues, marketing projects and others.

Listen to Karls’ comments here 5:34 mp3

Dave Adams farms near Lake Geneva and serves as president of the Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board, he too was happy with the turnout at Corn/Soy Expo and especially the number of young producers in attendance.

As for Ag Day, he says he is basically happy with the State Legislature as it is. On the national level, Adams says he has no problem with the sunset of the ethanol blender’s tax credit and the import tariffs at the end of last year. He says the blender’s credit was going to the oil companies not to the ethanol producer or the farmer. He also says they have not noticed any diminished use of ethanol because “really it is the only oxygenate they have for gasoline.” He is concerned about some who have advocated elimination of the Renewable Fuels Standard; that would impact the ethanol industry.

Ethanol has been blamed for the price of corn and in turn the price of livestock feed. Adams says “It doesn’t matter what the price of corn is, it’s what the price of the product they’re selling is.” Adams argues he raises pigs and milked cows “and I didn’t make as much money when corn was $1.50 as they are right now when corn is $6.00.” It is all about net profit for producers.

Listen to Adams’ comments here 5:12 mp3