http://www.hpj.com/rss.cfm High Plains Journal: Ag News Wed, 16 May 2012 15:15:00 GMT http://www.hpj.com/archives/2012/feb12/feb20/1215NCCCommendsTradeDealsr.cfm National Cotton Council Chairman Charles Parker commended efforts by the U.S. Trade Representative to resolve cotton trade issues with Least Developed Countries by extending duty-free, quota-free access for upland cotton and by obtaining support to continue the West African Cotton Improvement Program. "The NCC also urges major cotton producing countries to promote an open and transparent system for global cotton fiber trade, by collectively removing distortions from the cotton fiber market--... Wed, 16 May 2012 15:15:00 GMT http://www.hpj.com/archives/2012/feb12/feb20/0210RecordFarmExportssr.cfm We saw a rise in both the value and volume of U.S. agricultural exports worldwide in 2011, as international sales rose $20.5 billion over the previous record set in calendar year 2010. Every $1 billion in agricultural exports supports 8,400 American jobs, meaning that U.S. farm exports helped support more than 1 million U.S. jobs in 2011. "Exports of almost all major U.S. commodities rose in calendar year 2011, helping us to reach President Obama's goal of doubling all U.S. exports by the ... Wed, 16 May 2012 15:15:00 GMT http://www.hpj.com/archives/2012/feb12/feb20/0215CanolaUMRFEB20sr.cfm Direct seeding of winter canola into wheat stubble has been a challenge to some Southern Plains farmers in recent years due to winter stand loss. A class on this topic, "Making Winter Canola Work in No-Till and Minimum-Till Systems," will be taught by Mark Boyles, an Oklahoma State University assistant professor who currently manages the OKanola project designed to introduce winter canola as a viable rotational crop for wheat in the Southern Plains, and by Josh Bushong, an OSU winter canola ... Wed, 16 May 2012 15:15:00 GMT http://www.hpj.com/archives/2012/feb12/feb20/0214DecideWhethertoExpandsr.cfm The beef industry produces much more beef with the same number of cattle that existed in the 1950s. Beef consumption is measured by adjusting beef production for international trade and freezer stocks. Consumers will find beef prices high and substitute lower-price protein products for beef, leading to continued decline of domestic beef demand. Wed, 16 May 2012 15:15:00 GMT http://www.hpj.com/archives/2012/feb12/feb20/0215VilsackBudgetjmlsr.cfm President Barack Obama released his proposed budget for fiscal year 2013 Feb. 13, and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack spoke to reporters about agriculture's gains and losses in the proposed budget. The proposed budget, according to Vilsack, will save $32 billion over 10 years by eliminating direct farm payments, decreasing subsidies to crop insurance companies and focusing conservation funds to high priority areas. The president's budget renews the farm disaster program, but it ... Wed, 16 May 2012 15:15:00 GMT