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South Georgia Ag Scene November 2017 The Moultrie Observer • The Tifton Gazette • The Valdosta Daily Times • Thomasville Times-Enterprise Feeder cattle markets stronger than expected...Page 4 Page 2 Ag Scene November 2017 November 2017 Ag Scene Page 3 Helping farm operations like yours grow. We’re a strong community bank specialized in Farm and Ag lending. We offer financing for: • Crop Production • Farm Land • Livestock • Agriculture Equipment Let us put our local expertise to work for you! You belong here. Thank you farmers, for all you provide! www.colonybank.com Member FDIC 28050-1 26167-1 Page 4 Ag Scene November 2017 November 2017 Ag Scene Page 5 Something for everyone in current feeder cattle markets Ready To Work... When You Are! By Derrell S. Peel Oklahoma State University Livestock Marketing Specialist 1205 Veterans Parkway N. 2815 Gillionville Rd. FARM TALK — You know that old saying about a gift Moultrie, GA Albany, GA horse and its mouth — this is no time to be checking the teeth on current feeder cattle markets. Feeder cattle (229) 985-3882 (229) 435-2212 markets have stayed stronger than expected this fall and www.southerntractorandoutdoors.com offer a number of opportunities for all types of cattle pro- ducers. Calf prices have dropped very little this fall from Ready To Work... When You Are! summer levels — much less than the normal seasonal de- cline. Oklahoma calf prices this October are about 27 per- cent higher than this time last year. Cow-calf producers are selling weaned calves for $150 to $200 per head more than last year. Heavy feeder cattle prices have not declined seasonally rather they have increased this fall. Seven-weight steers are up about six percent in October from August and are 25 percent higher than last year. An increase in heavy feeder price relative to stocker price increases the value of gain and is a stocker signal to put more weight on cattle in the country. For example, adding 250 pounds to a 500-pound steer currently has a value of gain of about $1.35 per pound at current prices. Feedlots are bidding heavy feeders higher and that increases the signal for stockers to add weight to cattle prior to feedlot placement. Of course, current value of gain is only the buy signal and does not include the market risk between now and when the 750-pound steer in the above example will be sold. However, Feeder Cattle futures have been remark- ably strong and currently offer an opportunity to lock in good margins for feeders sold in the March to May time period. The 750-pound steer will likely have a breakeven of $140-$145 per cwt in March, depending on gain and costs. March Feeder futures at the time of writing this article were about $153 per cwt suggesting a rare margin opportunity for winter grazing. Stocker producers, and cow-calf producers with potential to retain weaned calves as stockers, should pencil out the opportunities depending on beginning weight and expected timing and weight of later sales. While cash market fundamentals are solid, spring Feeder futures are arguably overpriced and subject to correction at any time. The best opportunities may be fleeting! Earlier in the fall, feedlots were losing some money and appeared to be paying too much for feeder cattle and thus jeopardizing feedlot margins for the coming months. How- ever, cash fed cattle prices have improved recently, increas- ing current margins. Cost of gain is expected to stay very favorable for the foreseeable future. Moreover, Live Cattle futures prices have pushed higher recently to levels that come close to supporting current feeder prices for cattle finishing through next April. As with Feeder futures, the Live Cattle futures pricing opportunity may be short-lived. Strong demand is what makes all of this possible. Boxed beef prices have recovered about $10 per cwt from the early fall lows. Retail beef prices are holding close to year ago levels despite a 4 percent increase in beef pro- o Work... When Y duction in 2017. Demand is strong in both domestic and in- ternational markets, with year to date exports up over 14 percent. Strong demand is the key to allowing all sectors y N. of the industry to have decent margins simultaneously and will be the key as beef production continues to grow Feeder cattle prices increased this past fall in 2018. 28362-1 Page 6 Ag Scene November 2017 November 2017 Ag Scene Page 7 Torrance named new Grady SUNBELT AG EXPO North America’s Premier Farm Show® County extension agent www.sunbeltexpo.com By JOrDAN BArelA [email protected] CAIRO — There’s a new extension agent INNOVATION, in Grady County. Ty Torrance began as Grady’s University of Georgia extension agent on Oct. 1. Now a month in, Torrance said he is SCIENCE Local Retailer for “still learning the county and getting out and meeting farmers and clientele.” Valley Pivots Torrance made the short trek from Deca- tur County, where he also was an extension EDUCATION & agent. The difference between the two counties, Torrance noted, is Decatur has larger-scale Skilled service farms, while Grady farmers has small- TECHNOLOGY er-acreage farms. Torrance pointed out the team for all difference of Decatur farms generally aver- age 20,000 acres and Grady between 5,000 to brands 6,000 acres. Trust Valley and Shades of Green The experience in large-scale farming of center pivots is something Torrance hopes to bring as for all of your center pivot needs. Grady County’s extension agent, along with ways “to help farmers be the most economi- and all of your cal as possible.” Torrance also noted a great number of agricultural Grady County farmers are passing the reins Ty Torrance and plans to work with “the next generation irrigation needs. and helping with that transition.” Research is key, Torrance said, to finding 229-300-5658 ‘I like farming. I enjoy being around solutions. “That’s the only way to find out the best farming.’ ways is to continue to research,” he added, #SUNBELT18 also noting the importance of finding profit- Full Service Landscaping able solutions to problems. Ty Torrance Torrance plans to conduct two different Grady University Extension Agent vegetable researches, one centered around for Businesses and Homeowners! nematodes and the second on vegetable va- riety testing. Cotton and corn variety trials the county. Design ~ Creation ~ Maintenance are already scheduled and will take place Also a former extension agent in Marion during the summer months, the extension County, Torrance said many of his family agent said. members were extension agents, also noting In the spring, Torrance will conduct a growing up involved in farming. meeting in Grady County to present and “I like farming, I enjoy being around discuss what agriculture is being done in farming,” he said. Servicing Quitman, JOIN TODAY! Valdosta & Lake Park MOUTRIE, GA • OCT. 16-20, 2018 ducks.org Continental Conservation: Top Notch Service, Design 800-45-DUCKS You Make it Happen (229) 985-1968 and Maintenance for your location! A CFC participant - provided as a public service 29208-1 27652-1 Page 8 Ag Scene November 2017 November 2017 Ag Scene Page 9 Lowndes High attends FFA convention INDIANAP- OLIS, Ind. – Ian Bennett, Lowndes High School gradu- ate and FFA mem- ber, was elected to serve as the South- ern Region vice president at the National FFA Con- vention, which had more than 67,000 in attendance. During his year- long commitment, he will represent the national FFA Ian Bennett organization, which has more than 650,000 members, nationally and internationally, according to a school press release. After finishing the current semester at the University of Georgia, Bennett will re- side in Indianapolis for the remainder of the year of service. He is a junior in agri- science and environmental systems – plant breeding and genetics. He is the son of Dr. Marshall and Mary Beth Bennett. From Lowndes Schools, 43 FFA mem- bers and family members attended the na- tional convention. Many of these students were involved in national competitions. Lowndes had two agricultural profi- ciency winners. Landon Herring won the diversified crop production proficiency based on his work at Herring Farms, according to the press release. Herring has worked six years in this supervised agricultural expe- Swisher International rience, growing nine different crops. would like to congratulate Courtney Cameron won the agriscience research – plant systems proficiency based on her use of the scientific method in using aspirin to control tobacco mosaic vi- Robert Mills Jr. rus. TMV is the number one viral crop dis- SUbMITTED PHOTO Callands, Virginia ease worldwide, according to the press re- Jaylin Johnson, Gabriella Daugherty, Zach Daw, Ty Parks, Zach Gay, Shaw Wacter, Dawson Peek, Alexis Herring, Levi Herring and Cedric lease. Cameron is a freshman and research Montgomery were at awarded the National FFA Convention. scholar at the University of Georgia. 2017 Swisher Sweets Also competing in proficiency was and Avery Fletcher, 10th. Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Chandler Kudyk in the agriscience re- Clay Parker served as a delegate of the search – integrated systems division. Georgia FFA Association to the National Winners from Lowndes County Farmer of the Year Lowndes Schools had 10 FFA members Convention. Parker served on committees win the National Agriscience Fair: Food to help give input on future directions and Food Systems: Zach Daw, Alexis Herring and Jaylin Johnson Systems: Zach Daw, Alexis Herring and operations of the national FFA organi- Jaylin Johnson; Environmental Systems: zation, according to the press release. He environmental Systems: Zach Gay and Cedric Montgomery Zach Gay and Cedric Montgomery; Plant also voted on issues from the floor of the Systems: Ty Parks, Dawson Peek, Gabri- convention.

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