Banner Graphic, Volume 18, Number 267, Greencastle, Putnam County, 20 July 1988 — Page 7

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RICHARD E. LYNG Agriculture secretary

Rain provides relief, but heat negates effects

WEST LAFAYETTE (AP) Recent rains brought relief to crops in some areas of Indiana, but the continued hot and dry temperatures made the effects short-lived, according to the weekly crop report from Purdue University. The persistent dry conditions continue to slow growth and development of com, soybeans and forage crops, according to state statistician Ralph W. Gann. All of the wheat crop has been combined, two days ahead of the 97 percent harvested in 1987. The five-year average is 87 percent. The condition of com improved slightly but the crop is still heavily stressed in many areas. CORN WAS RATED 11 percent fair, 56 percent poor and 33 percent very poor. The 89 percent poor and very poor rating compared with 90 percent last week. The average height of com is 54 inches, which is 6 inches below average and 30 inches below the record height of 84 inches set in 1987. Poor germination and lack of rainfall have caused the height of com to vary significantly within fields statewide. Thirty-two percent of the com has silked compared with 84 percent silked last year and the five-year average of 45 percent. SOYBEANS ALSO improved from a week ago with a rating of 4 percent good, 42 percent fair, 48 percent poor and 6 percent very poor. i The 4 percent good or better rating compares with 1 percent last

| Market ■ reports INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Hogs 500. Barrows and gilts active, steady to 25 cents higher. US 1-3 220-255 lbs 46.50-47.00. US 2-3 235-275 lbs 45.25-46.50. Sows: Moderately active, steady. US 1-3 375-625 lbs 30.00-33.00. Boars: Over 400 lbs 29.0030.00. Cattle: 1200. Compared to last Tuesday: early sales of slaughter steers and heifers steady to 50 cents lower. Compared to last week’s close: Cows 3.00-4.00 higher, instances 5.00 up. Bulls mostly 2.00 higher. Supply, select and choice slaughter steers 30 percent heifers, 16 percent cows. Slaughter steers: Choice 2-4 975-1175 lbs 64.00-65.50. Slaughter heifers: Choice 24 875-1125 lbs 62.75-65.50. Slaughter bulls: Yield grade .1-2 1275-2125 lbs 52.75-59.00. High dressing individual 61.25. ; INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Estimated prices Monday at Indianapolis area elevators: . Corn No. 2 yellow: $2.822.93, new $2.80-2.99, January $2.83-3.03. Oats No. 1 sound: $2.75. Soybeans No. 1 yellow: $8.45-8.60, new $8.21-8.37, January sß.ll-8.28. Wheat No. 2 soft red: $3.373.43. Elevators took as much as 2C CC...J protection on com and 7( cents.

Disaster declarations expected soon

Lyng inspects Indiana’s drought damage

WEST LAFAYETTE (AP) Agriculture Secretary Richard E. Lyng says many farmers may lose money on their droughtstricken crops despite help from the federal government In the meantime, heavy rains were predicted for much of Indiana today, and a Purdue University report indicated slight improvement in the state’s com crop. Much of the state could receive two inches or more, said National Weather Service forecaster John Hendrickson in Indianapolis. “Most sections should receive a good soaking, with the far north receiving lesser amounts,” he said. LYNG INSPECTED drought damage Tuesday in an Indiana com field on the first day of a three-day tour through 10 states requesting federal disaster declarations. He said help from the administration and Congress could not make up all the losses.

week and 95 percent a year earlier. Fifty-five percent of the soybeans are in bloom. Last year, 83 percent of the soybeans were blooming. The five-year average is 52 percent. Seven percent of the soybeans are setting pods, on par with average but behind the 13 percent setting pods last year. The average height of soybeans is 16 inches compared with 19 inches for average and far behind the record height of 28 inches set in 1987. Fifty-two percent of the oats have been harvested. A year earlier, 67 percent of the oats were combined. Average is 35 percent. SECOND CUTTING of alfalfa is 82 percent completed with 65 percent last year and 63 percent average. Pasture condition was rated 2 percent fair, 25 percent poor and 73 percent very poor. The availability of hay and roughage supplies for the remainder of the feeding season was rated 28 percent very short, 58 percent short and 14 percent adequate. Availability of water for livestock was rated 81 percent adequate and 19 percent short One-fourth of the feed for livestock is available from pasture. FOR THE WEEK ending Friday, 6.1 days percent were rated suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture was rated 95 percent short and 5 percent adquate. Subsoil moisture was rated 99 percent short and 1 percent adequate.

Conservation Reserve plan sign-up set Landowners are encouraged to sign up for the Conservation Reserve Program through Aug. 15, according to John Datena, director of the Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry. CRP, a land-retirement program, was designed by the United States Department of Agriculture to remove highly erodible farmland from production. Contracted lands are planted in trees, shrubs, forbs and grasses to reduce erosion and sedimentation. Landowners receive rental payments during a 10-year-long period. USDA works with the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, Soil Conservation Service and Division of Forestry to implement CRP. AFTER THE 10-YEAR contract which generates annual revenue to landowners have the option of retiring the cropland to timber production for additional income. ‘Trees planted on farmlands can reduce erosion problems, as well as improve water quality and wildlife habitat,” Datena said. “Trees also can provide a long-term, economic base when planted in areas suitable for timber production.” In Indiana, 4,675 acres, which is 2.2 percent of CRP lands statewide, have been enrolled for tree plantings since the program began in 1986. Indiana ranks 18th in the nation for the amount of CRP acreage planted in trees. LANDOWNERS CAN sign up for the Conservation Reserve Program at their local ASCS office.

“I don’t think many farmers would expect the government to hold them harmless from this drought,” he said. “I think those who don’t understand agriculture might wonder if farmers are going to come out unscathed. That just won’t be the case. “You just can’t have a drought in the United States that’s been as severe as this one without farmers really being hurt, in spite of what looks like a very generous and expensive assistance policy.” HE SAID DECISIONS on federal drought declarations, including Indiana’s, would come within a few days. “I don’t think it will take very long for us to do an evaluation,” he said. “I would say in days rather than weeks or months.” He gave no indication what assistance would be offered. The agriculture secretary spent about 10 minutes standing on rain-dampened soil looking at ears of com and discussing the

farm

Lugar: Help’s on way to farmers

By RICHARD G. LUGAR Senior Senator, Indiana Farmers across the state are wondering if they’ll make it through this unprecedented year of drought In town halls, at feed stores and in truck stops, they’re asking if the government will ever do something to assure them that the stream of income won’t dry up completely. The answer is: yes, and it’s happening now. AS RANKING MEMBER of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I recently introduced the definitive drought relief bill, which is supported by both parties in both houses and by President Reagan. This legislation will become law before returns from the harvest would be expected. The goal is to help farmers who need and deserve it, not to give away a windfall to those who weren’t hurt much. But Indiana is one of the hardest hit states in the nation. In fact, our com crop is now projected to be the worst of any state.

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The bill I have drafted, along with Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), converts unused crop payments into drought disaster payments. As proposed, the benefits will be paid if a farmer loses more than 35 percent of historical yield or of the county average yield for nonprogram crops such as soybeans. THE COMPREHENSIVE bill would also: —Restructure emergency livestock feeding programs. —Waive the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture to reduce the dairy support price by 50 cents. —Extend credit forbearance in restructuring outstanding loans and providing new loans. —Provide a combination of FCIC benefits and disaster payments, not to exceed 100 percent of original expected return, for farmers with crop insurance. OTHER PROVISIONS may also be included eventually, but this is the outline of what will be the major federal drought aid package for farmers in need.

crop with farmer Avery Sheets, LL Gov. John M. Mutz and Purdue University Agriculture Dean Robert L. Thompson. “The devastation we know exists as a result of this drought perhaps is at its worst in the Eastern combelt,” Lyng said. MUTZ SAID INDIANA com crop losses will probably exceed 50 percent and may reach 62 percent, much higher than the earlier estimate of 38 percent. The Agriculture Department says about onefourth of the nation’s com crop could be lost to the drought A Purdue crop report released Tuesday rated 33 percent of the com crop as very poor, compaied with 46 percent earlier. Nearly 90 percent of the crop is still rated poor or very poor. Lyng said damage to the Indiana com crop may exceed that in Illinois, where he visited last week with President Reagan, or Ohio, where he visited earlier Tuesday.

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JULY 20,1988 THE BANNERGRAPHIC

“Our condition reports would indicate the percent of poor and very poor com in Indiana is the highest of any of the com belt states,” he said. Sheets said he hopes to harvest no more than 30 percent of a normal crop from the 1,000 acres he planted in com. “It might be just all cob and no kernels,” he said, showing an ear to Lyng. LYNG ARRIVED FROM an Ohio farm inspection and left Indiana early Tuesday afternoon for Tennessee and planned similar tours in Mississippi, Michigan, lowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Scattered thunderstorms had dropped 1.5 inches of rain in much of Tippecanoe County before Lyng’s visit Other areas of the state received from a half inch to 2 inches of rain Tuesday. Fort Wayne was drenched with 2.6 inches.

Farmer Tokuichi

Nakane feeds cattle at his farm in Maebashi, north of Tokyo. Nakane and other Japanese cattle farmers share worries that their small-size family operations may be forced out of business by U.S. and other foreign beef imports after Japanese and U.S. officials signed a farm pact June 20, opening up the nation’s markets to cheaper American beef and oranges. (AP Wirephoto).

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