USDA chief Tom Vilsack headlined the Iowa Farm Bureau's Economic Summit, which was organized
to help producers manage risk.
Vilsack spent much of his time addressing the audience but also found time to send a
message to those back in Washington.
Vilsack chided the House version of the Farm Bill as it contained no language for food
assistance programs.
And the secretary said another renewal of the current bill, an option if a new bill
isn't passed by October, is a step backwards.
Secretary Tom Vilsack/ USDA: "Honestly, an extension removes an impetus for getting a
Farm Bill done and the challenge and the risk of not getting it done this year is that you're
not likely to get it done in an election year, as we saw in 2012.
You don't get it done in election year then you have a new congress that begins in 2015
and you start the process over again and the chances of getting it done in the latter part
of the second term of a president (are) equally problematic, so if we don't get it done now,
the chances are that we won't get it done."
With so much uncertainty surrounding policy, producers also heard about another factor
beyond their control -- the weather.
Elwynn Taylor is Iowa State University's Extension Climatologist.
His review of this year's weather data, included a cool, wet spring, record snowfall in May,
followed by triple digit temperatures less than two weeks later.
Despite the extremes, Taylor found a parallel.
Elwynn Taylor, Iowa State University Extension Climatologist: "From October 1st, right up
until this week, it could have been a carbon copy, the weather of 1947, the 4th worst year
for crop producing in the history of state of Iowa."
Not exactly welcome words to producers coming off the worst drought in a half a century
just last year.
1983 was another year like 1947 when delayed planting quickly gave way to a hot and dry
summer.
Elwynn Taylor, Iowa State University Extension Climatologist: "A disaster to the crop, because
the crops because they were not properly rooted.
They suffered more from the hot/dry than if they would have had a normal root system."
The shortened spring season forced some producers to rush field work before the soil was fully
ready for heavy equipment.
But some farmers had few options, as the ideal planting window, passed by on the calendar
with little progress.
According to Taylor, the more compacted soil proved to be a major hurdle for the corn's
root system.
And that could be a problem from pollination through the harvest.
Elwynn Taylor, Iowa State University Extension Climatologist: "As soon as corn has pollinated,
it only has one interest, if plants can have an interest, and that's to produce a viable
seed.
As soon as grain is about to start developing, the plant doesn't grow roots anymore.
If it hasn't gotten roots where they belong, it is not going to get there.
The emphasis on roots has gone away."
Thus, according to Taylor, the crops will need at minimum average moisture to have an
improved chance at producing trendline yields.
However, drought conditions are beginning to return to the Corn Belt as indicated in
this week's Drought Monitor from the University of Nebraska.
58.3 percent of the contiguous U.S., is in some form of drought.
That's a four point increase over last week and ten point spike since June 11 when the
lowest level in 18 months was recorded.
Elwynn Taylor, Iowa State University Extension Climatologist: "The drought is likely to persist
in the west and have below trend yields.
Temperature highs and lows will be significant, if we go back into warm nights, starting now,
we could go back to the same disaster path we were on in 1947 and 1983.
If we stay cool, cooler than usual, we will be above trend for the 160 bushels.
Climate will likely be increasingly erratic during the coming 25 years."
But does Taylor call this climate change?
Elwynn Taylor, Iowa State University Extension Climatologist: "Congress is the Camelot of
the world, not only did they define drought for us, but by law, for more than 9 years.
After 9 years it isn't a drought any more.
After 9 years it's a new climate."
For Market to Market, I'm Paul Yeager.