Planting Decisions and Organic Dairy Growth Slow
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.**With commodity prices higher across the board, the market may be telling farmers to plant … AND plant some more.
But, amid continuing drought, water concerns may be overriding market demand as California farmers decide which crops to plant and how much they can afford to plant.
Many farmers say they don’t expect to receive any surface water deliveries this year, and rising chemical and fertilizer prices will also affect planting decisions.
**Organic dairy farm production growth is slower than conventional operations, according to new data from USDA’s Economic Research Service.
USDA studies show between 2000-2016, total factor productivity grew at an annual rate of 0.66% for organic dairy farms compared with 2.51% for conventional dairy operations.
Both organic and conventional farms saw productivity growth due to technological progress, but weather-related feed factors reduced productivity for organic farms.
**The EPA agreed to file a notice in the Federal Register seeking comment on a proposed judicial consent decree that would require EPA to finalize the 2021-22 Renewable Volume Obligations.
The announcement is part of a settlement with Growth Energy, which filed multiple notices of intent to sue and a complaint in federal district court following the agency’s extended RVO delays.
Growth Energy contends the delays are a direct violation of the deadlines established by Congress for the Renewable Fuel Standard.