Tuesday, February 24, 1998

Sweetwater farm leader testifies for floor on milk prices

By J.T. Smith / Farm Editor

Wes Sims of Sweetwater testified the past week before a federal administrative law judge in Washington, D.C., on the hot issue of milk prices.

The judge is hearing testimony while he considers whether to set a temporary floor on the price of milk used for fluid and dairy products including cream, ice cream and cottage cheese.

As Texas Farmers Union president, Sims testified that Texas milk producers do not oppose the proposal USDA is considering - that of placing a floor price of $13.50 per hundredweight on milk under Class I and Class II.

Although not opposing the proposal, Sims testified that it still comes up short.

"A price of $13.50 under Class I and Class II only, is clearly not enough," Sims said.

Sims explained the catch.

"After the price is reblended by the dairy co-op to cover its costs, the price received by the producer is more than a dollar per hundredweight under USDA'S estimated average cost of production for the Texas order," Sims said. "There are almost no over-order premiums being paid to Texas producers at this time. Therefore, basing our projection on our present situation and past history, the producers will not be able to recover this loss through their co-ops."

Sims reported on Texas findings

Sims testified about his findings from a survey of Texas milk producers.

In preparation for the Washington hearing, Sims surveyed many in the Texas marketing order who were members of one the two major co-ops in the state.

"I found that while their gross price ranged from $13 per hundredweight to $13.70 per hundredweight, their net price (mailbox price) from their co-ops was only $12.20 to $12.70 per hundredweight.

Sims said estimates indicate that the $13.50 floor proposed under Class I and Class II would raise these prices by about 80 cents per hundred pounds of milk.

The Sweetwater farm leader told the court that inadequate prices have caused the loss of both overall dairy production and many Texas dairymen.

"In the last month of 1997, Texas production was down about 9 percent from a year earlier" Sims said. "Texas has lost almost 20 percent of our dairy farmers during the past year."

A $13.50 per hundredweight under Class I and Class II is a start, Sims added, but is not enough to stop the loss in production or the loss of Texas fairy farm families.

Sims noted that the Texas Farmers Union recommends a floor price of $14.50 per hundredweight under Classes I, II and III for milk.

"It is of the utmost importance that we restore profitability to our farm families in all parts of our country if we are to preserve the dairy economy in our states and our dairy communities," Sims said.

Big show wins

Amy and Mary Belle Turner of Rochester have been on a roll at major livestock shows.

A Rochester sixth-grader, Amy exhibited the Reserve Champion Heifer in the open Hereford Heifer Show at the 1998 San Antonio Livestock Exhibition.

Amy's heifer, "DJ Ms Dominette 715," also placed second at the Junior Hereford Show during the 1998 Fort Worth Stock Show.

The calf, which will be a year-old in March, was bred by DJ Hereford Farms of Abilene.

Amy also placed fifth in showmanship at the prestigious Fort Worth show.

Meanwhile, Amy's sister Mary Belle exhibited her winter heifer calf to first place honors at Fort Worth and went on to place second at the San Antonio open show.

Mary Belle is an outstanding Rochester 4-H'er.

Top Brangus steer

COLEMAN - Hayes Edington of Coleman went back to school a happier fellow on Monday.

The Coleman seventh-grader watched his Champion Brangus Steer sell for $10,000 at the 1998 San Antonio Livestock Show over the weekend.

Edington, a Coleman 4-H'er, showed the steer at 1,252 pounds to win the Brangus breed competition.

Meanwhile, Coleman also excelled in lambs at San Antonio judging.

Whitney McMillan, a Coleman 4-H'er, showed the first place fine wool crossbred lamb in its lightweight class.

Allicyn Ivy, another Coleman 4-H'er, came through with the second place lamb among the light heavyweight fine wools.

Various other Coleman County lambs also placed well for such a big show, said Farron A. Sultemeier, Coleman County Extension agent.

TDA gets exemptions for herbicides

Texas Ag Commissioner Rick Perry announced that the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) has been granted approval by EPA to issue a Section 18 specific exemption for Zorial Rapid 80 herbicide.

The weed killer is used to control annual grassy weeds on Bermudagrass pastures and hay meadows.

Among the many counties affected by the exemption are these in the Abilene region: Brown, Coleman, Comanche, Eastland, Erath, Palo Pinto and Runnels.

Livestock should not be grazed or fed foliage from treated areas within 60 days from the time Zorial Rapid 80 is applied.

Meanwhile, TDA also has been granted EPA approval to issue a crisis exemption for use of Quadris fungicide for cucurbit production to control gummy stem blight and powdery mildew. (Cucurbits are vine crops such as cucumbers, melons, pumpkins and squash).

The crisis exemption for Quadris, which is manufactured by Zeneca Ag Products, will keep the crisis exemption until EPA decides on specific exemptions.

In the Abilene region, the counties under the crisis exemption for Quadris use are: Brown, Comanche, Eastland, Erath, Fisher, Haskell, Jones, Mitchell and Runnels.