Total pork supplies in cold storage at the end of
February were reported at 456.5 million pounds, down 12% from last
year, and the lowest inventory of pork in cold storage in 20 years.
Total beef stocks were estimated at 442.8 million pounds, down 12% from
a year ago, and the smallest beef inventory for this time period since
2014. Chicken stocks in cold storage decreased 9% to 788.1 million
pounds.
The Kansas Department of Agriculture-Division of Animal
Health identified highly pathogenic avian influenza in two commercial
dairy operations in Kansas. Cases are also being investigated in Texas
and New Mexico. The illness appears to have been introduced by wild
birds. There is no concern about the safety of the commercial milk
supply or for human health. Dairies are required to send only milk from
healthy animals into processing for human consumption. Milk from
impacted animals is being destroyed so that it does not enter the food
chain. In addition, pasteurization has been proven to inactivate
bacteria and viruses in milk. Pasteurization is required for any milk
entering interstate commerce and retail sale off the farm.
USDA estimated the total US hog population as of March
1st at 74.571 million head, up 1% from last year. The market hog
inventory was pegged at 68.556 million head, also up 1% while the
breeding herd was down 2% to 6.016 million head. Sows farrowing in the
December-February quarter decreased by 3%, but the total pig crop
increased by 2% to 33.148 million head. Pigs per litter increased by
half a pig from last year to 11.53. USDA made major revisions to both
the September and December reports, increasing the total inventory on
the September report by 810,000 head and by 845,000 head on the
December report.
A person in Texas who had contact with infected dairy
cattle is being treated for bird flu. The patient, who experienced eye
inflammation as their only symptom, was tested for the flu in late
March, with confirmatory testing performed by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention over the Easter weekend. The patient is being
treated with the antiviral drug oseltamivir. In 2022, a person in
Colorado who had direct exposure to poultry, tested positive for the
same strain of avian flu. The person reported fatigue for a few days as
their only symptom and recovered, according to the CDC.
Grains
Summit Carbon Solutions and eight of Valero's ethanol
facilities across Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, and South Dakota and are
expected to be incorporated into the project. Participation from the
facilities is expected to annually add 1.1 billion gallons of ethanol
and lead to the capture of 3.1 million metric tons of CO2 according to
Summit. With the inclusion of Valero, Summit's project is now extending
to 57 ethanol-production facilities across the upper Midwest. Summit
also said it no longer expects to start operations in 2024, and has
pushed the possible start date back to 2026.
On the March USDA Quarterly Stocks report, corn in all
positions was estimated at 8.347 billion bushels, an increase of 951
million bushels over the prior year. Corn held on the farm was pegged
at 5.079 billion bushels, which was 60.8% of the total inventory, and
represented all of the year-to-year increase in corn stocks. Soybean
stocks as of March 1st were reported at 1.845 billion bushels, an
increase of 158.5 million bushels over a year ago. Soybean stocks were
evenly split between on-farm and off-farm storage. However, the
soybeans held on the farm increased by 183.5 million bushels over 2023.
Total wheat stocks as of March 1st totaled 1.087 billion bushels, an
increase of 146.2 million bushels year-to-year.
Kansas prospective plantings were reported down on all
the major principle crops. Corn acreage was reported at 5.70 million
acres (down 50,000), soybean acreage was quoted at 4.250 million acres
(down 180,000), winter wheat acres were at 7.70 million (down 400,000),
and sorghum acres were at 3.350 million (down 250,000).
Nebraska farmers indicated very little change in their
crop rotations on the Prospective Plantings report. Corn acreage in
Nebraska was estimated at 9.850 million acres (down 100,000), while
soybean acreage was pegged at 5.30 million acres (up 50,000).
On the first USDA Weekly Crop Progress report of the
season, the winter wheat crop was estimated at 56% good-excellent (28%
last year). The Kansas wheat crop was rated at 48% good-excellent, 37%
fair, and 15% poor-very poor.