ST. LOUIS, MO - It was coffee shop talk. The young farmer said his soybean crop looked good. He and his wife just built a house on their 300-acre farm, and he expects to pay it off this year. Fred Dirks feels pretty good about his future. Dirks farms in Brazil. The twenty-five-year-old farmer grew up on a soybean and corn farm in Rio Verde, where he continues to work with his father as he builds his own farming operation. Dirks is one of a community of progressive Mennonite farmers who produce com and soybeans on farms northeast of Rio Verde, a town of 120,000 that just 10 years ago was a dusty outpost of 30,000 inhabitants. Today the city sup ports a thriving agricultural in dustry that includes a soybean processing plant, grain traders and farm cooperatives that furnish supplies and purchase the abun dant crops of soybeans and com. A chance meeting with Dirks in a restaurant in Goiania, capital of the province of Goias, was one of many experiences of 16 U.S. soybean farmers who recently returned from a soybean study mission to Brazil and Argentina sponsored by the American Soybean Association. The tour, paid for by the participants, was When wet spots or other tough areas slow you down, a quick shift into four wheel drive can make all the difference. And all it takes is a Power Front Axle option on your 2-70,2-110,2-135,2-155 or 2-180 Field Boss® tractor. 4WD is not created equal. If you think all Power Front Axles are the same, look again. Most tractors use the engine as part of the structural frame. Adding four wheel drive puts a lot of stress on the engine block. We think too much stress. It’s one reason why every Field Boss has a separate main frame casting. The engine is cradled inside it. 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CLARK & SON Honey Grove, PA 717-734-3682 Brasil has soybean potential, US. farmers find aimed at helping u.s. soybean farmers learn more about soybean production in South America. “I wanted to see if all the stories I’ve heard about Brazilian and Argentine soybean production were true,” says Sunnier, lowa, com and soybean farmer David O’Brien. “And now that I’ve been there, I’m convinced that if these people can overcome political and economic problems, they will be an even greater force to reckon within the future. There’s certainly plenty of opportunity for expansion.” The 14-day tour took farmers into three major soybean producing areas: the west central and southern areas of Brazil and Argentina’s Pampas region, a flat and fertile area that extends east and south of Buenos Aires. “Brazil is a land with tremen dous potential,” says Jack Nagel of Davey, Neb. “They’re using only about 30 million acres for crop production right now. Nearly 400 million more acres of productive land could easily be cleared and brought into production.” Southern Illinois University agronomist Jim Tweedy, also a participant in the study mission, notes that South American far mers have some cost advantages. “For one thing they use smaller, SEE YOUR LOCAL ELDER SUES t SALES Stoneboro. PA 16153 412-376-3390 376-3740 FARNSWORTH FARM SUPPLY INC. 103 Cemetery St. Hughesville, PA 717-584-2106 HANOWERK BROS. SERV. CENT. RDI - Neffs Slatington, PA 215-767-5946 ERNEST SHOVED FARM EQUPMENT 19 W. South St. Carlisle, PA 717-249-2239 less complex equipment,” says Tweedy. “They can us£ smaller equipment because they don’t have the time constraints of weather that U.S. farmers have in the spring and fall. Fanners in both Brazil and Argentina typically have several weeks of good weather to plant and harvest.” Seed com producer Rick Quema, of Danville, lowa, says he expected to see farmers working with outdated technology and old equipment. “That wasn’t the case,” he says. “Farmers in both Brazil and Argentina are very progressive. And we didn’t see nearly the erosion problems I had expected— perhaps because it has been so dry this year.” Despite advantages of readily available, inexpensive land, low labor and equipment costs, far mers in Brazil and Argentina have one big disadvantage high transportation costs. Both coun tries lack developed rail and water transport systems. Nearly everything moves by trade. “That’s an expensive way to transport grain,” says retired grain elevator operator and far mer Oliver Berry of St. Joseph, La., “especially when a high WHITE FARM EQUIPMENT Pull Through The Tough Spots With A Power dealer N. 6. HERSHEY & SON. INC. Manheim, PA lySßricKcMftersßd 717-665-2271 OxfordPA 17350 717-624-8763 percentage of their production comes from the western side of the country. They’re transporting soybeans as far as 400 miles over hilly two-lane highways. They told us transportation costs'ran as high as|l per bushel.” What are the implications of soybean production growth in Brazil and Argentina for U.S. farmers? Jack Nagel agrees with other farmers that cutting costs and working to maximize vjeM« is ABS develops new breeding plan DEFOREST, WI Are you getting maximum returns from your breeding program? If im proved milk production, increased longevity and higher value off spring are your goals. Genetic Mating Service (GMS) will help improve your profitability. A new brochure available from American Breeders Service ex plains how GMS takes production information, linear type data and other considerations into accounty to make breeding recom mendations. 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GMS blends technology, genetic theory, practical cow knowledge and management goals into a customized breeding program. More than 5 million cows around the world have been evaluated using GMS. It is the oldest and largest computer mating program ui the industry. For a copy of the brochure, call 1-800-ABS-STUD. In Wisconsin, call 1-800472-4828. You can also contact your ABS Representative or write to ABS at P.O. Box 459, DeForest, W 153532. FRANK RYMON ft SONS State Rt. 31 South Washington. N.J. 07882 201-689-1464 SHUEY’S SALES SERVICE Ono, PA 717-865-4915 OWEN SUPPLY COJNC. East Ave. 8 Broad St. Woodstown. NJ 08098 609-7690308
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