Ownership and operational costs of modern farm equipment are major expenses on [today’s] farms. Today’s tractors, combines and farm implements are both impressive and pricey. It is remarkable to see what they can do when working well. Breakdowns, however, can be quite costly and frustrating. I have great respect for mechanics who can keep machines properly adjusted and efficiently running.

When I was young, having to milk Christmas morning was – I was sure then – the purest form of torture. Every Christmas song, every frosted cookie, every time “It’s a Wonderful Life” or “Charlie Brown Christmas” aired on the television set was part of the countdown to getting to the presents under the tree.

Speaking in Rome at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, Alltech vice president Aidan Connolly presented the results of the 2011 Alltech Feed Tonnage Survey, along with results from previous surveys, showing a steady increase in feed production year on year. The 2011 survey, covering 128 countries, put the total feed at 873 million tonnes. The 2012 survey, due to be published soon and covering more than 130 countries, is expected to show a further increase. For 2013, however, Connolly, presenting at the IFIF-FAO joint meeting, predicted a contraction in the region of 3-5 percent.

The EPA announced that the agency has not found evidence to support a finding of severe “economic harm” that would warrant granting a waiver of the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). The decision is based on economic analyses and modeling done in conjunction with the USDA and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). “We recognize that this year’s drought has created hardship in some sectors of the economy, particularly for livestock producers,” said Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation.

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) praised the House of Representatives’ approval this week of H.R. 6156, which would establish permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with Russia. NMPF and USDEC have actively supported approval of PNTR with Russia as part of work necessary to reopen that market to U.S. exporters. The Russian dairy market has been closed to U.S. dairy products for more than two years due to Russian insistence on certain dairy certificate statements and accompanying facility inspection requirements that were not acceptable to the U.S.

Getting updated information at the touch of a button isn’t new. However, having that capability while standing in a field and making decisions based on that technological connection is a growing market for agriculture. Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will be participating in a new addition at the Amarillo Farm and Ranch Show, the IDEAg Interconnectivity conference, to discuss some of the latest technology being offered to producers. The conference is set for 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 29 in the Grand Plaza of the Amarillo Civic Center.

NUTRIQUEST has introduced its ILLUMINATE service to the dairy industry. The service offers a database of DDGS nutrient loadings from more than 140 U.S. ethanol plants, which the company says will allow dairy producers to select the highest value sources, maximize use and improve performance and profitability in their herds. “As ethanol plants continue to increase the level of oil extraction from DDGS, understanding how to feed higher levels of DDGS effectively is now more important than ever,” states Ken Purser, general manager at NUTRIQUEST.