Latest USDA WASDE Report Says Corn To Ethanol Useage Above Expectations

Apr 12, 2017

On Tuesday morning, USDA released its April 2017 World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report. Here are some key highlights from this report.

Corn. USDA estimates unchanged ending stocks, with an increase in corn to produce ethanol offsetting reduced feed and residual use. Ethanol production was above expectations in March, but there was a 50 million bushel reduction in projected feed and residual use. USDA says season-average corn price received by producers is unchanged at the midpoint, but with a narrower range of $3.25 to $3.55 per bu.

Soybean. Highlights include higher seed use, reduced residual disappearance and higher ending stocks. Exports and crush estimates are unchanged, leaving soybean ending stocks projected at 445 million bushels, 10 million higher than last month. Season-average price has been lowered 5 cents at the midpoint to $9.55 per bu.

Wheat. U.S. wheat ending stocks for 2016/17 have been raised 30 million bushels based on lower feed and residual use. This more than offset a slight reduction of imports. Ending stocks are projected to reach a near 30-year high, at 1,159 million bushels. Global supply estimates are raised by 1.7 million tons, and total global consumption is lowered 0.6 million tons to 740.8 million.

Cotton. Exports are estimated 800,000 bales higher to 14.0 million total. That’s the fourth-largest volume ever for U.S. exports and accounts for nearly 40% of total world trade. Marketing year price received by producers is projected to average 67 cents to 69 cents per pound.

Livestock. The 2017 forecast of total red meat and poultry production is raised from last month as higher beef and turkey production more than offset modest reductions in pork production. Beef production is forecast higher on the current pace of slaughter and heavier-than-expected cattle weights in the first half of the year. The pork production forecast is lowered slightly with second and third-quarter production reduced but almost offset by higher fourth-quarter production. The March Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report indicated that industry expansion is still underway although producers intend to slow farrowings this summer.

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Video: How to fix a leaking pond.

Does the pond leak? Ummmm....possibly a tiny bit. Well, more than a bit...ok, the darn thing leaks like a sieve!

QUESTIONS ANSWERED: Damit is not plastic. Therefore, there are no microplastics. I wish I had not mentioned plastic, but that is a very common polymer and I mentioned it as an example of a polymer. A polymer is simply a chain of repeating molecules, or "monomers." Cellulose is a polymer of glucose molecules. Starches are also polymers of various molecules such as fructose, maltose, etc. We have many polymers inside our bodies. In other words, just knowing something is a polymer doesn't make it bad, toxic, harmful, etc. However, this also doesn't mean all polymers are safe.

The specific polymer used for Damit is a trade secret, however, it has been closely scrutinized by multiple health and safety authorities. This includes the governmental authorities of Australia, the USA, Europe, and Asia. Not only have they determined that is safe to use in earthen ponds, and not harmful to fish, but it is considered safe to use in human potable water systems in all of these areas. And of course, they know the exact makeup of the polymer when making this determination. I'm told that the same polymer is in use by many municipalities to keep potable water storage tanks leak free. I can't tell you exactly what the polymer is, because I don't know, but given the confidence with which the governmental authorities have authorized its use, I would bet it is made of a monomer that we are exposed to all the time, like fructose or something.

It also breaks down in a matter of years, and does not accumulate in the environment. The end products of breaking down are CO2, water, and base minerals like potassium. The SDS reports no need for concern with ingestion, inhalation, or contact. If in eyes, rinse with water.

End result, can I say for sure that it is 100% safe? No, I don't know exactly what it is. But given people who do know exactly what it is, and have scrutinized it, have approved it for use in human potable water systems, I'm pretty comfortable putting it in an earthen pond.