Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 11, 1969)
6 Thura Septembar 11, 1969 Special 3-Day Sale! Thursday, Friday and Saturday $.Zj5 Per Gal. in Case Lots When the weather starts turning a jack-o-lantern's happy smile Into a frozen scowl, it could just as easily put your car or truck into a damaging, work-stopping deep-freeze. To avoid winter freeze-ups (and even the chilling thought of them), Northwest farmers rely on Pacific Anti-Freeze. Thi3 premium quality, per manent anti-freeze guards your radiator all winter long, with no-rust, no-corrosion protection. And i it's as economical as it is dependable! Don't wait 'til the frost is on the pumpkin. Come in now for Pacific Anti-Freeze. (fT) member PACIFIC COOPERATIVES Morrow County W. Grain Growers,: FARMER OWNED AND CONTROLLED CROP-WEATHER SUMMARY (For week ending Sept 6. 1969) Harvest activity virtually com pleted. Fall potatoes prayed to defoliate. Fertilizing and weed ing on fallow land, tome seed ing of fall wheat. Rain needed throughout county. Hopes, Fears Mark 1969 Wheat Crop A mixture of mild optimism blended with a strong flavoring of pessimism permeates the wheat atmosphere as the Indus try shifts emphasis from produc lion to marketing the 19G9 wheat crop. However, there is some hope for the near future as well as for more distant times, re ports S. C. Marks, Oregon State University Extension Ag Econo mist. Reasons for mild optimism in Ihe short run are several. One is the fact that U. S. export wheat prices have been made more competitive In the world wheat market. Another reason is Ihe Japanese have resumed pur chases of northwest soft white wheat. Also, the quality of this years northwest wheat crop is mostly excellent. In the longer run. some op timism for market improvement is sparked by the wheat acrage reduction, not only in the United States but also in several of the other principal wheat-exporting countries. This action, if coupled with a spate of adverse weath er In the ma.tor world wheat growing areas as In 1964 and 1965, would nuicklv lead to a rapid drawdown of surplus wheat stocks that are currently I depressing wheat prices in the United States and in the world I market. Facing up to reality, some of the important offshore markets that the U. S. wheat industry has enjoyed in previous years, particularly since 1956 when Public Law 480 was enacted, may not be recovered. This pros pect may be credited to new wheat and rice varieties which were introduced in India and Pakistan and some other far east ern nations two years ago. An other discouraging prospect is the loss of farm income that is like ly to result from the further cut in the wheat acreage allotment. Theoretically, this should be a temporary loss, pending return of a closer balance between sup ply and effective demand, while perfect equilibrium between these two forces Is not likely, the price pendulum is more like ly to swing upward rather than remain at what appears to be the bottom of its arc. Some Wheat Price Advance Seen Wheat prices are so low now they are sure to go up some after harvest Is completed. This seems to be a logical expecta tion because growers are more likely to place large portions of their wheat crops under the loan program rather than sell for less than the loan rate. Also, the re duction in the 1970 crop aver age should be a bullish factor. The greater the quantity of wheat that is placed under loan, supply is likely to be. This kind of situation would tend to push prices up even though surplus wheat stocks are increasing. This is because the government cannot sell the surplus at less than the formula price which is based on the gross loan plus rive percent and carrying charg es from July 1. Of course, the very presence of large quanti ties of wheat under loan is like ly to keep a lid on any upward price movement. During the 1968-69 wheat marketing year. me season average price receiv ed by Oregon farmers who did not participate in the wheat pro gram was $1.27 a bushel. The U. S. average ws $1.24. This was one cent under the national ave rage loan rate. Wheat growers who did abide by the wheat pro gram rules also received certifi cate payments, which raised the national season average price to $1.79 per bushel. Besides the price-supporting effect of wheat loan impound ings, another factor deemed to be potentially bullish is any in crease in demand for wheat from livestock and poultry feed mix ers and users. Feed use during the 12 months ending June 30 totaled 176 million bushels, na tionwide. That was the largest quantity of wheat used for feed since 1947 when wheat prices were also competitive with corn prices. Increased feed use helps offset some of the price-depress ing effect of the smaller export volume. Wheat Exports in Stiff Competition Exports of white wheat fell to 100 million bushels during the year ending June 30. But some increase is likely this year. Wheat quality is excellent, so Japan, the principal cash buy er. may purchase more wnite wheat from northwest suppliers this season. The 10 cent per bushel cut in the export price announced bv the USDA on Aug ust 12 makes northwest white wheat more competitive with prices asked by other suppliers who are competing for the Jap anese market, namely Austral ian and French exporters. The Japanese Food Agency is tend ering for bids on a world basis. Considering quality, the lowest bidder will get the sale. Some increase in total U. S. wheat exports is expected, pos sibly to 550 or 600 million bush els during the 1969-70 market ing year. U. S. wheat exports during the 1968-69 marketing year which ended June 30 were the smallest in 10 years, partly due to a dock strike. And the 542 million bushels exported tell 38 percent short of the all time record export of 867 mil lion bushels in 1965-66. The big the smaller the "free" market I decline occurred in Public Law 480 shipments, which dropped to 252 million bushels. Commercial exports including CCC credit and barter, droppede to 290 mil lion bushels. World Wheat Supplies Increase Even if U. S. wheat exports do increase as much as indicat ed, domestic supplies are so large that carryover will show an additional increase next July 1. The 1969 carryover was at 811 million bushels, including 58 million bushels of white wheat. This carryover combined with an expected 1969 wheat crop of 1.4 billion bushels indicates a 1969 70 wheat supply of more than 2.2 billion bushels. This is 121 million bushels more than the year-earlier supply. The suppy of white wheat is projected at 237 million bushels compared with 213 million a year ago. It domestic use match es the 8o million bushels used the past marketing year, there will be 158 million bushels left for export and carryover next July 1. World supplies of wheat in the five leading wheat export countries are larger. A total of 5.3 billion bushels is indicated. Fully two thirds of this aggre gate is in the United States and Canada. France and Argentina expect about the same supply as last year. But Australia ex pects 23 percent more at 720 million bushels. This level of supply takes into account the smaller prospective harvests ill four of the five countries, ex cept in Argentina where some rebound from last year's short crop is indicated. Elsewhere overseas, the out look for Russia's wheat crop is less favorable than it was a year ago. This is because the winter wheat acreage is down 20 to 25 percent, according to Foreign Agricultural Service re ports. Spring wheat acreage was increased and largely offsets the reduction in winter wheat acre age. Even so, the total crop is expected to be smaller than the big one harvested in 1968. A good wheat harvest is ex pected in China where moisture conditions and fertilizer usage favor crop development. In re cent years, China has been a substantial buyer of Canadian wheat. This past year was the exception, China reneged on part of her contract for Canad ian wheat that was to be de livered this year. In Eastern Europe, wheat crop prospects range from fair to good. Winter kill was severe in the northern countries, but the outlook is much improved in the southern nations where drought trimmed yields in 1968. The middle-eastern countries i "enerallv expect good wheat crops this year. 1 3 New Cereal Wheats Selected By OSU Station Three new cereal varieties have been selected for release by the Oregon Agricultural Ex periment Station: a soft-white winter wheat, a winter oat, and a winter barley. The new wheat variety, which Is adapted to the winter wheat growing areas of western Ore gon, has been named "Yamhill." Dr. Warren E. Kronstad. OSU cereals breeder who developed the variety, reports that it is intended to replace Druchamp and, to some extent, Gaines ana Nugaines particularly on hill sides. Yamhill was developed from a cross between Helnes VII and Redmond. It Is mid-tall with white, stiff straw; produces ker nels that are soft, white, mid- long, and ovate to oval; and is resistant to both stripe rust and lodging. In trials, Yamhill has out- yielded Gaines. Nugaines, and Druchamp by an average of 732. 1,002, and 1,776 pounds per ac re respectively, and is equal or superior to those varieties in milling and baking qualities. Test weights of Yamhill have averaged 61.2 pounds per bushel. "Lane" is the name chosen for the new oat selection, which was developed by Dr. Wilson E. Foote, OSU agronomist and as sistant experiment station dir ector. It is adapted to the win ter oat growing areas of west ern Oregon particularly the Willamette Valley and Douglas County, and is considered es pecially suitable to replace Grey Winter. The new winter barley has been named "Casbon" bv virtue of its development from a cross between Cascade and Bonne ville. Grasslands Event May Be Cancelled Problems developing In re spect to grass field burning, which involves not only field burning but many facets of in dustry, agriculture and air con tamination, now appear to be jeopardizing plans for the 1971 American Grassland Conference scheduled for Eugene in June, 1971. Honorary co-chairmen Dean Wilbur Cooney, of Oregon State University, and State Director of Agriculture Walter Leth say it would be impossible to stage this event in the manner plan ned and for the economic bene fits anticipated unless there is fullest and complete coopera tion between grass seed produc ers, equipment manufacturers, dealer organizations, Chambers of Commerce, and local interests. However, they pointed out that with assurance of full coopera tion bv all interested parties it could be a successful conference. As originally planned the con ference would probably be the lareest undertaking involving Oregon agriculture ever held in the state, with from 20,000 to 40,000 persons from all over the nation expected to attend. It has been anticipated the event would result in the indir ect addition of millions of dol lars to the state's economy. A direct result would be the fur ther establishing of superiority of Oregon produced grass seed to the end that many foreign visitors could be expected who would become interested in use of Oregon produced seeds in their countries. From a market expansion standpoint the "Grassland '71" event is highly desirable as a means of expanding the $30 million grass seed industry of Oregon. We're Ready to Serve You . . . For Seed Cleaning and Treating At our plant-25c bu., 50c sack, any amount'. At your ranch-with portable treater 30c bu., 60c sack, minimum of 250 to 300 bu. Harold Erwin Heppner, Ore. Ph. 676-5806, Mornings or Evenings for Appointment Geigy reports on IgranT Kfew HicbepMcbMcb Snxp wDtKMl HdDCDlk try o Igran herbicide controls gromwell, henbit,tarweed, purple mustard, dogfeiinel, speedwell, chickweed, foxtail and many other problem weeds. Can be sprayed safely either fall or spring,anytime until weeds are four inches high. Now you have a herbicide that will solve today's weed problems in wheat with out tying you down to a rigid spray schedule. New Igran 80W herbicide effectively controls gromwell, henbit, tarweed, purple mustard, dogfennel, chickweed, Pacific meadow foxtail, bedstraw, catchweed, speed well, pennycress and other annual broadleaf weeds and grasses that give you a problem in your wheat fields. Five years of research and field trials in Washington, Idaho and Oregon prove that Igran does the job, even against the tough annual weeds which 2,4-D doesn't get. Our field work showed that with Igran, you're not bound to a rigid, critical spray schedule. You can spray new Igran herbi cide pre-emergence or post, any time until weeds are four inches high. This is possible because wheat has a higher tolerance for Igran than for any other herbicide now in use. It's the reason you can spray Igran pre emergence when seeding your wheat. This application has many advantages. It gets the herbicide on early, before weeds or grasses emerge and compete against your wheat. It also eliminates the problem of soil erosion caused by sprayer wheel tracks. And it saves you a trip over the field because it combines planting and weed control. Or you can spray Igran after a fall rain has settled your ground. This can be done pre emergence or post-emergence, by ground rig or airplane. Of course, you can also spray early in the spring, until weeds are four inches high. Igran kills weeds by inhibiting photo synthesis. Once moisture has moved the her bicide into the soil after a pre-emergence application, Igran works through the roots of weeds as they germinate during the fall and spring. In post-emergence applications, Igran has ood foliage action on young weeds, after which it controls weeds as they germinate. Either application provides initial and continuing control of most annual broadleaf and grassy weeds through the spring. And as further evidence of the safety of Igran to wheat, if winter kill or some other weather condition makes it necessary to re seed wheat, you may do so in Igran treated soil without fear of injury. Also you're free to rotate to peas, lentils or fall barley after your winter wheat Here's what we suggest. Early this fall, take your worst field . . . ground infested so badly with problem weeds that you're hard put to grow a crop of wheat . . . and put Igran to the toughest test you can come up with. Spray when it is most convenient . . . pre emergence or post-emergence. After all, Igran has been proved by five years of research and commercial trials in Washington, Idaho and Oregon. It's the one herbicide that solves today's weed problems in wheat without restricting you to a rigid spray schedule. . . , So why not plan now to fit Igran into your wheat management program. Contact your supplier, or write for more information. Geigy Agricultural Chemicals, Division of Geigy Chemical Corporation, Ardsley, New York 10502. igran by (Ivigy