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least 60 years. Yolo County grower Larry Hunn said he’s surprised wheat prices aren’t higher, given the Kansas drought and added uncertainty of the war be- tween Ukraine and Russia, two top- producing regions. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year, wheat prices reached a record high of more than $12 a bushel. Current pric- es stand in the upper $7 range, which Hunn described as “decent” compared to several years ago, when they were near
$4 a bushel. Even so, he said the higher cost of fertilizer and labor “puts you may- be in the same place that you were.” “At the end of the day, you don’t net any more dollars, or if you do, they’re worth less because of inflation,” he added. Hunn said he’s still about a week away from starting harvest. He described yields as below normal, noting that heavy rains flooded some of his fields, which had to be drained. Still, he said his crop “looks
better than I anticipated.” The Russia-Ukraine war has had other impacts on the wheat market. U.S. Wheat Associates reported at least one mill, in Tampa, Florida, has been importing “cheap” wheat from Poland rather than buying domestic. The decision is based on economics, the group said, noting that moving for- eign wheat across the Atlantic is now less expensive than railing it across the U.S. That’s because the war displaced a lot of commodities from Ukraine, flooding the Eastern European market and pushing prices down. California remains the nation’s larg- est milling state by capacity, and as such, mills here import some 2.5 million metric tons of wheat annually from other states to satisfy their production, Carter said. They mix those sources of wheat with California-grown wheat, with some mills using no more than 10% from the Golden State in their blends, she noted. Aside from durum, Carter said California wheat exports have been vir- tually “nonexistent.” Foreign markets moved away from buying California wheat years ago when supplies started to decline as farmers grew less wheat, she said. Nationally, the higher value of the dollar has hurt exports of U.S. wheat, which becomes more expensive against other currencies. Despite these challenges, Carter said California farmers continue to grow wheat in their rotation because it gives them options to sell it as a grain to mills or as livestock feed. She said, “It gives them flexibility.” (Ching Lee is an assistant editor of Ag Alert. She may be contacted at clee@cfbf.com.) Forestry advisors offer workshops for landowners Forest landowners in Solano, Yolo and Sacramento counties are encouraged to learn about their forests and connect with natural resource professionals during a nine-week workshop series sponsored by the University of California Cooperative Extension. The Forest Stewardship Workshop Series, set to begin July 18, will address concerns among California landowners, including forest ecology and vegetation management, financial planning and targeted grazing, and offer cost-shar- ing opportunities. Content is applica- ble to forest landowners regardless of location. The course includes presen- tations by the Resource Conservation District, UCCE forestry advisors, Cal Fire, U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service and others. Workshop classes take place weekly via Zoom, with practical learning set for a field day at an outdoor location. Interested landowners may register at https:// ucanr.edu/sites/forestry/Stewardship/ ForestStewardshipWorkshops/.
main market outlet for durum—stopped producing semolina when the nearby pasta plant shut down. Imperial Valley growers still sell to mills in Arizona that take durum or export it to markets such as Italy, a key buyer. With drought decimating fields in Kansas, farmers in the nation’s top wheat-producing state are expected to produce their smallest wheat crop in at
2023 Retirement Plan
California’s state retirement plan mandate expanded on January 1 to include those employers with one or more employees. Ensure you are prepared to comply with the new California retirement plan mandate. Join us at one of our webinars presented by Nationwide. For a list of class dates and to register, visit cfbf.com/FBE or call (800) 698-FARM for assistance. You will receive a Zoom link and details two days prior to your selected webinar date. Members, enjoy access to free classes! Register for the upcoming webinars.
12 Ag Alert June 21, 2023
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