BRASILIA, BRAZIL — Delayed planting and continued dry conditions has dropped Brazil’s estimated corn production 11 million tonnes, to 94 million tonnes, for the 2020-21 marketing year, according to a Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) report from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
If realized, the 2020-21 marketing year corn production would be the lowest Brazilian corn production volume since the 2017-18 marketing year, which also was challenged by drought.
The USDA also has reduced its 2020-21 marketing year corn export forecast along with the expected decline in production. Brazil is anticipated to export 27 million tonnes of corn, a 23% decline year-over-year. However, the USDA maintains its corn export estimate for the 2021-22 marketing year of 40 million tonnes based on an expectation of expanded production, as well as the likelihood that the Brazilian real will remain relatively weak.
Strong domestic demand from Brazil’s poultry livestock sector is fueling a one million tonne increase in corn imports. The USDA expects the country to import about three million tonnes of corn in the 2021-22 marketing year.
Wheat production in the 2020-21 marketing year rebounded compared to the previous year that faced adverse weather. The USDA maintains its wheat production estimate at 6.25 million tonnes.
Despite lowering its estimate, the USDA expects Brazilian wheat production in the 2021-22 marketing year to reach a record high. The country is anticipated to see a wheat production decrease of 200,000 tonnes in the 2021-22 marketing year bringing the total to 6.85 million tonnes. Delayed planting and dry conditions are impacting the commodity’s production.
The USDA’s Brazilian wheat import forecast for the 2020-21 marketing year remains unchanged at 6.5 million tonnes as the devalued Brazilian real has made dollar-dominated imports more expensive. However, diminishing wheat stocks are expected to fuel wheat imports in the 2021-22 marketing year to 6.7 million tonnes.
Record high domestic prices buoyed Brazil’s rice production in the 2020-21 marketing year to 7.9 million tonnes but competition from other commodities such as wheat and corn remain. Production of the commodity in the 2021-22 marketing year is forecast to dip slightly to 7.82 million tonnes.
As the Brazilian economy struggles to deal with impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the weakening Brazilian real is expected to remain compared to the US dollar. This exchange rate is anticipated to buoy export volumes. The USDA has raised its Brazilian rice export estimate to 950,000 tonnes for the 2020-21 marketing year and maintains next season’s forecast at 900,000 tonnes.
Based on the larger-than-expected rice production, the USDA expects Brazil to import about 800,000 tonnes of rice in the 2020-21 marketing year. Imports for the following marketing year are anticipated to total 800,000 tonnes of rice as well.
Make the vegetables: In a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat, add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, until blistered, about 2 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper and jalapeño and cook, stirring, until just starting to soften, about 2 minutes. Pour the corn on top and let it sit undisturbed for about 2 minutes. Stir to combine and cook until the onions are translucent, and the bell pepper softens, about 3 minutes.
Brazilian corn crops -- which have already seen significant production losses in 2020-21 -- are facing further damage from frost conditions observed in the southern parts of the country, with weather forecasts indicating that the conditions may continue throughout the week.
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At dawn on June 29-30, temperatures are likely to be below zero degrees Celsius in Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and the south of Parana. During this same period, there is even the possibility of snowfall in the mountainous areas, especially in Santa Catarina, Brazil's National Institute of Meteorology, or INMET, said in its forecast.
Throughout this week, favorable weather conditions for moderate to strong frost formation is likely to persist in southern Brazil, Mato Grosso do Sul and may extend to Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais, IMNET said.
The delayed planting of the second corn crop in Brazil this season has exposed a large area of corn crop in the country to frost damages.
"We expect that, if the frosts occurs, we might expect a 2mT [million mt] reduction on total production [in the affected region]," one market participant said.
In Parana, the second-largest producer of corn in Brazil, only 1% of the second corn area has been harvested, according to the latest update by Parana's state agriculture and livestock department.
"It is expected that approximately 25% of the second-crop corn at the early stage of maturation will suffer light damage from frost, while approximately 75% of the cultivated area, which is at more frost-sensitive crop development stages, will see significant yield losses," the report said on June 28.
The possibility of more losses comes on the heels of the reduction in the second corn production estimate by the Parana agriculture department last week.
Parana's second corn crop production is estimated at 9.8 million mt in 2020-21, down 33% from the initial estimate and down 19% year on year, the agriculture department said.
The most active corn futures contract on the Brazilian stock exchange B3 hit the upper limit at Real 87.61/60 kg on June 28 due to fears of crop damage due to drought.
In the last 12 months, the average monthly corn price in Brazil for each month was higher than the previous month except for December.
CORN PRICE RECEIVED BY PRODUCERS IN BRAZIL IN REAL/60 KG
Lucas do Rio Verde/Mato Grosso
Londrina/Parana
Passo Fundo/Rio Grande do Sul
Uberlandia/Minas Gerais
Source: CONAB
CEPEA corn indicator
The current weather risks to crop is likely to arrest the slide in corn prices observed in Brazil over the last two weeks asthe local corn supply situation improved slightly with the progress of harvesting operations.
Brazil second corn crop harvest in the nine states which accounts for nearly 92% of the area touched 9.8% as of June 26 as compared to 16.1% around the same time last year, Brazil's national agricultural agency CONAB said in its latest weekly report.
Second corn harvesting in the major producing states of Brazil
June 27
2020 in %
June 19
2021 in %
June 26
2021 in %
Minas Gerais
Mato Grosso do Sul
Mato Grosso
Brazil's 2020-21 (February 2021 to January 2022) corn production forecast was cut to 96.39 million mt from 106.4 million mt projected in May by CONAB due to drought.
Brazil produced a record 102.586 million mt of corn in the 2019-20 season.
The US Department of Agriculture's Brazil attache lowered its 2020-21 corn production forecast by 11 million mt to 94 million mt -- which will be marketed between March 2021 and February 2022.
The USDA's attache also reduced its Brazil corn export forecast for 2020-21 by 10 million mt to 27 million mt, which would represent a 23% decrease year on year.
Brazil is the second-largest corn exporter in the world following the US.
Peru’s table grape exports rose significantly in 2021 thanks to higher production.
According to Peru’s Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation (Midagri), in the first four months of the year, the national production of table grapes reached 364,542 tons for a value of $520 million, reflecting an increase of 17 percent compared to the same period last year, as reported by Agraria.
The department of Ica has positioned itself as the main grape producer during January-March 2021, with 254,092 tons produced, an increase of 22.3 percent than the same time period last year. This department also covers 69.7 percent of the national wine production.
This department is followed by Lima with 39,125 tons (+8.6 percent) covering 10.7 percent of the total, La Libertad with 21,115 tons (+.03 percent) covering 5.8 percent of the total, and Piura with 19,173 tons (+28.4 percent) covering 5.3 percent of the total production.
On the export side, the National Superintendency of Customs and Tax Administration (Sunat) registered $532 million in fresh table exports from January-April 2021, a 27.9 percent increase than the same time period the previous year.
Fresh table grapes have also positioned themselves as the highest export valued product so far this year, with a 23.9 percent share of total agriculture exports.
During the first four months of this year, the U.S. was the main destination with $248 million, 16.3 percent more when compared to the same time period last year.
The U.S. was followed by Hong Kong with $80 million and a growth of 35 percent, the Netherlands with $58 million and a growth of 49.9 percent, Mexico with $24 million and a growth of 8.1 percent, and China with $21 million and a growth of 7 percent.
Mexico is gradually wrapping up a very strong grape season. Apart from some later seeded grape varieties, the main grape growing district Hermosillo finished last week. The district of Caborca is about 80 percent done. All in all, about 19.5 million boxes have been harvested and there are about 1 to 1.5 million boxes of late varieties left. “We grow around 50 percent of these late season varieties,” says Carlos Bon with Divine Flavor.
The company expects to ship until mid-July. “About four years ago, we expanded our acreage with a ranch that is dedicated to growing late-season varieties,” added Bon. “While the majority of the Mexican season traditionally finishes the first week of July, this ranch has allowed us to grow some newer, later maturing varieties and extend the season by about two weeks.” The late-season varieties include Sweet Celebration, Sweet Globe, Autumn Crisp, Cotton Candy, and Jellyberries.
Lower yields/acre
On the supply side, total Mexican grape volume will be close to the 21.5 million boxes originally forecasted. Nevertheless, the dynamics turned out differently. “The yields per acre were significantly lower than originally expected,” shared Bon. “This was made up by a significant amount of new acreage that came into production this season. Everyone in our industry was surprised to see how much new acreage was harvested.” Divine Flavor’s volume is up about 20 percent compared to last year, from 5 million boxes in 2020 to 6 million boxes in 2021.
Demand exceeded expectations
From a demand perspective, it was a great season for the entire industry. “Demand exceeded all expectations. When our season started, the pipeline for retailers was empty due to Chile finishing up early. Even when our season ramped up and we were shipping peak volumes, it took a long time to catch up and fill the retailer’s pipeline. Strong demand in combination with many repeat purchases, resulted in a great season.” At the beginning of the season, prices were strong due to high demand. At this point in the season, the quality has doubled while prices are about half of what they were a month ago.
The US, Canada, and Mexico are key grape markets for Divine Flavor. Outside North America, the company’s biggest market is Japan. In addition, grapes are shipped to Central & South America, Korea, as well as Australia & New Zealand.
With high commodity prices, this is not the year to take the season off from scouting. Even if your corn was planted late, agronomists say you should continue scouting throughout the entire season.
“There may still be some things you can do this season to protect yield potential,” says Dave Nanda, director of genetics for Seed Genetics Direct. “If insects come in during silking in big numbers, or if diseases come in late, you must be ready.”
Remember these scouting objectives:
Silk clipping. Weather conditions may determine whether Japanese beetles or corn rootworm beetles become an issue clipping silks during pollination, Nanda says. While you don’t want to spray if it’s not necessary, be alert. Be aware of what’s happening inside each field as silking unfolds.
According to the Purdue University Corn & Soybean Field Guide, treatment may be necessary if silks are clipped to one-half inch or less before 50% of the plants are pollinated with beetles present. Pull back husks and do the shake test to determine degree of pollination. Silks that already have pollinated ovules will fall away. Silks that remain are still attached to ovules that haven’t been pollinated.
Foliar diseases. Gray leaf spot is still a major disease threat throughout the Corn Belt, especially if it’s warm and wet with sufficient moisture to favor disease. Northern corn leaf blight tends to be more of a problem when summers are on the cool side.
Southern rust must blow in each year from Southern states, so it’s highly dependent on weather conditions. However, it caused some yield loss in 2020, and can even come in late — as late as very early September — and still cause significant yield loss if corn is still in the grain fill state.
Tar spot can also come in late and multiply rather quickly if conditions are right. This relatively new disease tends to be more of a problem in northern counties, but it’s not limited to northern areas.
Beck’s did a study in 2020 aimed at determining if it still pays to invest in fungicide for a later-planted crop, which might have lower yield potential. They applied either no fungicide or 13.7 ounces of Trivapro per acre on corn planted in three windows: April 16-30, May 1-15 and May 16-30. The study was repeated in Kentucky, southern Illinois and Wisconsin.
Beck’s agronomists note that in two of the three locations, Southern rust came in late. Applying a fungicide and still investing in late-planted corn paid off. In fact, fungicide paid off for all three planting dates in 2020, using a corn price of $3.72 per bushel. The return on investment for the three planting windows was, respectively: $38.11, $26.58 and $63.78. If you use the same yield increases at $5-per-bushel corn, ROIs would be: $57.95, $43.04 and $92.45, respectively, assuming all costs were the same as in 2020.
Nutrition concerns. One of the Beck’s Practical Farm Research studies in 2020 turned up a surprising result, which could apply this year in any areas that are dry around the VT stage when fungicide applications are made. Agronomists note there is a sharp increase in boron uptake at flowering. Boron uptake can be limited in dry soils. Two of three locations where a boron additive was included with the fungicide were dry, and showed a payoff for the additive in 2020.
Jun. 29—Muldrow residents Kim and Carrie Shepherd had long-range plans when they visited Fort Gibson's Sweet Corn Festival on Saturday.
"I need to fill my freezer," Carrie Shepherd said, adding that she wanted that sweetness "all year around."
Kim Shepherd said she planned to get "as many as we think we can fit in the freezer, two or three bushels."
Hundreds of others had different reasons for flocking to the Sweet Corn Festival, held Friday and Saturday in downtown Fort Gibson.
Lines formed at the intersection of Poplar and Lee streets to get roasted corn. Some wanted melted butter poured over their ears. On Saturday, a second line formed for succotash.
Nikki Ledbetter of Muskogee said she had never even heard of succotash before.
"This is our first year even knowing this was going on," she said.
David Shepherd of Muldrow is no stranger to the succotash. He said he especially likes "all the corn and vegetables mixed together."
Ryan Bowden spent much of Saturday morning at the succotash griddle, keeping the corn, squash, onions and sausage in separate piles.
"We just kind of let it cook separately, once it gets cooked more, we start frying it together," he said. "We've been frying the okra separate."
He said succotash sold quickly Saturday morning.
"We had kind of a hard time keeping up," he said.
David Shepherd said he and his family have come to Fort Gibson for sweet corn for the past three years.
Comparing it to Webbers Falls corn, he said, "I think Fort Gibson's is a little better."
"It's just really good sweet corn," said David's dad, Paul Shepherd.
Kim Shepherd said she likes the corn best when Paul smokes it. But boiling it also works.
Some people wanted to finish their corn in the shortest time possible. They competed in corn-eating contests Saturday night.
Buddies Trent Ruminer and Tyler Warren talked a little smack before smacking down on their two cobs of corn Saturday night. Despite their challenges and dares, the two lost to repeat champion, Brandon Baker. Tessie Heppel won the children's corn-eating contest.
In 1945, a wet, cold year, finding corn that was knee high by the Fourth of July proved difficult for a Gazette photographer. He found some at the D.D. Liebe farm east of Marion, where 5-year-old Terry Liebe showed it was waist-high for him. (Gazette archives)
The Farmers’ Almanac says “knee high by the Fourth of July” is an adage farmers once used to gauge how their corn crop was doing.
If the corn plants had reached knee high by the Fourth, it signaled a good yield at the end of the growing season.
Some sources trace the saying to colonial times. But it’s been out of date for most of the past century, except for those years marked by drought or too much rain.
Through the years
One of the earliest times the “knee-high” saying appeared in an Eastern Iowa newspaper was in the July 3, 1884, Sumner Gazette.
“It has been considered that if corn was knee high by the Fourth of July that the crop was sure and safe,” the paper said. “According to that rule, most of the corn will get there.”
Ten years later, The Gazette reported corn was mostly weed-free and would be well past knee-high on the Fourth, adding, “There will be very few fields indeed that will not be well up the sides of the horses by that date.”
Mount Vernon-area farmers were reporting corn at least knee-high by July 3, 1927. That edition of The Gazette also published tips on how to patch farmers’ coveralls if they were snagged on barbed wire fences.
1930s drought years
Most of the Midwest was in a drought in early July 1931. Ten people died in Cedar Rapids during a nine-day heat wave. The dry, hot conditions continued through August. Spotty and intermittent rain came too little, too late to save the crops.
It was a pattern that would continue through the most of the “Dust Bowl” decade.
In January 1936, near constant blizzards left 15 feet of snow on the ground. But after the spring thaw, no substantial rain fell for the rest of the year in most of Iowa. While the north-central and northeast sections of the state had a harvest, 35 southern and western Iowa counties qualified for drought aid.
Black Hawk County native and author James Hearst wrote about the swirling dust of 1934-1936,
“The dust settled so thickly on the pastures that the cattle would not eat, and cows and calves, and steers wandered about bawling their hunger.
“We found it hard to believe. We all knew about dust storms in the dry plains of the Southwest, but for drought and wind and dust to sweep, like a plague, over the fertile fields of Black Hawk County, Iowa, seemed a bad dream.”
Rainy, cold 1945
By 1945, rainy, cold weather had stunted field corn growth, and it took a Gazette photographer a while to find some knee-high corn.
He finally did on the D.D. Liebe farm, 1½ miles east of Marion — where he took a memorable picture — and another stand near Van Horne in Benton County.
Whose corn is best?
Corn producers had some fun in 1975, when the Cedar Rapids-Marion Area Chamber of Commerce asked mayors of Iowa’s 99 county seat cities to donate seed packets to see which county’s corn would grow the tallest.
Mayors from 36 county seat towns responded.
“We’re just doing this for fun, and we’re pleased with the response,” contest Chairman Allen Peterson said. “Some mayors wrote notes, saying it had been ages since they’d heard of a tall corn contest.”
One mayor wrote on his packet entry, “Better get out the cultivator when you plant this seed.”
Kirkwood Community College teamed with the chamber, setting aside a half-acre of ground to plant a sample of each county’s seeds.
Representatives from Kirkwood’s ag department planted the seeds the week of May 10.
“Most of the tall corn in the Mayor’s Tall Corn Contest plots at Kirkwood Community College will be knee-high by the Fourth of July,” Gazette farm editor Al Swegle reported. “We all know Iowa is the tall corn state.”
After some research, contest officials discovered that a Washington County farmer had grown corn 31 feet tall in the 1930s.
“Contest officials are watching to see if Washington Mayor Harold L. Johnson holds up the Washington County tradition,” Swegle reported.
Wright County’s corn was already knee high by June 10, according to Peterson. By July 4, the leading county was Franklin, with 48-inch-tall corn. Close behind was Hardin County at 46 inches.
The contest ended Aug. 26. Independence Mayor Robert Blakesley won with Buchanan County’s corn that measured 10 feet, 9 inches.
Iowa Agriculture Secretary Robert Lounsberry presented plaques to Blakesley and the runners-up. Dakota City Mayor John R. Greene won second place for Humboldt County’s 9 feet, 10 inches, and Waukon Mayor Ralph D. Grotegut came in third with Allamakee County’s 9 feet, 7 inches.
Comments: D.fannonlangton@gmail.com
Little Cynthia Thompson, daughter of the Russell Thompsons of Van Horne, couldn't understand all the worry about corn being "knee-high by the Fourth of July." In this July 5, 1952, photo, Cynthia took her toy tractor into her dad’s field and reported the cornstalks were "like trees in a forest" (Gazette archives)
Marvin Bentrott, who stands about 6 feet tall, shows his shoulder-high corn on the Fourth of July, 2003, at his farm 2 miles north of Springville. “It's about normal for this time of year for you to end up with a good crop," he said. (Gazette archives)
A worker harvests grapes at a farm in Khatatba Al Minufiyah Governorate in Egypt, north of Cairo. Table grapes are exported to EU countries, mainly Germany and the Netherlands. EPA
Workers harvest grapes at a farm in Khatatba Al Minufiyah Governorate in Egypt, north of Cairo. Table grapes are exported to EU countries, mainly Germany and the Netherlands. EPA
Workers harvest grapes at a farm in Khatatba Al Minufiyah Governorate in Egypt, north of Cairo. Table grapes are exported to EU countries, mainly Germany and the Netherlands. EPA
Workers harvest grapes at a farm in Khatatba Al Minufiyah Governorate in Egypt, north of Cairo. Table grapes are exported to EU countries, mainly Germany and the Netherlands. EPA
Workers collect grapes at a farm in Khatatba Al Minufiyah Governorate in Egypt, north of Cairo. Table grapes are exported to EU countries, mainly Germany and the Netherlands. EPA
A worker harvests grapes at a farm in Khatatba Al Minufiyah, Egypt. EPA
A worker harvests grapes at a farm in Khatatba Al Minufiyah Governorate in Egypt, north of Cairo. Table grapes are exported to EU countries, mainly Germany and the Netherlands. EPA
A worker harvests grapes at a farm in Khatatba Al Minufiyah, Egypt. EPA
A worker harvests grapes at a farm in Khatatba Al Minufiyah Governorate in Egypt, north of Cairo. Table grapes are exported to EU countries, mainly Germany and the Netherlands. EPA
A worker harvests grapes at a farm in Khatatba Al Minufiyah, Egypt. EPA
A worker harvests grapes at a farm in Khatatba Al Minufiyah Governorate in Egypt, north of Cairo. Table grapes are exported to EU countries, mainly Germany and the Netherlands. EPA
South Dakota’s corn and soybean crop conditions are worsening as this year’s drought intensifies.
That’s according to crop progress reports compiled by the United States Department of Agriculture.
The bulk of the state’s corn and soybeans are in fair to poor condition.
Scott VanderWal is president of the South Dakota Farm Bureau. He says he’s never seen conditions this dry this early.
“We’re seeing corn curling up and it’s only waste high or a little more,” VanderWal says. “Obviously it hasn’t pollinated. When corn is at that stage it’s already set the number of rows of kernels that will be on the cob, for the most part. It was under pretty good stress when that happened, so that may not be good.”
That could have a negative effect on yields, even if the state receives rain. Regardless, VanderWal says the state is in desperate need of moisture.
Of the 18 states that produce the bulk of the country’s corn, South Dakota is faring the worst. The state’s soybeans are performing slightly better than North Dakota, which is worst in the nation.
South Dakota had a drier-than-normal spring. Ninety percent of the state is in some form of drought.
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon – they’re the Justin Bieber and Leonardo Dicaprios of the wine world.
But if you dig a little deeper, there are many other wonderful wines out there.
Malbec and Carmenere come to mind when you think of great, lesser-known red wine grapes.
Gewurztraminer and Gruner Veltliner are great examples when it comes to under-the-radar white wine grapes.
You can another one to the list – Grenache Blanc.
I recently had an outstanding one from California’s Napa Valley.
And for fans of dry, understated white wines, you’re in for a real treat if don’t already know about this white wine grape that tastes like the love child of a Sauvignon Blanc and a Pinot Grigio.
You can read more about this grape and the wine that sparked this column below. Hope you enjoy.
Grenache Blanc is the white wine version of the wildly popular Grenache grape. Blanc means “white” in French. And to make things even slightly more confusing, Grenache is called Garnacha in Spain, but it’s the exact same grape. Winemakers have been making wine using Grenache, or rather Garnacha grapes in this particular case, in Spain for hundreds of years. Nowadays, you can find Grenache Blanc wines made throughout the world.
In many cases, many winemakers blend Grenache Blanc with other grapes to make a wide range of wines. However, this versatile grape tastes great all on its own, judging from this week’s outstanding white wine.
GRENACHE BLANC WINE GROWING REGIONS
The two most common places where you will find wines made with Grenache Blanc grapes are Spain and France. In particular, these white wine grapes are often found in France’s Roussillion region (more than 12,000 acres of Grenache Blanc grapes grow there) along with the Southern Rhone region, where Grenache Blanc grapes are often blended to make white Chateauneuf-Du-Pape wines.
In Spain, the most popular Grenache Blanc growing areas include Catalunya and Aragon, along with Priorat, Rioja and several other wine growing regions in Spain. Other countries where you can find Grenache Blanc wines include the United States (especially in California’s Santa Ynez Valley), Croatia (where the wine is called Belan) and the Republic of Macedonia, according to the outstanding book, “Wine Grapes,” by Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding and Jose Vouillamoz.
WINE TASTING NOTES
2019 Priest Ranch Grenache Blanc
Region – Napa Valley, California
Tasting Notes – One of the great joys of drinking wine from around the world is discovering something different and exciting. But it’s rare to find something new from one of the most recognizable wine growing regions in the world. That’s why I was so pleased to taste this delightful Grenache Blanc from California’s Napa Valley.
As I explained above, this dry, refreshing wine tastes like the perfect blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio grapes. There’s a slight tartness to the wine along with a dash of crisp, grassy undertones. The wine also has a subtle green apple and mineral-like taste and aroma, but nothing overpowering, nothing in your face. Just a welcome, inviting change to California’s wonderful white wines. It’s also a great introduction to the amazing possibilities for this versatile, lesser-known grape.
Cheers!
Wine PressbyKen Rossappears onMasslive.comevery Monday and in The Republican’s weekend section every Thursday.
Hot and dry weather dominated the Corn Belt through much of June 2021, but the final week of the month brings some relief from the dry conditions, at least for parts of the region. Meanwhile, a historic heatwave in the final weekend of June melts the region with widespread triple-digit heat. Hot and dry weather will scorch Oregon and Washington where spring wheat conditions are already in rather poor condition.
June 2021, through June 24, has been one of the hottest and driest of the past 30 years in the Corn Belt, according to data from WeatherTrends360. However, the final week of the month brings relief to parts of the Corn Belt as rains finally arrive. A stalled cold front brought heavy showers and storms primarily from the Central Plains to the Great Lakes in the last weekend of June 2021. Chances of showers and thunderstorms will continue through the final days of the month.
Despite all the good news surrounding the recent rains, too much rain at once can cause harm. Flash flooding broke out in the final weekend of June as heavy rains dumped several inches of rain across the Central Plains, Midwest, and Great Lakes. Additionally, severe storms that brought hail and strong winds caused damage to some crop fields including in parts of Iowa, eastern Nebraska, and northern Missouri. While the rainfall is much needed, smaller and more persistent doses would be preferred to a violent and heavy dumping of precipitation at one time.
While rains arrived in parts of the Corn Belt in the final week of June, some areas remained on the drier side. This includes areas that have to date seen some of the worst drought conditions so far this season, like North Dakota and Minnesota, according to data from WeatherTrends360. Additionally, this area is favored for above-normal temperatures through the week-ending July 1, 2021, which will help to deplete soil moisture rapidly.
While the Corn Belt deals with its own drought challenges, the drought-ridden Pacific Northwest is enduring one of the hottest spells of weather on record here in late June. WeatherTrends360 forecasts that exceptionally hot and dry weather will stick around through much of the week ending July 1, which will be among the hottest and driest on record for the Pacific Northwest. This spell of hot and dry weather will do little to help the spring wheat crop in Washington state where more than half of the crop was rated in poor to very poor condition as of the week ending June 20, 2021.
Summer and corn go hand-in-hand, but when it’s 100 degrees outside, who really wants to boil a giant kettle of water or fire up the grill every time a hankering for that crunchy sweetness strikes?
A microwave oven is the fastest and easiest way to prepare corn, and it delivers remarkably fresh and flavorful results every time.
Microwaves have a gotten a bad rap over the years, but there are significant benefits to using them for many vegetables. Some of the nutrients in veggies break down when exposed to intense heat, or can leach out into water when boiled. A microwave’s quick, gentle and relatively dry cooking environment can help retain more of a vegetable’s nutritional value — not to mention give you more perfectly cooked results.
Microwaving corn couldn’t be easier.
For starters, leave the ears of corn in their husks, which will help retain moisture and let the corn gently steam while cooking. Wrap the ears of corn in a damp kitchen towel and place them on a plate. If you’re only cooking an ear or two, three minutes on high power will do the trick. Add a minute for three or four ears. Cook the corn in batches if you need to prepare more than four ears.
Note: every microwave is a little bit different, so you may find you need to add or subtract time depending on how well you like your corn cooked.
When the time is up, let the corn rest on the counter, still swaddled in its towel, until you can handle it without burning your fingers. You’ll find the husks and silks both very easy to remove, and the kernels inside will still be plump and full of juice, unlike the shriveled and withered kernels that can easily happen by accidentally overcooking in a pot of water or on a grill.
By cooking the ears first, the individual kernels will be easier to cut off more-or-less intact and retain more of their sweet nectar. You can then give them a quick sear in a skillet for a batch of Mexican street corn (esquites), chill them for use in a summery corn salad or nearly any other application calling for whole corn kernels.
Plenty of other vegetables are a breeze to cook in a microwave. Here are a few of the best candidates.
Broccoli: Place 8 ounces of florets in a bowl with 3 tablespoons of water, cover the bowl with a plate and cook on high for two to three minutes.
Carrots: Place 8 ounces sliced carrots in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of water, cover with a plate and cook on high for three minutes.
Frozen peas: Place 8 ounces of peas in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of water. Cover with a paper towel and cook on high for three to four minutes.
Potatoes: For a fast baked potato, prick a potato several times with a fork. Cook it on high for 5 minutes, flip it over and cook an additional three to five minutes.
Zucchini: Place 8 ounces of cut zucchini in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of water, cover with a plate and cook on high for three to four minutes.
There is an easy, tried-and-true way to strip all those kernels off the cob, as well, and it involves a Bundt pan.
Whether the ears are raw or cooked, place the tip of the ear in the small hole in the center of the pan. Now, carefully run a sharp knife down the cob. The pan will tidily collect all the kernels, unlike the stray bits of corn that get shot off into the darkest corners of the kitchen when slicing over a cutting board.
SAO PAULO, June 28 (Reuters) - A strong polar air mass moving through the South and Southeast areas in Brazil this week will probably damage fields of corn, but the risk is smaller for problems in areas of sugar cane and coffee, analysts and weather centers said on Monday.
There is forecast of frosts happening from Tuesday to Thursday in most regions in the state of Parana -- Brazil's 2nd largest grain producer -- in parts of Mato Grosso do Sul and in the southern part of Sao Paulo state, the country's number 1 sugar cane grower.
Parana's weather agency Simepar says basically all areas in the state will see frosts in the next days. Meteorologists Rural Clima said neighboring Paraguay will also see frosts that could impact its corn.
"The situation is complicated for the 2nd corn crop in the west and south of Parana, in the Mato Grosso do Sul state and in Paraguay," said Rural Clima's meteorologist Marco Antonio dos Santos.
"Frosts could also hit some sugar cane and coffee areas in the northern part of Parana and in the southern part of Sao Paulo," he added. Those areas, however, account for a very small part of Brazil's coffee and sugar production.
Rural Clima and also Somar Meteorologia see a low risk of frosts hitting the main coffee areas in Minas Gerais, as well as the largest sugar cane fields in the northern part of Sao Paulo.
For corn, the damage could be certain since many fields were planted later than usual, a result of delays on the soybean crop, and are still in the stage when cold weather could be harmful.
The Brazilian second corn crop, or winter corn, has already lost potential yield due to a long dry spell this year, so the frosts would further reduce the production. (Reporting by Roberto Samora; additional reporting and writing by Marcelo Teixeira in New York; Editing by Aurora Ellis)
Vanguard International’s roots with Egyptian growers dates back to 2012. Egypt quickly became a natural fit with Vanguard’s global goals and has increased year-on-year ever since, delighting customers around the world.
Citrus and grapes are two vitally important categories for Vanguard. Egypt has become a central partner in the growth and quality of these produce streams.
Sourcing from Egypt is handled from Vanguard International office in Cape Town, South Africa. It’s a natural synergy as the Egyptian Citrus seasons wind down as the South African citrus programs are ramping up.
Left to right: Neil Truter and Pierre Coetzee
The Vanguard Egypt team is spearheaded by Pierre Coetzee, assistant manager and Neil Truter, quality assurance and grower relations manager.
In the Egyptian fruit exporting industry, citrus is number one. Egypt growers offer a diverse varietal mix of citrus including Navels, Navel Lates, Valencias, grapefruit, mandarins and lemons.
The top countries for Egyptian fruit exports historically have been Russia, the Middle East, Europe and the UK. In the past few years the market focus for Egyptian citrus has changed significantly to include core markets in China and Southeast Asia. With Vanguard being specialists in these markets, we have been able to add significant value for our Egyptian growers and customers.
Our team in Egypt includes several growers/packer/shippers, most of whom own groves and packing houses. Pierre and Neil have dedicated time to travel in Egypt and have greatly enjoyed the opportunity to meet with growers and see first hand the growing/packing operations.
Table grapes
“When you visit our Egyptian growers’ farms there is a strong feeling of family,” said Pierre Coetzee. “There is a deep caring for the agriculture team of locals who have been on the farm a long time.”
While citrus has long been a focus in Egypt, the region has come into its own as a table grape producer in the past five years too. Previously, the region focused on more ‘traditional’ varieties.
However, Egyptian grape growers are moving rapidly into the IP varieties that align with the global market demand and Vanguard’s grape strategy.
Beyond the synergy in citrus and table grape commodities, there are many attributes making Egyptian producers and Vanguard International a fit. Both are driven by relationships and a commitment to care and nurture those relationships. Add in a healthy obsessive focus on attention to detail and communication, and an understanding of the critical nature of a well-managed supply chain, this grows into a partnership for success for all parties involved, including the growers, packers, Vanguard, and its customers around the world.
EDEN, N.Y. (WIVB) — Many of us love sweet corn, but how would you feel about trying it in ice cream form?
This year at the Eden Corn Festival, the Eden Chamber of Commerce will be serving up a special treat, and you can probably guess what it is — sweet corn ice cream.
The unique ice cream was created by Chamber of Commerce Board Member and local farmer Matthew Agle, in partnership with Hamburg’s Main St. Ice Cream.
“Made with a delicious blend of Eden’s famous sweet corn in combination with handcrafted ice cream, this novelty treat is definitely worth a try!” the Chamber of Commerce says.
As of now, the Eden Corn Festival is the only place you can get it. The Chamber of Commerce says “generous servings” will be available to festival attendees along with their annual chicken barbeque.
This year’s festival will take place from August 5-8. More information can be found here.
* Soybeans start week on positive note after heavy losses
* Rains in parts of U.S. Midwest limit gains Chicago futures (Adds quote in paragraphs 3-4; updates prices)
By Naveen Thukral
SINGAPORE, June 28 (Reuters) - Chicago soybean and corn futures on Monday recouped some of last week's steep losses, although gains were limited as forecasts of wet weather in key U.S. growing areas raised the prospect of higher supplies.
Wheat gained in early Asian trade.
"There are lot of cross currents at the moment which are pulling prices in different directions," said Phin Ziebell, agribusiness economist at National Australia Bank in Melbourne.
"U.S. weather has improved but we think the downside is limited, given the demand."
The most-active Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) soybean contract was up 0.8% at $12.80 a bushel as of 0253 GMT, and corn gained 0.5% at $5.21-2/3 a bushel.
Wheat rose 0.7% to $6.45 a bushel.
Corn and soybean futures tumbled last week after the U.S. Supreme Court made it easier for small oil refineries to win exemptions from a federal law requiring increasing levels of ethanol and other renewable fuels to be blended into their products, a major setback for biofuel producers.
The closely watched case could potentially make more corn and soybean supplies available for other uses.
The wheat market is facing headwinds as harvests gather pace across the Northern Hemisphere.
Russia, the world's largest wheat exporter, started harvesting its 2021 grain crop on Wednesday with bright prospects for another year of large production.
Large speculators cut their net long position in CBOT corn futures in the week to June 22, regulatory data released on Friday showed.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission's weekly commitments of traders report also showed that non-commercial traders, a category that includes hedge funds, trimmed their net short position in CBOT wheat and cut their net long position in soybeans. (Reporting by Naveen Thukral, Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Amy Caren Daniel)
Novarank Monastery in the Vayots Dzor Province of Armenia,
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For many wine producers, harvesting the grapes is the most stressful time period as it can make or break the future of potential wines. Some harvests are easier than others with enough time to gather the grapes with the days and nights going exactly as planned and making it a truly wonderful celebration of gathering ideally ripened fruit under easy circumstances. Yet there are other harvests where each step is trying, terrifying and at times exhausting as Mother Nature paints the skies grey with the gloom and doom of either too much rain or devastating hail. Neither an easy nor tough harvest is an absolute guarantee that the wine will be great as sometimes the cruelest vintages, with regards to weather, can produce incredible wines but those same wines will still send a chill up the spine of the winemaker as the memories of relentless stress are conjured by the very smell and taste of it.
The stresses and pressures that are faced during harvest can be very different in certain wine regions in Armenia - dodging bullets while carrying small boxes full of wine grapes to the car and some being forced to use their tiniest vehicle to harvest the grapes so they are not noticed by hostile military forces across the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Many of these wine grape growers have survived so much; from the repression of the Soviet Union to being placed into an unknown limbo after its dissolution in 1991 and now in a conflict zone where each harvest can become a literal life or death situation, especially in the Berdavan community in the North East province of Tavush. But remarkably, people somehow are able to give a lot of attention to their vines to grow grapes for quality wine as there has been an escalating interest in quality wines from Armenia.
Areni-1 Cave Complex Where the Earliest Known Winery in the World was Found, Vayots Dzor Province, ... [+]Armenia
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In 2010, archaeologists “unearthed a wine press for stomping grapes, fermentation and storage vessels, drinking cups, and withered grape vines, skins, and seeds” which all together are “evidence of the world's oldest known winery” in the Areni village in the famous Vayots Dzor wine province located in the southeastern part of Armenia. These discoveries are traced back at least 6,100 years and they were located in a cave now known as Areni-1 which proves humans produced wine “systematically” 1,000 years earlier than what had been previously noted. Armenia is home to over 400 native grape varieties and one can imagine since systematic winemaking had been there for so long with a wealth of grapes as well as a range of varying terroirs that it was on its way to becoming a well-established winemaking country until everything came to a screeching halt when the Soviet Union took it over in 1922.
Armenia made brandy for the Soviets and its neighboring country Georgia made wine and so many of the vineyards were managed for quantity, mixing all of the grapes without any concern for expression of grape variety or vineyard site as well as being removed from the world of wine with no reference point except for what the Soviet Union demanded.
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It makes sense that the world discovered the ancient winemaking from Georgia sooner since their wine production never stopped as opposed to Armenia which has stayed longer as a hidden gem of an ancient winemaking land. But there would have had to be a pioneer that would be able to teach the people of Armenia how to manage vineyards, how to make wine that would be at the level of international high-quality standards, who knew people from the outside who could bring interest from the rest of the world; since many parts of Armenia are still a conflict zone surely it would take a warrior to set up such infrastructures within such a tumultuous place… but no, the man who is pioneering the reemergence of Armenia is a lover not a fight, a man who through it all has never stopped dreaming the romantic dreams of walking on the wine path.
Vahe Keushguerian
Vahe Keushguerian
Sara Anjargolian
Vahe Keushguerian is one such man who admits to winemaking not being a “rational business” but he is a man who has lived his life based on the beauty of connecting to people and having experiences that feed the heart and soul with love, excitement and fun. Although he was raised in the Armenian culture he has been a wandering soul from an early age with his family first moving from the western part of Mount Ararat, once Armenia but today Turkey, to Syria and then from Syria to Lebanon, growing up in Lebanon and going from Italy to various cities in the U.S. to eventually back to Italy and then to Armenia.
He initially got into the wine business in 1985 when he started a restaurant in Berkeley, California, and he has thought recently of those times again as one of his regular customers, Jim Clendenen, winemaker and owner of Au Bon Climat and famous original founding member of the “Rhône Rangers”, passed away a little over a month ago. Vahe can remember how fascinating it was to hear many of the Rhône Rangers’ founders come in and talk about their wines, as many times he would set up special menus with them. As Vahe’s obsession and reverence for fine wine grew, in 1994 he started a wine import company in California bringing in wines from Italy and France. Four year later he and his family moved to Tuscany as he said during that time it was an economically depressed area and so he was able to buy 87 acres “almost for free” and that is where he took a very romantic approach to learning how to become a winemaker as he knew what great wine tasted like; through trial and error he would eventually start making wines that he had loved to drink for years.
“It was really risky,” Vahe noted about jumping into winemaking in Tuscany but he is a man that leads with his heart and luckily he said that the demand for Tuscan grapes went up the following year after he purchased the vineyards. Then in ‘97 his life took an unexpected turn that would even surprise a free spirit like Vahe as that year he met a friend in Paris for a fun trip that ended up taking a detour to Armenia. Vahe was shocked to learn how long wine was made in Armenia and as he spoke to winemakers in the area, as well as visiting some of the top vineyard sites, he realized that Armenia was a special winemaking place to be discovered by the world.
Vahe said with a big laugh, “If I had to write it 20 years ago I would have still been making wine in Tuscany, end of story, and living happily ever after but over 15 years later I am making wine in Artsakh here in Armenia” – Republic of Artsakh is a territory that sits between Armenia and Azerbaijan and it doesn’t officially belong to either country as it is a conflict zone.
At first, Vahe flew back and forth to Armenia helping to lay a foundation of improving the wine industry and then in 2009 he decided to move with his family – wife and two kids, to live in Armenia for a “gap year” as his children were going to high school in Maine. He would eventually live in the western area of Armenia, bordering Turkey, in the Armavir province and he has been there for the last 12 years and his daughter, Aimee, moved there full-time six years ago with 2015 being her first Armenian harvest.
Aimee founded Zulal in 2017, introducing the 2015 Zulal Areni Reserve and 2017 Zulal Voskehat wines with the red grape Areni and white grape Voskehat being two well-respected native grapes from Armenia and representing her mission of expressing these grapes and terroirs in single varietal wines – she has, since Zulal’s inception, started working with other native varieties as well.
Aimee discussed how the wine culture is exploding in Armenia as within a short amount of time, the first wine bar, In Vino, opened in 2015 and two years later the first wine focused restaurant opened, Wine Republic, and that each year she can see people getting more comfortable, especially women, drinking wine in communal settings as the old ways of the Soviet Union of drinking vodka or brandy in private rooms is fading.
This change in lifestyle was observed by Zack Armen, co-founder and president of Storica Wines - a U.S. import company bringing in Armenian wines, when he visited Armenia in 2017. Born and raised in the U.S., Zack who is 100% ethically Armenian, went back and forth to Armenia with his family every year as they were very involved in helping the Armenian community with his father’s charity, Children of Armenia Fund (COAF). “For some reason that year seemed to be an inflection point where all of a sudden we were drinking a lot of wine,” noted Zack and he continued, “as we either drank a lot of Russian vodka or Armenia brandy in the past but wine was never part of the things we would order” and he was also surprised that there wasn’t just lots of wine but good wine and wine bars and wine stores popping up all over the place. Zack was already involved in a venture fund where they were investing in agricultural technology and he had been already applying the knowledge to help Armenian vegetable farmers to work in a more sustainable way with his father’s charity but he never thought about wine until that visit in 2017.
Vahe was a friend of his father and they had partnered in different aspects of helping the COAF and once Zack spoke to Vahe and Aimee, learned more about the vineyards and tasted more wines, he knew that he had to find a way to start importing these wines into the U.S. and so he started with Aimee’s Zulal wines and Vahe’s Keush wines which are an expression of Vahe’s love for Champagne.
Second Generation of Pioneers
Vahe and Aimee Keushguerian in Vayots Dzor Province, Armenia
Tigran Hayrapetyan
Vahe spoke of his excitement for his daughter and her generation when it comes to building the future for Armenian wines. Vahe started a custom crush facility called WineWorks that Aimee now helps to run that initially was to make it possible for him to produce his sparkling wines made in the Champagne-method (Méthode Champenoise) from vines that are over 100 years old that sit at an elevation around 5,800 feet in the famous Vayots Dzor wine region - making them some of the highest vineyards in the Northern Hemisphere - as well as making Aimee’s single varietal Zulal still wines. But over time WineWorks has also launched many Armenian wine producers as they help to get their feet off the ground during their first few years as well as being able to break barriers with placing indigenous variety names on the label such as the first time a grape variety was placed on an Armenian wine label with the Voskehat white variety on the 2013 inaugural vintage of Keush; today Voskehat is considered the white grape with the most potential for fine wine.
Then there is also their vineyard management company helping grape growers to produce more quality grapes leaving behind the Soviet practices of growing for quantity and their fight to establish legislation to help safeguard the future for quality wines in Armenia. And as if that isn’t enough, the EVN Wine Academy where Vahe is the co-founder is helping to give a formal winemaking education to the Armenian youth as well as give them opportunities to do internships in other countries so they can come back with that knowledge and experience to share with their community.
So there are many levels of how Vahe and Aimee are working to grow the Armenian wine industry to live up to its ancient winemaking heritage that ranges from the vineyards to the winery to branding and marketing showing the farmers and their children that there is a bright future for Armenian wines. Aimee was even part of a group that visited the Riedel wine glass factory in Kufstein, Austria, to design a glass for the Armenian native variety Areni; today the Riedel ‘Performance Pinot Noir’ glass lists Areni as one of the grape varieties that it is made for. And she has even connected to U.S. female winemakers through the Bâtonnage forum which brings women in the wine industry together to ask for advice when it comes to winemaking. It has been a tremendous amount of work and their wines show not only the solid infrastructure they have created but the incredible potential as the Keush and Zulal wines express something very distinctive and unique yet they are classic and stunning in their elegance and beauty.
But even though Aimee is an impressive 28-year-old who has really had to take over and learn every aspect of the wine business, she credits her father Vahe as making any of what they are doing with wine in Armenia possible. Her hope is to take what her father has already built and through time bring in organic and biodynamic practices and design the vineyards with a mindset towards quality which is challenging because each acre is broken up between several farmers where each owns two rows of the vineyard; but even with their Soviet Union designed vineyards they are already producing impressive wines so that is a great sign for the future of Armenian wines.
The wine regions of Armenia have challenges like few other in the world and they needed someone desperately from the outside who was deeply emotionally invested in Armenia to come and discover what it had to offer and be willing to make that commitment, and that man is Vahe Keushguerian.
It was interesting to learn that the reason Vahe was moving to the Republic of Artsakh is because Armenians have recently lost 70% of their land there to a war last fall with Azerbaijan which included the loss of three incredibly important Armenian wineries, vineyards and forests that they used for Caucasian oak. And so Vahe, a man that has lived his life following his heart into wine, has gotten into politics and he has been appointed advisor to the Armenian Prime Minister on economic development. He is coordinating with all the international development companies, the donors and the fundraisers to focus help towards those in Artsakh and to try to protect what they have left of their vineyards and build a wine cooperative.
Standing Up For A Culture’s Rightful Place
View of a Village at the Foot of a Mountain in Vayots Dzor Province, Armenia
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Aimee exclaimed, “Our wine industry is so important as our grapes will give us a reason to stay and defend our land as we can’t and we won’t lose our vineyards!” And it just took an ethnically Armenian man, who like many immigrants belonged everywhere and nowhere, basing his life on the romantic visions of his wine dreams; he was supposed to live out his wine fantasy in Tuscany until he discovered to his surprise that in his own blood there was thousands of years of wine culture.
Many times throughout history Armenians have had to flee their home to find safety somewhere else leaving behind their land, their way of life and some of the most sacred things that were rooted in Armenian history, such as their winemaking and vines, and there have been times that they have been threatened to be wiped out if they didn’t give up everything and move to a distant land. Yet the time has come for them to stand up and protect their home, their vineyards and their native grape varieties so they can take their rightful place among ancient winemaking countries.
NV Keush 'Origins', Méthode Traditionnelle Brut
Cathrine Todd
Ancient Storage Jar Found in Areni-1 Cave, World's Earliest Known Winery in the Village of Areni ... [+](there is a village named Areni and a grape named Areni), in Vayots Dzor Province, Armenia
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The wines below are from the famous Vayots Dzor wine province that has proof that wine has been made there for at least 6,000 years if not much longer. The vineyards are many times up high in the mountains, over 4,000 feet, and are planted with ancient indigenous varieties such as the white grape variety Voskehat and the red grape Areni that has vines averaging around 40 to 50 years old that reach up to over 100 years of age. Many of these vines were used for local homemade wine as the vines were not capable of producing large quantities for the Soviet Union and so the winemaking culture has never stopped in this area of Armenia
2019 Zulal, Voskehat
Cathrine Todd
NV Keush 'Origins', Méthode Traditionnelle Brut, Vayots Dzor, Armenia: 60% Voskehat and 40% Katouni coming from high-elevated (4,920-5,577 feet) volcanic and limestone soils with minimum 22 months lees aging. Lightly toasted bread notes with intense minerality and hint of lemon blossom and white flowers on the nose with marked acidity, lots of energy and finely creamy textured bubbled on the palate. Really impressively elegant all around! $26.
2019 Zulal, Voskehat, Vayots Dzor, Armenia: 100% Voskehat. White flowers and stony minerality makes me think that the indigenous variety Voskehat from Armenia typically has these qualities as the above sparkling had the same notes. Tangy and flavorful with green mango and juicy peach on the palate with crisp acidity and a lifted expressive finish. $20.
2018 Zulal, Areni 'Reserve'
Cathrine Todd
2018 Zulal, Areni 'Reserve', Vayots Dzor, Armenia: Uniquely pretty nose with spiced pickled cherries, cinnamon bark and lily of the valley wafting in and out with mouth watering acidity, soft tannins with bright red cherries and floral lift continuing on the finish. Wow! So unique yet also perfectly balanced - typically the two don't go together. $22.
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Left to right: Neil Truter and Pierre Coetzee 
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