Beans vs. disease Some Illinois fields hit by SDS, white mold – Page 4
Bumper crop?
State corn yields might just set a record – Page 5
Big on pigs
Blue ribbons, PED on fair exhibitors’ minds – Pages 9-11
typed in Cosmos extra bold
Dave Fox/Special to Today’s Farm
Cover story: Cornpicker Reunion will celebrate classic harvesting machines – Pages 6-8 Tuesday, September 9, 2014
A supplement to Sauk Valley Media
Today’s Farm
PAGE 2
LIVESTOCK
WIU prof’s hog sets world auction record Hoge family’s boar fetches $270,000! BY WILLIAM C. BAILEY Professor, School of Agriculture Western Illinois University
MACOMB – Let’s be honest. While Western Illinois University is an excellent university, not many world records are made here. But that changed recently when Mark Hoge, an associate professor on the School of Agriculture’s faculty and a resident of Good Hope, sold a pig (Yorkshire boar, to be exact) for a staggering $270,000 – a world record price, according to the National Swine Registry. Assuming the pig weighed 280 pounds when sold, that pencils out to be about $60 an ounce, very comparable to the price of some caviar. The price of a prime filet mignon is about $30 an ounce. And the price of the hamburger purchased from a fast food establishment is about 50 cents an ounce. The prize boar is not going to end up in expensive bacon or ham. It will lead a long and good life. The boar garnered such a high price because of its
very unique genetics and its ability to pass those genetics along to other generations. And the genetics that the boar possesses are particularly important to those who raise and show pigs at various competitions around the country in what is called the show-pig William C. Bailey industry. The showpig industry is completely different from the commercial swine industry. The goal of the commercial swine industry is to produce high-quality and reasonably priced pork for the consuming public. In contrast, the showpig industry is geared to the raising and showing of pigs in the show ring, with the recognized hope the pig will do well. While there are some disagreements between these two segments of the pork industry on how to raise and handle hogs, Hoge’s focus is on the show-pig industry for a
very clear reason. The $270,000 hog was raised by Mark and his family. His family, including his wife, look at the various show-pig competitions they attend no differently than many people look at sporting events. While show-pig competition is important, and how you do in the competition is very important, just as at a swim meet or tee-ball game, the essential showpig ingredient is family participation. The hogs are raised, transported, prepared for competition, and paraded for the judges as a shared family experience. The most visible part of the show-pig industry is the competitions. At those competitions, you will see families working together to assure their pigs do well in the competition and to gain the most from the experiences shared. Note to readers: William C. Bailey formerly was the chief economist for the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food and Nutrition.
3AUK 6ALLEY -EDIA s September 9, 2014
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On the cover A Cockshutt corn picker, made by Oliver, is Kevin Larkey’s all-time favorite. The machine was green, but after replacing a lot of the tin, he painted it red and white. See story, pages 6-8.
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Today’s Farm
3EPTEMBER s Sauk Valley Media
PAGE 3
NORTH AMERICAN AGRICULTURAL TRADE SUMMIT
Illinois selected to host Tri-National Accord Chicago event set for October Special to Today’s Farm
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois has been selected to host the 2014 Tri-National Accord, a meeting that brings together top agriculture officials from Canada, Mexico, and the United States to discuss trade issues that impact
their nations. The 23rd annual meeting will be held Oct. 7-9 in Chicago at the Hilton Magnificent Mile Suites. Gov. Pat Quinn praised the state’s selection. “Illinois is a global gateway for trade and a perfect setting for these talks,� Quinn said. “With an expansive transportation infrastructure, our state can ship to any port around the
world, and its central geographic location gives Illinois a competitive advantage that few others enjoy. “I’m hopeful these talks will strengthen our existing trade relationship with Canada and Mexico and make farmers and agribusinesses in all three of our countries more competitive in world markets.� The Accord is especially significant to Illinois’ agri-
Today’s Farm celebrates agriculture in the Sauk Valley and beyond. It is published by Sauk Valley Media six times a year – in January, March, May, July, September and November. We welcome story ideas about interesting local people who are involved with agriculture. Call Jim Dunn at 800-798-4085, ext. 5511, or send an email to jdunn@saukvalley.com.
culture industry, which exports more than 40 percent of its commodities – the corn and beans it grows and the pork and beef it raises. Agriculture Director Bob Flider likewise was pleased. “No doubt about it, the economic vitality of the industry depends upon our ability to cultivate global
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3AUK 6ALLEY -EDIA s September 9, 2014
2014 HARVEST | SOYBEANS
Sudden death syndrome, white mold found Diseases can reduce yields BY STEPHANIE HENRY U of I Extension
URBANA – Signs and symptoms of a few soybean diseases have begun to show up in some areas of the state over the last few weeks, and two of these diseases, sudden death syndrome (SDS) and Sclerotinia stem rot (white mold), are likely to cause economic losses in some growers’ fields this year, said a University of Illinois plant pathologist. Carl Bradley explained that symptoms of SDS that currently are being observed include interveinal chlorosis and necrosis of the leaves (veins remain green while the tissues between the veins turn yellow and then brown). These symptoms look exactly like the foliar symptoms caused by a different disease, brown stem rot. Brown stem rot, however, causes internal browning of the pith in soybean stems, while SDS does not affect soybean stems, he said. On SDS-affected plants, the leaves will fall off eventually, while the pet-
University of Illinois
Soybean stem affected by white mold (aka Sclerotinia stem rot) is shown. White mold gets its name from the fuzzy white growth that can be observed on affected soybean plants. This growth is the mycelia of the fungus that causes the disease. Symptoms include wilting leaves, stems that appear to be “bleached,” and shredding of the stem tissue. ioles will remain attached to the stems and branches. In some cases, Bradley said, a bluish-white mass of spores of the SDS fungus (Fusarium virguliforme) may be observed on the roots. Although the foliar symptoms of SDS are now being observed, infection by the SDS fungus occurred during the seedling stage, not long after planting. The symptoms that are now being observed are the effect
of toxins that the SDS pathogen produces that are phytotoxic, he said. Cool and wet weather after planting along with recent rainfall received in parts of the state have been favorable for infection and disease development and are the rea-
sons that SDS incidence is high in some areas this year, Bradley explained. The primary method of managing SDS is to choose the most resistant soybean varieties available. Some evidence has shown that high soybean cyst nematode (SCN) egg
populations may also increase the likelihood of severe SDS; therefore, managing SCN populations through resistant varieties and crop rotation may also reduce the risk of SDS, he said. White mold has also been observed in fields
located in the northern half of Illinois this year. The appearance of this disease also is weather-related. Areas in the northern half of the state that were cooler and wetter than normal after soybean plants began to flower are the areas that are affected the most severely, Bradley said. “Unfortunately, once white mold signs and symptoms are detected in the field, fungicide applications generally will be futile as the damage has already been done,” he added. Bradley said that growers with severe levels of white mold may encounter some discounts at the elevator this year for high levels of foreign matter. Some sclerotia (dark survival structures produced by the white mold fungus – Sclerotinia sclerotiorum) that are formed on plants may be similar in size to the seed, and will make their way to the hopper and eventually the elevator, where discounts may be received, he explained. FARM VEHICLE CROP HAIL
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Today’s Farm
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2014 HARVEST | CORN
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Corn in a Sauk Valley field matures ahead of the 2014 harvest. The U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts a record yield of 188 bushels an acre in Illinois.
Corn Growers leader: Get ready for big crop State average could hit 188 bushels/acre BY DAN GRANT FarmWeekNow.com
Harvesting a potential record corn crop looks to be just one of a handful of challenges for farmers this fall. They also could deal with transportation issues, tight storage space and steep drying costs if the crop turns out as bountiful, and wet, as some expect. “This is a big crop and probably a wet crop,” Rob Elliott, a farmer from Monmouth [Warren County] told the RFD Radio Network at the Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa, last month. “Our ability to handle it could be a bit more challenging [this fall],” he said. Elliott also believes the harvest season could
be condensed this season due to late-maturing crops and potentially high moisture levels. “We’ve had cooler temperatures and a lot of moisture,” Elliott said. “This corn is not progressing quite at the rate we’re typically used to. “It could be later September before people get a good start on harvest [in central Illinois] and maybe October before it’s in the heat of the battle.” USDA has projected that U.S. farmers will harvest
a record 14.032 billion bushels of corn. USDA pegged Illinois’ corn yield estimate at a record 188 bushels per acre. Elliott, who grows corn and soybeans and runs a seed business, previously served as president of the Illinois Corn Growers Association and currently serves on the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) board. He recently was elected NCGA first vice president and begins that position Oct. 1.
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3AUK 6ALLEY -EDIA s September 9, 2014
SALUTE TO CLASSIC FARM EQUIPMENT
Cornpicker Reunion coming Oct. 17-18 Walnut farmer preserves 20th-century ag machines BY DAVE FOX Special to Today’s Farm
WALNUT – Farming, both big and small, is something Kevin Larkey knows a lot about. The rural Walnut man has lived in the agriculture suburbia of Walnut all his life, and has been farming in one form or another just about as long. After working at Atherton Grain in Normandy for 11 years, he branched out and farmed “almost 3,400 acres at one time,” he said. “I went through some serious health issues a few years back,” he said, and spoke briefly of the heart problems and cancer he’d dealt with. He had to cut back on his work and farms “only” about 1,400 acres now. In spite of the health history, Larkey, 54, kept busy with other things ag-related. About 9 years ago, he stumbled across a corn picker’s blog on the Internet. It caught his interest, and he became actively involved. That interest led him to research two-row corn pickers, and the more he researched, the stronger his interest became. Recalling his grandfather and father picking corn with the tractormounted machines, he began looking for the two-row models that might be available for purchase. Since 1996, he’s “ended up with an Oliver No. 4, an Oliver No. 83 pull-
type, and 10 others,” including a red and white Cockshutt that he claims as his favorite. “I’ve bought and sold and scrapped several others,” Larkey said, “and what I’ve got is the best of the best.” The Cockshutt – made by Oliver – was originally green, he said, but he had to replace a lot of the tin on the picker and then repainted it red and white. PICKER CONTINUED ON 7
Dave Fox/Special to Today’s Farm
Kevin Larkey of Walnut has accumulated quite a few two-row corn pickers, but these three, all made by Oliver, are his favorites.
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PAGE 7
Machines will pick 80 acres PICKER
Cornpicker Reunion
CONTINUED FROM 6
Two-row corn pickers are a thing of the past, he said, but he is doing his part to make sure they don’t just disappear. “Things have just changed [a lot through the years],” he said. “We’ve got 12- to 16-row pickers on average now,” he said. “Everybody’s farming bigger, and the yields have about doubled. We’re so much more efficient now, not dollar-wise but laborwise. “Now,” he said, “when you buy a $400,000 or $500,000 tractor or combine, there’s a mortgage that comes with it. “People don’t want to struggle like they used to,” Larkey said. “Farming used to be a way of life,” he said. “You’d plant, and the harvest was your reward. There were some good
Dates: Oct. 17-18 Times: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Location: John and Judy Bolz farm, on northeast edge of Walnut; from state Route 92, turn north onto Rodney Avenue and follow it to the lane that leads to the Bolz farm What: 60 to 65 corn pickers are expected; some will give picking demonstrations in an 80-acre cornfield Special event: The Peterson Farm Brothers of Kansas, who create popular ag-related YouTube videos, will be there Oct. 17 Food: Walnut Rotary Club will provide breakfast and lunch Admission: $5 (exhibitors admitted for free) Online: A Facebook page is planned Information: Kevin Larkey, 815-878-2524
years and some not so good, but that was the way of life when farmers were in it to provide for their families. “It’s all gotten so much bigger now.” The hugeness of farming these days is probably caused by a lot of things, he said. “There’s definitely a combination of factors involved in the changes,” he said. “People don’t want to have to work as hard as they used to, and technology has changed, and then corporate greed plays into it, too.” A hard-working agriculturist who earns his living from the land, Larkey still has a love of the smaller, simpler ways of yesteryear. That’s largely what has driven him to organize his sixth Cornpicker Reunion, scheduled for Oct. 17 and 18 at the Bolz farm near Walnut. The number of tworow pickers at the reunion increases each
year, he said. “Last time,” he said, “we had 49 of them on site. Some were just static displays for people to see, but we try to get as many of them as we can out in the field to actually work.” Larkey expects 60 to 65 corn pickers to be on hand this year. “Two years ago, we had a fellow from Hutchison, Kansas, who brought his,” Larkey said. “This year, he called and said he and a neighbor of his will both be here with their pickers.” For this year’s reunion, he said, there is an 80-acre field of non-GMO corn from Prairie Hybrids where the work will take place. “We’ll have antique pickers of all makes and models,” he said, “and the picking and shelling will all take place over a Dave Fox/Special to Today’s Farm 2-day period. Kevin Larkey talks about his corn pickers and the upcoming Cornpicker Reunion, scheduled for Oct. 17 EQUIPMENT CONTINUED ON 8 and 18 near Walnut.
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3AUK 6ALLEY -EDIA s September 9, 2014
Peterson Farm Brothers will be at event Oct. 17 EQUIPMENT
CONTINUED FROM 7
“People can come and help with the picking,� he said, “and we’ll have displays for everyone to see as well. A big feature this year will be the Peterson Farm Brothers providing entertainment. “They’re three young college boys who work
on a family farm,� Larkey said. “They do YouTube videos and music to show people what happens on a farm on a daily basis.� Larkey has also been in touch with various FFA chapters to invite them to the reunion to do presentations and discussions. Food will be available on the grounds, “so once you get here, you won’t have to leave.�
A view of Kevin Larkey’s Cockshutt corn picker shows the auger (center, rear) that conveys the picked corn to a trailing wagon. Larkey has organized the upcoming Cornpicker Reunion, scheduled for Oct. 17 and 18 near Walnut. The event will be open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily. An admission of $5 will be charged. Food will be available on the grounds.
A sense of community is only part of what makes this reunion worth it to attend. “The camaraderie this has created for me and the others who are here really makes it all worthwhile,� he said. “The history, the fun, just the common interest in something like this, it all just creates really tremendous friendships.�
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Today’s Farm
PAGE 9
SWINE JUDGING
Blue ribbons, PED on exhibitors’ minds Showing hogs at the Whiteside County Fair a tradition for many BY DAVE FOX Special to Today’s Farm
MORRISON – The mixed aromas of corn dogs, grilled sausages, and livestock wafting through the air blended with the distinctive smell of fresh sawdust on the floor as longtime friends conversed in the arena. Contestants in the swine judging at the Whiteside County Fair in August kept busy in the pens, doing a few final steps of cleaning, grooming, and prep work on animals they hoped would behave in the arena and produce good results later on.
At a table in the show ring, John Mosher, the fair’s swine superintendent, flipped through some notes and forms as he talked shop with several others nearby. Judging was due to start in a few minutes, and there were some last-minute details to look after. Mosher took a couple of minutes to talk about a new health problem with hogs that has raised concerns for producers and consumers during recent months. A swine virus known as PED (porcine epidemic diarrhea) entered the
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cent of the sow herds here are affected.” The virus strikes piglets as it passes from the pregnant sows to the fetuses. Once born, the piglets that have the virus don’t live long. SWINE CONTINUED ON 10
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3AUK 6ALLEY -EDIA s September 9, 2014
Virus impacts hog markets, consumer prices SWINE
CONTINUED FROM 9
“There is almost a 100 percent mortality rate in pigs less than 2 weeks old,” Mosher said. “There is a vaccine available,” he said, “but it’s not effective in naive pigs. “It does seem to be effective, though, with sows who have had the illness before,” he said. The virus was most rampant for about 6 months surrounding the winter season, “so our numbers are really down right now.” Consumers are seeing the impact at the grocery store checkout counters with increased prices on finished pork products. “It’s really impacting hog markets and consumer prices alike,” Mosher said, “and likely will, until things are brought back under control.” With show time nearing in the judging arena, activity picked up considerably in the pens and the Dave Fox/Special to Today’s Farm prep area, as competitors Carter Hoge of Good Hope moves his pig around the scrambled the last few judging arena at the Whiteside County Fair. He won a minutes before judging started. blue ribbon for his champion gilt.
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Jan Walters, of Walnut, was supervising and encouraging two of her great-nephews – Carter and Nolan Hoge of Good Hope – along with several other family members who would compete in the judging. “Why, I’ve been showing here since I was a little girl,” she said, laughing. “My family used to have sheep, pigs, and calves all over the place here.”
Very obvious in the air were the typical smells of a county fair, but obviously absent were the smells typically associated with pigs, despite many of the pens being full. “Oh, cleanliness with the herd is always important, especially with PED going around,” Walters said. “And then, getting ready to show them here, it’s
important, too,” she said. “We keep their feet clean, rinse the pigs four times a day, and generally just do whatever we can to keep them clean. “Then we even step it up a bit before we show them here,” she said. A lifelong Walnut resident, Walters said she helped raise pigs on her mother’s farm as a child. SHOW CONTINUED ON 11
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Simple sanitation precautions fight pig virus SHOW
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Therefore, this type of activity seems to be second nature. “I’ve got other family here doing this, too,” she said, “including my son and my husband.” While PED has many pig farmers anxious, Walters said some simple sanitation precautions can help fight off the virus. “So far, we haven’t had PED at our place,” she said. “We’re very careful with our sanitation practices, and we just hope and pray we don’t have to deal with it. We wear different shoes at home than we do out in the barn and around the animals, and we pay a lot of attention to sanitation and cleanliness. “Paying attention to basic hygiene precautions like that can make a difference,” she said, “and we’re just really hopeful it [PED] doesn’t reach us.” Even with that in mind, Walters said showing liveDave Fox/Special to Today’s Farm stock at a county fair is Bailey Roselieb of Annawan hustles her pigs around just plain fun. the judging arena at the Whiteside County Fair. She “We just love doing it,” she said, smiling. “We’ve won a first-place blue ribbon for champion gilt.
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always enjoyed doing this. It just gets to be something you look forward to every summer. “We see different families here year after year, and many of the same families as well. There are always a lot of regulars who come each year. “Of course, we’re all in it to win,” she said, chuckling, “but we’re all just good friends as well. That’s part of what makes it special, seeing old friends and making
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Of course, we’re all in it to win, but we’re all just good friends as well.
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Jan Walters
new ones each year, and the socializing and camaraderie.” Judging time had arrived, and the pace picked up a bit. Walters was needed
for guidance and encouragement for her two greatnephews as they guided their animals into the show ring for judging in several categories. For Carter and Nolan, their work and persistence paid off. Each had several ribbons to take home at the end of the morning. Not to mention the memories of what would likely become a longstanding tradition for them as well.
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