Farmers need to be thanked on Thanksgiving

Nov 22, 2016

Without producers, bountiful meals are impossible

By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com

Families throughout the United States will celebrate Thanksgiving this week, surrounded by friends, family and tables full of food.

And as people share what they’re thankful for, farmers should be at the top of the list. Because without farmers to produce the food that ends up on dinner tables, Thanksgiving would look very different.

If someone wanted to scour the country for key Thanksgiving dinner ingredients, which states would they visit?

Turkey
It’s no surprise that turkey is the star of many Thanksgiving meals, and Minnesota is the top producer in the United States. According to the USDA’s Economic Research Service, Minnesota produced 41 million of the country’s 233 million turkeys in 2015 – that’s nearly 18 per cent!

Potatoes
If potatoes are part of Thanksgiving fare, look no further than Idaho. According to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, farmers in the state are expected to produce 139.3 million cwt. of potatoes in 2016. Harvested acres are also forecasted to increase 2,000 over 2015 figures to 324,000 acres.

Cranberries
If cranberries make their way to dinner tables this Thanksgiving, there’s a good chance they came from Wisconsin. The University of Wisconsin-Madison says, since 1995, Wisconsin has produced about 57 per cent of the total cranberries in the U.S. The USDA estimates Wisconsin will produce more than five million barrels of cranberries in 2016 – one barrel weighs 100 pounds.

Carrots
If carrots end up on the plate, they may have come from California. According to the USDA’s Vegetables 2015 Summary, California harvested 63,000 acres of carrots in 2015 for a total of $638,631,000 in production.

Whatever ends up on plates for Thanksgiving meals, farmers need to be recognized for their roles in making those beautiful dinners possible.

Video: Will the 2025 USDA December Crop Report Be a Market Mover/Surprise?

Historically, the USDA December crop report is a non-event or another dud report as the USDA reserves any final supply changes to the final report in January of the following year in this case 2026. But after the longest U.S. government shutdown in history at 43 days and no October crop report will they provide more data/surprise and make an exception?
Our China U.S. soybean purchase tracker is now at 26.6% or a total of 3.2 mmt but for traders it’s taking too long to unfold.
The final Stats Canada production report was bearish canola and wheat projection a record crop in both (it adds to the global glut of supplies) and bullish local corn and soybean prices in Ontario/Quebec thanks to a drought. It will not help the fund flow short-term, the USDA may need to offset it?
A U.S. Fed interest rate cut of another 25-basis point next Wednesday (probability 87.1%) could help fund flow and sentiment in stock and ag commodities into year end.
More inflows into Bitcoin this past week saw prices rebound back above 90,000 with support at 82,000 and resistance at 96,000.
A V-shaped bottom in cattle suggest the lows are in after Mexico reported another new world screwworm case. Lower weights, seasonal demand and higher U.S. beef select/choice values with a continued closure of the Mexican border to cattle will result in a resumption of higher cattle futures into yearend.
Australia is expected to produce its 3rd largest wheat crop ever at 36 mmt adding to the global glut of supplies.
Reports of ASF in hogs in Spain the largest pork exporter in Europe could see the U.S. win more pork export business long-term.
If the rains verify into next week of 3-5 inches for Brazil it would go a long way to fixing the dry regions from the last 2-months, but the European weather model has been wrong for the past 2-months!
Natural gas futures are surging to the 3rd price count as frigid hold temps set in.
CDN $ is also surging to end the week on a very resilient economy and better employment numbers suggesting no interest rate cuts next week.
Finally, the CFTC report showed funds were net buyers of soybeans but sellers of corn, canola and wheat. In real time the funds have gone back to selling as they take some profits.