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Midwest news and notes Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Roofs coming under snow/ice stress
Snow and ice storms have left several inches of ice and/or several feet of snow on some roofs, which have added to the total weight that trusses and rafter must support.
Snow that recently fell on typical metal roofs isn't sliding off like it normally does in the winter, says Larry Jacobson, ag engineer with the University of Minnesota Extension Service. If the ice layer doesn't melt, each additional snowfall will intensify the problem.
Snow loads for ag buildings in much of southern and western Minnesota are generally around 20 pounds per square foot, he said. A roof ma be able to support the designed snow load for several days or a few weeks, but probably not for more than 30 days.
The simple solution is to get the snow off the roof as soon as possible, Jacobson said. Generally there is some time between a large snowfall event and possible structural failure.
Living snow fences have positive impact
Various structural and living snow fences can be established on the landscape to manage and reduce blowing and drifting of snow on roadways, says Gary Wyatt, natural resources educator with the University of Minnesota Extension Service.
Living snow fences are living plants planted about 200 feet from the right-of-way.
Living snow fences improve driving conditions, visibility, wildlife habitat and rural aesthetics. The plantings also reduce soil erosion by wind in the spring and fall. As an added bonus, snow drifts in fields can help replenish subsoil moisture.
The land between the planting and roadway can also be enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program.
U.S. soybean supplies expected to be large
Even with a record level of consumption that may exceed current USDA projections, supplies of U.S. soybeans will be extremely large at the end of the current marketing year, says Darrel Good, University of Illinois Extension marketing specialist.
"All of the recent strength in soybean prices is in anticipation of sharply lower production in 2007,'' said Good. "Unless the U.S. average yield falls below trend value, however, a shortage of soybeans will not likely occur until the 2008-09 marketing year.''
For the current marketing year, the USDA projects that the U.S. domestic crush plus exports of soybeans will reach 2.88 billion bushels. That projection is 194 million bushels above use during the 2005-2006 marketing year.
Why not plant all corn this season
A University of Illinois farm financial management specialist says farmers should consider planting only corn this growing season.
"Planting all corn in 2007 likely will be more profitable than planting soybeans on farms with high-productivity farmland,'' said Gary Schitkey. "Revenue insurance at high coverage levels can be used to lock-in profits, thereby reducing risks from planting all corn.''
Schitkey said that if all other factors are held constant, situations where soybean returns exceeded corn returns include: soybean prices better than $9.61 per bushel; soybean yields above 65 bushels per acre; corn yields below 146 bushels; and corn prices below $3.27.
However, he warned, planting all corn this year could reduce profits in 2008. |
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