AgDay Daily Recap - March 28, 2018

TODAY ON AGDAY
MARCH 28, 2018

HEADLINES
COTTON ACRES RETURN TO THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. "I'M TYNE MORGAN THERE'S AN EXPECTATION FOR AN INCREASE IN COTTON  ACRES BY USDA THIS WEEK BUT HOW COULD DRY WEATHER IN AREAS RIGHT  HERE IN OKLAHOMA IMPACT THAT WE'LL HAVE THAT STORY TODAY." PLUS THE PRESIDENT PUSHES FOR NAFTA NEGOTIATIONS TO PICK UP THE PACE. IN AGRIBUSINESS...PREPPING FOR THE PLANTINGS REPORT. CUTIES TAKE ON EASTER ON THE PACKER TV. AND DO YOU KNOW JACK--JACK'S PIZZA. THE STORY BEHIND THE PIE. AGDAY - BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE CHEVY SILVERADO, THE MOST DEPENDABLE, LONGEST-LASTING FULL  SIZE PICKUPS ON THE ROAD.

HEADLINES
GOOD MORNING I'M CLINTON GRIFFITHS. USDA WILL RELEASE THE HIGHLY  ANTICIPATED PROSPECTIVE PLANTINGS REPORT TOMORROW. WE'LL GET AN EARLY SEASON LOOK AT WHAT FARMERS INTEND TO PLANT. MOST PRIVATE ANALYTICAL FIRMS EXPECT TO SEE MORE COTTON PLANTED THIS  SPRING. THE NATIONAL COTTON COUNCIL PROJECTS A NEARLY FOUR PERCENT  INCREASE, COMING IN AT 13-POINT-ONE MILLION ACRES. OKLAHOMA FARMERS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE THEIR COTTON ACRES 21- PERCENT, PLANTING 708-THOUSAND ACRES. TYNE MORGAN TALKED WITH ONE OKLAHOMA FARMER WHO SAYS DROUGHT WILL  DICTATE HIS PLANTING DECISION. THANKS, CLINTON. EARLIER THIS YEAR NATIONAL COTTON COUNCIL CAME OUT WITH AN ESTIMATE SHOWING  AN OVERALL INCREAE IN COTTON ACRES THIS YEAR, SPECIFICALLY IN AREAS LIKE KASNAS AND RIGHT HER EIN OKLAHOMA. THAT'S WHERE WE COULD SEE A LARGE INCREASE. BUT I TALKED TO SOME PRODUCERS WHO  SAY IT'S THE DRY WEATHER THAT COULD TEMPER AN OVERALL INCREASE IN COTTON ACRES.ITS BEEN IMMENSELY DRY.THE LATEST DROUGHT MONITOR SHOWING 61 PERCENT OF THE STATE IS  SUFFERING FROM DRY CONDITIONS.. AND THE WORST SITS IN THE WEST. AS  GREG BLACK PREPARES TO PLANT THIS SPRING, THE BLEAK MOISTURE  SITUATION IS HINDERING HIM FROM PLANTING MORE COTTON THIS YEAR. WE'RE NOT GOING TO INCREASE ACRES WE'RE GOING TO KEEP IT THE SAME AMOUNT OF ACRES AND  THAT WAY WE FEEL LIKE WE CAN LIMIT OUR RISKS THERE'THE DROUGHT PICTURE HAS BECOME MUCH MORE GRAVE SINCE JUST LAST  FALL, WHEN 64 PERCENT OF THE STATE WAS DROUGHT FREE. IT WAS A HOPEFUL WATER PICTURE IN 2017 THAT PROMPTED BLACK'S FAMILY TO  PLANT COTTON FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE 1990S. WITH THE CHANGING IN VARITIES, IT DEFINITELY HAS MADE IT WHERE WE FELT LIKE IT WAS SOMETHING  WE HAD TO LOOK AT THERE ON THE FARM TO MAYBE PROFITABLE.IT WAS A BET THE BLACKS ARE GLAD THEY MADE… EVEN DECIDING AFTER WHEAT  HARVEST, TO GO BACK IN AND PLANT SOME DOUBLE CROP COTTON ACRES IN  2017. WE HAD SOME PRODUCE A LITTLE OVER 1100 POUNDS, AND WE WERE PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THAT  AND WE HAD SUCCESS, BUT THAT PROBABLY WOUDN'T HAPPEN TWICE. BUT HE SAYS DOUBLE CROP COTTON IS A BIG GAMBLE IN THIS AREA OF THE  COUNTRY.. AND IT'S THAT GAMBLE THEIR FARM ISN'T WILLING TO TAKE IN 2018. BUT FOR SOME FARMERS, DESPITE THE RISK, COTTON PRICES REMAIN FAIRLY  STRONG. AND BLACK SAYS THAT COULD BUY MORE COTTON ACRES IN OKLAHOMA  THIS YEAR. WHEN WE LOOK AT ACRES, AND WHAT WE HAD LAST YEAR, I THINK WE COULD SEE ANOTHER 150  MAYBE 200,000 ACRES POSSIBLY. WITH MORE ACRES, MEANS MORE BALES TO RUN THROUGH THE GIN. AND THAT  COMES AT A TIME WHEN SOME GINS HAVEN'T EVEN FIINISHED CHEWING  THROUGH THE RECORD CROP THEY WITNESSED IN 2017. THEY'RE STILL GINNING COTTON. AND THERE'S A CHANCE THAT WE COULD STILL BE GINNING COTTON IN  JUNE. AS WE GET INTO PLANTING SEASON THERE'S EVEN TALKS OF GINS RUNNING UNTIL JULY IN THAT PART  OF THE COUNTRY.AND CLINTON RIGHT HER EIN ILKLAHO IT'S REALLY INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S AN ISSUE FOR OVERALL COTTON  ACRES. SOME PRODUCERS SAYING THEY HAVE TO TRUCK THEIR COTTON AS MUCH AS 200 MILES TO GET IT  GINNED. REPORTING FROM OKLAHOAM, I'M TYNE MORGAN.

OKLAHOMA DROUGHT
DURING HER TRIP TO WESTERN OKLAHOMA YESTERDAY, THAT PART OF THE  STATE RECEIVED SOME BADLY NEEDED RAIN. THE STATE'S WINTER WHEAT CROP  HAS STRUGGLED THIS WINTER. USDA SAYS THE AMOUNT OF CROP RATED IN "POOR" TO "VERY POOR" SHAPE  FELL BY SIX POINTS TO 66%.  HALF OF THE STATE IS IN SOME LEVEL OF DROUGHT. A THIRD OF THE STATE IS IN THE MOST DIRE LEVELS OF DROUGHT. BUT THE IMPACT ON OKLAHOMA CATTLE PRODUCERS MAY BE LIMITED. THE NUMBER OF CATTLE POTENTIALLY IMPACTED WITH THE DROUGHT WHERE IT IS NOW IS SMALLER QUITE  A BIT SMALLER THAN IT WAS. AND SO I'M NOT REALLY LOOKING FOR GENERAL MARKETING IMPACT BUT  OBVIOUSLY FOR THOSE PRODUCERS CAUGHT IN THAT THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WILL BE VERY CRITICAL IN TERMS  OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH KIND OF NORMAL PRODUCTION PLANS OR WHETHER  THEY REALLY HAVE TO GO INTO DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLANS. BACK TO COTTON - TENNESSEE FARMERS ARE ALSO PREPARING TO PLANT AN  INCREASED AMOUNT OF COTTON THIS SPRING - ABOUT ONE-AND A HALF  PERCENT AS THEY SWITCH AWAY FROM CORN AND WHEAT. TENNESSEE FARMERS WILL GO INTO FIELDS KNOWING A MAJOR THREAT IS NO  LONGER THERE. BOLL WEEVILS ARE GONE FROM COTTON, BUT FARMERS STILL FACE PLENTY OF  OTHER CHALLENGES. U-T'S CHARLES DENNEY HAS THIS CROP PREVIEW.  FOLKS WHO KNOW COTTON SAY TENNESSEE'S PRODUCTION HAS MOMENTUM. COMMODITY PRICES ARE PROJECTED TO BE GOOD FOR FARMERS, AND THE AG ECONOMY SEEMS TO POINT  TO A NICE UPTICK IN ACREAGE THIS YEAR. DR. TYSON RAPER: "2017 WE WERE AT ABOUT 340,000 ACRES. I FULLY EXPECT TO BREAK 380, MAYBE  GET UP INTO THE LOW 400 RANGE."  DR. TYSON RAPER WITH UT EXTENSION WAS ONE OF THE ORGANIZERS OF 'COTTON FOCUS' IN JACKSON,  WHERE FARMERS HEARD ABOUT TRENDS IN PRODUCTION  AND PRICES. ATTENDING THAT CONFERENCE – LAKE COUNTY'S JOHN LINDAMOOD, WHO LAST YEAR GREW MORE THAN 1 PERCENT OF TENNESSEE'S  COTTON BY HIMSELF. WHAT'S HELPED TREMENDOUSLY IN RECENT TIMES – GETTING RID OF A HARMFUL  PEST. (JOHN LINDAMOOD) "IT'S HARD NOW TO LOOK BACK AND ATTRIBUTE INCREASES IN YIELD TO ONE THING OR  ANOTHER, BUT THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT ERADICATING THE BOLL WEEVIL PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN OUR  INCREASED YIELDS." BOLL WEEVILS WERE THE BANE OF SOUTHERN COTTON FOR DECADES. WEEVILS LAY EGGS IN COTTON, AND EAT THEIR WAY THROUGH THE PLANT. BUT NO MORE. ERADICATION PROGRAMS IN THE EARLY 2000'S ALL BUT WIPED OUT BOLL WEEVILS. (SCOTT STEWART) "TENNESSEE HAS NOW BEEN BOLL WEEVIL FREE FOR OVER A DECADE. LONG AND SHORT  OF IT IS, THAT WAS OUR NUMBER ONE PEST, AND IT'S GONE. AND IT'S SAVED US A LOT OF YIELD OVER THE  YEARS." (CHARLES DENNEY) "WHILE THE BOLL WEEVILS HAVE BEEN BANISHED FROM THESE FIELDS, COTTON  FARMERS FACE OTHER ISSUES. PRODUCERS HAVE TO PLAY A MONEY GAME AS COTTON TYPICALLY IS AN  EXPENSIVE BUSINESS VENTURE. FOR NOW, THIS GROWING SEASON STARTS SOON. AND WHAT SHOULD HELP TO MAKE IT A SUCCESS – A  CRITTER THAT'S NOTABLY MISSING FROM THESE FIELDS. THIS IS CHARLES DENNEY REPORTING. 

NAFTA RENEGOTIATIONS
WHILE NAFTA PARTNERS CANADA AND MEXICO INITIALLY RECEIVED AN  EXEMPTION ON THE STEEL AND ALUMINUM TARIFFS IMPOSED BY THE U-S, IT  APPEARS THAT 'PASS' WAS NOT LONG-TERM. PRESIDENT TRUMP NOW SAYING HE WILL SLAP THOSE METAL TARIFFS ON  CANADA AND MEXICO ON MAY FIRST IF HE'S NOT SATISFIED WITH THE  RENEGOTIATION OF NAFTA. THERE IS ADDED PRESSURE TO FINISH THE TALKS THIS SPRING. MEXICO HAS  SAID IT NEEDS A DEAL BY THE END OF APRIL, OTHERWISE TALKS MIGHT AS WELL  STRETCH PAST THE COUNTRY'S SUMMER ELECTION, AND THEN U.S. MIDTERM  ELECTIONS THIS FALL.

CROP COMMENTS
MIKE HOFFMAN JOINS US NOW AGAIN WITH A LOOK AT CROP COMMENTS. MIKE.  GOOD MORNING, CLINTON.  LET'S HEAD OVER TO A SNOW-LESS WISCONSIN.  BECCA HILBY IS SHOWING OFF  ONE OF THE CUTEST CALVES ON HER OPERATION  NAMED ALEXA.  BECCA JOKES ALEXA MAY BE PART DOG, AS YOU CAN SEE SHE'S GOT THE HEAD  TILT DOWN!! AND TAKING A LOOK AT THE WIND SPEED FORECAST. YOU CAN SEE FAIRLY WINDY ACROSS THE NORTHERN  PLAINS PARTS OF THE SOUTHEAST AS WE START TODAY. TODAY THE WINDS WILL PICK UP IN THE WEST AND  THE SOUTHEASTERN PARTS OF THE COUNTRY SEE AS WE HEAD TOWARD TOMORROW MORNING. A COLD FRONT  FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS INTO THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES GOING TO BE THE FOCUS FOR THE WINDS AND  THAT WILL CONTINUE MOVING SOUTHEAST AS WE HEAD THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS. TOMORROW WE'LL  HAVE YOUR FORECAST COMING UP IN A FEW MINUTES. BUT FIRST HERE ARE SOME HOMETOWN TEMPS

TEASE
UP NEXT MATT BENNETT JOINS US AT THE AGRIBUSINES DESK AS WE LOOK AT  HOW THE MARKET MAY RESPOND TO THURSDAY'S USDA REPORTS. PLUS WE RE-TRACE THE HUMBLE BEGINNINGS OF A WELL KNOWN FROZEN PIZZA  BRAND.

FLOOR OF THE CME
IN AGRIBUSINESS IT WAS A MOSTLY DOWN DAY ON THE GRAIN BOARDS. LET'S GET DETAILS FROM JOE VACLAVIK AT THE CME. THE CORN MARKET TRADED BOTH SIDES OF UNCHANGED IN A PRETTY QUIET SESSION HERE ON TUESDAY.  THINGS HAVE LEVELED OFF THIS WEEK. WE SAW SOME VOLATILITY IN THE CORN MARKET LATE LAST WEEK.  IT HAD TO DO WITH TRADE TENSIONS BETWEEN THE U.S. AND CHINA. ALL SORTS OF TARIFF TALK FLOATING  AROUND BUT WE'VE LEVELED OFF HERE.  THE LIVE CATTLE MARKET TRADED MOSTLY HIGHER HERE ON TUESDAY REBOUNDING AFTER A STRING OF LOSSES IT'S BEEN A PRETTY UGLY COUPLE OF WEEKS FOR THE  LIVE CATTLE FUTURES IN GENERAL. WE'VE SEEN A BIG SELL OFF IN IN EVERY MONTH STARTING WITH THE  FRONT MONTH APRIL WHICH IS THE HIGHEST PRICE ON THE BOARD AND INTO THE LOWER PRICED DEFERRED  MUTT'S THE BOXED BEEF MARKETS HELD TOGETHER WELL ALTHOUGH SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT IT MAY BE  VULNERABLE WITH FUTURES AND CASH BOTH MOVING LOWER. SO WE'VE HAD A NICE TRADE IN THE CHOICE  BOXES FOR A WHILE IN THE MID TO 20S. A LOT OF TRADERS BELIEVE THAT THAT'S A NUMBER THAT MAY  COME DOWN HERE DURING THE COMING DAYS GIVEN WEAKER FUTURES AND GIVEN WEAKER CASH CATTLE  AGAIN JOE VECK WELL THEY CAN SAMIE GROUP HERE IN CHICAGO

AGRIBUSINESS
HERE AT THE AGRIBUSINESS DECK TODAY WE HAVE MATT BENNETT BENNETT CONSULTING MET AS WE  LOOK AT THE BIG REPORT THAT WE'RE EXPECTING THIS WEEK THAT'S THE ACREAGE REPORT SHOULD BE OUT  AT THE END OF THE WEEK. WHERE DO YOU THINK WE'RE POSITIONED AS AN INDUSTRY AND GENERALLY  PEOPLE WANT TO TALK MOSTLY CORN AND SOYBEANS BECAUSE THAT SEEMS TO BE THE BIGGEST  NUMBER TO PLAY WITH. I THINK IT SURE SEEMS THAT THE ALLOW FOR NUMBERS IN 1990 WEREN'T ALL THAT  FAR OFF MAYBE FROM WHAT THE TRADE WAS LOOKING AT. YOU STILL SEE A RATIO THAT WOULD BE  CONDUCIVE TO BEING ACRES BEING FAIRLY ROBUST WHEN WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE HISTORICAL ASPECTS  OF THAT RATIO AND SO ARE WE GOING TO COME IN IN 1990 A LITTLE BIT MORE I MEAN SOME PEOPLE ARE  SAYING TWO AND A HALF MILLION THREE MILLION ACRES MORE BEANS AND CORN. WOW I DON'T KNOW  THAT THAT'S IN THE TRADE YET THOUGH. I THINK THE TRADES PROBABLY LOOKING AT MAYBE LIKE A 90 AND  A HALF TO 91 ON SOYBEANS AND MAYBE 89 AND A HALF ON CORN. SO I THINK WHENEVER YOU IF YOU  WOULD GET SOME 89 ON CORN IT WOULD DEFINITELY BE A VERY FRIENDLY THING FOR THE LONG TERM. IF  YOU GET ABOVE YOU KNOW 91 92 ON SOYBEANS IT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE AT LEAST A  LITTLE BIT OF A WET TOWEL ON THE FIRE RIGHT NOW. IT'S NOT THAT IT'S GOING TO HOLD US BACK FOREVER BUT  IT'S CERTAINLY GOING TO MAKE IT TOUGH TO RALLY. YEAH ESPECIALLY ON THE SOYBEANS. BUT IF YOU HIT  92 ON SOYBEANS WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR CORN AND THAT'S GOT TO BE FRIENDLY FOR THAT CROP RIGHT.  RIGHT. WE HAD 180 COMBINED LAST YEAR JUST A LITTLE BIT OVER. OBVIOUSLY COTTON'S MAKING A  PUSH FOR A GRID THIS YEAR. YOU KNOW YOU'RE LOOKING AT SOME SPRING WHEAT THAT MIGHT BE GOING IN THE GROUND A LOT OF FOLKS IN THE UPPER MIDWEST ARE SAYING HEY THIS MAKES A LITTLE BIT MORE  SENSE. ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE 180 COMBINE. PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE 180 COMBINE ESPECIALLY  THE RALLY THAT WE'VE SEEN SINCE THE JANUARY REPORT CORN AND BEANS HAVE KIND OF STAKED THEIR  CLAIM HEY WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE A WHOLE LOT OF PRODUCTION BUT IF IT IS 180 COMBINE AND YOU'RE  AT 91 1/2 MATH MAJOR WOULD PROBABLY TELL YOU A DAY AND A HALF ON CORN. I THINK THE BOTTOM LINE  180 PLUS MAYBE COULD HAPPEN I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO GET A WHOLE LOT MORE THAT THOUGH.  OK. WELL WE'LL KEEP AN EYE ON IT AS WE GET THROUGH THIS WEEK IT IS ALWAYS INTERESTING OF  COURSE WEATHER AND DEPENDENT RIGHT. ABSOLUTELY GOT TO GET IT IN AT SOME POINT APPRECIATE IT. WE'LL BE BACK IN MORE AGDAY IN JUST A MINUTE.

WEATHER
WELCOME BACK TO AGDAY HERE WITH METEOROLOGIST MIKE HOFFMAN AND MIKE LOOKING AT THE  ROOT ZONE MOISTURE MAP AND MIKE YOU KNOW IT'S ALWAYS INTERESTING TO SEE WHERE IT'S WET AND  WHERE IT'S DRY. THIS IS A HISTORICAL AVERAGE YES. IT'S AGAINST WHAT IS NORMAL FOR THESE DIFFERENT  PLACES AND IT'S ALWAYS THE CASE OF THE HAVES AND THE HAVE NOTS. THAT'S TYPICAL IN THE WEATHER  IN OUR ROOT ZONE MOISTURE IS MEASURED DIRECTLY FROM A NASA SATELLITE. SO THERE IS NO HUMAN  INVOLVEMENT. IT'S ACTUALLY SHOWING WETTER THAN NORMAL CONDITIONS. TENNESSEE VALLEY PARTS OF  THE OHIO VALLEY AND FROM NEBRASKA AND WESTERN IOWA ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH MONTANA. NOW  THE INTERESTING THING IS IF YOU WATCH OUR DROUGHT MONITOR THERE'S PARTS OF THE DAKOTAS AND  EASTERN MONTANA THAT ARE STILL IN A DROUGHT. BUT THIS IS THE MOISTURE IN THE UPPER LEVELS SO  THAT SHOULD HELP THAT DROUGHT SITUATION OVER TIME. UNFORTUNATELY WE CONTINUE TO SEE THE LACK  OF RAINFALL IN WEST TEXAS BACK INTO THE FOUR CORNERS REGION. VERY DRY AREAS THERE. LET'S TAKE A  LOOK AT THE WEATHER MAP TODAY. WE'RE GOING TO SEE SOME MORE MOISTURE FROM CENTRAL AND  EASTERN TEXAS ALL THE WAY UP INTO THE OHIO VALLEY A LITTLE BIT OF SNOW IN NEW ENGLAND A LITTLE  BIT OF RAIN AND SNOW THROUGH THE NORTHERN INTERIOR STATES AIR WITH THAT NEXT COLD FRONT KIND OF  DROPPING SOUTHWARD. LATER TODAY SOME BIG THUNDERSTORMS SHOWING UP ON OUR COMPUTER  MODEL. PARTS OF EASTERN TEXAS INTO LOUISIANA WHEREVER THOSE HIT MAY PUT DOWN SOME HUGE  AMOUNTS OF RAIN. AND WE HAVE THAT SCATTERED RAIN ALL THE WAY INTO THE MID-ATLANTIC AS WE  HEAD THROUGH TOMORROW AFTERNOON AND TOMORROW NIGHT. NEXT AREA OF LOW PRESSURE RIDING UP  THAT FRONT INTO THE OHIO AND TENNESSEE VALLEYS BY TOMORROW MORNING SEE MULTIPLE COLD FRONTS  COMING SOUTHWARD. THAT'S GOING TO KEEP THINGS ON THE CHILLY SIDE FROM THE NORTHERN PLAINS  ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES INTO THE NORTHEAST. AND YOU CAN SEE BY LATER IN THE DAY TOMORROW LOTS  OF RAIN. EASTERN GREAT LAKES ALL THE WAY SOUTHWARD INTO THE NEW ORLEANS AREA. AND STILL WITH  MORE COLD FRONTS COMING SOUTHWARD PRECIPITATION ESTIMATE PAST 24 HOURS LOTS OF IT FROM TEXAS  ALL THE WAY INTO THE OHIO VALLEY ADDING IN THE NEXT 36 HOURS OUR MODEL IS SHOWING SOME OF  THESE BIG THUNDERSTORMS IN EAST TEXAS PARTS OF LOUISIANA DROPPING 10 TO 12 INCHES OF RAIN IN  PLACES WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE ON THAT. IT'S JUST A COMPUTER MODEL AT THIS POINT. THAT'S ALL  RAIN OBVIOUSLY HAVE SNOW FARTHER NORTH MAINLY IN CANADA AND MAINLY IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS  OF THE ROCKIES BUT IT COULD BE SOME PRETTY HEAVY STUFF IN THE EASTERN ROCKIES ESPECIALLY WAY  UP IN THE HIGHER LEVELS. SO FAR AS TEMPERATURES THIS AFTERNOON 70S AND 80S IN THE SOUTHEAST  COOL ACROSS MOST OF THE CORN BELT. COLDER AIR THOUGH COMING SOUTHWARD AS YOU CAN SEE LOWS  TOMORROW MORNING INTO THE MID 20S IN THE CANADIAN SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF CANADA INTO NEW  MEXICO AND THAT COLD AIR WILL CONTINUE TO COME SOUTHWARD AT LEAST FOR A CHANGE IS KIND OF MILD  IN THE SOUTHEAST YOU CAN SEE ON THE JET STREAM THOUGH WE'RE GOING TO SEE THOSE BIG CUT OFF  DEVELOPING THEIR HUDSON BAY. THAT'LL KEEP THINGS CHILLY IN THE NORTH BUT IT COULD ALLOW SOME  WARM UPS FARTHER SOUTH. THAT'S A LOOK ACROSS THE COUNTRY. NOW LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME LOCAL  FORECASTS. HEADING TO ST. GEORGE UTAH FIRST OF ALL MOSTLY SUNNY WARMER HIGH OF 73 DEGREES.  ROCK ISLAND ILLINOIS PARTLY SUNNY AND MILDER WITH A HIGH OF 58. AND DURHAM NORTH CAROLINA  MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES ON THE MILD SIDE. AFTERNOON HIGH OF 71>

TEASE
UP NEXT - NEWS FROM THE PACKER. WE'LL SEE HOW THOSE POPULAR 'CUTIES' ARE TRYING TO WORK THEIR WAY INTO  EASTER BASKETS. AND WHILE IT'S PROBABLY STILL BREAKFAST TIME AROUND YOUR HOUSE....IS IT  TOO EARLY IN THE DAY TO TALK PIZZA?

PACKER TV
ONE PRODUCE COMPANY IS URGING THE EASTER BUNNY TO CUT BACK ON  DELIVING JELLY BEANS AND CHOCOLATE TO CHOOSE A HEALTHIER ROUTE THIS  EASTER. SUN PACIFIC - THE OWNER AND PRODUCER OF THE CLEMENTINE MANDARIAN  PRODUCE- CUTIES - LAUNCHING A SPRING SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN  ENCOURAGING PARENTS TO PURCHASE THE PRODUCT THROUGHOUT THE REST  OF THE SEASON. THE COMAPNY IS POSTING IDEAS ON CREATING CUTIES THEMED EASTER  BASKETS, GIFTS AND EVEN PLACING AN EASTER STICKER ON THE PRODUCE. CALIFORNIA CUTIES ARE SOLD THROUGH APRIL UNTIL THE SUMMER SHIPMENTS  BEGIN.  ATOP THE MANY HIGHRISES OF HONG KONG, THERE'S A GROWING NUMBER OF  VEGETABLE GARDENS. IT'S WHERE ROOFTOP FARMING IS TAKEN TO THE EXTREME. THESE VOLUNTEERS ARE PICKING LETTUCE ON THE DECOMMISSIONED HELIPAD OF THE 40-STORY BANK OF AMERICA TOWER. THE FARM IS RUN BY ROOFTOP REPUBLIC, A THREE-YEAR-OLD STARTUP WHOSE  FOUNDERS ARE TAPPING GROWING INTEREST IN ORGANIC FOOD. THEY'RE  TAKING ADVANTAGE OF UN-USED ROOF SPACE IN THE CRAMPED, HIGH-RENT CITY.  "WHERE THE FOOD COMES FROM, ARE THEY SAFE? BASICALLY WE EAT A LOT OF FOOD EVERY DAY, BUT  EXACTLY WHERE DOES IT COME FROM? IS THERE ANY CHANCE I CAN BE MORE INVOLVED IN IT BESIDES  JUST EATING IT?"HONG KONG IMPORTS ALMOST ALL OF ITS FOOD, MUCH OF IT FROM MAINLAND  CHINA. PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT FOOD SAFETY HAS RISEN AFTER COUNTLESS  FOOD CONTAMINATION SCANDALS ON THE MAINLAND.  

TEASE
UP NEXT - HOW A SIMPLE PIZZA - WITH A SIMPLE NAME - GREW INTO A NATIONALLY  RECOGNIZED FAVORITE. IN THE COUNTRY IS NEXT.

IN THE COUNTRY
IN THE COUNTRY - SPONSORED BY KUBOTA.  TRACTORS, HAY TOOLS, UTILILTY VEHICLES, MOWERS AND  MORE.  VISIT KUBOTA.COM TODAY. THROUGHOUT THE MIDWEST - AND MUCH OF THE U-S - YOU'LL PROBABLY FIND A  JACK'S FROZEN PIZZA SITTING IN THE FREEZER, READY FOR THE KIDS TO HEAT- UP AFTER SCHOOL. BUT WHO IS THIS "JACK"  WE SPEAK OF? IN THIS VIDEO PROVIDED BY THE WISCONSIN MILK MARKETING BOARD, WE HEAR ABOUT  THE HUMBLE BEGINNINGS OF A NOW WELL-KNOWN PIZZA BRAND. SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT JACK'S PIZZA, A MAINSTAY IN THE FROZEN FOOD AISLE, ALL  STARTED IN A GARAGE IN LITTLE CHUTE, WISCONSIN. "JACK'S PIZZA WAS FOUNDED BY JOHN TOBY ELRICK AND HIS WIFE, IRENE, AND THEY HAD THIS VISION  TO CREATE A PERFECT PIZZA THAT THEY COULD SHARE WITH THEIR NEIGHBORS AND THEIR SURROUNDING  COMMUNITIES."  IN 1960 JOHN, ALSO KNOWN AS JACK, BUILT A PIZZA KITCHEN IN HIS GARAGE AND  DELIVERED PIZZAS IN AND AROUND LITTLE CHUTE USING THE FAMILY SEDAN. IN 1971 JACK'S ENTERED THE FROZEN PIZZA MARKET AND CONTINUES TO GROW AS A NATIONAL BRAND. "FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, JACK'S WAS ALL ABOUT BLENDING THE PERFECT COMBINATION OF PRIME  MEATS, FRESH SAUCE, AND THE FINEST CHEESES. AND WHILE THE COMPANY HAS GROWN WE STILL STAY  VERY TRUE TO THOSE SAME ASPECTS MAKING SURE THAT THAT RECIPE STAYS THE SAME." THE CHEESE IS SOURCED FROM LOCAL FARMS, INCLUDING FOREMOST FARMS COOPERATIVE IN APPLETON.  "FOREMOST FARMS AND NESTLE HAVE A SHARED VALUE WHEN IT COMES TO QUALITY. WE HAVE LOCAL  ACCESS TO QUALITY MILK THAT WE PUT INTO OUR CHEESE TO DELIVER THE STRICTEST REQUIREMENTS PUT ON  US BY NESTLE FOR THE CHEESE THAT WE PUT ON THEIR PIZZAS." AND WITH JACK'S BEING THE NUMBER  ONE PIZZA BRAND IN SEVERAL MIDWESTERN STATES, IT'S HERE TO STAY. "WISCONSIN CHEESE IS VERY  IMPORTANT TO US. ONE IT LEVELS BACK TO OUR HERITAGE AND ROOTS HERE IN WISCONSIN, BUT IT ALSO  ALLOWS US TO GIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITIES; SUPPORTING THE LOCAL DAIRY FARMERS, MAKING SURE  THAT FARMS CONTINUE TO THRIVE IN THE COMMUNITIES." AND THAT'S WISCONSIN DAIRY NEWS. NESTLE BOUGHT THE JACK'S PIZZA LINE AND OTHER PIZZA BRANDS FROM KRAFT  FOODS IN JANUARY 2010 FOR A HEFTY SUM OF THREE-POINT-SEVEN BILLION  DOLLARS.

CLOSE
THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE THIS MORNING. WE'RE GLAD YOU TUNED IN.  FOR ALL OF US AT AGDAY I'M CLINTON GRIFFITHS. HAVE A GREAT DAY.