AgDay Daily Recap - April 3, 2018

TODAY ON AGDAY
APRIL 3, 2018

HEADLINES
MARKETS STRUGGLE AS CHINA IMPLEMENTS  TARIFFS AGAINST U-S AG PRODUCTS. "ANY TIME YOU ARE LOSING MONEY NOBODY IS HAPPY."TARIFFS ADD FURTHER PRESSURE ON A WEAK FARM ECONOMY.  "WE HAVE A COLD, IF YOU WILL, AT THIS POINT. WE ARE HEADED FOR THE FLU."HOW THE POLITICS OF TRADE PLAYS IN THE POLITICS OF IOWA. IN ANALYSIS- FARMERS ARE PROJECTED TO PLANT 88 MILLION CORN ACRES. NOW  WHAT? AGDAY - BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE CHEVY SILVERADO, THE MOST DEPENDABLE, LONGEST-LASTING FULL  SIZE PICKUPS ON THE ROAD. 

CHINA TARIFFS
GOOD MORNING I'M BETSY JIBBEN. CLINTON IS OFF THE ANCHOR DESK FOR A  COUPLE OF DAYS. U-S STOCKS IN SEVERAL AG COMPANIES TUMBLED MONDAY AFTER CHINA FOLLOWED THROUGH WITH ITS THREAT TO RAISE IMPORT DUTIES ON SEVERAL  AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS, SUCH AS PORK AND APPLES. ONE OF THE BIGGEST LOSERS WAS TYSON FOODS. STOCK IN THAT PORK,  POULTRY AND BEEF PRODUCER WAS OFF ABOUT SIX PERCENT MUCH OF THE DAY  MONDAY. CHINA RAISED IMPORT DUTIES ON A 3 BILLION DOLLAR LIST OF U.S. GOODS IN AN  ESCALATING DISPUTE WITH WASHINGTON OVER TRADE AND INDUSTRIAL POLICY. THIS MOVE BY CHINA WAS IN RESPONSE TO THE U-S TARIFF HIKE ON STEEL AND  ALUMINUM. U-S PORK TOOK THE BIGGEST HIT WITH A 25 PERCENT TARIFF HIKE.  AND OVERALL GLOBAL TRADE WITH U.S. PORK IS SOMETHING MICHIGAN  PRODUCER, BRIAN MCKENZIE IS WATCHING.  "WE EXPORTED OVER 15 BILLION DOLLARS OF PORK IN 2017 WHICH REPRESENTS 1 OUT OF EVERY 4 PIGS  WHICH HAS BEEN EXPORTED. 44 IF WE BECOME IN A TRADE WAR, A LOT OF OUR PRODUCTION IS AT RISK."THE U-S MEAT EXPORT FEDERATION RESPONDING TO THE TARIFFS MONDAY  SAYING "WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT THE ADDITIONAL DUTIES CAN BE RESCINDED QUICKLY, SO THAT U.S. PORK CAN AGAIN COMPETE ON A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD  WITH PORK FROM OTHER EXPORTING COUNTRIES. " U-S-MEF SAYS EXPORTS HAVE BEEN A KEY DRIVER OF GROWTH IN THE U.S. PORK  INDUSTRY WITH NEARLY 27 PERCENT OF U.S. PORK PRODUCTION EXPORTED  LAST YEAR,  BUT THE ASIAN NATION HAS NOT YET RESPONDED TO PRESIDENT TRUMPS  THREATENED TARIFFS OVER THEFT OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. THE  ADMINISTRATION PUT THAT PRICE TAG AT 50-BILLION DOLLARS. AND THERE ARE FEARS THAT CHINA COULD HIT U-S SOYBEANS IN THAT POSSIBLE  ROUND OF RETALIATORY TARIFFS. AG GROUPS WORRY TARIFFS WILL FURTHER WEAKEN THE U-S AG SECTOR. "WE HAVE A COLD, IF YOU WILL, AT THIS POINT. WE ARE HEADED FOR THE FLU IF WE SEE SOME OF  THESE TRADE BARRIERS COMING AT US AND SOME OF THESE TARIFFS COMING AT US, BECAUSE WE HAVE  TO EXPORT. WE CAN'T EAT ANY MORE HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.FORECASTERS SAY THE IMPACT OF MONDAY'S MOVE SHOULD BE LIMITED, BUT  INVESTORS WORRY THE GLOBAL RECOVERY MIGHT BE SET BACK IF OTHER GOVERNMENTS RESPOND BY RAISING IMPORT BARRIERS. 

HOW TARIFFS ARE IMPACTING IOWA
IMPOSING TARIFFS ON PORK IS NO SURPRISE. IT HITS RIGHT AT THE HEART OF  PRESIDENT TRUMP'S RURAL ELECTORAL BASE OF IOWA. THAT STATE PRODUCES THE MOST PORK IN THE COUNTRY VALUED AT SIX BILLION  DOLLARS. AND EVERY FOUR YEARS, IOWA HOSTS THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL CAUCUS. IN 2016, THEN-CANDIDATE TRUMP ENJOYED SUPPORTIVE CROWDS FROM FARM  COUNTRY. BUT WITH TRADE ISSUES AT STAKE, CAN HE MAINTAIN THAT BACKING? CARRIE ANTL-FINGER OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS VISITS NORTHWEST IOWA TO GAUGE THE MOOD. JEFF REHDER MAKES HIS LIVING AS A HOG FARMER. HE VOTED FOR DONALD TRUMP IN THE LAST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, IN HOPES  OF A BETTER FUTURE. BUT THE PRESIDENT'S PROPOSED CHINESE TARIFFS  COULD AFFECT THE PRICE OF HIS HOGS. "THAT WILL BE DETERMINED ON HOW LONG IT LASTS. IF IT'S A TEMPORARY UP  AND DOWN. I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE A BIG DEAL." TRUMP'S PLANS TO IMPOSE TARIFFS ON A RANGE OF CHINESE GOODS,  INCLUDING STEEL AND ALUMINUM, IS AIMED AT PUNISHING BEIJING FOR STEALING  AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY. TARIFFS HAVE BEEN A CENTRAL PART OF HIS PLEDGE TO GET TOUGH ON CHINA. "IT'S GOING TO MAKE US A MUCH STRONGER, MUCH RICHER NATION." THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT RESPONDED, THAT SENT A CHILL THROUGH PLACES LIKE SIOUX COUNTY, WHICH RANKS FIRST  IN IOWA IN AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS. IT'S ALSO A COUNTY WHERE 80 PERCENT OF  VOTERS SUPPORTED TRUMP. "ANY TIME YOU ARE LOSING MONEY NOBODY IS HAPPY." BUT THIS 42-YEAR-OLD FARMER SAYS HE STANDS TO LOSE HUNDREDS OF  THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN REVENUE NEEDED TO FINANCE RECENT  CONSTRUCTION. HE SAYS IT'S POSSIBLE HE WOULD ABANDON TRUMP  IF PORK'S PRICE DECLINE CONTINUES AND LASTS. "CHINA AND SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE MAJOR PLACES WE EXPORT PORK. IF  WE CAN'T GET RID OF IT WE CAN'T GET RID OF IT IN THE UNITED STATES. OUR  MARKET IS GOING TO GO DOWN." OTHER HOG FARMERS, LIKE JEFF REHDER, WANT TO SEE HOW THE NEW TAX  PLAN AFFECTS THEM. "WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE PROFITS THIS YEAR THAN LAST YEAR  BECAUSE OF THE TAX CUT. HOPEFULLY WE DON'T HAVE TO GIVE IT ALL AWAY DUE  TO THE TARIFFS." WHILE GOP CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS HAVE URGED TRUMP TO REVERSE  COURSE, NO EVERYONE IN SIOUX COUNTY IS WORRIED ABOUT THE FALLOUT  FROM A TRADE WAR. "THERE WILL BE SOME CASUALTIES LIKE ANY WAR THAT'S GOING TO BE HURTFUL  BUT THEN WE'LL WORK AND ADJUST AS BEST WE CAN. " BUT FARMERS IN THIS AGRICULTURAL EPICENTER ARE UNEASY BEING ON THE  FRONT LINE.    CARRIE ANTLFINGER, ASSOCIATED PRESS. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE U-S TARIFFS?   ARE THEY A GOOD THING FOR  AGRICULTURE? THAT'S THE TOPIC OF THIS WEEK'S FARM JOURNAL PULSE QUESTION. WE POSTED THAT QUESTION LAST THURSDAY. SO FAR, WE'VE RECEIVED NEARLY 12-HUNDRED RESPONSES. 46-PERCENT SAID "WAIT AND SEE" TO SEE HOW THE TARIFF ACTION PLAYS OUT. 37-PERCENT SAID "NO" - IT'S NOT A GOOD THING. AND 18-PERCENT SAID "YES". IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE PART IN THIS UN-SCIENTIFIC POLL. TEXT THE WORD  "PULSE" TO 31313 

CROP PROGRESS
AS THE CALENDAR PAGE FLIPS TO APRIL, USDA NOW BEGINS ITS WEEKLY CROP  PROGRESS REPORT. WE'LL BE WATCHING THIS DATA EACH WEEK UNTIL NOVEMBER. NOT MUCH TO REPORT IN THIS FIRST WEEK.... SEVEN PERCENT OF COTTON  IS IN THE GROUND. ELEVEN PERCENT OF TEXAS COTTON IS SEEDED...DOUBLE THE AVERAGE. NINE PERCENT OF SORGHUM IS NOW PLANTED, TWO POINTS BEHIND AVERAGE. USDA IS EXPECTING AN ACREAGE INCREASE IN SORGHUM THIS YEAR. AND WE'LL NOW BE GETTING A WEEKLY CHECK-UP ON WINTER WHEAT, WHICH IS  STRUGGLING. 32-PERCENT IS GOOD TO EXCELLENT. IN KANSAS NONE OF THE CROP IS  EXCELLENT AND ONLY TEN PERCENT IS GOOD. MEANWHILE, FIELD WORK IS BEHIND IN THE WESTERN CORN BELT DUE TO SNOW! SNOW FALLING DOWN IN POCKETS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, ESPECIALLY IN  SOME KEY ROW CROP AREAS OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND CENTRAL NEBRASKA,  EVEN REACHING AREAS OF MISSOURI TO INDIANA.  WE VISITED EASTERN NEBRASKA LATE LAST WEEK FOR A PLANTING UPDATE. SOME FARMERS NEAR ARLINGTON, NEBRASKA SAY THEY HAD A NICE NOVEMBER  AND DECEMBER TO GET FIELD WORK DONE.  HOWEVER, THEY SAY THE AREA IS VERY BEHIND WITH SPRING FIELD WORK.  "IT'S BEEN A WETTER AND COLDER MARCH THAN WE'VE HAD IN PAST YEARS. USUALLY WE GET A LITTLE BIT  OF AN INDIAN SPRING TYPE FEEL WITH SOME 60S AND 70S. HAVEN'T HAD THAT YET THIS YEAR. IT'S KIND  OF GOT SOME GUYS WORRIED THAT WE NEVER GOT ANY WORK DONE IN MARCH LIKE WE'D LIKE TO. LAURITSEN SAYS HIS AREA LUCKED OUT OF SNOW BUT LOWS IN THE 20S DO NOT  MAKE IT FEEL LIKE SPRING THIS WEEK. SPEAKING OF SPRING, THE ANNUAL I-80 PLANTING TOUR KICKS OFF TOMORROW  ON AGDAY. WE'LL HAVE A REPORT FROM WESTERN IOWA.  

CROP COMMENTS
THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF WEATHER NEWS ACROSS FARM COUNTRY. MIKE  HOFFMAN IS HERE WITH A LOOK AT  CROP COMMENTS. MIKE.  THANKS BETSY. I SEE YOU SUBMITTED A PHOTO FROM SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA OVER THE  WEEKEND. THIS PICTURE IS OF 'OPENING DAY' ON THE JIBBEN FARM EASTER WEEKEND.  BETSY'S DAD IS PITCHING, HER NEPHEW WILLY IS AT THE PLATE AND BETSY IS  READY FOR SOME POP-FLYS IN THE OUTFIELD.  WELL, WEATHER HAS DRASTICALLY CHANGED IN THAT AREA IT'LL BE AWHILE BEFORE DANIEL CARPENTER FROM ROCKINGHAM, MISSOURI IS  OUT IN THE FIELD.  DANIEL SAYS HIS SPRING FIELD WORK IS PLACED ON HOLD.  IT LOOKS LIKE HIS AREA RECEIVED SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN NOW TAKING A LOOK AT THE WIND SPEED  FORECAST WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A FAIR AMOUNT OF IT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS LOTS IN THE WESTERN PLAINS OVER INTO THE CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. PARTS OF THE GREAT LAKES AND THEN  THIS AFTERNOON IT REALLY GETS WINDY THROUGHOUT THE PLAINS STATES INTO THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY  TENNESSEE RIVER VALLEY AND THAT EXTENDS FARTHER EAST TOMORROW FROM THE GREAT LAKES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO SOUTH TEXAS FAIRLY WINDY TO START TODAY AND IT GETS WINDY AS THE DAY GOES ON INTO  THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES AND PARTS OF THE ROCKIES. WE'LL HAVE YOUR FORECAST COMING UP. FIRST  HERE ARE SOME HOMETOWN TEMPS 

TEASE
WHEN WE COME BACK - WE LOOK AT THE CORN MARKET REACTION FOLLOWING  THE RELEASE OF THE PROSPECTIVE PLANTINGS REPORT. FROM OUR PARTNERS AT FARM JOURNAL'S MILK - WE LOOK AT THE TOUGH ROAD  AHEAD FOR DAIRY PRODUCERS. AND WE VISIT A MIDWEST DRONE ZONE - AS INTEREST CONTINUES TO GROW IN  THE WORLD OF UN-MANNED AERIAL VEHICLES. YOU COULD WIN A 2018 JOHN DEERE GATOR FROM VALENT USA.  VISIT VALENTFULLYLOADED.COM  TO ENTER. 

FLOOR OF THE CME
IN AGRIBUSINESS - LET'S GET A QUICK LOOK AT MONDAY'S ACTION AT THE CME IN  CHICAGO. HOGS IS THE REAL STORY OF THE DAY THEY REALLY TUMBLED THOSE CHINESE TRADE WARDS TRADE WARS  ARE DEFINITELY LOOMING AND THEY'RE GOING TO AFFECT THE PORK MARKET ALONG WITH THE NAFTA TALKS  THAT'S GOING TO ALSO HURT THE HOG MARKET. ON TOP OF ALL THAT THE HOG AND PIG REPORT TOLD US THAT  THE EXPANSION OF THE HERD BY 3 PERCENT IS REALLY AN AGGRESSIVE NUMBER THAT'S ALSO GOING TO  WEIGH VERY HEAVY ON PRICES. AND AS YOU SEE THE CHART IS JUST GOING STRAIGHT DOWN BUT AT SOME POINT YOU KNOW WE'RE GOING TO GET TO THAT BARGAIN BASEMENT AREA WHERE WE'RE GOING TO  HAVE SOME REAL BUYERS STEP IN AND SUPPORT THAT MARKET. BUT RIGHT NOW NOT LOOKING SO GOOD.  AS SOON AS WE CALM DOWN A LITTLE BIT WITH THE CHINA WARS I THINK THAT WE CAN GET A LITTLE BIT MORE OF AN EQUILIBRIUM. BUT TODAY THE MARKET IS DEFINITELY LOWER. THAT'S ALL FROM THE FLOOR AT  THE CME GROUP HERE IN CHICAGO. I'M VIRGINIA MCGATHEY.

AGRIBUSINESS
AS USDA UNVEILED ITS PROSPECTIVE PLANTINGS REPORT LAST WEEK, THE  AGENCY SAID IT EXPECTS U-S FARMERS WILL PLANT MORE SOYBEANS THAN  CORN THIS YEAR. THAT HASN'T HAPPENED SINCE THE EARLY 1980'S. BEFORE CLINTON SET-OUT, HE TALKED WITH ANALYST JIM MCCORMICK FROM  ALLENDALE INCORPORATED ABOUT THE CORN MARKET. JIM MCCORMICK OUR GUEST HERE AT THE AGRIBUSINESS DESK TODAY JIM. YOU KNOW LAST THURSDAY WE HEARD A PRETTY INTERESTING CORE NUMBER ESPECIALLY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE  PLANNING TO REPORT WHAT WE THINK IS GOING TO BE PUT IN THE GROUND. HOW DID THAT SIT WITH YOU.  AT 88 MILLION ACRES. WHAT IT TELLS ME CLINTON IS WE'VE REALLY GOT AN INTERESTING STORY A BOY STORY I THINK COULD BE DEVELOPING THE CORN MARKET 80 MILLION ACRES PUT IN PERSPECTIVE. YOU  DROP YOUR TREND YOU'LL BUY THREE BUSHELS OK. THIS IS RUN LIKE A 173 OR BELOW LAST YEAR'S CROP.  88 MILLION BUT THAT YOU UNKOSHER TO ME IN 150 MILLION ROUGHLY. YOU'RE STILL LOOKING AT A CARRY  OUT TO SOMEWHERE AROUND 1 3 1 4. WOW. AND TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS NOT SURE WE TAPPED OUT THE MARKET ABOUT 17. THE TWO PREVIOUS YEARS BEFORE THAT WE GOT UP  NEAR 450 AND WE WERE TALKING AROUND A 1 5 KARIYA. SO YOUR ECONOMICS LOOK LIKE THERE'S ANY  KIND OF A HICCUP THERE IS A VERY GOOD POTENTIAL. YOU COULD SEE THIS CORN PUSH UP TO 450 I  BELIEVE. YES SO AS AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS YEAR WHAT INDICATORS ARE YOU WATCHING FOR TO SEE  WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS GOING TO GET A LITTLE MORE BULLISH OR A LITTLE LESS. WELL I THINK THE FIRST INDICATORS GOING TO THE PHONES. OKAY. THEY ARE. THEY LEAD THIS MARKET. THEY REALLY GOT  EXCITED ABOUT THE CORE MARKET RELATIVELY THE LAST FEW WEEKS PUSH THEIR POSITION ABOUT HALF OF  A RECORD LIMIT. THEY'VE PULLED BACK A LITTLE BIT. WHAT I WANT TO SEE THE FUN MONEY KIND OF INJECT  FURTHER INTO THIS MARKET SHOW THEM THAT THEY WANT TO BUY IT NOW THEY MAY BE BUYING IT ON THE FOOD SIDE. THEY ALSO MEAN BUYING ON THE INFLATIONARY SIDE OF THE EQUATION BECAUSE WE HEAR  A LOT OF GUYS BUYING COMMODITIES BECAUSE OF THE OVERHEATED STOCK MARKET THE TIGHT JOB  MARKET. SO YOU GET SOME INFLATION BUYING. SO THE KEY IS TO SEE THAT INVESTOR MONEY COME IN BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE THE BIG KEY RIGHT NOW. WHAT ABOUT EXPORT SALES. WHAT IS  THAT TELLING US RIGHT NOW ON THE CORN MARKET. WELL RIGHT NOW THIS PAST WEEK SALES DROPPED OFF  JUST A HAIR AFTER THE PHENOMENAL RUN WE'VE GOT I THINK WE HAD 10 WEEKS LIKE RECORD SALES.  YEAH I MEAN YOU CAN'T YOU CAN'T MAKE A RECORD EVERY WEEK. BUT IN GENERAL THE SALES STAY STRONG. THAT SHOULD BE GOOD. NOW THE ONE LITTLE RED FLAG I HAVE ON THE EXPORT SALES THAT YOU  POINT UP IS SHIPMENTS OK. THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS WE'RE SELLING TO LIVE ON TOP OF THIS CORN BUT  WE'VE GOT TO GET SHIPPED OUT RIGHT NOW TO SHIP IT OUT. I THINK WE NEED TO SHIP OUT LIKE 22  PERCENT HIGHER MORE PER WEEK THAN WE DID A YEAR AGO. SO IN ESSENCE IT IS GOING TO TAKE A BIG  PROGRAM TO GET IT MOVED THAT WE CAN DO IT. YEAH WE HAVE THE CAPACITY BUT THAT'S GOING TO BE  THE WILDCARD BUT DEMAND LOOKS GOOD AND PRODUCERS OUGHT TO BE OPTIMISTIC. ALL RIGHT OPTIMISM  I LIKE THAT. ALL RIGHT THANKS JIM WILL BE BACK MORE AGDAY HERE IN JUST A MINUTE.

WEATHER
YOUR VOTE COULD HELP A COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION WIN TWN THOUSAND DOLLARS, AND SEND A  FARMER ON A DREAM SPORTS TRIP.  VOTE NOW AND HELP MAKE DREAMS COME TRUE AT  POWERTODOMORE.COM.  SPONSORED BY RESICORE CORN HERBICIDE. <WELCOME BACK TO AGDAY WITH METEOROLOGIST MIKE HOFFMAN. MIKE AS YOU SAID EARLIER IT JUST  LOOKS LIKE A TYPICAL SNOWSTORM GOING THROUGH SOME OF THE COURT IS THIS JANUARY OR WHAT. NO.  WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE SNOWSTORMS OVER THE LAST WEEK. THIS IS ANOTHER APRIL SNOWSTORM MOVING THROUGH THE UPPER MIDWEST AND FARTHER SOUTH INTO THE WARMER AIR. THERE IS ACTUALLY THE  POTENTIAL TODAY FOR SOME SEVERE WEATHER EVEN AS FAR NORTH AS INDIANA ILLINOIS AND OHIO. SO  THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL BE WATCHING. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DOWN ALONG THE FRONT INTO THE CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI VALLEY NORTHEAST TEXAS BY LATER TODAY. SNOW FLYING FROM NORTHERN IOWA  ALL THE WAY THROUGH NORTHERN MICHIGAN AND INTO THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF MAINE. TAKING A LOOK  AT THE WEATHER MAP TONIGHT. THAT STORM CONTINUES TO MOVE EAST WE END WITH SOME SNOW AS  FAR SOUTH AS NORTHERN INDIANA NORTHERN OHIO A LOT OF THAT GOING TO BE LAKE EFFECT NOTHING REAL  HEAVY THERE BUT THERE IS GOING TO BE SEVERAL INCHES IN THE THE MAIN BAND OF THAT SNOW FARTHER  NORTH. NEXT STORM SYSTEM COMING IN OUT WEST VERY SLOW MOVER BUT IT'S GOING TO START TO MOVE SOME RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOWS INTO THE NORTHWESTERN PORTIONS OF THE COUNTRY BY TOMORROW.  AND THEN YOU CAN SEE ANOTHER COLD FRONT COMING SOUTHWARD OUT OF CENTRAL CANADA. THIS IS  THE COLD WEATHER PATTERN BASICALLY FOR THE EASTERN HALF OF THE COUNTRY FOR THIS TIME OF THE YEAR  AND WE'VE BEEN IN IT FOR QUITE SOME TIME. LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT PRECIPITATION ESTIMATES PAST 24  HOURS YOU CAN SEE SOME DECENT AMOUNTS IN PARTS OF THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. MOST OF IT'S BEEN LIGHT FARTHER NORTH BUT THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S ALL SNOW AND IT  PILES UP PRETTY GOOD EVEN WHEN YOU GET A HALF AN INCH SAID SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW TYPICALLY  YOU CAN SEE THOUGH WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME AREAS THAT GET THOSE HEAVIER THUNDERSTORMS  FROM THE SOUTHERN GREAT LAKES ALL THE WAY TO NORTHERN LOUISIANA. WE'LL END UP WITH THE INTERIM MORE OF RAIN IN PLACES SNOWFALLS GENERALLY BEEN FROM WYOMING AND MONTANA  EASTWARD INTO MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHERE WE'RE GOING TO ADD SOME  MORE OVER THE NEXT 36 HOURS. IT WILL GO A LITTLE FARTHER SOUTH INTO CHICAGO NORTHERN INDIANA  AND NORTHERN OHIO AS WELL. AS WE HEAD THROUGH THE NEXT 36 HOURS LOOK AT THE HIGHS TODAY WHAT A DIFFERENCE WE'RE LOOKING AT. 80S AT THE GOLF COAST BELOW 20. BY THE TIME WE GET TO THE CANADIAN BORDER LOW TEMPERATURES TONIGHT ARE GOING TO BE VERY COLD FOR THIS TIME OF THE YEAR SINGLE DIGITS IN THE FAR NORTHERN PLAINS STILL 60S AND 70S IN THE SOUTHEAST. THE WARMTH  CONTINUES IN FLORIDA BUT THE COOLER AIR MOVES SOUTHWARD A LITTLE BIT FARTHER AS YOU CAN SEE  THERE AND WE'RE LOOKING AT 20S AND 30S IN THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND THE GREAT LAKES HERE'S THE  JET STREAM AND YOU CAN SEE THAT TROUGH IN THE STORM SYSTEM MOVING EAST THEN WE HAVE MULTIPLE PIECES OF ENERGY ROTATING AROUND THE BIG STORM IN EASTERN CANADA AND ASKING TO  KEEP THE COLD AIR COMING IN THE EAST. THAT'S LOOK ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN DALLAS. TAKE A LOOK AT  SOME LOCAL FORECASTS. WE HEAD TO PUEBLO COLORADO FIRST OF ALL BREEZY SUNSHINE AND CLOUDS.  HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 56 DEGREES. IRON MOUNTAIN MICHIGAN SNOW MOST OF THE TIME. HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 33 NEW SMYRNA BEACH FLORIDA PARTLY SUNNY AND WARM TO HIGH AROUND 82.

TEASE
WHILE THE U-S IS AT ODDS WITH CHINA OVER TRADE....THERE ARE PARTS OF THE  AG SECTOR WORKING TO BUILD A BETTER RELATIONSHIP. DETAILS IN OUR DAIRY  REPORT. AND WIN-OR-LOOSE IN THE BIG GAME, MICHIGAN HAS SOMETHING ELSE TO BE  PROUD-OF. IT'S BRAND NEW "DRONE ZONE". WE'LL TAKE A CLOSER LOOK. 

DAIRY TV
WHILE TRADE TENSIONS MOUNT BETWEEN THE U-S AND CHINA. ONE IMPORTANT  SECTOR OF U-S AGRICULTURE IS TRYING TO BUILD  BETTER RELATIONS. ACCORDING TO OUR PARTNERS AT FARM JOURNAL'S MILK - THE U.S. DAIRY  EXPORT COUNCIL AND CHINA'S JIANGNAN UNIVERSITY SIGNED A MEMORANDUM  OF UNDERSTANDING TO ESTABLISH THE U.S.-CHINA DAIRY INNOVATION CENTER. THE GOAL OF THE CENTER IS TO FACILITATE RESEARCH INNOVATION AND  TECHNICAL SERVICES FOR THE DAIRY AND FOOD INDUSTRIES. THE GROUPS ALSO  HOPE TO STRENGTHEN EDUCATION COOPERATION BETWEEN THE TWO  COUNTRIES. TOM VILSACK - WHO IS THE CURRENT U-S-D-E-C BOSS AND FORMER AG  SECRETARY - CALLS IT A "GAME CHANGER' OUR PARTNERS AT FARM JOURNAL MILK ALSO TAKING A CLOSE LOOK AT THE  BOTTOM LINE FOR DAIRY PRODUCERS. A NEW MILK SURVEY OF DAIRY PRODUCERS WITH 500 OR MORE COWS SHOWS  SURVIVING 2018 COULD BE TOUGH. THREE-QUARTERS OF THE PRODUCERS WHO RESPONDED SAY THEIR BUSINESS  CAN SURVIVE AT THE CURRENT MILK PRICE FOR THREE YEARS OR LESS. BUT 37%  SAY THEY'VE ONLY GOT ONE YEAR TO TURN THINGS AROUND. FARMGATE MILK PRICES FROM THOSE POLLED RANGED FROM TWELVE-60 TO 18  DOLLARS PER HUNDRED WEIGHT. THE AVERAGE WAS FIFTEEN-66 PER HUNDRED. LEARN MORE AT MILK-BUSINESS-DOT-COM. 

IN THE COUNTRY
IN THE COUNTRY - SPONSORED BY KUBOTA. TRACTORS, HAY TOOLS, UTILILTY VEHICLES, MOWERS AND  MORE. VISIT KUBOTA.COM TODAY. THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN IS THE LATEST SCHOOL TO ENTER THE "DRONE  ZONE" WITH ITS RECENTLY DEDICATED OUTDOOR SPACE FOR U-A-V'S. RESEARCHERS HOSTED A "DEMO DAY" SHOWING OFF THE FOUR-STORY NETTED  COMPLEX THAT'S KNOWN AS "M-AIR." IT COST 800-THOUSAND DOLLARS TO CONSTRUCT. OTHER UNIVERSITIES HAVE SIMILAR CONFINED FLYING FACILITIES LIKE THIS. MICHIGAN FELT IT'S A NECESSARY TOOL TO TEACH STUDENTS INTERESTED IN  THIS GROWING INDUSTRY. THE FACILITY ALLOWS THE STUDENTS TO COME OUT AND FLY ANYTHING THAT FITS IN THE NET...NO MATTER THE WEATHER. "WITH THIS FACILITY, WE'LL BE ABLE TO TEST DRONES WHETHER THE SUNSHINE IS BRIGHT OR IT'S DIM AND  DARK AT NIGHT. WE'LL BE ABLE TO TEST DRONES IN THE WIND AND THE RAIN AND THE SNOW AND THE SLEET AND THE HAIL AND THE GLOOMY NIGHT." OUTDOOR DRONE FLIGHTS ON THE ANN ARBOR CAMPUS ARE REQUIRED TO GO THROUGH A FORMAL UNIVERSITY APPROVAL PROCESS DUE TO SAFETY  CONCERNS ABOUT INTERFERENCE WITH HOSPITAL HELICOPTERS AND OTHER  AIRCRAFT. BUT FLIGHTS INSIDE THE M-AIR SPACE ARE CONSIDERED INDOORS AND DON'T REQUIRE THAT LEVEL OF APPROVAL. 

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