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Dedicated Insurance Professionals you know and trust...like Family |
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| Issue No. 8 | April 24, 2012 |
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Commodity Chat
Highlighting Corn |
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Greetings!
Feed, Food and Fuel. With nearly 5,000 uses, corn is used in a myriad of products we use on a regular basis. From traditional uses such as feed and food, to the new arenas of ethanol and bioplastics, corn is a vital part of our way of life.
New technologies have allowed for the improvement of corn crop varieties. Still, the press for corn is a mixed bag.
So, what's fresh? Is there really corn in crayons?
TACT - Dedicated Insurance Professionals you know and trust...like Family.
Sincerely,
Stoney Jackson
Executive Director
Check out our featured articles! Visit us!  |
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agriculture News
Warm Winter Means More Pests
Get Your Pest-Management
Program Ready
Courtesy agweb.com
This has been the fourth mildest winter on record. That's good news for farmers looking for a head start on the 2012 crop season. Unfortunately, the lack of a deep freeze gave insects, weeds and crop diseases a head start, too.
There are two ways that insects can arrive in a field, says Ron Hammond, a research entomologist at The Ohio State University. They can overwinter in the field, or they can migrate from somewhere else. Knowing which insects overwinter in your area tells you what to watch for. Corn flea beetles are particularly worrisome because they cause physical damage to seedlings and are a vector for Stewart's wilt. Migratory insects should be managed on a case-by-case basis. Black cutworms, for example, fly north to the Midwest and are attracted to chickweed, which thrives in mild winters. "What I've been recommending is what we say every year-scout, scout, scout," Hammond says. Weeds gained a strong pre-season foothold with milder winter temperatures. Predicting where they will wreak in-season havoc is the next question, says Mark Grundmeier, product manager for Latham Hi-Tech Seeds. "A lot depends on the farmer," he says. "Some might not have to change a thing; others will have to be more careful this year." No-till farmers should pay extra care this spring to spray timing, Grund-meier says. Weed flushes could begin earlier than expected, so farmers can't afford to make casual decisions about burndown or preplant applications. Farmers should also be taking a greater interest in resistant weed management and rotating modes of action. "There is no reason to plan for increased herbicide rates, but timely applications will be important," he says. "The crop will grow as aggressively as the weeds do in good weather, so you could reach closed canopy earlier as well."
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Crop Resource News
Courtesy Texas Corn Producers
Quick Facts About Ethanol -
- In 2010, 36.5% of the U.S. Corn Crop was used for ethanol production
- 1 bushel of corn produces at least 2.8 gallons of ethanol and 17 pounds of distillers grains
- Ethanol is currently blended into 70% of America's gasoline
- Ethanol comprises about 4.6% of total annual U.S. gasoline consumption
American Ethanol
Corn is the most widely used material for ethanol production. In 2010, 36.5% of the U.S. corn crop was used for ethanol production. Texas annually produces approximately 355 million gallons of ethanol. Today, there are approximately 180 ethanol plants in the U.S.
Ethanol is blended into 70% of the U.S. fuel supply, mostly as E10 and E85, and can replace gasoline that requires the use of 600,000 barrels of oil each day. Ethanol comprises about 4.6% of the total annual U.S. gasoline consumption.
In addition to providing a clean, alternative fuel source, ethanol production's co-products make it additionally beneficial. Distillers grain is an important co-product to Texas ethanol production, as it provides a valuable feed for livestock. One bushel of corn will produce at leat 2.8 gallons of ethanol and 17 pounds of distillers grain. Carbon dioxide, used to carbonate beverages, manufacture dry ice and more, is another valuable co-product of ethanol production.
Food & Feed vs. Fuel
Though many try to claim that using corn to make ethanol is driving the costs of retail food costs and redirecting a valuable food source from the growing population, but it's simply not the truth.
In a 2009 report, the Congressional Budget Office reported that factors other than ethanol demand were responsible for as much as 90 percent of the increase in food prices.
The 2010 projected ending stocks, while low, demonstrate that U.S. corn farmers will continue to meet all demands for food, feed, food and fiber. Last year's corn production was the third-largest on record and the yield was the fourth-highest on record.
"There are two reasons why we needn't be concerned about ethanol's impact on the corn supply and food prices. First, we are growing more corn on each acre, thanks to technology in the seed and practices on the farm. And we will do so for years to come... Second, at the same time, while the ethanol market has been our "growth sector" for corn demand, its growth is slowing down because we are reaching the limit of how much ethanol can be utilized." Read more in "Our View: On Ethanol, There They Go Again" from NCGA President Bart Schott (2.9.11).
Visit www.texascorn.org and see the Ethanol Section of Resources & Links for more information.
Tools to Manage Reduced-Oil Animal Feed
US - Currently, there are 207 ethanol production facilities in the US which produce over 36 million metric tons of wet and dried distillers grains, which has become a popular, economical partial replacement for corn and soybean meal in animal feeds.
Dried distiller's grains with solubles (DDGS) is the predominant ethanol co-product fed to swine, and its energy value is about equal to corn even though most of the starch is removed to produce ethanol.
This is due to the fact that all other nutrients, including corn oil, remaining in the co-product after ethanol distillation, are concentrated by a factor of three. Corn oil has a much higher (about 2.25 times) energy value compared to starch, and is the main reason why DDGS is considered such a valuable energy ingredient in swine feeds.
However, due to the high price of crude corn oil and the relatively low capital investment required by ethanol plants to install centrifuges to extract some of the corn oil prior to making DDGS, the profitability and return on investment of oil extraction from the ethanol co-product stream is high.
As more of the industry extracts more oil before making DDGS, reduced-oil DDGS has created a lot of anxiety in the feed, livestock, and poultry industries because some of the energy value of DDGS has been taken away. The question is: "How much?" Up until recently, no one knew the answer to this question.
Click here to see more on bioenergy.
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To Your Health...
High Fructose Corn Syrup
TOXIC OR TAME
Introduction
Take a look at the ingredients lists on the products in your refrigerator and pantry, and you'll probably find one thing many of them have in common: high-fructose corn syrup. This mysterious ingredient comes from one of the most prevalent crops grown in the United States, and its use has both pros and cons.
Recent debate in nutrition circles has centered on whether high fructose corn syrup is detrimental to health, or is no more damaging than table sugar. On one side are a variety of nutritionists and academic researchers who find evidence that the syrup increases risk of disease. On the other side, researchers for the corn industry claim that the syrup is chemically identical to sugar.
What is HFCS?
According to Sara Novak from Discovery's Planet Green, high-fructose corn syrup is made from corn kernels that are spun at high velocity and combined with enzymes to form a thick syrup. This syrup can be added to foods and beverages. It was introduced into American diets in the early 1970s, according to Princeton University. Since then, it has been substituted for sugar in many of the products we eat and drink every day, from soft drinks to ketchup to yogurt.
Pros
High-fructose corn syrup extends the shelf life of processed foods, such as baked goods and candies, according to Katherine Zeratsky of the Mayo Clinic. It's also cheaper than sugar. When manufacturers use it instead of sugar, they can lower their prices or make more profit. The Corn Refiners Association (CRA) reports that high-fructose corn syrup gives baked goods a better appearance and moister texture. In tomato products, it enhances flavor and balance, and it improves the texture of canned and frozen fruits.
One of the major pros of high fructose corn syrup is that it is incredibly inexpensive to produce. Corn grows very readiy and processing the crop is very efficient and easy. Food manufacturers can thus produce products that are much less expensive for the public than they would be if they were manufactured with cane.
Health Cons
One known con of consuming high fructose corn syrup is that as a result of processing, it can contain mercury. Mercury is an element that accumulates in the body tissues leading to brain, nerve and organ damage. A 2009 study published in "Environmental Health", a scholarly journal, reports mercury contamination in a variety of samples of HFCS.
In 2010, researchers at Princeton University found that long-term consumption of high-fructose corn syrup can lead to abnormal increases in body fat, especially in the abdomen, and a rise in cholesterol. In one study, rats given water sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup gained much more weight than rats that drank water sweetened with table sugar. In another study, rats given a diet high in high-fructose corn syrup gained 48 percent more weight over six months than rats given only regular rat chow. The rats that consumed high-fructose corn syrup also developed high levels of triglycerides, which leads to increased cholesterol and possibly heart disease.
Environmental Cons
High-fructose corn syrup is bad for the environment as well as for our bodies, according to Novak. Because high-fructose corn syrup is so prevalent in American foods, a great deal of corn is grown each year to produce it. Corn crops require huge amounts of pesticides, which pollute our soil and ground water. Corn is also grown as a monoculture, which means that the land it's grown on is not rotated among other crops. This depletes the nutrients in soil and leads to erosion.
Health Con
A 2004 study published in "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" reports that high fructose corn syrup does increase the likelihood of obesity, though whether this is because the syrup itself has an effect or whether the syrup is simply cheap--and people are likely to consume a lot of it--is unclear. What is certain, however, is that high fructose corn syrup isn't chemically identical to table sugar. It's similar, in that both consist of the sugars glucose and fructose on nearly
1-to-1 ratios. In table sugar, however, glucose and fructose are chemically linked together, while in hfcs, they are not. the chemical ramifications of this distinction are not yet clear.
Similarities with Sugar
Just like sugar, high-fructose corn syrup is high in calories and low in nutritional value. Eating lots of foods that contain either sweetener can increase your chances of obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, according to Zeratsky. The CRA reports that high-fructose corn syrup and sugar both have four calories per gram, and they are nearly identical in composition.
Visit www.livestrong.com to view this reported information and to read more.
People are also reading:
Negatives of HFCS
Pregnancy and HFCS
The Difference Between Sugar and HFCS
Glucose vs. Fructose
HFCS Concerns
HFCS and Weight Gain
How is HFCS Metabolized
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Industry Highlight
"The Corn Producers Association has voted to endorse Texas Agriculture Cooperative Trust and the health benefit plans that are offered effective April 3, 2012. We are excited to offer this as a possible benefit to our CPAT membership. We look forward to this opportunity."
The above is a quote from a letter of intent received from Texas Corn Producers Association. Texas Ag Coop Trust is excited to welcome Texas Corn Producers to its membership and looks forward to a healthful, future relationship.
Find us on Facebook.
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Stoney's 90-Day Challenge
Reaching the End!
Update on Stoney's 90 day challenge.
Stoney started his challenge on January 24, 2012 weighing in at 252 pounds. April 10, 2012 he weighed in at 226.2, for a total loss of 25.8! The week of April 16, Stoney was out of town attending the Texas Grain and Feed Annual Meeting and Expo in Fort Worth. April 17th, he weighed in at 224.6, adding to his total for a final number - 27.4 pounds! In addition, he reports fewer inches and having to buy smaller clothes. He also reported sleeping much better and having more energy than ever before! Stoney reports he feels better, sleeps better and has more energy. Now that he has acheived his ideal weight he begins a new challenge of keeping the it from coming back. He will continue to report his results each week. If you are ready for a healthy transformation please feel free to call, text or email him and talk to him about what he is doing to achieve these results. And, if you want to join him with your own 90 day challenge please feel free to call the TACT office and discuss this exciting transformation program with him.
Follow Stoney's progress on Facebook!
Healthful Hints:
Corn hasn't had much good press lately. Upstarts like broccoli have been stealing the show, but corn is one of the ancient foods that deserves respect today.
The Aztecs served corn, and the Mayans did too. Native Americans saved the Pilgrims from starvation by demonstrating how to grow corn. Now modern people find it an excellent source of great flavor, vitamin C, and fiber.
Corn bran is a heart protector. One study at Illinois State University shows that men who ate a low-fat diet plus 20 grams (less than a teaspoon) of corn bran each day for six weeks had a 13 percent drop in triglycerides, blood fats that contribute to heart disease. Those who ate wheat bran showed no such change.
The soluble fiber in corn binds with cholesterol in bile from the liver. It then passes from the body, taking the cholesterol with it.
There's more to corn than medical benefits. Corn on the cob is a great seasonal treat. (White corn has more fiber than yellow.) When cutting it off the cob, try to get the whole kernel. Or cut the corn from the cob, then run the back of the knife down the rows to get it all.
Buy mature corn, and cook it while it's still fresh. Husk just before cooking. Steaming corn is best, because boiling draws out some of the nutrients.
When adding corn to a salad, use raw corn for a flavorful, crunchy addition to other vegetables. |
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Contact Us
Texas Ag Coop Trust
1802 East 50th St., Ste. 107
Lubbock, TX 79404
806-747-7894
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Texas Ag Coop Trust
Officers, Board of Trustees
George Reed, Chairman
United Farm Industries
Plainview, TX
Gregg Allen, Secretary
Olton Grain Coop
Olton, TX
Jim Turner
Dalhart Consumers Fuel Association
Dalhart, TX
Paul Wilson
United Cotton Growers
Levelland, TX
Cary Eubanks
Slaton Coop Gin
Slaton, TX
Dean Sasser
Farmers Coop Elevator
Levelland, TX
Bret Brown
Sunray Coop
Sunray, TX
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Texas Ag Coop Trust
is endorsed by:
Texas Grain & Feed
Association
Texas Cotton Ginners Association
 Texas Coop Marketing Exchange |
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 Industry Yielding Industrial - Is there really corn in c r a y o n s? Corn can be found in a number of industrial applications such as bioplastics and fabrics. Because of advances in technology, you can find corn in a number of items, including compostable tableware, food containers, bedding, shirts, carpet - AND CRAYONS! Learn more about the unexpected products you can find corn in by visiting the Corn Refiners Association website.Courtesy Texas Corn Producers Board TACT - Dedicated Insurance Professionals
you know and trust...like Family. Welcome!
Sincerely,
Stoney Jackson
Executive Director
Texas Ag Co-op TrustNext Issue: May 8, 2012 Newsletter Archives - click here |
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