Listen here

Feldhaus visits with a young Lexington entrepreneur who is getting ready for take off in his aerial scouting service utilizing drones.  Stuart Hartley, Vice President of Aerial Eyes LLC, says the firm is already helping golf courses cut irrigation by 25% in some situations.  The firm is ready to do free, on-site demos for farmers to break into the agricultural market.  Learn more on line at” Aerialeyesllc.com.

Kentucky Ag Commissioner Ryan Quarles is encouraging all citizens to help feed the hungry by checking box 33 on their state tax returns.  That action will make a donation to the “Farms to Food Banks Trust Fund” to help produce farmers turn “seconds” into nutritious meals for Kentucky’s less fortunate.  Quarles discusses several items on the department’s legislative agenda for this 2017 General Assembly.

A report with the administrator of USDA’s National Agriculture Statistics Service, Hubert Hamer, who says that agency, and others, have seen a decline in the response rate to their survey requests throughout the year.  He was making a pitch to farmers at the recent Ky Commodity Conference to be sure and respond to their requests as most often the information they receive is utilized in safety net programs to help farmers.

A feature report with Kim Rominger, CEO of the United Farm Equipment Dealers Association who sets the scene for farm equipment demand trends for 2017.  He says current economic conditions on the farm have lead to a surplus of quality, and some bargains on low-hour farm equipment that needs to be moved from the pipeline as new models hit the show rooms.

Listen here

Farm Bureau state leadership from Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana will host a farm issues panel this Friday at the National Farm Machinery Show.  Event coordinator Ky Farm Bureau’s Joe Cain says the panel presentation is open to all, and will focus on the upcoming farm bill, international trade, and any issue of interest to those who attend.

CBOT futures closed higher with the soy complex leading the way. Soybeans were supported by signs of export business and aggressive spec fund buying adding to an already large long position.  Cattle futures closed moderately lower (near the day’s lows) after opening the day near steady. Futures were pressured by recent weakness in boxed beef values and ideas that cash cattle prices will soften.