FMC Corporation announces its "Stand and Be Heard Anthem Singing Contest," an opportunity for students in agriculture to showcase their patriotic singing skills for a chance to win scholarship prizes. Any member of a national agricultural student organization is invited to submit an audition video singing the National Anthem. Participants will have from March 15 through June 15, 2012 to submit their entry online at www.FMCcrop.com/contest.

"FMC has a stake in farming’s future, and we are invested in providing opportunities that foster and grow our next generation of agricultural leaders," said Bob Trogele, FMC North America Area Director. "We encourage youth to become advocates of our industry and to continue to make agriculture a part of their daily lives."

Entrants of the "Stand and Be Heard Anthem Singing Contest" must be a member of a national ag-related student organization, such as FFA, 4-H or a student NAMA chapter, with plans to pursue a career in agriculture or agribusiness. Entries received between March 15 and June 15 will be posted to the contest webpage and a public online voting phase to determine the finalists begins on July 2. Anyone will be able to go online to www.FMCcrop.com/contest to vote to determine the top four finalists. Finalists will be announced on August 22.

Videotaped interviews and performances of the four finalists will then be aired on national agricultural TV with online voting to determine the grand prize winner. Voting for finalists will take place between September 24 and October 19. Three of the finalists will each receive a $5,000 college scholarship. The grand prize winner will receive a $10,000 scholarship. Winners will be announced on October 24.

"We’re looking forward to viewing the submissions from these talented students," Trogele said. "It will be a great experience for our finalists to share their agricultural story and sing the National Anthem on national television. We hope these scholarships provide the opportunity to further our finalists’ educational endeavors."

FMC Corporation has additional plans to invest in farming’s future with the anticipated EPA registration (EPA registration is currently pending) of two new herbicides, Anthem TM and Anthem TM  ATZ, in the fourth quarter of 2012.

Complete contest details are available online at www.FMCcrop.com/contest.

The Iowa Legislature adjourned on May 9, without passing either property tax reform or a fuel tax increase. However, several of the Iowa Soybean Association’s (ISA’s) priority issues received attention during the session, with the association’s desired outcomes.

During this session, the legislative appropriation for the ISA On-Farm Network^® was restored to its full $400,000 after being impacted by across-the-board reductions the past three years. The On-Farm Network supports ongoing research conducted by more than 600 Iowa farmers who seek to maintain production levels while reducing their environmental footprint. Several urban legislative leaders took the time last summer to visit cooperating farmers with Dr. Tracy Blackmer, ISA research director, and Jill Altringer, ISA’s lobbyist. Learning more about the program’s longstanding value resulted in their support.

ISA, a strong supporter of World Food Prize (WFP), fielded a request for help after the WFP’s $1 million appropriation was zeroed out. ISA worked with other agriculture groups to see that the WFP appropriation was restored to the $750,000 level.

Likewise, after the budget of the state’s Watershed Improvement Review Board (WIRB) had been eliminated in early proposals, ISA helped restore that appropriation to $1 million. Those dollars are used to help local watershed projects and programs provide support for farmers and other businesses. Bob Ballou, an ISA District Advisory Council member from eastern Iowa, currently chairs the WIRB.

Ag drainage wells also received slightly more than $1.5 million in the appropriations process, which ISA hopes will help work to proceed on the remaining wells to be closed. The baseline appropriation of $550,000 was supplemented by an additional $1 million in Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund (RIIF) money, and will hopefully close about half of the remaining wells.

In addition, the Ag Protection Bill was passed early in the session, supported by ISA and other ag groups. It creates penalties for those who fraudulently gain access to a farm with intent to cause harm.

While these efforts resulted in ISA’s desired outcomes, ISA’s top priority, passage of a fuel tax to support rural roads and bridges, was shelved early in the session by lawmakers who felt the issue was too difficult to support in an election year.

ISA Director of Policy Development Carol Balvanz says, “ISA will continue to work with legislative leaders to keep rural infrastructure and soybean producers’ needs in the forefront during the election process this summer and fall, and prior to the next legislative session.”

One of the most significant price declines of the season is reflected in May figures as heating oil fell to $3.46, down $.16 since the April report, and propane fell $.17 for the same period, for a survey average of $1.56.

 Crude Oil Summary

The price of global crude oil fell this week on the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) by $3.03 per barrel over last week, closing at $93.98.

 Brent crude oil rose in price this week, finishing at $111.40 per barrel on Tuesday’s close, up $.92 from the previous week.

 One year ago WTI crude sold for $96.91 and Brent crude was at $113.72.

 Motor Fuels

As of Tuesday, May 15th, the price of regular unleaded gasoline averaged $3.53 across Iowa according to AAA.  This is down $.04 as compared to last week and down $.42 from one year ago.  The national average on Tuesday was $3.73, down $.02 from last week’s price. 

 Retail diesel fuel prices in Iowa were down $.04 on the Tuesday report with a statewide average of $3.90.   One year ago diesel prices averaged $4.04 in Iowa.   The current Iowa diesel average is $.13 per gallon lower than the national average of $4.03.

 Wholesale ethanol prices dropped $.08 this week, closing at $2.13.  The price of Mid-Grade Blend in Iowa (10% ethanol) closed at $3.44 per gallon, down $.04 from last week’s price and down $.23 from one year ago.

 Heating Fuels

Propane prices dropped $.17 from mid-April figures with a statewide average of $1.56 per gallon.  Home heating oil dropped $.16 from mid-April figures, ending with a statewide average of $3.46 per gallon.  Natural Gas prices in Iowa rose $.13 from last week’s report, ending the week at $2.40 / MMbtu.