Closing Market Report

ifr150918–119 How to Read the FSA Acreage Dump Darrel Good, Agricultural Economist - University of Illinois Today (Wednesday September 16, 2015) the Farm Service Agency released a new set of numbers. While these are preliminary figures of acreage and crops, Todd Gleason reports they do offer a hint of things to come in future official USDA estimates. First, it is really important to understand these numbers are raw… 2:54 radio 3:10 radio self contained 3:00 tv 3:10 tv CG First, it is really important to understand these numbers are raw and come with no explanation. They are simply a monthly dump of the aggregated acreage figures reported to the FSA by those participating in federal farm programs. Participation requires them to report the number of planted, failed, and prevented plant acres of each program crop. These numbers are updated by FSA from August to January. University of Illinois Agricultural Economist Darrel Good explains how the raw numbers make t...

ifr150904–109 Labor Day (First Monday in September) Source: US Embassy Stockholm Sweden   This piece is self contained. It needs no anchor intro I’m Todd Gleason for University of Illinois… 3:19 I’m Todd Gleason for University of Illinois Extension with a history of Labor Day in the United States. It’s adapted from a story found on the United States Embassy to Sweden’s website. Eleven-year-old Peter McGuire sold papers on the street in New York City. He shined shoes and cleaned stores and later ran errands. It was 1863 and his father, a poor Irish immigrant, had just enlisted to fight in the Civil War. Peter had to help support his mother and six brothers and sisters. Many immigrants settled in New York City in the nineteenth century. They found that living conditions were not as wonderful as they had dreamed. Often there were six families crowded into a house made for one family. Thousands of children had to go to work. Working conditions were even worse. Immigrant ...