GX_GR118 Springfield, IL Thu Mar 20, 2008 USDA-IL Dept of Ag Market News Attention AMS Web Site Visitors: The AMS WEB SITE WILL BE CHANGING!!!!! On the evening of April 4, 2008, the look, feel and organization of the AMS Web Site will change. If you have set bookmarks from our current site, many of them will change and have to be reset. Bookmarks to the latest version of the Market News Reports (MNReports) will remain unchanged. If you have questions regarding the launch of our new Web site, please send them to AMSwebmaster@usda.gov . Thank you for your continued patience as we work to make the AMS Web site as service- oriented and customer-friendly as possible. Value enhanced grain summary This report describes Value Enhanced grain premiums contracted to Illinois growers for fall delivery. Grain prices are expressed as either a basis over the nearby Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) futures contract at time of delivery, or as a straight premium over the spot cash price. Many of the contracts are variety specific, with only certain varieties approved. Value enhanced grain contracts have additional quality specifications concerning moisture, foreign material, damage, stress cracks or low temperature drying, and test weights. Delivery time is also negotiated with many contracts on a buyers call basis with many buyers requiring grain to be stored on the farm until after the harvest rush. Compared to last spring's report, Food Grade white corn contract premiums are steady and there were not enough yellow food grade corn contracts reported to establish a trend. High Oil corn contacts were mixed. No Waxy or high starch corn contracts were reported. Hard endosperm corn contracts were 1 to 5 cents higher. Non-GMO corn premiums are 20 to 25 cents higher. NON-GMO soybean premiums were mostly 60 cents higher. High protein soybean premiums trended 10 cents higher and low linolenic soybean prices were steady. The higher prices for commodity corn and soybeans continue to reduce grower interest in contracting value enhanced grains. Product/differentiating Pricing characteristics (cents/bu. del. elevator) Food Grade Yellow corn No contracts reported high amounts of vitreous endosperm White Corn +30 to +40 CBOT, variety specific +75 to +80 white kernel color white starch High Oil Corn +50 to +55 variety specific only oil content of 6.5% or greater High Starch Corn No contracts reported extractable starch yields greater than 69-70% Hard Endosperm Corn +10 to +25; variety specific +70 to +100 Waxy Corn No contracts reported starch over 99% amyl pectin Blue Corn No contracts reported NON-GMO Corn +40 to +50; buyers call +60 to +70 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- --- NON-GMO Soybeans Mostly +120 to +130 cash Edible Soybeans No contracts reported High Protein +70 to +80; +125 to +170 CBOT, all variety specific Low Linolenic +60 to +65 all variety specific No. 2 Yellow Corn has average oil content 3.5-4.5, starch is 72-76% Amyl pectin and 24-28% amylase, protein average is 8.5%, test weight avg 56 lb/bu. Nutritionally Enhanced corn is higher in protein, amino acids, and oil than commodity corn. No. 1 Yellow Soybeans have average protein content of 35-37%. Contracts are delivered participating elevator unless otherwise noted. Source: USDA-Illinois Dept of Ag Market News Springfield Il 217-782-4925 in state only toll free 888-458-4787 www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/GX_GR118 .