Monday November 7 Ag News

Aids to Selecting Soybean Varieties to Manage SCN
Loren Giesler, Extension Plant Pathologist
John Wilson, Extension Educator, Burt County

Soybean producers and farm managers have several great resources available to help with variety selection for fields infested with soybean cyst nematode (SCN).

In 2010, the Nebraska Soybean Board funded a project to provide a standard evaluation platform for the most common soybean varieties grown in Nebraska in SCN infested fields. The goal of this project is to help producers identify soybean varieties that yield well, yet do not allow significant reproduction of SCN. That’s right — even though soybean varieties are marketed as resistant, they can vary in their effects on SCN populations by influencing reproduction differently. The 2010 results from this Nebraska program are available at http://pdc.unl.edu/agriculturecrops/soybean/soybeancystnematode and the 2011 data will be available by the end of the year.

Iowa State University also performs SCN variety evaluation on commercial varieties. Results can be found at: http://www.plantpath.iastate.edu/dept/labs/tylka/node/23. Their list of soybean cyst nematode-resistant soybean varieties is available at http://www.extension.iastate.edu/CropNews/2011/1021tylka.htm.

If you’re not sure whether you have SCN and your soybean yields were lower than expected, please take advantage of the free soil testing service that is being funded through the Nebraska Soybean Board. Soil bags for this program can be picked up at your local UNL extension office or by contacting me directly at lgiesler1@unl.edu. Please include your return mailing address and the number of sample bags you would like to receive.

SCN continues to be the most yield robbing disease of soybean in Nebraska, costing producers an average of 5-6 bu/ac when susceptible soybeans are grown on infested fields.



Corps to Change Missouri River Plan
Changes to Be Made in Coming Winter, Spring

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it will change its approach to managing the Missouri River following a summer of record flooding that damaged or destroyed nearly 400 homes, led to millions of dollars in road repairs and forced communities to scramble to build temporary levees.

The corps announced Monday that it will make the changes in the coming winter and spring. Those changes include getting as much water out of the river basin's reservoir system as possible this fall and winter, as well as analyzing how much more reservoir space might be reserved to ease the flooding.

The corps says the change came in response to concerns voiced by residents during eight public meetings held recently in Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, Montana and North Dakota.



NWS Hydrologist to Explain Causes of Missouri River Flood

David Pearson, senior service hydrologist at the National Weather Service in Omaha, will present "The Missouri River Flood of 2011: Its Causes and Impacts" at a seminar Nov. 8 on UNL’s East Campus. His talk, which is sponsored by UNL's School of Natural Resources, will be at 7 p.m. in the Hardin Hall auditorium at 33rd and Holdrege streets.

"The driving force for this flood was heavy rainfall and above-normal snowpack in Montana and the surrounding mountains," Pearson said. "If you've got heavy precipitation at the beginning of the river, at no point can that water leave the system. It has to travel through every reservoir." He noted that without the control over river flow that the reservoirs provide, the Missouri River in Omaha would have been about four feet higher, which would have strained the capability of the city's levees.

Flood mitigation is one of several objectives in managing the river system, Pearson said. Other key considerations are hydropower, recreation, wildlife habitat, drinking water, and irrigation.

The National Weather Service provides forecasts of river levels to the general public and to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is the agency that oversees operations of the reservoirs and dams on the river system.

Although Pearson will discuss the flooding along the entire length of the Missouri, the bulk of his presentation will focus on events that occurred along the river between Gavin's Point Dam in northeast Nebraska, and Rulo in southeast Nebraska.

There was no way to prevent the flooding this year, Pearson said. Floods closed Interstate 29, washed away roads, inundated farmland, and triggered "unusual event" declarations at two nuclear power plants in Nebraska.



EPA, DOE to Study Renewable Energy at West Haymarket

EPA and the Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory are collaborating on a project to evaluate the feasibility of siting renewable energy production on the West Haymarket Brownfield Site, in Lincoln, Neb.

The study, valued up to $35,000, will evaluate the technical and economic opportunities and challenges at the site, and explore the potential for wind power generation at the site.

The Union Pacific Railroad fueled trains and conducted other maintenance activities at the 32-acre West Haymarket site beginning in the late 1800s. In May 2010, voters approved a bond measure to revitalize the site with a focus on sustainability.

The West Haymarket Renewable Energy Project seeks to transform the current brownfield site into a site to generate renewable wind energy. Wind energy could be used to power the large-scale redevelopment's planned 16,000-seat arena, outdoor festival area, and other civic, commercial, and retail projects. The renewable energy project would help make the proposed $340 million redevelopment project more sustainable, reduce ongoing power costs, and reduce the project's carbon footprint.

"Renewable energy is a vital part of America's energy future. By using wind, solar, geothermal, and other renewable energy sources, we reduce our dependence on fossil fuels while at the same time reducing greenhouse gas emissions from other sources of energy production," said EPA Region 7 Administrator Karl Brooks.

EPA's RE-powering America's Land Initiative encourages renewable energy development on current and formerly contaminated land and mine sites when it is aligned with the community's vision for the site. The collaboration pairs EPA's expertise on contaminated sites with DOE's expertise in renewable energy.

As part of the RE-Powering America's Land Initiative, EPA is investing approximately $1 million for projects across the United States aiming to decrease the amount of green space used for development while continuing to ensure the protection of people's health, the environment and provide economic benefits to local communities, including job creation. EPA Region 7, which is comprised of Iowa, Kansas Missouri, Nebraska, and nine tribal nations, is one of only three regions to have four sites selected, with one in each state of the region.



Biodiesel Industry Statement on Supreme Court RFS2 Decision
Court Affirms EPA Renewable Fuels Standard

The National Biodiesel Board, the U.S. trade association representing the biodiesel industry, released the following statement Monday after the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it has rejected a petition from the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association and the American Petroleum Institute challenging the EPA's Renewable Fuels Standard.

"The RFS program is working just as Congress intended. It's creating jobs across the country. It's breaking our addiction to oil. It's helping clean our air, and it's reducing greenhouse gases," said Anne Steckel, NBB's vice president of federal affairs. "This year alone, the biodiesel industry is on pace to produce at least 800 million gallons of advanced biofuel while supporting more than 31,000 jobs. We're pleased to see the Supreme Court put an end to this litigation as we continue building a strong U.S. biodiesel industry."

Biodiesel is America's first advanced biofuel - a renewable, clean-burning diesel replacement that is reducing U.S. dependence on foreign petroleum, creating green jobs and improving our environment. Made from an increasingly diverse mix of resources such as agricultural oils, recycled cooking oil and animal fats, it is the first and only commercial-scale fuel used across the U.S. to meet the Environmental Protection Agency's definition as an advanced biofuel. It is produced in nearly every state in the country and can be used in existing diesel engines and meets strict specifications of ASTM D6751.

Case Background:
NPRA's and API's petition challenging the RFS2 regulations was initially rejected on December 21, 2010, in a unanimous decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (D.C. Circuit).

On February 3, 2011, NPRA and API filed a petition in the D.C. Circuit requesting an En Banc Rehearing of the litigation.  In general, a petition for an En Banc Rehearing is a request for all the judges that comprise the D.C. Circuit to review a matter previously decided by a three-judge panel of the Court.  On Friday, April 22, 2011, rejected a request for an En Banc Rehearing of the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS2) litigation filed by the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association NPRA and the API.

NPRA and API filed their petition for a writ of certiorari with the Supreme Court on July 22, 2011.



Integrated Crop Management Conference Nov. 30, Dec. 1

The Iowa State University Integrated Crop Management Conference will be held Nov. 30-Dec. 1 on the Iowa State campus. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. on Nov. 30 in the Scheman Continuing Education Building; the program concludes at 4 p.m. on Dec. 1.

Conference attendees can choose from 34 different workshops that offer the latest information on crop production and protection technology in Iowa and surrounding states. Workshops are offered by Iowa State faculty and staff, and invited speakers from around the Midwest. The conference is hosted by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the agricultural and biosystems engineering, agronomy, economics, entomology and plant pathology departments.

A popular feature of the conference is the variety of guest speakers on the program. "Each year Iowa State specialists invite colleagues from outside the university to share their research activities with conference attendees. This provides an opportunity to hear expertise and opinions from across the region and country at one location," said Brent Pringnitz, conference coordinator. Invited speakers this year include:
-- David Asbridge, NPK Fertilizer Advisory Service, discussing the fertilizer situation and outlook for the coming growing season.
-- Bob Nielsen, Purdue University, talking on what it will take to raise the bar for corn yields.
-- Bill Northey, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, speaking on the Iowa Statewide Nutrient Reduction Initiative.
-- Ken Ostlie, University of Minnesota, presenting what is known about recent performance issues with rootworm-resistant corn.
-- Pat Tranel, University of Illinois, discussing the past, present and future of herbicide resistance in waterhemp.

In recent years the conference has filled to capacity with nearly 1,000 producers and agribusiness people in attendance. "The conference has a loyal following of people that attend each year. While filling to capacity is a good problem to have, we hate to turn people away. We encourage people to register early," Pringnitz said. Attendees can obtain Certified Crop Adviser credits as well as recertification for Commercial Pesticide Applicators in categories 1A, 1B, 1C, 4 and 10.

To register online for this event or for more information, visit the conference website at www.aep.iastate.edu/icm. Registration is $185. Registration increases to $235 after Nov. 18. Enrollment is limited and no registrations will be accepted at the door.



New NASS Analysis Shows Iowa Ag Still a Powerhouse

Livestock production continues to provide important support to Iowa's economy. According to the recently-released Iowa Agricultural Statistics booklet, Iowa's cattle, hog and sheep producers' receipts grew by 20 percent last year, growing to $8.32 billion.

Information in the 136-page book is compiled by the National Agricultural Statistics Service's (NASS) Iowa Field Office, a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The book consists of five sections: general information, county information, crops, livestock and farm economics. It also lists several agriculture-related websites on the back cover.

Iowa's farm sector dominance carries across several commodities, from livestock to crops. According to the booklet, the state continues to rank number one in hogs in the United States, raising 29 percent of the nation's hogs. Iowa also leads the nation is raising layer hens (and eggs) and is in the top ten for raising cattle and calves (seventh) and sheep and lambs (tenth).

"The livestock and poultry industries are positive economic factors that contribute to job growth in Iowa's rural communities. Our farmers continue to be more efficient and productive in the face of rising feed and energy costs," said Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) President Craig Lang. "They are poised to move forward, grow their businesses and continue to be national agricultural leaders."

Despite the cold and wet temperatures that led to planting and harvest delays last year, Iowa farmers continue to lead the nation in the production of corn and soybeans. May began with heavy rains, cold temperatures and widespread frost that caused soil erosion and planting delays. But, after dealing with the wettest June on record and snow during the second week of November, Iowa farmers raised the fourth-largest corn crop and the second-largest soybean crop on record.

The combination of strong livestock and crop sectors helped boost Iowa's overall ag economy, with Iowa farmers selling farm commodities worth $23.2 billion in 2010, up 6 percent from the previous year. The number of Iowa farmers dropped just slightly to 92,400.

"Continued improvements in the general economy during 2010, in both the United States and the world, supported higher commodity prices for Iowa farmers and improvements in net farm income," explained Dave Miller, IFBF director of research and commodity services. "Higher commodity prices helped farmers to overcome higher input prices and poor growing conditions across a significant portion of the state in 2010."

Greg Thessen, director of the NASS Iowa office, said the booklet is an important resource for many different audiences, including farmers, bankers, insurance agents, agribusinesses and more.

"This book wouldn't be possible if farmers didn't participate in our surveys that gather this information. The data not only offers historical perspective, but helps them as they plan for the next season and the future," said Thessen.

Iowa Farm Bureau publishes the book for Iowa Agricultural Statistics.



Weed Identification Guide available electronically

The popular Weed Identification Field Guide is now available electronically as an e-book and, for the first time, downloadable on iPad. The publication is distributed by the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) and Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach. Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business, has sponsored the capability for users to download the electronic versions for no charge.

The Weed Identification Field Guide, CSI 0003, authored in 2010 by Iowa State University Extension specialists, includes images and descriptions of 56 broadleaf weeds and 19 grass and grass-like weeds. The electronic publications, like the print version, include tools to aid in accurate weed identification, as well as weed lifecycle and herbicide management and stewardship information. They also include detailed diagrams, including 24 illustrations, and more than 250 zoomable, high-resolution photographs of weeds common to Iowa.

According to David Wright, ISA director of contract research and strategic initiatives, ISA and ISU Extension and Outreach are dedicated to providing farmers and crop specialists the right tools to increase soybean yield in high management production systems.

"The industry has rapidly adopted electronic technology for use in the field," Wright says. "With this field guide available in print, as an e-book and for the iPad, it gives farmers more options to access information. Plus, the ability to zoom in on high resolution photos will make identifying weeds, the soybean's biggest competitor, that much easier."

This is the second collaborative ISA/ISU Extension field guide to go electronic, with the first being Soybean Diseases. "By working with Iowa Soybean Association to provide electronic versions of the field guides, extension is placing Iowa State research and valuable information in the hands of even more people - and in a way that is convenient for them to access," said Daren Mueller, one of the guide authors. "By immediately identifying weeds, an effective management plan that is vital to maximizing crop production can be determined more accurately."

Field guides, print and electronic, can be found at www.iasoybeans.com/productionresearch  or on the ISU Extension Online Store at https://store.extension.iastate.edu/.



Brazil Soybean Planting Speeding Along

Brazilian soybean planting sped forward last week as soil moisture levels remained high across most of the grains belt.  With over 50% of the crop planted by the first week of November, farmers are way ahead of schedule, although some will be concerned about forecasts of irregular rain coverage over the next month.  As of Nov. 4, farmers had planted 54% of a projected 62-million-acre planted area, according to Safras e Mercado, a local farm consultancy.  That's 13 percentage points up from the 41% registered at the end of last week and 15 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 38% for this stage of the season.

The soybeans in the field are not only benefitting from decent rains but also abundant sunlight, leading farmers to become more optimistic about the crop by the day. The exceptions are parts of southern and western Mato Grosso, southern Goias and western Minas Gerais, where rain coverage has been irregular.  The good news for farmers in those regions is that more rain is forecast for the center-west this week, although coverage will continue to be erratic, according to Somar Meteorologia, a Sao Paulo-based weather service.  Southern fields will sit under blazing sun for most of the week, it added.

In Mato Grosso, Brazil's No. 1 soybean state, planting reached 75% of the crop as of Nov. 4, up from 61% from last week.  In Parana, the No. 2 producing state, farmers had sowed 70% of the crop, up from 56% last week.  In the southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul, planting is 23% complete, rising from 10% last week.



Farm Credit Systems Report Higher Net Income

The Farm Credit System reported combined net income of $1.0 billion and $2.9 billion for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011, as compared with combined net income of $949 million and $2.633 billion for the same periods last year.

"The Farm Credit System continued to achieve positive results during 2011 due, in part, to a favorable funding environment and stable credit quality," remarked Jamie B. Stewart, Jr., President and CEO of the Federal Farm Credit Banks Funding Corporation. "We continue to have access to well-priced debt, reflecting our strong income trend and conservative balance sheet. The System's profitability has allowed us to further strengthen our capital levels. Capital as a percentage of assets has grown from 14.5% at December 31, 2010 to 15.8% at September 30, 2011, supporting the System's mission to provide for the financing needs of creditworthy farmers and ranchers throughout the United States."

Combined net income increased $59 million and $361 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011, as compared with the same periods in 2010.

The increase for the three-month period resulted from an increase in net interest income of $84 million and a decrease in the provision for loan losses of $40 million, partially offset by increases in net noninterest expense of $39 million and the provision for income taxes of $26 million.



RJ O'Brien Seeks USDA Report Delay

Commodities brokerage R.J. O'Brien sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture requesting it delay its monthly supply and demand report to give traders a chance to deal with fallout from MF Global's bankruptcy.

The brokerage asked the USDA to delay the report, scheduled to be released Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. CST, until Nov. 14, said Rich Feltes, R.J. O'Brien's senior vice president of research. The firm would have asked for a delay only until Friday, but federal offices are closed for Veterans Day, Feltes added.

The extra time is needed as traders seek to transfer accounts and recover money from MF Global, a large futures brokerage which filed for bankruptcy a week ago.

"They need more time to properly fund accounts that have that have been assigned to new (futures commission merchants)," Feltes said.

Delaying the report would be a rare step for the USDA. CME floor traders said they couldn't recall a delay in recent memory, aside from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

A CME Group (CME) spokesman said the exchange hasn't, at this stage, asked the USDA to delay Wednesday's report.

The monthly reports update supply and demand forecasts for a variety of agricultural commodities, and often cause significant price swings.

Feltes said the request was a long-shot, but said it was a step the USDA could take "to mitigate the aftershocks and the effects of bankruptcy on thousands of market participants."