Tuesday November 1 Ag News

Beef Checkoff Hosts Dietitians at Food, Farm and Science Event

The Beef Checkoff, through a partnership between the New York Beef Industry Council and the Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative hosted 25 registered dietitians in Hyde Park, N.Y. The inaugural event focused on three aspects of the beef industry: food, farm and the science behind protein research. Dietitians traveled from 10 states to attend including New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Kentucky.

The dietitians kicked off the event by touring The Culinary Institute of America (CIA), to experience firsthand where the nation's top chefs began. Dave Zino, executive chef for the Beef Checkoff, was also on hand to discuss the power of umami and beef cookery.

Scientific and consumer research experts lead participants through an exploration of the many food choices and discussed the latest research. Guest speakers included Doug Paddon-Jones, Ph.D., associate professor from the University of Texas; Penny Kris Etherton, Ph.D., RD, F.A.H.A, distinguished professor from The Pennsylvania State University; Terry Etherton, Ph.D., distinguished professor from The Pennsylvania State University; and Mark McCully, assistant vice president of Production for Certified Angus Beef.

The participants finished the first day of the event with a beef and wine pairing dinner in one of the CIA's award-winning restaurants. The dinner was sponsored in part by the New York Wine and Grape Foundation and Certified Angus Beef.

Day two led the dietitians through the rolling hills of Millbrook, N.Y., to Rally Farms. Allen Lawyer, manager of Rally Farms, helped the dietitians gain true understanding of beef production on a hayride touring the farm's seedstock operation.

Participants also heard from a diverse panel of farmers representing all segments of the beef industry. The panelists included Craig Uden, Nebraska feed lot; Dennis Byrne, Pennsylvania cow/calf; Allen Lawyer, New York seedstock; Pattie Dollarhide, RD, Cargill-Kansas; Mike Baker, Ph.D., Beef Cattle Extension Specialist at Cornell University; and Paul Slayton, Pennsylvania producer, who acted as the panel moderator. The colorful New York foliage was the perfect setting for a lunch on the farm sponsored in part by Certified Angus Beef.

This event was a learning and networking opportunity for everyone that participated. One dietitian noted, "I loved the Food, Farm and Science event -- the CIA, the food, the tours, learning about beef/ranchers/feed lots, nutrition and networking with fellow RD's -- what a wonderful opportunity!"



Northeast Nebraska RC&D Council Meets

The Northeast Nebraska RC&D met on Monday, October 24, 2011.   The Council met with several of our partners and two of our sponsors to talk about what the future holds for the RC&D Council.  Discussion ensued regarding how many dollars the RC&D has brought into the six county area through grants and projects.  In the year 2010 alone, nearly $125,000 was accounted for through 1099’s which is a financial boost to the local economies.

Scott Wessel, Nebraska Game & Parks, spoke about the good things the RC&D has done and should continue to do with the removal of cedar trees and restoring the land for habitat and grazing.  Sandy Patton spoke about the good that have been done through the Farmers Market programs.  Many Farmers Markets have been established and help the producers market their products and the customers to buy local fresh vegetables and fruits which is a win-win situation.  Lucas Negus, Northeast Nebraska Weed Management Area spoke about the areas that have benefited through the invasive weeds species.  This group covers more than the six-county area and has done many experiments with insects to help destroy invasive weeds.   All felt what has been done through the RC&D has been very beneficial and to keep doing these things as more work needs to be done.  It is ongoing as there will always be recycling, tours, weeds, food, water issues and many other needs in the area.

The group was very pleased to see Jan Jorgensen with a big “Welcome Back” since her retirement from the NRCS the end of September.  Jan is volunteering two days a week to the RC&D and the Council is so glad to have her back.   She encouraged the Council to keep moving forward and doing good things for the area.

The Statewide Annual Conference will be sponsored by the Northeast Nebraska RC&D in the fall of 2012.  Plans are being made where to hold this event and what areas to visit.  Please watch for more details.

The Northeast Nebraska RC&D Annual meeting will be held on November 28, 2011 with a place and time yet to be decided.   Watch for more details to follow.



Launching the Next Generation of Nebraska Farmers

Farm Beginnings Nebraska is a farmer-led educational training and support program designed to help people who want to evaluate and plan their farm enterprise. Participants engage in a mentorship experience and network with a variety of successful, innovative farmers; attend practical, high quality seminars, field days and conferences; and receive resource materials. They also create links with experienced farmers through farm partnerships, land and equipment use and/or rental.

Farm Beginnings Nebraska participants:
-- Tap the knowledge of some of the most innovative and skilled farmers operating in the Midwest.
-- Develop lifelong friendships and networks with other beginning farmers.
-- Learn critical farm management skills such as creative financing and innovative marketing strategies.
-- Mentor with a farmer engaged in a similar enterprise.
-- See sustainable farming practices being used on real farms under a variety of conditions.
-- Learn to view a farm as an interconnected system and learn how goals determine farming practices.
-- Craft a tailor-made farming/business plan.

A new class is forming and will be held in Syracuse, Neb., in the basement of the First National Bank located at 320 5th St., beginning on Dec. 10. Classes will be held on Saturdays, and registration includes a full registration to the annual Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society (NSAS) conference, this year to be held at the Lied Lodge in Nebraska City.

For more information and to register please contact William Powers, executive director of NSAS, at farmbeginningsnebraska@gmail.com or visit, www.nebsusag.org/farmbeginningsnebraska.htm. 



NCGA Disappointed Senate Did Not Act Before Deadline on NPDES Legislation

The National Corn Growers Association expressed disappointment in the Senate's failure to act on legislation that would have clarified federal permits are not required when applying pesticides according to their EPA-approved label.

“NCGA is disappointed the Senate did not approve H.R. 872 prior to the October 31 deadline when the NPDES pesticide permitting program takes effect,” NCGA President Garry Niemeyer, an Illinois corn farmer, said. “Despite broad bipartisan support for the proposal, lawmakers were unable to identify a path forward for this important legislation. As a result, farmers like me are now exposed to a new set of legal liabilities and regulatory requirements under the Clean Water Act, without a guarantee of any additional environmental benefits.”

For most of the past four decades, water quality concerns from pesticide applications were addressed within the registration process under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), rather than a Clean Water Act permitting program. H.R. 872 would amend both the Clean Water Act and FIFRA in order to restore the previous regulatory framework.

Under a federal court ruling in 2009, certain pesticide applicators would have to apply for an NPDES permit if the chemical reaches a body of water, which could include ditches and culverts.  The complex new requirements will expose farmers to potential citizen action suits for routine pesticide applications that have already been deemed safe by the EPA.
 
“It is not too late for Congress to provide regulatory relief to America’s farmers,” Niemeyer said. “We strongly urge Senate Republicans and Democrats to work together to resolve this issue in a timely manner.”   



USDA Announces Commodity Credit Corporation Lending Rates for November 2011

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) today announced interest rates for November 2011. The CCC borrowing rate-based charge for November 2011 is 0.125 percent, unchanged from 0.125 in October 2011. For 1996 and subsequent crop year commodity and marketing assistance loans, the interest rate for loans disbursed during November 2011 is 1.125 percent, unchanged from 1.125 in October 2011.

In accordance with the 2008 Farm Bill, interest rates for Farm Storage Facility Loans approved for November 2011 are as follows, 1.500 percent with seven-year loan terms, unchanged from 1.500 in October 2011; 2.000 percent with 10-year loan terms, down from 2.125 in October 2011 and; 2.250 percent with 12-year loan terms, down from 2.375 percent in October 2011.



Nebraska Farm Service Agency Reminds Producers of December 1 Sales Closing Date for Noninsurable Crops

Thurston County USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director Josie Waterbury urges producers who want to purchase coverage through the Noninsurable Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) to do so before the sales closing date of December 1, 2011.

The NAP provides financial assistance to producers of noninsurable crops when low yields, loss of inventory or prevented planting occur due to normal disasters.

"Purchasing a crop insurance policy is an easy way for producers to practice risk management," said Waterbury.  "This year alone has proved that natural disasters can directly affect the profitability and recovery of agricultural operations," she said.

The following crops have a NAP application closing date of December 1, 2011: Apples, Asparagus, Cherries, Grapes, Honey, Plums, and Strawberries.

In order to meet eligibility requirements for the NAP, crops must be noninsurable, commercially-produced agricultural commodity crops for which the catastrophic risk protection level of crop insurance is not available. If the Risk Management Agency (RMA) offers coverage for a crop in the county, then NAP coverage is not available for that crop.

In the event of a natural disaster, NAP covers the amount of loss greater than 50 percent of the expected production based on the approved yield and reported acreage.

Eligible producers can apply for coverage using form CCC-471, Application for Coverage. Producers must file the application and service fee by the December 1 deadline. The service fee is the lesser of $250 per crop or $750 per producer per administrative county, not to exceed a total of $1,875 for a producer with farming interests in multiple counties.

For more information on the sales closing dates and the NAP, contact your county FSA office.



Northey: $360,000 for Repairs to Conservation Practices

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey Monday announced that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has $360,000 available to help repair conservation practices damaged by storm events during the 2011 crop year.

The funding is available in sixty counties that were granted disaster designation by the United States Department of Agriculture. The designation applies twenty seven Iowa counties that were affected by severe storms, excessive rain and flooding during the 2011 crop year; plus thirty-three contiguous counties are also covered by the designation.

"Much of Iowa was impacted by severe weather this summer, and as a result damage to conservation practices was also widespread," Northey said. "I encourage farmers with practices that need repair to work with their local Soil and Water Conservation District office. It's important these practices are repaired so they continue keeping the soil on the farm and out of our lakes and rivers."

The maximum cost share rate for repairing practices will be 75 percent. The deadline to apply for the repair funding is Dec. 30 and all repairs must be complete by June 30, 2012.

Eligible Soil and Water Conservation District offices will begin offering funding to repair conservation practices in these sixty counties immediately on a first come first serve basis.

The $360,000 is the funding still remaining from the $6.5 million the Department received in 2009 from the state bonding plan to support conservation efforts.

The 27 counties included in this declaration are: Clarke, Davis, Decatur, Fremont, Henry, Jefferson, Jones, Keokuk, Lee, Linn, Louisa, Lucas, Mahaska, Marshall, Mills, Monona, Monroe, Montgomery, Page, Polk, Tama, Taylor, Van Buren, Wapello, Washington, Wayne and Woodbury.

The additional 33 counties were named as contiguous disaster counties. Those counties are: Adams, Appanoose, Benton, Black Hawk, Boone, Buchanan, Cass, Cedar, Cherokee, Clinton, Crawford, Dallas, Delaware, Des Moines, Dubuque, Grundy, Hardin, Harrison, Ida, Iowa, Jackson, Jasper, Johnson, Madison, Marion, Muscatine, Plymouth, Pottawattamie, Poweshiek, Ringgold, Story, Union and Warren.



IPPA and IPIC to offer risk management education

Volatile agricultural markets, high input costs and rising amounts of capital for farm operation have driven the importance of effective risk management for pork producers.  For these reasons, the Iowa Pork Producers Association is coordinating with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and the Iowa Pork Industry Center to offer regional risk management educational seminars for Iowa pork producers and allied industry representatives.  The regional sessions will be followed by a series of in-depth small group sessions for those interested in additional information about day-to-day swine risk management decisions.  All regional sessions are hosted from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The dates and locations are:

Tuesday, Dec. 6
Northwest Iowa Community College
Highway 18 West
Building C, Room 349
Sheldon

Wednesday, Dec. 7
The Borlaug Learning Center
ISU Northeast Research Farm
3327 290th St.
Nashua

Thursday, Dec. 8
Johnson County Extension Office
3109 Old Highway 218 S.
Iowa City

Conference organizers have slated a tremendous lineup of expert speakers to discuss effective risk management in pork production. 

Dr. John Lawrence, associate dean of the ISU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and director of Extension ag and natural resources will open the session by helping attendees understand the magnitude of risk farmers face today. 

Dr. Chad Hart, ISU assistant professor of economics and Extension grain marketing specialist, will outline the big picture issues impacting feed and livestock prices including value of the dollar, demand for corn and soybean meal, world economy, exports, production levels and more. 

Mark Greenwood, vice president of agri-business capital, Ag Star Financial Services, ACA, will outline the most important components of a successful risk management strategy. He will discuss the importance of a competitive cost structure, the mindset it takes to capture opportunities for profit and the critical nature of combining feed cost risk with the lean hog market price.

A local producer with proven success in risk management will explain how to implement risk management based on crush margin, allowing producers to lock in profits while the window is there.

Local ISU swine specialists will close each session by helping attendees apply lessons learned from the day’s session, make tools available for implementing change and preface small group sessions for further risk management education opportunities.

Attendees also are encouraged to attend an optional 9 a.m. session at each location to review the basics of hedging, options, insurance and other risk management tools. This session will be hosted by Shane Ellis, ISU Extension livestock marketing specialist.

“Knowing the basics is an important step in risk management implementation,” said Dave Stender, ISU Extension swine specialist. “Even if one is hiring an outside firm for risk management strategies, it is important to understand the common tools and strategies used.”

The seminars cost $10 for those pre-registered or $15 at the door. Lunch and meeting materials will be guaranteed to those pre-registered. For more information or to pre-register, please contact IPPA at (800) 372-7675 or tbettin@iowapork.org.

“Effectively managing risk is increasingly important in today’s volatile ag markets,” said Leon Sheets, IPPA president. “We hope these conferences can help pork producers and allied industry representatives build on their knowledge, more effectively manage risk, better serve customers and remain profitable.”



Dead Calm for Most Fertilizer Prices

Until harvest is over and weather cooperates with fall field work, fertilizer prices seem to be in a holding pattern: Except for anhydrous, retail fertilizer registered miniscule changes compared to a month earlier, DTN found in its weekly survey of more than 300 retailers nationwide.

Anhydrous prices actually advanced an average of $24 per ton to $819/ton in the last month, but few other fertilizers managed meaningful price shifts. DAP averaged $709/ton, MAP $744/ton, potash $660/ton, urea $624/ton, 10-34-0 $822/ton, UAN28 $407/ton and UAN32 $458/ton.  The slight gains for anhydrous failed to erase its wide advantage as the least expensive form of N on a per-pound-of-nitrogen basis. By that measure, the average urea price was at $0.67/lb.N, anhydrous $0.50/lb.N, UAN28 $0.73/lb.N and UAN32 $0.72/lb.N.

All eight major fertilizers are now showing double-digit increases in price compared to one year earlier. Leading the way higher is 10-34-0. The starter fertilizer skyrocketed earlier this year and is now 62% higher compared to the fourth week of October 2010.  During this same period, urea has jumped 36% while potash has climbed 31% and both UAN28 and UAN32 have increased 26% from a year ago. Anhydrous has climbed 21% compared to year earlier.  The two phosphorus fertilizers continue to show the most price resistance. Both DAP and MAP are 11% higher compared to October of 2010.



Antibiotic Use in Food Animals Symposium Establishes New Benchmark for Information, Science

Researchers and experts in animal health and human health shared scientific and thought-provoking information that elicited numerous “a-hah’s” from participants of the “Antibiotic Use in Food Animals: A Dialogue for a Common Purpose” symposium, Oct. 26-27, in Chicago. Sponsored by the National Institute for Animal Agriculture, the symposium proved to be a two-way dialogue, with attendees asking pointed questions and adding to the discussions.

“The symposium established a new benchmark of valuable information and science that can be used to further communicate valid and essential facts to animal agriculture producers as well as consumers regarding the use of antibiotics in food animal production,” states Dr. Leonard Bull who served an Planning Committee Chair for the symposium. “Divergent opinions were openly expressed, and areas of consensus were developed.

“If the symposium was summarized in just two words, those words would probably be ‘dynamic’ and ‘eye-opening.’ I can’t remember when I obtained so much good information in a 24-hour period.”

Human health and animal health experts agreed that the judicious use of antibiotics in food animals is sometimes required to provide safe, nutritious food at a reasonable price, and that the prevention of infectious disease improves animal health and human health.

“Antibiotics is one of the technological tools that can be used to ensure affordable food,” stated Dr. Tom Shryock, Senior Research Advisor of Microbiology, Elanco Animal Health. In his “Initiaitives to Ensure Public Health, Food Safety, Animal Health and Welfare of Antibiotic Use in Food Animals” presentation, Shryock pointed out that the public’s concern regarding antibiotic use in food animals has presented a conundrum to veterinarians. After all every graduate entering the veterinary profession swears an oath not only to protect animal health but also welfare and to not only relieve animal suffering but to prevent it. And that today can require the use of antibiotics in food animals.

Speaker after speaker made it clear that the use of antibiotics in food animal production is a complex issue that is often over simplified by consumer media trying to make the topic understandable to readers and listeners. Unfortunately, this simplified presentation of a complex issue often results in the public being misled and misperceptions take root.

Numerous messages delivered by the 13 animal health and human health experts centered on the hot topic of antibiotic resistance. Information shared included:
·         Using an antibiotic—or using more of it—will not necessarily cause resistance that antibiotic to appear or to increase from current levels. Likewise, ceasing to use an antibiotic—or using less of it—will not necessarily cause resistance to that antibiotic to disappear or decrease from current levels.
·         Concern about resistance is used as ammunition for other agendas, and their arguments assume a vacuum in which no new drugs are developed.
·         There’s much the human health community doesn’t know about why antibiotic resistance occurs. As such, antibiotics should be used appropriately—and as little as possible—not only in animal agriculture but also in the human population.

“Antibiotic use in animal agriculture is not a black-and-white issue. If it was an easy issue to understand and explain, we would have the issue solve a long time ago. That said, we in animal agriculture need to get in the same boat and row together—across species,” stated Scott Lormore, Director of Dairy Veterinary Operations for Pfizer Animal Health, in the symposium’s final presentation “Reaching Out to Consumers.”

Lormore underscored the importance of the animal agriculture industry building trust with consumers by consistently and effectively communicating and demonstrating its food safety commitment to the food chain. He stressed that consumers want and deserve information regarding on-farm production practices.

Emphasizing that “no one know what you know until they know you care,” he advised individuals to provide friends, family and other consumers with information that pairs science with true compassion.

Lormore said messages to consumers should center on four key facts:
·         Farm animals are under the care of licensed veterinarians.
·         Vaccines are used to protect animals from various illnesses.
·         Sick animals are treated with medicines, such as antibiotics, to restore their health, and protections are in place to ensure that their meat and milk is safe for people.
·         If medicine such as an antibiotic is administered to help sick animals, then their meat or dairy products are not allowed to enter the food supply until the medicine has sufficiently cleared the animal’s system.

Presentations by the speakers are available online at www.animalagriculture.org. Topics covered include the changing landscape of antibiotics, antibiotic resistance and antibiotic product development; human health implications relative to antibiotic use; government regulatory oversight and risk mitigation; livestock MRSA; and connecting with consumers. A white paper is being developed and will be available online at NIAA’s website as well.



USDA Dairy Products September 2011 Highlights

Total cheese output (excluding cottage cheese) was 867 million pounds, 0.6 percent below September 2010 and 0.2 percent below August 2011.  Italian type cheese production totaled 370 million pounds, 0.8 percent above September 2010 and 1.9 percent above August 2011.  American type cheese production totaled 337 million pounds, 4.2 percent below September 2010 and 3.2 percent below August 2011.  Butter production was 138 million pounds, 21.0 percent above September 2010 and 3.5 percent above August 2011.

Dry milk powders  (comparisons with September 2010)
Nonfat dry milk, human - 104 million pounds, down 5.0 percent.
Skim milk powders - 35.6 million pounds, up 103.7 percent.

Whey products  (comparisons with September 2010)
Dry whey, total - 77.1 million pounds, down 0.8 percent.
Lactose, human and animal - 83.1 million pounds, up 5.9 percent.
Whey protein concentrate, total - 35.6 million pounds, down 1.1 percent.

Frozen products  (comparisons with September 2010)
Ice cream, regular (hard) - 67.2 million gallons, down 6.5 percent.
Ice cream, lowfat (total) - 34.0 million gallons, up 2.9 percent.
Sherbet (hard) - 3.18 million gallons, down 7.6 percent.
Frozen yogurt (total) - 4.42 million gallons, down 1.9 percent.



ADM Q1 Net Up 33%

Archer Daniels Midland Co.'s fiscal first-quarter earnings rose 33% as a surge in agricultural services offset profitability pressure in corn and oilseeds processing.  The grain processor's agricultural services division, which handles and transports grain from farm to market and accounts for the largest portion of the company's earnings, reported a jump in operating profit of 85%.

Previously, the company has reported profit growth in its largest segments -- those for grain transport and oilseed processing -- while its corn-processing segment's profitability waned in the fourth quarter because of higher corn costs.  In the latest period, however, both the oilseeds and corn processing units struggled with margin pressure. The oilseeds processing unit's profit dropped 28% while volume slinked down 0.8% as challenging margin pressured profitability. And earnings from the corn-processing business slumped 48% even though processed volume was up 4.7%, as corn costs more than doubled.

For the quarter ended Sept. 30, the company posted a profit of $460 million, or 68 cents a share, from $345 million, or 54 cents per share, a year earlier.  Revenue increased 30% to $21.9 billion.



2012 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show Registration Underway 

Registration for the 2012 Cattle Industry Annual Convention and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Trade Show is underway. The 114th Annual Convention will be held in Nashville, Tenn., Feb. 1-4, 2012, and advanced registration is open until Jan. 11, 2012.

2012 convention participants will hear from industry leaders, gather insight on industry trends, take part in NCBA’s grassroots policy process and enjoy a Cowboy’s Night at the Grand Ole Opry and admission to the Honky Tonk Party. NCBA President and Montana rancher Bill Donald said the convention is a must for all cattlemen.

“The Cattle Industry Convention is the oldest and largest convention for the cattle business,” Donald said. “The convention and trade show create a unique environment for cattle industry members to come together to work toward the future of the industry and have some fun.”

 In addition to access of all the 2012 convention events, registrants for the full convention will receive a 50 percent off coupon for Roper and Stetson apparel and footwear at the NCBA Trade Show.

 To register for the 2012 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show, visit www.beefusa.org or contact Kristin Torres at ktorres@beef.org.