Thursday December 1 Ag News

NE Ag Groups Send Coalition Letter to U.S. Dept of Labor    

Nebraska Cattlemen along with other Nebraska Ag groups and Nebraska Senators have sent a coalition letter to the United States Department of Labor expressing their opposition to the proposed child labor regulations. Below is the letter and a list of signatories....

Secretary Hilda L. Solis, United States Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division
200 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20210

RE: RIN 1235-AA06
Dear Secretary Solis,

Early and extensive training of younger generations is vital to the future of the agriculture industry.  On behalf of agriculture producers in the state of Nebraska we write today to inform you of our disappointment in the most recent proposed Child Labor Regulations, Orders and Statements of Interpretation; Child Labor Violations—Civil Money Penalties as published at 76 F.R. 54836-54885.

The proposed regulations demonstrate a complete lack of understanding of agriculture and the people whose livelihood stems from the industry.  Rather than working together to achieve pragmatic safety solutions, the U.S. Department of Labor has proposed a set of regulations that will effectively prohibit all young workers from being employed in agriculture.  We would encourage you to withdraw the proposed regulations and bring together a group of interested stakeholders, including agricultural producers, to discuss such an important issue—safety.

Involving agricultural producers in this dialogue is imperative to shed light on how illogical the proposed regulations are and to coordinate a safety effort that emphasizes the improvements that have already taken place within the agriculture industry.  A few instances showing the necessity of involving agricultural producers are:
·   Farm and ranch operations often organize as business entities to take advantage of tax and liability benefits.  These entities are created by family members or neighbors. The safety precautions justifying a parental exemption still exist when a child is employed by such an entity.  The parental exemption is completely eroded if it does not allow children to still be employed by these types of operations under the exemption.
·  Dramatic improvements in the area of rollover guards and operator presence technology make power driven equipment much safer than in decades past and have been adopted on most new equipment coming off production lines.  Completely banning children from operating all power driven equipment is unreasonable when these types of protections exist.
·  The extensive education and vast adoption of low stress handling techniques for livestock, like those advocated through the Beef Quality Assurance program, Pork Quality Assurance program (PQA+), United Egg Producers Certified Animal Welfare Program or Animal Care - Best Management Practices for Production & Slaughter program have increased the safe handling of livestock.  Prohibiting children from herding livestock, interacting with them in pens and administering care is unfounded when these types of techniques are in place.

These are just a few examples indicating the safety improvements in agriculture that have been entirely disregarded in the proposed regulations and point out why it is essential that they be withdrawn and further discussion opportunities be established where agricultural producers are involved.

Sincerely,
Farm Credit Services of America
Nebraska Agricultural Educators Association
Nebraska Cattlemen, Inc.
Nebraska Corn Growers Association
Nebraska Farm Bureau
Nebraska Grain Sorghum Producers
Nebraska Poultry Industries
Nebraska Pork Producers
Nebraska State Dairy Association
Nebraska State Grange
Nebraska Soybean Association
Lydia Brasch, Nebraska State Senator, District 16
Tom Carlson, Nebraska State Senator, District 38
Deb Fischer, Nebraska State Senator, District 43
Norm Wallman, Nebraska State Senator, District 30
Doug Bergman, Arapahoe, Nebraska
John M. Childears, ARA, President, Broker, Agri Affiliates, Inc., North Platte, Nebraska
Glen Amateis, Clay Leithead & Naomi Loomis, Double A Feed, Inc., Bridgeport, Nebraska
Jim Fehringer, Fehringer & Mielak, LLP, Columbus, Nebraska
Larry Wilcox, Sr. Vice President, Minden Exchange Bank & Trust Co., Minden, Nebraska
Ryan Reiber, Panhandle Rural Electric Membership Association, Alliance, Nebraska
Janice Harrop & Jeremey Shiers, Security State Bank, Ansley, Nebraska
Russ Ropte, Shonsey & Associates, Grand Island, Nebraska



Poultry and Livestock Add Money, Jobs to National Economy

The soybean checkoff talks a lot about U.S. soybean farmers’ No. 1 customers – poultry and livestock farmers. But these sectors impact more than just a soybean farmer’s profit potential. According to a recent soybean-checkoff-funded study, poultry and livestock supported 1.8 million U.S. jobs and added $19 billion in tax revenue annually to the U.S. economy.

“It’s important that we maintain and expand animal agriculture in the United States,” says Mike Korth, a soybean farmer from Randolph, Nebraska, and a farmer-leader for the United Soybean Board (USB). “It helps grow our U.S. soybean industry but is also a way we can keep jobs here and know we are producing safe and reliable food.”
 
That economic impact appears to be more than just a fad. In fact, the poultry and livestock sectors increased household incomes by more than $4 billion during the last decade alone. Nearly 70 percent of that growth occurred west of the Mississippi River or right on its borders, but trends show growth occurring more evenly throughout the country.

“This study shows the importance of animal agriculture not only to soybean farmers, but also to our local, state and national economies,” adds Mike Thede, a soybean farmer from Palmer, Nebraska. “And animal agriculture helps local businesses by purchasing goods in local stores and creating local jobs.”

Iowa and California won big for growth in earnings, jobs and tax revenue from animal agriculture, according to the study. Iowa added more than 19,000 jobs since 2000, while California added more than 17,000 in the same time period. These states added $176.2 million and $185.5 million in tax revenue respectively, the study found.

Poultry and livestock consume 98 percent of domestic soybean meal each year and help increase the value of U.S. soybeans. The checkoff study showed most recently that consumption equaled 30 million tons of soybean meal, or the meal from approximately 1.2 billion bushels of soybeans annually. To read the full study on the economic impact of animal agriculture, visit http://tinyurl.com/checkoffeconomics.




Greenleaf, Tenaska Biofuels Ink Multi-Year Supply Agreement

Greenleaf Biofuels, LLC in a news release Wednesday announced Omaha, Neb.-based Tenaska BioFuels, LLC, an affiliate of Tenaska, has signed an exclusive multi-year agreement to supply feedstock and sell biodiesel fuel from Greenleaf Biofuels' New Haven, Conn., plant.  The agreement covers Greenleaf's initial 10-million-gallon-per-year capacity and includes options to extend and expand the relationship.  Greenleaf Biofuels recently announced full funding and commencement of construction of what will be the largest biofuels plant in New England.



By year end, POET to produce enough corn oil for 12 million gallons per year of biodiesel

With its patent-pending technology expanding to a total of 6 plants, POET will produce corn oil as feedstock for 12 million gallons of biodiesel per year by the end of 2011.  POET has been selling Voilà™ corn oil into biodiesel and feed markets since January, and new capacity is now coming online as the company continues to roll out the technology to more plants.

POET Biorefining -- Hudson (S.D.) was the first to produce Voilà. Since then, the technology has been installed in five more POET plants, with more on the way in 2012. Plants that are producing corn oil today are POET Biorefining -- Emmetsburg, Gowrie, Jewell and Hanlontown in Iowa. POET Biorefining -- Laddonia (Mo.) is starting up over the next week. The six plants' combined capacity is about 100 million pounds of corn oil per year.

"Voilà has been a very strong part of POET's business this year, and I'm excited to see more plants getting this technology," POET founder and CEO Jeff Broin said. "The more we can diversify into new profitable products, the more successful our plants will be."

Voilà is just one item on POET's growing list of products created at its plants. In addition to ethanol, POET produces quality products for animal feed including Dakota Gold distillers dried grains. POET also captures carbon dioxide at seven of its plants for sale to beverage producers, and the company last year unveiled Inviz™, a zein product used to replace petroleum-based films and coatings.

"This is pretty exciting. We're producing energy as a by-product of energy," Broin said. "It's incredible to see how many different things we can get from a kernel of corn."



USDA Announces Commodity Credit Corporation Lending Rates for December 2011

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

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



USDA: Outlook for U.S. Agricultural Trade
FY 2012 Exports Drop to $132 Billion; Imports Rise to $105.5 Billion

Fiscal 2012 agricultural exports are forecast at $132 billion, down $5 billion from the August forecast and 4 percent ($5.4 billion) below final fiscal 2011 exports. Grain exports are forecast down $3.6 billion from the August forecast on increased competition for wheat and corn along with lower unit values for wheat. Oilseed exports are down $2.3 billion mostly due to lower soybean volume.  Cotton exports are forecast down $600 million due to a smaller crop and increased foreign supply. Record horticultural exports are unchanged. The forecast for livestock, poultry, and dairy is up $900 million with increases in all sectors but dairy. Exports to Asia are forecast down $3.1 billion in large part due to lower soybean shipments to China. Greater competition in the Middle East and North Africa is expected to reduce grain exports.

The forecast for U.S. agricultural product imports in fiscal year 2012 is raised $500 million to $105.5 billion from $105 billion forecast in August.  As in 2011, the major import drivers in 2012 are tropical commodities—vegetable oils, sugar, coffee, rubber, nuts, and processed fruits, including juices.  Import unit values account for about half of the 12 percent projected increase in U.S. import value from $94.5 billion in 2011 to $105.5 billion in 2012.
 
The projected trade surplus for 2012 is $26.5 billion. This compares with the surplus of $42.9 billion in 2011.



USDA Dairy Products October 2011 Highlights

Total cheese output (excluding cottage cheese) was 896 million pounds, 1.7 percent above October 2010 and 3.3 percent above September 2011.  Italian type cheese production totaled 382 million pounds, 2.3 percent above October 2010 and 3.7 percent above September 2011.  American type cheese production totaled 352 million pounds, 1.2 percent below October 2010 but 4.0 percent above September 2011.  Butter production was 146 million pounds, 19.6 percent above October 2010 and 6.4 percent above September 2011.

Dry milk powders  (comparisons with October 2010)
Nonfat dry milk, human - 101 million pounds, down 12.1 percent.
Skim milk powders - 42.0 million pounds, up 139.6 percent.

Whey products  (comparisons with October 2010)
Dry whey, total - 76.5 million pounds, down 1.8 percent.
Lactose, human and animal - 82.1 million pounds, up 8.6 percent.
Whey protein concentrate, total - 36.8 million pounds, up 3.5 percent.

Frozen products  (comparisons with October 2010)
Ice cream, regular (hard) - 60.5 million gallons, up 2.1 percent.
Ice cream, lowfat (total) - 30.2 million gallons, up 10.9 percent.
Sherbet (hard) - 2.57 million gallons, down 11.2 percent.
Frozen yogurt (total) - 3.84 million gallons, up 8.0 percent.



Soybean association sponsoring “Master Marketing” short course

The Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) is partnering with DTN/The Progressive Farmer to offer Iowa soybean farmers a short course designed for intermediate-level grain and soybean marketers who want to expand their marketing skills beyond simple forward cash contracts. “Marketing Through Mayhem” is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 20, at the Marriott Courtyard Hotel, Ankeny, Iowa.

“Participants in the DTN University ‘Master Marketing’ short course will increase their knowledge of marketing styles that have returned better-than-season-average performances over time,” says Matt Bradford, general manager for agriculture, Telvent DTN. “The goal is to provide operators with tools they need to implement an effective, written marketing plan for the year ahead and to incorporate this plan with their crop insurance purchases. These skills should be especially valuable for young farmers who need documentation to secure the best rates and terms for their credit lines.”

In additional to informative classroom presentations, an additional optional session will allow participants to practice their new marketing plan skills in a computer simulation of a marketing season.

“We are pleased to offer this course in response to numerous requests from members,” says ISA President Dean Coleman, a farmer from Humboldt. "Most farmers are comfortable raising a good crop, but it seems everyone is looking for ways to do a better job of marketing. This course promises to provide farmers with information that will make them better able to meet today’s marketing challenges.”

Instructors for the course represent a “who’s who” list of marketing experts. DTN senior analyst Darin Newsom is a former grain merchandiser with more than 20 years’ experience analyzing commodity markets and developing risk-management strategies. Newsom oversees a team of analysts who provide daily Telvent DTN market commentary and is also the creator and guiding force behind DTN’s Six Factor Marketing Strategies, technical tools for laymen to determine any market’s direction.  Newsom’s commentary is frequently featured in industry publications such as The Wall Street Journal; he also is a regular guest on CNBC and Iowa Public Television’s “Market to Market.”

Dr. Mark Welch is a Texas AgriLife Extension economist who will base his sessions on the comprehensive 64-hour Master Marketer Program he teaches annually. Attendees of that program estimate it has helped them earn an extra $37,345 per year through more disciplined marketing and adherence to a written marketing plan.

Diane Klemme is vice president and director of the grain division for Atlanta-based Grain Service Corporation. She leads a staff that develops merchandising and risk management programs for elevators and other ag clients. Klemme also oversees her firm’s nationally known agricultural workshops on hedging, merchandising and producer marketing strategies. She is a well-known author of articles on ag risk management and a long-time advocate on grain industry issues.

Rounding out the roster, Terry Jones is an elevator and grain farmer with experience farming in Iowa, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Brazil. For more than a decade, he was a partner and marketing adviser for clients of The Russell Group. Jones offers firsthand experience as a farmer on ways to incorporate crop insurance into marketing plans.

The general session is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Jan. 20 and is limited to 240 participants; the registration fee for the general session is $195 for ISA members (including those signing up for a new membership) and $249 for nonmembers. The simulation session will run from 2:30 to 5 p.m. and is limited to 80 participants; the fee for this session is $50. Participants will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis. Attendees may also join an optional “Speakers’ Reception” on Thursday evening, Jan. 19, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel, Ankeny.

Attendees who register for the general session will be directed to online marketing backgrounders and exercises prior to the class. In addition, those who register for the simulation exercise will benefit by bringing a laptop computer capable of running an Excel spreadsheet, though it is not required.

Learn more about the “Master Marketing” short course and find the registration form at www.iasoybeans.com/dtn-U/



National 4-H Council Wins Inaugural SFP Yield Signs 4 Success Contest

And the winner is . . . the National 4-H Council!  4-H claimed the most votes in SFP’s inaugural online contest for its Yield Signs 4 Success (YS4S) Program. The company’s charitable program was introduced at the June 2011 kickoff event for SFP’s mobile marketing unit, where the company presented $5,000 each to four agricultural-based organizations:
-    National FFA Foundation
-    Farm Safety 4 Just Kids
-    National 4-H Council
-    Royal Scholars (of the American Royal Association)

SFP recognized these four organizations for their ongoing commitment to agricultural education and safety.

To follow, website visitors participated in the contest by logging on to FENtour.com to cast their votes for one of the four organizations to receive the overall 2011 YS4S donation – $1 for every mile SFP’s mobile marketing unit traveled from June to October 2011 to industry tradeshows and events.

The final mileage and prize: 11,895 miles, and $11,895 for the National 4-H Council. 

“We’re pleased to recognize 4-H as the winner of our first-ever Yield Signs 4 Success contest,” said Jake Sanders, SFP Vice President, Market Development. “The four organizations recognized in the 2011 program play a vital role in educating today’s youth about agriculture and preserving its role in America’s livelihood. SFP is proud to support their endeavors and outreach.”