Tuesday June 19 Ag News

Breakthrough on Farm Bill Ammendments
Office of Senator Mike Johanns

Late yesterday Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) released a list of more than 70 amendments to the farm bill that will receive a vote. At 1:15 p.m. CDT, the Senate started voting on the amendments, alternating between Republican and Democrat amendments. These votes could spill over into tomorrow.

Sen. Johanns’ amendment banning EPA’s use of aerial surveillance is included in the list of amendments the Senate will consider.  As you know, the entire Nebraska Congressional delegation has sent repeated requests for information on this program, but EPA has not disclosed information about these flights nationwide.  EPA’s recent history of imposing overreaching regulations has rightfully made many in the agriculture community skeptical of the agency’s actions.  The amendment would not affect the use of traditional on-site inspections.

Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) has offered what’s known as a side-by-side amendment to be considered along with Sen. Johanns’ amendment. Side-by-sides are amendments addressing the same issue, but with a different approach. In this case, the amendment is simply a cover vote. It reaffirms the status quo regarding EPA aerial surveillance without requiring any greater transparency about what many consider one more EPA overreach.

Once all amendments have been dealt with, the Senate will vote on final passage of the farm bill, which will require 60 votes.

Also, at a time TBD, the Senate will begin consideration of Sen. James Inhofe’s (R-Okla.) resolution of disapproval related to EPA’s Utility MACT rule with a vote expected tomorrow about noon.

A list of amendments the Senate will consider is below. 
1.       Akaka amendment #2440 (highly fractionated tribal lands);
2.       Akaka amendment #2396 (tribal relations office);
3.       Baucus amendment #2429 (Livestock);
4.       Bingaman amendment #2364 (multi-state aquifers);
5.       Brown-OH amendment #2445 (rural development);
6.       Cantwell amendment #2370 (pulse pilot);
7.       Casey amendment #2238 (technical/study -federal milk marketing)
8.       Coons amendment #2426 (poultry insurance study);
9.       Feinstein amendment #2422 (conservation innovation grants);
10.   Feinstein amendment #2309 (insurance recall);
11.   Gillibrand amendment #2156 (SNAP);
12.   Hagan amendment #2366 (crop insurance – plain language);
13.   Kerry amendment #2187 (commercial fishermen);
14.   Landrieu amendment #2321 (rural development loans);
15.   Manchin amendment #2345 (dietary study);
16.   Merkley amendment #2382 (organic crop insurance);
17.   Schumer amendment #2427 (acer);
18.   Stabenow amendment #2453 (NAP);
19.   Udall-CO amendment #2295 (bark beetle);
20.   Warner amendment #2457 (rural broadband);
21.   Wyden amendment #2442 (microloans);
22.   Wyden amendment #2388 (farm to school);
23.   Leahy amendment #2204 (rural development);
24.   Nelson-NE amendment #2242 (rural housing);
25.   Klobuchar amendment #2299 (transportation study);
26.   Carper amendment #2287 (poultry feed research);
27.   Sanders amendment #2254 (biomass);
28.   Thune amendment #2437 (crop insurance);
29.   Durbin-Coburn amendment #2439 (crop insurance);
30.   Snowe amendment #2190 (milk marketing order reform);
31.   Ayotte amendment #2192 (value added grants);
32.   Collins amendment #2444 (dairy);
33.   Grassley amendment #2167 (pay cap marketing loans);
34.   Sessions amendment #2174 (SNAP);
35.   Nelson-NE amendment #2243 (SNAP);
36.   Sessions amendment #2172 (SNAP);
37.   Paul amendment #2181 ($250,000 income limit);
38.   Alexander amendment #2191 (wind loans);
39.   McCain amendment #2199 (catfish);
40.   Toomey amendment #2217 (organic/AMA);
41.   DeMint amendment #2263 (broadband funding);
42.   DeMint amendment #2262 (SoS Free MKT);
43.   DeMint amendment #2268 (Loan guarantees);
44.   DeMint amendment #2276 (checkoffs);
45.   DeMint amendment #2273 (broadband);
46.   Coburn amendment #2289 (MAP);
47.   Coburn amendment #2293 (Limit Millionaires);
48.   Kerry amendment #2454 (North Korea);
49.   Kyl amendment #2354 (North Korea);
50.   Lee amendment #2313 (Forest Legacy);
51.   Lee amendment #2314 (CSP/CRP cut);
52.   Boozman amendment #2355 (Ag research, law info);
53.   Boozman amendment #2360 (TEFAP);
54.   Toomey amendment #2226 (energy title);
55.   Toomey amendment #2433 (sugar);
56.   Lee Motion to Recommit (FY 2008 levels);
57.   Johnson-WI Motion to Recommit;
58.   Chambliss amendment #2438 (conservation crop insurance);
59.   Chambliss amendment #2340 (sugar);
60.   Chambliss amendment #2432 (FMPP);
61.   Ayotte amendment #2195 (GAO crop insurance fraud report);
62.   Blunt amendment #2246 (veterans);
63.   Moran amendment #2403 (food aid);
64.   Moran amendment #2443 (beginning farmers)
65.   Vitter amendment #2363 (pets)
66.   Toomey amendment #2247 (paperwork);
67.   Sanders amendment #2310 (genetically engineered food);
68.   Coburn amendment #2214 (convention funding);
69.   Boxer amendment #2456 (aerial inspections);
70.   Johanns amendment #2372 (aerial inspections);
71.   Murray amendment # 2455(sequestration);
72.   McCain amendment #2162 (Sequestration report – DoD); and
73.   Rubio amendment #2166 (RAISE Act).



Fremont Fair Time
The Fremont 4-H fair will be underway July 11 thru 15 and will be held at Christensen Field which is on the northwest corner of Fremont near the airport, reports Debra E. Schroeder, Extension Educator.

Exhibits will be entered Wednesday, July 11 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. and Thursday, July 12 from 7:30 thru 8:30 a.m.  Premium books are available on the internet at:  http://www.dodge.unl.edu/fourpage.  Entry tags are available at local Extension offices.  Exhibits will be judged all day on Thursday.  The parade will be held in downtown Fremont on Sunday, July 15 beginning at 1:30 p.m.  Coronation will be held in the Main Arena on Friday, July 13 beginning at 11:30 a.m.  The Fashion Revue judging will be held in the air conditioned Senior Citizen Center on July 9.  The public Fashion Revue is scheduled for Saturday, July 14 beginning at 7:00 p.m.  Exhibits will be released on Saturday, July 14 beginning at 7:00 p.m. and must be removed by 9:00 p.m.

The Fremont 4-H Fair is Nebraska’s largest 4-H club fair.  The fair is sponsored by the Dodge County 4-H Agricultural Society and the Fremont Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with the Extension offices in the area.  The eight counties that participate in the fair are Burt, Butler, Colfax, Cuming, Dodge, Douglas-Sarpy, Saunders, and Washington.



American Coalition for Ethanol Recognizes U.S. Senator Ben Nelson for policy leadership

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) is saluting U.S. Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) during its upcoming 25th annual ethanol conference for the Senator’s efforts in advancing the ethanol industry.

Nelson will be receiving the Merle Anderson Award for his leadership in supporting the renewable fuels industry while serving as Governor and Senator of Nebraska.  Nelson established the Governors’ Ethanol Coalition in 1991, helped create the first energy title in a farm bill, and played a key role in passing the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) in 2005, and the expanded RFS in 2007.

ACE Executive Director Brian Jennings says Senator Nelson was a perfect candidate for the award this year.

“Senator Nelson has been a great champion on behalf of the ethanol industry.  His work and leadership during his time in office really gave a boost to rural economies in Nebraska as well as across America.  His efforts have also helped move our country away from a reliance on foreign oil.  We are honored that he will be able to accept the Merle Anderson Award at our 25th anniversary conference,” Jennings said.

Nelson will receive the award during the 25th annual ACE Conference in Omaha, Nebraska on August 10th.  The conference runs August 8-10.  For a complete conference agenda, click this link: http://www.ethanol.org/index.php?id=127&parentid=30.

The Merle Anderson Award is named in honor of the founder and first president of ACE, Merle Anderson, who serves as Chairman Emeritus of the ACE board of directors.  The award is presented annually to recognize an individual who has made distinguished and significant contributions to the advancement of the ethanol industry.  Other ACE Conference honorees will be announced at the 25th annual ACE Conference in Omaha later this summer.



Ashley Nunnenkamp Named Nebraska Cattlemen Director of Communications

Nebraska Cattlemen is pleased to announce the hire of Ashley Nunnenkamp as Director of Communications. She will be responsible for media relations and communication within and outside the Nebraska Cattlemen. 

Nunnenkamp is a 2012 graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she received a degree in Agricultural Business and a minor in Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship. She was one of the first graduates of the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program and also one of the first Engler Scholars at UNL.

“I am very excited about the opportunity to join Nebraska Cattlemen. I have a passion for agriculture and I have always hoped to be able to work for the amazing farmers and ranchers of Nebraska,” Nunnenkamp said.

“We are excited to have Ashley join our staff team.  Positive, informative and accurate communication is a primary objective of NC.  Ashley brings talent, skill and commitment which coupled with our talented staff will serve our members and the cattle industry very well,” said Michael Kelsey, Executive Vice President of Nebraska Cattlemen.

Nunnenkamp is originally from Sutton, Nebraska and comes from a family farming operation of cattle, corn, soybeans and specialty crops. She has previous experience working for UNL Extension 4-H Youth Development, UNL Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program, and University of Nebraska Rural Initiative.

Nunnenkamp began her employment with the Nebraska Cattlemen on June 13, 2012.



Statement from NCBA Vice President Bob McCan Regarding Canada’s Entry in the TPP

On Tues., June 19, 2012, President Obama announced that the United States and the other countries negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) have extended an invitation to Canada to join the TPP trade negotiations. This is subsequent to yesterday’s announcement that Mexico has been invited to the negotiations. In addition to the United States, the current TPP countries are Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Vice President and Texas cattleman Bob McCan commended the announcement and issued the following statement.

“NCBA welcomes the addition of Canada to the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Canada is the top export market for U.S. beef. Our strong trade relationship with our neighbors to the North has been a win-win for cattlemen and consumers in both countries and Canada’s entry into TPP negotiations will only strengthen our trade relationship. Their participation in TPP is absolutely vital to creating a trade environment free from protectionist trade barriers. With American allies like Canada and Mexico at the table, TPP will strengthen bonds between nations and encourage global security in the Pacific Rim.”



Statement from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in Support of Invitation to Mexico as a New TPP Negotiating Partner

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made the following statement today in support of President Obama's invitation to Mexico to join the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, pending successful conclusion of our domestic procedures.

"I am happy to support President Obama's invitation to Mexico, our neighbor and second largest export market, to join the TPP negotiations. I also join with U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk in recognizing that the TPP presents the most promising pathway to boosting trade across the Asia Pacific and to encouraging regional trade integration. Mexico understands that the countries negotiating the TPP agreement have set high standards and objectives, and that the United States intends to join TPP partners in completing a comprehensive, high-standard agreement that will include important new commitments on science-based and transparent sanitary and phytosanitary measures. For decades, two-way agricultural trade between Mexico and the United States has supported American communities by creating good-paying jobs here in the United States. Mexico's participation in TPP will allow U.S. agriculture to leverage existing supply chains, adding to the economic significance of a TPP agreement and ensuring that American agriculture remains a bright spot in our nation's economy."



RFA and Bobby Likis Partnership take Automotive Technician Ethanol Education to the Next Level

The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and automotive expert, car-talk host Bobby Likis today announced their extended collaboration on an ethanol educational outreach to automotive service professionals. This outreach, including the “Calling All Technicians...20 Facts About Ethanol” feature on the Car Clinic Network, is designed to enlighten, educate and energize automotive technicians with verifiable facts, studies and statistics on ethanol.  Automotive technician outreach will utilize radio, websites, social media, print media and key events.

Likis - award-winning, national talk-show host, answering over 100,000 automotive consumer questions live on air - has worn many hats in the automotive industry, including technician, service desk advisor, service shop owner, engine builder and pit crew.  “I have 40 years of hands-on experience in servicing and repairing vehicles and building rear-engine dragsters,” says Likis.  He continues, “I know we technicians share ‘prove-it’ mindsets, so in that spirit, my aim is to give techs the info they need to make informed decisions...in their service bays, at the pump and at the polls.”

Bob Dinneen, RFA’s President and CEO commented, “We are excited to have Bobby Likis on our team helping to educate mechanics and car enthusiasts about the benefits of ethanol and the introduction of E15 which will bring more consumer choice to the pump.  Auto service professionals are often the first and most important line of communicating with car owners.  With Bobby’s help we can educate these professionals on the cost-saving, engine performance, job-creating, environmentally-friendly benefits of an American-made fuel that is successfully reducing our dependence upon foreign oil.  With Bobby’s auto industry credibility and his coast-to-coast audience, this partnership is an exciting endeavor.”

“Calling All Technicians...20 Facts About Ethanol” airs on the Car Clinic Network, whose programming – including “Bobby Likis Car Clinic” and “Car Clinic Minute” – is heard nationwide via terrestrial broadcast on 150 stations and on multiple internet globalcasts.



Research Finds Antibiotic Residues in Distillers Grains Safe

Antibiotic residue levels in distillers grains are well below safety levels and are mostly inactive, according to recent research at the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Gerald C. Shurson, professor of swine nutrition and management at the University of Minnesota, conducted a survey in which 159 samples of wet and dry distillers were examined to determine if they contained any antibiotic residues. Antibiotics are used in ethanol production to control bacterial growth during fermentation.

All samples were analyzed by SGS North America, an analytical company from Brookings, S.D., and Phibro EPG Lab in St. Paul, Minn., using FDA-approved methods for five antibiotics: penicillin, tetracycline, virginiamycin, erythromycin and tylosin. All the samples were substantially below the FDA level that would be considered harmful.

A second part of the study was to find out if the antibiotic residues had any biological activity. Only one sample out of the 159 showed some biological activity, but that sample had no detectable residues of any antibiotics measured. That suggest that something other than the five antibiotics caused the bacterial inhibition, Shurson said.

"Based on the preliminary results, our conclusions was that there are no concerns about using antibiotics at current levels in ethanol/DDG production," Shurson said. "Compared to what legally is allowed by FDA and animal feed regulations, the levels were so low, there is no concern at all," Shurson said.

However, when the results of the research where announced, it prompted an outcry from some trade policy groups and two U.S. senators who wrote to the Food and Drug Administration expressing concern and asking for more regulation of antibiotics used in ethanol production.

Strict regulation or banning of antibiotics for ethanol production could be devastating to the ethanol industry, Shurson said. Without antibiotics to control bacterial infections, ethanol yields and the quality of distillers grains would be reduced and would lower revenue, at a time when high corn prices are already forcing margins downward.



Fertilizer Prices Slip

With demand for fertilizer waning as the application season ends, retail fertilizer prices tracked by DTN for the second week of June 2012 continue to fall. All eight major fertilizers were lower in price compared to the second week of May.

10-34-0 leads the slide. The starter fertilizer fell 9% compared to a month earlier and had an average price of $715 per ton.

The remaining seven fertilizers were also lower, but none of them dropped by more than 3%. DAP had an average price of $634/ton, MAP $676/ton, potash $653/ton, anhydrous $772/ton, UAN28 $427/ton and UAN32 $477/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.80/lb.N, anhydrous $0.47/lb.N, UAN28 $0.76/lb.N and UAN32 $0.75/lb.N.

Only two of the eight major fertilizers are still showing double-digit increases in price compared to one year earlier. Leading the way higher is urea. The nitrogen fertilizer is 40% higher compared to last year while UAN32 is now 10% more expensive.

Three fertilizers have seen just slight price increases compared to a year earlier. Potash is 8% higher, UAN28 has climbed 6% and anhydrous is now 4% more expensive.

The three remaining fertilizers are now actually lower compared to June 2011. 10-34-0 is now 14% lower, DAP is 7% less expensive and MAP has decreased 4% in price.



CWT Assists with 1.7 Million Pounds of Cheese Export Sales

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted 11 requests for export assistance from DFA,, Darigold and United Dairymen of Arizona to sell a total of 775 metric tons (1.709 million pounds) of Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese to customers in Asia, South America, the Middle East, North Africa and South Pacific. The product will be delivered June through November 2012.

In 2012, CWT has assisted member cooperatives in making export sales of Cheddar, Monterey Jack and Gouda cheese totaling 61.7 million pounds and butter and AMF totaling 45.2 million pounds to 32 countries on four continents. On a butterfat basis, the milk equivalent of these exports is 1.550 billion pounds, or the same as the annual milk production of 73,800 cows.

Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program positively impacts producer milk prices in the short-term by reducing inventories that overhang the market and depress cheese and butter prices. In the long-term, CWT’s Export Assistance program helps member cooperatives gain and maintain market share, thus expanding the demand for U.S. dairy products and the farm milk that produces them.

CWT will pay export bonuses to the bidders only when delivery of the product is verified by the submission of the required documentation.

The Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) Export Assistance program is funded by voluntary contributions from dairy cooperatives and individual dairy farmers. The money raised by their investment is being used to strengthen and stabilize the dairy farmers’ milk prices and margins. For more information about CWT, visit www.cwt.coop.



NEW IMMIGRATION POLICY IS A WELCOME FIRST STEP
John Wilson, Senior Vice President, Dairy Farmers of America

Late last week, the Obama administration announced a change in immigration policy that could allow as many as 800,000 immigrants who came to the United States illegally as children to legally remain in the country. The new policy will not grant citizenship, but it will remove the threat of deportation and grant them the right to work in the United States. According to the Department of Homeland Security, the policy change will apply to those who came to the United States before they were 16 and are younger than 30 if they have lived in the states for five years, have no criminal history, graduated from a U.S. high school or served in the military. The policy change will accomplish portions of the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, which stalled in Congress last year.

“We are pleased to see the White House use administrative authority to address an important component of the immigration debate. At the same time, we cannot ignore that the agriculture sector continues to face labor shortages and deeper changes are needed.

"Dairy farmers across the country are in need of a reliable, stable and legal workforce. A 2009 study conducted by National Milk Producers Federation found that more than 40 percent of workers on U.S. dairy farms are born outside this country. Unlike most others in the agricultural sector, dairy producers do not have access to the H-2A guest worker program as the industry is not seasonal. Dairy farmers 'harvest' at least twice a day, 365 days of the year.

"We will continue to urge President Barack Obama and his administration to take action that addresses the labor issues dairy farmers continue to experience. A safe, legal and reliable workforce is vital to allow our nation’s dairy farmers to continue to produce the safe, nutritious dairy products consumers demand.”



Report: U.S. Crop Production Sales Up Last Year

Strong commodity demand helped power 2011 U.S. crop protection sales to an 8.3% increase over the previous year, resulting in a $7.1 billion market, according to Kline's imminent Crop Protection Manufacturers Report: A Strategic Market Analysis of the U.S. Crop Protection Industry.

While sales for generic manufacturers increased 7.6% in 2011, their market share fell slightly as major research-based manufacturers pursued aggressive marketing strategies. Both generic and major research manufacturers are introducing new products containing multiple modes of action, which are pulling prices up and placing pressure on off-patent brands containing straight active ingredients.

The start of the 2011 year was defined by low crop inventories along with high soft commodity prices, which drove planted acres of major crops by almost 7 million acres over 2010. A cold, wet spring delayed planting schedules for most growers in the United States, which contributed to increased sales of seed treatment. Despite the unfavorable weather, corn planted acres exceeded 90 million acres for the second time in history.

All segments of the crop protection industry saw increased sales over 2010, with seed treatment and fungicide segments seeing double-digit percentage gains.

High commodity prices and profit per acres potential drove fungicide applications during the year. Fungicides are primarily a crop-driven market that drives yield; during increased wealth and economic conditions, the industry generally sees more fungicide usage. Growers tend to be more willing to invest in their crops and apply fungicides even in situations with less disease pressure.

Weed resistance continued to be a concern within the U.S. crop protection industry. The challenge of controlling herbicide resistant weeds has increased significantly and growers are relying to a greater extent on pre-emergent herbicides. The magnitude of the problem is reflected by over 20 herbicide mechanisms of action and the utilization of these herbicides resulting in the evolution of weeds that no longer respond to those herbicides.

Moreover, the number of glyphosate resistant weeds in the United States went from zero in 1996 to eleven in 2011. Consequently, the industry has seen an increase in pre-emergent herbicide use, especially in soybeans where many growers have previously been reluctant to invest in the additional outlay.

Although Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) traits in corn have increased the convenience of insect control for growers, there is an increasing number of reports of corn rootworm (CRW) seed trait performance failures. Growers are looking at new and different solutions to control corn rootworms and other secondary pests. As a result, ag retailers have seen an increased interest in soil insecticides as a tool for corn production and economic returns. Every grower wants to maximize yield on every acre they plant and corn soil insecticides target a second line of defense for possible CRW trait performance failures within Bt-resistance corn.



Hidden Vitamin in Milk Yields Remarkable Health Benefits

A novel form of vitamin B3 found in milk in small quantities produces remarkable health benefits in mice when high doses are administered, according to a new study conducted by researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College and the Polytechnic School in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The findings, recently reported in the June 2012 issue of the journal, Cell Metabolism, reveal that high doses of the vitamin precursor, nicotinamide riboside (NR) -- a cousin of niacin -- prevent obesity in mice that are fed a fatty diet, and also increase muscle performance, improve energy expenditure and prevent diabetes development, all without side effects.

The Swiss researchers, led by Dr. Johan Auwerx, performed the mouse experiments, while the ability to give the animals sufficient doses of NR was made possible by Weill Cornell Medical College researchers, who played key roles in uncovering the biological story of NR.

"This study is very important. It shows that in animals, the use of NR offers the health benefits of a low-calorie diet and exercise -- without doing either one," says Dr. Anthony Sauve, associate professor of Pharmacology at Weill Cornell Medical College.

Dr. Sauve is the pharmacologist and organic chemist who has invented a simple method for efficiently synthesizing NR in large scale. He was first to show that NR increases nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) levels in mammalian cells. NAD is a central player in energy metabolism. He has pioneered research into the compound, and he is a leader in investigating how NAD can signal adaptation in cells and in physiology.

"The research also suggests that the effects of NR could be even broader," Dr. Sauve says. "The bottom line is that NR improves the function of mitochondria, the cell's energy factories. Mitochondrial decline is the hallmark of many diseases associated with aging, such as cancer and neurodegeneration, and NR supplementation boosts mitochondrial functioning."

The Swiss researchers call NR a "hidden vitamin" that is believed to also be present in many other foods, although levels are low and difficult to measure.

Nevertheless, the effects of NR on metabolism "are nothing short of astonishing."

Got nicotinamide riboside?
The study depended on a series of crucial discoveries by Dr. Sauve and his laboratory colleagues.

NR, related to niacin and other common forms of vitamin B3, was first investigated more than 60 years ago by a Stanford researcher and 1959 Nobel Laureate, Arthur Kornberg. But little more was known about its effects in mammals until Dr. Sauve discovered the effect NR had in stimulating levels of NAD in mammalian cells -- work he published in 2007.

NAD allows sugars, fats, and proteins to be converted into energy. Dr. Sauve's research provided the first evidence that NR enhances NAD levels in the mitochondria in mammalian cells in culture. These findings are published in the current study. These cell-based observations were key to the demonstration that NR could stimulate tissue NAD levels in animals, and that it could stimulate NAD-dependent sirtuins, which adapt physiology to the low calorie diets that are known to extend the lifespan of many organisms.

Dr. Sauve invented a relatively simple method for efficiently synthesizing NR in large scale so that its health benefits can be studied. This methodology, which makes it possible to make NR commercially available, was patented by Cornell's Center for Technology Enterprise and Commercialization and subsequently licensed to ChromaDex Corporation.

The development of a means to synthesize NR in adequate quantities was crucial to the current research, and the Sauve lab provided methods and NR to make the study possible. In addition, the biological observations on the effects of NR on NAD levels in cells and on mitochondria were key to the study. Finally, the Sauve laboratory has developed state of the art analytical methods to determine NAD levels in cells, tissues and organelles, and the laboratory provided several key metabolic measurements highlighted in the study.