Thursday September 6 Ag News

EHD CASES CONFIRMED IN NEBRASKA CATTLE

According to State Veterinarian Dr. Dennis Hughes, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture has confirmed nine cases of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) in cattle throughout Nebraska.

According to Hughes, the disease has been affecting Nebraska’s deer population since the 1970s and is transmitted from deer to cattle by biting insects called midges.

“This is an unfortunate disease that has no preventative measures or treatment options for affected cattle,” said Dr. Hughes.  “The extreme hot and dry conditions that have persisted across Nebraska have contributed to the number of cases we are experiencing.  The first frost should eliminate the disease-spreading midges.”

EHD symptoms in cattle include: fever, anorexia, reduced milk production, swollen eyes, redness and scaling of the nose and lips, nasal and eye discharge, ulcers on mouth, excessive salivation, lameness, swelling of the tongue, oral/nasal blisters, and labored breathing.

Producers with animals experiencing these symptoms are urged to contact their veterinarian immediately.

“Because these cases aren’t confined to a particular area, we have been receiving many questions from both producers and veterinarians across the state,” Hughes said.  “Therefore, we felt it necessary to share this basic disease information and urge producers to contact their local veterinarians if their animals are experiencing these symptoms.”



Nebraska Youth Beef Leadership Symposium Offered in November in Lincoln

The Nebraska Youth Beef Leadership Symposium at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will offer two sessions this year in order to reach high school students earlier – one for freshman and sophomores and another for juniors and seniors.

"This educational symposium will allow students to network with beef industry leaders and hear about innovative cattle production practices," said Dennis Brink, UNL animal science professor.

The first session Nov. 2-3 will be geared toward freshman and sophomores and will give them an introduction to the beef industry – an overview, interaction with faculty about current research, meat science, beef quality assurance, marketing and an introduction to careers.

They will also have an opportunity to work on a team project and do an infomercial about beef and the benefits of it in the diet.

Concluding on Nov. 3, freshman and sophomores will attend a career panel and banquet along with the juniors and seniors who have just arrived for their session. Students will be able to meet with industry sponsors.

The Nov. 3-5 session will be geared toward juniors and seniors and will follow the traditional route of NYBLS – more in-depth information about the beef industry, meat science, marketing and the opportunity to work with a professional chef. Teams will take in presentations, but also will have the opportunity to work with the chef to create a new beef dish using beef value cuts.

In addition, six $500 UNL College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources will be awarded to juniors and senior participants.

For more information about the Nebraska Youth Beef Leadership Symposium, including a list of sponsors, or to register, visit its website at http://nybls.unl.edu.

More information also is available by contacting Sara Ellicott at 402-624-8030, email sellicott2@unl.edu or Brink at 402-472-6446, email dbrink1@unl.edu. Registration is $30 due by Oct. 1. Late registration is $50 by Oct. 19. Registration includes all materials, meals and lodging.



Husker Harvest Days Nearly Ready for Visitors

There will definitely be a lot to see at this year's Husker Harvest Days, scheduled for Sept. 11, 12 and 13 just west of Grand Island, Neb. With a sold-out exhibit field filled with more than 600 exhibitors, there will be plenty for farmers and ranchers to check out.

Latest tech
From the new fall equipment introductions, crop protection products, additional farm and ranch products and services, and latest seed and crop tech for 2013 planting, to the traditional services producers need for their crops and livestock, it's all at the show. Husker Harvest Days always is a standout resource for production and profitability ideas.

Field demonstrations
Visitors to this year's Husker Harvest Days will once again be treated to watching machinery in the fields during field demonstrations. Corn harvesting demonstrations are scheduled for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily.  Other crop production demonstrations at Husker Harvest Days include spraying, shredding, tillage; GPS ride 'n drive opportunities and haying demonstrations.

Livestock and equine events
For those more interested in livestock than crop production, Husker Harvest Days has demonstrations and exhibits geared toward livestock producers and horse enthusiasts.

Cattle handling demonstrations will be held at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the northwest corner of the show site. Lifelong horseman and rancher Ron Knodel will demonstrate his horse training techniques and share his wild-horse gentling philosophies at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. daily at Lot 1050. Stock dog demonstrations are returning to Husker Harvest Days this year, too. Members of the National Cattledog Association will be presenting demonstrations four times daily at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. These demos will be located north of Flag Row.

Arts and crafts
Located on West Avenue, the Craft Tent will be filled with more than 40 crafters selling candles, jewelry, paintings, toys, quilts, pottery, jam, clothing, yard ornaments and additional items. You're bound to find something new. 

Health, wellness and more
The Nebraska Farmer magazine's Hospitality Tent, located at Main and Central, is prepared to serve Husker Harvest Days visitors. While in the Hospitality Tent, visitors can register to win prizes, meet the editors and staff of the Nebraska Farmer and additional Farm Progress publications, tour the new website services and check on their subscriptions. This year, visitors can register for a chance to win a New Holland Construction skid steer loader, a Miller welding-generator or a Miller welding helmet.

Also located in the Nebraska Farmer Hospitality Tent are approximately 30 booths with medical professionals and health organization representatives. Visitors can take advantage of several health screenings including skin cancer screening, blood pressure testing, hearing testing and a variety of additional services.

Plan to attend
Husker Harvest Days is located west of Grand Island, 1-1/2 miles north and 2 miles west of Alda in central Nebraska on Husker Highway. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for ages 13-17, and ages 12 and under are free. Adult tickets are available for sale on the Husker Harvest Days website and at the show gates. For additional information, visit www.HuskerHarvestDays.com. The public is welcome.



NRDs DELIVER ENGINEERING REPORT TO CNPPID, ADDRESS QUESTIONS ON NEW PLAN TO CONVERT SURFACE WATER IRRIGATION TO GROUNDWATER

The Central Platte and Twin Platte Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) have delivered a more detailed engineering report to Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District (CNPPID) on their plan to convert CNPPID’s surface water irrigation system over to a groundwater recharge system.  The report confirmed the expected benefits of providing full irrigation for the area while providing beneficial flows for the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program (PRRIP) that will return the Platte River below Lake McConaughy to a “fully appropriated” condition, protect the agricultural economy, provide municipal water supplies, increase hydro-electric power generation and provide recreational benefits for Lake McConaughy and other lakes in the irrigation system.

“We’re still very optimistic that Central Public Power’s board will see the benefits in seriously looking at this proposal,” said Ron Bishop, general manager of the Central Platte Natural Resources District (CPNRD).  “In this drought year, with this plan in place, we could have put more water back into the Platte River and alleviated water shortages.  Just think what having the estimated additional 115,000 – 170,000 acre/feet of water in the river this year would have done.  That’s what our plan would do,” Bishop said.

“We know some people want to know more about our proposal, and there are more studies to be completed before we move forward,” said Kent Miller, general manager of the Twin Platte Natural Resources District (TPNRD).  “This additional engineering report will help Central Public Power’s board understand better why we think this is a feasible project that will provide benefits to the state and irrigators,” Miller said.

The NRDs also released some answers to questions about their proposal they have heard so far:

1) Will the NRDs work with farmers to share the cost of drilling the estimated 450 new groundwater wells that will be needed to replace the current surface water irrigation?   Answer: Yes.  Part of the initial proposal by the NRDs included a proposal to share the costs of drilling the new wells with farmers.

2) Will the new wells be used to pump the water “mound” level down and develop new irrigated acres in the Twin Platte and Central Platte NRDs?  Answer: No.  The new wells will only be used for the acres currently irrigated by surface water and convert them to ground water irrigation.

3) Will this plan have a negative impact on the Republican River Basin?  Answer: No.  CNPPID’s current canal will still have water in it to provide groundwater recharge as it always has to the areas in the Republican Basin.

4) Will putting water in the canal during the irrigation “off-season” still provide enough groundwater recharge?  Answer: Yes.  The seepage occurs whenever water is in the canal no matter what season it is.

5) Will the NRDs work WITH Central Public Power so everyone is treated fairly?  Answer: Yes.  The NRDs’ original proposal discussed working together with CNPPID on an arrangement that still serves CNPPID’s needs, as well as their surface water irrigation customers.

6) Is the original proposal the NRDs made to Central Public Power the final proposal?  Answer: No.  The first proposal was merely to begin discussions for the project.  Future studies will be done and the NRDs will help pay for many of these.

7) Are there assurances that water will be available for irrigation in the areas converted to groundwater?  Answer: Yes.  The NRDs’ proposal does not call for any reduction in the number of acres currently irrigated.

“We want this study process to be as informational and transparent as possible for the entities involved and for the individual farmers affected by our proposal,” Bishop said.




Nebraska State Grange Plan Annual Convention

    The Nebraska State Grange will hold it’s annual meeting at the Riverside Inn in Grand Island, September 14-15-16, 2012.

    There will be a tour for those who wish to arrive by 11:30 on Friday, Sept. 14.

Grangers can meet at the motel and go together to Bosselmans for lunch and travel together to Hastings to the IMAX theater.

    Registration will begin at 7:30.  There will be an Ice Cream Social at 8:00 PM and committees will start going over resolutions.

    The meeting will officially open on Saturday morning and the members will hear the annual reports from National Grange President, Ed Luttrell of Sandy OR and State Grange President, Joe Fryman of Blair NE.

   The speaker for the noon Lunch will be Dwight Baldwin, President of the Iowa State Grange, and Treasurer of the National Grange, representing the National Grange.  Mr. Baldwin has served on the County Extension Committee, the Grange Camp Board and as a 4-H leader.  He works for the Jasper Highway Dept. and he and his wife Kathy live on acreage and raise sheep there.  They have two children, Kristy and Doug who both hold offices in the Iowa State Grange.  MC will be Kevin Cooklsey of the Custer County Grange.  Scholarships and Community Service awards will be presented.

   In the afternoon Phyllis Tooker , Family Activities Chairman, of Ralston NE. will do a workshop on “Decorating Foods with Sugar Sheets”.

    The banquet will be Saturday at 6:30, and the entertainment will be David Seay from the Nebraska Humanities Council with his program titled “Train Songs and Tales of Western Rails”.  Seay sings and plays a variety of railroad songs and tales of the expansion of the railroads toward the Western boarder of Nebraska in the mid 1800’s.  He tells stories and sings using banjo, harmonica, whistles and sing-alongs. The MC will be Joe Fryman, from Blair Ne, State Grange President.  The Distinguished Service Award will be presented by Kevin Cooklsey.,  The Community Citizen Award and the Program Director Awards will be given.

    The Sunday Morning, Sept 16 program will consist of a Memorial Service under the direction of State Grange Chaplain, Gwenda Cogswell of Friend Ne.  Nebraska Grange members who have passed on in the last year will be remembered.  Chris and Cindy Ogle and their family of daughters, from Broken Bow NE. will do a pageant for the church service.

   The Lecturer’s time planned by State Lecturer, Darlene Janning of Geneva, will be a program with pictures by Joe and Tammy Fryman about the trip they took to China this year.

    The MC for the Sunday lunch will be Erv Rolofson of Lincoln, State Grange Steward.  Family Activity awards will be given by Phyllis Tooker of Ralston, Chairman.  Community Citizens will be recognized.

   Resolution Committees will give final reports.

Other Activities:  Program Director, Darlene Janing, has planned a photo contest and a short essay contest on the subject “Patriotic Activities In My Community”.

Family Activities Chairman, Phyllis Tooker has several activities planned.  She will set up the “Country Store” selling items donated by Grange members and Baking Contest Entries.  There will also be “Toys for Tots”, handmade toys and “Linus Blankets” to be given to children taken to hospitals or into Foster Care.  Grange members will also donate handmade booties and caps to hospitals for premature babies.  Pop tabs will also be donated to help Ronald McDonald Houses.



Wind Erosion Control Greatest Need in Missouri River Basin

A new study shows that conservation practices have made great strides in reducing pollutant losses from cultivated cropland in the Missouri River Basin. The study -- called the "Assessment of the Effects of Conservation Practices on Cultivated Cropland in the Missouri River Basin" -- showed that conservation practices, such as building terraces and reducing tillage, reduce the runoff of sediment by 76 percent, nitrogen by 54 percent and phosphorus by 60 percent.

"This study shows the hard work of conservation-minded farmers and ranchers is having positive benefits for waterways downstream," said Dave White, chief of USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service. "We are seeing cleaner water in the Missouri River, which means that we are sending cleaner water to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. Conservation efforts -- like the ones we have seen in this basin -- are testament to the importance of conservation on the landscape level."

The report is part of USDA's tradition to assess the effects of conservation practices and how they can be improved. It is part of a series completed for USDA's Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) and it covers Nebraska, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.

"These reports compose part of the scientific backbone that we use to improve and update our conservation efforts," White said. "We use the assessments to strengthen our service to our Nation's landowners and natural resources."

Although conservation practices installed by producers have reduced the runoff of sediment and nutrients in the Missouri River Basin, wind erosion remains the top conservation concern in the region.

The report found that 18 percent of cultivated cropland in the region has a moderate or high need for additional conservation practices to further reduce sediment and nutrient losses from the basin. Although this percentage is lower than in other regions studied by USDA, it represents more than 15 million acres in the vast Missouri River Basin. Soil and nutrient losses through wind erosion, particularly in the western part of the basin which is drier, are the most critical conservation concern in the region.

If additional conservation practices were implemented, NRCS technical experts estimate that the conservation practices would reduce runoff of sediment by an additional 28 percent, nitrogen by an additional 13 percent and phosphorus by an additional 12 percent. Comprehensive conservation planning that includes both erosion control and nutrient management practices is needed to simultaneously reduce sediment and nutrient losses through wind, runoff and leaching.

In addition to the Missouri Basin report, USDA also posted an update to the Upper Mississippi River Basin report, which was originally released in draft form in June 2010. The update includes slight changes to computer modeling protocols and the inclusion of a sub-region between the outlets of the Missouri and Ohio rivers that was not included in the draft report.



Iowa Cost Share Funds Now Available for Cover Crops

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey announced the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has filed an emergency rule change that includes cover crops as an eligible practice under the Iowa Financial Incentives Program (IFIP), which is commonly called cost share. Cost sharing assistance is limited to $25 per acre for the establishment of the cover crop.

"We have seen growing interest in cover crops in recent years as a means to control erosion and reduce loss of nitrates, and with the drought this year and potential for an early harvest, we wanted to make this practice available to farmers," Northey said. "Farmers interested in taking advantage of this assistance should contact their local Soil and Water Conservation District office for more information."

Research has shown that cover crops can be an effective management tool to control erosion from wind and water and reduce the potential for nitrate to leach into our surface waters and ground waters. Nitrate transport to streams can be particularly high after a drought period, when stressed crops may not have used all available fertilizer, or in times of excessive moisture.

It remains up to each individual Soil and Water Conservation District as to whether they will offer cost share assistance for cover crops. And, in order to quality for cost share, the practice must meet NRCS specifications.

Although this rule change is in effect now, there is still an opportunity for public comment on the rule. Any interested persons may submit written comments on or before 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 11. Written comments should be addressed to Margaret Thomson, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Wallace State Office Building, 502 East Ninth Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50319. Comments may also be submitted by fax to (515)281-6236 or by E-mail to Margaret.Thomson@IowaAgriculture.gov.



Overweight Loads Allowed for Harvest Season

Gov. Terry E. Branstad signed a proclamation to allow the transportation of oversized and overweight loads of soybeans, corn, hay, straw, silage and stover. The proclamation took effect on Sept. 4 and expires after 60 days.

"Many Iowans' livelihoods depend on a smooth, efficient harvest season," said Branstad. "I am pleased to sign this proclamation, which will allow the movement of Iowa's commodities and help Iowa farmers during harvest."

This proclamation applies to loads transported on all highways within Iowa, excluding the interstate system, and which do not exceed a maximum of 90,000 pounds gross weight, do not exceed the maximum axle weight limit determined under the non-primary highway maximum gross weight table in Iowa Code section 321.463 paragraph "5.b", by more than twelve and one-half percent (12.5%), do not exceed the legal maximum axle weight limit of 20,000 pounds, and comply with posted limits on roads and bridges.

This action is intended to allow vehicles transporting soybeans, corn, hay, straw, and stover to be oversize and overweight, not exceeding 90,000 pounds gross weight, without a permit, but only for the duration of this proclamation.

The Iowa Department of Transportation is directed to monitor the operation of this proclamation to assure the public's safety and facilitate the movement of the trucks involved.



Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force to Meet in Des Moines

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey will be hosting a meeting of the Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force in the Des Moines area on Sept. 11 and 12. More than 75 federal and state government officials and organization representatives are expected to participate in the task force meeting.

The Task Force is made up of members from five federal agencies and twelve state agencies and is working to address the environmental concerns associated with the Gulf of Mexico hypoxia zone, also known as the "dead zone."

Many factors contribute to hypoxia in the Gulf, with nutrient loads from upstream watersheds being one area of concern. Nitrogen and phosphorous loads entering the Gulf from the Mississippi River contribute to the hypoxic zone by spurring the growth of algae which deplete the water of oxygen when they die and decay. This is one of several areas that the Task Force coordinates activities on to reduce the size, severity, and duration of the hypoxic zone in the Gulf.

The Task Force will have a public meeting at the Hotel Fort Des Moines from 8:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. on Sept. 11.

The Task Force will then participate in science expo focused on new technologies to improve water quality from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sept. 12. Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force members will be joined by members of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) to learn more about new science and technologies that are becoming available to farmers to reduce nutrient transport from our farms. A wide variety of private and public sector exhibitors will demonstrate the broad cross-section of new technologies and emerging science that offer promise to reduce nutrient transport to water from cropped lands.

NASDA members will join Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force members to learn more about new science and technologies that are becoming available to farmers to reduce nutrient transport from our farms. A wide variety of private and public sector exhibitors will demonstrate the broad cross-section of new technologies and emerging science that offer promise to reduce nutrient transport to water from cropped lands.

The Federal agencies that are part of the task force are the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Army Corps of Engineers, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, Tennessee, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, Kentucky and Arkansas are also represented on the Task Force.

The Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force was established in the fall of 1997 to understand the causes and effects of eutrophication in the Gulf of Mexico; coordinate activities to reduce the size, severity, and duration; and ameliorate the effects of hypoxia. Activities include coordinating and supporting nutrient management activities from all sources, restoring habitats to trap and assimilate nutrients, and supporting other hypoxia related activities in the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico watersheds.

More information about the Task Force can be found on EPA's Mississippi River Basin and Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia website at www.epa.gov/msbasin.



NASDA Annual Meeting in Iowa Sept. 12-17

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey will be hosting agriculture leaders from across the country in Des Moines from Sept. 12 to 17 for the annual meeting of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA). Northey is currently serving as NASDA president.

The theme for the NASDA annual meeting is "New Technologies, Proud Traditions." During the meetings NASDA members will be treated to a number of tours and events designed to showcase the key role agriculture has played in Iowa's history and the ongoing importance of Iowa farmer and agriculture related businesses to the world.

Media are invited to participate in the events listed below. Please contact Dustin Vande Hoef with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship at 515-281-3375 or via email at Dustin.VandeHoef@IowaAgriculture.gov to register to participate.

The full agenda and more information about the meeting can be found at www.iowaagriculture.gov/NASDA2012.asp.



Egyptian Firm Announces $1.4 Billion Facility in Iowa

Iowa will be the home of a new, $1.4 billion nitrogen fertilizer plant -- the first major natural-gas fertilizer facility to be built in the U.S. in the last 25 years.

Orascom Construction Industries, based in Cairo, Egypt, announced the new facility that will produce between 1.5 million and 2 million metric tons of ammonia, urea and ammonium nitrate, as well as a new diesel exhaust fluid used to reduce diesel-engine emissions.

The plant will be located in Lee County, Iowa, in the southeast corner of the state near the Mississippi River. State officials and Orascom stated the facility will have 165 permanent jobs and as many as 2,500 construction jobs as the plant is built on the 500-acre site set aside for the facility. Construction would be completed in mid-2015.

"I am pleased to welcome OCI to Iowa," Gov. Terry Branstad said in a news release. "Their project is the largest investment ever made in our state. The Iowa Fertilizer Company will bring high-paying permanent jobs to Lee County and will create approximately 2,500 construction jobs over the next three years. We believe this major capital investment will help invigorate economic development in an area of the state which has previously experienced significant challenges."

In helping build the facility, OCI also announced it is finalizing the purchase of Weitz Cos., an Iowa-based construction company.

The announcement came after the Iowa Economic Development Authority on Wednesday met to approve $57.5 million in state investment tax credits for the facility. The state board will also be asked to approve as much as $25 million in tax credits for the company for future years as well, though total tax credits will be capped at $100 million.



GROWMARK Director Elections Announced

GROWMARK, Inc. announced the results of director elections, held in conjunction with the regional cooperative's annual meeting in Chicago.  Five of the cooperative's 16 director seats, established by geographic zone, were elected and will serve three-year terms. GROWMARK's six established governance zones cover all of North America; there are multiple directors per zone. One at-large director represents Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin Farm Bureaus. GROWMARK is affiliated with Farm Bureau in those states.

GROWMARK directors elected include:

-- Zone A -- Rick Nelson of Paxton, Ill., has served on the GROWMARK Board since 1990. He was elected vice chairman in 2004. He and his wife Pat operate a 2,100 acre cash grain farm. He is also president of the Ludlow Cooperative Elevator Board.

-- Zone A -- Kevin Malchine of Waterford, Wis. was elected to his first term on the GROWMARK Board. He operates a 2,100 acre farm in partnership with his brother and nephew. He and his wife Kelly have three daughters, Stephanie, Shannon, and Shauna. Malchine serves on the board of Conserv FS, Inc.

-- Zone B -- David Uhlman of Tremont, Ill., was elected to his first term on the GROWMARK Board. He farms with his brother and son. They raise row crops, canning pumpkins, and have a cow-calf herd. He and his wife Joan have three children. Uhlman serves on the Ag-Land FS, Inc. board of directors.

-- Zone C -- Dennis Neuhaus of Hoyleton, Ill., was elected to his first term on the GROWMARK Board. His five-generation family farm includes dairy and beef cattle and 1,300 acres of row crops. He and his wife Pam have three daughters, Stacey, Jenell, and Megan. Neuhaus is a member of the Gateway FS, Inc. board of directors.

-- Zone D -- Allen Tanner of Creston, Iowa, has served on the GROWMARK Board since 2004. He and his wife Candi farm 2,000 acres and manage a cow-calf operation. He has served on the board of New Century FS and its predecessor companies since 1989.

GROWMARK is a regional cooperative providing agriculture-related products and services, as well as grain marketing in 31 states and Ontario, Canada. GROWMARK owns the FS trademark, which is used by affiliated member cooperatives.



FCStone: 121.4 BPA Corn Yield

Commodities brokerage INTL FCStone Inc. on Wednesday forecast the U.S. corn crop's yield at 121.4 bushels an acre and total production at 10.607 billion bushels.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture last month forecast a yield of 123.4 bushels an acre and production of 10.779 billion bushels.

INTL FCStone forecast the U.S. soybean crop's yield at 36.7 bushels an acre and total output at 2.739 billion bushels. The USDA last month forecast a soybean yield of 36.1 bushels an acre and output of 2.692 billion bushels.

The USDA is due to update its crop forecasts on Sept. 12 in its monthly supply-and-demand report.

Analysts this summer cut their forecasts for the corn and soy crops due to the worst U.S. drought in decades damaging crops in the Midwest, but rains picked up in August and benefited soy crops in some regions.



El Nino Conditions Likely to Develop During September

(AP) -- The weather phenomenon known as El Nino is "likely to develop during September" and persist through the remainder of the year, forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center said Thursday.

"Most of the dynamic models, along with roughly one-half of the statistical models, now predict the onset of El Nino," NOAA said.

El Nino is the name given to the unusual warming of the waters of the equatorial Pacific Ocean, with wide-reaching effects.

NOAA has said that among El Nino's effects are potentially dry and warm conditions in normally wet regions such as Indonesia and Australia. Places that are normally dry, such as western South America and the southwestern U.S., tend to be much wetter than normal.

In El Nino events, western Canada and Alaska, along with portions of the U.S. Midwest, tend to experience a much warmer-than-normal winter, while the southeastern U.S. tends to experience wet and cool conditions throughout much of an El Nino winter, NOAA has said.



Weekly Ethanol Production for 8/31/12

According to EIA data, ethanol production averaged 829,000 barrels per day (b/d) – or 34.82 million gallons daily.  That is up 10,000 b/d from the week before.  The 4-week average for ethanol production stood at 823,000 b/d for an annualized rate of 12.61 billion gallons.

Stocks of ethanol stood at 18.7 million barrels, a slight increase from last week.

Gasoline demand for the week averaged 385.4 million gallons daily.

Expressed as a percentage of daily gasoline demand, daily ethanol production was 9.03%.

On the co-products side, ethanol producers were using 12.570 million bushels of corn to produce ethanol and 92,519 metric tons of livestock feed, 82,481 metric tons of which were distillers grains.  The rest is comprised of corn gluten feed and corn gluten meal.  Additionally, ethanol producers were providing 4.32 million pounds of corn oil daily.



Ethanol to Reduce Global GHGs Emissions By 100 Million Tonnes in 2012

As the world gathers at the Global Conference on Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change in Hanoi, Vietnam, the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) released its annual Green House Gas (GHG) Reduction Forecast. The GRFA is forecasting global ethanol production to reduce GHG emissions by 100 million tonnes in 2012.

(S&T)2 Consultants Inc., an internationally renowned energy and environmental consulting firm, has produced data demonstrating the positive impact global ethanol production continues to have on reducing global Green House Gas emissions. Figures reveal that world ethanol production in 2012 will reduce global GHG emissions by over 276,000 tonnes per day. Compared to 2011, this is an increase of over 3000 tonnes per day in GHG reduction.

“This is all very good news because these figures clearly show that biofuels are continuing to play a critical role in reducing damaging GHG emissions around the world,” stated Bliss Baker, spokesperson for the GRFA.

“In the wake of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, this data confirms that to successfully combat climate change, biofuels must be part of our future energy mix,” added Mr. Baker.

Of note:
• In 2011, world ethanol production was 84.5 billion litres and is estimated to have reduced GHG emissions by 99 million tonnes – a GHG reduction of more than 273,000 tonnes per day.
• In cooperation with F.O. Licht the GRFA is predicting global ethanol production in 2012 to grow by 1% to over 85.2 billion litres. This increase in production will result in a 2% growth in GHG reductions to over 100 million tonnes per year or 276,000 tonnes per day.
• GHG emission reductions of just over 100 million tonnes is the equivalent of approximately 20.2 million cars being taken off the road, comparable to the number of vehicles registered in Mexico or the total GHG emissions of The Philippines.



E2 Report: Biofuel industry well positioned to meet demand under California standard

Despite a challenging year, the advanced biofuels industry continues to grow, according to a new report from Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2). Biofuel production capacity has increased from 437 million gallons last year to more than 685 million gallons, the report shows. By 2015, the industry has the potential to produce 1.6 billion to 2.6 billion gallons of clean, renewable fuel.

According to the report, standards like California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) and the federal Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2) create an incentive for investors and biofuel companies to continue to innovate and increase biofuel production, which in turn will drive down costs and carbon emissions.

The California LCFS, part of the state's landmark AB 32 climate change legislation, requires a reduction of 10 percent in the carbon intensity of California's transportation fuels by 2020. It provides an incentive to produce advanced biofuels, which come from non-food based sources.

California uses about 18 billion gallons of transportation fuel each year, and transportation fuels produce about 40 percent of the state’s annual greenhouse gas emissions.

At least 27 new or retrofitted biofuel refineries are expected to come online by 2015 to meet potential demand from the LCFS and the RFS2, according to the E2 report. Three of these will be located in California, with an additional two demonstration facilities in the state. California is already home to eight major advanced biodiesel facilities.

Nationally, between 18,407 and 47,700 new jobs could be created by the growth in the biofuels industry if state standards in California and other states and the federal Renewable Fuel Standard are implemented as planned, according to the E2 report.

"What this report shows is that we have sufficient, proven technology to meet these new standards that will help clear our air, strengthen our economy and provide new choices in transportation fuels," said Bob Epstein, co-founder of Environmental Entrepreneurs, the national group of business leaders who advocate for sound economic and environmental policies.



Subway to Support End of Pork Gestation Stalls

Subway, the largest quick-service restaurant system in the world in number of units, has announced its support for the elimination of gestation stalls for pork production in the U.S.

According to Feedstuffs magazine, the company said its pork suppliers already have started to transition "to a more humane process" for housing pregnant sows, including the transition to alternative housing for sows, such as group pens, "and anticipate having this process completed in the next 10 years."

Subway noted that its pork suppliers in the U.K. already have taken this step.

In making the announcement, the restaurant unveiled a new animal care section at its web site in which it said the company supports "the highest standards of animal welfare" and its suppliers' commitment to "the best animal welfare practices" based on science.



Iowa study aimed at making tractors safer for kids

(AP) -- Researchers who hope to prevent children from dying in tractor accidents are turning to a state-of-the-art driving simulator to help determine when kids can safely operate farm equipment.

Teens are at least four times more likely to die on a farm than in any other workplace. The U.S. Department of Labor tried to address the problem earlier this year with rules that would have limited their ability to operate farm equipment. But the Obama administration dropped the proposal after farm families and groups denounced it as overreaching and an attack on their way of life.

With regulation off the table, scientists at the University of Iowa and the Marshfield Clinic in Wisconsin are trying to attack the problem from a different angle. They're looking at how children of different ages process information and make decisions while driving tractors in a first-of-its-kind study of cognitive development skills.

The research results eventually could be used to revise voluntary guidelines for parents and employers about when teenagers are ready to perform a variety of farm tasks, from mowing along a fence line to using a manure spreader, researchers said.

"Our goal is to try to develop knowledge that makes it easier to prevent these accidents," said Tim Brown, a University of Iowa researcher who helps run the National Advanced Driving Simulator in Coralville.

Operating farm equipment, including tractors, is the leading cause of death and a top cause of injury among children who work in agriculture, one of the nation's most dangerous occupations. Government data dating back to the 1990s shows that two dozen or more children die each year in tractor accidents, but researchers say the lack of a central database makes it harder to be more precise and up-to-date.

Barbara Marlenga, a researcher with Marshfield Clinic's National Farm Medicine Center, said farmers want to hang on to longstanding traditions, such as allowing children to hop on tractors at a very young age. But she said the number of deaths and injuries shows children are being exposed to situations that aren't safe, and the National Advanced Driving Simulator is the perfect place to study them without risk.

Eighty-eight farm children with tractor experience will hop in the cab of a commonly used John Deere tractor to take a virtual drive within the next month. A movie screen wraps around the tractor, projecting life-like images of their surroundings.

The children, ages 10 to 17, will mow fields, navigate hills and maneuver around buildings, people and vehicles. They'll drive along gravel roads in traffic, merge, stop at intersections and pass cars.

All the while, software will record their every move, including speeds, use of brakes, acceleration and eye movements. A control group of 10 adult farmers also will participate.

The pilot study, funded by the National Institute for Occupational and Safety Health, aims to determine whether the simulator can pinpoint small differences in the children's performance. If successful, it could lead to a longer and much larger study, Marlenga said.