Tuesday November 6 Ag News

UNL Student Selected as VP of National FFA Organization

A University of Nebraska-Lincoln student is one of six students from across the nation that will help lead the National FFA Organization in 2012-13.

Brennan Costello, a student in UNL's College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, will serve as Central Region vice president. Costello, a native of Gothenburg, is majoring in agribusiness.

"We are very proud of Brennan," said Ronnie Green, University of Nebraska vice president and Harlan vice chancellor of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. "He is a shining example of the outstanding students we have the opportunity to work with daily in the University of Nebraska's College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.  The challenges of the 21st century demand the best and brightest of this generation to tackle them – the future is exceedingly bright with young people like Brennan Costello leading the way."

Costello was elected during the 2012 National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis. He is one of four regional vice presidents; a secretary and president also were selected.

Costello was the 2011-12 Nebraska FFA president.

In the next year, the group will travel more than 100,000 miles across the country to engage top leaders in business, government and education. The national officers will lead personal growth and leadership training seminars for FFA members. The team will help set policies that will guide the future of FFA and promote agricultural literacy.

"It takes a highly motivated person to become a successful national FFA officer," said National FFA Organization CEO Dwight Armstrong. "It is an opportunity afforded to just a few of our members."

The National FFA Organization provides leadership, personal growth and career success training through agricultural education to 557,318 student members in grades 7 through 12 who belong to one of 7,498 local FFA chapters throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.



Apply Now for Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program Scholarships

Students passionate about becoming an entrepreneur can now apply for scholarships to the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Scholarships are awarded annually to Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship students and renewable up to three years dependent on student performance, said the program's Director Tom Field.

To apply, students must complete an application and series of essay questions at http://engler.unl.edu/web/engler/scholarships. Applications are due by Feb. 15, 2013.

"We encourage students from across various academic programs in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources to apply," Field said. "Our goal is to find students who are committed to building enterprises and who have the drive, passion and dedication to reshape rural economies through innovation and creativity applied to the broad realm of agribusiness. We are looking for students who are willing to accept risk in the pursuit of their dreams and who are willing to go the extra mile."

The Engler experience includes the academic minor, travel experiences to learn from outstanding entrepreneurs, networking opportunities, internships and a host of other experiential programming.

New in 2013 is the opportunity for students to become part of the Agribusiness Entrepreneurship and Leadership: Solutions for the Future learning community through residence life. More information can be found at http://www.unl.edu/learncom/home.

The Engler program began in 2010 with a $20 million gift over 10 years from the Paul F. and Virginia J. Engler Foundation. The purpose of the program is to identify students with the entrepreneurial drive and then foster development of professional skills conducive to success in applying entrepreneurism in agriculture and agribusiness.

For more information about the program, visit http://engler.unl.edu.



Veterans Growing Careers in Agriculture

In the last decade, almost a million of our military’s servicemen and servicewomen have come from rural communities. As they return home, they bring along an opportunity to employ their passion, discipline, and sense of service to revitalize America’s small farms, ranches and rural communities.

That’s why the Center for Rural Affairs along with partnering organizations will host a Farm Training Webinar on Friday, November 16th. The webinar will include several virtual farm tours and other information for U.S military veterans interested in taking up a career in a rural community and starting their own farms or ranches. The web-based training will allow people to participate wherever they are, including those deployed overseas.

Event Details:  Web-based Farm Training Webinar
-    Friday, November 16
-    7:00-8:30pm CST
-    To join the webinar, visit: https://connect.cis.ksu.edu/veteranfarmer, log in as “guest” with no need to preregister.
-    For more information visit: www.cfra.org/veteran_farmers_project.

“America’s farmers, ranchers and rural communities are aging, and not enough new farmers and ranchers are getting started,” said Wyatt Fraas with the Center for Rural Affairs. “By returning to their farming and ranching roots, veterans can carry on the proud tradition of America’s family farms and ranches.”

Fraas further explained that while some veterans return home to jobs, many are returning to rural areas where jobs can be scarce. The Center for Rural Affairs’ Veteran Farmers Project provides veterans with the knowledge to become successful farmers and ranchers. By creating sound farm and ranch businesses that tap into high value markets, returning veterans can reintegrate gracefully and fruitfully into America’s rural communities.

“It’s important to thank veterans for their service. And helping returning vets transition from the military back into the workforce and into their post-military careers is equally important,” concluded Fraas.

The free-of-charge webinar features video farm tours and discussion with several farmers and ranchers: Evrett Lunquist and Ruth Chantry of Common Good Farm will describe direct marketing of produce and livestock products; and veteran Garrett Dwyer will explain his cattle operation. The 90 minute program will also focus on financing and land access options, disability assistance, Farm Service Agency loan programs, and other resources for veterans.

“It can be difficult to get started in the world of agriculture,” said Dwyer, a beginning rancher and former Marine infantryman from Bartlett, NE. “Skyrocketing costs of buying or renting land make entry into farming and ranching a daunting task.”

According to Dwyer, more beginning farmers and ranchers are needed because without a new generation of beginners, the land will concentrate in large farms. “And that will cause the permanent loss of opportunity for family farms, ranches, and rural communities and squander the chance to shift to a more sustainable system of agriculture,” explained Dwyer.



Stiens named Member Outreach Coordinator for Iowa Soybean Association

Guthrie Farmer-Stiens has been named a member outreach coordinator for the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA).

The Farragut native will serve ISA members and assist in member retention and recruitment in 32 counties located in west, southwest and south central Iowa. She’ll work closely with the ISA’s District Advisory Councils and develop engagement opportunities for members.

Stiens was raised on an acreage in Fremont County where she helped her family market goats, 4-H show lambs and horses. She holds a degree in agriculture and management technology with a focus in livestock production from Southeast Community College in Beatrice, Neb. She and her husband, Eddie, live near Fontanelle.

“I’ve enjoyed my introduction to ISA and look forward to getting better acquainted with the farmers in my districts,” Stiens says.

ISA Director of Member Services Rex Hoppes said the organization is pleased to have Stiens on its team.

“Her proven ability to work with farmers and her desire to communicate issues that impact their farms will help make our Outreach Coordinator team stronger and the Iowa Soybean Association more effective,” he says.



Anhydrous Continues Climb Higher

While retail fertilizer prices tracked by DTN are relatively stable, the big news in the crop nutrient world is the investments many manufacturers are suddenly making in new and upgraded fertilizer production facilities.

For the fifth week of October only one fertilizer, anhydrous ammonia, is showing a significant price increase. The nitrogen fertilizer was 5% higher compared to the fourth week of September and had an average price of $853/ton.  Two other fertilizers were slightly higher compared to a month earlier. DAP had an average price of $642/ton while MAP was at $677/ton.

The remaining fertilizers tracked by DTN were slightly lower. Potash had an average price of $617/ton, urea $592/ton, 10-34-0 $618/ton, UAN28 $380/ton and UAN32 $422/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.64/lb.N, anhydrous $0.52/lb.N, UAN28 $0.68/lb.N and UAN32 $0.66/lb.N.

Only anhydrous continues to cost more, 4% more, than its average price one year ago. Five fertilizers are actually lower in price compared to October 2011. Urea dropped 4%, UAN28 fell 6%, potash dropped 7%, UAN32 is 8% lower and MAP is 9% lower.  Two remaining fertilizers are now down double digits from a year ago. DAP is 10% lower while 10-34-0 is now 25% less expensive than a year earlier.



Hurricane Sandy Threatens East Coast Farmers, May Not Be as Bad as Feared
Tracy Taylor Grondine, Director of Media Relations, American Farm Bureau Federation

As if 2012 hadn’t been tough enough on farmers because of the severe drought that parched much of the U.S., Mother Nature thought she’d have one more go at it before calling it a year. Last week, super storm Sandy wreaked havoc along the East Coast, threatening farmers once again.

While early estimates project Sandy to have caused about $30 billion in property damages and another $10 billion to $30 billion in lost business, the overall impact on agriculture fortunately may be less dire.

Since the growing season was essentially complete on much of the East Coast and many farmers sped up harvesting ahead of Sandy, the overall picture isn’t so much black as it is grey. But, that’s not to underestimate localized crop damage that is severe in places.

While it could be another week before final numbers start rolling in, it is known that some farmers are facing massive flooding while others are challenged with a domino effect of the storm’s aftermath.

For example, in Maryland and Delaware, both ranked high in young chicken meat production, power outages, transportation disruptions and a potential lack of feed could be detrimental to poultry farmers.

In New Jersey, where Sandy made landfall, some farmers are challenged with direct losses to crops and livestock, as well as structural and property damage and lost business. New Jersey Farm Bureau officials estimate that 80 percent of the state’s crops were already harvested, which makes the situation less ominous than what it could have been.

The Virginian-Pilot newspaper is reporting that agricultural damage in the Chesapeake Bay area was minimal, estimating potential damage to 2,000 acres of small grains, including wheat, barley and oats. Some wheat that farmers in Virginia Beach just planted will be included in that number. In Virginia’s Suffolk and Western Tidewater region, where 60 percent of the cotton crop has not been harvested, Sandy could have been disastrous. Fortunately, it’s estimated that the total cotton loss will only be several hundred pounds in that area.

As for food prices, agricultural economists have said that there will likely only be a short-term shock, but there shouldn’t be long-term effects. Likely, local restaurants and some grocery stores could be challenged with a lack of local food products.

For those farmers who were affected, the Farm Service Agency is urging them to keep a record of their losses, including livestock deaths, as well as expenses like feed purchases, lost supplies and increased transportation costs.

Producers with damaged farmland should contact their local FSA office. The Emergency Conservation Program may be able to assist farmers who need to repair farmland or remove debris due to Sandy. Further, crops insured by federal crop insurance or by the Noninsured Disaster Assistance Program are covered when floodwaters have rendered them valueless.



EPA asked to Waive Rule to Expedite Ethanol Shipment to New Jersey

U.S. Senators Frank R. Lautenberg and Robert Menendez from New Jersey today called on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help expedite delivery of fuel to New Jersey by relaxing some biofuel rules in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

Lautenberg and Menendez said in a letter to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson that because the storm damaged fuel terminals in N.J., millions of gallons of biofuels are currently unable to reach the state.

The senators asked that the EPA temporarily ease some biofuel delivery rules at East Coast shipping facilities in order to relieve the fuel shortage in N.J. caused by Superstorm Sandy. The letter to Jackson was dated Nov. 5.

The letter explained that under normal conditions, significant volumes of biofuels are shipped by rail to N.J., and received at two facilities -- the Kinder-Morgan terminal in Linden and the Motiva terminal in Seawaren.

However, both of these facilities incurred substantial damage when the storm made landfall in N.J. a week ago, and are unlikely to be operational in the near term.

Since these shipments cannot reach N.J. through the standard channels, alternative routes need to be opened in order to get this fuel to the region.

Other terminals on the East Coast including facilities in Baltimore, Maryland, could receive these train shipments and transfer the fuel to barges bound for N.J.

"However, some of these facilities do not have equipment, such as a marine vapor mitigation system, that is required by the EPA under 40 CFR Part 63, Subpart Y," added the letter. "Therefore, we ask that you issue a No Action Assurance letter to the affected parties in order to address this issue. This action would be consistent with EPA's earlier NAA letter on Nov. 2, 2012, covering facilities in N.J. and New York, which has already helped ease the fuel shortage."



Ukraine's Grain Harvest Down 16% on Year Due to Drought

Ukraine's grain harvest so far this year is down 16% from the same time last year because of drought.

Between mid-June, when harvesting began, and Nov. 5, Ukraine had harvested 42 million metric tons of grain on 13.9 million hectares, or 94% of the total area to be harvested, with an average yield of 3.03 tons a hectare, the agriculture ministry said Monday.

Over the same period last year, the average yield was 3.58 tons/ha, the ministry said.

It said the corn harvest to date totals 15.7 million tons on 3.6 million hectares, or 81% of the total area to be harvested, with an average yield of 4.4 tons/ha, compared with 5.98 tons/ha a year ago.

Ukraine planted spring grains this year on 8.9 million hectares, 17.1% more than last year. The total grain area planted this year, including for winter and spring grains, was 15.9 million hectares, the same as last year.

The Ukraine national weather center said in July that Ukraine was likely to harvest 43 million tons of grain this year, compared with 56.7 million tons last year. The weather center said the decline would be due to the drought that has negatively affected crops in the past few months.

The agriculture ministry said Sept. 12 that this year's Ukraine grain harvest is expected to fall to between 45.5 million metric tons and 46.5 million tons from 56.7 million tons in 2011 because of drought.

However, Ukraine winter grains, recently planted for the 2013 harvest are in a much better condition than last year, according to the agriculture ministry's data released Tuesday.

Kazakhstan 2012 Grain Harvest Down over 50% after Drought
Kazakhstan's grain harvest has more than halved this year, compared with last year, because of drought.  The agriculture ministry said Tuesday that Kazakhstan had completed this year's grain harvest, with 14.718 million metric tons of grain in bunker weight produced from 15.069 million hectares. The average yield of the crop, which was largely wheat, was 0.98 tons a hectare.

The ministry had estimated Oct. 16 that this year's grain harvest was likely to be 14 million tons in bunker weight and 12 million tons in clean weight, compared with nearly 29.7 million tons in bunker weight in 2011.

The Grain Union of Kazakhstan had estimated on the same day that grain exports in the current marketing year, from July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013, were likely to total seven million tons. In the 2011-2012 marketing year Kazakhstan exported 12.1 million tons of grain.