Monday February 25 Ag News

Nebraska Crop and Weather Summary, February 2013

Agricultural Summary:
For  the month of February 2013,  snow  fall across  the eastern  two  thirds of  the  state brought much needed moisture to drought impacted areas, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Nebraska Field Office.  Snow accumulations were heaviest in the Southwest and South Central Districts with some areas exceeding 12  inches  of  snow.    However,  the  Panhandle  received  only  limited  amounts  of  precipitation  for  the  month.   Wheat condition  continued  well  below  year  ago  levels  with most  of  the  crop  rated  fair  to  poor.  Cattle  are  in  mostly  good condition with  calving underway.   Cattle made good use of  stalks  until  snow  fell during  the  third week of  the month, causing producers to rely on feed stocks.  
 
Weather Summary: 
Temperatures averaged 1degree below normal across  the southern Panhandle and portions of  the southeast.   Most  of  the  remainder  of  the  state was  1-3  degrees  above  normal.   Precipitation was  above  normal  in  the central third of the state while the western and eastern thirds were mostly below normal.  Snow depth averaged 6 inches across  the  state with  9-10  inches  common  in  Southwestern  and  South Central Districts.   During  the  last week  of  the month, soil temperatures ranged from 28 to 33 degrees.  
 
Field Crops Report: 
Wheat conditions statewide rated 14 percent very poor, 36 poor, 38 fair, 12 good, and 0 excellent, well below  last year.   Hay and  forage  supplies  rated 11 percent very  short, 38  short, 51 adequate and 0  surplus, well below year ago levels.
 
Livestock, Pasture,  and Range Report:  
Cattle  and Calves  condition  rated  0  percent  very  poor,  2  poor,  16  fair,  78 good, and 4 excellent, below last year.  Cows that have calved since January 1, were 18 percent. 
 
NORTHEAST
DIXON: Producers will be using more feed stocks following last week’s snow storm.   In general, conditions remain mild and favorable for livestock.  Any form of moisture is welcome at this point in time.
KNOX: Calving is just starting. There is very little frost in the ground.
 
EAST CENTRAL
DODGE: Wheat conditions declined a bit. Cattle continue to graze stalks until the snow. Calving is going well. 
DOUGLAS:  Big snow and we will take a lot of rain.
POLK:  A snowstorm brought 6-7 inches of snow to the area.
 
SOUTHEAST
GAGE:  Some questions about producing annual forage crops to supplement feed and or pasture.
JOHNSON:  Nice to get the much needed moisture.  Calving is just getting started.  Activities include hauling grain and tending to livestock.



2013 Nebraska Crop Budgets Now Available Online

The 2013 Nebraska Crop Budgets have been estimated and posted online.

Fifty-three budgets for 16 crops are available from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension's Cropwatch and the Department of Agricultural Economics. They can be found at cropwatch.unl.edu or agecon.unl.edu/budgets.

One challenge in estimating the budgets was determining prices for materials used in production, said Roger Wilson, extension farm management/enterprise budget analyst.

"This is accomplished through visiting with suppliers willing to share their views on price expectations," he added.

Costs per acre have increased again this year, varying from 7 to 13 percent for the corn budgets. The corn budget with the largest increase is conventionally produced continuous corn on dryland. A number of different corn budgets show a 7 percent cost increase, mostly no-till or reduced till systems.

Cost increases for the different soybean production systems range from 12 to 20 percent. The budget with the lowest per acre cost increase is for a gravity-irrigated, ridge-till system. The budget showing the highest cost increase is the pivot-irrigated, no- till system using Roundup Ready seed grown after corn.

The no-till fallow budget showed the least increase in cost (5 percent) for wheat production while the no-till following a row crop showed the most (12 percent).

In addition to estimating a total cost of production per acre, each budget also shows the cash costs of production. While these budgets do not estimate returns, they are based on a given yield which is used to calculate both a total and a cash cost per unit of production, Wilson said.

Generally, prices of inputs are higher. However, this year the price of all fertilizers included in the budgets are expected to be lower except for anhydrous ammonia.

Two areas where prices have increased substantially from last year's budgets are real estate costs and crop insurance.

It's expected that farmland prices will continue their upward trend. Since the revenue option is used to calculate crop insurance, higher commodity prices result in increased premiums. 

Wilson emphasized that the budgets are estimates based on assumptions.

"They should be examined carefully prior to being used for decision making, he said.



Feedlot Symposium at MARC

You are invited to a one day Feedlot Symposium at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center that will focus on the feedlot research program at the Center.  The event will be held from 9:00am to 3:30pm, with an optional tour of  the feedlot and feed efficiency building to follow on March 5th, 2013. The agenda will feature presentations by the USMARC scientists on areas of  research such as:
•Feedlot nutrition
•Animal Health
•Animal stress and well-being
•Resistivity technology for monitoring lagoons
•Feed efficiency
•Mitigation strategies for adulterant E. coli strains
•Meat quality

Please RSVP by March 1, 2013 to Janel Nierman at 402.762.4110 or Janel.nierman@ars.usda.gov.



The Lifetime Journeys of Manure-Based Microbes

Studies at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are shedding some light on the microbes that dwell in cattle manure--what they are, where they thrive, where they struggle, and where they can end up.

This research, which is being conducted by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists at the agency's Agroecosystems Management Research Unit in Lincoln, Neb., supports the USDA priority of ensuring food safety. ARS is USDA's chief intramural scientific research agency.

In one project, ARS microbiologist Lisa Durso used fecal samples from six beef cattle to identify a core set of bovine gastrointestinal bacterial groups common to both beef and dairy cattle. She also observed a number of bacteria in the beef cattle that had not been reported in dairy cows, and identified a diverse assortment of bacteria from the six individual animals, even though all six consumed the same diet and were the same breed, gender and age.

In another study, Durso collaborated with ARS agricultural engineer John Gilley and others to study how livestock diet affected the transport of pathogens in field runoff from manure-amended soils. The scientists added two types of manure to experimental conventional-till and no-till fields at 1-, 2-, or 4-year application rates. The manure had been collected from livestock that had consumed either corn or feed with wet distillers grains.

After a series of simulated rain events, the team collected and analyzed samples of field runoff and determined that neither diet nor tillage management significantly affected the transport of fecal indicator bacteria. But they did note that diet affected the transport of bacteriophages--viruses that invade bacteria--in field runoff.

Gilley also conducted an investigation into how standing wheat residues affected water quality in runoff from fields amended with 1-, 2-, or 4-year application rates of manure. The scientists found that runoff loads of dissolved phosphorus, total phosphorus, nitrates, nitrogen, and total nitrogen were much higher from plots with residue cover. The team also observed that runoff from fields amended with 4-year application rates of manure had significantly higher levels of total phosphorus and dissolved phosphorus than fields amended with 1-year or 2-year manure rates.

Results from these studies have been published in Foodborne Pathogens and Disease, Applied and Environmental Microbiology, and Transactions of the ASABE.

Read more about this research in the February 2013 issue of Agricultural Research magazine.



2013 Iowa Farm Custom Rate Survey Follows Recent Trend

The 2013 Iowa Farm Custom Rate Survey followed the recent trend of small, but consistent increases in rates each year. According to William Edwards, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach economist, most operations showed increases of three to five percent over the average rates in the 2012 survey.

The values reported on the survey are the average of all the responses received for each category. The range of the highest and lowest responses received is also reported. These values are intended only as a guide.

“There are many reasons why the rate charged in a particular situation should be above or below the average,” Edwards said. “These include the timeliness with which operations are performed, quality and special features of the machine, operator skill, size and shape of fields, number of acres contracted and the condition of the crop for harvesting. The availability of custom operators in a given area will also affect rates.”

Several new operations and services were included in the 2013 survey, including vertical tillage, providing a seed tender, soybean combining with a draper head and mowing lawns.

The Ag Decision Maker offers a Decision Tool to help custom operators and other farmers estimate their own costs for specific machinery operations. The Machinery Cost Calculator can be found under Crops, then Machinery in the Ag Decision Maker table of contents.

The 2013 Iowa Farm Custom Rate Survey can be downloaded from the Extension Online Store, https://store.extension.iastate.edu, or the Ag Decision Maker website, www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/, as Information File A3-10, Iowa Farm Custom Rate Survey. Print copies will be available at county extension offices. 



EPA Approves Advanced Biofuel Pathway for Camelina
The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) released the following statement Monday after the EPA finalized its rule approving camelina oil as a new low-carbon feedstock under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS):

"This decision adds to the growing list of biodiesel feedstocks that meet the EPA's standards for Advanced Biofuel and gives us yet another option for producing sustainable, domestic biodiesel that displaces imported oil," said Anne Steckel, NBB's vice president of federal affairs. "This is important for our energy security, for our economy and for addressing climate change, and we thank the EPA for conducting a thorough and fair review."

The RFS requires a 50% greenhouse-gas emissions reduction for qualifying Biomass-based Diesel or Advanced Biofuel. Assessing whether a fuel pathway meets that threshold requires a comprehensive evaluation of the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions of the renewable fuel as compared to the lifecycle emissions of the gasoline or diesel fuel that it replaces. Already, a handful of biodiesel feedstocks such as recycled cooking oil, soybean oil and animal fats qualify as Advanced under the program.



NAFEC Leaders Head to Washington, DC to Speak with Congress and the United States Department of Agriculture

The National Association of Farmer Elected Committee’s (NAFEC) is planning their annual legislative conference this week in Washington, DC to convey to Congress and the Administration concerns their members hear about, every day in rural America.  The NAFEC leadership has planned this conference to coincide with that of the National Association of FSA County Office Employees (NASCOE) conference. The County FSA employees along with democratically elected county committees provide the delivery of farm programs to producers in nearly every county in the United States.  The combined efforts of these two organizations with both Congress and USDA, provide a unified message that the Farm Service Agency should be given the responsibility to deliver all federally mandated farm programs as efficiently and effectively as possible, while maintaining the critical oversight needed.  NAFEC is proud of the local grassroots control county committee’s provide, allowing them to be a critical check and balance between the Federal government and agriculture producers.  This system provides not only protection for producers, but taxpayers as well.

According to NAFEC National President Craig Turner, a farmer and rancher from Matador Texas, “the most pressing issue facing NAFEC and our members is passage of a new five year Farm Bill.  Producers need certainty in programs so that long-term decisions can be made.  The uncertainty facing farmers and ranchers due to this delay is causing significant problems in allowing them to plan accordingly.   The lack of five year Farm Bill has also placed a huge strain on livestock producers who need disaster legislation as they continue to try and recover from the worst drought in decades.”

Other issues NAFEC support includes:
-    The need for adequate staffing in FSA offices to ensure farm program delivery and support for the one of America’s greatest assets, “Agriculture”.
-    The need for more oversight by the local County Committee’s of Private Crop Insurance.  FSA offices and locally elected committee’s are the perfect mechanism to review crop acreage and production reports to ensure the integrity of billions of dollars of federally backed crop insurance policies for the benefit of American taxpayers.
-    The need for FSA to be the administrative agency for all current conservation programs and any and all new Farm bill production programs.



E15 Hearing: No Science, Just Hyperbolic Rhetoric and Scare Mongering

In advance of tomorrow’s House Committee on Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Environment’s hearing on E15, Bob Dinneen, President and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association submitted a letter to both protest the one-sided, Big Oil influenced nature of the witness list as well as note for the record the extensive and quality testing prior to the approval of E15, and the cost-saving, environment-enhancing, national security strengthening benefits of this new ethanol blend.

Dinneen comments on the need for such a letter, “It both saddens and angers me that in this day and age such a lopsided, stacked hearing could actually happen. It is shameful to see how tight of a grip oil companies have on Congress.  Big Oil is running scared because their profit-gouging monopoly is threatened by Americans’ desire for fuel choice and savings.  Ethanol and E15 are gaining momentum.  Science and consumer demand are on our side.  The facts and our track record will speak louder than any scare tactic.”

The letter begins, “Fundamentally, the debate about E15 should be one of consumer choice.  There is no requirement that gasoline marketers offer E15 and no mandate for consumers to buy it.  However, for those marketers that want to offer their customers a higher octane alternative to petroleum, E15 is a great option.

“As gasoline prices across the country continue to climb, threatening household budgets and economic recovery alike, ethanol continues to provide consumer savings at the pump.  Today, ethanol is priced approximately $0.80 below the wholesale costs of gasoline.  Beyond its gasoline displacement benefit, as ethanol now represents 10 percent of the nation’s motor gasoline supply, it has greatly reduced the need for imports and provided a macroeconomic benefit to gasoline prices.  Depending on the study you choose, the increased use of ethanol in 2011 saved consumers between $0.89 and $1.09.  Those savings would only be enhanced by the use of ethanol in higher blends.”

Dinneen highlights the hypocrisy of the charges against E15 by noting the blind eye turned toward suboctane gasoline violations: “Unfortunately, due to the hyperbolic rhetoric and scare mongering by the major oil companies concerned about losing even more market share to domestically produced renewables, today there are only about 12 stations across the entire country offering this fuel to consumers with 2001 and newer vehicles.  While we want that market share to grow, the attention these 12 stations are attracting seems wildly disproportionate to the potential harm, particularly when viewed in the context of other fuel quality issues with demonstrable negative consequences for consumers and air quality.  For example, in many mountain states today refiners are selling a sub-octane gasoline that is not covered under any car manufacturer’s warranty.  It is well understood that less than 87 octane gasoline will cause engine damage and undermine emissions control systems.  Where is the outrage about that?  When will there be a Committee hearing about inferior gasoline threatening our air and engines?  The myopic focus of this Committee on E15, to the exclusion of other more significant gasoline quality issues, fuels cynicism and leads to the inescapable conclusion that this is about market share, not safety.”

The letter notes, “E15 has been the most aggressively and comprehensively tested fuel in the history of the EPA.  The miles driven on E15 equate to 12 round trips to the moon and back without a single failure.” It continues on to explain RFA’s Misfueling Mitigation Plan and recent actions to address small engine and motorcycle concerns.

In closing, Dinneen offers to work closely with the Subcommittee on a more balanced approach to E15 reviews in the future. “To leave the market artificially constrained further limits market opportunities for next generation biofuels very close to commercialization, missing an opportunity to meaningfully increase America’s use of renewable fuels and reduce our dependence on imported oil.  The RFA is working diligently with the petroleum industry, gas retailers, automakers, and consumers to ensure E15 is used properly.  The RFA looks forward to working with you to further develop and implement sound policies around the science of E15.”



MONSANTO CORN ROOTWORM KNOWLEDGE RESEARCH PROGRAM ANNOUNCES GRANTS

Monsanto Company has announced that six recipients will be awarded research grants as part of the Corn Rootworm Knowledge Research Program.  The program was established to provide merit-based awards of up to $250,000 per award per year for up to three years for outstanding research projects that address specific aspects of corn rootworm biology, genomics and management issues.

The CRW Knowledge Research Program is guided by a 10-person Advisory Committee that is co-chaired by Dr. Steve Pueppke, Associate Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies and AgBioResearch Director at Michigan State University, and Dr. Dusty Post, Monsanto’s global insect management lead. Additional committee members include experts from academia and agricultural organizations, and were selected based on their expertise in corn rootworm biology and insect management practices.

“This program focuses the efforts of our best public sector researchers from across the United States on one of the most damaging pests of corn,” said Pueppke. “We hope the research helps provide effective and sustainable solutions and management practices that help benefit corn producers,” said Pueppke.

The six awards granted focus on a number of items from evaluating how best to manage corn rootworm under current production practices to evaluating strategies to delay the onset of resistance evolution. The award recipients are:
-    Brigitte Tenhumberg, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
-    Bryony Bonning, Iowa State University
-    Aaron Gassmann, Iowa State University
-    Bruce Hibbard, University of Missouri
-    Marcé Lorenzen, North Carolina State University
-    Kenneth Ostlie, University of Minnesota

“We were pleased with the wide range of proposals submitted which focus on corn rootworm management and biology,” said Post. “This is a challenging pest and this program is part of our continuing effort to increase our understanding of corn rootworm and to provide sustainable solutions for farmers.”

For more information on the program and Monsanto’s commitment to steward corn rootworm-protected traits, visit www.Monsanto.com/CRWknowledge.



CWT Assists with 2.1 Million Pounds of Cheese, Butter and WMP Export Sales

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted 12 requests for export assistance from Dairy Farmers of America, Foremost Farms, Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative, Michigan Milk Producers Association and United Dairymen of Arizona to sell 1.122 million pounds (509 metric tons) of Cheddar and Gouda cheese; 908,305 pounds (412 metric tons) of butter and 44,092 pounds (20 metric tons) of whole milk powder (WMP) to customers in Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. The product will be delivered February through July 2013.

Year-to-date CWT has assisted member cooperatives in selling 23.735 million pounds of cheese, 12.824 million pounds of butter and 132,277 pounds of whole milk powder to 24 countries on six continents. These sales are the equivalent of 498.6 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis. By comparison, in the month of January, U.S. milk production is estimated to be 71 million pounds ahead of January 2012.

Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program positively impacts producer milk prices in the short-term by helping to maintain inventories of cheese and butter at desirable levels. 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.



Dairy Situation and Outlook
Bob Cropp, University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension

Milk prices will be lower for the month of February before starting back up. The Class III price was $18.14 for January and will be near $17.25 for February. The Class IV price was $17.62 in January and will be near $17.50 for February. These lower prices are driven by lower commodity prices. Commodity prices often soften after the first of the year before increasing seasonally towards Easter.

On the CME both cheddar barrels and 40-pound blocks have been below their January average of $1.6388 per pound and $1.6965 per pound respectively during all of February. Barrels were a low of $1.5325 per pound on February 4th before starting to increase. Barrels reached $1.63 on February 14th, but fell during the last two trading session to $1.63. The 40-pound blocks held steady at $1.645 per pound from January 24th until February 6th and increased to $1.675 on February 18th. But, for the last two trading sessions blocks fell 3 cents to $1.645. With the earlier increases there was hope that this was the start of a higher Class III price for March. Western dry whey prices averaged $0.6063 per pound in January and have shown weakness since then. Dry whey is now $0.58. Western nonfat dry milk averaged $1.5513 per pound in January but it also has shown weakness and is now $1.52. Butter was $1.555 per pound from the end of January until February 12th but higher than its January average of $1.4933. Butter has increased to $1.605 per pound.

Milk production above year ago levels particularly in Upper Midwest states and some Northeast states has resulted in relatively high increases in dairy product production. December 2012 production compared to December a year earlier showed increases of 20.9% for butter, 6.3% for cheddar cheese with total American cheese up 4.2%, and total cheese production up 3.8%. Dry whey production was up 21.7% and nonfat dry milk production up 35.8%. With the slowdown in sales after the holidays and lower exports this increase in production increased dairy stocks. December 31st stocks compared to December a year earlier showed butter up 43%. But, while both American cheese and total cheese stocks increased by 4% and 5% respectively from November to December stocks were 1% lower for American cheese and down only slightly (-0.1%) for total cheese. Dry whey stocks were 21.7% higher and nonfat dry milk stocks which had increased 42% from November were 9.1% higher.

USDA’s release of January milk production showed milk production continues to run higher than a year ago, but just 0.5% higher. Milk cows were 17,000 head lower than a year ago for a 0.2% decline. Milk per cow was 0.7% higher. Milk cow numbers which were declining May through October have increased since then by 8,236 head. Reports are that California’s milk production has improved during February, but January’s production was 4.3% lower than a year ago. California had 2,000 fewer cows and milk per cow was 85 pounds less. Except for New Mexico which had 0.4% more milk than a year ago, other Western states all had decreased of 1.3% for Idaho, 1.3% for Arizona, and 1.1% for Texas.

Northeast states are all showing increases in milk production mainly due to better milk per cow. January compared to a year ago shows production up 3.1% in New York, 0.9% in Pennsylvania, 3.6% in Ohio and 3.1% in Michigan. Upper Midwest states also had increases. Production was up 2.4% in Iowa, 4.5% in Minnesota and 4.9% in Wisconsin. For Iowa and Minnesota all of the increase was due to more milk per cow. Wisconsin had 5,000 more cows and 80 pounds more milk per cow.

Milk prices could still start to improve beginning with March. With slow improvement in the economy sales continue to show growth. The world supply and demand situation is forecasted to remain relatively tight through at least summer giving opportunity for favorable U.S. exports. So exports ought to be a positive factor going forward for higher milk prices. And prices normally improve as we approach Easter. Milk production normally peaks around May or June giving rise to higher milk prices summer and fall. Dairy cow slaughter continues to run well above a year ago which should reduce cow numbers for at least the first half of the year. But, up to now despite heavier cow slaughter there exist and inventory of dairy replacements to increase cow numbers. Yet, cow numbers are expected to decrease for the first six months before perhaps starting to increase again during the last half of the year. That is, if milk prices improve and there is some easing of feed prices. On January 1st dairy replacements were 2% lower than a year ago but still at 49.4 per 100 milk cows. But replacements expected to calve within the next 12 months were down 4% from a year ago and averaged 31.8 per 100 milk cows. But, as indicated earlier the number of replacements has more than offset increased slaughter increasing cow numbers since October. Reports are that there may be more herd liquidations between now and spring and this could also reduce cow numbers. The number of licensed dairy herds declined by 1,960 in 2012 to 49,331 herds. Whether or not the wide spread drought of last year comes to an end in 2013 will have a major impact on cow numbers and milk production last half of 2013.

While dairy futures still show rather modest improvement in milk prices, the probability of doing better than this still exists. Current Class III futures show no improvement for March and don’t reach $18 until June and peaks at $18.55 for August and September. I still believe $19 by September and October is still very possible. There are price forecasters who have Class III as high as $20 by then. And of course there are some who forecast lower prices expecting much stronger milk production second half of the year. But, I believe the probability is better for higher rather than lower prices. But, recognizing milk prices change with relatively small changes or anticipated changes in milk production, sales or exports all forecasts are possible. This challenges dairy producers and milk processor in managing price risk.



Brazil Soy Harvest Accelerates Further

Rains eased for a second week in Brazil's center-west, allowing soybean harvesting to proceed at a breakneck pace.  As a result, Brazil-wide harvested area almost doubled in seven days, reaching 27% of the projected 68.9 million acres for 2012-13 as of Friday, AgRural reported.

While harvesting was quick across the center-west, its pace was truly astounding in the north of Mato Grosso, the No. 1 soy state, where farmers collected 30% of the crop in just seven days, taking total collected area to 61%.

For while the rain eased in the center-west, it intensified in the formerly drought-hit south.  As a result, farmers in Parana, the No. 2 soy state, struggled to harvest. Indeed, there were reports of desiccated crops losing bean weight as they sat in the fields. Still, field work remains ahead of schedule in the state at 31% complete, up on the 23% harvested last year. And with cooperatives in the top-producing west of the state reporting average yields of 49 bushels per acre, all appears on track in the state.

In the southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul, showers continued to fall, allowing plants to further recover from a very dry January. With the moisture arriving just as much of the crop is filling pods, and more rain forecast for this week, a decent harvest now appears increasingly likely, said AgRural.



Know How Much You Have Before Applying More

When traveling, knowing how much fuel is in your gas tank versus how much is needed to get to your destination is important. Similarly, knowing how much nitrogen you start with in the soil and how much is needed to get to maximum yields is critical. Realizing these numbers will help you be more efficient with your corn nitrogen (N) fertilizer.

“To obtain maximum yields and get the most out of your N application, it needs to be the right amount, at the right place and at the right time,” says John Shanahan, DuPont Pioneer agronomy research manager.

Determining the correct N rate can be a challenge. First, assess how much is currently in the soil. One way to assess a field’s N level is by researching how much was applied and measuring how much was taken off. This can be done by multiplying 0.66 (average pounds of N a bushel of corn removes) by the number of bushels produced per acre. Then subtract from the amount of nitrogen applied per acre. This will help you estimate the amount of residual N and determine how much you need to adjust for this year’s application.

While most like to take a soil sample in the fall, taking a spring soil sample is another way to help determine the amount of N still left in the soil. After the residual amount of N has been found via a soil sample, assess the need of the coming crop to calculate an efficient N application. 

“With our N fertilizer trials, if there was a lot free N from mineralization, we didn’t see a large response after applying the N,” Shanahan reports. “We will likely see a fair amount of free N this year due to the drought and lower yields, so knowing how much N is in the soil will help you apply the right amount this spring.”

When applying N, placement is important. Applying N in a band and adjacent to the plant with incorporation can often be the most cost effective and decrease your N losses. Making sure the applicator is calibrated correctly allows you to better control and place the N.

The ideal time for plants to receive N is just after emergence. With applications of N in the spring and at side-dressing time, crops are able to utilize more of the N and increase yields. However, applications in the fall with a mild winter, like this past winter, will also   provide a sufficient amount of N in the soil at the right time.



Cattle Groups Square Off with HSUS Over Horse Slaughter

R-CALF USA joined with other groups and individuals to counter the Humane Society of the United States' (HSUS') efforts to block the humane slaughter of unwanted and unusable horses at a New Mexico slaughtering facility.

Led by the International Equine Business Association (IEBA), R-CALF USA, the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association (SDSGA), the New Mexico Cattle Growers' Association (NMCGA), and several individuals filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit initially filed by Valley Meat, LLC (Valley Meat), against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Valley Meat alleges that USDA is wrongfully refusing to provide final inspection services for horse slaughter at Valley Meat's New Mexico facility now that Congress has fully restored funding for horse slaughter inspection.

The HSUS previously filed a motion to intervene in the lawsuit as well as a motion to dismiss in its effort to block horse slaughter in the United States. The HSUS also is seeking to require that USDA conduct an environmental assessment and/or an environmental impact statement for each decision to grant slaughter inspection, a requirement R-CALF USA and the other potential interveners believe would result in devastating impacts to the entire meat industry, including the cattle industry.

An affidavit filed by R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard in support of his group's intervention explains that even though horse slaughter was temporarily suspended in the United States, domestic horses continue to be slaughtered in foreign countries. He stated that these horses are being transported over extremely long distances and then slaughtered in Mexican slaughtering plants that do not follow the humane slaughtering practices required by the USDA.

R-CALF USA and the other groups seeking intervention believe that because Valley Meat would be subject to United States' humane slaughtering standards, the inhumane treatment of U.S. horses in foreign slaughtering plants would be alleviated.



Reminder: Hispanic and Women Farmers and Ranchers Claims Must be Postmarked by March 25

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today reminded Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers who allege discrimination by the USDA in past decades that there are 45 days remaining in the filing period closing March 25, 2013.

"Hispanic and women farmers who believe they have faced discriminatory practices in the past from the USDA have 45 days left to file a claim in order to have a chance to receive a cash payment or loan forgiveness," said Secretary Vilsack. "USDA urges potential claimants to contact the Claims Administrator for information and mail their claim packages on or before March 25, 2013."

The process offers a voluntary alternative to litigation for each Hispanic or female farmer and rancher who can prove that USDA denied his or her application for loan or loan servicing assistance for discriminatory reasons for certain time periods between 1981 and 2000.

As announced in February 2011, the voluntary claims process will make available at least $1.33 billion for cash awards and tax relief payments, plus up to $160 million in farm debt relief, to eligible Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers. There are no filing fees to participate in the program.

The Department will continue reaching out to potential Hispanic and female claimants around the country to get the word out to individuals who may be eligible for this program so they have the opportunity to participate.

Call center representatives can be reached at 1-888-508-4429. Claimants may register for a claims package (by calling the number or visiting the website) or may download the forms from the website. All those interested in learning more or receiving information about the claims process and claims packages are encouraged to attend meetings in your communities about the claims process and contact the website at any time or call center telephone number Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time.

Website: www.farmerclaims.gov
Phone: 1-888-508-4429
Claims Period: September 24, 2012 - March 25, 2013.

Independent legal services companies will administer the claims process and adjudicate the claims. Although there are no filing fees to participate and a lawyer is not required to participate in the claims process, persons seeking legal advice may contact a lawyer or other legal services provider.