Wednesday March 13 Ag News

Get your tickets for the Cuming Co Feeders Banquet!
Ron Coufal, President

The Cuming County Feeders Association will be holding their annual banquet on Saturday, April 6th, 2013, at the Nielsen Community Center located at 200 Anna Stalp Ave. in West Point, NE., with the social hour beginning at 6:00 PM and the banquet starting at 7:00 PM.

It will be a great opportunity for the membership to come together for a night of education and entertainment.  On hand will be the Director of Agriculture for the State of Nebraska, Greg Ibach, President of the Nebraska Cattlemen, Dale Spencer, past presidents on the state and national level, and many Nebraskan and Washington DC dignitaries.  Along with a great prime rib meal with all the fixens, there will be a night of entertainment provided by Tim Cavanagh who mixes music and comedy to make everyone laugh.

We are looking for new members and associate members who would like to attend this banquet.  It would be a honor to have you join us as a member.  You can call my mobile number- 402-649-0177 or my office-402-529-6403 or e-mail me at roncoufal@yahoo.com for more information.



Latest Forecast Increases Likelihood of Below Normal Temperatures

Latest forecasts through March, have put Nebraska in an area of below-normal temperatures, the Nebraska state climatologist says.

Projections for below-normal temperatures for the Pacific Northwest have expanded farther west to include the Great Plains. This area starts north of a line that extends from San Diego to Las Vegas, eastward to Dodge City, Kan., and northeast through Des Moines, said Al Dutcher, state climatologist in the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

"This is a sharp reversal in the forecast which removed all above normal temperature projections, and a significant change from last year when average temperatures were 12-15 degrees above normal," Dutcher

The western U.S. is still in a "mean atmospheric trough pattern," Dutcher said, which started in December and shows no signs of breaking down. He said the radical change in the 30-day forecast has not been reflected in the 90-day forecast, which was issued in mid-February.

"I have no faith in the 90-day forecast," he said. "Now that they have a new 30-day forecast, which is considerably less warm, my suspicion is that April and May will see more normal temperatures as well."

Dutcher said the aggressive storm pattern the state has seen in the last few months will most likely continue through spring, but should shift to the north and impact the northern plains of North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana, making for favorable storm conditions this spring.

Snow pack in northern Canada along with below-normal temperatures for March should favor additional snow in the northern plains. If snow pack across southern Canada remains in place through March, it would further support cooler than normal conditions through April.

"It would also be supportive of spring thunderstorm activity across the Central Plains," he said.

Precipitation this spring will be critical as the state is in worse shape at this time this year than it was at this time last year.

"We don't have any deep subsoil moisture," Dutcher said. "Areas east of a line from Hebron northeastward to West Point, we have received 4 inches of moisture since Oct. 1. The heaviest precipitation has fallen from Blair southward to Nebraska City and westward to Syracuse, where there has been 6 inches of moisture."

With an infiltration rate of 70 percent, that would suggest 2.5 to 4 inches of moisture, Dutcher said.

Dutcher does see several more aggressive storms moving across the region with a very good opportunity for a significant moisture outbreak.

"With virtually no precipitation this fall, we need this spring months to be above normal so we can get caught up," he said.

However, even if moisture this spring does materialize, it won't reduce the hydrological effect from this drought any time soon.

"We can have good timed rainfall, but still have hydrological effects," Dutcher said. "Barring an exceptionally wet summer, hydrological impacts will be with us into next winter."

Dutcher said he recommends all producers and ranchers have a drought plan in place.

In addition, he suggests junior right water holders have some type of plan in place as water restrictions most likely will come earlier than last year, if spring rains fail to materialize.

Snowpack across the central Rocky Mountains also is very poor this year.

"Right now it is near 75 percent of normal, but stream flow projections are currently in the range of 60 percent of normal," Dutcher said.

However, March and April are two of the biggest months for snowfall.

"We want to see that central Rocky Mountain snow pack to recharge the South and North Platte River Basin."

For more information about weather and crops, visit CropWatch, UNL Extension's crop production newsletter, at cropwatch.unl.edu. 



First Leg of USMEF Market Expo Wraps up in Peru; Team Moves on to Panama

The contingent of pork, beef, soybean and corn producers participating in the 2013 USMEF Market Expo concluded its activities in Peru Tuesday and travel to Panama City today. The Market Expo is a market education program in which agricultural leaders from state and national USMEF member organizations travel to key markets to learn more about foreign marketing activities for U.S. beef and pork.

Monday the group toured the facilities of Oregon Foods, a Lima-based company that is a major importer and distributor of U.S. beef. Oregon Foods Director Federico Russo explained the attributes of U.S. beef that appeal to his Peruvian foodservice and retail customers and the Market Expo team had the opportunity to observe the company's portion control, packaging, labeling, cold storage and distribution processes.

“It’s great to see high-quality U.S. meat being served in Lima restaurants and the growth potential that exists here,” said Steve Nelson, a corn and soybean farmer from Axtell, Neb., who is president of the Nebraska Farm Bureau. “But it’s also gratifying to see the large volume of offal and underutilized cuts being used here, because exporting those products certainly adds significant value to our livestock.”

The team enjoyed lunch at La Bistecca restaurant, which exclusively features U.S. beef on its menu and makes tremendous use of underutilized U.S. beef cuts. One of the items served to the Market Expo group was the traditional Peruvian dish anticuchos – grilled slices of U.S. beef heart. They also enjoyed a beef-and-vegetable stew made with U.S. beef knuckle.

One of Tuesday’s highlights was a tour of the beef tripe processing plant operated by Halema, which is also a very large importer of U.S. beef. The team observed the tripe processing and packaging methods used by the company and learned about the use of tripe in Peruvian cuisine. Peruvian mining companies make up a large portion of Halema’s customer base, using tripe in dishes served in employee cafeterias. Halema also imports U.S. beef hearts, with Commercial Manager Carlos Montero pointing out that the company recently increased its purchases of U.S. hearts since Peru closed to Brazilian beef following the December 2012 announcement of Brazil’s first BSE case.

“The business contacts USMEF has developed here in Peru and the relationships it has with key buyers has really been an eye-opener for me,” said Jim Stuever of Dexter, Mo., a corn, soybean, wheat, rice and cotton farmer who represents the Missouri Corn Growers Association. “It really makes me proud to be a part of Missouri Corn and to know that our support of USMEF helps make this possible.”

While Peru has been a reliable importer of U.S. beef and beef variety meat for several years (2012 exports to Peru totaled 12,887 metric tons valued $29.7 million), Peruvian imports of U.S. pork are still in their infancy. Pork has not traditionally been a major element of the Peruvian diet, but a growing number of middle class consumers are becoming interested in purchasing higher-quality pork cuts. On Tuesday the team observed Peru’s first in-store promotion for U.S. pork, which USMEF South America representative Jessica Julca coordinated with the Tottus supermarket chain.

“The Peruvian image of pork is that it is an item that must be deep-fried,” Julca said. “But this is gradually changing as consumers gain exposure to higher-quality pork cuts. Over time, we see growing opportunities for U.S. pork in Peru.”

The Market Expo team also received a briefing at the U.S. Embassy in Lima, where staff explained the economic and political climate in Peru. GDP growth in Peru has averaged 6 percent per year over the past decade, including 6.8 percent in 2012.

“There is a level of optimism in Peru that I have not seen in 25 years,” said Michael Fitzpatrick, the embassy’s deputy chief of mission. “In terms of building long-term trade relationships, Peru is an excellent partner.”

This came as great news to Joel Thorsrud, a soybean, corn and wheat farmer from Hillsboro, N.D., and a member of the United Soybean Board.

“Whenever there’s a booming economy, the first thing people want is a better food supply,” Thorsrud said. “The way that we are able to help provide that higher-quality food supply is nothing short of amazing to me. Seeing U.S. beef and pork proudly marketed in the supermarkets here and being bought up by customers – that was a great experience.”

Agricultural Counselor Emiko Purdy and FAS Senior Agricultural Specialist Gaspar Nolte provided more details on the growth of U.S. agricultural exports to the region they serve, which includes Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia. While Ecuador is a small but growing market for U.S. pork, U.S. beef still does not have access to Ecuador. Lack of access is also a problem in Bolivia, which could offer opportunities for U.S. meat because of its rapidly maturing supermarket sector.

The Market Expo team will be hosted in Panama by Gerardo Rodriguez, USMEF director of trade development for Central America and the Dominican Republic. The team will visit importers, processors and cold storage facilities on Thursday, while also receiving a USDA briefing. On Friday the team will visit local supermarket chains and an airline caterer that utilizes U.S. beef and pork.

The Market Expo team included the following:
Richard Schrunk     Nebraska Beef Council    Nebraska
Steve Nelson     Nebraska Farm Bureau    Nebraska
Shane Meyer     Nebraska Pork Producers Association    Nebraska
Mark Caspers     Nebraska Soybean Board    Nebraska
Mike Korth     Nebraska Soybean Board    Nebraska
Joel Thorsrud     United Soybean Board    Nebraska
David Droste     Illinois Soybean Association    Illinois
Jered Hooker     Illinois Soybean Association    Illinois
Jim Stuever     Missouri Corn Growers Association    Missouri
Wes Plummer     Montana Beef Council    Montana
Melanie Fitzpatrick     United Soybean Board    Missouri
Drew Guiney     United Soybean Board    Illinois
David Hartke     United Soybean Board    Illinois
Efrain Delgado     Cargill    Mexico



Falls City Woman Crowned Nebraska Dairy Princess

Jessica Yoesel, 19, of Falls City, was crowned Nebraska State Dairy Princess at the close of activities at the Nebraska State Dairy Convention last night (Tuesday, March 12).  Yoesel will represent the state’s dairy farmers in public appearances during the coming year.

Yoesel is the daughter of Richard and Diana Yoesel of Yoesel Brothers Dairy, and is a freshman in elementary education at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. Her title includes a $750 scholarship award.

Lisa Temme, 21, daughter of Doug and Mary Temme of Temme Agribusiness near Wayne, was named runner-up. She received a $250 scholarship.

Selection of the princess is based on an interview and presentation.

The Nebraska Dairy Princess reaches out to consumers to help them understand the important role dairy products play in a healthful diet, and provides information about how dairy farmers care for their cows and the resources used to produce milk.  Her appearances include meetings, demonstrations, promotions, presentations, radio and television interviews, passing out trophies and ribbons, school visits and parades.  Midwest Dairy Association’s Nebraska Division sponsors the program.



Johanns Sponsors Amendment Protecting Public Safety, Economy from Unnecessary Sequester Furloughs

U.S. Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) today cosponsored an amendment to provide the Obama Administration with the flexibility it claims it currently does not have to ensure “essential” federal employees continue to provide vital services, including meat inspections, control tower operations, and border security. To read the amendment, click HERE.

“With the dramatic spending increases we have seen over the last four years, it’s nothing short of embarrassing for Administration officials to cry wolf when faced with making what amounts to less than a three percent spending reduction,” Johanns said. “This legislation simply gives agency and department heads the flexibility the President asked for so there is no excuse for essential services to be the first things on the chopping block.”

This amendment would address the Obama Administration’s concerns by applying identical language used during occurrences of inclement weather or other government shutdowns to the sequestration spending reductions at each agency. This is the same language used in guidance from the Clinton Administration in preparation for the 1995 government shutdown defining essential employees as, “an employee that performs work involving the safety of human life or the protection of property, as determined by the head of the agency.”

The amendment provides agencies with funding flexibility so fiscal responsibility is maintained but essential services are not cut. The transfers can only be made within agencies and may not occur for any purpose other than keeping essential employees from facing furloughs.

The amendment was introduced by U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and is also cosponsored by U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.).

Since Congress passed the Budget Control Act (BCA) in August 2011, the Obama Administration has failed to adequately plan for the sequestration cuts at each agency. In fact, according to several letters from President’s Office of Management and Budget, federal agencies were instructed not to plan for sequestration.

Johanns this week wrote a LETTER to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack pressing him to explain why he never worked with Congress to minimize the impact of sequestration on food safety inspectors and the livestock industry.



STATE VETERINARIAN ENCOURAGES HORSE OWNERS, HORSE SHOWS/EXHIBITIONS TO FOLLOW BIOSECURITY MEASURES TO PROTECT AGAINST EHV

Due to an increased number of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) cases across the nation, State Veterinarian Dr. Dennis Hughes is reminding horse owners as well as operators of horse shows/exhibitions to remain vigilant and exercise biosecurity measures at all events where horses are co-mingled.

According to Hughes, California, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, Tennessee and Utah currently are dealing with confirmed cases of EHV-1.

“Nebraska does not have horses diagnosed with the disease at this time, and we’d prefer to keep it that way.  I encourage horse owners to take precautions to help prevent this disease from affecting our horse population,” said Dr. Hughes.

Dr. Hughes encourages all horse owners to follow biosecurity measures at their operations, including: require individuals to wash their hands before and after contact with each horse; if possible, avoid contact with other people’s horses; disinfect boots and change clothes that come into contact with horses other than your own; and isolate horses returning from shows for 2 to 3 weeks.

“Owners who will be co-mingling their horses also should consider contacting their veterinarian to discuss their horses’ current vaccination status and weigh the benefits of vaccinating their animals for EHV-1,” said Dr. Hughes.

The disease is spread by direct or indirect contact with infected horses, so NDA encourages operators of horse shows/exhibitions to review their biosecurity plans and minimize the opportunity for horses to have direct or indirect contact with each other.  Indirect contact includes the use of shared water and feed sources as well as the use of shared equipment.

In addition, Dr. Hughes recommends that horse owners planning to travel to shows/exhibitions contact the venue prior to transporting their horses to inquire about entrance requirements for the event.

EHV-1 symptoms include: fever, decreased coordination, nasal discharge, urine dribbling, loss of tail tone, hind limb weakness, leaning against a wall or fence to maintain balance, lethargy and the inability to rise.  While there is no cure, the symptoms of the disease may be treatable.

Additional information about EHV-1 can be viewed at www.nda.nebraska.gov.



Smith Works to Expand Trade Opportunities for Nebraska Products in India

Today, Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) participated in a House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade hearing on U.S. – India relations.  During the hearing, Smith noted agricultural exporters in Nebraska’s Third District experience tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade in India.  Smith asked Allen F. Johnson, who served as Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the Office of the United States Trade Representative from 2001 to 2005, to explain these barriers.  Video of the exchange is available at: http://www.youtube.com/RepAdrianSmith.

“The hearing today examined both the enormous opportunities as well as the challenges in our trade relations with one of the world’s largest and fastest growing economies,” said Smith.  “As we work to deepen and improve ties with India, it is critical Nebraska producers and companies are competing on a level playing field in this market.  I will continue to insist on science-based standards and internationally established trade practices as we work to reduce barriers and expand markets for American goods in India and around the world.”

Preferred Popcorn, LLC is a Nebraska farmer-owned company based in Chapman, Nebraska looking to trade with India, but facing tariff and non-tariff barriers.  As part of the hearing, Preferred Popcorn submitted a letter to Congressman Smith to share their experience.

“The large population base in India and the productive nature of Nebraska agriculture make the two countries logical trading partners,” said Norm Krug, CEO of Preferred Popcorn.  “There is a higher tariff on popcorn for distribution.  Because most end users of popcorn are not in the business of distribution, the higher tariff rate almost eliminates exporting popcorn to India.  India also requires a fumigant that is not legal for use in the U.S.  This makes it very difficult or impossible to export agricultural products to India.”

Background:
The United States and India are experiencing the largest bilateral trade and investment flows ever with total goods and services trade in 2011 recorded at $86 billion between the two countries.  India is the 13th largest market for U.S. goods and services.

As India strives to prepare its economy for the challenges of its changing demographics, the country is putting in place policies to increase manufacturing, domestic industries and agricultural production. The hearing today was an effort to highlight opportunities in the Indian market while drawing attention to some of the policies which could signal India is turning inward and erecting barriers to trade and investment.  If the trend continues, U.S. businesses could find it increasingly difficult to sell to, enter, and operate in India.



Valmont Declares Quarterly Dividend

The Board of Directors of Valmont Industries, Inc. has declared a quarterly dividend of 22.5 cents per share payable on April 15, 2013 to shareholders of record on March 29, 2013.

The dividend indicates an annual rate of 90.0 cents per share.

Valmont is a global leader in designing and manufacturing poles, towers and structures for lighting and traffic, wireless communication and utility markets, industrial access systems, highway safety barriers and a provider of protective coating services.

Valmont also leads the world in mechanized irrigation equipment for agriculture, enhancing food production while conserving and protecting natural water resources.



Final Animal Disease Traceability Rules for Iowa Farmers

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today highlighted the requirements for Iowa livestock farmers under the Animal Disease Traceability rule that went into effect on March 11, 2013. The rule finalized regulations to improve the traceability of cattle/bison, equines, swine, sheep/goats, poultry and captive cervids moving in interstate commerce.

Under the rule all covered livestock moved interstate will have to be officially identified and accompanied by an interstate certificate of veterinary inspection or other documentation unless they are specifically exempted. The proposed regulations specify approved forms of official identification for each species but would allow the livestock to be moved interstate with another form of identification, as agreed upon by animal health officials in the shipping and receiving States

Under the rule the official forms of identification are:
-- National Uniform Eartag System (NUES) tags
-- Other official ID approved by the USDA
-- 840 tags, which are 15 digit eartags and are reserved for US born animals

All tags after March 11, 2014 will have official eartag shield with either "US' or State postal abbreviation imprinted inside the shield. All animals tagged after March 11, 2015 will be tagged with tags that have "US' or State postal abbreviation.

Brands are acceptable only if the state of origin and the state of destination approve and have an agreement, but Iowa has no agreements in place and no current plans to develop any brand or commuter herd agreements.

The rule also requires an Interstate Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (ICVI) unless the animals are moving to an approved tagging site, directly to slaughter or an approved livestock facility and then to slaughter. All Certificates of Veterinary Inspection (CVI - Health Certificates) must be sent to Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship's Animal Industry Bureau within seven calendar days. Specie specific guides to identifying interstate movement requirements can be found on USDA website.

Under the rule approved livestock facilities are required to maintain records for 5 years, except for poultry and swine where the requirement is records be kept for two years. Official identification distribution records must be kept by accredited veterinarian or person or entity that distributes official identification devices for five years.

For more details about regulation, visit the APHIS traceability website at www.aphis.usda.gov/traceability.



Iowa farm family highlights National Ag Week discussing food, farming with diners

Iowans will celebrate the culmination of National Ag Week at a unique event featuring an Iowa farm family at the Iowa Machine Shed Restaurant in Urbandale March 23 beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Family farmers Chris and Nicole Domino of Storm Lake will answer questions about farming and Iowa’s role in turkey production at “Talkin’ Farming at the Shed,” sponsored by the Iowa Food & Family Project and Iowa Turkey Federation.

 “Talkin’ Farming at the Shed” is held throughout the year showcasing different farmers and areas of agriculture.

“We understand that people have questions about their food and, as a farmer, I want to be a resource for them and help them feel confident in their food purchasing decisions,” said Chris. “I enjoy talking about the tradition our family has raising turkeys and why I enjoy farming with my father and family. We work in a sustainable cycle of buying local soybeans and corn to feed our turkeys and working with a processor located in Storm Lake.  It’s a great story and I’m looking forward to sharing it.”

Iowa's turkey industry provides an annual economic impact of $1.5 billion. The industry has the capacity to produce more than 14.5 million turkeys annually. Turkeys are raised in large, open buildings that keep them comfortable, protect them from predators and allow farmers to offer quality care.

The Iowa Food & Family Project was created by the Iowa Soybean Association and is dedicated to inspiring greater awareness, understanding and trust between consumers and farmers through personal engagement and advocacy.

It proudly serves as presenting sponsor of the Iowa Games and supporter of Live Healthy Iowa and is backed by more than 30 partners including the Iowa Turkey Federation, Machine Shed Restaurant, Farm Credit Services of America, Applied Art & Technology, Iowa Grocery Industry Association and Midwest Dairy Association. It’s funded in part by the soybean checkoff.



The U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance® Celebrates National Ag Day

As part of the 40th anniversary of National Agriculture Day celebrated on Tuesday, March 19 around the country, the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance® (USFRA®) will be on Capitol Hill to present recent research on the relevance of modern agriculture and encourage sharing of personal stories of continual improvement on the farm and ranch.

“The U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance is proud to celebrate Ag Day this year. This is one day when we can all come together to share our stories about modern agriculture with government officials and other key consumer influencers,” Bob Stallman, chairman of USFRA and president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, said. “This Ag Day – and every day – I encourage farmers and ranchers from across the country to be active, share their personal stories, and answer questions from their community about how food is grown and raised.”

USFRA will hold an Ag Day briefing on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, March 19 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the Sewall-Belmont House & Museum. The educational briefing titled “The New Language of Food and Modern Agriculture” will present consumer messaging research and how the agriculture industry can work to restore relevance. The event will feature a new perspective on food culture today led by farmers and ranchers, including Faces of Farming & Ranching winner Katie Pratt, a farmer from Illinois.

Ag Day participants and Congressional staff are invited to attend. USFRA will tweet live from the event. Be sure to follow the event at @USFRA, join the online conversation, and submit questions via Twitter by using #FoodD or #AgDay.

If you will be in Washington and would like to attend the briefing, visit www.fooddialogues.com/ag-day. For more information on how you can become involved in other Ag Day activities, visit www.agday.org.

USFRA will be facilitating discussions between farmers and ranchers with key Washington influencers and media throughout the week. USFRA Faces of Farming & Ranching winner Katie Pratt will be in attendance to speak on a range of agriculture topics, including how advances in seed technology and modern equipment are helping the Pratt family farms serve as more efficient stewards of the land.

Pratt urges farmers and ranchers to become active in telling their stories of continuous improvement, operational transparency and education, while dispelling inaccurate information, through the USFRA’s rapid response program. To learn more, go to www.fooddialogues.com/grow-what-you-know/.



Weekly Ethanol Production for 3/08/2013

According to EIA data, ethanol production averaged 797,000 barrels per day (b/d) — or 33.47 million gallons daily. That is down 8,000 b/d from the week before.  The four-week average for ethanol production stood at 803,000 b/d for an annualized rate of 12.31 billion gallons.

Stocks of ethanol stood at 18.7 million barrels. That is a 3.4% decrease from last week and a 15-week low.

Imports of ethanol showed zero b/d, remaining unchanged from last week.

Gasoline demand for the week averaged 362.3 million gallons daily — a 16-week high.

Expressed as a percentage of daily gasoline demand, daily ethanol production was 9.24%.

On the co-products side, ethanol producers were using 12.084 million bushels of corn to produce ethanol and 88,948 metric tons of livestock feed, 79,298 metric tons of which were distillers grains. The rest is comprised of corn gluten feed and corn gluten meal. Additionally, ethanol producers were providing 4.15 million pounds of corn oil daily.



Ethanol grassroots fly-in brings big turnout to Capitol Hill 

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) and more than 50 of its grassroots members are on Capitol Hill today and tomorrow for the group’s “Biofuels Beltway March” annual fly-in.

The ethanol advocates will have more than 120 meetings with Members of Congress or their staff in the course of two days, bringing ethanol information to lawmakers representing 40 states. The group’s priorities include highlighting the effectiveness of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), the safety and affordability of E15 ethanol blends, emphasizing how ethanol helps lower prices at the pump, and other issues such as how oil subsidies create an unlevel playing field and the clean octane value of ethanol.

“With a number of new lawmakers serving in Congress, and anti-ethanol forces taking aim at the RFS, this is a perfect time to bring our grassroots members to Capitol Hill to share ethanol’s success story first hand with lawmakers and demonstrate how effective the RFS has been for our nation,” said Brian Jennings, Executive Vice President of ACE.

ACE members will not just be meeting with Congress though; fly-in participants will also meet with EPA officials and take part in a press conference involving Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) to highlight how 100 years of oil subsidies creates distinct advantages for oil companies over ethanol in the market. You can read more about that event here.

“Corn ethanol tax incentives ended in 2011 but Big Oil has benefitted from certain subsidies for 100 years now. We look forward to working with Senator Grassley and the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) to draw attention to Big Oil’s ‘Century of Subsidies,’” said Jennings. “If after 100 years oil companies cannot stand on their own, Congress shouldn’t hurt consumers by repealing the RFS and enacting legislation to deny them access to E15, a tested and affordable fuel choice.”

Fly-in participants come from various walks of life and 9 different states, representing the breadth and depth of support for ethanol across the country.

For members who are not able to be a part of the DC fly-in, ACE has for the third year organized a “Virtual Fly-In,” which makes it possible for ethanol supporters to send email messages to Members of Congress to coincide with the group’s face-to-face meetings.  The messages urge Congress to continue to keep the Renewable Fuel Standard intact. Messages may be sent this week through ACE’s Legislative Action Center at www.capwiz.com/ethanol.



National Milk Producers Federation Reaffirms Support of Dairy Security Act in Farm Bill

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) Board of Directors reaffirmed the organization’s support for a new farm bill, containing a better safety net for dairy farmers, at the Federation’s spring meeting Tuesday in Arlington.

With the Senate Agriculture Committee expected to begin work on a new farm bill next month, NMPF’s leadership said this week that a new, voluntary dairy program known as the Dairy Security Act (DSA), which combines margin insurance with market stabilization, remains critical to the future of the industry.

“Our members went through a tough year in 2012, with high feed costs and low milk prices putting the squeeze on farmers across the country,” said Randy Mooney, Chairman of NMPF, and a dairy farmer from Rogersville, Missouri. “Existing federal dairy programs don’t offer the type of safety net our members need, but the Dairy Security Act does.”

Mooney said that NMPF members were encouraged by a report delivered to them Monday from Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN), the ranking Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, who reaffirmed his support for the DSA and indicated that the House agriculture panel also will begin work on a farm bill this spring.

In another development Tuesday affecting NMPF and its members, the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service announced that it will suspend the monthly milk production report for the remainder of fiscal year 2013, as a result of sequestration-reduced funding.

The monthly milk production report for February’s milk output will come out next Tuesday, but the next six reports for April through September will be suspended, as will the Milk Production, Disposition and Income (Milk PDI) reports previously scheduled for release next month.

NMPF President and CEO Jerry Kozak said that, “Eliminating the USDA’s monthly milk production report through September will detrimentally affect how decisions are made about the marketing of milk, starting at, but not ending with, the farm level.”

“This report is important for ongoing industry outlook purposes, and it’s also an essential input for estimating the monthly commercial disappearance of all dairy products, which is of importance to the dairy promotion program,” Kozak said.

He noted that among the other NASS report suspensions, “Dairy is the only major commodity that will be substantially affected. The July Cattle report consists of a mid-year update of the January Cattle report, which is obviously not affected by the current fiscal year suspension, and other NASS reports will continue to report non-dairy cattle inventory information.”

“This decision is a concern to NMPF as well as to the entire dairy industry, and we will need to have further discussions with USDA about why an extremely important informational tool involving a major commodity is being affected this way.”



CWT Assists with 17.7 Million Pounds of Butter and Cheese Export Sales

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted 23 requests for export assistance from Dairy Farmers of America, Land O’Lakes, Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association, Michigan Milk Producers Association and United Dairymen of Arizona to sell 16.588 million pounds (7,524 metric tons) of butter and 1.213 million pounds (550 metric tons) of Cheddar cheese to customers in Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Oceania. The product will be delivered March through September 2013.

Year-to-date, CWT has assisted member cooperatives in selling 31.308 million pounds of cheese, 38.206 million pounds of butter and 218,258 pounds of whole milk powder to 24 countries on six continents. These sales are the equivalent of 1.122 billion pounds of milk on a milkfat basis, or the annual milk output of 53,400 cows.

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.



China's 2013-14 Soybean Imports Seen Up 4% At 65.5M Tons

China's 2013-14 soybean imports are forecast to increase 4% on the year, to 65.5 million metric tons, driven by strong demand from the crush industry to supplement waning domestic production, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture attache in Beijing.

In a report late Tuesday, the USDA country representative said China will likely see soybean output fall 4% on the year in 2013-14, to 12 million tons, as market signals and government incentives push the country's limited arable land away from oilseeds and towards more profitable grain crops, such as corn and rice.

It added that China's population growth and dietary demands have overwhelmed limited domestic capabilities, leaving it dependent on foreign suppliers of oilseeds, particularly the U.S., Brazil and Argentina. China is the world's leading importer of soybeans.

The USDA attache said the government is expected to auction some older soybean inventories which will reduce 2013-14 ending stocks 4.5% on the year, to 14.7 million tons, depending on domestic oilseed product demand and prices.

It added that the national average for soybean yield has remained constant for several years, excluding abnormal weather disruption in Northeast China during 2009-10, while small farm sizes, lack of agronomic techniques and limited access to better inputs remain major impediments to yield increases that are unlikely to change in the near future.