Monday April 29 Crop Progress and Condition + Ag News

NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

For the week ending April 28, 2013, rain early in the week combined with below normal  temperatures  to  limit fieldwork until  the weekend when conditions warmed and soils began  to dry,  according  to  USDA’s  National  Agricultural  Statistics  Service,  Nebraska  Field  Office.  Moisture accumulations near 1 inch were common across the southeastern third of the State. However, precipitation was again limited in many western counties where soil moisture profiles are depleted.  Corn planting was underway as soil temperatures rose into the upper 50’s by Sunday.  For the week, temperatures averaged 3 to 6 degrees below normal.  Pastures continued  to show little growth, forcing producers  to draw on short forage supplies.  Fieldwork  was  limited  with  only  3.2  days  considered  suitable  for  fieldwork.    Statewide,  topsoil  moisture supplies  rated  13  percent  very  short,  31  short,  55  adequate,  and  1  surplus.   Subsoil moisture  supplies  rated  47 percent very short, 42 short, 11 adequate, and 0 surplus.  
 
Field Crops Report:
Corn planted was 3 percent, well behind last year’s 40 and 26 average.   Wheat conditions  rated 14 percent very poor, 30 poor, 44  fair, 12 good, and 0 excellent. Wheat  jointed was  6 percent, well behind last year’s 66 and 28 average.  Oats planted were at 70 percent, behind last year’s 92 and 85 average.  Oats emerged were 24 percent, behind last year’s 67 and 46 average.  
 
Livestock, Pasture and Range Report:
Stock water supplies rated 7 percent very short, 20 short, 72 adequate, and  1  surplus.   Hay  and  forage  supplies  rated  23  percent  very  short,  46  short,  31  adequate,  and  0  surplus.  Cattle and calves condition rated 0 percent very poor, 2 poor, 25 fair, 66 good, and 7 excellent. Spring calving was 91 percent complete.   Calf losses  this spring has been 7 percent below average, 88 average, and 5 above average.



Access the National publication for Crop Progress and Condition tables at: http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/nass/CropProg//2010s/2013/CropProg-04-29-2013.txt

Access the High Plains Region Climate Center for Temperature and Precipitation Maps at: http://www.hprcc.unl.edu/maps/current/index.php?action=update_region&state=NE&region=HPRCC

Access the U.S. Drought Monitor at: http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/DM_state.htm?NE,HP



IOWA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

The week ending April 28, 2013 began with unfavorable conditions, but dry and warmer weather across Iowa late in the week allowed fieldwork to  resume.    There was  an  average  of  2.0  days  suitable  for  fieldwork during  the  week,  according  to  the  USDA,  National  Agricultural Statistics  Service.    Field  activities  included  tilling  and  application  of fertilizers and herbicides.  

Topsoil  moisture  levels  rated  3  percent  very  short,  7  percent  short, 76 percent  adequate  and  14  percent  surplus.    Subsoil moisture  levels rated 13 percent very  short, 31 percent  short  and 51 percent  adequate and 5 percent surplus.  

Although oat planting picked up pace and was 45 percent complete,  it was  well  behind  last  year’s  97  percent  and  the  five-year  average  of 79 percent.  Farmers began to plant a small amount of corn.  

Pasture and range condition rated 16 percent very poor, 23 percent poor, 40 percent fair and 19 percent good and 2 percent excellent.    



IOWA PRELIMINARY WEATHER SUMMARY
Provided by Harry Hillaker, State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship

The  past  reporting  week  began  with  unseasonably  cool  and  wet weather.   Rain began  over  the northwest  one-half  of  Iowa  on Sunday (21st) and changed to snow over about the northwest one-quarter of the state  on  Monday  (22nd).    A  few  areas  from  west  central  into  north central  Iowa  picked  up  more  than  an  inch  of  rain  while  snow accumulated up  to six inches  in Lyon County.   Light  rain  fell over  the southeast  one-third  of  Iowa  on  Tuesday  (23rd)  with  some  snow  also reported.  Very light rain fell nearly statewide on Wednesday (24th).  A welcome period of dry weather began on Thursday and continued  into Sunday (28th) with the exception of a few showers in extreme southeast Iowa on Saturday.   Weekly  rain  totals varied  from only 0.04 inches at Dubuque  to 1.84 inches  at Underwood  in Pottawattamie County.   The statewide  average  precipitation was  0.53 inches  while  normal  for  the week  is  0.94 inches.    The  rain  pushed  the  statewide  average precipitation for the month to an April record of 6.52 inches (old record among 141 years of data was 6.25 inches in 1999).  Monthly rain totals have  been  more  than  double  usual  April  totals  over  parts  of  eastern Iowa  but  were  only  near  normal  over  portions  of  the  northwest  and southwest corners of  the  state.   Meanwhile  temperatures over  the past week were well below normal through Thursday and finally climbed to well above normal over northwest Iowa by Sunday (28th).  Temperature extremes  for  the  week  varied  from  a  Wednesday  morning  low  of 21 degrees at Sibley to a Sunday afternoon high of 86 degrees at Sioux City.   Sunday’s readings were  the first 80’s recorded  in Iowa  this year and marked  the  latest  start  to  eighty degree weather  in  the  state  since 1993.    Temperatures  for  the  week  as  a  whole  averaged  4.5  degrees below normal.  Finally, soil temperatures warmed into the mid to upper 50’s  statewide  as  of  Sunday  (28th)  but  will  likely  fall  back  into  the forties when much cooler weather returns at mid-week.



Drought Outlook Improves for Eastern Nebraska
Al Dutcher, UNL Extension State Climatologist

Nebraska drought mapThe April 23 U.S. Drought Monitor depiction for Nebraska indicates the drought in eastern Nebraska has improved by one category.

Extreme southeastern Nebraska, including Auburn, Beatrice, and Falls City, has been upgraded to D1 (moderate) drought conditions. Omaha, Lincoln, Hastings, Columbus, and Norfolk have been upgraded to D2 (severe) drought conditions. There was no appreciable change for D3 (extreme) or D4 (exceptional) areas of central and western Nebraska.

The primary driver for the improvement in eastern Nebraska was improving soil moisture after 1-3 inches of moisture were recorded with the storm event that moved through the state April 21-22. High Plains Regional Climate Center soil moisture monitoring sites indicate that all stations contained within the D1 area have reached field capacity at the 4-, 12-, 24-, and 48-inch depth. All soil moisture monitoring sites are under grass.

All locations with the current D2 depicted area have reached field capacity at the 4-, 12-, and 24-inch level. In addition, over half of the sites are beginning to indicate a moisture response at 48 inches. Locations contained within the current D3 area have reached field capacity at the 4- and 12-inch level, but have yet to reach field capacity at the 24-inch level. It should be noted that all sites within the D3 area are showing moisture increasing at the 24-inch level, but are far short of field capacity.

All soil moisture monitoring sites in the small D4 area extending from southwest Nebraska into the southwestern Sandhills have not reached field capacity at the 12-inch level and the 24-inch depth is still at wilting point. Because of the near record to record cold observed this April, vegetative water demand has been virtually non-existent and is a major factor contributing to the recent upgrade in drought conditions across the state.



Glyphosate-Resistant Common Waterhemp Confirmed in Nebraska
Lowell Sandell, Weed Science Extension Educator

University of Nebraska-Lincoln greenhouse studies have confirmed glyphosate resistance in common waterhemp from six Nebraska counties: Antelope, Dodge, Lancaster, Pawnee, Seward, and Washington. Waterhemp, a summer annual broadleaf weed, was already one of the most problematic weeds in corn and soybean production, but glyphosate resistance adds a new wrinkle to its control. Glyphosate-resistant common waterhemp has been confirmed in 12 states over the last eight years.

Last year, we had several phone calls from growers about control failure of common waterhemp despite the repeated application of glyphosate. In fall 2012 common waterhemp seeds were collected from fields in selected counties (Antelope, Dodge, Lancaster, Pawnee, Seward, and Washington) and glyphosate dose response studies were conducted in a UNL greenhouse. Glyphosate (Touchdown HiTech) was applied at several rates (0.25x to 16x the recommended rate of 24 fl oz/acre) to confirm level of resistance in common waterhemp populations.

Dose response analysis was performed to estimate the ED50 (effective dose required to control 50% population) and ED90 (effective dose required to control 90% population) values for each common waterhemp population. Comparisons of dose response curves clearly showed glyphosate resistance at a minimum of six times the normal rate (shown as 6x) at the ED90 value (Table 1). For example, 90% control of glyphosate-susceptible common waterhemp was achieved with a labeled rate of glyphosate (24 fl oz/acre); while the population from Antelope County needed a minimum of 147 fl oz/acre or about six times the recommended rate. In some cases, as much as 599 fl oz/acre (25x) of glyphosate was required to achieve 90% control (Table 1). Overall results suggested that the level of resistance was 6x to 25x in samples collected from Antelope, Dodge, Lancaster, Pawnee, Seward, and Washington County. Regardless of whether glyphosate-resistant common waterhemp is present in a given county in Nebraska, there is a good chance it will evolve resistance at some point based upon what has happened in other states.
 
A Multi-Threat Survivor Warrants . . .
The confirmation of glyphosate-resistance in Nebraska waterhemp is further evidence of an ever-evolving weed spectrum, and further proof that using only glyphosate for weed control in corn and soybean is not a sustainable approach to weed management. In the face of herbicide selection pressure, common waterhemp has repeatedly proven to be an ecological survivor. In Nebraska, common waterhemp populations resistant to ALS (Pursuit), triazine (Atrazine), growth regulator (2,4-D), HPPD (Callisto), and now glyphosate (Roundup) have been confirmed. The common denominator in all instances where resistance evolved was near continuous use of the same or similar herbicide management approach with little or no diversity in herbicide mode of action used for many years.

Glyphosate-resistant weeds continue to be an increasing problem in Nebraska. Glyphosate-resistant marestail (horseweed), kochia, and giant ragweed previously were confirmed in Nebraska and have become very problematic in certain areas of the state. The confirmation of glyphosate-resistant common waterhemp will be an additional challenge to Nebraska growers. Resistance to any herbicide mode of action is troubling, but multiple-resistance (resistance in a weed population to more than one herbicide mode of action) is of particular concern. Common waterhemp populations with resistance to multiple herbicides have been confirmed in Iowa and Illinois. This resistance stacking is alarming and limits herbicide options for managing common waterhemp.

A Multi-Pronged Attack
The extended germination window of common waterhemp (May to August), increase in no-tillage crop production, and ability of waterhemp to evolve resistance to herbicide(s) have contributed to success of this weed species. Furthermore, it is a dioecious species, which means male and female flowers occur on separate plants and reproduction requires pollen movement. The resistant gene can be spread long distances via pollen and outcrossing.

A member of the pigweed family, common waterhemp is a competitive weed and the evolution of glyphosate resistance means it will require an effective integrated weed management program to achieve acceptable control. Continuing to rely only on glyphosate will only speed up the evolution of glyphosate-resistant weeds and diminish the effectiveness of glyphosate-based crops and weed control programs. Control of glyphosate-resistant waterhemp will require an integrated approach including:
-    residual herbicides with different modes of action followed by labeled post-emergence herbicides other than glyphosate throughout the cropping system,
-    crop rotation, and
-    a combination of tillage systems.

When combined, these efforts will help slow the evolution of new glyphosate-resistant weed populations in Nebraska.



Bean Leaf Beetle Numbers Down, but Hot Spots Still Possible
Tom Hunt, UNL Extension Entomologist
Keith Jarvi, UNL Extension Educator in Dakota, Dixon, and Thurston Counties

Heavy, early spring bean leaf beetle infestations have been less frequent the last few years. One reason is the increasing acreage planted with insecticidal seed treatments. These insecticides are very effective at controlling spring colonizing bean leaf beetles in individual fields. Another reason may be that the overall population of beetles is lower because of the widespread use of insecticidal seed treatments coupled with insecticide treatment of other pests later in the year, such as soybean aphid (or spider mites last year). However, do not let this lull you into a false sense of security, particularly if you grow soybean without an insecticidal seed treatment. Bean leaf beetles are still present, and pockets of relatively high populations can cause problems.

Appearance and Life Cycle
Bean leaf beetles have two generations a year in Nebraska. Because they overwinter as adults, three periods of beetle activity are seen in the growing season: Overwintering colonizers, F1 generation (offspring of the colonizers, the true first generation), and the F2 generation (the generation that will overwinter).

Bean leaf beetles overwinter as adults in leaf litter (woodlots) and soybean residue. They become active fairly early in the year (April-May), and often can be found in alfalfa prior to soybean emergence. As soybeans emerge, the beetles quickly move to the seedling plants, feeding on cotyledons and expanding leaf tissue. These overwintered beetles, called colonizers, mate and begin laying eggs. Females live about 40 days and lay from 125 to 250 eggs. After egg laying is complete the colonizing population dwindles as the beetles die. A new generation of beetles (F1) will begin to emerge in late June to early July. The F1 beetles mate and produce a second generation of beetles (F2) that begin to emerge in mid to late August.

Bean leaf beetles vary in color, but are usually reddish to yellowish-tan. They are about ¼ inch long and commonly have two black spots and a black border on the outside of each wing cover. These spots may be missing, but in all cases there is a small black triangle at the base of the wings near the thorax.

Because they move to soybean fields so soon after seedling emergence, early-planted fields will usually have more beetles and suffer the most injury, particularly if they are the only beans up and available for the beetles to move into. Although defoliation caused by the beetles can appear quite severe, research in Nebraska and elsewhere has shown that it usually does not result in economic damage. Soybean plants can compensate for a large amount of early tissue loss, so it takes a considerable amount of beetle feeding to impact yield. Generally, soybeans planted during the normal soybean planting window in Nebraska are not colonized by enough beetles to cause economic injury.

Research has indicated that early loss of both cotyledons can result in about a 5% yield loss. Also, these thresholds were developed from studies of soybean seedlings that had relatively large leafs. You may want to take the size of your soybean seedling leaflets into consideration — seedlings with small leaves may be more susceptible to beetle injury and a lowering of the thresholds may be justified. Again, we do not have a research base that considers seedling leaflet size, so experience will have to be your guide.

Sampling seedling soybeans can be somewhat difficult. Wind, shadows, and movement often cause beetles to drop from the plant and hide under dirt clods or in cracks in the soil. We suggest walking carefully along 10-15 feet of row, being careful not to let your shadow cover the row, count beetles on or near the plants, and calculate how many you have per plant. If you can stay at least 3 feet to the side of the row, you would be less likely to alarm the beetles. Sample at least five locations in the field.

Remember that early-planted, temporally isolated soybeans are the most susceptible. If economic thresholds are reached, many insecticides are available for bean leaf beetle control. All will do an adequate job if applied according to label directions. For those who plant early, regularly have economic levels of colonizing bean leaf beetles, and /or have a history of bean pod mottle virus (a bean leaf beetle-vectored disease), insecticide seed treatments may be warranted.

How Defoliation Affects Weed Management
We also have found seedling defoliation can result in a need for earlier weed management. For example, with no defoliation, weeds can remain in the crop up to the V4 stage (third trifoliate) without significantly affecting yield; however, at 30% and 60% defoliation, weeds need to be removed by the V3 and V1 stages, respectively.

Some producers treat bean leaf beetle on seedling soybeans to reduce the subsequent F1 and F2 generations; however, UNL Extension does not recommend this practice. There are many environmental factors that can impact beetle populations throughout the growing season, making it impractical to use spring beetle numbers to accurately predict if beetle populations will reach economically damaging levels in August.

Regular scouting and the use of the appropriate economic thresholds are the best way to manage late season bean leaf beetle in soybean. Late-season economic thresholds will be published in CropWatch later this summer.



IA Soil and Water Conservation Week April 28 to May 5

Iowa Soil and Water Conservation Week is an opportunity to recognize the important conservation practices placed on Iowa's landscape and bring attention to the ongoing work by farmers, landowners and urban residents to protect the state's soil and water resources. On Monday, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad will sign a proclamation recognizing April 28 to May 5 as Iowa Soil and Water Conservation Week.

"Soil and Water Conservation Week is a great opportunity to highlight the important work being done to prevent soil erosion and protect water quality in Iowa," Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey said. "It is vital that we preserve these resources that help make Iowa agriculture so productive and such a key driver of our state's economy."

During the "Dust Bowl" years of the 1930s, the first efforts to prevent soil erosion were developed. In 1939, Iowa passed a law establishing a state agency and the means for soil and water conservation districts to organize. Over 70 years later, the 100 Soil and Water Conservation Districts across the state are hosting a variety of events to highlight the conservation work being done across the state. To see details of all events being held this week visit www.iowaagriculture.gov/conservationweek.asp.

The Department's Division of Soil Conservation provides leadership in the protection and management of soil, water and mineral resources. The Division also works with Soil and Water Conservation Districts and private farmers and landowners to meet their agricultural and environmental protection needs, in both rural and urban landscapes. The Department's conservation partners include USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and Iowa State University, and many others.

This year we celebrate 40 years of Iowa's Cost Share Program, the first of its kind in the nation to put conservation practices on the land. Cost share provides funds to support the construction of conservation practices that are matched by farmers or landowners. In Iowa, over half the practices placed on the land are terraces, with grasses waterways making up almost a fifth. Other practices include water and sediment control basins, grade stabilization structures and more.

Iowa Soil and Water Conservation Week is in coordination with the national Stewardship Week, sponsored by the National Association of Conservation Districts. This year's Stewardship Week theme is "Where does your water shed." Currently, there are more than 57 active watershed and water quality projects across the state.

The Department, in conjunction with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Iowa State University, has also recently released a draft Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy. The strategy is a science and technology-based framework to assess and reduce nutrients delivered to Iowa waters and the Gulf of Mexico. The strategy uses a comprehensive and integrated approach, addressing both point and nonpoint sources of nutrients, to achieve reductions in loading of both nitrogen and phosphorus into Iowa's lakes and streams. Anyone interested in learning more about the strategy can visit www.nutrientstrategy.iastate.edu.

"We still have more work to do on conservation, but working together, in partnership, I'm confident we can build on the conservation ethic of Iowans and continue our efforts to improve the quality of the air, soil and water in our state," Northey said.



Branstad Requests Presidential Disaster Declaration for Iowa Counties

Gov. Terry E. Branstad signed a letter to be delivered to President Obama requesting a Presidential Disaster Declaration for five Iowa counties. The five counties in the request are Dickinson, Lyon, O'Brien, Osceola and Sioux.

The Governor is making the request for Public Assistance Program funding in response to severe weather between April 9 and 11, 2013. The severe weather produced damaging winds, heavy rains, thunderstorms, freezing rain, ice and snow that caused damage to utility lines, poles, trees and vegetation.

A joint federal, state and local preliminary damage assessment of the five counties found the severe weather caused an estimated $6 million of damage that could be eligible under the Public Assistance Program. Public Assistance funds may be used to rebuild damaged infrastructure that may include roads, bridges, culverts and other public facilities, or to cover costs of emergency work during and debris removal after storms.



ISU: Vaccination and Health Recommendations for Iowa Swine Shows

With the advent of county fair swine shows in Iowa just a few weeks from now, Iowa State University Extension swine veterinarian James McKean said there are specific steps that exhibitors and fair attendees can follow to decrease health risks for animals and people at these events.

“Exhibitors are strongly encouraged to vaccinate their show pigs for erysipelas, a common and rapid spreading illness in pigs. They should consult with their veterinarian about specific vaccines, follow the label dosage, observe the required withdrawal times for each vaccine and be sure to allow adequate time for the animals to develop immunity,” McKean said. “Also, they should consult with their vet about whether/which influenza vaccine should be considered at the same time.”

This recommendation is not new. At least four years ago, pre-exhibit vaccination with both erysipelas and influenza vaccines was strongly encouraged through Iowa State’s Iowa Pork Industry Center where McKean is associate director.

“With up to three weeks before full protection after a vaccination and a required three-week withdrawal period, these vaccinations need to be administered in a timely manner,” he said. “Collective action by exhibitors adds an effective tool in an exhibition’s biosecurity plan.”

Both erysipelas and influenza can spread rapidly in a group environment such as a swine barn at a fair, leading to major difficulties in providing good swine welfare. It also decreases marketing options for all swine at the exhibition. McKean said when in doubt, people should leave ill pigs at home and consult with their veterinarian about how to handle other animals that have been exposed to those pigs.

“Pigs that are off-feed, have a fever or generally appear unwell should not be brought to a show,” McKean said. “And likewise, people who’re feeling ill with influenza symptoms should not go in swine barns. Both people and pigs can bring influenza viruses to an exhibition.”



Ethanol Production Continues to Reduce Its Energy and Environmental Footprint

A new study released today entitled “2012 Corn Ethanol: Emerging Plant Energy and Environmental Technologies” found that recent innovations in corn ethanol production have resulted in increased yield per bushel even as less energy is required for production. Thermal energy use at a typical dry mill ethanol plant has fallen 9% since 2008, the study found, meaning the carbon footprint of corn ethanol continues to shrink.

The authors, Steffen Mueller, PhD, of the University of Illinois at Chicago Energy Resources Center and John Kwik, PE, of Dominion Energy Services, LLC wrote in summary, “Our work includes an assessment of over 50% of operating dry grind corn ethanol plants. On average, 2012 dry grind plants produce ethanol at higher yields with lower energy inputs than 2008 corn ethanol.”

They continue, “Furthermore, significantly more corn oil is separated at the plants now, which combined with the higher ethanol yields results in a slight reduction in DDG production and a negligible increase in electricity consumption.”

The table below summarizes the 2012 survey results and contrasts them with 2008 operating efficiencies.

                                                                         2012 Corn Ethanol      2008 Corn Ethanol
Yield (anhydrous/undenatured, gallon/bushel)              2.82                              2.78
Thermal Energy (Btu/gallon, LHV)                            23,862                          26,206
Electricity Use (kWh/gallon)                                        0.75                              0.73
DDG Yield (dry basis) including corn oil (lbs/bu)         15.73                            15.81
Corn Oil Separated (lbs/bushel)                                  0.53                              0.11
Water Use (gallon/gallon)                                            2.70                              2.72


Bob Dinneen, President and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), commented on the new findings.

“Once again, the innovation and dedication of this industry is borne out in the science and data. Ethanol producers are constantly evolving, innovating, and improving the production process. As a result, today’s ethanol industry is using less energy and water than ever before and greatly reducing GHG emissions associated with the corn ethanol lifecycle. Today’s ethanol producers are conscientious stewards of this country’s precious resources and this country’s energy future. The ethanol industry is a classic example of American ingenuity driving success.”



ACE tells Congress RFS is catalyst for innovation

In response to the release of the second white paper from the House Energy and Commerce Committee on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) entitled “Agricultural Sector Impacts,” the Executive Vice President of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) Brian Jennings submitted comments today about the benefits of the RFS for U.S. and international agriculture.

Regarding the RFS and U.S. agriculture: “The RFS provides an economic incentive for scientists and technology firms to help farmers sustainably produce significantly more bushels of corn on an acre of existing cropland.  Since the RFS was enacted in 2005, these advancements, such as new seed varieties and more sustainable tillage practices, have enabled U.S. farmers to produce, on average, nearly 20 additional bushels of corn per acre than before.  Still more innovations, like drought-tolerant genes, are being developed to improve corn yield further.  The 2012 drought-ravaged corn crop was twice as large as the drought-ravaged crop of 1988 and three-times larger than the U.S. corn crop 50 years ago.  None of this progress would have been possible without the RFS.”

Regarding the RFS and global agriculture: “From 2000 to 2011, a timeframe which includes when the idea for the RFS was developed by ACE, when it was enacted by Congress, and implemented by EPA, world corn production rose 12 billion bushels as 43 nations, mostly in Africa and the former Soviet Republic, doubled their production of corn.  Repealing the RFS would simply discourage farmers around the world from planting corn, which runs contrary to what the meat and livestock groups supporting repeal want.”

Regarding the RFS and food prices: “Despite the hysteria created by oil companies who oppose the RFS because it enables renewable fuel to compete for market share with petroleum, and food manufacturers who oppose the RFS because they feel entitled to cheap corn forever, the facts indicate virtually no correlation between the RFS or prices farmers receive for corn and retail food prices.  When we pay $1 for groceries, about 14 cents goes to the farmer.  About 35 cents of that dollar pays for the energy to make, transport, process, and preserve the food we buy.  When oil prices rise, so do food prices.  If policymakers genuinely want to reduce food prices, they should support the RFS because it replaces petroleum with renewable fuel.”

“Special interests who profited handsomely in the past from corn prices that averaged $2 per bushel and who are today heavily lobbying the Congress to repeal the RFS, profited on the backs of American taxpayers who were paying for multi-billion dollar commodity support programs under previous farm bills.  With global oil demand on the rise and global oil prices at a new equilibrium, it is highly unlikely those special interests who feel entitled to cheap corn forever will get their wish.”



AFBF: Legislation Needed to Maintain Movement of Grains

New legislation introduced in the House, H.R. 1152, The Mississippi River Navigation Sustainment Act, would maintain the critical movement of goods during periods of extreme weather, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation.

"The Mississippi River is a critical national transportation artery on which hundreds of millions of tons of essential commodities are shipped, such as corn, grain, oilseeds and agricultural inputs," AFBF President Bob Stallman wrote in a letter to sponsors of the bill, Reps. Bill Enyart (D-Ill.) and Rodney Davis (R-Ill.).

"Recent low water events on the Mississippi River created great uncertainty for those who depend on our waterway systems. Whether it is low water conditions or devastating floods, we need to be proactive in planning and preparing to keep the Mississippi River open for commerce," Stallman said.

He praised the recently introduced legislation because it will improve understanding of the Mississippi River system while providing additional flexibility for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to respond to extreme weather events through better water management, improved river forecasting and more effective environmental management.

"An efficient and reliable inland waterway system linked to competitive ports is vital to America's ability to provide affordable agricultural products domestically and to compete internationally," Stallman concluded.



Lower Feed Prices Could Help Hog Producer Profits

Hog producers should return to profitability this spring because of lower feed prices, although delayed planting could still change that, a Purdue Extension agricultural economist says. Chris Hurt said the animal industries got an unexpected boost from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's grain stocks report at the end of March.

"Inventories of both corn and soybeans were much higher than anticipated, and that seemingly indicates that greater supplies of both corn and soybean meal are going to be available for the rest of this marketing year," he said. "A dramatic downward movement in feed prices had not been expected until mid- to late summer."

Corn prices dropped nearly $1 per bushel and soybean meal prices about $15 per ton.

Hurt had earlier predicted that hog production could return to profitability this spring, but that was based on an expected spring hog price rally, not lower feed costs.

"Estimated costs for farrow-to-finish production had been around $70 per live hundredweight in the first and second quarter of this year," he said. "Now, my estimates for second-quarter costs have fallen to about $65.50 and to around $63 per hundredweight for the third quarter."

In the first quarter of this year, live hog prices averaged near $62 per live hundredweight. Hurt expects those prices to continue to rise to the mid-$60 range for the next two quarters.

If that happens, he said second-quarter prices should cover production costs and hog producers could see small profits of around $8 per head in the third quarter - the first profits they've seen since 2011.

If farmers are able to get the 2013 crops planted in a timely manner, feed costs are expected to continue falling for the remainder of this year and into early 2014.

Starting early this fall, total costs of hog production could drop to under $60 for the first time since 2011. But while the optimism is welcome after losses of about $26 a head for the last three quarters, Hurt said feed prices could still change and cause production costs to rise.

"Of course, weather this summer and the size of the 2013 crop production is another uncertainty of feed costs," he said. "If late planting or poor summer weather results in another below-normal production year in 2013, that could clearly push up new crop prices and maybe push them up substantially."

But on the other hand, a more normal production year for the U.S. could provide some cushion against the next small crop and help stabilize feed prices for the next few years.



Second Release of Newly Converted Sorghum Lines Made Available to Seed Industry

The Sorghum Checkoff in collaboration with MMR Genetics (NuSeeds America) and USDA-Agricultural Research Service have released 50 new sources of sorghum germplasm through the reinstated Sorghum Conversion Program.

This is the program’s second of three scheduled releases of sorghum germplasm. In June 2012, the program released 44 converted lines that were distributed to 12 public and private entities engaged in sorghum breeding for the development of new and better hybrid lines of sorghum.

The reinstated sorghum conversion program releases make more of the world’s inventory of sorghum genetics available to public and private breeding programs. The material released provides a brand new source of germplasm with potential yield-improving benefits among other desirable genetic traits. Breeding companies can capture potential traits from this new release of germplasm to incorporate into their current sorghum lines to improve the crop’s productivity.



G-8 Open Data for Agriculture Conference Aims to Help Feed a Growing Population and Fulfill New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition Commitment

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, along with Bill Gates, and U.S. Chief Technology Officer Todd Park, today kicked off a two-day international open data conference, saying that data "is among the most important commodities in agriculture" and sharing it openly increases its value.

Secretary Vilsack, as head of the U.S. Government delegation to the conference, announced the launch of a new "virtual community" as part of a suite of actions, including the release of new data, that the United States is taking to give farmers and ranchers, scientists, policy makers and other members of the public easy access to publicly funded data to help increase food security and nutrition.

"The digital revolution fueled by open data is starting to do for the modern world of agriculture what the industrial revolution did for agricultural productivity over the past century," said Vilsack. "Open access to data will help combat food insecurity today while laying the groundwork for a sustainable agricultural system to feed a population that is projected to be more than nine billion by 2050."

The virtual Food, Agriculture, and Rural data community launched today on Data.gov-the U.S. Government's data sharing website-to catalogue America's publicly available agricultural data and increase the ability of the public to find, download, and use datasets that are generated and held by the Federal Government. The data community features a collection of more than 300 newly cataloged datasets, databases, and raw data sources related to food, agriculture, and rural issues from agencies across the U.S. Government. In addition to the data catalog, the virtual community shares a number of applications, maps and tools designed to help farmers, scientists and policymakers improve global food security and nutrition.

At the conference, the U.S. Government is also releasing an action plan to highlight a number of new and ongoing U.S. Government efforts including:
-   A partnership to support plant and microbial genebank collections that curate, store and make genetic resources available via the Germplasm Resources Information Network or GRIN-Global;
-   U.S. leadership in the United Nations Global Strategy to Improve Agricultural and Rural Statistics, providing capacity building support for development and improvement of national agricultural and rural statistics; and
-   U.S. Government efforts underway to develop national policies and implementation plans that ensure direct results of federally funded scientific research are made available and useful for the public, industry, and the scientific community which will effectively implement the White House memorandum titled Increasing Access to the Results of Federally Funded Scientific Research, released earlier this year.

The action plan will also include announcements of new, publicly available datasets from the Millennial Challenge Corporation (MCC) U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), USDA and others. The private and non-profit sectors will also announce the release of their own data sets at the conference.

The conference and the U.S. actions supporting open agricultural data fulfill the Open Data for Agriculture commitment made as part of the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition, which was launched by President Obama and G-8 partners at the 2012 G-8 Leaders Summit last year at Camp David, Maryland.

In his remarks, Vilsack thanked the G-8, particularly the United Kingdom, which holds the 2013 G-8 presidency; New Alliance partner countries attending or tuning in to the conference livestream from Sub-Saharan Africa; and the World Bank, for partnering with the G-8 to hold the conference.

Secretary Vilsack heads the U.S. Government delegation to the conference and USDA's Chief Scientist, Dr. Catherine Woteki, is acting as alternate head of delegation and providing scientific guidance. The U.S. delegation includes wide representation from Federal agencies including the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID); Department of State; Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC); National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and National Science Foundation.



CWT Assists with 2 Million Pounds of Cheese and Butter Export Sales

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted eight requests for export assistance from Dairy Farmers of America, Northwest Dairy Association (Darigold), Michigan Milk Producers Association, Swiss Valley Farms and Upstate Niagara Cooperative (O-AT-KA) to sell 925,942 pounds (420 metric tons) of Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese and 1.102 million pounds (500 metric tons) of butter to customers in Asia and North Africa. The product will be delivered May through October 2013.

Year-to-date, CWT has assisted member cooperatives in selling 50.982 million pounds of cheese, 51.727 million pounds of butter, 44,092 pounds of anhydrous milk fat and 218,258 pounds of whole milk powder to 31 countries on six continents. These sales are the equivalent of 1.599 billion pounds of milk on a milkfat basis. That is more than USDA’s projected increase in milk marketings for all of 2013.

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 assistance to the bidders only when delivery of the product is verified by the submission of the required documentation.



USDA Dairy Products 2012 Summary

Total cheese production, excluding cottage cheeses, was 10.9 billion pounds, 2.8 percent above 2011 production. Wisconsin was the leading State with 25.6 percent of the production.

Italian varieties, with 4.63 billion pounds were 1.1 percent above 2011 production and accounted for 42.5 percent of total cheese in 2012. Mozzarella accounted for 78.0 percent of the Italian production followed by Provolone with 7.7 percent and Parmesan with 6.4 percent. California was the leading State in Italian cheese production with 30.7 percent of the production.

American type cheese production was 4.36 billion pounds, 3.1 percent above 2011 and accounted for 40.0 percent of total cheese in 2012. Wisconsin was the leading State in American type cheese production with 19.0 percent of the production.

Butter production in the United States during 2012 totaled 1.86 billion pounds, 2.8 percent above 2011. California accounted for 35.2 percent of the production.

Dry milk powders (2012 United States production, comparisons with 2011)
Nonfat dry milk, human - 1.76 billion pounds, up 17.7 percent.
Skim milk powders - 381 million pounds, down 14.7 percent.

Whey products (2012 United States production, comparisons with 2011)
Dry whey, total - 999  million pounds, down 1.1 percent.
Lactose, human and animal - 1.03 billion pounds, up 2.6 percent.
Whey protein concentrate, total - 441 million pounds, up 2.4 percent.

Frozen products (2012 United States production, comparisons with 2011)
Ice cream, Regular (total) - 899 million gallons, up 1.2 percent.
Ice cream, Lowfat (total) - 467 million gallons, up 12.3 percent.
Sherbet (total) - 46.0 million gallons, up 1.4 percent.
Frozen Yogurt (total) - 74.0 million gallons, up 18.0 percent.



Bill Would Require Labeling of Genetically Engineered Foods

U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer and Representative Peter DeFazio introduced the Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act, legislation that would require the Food and Drug Administration to clearly label genetically engineered foods so that consumers can make informed choices about what they eat.

"Americans have the right to know what is in the food they eat so they can make the best choices for their families," Senator Boxer said. "This legislation is supported by a broad coalition of consumer groups, businesses, farmers, fishermen and parents who all agree that consumers deserve more - not less - information about the food they buy."

According to surveys, more than 90 percent of Americans support the labeling of genetically engineered foods. In fact, many consumers are surprised to learn that GE foods are not already labeled.

Currently, the FDA requires the labeling of over 3,000 ingredients, additives and processes, but the agency has resisted labels for genetically modified foods. In a 1992 policy statement, the FDA allowed GE foods to be marketed without labeling, claiming that these foods were not materially different from other foods because the genetic differences could not be recognized by taste, smell or other senses.

The bill's sponsors say the FDA's antiquated labeling policy has not kept pace with 21st century food technologies that allow for a wide array of genetic and molecular changes to food that can’t be detected by human senses. Common sense would indicate that GE corn that produces its own insecticide--or is engineered to survive being doused by herbicides--is materially different from traditional corn that does not. Even the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has recognized that these foods are materially different and novel for patent purposes.

The bipartisan legislation would require clear labels for genetically engineered whole foods and processed foods, including fish and seafood. The measure would direct the FDA to write new labeling standards that are consistent with U.S. labeling standards and international standards.