Thursday May 9 Ag News

UNL Beef Industry Scholars Receive Their MBA – Masters in Beef Advocacy

As the 19 freshman in the UNL Beef Industry Scholars class completed their first year in college last week, they ended it by earning their Masters in Beef Advocacy (MBA) degree. The MBA program is an e-learning opportunity developed to assist producers across the country in becoming effective spokespersons for the industry.

The program consists of six, 1-hour core courses in the following areas: beef safety, beef nutrition, animal care, environmental stewardship, modern beef production and the beef checkoff.  Dr. Tom Field, Director of the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program and freshman Beef Scholars teacher, encouraged the class to participate in the program. “The MBA completion provides our Beef Scholars an opportunity to join industry leaders in being prepared to advocate for their business on a continual basis.  Immediate engagement with industry efforts helps to prepare our students to lead in the future.”

There are over 4,000 MBA graduates from across the US all helping to share the positive message about beef via on-line forums.  “We are thrilled to have this group of young people graduate from the MBA program and help to share our story via social media and the internet which their generation thrives on,” said Ann Marie Bosshamer, Executive Director of the Nebraska Beef Council.

Students include:  Aaron Aldana, Nebraska City; Steve Fish, Imperial; Lukas Fricke, Ulysses; Laura Gorecki, Farwell; Alex Heine, Yankton, SD; Devin Huesinkvelt, Cortland; Hannah Kesterson, Alliance; Jennifer Keyes, Springfield; Halsie Large, Hayes Center; Maci Linemann, Princeton; Alix Mashino, Spencer; Jared McKeever, Wymore; Logan Peters, Pender; Emily Sarbacker, Windsor, CO; Kolin Scheele, Odell; Travis Schiefelbein, Kimball, MN; Patti Schlickbernd, West Point; and Curtis Wetovick, Fullerton.



Senate Ag Committee Releases The Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2013
Senator Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman

The Senate’s bipartisan 2013 Farm Bill represents the most significant reform of American agriculture policy in decades.

With the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act, the era of direct payments is over. Instead of subsidies that pay out every year even in good times, the bill creates risk management tools that support farmers when they are negatively impacted by weather disaster or market events beyond their control.

By ending unnecessary subsidies, streamlining and consolidating programs and cracking down on abuse, the bill reduces the deficit by billions.  Passing the Farm Bill will yield a total of $23 billion in cuts to agriculture programs (including cuts made due to the sequester).

$23 billion is over double the amount the bipartisan Simpson-Bowles commission ($10 billion) and Gang of Six ($11 billion) recommended in total agriculture cuts.

Agriculture is a bright spot in America’s economy. The Senate’s 2013 Farm Bill strengthens top priorities that help farmers, ranchers and small business owners create jobs.

The current Farm Bill expires September 30th.  A new Farm Bill must be passed this year to provide farmers the certainty they need to keep driving our economic recovery.

Sixteen million jobs hang in the balance.

Last year’s similar Senate Farm Bill passed the Senate with a wide bipartisan vote, 64-35.  The Farm Bill is broadly supported by Democrats and Republicans across the country for its major reforms, common sense deficit reduction and strengthened job creation initiatives.

Major Reform: Ending Direct Payments; Creating Responsible Risk Management
Farmers face unique risks unlike other businesses. Weather and market conditions outside a producer’s control can have devastating effects. Responsible risk management tools help ensure that farmers – and farm jobs – are not wiped out by disasters, and protect all American families from sudden spikes in food prices.

However, for too long farm programs have existed as subsidies that provide payments even when farmers are already doing well. The 2013 Senate Farm Bill reforms farm programs to save taxpayer dollars, while providing farmers with a responsible risk management system that only helps farmers when they experience substantial losses due to events beyond their control.  This proposal:
-    Eliminates direct payments. Farmers will no longer receive payments when prices are rising and support is not needed. Ending these subsidies and creating responsible risk management is a major shift in American farm policy
-    Caps remaining risk management support at $50,000 per person
-    Ends Farm Payments to Non-Farmers. This bill closes the “management loophole,” through which people who were not actually farming—in many cases not even setting foot on the farm—were designated as farm “managers” so they could receive farm payments
-    Strengthens crop insurance and expands access so farmers are not wiped out by bad weather
-    Includes disaster relief for producers hurt by drought, spring freeze, and other weather disasters
-    Reforming farm programs, ending direct payments and implementing market-oriented programs to help farmers manage risk saves $16 billion dollars ($12 billion in the bill, $4 billion through sequestration)

Consolidating and Streamlining Programs
By eliminating duplicative programs, funds are concentrated in the areas in which they will have the greatest impact, reducing the deficit while strengthening top priorities.  The Senate Farm Bill eliminates over 100 programs and authorizations under the Agriculture Committee’s jurisdiction.  For example:
-    The bill consolidates 23 existing conservation programs into 13 programs—while maintaining existing tools to protect and conserve land, water and wildlife
-    Streamlining programs provides added flexibility and focuses conservation around four primary functions: working lands conservation, the Conservation Reserve Program, regional partnerships, and easements to help prevent sprawl and protect wetlands
-    These reforms save money while still increasing resources for top priorities
-    Because we are truly doing more with less, changes to conservation policies are supported by nearly 650 conservation organizations from all 50 states

Improving Program Accountability
At a time when many out-of-work Americans are in need of food assistance for the first time in their lives, it is more critical than ever that every dollar go to families in need. By closing loopholes, cracking down on abuse and improving program integrity, the Farm Bill reduces the deficit without cutting standard benefits or removing any needy family from the program.  The Senate Farm Bill increases accountability in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by: .
-    Stopping lottery winners from continuing to receive assistance
-    Preventing states from providing $1 per year in home heating assistance to individuals who do not have a heating bill for the sole purpose of providing extra benefits above what they would normally receive
-    Ending misuse by college students whose families are not truly low-income
-    Cracking down on retailers and recipients engaged in benefit trafficking
-    Increasing requirements to prevent liquor and tobacco stores from accepting food assistance benefits
-    The above savings reduce the deficit while continuing support for food banks, seniors’ food programs and healthy school lunch initiatives

Continuing Growth in America’s Diverse Agricultural Economy
The Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act increases efficiency and accountability, saving tens of billions of dollars overall, while still strengthening agricultural jobs initiatives through:
-    Export opportunities to help farmers find new global markets for their goods
-    Help for family farmers to sell locally, increasing support for farmers’ markets and spurring the creation of food hubs to connect farmers to schools and other community-based organizations
-    Training and access to capital to make it easier for beginning farmers to get off the ground
-    Initiatives to help American veterans start agriculture businesses
-    Growth in bio-based manufacturing (businesses producing goods in America from raw agricultural products grown in America) to create rural agriculture and urban manufacturing jobs
-    Innovation in bio-energy production, supporting non-food based advanced biomass energy production such as cellulosic ethanol and woody biomass power-
-    Research to promote the commercialization of new agricultural innovations
-    Rural development initiatives to help rural communities upgrade infrastructure, extend broadband internet availability and create a better environment for small businesses    

Markup: Tuesday, May 14, 2013
The Senate Agriculture Committee will meet at 10:00am on Tuesday, May 14 to consider and begin marking up the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2013 (the 2013 Farm Bill).



Soybean Growers Welcome Senate Agriculture Committee Farm Bill Draft

In advance of Tuesday’s scheduled markup, the Senate Agriculture Committee today released a draft of its proposed farm bill, which met with approval from the nation’s soybean farmers. American Soybean Association (ASA) President and Canton, Miss., soybean farmer Danny Murphy welcomed the draft and encouraged its expedited passage:

“ASA commends Chairwoman Stabenow, Ranking Member Cochran, and members of the Senate Agriculture Committee for their work thus far in crafting a proposed farm bill. Importantly, the draft released by the Committee would protect and strengthen crop insurance as well as ensure that a target price program to protect growers from low prices remains decoupled from current planting decisions, thus avoiding the possibility of production distortions. Combined with a revenue protection program similar to that included in last year’s Senate bill, the proposed legislation takes significant steps to provide farmers with effective risk management programs while protecting planting flexibility and avoiding planting distortions.

“While ASA is still studying details of the 1,102-page bill, our initial review also notes that the draft reflects other ASA priorities including reauthorization and funding of the Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program and Market Access Program, funding for conservation programs applied to working lands, reauthorization and funding for important bio-based and bioenergy programs, and support for agricultural research, to name just a few.”

“ASA applauds the Agriculture Committees in both the House and Senate for taking the initiative to move a farm bill forward in the 113th Congress. We look forward to speedy markups in both Committees next week and the passage of a new comprehensive farm bill as quickly as possible.”



NFBF on Senate Action on Oil Spill Regulation

“We are pleased by the U.S. Senate’s actions to provide regulatory relief to Nebraska farm families in regards to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) rule governing oil spills on farms. EPA’s Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) rule has been a source of frustration for many Nebraska farm families attempting to comply given uncertainty surrounding their obligations under the regulations. While the Senate’s action to adjust regulatory thresholds and further study the appropriate thresholds for regulation on farms is not a complete fix, it is clearly a step in the right direction.”

“We are hopeful action in the U.S. House will build upon the progress made in the Senate to further reflect the reality that oil spills on farms have historically not presented a risk to the environment and regulations on farms should reflect this reality. We greatly appreciate the work of both Sen. Mike Johanns and Sen. Deb Fischer for their efforts to work toward a common sense solution to EPA’s oil spill rules.”



Water for Food Speaker: 'Time is Running Out; Time for Action'

            Dilip Kulkarni remembers the first global Water for Food Conference in Lincoln in 2009. "Another water conference" was his initial dismissive reaction.

            Wednesday (May 8), as the fifth annual conference closed, Kulkarni, of India's Jain Irrigation Systems, praised the gatherings of experts from around the world for playing an important role in surfacing challenges and solutions to the problem of feeding a world expected to grow from 7 billion to 9 billion by 2050.

            But "time is running out," Kulkarni said. "It is now the time for action, we must take our research, our knowledge to the people. The solutions are within our reach."

            The conference was hosted by the University of Nebraska's Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Institute and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and sponsored by Monsanto.

            Kulkarni and others on a closing panel led by Water for Food Institute Executive Director Roberto Lenton said the problems are complex and differ around the world. Much of the challenge lies in convincing government leaders to take research seriously in crafting new laws and policies to help address the issue.

            "Too often our policymakers are taking the issue of climate change and kicking it down the road," said Mace Hack, state director of The Nature Conservancy in Nebraska.

            Another wrinkle, cited by Sandy Zellmer, the Robert B. Daugherty professor of law at UNL's College of Law, is that scientific and producer knowledge of water issues is outpacing the legal system's grasp of them.  

             Earlier Wednesday, livestock experts addressed livestock's often-misunderstood role in sustainable agriculture.

            "Beef does use a heck of a lot of water and I'm not here to say it doesn't," said Jude Capper, a livestock sustainability consultant from Bozeman, Mont.

            However, she said, anti-meat activists have painted an unfair picture using distorted statistics and scare tactics.

            "We are bombarded every day with the message, 'if you care about the planet you shouldn't eat meat,'" she said.

            In the United States, Capper said, improved beef production reduced the sector's water footprint 88 percent from 1977 to 2007. Further improvements can yield more progress, she said.

            Bradley Ridoutt, of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization in Australia, said any discussion of livestock's role has to consider its location and context. Livestock production in different parts of the world has different environmental impacts.

            "Agriculture is not homogenous. It is very dangerous to make generalizations about the water footprint of broad production categories or regions," he said.

            "What is the shape, the size, the form of a livestock sector in a sustainable food system?" Ridoutt asked. "There must be some limits," he acknowledged, but he rejected calls for moving away from meat consumption. Instead, Ridoutt said, policies must be based on research.

            Globally, livestock accounts for 16 percent of the calories, 33 percent of the protein and 43 percent of the fat consumed by humans, said Mats Lannerstad of the International Livestock Research Institute and Stockholm Environmental Institute. Beyond that, he noted, livestock has many nonfood uses.

            Other sessions Wednesday covered the potential role for unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, in agriculture and research. UNL scientists are working to make drones more reliable, safer and easier to use for researchers and producers alike. Potential uses include scouting fields for pests and disease, gathering water, air or leaf samples and monitoring other crop and environmental factors.

            Moisture-sensing equipment and other information can improve water efficiency 20 percent or more, said M. Can Vuran, an assistant professor of computer science and engineering at UNL. However, only about 8 percent of producers use these tools. Vuran's team is developing wireless underground sensor networks to help producers manage irrigation more efficiently.

            The three-day conference, which concluded Wednesday, drew more than 400 people from around the world who are working to overcome the urgent challenge of growing more food with less water.

            Additional information about the 2013 Water for Food Conference is online at: http://waterforfood.nebraska.edu/wff2013.

            The Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Institute is a research, policy analysis and education institute committed to helping the world efficiently use its limited freshwater resources, with a particular focus on ensuring the food supply for current and future generations. Established in April 2010, the institute focuses on fundamental and applied research to provide the knowledge base for effective, practical solutions. It is building the tools needed to guide decision-making about management of water quantity and quality and to inform policymaking at all levels.



NCTA Recognizes 2013 Honor Graduates

Kicking off its Centennial year, the University of Nebraska’s Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture (NCTA) honored students from four primary departments in commencement exercises Thursday, May 2 at the Curtis Memorial Community Center.

Nearly 600 people attend the commencement recognizing students in Agribusiness Management, Agriculture Production, Horticulture, and Veterinary Technology.

Alan Moeller, assistant vice chancellor of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, conferred degrees to 61 students participating in the ceremony.  Overall, students earned 81 degrees in Associate of Science, Associate of Applied Science, and Certificates.  Some students had completed coursework in December or will finalize programs in August, said Scott Mickelsen, NCTA associate dean.  “We are proud of the hard work by all of our students, faculty and staff.”

Class Valedictorian was Kaci Schroer of Nelson, who graduated Summa Cum Laude (4.0 GPA) from Agriculture Production Systems and Agribusiness Management Systems. Her speech called for students to “GROW” – graduates, responsibility, opportunity and wisdom. Salutatorian was Shawna M. Clement of Malcom, also Summa Cum Laude (4.0 GPA) in Veterinary Technology Systems.

Eight students graduated Magna Cum Laude (3.75-3.99 GPA) – Agribusiness Management: Amanda Castle, Olathe, CO; Agriculture Production: Lance Johnson, Upland; Jackson Kummer, Columbus; Lindy McKinney, Greensburg, KS; Sawyer Orr, Hemingford; and Nolan Wilson, Gothenburg; Horticulture: Sydney Roth, Minneapolis, MN; and Veterinary Technology: Laura Welch, Grand Island;

Five graduates with Cum Laude (3.5-3.74 GPA) awards: Agriculture Production: Luke Glodowski, Farnam; Melissa McConnell, Wall, SD; Tyler Rose, Agra, KS; and Megan Streweler, Arnold; and Veterinary Tech: Eliza Benteman, Waterville, KS.

Michael Kelsey, executive vice president of Nebraska Cattlemen, was commencement speaker.  He was joined by University of Nebraska Regents Tim Clare of Lincoln and Bob Phares of North Platte for brief remarks. 



CHS and Aurora Cooperative to build grain shuttle loader in Nebraska

Today CHS Inc., an energy grains and foods company and the nation's leading farmer-owned cooperative, and the Aurora Cooperative, a leading grain marketer and agricultural supplier throughout Nebraska and the U.S., announced formation of a limited liability company (LLC) to build and operate a high-speed shuttle loading facility near Superior, Nebraska.

The new entity, Superior East, LLC expects to begin construction immediately and be completed in about 12 months. With a storage capacity of 1,250,000 bushels, the new grain facility will include a 120-car capacity circle track on the BNSF line moving corn, soybeans and hard red winter wheat to markets west and south, including Mexico. Additionally, the location will provide a grain ground piling system, as well as 10,000-ton liquid fertilizer storage. The site has ample room to expand both grain and fertilizer capacity.

Superior East, LLC was formed under the recently introduced CHS Partnered Equity Program. This first-of-its-kind program allows CHS owners to unlock a portion of their equity in CHS to provide capital for an expansion project. Cooperatives participating in the program use a portion of their CHS equity as a contribution to a venture with CHS focused on helping their cooperative grow. Eligible projects include shuttle loaders, fertilizer hub plants, energy assets and other growth opportunities.

"By using a portion of our CHS equity along with additional CHS capital to build a next-generation ag multiplex, we will be able to provide the Aurora Cooperative farmer owners in southern Nebraska and northern Kansas additional access to world grain and fertilizer markets via the BNSF rail system," said George Hohwieler, Aurora Cooperative President and CEO.  "This significant expansion fully aligns with our vision to be a financially strong, innovative, and locally-owned agri-business," said Hohwieler.

"We are excited about the opportunity to come together with such a strong partner with the CHS Partnered Equity Program," said Lynden Johnson, Business Solutions executive vice president, CHS. "The goal of the program is to help our owners grow by providing strong cooperatives like Aurora the opportunity to unlock a portion of their equity in CHS for projects that directly serve their farmer owners. We look forward to exploring other projects that would benefit our owners in Nebraska and other states in CHS trade area," said Johnson.

Superior East, LLC is a 50/50 joint venture with a governing board comprised of representatives from both CHS and the Aurora Cooperative. The multiplex will be operated by the Aurora Cooperative.



NE Reaches a Tentative Agreement with KS to Halt Releases from Harlan County Reservoir

The Nebraska Department of Natural Resources has reached a tentative agreement with the Kansas Bostwick Irrigation District. As a part of this agreement, the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources will discontinue the required releases of water being made from Harlan County Reservoir in exchange for a commitment from Kansas Bostwick Irrigation District that their use of the water will not harm Nebraska’s efforts to comply with the Republican River Compact. This agreement between Nebraska and the Kansas Bostwick Irrigation District will be memorialized in a contract being developing by the United States Bureau of Reclamation, the operators of the reservoir.

Releases of water from Harlan County Reservoir were initiated last week, at the request of the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, after discussions with Kansas state officials failed. Nebraska Department of Natural Resources Director Brian Dunnigan said, “We are very pleased that Kansas Bostwick Irrigation District approached us willing to implement, what we have felt all along, is a very practical solution.” The agreement reached will at least put off the required releases of water from Harlan County Reservoir until such time that the water will be used by Kansas Bostwick Irrigation District to supplement current irrigation water supplies or until after the 2013 irrigation season has ended.

Director Dunnigan said, “We certainly did not expect that it would take this long into the year for us to reach an agreement, given the significant lead time that all parties have had regarding the actions Nebraska would be taking in 2013. I hope this is the start of finding common ground on water management solutions in the Republican River Basin so all water users in the basin may benefit.”

A final agreement must be reached by 5:00 p.m. this Friday or the required releases by Nebraska will be reinitiated.



Haying, Grazing of Cover Crop Extended to May 22

The USDA Wednesday announced that due to cold and wet weather in many states it is providing Approved Insurance Providers the option to allow haying and grazing from the current May 10 deadline to May 22.

The USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) identified areas with the May 10 deadline where the wet, cold spring has delayed normal cover crop growth and normal spring planting preparations. There may also be areas where it may not be possible for producers to enter the field to terminate the cover crop or plant at this time.

Producers in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan seeking to continue haying or grazing a cover crop should contact their Approved Insurance Providers (AIP) to discuss eligibility. Because circumstances will be different for each producer, the AIPs may, at their sole discretion, make a determination to approve the request.

Under the existing policy in the seven identified states, a producer must not hay, graze, or harvest a cover crop after May 10, 2013 in order to insure a spring crop. The existing policies also provide specifics of when the cover crop must be terminated before planting the spring crop.

This decision does not affect the date by which the crop must be terminated or the planting dates.



Check with insurance carrier before final decision about cover crops

Iowa’s above-average precipitation over the past few weeks may mean that Iowa cattle producers can get some additional grazing from the cover crops they planted last fall.

Although the Risk Management Agency, the arm of the USDA that oversees crop insurance rules, says that it cannot alter the provision that called for May 10 to be the last date for haying and grazing, it says that Approved Insurance Providers in Iowa can, at their discretion, allow the continuation of haying and grazing until May 22. RMA Administrator Brandon Willis said in a bulletin issued May 8, the RMA “does recognize that certain conditions may exist that create an inability of the producer to meet the full intent of the (May 10) provision.”

“The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association has been telling RMA that exceedingly wet conditions in these fields have made it impractical to release cattle to graze there,” says Justine Stevenson, ICA’s director of government relations and public policy. “We appreciate that RMA is now providing a possible opportunity to hay or graze that cover crop.”

“However, we strongly suggest that producers work with their crop insurance provider to know which rules apply to them, and to get written permission from that provider that allows them the variance to hay or graze the field until May 22,” Stevenson says.

The number of acres that Iowa farmers plant to cover crops has increased by 20 times during the past three years. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service says about 100,000 acres of cover crops were
planted in Iowa in 2012, compared to 5,000 Iowa acres in 2009.



USDA Announces Farm Payments Scheduled to Resume

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Juan M. Garcia announced today that farm payments, which had been temporarily suspended due to sequestration, are scheduled to resume today, May 8. This includes payments for the 2011 Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program (SURE), the Noninsured Crop Assistance Program (NAP) and the Milk Income Loss Contract Program (MILC).

“I’m pleased to announce that farmers and ranchers can expect to begin receiving their payments beginning today, May 8,” said Garcia. “We appreciate the producers’ patience during the delay. We’re working diligently to get these payments out as quickly as possible.”

On March 4, 2013, FSA began a temporary suspension of FSA program payments in order to assess the impact of sequestration and determine the least-disruptive process possible for carrying out required cuts. The Department will use the Secretary’s limited authority to transfer funds to avoid reducing these program payments.

Producers should be advised that program sign-up periods currently underway have the following enrollment deadlines: 2013 Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) Program – June 3rd; 2011 SURE – June 7; and the 2013 Direct and Counter-Cyclical Program – August 2nd. Producers should contact their local Farm Service Agency office as soon as possible for appointments to enroll in these programs before the deadlines.



NCGA Applauds Senators Grassley and Stabenow for Efforts to Improve International Biotech Regulatory

Yesterday, the National Corn Growers Association expressed appreciation to Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) for co-authoring a letter to USDA Secretary Vilsack and USTR Acting Ambassador Marantis addressing international regulatory challenges for agricultural products derived from biotechnology. Biotech varieties accounted for 88 percent of corn planted in 2012. As the world's leading exporter of corn, NCGA strongly supports efforts to ensure the uninterrupted flow of corn and corn co-products in the international marketplace.

The letter identifies regulatory asynchrony, zero tolerance policies and re-registration requirements as costly regulatory barriers. It also acknowledges efforts currently underway by USDA and USTR to engage trading partners on these issues.

"Biotechnology is a critical tool for farmers to help manage pressure from weather, pests and weeds," said NCGA President Pam Johnson, a farmer from Floyd, Iowa. "We need to elevate the conversation on barriers to biotech with all of our trading partners."

"Improving regulatory predictability will allow farmers to have access to new technologies more quickly and reduce risk for exporters in the international marketplace," said NCGA Trade Policy and Biotechnology Action Team Chair Jim Zimmerman, a farmer from Rosendale, Wisc.

The letter was also signed by Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Roy Blunt (R-MO), John Boozman (R-AR), Bob Casey (D-PA), Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Dan Coats (R-IN), Thad Cochran (R-MS), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Joe Donnelley (D-IN), Al Franken (D-MN), Kay Hagan (D-NC), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Mike Johanns (R-NE), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Mark Pryor (D-AR), Pat Roberts(R-KS), John Thune (R-SD), and Mark Udall (D-CO).



Soybean Marketing and Production College Will Help Producers Capitalize on Agriculture Trends

The American Soybean Association (ASA) has created a new Soybean Marketing and Production College program to educate producers on how to capitalize on the growing trends and new technologies in agriculture to maximize on-farm profitability. The event takes place in Minneapolis, July 29-30. Growers do not have to be ASA members to participate.

“Global sustainability requirements, meeting world soybean demand, weed management and herbicide resistance issues, new precision ag technologies – these issues are all impacting the profitability of soybean growers,” said ASA President Danny Murphy, a soybean farmer from Canton, Miss. “ASA’s Soybean Marketing and Production College will give growers hands-on training in these areas, with breakout sessions and presentations from industry experts, in addition to a session on succession planning.”

Ohio State University’s Dr. Matt Roberts, industry consultant on grain, petroleum, and biofuels markets and policy, headlines the Opening General Session. Roberts will review the current supply and demand situation for grains and oilseeds globally, what that means for prices, and how growers can best take advantage of these trends in their own marketing decisions.

U.S. Farm Report host John Phipps will keynote the Closing General Session. Phipps will share strategies to not just endure, but prosper from an unpredictable future in agriculture by understanding which risks are worth worrying about.

Registration for ASA’s Soybean Marketing and Production College is open now through July 9. Get more information and register online at www.SoyGrowers.com/MarketingProductionCollege.

The Soybean Marketing and Production College is sponsored by the following corporate organizations and Qualified State Soybean Boards: AGCO, Bayer CropScience, Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board, Kansas Soybean Commission, Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, Minnesota Soybean Growers Association, New York Soybean Board and the Tennessee Soybean Promotion Board.



UNL student tours European agriculture with CLAAS

In January, 30 students from across the United State were awarded sponsorships courtesy of CLAAS of America to attend the Agricultural Equipment Technology Conference, which was held in conjunction with the Ag Connect Expo in Kansas City. Of those 30 recipients, one student was chosen to receive an all-expense paid trip to Germany.

The 2013 recipient of the Germany trip was Dylan Smith, a junior in agricultural engineering from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

“I have some background in agriculture and working with machinery, plus I really enjoy problem-solving, and those all seemed to fit together in ag engineering,” says Smith.

Smith first learned about the AETC sponsorships at an American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers student meeting at Nebraska. Applicants were chosen based on a number of qualifications, including their essay response to the question, “What do you feel has been the greatest contribution CLAAS has made to the world agricultural industry?”

Following his trip to AETC and Ag Connect, Smith was informed that he was selected to travel to Germany with CLAAS; he was taken aback when he received the news, but was more than excited to jump at the opportunity.

“I had never been to Europe before this and I was excited about going over there and learning more about European agriculture,” says Smith.

Prior to this experience, Smith’s primary exposure to CLAAS machinery was via a former employer that used CLAAS forage harvesters. Smith had worked with CLAAS JAGUAR harvesters, and was excited to see more of the CLAAS product lineup.

The tour featured trips to Amsterdam and Berlin, among the historical and educational sightseeing tours. Smith was also able to capitalize on his interest in agriculture and engineering. While on the tour, he was able to participate in a few driving demos at a farm and jump behind the wheel of CLAAS XERION and ARION tractors.

Smith was impressed with the efficiency and work ethic of the CLAAS employees while touring the headquarters in Harsewinkel, Germany, the parts warehouse and manufacturing facilities.

“I was impressed with the structure of the company. The organization of their manufacturing facilities was top-notch. Also, their checks and balances once the machine is put together was pretty amazing,” says Smith.

According to Smith, he learned the most about the role of CLAAS in the community.

“The thing I really noticed was what they do for the community and providing jobs for people in Harsewinkel and at the other CLAAS facilities,” says Smith.



AGCO to Expand Minnesota Production Facility

Farm equipment maker AGCO has begun further expansion of its Jackson, Minn., manufacturing center. During the next three years, the company will invest an estimated $42 million in infrastructure, increasing production capacity and efficiency in order to help meet growing demand for the tractors and application equipment built there.

Eric Fisher, AGCO director of operations in Jackson, was joined by city of Jackson Mayor Wayne Walter in a groundbreaking ceremony at the site this week to mark the start of the facility improvement project.

The three-year endeavor is made up of seven phases affecting all areas of the campus, including component manufacturing, the tractor assembly line and the application equipment assembly line.

Once completed, the expansion will create 75 additional permanent jobs at the facility, bringing the total number of employees to more than 1,200. The project will increase production capacity by 25 percent for both the tractor and sprayer assembly lines while maintaining best-in-class product quality.

In June 2012, AGCO expanded its Jackson location to bring production of Massey Ferguson and Challenger wheeled row-crop tractors to North America. That expansion included AGCO's first North American welcome center, Intivity CenterSM.

These efforts contributed more than $17 million to the local economy by adding more than 200 jobs. This brought the total number of professional, support and skilled manufacturing positions at the facility to 1,050.



FAO Sees Strong 2013-14 Grain Output

Global wheat and corn production is predicted to grow strongly in 2013-14, as most major growing regions are likely to recover from weather-related setbacks, the United Nation's food body said Thursday.

The Food and Agriculture Organization said it estimates global wheat production will reach 695 million metric tons, an increase of 5.4% from the year earlier and only around 6 million tons short of 2011's record level.

Much of this growth is expected to be concentrated in the European Union and Commonwealth of Independent States, the FAO said, driven by increased plantings in response to attractive prices and a return to normal yields in Russia and Ukraine following last year's drought.

However, in contrast, it added that prospects have deteriorated in the U.S., where drought persists on more than half of the winter wheat area and production looks likely to decrease this year.

Meanwhile, the FAO said it estimates that global corn production will rise 10% on the year, to around 960 million tons, with the bulk of the increase expected in the U.S., where plantings will likely to reach their highest level since 1936.

It added that recovery from drought in the major producing countries of the CIS should also contribute significantly to this record level of global production, with good crops already being harvested in the Southern Hemisphere.

The FAO also expects global rice production to rise to 497.7 million tons, 16 million tons higher than the previous year, with particularly large increases expected in India and Indonesia.



Argentina Corn Seen at 24.8M Tons

Argentina's corn harvest progressed slowly over the past week due to showers and as farmers focused on harvesting the soybean crop, the Buenos Aires Cereals Exchange said in its weekly crop report Thursday.  The exchange held its forecast for commercial corn production at 24.8 million metric tons. That's a record crop, although smaller than initial expectations due to a stretch of drought during key growing periods, the exchange said.

So far, 40.5% of the corn harvest has been wrapped up.  Argentina is the world's no. 3 corn exporter behind the U.S. and Brazil.

The exchange held its soybean forecast at 48.5 million metric tons, with 79.3% of the crop already harvested.  Argentina is the world's no. 3 soybean exporter and leads global soymeal and soyoil exports.



Agriculture and Livestock Remain Major Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Global greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector totaled 4.69 billion tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent in 2010 (the most recent year for which data are available), an increase of 13 percent over 1990 emissions. By comparison, global carbon dioxide emissions from transport totaled 6.76 billion tons that year, and emissions from electricity and heat production reached 12.48 billion tons, according to Worldwatch Institute's Vital Signs Online service (www.worldwatch.org).

Growth in agricultural production between 1990 and 2010 outpaced growth in emissions by a factor of 1.6, demonstrating increased energy efficiency in the agriculture sector.

The three most common gases emitted in agriculture are nitrous oxide, CO2, and methane. Methane is generally produced when organic materials----such as crops, livestock feed, or manure----decompose anaerobically (without oxygen). Methane accounts for around 50 percent of total agricultural emissions. Enteric fermentation----the digestion of organic materials by livestock----is the largest source of methane emissions and of agricultural emissions overall.

Nitrous oxide is a by-product generated by the microbial breakdown of nitrogen in soils and manures. Nitrous oxide production is particularly high in cases where the nitrogen available in soils exceeds that required by plants to grow, which often occurs when nitrogen-rich synthetic fertilizers are applied. Nitrous oxide is responsible for around 36 percent of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.

Finally, carbon dioxide is released from soils when organic matter decomposes aerobically (with oxygen). The largest source of CO2 emissions within agriculture is the drainage and cultivation of "organic soils"----soils in wetlands, peatlands, bogs, or fens with high organic material. When these areas are drained for cultivation, organic matter within the soil decomposes at a rapid rate, releasing CO2. This process accounts for around 14 percent of total agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.

Emissions from enteric fermentation rose by 7.6 percent worldwide between 1990 and 2010, but regional variation was high. At 51.4 percent and 28.1 percent, respectively, Africa and Asia saw their emissions increase, while emissions in Europe and Oceania fell by 48.1 percent and 16.1 percent. Europe's significant reduction in emissions parallels the decline in its beef production between 1990 and 2010, but it may also reflect increased use of grains and oils in cattle feed instead of grasses.

"Adding oils or oilseeds to feed can help with digestion and reduce methane emissions. But a shift from a grass-based to a grain- and oilseeds-based diet often accompanies a shift from pastures to concentrated feedlots, which has a range of negative consequences such as water pollution and high fossil fuel consumption," said Laura Reynolds, Worldwatch Food and Agriculture Researcher and the study's author. "Aside from reducing livestock populations, there is no other clear pathway to climate-friendly meat production from livestock."

Manure that is deposited and left on pastures contributes to global nitrous oxide emissions because of its high nitrogen content. When more nitrogen is added to soil than is needed, soil bacteria convert the extra nitrogen into nitrous oxide and emit it into the atmosphere----a process called nitrification. Emissions from manure on pasture were highest in Asia, Africa, and South America, accounting for a combined 81 percent of global emissions from this source.

These data indicate the huge share of global emissions that is attributable to livestock production. While reducing livestock populations is one way to reduce global emissions from agriculture, farmers and landowners have numerous other opportunities for mitigation, many of which offer environmental and even economic co-benefits. For instance, growing trees and woody perennials on land can sequester carbon while simultaneously helping to restore soils, reduce water contamination, and provide beneficial wildlife habitat. Reducing soil tillage can rebuild soils while lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Some practices can even result in increased income for farmers----"cap-and-trade" programs allow farmers to monetize certain sequestration practices and sell them, while government programs like the U.S. Conservation Reserve Program pay farmers to set aside some of their land for long-term restoration.