Tuesday May 21 Ag News

NC/NGLC Host Summer Grazing Tour

Mark your calendars for the Nebraska Cattlemen (NC) - Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition (NGLC) joint Summer Grazing Tour scheduled for June 11, 2013 in the southeastern Nebraska Sandhills.  The tour will involve four long standing Sandhills ranches northwest of Burwell including the Gracie Creek Ranch; the Shovel Dot Ranch; the Twin Creek Ranch, and UNL grazing research on the Barta Brothers Ranch.

Gracie Creek Ranch is a commercial beef operation managed by the Bob Price Family, and is located in the eastern Sandhills near Burwell, Nebraska. This is a family operation including Bob, son Aaron and daughter Lindsey and her husband Clayton Smith. The ranch’s main production goal is to promote grassland conservation through a profitable planned grazing system that allows for optimum levels of production and environmental services. To reach this goal, a year-round planned grazing system is implemented, supplementing when needed, and minimizing harvest feed demand. The ranch strives for management simplicity and production flexibility to account for climate and market volatility. The Price Family firmly believes conservation and agricultural production practices can be integrated, profitable, and sustainable for future generations. Conservation practices abound on the operation, and the entire ranch was recently enrolled in the USDA’s Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program.

The Buell Family first took roots in the Nebraska Sandhills when Benjamin Franklin Buell homesteaded in Southern Rock County in 1882.  Since that time each generation has worked to preserve and maintain the unique landscape of the Sandhills while at the same time running a profitable ranch.  The fourth generation, Larry and Homer and their families operated the Shovel Dot Ranch as a partnership for over 30 years but in 2009, to facilitate the generational transfer of the ranch, they separated.  At the present Homer, his wife Darla, and son Chad and his wife Tricia operate the Shovel Dot Ranch while Larry and his wife Nick operate the Twin Creek Ranch along with their son-in-law Kelby and daughter Devon. Each ranch, using about 15,000 acres, is a cow calf, backgrounding, yearling operation with management of native grasses of paramount importance.  Homer and his brother Larry, starting back in the 1970s, were always quick to adopt new ideas and technology. The Grazing Manager software program is just one of the tools that they use to set up grazing plans and monitor affects on range health over time.  Other technology like Palm Pilots, Quickbooks accounting software, EID, Cow Calf 5, and AI all contribute to managing both the land and the cattle well. As stewards of the land rotational grazing, cross fencing, water pipelines, calving later, winter grazing, and close monitoring of pasture use and production have all helped to improve the quality and quantity of the native grasses. The Buell Family is proud to have the fifth generation working the land with profitable cattle ranches.  One of the goals of each generation has been to pass along a heritage that runs deep with love for the Nebraska Sandhills, its gently rolling prairies, and its landscape bubbling with life which has continued for 130 years.

Barta Brothers Ranch was gifted to the University of Nebraska Foundation in 1992 by Clifford and Jimmy Barta.  Research trials were started in 1998 on the 5,300 acre ranch resulting in eleven M.S. and eight PhD’s thus far. Some of the trials that have been conducted include:
-    Long term grazing study (10 years)
-    4- vs 8-pasture rotation system
-    Supplementing yearling steers wet distiller’s grain on native range and feedlot performance
-    Finishing yearling heifers on grass with a self-feeder
-    Lead plant utilization by beef cows
-    Bio complexity study
-    Sand dune re-stabilization
-    Fly control trials
-    Cedar tree wind break renovation
-    Prairie chicken habitat & mallard duck nesting study 

Current studies include:
-    Above ground plant production by topographic positioning since 1999
-    Plant and soil response to stocking rate and grazing period length
-    Plant, soil and yearling weight response to grazing systems(including mob grazing )on sub irrigated meadow
-    Effect of grazing period length (number of moves/day) on harvest efficiency and trampled vegetation
-    Timing of rainfall events on herbage production under drought conditions
-    Effect of pasture shape on harvest efficiency & trampled vegetation.

Do not miss this opportunity to learn from some of the most progressive grazers in Nebraska as they relate their unique incorporation of grazing techniques and time tested managerial practices that make their operations work. Box lunches will be provided for consumption en route between stops. The day concludes with an evening steak dinner at the Barta Brothers Ranch featuring a panel discussion of the owners from the tour stops and UNL grazing researchers. Come and learn more about the activities of the NGLC and NC. Registration fee is $15 per person and preregistration is required for meal counts by contacting Ron Bolze, NGLC Coordinator at 402.426.2033 by June 3. 



Thurston County FSA Committee Election Boundaries & Nomination Period

Thurston Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Executive Director, Josie Waterbury, announced that county committee election nominations will begin June 17, 2013.  Farmers, ranchers, and landowners are encouraged to nominate farmer and rancher candidates to serve on their local FSA county committee by the August 1, 2013 deadline. 

"I encourage all farmers, ranchers, and landowners to participate in the county committee election process by nominating candidates by the August 1 deadline," said Waterbury.  "County committee members are a valuable asset because they are local producers who participate in FSA programs themselves and have a direct connection to farmers and ranchers in the community.”

To be eligible to serve on the FSA county committee a person must participate or cooperate in a program administered by FSA, be eligible to vote in a county committee election, and reside in the local administrative area in which the person is a candidate.  Local Administrative Area #2 is up for election in 2013 and consists of Perry, Merry, Bryan, Winnebago West, and Winnebago East Townships. 

Producers may nominate themselves or others, and organizations representing minorities and women may also nominate candidates.  To become a candidate, an eligible individual must sign the nomination form FSA-669A.  The form and additional information about FSA county committee elections are available online at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/elections or you may visit your local FSA office to obtain a copy.  Nomination forms for the 2013 election must be postmarked or received in the local FSA office by close of business on August 1.

FSA county committee members are reimbursed for their time and travel to participate in meetings at the Thurston County FSA Office.  Elected county committee members serve a three-year term and are responsible for making decisions on FSA disaster, conservation, commodity, and price support programs, as well as other important federal farm program issues.

Election ballots will be mailed to producers beginning November 4, 2013.  The voted ballots are due back to the local county office via mail or in person by December 2, 2013. 

For more information about county committees, please contact the Thurston County FSA Office at (402) 846-5655 or visit www.fsa.usda.gov.



PrairieLand RC&D Council Meeting May 29

The PrairieLand Resource Conservation and Development Council will meet May 29 near Fullerton for a tour of a solar project and regular council meeting.  The council meeting will be held at 3 p.m. at the Northstar Neighbors farm of Jim Knopik, west of Fullerton 17896 State Highway 22. After the meeting the group will tour Knopik's recently completed solar energy project.  The public is invited and welcome to attend.

PrairieLand RC&D is a non-profit organization helping concerned citizens complete vital rural development projects in Nance, Boone, Colfax, Madison, Stanton and Platte Counties. Everyone is encouraged to participate in active projects, propose new projects and attend meetings. Please join us to find out what you can do to get involved in helping your rural community. Contact the RC&D office at 402-454-2026 or prairielandrcd@gmail.com for more information.



Consider using a tedder to minimize forage drying time

One of the most important factors in the cuttingand harvesting of forages is minimizing drying time. With the unpredictable weather patterns farmers experience, getting forage crops cut and quickly harvested must be done efficiently.

To accomplish this goal, incorporating a tedder into the haying implement lineup is of utmost importance. Spreading out freshly mowed windrows helps evaporate moisture from the crop before a baler takes to the field. The technology designed in modern tedders aims to spread the material evenly with each pass, and prevent damage to the turf.

“The point of the tedder is that it spreads the crop evenly across the mowing width and gives it maximum exposure to the light and air to help it dry down faster,” says Matt Jaynes, Omaha-based CLAAS Product Coordinator.

“A tedder will also make forages more consistent. If it’s lumped in a windrow, it will be wetter on the bottom than on the top.”

Tedders aim to fluff the crop as much as possible without causing damage. This process is done by use of equal-length steel tines that toss the forage but put 25 percent less ash into the crop.

One area that can be problematic is not fully investigating the size of the shaft. While the tedder may appear large and high capacity, the shaft inside could be small and more prone to breaks.

While the end goal of a tedder is the same for all users, the path taken to achieve that goal can vary by operator and crop.

“Some people let the crop shrink after mowing, then ted the field the next morning when there’s light dew. Others will ted right after going through with the mower,” Jaynes says. “Typically I like to let it sit for a day and then go after it the next morning. That way you will often have maximum leaf retention and the crop will be a little fluffier.”

From a crop standpoint, production practices can vary from silage to dry hay. Those harvesting silage ted and then follow with a rake and baler shortly after, as they aim to spread out the crop and dry it down to a desirable level for silage. For those planning to harvest dry hay, it is more ideal to wait until baling day to take a rake through and compile the lower moisture tedded forage.



DTN Retail Fertilizer Trends

Retail fertilizer prices are continuing to hold steady, according to data tracked by DTN for the second week of May 2013. Retailers expected some price movements in different forms of nitrogen, but that has yet to emerge.  Six of the eight major fertilizers were lower compared to last month, but these moves to the low side were fairly slight. DAP had average price of $613 per ton, MAP $655/ton, potash $582/ton, urea $568/ton, anhydrous $846/ton and UAN28 $400/ton.  The remaining two fertilizers were higher compared to the second week of April, but again the move higher was extremely negligible. 10-34-0 had an average price of $613/ton and UAN32 $449/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.62/lb.N, anhydrous $0.52/lb.N, UAN28 $0.71/lb.N and UAN32 $0.70/lb.N.

Only one of the eight major fertilizers is showing a price increase compared to one year earlier. Anhydrous is now 11% higher compared to last year.  Four fertilizers are a single digit lower in price compared to May 2012. DAP is 4% lower, MAP is down 5%, UAN28 is 7% less expensive and UAN32 is 9% lower compared to last year.  The remaining three fertilizers are now down double digits from a year ago. Potash is now down 12% while 10-34-0 is 22% less expensive and urea is 25% lower.



April Hired Workers Down Over 2 Percent, Wage Rates Increase Over 4 Percent From Previous Year

Workers hired directly by farm operators numbered 732,000 for the reference week of April 7-13, 2013, down 2 percent from the April 2012 reference week, according to USDA-NASS. There were 596,000 workers hired directly by farm operators on the Nation's farms and ranches during the week of January 6-12, 2013, up 4 percent from the January 2012 reference week.

Farm operators paid their hired workers an average wage of $11.91 per hour during the April 2013 reference week, up 4 percent from a year earlier. Field workers received an average of $10.92 per hour, up 4 percent from a year earlier. Livestock workers earned $11.46, up 51 cents. The field and livestock worker combined wage rate, at $11.10 per hour, was up 48 cents from a year earlier. Hired laborers worked an average of 40.3 hours during the April 2013 reference week, compared with 39.2 hours a year earlier.

Farm operators paid their hired workers an average wage of $12.02 per hour during the January 2013 reference week, up 4 percent from a year earlier. Field workers received an average of $10.86 per hour, up 5 percent, while livestock workers earned $11.39 per hour compared with $10.96 a year earlier. The field and livestock worker combined wage rate, at $11.07 per hour, was up 49 cents from January 2012. Hired laborers worked an average of 38.7 hours during the January 2013 reference week, compared with 39.6 hours a year earlier.



NASS to Release Farm Safety Survey Results on May 30

The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) announces that it will release two farm safety reports on May 30, 2013 at 3:00 p.m. ET. The two reports are: Agricultural Safety: 2009 Injuries to Adults on Farms and 2011 Farm and Ranch Safety Survey. NASS conducted the surveys on behalf of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). NIOSH wanted to better understand the magnitude and scope of hazardous exposures on agricultural operations and agriculture-related injuries to adults working on farms. All NASS reports are available online at www.nass.usda.gov.



April Egg Production Up 3 Percent

United States egg production totaled 7.81 billion during April 2013, up 3 percent from last year, according to USDA-NASS. Production included 6.75 billion table eggs, and 1.06 billion hatching eggs, of which 983 million were broiler-type and 78 million were egg-type. The total number of layers during April 2013 averaged 346 million, up 1 percent from last year. April egg production per 100 layers was 2,260 eggs, up 1 percent from April 2012.
                                   
All layers in the United States on May 1, 2013 totaled 344 million, up 1 percent from last year. The 344 million layers consisted of 287 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 53.2 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 3.17 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on May 1, 2013, averaged 75.0 eggs per 100 layers, up 2 percent from May 1, 2012.

Egg-Type Chicks Hatched Up 7 Percent
Egg-type chicks hatched during April 2013 totaled 43.8 million, up 7 percent from April 2012. Eggs in incubators totaled 42.5 million on May 1, 2013, up 4 percent from a year ago.

Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 233 thousand during April 2013, up 70 percent from April 2012.

Broiler-Type Chicks Hatched Down Slightly
Broiler-type chicks hatched during April 2013 totaled 748 million, down slightly from April 2012. Eggs in incubators totaled 622 million on May 1, 2013, up slightly from a year earlier.

Leading breeders placed 6.22 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during April 2013, down 5 percent from April 2012.



CWT Assists with Three Million Pounds of Cheese Export Sales

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted nine requests for export assistance from Bongards Creameries, Dairy Farmers of America and Northwest Dairy Association (Darigold) to sell 3.016 million pounds (1,338 metric tons) of Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese to customers in Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. The product will be delivered May through September 2013.

Year-to-date, CWT has assisted member cooperatives in selling 56.826 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 1.653 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.



Dairy Situation and Outlook, May 20, 2013
Bob Cropp, Professor Emeritus, University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension

Dairy product prices have shown some weakness during May, particularly cheese and butter. On the CME cheddar barrels were as high as $1.7875 per pound on April 18th but started May at $1.67. Cheddar blocks started May at $1.90 per pound putting the spread between blocks and barrels at 23 cents, much wider than the more normal 3 to 4 cent spread. Barrels showed strength increasing to $1.77 by May 17th. Blocks increased to $1.915 on May 6th, and then declined and were $1.77 on May 17th. From May 1st to May 17th barrels increased by 9 cents and blocks fell by 13 cents narrowing the spread between blocks and barrels to just one cent. On May 20th barrels fell ½ cents to $1.7550 and blocks held at $1.77. CME butter was $1.7875 per pound as of April 18th, started May at $1.69, fell to a low of $1.5875 on May 14th but increased to $1.615 on May 17th only to decline by 2 cents on May 20th to $1.595. Dry whey and nonfat dry milk prices have held fairly steady with dry whey trading in the range of $0.56 to $0.605 per pound and nonfat dry milk $1.65 to $1.72 per pound.

The level of product production, stocks and export potential are all factors influencing cheese and butter prices. Compared to a year ago cheddar cheese production for the month of March was 2.6% higher. However, total cheese production was slightly lower at 0.2%. March butter production was 4.2% higher, the largest March production on record. Cheese stocks have been building. March 31st stocks of American cheese grew by 3% from February and were 4% higher than a year ago. March 31st total cheese stocks also grew 3% from February and were 5% higher than a year ago. Cheddar barrels have been in greater supply in relation to market demand than have cheddar blocks. But, the recent narrowing of the price spread may indicate this has changed. Warmer weather usually increases outdoor grilling which increases barrel cheese sales via of processed cheese. March 31st butter stocks grew by 34% from February and were 22% higher than a year ago.

Exports of cheese, butter, whey protein concentrates and lactose were well above year ago levels for January through March period giving strength to prices. Compared to a year ago increases were: cheese 8%, butter 20%, whey protein concentrate 24% and lactose 25%. Nonfat dry milk/skim milk powder exports were 10% lower and dry whey 8% lower but are expected to show increases by summer. Exports are expected to stay near or above year ago levels at least until late fall. World milk supply for exports of products has been rather tight due high feed prices and/or unfavorable weather in New Zealand, Australia, the EU-27 countries and Argentina. However, rains have returned to New Zealand giving optimism to better pastures and improved milk production at the start of their next seasonal production later this summer and early fall. Feed prices are also expected to be lower giving rise to milk production in coming months in the EU-27 countries. In recent weeks prices on the Global Dairy Trade Auction showed strength. But, on the May 15thauction average prices were lower for most commodities, especially for September, October and November deliveries. Evidently international buyers anticipate adequate world supplies with improved world milk production by fall. Some feel that these lower world prices may lower the projected growth in U.S. exports for later this year. Currently world prices for butter, nonfat dry milk/skim milk powder and cheese are all well above U.S. prices making U.S. products competitive on the world market.

Milk prices are much improved over a year ago. With cheese prices averaging higher in May than April and steady dry whey prices the May Class III price will be near $18.60 compared to $17.59 for April and $15.23 a year ago. Cheese prices should improve by mid-summer and fall pushing the Class III price above $19.00 August through October. If milk production improves by fall as now anticipated, the Class III price will fall but should stay above $18 for the remainder of the year. The May Class IV price will be near $18.80 compared to $18.10 for April and $13.55 a year ago. Anticipated increases in nonfat dry milk/skim milk powder exports as well as butter exports should strengthen prices pushing the Class IV price above $19 July through October or November and ending the year in the mid-$18s.

With higher milk prices and lower feed costs we can expect milk production to pick up for the last half of the year. A year ago milk production was running strong with first quarter production 4.1% higher adjusted for leap year and April production 3.5% higher. This year first quarter production was even with a year ago and April production only 0.2% higher than a year ago. April production compared to a year ago for individual states showed similar production patterns as in the past few months with production lower for many Western states and increases for the Northeast and Upper Midwest. Production changes for individual states were as follows: Arizona -1.7%, California -0.2%, Idaho +0.5%, New Mexico -2.5%, Texas -3.2%, New York +1.7%, Pennsylvania unchanged, Michigan +1.3%, Iowa +1.0%, Minnesota +1.8% and Wisconsin +1.3%. However, the relative declines in Western production have slowed for most states like California whose production was 3.5% lower than a year ago in March. Also March increases for Upper Midwest states were lower than April’s with Minnesota and Wisconsin production 2.3% and 3.0% higher than a year ago.

Last year the growth in milk production started to slow by May with production falling below year ago levels August, September and October with increases above 1% for the remainder of the year. This year we can expect production to run a good one percent higher for the last half of the year putting the increase for the entire year a little more than 1%. Thus, the Class III price should not fall below $18 until the first quarter of 2014.



50 Years of World Livestock Auctioneer Championships Celebrated June 14-15 in Montgomery, Ala.

For half a century, the Livestock Marketing Association (LMA) has showcased the industry's most talented livestock auctioneers and honored local livestock auction markets annually through its World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC). On June 14-15 in Montgomery, Ala., LMA will celebrate the 50th anniversary of this prestigious event when 31 semi-finalists gather at the Montgomery Stockyards to compete for the 2013 title.

This year's World Livestock Auctioneer Championship qualifying and semi-final events highlight the professional auctioneering skills and livestock marketing knowledge of hundreds of auctioneers who competed. The WLAC contest is produced by LMA, the leading trade association serving livestock auction markets, during its annual convention as a way to promote the profession and the auction method of marketing livestock.

During this year’s annual convention, which will be held at the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel just prior to the WLAC contest, the livestock marketing industry will learn the latest updates on animal handling, animal disease traceability and other government and industry issues. In addition, a number of educational workshops will be held to help auction market owners and employees deal with animal rights groups, adapt new technologies and improve their business communications, all to add greater value to the farmers and ranchers they serve.

Last June, Bailey Ballou of Elgin, Okla., was selected the 2012 champion at the WLAC held in Turlock, Calif. During the past year, Ballou has toured North America's livestock auctions serving as a spokesperson for the industry. Because of this important, high-profile role, each WLAC semi-finalist must establish their knowledge of the livestock marketing business, and demonstrate their ability to express that knowledge with clarity, in an interview competition held on Friday, June 14, at the hotel. The interview competition can be viewed live on www.LMAAuctions.com starting at 2 p.m. Central.

The Saturday, June 15, auctioneering competition of the WLAC is a live sale where the 31 contestants auction cattle to actual bidders in the seats. Contestants are judged on the clarity of their auction chant; vocal quality; their ability to catch bids and conduct the sale; and finally, if the judge would hire this auctioneer for their own livestock market. Judges are livestock market owners and managers, and many have competed in this competition in the past.

This year's finals will be hosted at Montgomery Stockyards LLC and the titles of World Livestock Auctioneer Champion, reserve champion (2nd place), and runner-up (3rd place) will be presented at the awards ceremony on Saturday night. The champion will take home $5,000 in cash, a custom diamond ring, trophy and other prizes, as well as the use of a brand new pickup for the year.  The reserve and runner-up champions will take home $2,000 and $1,000, respectively.

For the first time, RFD-TV will broadcast the semi-final and final rounds of the contest live starting at 8 a.m., Central, Saturday, June 15, from Montgomery Stockyards, 4500 Mobile Highway outside of Montgomery. The event is open to the public free of charge. Check your RFD-TV guide for program times in your area. The winners will be announced that evening at the WLAC awards ceremony, which can be watched live at www.LMAAuctions.com.