Wednesday May 1 Ag News

WELCOME TO MAY - BEEF MONTH!

Myth: Beef quality grades and eating satisfaction are on the decline.
(from www.factsaboutbeef.com)

The Facts: The entire beef community is committed to raising the highest-quality beef possible and consistently providing people with a good beef eating experience. Let’s discuss beef quality.

What is Quality Beef?
Most people describe overall beef quality as the combination of quality grades and eating satisfaction, including characteristics like flavor, juiciness and tenderness. Learn more in this video about beef quality.

How is beef quality measured?
Meat grading is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). There are eight quality grades for beef which reflect the amount of marbling (fat within the lean),  and the maturity of the animal.Grading is optional and paid for by meat processors. More than 90 percent of the beef available today is graded. Generally, only three grades are identified and sold to restaurants and at retail... Prime, Choice, and Select. 

Is beef quality on the decline?
No. In fact, over the past 20 years, overall quality grades (such as Prime or Choice) of beef have steadily improved.
-    The percent of beef meeting USDA standards for “Prime” and “Choice” beef, which are the highest quality grades, is  high, at greater than 60 percent.
-    Since 1990, beef tenderness has also improved significantly, according to four iterations of the National Beef Tenderness Study, a benchmark of beef tenderness levels at retail and foodservice.
-    Beef tenderness and overall quality grades are also impacted by things like cattle genetics, diet and proper cattle management.
-    Beef tenderness can also be improved by tenderness management systems put in place b at multiple steps in the supply chain.
-    Consumers say taste is the most important attribute they consider when choosing foods to make at home or order at a restaurant and 86 percent agree beef tastes great.



Keeping Beef Contemporary Gets More Working Space
(from beef.org)

Beef has a long history of tremendous popularity with the American public. Keeping it current with modern trends and tastes, though, requires constant attention.

Beef checkoff-funded recipe and product development got a boost recently when the New Product and Culinary Innovation Center received an expansion and update. The test kitchen facility in Centennial, Colo., located at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA),  a contractor to the Beef Checkoff Program, is used by a team of professionals that creates beef recipes and shows how to best utilize beef products.

Space for the New Product and Culinary Innovation Center was significantly increased, while updated equipment was added, providing additional flexibility and capabilities to the checkoff-funded team, according to Steve Wald, executive director of beef innovations.

“We’ve become even more productive in creating new recipes and developing innovative beef ideas,” says Wald. “This is giving us more credibility among our various audiences, and improving our ability to showcase beef at its best.”

Consumer test stoves and ranges have increased from three to four (two each of electric and gas), while commercial equipment also has been enhanced. Refrigeration space has doubled, and storage space has also been increased. While previously there was only space for one or two testers, now up to four recipe testers can be working on beef recipes at the same time.

Proud History
The kitchens already had a tremendous reputation, according to Debra Baughman, director, test kitchen services. It began at the National Live Stock and Meat Board in Chicago, which conducted recipe testing from the time the organization was established in the early 1920s until it merged with the National Cattlemen’s Association to form NCBA in 1996. NCBA continued to utilize the Chicago test kitchens until 2009. In 2010, those offices closed and beef testing was moved to the NCBA offices near Denver.

Thousands of recipes were developed during the early years to use in meat promotions throughout the country. When the Beef Industry Council of the Meat Board was established in 1963, its efforts each year relied on the work of the Meat Board Test Kitchens to assure dependable and accurate recipes that consumers and food professionals could trust.

Today, hundreds of tests are conducted to produce from 80-100 recipes every year, says Baughman, providing information for numerous beef checkoff-funded programs in new product development, retail, foodservice, consumer food public relations, as well as for requests from media, state beef councils and others.

Crucial Element
In fact, the recipe development and testing function is crucial to the overall beef marketing and promotion effort conducted through the Beef Checkoff Program, according to Cevin Jones, an Idaho cattle feeder and farmer and chair of the checkoff’s Joint Domestic Preference Committee.  “Without the ability to really connect with the consumer, recognizing their tastes and how they’re eating and what kind of equipment they’re using, we have limited ability to get them to increase their beef usage,” says Jones. “Our beef testing facilities are fundamental to that process.”

For instance, the checkoff’s new Easy Fresh Cooking® (EFC) program promotes quick and simple meal solutions to consumers at the meat case. The recipe concepts for the program are developed by the culinary team focusing on the latest trends and at least Triple Tested™ on multiple types of equipment to provide assurances they will work consistently and dependably. The equipment and ingredients used are the types that are common and popular with consumers.

Each recipe in the EFC program uses no more than six ingredients and can be prepared in 30 minutes or less. Labels featuring EFC recipes are proven to make beef easier to shop for and easier to stock.

Recipes are also provided on retail on-pack recipe labels through the checkoff-funded “Beef Made Easy” program.  About 200 million Beef Made Easy labels are distributed to retail stores annually.

Foodservice recipes, too, get attention from the beef checkoff-funded Culinary Innovations Team. Created by well-known industry chefs, the recipes are reviewed by the team’s professionals, who can ensure the recipes are practical. Recent collaborators include Tim Cushman, chef/owner of O Ya and 2012 James Beard Foundation award winner, and Steve Schimoler, chef/owner of Crop Bistro & Bar.

Recipes developed by the team show up everywhere. For example, there are more than 400 recipes on the checkoff-funded “Beef It’s What’s For Dinner” website that were developed in the kitchens. Recipes are featured in consumer advertising and consumer media, on in-store displays in grocery stores, and in national free-standing newspaper inserts that reach 30-50 million households with each insertion. Bloggers see them and use them; regional publications, newspapers and websites do, too. They are shared on Twitter and Facebook and used as food samples at events and for inspiration by independent recipe developers – and by consumers looking to experiment with something new.

At the state level, expertise from the national culinary team is also invaluable, according to Kaiti George, registered dietitian with the Nebraska Beef Council. “We use culinary center-developed recipes for blogs, ads, health professional communication and consumer education,” she says.” I am proud to be able to tell health professionals and consumers that all recipes are triple-tested. In addition, the team is always on top of the latest food trends and develops recipes that both ‘foodies’ and the everyday cook can enjoy.”

“It’s impossible to fully gauge the reach of the recipes we develop through the checkoff program,” according to Jones. “The fact is, though, recipes are what bring beef to Americans. They inspire, motivate and elevate the eating experience for beef, and have the power not only to bring out unexpected flavor, but surprise people with how beef’s great taste can be easy to prepare and good for them at the same time.”

Based on Science
That inspiration isn’t solely emotional, says Baughman. Extensive market research is conducted to make sure current food, equipment and ingredient trends are followed. An extensive “pantry study” is accessed regularly, for instance, to help the culinary team use concepts that feature the most common tastes and techniques. 

“Our work has evolved as consumers have evolved,” says Baughman, who has been doing work for the beef industry through the Beef Checkoff Program for 25 years. “We’re able to keep on top of flavor, consumer and beef industry trends. At the same time, we capture the scientific data needed to assure that all of our tests and measurements are flawless.”

Part of that scientific data involves the nutritional properties of beef. Since most recipes developed today incorporate lean beef cuts with whole grains and vegetables in sensible portions, they are easy to apply to educational materials shared with health professionals on the checkoff-funded BeefNutrition.org website and through various health events by both national program staff and state partners.

“Recipes help us communicate the nutrition information that the checkoff generates using nutrition research,” says Jeanne Harland, an Illinois cow-calf producer and chair of the Joint Nutrition and Health Subcommittee. “It puts the science into practice for both health professionals and consumers.”

According to Shenoa French, associate director of the New Product and Culinary Innovation Center, new product ideas and recipes can be showcased to industry audiences in the Centennial offices, which provides additional idea promotion and visibility to the Center. The commercially inspected and approved kitchen is sometimes also utilized by beef industry partners, giving even more opportunities for new beef ideas to reach consumers.

“We’re proud of this new space and how it will help beef producers further present their products,” says French. “Our team and its more than 70 years of collective experience can certainly better utilize its skills with these improvements.”



May Beef Month Proclamation
The Iowa Beef Industry Council is pleased to announce that May is Beef Month in Iowa.  Governor Terry E. Branstad has signed the May Beef Month proclamation in recognition of the importance of Iowa’s beef industry to the state’s economy.  The Iowa Beef Industry Council is pleased to present the following proclamation.

-  Whereas Iowa is a major beef producing state with nearly 3.85 million head of cattle on January 1, 2013; and
-  Whereas the beef industry contributes greatly to our economy by generating in excess of $5.1 billion annually, and creating jobs for nearly 40,000 Iowans; and
-  Whereas today's beef is a naturally nutrient-rich food providing protein, iron, zinc and B-vitamins; and
-  Whereas beef producers are the original environmentalists working to conserve the soil and making optimum use of natural resources; and
-  Whereas Iowa is a leader in the export of value-added agriculture products, shipping high-quality Iowa beef to other countries around the world; and
-  Whereas there is an ever-increasing need for better understanding of the benefits that the beef industry provides to all Iowans;

-  Now therefore, I, Terry E. Branstad, Governor of the State of Iowa, do hereby proclaim the month of May 2013 as Beef Month in Iowa, and urge all citizens to appreciate the contributions the beef industry continues to provide to our state.



May is Beef Month
Thoughts from an Iowa cattle farmer, Scott Niess, Osage

Beef production in the United States has a long and rich history. Cattlemen and women have played an important role in the economic and social fabric of the country; a tradition that continues today. In all 99 Iowa counties, there are over 3.85 m head of cattle that live on our 30,000 farms. The beef industry contributes to the economic health of rural communities with jobs for nearly 40,000 Iowans and provides in excess of $5.1 billion annually to our state economy.

Raising cattle is our livelihood, and caring for them throughout the year is our responsibility. We take great pride in knowing that we are stewards of the land and livestock we tend to every day to provide safe, healthy, nutritious food for your family and ours.

Like other farm families, the beef industry is committed to protecting the land and passing our family farms to the next generation. Within the beef industry, we are looking at ways of improving beef production to protect tomorrow for our future generations through a more sustainable beef industry. A sustainable beef industry is critically important as we work toward the goal of feeding 9 billion people by the year 2050, a global population explosion that will require at least 70 percent more food with few additional resources. For the beef industry, sustainability is a journey by meeting beef demand with balancing environmental responsibility, economic opportunity and social diligence throughout the entire food chain. By ensuring that these three pillars of beef production are balanced, the industry will be well positioned to continue future growth.

We are in the process of verifying results for the first-ever Beef Industry Sustainability Assessment. The assessment, which was funded by the Beef Checkoff Program, marks the first time any industry has ever measured the sustainability of its entire supply chain. This important work positions the beef industry to lead the conversations about industry sustainability.

According to the study’s findings, the beef industry has made significant improvement toward a more sustainable future over time. Raising cattle in a sustainable way always been important to the cattle industry, but this is the first opportunity we have had to use science to tell that story. Despite the current rate of progress, the beef industry’s path toward continuous progress is never-ending.

We are proud to be involved in American agriculture, which produces the most reasonably priced, safest, most nutritious food in the world while producing it in the most environmentally-sound manner. So, from our family to yours, let’s celebrate May Beef Month by enjoying a juicy, delicious steak or an All-American, mouth-watering burger!



Livestock Farmers Feeling the Pressure
H. Scott Hurd, DVM, Ph.D, Iowa State University

There are many pressures on livestock farmers today. Many of these pressures are not the typical economic and resource challenges faced by all businesses, but additional political pressures related to antibiotic use in food production.

Setting aside the politics, all scientific risk assessments published to date have shown a negligible risk to human health from resistant bacteria resulting from food animal antibiotic use.

A relatively new area of scientific inquiry is the question of whether animal health is quantitatively correlated with public health risk. Slogans promote the concept that "healthy animals make safe food" and it is a concept we all "feel" good about. However, the research is just beginning and much more is needed. One interesting study shows an increase in human illnesses from non-resistant bacteria caused by eating broiler chickens with residual effects of illness due to denial of antibiotics.

Those that argue against the use of any antibiotics in livestock raised for food should consider that animals not treated for and exhibiting residual effects of illness are more likely to cause foodborne sickness in humans.

Further, failure to prevent or treat animal illness causes unnecessary animal suffering and death. It's important to note that infectious diseases occur in both modern animal confinement facilities as well as in outdoor group housing situations.

Every farm with animals is both a maternity hospital and a day care. Animals need medicines at times, just like kids do. This becomes a moral and ethical issue. At what point will we deny treatment? It's not right to withhold veterinary care from animals. Antibiotics for animals are needed because illnesses can move quickly through populations and livestock cannot "stay home" when they are sick.

"Meat without drugs" or "antibiotic free" meat may lead to very negative consequences to animal health. In fact, meat produced without drugs may very well mean "animals without medicine."

Farmers and veterinarians are committed to maintaining the public's trust by promoting and documenting appropriate use of all medicines used for animals raised for food. Learn more at http://www.hurdhealth.com.



Pastures Weakened by Drought Will Require Time to Recover

Nebraska's pastures are starting to grow again, but the effects of last year's drought linger and might cause complications for producers, University of Nebraska-Lincoln forage specialist said.

Some might want to get their animals outside and into green fields, but drought-weakened pastures will not be able to feed these animals without sustaining further damage, said Bruce Anderson, UNL Extension forage specialist. However, there are ways to compensate for the loss and help pastures recover.

Although recent snow and rain provided moisture for pastures, the levels were still less than average. Considering the severe stress pastures experienced during last year's drought some might be dead or exhibit slow growth, the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources specialist said. Damaged pastures could take another year to recover.

Pastures throughout the state, especially those with bluegrass, have gaps that allow for weeds to establish. Noxious weeds like thistle and leafy spurge, as well as woody plants like brush and red cedar trees can take advantage of the weakened pastures.

"Weeds are a natural outcome when competitive ability of the plants is lowered," Anderson said. "Weeds become more opportunistic with less competition, so it's important to get them under control while patches are still small."

In general, drought and overgrazing damaged almost all pastures last year. The plants don't begin to recover until after they have started to grow, and extra stress can slow down that process.

"Pastures might be green and growing, but their ability to handle further stress has lessened," Anderson said.

Anderson suggests waiting 10 to 14 days later to let animals out for grazing. Feeding on leftover hay or other forages from winter for this extra time will give permanent pastures much needed recovery time.

"Any permanent pasture that was really stressed last year is going to have some really weak plants in it," Anderson said. "And we've got to be careful that we don't overstress those plants early in the spring."

Planting annual forages also can help relieve some of the pressure on stressed pastures and forage supplies. The drought severely depleted hay supplies last year, so planting oats, grasses and millets can compensate for some of that problem.

"These annuals can be very productive in terms of the amount of forage they produce to rebuild that hay supply," Anderson said.

With the recent rain, Anderson thinks some pastures might hold an opportunity for fertilizer. Application will not be appropriate in all fields, but might stimulate growth in others. In pastures that have enough moisture in normal years, fertilizer will help take advantage of existing rain moisture to help pastures recover.

Producers should still be careful with grazing even if they take these precautions. Anderson warns not to overstock in stressed pastures.

"We have to keep the stocking rate conservative to give plants a chance for a lengthy, long-term recovery," he said. "They cannot be continually grazed short."



Value-Added Producer Grants Support Local Producers, Biobased Initiatives
Nebraska Receives Nearly $367,000

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the selection of 110 grants to agricultural producers and rural businesses that will help create jobs and develop new products. Nebraska received three grants totaling $367,000.  The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) remains focused on carrying out its mission, despite a time of significant budget uncertainty. Today’s announcement is one part of the Department’s efforts to strengthen the rural economy.

    In Nebraska, Burbach Countryside Dairy, Inc. of Hartington will receive a $300,000 grant to support the marketing of its locally produced fluid dairy products.  Gregory Nollette of Nenzel will use a $49,900 grant for marketing and operating costs for processing sandhills grapes into wine and selling to local markets.  This will allow the business to increase its sales by up to 10 percent annually due to the added value of its product.  Midwest Aronia Association Steering Committee with aronia berry growers throughout the Midwest received a $16,661 grant to determine the marketing plan and feasibility of aronia berry products such as aronia juice, puree and dried sweetened aronia berries.

  “This support will benefit rural businesses and the communities where the recipients are located,” Vilsack said. “These awards also will advance USDA’s goals to develop a bio-based economy and support local and regional food systems.”

   In today’s announcement, 110 awardees are being selected for USDA Rural Development Value-Added Producer Grants (VAPG). The grants help agricultural producers increase their income by expanding marketing opportunities, creating new products or developing new uses for existing products.

  USDA Rural Development is funding an array of projects involving locally produced and marketed foods. These include cheese, wine, reduced-cholesterol dairy products, produce, packaged poultry, pork and beef products, and a variety of processed or prepared foods from locally grown fruits and vegetables.

  The awards announced today include 11 projects involving bio-based products.  They include grants to convert:  corn stover to anhydrous ammonia; miscanthus fiber, wood and goat manure into biochar and enhanced compost; and sorghum to electricity and fertilizer.



Farm Service Agency Announces 45th General Sign-Up for the Conservation Reserve Program

Thurston County Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Executive Director Josie Waterbury announced today that the Thurston County FSA will conduct a four-week Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general sign-up beginning May 20 and ending on June 14. 

"It continues to be our goal to ensure that we use CRP to address our most critical resource issues," said Waterbury.  “In 2012, Nebraska experienced the worst drought in 60 years.  CRP protected environmentally sensitive lands from washing or blowing away.  It gave ranchers extra grazing land when they needed it.  I expect there will be strong competition to enroll or re-enroll acres into CRP, so I urge Thurston County producers to maximize their environmental benefits and make sure their offers are cost-effective.”  

In addition to erosion control, CRP provides significant water quality benefits including reduced nutrients and sediment loadings and adverse consequences associated with floods as well as expanded and enhanced wildlife habitat.

Currently, about 27 million acres are enrolled in CRP nationwide.  CRP is a voluntary program available to agricultural producers to help them safeguard environmentally sensitive land.  Producers enrolled in CRP plant long-term, resource-conserving covers to improve the quality of water, control soil erosion and enhance wildlife habitat.  Contracts on an estimated 3.3 million acres of CRP are set to expire on September 30, 2013.  Producers with expiring contracts or producers with environmentally sensitive land are encouraged to evaluate their options under CRP.

Producers that are accepted in the sign-up can receive cost-share assistance for planting covers and receive an annual rental payment for the length of the contract (10 to 15 years).  Producers also are encouraged to look into CRP’s other enrollment opportunities offered on a continuous, non-competitive, sign-up basis.  Continuous sign-ups often provide additional financial assistance.  Those sign-up dates will be announced later.

For more information on CRP and other FSA programs, visit your local FSA county office or www.fsa.usda.gov. 



Taxpayers Paid $7 Billion Too Much for Crop Insurance Last Year
(from ewg.org)

A new analysis commissioned by the Environmental Working Group debunks the myth that federally-subsidized crop insurance will save taxpayers money and protect farmers from crippling losses when natural disasters occur.

The study, by agricultural economist Bruce Babcock of Iowa State University, has concluded that during last year’s drought, crop insurance payouts will exceed $16 billion, almost 50 percent more than 2011.

“Crop insurance as it is currently structured and marketed is a bloated, taxpayer-funded income support program that in many cases allows growers, particularly the industrial-scale operations that have been enjoying record profits, to make more money from insurance payouts than they would from a healthy harvest,” Babcock writes.

He determined that corn and soybean farmers could have been compensated for their actual economic losses at a cost of around $6 billion.  Instead, taxpayers forked over $12.7 billion.  

His analysis shows that because of lavish taxpayer subsidies, farmers have extraordinary incentives to over-insure their crops and dramatically drive up the cost of crop insurance when disaster strikes. Farmers covered by the so-called Revenue Protection policy -- the most highly subsidized policy in the areas hardest hit by the drought – likely netted more revenue than they would have if the drought hadn’t occurred.

“The point is not to argue that the drought did not seriously affect crop yields,” Babcock writes. “Clearly it did. But given the high cost of the crop insurance program, it is reasonable to ask whether it makes any sense to entice farmers to buy Cadillac coverage with taxpayer dollars when a basic revenue guarantee is possible at much lower cost.”

Taxpayers lose two ways.  They spend too much to buy crop insurance policies for farmers.  And they suffer from the skewed way underwriting gains and losses are shared between the federal government and private crop insurance companies. Since 2001, insurance companies have enjoyed $10.3 billion in underwriting gains – while taxpayers have suffered a net loss of $276 million.

“This analysis should be a wake-up call for taxpayers and the lawmakers in Washington under serious pressure to cut spending.” said Craig Cox, EWG’s senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources. “It adds to the large body of evidence that common sense reforms to the crop insurance program would save billions of dollars while still providing a solid safety net, cutting the deficit, and investing in programs that improve the environment and public health.”

If the farm bills proposed by the Senate or House agriculture committees last year were to become law, taxpayers would be asked to pay even more for crop insurance.  At the same time, those proposals would slash funding for conservation and nutrition programs. 

"So far the subsidy lobby has managed to push Congress in the wrong direction,” said Cox. “Congress should and could do far better as it takes up this critical food and farm legislation again this year.”



Weekly Ethanol Production for 4/26/2013

According to EIA data, ethanol production averaged 857,000 barrels per day (b/d) — or 35.99 million gallons daily. That is up 4,000 b/d from the week before and the highest rate of output this year. The four-week average for ethanol production stood at 849,000 b/d for an annualized rate of 13.02 billion gallons.

Stocks of ethanol stood at 17.0 million barrels. That is a 3.2% decrease from last week and the lowest of the year.

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

Gasoline demand for the week averaged 353.4 million gallons daily.

Expressed as a percentage of daily gasoline demand, daily ethanol production was 10.18%.

On the co-products side, ethanol producers were using 12.994 million bushels of corn to produce ethanol and 95,644 metric tons of livestock feed, 85,267 metric tons of which were distillers grains. The rest is comprised of corn gluten feed and corn gluten meal. Additionally, ethanol producers were providing 4.46 million pounds of corn oil daily.



Livestock and Poultry Groups Provide Comments on Negative Impact of the RFS

Seven livestock and poultry groups submitted comments to the House Energy and Commerce Committee on the negative effects the federal Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) has had on agriculture, including the high cost of feed facing livestock and poultry producers. The comments answer several questions posed by the committee on the impact of the RFS.

“The RFS has been the major driver in increasing corn use for ethanol production, and causing corn stocks to decline to crisis levels,” the comments state. “In a market-driven world, ethanol would be priced competitively with gasoline. That has never been true in the entire history of the industry.”

Additionally, the groups submitted a study to support their comments titled “The RFS, Fuel and Food Prices, and the Need for Reform” completed by Dr. Tom Elam of FarmEcon. The study examined the extensive impact the RFS has had on food and fuel prices.

The groups appreciate the work of the committee in seeking input from our producers and look forward to working with the committee on reforming the RFS.

The comments and study were submitted on behalf of:
American Meat Institute
American Sheep Industry Association
Milk Producers Council
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
National Pork Producers Council
National Turkey Federation
North American Meat Association

The documents were presented to Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.), and Ranking Member Henry Waxman (D-Calif.).



National Grange fights against estate tax by filing brief

The National Grange filed an amicus brief Monday in opposition to the estate tax and a recent court decision in which defendants were ordered to pay more in inheritance taxes than what the inherited property was worth.

United States v. MacIntyre, heard by the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division, has presented the question: Does the law permit the government to collect more from a donee than the value of the gift received?

The Grange, along with the National Black Chamber of Commerce who initiated the action, and the Sixty Plus Association, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, and the Center for Individual Freedom, have responded with a resounding "no," insisting that the government's pursuance of such funds amounts to little more than greed.

"The Grange has long been an opponent of the estate tax. It does nothing but prevent the American dream from becoming a reality," National Grange President Edward Luttrell said. "Farmers and ranchers all over the country have worked their entire lives in order to leave their children something substantial that could be passed on to future generations and the inheritance tax does nothing but work to destroy that legacy."

"So many multi-generational farms and ranches have been lost because of the inheritor's inability to pay the estate tax on the property. The original owners already worked to pay off this land so their children would be land owners able to support continued operations or realize the investment of ownership," National Grange Legislative Director Grace Boatright said.

The amicus brief will be put on the record and allows the voices of farmers, ranchers, and other landowners to be heard. 



Alltech Analyzes 1,000th Feed Sample

If you can’t see them, they must not be there.  That was the old school of thought on mold and mycotoxins being present in our livestock’s feed supply. Today, after three decades of research and recent advances in the field of mycotoxin testing, we can now detect more than 37 different types of mycotoxins, and many producers around the globe are taking heed and getting their feed tested.

Established in September 2012, the Analytical Services Laboratory powered by Alltech  recently processed their 1,000th feed sample. The lab, which utilizes LC-MS/MS analytical technology, has allowed Alltech to gain valuable insights into mycotoxin levels and trends globally with unrivalled specificity, sensitivity and breadth.

Alltech’s 37+ Program provides a tailored, species-specific risk assessment of the expected impact on animal performance based on the mycotoxins that are found during analysis. It then recommends a mitigation strategy through balanced nutrition, feed management and the addition of functional carbohydrates.

“The most significant aspect of this milestone is the quality of data we have accumulated. Virtually 100 percent of the feed samples analyzed worldwide contain multiple mycotoxins. Individual mycotoxin levels detected by methods with less specificity and sensitivity than the technologies we use may not always identify the source of poor animal health,” said Steve Mobley, manager of the Analytical Services Laboratory, powered by Alltech.

“However, the cumulative, additive and/or synergistic affects of multiple mycotoxins in the diet, regardless of guideline or regulatory levels, can result in mycotoxicosis symptoms and detrimental erosion of animal productivity,” said Dr. Max Hawkins, Alltech Mycotoxin Management Team. “The need to detect and quantify multiple mycotoxins at low levels should be the industry’s key concern and, from the tremendous response to Alltech’s 37+ Program, I believe the industry is taking heed.”



USDA Announces Commodity Credit Corporation Lending Rates for May 2013

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) today announced interest rates for May 2013. The CCC borrowing rate-based charge for May 2013 is 0.125 percent, unchanged from 0.125 in April 2013. For 1996 and subsequent crop year commodity and marketing assistance loans, the interest rate for loans disbursed during May 2013 is 1.125 percent, unchanged from 1.125 in April 2013.

Interest rates for Farm Storage Facility Loans approved for May 2013 are as follows, 1.250 percent with seven-year loan terms, down from 1.375 in April 2013; 1.875 percent with 10-year loan terms, down from 2.000 in April 2013 and; 2.125 percent with 12-year loan terms, down from 2.250 percent in April 2013.



Conservation Stewardship Program Applications Due by May 31

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the Natural Resources Conservation Service's Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) will provide nearly $175 million in funding for up to 12.6 million additional acres of enrollment this year.

"The Conservation Stewardship Program is different than other USDA financial assistance programs," said Vilsack. "CSP offers payments to producers who maintain a high level of conservation on their land and agree to adopt higher levels of stewardship. It's about conservation activities on the entire operation focusing on multiple resource concerns."

Vilsack explained that although applications are accepted all year, farmers, ranchers and forestland owners interested in CSP should submit applications by May 31 to their local NRCS office to ensure they are considered for this year's funding.

The voluntary program allows producers to go the extra mile in conserving natural resources while also maintaining or increasing the productivity of their operations.

Playing a significant part in conserving and improving our nation's resources, producers enrolled an additional 12.1 million acres in CSP last year, bringing the total number of acres to more than 50 million.

Many of the CSP enhancements improve soil quality, which helps land become more resilient to extreme weather.

Several other improvements are available for producers, including intensive rotational grazing, intercropping and wildlife friendly fencing.

Because of the extreme weather in 2012, more interest and participation in the cover crop enhancements is expected this year, according to NRCS experts.

A CSP self-screening checklist is available to help producers determine if the program is suitable for their operation. The checklist highlights basic information about CSP eligibility requirements, stewardship threshold requirements and payment types.

For the checklist and additional information, visit the CSP website (http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/financial/csp/) or visit your local USDA NRCS office.



USDA Announces Funding to Improve Rural Broadband in Nebraska and Montana

   Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced funding for two rural telecommunications companies that will expand broadband service in rural Nebraska and Montana.  The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) remains focused on carrying out its mission, despite a time of significant budget uncertainty. Today’s announcement is one part of the Department’s efforts to strengthen the rural economy.

    In Nebraska, Hartington Telecommunications Co., Inc, an RUS borrower since 1956, will use a $5.265 million loan to replace copper cable with Fiber-to-the-Home technology to serve customers with a state-of-the-art telecommunications system.  The new system will require replacing rural drops with fiber cables and installing new optical interfaces at each subscriber location.  A large number of digital loop carrier (DLC) sites will be retired or converted into optical nodes, increasing system reliability due to a reduction in grid powered sites.  The company has had previous RUS loans totaling more than $8 million.

InterBel Telephone Cooperative, Inc., in Montana, will receive a $20.8 million loan to complete a Fiber-to-the-Premises network to help meet future growth requirements.   USDA funding is contingent upon the recipient meeting the terms of the loan agreement.

   “These loans will provide the necessary telecommunications infrastructure essential for rural economic development,” Vilsack said.  “Broadband offers rural communities greater access to educational, health care, business and social services and opens the door to increased global competition.  As part of President Obama’s goal to improve infrastructure, we continue to fund projects that expand broadband service in rural areas.”

   Today’s funding announcement will provide more than $26 million from USDA’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS), a Rural Development agency, to install fiber networks to improve telecommunications services in these areas.



Attendees Learn How to Interact with Online Moms
Industry Encouraged to 'Get Social' at Animal Ag Summit

 “We don’t need them to understand us, we need to understand them,” said Joe Miller, General Counsel for Rose Acre Farms of consumers at the Animal Agriculture Alliance 12th annual Stakeholders Summit which kicked off this morning in Arlington, VA.

The theme of improving communications throughout the food chain was reinforced frequently throughout the morning panels, which is perhaps ironic, given that one of the first speakers was discussing farm protection legislation, or as it is more commonly known, “ag gag.”

Miller began his presentation by providing an overview of the controversy surrounding farm protection legislation, but ended by discussing how the industry must better understand consumers, rather than the other way around.

“The public needs to know they can trust us,” said Miller. “We need to close the gap between a producer and a consumer.”

Miller’s presentation was closely followed by the panel entitled, “Demystifying the Blogosphere: How to Engage Online Moms,” where two influential bloggers, Joanne Bamberger and Sarah Braesch actively engaged with the audience and answered questions about how to effectively work with online moms.

The panel was moderated in part by David Wescott, Director of Digital Strategy at APCO Worldwide.

“I’m here to give you a bit of a reality check,” began Wescott who told the industry that they must do better at connecting with the “middle ground,” their consumers. “Social media has been isolating communities more and more and those communities tend to take very extreme positions and it becomes harder and harder for those communities to interact.”

When asked by an audience member if there is a verifiable “middle ground,” Wescott, Bamberger and Braesch all agreed that there is, and it’s online moms.

“Women, your consumers, are getting their information from bloggers that they know and trust,” said Bamberger. “There are really good conversational ways to get your message out to that audience, you just need to put in the effort and develop the relationships.

Explained Wescott, social media isn’t complicated: “It’s about people talking. Keep it simple: know who your stakeholders really are, ask them what they want, and then give it to them.”

The 12th annual Stakeholders Summit, themed “Activists at the Door: Protecting Animals, Farms, Food and Consumer Confidence,” began May 1, 2013 in Arlington, Virginia. The audience included approximately 200 leaders from across the food chain. Complete videos of all presentations, including the questions asked, are available here.

Event sponsors currently include Alltech, U.S. Poultry and Egg Association, Murphy-Brown LLC, Farm Credit, Provimi North America, Merck Animal Health, Zoetis, Hy-Line,  American Feed Industry Association, Bayer Animal Health, United Soybean Board, Alltech, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Pork Board, National Pork Producers Council, Diamond V, Aviagen, Genus/PIC/ABS, United Egg Producers, WATTPublishing Co., Cactus Feeders, BrakkeConsulting, Kemin,  AgriBeef Co., Seaboard Foods, National Association of Farm Broadcasting, Protect the Harvest, Elanco Animal Health, Vance Publishing and the Potash Corp.



Soybean Executive Named CEO of NAWG

Longtime soybean industry executive Jim Palmer has been named chief executive officer of the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG).

Palmer was selected by the NAWG Board of Directors after a search process led by the NAWG officers and grower-leaders of the National Wheat Foundation, NAWG’s affiliated charitable organization.

He will officially begin work with the Association and Foundation as of June 1, though he plans to meet with NAWG’s grower-leaders and staff throughout the month of May.

“Our farmer-leaders were very impressed with Jim’s experience and vision for the wheat industry, and we are excited to have him take the lead on the NAWG staff,” said Bing Von Bergen, NAWG’s president and a farmer from Moccasin, Mont., who has also served as NAWG’s interim CEO since late February.

“We are confident that under Jim’s leadership, NAWG will be able to face the challenges we have before us now in Washington and grow our industry well into the future.”

Palmer has worked in administrative roles for national and state agriculture organizations for the past 30 years, most of that time in the soybean industry.

From 1997 until early 2012, he worked as the executive director for the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association and the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council.

Earlier in his career, he was engaged in commercial agriculture credit and was the staff lead during the development of the United Soybean Board, the national soybean checkoff. 

Since leaving Minnesota Soybean, he has worked as an independent management and development consultant with agriculture companies around the United States.

“I am extremely proud to be selected to serve as NAWG’s next CEO,” Palmer said. “The future will be bright for our wheat farmers working together, partnering with NAWG’s strong state organizations and our industry agribusiness friends, as well as other farm organizations. The bottom line is, I’m so eager to take on this new role at NAWG that I’ve mentally started already.”

Palmer grew up on a large, multi-generational family farm in northeast Missouri, near Hannibal. He attended the University of Missouri-Columbia, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics as part of an honors program that also conferred graduate credits.



World Dairy Expo Announces New General Manager

World Dairy Expo is pleased to announce Scott Bentley as the new General Manager effective June 3, 2013. Bentley brings a wealth of industry experience to Expo. Most recently he was the Global Supply Manager at ABS Global, DeForest, Wis., and previously held positions as Global Dairy Product Manager, District Sales Manager and in Dairy Sire Acquisition. Prior to that, Bentley was Field Service Manager at the American Jersey Cattle Association.

In his new role, Bentley will lead World Dairy Expo staff in the strategic planning and implementation of the largest dairy-focused event in the world. He will be responsible for developing innovative initiatives and cultivating partner relationships. As General Manager, Bentley will oversee the responsibilities of WDE Management, including the North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge, Purebred Dairy Cattle Association, The Dane County Fair and Wisconsin Rural Opportunities Foundation. 

“The board is excited that our new General Manager has varied experience in the dairy industry including dairy cattle show management, commercial trade show and business management,” shared World Dairy Expo Board President, Mike Holschbach. “Bentley has experience working with dairy producers and management teams in both corporate and cooperative environments. His understanding of working collaboratively with dairy producers, exhibitors and industry partners will be helpful as we continue to grow and evolve Expo.”

Bentley possesses a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Purdue University. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Dairy Science from Iowa State University. Bentley grew up on a Guernsey farm in Ames, Iowa and now resides in Madison, Wis.

Interim General Manager, Bob Kaiser noted, “The interview selection committee had a deep pool of qualified applicants. The process stayed on schedule, with the new General Manager positioned to begin in early June as planned.”

“Center of the Dairy Universe” is the theme for World Dairy Expo 2013, which will take place October 1 through October 5 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis. Visit worlddairyexpo.com for the latest schedule details or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/worlddairyexpo.



AGCO Raises Earnings Forecast

Agco Corp, the maker of Massey Ferguson tractors, raised its full-year outlook after strong demand in the Americas helped push its first-quarter results above Wall Street estimates.

The company, which also makes Challenger Fendt and Valtra tractors, raised its per-share 2013 earnings forecast for 2013 to $5.50-$5.70 from $5.10-$5.35 and its sales forecast by $300 million to $10.5 billion to $10.7 billion, reports Reuters.

"Industry demand in North America continues at high levels, driven by strong farm income in 2012," Agco Chief Executive Martin Richenhagen said in a statement. "Farmer planting intentions are near record levels."

A year after the worst drought in more than half a century, farmers in the United States are expected to plant corn this year on 97.3 million acres, the biggest area since 1936, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has said.

North and South America together accounted for about 45 percent of Agco's sales in the first quarter.

The company said its revenue rose 5.7 percent to $2.40 billion during the quarter ended March. Excluding currency impact, sales were up about 8.4 percent. Net income fell slightly to $117.1 million, or $1.19 per share, from $121.2 million, or $1.21 per share, a year earlier.



ICE to Reduce Grain Trading Hours

IntercontinentalExchange said that it will reduce its electronic U.S. grain trading hours in response to customer feedback, following in the footsteps of arch-rival CME Group. ICE launched grain trading on a 22-hour basis a year ago, mounting the biggest challenge yet to CME's cornerstone agricultural markets. In response, CME, owner of the Chicago Board of Trade, increased trading to 21 hours from 17 hours.

However, neither exchange was able to generate enough interest in around-the-clock activity. Reuters reports that starting May 13, trading at ICE will begin the week at 5 p.m. central time on Sunday and run to 1:30 p.m. central time on Monday, according to a notice from the exchange. For the rest of the work week, markets for crops like corn, wheat and soy will trade from 7 p.m. until 1:30 p.m central, the notice said.



Cast a Vote Today to Select the 2013 National “Farm Mom of the Year”

From Alaska to Florida, Maine to Hawaii, you took the time to share what makes your favorite farm mom so special. Now, American Agri-Women and Monsanto have selected five regional winners.  Your vote will help determine this year’s national winner, to be announced on Mother’s Day.

Each regional winner was awarded a $5,000 cash prize from Monsanto. Online votes cast on AmericasFarmers.com before May 12 – Mother’s Day – will determine the winner of the national title and recipient of an additional $5,000 prize.

The 2013 regional winners are:
    Northwest Region: Aimee Hachigian-Gould, Ulm, Mont.
    Southwest Region: Mary Ann Bansen, Ferndale, Calif.
    Midwest Region: Tina Hinchley, Cambridge, Wis.
    Northeast Region: Sue Roehm, Leesburg, Ohio.
    Southeast Region: Betty Rosson, Louisa, Va.

“Reading regional winners’ nominations, it’s clear that no matter what and where they farm, farm moms work tirelessly to improve not only their farming operations and communities, but perceptions of agriculture in general,” says Lisa Safarian, U.S. Row Crops Lead, Monsanto. “While we may not say it as often as we should, we all love and appreciate this nation’s farm moms!”

Regional winners’ bios and nominations are posted on www.AmericasFarmers.com, where visitors can click to cast a vote for their favorite. The farm mom receiving the most votes will be named the national winner, to be announced on Mother’s Day.

Blind judging was spearheaded by American Agri-Women, a national coalition of women’s farm, ranch and agribusiness organizations. Each nomination was scored for how the nominee contributes to her farm, family, community, and the agricultural industry.

“This year’s nominees collectively farm more than 40 different crops, and their roles on their farms and within their communities are equally diverse,” says Kris Zilliox of the American Agri-Women. “Selecting just five winners was no small feat, but these five women are outstanding representations of American farm moms.”

To obtain a list of winners, read past or present winner nominations, or see official rules for America’s Farmers Mom of the Year, visit www.AmericasFarmers.com or send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to America’s Farmers Mom of the Year, Attn: Nancy Hallahan, 914 Spruce Street, St. Louis, MO 63102.

America’s Farmers Mom of the Year is an element of Monsanto’s America’s Farmers program, an advocacy effort promoting, recognizing and supporting U.S. farmers through communications, awards and special programs that highlight the importance of agriculture. Visit AmericasFarmers.com for more information.