Wednesday July 10 Ag News

Stockpile Extra Summer Growth for Winter Pasture
Bruce Anderson, UNL Extension Forage Specialist 

Pastures that received abundant rain this past spring look in pretty good shape. It might be wise to find the best way to take advantage of this blessing.

When you get abundant rain and warm, sunny weather, your pastures may produce more growth than needed for your current summer stocking rates. Options to use the extra growth are needed.

Sometimes we cut and bale extra growth as hay. This is a good plan if you need the hay. Other times we simply let cattle graze what they want and leave the excess in the field. Rebuilding surface litter that was burned up by last year's drought can be healthy for the pasture.

How about another option? Try stockpiling, or saving some extra pasture growth for grazing during the winter.

There are lots of advantages to winter grazing. Less hay needs to be fed next winter. Thus, you will not need to make as much hay this summer. And stockpiling in summer and fall followed by winter grazing is one of the best methods to improve the health of your grasslands.

If you have some run down, poor condition, low producing pastures, these often are the best candidates for winter grazing. Grasses that need invigorating will be strengthened by not grazing them during the growing season. Your winter grazing will clean off much of the frozen growth during winter. Cattle even eat some plants like yucca and ragweed during winter that they won't hardly touch during summer. Sure, you'll need some protein supplements, but cattle do a pretty good job of picking high quality plant parts to eat while winter grazing.

Extra growth is an opportunity to both reduce winter feed costs and improve pasture condition. Get it by winter grazing.



Agricultural Economics Alumni Advice to Students: Internships

            Alumni of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Department of Agricultural Economics recommended today's students "aggressively pursue internships," according to a survey.

            The department surveyed 2,899 alumni and received 789 responses.

            The alumni answered the question "What advice would you give our students that wanted to follow your career choice?"

            The most common answer was "work internships."

            "The advice from many of the respondents was for students to aggressively pursue internships, to serve as many as possible, in as many fields with as many different types of companies as they can," said Larry Van Tassell, head of the Department of Agricultural Economics.  "In fact, many expressed internships were beneficial enough that students should work for free, if necessary."

            Many responders said that internships helped with networking.

            "Relationships developed during internships were not only valuable in landing the first job for many alumni, but formed associations that remained just as strong and important many years later," Van Tassell said.

            Other advice included encouraging students to intern outside of Nebraska and to get work experience before returning to family farms.

            Of the respondents that graduated after 2000, 44 percent did not serve an internship, 26 percent served one internship and 29 percent served at least two internships.

            "Internships are becoming increasingly popular; a significantly greater number of internships are utilized by students graduating after 2000, as any time period before," Van Tassell said.

            Alumni also advised students to participate in extracurricular activities and to take leadership roles in these activities.

            Of those graduating since 2000, 75 percent of alumni participated in at least one club or organization, with 14 percent participating in more than three. Fewer than 50 percent of alumni served in a leadership capacity. Nearly all of the respondents that participated in more than three clubs or organizations held leadership positions in three or more of those organizations.

            "A number of respondents lamented they did not take advantage of campus activities and clubs, but instead chose to spend their time working on their family operations they intended to return to," Van Tassell said.  "They felt they forfeited opportunities to network and develop relationships that they could have drawn on throughout their careers."



USDA Announces Export Promotion Allocations for Fiscal Year 2013

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) awarded fiscal year 2013 funding to more than 70 U.S. agricultural organizations to help expand commercial export markets for their goods. 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.

Under the Market Access Program (MAP), FAS will provide $172.7 million to 70 nonprofit organizations and cooperatives. MAP participants contribute an average 171-percent match for generic marketing and promotion activities and a dollar-for-dollar match for promotion of branded products by small businesses and cooperatives. Under the Foreign Market Development Program (FMD), FAS will allocate $25.4 million to 26 trade organizations that represent U.S. agricultural producers. The organizations, which contribute an average 183-percent cost share, will conduct activities that help maintain or increase demand for U.S. agricultural commodities overseas.

"Through MAP, FMD and other market development programs, USDA helps U.S. agricultural organizations, representing thousands of producers and businesses, open and expand international markets for U.S. agricultural exports," said Vilsack. "Ultimately, these efforts are helping achieve President Obama's National Export Initiative goal of doubling all U.S. exports by the end of 2014."

USDA's international market development programs have had a significant and positive impact on U.S. agricultural exports. An independent study released in 2010 found that for every $1 expended by government and industry on market development, U.S. food and agricultural exports increase by $35. The past four years represent the strongest period for U.S. agricultural exports in the history of the United States. Farm exports in fiscal year 2012 reached $135.8 billion and supported 1 million jobs here at home. Exports of U.S. farm goods in fiscal year 2013 are projected to total $139.5 billion, which would set a new record. Agricultural exports support more than one million jobs and drive economic opportunity in rural America.

USDA has made a concerted effort to deliver results for the American people, even as USDA implements sequestration – the across-the-board budget reductions mandated under terms of the Budget Control Act. For example, more than $10 million was cut from this year's allocations due to sequestration. USDA has also already undertaken historic efforts since 2009 to save more than $828 million in taxpayer funds through targeted, common-sense budget reductions. These reductions have put USDA in a better position to carry out its mission, while implementing sequester budget reductions in a fair manner that causes as little disruption as possible.



House Republicans Consider Splitting Farm Bill

Nearly a month after suffering an embarrassing defeat, House Republican leaders are considering a new strategy to try to win support for the massive, five-year farm bill: splitting it into two separate measures, one for farm programs and one for food stamps. According to the Associated Press, it's an attempt to gather support from conservatives who voted against the $100 billion-a-year farm bill, and critics say it could lead to bigger cuts in both farm subsidies and the domestic food aid.

Republicans discussed the strategy in a Tuesday caucus meeting, with House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas, R-Okla., saying for the first time that he would go along with a split bill if leaders could deliver the votes. Republicans were assessing support for the idea, and a spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said no decisions had been made on how to revive the bill.

The House rejected the farm bill in June by a vote of 234-195 after some in the GOP complained that the legislation did not cut enough from food stamps. Democrats said the 3 percent cut in food stamps was too much.

The idea is that the farm portion of the bill could pass without the food stamp provisions. By splitting the two, Republicans might be able to make bigger cuts in food stamp programs and pass that bill with conservative support.

However, conservative groups, farm groups and nutrition groups all expressed concerns with the strategy.

Farm groups and anti-hunger groups have warned that separating the farm and nutrition programs after decades of linking them would be a major mistake. Rural lawmakers have added money for food stamps to the farm bill, which sets policy for agricultural subsidies and other farm programs, to gather urban votes for the measure.

The Democratic-led Senate, which overwhelmingly passed a farm bill with smaller cuts to food stamps, would be reluctant to go along with a split bill or further cuts to the programs. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., said that she believes splitting the bill would be a major mistake.

Spending on food stamps has doubled in the last five years to almost $80 billion a year and the number of members in both parties who make agriculture a priority has dwindled. Still, separating the two bills could create bigger problems as members may not have an incentive to vote for either piece of legislation.



Farmers Union Stands Strong: Do Not Split the Farm Bill

Iowa Farmers Union (IFU) President Whitney Davis issued the following statement after the National Farmers Union Board of Directors voted unanimously Tuesday to maintain its long-time position on keeping farm programs and nutrition assistance together in a single, comprehensive farm bill:

"Farmers Union members have always believed that if you eat, you're involved in agriculture. Taking nutrition programs out of the 2013 farm bill makes no sense and would be a disservice to farmers, ranchers, rural residents and consumers.

"The bill needs to remain intact. The safety net programs for the people growing the country's food and the American families who want to access that food should not be set up as opposing interests. Consumers rely on farmers being able to provide a reliable and safe food supply, and farmers do best when families can afford to buy food, even during hard economic times. A comprehensive, unified farm and food bill bridges the urban-rural divide and keeps consumers and urban members of Congress in touch with the interests of rural Iowa and the people producing our food.

"We also need to maintain the existing permanent law as an incentive for Congress to do its job and periodically engage in farm and food policy to ensure that our agriculture and food systems are operating as intended and serving the American people. This Congress has clearly demonstrated the need for a strong incentive to drive timely legislative action on the farm bill. Without the permanent law in place, I see even more dysfunction and delay the next time the farm bill comes up for consideration.

"We encourage all members of Congress to work together to pass a bipartisan, comprehensive bill. Lawmakers in Washington have managed that balancing act for decades, not making it happen now would be an unprecedented failure."



Integrated Pest Management Publications in Field, Around the World

Iowa farmers and crop advisors are scouting corn and soybean fields with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach field guides in hand. The guides outline integrated pest management information -- how to protect crops based on data from specific fields, using both preventative and curative tactics to manage insects, diseases and weeds. They place an emphasis on scouting and thorough record keeping -- and they are in high demand.

"Crop scouting is a cornerstone of integrated pest management," said Daren Mueller, extension plant pathologist with the Iowa State University Integrated Pest Management program. "Scouting entails accurately estimating crop plant health, recognizing growth stage, and identifying crop injury and associated causes -- the field guides improve scouting accuracy."

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, in conjunction with Iowa Soybean Association, created the first weather-resistant pocket guide, the Soybean Field Guide, with high quality images and descriptions of disease, insect and other disorders so it could easily go to the field. The guide serves as a reference for farmers and crop advisors scouting fields and assists them in accurately diagnosing crop problems.

The Soybean Field Guide was first sold through the ISU Extension online store on Feb. 22, 2008. In five years, that single publication has become part of a growing Integrated Pest Management publication series that now includes five field guides, three compendiums and twelve scouting cards. More than one million copies (1,094,000+) of the publications have been printed -- 53 percent (581,000) by Iowa State University and 47 percent (513,000) printed upon request and distributed by outside entities such as agribusiness, academic institutions and commodity groups.

The extension online store has distributed the publications to all 99 Iowa counties, 375 Iowa cities, and 49 U.S. states (Rhode Island is the only state with no publication orders). The popularity of the guides has expanded well beyond Iowa -- nearly 28 percent are delivered outside of Iowa and guides have been distributed internationally to 23 countries on five continents. The Soybean Field Guide has been adapted for use in Canada by Canadian soybean experts.

Iowa State IPM team members authoring the publications are Extension faculty, researchers, specialists and other staff. "The publications are the result of the work of more than 25 authors," Mueller said. "This group of scientists is dedicated to integrated pest management education. We have a broad portfolio of activities and products to support our educational efforts -- this series of publications is only one part."

The team plans to add more publications, including: Alfalfa Field Guide, Corn Field Guide 2nd Edition, Hail and Nutrient Deficiency Scouting Cards, and an update to Corn Diseases.

To learn more about the ISU Extension Integrated Pest Management educational offerings visit www.aep.iastate.edu/feel/; to order field guides visit the Extension online store https://store.extension.iastate.edu/ and click on the Integrated Pest Management publications image.



Weekly Ethanol Production for 7/05/2013

According to EIA data, ethanol production averaged 881,000 barrels per day (b/d) — or 37.00 million gallons daily. That is up 18,000 b/d from the week before. The four-week average for ethanol production stood at 875,000 b/d for an annualized rate of 13.41 billion gallons.

Stocks of ethanol stood at 15.7 million barrels. That is a 1.8% increase from last week.

Imports of ethanol were 25,000 b/d, up from last week.

Gasoline demand for the week averaged 390.6 million gallons daily, the highest since August 2012. Notably, net refiner/blender input of ethanol reached a record 896,000 b/d, proving that U.S. refiners and blenders have the capability to consume at least 13.74 billion gallons of ethanol annually.

Expressed as a percentage of daily gasoline demand, daily ethanol production was 9.47%.

On the co-products side, ethanol producers were using 13.358 million bushels of corn to produce ethanol and 98,322 metric tons of livestock feed, 87,655 metric tons of which were distillers grains. The rest is comprised of corn gluten feed and corn gluten meal. Additionally, ethanol producers were providing 4.59 million pounds of corn oil daily.



Brazil Ethanol Output DN 6%; Exports Up in Late June

The Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association, the ethanol lobby group commonly known as UNICA, said Wednesday that 1.28 billion liters, or 338 million gallons, of fuel ethanol was produced by millers in the south-central region of the South American country during the second half of June, down 6% from the same period a year earlier.

Meantime, 2.24 billion liters, or 591 million gallons, of ethanol was sold in June, up about 13% from the first half of June while down 33.5% from the same period a year earlier. Of those sales, 124 million gallons, or 20%, of total sales went to the export market, up 26% from a year earlier.



Beef Front and Center for 'Workout in the Park'

The beef checkoff recently participated in the SELF Magazine "Workout in the Park" event in Chicago’s Grant Park. More than 3,700 participted consisted primarily of millennial-aged folks, with a perfect blend between the fitness-crazed and those simply interested in living a more healthful lifestyle.

The event included two stages running back-to-back fitness classes throughout the day. “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.” sponsored the high-energy 2Fly class, featuring hip hop hits from the 90s.

The “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.” tent was positioned near the main stage, where participants chose from several lifestyles -- Strong, Extraordinary, Simply Great and Balanced -- for which they then learned where to download, pin, share and find recipe collections to meet their specfic needs. They also received the new Beef’s Big 10 infographic and an athletic tank top.

“Our new consumer advertising campaign reaches out to consumers with messages about beef choices like T-Bone, Sirloin and Flank steaks that they know and love. It communicates that beef will give them what they want and need -- a nutrition powerhouse with great flavor,” says Cevin Jones, chairman of the checkoff’s Domestic Consumer Preference Committee and a producer from Eden, Idaho. “This event reached health-conscious consumers on their ‘own turf’ with a message that resonated: 'Beef will give them the essential nutrients their body needs to be at their best.' What a great way to extend our consumer marketing campaign.”

A strong drive to the checkoff’s social media platforms led participants to the recently relaunched BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com and Pinterest page, as well as Facebook and Twitter. As a result, social media conversations around the event generated more than 2.8 million impressions, with high engagement. (e.g. littlemisslocal: Beef is what's for dinner #onlyinchicago #workoutinthepark http://t.co/LaFjZ6EssR&nb sp;)

More than 1,000 “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner.” athletic tanks were distributed to people who visited the beef tent to talk to checkoff representatives and to pick up beef recipes and nutrition information. In addition, local media and registered dietitians stopped by the tent to complete the lifestyle assessment, get recipes and learn about beef’s essential nutrients.

“From people who live and breathe exercise to those who wanted to learn more about staying active and healthy, we were able to reach not only the people in the park that day but extend that message via our social media platforms,” says Jones. “It’s just one more way our checkoff is reminding consumers that beef is for living life how you want to live it.”



Zoetis and The Roslin Institute collaborate to control Salmonella

Zoetis Inc., formerly the animal health business unit of Pfizer Inc., and The Roslin Institute at the University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom, today announced a collaboration for research of Salmonella in cattle.

The Roslin Institute has received funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) to support collaborative research with Zoetis that will bring valuable industry knowledge and input into its academic research program. For three years, the BBSRC will contribute 80 percent of funding for the study — close to $1 million — and Zoetis will not only provide the remaining 20 percent of funding but also provide in-kind services via research materials and expertise.

Researchers at The Roslin Institute and Zoetis will jointly investigate how Salmonella enters and persists within the bovine lymphatic system and can lead to contamination of beef for human consumption. The team of researchers from The Roslin Institute — which is incorporated within the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies — includes Professor Mark Stevens, PhD, chair of microbial pathogenesis; Professor John Hopkins, PhD, chair of veterinary immunology; and Jayne Hope, PhD, a leading researcher on bovine immunity and mycobacteria. They are collaborating with Charles Cornell, MS, technical lead for the Cattle Food Safety Vaccine franchise, Veterinary Medicine Research and Development at Zoetis. The BBSRC grant also provides funding for a postdoctoral researcher and a research technician for three years.

The Roslin Institute research team will work with Zoetis to help develop and implement solutions to reduce the prevalence of Salmonella in meat.

“Salmonella infections in cattle are significant for two reasons,” Professor Stevens said. “It can cause gastroenteritis and abortion in the animals, thereby harming their productivity and welfare, and contamination of beef and the farm environment can lead to infections in people.

Cattle are a significant source of human Salmonella infections, he added. Although the animal’s lymphatic system normally helps fight infection, some types of Salmonella have adapted to evade the immune system and survive in lymph nodes.

“A key gap in our knowledge is how Salmonella enters the lymphatic system in the first place and then persists within it, constraining our ability to design strategies to control infection,” Professor Stevens continued. “We will examine the role of host and bacterial factors in this process and use the results of our research study to identify new and better targets that could help us control Salmonella infections in cattle.”

Funding from the BBSRC allows The Roslin Institute to work strategically with Zoetis on important Salmonella research in cattle, which impacts animal and human health and safety of the food supply across the globe, said Michelle Haven, DVM, PhD, senior vice president, Corporate Development, Alliances and Solutions at Zoetis.

“Salmonella remains a health concern worldwide and is estimated to cause about 94 million cases of foodborne disease in humans and 155,000 deaths1 each year,” Dr. Haven said. “This study is fundamental for developing intervention strategies. We’re excited and committed to being at the forefront of these discoveries, working closely with our academic and industry partners, to identify issues and solutions for safe food now and in the future as we work together to feed the world’s growing population.”

Professor Stevens added that Zoetis is an ideal partner for Salmonella research.

“Zoetis will provide a link between our basic research and commercialization,” he said. “This study will add value to future studies at The Roslin Institute of other infectious diseases of food-producing animals.”

Zoetis has been an industry partner on a variety of research programs with the BBSRC since 2008 to help advance understanding of critical animal diseases and develop new solutions for those who raise food animals.



R-CALF USA: COOL Litigation Supported by Producer Checkoff Dollars

At least three of the eight plaintiffs that filed a lawsuit filed this week against the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) final country of origin labeling (COOL) rule have already directly received and/or are attempting to directly receive producer checkoff dollars.

According to a recent report by the USDA Office of Inspector General, Plaintiff National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) receives 82.5 percent of its funding directly from the Beef Checkoff Program. According to the website of the Beef Checkoff Program, in 2012, Plaintiff North American Meat Association (NAMA) requested a $390,000 Beef Checkoff Program contract. And, Plaintiff National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) is a recipient of Pork Checkoff dollars.

Although federal law prohibits producer checkoff dollars from being used to influence public policy, R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard said that is exactly what is going on in this COOL lawsuit.

"Either directly or indirectly, producer checkoff dollars are helping the meatpacker-lobby to fight against the widely popular COOL law that U.S. livestock producer and U.S. consumers successfully passed in 2002," said Bullard.

According to Bullard, producer checkoff dollars flowing to the NCBA and NPPC are the equivalent of "soft money" contributions in election campaigns.

"Although the NCBA may not be directly paying their COOL litigation expenses with checkoff funds, the checkoff funds allow it to offset a large portion of its organization's administrative expenses, which allows it to devote its more limited non-checkoff money toward fighting COOL and other initiatives the multinational meatpackers do not like," said Bullard.

Bullard, referring to the COOL lawsuit as the meatpacker-lobby lawsuit, said the only reason it was filed was to help meatpackers exploit consumers by allowing them to source cheaper livestock from foreign countries while selling the resulting meat to unsuspecting consumers at the same price that domestic meat commands.

"The reason the NCBA and NPPC are fighting to help the meatpackers exploit consumers by attacking COOL is because they both have meatpackers seated on their governing boards, making them meatpacker trade groups rather than producer trade groups," Bullard commented.

"The meatpackers and their allies do not want U.S. farmers and ranchers to compete with their foreign counterparts in either Canada or Mexico," Bullard said adding, "By not allowing consumers to know where their meat was produced, meatpackers can undermine competition and unilaterally decide from what country to source their livestock. After all, without COOL consumers cannot initiate any competitive demand signals for livestock from the United States or from any other country. That privilege is bestowed exclusively on the meatpacker when COOL is not available.

"There can be no clearer example of deep-rooted government corruption than when, as here, you have an organization - the NCBA - that receives a super majority of its funding from a federal program and is nevertheless allowed to sue the federal government to stop a program that is widely supported by both U.S. consumers and U.S. producers.

"This is utterly outrageous and we hope our federal court system will recognize the despicable, self-serving motives of the NCBA and the rest of the plaintiffs in this case," concluded Bullard.



Only Days Remain to Enter NCGA's 2013 Yield Contest

The National Corn Growers Association reminds those interested in the 2013 National Corn Yield Contest that only days remain to file entry forms and take part in the popular competition.  The online entry format makes entry quick and simple, but growers wishing to take part must file entry forms by the July 12 deadline.

"While many of us planted later than usual, the National Corn Yield Contest is proceeding right along schedule," said NCGA Production and Stewardship Action Team Chair Dean Taylor. "This means that the window to participate in the contest is quickly closing. I strongly encourage anyone interested in being a part of the competition or just looking for a new way to explore different techniques to use the easy online form and become a part of the contest.  Also, I encourage non-members in particular to explore the many benefits that NCGA members enjoy and consider joining both the association and entering the contest."

The online entry software allows growers to enter the contest and join NCGA and their state association. The web-based system simplifies data submission, allows users to view their submissions at any time and will allow for quick, efficient use of contest data. 

Seed representatives and entrants are welcome to enter through this new platform. Current members should have their NCGA membership ID ready. Non-members wishing to participate can quickly fill out the online membership profile and enter immediately following completion of this form.

For nearly a half century, NCGA's National Corn Yield Contest has provided corn growers the opportunity to compete with their colleagues to grow the most corn per acre, helping feed and fuel the world. This has given participants not only the recognition they deserved, but the opportunity to learn from their peers.

Winners receive national recognition in publications such as the NCYC Yield Guide, as well as trips or other awards from participating sponsoring seed, chemical and crop protection companies. In San Antonio, Texas, during the 2014 Commodity Classic, state winners will be recognized at the NCYC Breakfast and national winners will receive awards at the NCGA Awards Banquet.



Corn Fungicide Decision Guide

DuPont Pioneer and university research across 475 on-farm trials shows corn yield increases an average of 7 bu/A in response to a foliar fungicide application. The average yield response is generally greater in fields with large amounts of residue on the soil surface, such as corn-following-corn, and no-till or strip-till. Later-maturing fields can also be at greater risk to foliar disease and are more likely to benefit from a fungicide application.

DuPont Pioneer experts recommend scouting for foliar diseases in corn just before tassel emergence. Consider the following factors when planning an application of foliar fungicide.

Previous Crop— Many foliar pathogens survive in corn residue. The risk of foliar diseases, such as gray leaf spot and northern leaf blight, increases when corn is planted into a field that was corn the previous year.

Weather Conditions— Rainy and/or humid weather is most favorable to foliar diseases. In growing seasons when these conditions prevail, the risk for disease development increases.

History of Disease— Some field locations may have a history of greater foliar disease severity. Fields in river bottoms, low areas or surrounded by trees may be more prone to foliar corn diseases.

Hybrid Resistance— If the disease resistance rating is a 6 or greater, a fungicide application may not provide a yield benefit. For susceptible products with disease rating less than 4, spray if disease symptoms are present on the third leaf below the ear or above on 50 percent of the plants examined.

For intermediate products with disease rating of 5, determine if disease symptoms are present on the third leaf below the ear or above on 50 percent of the plants examined. Also consider the above factors, spraying if the field is in an area with history of foliar disease, a corn-on-corn planting, contains 35 percent or more surface residue, and weather is warm and humid.



CWT Assists Exports, Moves Forward with Contribution Increase

In June, Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) received 95 requests from member cooperatives to assist with exports of cheese and butter. After careful analysis of each request, CWT accepted 37 of those requests, based on the level of assistance that was economically justified.

This resulted in members selling 7.72 million pounds of cheese, and 665,796 pounds of 82% milkfat content butter to countries in Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa.

For the first six month of 2013, CWT has assisted 10 member cooperatives in selling 66.9 million pounds of Cheddar, Gouda, and Monterey Jack cheese, as well as 52.4 million pounds of 82% butter, 44,092 pounds of anhydrous milk fat, and 218,258 pounds of whole milk powder. All of the product will be delivered in 2013.

Year-to-date, the milk equivalent on a milkfat basis of CWT-assisted exports was 1.76 billion pounds.

In other CWT news, the CWT Committee voted on June 11th to increase the dairy producer contribution to CWT from 2¢ to 4¢ per hundredweight, effective July 1, 2013. New membership agreements have been sent to CWT’s current members and are also available on the CWT website – www.cwt.coop – under the Membership tab.



USDA, Interior and Defense Departments Partner to Benefit Agricultural Lands, Wildlife Habitat and Military Readiness

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell and Defense Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Installations and Environment John Conger announced today a federal, local and private collaboration that will preserve agricultural lands, assist with military readiness and restore and protect wildlife habitat.

Through the Sentinel Landscapes partnership, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Department of the Interior (Interior) and Department of Defense (DoD) will work together in overlapping priority areas near military installations to help farmers and ranchers make improvements to the land that benefit their operation, enhance wildlife habitat, and enable DoD's training missions to continue.

"This is a great example of a federal, local and private collaboration working together to achieve greater results for the American people – in this case by enhancing conservation efforts while ensuring our national defense," Vilsack said. "As a result of this partnership between Federal agencies and private partners, producers will have greater certainty with regard to the environment, we'll protect habitat for at-risk species, and our Armed Forces will retain access to important training opportunities."

"Today's announcement is a win-win for the American people and for the land and wildlife we cherish," Jewell said. "We are taking an important step in addressing one of the greatest threats to wildlife in America today, loss of habitat, while helping to ensure the preservation of working landscapes and our military readiness."

"The Department of Defense is committed to working together with other federal agencies to ensure we sustain a world-class training environment at military installations across the country," Conger said. "This arrangement benefits our service members and is an innovative, efficient use of taxpayer resources. It has the added benefits of protecting important habitats for imperiled wildlife species and working lands in rural communities that surround military installations. I look forward to our applying this model at other locations across the country."

A result of collaboration through the White House Rural Council, the federal agencies will kick off this partnership through a pilot Sentinel Landscape in the South Puget Sound region of Washington State. Home to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, an important troop training facility, this region has some of the last remaining native prairie habitat in the state.

Once covering 150,000 acres, only three percent of the original native prairie habitat remains due to development. Several of the at-risk species in this area include Taylor's checkerspot butterfly, the streaked horned lark, and the Mazama pocket gopher. A rare native plant, the golden Indian paintbrush, is already listed as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act.

DoD, USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Interior's U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and partner organizations will invest more than $12.6 million to restore and protect more than 2,600 acres of this important prairie habitat on both public and private lands, allowing training activities at the Joint Base to move forward with more flexibility.

Many NRCS conservation and DoD programs ease pressures that development puts on wildlife habitat, including DoD's Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration program. Left unaddressed, this decreasing habitat could otherwise restrict testing and training on military installations, areas to which many species flee when displaced by development.

The creation of long-term or permanent easements will protect nearby agricultural and private lands from development and help preserve farms and rural culture. Wildlife habitat can be created and managed to benefit species as well as agricultural production and military readiness.

Building on the successes of USDA's Working Lands for Wildlife, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will provide regulatory predictability under the Endangered Species Act to ranchers who implement conservation practices in the pilot landscape, and is pursuing the possibility of granting ecosystem credits to DoD from the federal conservation investments.

With interagency and private collaboration, these Sentinel Landscapes will help preserve the land's natural character while benefitting national defense, local economies and the conservation of natural resources.

The departments are reviewing additional sites for the partnership to collaborate in the future and will continue to capitalize on the USDA, Interior, DoD and local partners' overlying priorities and programs.