Tuesday August 20 Ag News

VETERINARIANS, EMERGENCY RESPONDERS MEET TO TRAIN ON LIVESTOCK EMERGENCY DISEASE ISSUES

Nearly 100 veterinarians and emergency responders from across Nebraska teamed up with the veterinarian staff from the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) and the USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service Veterinary Service (APHIS/VS) to attend the annual Livestock Emergency Disease Response System (LEDRS) meeting held in Hastings last week.

The two-day meeting provided attendees with updates on homeland security issues, foreign animal diseases, responder credentialing and animal disease traceability and surveillance.

The LEDRS Veterinary Corps also completed a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved course that focused on agroterrorism and how animal emergency responders integrate into the overall response structure with other response entities, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

“The annual LEDRS training provides the Corps with the opportunity to review and practice for livestock disease scenarios they may encounter,” said State Veterinarian Dr. Dennis Hughes.  “If Nebraska would ever experience a foreign animal disease outbreak, the LEDRS veterinarians would assist the Nebraska Department of Agriculture in responding.”

The LEDRS program began in 2002 in response to biosecurity and agroterrorism concerns.  LEDRS is the statewide system NDA officials will use to coordinate and execute a rapid response to the outbreak (or potential outbreak) of a foreign animal disease.



Hiring Initiative Reaches One-third of Goal

            The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is more than one-third of the way through filling about three dozen key new faculty positions.

            The hiring initiative, announced earlier this year, is aimed at subject areas critical to the global challenges of the future, including expanded and more efficient food production and improved water and natural resources management.

            As of Aug. 15, 13 positions had been filled. Progress on the hires has come faster than is often the case with university positions, said Ronnie Green, vice chancellor of the university's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, where the new positions are being housed.

            "We have moved forward aggressively in filling these jobs because they are all so important to our land-grant mission in the areas of food, fuel and water," Green said. "If UNL is to be a part of solving the critical challenges of the future, there simply is no time to waste."

            Green noted that the world's population is expected to increase from about 7 billion to 9 billion by 2050, and the challenges of feeding that population are significant.

            The 36 new positions, listed at http://ianrhome.unl.edu/web/ianr/growingianr, are primarily in the areas of science literacy, stress biology, computational sciences, healthy humans and healthy systems for agricultural production and natural resources.

            So far, hiring has been completed for science literacy. Other hires have come in topic areas including community leadership development, micrometeorology, agrosystems ecology, behavioral economics and health disparities and lipid metabolism and health.

            "They cover a fairly wide range of areas across the institute addressing contemporary agricultural and natural resource issues," Green said.

            This initiative fits with UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman's goal of increasing faculty and student enrollment significantly by 2017. IANR is in a position to do this thanks to eight years of annual enrollment growth in its College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, record levels of research funding and a strong agricultural economy in Nebraska.



Cover Crop Bus Tour Scheduled for September
(Notice corrected dates of the tour)

            Registrations are now being accepted for a September bus tour of sites featuring no-till crop production, diverse rotations, cover crops and livestock grazing systems.

            The Sept. 4-5 Nebraska Cover Crop Bus Tour will visit several research facilities and farms in central Nebraska, each offering a unique look at using cover crops in no-till systems, said Paul Jasa, UNL extension engineer and tour organizer.

            The tour will leave from Kearney at 8 a.m. Sept. 4 and return there at 7 p.m. Sept. 5. Topics and stops will include:
               – Current crops growing in last year's cover crops
               – Cover crops in seed corn production
               – Cover crops after wheat harvest
               – Cover crops as a companion crop
               – Cover crops for grazing or forage
               – Green cover seed, near Bladen
               – Arrow Seed, Broken Bow

            In addition, seasoned no-till farmers, Jasa and Ray Ward, owner of Ward Laboratories in Kearney, will be available on the bus for questions and discussion.

            "Some of the best learning comes from the networking with other attendees on the bus," Jasa said.

            Registrations are due Aug. 23 and will be limited to the first 50 who apply, with preference given to Nebraskans. The fee is $50 for Nebraska residents and producers, and $100 for non-Nebraskans and covers bus transportation, lodging and meals. There will be an extra charge of $50 for those requesting a single room. Complete details will be emailed to registrants.

            To register, mail the registration form available at http://go.unl.edu/covertour_reg

and a check made out to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to Paul Jasa, extension engineer, 202 L.W. Chase Hall, Box 830726, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Neb., 68583-0726. Email/phone registrations and credit cards will not be accepted. No refund will be given for cancellations made after Aug. 27.

            The tour is sponsored by UNL Extension, the Nebraska Environmental Trust, Arrow Seed, Aurora Coop, Green Cover Seed and Ward Laboratories.



Green Plains to Host Ribbon Cutting at Atkinson Ethanol Plant

Green Plains Renewable Energy, Inc. will host a ribbon cutting ceremony at its recently-acquired ethanol plant in Atkinson, Neb. on Aug. 21. Nebraska Senator Deb Fischer will attend as the guest of honor. Green Plains commenced operations of the Atkinson plant on July 22, 2013.

"The communities of Atkinson and O'Neill were very helpful in our efforts to restart this plant over the past few weeks," said Todd Becker, Green Plains' president and chief executive officer. "Our experienced team has quickly made the necessary upgrades and the Atkinson plant is running at full capacity, producing the best, most economical renewable fuel in the world. We are proud to be a part of this community and are honored to have Senator Deb Fischer join us for the occasion."

The event is open to the public and will take place on Aug21 from 2 to 4 p.m. Central time with the ribbon cutting ceremony taking place at 3:00 pm.

Green Plains Renewable Energy, Inc., which is North America's fourth largest ethanol producer, markets and distributes approximately one billion gallons of ethanol annually. Green Plains owns and operates grain storage assets in the corn belt and biofuel terminals in the southern U.S. Green Plains is a joint venture partner in BioProcess Algae LLC, which was formed to commercialize advanced photo-bioreactor technologies for growing and harvesting algal biomass.



Companies in Illinois, Nebraska to Pay Settlements Totaling $84,387 for Distribution of Misbranded or Mislabeled Pesticides

An Illinois pesticide manufacturer and a Nebraska company that sold some of its fly control products have agreed to pay civil penalties totaling $84,387 to EPA to settle allegations related to their roles in the distribution or sale of misbranded pesticides.

In separate administrative settlement agreements filed by EPA Region 7 in Lenexa, Kan.:

    Wellmark International, Inc., of Schaumburg, Ill., has agreed to pay a $44,704 civil penalty to resolve 19 violations of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) related to the Nebraska company’s distribution of its RF2025 Tub and RF2002 Block products from 2009 to 2011.

    Vitalix, Inc., of Alliance, Neb., has agreed to pay a $39,683 civil penalty to resolve 19 violations of FIFRA related to its sales of the RF2025 Tub misbranded as #5 Altosid IGR Fly Tub, and of the RF2002 Block product misbranded as Mineralix Fly Tub with Altosid IGR#11.

EPA alleged that the two fly control products were either misbranded with labels that did not include required cautionary language, or were distributed in conjunction with claims that differed from the pesticide registration information filed with EPA.

Under FIFRA, distributors of pesticides must ensure that the information on their products’ labels contains the same required cautionary information as found on the labels filed with EPA by the pesticides’ registrants, and that those pesticides are not distributed with claims that differ from the registration information filed with EPA.

Under federal regulations, a pesticide’s supplemental distributor—in this case, Vitalix—and its registrant—in this case, Wellmark International—are both responsible for ensuring that the distributor’s product is in compliance with FIFRA and the terms of the product’s registration.

Through their respective settlements with EPA, Wellmark International and Vitalix have certified that they are now in compliance with FIFRA and its regulations.



Iowa Soybean Association announces newly-elected directors

The Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) announces its 2014 district directors, elected by soybean growers of Iowa.

               Those re-elected to three-year terms include Scott McGregor of Nashua, District 3; Sheila Hebenstreit, Jefferson, District 4; Rolland Schnell, Newton, District 5; Ed Ulch, Solon, District 6; Cliff Mulder, Pella, District 8; and Tom Oswald, Cleghorn, at large.

                “The Iowa Soybean Association has a bright future with the leadership of this year’s elected directors,” said Brian Kemp, ISA president-elect and District 1 director who farms near Sibley. “These individuals demonstrate deep commitments to their farms, their communities and their state. Their efforts as farmers and leaders reflect the high quality of work being done by the Iowa Soybean Association’s staff and entire board of directors.”

The newest district director is Bill Shipley of Nodaway representing District 7. Shipley and his wife, Diane, raise soybeans, corn, alfalfa and hogs. He replaces Delbert Westphalen of Atlantic.

                “I want to thank Delbert Westphalen for his dedicated service to the ISA board.  I look forward to his continued service to Iowa soybean producers,” added Kemp.

                Other district directors include Kemp; Curt Sindergard of Rolfe, representing District 1; Wayne Fredericks of Osage and Dean Coleman of Humboldt, District 2; Dennis Lindsay of Masonville, District 3; Delbert Christensen of Audubon, District 4; Randy VanKooten of Lynnville, District 5; Benjamin Schmidt of Iowa City, District 6; Jeff Jorgenson of Sidney, District 7; John Heisdorffer of Keota and Mark Jackson of Rose Hill, District 9; and Jim Andrew of Jefferson, Ron Heck of Perry and Roy Arends of Alexander, at large.

               The new slate of directors will assume their seats and officers will be elected at the Sept. 5 ISA board meeting.



DSL Continues to be the Most Common Internet Access Method Among Farmers

DSL was the most common method of accessing the Internet, with 35 percent of the farms in the United States using it, compared to 38 percent in 2011. Wireless was the second most common method of Internet access at 24 percent in 2013, up from 20 percent in 2011. Dialup access dropped from 12 percent in 2011 to 5 percent in 2013. Cable and satellite access were each reported as the primary Internet access method on 13 and 17 percent of farms in the United States, respectively.

A total of 67 percent of the farms in the United States now have Internet access, compared with 62 percent in 2011. Seventy percent of farms have access to a computer in 2013, up 5 percentage points from 2011. The proportion of United States farms owning or leasing a computer in 2013, at 68 percent, was also up 5 percentage points from 2011. Farms using computers for their farm business increased to 40 percent in 2013 compared to 37 percent in 2011.  

In 2013, 84 percent of the farms in the United States with sales and government payments of $250,000 or more have access to a computer, 83 percent own or lease a computer, 72 percent are using a computer for their farm business, and 82 percent have Internet access. Of the farms with sales and government payments between $100,000 and $249,999, the figures are: 73 percent have access to a computer, 71 percent own or lease a computer, 56 percent are using a computer for their farm business, and 69 percent have Internet access. The farms with sales and government payments between $10,000 and $99,999, 68 percent reported having computer access, 66 percent own or lease a computer, 45 percent use a computer for their farm business, and 65 percent have Internet access.

For crop farms, 71 percent have computer access and 45 percent use a computer for their farm business in 2013, both up 4 percentage points from 2011. Internet access for crop farms has increased to 68 percent in 2013, compared with 64 percent in 2011. In 2013, a total of 70 percent of livestock farms have computer access and 66 percent have Internet access. 

Nebraska ..:   78% with internet access - 75% own or lease computers
Iowa .........:   75% with internet access - 73% own or lease computers



Apply for NCGA Action Team, Committee Positions Today!

NCGA is seeking applications from members interested in working on an NCGA action team or committee in the 2014 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. This service provides growers an opportunity to play an active role in shaping the future of their industry and to become a part of the national agricultural leadership community.

"As a grassroots organization, NCGA relies on its members to step forward and take an active role in developing the policies that will lead our industry forward," said NCGA First Vice President Martin Barbre. "This year, we have opportunities in all of the areas the organization touches, thus allowing members to take their involvement to the next level while exploring in great depth the areas which interest them the most. I encourage those interested to apply prior to the August 30 deadline to ensure consideration."

Positions are available on all teams and committees: CornPAC, Ethanol Committee, Grower Services Action Team, Production and Stewardship Action Team, Public Policy Action Team, Research and Business Development Action Team and Trade Policy and Biotechnology Action Team. Positions are also available on the Corn Board standing committees, which are the Bylaws Committee and Nominating Committee.

Qualified applicants must be a NCGA member or prospective member and/or contribute to their state checkoff program, if applicable. Ideal candidates have interest or expertise in a particular area relevant to the team focus.

Action teams and committees are composed of up to 14 voting members representing a cross-section of corn production. The teams may utilize staff, growers and industry members to serve as resources, as determined by the action team or committee chair.

Duties of the action teams and committees include:
    Conducting an annual planning process regarding the work and results of the team.
    Defining programs to be implemented by the action team and implementing them with evaluation measurement for each program.
    Seeking necessary information and expertise to advise the team.
    Advising the Corn Board on policy positions or requesting action of the Corn Board.
    Keeping the Corn Board informed of all obligations and contractual relationships entered into and seeking Corn Board approval for contracts or obligations that are out of the ordinary, such as those that are multi-year obligations.
    Working through the Corn Board on public policy actions or positions.

Action team and committee applications are available by clicking here. Deadline for receipt of applications in the state corn association offices, where applicable, is August 30. State offices will then coordinate applications and submit directly to NCGA by September 3. Interested parties can contact Kathy Baker at the NCGA office with questions, at (636) 733-9004.



“Unite and Ignite” theme for ACE Conference in Des Monies
Aug. 27-28 sessions to focus on policy, innovation, marketing & profitability
 
Brian Jennings, Executive Vice President for the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), today says the agenda is set for the 26th annual ACE Conference taking place next week in Des Moines, Iowa with significant focus on the future prospects for the ethanol industry.

“Through hard work and innovation, ACE members are growing and building a better future for America right here at home.  But we’re also disrupting the profitable status quo of powerful interests who are fighting to reverse our success.  So it’s fitting we unite in Des Moines on Aug. 27 and 28 and fire up our strategies to support the Renewable Fuel Standard and increase demand for ethanol,” said Jennings.

“Our conference will also look beyond the immediate fight on our hands over the RFS and focus on sustainability, technology innovations, and ethanol’s octane value.  With an eye toward the future, we’re pleased Ford engineer Dominic DiCicco will join us to discuss the role ethanol’s octane can play in advanced engine technologies. We’ll also feature retailers who are currently selling E15 and other higher blends,” said Jennings.

Other subjects to be covered at the ACE Conference include: Trade Policy and the U.S. Ethanol Industry, Opportunities for Ethanol Producers to Reduce Carbon Intensity, RFS Pathways to Innovation, Co-Product Power: Diversification and the Financial Health of Today’s Ethanol Plant, and Taking Advantage of RINs in the Marketplace



ACE praises bipartisan investigation into Big Oil’s business practices

Ron Lamberty, Senior Vice President for the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), issued the following statement on the calls from Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Charles Grassley (R-IA) to have the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission investigate alleged anti-competitive practices by oil companies for potentially blocking market access for renewable fuels like ethanol

“ACE members thank Senators Grassley and Klobuchar for standing up to Big Oil and investigating this market-restricting behavior on the part of the oil companies.  The RFS will only be unworkable if Congress allows  Big Oil to make it appear unworkable.  If we had more lawmakers like Senators Grassley and Klobuchar, maybe Big Oil’s attacks wouldn’t be taken so seriously in Washington.

As a fuel station owner, every time I hear some Big Oil mouthpiece saying we should “let the market decide” how much ethanol is used, I think of these kinds of restrictions the oil companies have been jamming down station owners’ throats for decades, making sure only one decision is possible - oil. 

Senators Grassley and Klobuchar are right.  This year alone, Big Oil has spent millions on ads to convince consumers and Congress that they don’t want E15 or other ethanol blends that they’ve never been allowed to try, and to make that distortion appear real, oil companies have done everything they can to make sure station owners are never allowed to sell the fuel, and consumers are never allowed to buy it.

Oil companies have even gone to the extent of using their control of the pipeline system to make a lower-octane substandard fuel the main fuel used in the country, precisely because that fuel allows them to control the distribution and cost of ethanol.  We encourage the Department of Justice and FTC to commence this investigation immediately.”



Fertilizer Prices Continue Free Fall

Fertilizer prices continued their downhill slide, as has been the case the last two weeks, according to retailers tracked by DTN for the second week of August. All eight of the major fertilizers recorded lower national average prices compared to the second week of July.

Once again anhydrous, urea and the UAN solutions lost the most compared to last month. Anhydrous plunged 12% compared to second week of July and had an average price of $698/ton. Urea declined 8% from last month and had an average price of $499/ton.

The UAN solutions were also lower. The liquid nitrogen fertilizers fell 7% from a month earlier with UAN28 having an average price of $361/ton and UAN32 $412/ton.  Another fertilizer to have a notable price drop was MAP. The phosphorus fertilizer fell 6% compared to last month and had an average price of $607/ton.

Three fertilizers were also lower but these moves were fairly slight. DAP had average price of $571/ton, potash $554/ton and 10-34-0 $584/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.54/lb.N, anhydrous $0.43/lb.N, UAN28 $0.64/lb.N and UAN32 $0.64/lb.N.

All eight of the major fertilizers are now lower compared to one year earlier.  Four fertilizers are single digits lower in price compared to August 2012. UAN32 is 3% lower, UAN28 is 7% less expensive, 10-34-0 is down 7% and MAP is 9% lower compared to last year.  The remaining four fertilizers have slid double digits from a year ago. DAP prices are down 10%, potash 11%, anhydrous 14% less and urea 19% lower compared to a year earlier.



CWT Assists with 3.2 Million Pounds of Cheese and Butter Export Sales

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted 17 requests for export assistance from Dairy Farmers of America, Foremost Farms USA, Land O’Lakes, Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association and Northwest Dairy Association (Darigold) to sell 2.189 million pounds (993 metric tons) of Cheddar, Gouda and Monterey Jack cheese and 1.000 million pounds (454 metric tons) of butter to customers in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The product will be delivered August 2013 through January 2014.

Year-to-date, CWT has assisted member cooperatives in selling 81.941 million pounds of cheese, 64.947 million pounds of butter, 44,092 pounds of anhydrous milk fat and 218,258 pounds of whole milk powder to 35 countries on six continents. These sales are the equivalent of 2.219 billion pounds of milk on a milkfat basis. That is equal to 1.9% of total U.S. milk production through July 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.



Kazakhstan Harvests Higher Yields

Kazakhstan has begun this year's grain harvest with yields higher than last year, which was affected by adverse weather conditions, the agriculture ministry said Tuesday.

The ministry said the harvest to Aug. 20 totaled 1.368 million metric tons on 863,300 hectares, with an average yield of 1.58 tons a hectare. On the same date last year the harvest was 980,700 tons, with an average yield of 0.92 tons/ha.

The agriculture ministry has said that Kazakhstan is likely to harvest this year 15 million tons of grain compared with 12.8 million tons in 2012.

The ministry said it expected the average yield this year to be 1.16 tons a hectare.

Kazakhstan's grain harvest in 2012 fell from 26.9 million tons in 2011. In the 2011-2012 marketing year Kazakhstan exported 12 million tons if grain, mostly wheat. Grain exports in the 2012-2013 marketing year totaled 7.1 million tons.



Zoetis affirms commitment to fight PEDv

Zoetis affirms its commitment to finding a solution to help control the recent outbreak of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv). The devastating, costly virus has been positively identified in 17 states since April.

"As a veterinarian, I am committed to finding a solution, including quick-yielding diagnostic tools and efficacious vaccines, that can control this devastating virus," said Michael Senn, DVM, MS, Manager, Pork Technical Services, Zoetis. "We are drawing upon our global research and development resources as well as working with health authorities and veterinary centers of excellence worldwide to identify effective solutions and help the pork industry achieve results."

Zoetis is supporting University of Minnesota researchers to develop a rapid PEDv diagnostic test.

"Helping fund the development of the rapid diagnostic tool is just one way we are investing in and are committed to finding a solution against this virus," said Gloria Basse, Vice President, U.S. Pork Business Unit, Zoetis. "We believe that diagnostic tools and vaccines are part of the solution equation. Our research and development teams will continue to collaborate with our university and industry partners until this disease is controlled."

PEDv, similar to transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE), can cause devastating losses up to 100% in infected piglets up to 3 weeks of age. Weaned pigs and adult pigs are at less severe risk, but they can suffer reduced growth rates. The virus spreads rapidly through a herd via fecal-oral contamination and infects pigs within 12 to 36 hours.

Until a solution is found, producers and veterinarians must remain on high alert.

"While we continue our efforts to determine the best solution to PEDv, it's important that producers remain vigilant to their herd's health and contact their veterinarian if they suspect abnormalities," Dr. Senn said. "Producers should heighten their biosecurity awareness. This outbreak serves as a good reminder to review biosecurity practices with your employees, truckers and consultants who have regular contact with your farm."

Dr. Senn suggests these biosecurity practices shared by the American Association of Swine Veterinarians:
    Label and use chutes for loading and unloading. Use the loading chute only for animals that are leaving your farm. Healthy animals unloaded using the loading chute could be exposed to the virus.
    Wash and disinfect all unloading chutes and driver areas as often as possible. Use a 2% phenol-based disinfectant in the areas where drivers walk to enter the chute, from point of entry to the top and all areas where the chute contacts the truck.
    Require that all trailers used to pick up animals be cleaned and disinfected before arrival. Be sure to allow enough time for the disinfectant to dry completely before use.
    Provide coveralls and boots for employees to wear while on the farm. These materials should stay on-site and be washed routinely.
    If your farm allows guests, provide clear direction for where they should report upon arrival. Also, provide them with coveralls and boots before they enter any facilities.

For more information on PEDv, visit with your veterinarian. Information also is available online at www.aasv.org.



U.S. Farm Equipment Exports Down So Far in 2013

Exports of U.S. agricultural equipment dropped 9.5 percent during the first half of 2013 compared to mid-year 2012 to total $6.5 billion. That's down from $7.2 billion a year earlier, according to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers.

The off-road equipment manufacturing trade group produces global trends reports for members consolidating U.S. Commerce Department data with other sources. They say the steepest declines in American farm machinery exports were to South America, Europe and Australia/Oceania, with Asia among the regions showing a modest gain.

So far, exports to South America declined 29 percent to $574 million, with shipments to Europe falling 23 percent to $1.7 billion. Exports to Australia/Oceania decreased 24 percent to $463 million.

Canadian exports increased 8 percent for a total $2.4 billion.



Rabo AgriFinance Adds to Ag Financing Team

Rabo AgriFinance is pleased to announce the addition of Phil Wieck to its agriculture financing team. Wieck has joined the company as a relationship manager, delivering the resources of Rabo AgriFinance to farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses across Nebraska.

Rabo AgriFinance is a provider of capital and financial solutions to U.S. agricultural producers and agri-businesses. Wieck will provide additional financial expertise to the Nebraska team of Rabo AgriFinance experts.

“Rabo AgriFinance has experienced tremendous growth in the U.S. over the past decade. Adding Phil to the team enhances our services as we seek to become the premier agriculture lender throughout Nebraska and the U.S.,” said Senior Vice President and Plains Territory Managing Director Van Dewey. “We look to Phil to focus on providing the right growth strategies for Rabo AgriFinance clients through sound financial and risk management strategies.”

Wieck comes to Rabo AgriFinance with two years of lending experience. He also has experience operating his own farm, which allows him to better serve and understand the unique needs of producers and agribusinesses.

Wieck joins the Rabo AgriFinance network of relationship managers, insurance and risk management specialists who understand the unique needs of Midwest agriculture, including cow-calf and stocker calf operations, row crop and specialty crop farms.

“At Rabo AgriFinance, we take pride in our industry knowledge and the superior service that results from that intelligence,” said Dewey. “Phil comes from this region, and through his time as a producer understands the complexities of agriculture finance and risk management.”

In his new role, Wieck will be responsible for marketing loans and related financial services to premier agriculture producers. He can be reached at the Rabo AgriFinance Kearney office, located at 4011 7th Ave., Kearney, or by phone at (308)234-6363.