Tuesday August 27 Ag News

Harvest Timing Critical to Silage Success
Larry Howard, UNL Extension Educator, Cuming County

High quality corn silage often is an economical substitute for some of the grain in finishing and in dairy rations. Corn silage also can be an important winter feed for cow-calf producers.

All too often, though, silage isn't harvested in time to provide its best feed value.

Harvest timing is critical for success and should be based on moisture content of the silage. Silage chopped too early and wetter than 70% moisture can run or seep and often produces a sour, less palatable fermentation. This wet silage is often the product when we rush to salvage hail or wind damaged corn.  Live and green stalks, leaves, and husks almost always are more than 80% moisture so be patient and wait until these tissues start to dry before chopping for silage

Normal corn, though, is often chopped for silage too dry, below 60% moisture. Then it's difficult to chop and pack the silage adequately to force out air. The silage heats, energy and protein digestibility declines, and spoilage increases. If your silage is warm or steams during winter, it probably was too dry when chopped.

Many corn hybrids are at the ideal 60-70% moisture as corn kernels reach the one-half milk line. This guide isn’t perfect for all hybrids, though, so check your own field independently.

Corn kernels in silage between half milk line and black layer are more digestible. Drier, more mature corn grain tends to more often pass through the animal without digesting. Also, older leaves and stalks are less digestible.

Chopping your silage at the proper moisture level will provide better feed and better profits.

New Bee Advisory Box for Pesticide Labels
In an effort to protect bees and pollinators, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced that when bees are present, the use of some pesticide products will be prohibited.

New bee advisories will appear on labels of pesticide products that contain imidacloprid, dinotefuran, clothianidin, and thiamethoxam. These active ingredients are part of the neonicotinoid group of insecticides.

The new labels will have a bee advisory box and icon designed to alert applicators to specific use restrictions and instructions to protect bees and other insect pollinators.  EPA will work with pesticide manufacturers to update future labels to reflect these changes.

Currently, pesticide products that are considered toxic to bees and other pollinators contain label language that informs applicators about bee toxicity. These labels also have precautions for applicators who may be applying pesticides when bees are foraging in the treatment area.

EPA’s new pollinator advisory box for these labels will include reminders that bees and other insect pollinators forage on plants when they are flowering, shedding pollen, or producing nectar. The label also will encourage applicators to minimize exposure of bees and other insect pollinators to this product when they are foraging on plants around the application site. Recommendations include minimizing drift to attractive habitat around the application site and being cautious of drift toward beehives.



Hefty Seed Company to Hold Fall Kickoff in West Point, NE 

Hefty Seed Company announces a fall kickoff at the future site of their new store just south of West Point, NE.  The event will run Thursday, September 5 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and will mark the first Nebraska location for one of the nation’s largest ag retailers.

Darren Hefty, co-owner of Hefty Seed Company and co-host of Ag PhD, will be on site to discuss fertility, seed and chemical programs that can help Nebraska farmers increase yield and profitability in their operations.

“Nebraska farmers have been doing a good job raising successful crops,” said Darren Hefty.  “And they are looking for great advice so they can do even better.  Hefty Seed Company is well known for our workshops and hands-on educational opportunities for farmers. Our agronomists spend over 10% of their time in training as well.  We’re excited about the caliber of the West Point agronomy team and look forward to working with area farmers to help them increase their yields and profits.”

The staff at the West Point store includes agronomists Chad Odvody and Jacob Gubbels, who will also be on site at the kickoff to introduce themselves to area growers.

“We’re pleased to be a part of bringing Hefty Seed Company to West Point,” said Gubbels.  “Farmers will benefit from low pricing that our vast product network enables us to offer for both seed and crop protection supplies.”

Seed, fertilizer, chemical and equipment representatives will also be on hand at the September 5 kickoff to answer questions about their products.  Lunch will be served to attendees following the presentation, and the public is encouraged to attend.



Emergency Haying and Grazing of CRP Acres for Nebraska has been Expanded

Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Director Josie Waterbury announced that Thurston County has been approved for additional emergency haying and grazing practices to be released under limited conditions.  These practices are being released with the intent to continue to safeguard the conservation and wildlife benefits provided by CRP.  “With the additional release of lands enrolled in CRP, producers may be able to supplement their forage availability due to drought conditions,” said Waterbury.  “Producers may contact the Thurston County office to see if these provisions will benefit them,” she said.

This authorization for 2013 originally began July 16, 2013 for both emergency haying and emergency grazing, which coincides with the end of the primary nesting and brood rearing season in Nebraska.

In addition, USDA announced that the reduction to CRP annual rental payments related to emergency haying or grazing will be reduced from 25 percent to 10 percent.  Further, the sale of hay will be allowed under certain conditions.  These measures take into consideration the quality of losses of the hay and will provide needed assistance to livestock producers.  Producers must contact their county office before any haying or grazing may occur.

More information can also be found at www.fsa.usda.gov/ne.



Effects of Cool Late July/Early August on Corn Yield and Maturity
Tom Hoegemeyer, Professor of Practice, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture

In contrast to most Nebraska summers, the last few weeks have been quite cool and comfortable, leading many to ask about potential impact on the corn crop.

Concerns for Late Planted Corn. One of the largest concerns is the impact on some of the later planted corn. Research has indicated that the number of growing degree days (GDD) needed for corn hybrids to reach various growth stages, including maturity, is fairly uniform across environments. Most corn hybrids grown in Nebraska mature between 2400 and 2700 GDDs. Later planted corn seems to “make up time,” most likely because of warmer temperatures (meaning faster growth rates) during early vegetative growth stages. The same hybrid, planted two weeks later, tends to tassel and silk about one week later. Work in Indiana and Ohio has shown that for each day after May 1 that corn was planted, it required about 6.5 GDD less to reach maturity. This means that a “2700 GDD hybrid” planted May 20 would require 2700 - (20 x 6.5) = 2570 GDD. That’s the good news. However, in this situation, there will be relatively fewer days for grain fill before average frost date, and grain filling will occur during shorter days (fewer hours of sunlight/photosynthesis). This is part of the reason for expecting lower yields from later planting dates.

Cool Conditions Could Boost Yield if Frost is Late. Cooler weather has other impacts on the crop. Weather during pollination was significantly more favorable than in 2011 and 2012. Seed sets are near optimum in fields where water stress was not severe. We have lots of kernels per ear and per acre available for grain filling. Cool weather during grain filling slows down development, but respiration slows more than photosynthesis. While somewhat less sugar is made per day in cool environments, less is lost to respiration, and the grain filling period is extended. This can allow the plants to store relatively more sugar, resulting in heavier kernels and higher yields, especially compared to seasons with high day and night temperatures. Areas of the world consistently having the highest yields tend to be high elevation (providing high light intensity). They have warm (not hot) days and cool nights (which reduces respiration). Daytime temperatures above 86-87°F do not benefit yield and increase transpiration of water. A few years ago (2009) we had a very cool late July and August which caused lots of concern about potential frost damage to the slowly developing crop. These conditions actually resulted in record yields (freezing temperatures came later than normal).

One can compute the GDDs from actual and theoretical temperatures. If a typical “hot” August day is 95°F, with a low of 72°F, we accumulate 29 GDD. [(86+72)/2 - 50 = 29 GDD. (In this equation, the high and low temperatures are added and divided by two to get an average temperature. The minimum base temperature used for corn growth (50°F) is then subtracted to get the total GDD for the day. Temperatures above 86 are usually ignored, as they don’t materially accelerate development.) On a cool day, for example with a high of 84°F and a low of 60°F, we accumulate [(84 + 60)/2]-50 = 22 GDD. If we have had 20 such days, we’d expect that we lost an average of (20 x 7) =140 GDD. This would be equal to five or six days of crop development. (Or, providing five or six days of extra grain filling period.)

Most years, the hybrids that producers select will reach physiological maturity 10 days or more ahead of average frost dates. Unless we have a frost significantly earlier than average, the cooler weather will have little impact on corn development, other than increasing yields for corn with “normal” planting dates. For later planted corn, the cooler weather may carry some increased frost/freeze risk.

Other Impacts
Potential Disease Threats. Another impact of the cooler weather is the tendency to have more dew, and longer periods of free moisture on the corn leaves in the morning. This increases the ability of some leaf disease pathogens to survive and infect corn leaves. The cooler temperatures and higher humidity favor development of some pathogens, particularly common rust and gray leaf spot. Southern rust also likes free moisture and humidity, but prefers warmer weather. Leaf disease leads to a progression of damage: death of the leaf tissue, resulting in less photosynthetic area and reduced sugar production, leading to less grain fill, which in turn leads to more stalk cannibalization, and then more stalk rots and lodging. (See the August 15 CropWatch article on scouting and management.)

Grain Fill. The National Weather Service forecast for the rest of August is for normal to above normal temperatures and below normal rainfall. Currently, significant areas of Nebraska have less than adequate soil moisture so continued warm, dry conditions will stress dryland corn during grain fill. Heat stress during grain fill tends to increase water use, transpiration and evaporation. Regardless of available moisture, heat also will result in accelerated development. The later planted fields may “hurry” through grain fill, and may be more impacted from heat stress than fields planted at “normal” planting dates.

Harvest Moisture. Both irrigated and dryland corn are fairly variable in development stages, although most of it is between R3 (milk stage) to early R5 (early dent). The range of planting dates this spring, noted in previous CropWatch articles, led to variation in development stages, resulting in a range of weather impacts on corn. Heat units received after physiological maturity tend to dry the corn crop in the field, and this (along with lower relative humidity, compared to big corn growing states to the east) is often an advantage for Nebraska producers. It is not improbable that the later planted fields will tend to have higher harvest moistures.

Yogi Berra said, “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.” It is too soon to project yields, but models seem to indicate we are in a reasonably good position for this date, especially on the irrigated corn crop. It is too soon to worry about early frosts, and, if forecast trends hold, we may be in position for excellent yields.



Are Your Soybean Plants Showing Symptoms of Water Stress?
Jim Specht, UNL Professor, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture

As Nebraska’s irrigated soybean crop moves toward stage R7 (physiological maturity — the end of seed-filling), make sure your crop has sufficient water to ensure that it can keep its stomates open to gather CO2 for photosynthesis. Open stomates, of course, result in loss of water from the humid interior of the leaf to the much less humid atmosphere. Hundreds of H2O molecules escape from the open stomatal pore for each CO2 that enters. In fact, plant dry matter production and transpiration are nearly linearly related. In that sense, you want to make sure that your crop can transpire as much water as needed to fix as much carbon dioxide as possible to ensure a high yield potential arising from greater seed size, the last yield component to be “fixed” by your crop.

So, what symptoms reveal that your soybean crop’s rate of transpiration is greater than the amount of soil water being gathered by the water-absorbing root hairs located about an inch behind each growing root tip? One of the earliest leaf symptoms is the inversion of the terminal leaflet of the three leaflets that comprise a soybean trifoliolate leaf found at each soybean stem (and branch) node. This is the legume equivalent of leaf-rolling in cereals. Figures 1a-c show what this symptom looks like on respective scales of a field, an individual plant row, and an individual single trifoliolate leaf (so-called because it has a terminal leaflet flanked by two side leaflets).

The authors of the second paper in the source list below noted that leaflet inversion began whenever the plants had depleted 60% of the plant available water (PAW) in an Arkansas field (where the atmospheric humidity tends to be greater than that in Nebraska). In fields where the temperature is higher, humidity is lower, and wind speed is a factor, soybean crops may show terminal leaf inversion at lower depletion percentages of PAW, particularly from mid day onward.
Don't Cut Irrigation Short

As you try to schedule your last irrigation of the season with the hope that the crop will deplete exactly 50% of the PAW in top 3-feet of soil on the actual day of R7 (PM), keep in mind that if weather conditions suddenly turn sunny, hot, windy, with low humidity, you may need to revise the date and/or amount of that last irrigation.



More Reports of Stem and Root Rots of Soybean: Identifying Sclerotinia
Loren Giesler, UNL Extension Plant Pathologist

Stem and root rots continue to be a problem is several Nebraska soybean fields and in northern Nebraska white mold has been reported in several fields. We also continue to see Brown Stem Rot, Phytophthora Root and Stem Rot, and Sudden Death Syndrome.

White mold, also known as Sclerotinia Stem Rot, is a disease that starts earlier in the season during flowering. The actual infection occurs on the senescing flower which serves as a food source for the fungus. Therefore, all infections in soybean typically start at a node. You can even tell when the infection occurred based on how high up the plant the stem lesions and fungal growth are. The cool wet conditions that occurred during flowering were favorable for infection, and the cool temperatures the last couple weeks were very favorable for fungus growth.

At this soybean growth stage symptoms will appear in individual or small pockets of dead or dying plants. Upon close inspection you will see a white cottony fungal growth on the stems. There also may be dark black bodies (sclerotia) of the fungus on the stems. If it is drier and plants are dead, the stems will be very light (bleached) in color. When dead stems are split, often you’ll see sclerotia of the fungus inside.

Since further spread will be limited to localized spread (no sporulation stages) from plant to plant, management decisions will depend on how widespread the plant infections are. I’ve received several calls regarding whether a fungicide should be applied. While there is no good data on this, if producers are seeing widespread infection of plants across the field, there may be some benefit from treating. Many fungicides are labeled for Sclerotina Stem Rot and could stop the disease from spreading to adjacent plants. Just keep in mind that the disease will not spread much if temperatures are in the 90s, as predicted for the next week or so. The optimum temperature for growth of this fungus is 75°F.

The best action at this time is to make sure you identify this and other problems correctly so that you can use plant resistance to manage the problem in the future. In general, fungicide applications during flowering to control Sclerotina are often unsuccessful. Soybean genetics will be more consistent; however, no varieties are fully resistant to Sclerotinia. Narrow row spacing also has been shown to increase disease incidence in a field.

As with any disease, correct diagnosis is critical to proper management. If you are uncertain of the cause of damage in your field, I encourage you to have it identified by the Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic. More information on these and other soybean diseases can be found at UNL's Plant Disease Central and in CropWatch.



Scheduling the Last Irrigation
William Kranz, UNL Extension Irrigation Specialist, Haskell Ag Lab

What a difference a year makes. I was looking through last year’s CropWatch and noticed we had an article about scheduling the last irrigation on August 3. This year it’s August 20 and we’re just thinking about it.

In contrast to last year, water use for the first three weeks of August 2013 has been about 50% of normal. Many irrigators, remembering last season, have irrigated to keep a fairly full profile as we near the season end. Depending on soil type, some fields may have enough stored soil water to get the crop to maturity without additional irrigation or rainfall. Let’s look at the calculations.

During the heart of the irrigation season, we recommend depleting the available soil water level to the 50% level. As we near the end of the season, we can push the threshold to 60% depletion. The water-holding capacity of a soil varies with its texture and needs to be considered when determining how much soil water is available. For example, a loamy sand will hold about 1.1 inches of water per foot or 4.4 inches in top 4 feet while a silt loam soil can hold 2.2 inches per foot or 8.8 inches in the top 4 feet. If the silt loam is at field capacity and we draw down the available soil water to 40% (60% depletion), we would have about 5.3 inches of useable water in the top four feet of soil.

Corn at the beginning dent stage needs 5 inches of water to reach maturity. This example field would have enough water to reach maturity and have an estimated 0.3 inches to spare if the corn is beginning to dent. The loamy sand, at field capacity, would have 2.6 inches available above the 40% (60% depletion) level. This field would need an additional 2.4 inches of water to reach maturity.

Management Resources
So how do you determine how much water is left in your soil? If you are using a soil probe and the hand feel method, check out the NRCS publication, Estimating Soil Moisture by Feel and Appearance.

If you have Watermark sensors, you can use the UNL Crop Water App to determine how much useable water is left in the top three feet of soil. Information about the app is available on UNL's Water website at http://water.unl.edu/web/cropswater/nawmdn. Based on Watermark sensors installed at depths of 1, 2, and 3 feet, it will estimate the water used and water still available for a range of Nebraska soils. You also can see historic sensor readings, graph the data, and pin your GPS locations. Download the app from the Apple Store or Android Store. 

For more information on soils and water use for different crops see Predicting the Last Irrigation of the Season (UNL NebGuide G1781).



UNL Livestock Judging Team Has New Coach

            The Department of Animal Science at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has recruited Bradley Bennett, a recent Kansas State master's graduate, to be its new livestock judging team coach.

             Bennett grew up in Weyers Cave, Va., on a purebred Shorthorn and Simmental operation. He participated on the National Champion Junior Livestock Judging Team in 2008-2009 at Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kan., where he received his associate's degree in agribusiness.

            He transferred to Kansas State University and completed his bachelor's degree in animal science, competing on the Reserve National Champion Sr. College Livestock Judging Team in 2010. He finished his master's degree in ruminant nutrition in July of this year.

            Throughout the school year, the Livestock Judging Team will travel more than 20,000 miles competing at major contests across the country, interacting with prominent livestock producers and evaluating some of the most elite livestock available.

            Bennett looks forward to interacting with people from Nebraska and helping youth grow. He said that participating on a livestock judging team helps students develop skills needed to succeed in their chosen career paths.

            "Livestock judging offers some really great life tools," Bennett said.



Century, Heritage Farms Recognized at Iowa State Fair

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey recognized Century and Heritage Farm families during a ceremony at the State Fair again this year. To qualify, a family must have owned at least 40 acres for 100 years or more in the case of Century Farms and 150 years or more for a Heritage Farm.

This year 365 Century Farms and 67 Heritage Farms were recognized.

"It is a great pleasure and distinct honor to help recognize these farm families that have owned the same farm for 100 or 150 years. It is a testament to the values of land stewardship, hard work, patience, dedication and perseverance that are found in Iowa's farm families," Northey said.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has partnered with the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation since 1976 to recognize families that have owned and worked a farm for 100 years or more. Including this year's recipients, now 17,851 farms from across the state have been recognized.

The Heritage Farm program was started in 2006, on the 30th anniversary of the Century Farm program, and now 650 farms have been recognized.

The 2013 Century and Heritage Farms Program ceremony was held at the Iowa State Fair. Craig Hill, president of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, or Joe Heinrich, vice president of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, joined Northey in recognizing the award recipients.

"The program acknowledges the deep roots of Iowa agriculture and the special bond that exists between Iowa families and the land they farm," Northey said. "The Iowa State Fair is a celebration of Iowa and Iowa Agriculture, so it's a great place to recognize the Century Farm and Heritage Farm recipients."



Thursday Webinar to Address Transportation Rules, Exemptions

Transportation regulations and exemptions are an important aspect of today's agriculture with farmers actively seeking the latest information. As part of Iowa Farm Bureau's (IFBF) Margin Management Series, a live webinar will be held on Aug. 29 at 1 p.m. The webinar, "DOT Transportation Rules for Farmers," features a presentation from Officer Steve Robinson, Iowa Department of Transportation Training Officer.

Webinar participants will receive valuable information regarding MAP-21, the federal transportation legislation and information on transportation equipment issues. In addition, harvest weight exemptions will be discussed, and participants have the opportunity to ask Officer Robinson questions during the webinar.

"Farmers need the latest information on transportation regulations, especially in preparation for harvest; that is why we invited Officer Robinson to share the latest information with members to ensure they are up to date on transportation regulations and exemptions, said Ed Kordick, IFBF commodity services manager.

Farmers can access the webinar from home or farm office by going to www.iowafarmbureau.com, finding the webinar banner and entering the forum as a guest on the day of the event. For more information, contact Kordick at ekordick@ifbf.org.



NAIG IS NEW DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today announced that Mike Naig has been hired as the new Deputy Secretary for the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.    He will start with the Department on September 4.

“Mike will be a tremendous asset to the Department and I’m glad he agreed to join our team,” Northey said.  “His background and experience make him a natural fit for the Department.”

Naig previously served as Manager of State and Local Government Affairs for Monsanto.  He has been active in the agribusiness industry for over 13 years, also having served in public policy roles for CropLife America based in Washington, DC; the Agribusiness Association of Iowa; and, the Iowa Biotechnology Association.

As Deputy Secretary, Naig will assist in management responsibilities for the Department focused on the areas of personnel and budget.  He will also support the Department’s efforts to be accessible to Iowans by traveling regularly to represent the Department at meetings across the state.

“It is an honor to join Secretary Northey and the team at the Department.  I look forward to supporting the important work of the Department to promote Iowa agriculture, serve Iowans and protect our natural resources,” said Naig.

Naig grew up on a farm near Cylinder in Northwest Iowa and is a graduate of Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa, with degrees in biology and political science.  He and his wife Jaime have two boys.



Report: Conservation Work Minimizes Sediment, Nutrient Runoff

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report that shows farmers have significantly reduced the loss of sediment and nutrients from farm fields through voluntary conservation work in the lower Mississippi River basin. Secretary Vilsack highlighted the value of conservation programs to these efforts, and called on Congress to pass a comprehensive Food, Farm and Jobs Bill that would enable USDA to continue supporting conservation work on farms and ranches.

The report, released by USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) this week, marks the completion of a watershed-wide assessment of conservation efforts in the Mississippi River watershed. Its findings demonstrate that conservation work, like controlling erosion and managing nutrients, has reduced the edge-of-field losses of sediment by 35 percent, nitrogen by 21 percent and phosphorous by 52 percent.

"Farmers and ranchers work hard to conserve the land and water, and today's report shows the tremendous impact they've had for the Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico," Vilsack said. "We need to keep up the momentum by providing scientific and technical expertise that supports conservation in agriculture. To continue these efforts, we need Congress to act on a comprehensive Food, Farm and Jobs Bill as soon as possible."

While the report shows the positive impacts of conservation, it also signals the need for additional conservation work. The most critical conservation concern in the region is controlling runoff of surface water and better management of nutrients, meaning the appropriate rate, form, timing and method of application for nitrogen and phosphorous.

Model simulations show that an increase in cover crops will have a significant impact on reducing edge-of-field losses of sediment and nutrients and improve water quality.

The information in the report will help further develop NRCS' work in the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative and Gulf of Mexico Initiative, aimed at helping producers improve water quality, restore wetlands and sustain agricultural profitability.

The report is part of USDA's Conservation Effects Assessment Project, or CEAP, which uses advanced modeling techniques to assess the effects of conservation practices. The lower Mississippi report covers cropland in Louisiana, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee.

By comparing losses of sediment and nutrients from cultivated cropland to losses that would be expected if conservation practices weren't used, CEAP reports give science-based insight into the techniques that most benefit water quality, soil health and other resource concerns.

"These assessments are part of the scientific backbone that helps us work with farmers to get the right conservation techniques on the right acres," said NRCS Chief, Jason Weller. "A focus on the most effective conservation techniques means that we're helping to deliver the best results for farmers and our natural resources."

Over the past few years, similar assessments were completed in the upper Mississippi River, Tennessee-Ohio, Missouri and Arkansas-Red-White basins. As a whole, assessments in this project have shown:

    Conservation on cropland prevents an estimated 243 million tons of sediment, 2.1 billion pounds of nitrogen and 375 million pounds of phosphorus from leaving fields each year. These figures translate to a 55 percent, 34 percent and 46 percent reduction in sediment, nitrogen and phosphorus edge-of-field losses, respectively, compared to what would have been lost if no conservation practices were in place.
    Similarly, conservation has resulted in an estimated 17 percent reduction in nitrogen and 22 percent reduction in phosphorus entering the Gulf of Mexico annually. An additional reduction of 15 percent of nitrogen and 12 percent of phosphorus can be achieved by implementing comprehensive conservation plans on all cropland in the basin in areas that have not adequately addressed nutrient loss.

The scientific-based modeling also pointed out that higher rainfall and more intense storms lead to higher edge-of-field losses of sediment and nutrients in the lower Mississippi River basin than the other four basins in the Mississippi River watershed. Because of this, more soil erosion control and better management of nutrients are important in the basin.



USDA Climate Report Published, Public Invited to Comment

The Climate Change Program Office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Office of the Chief Economist today released and requested public comments on the report Science-Based Methods for Entity-Scale Quantification of Greenhouse Gas Sources and Sinks from Agriculture and Forestry Practices. The report is the work of 38 scientists from across academia, USDA and the federal government, who are experts in greenhouse gas (GHG) estimation in the cropland, grazing land, livestock and forest management sectors. The report has undergone technical review by an additional 29 scientists.

The report outlines a set of consensus methods for quantifying GHG emissions and carbon storage at the local farm, ranch or forest scale. It is important that the methods exhibit scientific rigor, transparency, completeness, accuracy, and cost effectiveness, as well as consistency and comparability with other USDA GHG inventory efforts. The report can be downloaded at www.usda.gov/oce/climate_change/index.htm. A Federal Register Notice is included on the web site and provides detailed instructions for comment submission. Comments must be received within 45 days of the August 28, 2013 publication of the Federal Register Notice.



CFC Kept Buzz about Corn Farming Humming through DC this Summer

The Corn Farmers Coalition educational program had another successful summer in the nation's capital, accumulating more than 30 million media impressions during June and July. The fact-based campaign, now in its fifth year, continues to focus on members of Congress, their staffs, administration officials, and opinion leaders in the news media, think tanks and environmental groups inside the DC beltway.

"CFC is about putting a face on family farmers each year, even if only for a short time," said National Corn Growers Association Grower Services Action Team Chair Brandon Hunnicutt, a farmer from Giltner, Neb. "We take the simplest of facts, mainly from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and let them tell the positive story of how farming is becoming greener, more efficient and more productive."

Today, farmers are using technology to farm better and to start a dialogue about food with the non-farm public. The Corn Farmers Coalition is part of this effort to engage the public, starting with elected officials, in a discussion and to reaffirm farmer's commitment to continuous improvement and safe, abundant and affordable food.

Large-format ads were used in heavily in the DC Metro system. In addition, online advertising appeared in publications such as Politico, Washington Post, the New York Times, Roll Call, National Journal, and Congressional Quarterly.

"CFC is a part of the fabric in the capital and has developed instant recognition with this key demographic," said NCGA President Pam Johnson, an Iowa farmer. "Our city cousins are largely removed from their agricultural roots so it is more important than ever to make and maintain this connection."

CFC, which is sponsored by the National Corn Growers Association and its state affiliates, showcases how innovative and high-tech corn farmers have become by introducing a foundation of facts about farmers and farming.

The coalition initiative resulted in the development of valuable communications resources, including a compilation of facts, reports and statistics that are being consistently used across the United States, as corn organizations and advocates tell the corn story.



NCGA Promotes Importance of Modern Farming to International Visitors

This week, the National Corn Growers Association brought the corn farmers perspective on American agriculture to an international group of an agronomists and soil scientists hosted by the International Fertilizer Development Center in St. Louis. Addressing participants from 10 nations, NCGA Vice President of Production and Utilization Paul Bertels and Director of Biotechnology and Economic Analysis Nathan Fields shared an overview of American agriculture focusing on production techniques, crop conditions and biotechnology as part of an effort to help participants find farming advances which might be useful in their home countries.

"NCGA helps not only farmers abroad but also those here in the United States by engaging in dialogues such as this," said Bertels. "As international agricultural leaders come to understand how modern techniques and technologies benefit our country and see the broad public acceptance of them, we foster greater acceptance internationally. These visitors come away with a clearer picture of U.S. farming that has a ripple effect, opening markets and dispelling misperceptions across the globe."

The participants included thought leaders from Angola, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Croatia, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia. Given the magnitude of confusion surrounding biotechnology abroad, the discussion provided an important opportunity to spread accurate, science-based information on this subject to an audience with broad influence.

"The story of biotechnology is truly amazing, and it is one that must be told if we are to meet the challenges a growing global population places upon farmers," Fields said. "When scientist such as these have an opportunity to see how biotechnology works in America, providing a valuable tool that produces a safe, abundant crop, they can act as advocates that help shape policies and perceptions. Together, we can all ensure farmers have access to the tools they need."



Chinese Study Team Impressed with U.S. Corn
Droughts have long tails. Last year's drought, the third and most severe in a three year string of declining yields, raised concern among international buyers about the reliability of U.S. corn export capacity. Thus, it also helped boost record imports from South American and Black Sea producers. The U.S. Grains Council, of which the National Corn Growers Association is a founding member, has worked hard to anticipate and address these concerns in order to position U.S. corn for a rebound in exports when yields return to normal.

"China is watching the U.S. crop very closely and this visit has helped inform some of the key players in China about the capacity and safety of the U.S. system," said Bryan Lohmar, USGC Council director. "They have a better perspective, and that translates into a higher degree of confidence and trust."

This spring invited China's State Administration of Grain to organize a senior study team to learn firsthand about the U.S. production system as part of the overall effort to foster confidence in corn exports. This month, that team visited key sites in five states and Washington to assess every component of the U.S. value chain and regulatory system. The team met with producers and visited research facilities, elevators, traders, ports and government officials.

The Chinese team showed particular interest in the U.S. grain export inspection system and the biotechnology development and approval process. Several members shared the misperception, which is widely held around the world, that most Americans do not eat genetically modified foods. They quickly came to understand that in the United States biotechnology is fully integrated into the production stream, and most Americans accept genetically modified foods as safe and reliable.

"There is no substitute for 'kicking the tires' and talking to people on the ground," Lohmar said. "The members of this team are leaving this week with a much stronger appreciation for the transparency and responsiveness of the U.S. system, as well as its capacity. This will win sales down the road."

As China emerges as a structural importer of corn, it seeks to diversify its suppliers. This year, China has taken its first-ever shipments from Ukraine and Argentina. Constant communication with buyers, government officials and other stakeholders plays an important role in boosting confidence in the reliability, quality and capacity of the U.S. production system, and positions U.S. farmers to benefit from the increasingly competitive and rapidly growing Chinese market.



Hog Outlook Turns Less Optimistic

Just when it looked like hog production was headed safely back to profitability in 2014, hot and dry weather late in the growing season has threatened the bright outlook. Rapid increases in feed prices have raised expected costs nearly $5 per live hundredweight from their lows in early August. According to Purdue University Extension economist Chris Hurt, this has not wiped out the profit potential, but should make hog producers more cautious about expansion. Expansion needs to be constrained to no more than a 3 percent increase in the breeding herd over the next year.

At this writing, December corn futures have advanced to near $5.00 per bushel, fully 50 cents per bushel higher than the lows made in early August. "The impact of a 50-cent per bushel rise in corn prices is about $2.20 higher hog production costs on a live weight basis," Hurt said. "October soybean meal prices have risen to $440 per ton, up about $90 per ton from their August lows. A price increase of this magnitude raises hog production costs about $2.80 per live hundredweight. In combination, the two price increases have pushed up expected costs by nearly $5 per live hundredweight. Expected costs over the next 12 months are now estimated to be near $59," he said.

Hurt said that while the cost outlook has risen, the hog price outlook has not increased proportionally to feed prices. "Expected margins have narrowed but not collapsed," he said. "Starting with a cost of $59 per live hundredweight, current forecasts of hog prices will cover those costs. Prices this fall and winter are expected to be around $61, rise to $65 in the second quarter of 2014, and then drop to about $62 for a third-quarter average. That makes the average over the year spanning the fourth quarter of 2013 through the third quarter of 2014 about $62.50 and provides an expected profit of about $3.50 per hundredweight, or nearly $10 per head," he said.

According to Hurt, the unexpected recent surge in feed prices may cause some preliminary expansion plans to be aborted and therefore increases the likelihood that lean hog futures prices will also rise some from current levels that are based on expectations of a larger expansion. "The magnitude of the increase is difficult to evaluate until a clearer picture develops around the actual yields and prices from the 2013 corn and soybean crops," he said. "That picture will get a bit clearer with the abatement of the current hot/dry spell and also with the USDA production updates on Sept. 12. However, feed prices probably will not be known with much certainty until more harvest activity is under way in October and USDA issues their monthly production updates on Oct. 11. The impact on lean hog futures would be to increase contract prices for August 2014 and later maturity.

"Given the current outlook for hog and feed prices, a relatively small breeding herd expansion could increase pork supplies to a level that would push the industry back into losses starting in the fall of 2014," Hurt said. "A 2 to 3 percent breeding herd expansion would be expected to push the industry back to break-even levels."

Although that seems like a small number, Hurt explained that there are multiple factors that support this expectation. First, a 2 percent expansion in the breeding herd means that production will grow by a much larger amount. The number of pigs per litter has been growing by an annual average of 1.8 percent over the last five years. Weights will also increase, so a 2 percent increase in the breeding herd means about a 4 percent expansion in pork production.

Competitive meats will have a differential impact in 2014. Expansion of 3 to 4 percent in poultry production will increase competition for pork and trim the size of expansion that would drive the pork industry to a break-even situation. However, beef production is expected to be down 5 percent, and that gives the pork industry the opportunity to expand somewhat to gain a bigger share of the consumption that beef will be losing in 2014.

"When all of these factors are brought together, it means that the industry should strive for a modest expansion," Hurt said. "Advice to individual pork producers at this point is to limit expansion to 2 to 3 percent.

Hurt concluded by saying that the world corn and soybean markets were expected to make some progress this year toward increasing carryover inventories. If inventories could be increased, that would then bring lower feed prices and less volatility.

"The current hot/dry spell in the United States brings that hope into question and reminds us that feed prices will remain volatile until actual progress is made toward world production exceeding world usage," Hurt said. "While the odds for the United States to contribute to that goal have been lowered in recent days, Southern Hemisphere production could move in that direction this winter, especially for soybean meal," he said.



Cargill To Suspend Buying Zilmax-fed Beef in October

Zilmax, produced by Merck Animal Health, is feed supplement approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and given to cattle to improve feed conversion, resulting in more beef from each animal harvested. Given a situation where the U.S. cattle herd is at its lowest number since 1952, maximizing the yield from each animal is important.

Zilmax is part of a class of growth-promotants known as beta-agonists. It was approved for use in 2006 and debuted in the U.S. in 2007. Cargill was the last major beef packer to allow cattle fed Zilmax into its beef supply chain, in June 2012. Cargill studied Zilmax for years prior to doing so. One reason Cargill was initially reluctant to accept cattle fed Zilmax was a series of extensive beef tenderness tests that created concern about potential impact to product quality. During the years from 2006 to 2012, best practices were developed by the company’s cattle procurement and Research & Development teams to ensure product quality.

By 2012, an estimated 70 to 80 percent of the U.S. cattle herd was being fed Zilmax or Optaflexx. The latter is a similar growth promotant produced by Elanco that had been in use for nearly a decade. With such a high percent of cattle being fed beta-agonists, combined with a drought-depleted U.S. cattle herd, Cargill Beef determined that, when employing best practices, the business would accept Zilmax-fed cattle. Of the major U.S. packers, Cargill harvests the lowest percentage of cattle fed Zilmax. 

In early August 2013, animal well-being issues potentially linked to Zilmax surfaced at a National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) meeting. Multiple packers referenced situations that they believed may have been linked to Zilmax, although no scientific studies had made such a connection. Dr. Temple Grandin, the world-renowned animal welfare expert, was present and expressed concerns. While Cargill has not linked Zilmax to any specific incidents involving animal well-being, the company does believe more research is necessary to answer recently raised questions regarding the use of this product.

Consequently, Cargill supports Merck’s decision to suspend sales of Zilmax in the U.S. and Canada. The last of the cattle currently being fed Zilmax that are in Cargill’s supply chain will be harvested by the end of September. Cargill will be suspending purchase of Zilmax-fed cattle in North America, pending research being conducted by Merck. This will give producers adequate time to transition cattle currently being treated with Zilmax.

Cargill believes Merck’s decision to suspend sales of Zilmax until additional research can be conducted is prudent. Consequently, Merck has reached out to the industry and one of the steps it is taking involves the creation of an advisory board. Dr. Mike Siemens, Cargill’s head of animal welfare and husbandry, will represent Cargill on that board.

There are no food safety issues associated with Zilmax or this decision. Meat from cattle treated with Zilmax is safe to eat. Instead, this decision is linked to Cargill’s commitment to ensure the welfare of cattle harvested in the industry.



Fertilizer Prices Continue to Shift Lower

Retail fertilizer prices showed notable declines again the third week of August, according to data tracked by DTN. All eight of the major fertilizers recorded lower prices from last month, and six of the eight had significant decreases in price.

Urea was down 11% compared to the third week of July and had an average price of $489 per ton. Both anhydrous and UAN28 declined 8% from last month with anhydrous having an average price of $697 per ton and UAN28 $348 per ton.  UAN32 dropped 7% from a month earlier and had an average price of $392/ton. Both MAP and 10-34-0 were down 6% from the prior month. MAP had an average price of $599/ton and 10-34-0 $567/ton.  The remaining two fertilizers had price declines that were fairly minor. DAP had an average price of $570/ton and potash $546/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.53/lb.N, anhydrous $0.42/lb.N, UAN28 $0.62/lb.N and UAN32 $0.61/lb.N.

With prices moving lower, all eight of the major fertilizers are now lower compared to one year earlier.  One only fertilizer is down single digits after this move lower. UAN32 is 8% lower compared to last year.  Seven of the eight fertilizers are now double digits lower in price compared to August 2012. DAP, MAP and UAN28 are all 10% lower: 10-34-0 is down by 11%, potash 12%, anhydrous 15%, and urea 20% lower compared to last year.



CWT Assists with 3.8 Million Pounds of Cheese and Butter Export Sales

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted nine requests for export assistance from Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association and Northwest Dairy Association (Darigold) to sell 3.296 million pounds (1,495 metric tons) of Cheddar, Gouda and Monterey Jack cheese and 493,284 pounds (224 metric tons) of butter to customers in Asia and Europe. The product will be delivered August 2013 through February 2014.

Year-to-date, CWT has assisted member cooperatives in selling 85.237 million pounds of cheese, 65.440 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 2.260 billion pounds of milk on a milkfat basis.

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.



Agroconsult Pegs Brazil's 2013-14 Soy Crop at 88.3 MMT
Brazil's soybean production will jump 7.7% to 88.4 million metric tons (3.25 billion bushels) in the coming 2013-14 season on the back of further expansion in the frontier regions, according to Agroconsult, a respected local analytics firm.

Agroconsult's number is considerably higher than the U.S. Department of Agriculture forecast of 85 mmt and at the top end of private forecasts that range from 85 mmt to 89 mmt.

Soybean planted area will rise 6% to 72.4 million acres as farmers forge ahead with plans to expand into new areas despite tighter margins this season, said Andre Pessoa, Agroconsult director.



CASE IH ANNOUNCES HIGHEST-HORSEPOWER TRACKED ROW CROP TRACTOR
 
Just as the first Steiger Rowtrac row crop tractors are about to hit the fields this fall, Case IH is introducing an additional model that will be the highest-horsepower tracked row crop tractor on the market, the new Rowtrac 500.

The new model adds 50 more horsepower to the Rowtrac line and introduces an even wider track undercarriage.

“We’ve had terrific demand for the new Steiger Rowtrac and we expect the same for this additional model, which comes with some new options as well,” says Mitch Kaiser, Case IH Steiger Marketing Manager. “The higher horsepower and wider undercarriage options mean the Rowtrac can perform in even more applications and get producers into fields in even more varied conditions.”

The new wider track undercarriage will accommodate 24-inch and 30-inch tracks, applying even less ground pressure on the soil between rows. The new option will be available on Rowtrac models from 350 horsepower to the new 500 horsepower model.

  Based on the proven technology of the Case IH Steiger Quadtrac® tractors, the Rowtrac uses a four-track, positive-drive system to minimize ground pressure, reduce compaction, improve traction and simplify transport in row crop situations.  Just like the other Steiger Rowtrac models, the Rowtrac 500 tracks oscillate 10 degrees up or down to maintain constant ground contact and minimize compaction.  All four tracks maintain constant power for turning without berming. Even when field conditions are less than optimum, it allows producers to cover more ground in less time.