Wednesday August 14 Ag News

Business Roadmap Workshop Planned for Early September

Nebraska Farm Bureau is proud to sponsor an all-encompassing workshop for ag producers and small business owners that is coming to selected Nebraska locations in early September. Hosted by the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the “Business Roadmap Workshop” will feature nationally acclaimed experts who will reveal strategies focused on the long-term success of your business operation.
Key elements of this workshop include:  
-    Business planning techniques; 
-    Managing your business in a changing global environment;
-    Business transition and planning; 
-    Tax and legal strategies; 
-    and Mitigating financial risk.   

The workshop will be held at three separate Nebraska locations on these dates:   
-    Wed., Sept. 4 – Mahoney State Park, Ashland. 
-    Thurs., Sept. 5 – Younes Conference Center, Kearney. 
-    Fri., Sept. 6 – Divots Conference Center, Norfolk.   

Workshops start at 8 a.m. and will conclude by 3 p.m. The first 40 who register at each location will receive a 30-minute consulting visit with a Nebraska business planning expert. This time can be utilized to ask questions specific to your operation.  

Featured speakers include Nick Niemann, founder of the BriefBack Business Institute, which trains business executives across the U.S. and Canada. Mr. Niemann is also a longtime partner in the Nebraska-based law firm McGrath North, as well as a renowned business writer. Also featured will be Larry Kopsa, partner in the Nebraska-based accounting and tax advising firm Kopsa Otte. Mr. Kopsa brings more than 35 years of experience  in accounting and tax guidance, specializing in tax law, income tax planning, estate planning and financial analysis.  

Cost is $99 for chamber of commerce members (Nebraska Chamber or local chamber), including lunch and refreshments. Cost for non-chamber members is $150. Additional attendees from the same business may attend for only $35.

To register, go to www.nechamber.com or call (402) 474-4422.



NE Farm Bureau County Meetings Upcoming

York County Farm Bureau Annual meeting, Sat Aug 17, 5:30pm, Waco Community Building, Waco, NE.  Speaker:  NFBF Chief Administrator Rob Robertson

Lancaster County Farm Bureau Annual Meeting, Thurs Aug 22, 6pm Dinner, 6:30 meeting, Lancaster County Extension Education Center, Lincoln, NE. 

Burt County Farm Bureau Annual meeting, Tues Aug 27, 6pm, Green Lantern, Decatur, NE.

Boone County Farm Bureau Annual meeting, Wed Sept 4, 6:30pm, Veterans Club, Albion, NE.  Speaker:  NFBF VP-Gov't Relations Jay Rempe

Washington County Farm Bureau Annual meeting, Thurs Sept 5, 6:30pm, Arlington, NE (location TBA).  Speaker:  Deanna Karmazin w/ NFBF-Foundation for Agriculture 

Antelope County Farm Bureau Annual meeting, Mon Sept 9, 6:30pm, L Bar B Steakhouse, Clearwater, NE.  Speaker: NFBF President Steve Nelson

Merrick County Farm Bureau Annual meeting, Thurs Sept 19, 6:30pm, St. Michaels Catholic Church - Parish Hall, Central City, NE.  Speaker: NFBF 1st VP Mark McHargue

Saunders County Farm Bureau Annual meeting, Tues Sept 24, 7pm, Farm Bureau office, Wahoo. 



Heineman Announces Upcoming Asian Trade Mission

Today, Gov. Dave Heineman announced that Lt. Gov. Lavon Heidemann will lead a delegation of Nebraskans on a trade mission to Taiwan and Japan Sept. 2-13. This will be the 12th foreign or reverse trade mission of the Governor’s administration.

“Our Asian trade missions represent important opportunities to explore agriculture and business development efforts in key markets,” said Gov. Heineman. “We will use this time to strengthen business relationships and pursue opportunities to develop new connections that will benefit Nebraska communities, while also promoting our agricultural products.”

“Nebraska has hosted a variety of business delegations from Taiwan and Japan during the past several years and this trip will be an important opportunity to examine ways to increase investment in our communities and continue strengthening our relationships in the regions,” said Lt. Gov. Heidemann.

Greg Ibach, Director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, and Catherine Lang, Director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development are scheduled to make the trip with Lt. Governor Heidemann. The trade mission will provide opportunities for delegation members to meet with government officials, potential trading partners and investors interested in doing business in Nebraska.

This trade mission will include a visit to Tokyo where the Lt. Governor will participate in the annual Midwest U.S. – Japan Association Conference, a collection of nine Midwestern states and major Japanese businesses. The delegation will have an opportunity to visit the new Nebraska Center – Japan, the state’s first foreign trade office which opened in 2006. The delegation will meet with business and government leaders including the Governors of the Saitama and Kanagawa prefectures.

In Taiwan, Nebraska leaders will receive an update on a trade agreement signed during a visit in 2010. At that time, Nebraska delegates signed an agreement worth an estimated $450 million in future sales of corn, soybeans and wheat between Taiwanese importers and private suppliers.

Japan is Nebraska’s largest foreign direct investor having invested more than $4.4 billion into the state since 2010. Japan is Nebraska’s fourth largest export market with $468 million in exports in 2012. Taiwan is Nebraska’s 13th largest export market with $94 million in exports in 2012, but was the state’s 10th largest agricultural export market that year.



Iowa Sets Biodiesel Production Record

A record for biodiesel production has been claimed this August by the state of Iowa. The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association believes a combination of 'a strong federal Renewable Fuel Standard and reinstatement of the federal biodiesel blenders' tax credit' has led to state facilities producing 56.7 million gallons of biodiesel during the second quarter of 2013.

The IRFA also claims a figure of 99.5 millions gallons manufactured in the first six months of the year is also a record.

"Record biodiesel production this quarter is providing a noticeable boost to Iowa soyabean farmers and livestock producers," said IRFA communications director TJ Page. "With a strong RFS and the tax incentive helping to level the playing field against long-standing petroleum subsidies, biodiesel is successfully competing in the marketplace."

The biodiesel blender credit is due to expire at the end of this year however and that, coupled with the constant lobbying of the petroleum industry against renewable fuels, means there will be challenges ahead.

"Given petroleum's advantages in current federal policy, we have to protect the RFS and extend the biodiesel tax credit," added Page.

Iowa is a hub of biodiesel production in the U.S. as it boasts 12 biodiesel facilities with the capacity to produce nearly 315 million gallons annually.

In addition, it has 41 ethanol refineries capable of producing over 3.7 billion gallons per year, with one wet mill and three cellulosic ethanol facilities currently under construction.



Iowa Plant Drops Horse-Slaughter Plan

(AP) -- An Iowa company is dropping plans to slaughter horses in the wake of a federal judge's ruling that temporarily banned the practice as animal welfare groups challenge it in court, a company executive said Tuesday.

Keaton Walker, the president of Responsible Transportation, told The Associated Press Tuesday that the company can't afford to wait for more deliberations in court.

A federal judge issued a restraining order earlier this month in a lawsuit brought by the Humane Society of the United States and other groups against the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The case has sparked an emotional national debate about how best to deal with the tens of thousands of wild, unwanted and abandoned horses across the country.

Walker's company had been given federal approval to slaughter horses at the company's Iowa plant starting Aug. 1. Walker said his Iowa plant will instead convert to a beef-only operation and seek new federal approval.

"We just can't sit with our heads down," Walker said. "We have to get back to work. Our main focus now is going to be beef."

Responsible Transportation was one of two companies that have secured federal permits for horse slaughter. Valley Meat Co. of Roswell, N.M., has been at the fore of the fight, pushing for more than a year for permission to convert its cattle plant into a horse slaughterhouse.

The Department of Agriculture in June gave the company the go-ahead to begin slaughtering horses. USDA officials said they were legally obligated to issue the permits, even though President Barack Obama's administration opposes horse slaughter and is seeking to reinstate a congressional ban that was lifted in 2011.

Blair Dunn, an attorney for Valley Meat Co., said the company was "still prepared to stay the course." But he said the United States Humane Society and other groups have filed such lawsuits because they know the companies "can't afford to sit around and wait."



McCarthy to Speak at Farm Environmental Awards Lunch
EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy will be in Des Moines, Iowa, on Thursday (Aug 15) to speak with farmers at the Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Awards ceremony at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.

McCarthy will discuss EPA's role in rural America and the Agency's partnership with the agricultural community to protect our water, land, and air. She will also highlight EPA's commitment to carrying out President Obama's Climate Action Plan to reduce carbon pollution, and the new environmental challenges that agriculture and rural communities face. During her visit, McCarthy will also meet with farmers and other members of the agricultural community.

Prior to being named administrator, McCarthy served as the assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Air and Radiation. She has been a leading advocate for common-sense strategies to protect public health and the environment. Previously, McCarthy served as the commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. During her career, which spans nearly 30 years, McCarthy has worked at state and local levels on critical environmental issues and helped coordinate policies on economic growth, energy, transportation and the environment.



GOVERNOR’S CHARITY STEER SHOW RAISES $185,338

Records were broken as the 31st annual Governor’s Charity Steer Show raised $185,338, the highest selling auction to date, for the Ronald McDonald Houses of Iowa.  The money raised through the auction will benefit the Ronald McDonald Houses of Des Moines, Iowa City, and Sioux City.  All of the houses are located near hospitals and provide a “home away from home” for families of seriously ill children.  The Iowa Beef Industry Council and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association sponsor the annual steer show and auction.  Governor Terry Branstad hosted the 2013 event held on August 10, 2013 in the Pioneer Livestock Pavilion at the Iowa State Fair.

Since its inception in 1983, the Governor’s Charity Steer Show has raised over $2.27 million for the Ronald McDonald Houses of Iowa.  The auction, which began when 25 steers paraded into the livestock pavilion, was led by Governor Branstad and other celebrity showpersons competing for the title of “Judge’s Choice.”

The official steer show judge for this year’s show was Jason Lekin of Tama, who manages and owns Tama Livestock Auction. The judge selected the steer “Farm Bureau Pride,” shown by Craig Hill, President of Iowa Farm Bureau, for overall grand champion honors.  The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation sponsored the steer.  Iowa Farm Bureau Federation District #5 purchased the steer at the auction for $7,250. Shanee Tate of Renwick owned the steer. Additional donations were made to the sale of the steer by Crop Production Services – LuVerne, First Citizens National Bank and the Tate Family for $2,250

“Affordably Smart,” a steer shown by Rob Denson, President of Des Moines Area Community College, DMACC, earned reserve champion honors.  The steer was sponsored by DMACC and purchased by James Oil Co for $5,000. Cody Fausch of Cambridge raised the steer.  Additional donations made by Friends of Cody Fausch and Friends of DMACC for $4,350.

The steer shown by Cy and Cecil Rhoads was selected by the crowd for the title of “People’s Choice.”  The steer, “Cyclone,” was sponsored by Family and Friends of Brayton Shill and purchased by Curran Cattle Co for $5,750.  Cory Sampson of Nevada raised the steer. An additional donation was made by Family & Friends of Brayton Shill for $500.

Darren Heldt, Director of Racing at Prairie Meadows Race Track and Casino earned the Showmanship Award for the second consecutive year.  Heldt was selected by Byron Leu, who served as the event’s Showmanship Judge. Leu recently retired from twenty-seven years of service as the southeast Iowa Beef Specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.  Heldt’s steer, “Blazing 777’s,” was sponsored by Prairie Meadows Race Track and Casino.  The steer was raised by Emily Washington of Elkhart and purchased by Prairie Meadows Race Track & Casino for $9,750.



NOAA: July One of the Wettest in the U.S.

According to NOAA's July 2013 State of the Climate report, the average temperature this past month for the contiguous U.S. was 74.3 degrees Fahrenheit. While this monthly average is 0.8 degrees about the 20th century average and ranks as the 30th warmest July on record, nobody is complaining about temperatures after last year's heat wave.

This July was also unique in that the U.S. saw unusually high amounts of precipitation. The national average was 3.47 inches, about 0.7 inches above average, making it the 5th wettest July on record for the contiguous United States.

Despite this rain, drought affected 46 percent of the U.S., especially the Plains region. Most of this drought is considered moderate, however.

The NOAA report mentions that the real concern is the weather this fall. Because of late planting and slow crop maturation, farmers likely won't be able to harvest until later this fall. While crops this year escaped the usual summer heat stress, they may not fare so well if frost start entering the forecast before harvest.



Weekly Ethanol Production for 8/09/2013

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

Stocks of ethanol stood at 16.4 million barrels. That is a 1.7% decrease from last week.

Imports of ethanol were 36,000 b/d, down from last week.

Gasoline demand for the week averaged 386.0 million gallons daily.

Expressed as a percentage of daily gasoline demand, daily ethanol production was 9.33%.

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



NCGA Agri-Industry Council Meets in Santa Fe

National Corn Growers Association officers and senior staff have gathered with representatives of 14 leading agribusinesses for the biannual NCGA Agri-Industry Council meeting to discuss vital issues facing agriculture, share information on their companies and sectors, hear from recognized speakers and learn from NCGA about its current initiatives.  The Agri-Industry Council was established in 2007 to facilitate dialogue between agribusinesses and NCGA to collectively address issues of mutual concern.

"U.S. agri-business works hard to improve farming by providing growers with innovative technology and ever-improving seed varieties," said NCGA President Pam Johnson. "Through meetings such as this one, we bring key leaders from across the value chain together so that we move forward with a better understanding of the big picture and can coordinate to build a brighter future."

Over the course of the meeting, attendees are hearing from government relations professionals and NCGA's Washington staff on the current legislative environment and how it will impact farmers.  NCGA officers, staff and consultants are providing updates on the association's major projects and the crop outlook.

Featured speakers from outside of the agricultural community are providing input and insight into some of the issues facing farmers today.  Dr. Pamela Ronald and Raoul Adamchak, both faculty members at the University of California at Davis, spoke yesterday on the subject of their highly acclaimed book, Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics, and the Future of Food. Ronald, a professor in the Department of Plant Pathology and the Genome Center while also serving as the Director of Grass Genetics at the Joint Bioenergy Institute, provided a geneticists perspective on the issues which was balanced by that of Adamchak, who coordinates the university's organic student farm.

Today, futurist Bob Treadway will facilitate a discussion on the future of the agricultural industry. Leading with a presentation, Treadway will work with the group as they strive to anticipate, prepare, strategize and develop ideas for acting on the factors which are beyond their control. This discussion will continue in a second session tomorrow.



With Premiere Issue of American Soybean, ASA Puts Farming Face on Key Policy Issues

This week, the more than 22,000 farmer members of the American Soybean Association (ASA) will receive their premiere issues of American Soybean, a new quarterly magazine from ASA designed to explore the on-farm impacts of the policy, production and marketing issues that affect producer profitablility.

The first edition of the magazine will focus on the hot-button issue of sustainability, and the cover story will explore how three geographically-diverse farmers keep their farms sustainable for future generations. The issue also features details the about the soy industry’s Sustainability Assurance Protocol; a profile of the Hagenbuchs, a fourth-generation Illinois farm family; an update on the benefits of soy-based biodiesel in the nation’s ongoing energy discussion; a look at how various industry corporate partners are helping soybean farmers be both sustainable and profitable; and a guest editorial from farmer and philanthropist Howard Buffett challenging farmers to use the tools at their disposal to create a “brown revolution”.

“As farmers, we have so much to gain by looking beyond our fenceposts and examining how our counterparts in other regions tackle our shared challenges as well as those challenges unique to their areas. This is very much the case with sustainability, an important and timely topic with likely as many definitions as there are farmers to define it,” said ASA President Danny Murphy, a soybean farmer from Canton, Miss. “American Soybean will help our farmer members from across the country learn from one another and see how the industry as a whole can move forward in addressing the challenges we face.”

ASA will release upcoming seasonal issues of American Soybean in the fall, winter and spring. More information and a digital copy of the magazine can be found at www.SoyGrowers.com, or by contacting American Soybean Editorial Director Patrick Delaney at 202-969-7040, ext. 16, or pdelaney@soy.org, or Managing Editor Cassandra Langley at 314-754-1344 or clangley@soy.org. Sponsorship information is available by contacting Christine Luelf at 314-754-1291 or cluelf@soy.org.



ASA Debuts Revamped SoyGrowers.com

Visitors to www.SoyGrowers.com will find a cleaner, more streamlined web home for the American Soybean Association following a comprehensive redesign and facelift for the association’s website.

“Soybean farmers are at the cutting-edge of industry technology. We can operate our combines and sprayers almost entirely with the aid of GPS. Unmanned aerial vehicles help us spot moisture and nutrient deficiencies from the air. Smartphone apps bring us to-the-minute market and export numbers. We’ve taken the farmers’ coffeeshop conversation online, too. The newly-redesigned SoyGrowers.com reflects our industry’s embrace of the 21st Century, and provides all of the same robust, insightful ASA content in a more user-friendly format,” said ASA President and Canton, Miss., soybean farmer Danny Murphy.

Designed by Hastings, Neb.-based David & Associates, the new SoyGrowers.com operates on the WordPress platform and provides the same critical policy and program information and ASA insight in a cleaner, easier to navigate format.



EPA clears way for Agrisure Duracade E-Z Refuge trait stacks

Syngenta announced today that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved the Agrisure Duracade™ 5122, E-Z Refuge® and Agrisure Duracade 5222, E-Z Refuge trait stacks. These single-bag refuge products will provide growers with unmatched corn rootworm protection plus a convenient 5 percent integrated refuge.

“In the wake of rising corn rootworm pressure and concerns about the continued efficacy of current rootworm technologies, the Agrisure Duracade 5122, E-Z Refuge and Agrisure Duracade 5222, E-Z Refuge products offer farmers a new control option so they can grow more corn,” said Jill Wheeler, Syngenta product lead, commercial traits. “These products promote technology preservation because they provide two modes of action (including one that is new to the market) against corn rootworm and integrated refuge for automatic compliance.”  

The Agrisure Duracade 5122, E-Z Refuge product combines the Agrisure Duracade trait with the trusted Agrisure® RW trait for dual modes of action against corn rootworm. This single-bag refuge product also contains the Agrisure CB/LL trait for corn borer control, the Herculex® I trait for an additional mode of action against corn borer plus broad lepidopteran control, and the Agrisure GT trait for glyphosate tolerance. It is conveniently packaged in a 5 percent integrated refuge.

Agrisure Duracade 5222, E-Z Refuge contains all of the same traits found in the Agrisure Duracade 5122, E-Z Refuge product plus the Agrisure Viptera® trait for breakthrough control of the multi-pest complex, a collection of highly destructive lepidopteran corn pests. It is also conveniently packaged in a 5 percent integrated refuge.

The Agrisure Duracade trait expresses a unique engineered protein (eCry3.1Ab) that protects against Western corn rootworm, Northern corn rootworm and Mexican corn rootworm. Syngenta and university research trials have shown the Agrisure Duracade trait is highly effective in controlling corn rootworm. Research by the US Department of Agriculture reports that the trait has the highest reduction in beetle emergence (99.79 percent) of any commercial CRW trait.*

In 2012, Syngenta, the leader in U.S. corn insect control, announced the EPA registration of the Agrisure Duracade trait (Event 5307) and the completion of the consultation process at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, followed by USDA approval earlier this year. The Agrisure Duracade trait has also received cultivation approval in Canada and import approval from Australia, Japan, New Zealand and Taiwan.

Corn rootworm management is a complex issue whose solution is more than just traits. Syngenta has developed a set of corn rootworm management recommendations that balances insect resistance management and integrated pest management to help growers maximize crop productivity and yield. For more information, please visit www.farmassist.com/crw.