Thursday October 17 Ag News

PANELIST LINE-UP FOR FOOD DIALOGUES: BOSTON EVENT ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24 ANNOUNCED

The U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance® (USFRA®) today announced the moderator and list of panelists participating in the next Food Dialogues event, timed to Food Day, October 24. Noted food author and Bloomberg News reporter Alan Bjerga will moderate the discussion, “Farm Size: Does It Really Matter?” Farmers, ranchers, and food pundits, including Michael Jacobson, the founder of Food Day and executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) will address the differences and similarities between large and small farms, farm ownership and sustainability practices and the effect these issues have on consumer perceptions.  The event, which also will stream live online at www.FoodDialogues.com, is one of thousands of events to commemorate Food Day, a national celebration of healthy, affordable and sustainably produced food.

“This is one of our strongest panels yet and it’s fitting since they’ll be examining one of the hottest topics in the agricultural community: farm size,” said Bob Stallman, chairman of USFRA and president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. “The purpose of the Food Dialogues events is to join in balanced discussions on provocative topics, like farm size, and our goal is to create a conversation that examines this subject from all angles. By holding this event on Food Day, we hope to reach a broader audience in Boston and online.”

The October 24 discussion, which will take place from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. EDT in at the State Room in Boston and will include panelists:
·    Bill Luckey, Farmer, Columbus, Neb.
·    Leah Beyer, Farmer, Shelby County, Ind.
·    Jamie Cruz, Owner/Grower, Springdell Farm, Littleton, Mass.
·    Michael Jacobson, Founder, Food Day and Executive Director, CSPI
·    Lori Renzi, Vice President, Brand Strategy and Development, Charlie Baggs Culinary Innovations
·    Bruce Rominger, Farmer, Rominger Brothers Farm, Winters, Calif.
·    Michael Swanson, Ag Economist, Wells Fargo Bank

For more information on this event, including how to register, visit www.FoodDialogues.com.



Grazing Corn Stalks Good for Grain Farmers and Cattle Producers
Steve Tonn, UNL Extension Educator, Washington County

Washington County has approximately 85,000 acres of corn that are harvested for grain each year but a large percentage of those same acres go ungrazed by cattle.  Why?  Beef producers know that having cows graze corn stalks is an inexpensive way to feed cows during the fall and winter.  However grain farmers may be reluctant to rent out corn stalks for grazing to beef producers if there is a chance next year’s crop yield will be affected.  This is a valid concern.  The University of Nebraska has been conducting research over the past several years to address this question. 

The University of Nebraska conducted a 15 year experiment on grazing stalks on no-till fields at the Ag Research and Development Center near Mead, NE.  In a corn/soybean rotation study, the effects on yields of the following crops were measured for fall/winter grazing (November to February), spring grazing (February to mid-April) and un-grazed.  These three treatments were maintained in the same area from 1996 to 2011.  This field was irrigated and stocking was 2.5 times the normal level since 2000.  On average, the yield of the following soybean crop was increased  2.0 bu/ac for fall/winter grazing and 1.3 bu/ac with spring grazing compared to no grazing of corn stalks.  The yield of corn as the second crop after was not significantly affected, with corn yields for fall/winter grazing averaging 209 bu/ac, spring grazing averaging 207 bu/ac and ungrazed averaging 206 bu/ac.  A five year study on dryland fields at the Ag Research and Development Center, where crop residues were grazed each winter for five years showed that yields were not affected if cattle were removed in the spring before field conditions became muddy.  While residue cover was reduced, percent residue cover remained at levels high enough to keep soil erosion at acceptable levels.

Stocking rate influences the amount of grain, husk, and leaf available per animal. The amount of grain, leaf, and husk available affect diet quality because they are highly digestible. Residue (leaf and husk) yield left in the field is related to corn grain yield. There will be about 16 lb dry leaf and husk per bushel of corn yield.

UNL Extension beef specialists recommend designing a grazing strategy to remove only 50% of the leaf and husk. This allows plenty of residue to remain on the fields to protect them against erosion.  Instead of remembering this equation, there is a nice spreadsheet, Corn Stalk Grazing Calculator, that is available that will help you determine the number of acres at a specific corn grain yield needed for a certain number of cows. To run this spreadsheet, you will need Excel.  This can be a handy tool for both grain farmers and cattle producers.

UNL research shows that grazing corn stalks is compatible with no-till management in Eastern Nebraska.  With wet soil conditions in the spring, removing cattle from those  or taking other management steps to minimize the effects of compaction.

Corn stalks represent an additional source of income for grain farmers and an inexpensive option for feeding cows for beef producers.  Utilizing this abundant resource can good for both grain and cattle producers.



Federal Shutdown Affecting One-Fourth of Mainstreet Economy

Growth for the Rural Mainstreet economy remains positive according to the October survey of bank CEOs in a 10-state area.   

Nebraska:  After moving below growth neutral for January, Nebraska’s Rural Mainstreet Index has been above growth neutral for nine straight months. The October RMI increased to 54.9 from 53.0 in September. The farmland-price index for October dipped to 45.5 from September’s 48.1. Nebraska’s new-hiring index stood at 51.9, which was up from 49.3 in September. Bill McQuillan, president of CNB Community Bank in Greeley, said, “The Early 2013 soybean harvest yields are 10 to 15% above historical averages.  Local cattle prices continue to be very, very strong and positive for our local producers.”

Iowa: The September RMI for Iowa climbed to 55.3 from September’s 53.4. The farmland-price index for October fell to 50.6 from 53.2 in September. Iowa’s new-hiring index for October rose to 55.4 from September’s 52.7.

Overall:  The Rural Mainstreet Index (RMI), which ranges between 0 and 100 with 50.0 representing growth neutral, rose for the first time since June of this year to 54.3 from 52.4 in September.

“While the overall index is up for the month, I still expect growth in the Rural Mainstreet Economy to be slower in the months ahead. Agriculture commodity prices for select products have declined significantly and are approaching breakeven for some producers,” said Ernie Goss, the Jack A. MacAllister Chair in Regional Economics at Creighton University.

Farming: The farmland-price index declined for the 10th time in the past 11 months. The October index fell to 50.9, its lowest level since January 2010, and down from September’s 54.0. “Weaker agriculture commodity prices and poor weather conditions in some parts of the region lowered the farmland price index. Clearly, farmland price growth and cash rent expansions in the months ahead will not be as healthy as has been experienced in the past couple of years,” said Goss.

Even so, we are still seeing some record prices for cropland in the region. For example, James Brown, president of Hardin County Savings Bank in Eldora, Iowa, reported a record sale of 80 acres in Grundy County last week for $17,600 per acre.

The early snowstorms in Nebraska and South Dakota are expected to have significant negative impacts on livestock producers in the months ahead and will likely spill over into the broader economies in those areas. According to Todd Douglas, CEO of the First National Bank in Pierre, S.D., “Recent record snowfall in the western part of the state is estimated to have caused up to 25,000 cattle deaths which will have a major impact on producers in the areas hit hardest by the storm.  However, winter wheat progress is promising with the recent moisture over the rest of the state.”

This month bankers were asked to how much they expect farmland cash rents to increase by over the next 12 months. On average, CEOs estimate that cash rents will expand by only 2.5 percent. This is down significantly from the 9.3 percent expected growth reported by bankers six months earlier. “Bankers clearly expect farmland prices and rents to grow at a much slower pace over the next year,” said Goss.

Farm equipment sales declined for the fourth straight month. The October index slumped to 44.6, its lowest level since March 2010, and down from 48.3 in September. “Sales are declining and inventories are growing as farmers pull back on their purchases of big ticket items,” said Goss.

Banking: The loan-volume index remained above growth neutral for the month at 64.7, though it was down from September’s 73.5. The checking-deposit index fell to 48.3 from September’s 56.3 while the index for certificates of deposit and other savings instruments plummeted to a very fragile 35.4 from 43.8 in September.  

Hiring: October’s hiring index jumped to 56.1 from September’s 53.2. “The upturn in hiring was unexpected and encouraging reflecting growth outside of agriculture,” said Goss.

Bankers were asked whether the President should approve construction of the northern portion of the Keystone XL pipeline. Almost 87.9 percent supported construction of the XL pipeline. Only 3.5 percent were opposed with the remaining 8.7 percent indicating that they were unsure or had no opinion.

However some bankers expressed very strong opposition to the XL pipeline. For example, Kelly Hammerlun, president of Pinnacle Bank in Imperial, Neb., said, “The govternment should not allow any construction of the pipeline until they provide some assistance in regulating the contracts they are bullying the land owners into signing.” Hammerlun argues that the contracts are full of landowner liability down the road.

Confidence: The confidence index, which reflects expectations for the economy six months out, was unchanged from September’s weak 44.7. “Our surveys were completed this week a day before the agreements were achieved in the U.S. Congress. The potential for a continuation of the federal government shutdown combined with the failure to raise the debt ceiling certainly weighed on bankers’ economic outlook,” said Goss

This month bankers were also asked to gauge the impact of partial federal government shutdown on the area economy. Approximately 25.9 percent assessed that the impact was negative while the remaining 74.1 percent reported little or no impact from the shutdown.

Home and retail sales: The October home-sales index declined to a still solid 58.0 from September’s 60.2.  The October retail-sales index rose to 52.6 from 49.2 in September.

“With the uncertainty surrounding the Washington Congressional deliberations, I was surprised to see retail sales move higher. The Rural Mainstreet housing market continues to rebound at a healthy pace,” said Goss. 

Each month, community bank presidents and CEOs in nonurban, agriculturally and energy-dependent portions of a 10-state area are surveyed regarding current economic conditions in their communities and their projected economic outlooks six months down the road. Bankers from Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming are included.

This survey represents an early snapshot of the economy of rural, agriculturally and energy-dependent portions of the nation. The Rural Mainstreet Index (RMI) is a unique index covering 10 regional states, focusing on approximately 200 rural communities with an average population of 1,300. It gives the most current real-time analysis of the rural economy. Goss and Bill McQuillan, president of CNB Community Bank of Greeley, Neb., created the monthly economic survey in 2005.



WINTER ANNUALS INVADING WARM-SEASON PASTURES
Bruce Anderson, UNL Extension Forage Specialist

Fall moisture is setting the stage for a bumper crop of cheatgrass and downy brome next spring, especially in heavily grazed warm-season grass pastures. What can you do to minimize this problem?

When cheatgrass, downy brome, and other cool-season plants invade warm-season grass pastures and rangeland, they shift good grazing away from summer.

Cool-season grasses take over summer pastures relatively easily because they develop rapidly during fall and spring when native grass provides little competition.  Then they use moisture and nutrients during spring before warm-season plants have a chance to use them.

Heavy grazing this fall when warm-season plants are dormant after a hard freeze as well as grazing very early next spring will weaken and reduce competition from these winter annual weeds.  This can limit further invasion and slowly improve summer production.  A prescribed spring burn also can do wonders for a warm-season pasture if you have enough fuel to carry a fire and can conduct the burn safely and legally.

An even faster approach is to apply glyphosate herbicides like Roundup now in late fall.  Hard freezes turn warm-season plants dormant but the weedy cool-season grasses remain green.  Apply glyphosate when temperatures during the day are above 60 degrees and nighttime temperatures stay above 40 degrees for best results.  This will kill or weaken the green and susceptible cool-season weedy grasses but not affect dormant warm-season plants.  By reducing competition, warm-season plants will grow more vigorously next year and provide better summer pasture.

Don’t settle for invaded native pasture.  Transform them back to vigorous warm-season grasses for better summer grazing.



Nebraska Farm Bureau Plan Seeks to Balance Tax Structure, Provide Property Tax Relief

Nebraska Farm Bureau unveiled a far-reaching, multi-year plan Thursday to shake up Nebraska’s tax structure which has come to rely far too heavily on property taxes to fund government services.  The plan outlines a multi-year proposal to not only provide property tax relief to Nebraskans, but to move Nebraska in the direction of a more balanced system of contributions from property, sales and income taxes for funding government services. The plan was shared with members of the Legislature’s Tax Modernization Committee during a hearing in Omaha.

“We’re thinking big picture. We’re not just talking property tax relief, we’re talking real tax reform that moves us in the direction of balancing the tax burden among property, sales and income taxes for the long-haul,” said Nebraska Farm Bureau President Steve Nelson.

Property taxes account for roughly 45 percent of all of the taxes collected statewide as the reliance on property taxes has steadily increased since the 1990s. Nelson said Farm Bureau members believe the time is right to bring Nebraska’s three-legged tax stool back into balance through reforms to roll back the reliance on property taxes.

“You don’t turn a battleship on a dime and our heavy reliance on property taxes didn’t happen overnight. We do, however, believe there’s a path that can reverse the trend of continuing to put more on the shoulders of property tax payers,” said Nelson.

The Farm Bureau plan focuses on reducing the property tax portion of the total statewide collection of property, sales and income taxes collected. The plan specifically seeks to lower the property tax portion from 45 to 40 percent of the statewide tax burden, which equates to roughly $405 million annually.

“We’re interested in putting solutions on the table. Nebraskans are seeking property tax relief and our plan would give them relief, and put us on the path to balancing our tax structure,” said Nelson.

Year one of the Farm Bureau plan would focus on providing immediate property tax relief by reducing overall property taxes collected by $160 million. The savings to taxpayers would come in the form of increasing dollars directed to the state’s property tax credit program that provides a direct credit against property taxes paid. The second component would involve reducing the value of agricultural land for tax purposes from 75 to 65 percent of value. Agriculture land owners represent less than 3 percent of Nebraska’s population but pay roughly 24 percent of the total property taxes statewide.

Year two of the plan would focus on reducing state and local spending and diverting those dollar savings to measures that would provide property tax relief, adding onto the savings provided in year one of the plan.

“The Legislature has been frugal and we believe a continued emphasis on restraining spending at the state and local level can generate a means to capture more dollars needed to reach the $405 million reduction amount,” said Nelson.

The plan suggests removing community colleges from the property tax rolls as a way to provide relief which would provide more than $130 million in property tax savings. The proposal also identifies reductions in personal property taxes on agricultural, commercial and industrial equipment as a way to provide property tax savings, as well as expanding the existing homestead exemption to target tax relief to home owners.

Year three of the Farm Bureau proposal would call on the Legislature to broaden the sales tax base to include more goods and services consumed by the end consumer. The revenues would be used exclusively to provide property tax relief through measures previously identified in the plan and would be captured at a level needed to provide the remaining amount of funds needed to reach the $405 million annual reduction in property taxes as sought under the plan.

“The purpose of the Tax Reform Committee is to gather input and make recommendations to the Legislature. We think the time is right to be bold in putting out a meaningful roadmap for tax reform and property tax relief,” said Nelson.



CLIMATE ASSESSMENT RESPONSE COMMITTEE TO MEET

Bobbie Kriz-Wickham, assistant director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, has scheduled a meeting of the Climate Assessment Response Committee (CARC) for Wednesday, October 23rd.  The meeting will begin at 10:00 a.m. in room 901 at Hardin Hall on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln East Campus.

Climate officials will brief CARC members on existing, as well as predicted, weather conditions and provide a water availability outlook.  Mitigation activities will be discussed.

For more details, call the Nebraska Department of Agriculture at (402) 471-2341.



Value-Added Ag Tour Across East Central Nebraska Oct. 22

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension and SARE are sponsoring a Value-Added Ag Tour for East Central Nebraska for Oct. 22 originating from the ARDC. There will be a van leaving from Lincoln for interested participants. Cost of the tour is $20 and includes transportation and lunch.

Would you like to learn more about value-added agriculture? Interested in adding an additional enterprise to your operation? Would you like to visit local businesses and locations to see agriculture in different lights? Well this is the tour for you!

The tour will include stops at: Bernard and Rhonda Carritt's aronia berry farm in Wahoo, Alan Vybiral's grapes grown for James Arthur Vineyard also in Wahoo, Martin's Hillside Orchard in Ceresco, Todd Valley Farms in Mead, and conclude the day at Larry and Margaret Kasper's wholesale tree farm in Mead.

The tour will provide unique experiences to learn about large scale aronia berry production and marketing; grape growing and marketing to a local winery; family-focused agri-tourism with cider and pick-your-own apples, pumpkins, and raspberries; a turf-grass farm focusing on water conservation; wholesale tree and shrub growers; and more!!

The tour will take place on Oct. 22 (early registration is by Oct. 18), and is $20 per person -- which includes all transportation, lunch, and wine tasting. Carpooling is available from Lincoln north to the ARDC; inquire when you register.

Please direct questions or register by contacting Lindsay Chichester, Saunders County Extension Office, 1-800-529-8030 or 402-624-8007 or Gary Lesoing, Nemaha County Extension Office, 402-274-4755.



IOWA ORGANIC CONFERENCE NOVEMBER 17-18

The 13th Annual Iowa Organic Conference, scheduled for Nov. 17 – 18, will once again bring national experts, the latest in organic agriculture production research, and the voices of local experience together for an educational event. The conference will be held in Iowa City at the Iowa Memorial Union with a reception and movie showing on Sunday evening and the full conference beginning at 8 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 18.

Conference organizers are Iowa State University Extension and Outreach organic agriculture, the Office of Sustainability at University of Iowa, and New Pioneer Food Cooperative in Iowa City. “This is the second year this partnership has organized the conference,” said Kathleen Delate, extension organic agriculture specialist with Iowa State University. “There is a great concentration of producer and consumer interest in organic production in eastern Iowa, with Iowa City being the central location for the some of the largest organic producer and consumer communities in Iowa.”

Organic producers, consumers, conventional farmers, and others interested in science-based research in organic agriculture and practical applications for farming systems will find a wide variety of topics and speakers at the 2013 conference. Keynote speaker is Bob Quinn a Montana organic farmer with 4,000 certified acres producing organic grains, alfalfa hay, vegetables and fruits. He will speak about on-farm biodiversity and the benefits of multiple crops in terms of spreading risk and providing ecological services.

Other conference speakers include Miles McEvoy, USDA National Organic Program, speaking about efforts to increase the understanding of organic; Bill Stowe, Des Moines Waterworks, on curtailing nitrate pollution in Iowa’s waters; experts on many aspects of local food systems; area organic farmers offering tips for best practices during transition to organic farming; and Iowa State researchers – Delate and Cynthia Cambardella – sharing findings from a 16-year comparison of organic and conventional rotations and recent research quantifying carbon sequestration benefits.

A Sunday evening pre-conference reception at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. showing of the moving “GMO-OMG” will be held in the Memorial Union Ballroom on Nov. 17. Conference registration begins at 7:30 a.m. on Nov. 18 with a welcome at 8 a.m. and concluding at 5 p.m. An all-organic lunch featuring regional foods will be served on Monday.

Registration options are available on the conference website at https://www.signmeup.com/95221. Additional details about the conference are available at http://extension.agron.iastate.edu/organicag/organicconference2013.html or by contacting Delate at (515) 294-7069 or kdelate@iastate.edu.



Allendale Cattle on Feed estimate

Private analytical firm Allendale has released their estimate for the US Department of Agriculture's monthly Cattle on Feed report, that was scheduled to be released on Friday, October 18th.  USDA's report will be delayed due to the government shutdown.

Allendale estimates total cattle on feed as of October 1 to be 7.6 percent smaller than last year.  This would be smaller than the September 1 survey which showed 7.2% fewer cattle.

Allendale estimates September placements to be 1.2 percent lower last year.  September 2012 was a full 17% below that year's five year average and the lowest September of any year since the data series began in 1996.

For marketings, Allendale estimates figures to be 3 percent higher than 2012. There was one more weekday but one less Saturday in September 2013 than in 2012 which gave an artificial increase.



USDA Announces Cancellation and Postponement of Selected Reports Impacted by the Lapse in Federal Funding
     
The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced that the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and World Agricultural Outlook Board (WAOB) have cancelled or postponed publication of selected USDA statistical reports impacted by the lapse in federal funding.

NASS's Crop Production and Cotton Ginnings reports and the WAOB's World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) scheduled for October 11th are canceled. The next scheduled release for these reports is November 8, 2013. Additionally, NASS's Crop Progress reports scheduled for October 7th and 15th are cancelled. NASS's Cattle on Feed and Peanut Prices reports scheduled for October 18th are postponed.

While the lapse in federal funding has ended, NASS has not been able to engage in the necessary data collection and analysis over the past few weeks. NASS is assessing its data collection plans and evaluating the timing of upcoming reports.



Upcoming Project to Examine Benefits of Cover Crops

The Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) received some time in the spotlight during the latest announcement of Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) awards from the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service.

CTIC received $482,000 to examine the economic, agronomic and environmental benefits of cover crops, looking at the contributions of cover crop practices to pollinator habitat, nutrient cycling, improvements in soil health and other aspects. The not-for-profit organization and its partners will work with experienced and novice cover crop users in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and South Dakota.

The upcoming project was recognized by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack when he pointed to CTIC's project as an example of the "power of the CIG program."

"This award will basically fund roughly a thousand acres that will help us hopefully dispel some of the myths that may be in the countryside that have discouraged producers from focusing on cover crop production," Vilsack said.

He noted that innovation is key to success in conservation agriculture and pointed to cover crops, which are crops such as grasses, legumes, brassicas and/or small grains planted between cash crop seasons for multiple conservation purposes, as a way to innovate in agriculture for soil health and water quality.

"Cover crops are an important tool for us to retain precious water resources to replenish and nourish the soil," Vilsack said. "Hopefully, over time, they will create new market opportunities for landowners, farmers, ranchers and producers."

To examine the opportunities for cover crops, CTIC and partners will:
-- plant at least 1,000 acres of cover crops on farms that have not previously held cover crops;
-- conduct a cost analysis of cover crops in both new and established systems and in different regions of the country;
-- analyze case studies for each state involved;
-- learn how producer experience plays a role in cover crop successes and challenges;
-- estimate the amount of nitrogen secured by cover crops for the following crop;
-- document the pollinators found in project fields; and
-- talk with producers about their choices and decision-making processes.

Results and insights from the project will be shared through an annual workshop, detailed articles in leading farm magazines that reach more than 350,000 producers in the Midwest, and printed and online resources, including fact sheets and a booklet outlining the best practices used in cover crop operations.

Karen Scanlon, executive director for CTIC, said that the upcoming project was timely with growing interest in cover crops.

"Cover crops are in the spotlight, and there may be questions on using them effectively for maximum benefit to the producer and farm," Scanlon said. "This project will provide greater insight into the challenges and benefits of cover crops. CTIC and partners hope to help many producers across the Midwest discover cover crop usefulness, such as protecting the soil, improving water quality and more."

Partners in the project include Corn & Soybean Digest and the National Corn Growers Association. Funding partners include Monsanto, Bayer CropScience, Syngenta, The Nature Conservancy, Purdue University, DuPont Pioneer and the CropLife Foundation.



Meatless Monday Campaign Dishonest about Number of Participating Organizations

After weeks of investigation, the Animal Agriculture Alliance has concluded that the Meatless Monday Campaign is grossly misrepresenting the campaign’s enrollment and prevalence among schools, restaurants, hospitals and colleges. Since the inception of the Meatless Monday campaign, the Alliance has closely monitored the campaign’s progress and tried to correct its misinformation about the healthfulness of meat consumption and environmental impact of livestock production.

In anticipation of the Meatless Monday campaign’s 10th anniversary, the Alliance analyzed the overall effects of the campaign and gauged its effectiveness by individually surveying every participant listed on the Meatless Monday website. The Alliance found that the campaign has not been as popular as the Meatless Monday movement claimed. Most notably:
-    Out of the 236 kindergarten through twelfth grade schools listed as participating, more than 51% no longer or never participated in the program; 
-    Out of the 155 colleges/universities listed as participating, more than 43.2% no longer or never participated in the program;
-    Out of the school districts listed as participating, more than 57% no longer do.

The Meatless Monday campaign also counts restaurants and food service providers among their allies, yet, over 35% and 47%, respectively, no longer participate in the program.

“These results are truly astounding. When we started the project, we didn’t expect nearly as many organizations to not actually be participating in the program,” said Alliance President and CEO Kay Johnson Smith. “The Meatless Monday campaign tries to promote a reduction in meat, milk and egg consumption as trendy, but clearly it hasn’t taking off as strongly as they’d hoped.”

Schools, restaurants and food service providers also echoed these sentiments noting that adoption of the campaign was widely unpopular, led to food waste, and elicited complaints from parents worried about proper nutrition.

Near the Alliance in Henrico County, VA, Jamie Jerabeck, a nutritionist for the school district commented that they participated in the program for about a year but were “overwhelmed with parents complaining.”

Similarly, at the Monroe Elementary School in Utah, Lisa Larson told the Alliance that the students “didn’t like the choices they were given,” which apparently included peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and salads. April Young, a registered dietician with the Granite County School District in Utah echoed these concerns, noting there was already a vegetarian option available in the local schools.

“We made a conscious decision to end the program after participating for a little under two years,” said Young. “As a dietician I plan meals to accommodate students. Many students have their own dietary needs and those should be handled individually—not as part of a large-scale program.”

Many of those interviewed by the Alliance maintained that they didn’t understand how they appeared on the Meatless Monday website in the first place. Staff at Texas Health Resources commented, “we don’t understand why we’re on the list—we’re a corporate office and have nothing to do with meal services.”

“We’ve never participated, I’m not sure how my restaurant ended up on their webpage,” said Daniel Sauer, owner of 7a Vineyard Restaurant in Haven, MA. “I have an obligation to my customers to serve what they want. That means having both meat and vegetarian options.”

Many of those interviewed emphasized the need for consumer choice in the marketplace and that providing a variety of options to consumers seemed to work best.

“Our residents are ‘old school’ and enjoy meat with their meals,’” joked Joan Allison of Princeton General Hospital. “There wasn’t a lot of interest throughout the hospital and people were put off by joining the campaign.”

Meatless Monday is a carefully orchestrated campaign that seeks to eliminate meat from Americans’ meals seven days a week — beginning with Mondays. Organized through the Center for a Livable Future at John Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health, the campaign, which is funded in large part by wealthy, long-time animal rights activists Sid and Helaine Lerner, pushes an extreme animal rights and environmental agenda by promoting false claims about animal agriculture.

“Offering options is always better than alienating consumers by forcing a viewpoint—and diet—upon them,” said Johnson Smith. "At the Alliance we support consumer choice. People don't like to be forced to do anything. If the Meatless Monday campaign was honest—they would see that their numbers are dwindling and that their extreme viewpoint will ultimately lead to the campaign’s demise.”



NAWG and U.S. Wheat Associates Applaud 2013 World Food Prize Laureates, Reinforce Support for Biotech Wheat

The National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) and U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) Thursday reinforced their support for the continued development of biotech wheat by joining others in the industry to congratulate the 2013 World Food Prize recipients, whose work has been instrumental to this vital technology.

While biotech wheat is not currently available to farmers, NAWG, USW and the wheat farmers who lead them support innovation, research and the responsible introduction of new wheat varieties, including biotech wheat.  Both organizations are working with industry partners throughout the wheat value chain to prepare the path for these new varieties of wheat – both biotech and non-biotech – that will improve farmers’ ability to increase yields, use fewer agricultural inputs and continually improve the quality of their crop.

Wheat is a staple of the world’s diet, but worldwide demand for wheat is outpacing our ability to produce it. In fact, the number of acres planted with wheat has fallen relative to other crops with biotech options available in part because the more advanced crops offer farmers a better return on their investment.  Biotech wheat varieties, which the industry expects to be introduced within the decade, will help ensure that wheat continues to be a valuable source of nutrition for people around the world and a staple of American agriculture for generations to come.

On Thursday, Dr. Marc Van Montagu, Dr. Mary-Dell Chilton and Dr. Robert T. Fraley were awarded the World Food Prize for their roles founding, developing and applying agricultural biotechnology. Thanks to the discoveries of these laureates, farmers around the world are able to grow crops with higher yields and a more sustainable environmental profile than was ever possible before. 



China Purchases 1.2 MMT of U.S. Corn in October

China has purchased nearly 20 shipments of U.S. corn, or around 1.2 million metric tons, so far this month, industry consultancy Shanghai JC Intelligence said in a report posted on its website Thursday.  The shipments are due to arrive sometime during March through June next year, though it is still unclear if all the shipments will meet China's quota restrictions allowing 7.2 million tons of corn imports annually, JCI said.  China imported 1.6 million tons of corn in the first eight months of this year, 94% of which came from the U.S, according to China customs data.



Dairylea Announces Proposed Merger with Dairy Farmers of America

Dairylea Cooperative, Inc.’s Board of Directors has voted to merge with Dairy Farmers of America (DFA). The merger proposal, presented to members at Dairylea’s Annual Meeting today, reflects a desire to position Dairylea for the future amid rapidly evolving market dynamics. DFA’s Board of Directors has endorsed the merger, which requires approval by Dairylea’s members, who will be asked to vote during a special meeting in February 2014.

"Today’s dairy industry is undergoing unprecedented change,” said Greg Wickham, Dairylea’s chief executive officer. “From consolidation in the marketplace and changing farm demographics to a movement toward a global dairy industry, this change presents both challenges and opportunities.”

Dairylea’s farmer Board of Directors spent the past three years in a comprehensive examination of how to best position Dairylea’s members for the future. This effort involved soliciting member input and guidance from the “2020 Group,” a committee formed in 2010 to gather ideas on generating value beyond the traditional cooperative structure. Among many topics, the group explored how to create market opportunities for its members that peer cooperatives with investments in processing are attaining.

“Ultimately, the Board determined merging with DFA, already a longtime partner in Dairy Marketing Services, would best complement Dairylea’s capabilities and resources, while securing flexibility and increasing value for our members,” Wickham said.

Since 2002, Dairylea has been a member cooperative of DFA, a national cooperative with a global footprint and expanding commercial investments in processing built around the same core values as Dairylea. The proposed merger will provide Dairylea members access to growing national and international milk markets, ongoing patronage dividends, tax benefits and other opportunities. Additionally, Dairylea members will become owners of — and enjoy the value-added returns from — the products, plants and partners that comprise DFA’s commercial division.

Conversely, the merger provides DFA members with long-standing customer relationships in the Northeast marketplace, enhanced Farm Services and expanded access to capital to facilitate strategic growth.

“In many ways, a merger with DFA is simply a continuation of the working relationship that Dairylea has forged with DFA during the past 12 years,” said Rick Smith, DFA president and chief executive officer.

Working together, Dairylea and DFA have created efficiencies in milk assembly, transportation and marketing, as well as joint management of Farm Services and membership operations in the Northeast. These cost-efficiencies are expected to continue and grow following the merger.

Six seats will be added to DFA’s Board of Directors to represent expanded membership in the Northeast, and DFA’s Northeast Area Council will maintain local governance and a grassroots structure familiar to Dairylea members.

Prior to the vote in February 2014, a series of informational sessions will be held to provide Dairylea members with a comprehensive overview of the proposed merger, a more detailed explanation of the voting process and the chance to have their questions answered.



Syngenta Earnings Up During Third Quarter
Sales in the third quarter of 2013 increased by 11 percent at constant exchange rates. Reported sales for the quarter increased by 8 percent reflecting currency movements in a number of emerging markets.

Sales in the first nine months of the year increased by 5 percent at constant exchange rates to $11.3 billion. Underlying integrated sales were 8 percent higher.

Growth in North America was driven by pre-season demand for selective herbicides, augmented by increasing concern over glyphosate-resistant weeds. Wet conditions in parts of the USA contributed to reduced insect pressure but created new opportunities for fungicides.

Sales of Selective herbicides were driven by the Americas. CALLISTO for corn and FLEX for soybean both grew strongly in response to demand for effective weed resistance management.

Insecticides sales were slightly higher, with good growth in Asia Pacific and Europe offset by a decline in the USA due to low insect pressure. Sales of DURIVO were up by almost 50 percent with growth in all regions.

In seeds, Corn and soybean grew strongly with a significant contribution from soybean in Brazil. Growth in Diverse field crops was modest after a strong first half and came mainly from oilseed rape in Europe. Vegetables growth was concentrated in the USA and Brazil.