Thursday January 2 Ag News

Heuermann Panel to Focus on Future of U.S. Leadership in Agriculture

For more than 100 years the United States has been the world leader in agricultural production and innovation. Today there are concerns that's changing. What would changes mean for Nebraska and U.S. agriculture? For food production for the world?

These and other questions are part of "Regaining the U.S. Lead in Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education," the free Heuermann Lecture panel topic at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14, in the Nebraska East Union on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's East Campus.

Catherine Woteki, USDA undersecretary for research, education and economics, and Dan Glickman, former U.S. secretary of agriculture, will begin the discussion, outlining where the U.S. currently stands in world leadership in agricultural production and natural resources research and education. This is at a time there's concern markets signal the beginning of the end of more than 50 years of global agricultural abundance.

They'll look at the global landscape as well as challenges facing U.S. and world agriculture.

Then both will join Philip Pardey as a panel to discuss what needs to happen next. Pardey is a University of Minnesota Department of Applied Economics professor and co-author of "Agricultural Innovation:  The United States in a Changing Global Reality," a report sponsored by The Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

Clayton Yeutter, former U.S. secretary of agriculture and native Nebraskan, and Ronnie Green, Harlan vice chancellor of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, will serve as panel moderators.

"In the last decades we've seen U.S. investments in agricultural and natural resources research and education decline at the same time an increasing world population means more mouths to feed," Green said. "Decline in investment has brought a corresponding slowdown in U.S. production growth. Yet countries that compete with the U.S. in agricultural production haven't decreased their research and development dollars, and their agricultural production hasn't slowed."

Noting the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology in December 2012 called for increasing investments in U.S. agricultural research to meet growing challenges, Green said panelists will discuss what happens in the U.S. and in the world if the U.S. no longer leads agricultural and natural resources research and education. Is this decline in investment a conscious decision that's OK, or is action needed?  If so, what action?

"These and other questions are of vital importance to an agricultural state like Nebraska," Green said, "and, for that matter, to everyone who eats."

Woteki also is USDA's chief scientist. Her responsibilities include oversight of the Agricultural Research Service, National Institute for Food and Agriculture, Economic Research Service and National Agricultural Statistics Service, as well as the National Agriculture Library and National Arboretum. She has served as first undersecretary for food safety at USDA, as global director of scientific affairs for Mars Inc., and as dean of agriculture and professor of human nutrition at Iowa State University, where she also headed the Agriculture Experiment Station.

Glickman was U.S. secretary of agriculture from 1995-2001 and currently is executive director of the Aspen Institute Congressional Program. For 18 years he represented Kansas's 4th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives.  He has been director of the Institute of Politics at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, and chairman of the Motion Pictures Association of America Inc.  He is co-chair of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs Global Agricultural Development Initiative.

Pardey also is director of the University of Minnesota's International Science and Technology Practice and Policy Center. Before joining UMN he was a senior research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute in Washington, D.C., and a senior research officer at the International Service for National Agricultural Research in The Hague, Netherlands.  He's the author of more than 220 books, articles and papers, including "Persistence Pays:  U.S. Agricultural Productivity Growth and the Benefits from Public R&D Spending."

Heuermann Lectures in IANR focus on providing and sustaining enough food, natural resources and renewable energy for the world's people, and on securing the sustainability of rural communities where the vital work of producing food and renewable energy occurs.  They're made possible through a gift from B. Keith and Norma Heuermann of Phillips, long-time university supporters with a strong commitment to Nebraska's production agriculture, natural resources, rural areas and people.

Heuermann Lectures stream live at http://heuermannlectures.unl.edu, and are archived at that site shortly after the lecture.  They're also broadcast on NET2 World at a date following the lecture.



Laura Field Named Nebraska Cattlemen Director of Legislative Affairs

Nebraska Cattlemen is pleased to announce the hire of Laura Field as Director of Legislative Affairs. She will be responsible for representing Nebraska Cattlemen at the capitol, legislative hearings and other outside agriculture related organizations. 

Field holds a Bachelor’s of Animal Science and Agricultural Education from Texas Tech University and a Master’s of Agriculture degree in Beef Industry Leadership from Colorado State University.  Prior to joining Nebraska Cattlemen she was a partner in the Denver-based lobbying firm “Williams and Locke” where she represented a broad base of business clients for 10 years.

“It is most exciting for me to have this opportunity to join Nebraska Cattlemen and to work on legislative issues.  It is such an important time for cattlemen and cattlewomen to be engaged in the public policy process, and I am looking forward to working with Nebraska’s cattle producers to make a positive impact.”

“I’m thrilled to announce Laura’s role with NC membership and staff. She has the desired industry experience, animal science education, understanding of a member driven association and first-hand lobbying involvement to benefit the members of Nebraska Cattlemen. Laura is natural fit for the Director of Legislative Affairs,” said Pete McClymont, Executive Vice President of Nebraska Cattlemen.

Field is a native of Wharton, Texas where her family is in the purebred Brahman seedstock business.  She is married to Tom Field, Director of the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.  They are members of Nebraska Cattlemen and NCBA and have ranching interests in Western Colorado.  Together they have five children.

Field began her employment with the Nebraska Cattlemen on December 2, 2013.



Understanding the FDA’s December 11, 2013 announcement to remove “improve growth, gain, and efficiency” use of feed grade antibiotics
Dee Griffin, UNL-Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center, Clay Center

What does the FDA’s December 2013 Feed Antibiotic Control Announcement Mean to Cattle Producers?
Perhaps the best description is the FDA announced the final step in a process that started almost two decades ago. The bottom line is this final step offers more for livestock producers than it is thought to take away.

When did the FDA really start working with antibiotic resistance issues in livestock?
Two decades ago the FDA CVM (Center for Veterinary Medicine) recognized antibiotic resistance was making it harder to properly treat livestock. Drugs like Oxytet, PenG, Tylan, and Erythromycin had become less and less effective for treating diseases such as pneumonia. Working with congress, the FDA-CVM, livestock organizations and veterinary organization got legislation passed with a long legal name and hence goes by the more user friendly name of AMDUCA (Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act). This legislation, for the first time, allowed livestock to receive the proper dose of an animal drug regardless of the dose prescribed on the label and was referred to as “Extra Label Drug Use” (ELDU). It applied to over the counter (OTC) medications like Penicillin G. The label legally only allowed 1CC per 100 lbs (CWT). This is an ineffective dose, but doses higher than that would likely cause a violative drug residue. Causing a violative drug residue is a criminal offense; not a good situation for livestock producers or their vets! AMDUCA, in part provided a mechanism for better estimating the proper withdrawal if a drug required ELDU to be effective. AMDUCA has played an integral part in not only improving the proper antibiotic dosing in livestock, but also helped pave the way to better understanding of how to properly assign withdrawal times for drugs in which the ELDU applied. The statistically calculated random residue sampling program in the U.S. verifies we have a ZERO violative residue rate in all foods derived from meat, milk, and poultry.

What was the FDA’s next step on dealing with antibiotic resistance concerns?
AMDUCA was followed by almost a decade of work between the FDA and Center for Disease Control (CDC) trying to better understand the origin and trends of antibiotic resistance. The first part of this effort was CDC’s “National Antibiotic Resistance Monitoring System” (NARMS) which began in 1996. The system targeted enteric (coliform) bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Campylobacter. Of particular interest was the potential for antibiotic resistance in these bacteria that might be transferred from animals to humans via food. Yearly, thousands of samples of enteric bacteria from hundreds of laboratories across the U.S. (coast to coast and border to border) are submitted to the CDC NARMS laboratories for evaluation.

The evaluation led FDA and CDC scientists to develop a FDA CVM Guidance for Industry document (GFI) that would change the way antibiotics for animals would be approved in the future. The document was named GFI #152 and laid out a nine cell antibiotic resistance concern grid.

The grid categorized antibiotics and their relationship to antibiotic resistance that could affect humans as; “critically important”, “important”, or “not important” to humans. Additionally, the grid categorized the potential for antibiotic resistance to develop based on the duration the bacteria would be exposed to an antibiotic. The document indicated there was minimal potential for bacteria to develop resistance if the exposure to the antibiotic was less than seven days. But indicated a serious concern for development of antimicrobial resistance if the bacteria were exposed to the antibiotic for longer than 21 days. Antibiotics fed to livestock often fit into the “bacteria exposed for greater than 21 days” category and were therefore of more concern.

Additionally, the decision was made to never approve an antibiotic in the future for “production purposes” such as “improved growth or gain” or for “improved feed efficiency” or for “improved reproductive efficiency”.

During this time frame many very effective antibiotics such as Draxxin, Excede, Resflor, Zactran, and Zuprevo have been approved for individual use in livestock. But new approvals for antibiotics that could be used in feed halted due to the concerns for potential antibiotic resistance of enteric bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Campylobacter that may be transferred to humans via food and potentially cause disease.

How to reopen the FDA approval process for antibiotics that can be fed to livestock for disease treatment, prevention, and/or control.
Livestock producers were stuck with the antibiotics that had been approved … nothing new was going to be available to help manage health problems in their livestock. It is important to remember we have very good products to control coccidia (Rumensin, Bovatec, and Deccox). We have chlortetracycline (CTC, Aureomycin) for treatment of scours caused by E. coli and pneumonia caused by Pasteurella multocida, and we have tylosin (Tylan) to control liver abscesses caused by Fusobacterium. But no new antibiotics for use in feed would be forth coming unless the FDA-CVM figured out a mechanism that the antibiotic will use WITHOUT jeopardizing the safe guards needed to protect humans.

In April 2012, the FDA-CVM announced a new Guidance for Industry named GFI #209. This document outlined the development of “Veterinary Feed Directives” (VFD) and represented a mechanism that could be used by the FDA to approve an antibiotic for use in livestock feed to “treat”, “prevent”, or “control” a “specific” disease causing bacteria in a “targeted” group of “affected animals” or a group of animals at a “high risk” of developing a disease caused by a “specific” bacteria.

The idea was not new. Veterinary Feed Directives had been successfully used in swine operations. The expansion of the VFD to include cattle had many obstacles to overcome. Not the least of which is how to make a medication readily available when and where the medication is needed when a disease event occurs. And additionally, how can the public be assured the medications are being used in accordance with FDA legal regulations?

The first VFD medication approved was Pulmotil for the treatment of pneumonia in swine and cattle. The pharmaceutical company that makes Pulmotil has worked hard through their network of distributors to insure the medication has been available when and where it is needed. Public assurance of the responsible use of the medication comes through the documentation required by the FDA when the medication is used. Yes, the paper work is a hassle, but in the first year of VFD availability the FDA has streamlined some required documentation. Additionally, through free enterprise, a company stepped up and now offers electronic management of the documentation. Their service, now unwritten by the pharmaceutical company, improves speed, accuracy, and decreases errors.

What is next?
The success of the FDA-CVM VFD effort to make available an antibiotic for livestock disease management AND document the ability to safe guard the public’s interest in decreasing the risk of antibiotic resistance development has led the FDA-CVM to the final step in eliminating unwarranted “production use” (improved growth, gain, efficiency) of antibiotics in livestock in which “bacteria are exposed for greater than 21 days” to the antibiotic and for which there is no medically warranted need.

On December 11, 2013 the FDA-CVM announced the GFI #213. This document is directed to pharmaceutical companies that have antibiotics that currently have “production use” labeling (improved growth, gain, efficiency). On December 12, 2013 an additional VFD document, 21CFR 514 and 558, was published in the Federal Register. This document outlines the specific steps pharmaceutical companies will take to have their antibiotic considered for being approved for use under the VFD requirement.

The FDA-CVM has made GFI #213 and associated VFD requirements available for evaluation and comment since early 2012 and therefore come as no surprise to pharmaceutical companies. On the same day GFI #213 was announced, two major pharmaceutical companies enthusiastically endorsed GFI #213. Companies that currently have antibiotics with “production use” have three years to follow the 21CFR 514 and 558 requirements to gain approved VFD labeling. In three years all production use labels will expire. Here is an example of a current label with GFI #213 indicated changes http://go.unl.edu/7iwo.

Why would a pharmaceutical company or livestock owner “enthusiastically endorse” the FDA-CVM announcement of GFI #213?
With the expiration of “production use” (improved growth, gain, efficiency) labeling, comes the opportunity for FDA approval of several new VFD medications. The one VFD made available thus far is superior for treatment of pneumonia than any antibiotic that has been available in the past and it seems very realistic that other, even more effective VFD antibiotics currently exist and are only an approval process away from being available for use under VFD requirements.

Livestock owners get the potential for new more effective medications that can be used in the feed to manage disease events and give up nothing. The “production use” (improved growth, gain, efficiency) labeling is decades out of date. There are long lists of theories about how antibiotics improved growth, gain, and efficiency, but nothing has ever stood the test of time and scrutiny better than “good health” as the mechanism for improved growth, gain, and efficiency. The data is lacking to support the use of antibiotics in feed for improved growth, gain, efficiency, so much so the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) technical and scientific advisor group in 2001 recommended the addition of an additional item on the NCBA’s “Antibiotic Prudent Use Guidelines” that read, “Sub-therapeutic Antibiotic Use is Discouraged: Antibiotics should be limited to prevent or control disease and should not be used if the principle intent is to improve performance.”

Bottom line
The downside is there will be paper work involved for using VFD medications. In time we will learn how to streamline the paperwork. Already, an enterprising company this last year figured out how to make managing VFD paperwork much easier.

A decade from now, if the antibiotic resistance has decreased we will all be glad we participated in helping the effort. If antibiotic resistance doesn’t change, the world will know the problem they blamed on us wasn’t of our making and we will likely have gotten a few new feed usage antibiotics that are much more effective than what we currently have available. It seems to me, perhaps a win-win for us.



Candidacy Petitions Available for Nebraska Soybean Board District Director Election

There are two district seats on the Nebraska Soybean Board (NSB) eligible for election this year.  Soybean farmers in Districts 5 and 7 are invited to run for election to the Nebraska Soybean Board by filing a candidacy petition by the April 15, 2014 deadline. The election will be conducted via direct-mail ballots and candidate information will be provided to all soybean farmers residing within the district in which an election is to be held.

The At-Large position on the Nebraska Soybean Board is open to all soybean farmers in Nebraska and will be elected by the NSB Directors at the July Board meeting.  A candidacy petition must also be filed by the April 15, 2014 deadline for the At-Large position.

This is an opportunity to see for yourself how the soybean checkoff money is invested, and become a part of the decision making.   You will become a VOICE representing your District on the Board.

NSB Directors and the At-Large Position receive no salary but are reimbursed for expenses incurred while carrying out Board business and will serve a three-year term which would begin October 1, 2014.

Director seats open are:
District 5:    Counties of Cass, Johnson, Lancaster, Nemaha, Otoe, Pawnee and Richardson.
District 7:    Counties of Adams, Buffalo, Clay, Franklin, Hall, Kearney, Nuckolls and Webster.

Candidates for the NSB seats and the At-Large position must be:
A resident of Nebraska
21 years of age or older
Soybean farmer in Nebraska for at least 5 previous years

Prospective candidates must collect the signatures of 50 soybean farmers in their district using an official NSB Candidacy Petition and return such petition to the NSB office on or before April 15, 2014, to be eligible for placement on the ballot.  To obtain a candidacy petition, contact Victor Bohuslavsky, executive director, at 402-432-5720.

The nine-member Nebraska Soybean Board collects and disburses the Nebraska share of funds generated by the one half of one percent times the net sales price per bushel of soybeans sold.  Nebraska soybean checkoff funds are invested in research, education, domestic and foreign markets, including new uses for soybeans and soybean products.

For more information about the Nebraska Soybean Board, visit www.nebraskasoybeans.org. 



NSB Seeks Soybean Farmers Interested in United Soybean Board Nominations

The Nebraska Soybean Board (NSB) is looking for soybean farmers interested in filling one of Nebraska's four director positions with the United Soybean Board (USB).

USB is made up of 70 farmer-directors who oversee the investments of the soybean checkoff on behalf of all U.S. soybean farmers. Checkoff funds are invested in the areas of animal utilization, human utilization, industrial utilization, industry relations, market access and supply. As stipulated in the Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soybean checkoff.  Loyd Pointer, soybean farmer from Sargent, NE., USB director position will expire in December 2014. He is eligible to serve another term.

Any farmer interested in applying needs to meet the following criteria:
Be involved in a farming operation that raises soybeans.
Be a resident of Nebraska.
Be at least 21 years of age.

To be considered for the national leadership position, farmers must contact Victor Bohuslavsky at the Nebraska Soybean Board office at 402-432-5720, before the March 1, 2014 deadline.

The NSB Board of Directors will submit to the U.S. Department of Agriculture a "first preferred choice nominee" and "second preferred choice alternate" for the open position. The Secretary of Agriculture will make the final appointment. The USDA has a policy that membership on USDA boards and committees is open to all individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation and marital or family status.    The chosen individual will begin serving three-year terms in December 2014.  Each individual appointed is eligible to serve a total of three terms.

For more information about the United Soybean Board, visit www.unitedsoybean.org/. 



Mid-America Alfalfa Expo & Conference Announces Impressive 2014 Program Focused on Forage Technology
The Mid-America Alfalfa Expo & Conference has announced its program for the 2014 event, which is focused on forage technology.  Sponsored by the Nebraska Alfalfa Marketing Association (N.A.M.A.), the Mid-America Alfalfa Expo & Conference will be held at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds in Kearney, Nebraska, February 4 and 5, 2014. The event is designed especially for alfalfa producers, livestock/dairy producers and others who are involved in alfalfa production, purchasing, hay feeding or processing.

"The use of technology in forage production is the primary theme this year," said Barb Kinnan, executive director of N.A.M.A. "We have two jam-packed days of information, education, and innovation—all designed to help hay and livestock producers leverage technology to improve production, performance and profitability." A large alfalfa industry trade show and fundraising auction are also included during the two-day event.

Presenters for 2014 include:
-    Wayne Ohnseorg, a University of Nebraska extension educator, will discuss agricultural apps for tablets and smart phones—and how they can be used to improve efficiency in forage operations.
-    Michael Rethwisch, an extension educator with the University of Nebraska, will present an update on recent forage research in Nebraska including information on rust control in alfalfa.
-    Jeffrey Jackson with Winfield of Brookings, South Dakota, will present on forage seed technology.

A panel discussion on irrigation technology for forage producers will feature representatives from the four major pivot irrigation manufacturers in Nebraska and other irrigation technologies.

Registration includes admission to all presentations and programs, a Tuesday afternoon reception, dinner Tuesday evening, admission to the large alfalfa industry trade show and the opportunity to bid in the fundraising auction that takes place Tuesday afternoon. The auction features a wide range of items including seed, harvesting equipment, supplies and other valuable products and services.

Registration is $10 per person in advance (tickets must be purchased by noon, February 1, 2014) and $20 at the door.  Participants under the age of 18 are admitted at no charge. Registration is available online at www.AlfalfaExpo.com. For more information, call 1.800.743.1649 or visit www.AlfalfaExpo.com.



ICA members adopt policy for state, national issues

More than 30 expiring policies of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association were reviewed during the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association annual meeting held during the Iowa Cattle Industry Convention in December. New policies were also proposed, and following discussion, ICA members ratified the policies, including some key ones on a state cow-calf tax credit, mandatory Country of Origin Labeling, and the use of a standardized template for third-party animal welfare audits.

ICA members voted to continue efforts to secure a state Livestock Production Incentive Refund. More popularly known as the cow-calf tax credit, this production incentive was first available through the Iowa Legislature in 1996. It continued through 2009 when the credit was suspended due to the economic recession.

The idea behind the cow-calf tax credit was to reward cattle producers who maintained hay and pasture acres to promote soil tilth, water quality, and bio-diversity. The credit was determined by adding together, for each eligible head of breeding livestock, the product of 10 cents for each corn equivalent deemed to be consumed by that animal in the taxpayer’s operation. For example, 111.5 corn equivalents per head in the case of cow-calf operations, or $11.15 total per head of breeding livestock. The amount of credit was limited to $3,000 per taxpayer.

During the 2013 legislative session, House File 467 was introduced that would re-enact the cow/calf tax credit. Legislation would appropriate $4 million to the fund (two times the level from 2009) at the same credit level of $11.15/hd. With this amount of funding, roughly 358,000 head would be eligible for the tax credit, or 45% of Iowa’s cattle breeding stock.  Iowa cow/calf producers pasture acres could benefit from this tax credit allowing producers to further introduce and improve sustainable practices to their cow/calf operation.

Although this legislation was introduced in 2013, it was not adopted by the legislature. Instead, it was passed to a subcommittee but was never brought to the floor in the House.

To make the re-instatement of this tax credit a reality, Iowa cattlemen will have to engage on the topic with their legislators, and the association will actively lobby for the passage of HF 467.

Another policy that garnered much discussion from ICA members was the association’s position on mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (mCOOL). Since the summer of 2013, ICA has followed an interim policy that instead called for a voluntary COOL that complies with WTO (World Trade Organization) agreements.

Eventually, ICA members voted to ratify the interim policy. However, there are still voices on both sides of the issue. Cow-calf producer Jim Werner, Diagonal, said “I don’t like that it’s mandatory, but in this instance, it’s the only thing that works” to show customers where their beef has been and where it is processed.

Cattle feeder Kent Pruismann, Rock Valley, said “I once supported mandatory labeling, but I don’t any more. The problem is there is no equity in that label. I can’t find value in it that comes to my bottom line.”

There are still many international court decisions that must be made on the U.S. government’s definition of mCOOL. Another cattle feeder, Dean Black, Somers, said the U.S. has only been enforcing mCOOL since November 23, 2013. “Mandatory COOL only covers middle meats, and doesn’t apply to restaurant trade or ground beef. With all the line changes packers would have to make, packers will have extra costs that we (cattle producers) will eat as a discount.”

There is one piece of policy from the ICA Annual Meeting that will be taken to national discussion at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association meeting in February. The policy developed from discussions about Tyson Foods’ FarmCheck program that requires cattle producers to implement various production practices and verify those practices through an audit.

The ICA policy does not discount any one packer’s standards; however, it does ask that the beef cattle industry adopt one standard set of guidelines, such as the current Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program that would be accepted for all third party audits.

Prior to the ICA annual meeting, there was a great deal of discussion about ICA policy regarding ethanol and its co-products. ICA did not change its current position that supports renewable fuels that maximize access to co-products for Iowa’s cattle industry.



SowBridge and PorkBridge Program Registrations Now Open

Registrations for two successful distance education programs for specific segments of the pork industry are now open at Iowa State University. SowBridge, for people who work with boars, sows and their litters, begins its sixth year, and PorkBridge, for those affiliated with grow-finish facilities, begins its eighth year, both in early February 2014.

Iowa State University (ISU) animal science professor and extension swine specialist Ken Stalder said suggestions from subscribers help maintain the value of both programs for future participants.

"Each year we ask participants in both programs for suggestions on topics and speakers, and are happy to provide current content on topics that people are interested in," Stalder said. "These programs provide our subscribers with the opportunity to hear directly from experts on topics of current interest, and to contact those experts following the individual sessions."

Stalder, who also is the Iowa contact for the programs, said the programs offer accurate and timely information on a variety of topics through a regular schedule. In addition, the registration fee has not increased for either program.

"SowBridge participants pay just $250 for the twelve monthly sessions in that program, and PorkBridge costs $125 for the six sessions held every other month for a year," Stalder said. "And, for each program, entities with more than one location may pay lower fees for each subsequent registration from that same entity."

Each registration provides access to one phone line per session and all program materials for each registration. Stalder said materials, delivery process, and program costs are slightly different for those with non-U.S. mailing addresses, and encouraged potential subscribers from outside the U.S. to contact Sherry Hoyer at Iowa Pork Industry Center (IPIC) by phone at 515-294-4496 or email shoyer@iastate.edu for more information.

Registrations for both programs are due Jan. 15 to ensure materials receipt for the first session of each.

Before each session, U.S. subscribers receive a CD containing that session's presentation, along with information on accessing the live speaker presentation. Most participants will call a toll-free conference line to listen to and interact with presenters. SowBridge sessions are held on the first Wednesday of each month at 11:30 a.m. Central Time and lasts approximately 45 minutes. PorkBridge sessions generally are set for the first Thursday of every other month, beginning at noon Central Time and lasting for about 90 min.

One new thing for this year's schedule is a session to be offered as a joint SowBridge and PorkBridge session. This session, set for Wednesday, June 4, will originate from World Pork Expo with the topic, "The importance of Educating Others about Pork Production."

More information on SowBridge, including a link to the program brochure, is available on the IPIC website. The website also has a section for PorkBridge including that brochure. Iowa residents who want more information on either program can call IPIC at 800-808-7675.



Latest Cases of PED Hit New Record

The adjustment to the figures for new cases of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea has made the last week's total the highest since the outbreak began.  The American Association of Swine Veterinarians is due to update its 'New Cases Report' for the week of December 22.  The Association reports that 116 new case were added during the week but no new states reported cases.  In addition, the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (added 66 new cases to those reported during the week of December 15, making last week's total of 185 the highest since beginning of the outbreak.



USDA Announces Commodity Credit Corporation Lending Rates for January 2014

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) today announced interest rates for January 2014. The CCC borrowing rate-based charge for January 2014 is 0.125 percent, unchanged from 0.125 percent in December 2013.

The interest rate for commodity and marketing assistance loans disbursed during January 2014 is 1.125 percent, unchanged from 1.125 percent in December 2013.

Interest rates for Farm Storage Facility Loans approved for January 2014 are as follows, 2.250 percent with seven-year loan terms, up from 2.000 percent in December 2013; 2.875 percent with 10-year loan terms, up from 2.625 percent in December 2013 and; 3.000 percent with 12-year loan terms, up from 2.875 percent in December 2013.



Wheat Growers Hopeful for Farm Bill Action Next Week
(from NAWG)

As members of Congress return next week, the agriculture world is hopeful that a farm bill will be considered and passed as soon as possible. Before the holiday recess, the top negotiators—Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ranking Member Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and House Agriculture Committee Chair Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) and ranking member Collin Peterson (D-Minn.)—were confident they had reached an agreement on most of the big issues on a final bill and hopeful to be able to roll out a framework next week. The conference committee is expected to meet as soon as a deal is reached to work out the final details before a vote. After what has been a very lengthy process, NAWG looks forward to moving this process forward and getting a final bill passed.

Brazil Postpones Retaliation Decision in Cotton Case
The Brazilian government announced last week that they will postpone their decision on whether or not to impose trade retaliation against certain U.S. exports, possibly including wheat, in a long-running dispute over U.S. cotton subsidies until February 28th. Brazilian officials stated they wanted to give the U.S. more time to act to either make the necessary payments or to pass a new farm bill that would comply with the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) rules on subsidies. This past fall, the U.S. Government ceased monthly payments of $12.25 million it had agreed to pay Brazil not to retaliate.



Brazilian Soybean Harvest Begins

Farmers in Brazil's Mato Grosso have started harvesting their soybean crop amid expectations of a bumper crop.  Field work began last week in three regions of the top-producing state. Around 1% of the state's harvest has been collected, according to Nery Ribas, technical director at the Mato Grosso Soybean and Corn Growers Association (Aprosoja).

Those who planted around Sep. 15 in Campo Verde and Primaveira do Leste in the south of the state, in Lucas do Rio Verde and Sorriso in the center-north and in Sapezal were the ones to kick off the harvest.  Mato Grosso accounts for a third of Brazil's soybean harvest, which is estimated at around 90 million metric tons (mmt) this season.

As is habitual, rains are impeding the process of drying down the early cycle soybeans and those showers are pegged to continue for the next 10 days.  While the wet conditions reduce the quality of the early soybeans, it will benefit the vast majority of beans that are developing in the fields.



AgriBank Pays First Preferred Stock Dividend

St. Paul-based AgriBank paid the first quarterly cash dividend of $1.07 per share on its 6.875 percent non-cumulative perpetual class A preferred stock to holders of record as of Dec. 20, 2013.

AgriBank issued 2.5 million shares of preferred stock on Oct. 29, 2013 to provide the Bank and the 15-state Farm Credit District it serves with long-term access to high-quality capital, helping ensure the District is well-positioned to meet the long-term growth and credit needs of farmer and rancher customers.

AgriBank is one of the largest banks within the national Farm Credit System, with more than $80 billion in total assets. Under the Farm Credit System’s cooperative structure, AgriBank is owned by 17 affiliated Farm Credit Associations. The AgriBank District covers America’s Midwest, a 15-state area from Wyoming to Ohio and Minnesota to Arkansas. More than half of the nation’s cropland is located within the AgriBank District, providing the Bank and its Association owners with exceptional expertise in production agriculture.