Monday November 17 Ag News

Farm Bill Education Meeting – Tuesday, November 18

                University of Nebraska Lincoln Extension and the Farm Service Agency (FSA), are teaming up to provide educational meetings about the 2014 Farm Bill.  The local meeting is set for Tuesday, November 18 from 9 a.m. – 12 noon and will be held at the Saunders Co. Extension Office located at the Agricultural Research & Development Center near Mead

                All farm operators and land owners are invited to attend.   FSA will inform participants about the sign-up process for the Farm Bill including the documentation needed and the deadlines for sign-up.  UNL Extension will provide information about the decisions that will need to be made for base acre reallocation, yield updates, and for the Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) vs. Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program selection.

                It should be helpful to attend one of the meetings to get insight on the options everyone has with the 2014 Farm Bill.  Farm Operators and Land Owners will have three main steps to signing up.  One is to review their current base acre allocations which is occurring at this time.  Secondly, a decision about re-allocation of base acres will need to be made.  Finally, the program selection will involve the ARC or PLC program.  ARC is the revenue safety net program similar to the recent ACRE program and PLC is the price safety net program.  With ARC, the options will be an Individual ARC coverage vs. a County ARC coverage.  With PLC, the available Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) will be discussed. Decisions made for this Farm Bill sometime in 2015 will be final for the duration of the Bill.

For more information or assistance contact your local FSA or UNL County Extension Office.  For more information about the 2014 Farm Bill, go to www.farmbill.unl.edu or www.fsa.usda.gov/farmbill.   



Workshop on Dec. 11th: Field Assessments to Improve Efficiency

Please join UNL Extension in Dodge County, 1206 West 23rd, Fremont on Thursday, December 11, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM, for the FIELD ASSESSMENTS TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY WORKSHOPS. 

The Nebraska Extension in Dodge County will be hosting site for a new initiative that seeks to enhance the knowledge of Nebraska corn, soybean and wheat producers on their sustainability and operational efficiency measures.  Participating farmers will use a new web based tool called the Fieldprint® Calculator. Calculating "Fieldprints" can help growers to establish benchmark data on a field and track improvements overtime, set energy saving and efficiency goals and compare performance against local, state and national benchmarks.

The Fieldprint Calculator is simple to use, though the technology behind it is very complex. The new field assessment initiative led by Nebraska Extension are a hands-on workshop and participating growers will take home documentation on eight sustainability and efficiency indicators. These measures are Land Use, Conservation, Soil Carbon, Irrigation Water Use, Water Quality, Energy Use, Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Water Quality.  Participants will select a representative crop field for 2014 and complete a data input sheet in advance of the Fieldprint® Calculator workshops. Meals and workshop materials are sponsored thanks to a University of Nebraska Extension Innovation grant. Computer laptops are provided to participants or bring your own. The workshop instructors include a core team of University of Nebraska Extension Educators and Specialists. They are Randy Pryor, Gary Zoubek, Gary Lesoing, John Hay and Charles Schapiro along with local facilitating Extension Educators.

Space is limited.  For more information and to pre-register by the December 5th deadline, contact the Dodge County Extension office at 402-727-2775 or email Nathan Mueller nathan.mueller@unl.edu.



Heineman Announces Members of 2015 Nebraska Ag Youth Council

Today, Gov. Dave Heineman and Department of Agriculture Director Greg Ibach announced the selection of the members of the 2014-2015 Nebraska Agricultural Youth Council (NAYC). The council is comprised of college-aged students from throughout the state who exhibit a passion for agriculture and promote the industry through educating others.

“It’s an exciting time to be involved in the agricultural industry, and each of these young adults has exhibited a passion for educating others about the importance of agriculture,” said Gov. Heineman. “These are the future leaders of our agricultural industry, and I am excited to see what these students accomplish during the upcoming year on the Nebraska Agricultural Youth Council.”

The NAYC is entering its 44th year with the installation of the new council members. Throughout the year, the council coordinates several agricultural learning experiences for Nebraska youth including: visiting elementary classrooms to discuss where food comes from, taking urban youth to experience farms and what a day in the life of a farmer is like and visiting with high school students from across the state. The primary focus of the NAYC is to coordinate the annual Nebraska Agricultural Youth Institute (NAYI), a five-day summer conference for current high school juniors and seniors.

This year’s council is comprised of 21 college-aged men and women.

The 2014-2015 NAYC leaderships includes: Johnny Ference, Ord, Head Counselor; Trent Mastny, Howells, Head Counselor; Larissa Wach, Wauneta, President; Morgan Zumpfe, Friend, Secretary; Samantha Schneider, Cozad, Vice President of the Communications and Social Media Committee; Hannah Gaebel, Ashland, Vice President of the NAYI Improvement Committee; Eric Wemhoff, Humphrey, Vice President of the Promotion Committee; Aksel Wiseman, Hershey, Vice President of the Sponsorship and Alumni Relations Committee; and Toni Rasmussen, Albion, Vice President of the Youth Outreach Committee.

Additional members are: Elizabeth Rice, Murray; Railen Ripp, Kearney; Dylan Dam, Hooper; Grant Uehling, Uehling; Haley Bledsoe, Blair; Kate Likens, Swanton; Kory Wagner, Creighton; Landon Swedberg, North Platte; Maggie Louthan, Smithfield; Rachel Ibach, Sumner; Rebecca Cornelius, Madrid; and Sarah Wollenburg, Beatrice. 

To learn more about the NAYC or NAYI, please visit the NAYI website at www.nda.nebraska.gov/nayi/ or search for Nebraska Agricultural Youth Institute on Facebook.



Nebraska Ethanol Board Meeting: Nov. 24, 2014

The Nebraska Ethanol Board will meet at 9 a.m. Monday, Nov. 24. The meeting will be held at The Country Inn and Suites in Lincoln. The meeting will primarily focus on current fiscal year projects and budget items. Highlights of the agenda include:
-    Hunter Flodman – Technical Advisor Designation
-    Doug Durante – RFS2 Outlook and Perspective Presentation
-    CFDC Membership Request
-    Marketing Programs
-    State and Federal Legislation
-    Ethanol Plant Reports
-    Election of Officers

This agenda contains all items to come before the Board except those items of an emergency nature.



SAMPLE AND TEST HAY BEFORE WINTER FEEDING
Bruce Anderson, Extension Forage Specialist, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

               How will you know how much protein and energy your cows will get when you start feeding your hay and silage?  Find out by properly sampling and testing.

               Correct sampling techniques, followed by lab tests of forage quality, are necessary for cattle producers who want to get the most value from their forages and profit from their animals.

               Maybe the most important step in sampling hay, and sometimes the most difficult step, is deciding which bales and stacks should be included in each sample.  Ideally, each sample should include only bales that were produced under nearly identical conditions.

               Obviously, the place to start grouping is to separate different types of hay, like alfalfa or CRP or corn stalk or meadow hay.  But each cutting of hay probably is different from the other cuttings also, so there is another separation.  And no two fields or meadows are ever exactly the same, especially if they were cut more than two days apart, so that makes another grouping.  And what if part of the field was rained on before it was baled?  The hay made without rain damage probably will be different from hay with rain damage.

               After you’ve made all these separations, which could result in quite a few groups of similar bales, then you are ready to sample.  From each group collect a dozen or more cores from different bales or stacks to combine into one sample.  Be sure to use a good hay probe that can core at least one foot deep into the bale.

               Finally, send these samples to a certified lab for tests of energy content and protein, maybe nitrates, and any other nutrients of interest to you.

               Then use this information to feed your cattle as profitably as possible.



Delayed Harvest Impacting Fall Manure Application

The challenging weather conditions of the past summer have led to slower crop development, sluggish harvest, and delayed manure application this fall. Approximately 90 percent of soybean and 60 percent of corn have been harvested with higher percentages still standing in some localized regions of Iowa. With freezing temperatures occurring, it is essential to consider the impact weather has on manure management on the farm.

“Given our current harvest levels and expected weather conditions, it’s important for farmers to review their manure application process,” says Dan Andersen, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach ag engineer and assistant professor in Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering. “It will be especially important for farmers to ensure that adequate storage is available for continued use during the winter months.”

He noted that it is crucial for farmers to get their storages pumped down so that they have adequate capacity to make it through critical storage periods, such as winter. “Confinement feeding operations must retain all manures produced by the farm during periods between land applications,” Andersen said.

According to state law, all manure must be applied in a manner that does not cause surface or groundwater pollution. No matter the time of year, manure application requires adhering to setback distances as a means to minimize environmental impacts. Manure that is not injected or incorporated into the soil on the date of application must be applied at least 200 feet from a creek, well or other water body. High quality waters, listed on the Iowa Department of Natural Resource’s website at http://www.iowadnr.com/afo/file/hqwr2.pdf, require an 800-foot setback. If a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit is in place, additional requirements may also apply.

If the operation is required to follow Iowa DNR’s Master Matrix, farmers should ensure compliance with the land application requirements previously selected. State law requires manure applicators in Iowa be certified. Personal application of manure, even a couple of loads, needs proper certification.

Wet soils absorb manure and water at a slower rate because of their capacity to hold liquids is already utilized and they are prone to compaction and surface runoff. While there are options to reduce the risk of environmental impacts, there are no guarantees of complete prevention. When applying manure using tankers, the risk of environmental impacts is reduced when the tankers are not filled to full capacity, which reduces the weight limit and reduces compaction. Applying manure to the driest fields or driest portions of the fields first and then adjusting the application rate ensures that the soil is capable of holding the manure and its nutrients in the soil profile.

“Looking ahead, Iowa’s restrictions on manure application to frozen or snow covered ground will be in full effect this winter,” said Andersen. “The law applies to all confinement animal facilities with liquid manure that have more than 500 animal units.”

 This amounts to about 1,250 finishing pigs, 5,000 nursery pigs, 500 steers, immature dairy cows, or other cattle, and 357 manure dairy cows.

“We want to remind farmers that the law prohibits manure application from these operations between Dec. 21 and April 1 if the ground is snow-covered, unless the manure can be properly injected or incorporated,” says Andersen. He noted that starting Feb. 1, manure application from these operations is also prohibited on frozen ground.



NORTHEY REQUESTS NOMINATIONS FOR RENEWABLE FUELS MARKETING AWARDS

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today encouraged Iowa fuel retailers and gas stations to submit nominations for the Secretary’s Renewable Fuels Marketing Awards, which recognize fuel retailers that have gone above and beyond in their efforts to sell renewable fuels.  Awards are presented for both the marketing of ethanol and biodiesel.

“Fuel retailers continue to take steps to make ethanol and biodiesel more available to Iowa customers and this award is an opportunity to recognize those who have shown leadership in promoting these renewable fuels and making them more available to customers,” Northey said.

Qualifying entities will be those that market the renewable fuels they have available through creative means including, but not limited to: hosting special events highlighting their renewable fuels, development of creative signage, initiation of new advertisements or marketing efforts, and efforts that dramatically increase renewable fuel availability.

Nominations forms can be found here on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s website at www.IowaAgriculture.gov.  Completed nominations can be submitted via email at Dustin.VandeHoef@iowaagriculture.gov or mail at Henry A. Wallace Building, Attn: Dustin Vande Hoef, 502 East 9th Street, Des Moines IA 50319.  Nominations must be submitted by Dec. 31, 2014.

This is the eighth year for the award.  

Iowa leads the nation in the production of ethanol and biodiesel.  According to the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, Iowa has 43 ethanol refineries capable of producing more than 3.8 billion gallons annually, including 22 million gallons of annual cellulosic ethanol production capacity and one cellulosic ethanol facility currently under construction. In addition, Iowa has 12 biodiesel facilities with the capacity to produce nearly 315 million gallons annually.

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program offers cost-share grants for the installation of E85 dispensers, blender pumps, biodiesel dispensers, and biodiesel storage facilities.  The grant program is managed by Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and more information can be found on the Department’s website at www.IowaAgriculture.gov.  



Vilsack Now the Longest Serving Ag Secretary in 50 Years

Tom Vilsack, who has never hidden his love for his job as agriculture secretary, now has the longevity to match. On Friday, he will become the longest-serving person in the Cabinet post in nearly 50 years, reports the Des Moines Register.

The former Iowa governor, who will surpass former President Bill Clinton's longtime agriculture secretary, Dan Glickman, has been in the position since the start of the Obama administration in January 2009 - a span of five years and nine months, making him the sixth-longest-serving agriculture secretary in U.S. history.

The last person to hold the job longer was Minnesotan Orville Freeman, agriculture secretary for eight years - January 1961 to January 1969 - during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations.

The longest person in the job was another Iowan, James Wilson, who served 16 years from March 1897 to March 1913, during the McKinley, Roosevelt and Taft administrations.

Vilsack, who has held the position during a time when farmers have seen record income, exports, land prices and, until recently, high prices for corn, soybeans and other crops, said he's less concerned about his time on the job and more focused on what it means to Iowa.



Commodity Classic Registration and Housing Open Tuesday Morning

Commodity Classic registration and housing reservations open online at 9 a.m. CST on Tuesday morning, November 18, 2014. Rooms are expected to book quickly, so those interested should register as soon as possible.

The 20th annual farmer-focused, farmer-led event is scheduled for Feb. 26-28, 2015, at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Ariz. The convention center will house all Commodity Classic events, including the Opening Reception, General Session, Evening of Entertainment, Trade Show, Learning Center Sessions and What’s New Sessions.

“We’re looking forward to a great show as we celebrate the 20th Commodity Classic in the city where it all started,” said NCGA Commodity Classic Co-Chair Bart Schott. “This is going to be a terrific event where growers can blaze a trail to success with numerous opportunities for networking, education and up-close experience with innovative technology.”

Commodity Classic hotels are within easy walking distance or provide complimentary shuttle services to and from the convention center. Full Commodity Classic registration includes:
-    Trade Show access, including lunch on Thursday and Friday and a mid-morning snack on Saturday
-    General Session
-    Educational Sessions, including Learning Centers, What’s New Sessions, Mini What’s New Sessions and Early Risers
-    ASA or NCGA banquet (based on space availability, and not guaranteed)
-    Evening of Entertainment
-    If you are a grower, grower-family member, media or state staff, full registration also includes the Opening Reception

Established in 1996, Commodity Classic is America's largest farmer-led, farmer-focused convention and trade show, produced by the National Corn Growers Association, American Soybean Association, National Association of Wheat Growers and National Sorghum Producers. Starting in 2016, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers joins as the newest affiliate of Commodity Classic.

Check out the 2015 Commodity Classic website for additional information...  www.commodityclassic.com. 



KC Fed: Farm Income Declines Boost Loan Demand
In the third quarter of 2014, agricultural bankers in the seven-state Tenth District reported increased demand for farm operating loans amid further declines in farm income, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's quarterly Survey of Agricultural Credit Conditions.

Farm income expectations have fallen in 2014 as the potential for record yields was not expected to fully offset sharp declines in crop prices. Bankers surveyed noted that reduced working capital for crop producers contributed to a rise in the need for short-term loans to the farm sector.

In fact, 55 percent of bankers surveyed reported a modest deterioration in the level of working capital for crop producers in their lending area relative to last year, and 10 percent reported a significant deterioration.

After several years of strong price appreciation, Tenth District cropland value gains have dropped considerably. In fact, nonirrigated and irrigated cropland values declined modestly from last quarter and were hovering just above year-ago levels by 1 percent and 2 percent, respectively.

About a third of agricultural bankers in the survey also expected cropland prices to decline further, while less than 5 percent anticipated value gains. Ranchland values, however, were still rising, although at a slower pace than in the past several years.



NPPC Wants ‘Waters Of The U.S.’ Rule Withdrawn

Because it has “numerous and substantial flaws,” a rule proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers intended to clarify their authority under the federal Clean Water Act (CWA) over various waters should be withdrawn, said the National Pork Producers Council in comments filed late Friday.

Currently, the agencies’ jurisdiction – based on several U.S. Supreme Court decisions – includes “navigable” waters and waters with a significant hydrologic connection to navigable waters. The proposed “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule would broaden that to include, among other water bodies, intermittent and ephemeral streams such as the kind farmers use for drainage and irrigation. It also would cover lands adjacent to such waters.

“The rule was supposed to bring clarity to what are and what are not water bodies regulated by the federal government, but it fails to do that,” said NPPC President Dr. Howard Hill, a pork producer from Cambridge, Iowa. “While pork producers appreciate the efforts of EPA and the Corps of Engineers to define their jurisdiction, the proposed rule will create many more problems than it theoretically will solve.”

Under the proposed rule, tributaries, impoundments of tributaries, wetlands and wet areas “adjacent” to those waters are without exception defined as WOTUS; ditches, with two exceptions, are considered tributaries and, therefore, categorically WOTUS, regardless of the quantity, duration or frequency of water flowing in them; and determinations on whether “other” waters are WOTUS would be made on a case-by-case basis.

According to analyses by agricultural organizations, including NPPC, and federal agencies, the rule would encompass millions of miles of streams and adjacent lands, subjecting any activity near or on them – including, for farmers, applying fertilizers and pesticides and (potentially) planting crops – to CWA permitting. The regulation also would expose farmers to citizen lawsuits, alleging, for example, that ditches on cropland should be regulated under the CWA.

“EPA and the Corps of Engineers should withdraw the WOTUS rule, work with agriculture to craft something that reflects real on-farm conditions and propose a new rule,” Hill said.

At least, said NPPC in its comments, after considering public comments and making any changes to the rule, the agencies should reissue the regulation prior to finalizing it.



Farmers National Company Marks Anniversary With Record Growth

Marking its 85th anniversary, employee-owned Farmers National Company is celebrating record growth in an industry that has been fueled by record commodity prices, outside investment, strong export markets, ethanol production, and low interest rates. Company officials attribute its success to targeted diversification, excellent client service and the ability to adapt to the changing agricultural landscape.

“Farmers National Company has stayed true to the farm management concept it created 85 years ago, but has also become a leader in other agricultural arenas, through strategic diversification, resulting in expanded service offerings to landowners,” said Jim Farrell, President and CEO. “Reaching beyond our traditional roots has enabled us to better serve the market. We’ve increased our adaptability by broadening our base, which has created stability and profitability. For instance, our oil and gas management business has seen unprecedented growth.”

In Nebraska, Farmers National Company has 53 offices (plus a headquarters in Omaha) and currently manages 350,165.01 acres for non-operating landowners. Over the years, the company has added to  its service offerings ‘above and below the ground’ to include insurance, appraisals, oil and gas management, recreational leases, forest resource management, lake management and ag stock services. The company operates in 40 states and recently expanded into Canada.

Company officials say diversification has led to remarkable growth since 2004, including:
•    The number of acres managed has increased 122 percent.
•    Real estate sales volume has risen 138 percent.
•    Appraisal numbers have jumped 476 percent.
•    Mineral interests managed have soared by 1,650 percent.
•    The number of insurance policies written has increased by 90 percent.
•    Staff size has grown by 100 percent.

 “The company’s ability to fill market needs has fueled our growth,” said Blake Florrel, AFM Farmers National Company vice president for our Western Area. “When we started 85 years ago our only offering was farm management, but we have expanded into many other areas to become a comprehensive landowner services company. We are always looking for new opportunities that make sense and would be beneficial to our clients and the entire industry.”



First Reduced Lignin Alfalfa Trait Deregulated by USDA

The forage industry’s first reduced lignin trait, known as HarvXtra™ alfalfa, has been deregulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This thorough deregulation process ensures that all advances are introduced to the market in a safe and responsible manner. 

HarvXtra™ alfalfa contains the biotechnology-derived trait developed to improve the quality of alfalfa compared to commercially available alfalfa harvested at the same growth stage by reducing the amount of lignin in the plant, while maintaining alfalfa’s important agronomic characteristics.

This technology was designed to ease the yield-versus-quality trade-off currently faced by alfalfa producers, by improving forage quality over a longer period. This provides growers with greater flexibility and a wider cutting window to maximize yield potential.

“HarvXtra™ alfalfa brings something truly unique to the industry” said Matt Fanta, president, Forage Genetics International (FGI). “While past and current efforts to improve the quality of alfalfa exist, this trait technology is the only advancement in alfalfa that truly moves the bar. We partnered with some of the best researchers in alfalfa to develop HarvXtra™ alfalfa and we are excited to bring it to market.”

HarvXtra™ alfalfa was developed through a strategic partnership between FGI, The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation and the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center in conjunction with Monsanto Company. Scientists from these institutions explored alternative methods to improve the quality of alfalfa. The group determined a strategy using biotechnology techniques to modify lignin content and composition in alfalfa would provide the greatest benefit to farmers.

Jon Riley, Monsanto Specialty Crop Product Manager said, “HarvXtra™ alfalfa is the first biotech alfalfa trait for forage quality and we are very pleased to partner with FGI as part of the HarvXtra™ alfalfa development.  HarvXtra™ alfalfa will be sold in a trait stack with Genuity® Roundup Ready® alfalfa, offering producers new, valuable options as they manage their farming operations.”

HarvXtra™ alfalfa is not currently available for sale and is still pending regulatory approvals in key export markets with functioning regulatory systems.

To learn more, visit harvxtra.com.



USDA and Partners Complete First-of-Its-Kind Sale of Carbon Credits from Working Ranch Grasslands

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today said a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant has helped initiate a partnership that is improving the environment, creating a market for carbon credits generated on working grasslands. Chevrolet, a division of General Motors, recently purchased almost 40,000 carbon dioxide reduction tons generated on working ranch grasslands in the Prairie Pothole region of North Dakota.

"This announcement is the first-of-its-kind. The amount of carbon dioxide removed from our atmosphere by Chevrolet's purchase of carbon credits equals the amount that would be reduced by taking more than 5,000 cars off the road," Secretary Vilsack said. "This public-private partnership demonstrates how much can be achieved with a modest federal investment and a strong commitment to cut carbon pollution."

Robert Bonnie, USDA's under secretary for Natural Resources and Environment, announced the purchase and USDA's involvement in the project at an event today at USDA headquarters. He was joined by Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, Greg Martin, executive director for global public policy, General Motors; Sean Penrith, executive director of The Climate Trust and Paul Schmidt, chief conservation officer of Ducks Unlimited.

Chevrolet's first purchase of third-party verified carbon credits generated on working ranch grasslands was undertaken voluntarily as part of its commitment to reduce eight million tons of carbon dioxide from being emitted. This is comparable to the annual carbon reduction benefit of a mature forest the size of Yellowstone National Park.

USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) awarded $161,000 through a Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) to Ducks Unlimited in 2011 to develop the necessary methodology to quantify the carbon stored in the soil by avoiding grassland conversions, resulting in the generation of carbon credits.

This is how the credit system works:
-    Landowners voluntarily place lands under a perpetual easement but retain rights to work the land, such as raising livestock and growing hay.
-    The carbon storage benefits of this avoided conversion of grasslands are quantified, verified, and formally registered resulting in carbon credits.
-    The carbon credits are made available to entities interested in purchasing carbon offsets.

The landowners receive compensation for the carbon credits generated on their lands. "Ranchers benefit from new revenue streams, while thriving grasslands provide nesting habitat for wildlife, are more resilient to extreme weather, and help mitigate the impact of climate change," said Vilsack.

Besides the landowners, USDA, and Ducks Unlimited, other key partners that helped make this project a success include The Climate Trust, American Carbon Registry, The Nature Conservancy, Environmental Defense Fund and Terra Global Capital.

USDA's CIGs support the development of new technologies and approaches to agricultural conservation on private lands. This project was one of nine greenhouse gas mitigation and carbon market projects funded by NRCS 2011. More information on these innovative projects can be found on the webpage of Coalition on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases, a strategic partner of USDA.

Public-private partnerships to enhance U.S. carbon sinks such as forests, grasslands, wetlands and coastal areas, are a key part of President Obama's efforts to prepare communities for the impacts of climate change and enhance the nation's climate resilience. In October, as called for in the President's Climate Action Plan, the Administration announced a Climate and Natural Resources Priority Agenda that represents a first of its kind, comprehensive commitment across the Federal Government to support resilience of our natural resources. It identifies a suite of actions (including efforts like the USDA-Chevy agreement) the Federal Government will take to enhance the resilience of America's natural resources to the impacts of climate change and promote their ability to absorb carbon dioxide.

This announcement is one of many USDA efforts to help America's farmers, ranchers and forest owners adapt to new challenges caused by a changing climate – ranging from more intense weather events, to increased risk of wildfire, to a greater prevalence of invasive species. While assessments on the future of agriculture and forestry show that climate change holds these and other challenges in the years ahead, American producers are longtime leaders in innovation, risk management and adaptation. USDA has supported these efforts for more than a century. Now USDA is developing new tools to help rural America create climate solutions and play a role in President Obama's comprehensive effort to reduce carbon pollution. More information on USDA's work is available at www.usda.gov/climatesolutions.



Georgia State to Jointly Headquarter New USDA Research Center for U.S. Agri-Environmental Policy

Professors Paul Ferraro of Georgia State University and Kent Messer of the University of Delaware will head the newly created Center for Behavioral and Experimental Agri-Environmental Policy Research (CBEAR), supported with a $750,000 award from the Economic Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

CBEAR-affiliated faculty will use behavioral and experimental economics research to improve the design and implementation of USDA programs that support farmers in their efforts to feed the world and provide valuable environmental stewardship of the nation’s agricultural lands. The three-year USDA seed grant will fund the new center.

“Designing government programs based on theories from the behavioral sciences and evidence from randomized controlled trials has proven successful in other policy fields. It’s time for the same approach to be applied to U.S. agri-environmental policy,” said Ferraro, a professor in the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies and a globally recognized expert in evidence-based environmental policy. His research advances the application of behavioral economics to policy design.

In 2013, the USDA spent more than $5 billion on conservation programs to minimize soil erosion, enhance water quality and create wildlife habitat.

“Understanding how farmers process information and respond to agri-environmental programs,” Ferraro said, “will allow the USDA to better engage all agricultural producers, improve their satisfaction with USDA programs, increase program effectiveness, and provide additional ecosystem services for every taxpayer dollar spent.”

Along with Georgia State and Delaware, the CBEAR consortium includes Cornell University. The new center will:
 -    Lead and coordinate innovative behavioral research programs related to the design and implementation of policies and programs that provide ecosystem services and lead to greater satisfaction for participating farmers and landowners;
-    Broaden the network of social scientists who participate in policy-relevant research on agricultural ecosystem services, policies and programs; and
-    Disseminate information obtained via its research program to a diverse stakeholder audience, including USDA and other federal program agencies, farmers and the public.