Thursday January 22 Ag News Update

NFB Foundation for Agriculture Distributes Tornado Disaster Relief Fund to Help Farmers and Ranchers

Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture recently distributed just over $15,000, which was collected for the Tornado Disaster Relief Fund. Farmers and ranchers from across the state that were affected by the tornados and in need of emergency and residual help, were given the opportunity to apply for funding.

The farmers and ranchers who applied for the funds were affected by tornados in Friend, Wayne and Pilger. Those receiving help from the fund are:
·         Paul and Deb Segner of Friend who farms and raise hogs  in Seward County;
·         Todd Nelson of Laurel who farms and raises cattle in Cedar County;
·         Eric Von Seggern of Von Seggern Farms in Wisner who farms in Cuming County and
·         Aaron Biermann of Biermann Farm near Wisner who farm and raise hogs in Wayne County.

“When a tornado damages a farmstead or a livestock operation, the needs of farmers and ranchers are a bit different. They need to critically assess how to save their crops and how to address the health of their livestock,” said Deanna Karmazin, executive director of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture.

“Many of these emergency actions and needs are not directly supported by government and other non-profit disaster relief efforts, which tend to be more community based,” Karmazin said.

“We just think there are unique and extraordinary costs, like the labor involved in the clean-up of the fields and livestock facilities. The costs and unanticipated expenses of trying to get a farm business back in operation is a tremendous burden and most emergency disaster programs don’t include this type of assistance,” she said.

The funds collected for the Tornado Disaster Relief Fund targeted farmers and ranchers that need help with immediate needs and who cannot get assistance from other sources, such as government programs and have losses that are not covered by insurance.

“We are happy to provide emergency assistance for farmers and ranchers affected by the tornadoes for such things as food and clothing, prescriptions/medical supplies, feed/fence/relocation costs, vet costs, field clean-up costs, rental assistance/mortgage payment for home or business, utility and propane payments and other critical unmet needs,” Karmazin said.



Agricultural Tile Drainage Meeting in Fremont, Monday Jan. 26 from 9:45 am – Noon

Nebraska Extension in Dodge County will be providing a short meeting for area producers and landowners interested in learning about agricultural tile drainage.  The meeting will cover wetland compliance, basics of tile drainage, controlled drainage, and nitrogen management.  The meeting is set for Monday, January 26, and will be held at the Dodge County Extension Office in Fremont from 9:45 am to Noon. Pre-registration is required (limit of 40 attendees) and the meeting will cost $5 (cash or check at arrival) per attendee. Coffee and donuts will be provided.

Nathan Mueller, Extension Educator for Cropping Systems and Ag Technologies, will share information on wetland compliance.  Two guest speakers will join us via a live online connection at the Dodge County Extension Office. Chris Hay, South Dakota State University Assistant Professor & Extension Water Management Engineer, and Matt Helmers, Iowa State University Assistant Professor and Specialist for Subsurface Drainage and Water Quality, will both present for 30 to 45 minutes each on the basics of tile, controlled drainage, nitrogen management and the latest research from each of their states, South Dakota and Iowa.  Producers and landowners will have plenty of time to ask questions and discuss local issues.

For more information about the meeting and to pre-register, contact Nathan Mueller at the Nebraska Extension County Office at 727-2775 or nathan.mueller@unl.edu.



Platte Valley Cattlemen Banquet is Feb 21
Brett Mueller, PVC President

It’s that time of year again and the Platte Valley Cattlemen are anxiously planning our 2015 Banquet which will be held Saturday, February 21 st at Platte County Agricultural Park in Columbus. We are looking forward to an enjoyable night and another outstanding banquet.

Our annual Banquet is our major fund raiser for the year and thanks to your continued support, our organization has been able to promote our product and inform our membership of current issues and policies. In the past, your dollars have enabled us to promote “Beef Month” in May, ensure quality speakers for our monthly meetings, offer an educational tour, promote 4-H and FFA programs at the county fairs, and assist in awarding scholarships. In 2014, we were able to award three $500.00 college scholarships and with continued support, we hope to offer two (or more) again this year.



NeFBF on Gov. Ricketts Budget Recommendations
Steve Nelson, President, Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation

“We appreciate Gov. Ricketts’ strong interest in providing property tax relief to Nebraskans, including Nebraska’s farm and ranch families who have for many years carried a disproportionate share of the statewide property tax burden.”

“As we pointed out earlier this week, Nebraska farmers and ranchers now pay 30 percent of the total property taxes collected statewide and they represent less than three percent of the state’s population. The disproportionate nature of property taxes is only magnified by the fact that Nebraska farm and ranch families pay the third highest property taxes in the country.”

“The Governor’s plan to allocate $60 million dollars a year over the next two years to Nebraska’s Property Tax Credit Program, is in line with legislation introduced by Sen. Dan Watermeier; legislation Nebraska Farm Bureau has supported as a foundational piece for providing property tax relief.”

“Furthermore, the Governor’s interest in lowering the value of agricultural land for taxation purposes meets another foundational principle supported by Farm Bureau to provide tax relief. And we continue to support legislation to move in that direction as introduced by Sen. Lydia Brasch.”

“Again, we greatly appreciate the Governor’s interest in finding measures to provide property tax relief. We look forward to working with the Governor and the Legislature to use these pieces to provide meaningful tax relief for Nebraska’s farm and ranch families.”



Nebraska Ag Technology Conference Feb. 4-5
Nathan Mueller, UNL Extension Educator, Dodge County

Technology advances in precision agriculture are transforming today's farms. The 2015 Nebraska Agriculture Technology Association (NeATA) Conference  will focus on the latest products, practices, and services available to producers. The symposium registration starts at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 4 and the conference registration starts at 7 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 5.

NeATA is a grassroots agriculture-based non-profit association founded by innovative Nebraska farmers and agribusiness representatives who share a common desire to stay informed about emerging agricultural technologies.  The annual symposium and conference are co-hosted by NeATA and Nebraska Extension.

The Feb. 4 program includes two half-day symposiums on:
-    Integrated Agronomic Management Systems (Encirca, Field Scripts and ACS)
-    Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) use in Agriculture

The evening program on Feb. 4 will feature UAV technology demonstrations from the Nebraska Intelligent Mobile Unmanned Systems (NIMBUS) lab including autonomous flights and plant height determination.

The Thursday, Feb. 5, program will feature 16 breakout sessions with agribusiness and university presentations on the latest advances in ag technology. In the morning, the feature speaker, Larry Gualtney from E.I du Pont de Nemours and Company, will present "Crop Protection—Opportunities, Challenges." Over lunch,  Chuck Hibberd, dean and director of Nebraska Extension, will present "A Century of Extension."

The closing keynote speaker, John Fulton, associate professor with Food, Agriculture and Biological Engineering at The Ohio State University, will present "Trends for Enabling Data Driven Crop Production Management."  He will address
-    technology advancements and data streams being generated by technology;
-    how advancements in machinery and seed technology are converging and influencing options at the farm level; and
-    options for cloud storage and data permissions today and tomorrow.

Registration
The NeATA Conference will be held at the Mid-Town Holiday Inn in Grand Island.  For more information and to register, visit the NeATA website... www.neata.org. 



Nebraska Cattlemen Applauds Nordquist for Common Sense Immigration Initiative
Nebraska Cattlemen (NC) today applauded Senator Jeremy Nordquist’s introduction of legislation to provide immigrants with deferred action for childhood arrival (DACA) status the opportunity to obtain Nebraska driver’s licenses. NC policy supports comprehensive immigration reform to ensure a thriving employee base for beef cattle producers.

“Beef producers in Nebraska need common sense laws and policies that work for employers, employees and their families,” said NC Vice President of Regulatory and Legal Affairs Kristen Hassebrook. “While immigration reform must happen at the federal level, the State of Nebraska has the authority over driver’s licenses. We appreciate Senator Nordquist for continuing this conversation on such an important issue.”

Nebraska Cattlemen will announce legislative priorities next week after its board convenes for its annual legislative meeting in Lincoln.



Biodiesel industry honors champions, career long-achievements

The biodiesel industry is truly great because of the people in it. This is rarely more evident than this week as the National Biodiesel Board honors industry champions and those who have significantly impacted the industry during the National Biodiesel Conference and Expo in Fort Worth.

“The biodiesel industry is full of inspiring, innovative, pioneers,” said Joe Jobe, CEO of the National Biodiesel Board. “It takes the efforts and visionary leadership of many great people to go from next to nothing in 1993 to the fully commercialized advanced biofuel industry that we are today. I’m proud to recognize some of those tremendous leaders and their efforts today.”

NBB recognizes the 2015 “Eye on Biodiesel” award winners this week. The honorees are:

Inspiration:  Greg Anderson, Nebraska Soybean Board.
Nebraska soybean farmer, and long-time biodiesel advocate, Greg Anderson is considered by many an inspiration for his full time devotion to his fellow soybean farmers. He has served in more volunteer roles than can be named, but a few include; past chairman of the United Soybean Board, board member on the Nebraska Soybean Board, a long-time representative of NSB to the National Biodiesel Board, former NBB technical committee chair, current NBB marketing committee chair, and he was recently re-elected as NBB secretary. In August, while working on his fifth-generation family farm in Newman Grove, he suffered a near-fatal accident where he was severely burned on his head, back, arms, and hands. While his physical recovery from his painful injuries were spectacular, even more so was how incredibly positive, grateful, and upbeat he remained throughout the process. His tremendous attitude, along with his continuous selfless service to the biodiesel industry are truly inspirational.

Innovation:  Tom Butcher, Brookhaven National Laboratory.
Brookhaven National Laboratory is one of the premier US Department of Energy national laboratories and the leading technical institution for heating oil research in the world. Dr. Tom Butcher is the head of the Energy Conversion Group and has been at Brookhaven for 30 years. He has played an instrumental role in the technical research that has been done over the last six years that formed the basis for the balloting of performance specifications for six percent to 20 percent biodiesel blended into traditional heating oil as a new fuel grade in the ASTM D396 fuel oil standard. His groundbreaking work documenting the positive field experience with biodiesel blends and providing the research background were major factors in addressing questions brought up by the NORA/NBB-lead Bioheat Technical Steering Committee.

Impact:  Senator Al Franken.
U.S. Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota has long been a champion for biodiesel in Washington and particularly took a leadership role last year in challenging the EPA’s initial proposal that would have weakened Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) volumes. Sen. Franken has helped organize his Senate colleagues in holding meetings on the issue with senior Administration leaders. He has coordinated advocacy letters from members of Congress. And he has spoken out publicly to highlight biodiesel’s benefits in Minnesota and across the country as he fought for a strong RFS. Additionally, Sen. Franken has been a consistent and vocal advocate for the biodiesel tax incentive. His advocacy and leadership have been instrumental in helping to develop a policy environment in which biodiesel can continue to grow.

Influence:  Jerry Schoenfeld.
Jerry Schoenfeld of Minneapolis based Greater States Advisors has been instrumental in development, passage, and defense of landmark biodiesel legislation in Minnesota since 2000. Without the lobbying expertise and efforts on behalf of the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association, the state would not have the favorable biodiesel policies that it does today. Successes include a five year process that led to the first in the nation B2 statewide blend requirement passed in 2002 and implemented in 2005. In 2008 the state passed additional legislation to move to B5, which was implemented in 2009, move to B10 which was implemented in July 2014, and B20 on track to be implemented in 2018. The state of Minnesota has long been a leader in the biodiesel industry and much of that is due to these favorable policies.

Pioneer Award:  Dallas Hanks.
The biodiesel industry lost a true pioneer with the passing of Utah State University’s Dr. Dallas Hanks last June when he succumbed to cancer. For those that knew him, Dallas was a brilliant scientist, educator, humanitarian, entrepreneur, and all around good person. He spearheaded the visionary feedstock program Freeways to Fuels, was a huge supporter and contributor to NBB’s Next Generation Scientists for Biodiesel program, and had a hand in numerous oilseed test plots, biodiesel laboratories, and technology start-up business at the university and around the region. The respect he had from his peers was second to none, and he has left a truly lasting legacy in the biodiesel world.



UNL DriftWatch Updated, Improved

Commercial applicators and farmers alike can benefit from recent changes to DriftWatch, an online tool to identify fields where commercial specialty or pesticide-sensitive crops are being grown. In Nebraska 70 counties have registered such areas, said Craig Romary, environmental programs specialist with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture. New crop sites and beehives are being registered regularly.

"We want to encourage growers to register and applicators to check it," Romary said this week.

Personnel from the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) and FieldWatch, which manages DriftWatch, have been working to make the information in DriftWatch™ as accurate and current as possible for applicators, Romary said. Many old, outdated, and inaccurate locations have been deleted and new sites are being added.

The predecessor of DriftWatch offered dots on a map to indicate sensitive areas. These could be somewhat inexact, Romary said. The new tool lets registrants use GPS coordinates and outline areas on a map to be more accurate and provide more detail. Also, user guides on FieldWatch for producers, applicators, and beekeepers offer valuable information and tips for registering and updating data.

The locator map and many site services are free, although there is a subscription for extended services such as mobile live data feeds.

Features recently added to DriftWatch include:

    Beekeepers now can choose whether their beehives appear on the public DriftWatch map or are visible only to registered applicators. This will make registering as an applicator—which is free of charge—especially important.

    A registered applicator, who is also a member of FieldWatch, can now select specific counties from multiple states for notices when new information is added to the map. Membership also allows access to real-time map data. See www.fieldwatch.com for more information. Registered applicators should watch for email notices directly from FieldWatch.

In addition to Nebraska, DriftWatch now features information for Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, Wisconsin and Saskatchewan. More states are considering DriftWatch as well.



Food labels helpful but their claims raise skepticism, Food & Family Project study finds

A growing number of shoppers say they find food labels helpful. However, consumer confidence in the trustworthiness of most food label claims has declined during the past year and falls precipitously when provided additional information about those claims.

The findings are courtesy of the Iowa Food & Family Project’s (Iowa FFP) annual Consumer Pulse Survey conducted earlier this winter of 353 health-conscious Iowans who make the majority of their household’s food purchases. With a 4.3-percent margin of error, the poll queried participants on a variety of food and farming issues including their take on specific food labels including “natural,” “local,” “organic,” “hormone-free,” “antibiotic-free” and “GMO-free.”

When asked which consideration is most important when purchasing food, “quality” ranked first at 35 percent followed by safety (24), price (21) and “how it’s grown” (10). Respondents also gave food labels high marks, with 77 percent saying they are helpful in making food purchases, an increase of 31 percent from a year ago.

Regarding specific food labels, “local” performed best with 62 percent favorability followed by “hormone free” at 48 percent and “antibiotic free” at 43 percent. Twenty-seven percent had a favorable impression of food labeled “natural,” down 7 points from a year ago. “Organic” was preferred by just 25 percent of respondents, down 11 points from 2013 while just 22 percent found “GMO-free” as superior to food not labeled “GMO-free.”

Carol Bodensteiner, former president of CMF&Z Public Relations, was not surprised by the drop in support of organic and natural labels, speculating a decline in publicity surrounding the labels.

For a number of years, CMF&Z conducted annual surveys that gauged consumer attitudes toward a range of food and agriculture issues. Through her experience, Bodensteiner advises consumers to look beyond media hype and learn more about what labels mean.

“We’re constantly being fed information through the media and other sources,” said Bodensteiner. “Too often we as consumers have accepted the hype without knowing the background.”

This point was underscored in follow-up questions regarding the validity of popular food label claims. Preference for food labeled “hormone-free” declined by half (from 48 to 24 percent) when respondents were reminded that that all plants and animals have naturally present hormones.

Katie Olthoff and her husband Bart raise turkeys near Stanhope. Although the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) prohibits the use of added hormones in poultry, she still receives questions from her non-farming counterparts due to misconceptions on what hormones are, why hormones are used and how they are being marketed.

“These ‘hormone-free’ labels are very misleading,” says Olthoff. “These labels should really say ‘raised without added growth hormones,’ which is true of all poultry in the United States.”

Support for other food labels also declined significantly when respondents were provided additional facts about how food is grown and marketed.

For example, preference for food labeled “antibiotic-free” plummeted 16 points when poll participants learned of federal guidelines surrounding antibiotic use in livestock and poultry production. The FDA approves of farmers’ use of antibiotics for disease treatment, control and prevention in order to uphold quality standards of health, comfort and safety for the animals, and requires a mandatory withdrawal period before going to market.

Finally, respondents were re-evaluated about their overall confidence in food labels after they were provided with additional facts. The background information led to a six-percent shift in those finding food labels helpful to those who find labels confusing.

For Olthoff, the confusion is unnecessary.

“When I’m choosing food, I don’t think about its safety,” she said. “I trust that farmers and the whole food system are working the way they’re supposed to.”

For more information on the findings, and to join in food, family and farming conversations, visit www.iowafoodandfamily.com.



IFU Leads Coalition Asking for Changes to Pesticide Rules

The Iowa Farmers Union (IFU), along with Pesticide Action Network (PAN), today announced their request to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) to improve the reporting and response process and the agency support available to farmers who experience losses from pesticide drift.

"Pesticide drift from nearby fields is a very real problem for farmers in Iowa," says Jordan Scheibel, a diversified vegetable farmer from Grinnell, Iowa. "Not only can pesticide drift delay or cause a farm to lose its organic certification, it results in products that farmers - certified organic or not - may not be able to sell legally, safely, or in good conscience, and it exposes the farmers and their workers to potentially harmful pesticides."

Pesticide drift is a growing concern among Iowa farmers. A recent report to IDALS from the Practical Farmers of Iowa highlights dozens of reported pesticide drift violations across the state between 2008 and 2012, with fines issued in less than 20% of the cases.

Jana Linderman, President of the Iowa Farmers Union, states: "Current administrative rules designed to prevent pesticide drift and assist farmers who experience losses from drift are inadequate. We have proposed several rule changes to IDALS through a recently filed petition for rule making. We are attempting to improve the relationship between IDALS and impacted farmers when it comes to dealing with damages caused by pesticide drift."

The IFU petition for rule making requests:

-- That IDALS provide information in writing and via the IDALS website to farmers and others who have come into contact with or suffered losses from pesticide drift regarding the details of the agency process, as well as their rights and available remedies under the law;

-- That IDALS provide information on the potential financial impacts of pesticide drift as part of the certification and continuing education process for commercial pesticide applicators;

-- That IDALS maintain a public database of the evidence of financial responsibility required to be filed with the agency by certified commercial pesticide applicators;

-- That commercial pesticide applicators be required to provide IDALS with monthly reports of pesticide applications, and that spray drift incident reports involving contact with a human, sensitive crop, or bee apiary be made available in a public database;

-- That commercial pesticide applicators be required to provide notice to individuals who are on the sensitive crop or bee registries and who are within a 5-mile radius of the application site at least 48 hours prior to spraying; and

-- That the rules be updated to provide for increased fines for serious or habitual violations of the rules governing pesticide application.

"Farmers should be able to control what comes onto their farms," says Kate Mendenhall, an organizer for PAN who is a beginning farmer in northwest Iowa. "We're not only concerned about the well-documented crop damage from spray drift, but also the potential health harms to farmers, farmworkers, and rural communities."

IFU and PAN also are asking the Iowa legislature to establish an indemnity fund to improve the testing time for crops damaged by pesticide drift, to fund work to upgrade and improve the IDALS Pesticide Bureau website, and to increase the amount of insurance coverage carried by commercial pesticide applicators.

"Significant financial losses from pesticide drift can threaten the viability of family farms and put the diversity and safety of our food system at risk," notes IFU President Linderman. "The modest improvements we are seeking can provide important safeguards for family farmers who are working hard to build their businesses and provide safe and healthy food to consumers."



Beef Checkoff Launches MBA 2.0

The beef checkoff’s Masters of Beef Advocacy (MBA) program has launched MBA 2.0, an opportunity for beef and dairy producers to step up and be true leaders – 'Agvocates', if you will – for the industry and all of agriculture. Building on the success of the original MBA courses, with nearly 6,000 graduates to date, the program hinges on the importance for consumers to hear directly from those growing and delivering their food to them.

Each course, which has all new content based on consumer research about questions regarding the beef industry and end product, takes about an hour to complete and follows the beef lifecycle:

1. The Beef Community – all about the people involved in producing beef, from pasture to plate.

2. Raising Cattle on Grass – covering the cow/calf and stocker/backgrounder stages of production.

3. Life in the Feedyard – what goes into ensuring cattle receive proper care and a healthy diet in the finishing phase.

4. From Cattle to Beef – how cattle are humanely slaughtered and processed into beef products.

5. Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. – consumer information about how to properly store, handle and cook beef to ensure a safe and enjoyable eating experience.

“When I started to get asked questions from consumers and groups about how we farm and feed cattle, I was struggling to find answers that I could back up with hard facts, and it felt like I also needed to learn more about other sectors of the industry with which I had little experience,” says Joan Ruskamp, Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB) member from Dodge, Neb.

“When I found out about the MBA program, I jumped at the chance to complete the courses. For me, it turned out to be a great teaching tool to help me become an informed advocate – not just for my own family’s benefit, but for the good of the entire industry.

“Since then, I have had the opportunity to talk about beef and the beef industry to everyone from neighbors and friends to large groups of activists. Remember, though, getting your MBA doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to start booking appearances as a traveling speaker,” says Ruskamp. “It also prepares you well for daily conversations that you have or hear, and it gives you the ability to share hard facts and figures that help increase confidence in our end product and our industry. While our personal stories are important in putting a face on our industry, the ability to build trust in farming and ranching – and beef – is greatly enhanced by facts versus opinions and emotions.”

Those individuals who completed the original MBA courses will remain enrolled in the program and can take the 2.0 classes to update their certificate. MBA grads then have the opportunity to join the private Facebook group where they can have interaction and dialogue about emerging industry issues.

Ruskamp and fellow Cattlemen’s Beef Board member Brenda Black of Missouri have challenged every CBB member to join them in completing MBA 2.0.

“I earned my MBA during the initial run of the program and am working on completion of the updated program with all of you who accept this challenge,” says Black. “From my experience, I can tell you that the courses are truly interesting, engaging and informative, which make the quizzes at the end of each section a breeze. And you come away with a clear and useful understanding of issues that are so important to consumers and, as a result, important for us to share with them.”

The MBA program is funded by the beef checkoff and there is no cost to participate. Sign up to start your MBA 2.0 coursework today!

For more information about your beef checkoff investment, visit MyBeefCheckoff.com.



Record High Pork Production for December

Commercial red meat production for the United States totaled 4.14 billion pounds in December, up slightly from the 4.14 billion pounds produced in December 2013.

Beef production, at 2.00 billion pounds, was 2 percent below the previous year. Cattle slaughter totaled 2.44 million head, down 5 percent from December 2013. The average live weight was up 29 pounds from the previous year, at 1,363 pounds.

Veal production totaled 7.6 million pounds, 22 percent below December a year ago. Calf slaughter totaled 43,000 head, down 35 percent from December 2013. The average live weight was up 51 pounds from last year, at 302 pounds.

Pork production totaled 2.11 billion pounds, up 2 percent from the previous year. Hog slaughter totaled 9.85 million head, up 1 percent from December 2013. The average live weight was up 3 pounds from the previous year, at 286 pounds.

Lamb and mutton production, at 13.4 million pounds, was up 3 percent from December 2013. Sheep slaughter totaled 200,000 head, slightly above last year. The average live weight was 134 pounds, up 3 pounds from December a year ago.

January to December 2014 commercial red meat production was 47.3 billion pounds, down 4 percent from 2013. Accumulated beef production was down 6 percent from last year, veal was down 16 percent, pork was down 1 percent from last year, and lamb and mutton production was down slightly.

State Data (million pounds, % of Dec 2013)
Nebraska ......:     624.1     -       103      
Iowa .............:     605.8     -       106      
Kansas ..........:     414.5     -       100      



USDA Cold Storage Report Highlights

Total red meat supplies in freezers were up 6 percent from the previous month but down 4 percent from last year. Total pounds of beef in freezers were up 11 percent from the previous month and up slightly from last year. Frozen pork supplies were up 2 percent from the previous month but down 10 percent from last year. Stocks of pork bellies were up 37 percent from last month but down 42 percent from last year.

Total frozen poultry supplies on December 31, 2014 were up 2 percent from the previous month but down 3 percent from a year ago. Total stocks of chicken were up 2 percent from the previous month and up 2 percent from last year. Total pounds of turkey in freezers were up 3 percent from last month but down 19 percent from December 31, 2013.

Total natural cheese stocks in refrigerated warehouses on December 31, 2014 were down slightly from the previous month but up slightly from December 31, 2013. Butter stocks were down 2 percent from last month and down 12 percent from a year ago.

Total frozen fruit stocks were down 8 percent from last month and down 6 percent from a year ago.  Total frozen vegetable stocks were down 7 percent from last month and down slightly from a year ago.



December Milk Production up 3.2 Percent
                       
Milk production in the 23 major States during December totaled 16.2 billion pounds, up 3.2 percent from December 2013. November revised production at 15.5 billion pounds, was up 3.5 percent from November 2013. The November revision represented an increase of 12 million pounds or 0.1 percent from last month's preliminary production estimate.

Production per cow in the 23 major States averaged 1,886 pounds for December, 35 pounds above December 2013. This is the highest production per cow for the month of December since the 23 State series began in 2003.    

The number of milk cows on farms in the 23 major States for December, was 8.61 million head, 107,000 head more than December 2013, and 16,000 head more than November 2014.

October - December Milk Production up 3.4 Percent
Milk production in the United States during the October - December quarter totaled 50.9 billion pounds, up 3.4 percent from the October - December quarter last year. The average number of milk cows in the United States during the quarter was 9.28 million head, 16,000 head more than the July - September quarter, and 83,000 head more than the same period last year.

State Q4 2014 Milk Prod Data (million pounds, % of Q4 2013)
Nebraska ...:          304.0          6.7    
Iowa ..........:        1,176.0          4.4    



USDA Reminds Producers of Upcoming Livestock Disaster Assistance Deadline

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reminds livestock producers that the Jan. 30, 2015, deadline to request assistance for losses suffered from Oct. 1, 2011 through Dec. 31, 2014, is fast approaching.

Applications for the Livestock Indemnity Program and the Livestock Forage Disaster Program, restored by the 2014 Farm Bill resumed in April 2014, after having expired on Sept. 30, 2011. To date, more than 556,000 applications have been approved to assist farmers and ranchers in recovering from nearly three years of natural disasters.

The Livestock Indemnity Program provides financial assistance to eligible producers for livestock deaths. Losses can be caused by adverse weather, extreme temperatures, disease, or wildfires, or due to attacks by animals reintroduced into the wild by the federal government or protected by federal law, including wolves and avian predators.

The Livestock Forage Disaster Program provides compensation to livestock producers that have suffered grazing losses due to drought or fire. Qualifying droughts are based on U.S Drought Monitor severity ratings, and qualifying fires are those occurring on rangeland managed by a federal agency and normally permitted for grazing.

To expedite applications, all producers who experienced losses are encouraged to collect records documenting their losses. Supporting documents may include livestock birth records, purchase and transportation receipts, photos and ownership records showing the number and type of livestock lost, documents listing the gallons of water transported to livestock during drought, information related to grazing land, grazing leases or federal grazing permits, and more.

Local FSA county offices can provide additional information on the types of records producers will need to apply for assistance. Producers are encouraged to contact their county office ahead of time to schedule an appointment. Producers who already have appointments don’t need to take any additional action to meet the deadline. FSA offices can be found at offices.usda.gov. To learn more about these FSA disaster programs, visit disaster.fsa.usda.gov. 



Corn Growers: Worst Possible Time to Cut the RFS

With a record corn crop and low corn prices, efforts to alter the Renewable Fuel Standard are coming at the worst possible time for America's farmers, the National Corn Growers Association said.

"Corn ending stocks - the amount above and beyond current demand - are estimated at nearly 2 billion bushels this year, thanks to two back-to-back record harvests," said NCGA President Chip Bowling, a corn farmer in Maryland. "And with corn selling at low prices, any legislative attempt to cut one of our key markets will drive prices even further below cost of production. We have a policy that works well not just for the environment and energy security - but for the rural economy. We need to support farmers, not bankrupt them."

In reference to an attempt in the Senate to attach an anti-ethanol amendment to the Keystone XL legislation, NCGA pointed out the many benefits of ethanol and the reason why it's an important part of our fuel supply.

"Corn ethanol is better for the environment than fossil fuels and has historically lowered the cost of filling our tanks by nearly a dollar," said NCGA Director of Public Policy Beth Elliott. "It has been proven that ethanol does not have an impact on the price of food. Ethanol has proven itself on the racetrack and NASCAR drivers have driven more than six million miles on the fuel. The Renewable Fuel Standard is working - creating clean, renewable, American-grown energy and good American jobs. There are many good reasons to continue this policy, and we look forward to working with the new Congress in support of it."



BQ-9000 Biodiesel Fuel Quality Program Expands Its Reach to Retailers

This week at the 2015 National Biodiesel Conference and Expo, the National Biodiesel Board announced the addition of a major new component to its

BQ-9000 fuel quality program that will help to ensure the highest biodiesel fuel quality for consumers, all the way from the production plant to the retail fuel pump.  The new BQ-9000 Retailer Program is the latest enhancement to the program that had previously provided quality certification for biodiesel producers, marketers, and testing laboratories.

The National Biodiesel Accreditation Program (NBAC), called BQ-9000®, is a cooperative and voluntary program for the accreditation of companies that produce, test, and supply biodiesel fuel. The program is a unique combination of the ASTM standard for biodiesel, ASTM D6751, and a rigorous quality systems program that includes storage, sampling, testing, blending, shipping, distribution, and fuel management practices.  BQ-9000® is open to any biodiesel manufacturer, marketer or distributor and now retailer of biodiesel and biodiesel blends, as well as third party labs who test the fuel, in the United States and Canada.

Scott Fenwick, Technical Director for the National Biodiesel Board, stated, “The National Biodiesel Accreditation Commission is pleased to release this latest program in the efforts to promote quality assurance for the biodiesel industry.  This Retail program for stores selling biodiesel and biodiesel blends to end users fills the gap on our quality management system.  Previously, the program has provided quality management for Producers, Marketers, Blenders and independent Laboratories.  This will now help to ensure fuel quality through the entire supply chain, down to the final consumer.”

Fenwick continued, “Other than the current NBAC Commissioners, the group is pleased to have worked with several large fuel retailers across the country along with engine and automobile manufacturers to help ensure that this program will help meet the needs of the industry.”

The newly announced BQ-9000 Retailer Program will now enter a 30-day comment period for National Biodiesel Board members and current BQ-9000 certified companies to review and provide comments for the betterment of the program, and then the final program will be officially released later in March for development within the industry.

Currently there are 54 Biodiesel Producers, nearly 40 Marketers and 13 Laboratories certified under the robust BQ-9000 program, with more certifications in progress.  As of the end of 2014, 92 percent of the biodiesel produced in the U.S. by National Biodiesel Board member companies came from a BQ-9000 Certified Producers.



Biodiesel Advocates to Fight for Renewable Fuels Policy in Washington, DC

Renewable fuels supporters cheered today as federal policy experts at the National Biodiesel Conference and Expo in Fort Worth urged advocates to “write their own script” for success.

Anne Steckel, National Biodiesel Board vice president of federal affairs, encouraged the biodiesel conference attendees to explain the importance of the advanced biofuel industry to the Obama Administration and Congress.

“We’re already writing our own script for 2015,” she said. “We do that by building our strengths, and redoubling our efforts across grassroots advocacy, coalition building, and public outreach – to make our case, loud, clear, and consistently.

“We do that by strengthening our collective voice – getting more members involved, and empowering you to advocate for yourselves – because we can’t do it without you,” she continued.

Steckel said a year of dysfunction and pessimism in Washington, DC, often felt like the industry was “stuck in a bad movie.”

“There was this manufactured suspense from the repeated delays in the RFS volumes, and every time we felt like the ending was coming, the directors threw in another unnecessary twist to string out the plot,” Steckel said. “And we still haven’t seen the credits roll.”

After the record year of nearly 1.8 billion gallons in 2013, the EPA initially proposed in November 2013 to hold the 2014 RFS biodiesel volume at 1.28 billion gallons. The agency subsequently withheld a final rule and has still not established 2014 volumes, even as it has signaled that it will improve the original proposal. The continued uncertainty throughout the year has left the industry in a state of limbo, although many biodiesel companies continued producing based on assurances from the Administration that RFS volumes would increase.

“It makes no sense, and unlike a weak Hollywood script, Washington’s failure to act is creating serious damage in the real world,” Steckel said.

Steckel was joined on stage by several former lawmakers whom have played important roles in advancing biodiesel and renewable fuels policy, including Sen. Byron Dorgan (SD), Rep. Kenny Hulshof (MO) and Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt.

Now President of the American Automotive Policy Council, Blunt harkened back to his time as a Naval officer to remind conference attendees of the important role biodiesel and other advanced biofuels play in U.S. national security. As he prepared for service, Blunt said, the first Gulf War erupted, with oil production a central issue of the conflict.

After the Iraq moved on Kuwait, the U.S. got involved, Blunt continued, because “our need for energy to support our economy and way of life clearly intersect with our foreign policy.”

While acknowledging recent growth domestic oil production, Blunt said, increased drilling on American shores does not make the country immune to global oil market pressures.

“Energy security is not simply more oil. More U.S. oil does not change the fact that prices are set globally based on international factors that go far beyond simple supply and demand,” Blunt explained.

“Political and economic instability in the Middle East, Russia, and China as well as controls in the supply by OPEC all impact the global price of oil. It does not change the fact that with only one fuel source, we have no options and instead remain subject to the highs and lows of the global market,” he said.

Steckel echoed Blunt’s comments and stressed the importance of codifying biodiesel’s many significant benefits into effective public policy.

“Strong biodiesel policy is something that the public supports, and that helps us as a nation achieve our collective goals for creating U.S. jobs, cleaning the air, and reducing our dangerous dependence on one global commodity – oil,” she said..



Hansen-Mueller and CHS Inc. discuss asset acquisition

CHS Inc., an energy, grains and foods company and the nation’s leading farmer-owned cooperative, and Hansen-Mueller Co., a Midwest-based grain merchandising and commodity trading business, today announced they have signed a letter of intent for CHS to acquire the Hansen-Mueller assets located in Oberlin and Cedar Bluffs, Kan. Upon completion of due diligence and CHS Board approval, the transaction is expected to be finalized in late April 2015.

“Investments in country elevators such as these bring tangible benefits to not only our farmer-owners, but to the rural communities where we operate our businesses,” said Lynden Johnson, executive vice president, Country Operations division of CHS. “These kinds of opportunities strengthen local resources that ultimately help our owners and other customers grow their operations.”

The facilities under review originate corn, winter wheat and milo, with the majority of production being shipped by truck to area cattle feed lots, ethanol plants and milling companies.

Formed in 1979, today Hansen-Mueller provides grain merchandising and logistics, commodity trading and feed processing products to customers across the Midwest.



Economic Downturn and Other Factors, Not COOL, Caused Decline in Live Cattle Imports to the U.S.

Contrary to arguments made by America’s trade competitors to the World Trade Organization (WTO), an economic downturn that sapped consumer demand — not Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL) — caused decreased demand for cattle imports into to the U.S., according to a new study released today.

“COOL did not cause the declines in livestock exports to the United States, which largely coincided with a substantial global economic downturn that sapped demand for more expensive meat products,” notes the study, authored by C. Robert Taylor, Ph.D., an Auburn University Alfa Eminent Scholar and Professor.

Canada and Mexico challenged COOL provisions related to muscle cuts of beef at the WTO in 2008, alleging the widely popular labeling law was a trade barrier that compromised their export opportunities and market access to the United States for live cattle and hogs. The cost of implementing COOL, they argued, discouraged U.S. meatpacking and processing companies from purchasing livestock of non-U.S. origin and, as a result, reduced the prices of these livestock exports.

But after close examination of more robust data sources to assess the impact of COOL on market access, the study found:

·        COOL has not had a significant negative effect on the price paid for imported slaughter cattle relative to comparable domestic cattle. In fact, the fed cattle price basis declined after the law went into effect. “The price basis is lower in the six years since implementation of COOL than it was the preceding four years,” the study notes;

·        COOL did not negatively impact imports of slaughter cattle. “Qualitative and econometric analysis of Mandatory Price Reporting (MPR) and monthly trade and price data cast considerable doubt on assertions that COOL negatively affected imports of slaughter cattle,” says the study. Failure to recognize the effects of imported and domestic captive supplies of slaughter cattle and beef demand uncertainty, along with other factors, played a larger role in reduced import demand than acknowledged in previous studies.

·         COOL did not significantly affect imports of feeder cattle. “USDA monthly data on imports of 400-700 lb. cattle did not show COOL having a significant negative effect of imports of feeder cattle from either Canada or Mexico relative to placements in U.S. feedlots,” the study points out.

Taylor’s study differs greatly from previous studies conducted on behalf of Canadian interests in a number of ways: first, it is more detailed and exhaustive than its Canadian counterparts; second, it is based on detailed Mandatory Price Reporting (MPR) data as reported by U.S. beef packers to the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), data the Canadian studies failed to consider.

“MPR data are highly detailed, including origin, import or domestic, of cattle slaughtered in the U.S. and is thus a statistically rich and robust data set for analyzing COOL,” the study notes. “Since the MPR information comes directly from the beef packers, the MPR price and basis trends reflect actual operational slaughter costs and offer a distinct perspective from which to assess beef packers’ statements about the costs of COOL to the U.S. packing industry.”

Previous findings were submitted to WTO by Canadian interests that are “adamantly opposed to COOL and is a plaintiff in a COOL lawsuit against the USDA.” Moreover, data provided to the Canadian consultants was not publicly available. 

The study concludes that cattle exports to the U.S. are subject to a number of variables that are completely independent of the implementation of COOL. “In light of this reasoning, neither Congress nor USDA should undertake any changes to COOL based on arguments that COOL has limited Canadian and Mexican access to the U.S. market.”

“COOL is popular with consumers because they want to know where their food comes from, and it’s popular with farmers and ranchers because they’re proud to put the American label on their products,” noted National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson. “Congress needs to stay the course on COOL,” he said.



CFTC Nears New Spec Trade Rules

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission is scheduled to complete on Thursday an important step toward an expected vote on rules the regulator says aim to curb excessive speculation on the prices of raw materials and agricultural products.

The proposed rule has drawn criticism from industry groups, which contend the restrictions could hinder their ability to protect themselves against risks ranging from variation in product quality to market volatility.

The comment period on the proposed rule -- authorized by the 2010 Dodd-Frank law -- ends Thursday, capping a lengthy process. A federal court threw out the regulator's previous proposal in September 2012, highlighting the challenges to implementing restrictions on potentially opaque markets like commodities.

A spokesman for the CFTC said the comments will be reviewed by staff but said there is no time frame for a vote by the commissioners.

The Commodity Markets Council, an industry group whose members include giant agricultural firms Cargill Inc. and Archer Daniels Midland Co. as well as exchange operators such as CME Group Inc., plans to send a letter to the CFTC Thursday urging it to consider a company's future sales of raw materials -- not just current sales -- as a needed hedge and not speculation, according to a draft of the letter viewed by The Wall Street Journal.



Zoetis Launches DRAXXIN® 25 to Treat Small Calves for BRD

Zoetis today announced the launch of DRAXXIN® 25 (tulathromycin injection) Injectable Solution, a lower concentration of DRAXXIN® (tulathromycin) Injectable Solution, to treat bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in suckling, dairy and veal calves.

Just like the current concentration of DRAXXIN, DRAXXIN 25 offers broad-spectrum coverage against the major causes of BRD, including Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, Histophilus somni and Mycoplasma bovis. However, producers and veterinarians should note that DRAXXIN 25 has a pre-slaughter withdrawal time of 22 days, compared with the 18-day pre-slaughter time for DRAXXIN.

“The efficacy of DRAXXIN has made it a leading choice by veterinarians and producers for the treatment of BRD in larger, ruminating calves,” said Dr. Robert Lynch, senior veterinarian, Dairy Technical Services, Zoetis. “The new formulation of DRAXXIN 25 allows for more-accurate and convenient dosing for smaller calves. Producers and veterinarians can be confident they are administering the correct treatment needed.”

Effectively treat BRD so calves get a healthy start
DRAXXIN 25 and DRAXXIN both offer a convenient full course of therapy in a single dose. When administered according to the label, DRAXXIN is absorbed and distributed quickly to provide effective, single-dose therapy for BRD.

DRAXXIN 25 is available in 100 mL and 250 mL vials and may be purchased through your veterinarian or animal health retailer with a veterinarian’s prescription.

DRAXXIN label expanded for suckling and veal calves
Zoetis also announced the approval of DRAXXIN for the treatment against the major causes of BRD associated with M. haemolytica, P. multocida, H. somni and M. bovis in suckling, dairy and veal calves. Previously, DRAXXIN was approved only for use in nonlactating dairy cattle (cattle younger than 20 months of age, including dairy calves) and beef cattle.

“Through Zoetis’s efforts to obtain FDA approval to remove the veal calf restriction and include suckling calves in the DRAXXIN label, veterinarians can prescribe DRAXXIN with confidence and producers can practice responsible antibiotic use while treating BRD symptoms with a demonstrated and effective BRD treatment option for veal calves,” said Dr. Lynch.

Dr. Lynch encourages veterinarians and producers to work together to establish proper treatment protocols and review BRD management practices in their calf wellness program, including:
-    Pathogen identification
-    BRD vaccination
-    BRD symptom identification
-    Record keeping