Wednesday January 7 Ag News

Platte Valley Cattlemen Membership Meeting is Jan 19th
Brett Andrew Mueller, President, Platte Valley Cattlemen

Happy New Year! Our next meeting is slated for Monday, January 19, at Wunderlich’s Catering in Columbus. The social hour will begin at 6:00 p.m. with the meal to follow at 7:00 p.m. Thank you to Columbus Sales Pavilion and Travis Bock for sponsoring the social hour and Cooperative Supply Feed Division for sponsoring the meal for the evening. 

 January is our membership meeting! We strongly encourage everyone to renew their dues and also bring a guest who may be interested in joining the association. Pete McClymont, Executive Vice President of Nebraska Cattlemen, will provide an informational presentation for this meeting.

 Looking ahead – our annual banquet is scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2015, at the Platte County Ag Park. Please mark this date on your calendar. Tickets will soon be available for sale. 

As in past years, Platte Valley Cattlemen will be offering one or more $500.00 college scholarships to qualified students. Applications may be obtained in Columbus at the Platte County Extension Office, 2610 14th Street.  The deadline for applications is January 31.  

Looking forward to seeing you Monday, January 19, and remember to invite a friend!  



The 104th Nebraska Legislative session begins today.

The 104th Legislative session began today.  This is the 90 day session which is scheduled to end June 5th.  Bill introduction will go on for 10 days, and end January 21st.  The 18 new senators were sworn in this morning.  The Governor and Lt. Governor will be sworn in tomorrow.

Elections for officers and Chairmanships for the next two years began after the swearing in.  Here are the Officer results:

  - Sen. Galen Hadley of Kearney is the new Speaker.  He won over Sen. Colby Coash of Lincoln on a 30-19 vote.
  - Senator Bob Krist of Omaha is the new Chair of the Executive Committee.  He won over Sen. Dave Bloomfield of Hoskins.
  - Sen. Dan Watermeier of Syracuse is the new Vice Chair of the Executive Committee.  He won over Sen.  Rick Kolowski of Omaha.

Standing Committee Results:
  - Agriculture:   Sen. Jerry Johnson of Wahoo is the new Chair.  He won over Senator Lydia Brasch on a 25 to 24 vote.
  - Appropriations:  Sen. Heath Mello of Omaha continues on as Chair.  He was unopposed.
  - Banking, Commerce & Insurance:  Sen. Jim Scheer of Norfolk is the new Chair.  He was unopposed.
  - Education:  Sen. Kate Sullivan of Cedar Rapids was re-elected Chair.  She was unopposed.
  - General Affairs:  Sen. Tyson Larson of O’Neill is the new Chair.  He was unopposed.
  - Government, Military & Veterans Affairs:  Sen. John Murante of Gretna is the new Chair.   He was unopposed.
  - Health & Human Services:  Sen. Kathy Campbell of Lincoln continues on as Chair.  She was uopposed.
  - Judiciary:  Sen. Les Seiler of Hastings is the new Chair.  He was unopposed.
  - Natural Resources:  Sen. Ken Schilz of Ogallala is the new Chair.  He was unopposed.
  - Nebraska Retirement Systems:  Sen. Jeremy Nordquist of Omaha continues on as the Chair.  He won over freshman Sen. Brett Linstrom of Omaha on a 25 to 24 vote.  
  - Revenue: Sen. Mike Gloor of Grand Island is the new Chair.  He was unopposed.
  - Transportation & Telecommunications:  Sen. Jim Smith of Papillion is the new Chair.  He was unopposed.
  - Urban Affairs:  Sen. Sue Crawford of Bellevue is the Chair.  She was unopposed. 



UNL PUBLIC WATER LECTURES BEGIN JAN. 14 AT HARDIN HALL

Seven free public lectures on current water issues and research come together to form the University of Nebraska's spring semester water seminar beginning in January.

The lectures will be held roughly every other week from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesdays, beginning Jan. 14. All lectures will be in the first floor auditorium of Hardin Hall, northeast corner of 33rd and Holdrege streets, on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln East Campus. Subsequent lectures are Jan. 28, Feb. 11 and 25, March 11, and April 8 and 22.

"Each year we assemble a broad base of informative and educational talks on current state and regional water issues and current research that we hope are appealing to both students and the public," said Chittaranjan Ray, director of the Nebraska Water Center, which has helped organize and offer the annual water lectures since the 1970s.

Jasper Fanning, general manager of the Upper Republican Natural Resources District in Imperial, opens the series with a talk on the Nebraska Cooperative Republican Platte Enhancement (N-CORPE) pipeline designed to pipe groundwater into the Republican and Platte rivers when needed to meet river flow requirements.

Other talks focus on UNL's groundwater monitoring program, uranium contamination in municipal water systems, high-resolution GIS monitoring of the water cycle, the value of groundwater, wellhead protection programs and groundwater models for decision-making.

On Jan. 21, an off-week for the normal lecture series, Chuck Schroeder, executive director of the University of Nebraska's Rural Futures Institute, will talk on the new NU institute and its missions.

Co-sponsoring the lectures with the Nebraska Water Center, part of the Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Institute, is UNL's School of Natural Resources, which also offers the lecture series for student credit.

The complete January through April lecture schedule appears below and is online at http://watercenter.unl.edu. Individual lecture videos and speaker PowerPoint presentations will also be posted at that website within a few days after the lecture.

> Jan. 14 -- Jasper Fanning, general manager, Upper Republican NRD, "N-CORPE Pipeline Project."
> Jan. 28 -- Aaron Young, survey geologist, UNL School of Natural Resources, "Groundwater Monitoring Program."
> Feb. 11 -- Lynn Mayhew, assistant utilities director, Grand Island Utilities Department, "Uranium Contamination in Municipal Water Supplies."
> Feb. 25 -- Paul Houser, spatial analyst and remote sensing/GIS, George Mason University, "A Vision for an Ultra-high Resolution Integrated Water Cycle Observation and Prediction System."
> March 11 -- Kremer Memorial Lecture: Michael Schneiders, president, Water Systems Engineering Inc., "The Value of Groundwater."
> April 8 -- Ryan Chapman, wellhead protection coordinator, Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, "Wellhead Protection."
> April 22 -- T. Prabhakar Clement, Harold Vince Groome Jr. Endowed Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Auburn University, "Worthiness of Complex Groundwater Models for Decision Making -- When Should we Say Enough Is Enough?"



New Pesticide Safety Manual Now Available in Iowa
The newly revised Right-of-Way, Category 6 manual is available for Iowa’s commercial and public pesticide applicators. The 98-page manual covers the noxious weeds and other weed species common in Iowa’s right-of-way environments and the various strategies used in managing these weeds.

The manual was written with full input from subject matter experts across Iowa. Complete with full-color pictures, this descriptive study guide not only will assist people in preparing to take the Category 6 examination, but also will serve as a reference for applicators.

The new Right-of-Way, Category 6 study manual is now available through Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Publication cost is $20.00 and it can be ordered from the Extension Online Store at https://store.extension.iastate.edu. Further, new Category 6 certification exams will be used at all Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship testing locations beginning Monday, Feb. 9.

For the Pesticide Applicator Certification exam schedule and testing locations, see http://www.iowaagriculture.gov/pesticide/pesticidetesting.asp. For licensing questions, contact Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s Pesticide Bureau Program Coordinator Mark Lohafer at 515-281-8506, 515‐281‐8591 or email pesticides@iowaAgriculture.gov.

This Category 6 manual supplements information in the Iowa Core Manual, IC 0445, and should not be used for certification preparation without referring to that manual.



Free business seminars available at 2015 Iowa Pork Congress

The Iowa Pork Producers Association will offer a variety of free business seminars of importance to hog farmers at the 2015 Iowa Pork Congress in Des Moines.

The 43rd annual Iowa Pork Congress is being held Jan. 28 and 29 at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines and all of the educational opportunities are offered at no additional cost to registered participants.

Many of the industry's top experts and facilitators will present sessions on PEDv, pit foaming, markets and more. In addition to the seminars, producers can obtain or renew certification in the pork industry's PQA Plus and TQA program as well as manure application.

The following is a complete schedule of seminars, training sessions and speakers:

Wednesday, January 28

Seminars
● Iowa Regulations & Nuisance Case Update
Eldon McAfee - Beving, Swanson & Forrest
9:15 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Hy-Vee Hall, lower level, Rooms 105 & 106

● PEDv to Date: Reporting, Control & Biosecurity
Dr. David Schmitt - IDALS
Dr. Matt Anderson - Suidae Health and Production
Dr. Darin Madson - Iowa State University
10:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Hy-Vee Hall, lower level, rooms 107 & 108

● Foaming at the Pit: A Research Update
Dr. Steve Hoff - Iowa State University
Dr. Dan Andersen - Iowa State University
Dr. Brian Kerr - USDA
12:45 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.
Hy-Vee Hall, lower level, rooms 105 & 106

●   Agriculture: Trends, Topics, Tomorrow - Keynote Presentation
Damian Mason
2 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.
Hy-Vee Hall, lower level, Rooms 107 & 108

● Profit Tracker 2015: Economic Outlook
Dr. Steve Meyer - Paragon Economics
3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Hy-Vee Hall, lower level, rooms 105 & 106
Underwritten by National Hog Farmer

Training Sessions
● Pork Quality Assurance Plus certification
Dr. Matt Swantek - Iowa State University Extension & Outreach
10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Hy-Vee Hall, lower level, room 103

● Transport Quality Assurance certification
 Mark Storlie - Iowa State University Extension & Outreach
 1 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
  Hy-Vee Hall, lower level, room 103

Thursday, January 29
Seminars
● Evaluating & Addressing Consumer Trust
Allyson Perry - Center for Food Integrity
9:15 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.
Hy-Vee Hall, lower level, rooms 107 & 108

● Policy Directions Impacting Animal Agriculture
Steve Kopperud - Policy Directions
10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Hy-Vee Hall, lower level, rooms 105 & 106
Underwritten by National Pork Producers Council

● Building Traceability: Health Monitoring & Animal Care Audits
Dr. Patrick Webb - National Pork Board
Sherrie Webb - National Pork Board
11:45 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Hy-Vee Hall, lower level, rooms 107 & 108

● Showing Transparency through Social Media & Farm Tourism
Erin Brenneman - Washington Co. pork producer
Jon Hoek - Belstra Milling Company/ Fair Oaks Pig Adventure
1:15 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Hy-Vee Hall, lower level, rooms 105 & 106
Underwritten by Pork Network

●  Farmland the Movie
2:30 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Hy-Vee Hall, lower level, rooms 107 & 108
      
Training Sessions
● Confinement Site Manure Applicator certification
Jeff Prier - Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Dr. Dan Andersen - Iowa State University
10 a.m. - Noon
Hy-Vee Hall, lower level, room 103

All seminars and training sessions are held in the lower level of Hy-Vee Hall at the Iowa Events Center. Seminars are funded by the Pork Checkoff!

The Iowa Pork Congress is open to all pork producers, allied business partners and others involved in the pork industry. Show hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Jan. 28 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Jan. 29.

Admission at the door is $10.

For more information, contact the Iowa Pork Producers Association at (515) 225-7675, (800) 372-7675 or visit www.iowaporkcongress.org.



Farm Futures' latest survey shows more soybeans, less corn than previous estimates.

Record crops and low prices have farmers embracing change in 2015, with acreage shifts continuing to move fields from corn to soybeans, according to the latest Farm Futures survey.

“Potential for big surprises in the January 12 USDA reports could put even more ground into play,” says Bryce Knorr, Farm Futures senior market analyst.

The magazine’s final survey of 2014 shows smaller corn and soybean crops due mostly to lower than previously reported acreage. Farmers harvested 14.197 billion bushels of corn in 2014, a record, but down 210 million from USDA’s last estimate. Farmers reported harvesting more than 1 million acres less than the government currently estimates. Yields should be down a little as well, falling to 173 bushels per acre (bpa), 0.4 bpa less than USDA’s last projection.

The survey showed a similar trend in soybeans. While total production was a record 3.844 billion bushels, that was 114 million less than USDA’s estimate. Farm Futures put soybean harvested acreage down 1.3 million, with the yield at 46.8 bpa, compared to USDA’s 47.5 bpa.

“Coupled with strong demand, especially for soybeans, the reduction in production should convince USDA to lower its estimate of 2014 crop ending stocks,” says Knorr, who conducted the research. “That could trigger rallies as farmers finalize planting choices for this spring.”

Farm Futures first survey of 2015 planting intentions conducted late last summer showed growers ready for a massive move into soybeans, which appeared more profitable than corn at the time. That advantage receded during the post-harvest rally, but farmers said they still want to boost their bean seedings this spring at the expense of corn.

“Our latest survey found growers ready to put in even more soybeans,” says Knorr. That's 88.3 million acres in all, almost 5% more than USDA currently forecasts for 2014 and nearly 2% more than the August Farm Futures survey found.  Some of the additional ground would come from corn, where plantings could fall to 88.5 million, down 2.2% from Farm Futures August estimate and 2.6% less than USDA’s current estimate for 2014.

USDA reports its first estimate of winter wheat seedings January 12, with significant changes likely for that crop too. Farm Futures puts total winter wheat seedings at 42.6 million, down 2.3% from August but up .6% from 2014.

“Farmers in the eastern Midwest seeded less soft red winter wheat due to the late fall harvest,” says Knorr. While USDA won’t report planting intentions for spring crops until March 31, Farm Futures' survey found farmers ready to increase seedings of both spring wheat and durum. That would boost total wheat acreage to 57.6 million, up 1.4% from 2014.

“Growers have even more flexibility this spring with planting choices because less fertilizer was applied last fall than normal,” Knorr says.  “Farmers told us they put down 5% less nitrogen than normal, and applications of phosphates and potash were 6% to 7% lower.”

Farm Futures surveyed more than 1,650 farmers by email December 17-January 3. Results were reported at the opening of the 9th annual Farm Futures Business Summit in St. Louis.



National Corn Growers Welcomes 114th Congress

National Corn Growers Association President Chip Bowling and staff from the NCGA's DC office spent Tuesday on Capitol Hill, welcoming the 114th Congress to Washington and talking up the importance of agriculture to the American economy.

"We are here to welcome the new Congress, and to encourage them to work together with one another and the Obama Administration to advance policies that help agriculture and family farmers," said Bowling. "I was encouraged not only by the warm reception we received, but also a hope that lawmakers will set aside past divisions, find common ground, and get things done."

In his floor speech after reelection as Speaker of the House, John Boehner called on Republicans and Democrats to work together. "I ask that we disagree without being disagreeable. ... Every day you and I come here, try to cultivate good seeds, and take care of the pests. And then with patience, sacrifice, and God's grace, there will be a harvest," said Boehner. "Let's make this a time of harvest."

Bowling said the day reinforced to him the important work NCGA and state affiliates do representing the interests of agriculture in Washington. "We met with Republicans and Democrats, Senators and Representatives, long-time officials and new faces. Everyone stressed the importance of National Corn Growers and our state organizations in giving farmers a voice on Capitol Hill."



EIA: Ethanol Stocks Rise to 2-Year High

The Energy Information Administration released data Wednesday showing ethanol inventories in the United States increased to a near two-year high while production and demand both fell last week.

Total ethanol stockpiles jumped nearly 800,000 barrels (bbl), or 4.2%, to 18.845 million bbl during the week-ended Jan. 2, while up 2.7 million bbl, or 16.8%, from the supply level seen a year earlier.

Most of the increase occurred in the producer PADD 2 Midwest region, where supplies spiked 400,000 bbl to 6.7 million bbl, with supply also building in the PADD 3 Gulf Coast and PADD 5 West Coast regions.

Plant production declined for the second straight week, plunging 23,000 barrels per day (bpd), or 2.4%, to 949,000 bpd, while up 3.3% year-over-year. Four-week average output at 976,000 bpd was up 5.9% from year prior.

Blender inputs, a proxy for ethanol demand, fell 67,000 bbl, or 7.8%, to 789,000 bpd, while up 33,000 bbl, or 3.9%, on year-over-year basis. The four-week average input rate at 845,000 bpd was up 3.4% from a year ago.

Gasoline demand decreased 805,000 bpd to 8.8 million bpd. Over the last four weeks, motor gasoline product supplied averaged over 9.3 million bpd, up 5.5% from the same period last year.



NFU Guest Opinion: Trading Away Our Future?

National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson argues in a POLITICO Pro guest column today that all future U.S. trade agreements should be negotiated with the goal of reducing the U.S. trade deficit, while ensuring that our trading partners are keeping up with their end of the agreement and abiding by U.S. standards.

“U.S. trade negotiators have lost sight of getting a fair shake in trade over the years as they have entered into a string of agreements under the assumption that increased trade and the elimination of trade and investment barriers was, in and of itself, a worthy goal,” notes Johnson. “In fact, our nation has been so willing to sacrifice almost anything in its lust for more trade that the concept of fair and equal trade seems to have fallen into an abyss.”

Johnson argues that trade is neither inherently good nor bad; it’s just trade. “And for the U.S., it has become anything but fair,” he says.

Johnson points out that while trade has benefitted U.S. agriculture, which represents about 10 percent of net exports, the good news stops there. “In fact, since joining the World Trade Organization (WTO) and entering into free trade agreements with 20 different countries, instead of promoting economic growth, the U.S. has seen its trade deficit increase. And as such, it has become a major net drag on our economy,” he says.

The U.S. had a $471.5 billion trade deficit in 2013. In the month of September 2014 alone, the U.S. had a $43 billion trade deficit, which, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, represented a full three percent drag on the U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP). “In other words, if the trade deficit didn’t exist, our economy would be doing three percent better, generating good jobs for Americans and offering a future for our children,” he says.

Johnson explains that under various trade agreements, many important U.S. laws protecting investors, labor rights, the environment and the U.S. currency have been preempted in favor of —simply— more trade. “The net result is that products are often produced in nations with the lowest standards in these areas, hurting U.S. workers who are competing on uneven turf and pushing the nation deeper into debt,” he says. 

Johnson argues that this nation’s leaders – on both sides of the aisle – seem fully committed to rushing into yet more trade talks. The U.S. is currently negotiating two trade deals: the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), an agreement with 11 countries in the Asia-Pacific region and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), an agreement with the European Union.

Johnson notes that the U.S. needs to take a new approach to trade, which includes three important guidelines:
1.      All future U.S. trade agreements should have the goal of reducing and ultimately eliminating the U.S. trade deficit, not just increasing trade flows.
2.      The U.S. must not enter agreements that will subvert the jurisdiction of our important and hard-fought domestic laws, protecting workers, the environment and our children.
3.      The U.S. needs to stop thinking of trade as if it were a club by which it can single-handedly browbeat other nations into changing their behavior. “It was this mindset that brought us the failed Cuban trade embargo, something National Farmers Union has opposed for years. Thankfully, the Obama administration has taken the first step. Now it is time for Congress to fully lift the embargo.”

“The time is now to open a new chapter on America’s trade policies. Moving forward, let’s make sure these deals have real, balanced and fair benefits for us, before we put our names on them,” he says.  



CHS reports $378.7 million first-quarter earnings for fiscal 2015

CHS Inc. (NASDAQ: CHSCP), the nation's leading farmer-owned cooperative and a global energy, grains and foods company, today reported net income of $378.7 million for the first quarter of its 2015 fiscal year.

Earnings for the period Sept. 1 – Nov. 30, 2014, increased 56 percent from $242.2 million recorded in the first quarter of fiscal 2014. The increase was largely attributed to stronger refining margins in the company's energy business. Revenues for the quarter were $9.5 billion, down from $11.0 billion for the same period in fiscal 2014, primarily due to decreased average grain selling prices.

Fiscal 2015 first quarter earnings for the company's Energy segment increased over the same period a year ago, reflecting strong performance by CHS refined fuels business, along with increased earnings for its lubricants and transportation operations. Propane earnings declined from the same period a year ago as a result of a delayed harvest and reduced grain drying during the first quarter.

Fiscal 2015 first quarter earnings for the CHS Ag segment – which includes its domestic and global grain and crop nutrients businesses, renewable fuels, local retail operations and processing and food ingredients – increased slightly over the same period a year ago. This was primarily due to strong grain handling logistics within both retail and wholesale operations. CHS renewable fuels manufacturing, marketing and distribution also recorded results ahead of the first quarter of fiscal 2014, while processing and food ingredients operations reported lower year-over-year earnings for the quarter.

CHS reports earnings for its business services and its food-related joint ventures under Corporate and Other. Combined earnings for CHS hedging, finance and insurance businesses declined slightly during the first quarter of fiscal 2015 compared with the first quarter of fiscal 2014. Earnings for the quarter increased over the same period a year ago for the CHS share of food manufacturer and distributor Ventura Foods, LLC, but declined for its share of earnings from wheat milling joint ventures.



Monsanto: First-Quarter Milestones Reinforce Growth
Monsanto Company delivered earnings per share for the first quarter of fiscal year 2015 ahead of expectations it outlined at the beginning of the fiscal year, with the company confirming full-year ongoing earnings per share growth and free cash flow guidance. The company highlighted several key first-quarter milestones, including strong soybean results driven by Intacta RR2 PRO as the product is projected to exceed its 10-12 million acre target. The company also noted the USDA's final Environmental Impact Statement concluding that Monsanto's Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans and Bollgard II XtendFlex cotton should be fully deregulated. During its annual update, Monsanto highlighted advancements across the industry's broadest research and development pipeline, including its breeding, biotechnology, crop protection, microbials, BioDirect and Climate platforms.

"We made significant progress on key milestones in the first quarter that reinforce the confidence we have in delivering in fiscal year 2015 and over the multi-year horizon," said Hugh Grant, chairman and chief executive officer for Monsanto. "The differentiator for our business remains our focus on continued innovation both in our core business and new platforms. The near-term headwinds in agriculture persist, but our ability to deliver new solutions to help farmers improve yields while efficiently using resources provides the opportunity to deliver growth in both the current environment and over the longer-term."

Net sales for the quarter decreased over the prior year's first quarter to $2.9 billion. Gross profit for the 2015 first quarter also decreased over the prior year period to $1.4 billion. As previewed in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2014, the decline in gross profit in the quarter is due largely to lower planted acres for corn in South America and in cotton in Australia, combined with a timing shift as the company moves more of its Agricultural Productivity business to branded-product sales that historically occur more in the third quarter.

Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) costs were $580 million and R&D expenses were $412 million for the quarter, with the combined operating expenses being close to flat with the prior year. Disciplined reductions in the base spend allowed for increased spend in the company's new platforms to help support the long-term growth prospects for these opportunities.

The company's first quarter earnings per share (EPS) was $0.47 on an ongoing basis, ahead of the company's initial guidance to be at approximately half of the prior year first quarter.

The company confirmed its fiscal year 2015 ongoing earnings per share guidance of $5.75 to $6.00. Full-year 2015 EPS guidance on an as-reported basis is expected in the range of $5.78 to $6.03 per share. The company also reaffirmed free cash flow in the range of $2 billion to $2.2 billion for fiscal year 2015. The company expects net cash provided by operating activities to be $3.2 billion to $3.6 billion, and net cash required by investing activities to be approximately $1.2 billion to $1.4 billion.



Fostera® PRRS Licensed to Help Protect the Whole Herd

Fostera® PRRS, from Zoetis, is now licensed for whole herd protection against both the respiratory and reproductive forms of disease caused by porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus.

The new reproductive claim, recently granted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), allows for vaccination of sows and gilts pre-breeding to help provide protection against the reproductive form of the disease. The new respiratory claim allows for vaccination of pigs 1 day of age or older against the respiratory form of the disease.

With the new claims, Fostera PRRS is now the first and only PRRS modified-live virus (MLV) vaccine to be licensed for the vaccination of healthy, susceptible swine 1 day of age or older in PRRS virus-positive herds to:
·         Aid in preventing reproductive disease with a duration of immunity of at least 19 weeks*
·         Aid in preventing respiratory disease with a duration of immunity of at least 26 weeks

“PRRS continues to have devastating impacts on the swine industry, totaling more than $1 billion per year in production-related losses and disease-control expenses,” said Brett O’Brien, VMD, MS, Pork Technical Services, Zoetis.1 “Now, with label claims against both respiratory and reproductive forms of PRRS, Fostera PRRS helps bring solutions to the whole herd and producers’ bottom line.”

Helping protect the reproductive herd
New research on Fostera PRRS allowed the vaccine to gain one of the USDA’s highest label claims of “aids in prevention” designation for its reproductive claim. In a clinical research study, 33 times more piglets were born alive to gilts vaccinated with Fostera PRRS compared with unvaccinated controls.2

“Reproductive disease caused by PRRS results in 8.3 million fewer weaned piglets each year,” Dr. O’Brien said. “Fostera PRRS has been shown to reduce the detrimental impacts of PRRS in the breeding herd.”2

In one study, PRRS virus-negative gilts were vaccinated with Fostera PRRS approximately six weeks pre-breeding. The vaccinates and controls were then challenged in the third trimester. The use of Fostera PRRS helped preserve more viable live piglets by helping prevent the reproductive form of the disease.2 In addition, Fostera PRRS helped reduce the incidence and duration of clinical disease in the challenged pregnant gilts.

Safety of Fostera PRRS also was evaluated. The results of a safety study showed minimal injection site reactions, and similar low rates occurred in all gestational classes and treatment groups.3

Earlier protection for growing pigs
Respiratory disease caused by PRRS virus accounts for more than half of the economic impact to the industry from pneumonia, poor performance and immunological suppression.1 Getting growing pigs the protection they need earlier in life may offer tangible benefits compared with products that require vaccinations at weaning. Fostera PRRS now can be administered as early as 1 day of age, allowing for vaccination of the piglets on the sow farm.

“Moving PRRS vaccination early into the farrowing house can help provide protection against earlier onset of disease,” Dr. O’Brien said. “That’s an important factor for farms where PRRS threatens pigs early in their lives soon after weaning.”

In the study to support the 1-day-of-age vaccination, Fostera PRRS reduced the severity of lung lesions by 98.4% compared with the controls.4 Clinical signs of disease were reduced post-challenge in the group of piglets receiving vaccinations.4

“Not only does Fostera PRRS help provide protection to growing pigs earlier in life but also helps provide demonstrated protection longer into the production cycle,” Dr. O’Brien said.

Another study also demonstrated that, when given at 1 day of age, Fostera PRRS has a duration of immunity of at least 26 weeks to help protect against respiratory disease in growing pigs.5

Helping protect the whole herd
Along with the additional claims, Fostera PRRS is backed by a team of experts who can work with you to assess your herd health and help implement and monitor your vaccine program. Fostera PRRS is supported by a broad portfolio of products and services from Zoetis to help you find the right solutions to help protect your entire herd against PRRS and the co-infections associated with this disease.



New Holland Introduces CR6.80 Combine

The CR6.80, the newest addition to New Holland’s CR combine series, is a new model focused on the mixed farming operation engaged in both livestock and crop production. The CR6.80 provides a maximum 374 hp and is designed to work with grain heads up to 30 feet wide and 8-row corn heads. Offering the same advantages of the larger models in the CR Series – capacity, productivity, less grain loss and high grain quality -- the CR6.80 is for the grower who demands the smart features that New Holland combines deliver, but does not require the higher capacity of the more powerful CR models.

“The CR6.80 provides all the benefits of Twin Rotor®  and other smart harvesting technology, plus the harvesting comfort of the new Harvest Suite™ Ultra cab in a package that is perfect for the customer with fewer acres,” says Dan Valen, New Holland North America Cash Crop Equipment Segment Marketing Leader. “Forty years ago, New Holland was the first in the marketplace with a rotary combine and we are still the only manufacturer with a Twin Rotor design. Now with the CR6.80 combine, smart customers with the need of a 30-foot wide grain head or 8-row corn head can enjoy the benefits the Twin Rotor delivers: highest capacity in its class, outstanding grain quality, and lowest cost of ownership.”

Proven technologies deliver more capacity
New Holland continues to improve and refine its proven Twin Rotor technology, which is designed for high-capacity harvesting, delivering high outputs and superior grain quality.

The standard Advanced Stone Protection system provides assurance against damage caused by rocks and at the same time, delivers legendary CR high-quality grain.

The self-leveling cleaning system uses a unique grain pan system that stratifies grain and spreads it evenly, as it feeds into the cleaning system, for more efficient cleaning.  A sensor reads changes in terrain and automatically levels the cleaning system up to a 15% slope, keeping the combine’s cleaning system running at peak efficiency, capturing more grain in the tank.

The CR Series has the largest cleaning area in the industry, improving capacity in every condition. The grain tank’s high capacity –315 bushels –  is combined with a fast unloading speed of up to 3.7 bushels/second, for optimum efficiency.

Like all combines in the CR Series, the 374-hp CR6.80 features ECOBlue™ Hi-eSCR engine technology.New Holland’s highly efficient ECOBlue technology delivers impressive fuel savings while meeting Tier 4B emissions standards.

Harvest Suite™ Ultra cab: designed for ultimate harvesting comfort
Designed in consultation with customers, the new Harvest Suite Ultra cab defines harvesting comfort. The cab has 131 cu. ft. of space, and the interior layout has been designed for ergonomics and comfort. The new force-based CommandGrip™ multifunction handle is intuitive to use and makes it easy to fine-tune harvesting speed, optimizing performance.

The new cab features 68 sq. ft. of glassed area, and with the floor sloping down into the front windscreen, the operator has excellent visibility all around with a clear view of the header.

When harvesting continues into the night, the lighting package ensures unsurpassed visibility of the entire header and the field ahead. An unloading auger light for precision unloading and four rear work lights, allow farmers to continue to work long after dark.