Friday March 13 Ag News

WP Chamber Ag Appreciation Dinner is March 19th

The West Point Chamber of Commerce annual Ag Appreciation Dinner will be held on Thursday, March 19th. The event will be held at the Nielsen Center beginning at 6:00 p.m. with a social hour. The dinner and program will begin at 7:00 p.m.

Tim Nolting, a cowboy poet and musician, will be this year’s entertainment. In addition to the entertainment, this year’s event will include a demonstration by the Cuming County Public Power District and blood pressure screenings by the Elkhorn Valley Public Health Department. The screenings will be done from 6-7:30 p.m. and the demonstration will be held at 6:15 and will show attendants what happens when a power line goes down and how to respond.

Stop by any of the sponsors to get your free tickets.  This year’s sponsors include:
Advanced Consulting & Engineering Services
Beed Transportation
CharterWest National Bank
Citizens State Bank
Cuming County Economic Development
Cuming County Farm Bureau
Cuming County Public Power District
F&M Bank
Farm Credit Services of America
Feller Law Office
First Community Bank-Beemer
Franciscan Care Services
Grain States Soya
Harry Knobbe Feedyards
Hugo Plumbing & Heating
INSPRO Insurance
K&R Equipment
Kaup Seed & Fertilizer
KTIC/107.9 The Bull
Lincoln Street Market
Nebraska Veterinary Services
Northeast Community College
Prinz Grain & Feed
Sapp Brothers Petroleum
Seed Enterprises
State Farm Insurance
Valmont Coatings-West Point Galvanizing
Wells Fargo Bank
West Point Implement & Design
West Point News



GIT R DONE
Bruce Anderson, UNL Extension Forage Specialist
               A little nice spring-like weather always causes an outbreak of diesel fever among farmers.  Before you start working your row crop land, however, let’s take a look at your alfalfa.

                We are getting closer and closer to field work time.  In fact, many folks already are anxious to apply fertilizer, spray fields, even chop stalks.

               If you also have alfalfa, though, it is critical that you take a little time to check those fields over the next couple weeks to make sure you don’t miss making some important decisions.

               First is weed control.  As I discussed during one of these programs last week, last fall provided excellent weather conditions, both moisture and temperature, to start a bumper crop of winter annual weeds like mustards, pennycress, and wild oats or downy brome.  If you want to prevent these weeds from possibly damaging your first cutting, you must act now to apply the right herbicides before your alfalfa develops much growth.

               Next comes evaluating your alfalfa stand.  With all the alternative cropping and forage options available to you, there is no good excuse for having low production from fields due to a thin stand of alfalfa.  If stands in your alfalfa fields have declined to the point where you should make additions like oats for extra hay this year or maybe orchardgrass for more permanent help, these plantings need to be done now, before your alfalfa gets too much of a head start and overwhelms later planted new seedlings.

               I know you are tempted to rush ahead to prepare for corn and bean planting.  But don’t forget about your alfalfa.  Even a short delay could be too late.



Nebraska Farm Bureau Says Federal Dietary Guidelines Should Focus on Nutrition, Not Environment

The Nebraska Farm Bureau says the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Dietary Guidelines for Americans should continue to focus on nutritional science rather than environmental issues. The comments were made in a March 11 letter sent by Nebraska Farm Bureau President Steve Nelson to both USDA and HHS. A government advisory committee charged with making recommendations on changes to the federal dietary guidelines issued a report in Feb. suggesting revised dietary guidelines should take into consideration how food is raised and impacts of food production on the environment.

“For years USDA’s Food Pyramid, and more recently the “My Plate” initiative, have provided good nutritional recommendations for Americans on dietary needs and direction for government food programs. The guidelines have appropriately focused on what constitutes a balanced diet. Changing that to focus on issues like climate change goes well beyond the scope of determining proper nutritional intake.” Said Nelson.

The USDA and HHS will determine how it will use the information in the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee report as the government develops the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2015, which are the final nutritional standards set to be released later this year. This is the first time non-nutrition based considerations have been proposed.

“This administration has a long track record of trying to reach further and further into people’s personal lives. It’s one thing to make science-based nutritional information available to the public, it’s another to try and advance an environmental agenda using dietary recommendations,” said Nelson.

According to Nelson, farmers and ranchers are continuously adopting new technology that improves the way they raise food and much of that involves minimizing environmental impacts.

“Precision agriculture technology is making it easier all the time for famers to reduce the amount of water and crop protection products we use in agriculture. It’s just another evolution in agriculture that helps us be better farmers and enhance land stewardship,” said Nelson. “Tying dietary guidelines to farming practices and environmental agendas just goes too far.”

USDA and HHS are accepting public comments on the report through April 8.



Nebraska Farmers Union Completes Series of Specialty Crops Producer Trainings

Nebraska Farmers Union has completed its series of five one day producer trainings held in Grand Island, Norfolk, Lincoln, and Omaha.  The trainings were geared toward specialty crops including vegetables, fruits and nuts.  There was a wide range of expert presenters covering good agricultural practices, insurance coverage, financial management, market development, employee management, and wholesale success.

The first two trainings focused on Good Agriculture Practices (GAPs), food safety and development of farm safety plans for their operations. These safety plans pave the way for compliance with the new regulations from the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act.  NeFU partnered with UNL Extensions to provide these in-depth trainings. The following trainings focused on Employees, Insurance, Meeting with Buyers and Financing from the FSA. One full day was spent on Holistic Financial Management teaching the nuts and bolts of running the farm to produce a profit. Participants were provided work books and other materials to use on their farms.

For the final session, participants from all four locations came to Lincoln atSoutheast Community College’s auditorium to hear renowned grower Atina Diffley. They were served food catered by local producers Prairie Plate, run by Renee and Jerry Cornett.

Jeremiah Picard, NeFU Outreach Director who organized the workshops said, “This series of trainings focused on small to medium specialty crop producers to increase their skills so they can take full advantage of future economic and growth opportunities for their businesses. These types of targeted trainings are designed to help insure that our local food and specialty crop producers continue to grow and thrive as they gear up to meet the increasing consumer demand for locally grown foods.  We hope to continue additional trainings in the future. ”

One attendee had this to say about the workshops: “This class is invaluable to us as farmers – very helpful in clearing up confusing issues around food safety and processing vegetables. Thank you!”

NeFU President John Hansen said “The workshops were designed to increase the economic viability of the participants by providing them with the tools necessary to reach new profitable markets including schools, restaurants, grocery stores and other wholesale markets. Thanks to the funding of USDA’s Agriculture Marketing Service, Local Food Promotion Program, we hopefully helped grow the capacity of our local food producers to help them meet the growing needs of food consumers.”



National Beef Organizations Agree on Enhancements to National Beef Checkoff Program

Today, seven national organizations, members of the Beef Checkoff Enhancement Working Group (BCEWG), signed a revised Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding agreed-upon  enhancements to the national Beef Checkoff Program. These organizations are the American Farm Bureau Federation, the American National CattleWomen, Inc., the Livestock Marketing Association, the Meat Import Council of America, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the National Livestock Producers Association and the National Milk Producers Federation.

The Beef Checkoff Program is a producer and importer-funded marketing and research program
designed to increase global demand for beef. This is accomplished through investments in education,
research, and promotion.

The Beef Checkoff Program is funded through a $1 per head assessment each time cattle are sold. Due to inflation, the $1.00 per head checkoff which was implemented in 1986 has deflated to $.47.

Highlights of the revised MOU to enhance the national Beef Checkoff Program include:

- These organizations will support legislation to increase the current Beef Checkoff Program of
$1.00 per head to $2.00 per head.

- Within a year of the legislation being signed into law, a referendum will be conducted among
beef producers and beef importers to increase the assessment. If a majority of the Beef
Checkoff Program payers indicate they would like to increase the checkoff, the assessment rate
would increase.

- Assessments will continue to be collected as they are now and State Beef Councils will have the
authority to retain 50 percent of the assessment.

- A refund of the additional assessment amount, but not the current $1.00 per head, will be
available to beef producers paying into the checkoff.

- Every five years, the Secretary of Agriculture will publicize a 30-day comment period of time
during which beef checkoff payers may request a referendum vote on the continuation of the
Beef Checkoff Program and/or a change to the assessment rate. If ten percent or more beef
checkoff payers request such a referendum, a timely referendum will be held. The wishes of
beef checkoff payers indicated by a majority vote in the referendum will be implemented. The
current ability for the Secretary to conduct a referendum only on the continuation of the beef
checkoff if ten percent or more of beef checkoff payers sign a petition will remain in place.

- The new Joint Nominating Committee, which will recommend candidates to serve on the Beef
Promotion Operating Committee (BPOC), will include members from the Cattlemen’s Beef
Board, the Federation of State Beef Councils, and other national organizations representing beef
checkoff payers.

- The Cattlemen’s Beef Board will annually provide all interested eligible contractors information
and training on the contracting process.

The group will continue its work to develop a road map for simultaneously recommending and
advocating for the outcomes highlighted in the revised MOU.



NFU Says Proposed Beef Checkoff MOU Fails to Make Any Meaningful Reforms

National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson said that ongoing conversations about how to improve the beef checkoff have again failed to lead to greater producer comfort with how the checkoff is handled and strongly opposed the Beef Checkoff Enhancement Working Group (BCEWG) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the checkoff that was agreed upon today.

“Since the very beginning of this process several years ago, NFU has hoped that these ongoing discussions would lead to a beef checkoff program that was not controlled by a single policy organization and focused its resources primarily on research and promotion instead of lobbying,” said Johnson.  “When it became clear that these changes would never happen, NFU withdrew from the process altogether.”

Johnson’s comments were made at the conclusion of a two-day meeting that sought a consensus memorandum of understanding among cattle producers about how to move forward with meaningful and needed enhancements in the beef checkoff program.  U.S. Cattlemen’s Association has refused to sign the MOU. Two major groups representing cattlemen, NFU and USCA, have either left the BCEWG or refused to sign the MOU. The BCEWG has failed to reach consensus on a path forward for the beef checkoff. 

The MOU fails to make revisions that would result in reform for the way the checkoff operates. The MOU also proposes a refundable increase in the assessment of $1. It also allows for national lobbying organizations that are major recipients of checkoff dollars to be on the nominating committee for the Beef Promotion Operating Committee (BPOC). The BPOC decides who receives contracts for checkoff dollars. This creates a clear conflict of interest for the checkoff.

Johnson pointed out that NFU’s vision for the beef checkoff would ensure that control of the program is held by producers who are actively involved in production agriculture; would exclusively promote domestic product; would exclude processors from positions of leadership and financial responsibility, and would review referendums executed by USDA every five years offering a program recall in the event of a simple majority vote; and would prohibit.

“The MOU is honestly a waste of everyone’s time because it will fail to achieve the real reforms that need to be made,” said Johnson.




U.S. Soy Family Leaders Meet with Chinese Government and Industry on Biotech

The CEOs of the American Soybean Association, United Soybean Board, and the US Soybean Export Council, along with USSEC Chair Laura Foell are in China this week meeting with Chinese government officials and industry leaders about China’s biotech approval process. China’s biotech approvals process has gone from slow but predictable — taking approximately 28 months — to now taking 40 months or more.

With a number of new soybean traits in the pipeline and ready for commercialization, the U.S. soy family is interested to securing timely approval of new traits, while safeguarding U.S. soy exports to China. The purpose of this trip is to assess current and potential strategies to accomplish this goal. Key points emphasized are that farmers worldwide need access to new seed technologies if they are to meet growing Chinese and world demand for soy in the face of increasing weed and disease pressures. Chinese demand for soy is growing 3 to 5 million metric tons per year as Chinese farmers use soy in feed rations to increase production of meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products for Chinese consumers. Thus, there is shared interest in a timely, transparent and science-based biotech approval process for new seed technologies so we can meet China’s food security needs today and into the future.



'Rev It Up' Checkoff Contest Announced

The Beef Checkoff Program has a unique opportunity to encourage checkoff investors to share how they personally benefit from checkoff efforts, thanks to a generous donation from Yamaha of a 3-passenger VikingTM EPS 4x4 with specialized accessories valued at $21,728.07.

Starting March 16, beef and dairy producers can enter the “Rev It Up” My ROI Checkoff Challenge by visiting the MyBeefCheckoff Facebook page to share how the beef checkoff has impacted their operations. The Rev It Up contest will have two rounds:  The first stretches eight weeks, with responses to weekly questions about how the Beef Checkoff Program has affected their cattle operations. On Monday of each week during Round 1, the checkoff will post a new question on the MyBeefCheckoff Facebook page. Participants are asked to simply answer the checkoff question in 250 words or less for a chance to be selected as one of eight finalists and win a weekly prize.

After all weekly winners/finalists have been chosen, Round 2 involves each of the winners from Round 1 producing a two- to three-minute video testimonial about a topic provided to them on May 13. All finalists will have the same amount of time — about a week — to create their video. Visitors to the Facebook page then will vote to select the grand-prize winner.

The grand-prize winner will be announced Monday, June 8.

“As beef producers, we have an exciting story to share about what the checkoff means to us individually. A recent Return on Investment (ROI) study showed that every dollar invested in our Beef Checkoff Program returns $11.20,” says Jeanne Harland, chairman of the Producer Communications Working Group. “That’s great news for our industry, and this challenge will enable us to share original, unique checkoff-related stories with other beef producers. So ‘rev up’ the good news, get your video camera or phone ready, and enter today!”

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



USDA Strategies to Reduce E. coli Levels at Beef Slaughterhouses
Philip Bronstein, FSIS Senior Microbiologist 

Reduction of E. coli O157 illnesses since the mid-1990's has been one of the Food Safety and Inspection Service's greatest public health successes, with illnesses having dropped by over 50% since 1998. While overall illnesses are down significantly, the most recently available outbreak data shows a slight increase in illnesses from this dangerous pathogen. FSIS' Strategic Performance Working Group (SPWG) has released a six-point strategy to turn the trend back in the right direction.

The Strategic Performance Working Group includes professionals from across FSIS, including field personnel, microbiologists, and policymakers who come together periodically to tackle serious and stubborn challenges that limit the Agency's successful performance of its mission. The SPWG previously developed the Salmonella Action Plan, which has been the agency's blueprint for tackling Salmonella since December 2013. Now the SPWG is also recommending a multipronged approach to address pathogenic E. coli in beef slaughterhouses.

The SPWG determined that a reduction in O157 could be achieved in two ways. First, the Agency needs to improve how FSIS inspection personnel verify plant performance of sanitary dressing procedures through better training, more correlations, and developing a standard to assess industry's performance of sanitary dressing. Drawing on the experience of its members, the SPWG also stated that the training would be most effective if it included photographs and real-world scenarios to effectively illustrate the issues discussed in the documents.

Second, the SPWG recommended improving the information available to industry on how sanitary dressing should be performed. The SPWG said the Agency could do so by publishing a guide containing suggestions for best practices.

More detailed information about the SPWG's findings and recommendations mentioned here can be found on the FSIS website at Strategic Performance Working Group: Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli Findings. We are confident in this approach and look forward to being able to report lower illness numbers as a result of this report and future issues that the SPWG will work to address.



NASCAR® Tops 7 Million Miles of Racing on American Ethanol Blend

Odometers are not standard equipment on the race cars competing in NASCAR but if they were, collectively they would surpass a momentous milestone this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway. NASCAR began running Sunoco Green E15 in its three top national series back in 2011 and this coming Saturday during the NASCAR XFINITY Series™ Axalta Faster. Tougher. Brighter. 200 race, NASCAR will hit and surpass 7 million miles of racing, the equivalent of almost 30 trips from the earth to the moon or 281 laps around the earth!

NASCAR made the fuel change in conjunction with their NASCAR Green® Platform, the largest and most comprehensive recycling, tree planting and renewable energy programs in sports. Not only has the move to Sunoco Green E15 proven to be an environmentally beneficial decision, it’s actually boosted the performance of the race cars in all three national series – lowering emissions and increasing horsepower.

"From our initial seamless transition to Sunoco Green E15, a 15 percent American-grown, American-made ethanol racing fuel blend in Daytona in 2011 to 7 million miles reached here at Phoenix International Raceway, NASCAR has shown under the most demanding competition that E15 is safe, reliable and it works,” said Dr. Michael Lynch, Vice President, NASCAR Green Innovation and STEM Platforms. “NASCAR fans are 80 percent more likely than non-fans to support the use of ethanol blends in their own car on the street, because they understand that NASCAR and our diligent race teams did our homework from the start with thousands of miles and hours of testing.”

"NASCAR validates what a great performance fuel [E15] is,” said Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy. “If you meet with the teams and talk with the owners, they have noticed only increased horsepower, higher performance, and reduced emissions without a single issue when it comes to durability and dependability.” Buis added, “This partnership has been critical in showing the American consumer that if E15 performs in the most rigorous and demanding situations in motorsports, it’s clearly a safe, high performance reliable fuel that is good for American consumers who want a choice and savings at the pump.”

“Thanks to countless miles of testing, research and collaboration with NASCAR, we were prepared to run Sunoco Green E15, a 15 percent ethanol fuel in our race cars and the transition was flawless," said Richard Childress, Chairman and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. "We didn’t listen to the negative rhetoric about this, we did our own homework and testing and the switching of fuels has gone fantastic. It has also been very welcomed throughout NASCAR. Since this change took place, we have seen increased horsepower from a higher-octane ethanol fuel blend and decreased emissions. In our own internal tests at RCR, we used ethanol blends up to E30 and found no issues with that fuel, either. If you need any further proof, look no further than the 7 million miles NASCAR is about to complete.”

“Drivers across the United States have a long and successful history with 10 percent ethanol blended fuel,” said Jon Holzfaster, a farmer from Nebraska and National Corn Growers Association Board member. “Frankly, they like the cost savings provided by ethanol and the fact it comes from family farmers. Automotive technology has changed and so have the needs of the public. Cars made since 2001 are designed to run on E15 and NASCAR has proven to be a great way to grow consumer awareness as E15 availability grows.”



AgriBank Announces 2015 Board of Directors

AgriBank today announced the election of one new member of its 18-member board of directors for 2015, as well as the re-election of officers and three directors. Nick Vande Weerd was elected as a new board member. Ed Breuer, John Schmitt and Matthew Walther were re-elected to the board. Douglas Felton and Matthew Walther were re-elected as the board's chair and vice chair, respectively.

The elections took place this week at the 2015 AgriBank Annual Meeting in Orlando, Fla.

Douglas Felton (Chair)
Doug Felton, of Northfield, Minn., owns and operates a 3,000-acre irrigated corn and vegetable production farm and also has cow/calf operations. Felton has served on the AgriBank board since 1996.

Matthew Walther (Vice Chair)
Matt Walther, of Centerville, Ind., has a farming operation consisting of 2,000 row crop acres of corn, soybeans and wheat, and a 120-head cow/calf herd. He has served on the AgriBank board since 2011.

Ed Breuer
Ed Breuer, of Mandan, N.D., owns and operates a 3,850-acre diversified cattle and small grain operation. He raises wheat, barley, corn and oats. He has served on the AgriBank board since 2004.

John Schmitt
John Schmitt, of Quincy, Ill., owns and operates a farmer/feeder operation with 1,100 acres. Crops include corn, soybeans, hay and other forages. His feeder cattle operation purchases, backgrounds and finishes 400 head of cattle annually. Schmitt has served on the AgriBank board since 2007.

Nick Vande Weerd
Nick Vande Weerd, of Brookings, S.D., owns dairy and livestock farming operations that milk 1,250 cows and raise all its own heifers. The operations also include 1,000 acres of corn, soybeans and alfalfa. Prior to joining the AgriBank board, he served on the Farm Credit Services of America board from 2011 to 2015.

About AgriBank
AgriBank is one of the largest banks within the national Farm Credit System, with more than $90 billion in total assets. Under the Farm Credit System’s cooperative structure, AgriBank is primarily owned by 17 affiliated Farm Credit Associations. The AgriBank District covers America’s Midwest, a 15-state area stretching from Wyoming to Ohio and Minnesota to Arkansas. About half of the nation’s cropland is located within the AgriBank District, providing the Bank and its Association owners with expertise in production agriculture. For more information, visit www.AgriBank.com.