Tuesday March 3 Ag News

12 Area Info Meetings Set on Syngenta Corn Lawsuit/Water Rights

Dave Domina and Brian Jorde, agricultural lawyers representing farmers and ranchers across Nebraska, will host a series of free informational meetings providing updates on issues critical to agricultural producers and our state’s economy. Domina will discuss important water issues and what all corn sellers need to know about lawsuits related to Syngenta’s MIR 162 and who is affected.

“It is important those concerned about water issues and access to competitive markets stay informed on the latest legal challenges and opportunities. There has also been an influx of out of state law firms chasing after Nebraska farmers recently and we want to let folks here know the facts, not the hype, about their potential financial recovery against Syngenta and what to do.”

This informational meeting will be held from March 6th – March 10th at Domina is known for his decades of legal work successfully representing farmers, ranchers, and small businesses predominately with agricultural related issues and challenges.

Friday, March 6th
-1:00pm Wilber American Legion (1000 S. School St).
-4:00pm Pawnee City Union Bank & Trust (514 G St).
-6:00pm Tecumseh Community Building (355 Clay) just S of Courthouse.

Saturday, March 7th
-10:00am Syracuse Inn & Suites (130 N. 30th Rd)
-1:00pm Weeping Water Gibson Hall which is the old City Auditorium (207 W. Eldora Ave).
-3:00pm Ashland Public Library (1324 Silver St).

Monday, March 9th
-10:00am North Bend Public Library (110 E. 13th St).
-2:00pm Albion Veterans Club (139 S 3rd St).
-5:00pm Neligh American Legion (115 West 3rd Street).

Tuesday, March 10th
-10:00am Creighton. Walter T. Larsen Senior Center (705 Peabody Ave).
-1:00pm Wayne City Auditorium (220 Pearl St) in North Meeting Room.
-4:00pm Jackson American Legion (Hwy 20). 

More at http://www.dominalaw.com/Investigations/Syngenta-Corn.aspx. 



Roundtable on sustainable American beef created; diverse participant list covers farm-to-fork

A group of U.S. beef value chain participants including producers, processors, retailers, foodservice operators, packers, allied industry and non-governmental organizations today announced the launch of the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (USRSB). The multi-stakeholder roundtable will identify sustainability indicators, establish verification methodologies, and generate field project data to test and confirm sustainability concepts for use throughout the United States. The USRSB adopts an approach whereby social, economic and environmental considerations are balanced to achieve sustainable outcomes.

"Research tells us American consumers are increasingly interested in the social, economic and environmental impacts of the beef they purchase," said Nicole Johnson-Hoffman, vice president of Cargill Value Added Meats and interim chair of USRSB. "For the first time, the entire U.S. beef value chain, including representatives who raise cattle and produce, market and sell beef, in addition to representatives from the NGO community and allied businesses, are coming together to establish metrics and criteria that will be used to benchmark the present and help measure improvements in the sustainability of American beef going forward."

USRSB's mission is to advance, support and communicate continuous improvement in U.S. beef sustainability through leadership, innovation, multi-stakeholder engagement and collaboration. Utilizing the definition for sustainable beef recently released by the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB), the USRSB will develop sustainability indicators relevant to the various beef systems in the United States, as well as a means to verify sustainable progress in a transparent manner that can be shared. Similar to GRSB, the USRSB will not mandate standards or verify the performance of individual beef value chain participants.

"Today's announcement from the United States regarding the formation of a U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef is welcome news to GRSB and our membership," stated Cameron Bruett, head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at JBS USA and president of the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef. "The United States is a world leader in beef production and will play a key role in meeting the global challenge of feeding the world in a sustainable manner that allows future generations to thrive. With the establishments of regional multi-stakeholder beef sustainability roundtables in Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Colombia and now, the United States, it is clear that the international commitment to sustainable beef enjoys tremendous momentum."

The USRSB is being directed by an interim board of directors that includes representatives from Cargill, Beef Marketing Group, Texas Cattle Feeders Association, Micro Technologies, Merck Animal Health, JBS USA, McDonald's, Walmart, World Wildlife Fund, The Nature Conservancy, Noble Foundation and the King Ranch® Institute for Ranch Management. Participation will be open to individual producers, producer associations, processors, retailers, foodservice operators, allied industry and civil society.

"By 2050, more than 9 billion people will consume twice as much food as we do today," said Nancy Labbe, senior program officer, World Wildlife Fund. "We are excited to be part of this important step toward balancing social, economic and environmental demands to feed a growing world while conserving natural resources, reducing waste and preserving biodiversity."

Currently, the USRSB has 43 founding members. They include: Adams Land and Cattle, LLC; AgriBeef Co.; Alabama Cattlemen's Association; Beef Cattle Institute, Kansas State University; Beef Marketing Group; Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation; Certified Angus Beef; Colorado Cattlemen's Association; Costco Wholesale Corporation; Dow AgroSciences LLC; Elanco Animal Health; Florida Cattlemen's Association; FPL Food LLC; Global Food Traceability Center; Golden State Foods; Holistic Management International; JBS USA; Kansas Livestock Association; K-COE ISOM; King Ranch® Institute for Ranch Management; Lopez Foods; McDonald's Corporation; Merck Animal Health; Micro Technologies; Minnesota Cattlemen's Association; Missouri Cattlemen's Association; National Beef Packing Co. LLC; National Cattlemen's Beef Association; National Livestock Producers Association; Nebraska Cattlemen's Association; Oregon Cattlemen's Association; Simplot Livestock Company; Sustainable Rangelands Roundtable; Texas A&M AgriLife Research; Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association; The National Grazing Lands Coalition; Texas Cattle Feeders Association; The Nature Conservancy; The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation; Tyson Foods, Inc.; Walmart; World Wildlife Fund; and Zoetis.

Membership will be open to additional founding members until June 1, 2015.

"American cattlemen and women are proud of our efforts to provide safe, affordable and sustainable beef on the plates of millions of American and global consumers every day," said John Butler, chief executive officer of the Beef Marketing Group, a cattle marketing cooperative located in Kansas and Nebraska. "We stand ready to collaborate in this effort of continuous improvement across the social, economic and environmental aspects of beef production. Working together with members of the U.S. beef value chain, American producers are eager to add the next chapter to our long-standing heritage of stewardship and great-tasting beef."

Learn more at usrsb.org.



Fourth Annual Husker Food Connection is set for April 16

The 2015 Husker Food Connection is scheduled for April 16 at the North entrance of the Student Union on the UNL City Campus. In the case of bad weather, the event will be rescheduled on a date to be announced.

The purpose of the event is to promote agriculture to urban students and help them understand how their food is produced. Lucas Fricke, A-FAN intern in charge of organizing the event, says this year’s event will focus on educating students about science in agriculture. Visitors will be able to learn what the term genetically modified means, which crops have modified seeds available, and the science behind the practice. Fricke added, “We hope to explain the science and build consumer trust in the science behind GMO technology.”

Over 2,000 city campus students attended the event last spring, and organizers anticipate similar participation this year, according to Fricke. This year the Collegiate Farm Bureau club will work together with the Husker Food Connection group to organize the event. About 30 East Campus students are expected to volunteer to staff exhibits, serve free lunches and have conversations about agriculture with the city students.

Fricke is working to secure sponsors who will include ag-related businesses and other student organizations. If you are interested in sponsoring the Husker Food Connection event, please contact Lukas at lukasf@a-fan.org.



DON’T LET NITRATES COST CATTLE LIVES
Bruce Anderson, UNL Extension Forage Specialist

               Are you feeding cane, millet, or oat hay, or maybe corn stalk bales, to your cows this winter?  If so, don’t let high nitrate levels kill your cows or cause abortions.

               Nitrates occur naturally in all forages.  At low levels, nitrates either are converted into microbial protein by bacteria in the rumen or they are excreted.  But when nitrate concentrations get too high, they can kill cows and maybe abort calves.

               When stress affects pasture and hay production, nitrates often reach potentially toxic levels.  Some plants are more likely to be high in nitrates than others.  Annual grasses like cane, millet, oats, and even corn often have elevated nitrate levels.  So do certain weeds like pigweed, kochia, and lambsquarter.  If your hay has lots of these weeds or is an annual grass, be alert to the potential for high nitrates.

               That doesn’t mean these feeds always are toxic, nor does it mean that high-nitrate hay can’t be fed safely.  But always test these feeds for nitrates in a lab to determine how to feed them safely.

               Remember, there are many ways to feed high nitrate hay safely.  Diluting with grain or low nitrate forages is most common.  Frequent, small meals that slowly increase the amount of nitrate fed helps cattle adapt to high nitrate hay.  And make sure cattle have plenty of clean, low nitrate water at all times.

               Nitrates cause deaths most often after animals have been prevented from eating naturally for a day or more, like after a snow storm.  Avoid feeding high or even marginally high nitrate hay at this time because cattle will eat an extra large meal when very hungry.  This could create an overload of nitrates to their system, leading to death.

               More details about nitrates in forages are available in a NebGuide at your local extension office or online to help you feed safely.



USMEF Market Expo Underway in Shanghai

The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Market Expo, a market education program that allows producers and other USMEF members to observe international market development activities for U.S. pork and beef, began this week in Shanghai, China.

The tour started with an overview of USMEF’s marketing objectives in China and an explanation of several market access issues that impact U.S. meat exports into the region. This was followed by a briefing from the U.S. Agricultural Trade Office in Shanghai, which focused on the business climate in China for U.S. agricultural products and detailed the U.S. government’s efforts to expand trade between the two countries.

The group then received a presentation from Yiguo.com, a food distribution company that has emerged as one of the region’s leaders in e-commerce. Yiguo became the first company to sell food online in China in 2005, and its first online meat sales came in 2009. Today, the company offers self-operated food delivery in five of China’s major metropolitan areas and serves customers through third-party delivery companies in 48 additional cities. Yiguo’s business is expanding rapidly, especially through purchases made on smart phones. Eric Li, vice president of supply and alliance, noted that mobile purchases placed with Yiguo increased 30 percent last year, surpassing purchases made from a personal computer for the first time.

“E-commerce has just exploded in China and it’s only going to get bigger,” said Dean Meyer of Rock Rapids, Iowa, a producer of corn, soybeans, cattle and hogs who serves on the Iowa Corn Growers Association board of directors. “This can expedite movement of more U.S. meat into China because the companies engaged in e-commerce appreciate the quality and consistency of U.S. products. We already see these opportunities on the pork side, and there’s strong demand for U.S. beef if we can only gain access to the market.”

Retail visits were next on the delegation’s agenda, as they had an opportunity to view merchandising trends in two distinct supermarket settings. At Citysuper, shoppers are attracted to the store’s personal service, culinary classes and selection of specialty products. The group received a detailed tour of the Citysuper meat department and observed a U.S. pork tasting demonstration.

RT Mart attracts value-minded shoppers with a diverse inventory of food, clothing and household goods. Market Expo participants received a presentation at RT Mart’s regional headquarters in which General Manager Dick Meng explained how the company has grown to 317 locations in China, conducting about $13 billion in business last year. The USMEF delegation also visited an RT Mart retail store, where a U.S. pork tasting demonstration attracted a large crowd of interested shoppers.

The USMEF team also had an opportunity to meet with pork importers, including Shanghai Jin Hai Food Co., one of China’s largest processors of cured pork. Shanghai Zhengpu Trade Co., a pork distributor and industry leader in online merchandising, also provided the group with a company overview and a tour of its pork processing plant.

“I was very impressed with how innovative these businesses are, and the strategies they’ve developed to expand their sales,” said Karen Grant of Meadow Grove, Nebraska, who serves on the board of directors of the Nebraska Pork Producers Association. “For example, the efforts they make to attract and retain quality workers and their investment in developing new products were very interesting to me, and I’m hopeful that this leads to new opportunities for U.S. pork.”

This year’s delegation of Market Expo participants includes:
Dean Meyer
Iowa Corn Growers Association
Rock Rapids, Iowa    

Karen Grant
Nebraska Pork Producers Association
Meadow Grove, Nebraska

Richard Schrunk
Nebraska Beef Council
Emmet, Nebraska   

Chaley Harney
Montana Beef Council
Billings, Montana

Brooke Kerns
Iowa Corn Growers Association
Johnston, Iowa   
Tony Stafford
Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council
Jefferson City, Missouri

Lindsay Kuberka
USDA-FAS Office of Global Analysis
Washington, D.C.   

Yan Li
SKK International Inc.
Chicago, Illinois

Jennifer Houston, Chair
Federation of State Beef Councils
National Cattlemen's Beef Association
Sweetwater, Tennessee   

On Wednesday, March 4, the Market Expo delegation moves on to Tokyo, where similar industry visits are planned. The group will also spend a day at FoodEx, Asia’s largest food exhibition. USMEF will report on the Tokyo segment of the Market Expo later this week.



Iowa Monthy Weather and Crop Update

February brought cold temperatures averaging 6 to 15 degrees below normal according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service.  Little if any commercial fertilizer has been spread, but there have been scattered reports of manure and ethanol by-products being spread. Average snow depth for Iowa was 3 inches. As February came to a close, topsoil moisture levels rated 1 percent very short, 9 percent short, 85 percent adequate, and 5 percent surplus.  Central Iowa reported the highest moisture levels with 98 percent in adequate to surplus.

The State saw a slight slowdown in grain movement from January, with February grain movement rated 31 percent none, 43 percent light, 24 percent moderate, and 2 percent heavy. Cold weather and disappointment in spot prices were cited as reasons for light grain movement. Availability of hay and roughage supplies was 1 percent very short, 9 percent short, 80 percent adequate, and 1 0 percent surplus. Cold and dry weather resulted in some cattle operations having to feed more hay than usual. Despite cold temperatures, livestock conditions were described as near normal for the month of February. Calving and lambing were reported across much of the State with a few areas reporting losses due to extremely cold temperatures.

IOWA PRELIMINARY WEATHER SUMMARY
Provided by Harry Hillaker, State Climatologist
Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship
General Summary.
Iowa temperatures averaged 14.0° or 10.0° below normal while precipitation totaled 1.14 inches or 0.09 inches above normal. This ranks as the 10th coldest and 62nd wettest February among 143 years of records.

Temperatures.
Cold weather was the rule for most of the month as temperatures averaged above normal only for the five days from the 6 th through the 10th. The second one-half of the month was particularly cold as 7 of the final 11 days of February averaged more than twenty degrees below normal. The first very cold air mass of the month settled in on the morning of the 5 th when temperatures fell to -25° at Elkader with valley bottom temperatures falling to -23° as far south as Centerville. The winter’s lowest temperatures occurred on the last two days of the month with Stanley recording -30° on the morning of the 27th and Elkader also falling to -30° the next morning. These were both nationwide lows (lower 48 states) on both dates. Overall, temperatures fell to zero or lower on 18 days during the month. Wind chill readings fell into the minus 30s on five days during the month with Clarion reporting the lowest wind chill at -38° on the morning of the 27th. On the other extreme temperatures climbed to 51° at Keokuk on the 7th, Glenwood and Shenandoah on the 8th and at Clarinda and Shenandoah on the 25th. Temperatures for the month as a whole averaged about six degrees below normal along the western border of Iowa to about 13 degrees subnormal along the Illinois and Wisconsin borders.

Heating Degree Day Totals.
Home heating requirements, as estimated by heating degree day totals, averaged 3% less than last February (which was 1.5° colder than this February) but was 24% greater than normal. Heating degree day totals so far this season (since July 1 ) are running 8% less than last season at this time, but 4% more than normal.

Precipitation.
The bulk of the month’s precipitation fell as snow and came in two events. The largest event began on January 31 and continued into the evening of February 1. Snow fell statewide with greatest amounts falling across central and east central Iowa with amounts up to 16.0 inches at Le Claire and 14.7 inches at Madrid. A statewide average of 8.5 inches of snow fell with this storm which is the largest snow event since December 23-27, 2009. Another event on the 25th brought widespread 3 to 6 inch snow totals to the northeast one-half of Iowa but only a dusting over the southwest counties. Calmar reported the most snow with this event with 7.9 inches. Snow also fell across the southern one-third of the state on the 4th with 6.5 inches reported at Shenandoah. Monthly snowfall totals varied from 5.1 inches at Sioux City to 20.0 inches at Hampton. The statewide average snowfall was 12.6 inches or 5.8 inches above normal. This ranks as the 11 th snowiest February among 128 years of records (with three recent Februaries of 2008, 2010 and 2014 among those with more snow).



Farm Credit Services of America Announces 2014 Year-End Financial Results

Farm Credit Services of America (FCSAmerica), a financial cooperative, today announced annual net income of $536.5 million for the 2014 calendar year. This compares to $514.6 million in 2013.

Other 2014 financial highlights for FCSAmerica include:
-    An increase in loan volume of 9.3 percent to more than $22 billion;
-    A 10.5 percent increase in members’ equity to $4 billion;
-    $160 million recorded for distribution as cash-back dividends to customer-owners.

 “Our financial strength is good news for agriculture,” said Doug Stark, CEO and president of FCSAmerica. “Our cooperative serves more than 50,000 farmers and ranchers. In 2014, grain producers faced lower commodity prices and tighter margins, while some livestock sectors experienced record-high commodity prices. FCSAmerica has the financial strength to help producers on both ends of the spectrum meet their business needs, now and into the future.”

A strong 2014 also allowed the FCSAmerica Board of Directors to approve the cooperative’s 11th consecutive cash-back dividend. The record $160 million cash-back dividend brings the total amount of net earnings returned to farmers and ranchers since 2004 to nearly $1 billion.

Each year, the share of earnings retained by FCSAmerica is reinvested in the cooperative and enables additional investments in services to agricultural producers. In 2014, FCSAmerica deepened its financial commitment to young, beginning and small producers; introduced new and enhanced digital tools to help customers do business with their cooperative and manage their operations; and expanded its community involvement program to donate 6,000 hours of employee volunteer time and $2.3 million to community projects across a four-state region.



Keep Corn Particle Size in Mind to Enhance Feedlot Efficiency

Ask cattle producers how they grind corn used in their animals' diets, and the responses would likely range from fine, to medium, to coarse. Although there isn't a standard in place to determine what equates as finely ground corn compared to medium or coarsely ground, corn particle size can affect digestibility and how cattle efficiently use the grain for energy and growth.

"There is a strong relationship between smaller particle size and increased digestibility of the starch (from grain)," said Chris Reinhardt, feedlot specialist for K-State Research and Extension. "Regardless of what kind of grain, we feed it for the starch component. The more starch we can get digested, whether that be in the rumen or downstream from the rumen, improves the return on the investment in that grain."

In a recently completed study, Reinhardt sought to find the average corn particle size Midwest feedlots use in finishing cattle diets. The idea was to learn common practices in feedlots that do not use steam-flaked corn, but instead use a form of dry processing for corn, such as dry rolling or hammer milling.

Although corn prices are cheaper now compared to recent years, Reinhardt said feedlots should still consider how particle size could affect cattle performance. In addition to studying the average particle size, fecal samples from the finishing lots were also studied to determine how much of the grain was not digested. The more starch left in the feces, the less starch the animal actually got out of the grain.

Data collected from 34 feedlots from Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota, Colorado and Iowa showed an average particle size of 4,300 microns, which means the average particle size had a diameter of 4.3 mm. "We would call that somewhat coarse, and yet that turned out to be the average of our entire industry," Reinhardt said. "So the industry, on average, is processing corn to a coarse particle size."

He said the diet samples not only helped determine the average particle size, but the samples also were used to examine the spread of particle sizes. While the average was just more than 4,000 microns, many samples had large and fine particles in the mix.

"Two of the feedlots used not dry rolling but dry hammer milling, which creates a much finer, smaller particle size and also a large amount of the fine particles," Reinhardt said.

Based on the survey, Reinhardt said he feels most feedlots that use the dry rolling method could crack their corn to a smaller particle size to improve grain digestion in cattle. The key is to get with a nutritionist and veterinarian and work together to determine an optimum finishing diet.

"Too fine (particle size) may actually cause more problems than it solves, such as acidosis and bloat," he said. "Yet we have a number of producers who are cracking the grain to a very coarse particle size and maybe leaving some money on the table. I understand that grain is relatively cheap right now, maybe historically cheap, but it won't be always, and frankly even when grain is cheap, we don't want to throw it away."

Reinhardt said this study has led to another study where he and other researchers purposely ground corn to 4,000, 3,000 and 2,000 microns and fed these samples to cattle to determine if performance--daily gain and feed efficiency--was affected by the particle size. Those results should be available soon.



USDA to Hold Major Pork Producers Survey in March

The USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service is in the process of contacting pork producers and contractors nationwide for the March Hogs and Pigs survey. The agency will ask farmers for detailed information on market hog and breeding stock inventories as well as farrowing intentions.

Producers who receive the questionnaire in the mail can respond via the Internet, mail or fax. Those who do not respond in one of those ways will have the opportunity for a telephone or personal interview.

Information provided by respondents is confidential by law. Bussler says by responding, producers make sure that NASS can provide timely, accurate and objective data that all sectors of the U.S. pork industry, including producers themselves, depend on to help make sound business decisions.

Survey results are published in the USDA's quarterly Hogs and Pigs report, scheduled to be released March 27.



Soy Checkoff Recognizes Market Developer, Biodiesel Board

The United Soybean Board (USB) recently awarded two of its highest honors to a market developer and an organization that have been instrumental in developing major new opportunities for U.S. soybeans that have greatly impacted the profit potential for all U.S. soybean farmers. USB gave its Outstanding Achievement Award to international aquaculture market developer Michael Cremer, Ph.D., and its Excellence in Oil Award to the National Biodiesel Board (NBB).

“The board is excited to have the opportunity to honor both Dr. Cremer and NBB and thank them for their contributions to the U.S. soy industry,” says Bob Haselwood, USB chairman and soybean farmer from Berryton, Kansas. “Both recipients have played a large role in moving our industry forward, and for that we are extremely grateful.”

Cremer, the U.S. Soybean Export Council’s international aquaculture senior program adviser, has dedicated more than 30 years to helping the U.S. soy industry realize its potential with a growing consumer of soy. Through his work in aquaculture, he helped the Asian aquaculture industry become a more sustainable industry that is using more U.S. soy every year in fish feed.

“I am deeply honored to receive this award,” says Cremer. “Working with the U.S. soybean industry has been the highlight of my career.  I have been doubly blessed, to have had one of the best aquaculture jobs in the world and to work with folks that I call both colleagues and friends.”

Biodiesel is one of the most researched renewable fuels on the market, and, as an advanced biofuel, one that is leading the way in the market. None of this would have been possible without the expertise and dedication of NBB. Checkoff-funded research shows biodiesel has added 74 cents per bushel to the price soybean farmers receive, increased domestic crush and returned value to the entire soybean industry – even those on the meal side of the equation.
“The National Biodiesel Board’s partnership with the United Soybean Board is the perfect example of teamwork that hits the ball out of the park every time,” says NBB CEO Joe Jobe. “As a key customer of U.S. soybean oil making a significant contribution to soybean profitability, we are truly honored to be recognized.”



Informa Lowers Brazil Soy Forecast

Informa Economics reduced its outlook for soybean production in Brazil due to dryness during the growing season, according to a report by the private forecaster on Tuesday.

Soybean output in the country, among the world's largest producers, will total 92.5 million metric tons, Informa said. That is lower than the firm's February forecast, but, if accurate, would be 6.4 million tons larger than last year's harvest. While the crop is projected to be a record, the firm said yield reductions were the result of lower-than-normal rainfall received by some regions while soybeans were setting and filling their pods.

"Brazil's soybean harvest is currently 26% complete, which is slightly behind average and is 10 days behind last year's 41%," Informa said in Tuesday's report, noting that the slow harvest was expected due to late planting. "In addition to the delayed crop development, a diesel shortage reportedly is a problem that is further slowing harvest in Mato Grosso."

Meanwhile, soybean production in Argentina is forecast at 58 million tons, up one million tons from last month's estimate, Informa said.

Brazil's corn crop is pegged at 72.4 million metric tons, which is 450,000 thousand tons less than the previous forecast. Argentina's production is forecast at 23.5 million tons, 500,000 tons more than the prior forecast.



Free NRCS webinar on carbon cycle, soil health, March 10

Find out how cover crops and proper grazing management can improve the carbon cycle and soil health.

Jay Fuhrer, nationally-known soil health expert and District Conservationist for USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service, in Bismarck, North Dakota, presents a discussion of the carbon cycle in agricultural fields, the role of a healthy soil food web and the impact that various agricultural systems have on carbon levels in soil.

This one-hour webinar spotlights a case study on a hayland farm that follows a “no exporting policy” – a management technique in which hay that is grown is fed on the same field at some point in the year, covering all the acres during the winter feeding period. Uses of annual multi-species cover crops to rejuvenate an old pasture or hay field will also be discussed.

No pre-registration is necessary. Space is not limited. Please plan to join the webinar no more than 15 minutes early so that you can register and join in.

NRCS National Webinar, Understanding the Carbon Cycle in Agricultural Fields: A Case Study with Hayland [http://www.conservationwebinars.net/webinars/understanding-the-carbon-cycle-in-agricultural-fields-a-case-study-with-hayland]. Tuesday, March 10, 2015, 2:00 p.m., Eastern.



NAWG Officer Team Installed at Commodity Classic

Washington wheat farmer Bret Blankenship was elected as the new President of the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) at the Association’s Board of Directors meeting Thursday, February 26.

“I’m looking forward to a very productive year for NAWG and America’s wheat growers. I have high expectations for my tenure, and I hope to spend every day advancing the wheat industry into the 21st Century,” said Blankenship.

Brett and his brother, Dan, are partners in Blankenship Brothers Joint Venture on the outskirts of the famous Palouse region in southeast Washington, where they farm soft white wheat in the rolling hills above the Palouse River.

Prior to becoming a NAWG officer, Blankenship served for several years on the NAWG Board, including as chairman of the NAWG Domestic and Trade Policy Committee as NAWG prepared for the 2012 Farm Bill legislation. Brett was previously president of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers.

President Blankenship, once an aspiring pianist, has been raising wheat full-time since 1982, when he completed his studies at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y., with a master’s degree in performance and literature. He lives on the family homestead with his wife, Leeann. When he’s not farming, he enjoys training horses and woodworking, and he also volunteers for the local emergency medical service.

Other NAWG officers elected and installed at the Thursday meeting include:
• Gordon Stoner, Outlook, Mont., Vice President
• David Schemm, Sharon Springs, Kans., Treasurer
• Jimmie Musick, Sentinel, Okla., Secretary
• Paul Penner, Moccasin, Mont., Immediate Past President

Members of NAWG’s Executive Committee, known as officers, commit to serve five years when they first run for the role of Secretary. The NAWG Nominating Committee and NAWG Board reaffirms their selection each year as they move into new roles on the officer team.



AGCO Launches Site for Used Ag Equipment with Certified Second Life
Growing list of equipment and dealers providing CPO program available online

AGCO Corporation (NYSE:AGCO) was one of the first leading manufacturers to stand behind its tractors, combine harvesters and other agricultural field equipment with a Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) program. Now, AGCO has launched a website that allows customers to shop for equipment they need among the growing list of CPO equipment that participating dealers are selling on-site and posting to the new website.

"It is important that farmers know that an ever-increasing quantity of AGCO-certified used equipment is now available from most AGCO-affiliated dealerships, and it's also important for them to know that searching for what they need is fast and easy on the new AGCO CPO website," said Eric Lescourret, AGCO director of Commercial Strategic Initiatives. "The AGCO CPO program provides cover for a wide range of equipment. It gives our customers more choices for premium used equipment with the latest technology and best features at the right price point."

With the release of the new website for finding CPO machines, AGCO has rolled out the full Certified Pre-Owned program. The program has been in development for more than a year. Starting in 2013, the AGCO CPO program was pilot-tested by 16 dealers and then rolled out to qualifying dealers in 2015. To qualify as CPO, equipment must be thoroughly inspected and reconditioned at 100 to 200 points, depending on the type of equipment.

All AGCO-certified equipment includes an AGCO Protection package. This means any piece of CPO equipment purchased will come with at least one year of comprehensive extended-service coverage that relieves CPO customers of risk from costly repairs. AGCO confidently stands behind these units because of the thorough inspection each unit must undergo. Once it has been inspected, certified, AGCO-trained dealership technicians recondition each piece of equipment as needed.

AGCO equipment available includes models from each of the following brands and product categories:
    Challenger®, Massey Ferguson® and Fendt® high-horsepower tractors
    Gleaner®, Massey Ferguson and Challenger combines
    Hesston® by Massey Ferguson and Challenger self-propelled windrowers
    Hesston® by Massey Ferguson and Challenger large square balers
    RoGator® sprayers