Monday April 20 Ag News

41st Annual Cuming County 4-H Beef Preview Results

The 41st annual Cuming County 4-H Beef Preview was held on Saturday, April 18 at the Cuming County Fairgrounds in West Point.  According to Nebraska Extension Educator in Cuming County Larry Howard, the show is sponsored by the Cuming County Feeders Association and Nebraska Extension in Cuming County.  The judge for the show was Dane Miller of Lincoln, Nebraska.

The Champion Market Steer was shown by Cassidee Stratman of West Point while Kylie Kempf of Carroll showed the Reserve Champion Steer.  The Champion Market Heifer was exhibited by Kali Stratman of West Point and Brooke Meister of West Point showed the Reserve Champion Market Heifer.  The Supreme Breeding Heifer was also shown by Kali Stratman of West Point and Dylan Russman had the Reserve Champion Breeding Heifer.

In the Shwomanship divisions the winners were: Junior Champion-Logan Buhrman of Wisner; Reserve –Dylan Russman of Wisner.  Intermediate Champion-Kylie Kempf of Carroll; Reserve-Megan Schroeder of Wisner; Senior Champion-Austin Kempf of Carroll; Reserve-Nathan Groth of Beemer.



Nebraska Farmers Union Says U.S. Trade Policy is a $9 Trillion Deficit of Broken Promises

Nebraska Farmers Union (NeFU) President John Hansen said in remarks at the trade rally outside Rep. Ashford’s Omaha office that in the 21 years since 1994 when NAFTA was first implemented, the U.S. has an astounding cumulative balance of trade deficit of $9.002676 trillion.  He noted the average annual trade deficit since 1994 has averaged $428.698857 billion per year.  There has not been a single year since 1994 that the U.S. has even come close to breaking even in the net trade of goods and services.  While services have performed better than goods, when added together, the total still amounted to a deficit. The 2014 balance of trade deficit was $504 billion.

John Hansen, a former U.S. trade advisor to USTR for 14 years starting in 1994, said “The trade formula used to amass the greatest trade deficit in the history of the world is the same one used to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) with 11 countries in the Asia-Pacific region and the Transatlantic Trade Investment Partnership (TTIP), and is the boilerplate formula used ever since NAFTA was negotiated in the lead up to its approval November 17, 1993.”

Hansen continued “The current formula will not get to a level playing field because it does not deal with manipulation of currency that ranges from 5% to 25%, or the caustic impact of Value Added Taxes that average 19%.  When added together, even if all tariffs are removed, the U.S. will continue to be at a 24% to 44% disadvantage depending on the level of the VAT and currency manipulation.  That is not a level playing field.  The fundamental flaws in current trade policy that have created the massive deficits since 1994 have not been fixed.  Our nation simply cannot afford to replicate the failed economic policies of the last 21 years that continue to be driven by U.S. based multinational companies that continue to put their selfish company interests ahead of our nation’s interests.”

Hansen, who also serves as National Farmers Union Treasurer, read their organization’s Special Order of Business on trade policy passed by the delegates at their recent convention held last March in Wichita, KS detailing their opposition to both TPP and Trade Promotion Authority.  The Special Order of Business noted the $504 billion trade deficit cost the U.S 6.3 million jobs while the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement had left ag exports to Korea flat while the overall Korea trade to the U.S. had increased 84%, or $12.7 billion.

Hansen concluded “When candidate Brad Ashford was campaigning for Congress, he opposed Trade Promotion Authority as an abdication of the oversight authority given to Congress by the Constitution.  He needs to keep his word to the voters.  If more Congressional oversight was ever needed, it is now.”



The Fort Report:  Cattle
Congressman Jeff Fortenberry

Communities across Nebraska often welcome people with signs. From 4-H clubs to church groups, from elected officials to Rotary and Kiwanis clubs, nice messages of greetings mark the starting point of many of our towns. There is a particularly memorable sign as you approach the city of West Point. It features a fine-looking herd of cattle looking at you and the words, “Cuming County: Doing Our Part to Feed the World.”

I see this sign frequently but noted it again on my way to the 61st annual Cuming County Feeders Association banquet. The farmers, their families and friends, and the cowboys who were there, gathered to celebrate this important part of Nebraska community life – and eat a steak! It's been a pretty good year for the cattle market.

Nebraska is America’s top producing state for cattle, with one in five hamburgers coming from right here. Overall, we rank third for total agricultural production across our land. Broken down by crop, Nebraska ranks third in corn production, fifth in total soybean production, and sixth in both pork and sugar beet production. Among lesser known facts, we are the tenth largest potato producer and the nation’s leading popcorn producer. New emerging trends are creating opportunities for specialty vegetable producers, urban farms, and a good number of beekeepers. Innovative farm to family marketing and local foods production are augmenting our strong production agriculture system.

As we in Nebraska know well, agriculture is essential to the wellbeing of America. Farming and ranching provide more than food security; agriculture contributes to energy security, economic security, and national security. Agricultural exports are an important part of the dynamic of America’s economy and help feed the world. We are rebalancing our nation’s energy portfolio as the second highest ethanol producer, and new forms of biofuels are on the horizon. Our national security is intimately tied to smart trade relations and sound development. Food security among vulnerable populations is an essential part of international stability.

In light of our country’s many economic, social, and political challenges, the resiliency of our state’s agricultural sector is one of the primary reasons why our state remains strong. Nebraska now enjoys the lowest unemployment rate in the nation, recently surpassing North Dakota. It’s no surprise that one in three Nebraskans work in jobs related to agriculture.

On a deeper level, the way of life carried forward by our farmers and ranchers plays a key role in preserving American values: family life, hard work, neighbor helping neighbor, and respect for the ideals of community. The natural traditions of life on the farm have helped shape the character of Nebraska. We prioritize the sensible stewardship of our natural resources. Those of us who live in farm country have a great story to tell.

When I don’t have a lot of time to describe Nebraska, I just say: “Corn, cattle, and football.”



Nebraska Cattlemen Foundation Announces Scholarship Recipients

The Nebraska Cattlemen Foundation (NCF) is pleased to announce $33,000 in scholarships were awarded to students furthering their education goals in the 2015-2016 academic year.

“The Foundation strongly believes in the importance of a sound education for tomorrow’s industry leaders,” says Scott Langemeier, president of the Nebraska Cattlemen Foundation. “Thanks to the generosity of many donors and participants of the Retail Value Steer Challenge, our primary fundraiser, we were able to award these 34 scholarships, the greatest number in the 47 year history of the Foundation.”

The following scholarship recipients will be recognized during the Nebraska Cattlemen Midyear Meeting in York, Thursday, June 11, at the Nebraska Cattlemen Foundation Lunch:

Ryan Schroeder, Wisner - $1,000 Retail Value Steer Challenge Scholarship
Eilsabeth Loseke, Columbus - $1,000 Ron and Shirley Huss Scholarship
Brittany Hilfiker, David City - $1,000 Retail Value Steer Challenge Scholarship
Morgan Rezac, Ceresco - $1,000 Retail Value Steer Challenge Scholarship
Seth Wetovick, Fullerton - $1,000 Clarence and Lois Jean Hartmann Scholarship
Tevyn Baldwin, Mitchell - $1,000 Retail Value Steer Challenge Scholarship
McKenzie Beals, Alexandria - $1,000 Cattlemen's Open Scholarship
John Essink, Syracuse - $1,000 Nebraska Cattlemen Beef Pit Scholarship
Kodi Gehl, Ericson - $1,000 Retail Value Steer Challenge Scholarship
Laura Gorecki, Farwell - $1,000 Colonel Melvin Huss Memorial Scholarship
Morgan Hansen, North Platte - $1,000 Retail Value Steer Challenge Scholarship
Gavin Harsh, McCook - $1,000 Bill Heller Memorial Scholarship
Justin Hodgson, Lexington - $1,000 Retail Value Steer Challenge Scholarship
Hannah Kesterson, Alliance - $1,000 Donavan Yoachim Memorial Scholarship
Maci Lienemann, Princeton - $1,000 Retail Value Steer Challenge Scholarship
Elizabeth McDonald, Phillips - $1,000 Retail Value Steer Challenge Scholarship
Clint Miller, Valentine - $1,000 Retail Value Steer Challenge Scholarship
Brandon Nichols, Bridgeport - $1,000 Retail Value Steer Challenge Scholarship
Kara Ostrand, Mason City - $1,000 Frank and Shirley Sibert Scholarship
Cory Peters, Hickman - $1,000 Martin Viersen Range Management Memorial Scholarship
Kara Riggle, Endicott - $1,000 Retail Value Steer Challenge Scholarship
Railen Ripp, Kearney - $500 Lallemand Animal Nutrition Scholarship
Lauren Schmidt, Deshler - $1,000 Retail Value Steer Challenge Scholarship
David Schuler, Bridgeport - $1,000 Retail Value Steer Challenge Scholarship
TelRae Sherman, Thedford - $1,000 Retail Value Steer Challenge Scholarship
Ashtyn Shrewsbury, Alliance - $1,000 Retail Value Steer Challenge Scholarship
Shaina Simonson, Dunning - $500 West Central Affiliate Scholarship
Jacy Spencer, Brewster - $1,000 Robert F. Lute II Memorial Scholarship
Blake Stengel, Shickley - $1,000 Retail Value Steer Challenge Scholarship
Collin Thompson, Eustis - $1,000 Retail Value Steer Challenge Scholarship
Emilye Vales, DeWitt - $1,000 Retail Value Steer Challenge Scholarship
Larissa Wach, Wauneta - $1,000 Bill Pullen Scholarship
Eleanor Wagner, Petersburg - $1,000 Retail Value Steer Challenge Scholarship
Aksel Wiseman, Hershey - $1,000 Vance Uden Memorial Scholarship



Scholarships Offered to Students from Dairy Farm Families

Students from dairy farm families in Nebraska who contribute to Midwest Dairy Association through the dairy checkoff are eligible to apply for scholarships offered by the organization. The Nebraska Division of Midwest Dairy Association will award a total of $5,000, including one $1,500 award and one $1,000 award for students studying in the dairy field, and five $500 awards for students from dairy farm families with any college major or degree.

A dairy farmer, dairy farmer’s spouse, children or grandchildren are eligible for the awards.  The producer must have an active dairy operation as of January 1, 2015, and must reside in the Nebraska Division territory and must contribute checkoff funds to Midwest Dairy. Each applicant must be a full-time student in the fall of 2015 in a post-secondary program of any length at an accredited college or university. Awards are limited to one per family per year, but any former applicant, or former $500 or $1,000 winner can reapply for subsequent years. A $1,500 winner is not eligible to reapply.

Information and applications, which include an essay, are available at midwestdairycheckoff.com, or by calling Rod Johnson at 402-853-2028 or emailing rjohnson@midwestdairy.com. The application deadline is May 15. Recipients will be announced June 18.



NFB Foundation for Agriculture Honors FFA Advisors of the Year

The Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture (NFB Foundation for Agriculture) along with the Nebraska Farm Bureau Ag Promotion Committee selected two recipients for the FFA chapter Advisors of the Year award: Jason Speck and Jeremy Vlasin both of the Imperial FFA chapter.

The teachers were chosen based upon their school and community involvement and accomplishments made with their FFA chapters.

“Both teachers are remarkable FFA advisors and spend countless hours working with their students to make them successful in all of their endeavors,” Laura Schabloske, Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture interim executive director, said April 14.

Jason Speck and Jeremy Vlasin serve together as FFA Chapter Advisors at the Chase County schools in Imperial. Both have the wonderful ability to engage alumni in supporting the chapter by volunteering to critique the vast assortment of teams that prepare to compete each year. The Imperial FFA is one group of students that adults in the community of Imperial can always count on, and it is because of the hard work and perseverance of both Speck and Vlasin. They are remarkable motivators, and students strive to emulate them. Speck’s steady encouragement, dedication, and hard work have made him a role model within his chapter and his community. Vlasin serves his community by inspiring excellence and encouraging personal growth for his students and their families.

The advisors were recognized during the 2015 Nebraska FFA Convention held in Lincoln, April 9. The winning advisors received a plaque and $250 to be used toward their FFA chapter.

“This year we had a number of exceptional applications, and the selection committee had a very difficult time choosing the two winners. All of the advisors nominated are outstanding agriculture leaders in their community,” Schabloske said.

The nomination form for the 2016 award will be distributed via the FFA intranet in January. It will also be available at nefb.org. Applications must be postmarked by Feb. 1, 2016.



Husker Food Connection Builds Relationships with Consumers

Students at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln had a unique and educational opportunity to learn about modern agriculture on Thursday, April 16 according to the vice president of programming for Collegiate Farm Bureau (CFB) and Alliance for the Future of Agriculture (A-FAN) Intern, Lukas Fricke.

“This year over 60 students who also are producers of agricultural products volunteered to help make this years’ Husker Food Connection the biggest success yet. We estimated a total reach of over 7,000 between our event on campus and the social media impact,” Fricke said.

Husker Food Connection is an agri-educational event where students are exposed to live farm animals, agriculture equipment and have the opportunity to interact with many of the agriculture student organizations and state commodity groups. This year, the theme of the event was focused around Food: Fact or Fiction.

“The Nebraska Farm Bureau was a great resource for our student producers to learn proper terminology before the event to help communicate the agriculture message to those on city campus who don’t necessarily come from an agriculture background. We had all sorts of questions ranging from ‘What is a GMO?’ to ‘How does the chocolate get into the milk?’”, Fricke explained.



GRAZING REED CANARYGRASS
Bruce Anderson, UNL Extension Forage Specialist

               Many of us have wetland pastures that contain lots of reed canarygrass.  For many of you, it might be the first perennial grass ready for grazing this spring.

               Reed canarygrass produces high yields and grows very well in wetlands.  It also grows well in well-drained soils.  It would be one of our most popular pasture grasses if it wasn’t so hard to graze due to problems it has with low palatability.

               Reed canarygrass has two things working against it.  First, it naturally contains some unpalatable compounds called alkaloids that discourage animals from eating it.  Secondly, the plant produces a course stem that makes it difficult to eat.

               If you have reed canarygrass pasture, the only way I have found to use it effectively is to always graze it before it gets very tall.  Ideally, this means that when the grass gets about eight to ten inches tall, and no taller, immediately graze it down to three or four inches in just a couple of days and then move off to another grazing area.  When it regrows back to eight to ten inches tall, graze it again.  Every time it regrows, graze it again.

               During fast growth in spring, you might need to graze the same area every two or three weeks.  This takes some dedication, planning, and intensive management.  If the grass gets away from you, animals will just nibble at some leaves, trampling the rest.  Then you might be better off cutting the taller growth for hay, followed by renewing your intensive grazing as regrowth begins.

               Reed canarygrass is not as bad a pasture grass as many people think.  But it does take some knowledge about the plant and some dedicated management to get good use from it.



Three Northwest Iowa Coops to Merge 

Members of the board of directors of Farmer’s Elevator Cooperative, Rock Valley, IA, United Farmer’s Cooperative, George, IA, and Cooperative Elevator Association, Ocheyedan, IA each met on April 20th, 2015 to count the votes cast by their respective member-owners on the motion to approve the unification of these three cooperatives.  Iowa law requires 50% of our membership to vote, with 2/3 of those votes cast to favor the unification.  Audit firms, Gardiner Thomsen and CEA and Meriwether -  Wilson Company, PCCL, certified the voting ballots and affirmed that the owners of all three cooperatives approved the motion of unification.

Leadership and Management of each coop would like to personally thank those who voted, first, for casting your ballot and second, for voting in support of bringing these three farmer-owned cooperatives together.  In addition, for the owner-members who took time to attend an informational meeting, and for asking questions to learn more about the unification process. 

The three coops will be combined into a single cooperative, Cooperative Farmers Elevator.  This new cooperative will be a relevant long term provider of goods and services for farmers in our trade territory.  This is an exciting time for these three cooperatives as they look at this opportunity to create additional value for membership, enhanced customer service, and being a destination employer for generations to come. 



EPA Must Hold to New Timeline on RFS Volumes

When the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency earlier this month entered into a consent decree agreeing to a court-enforced timeline for establishing the Renewable Volume Obligation numbers for 2014 and 2015 for the Renewable Fuel Standard, the delayed timeline - especially for 2014 - were a reflection of the problems the EPA set up for itself by numerous delays.

"Congress created the Renewable Fuel Standard to help reduce our dependence on foreign oil and to provide cleaner domestic fuel choices for consumers," said National Corn Growers Association President Chip Bowling, "and the EPA has finally provided additional clarity about their timeline for announcing the 2014 through 2016 renewable fuel requirements. We have expressed our concerns about the continued delays to the EPA, and we will be taking them at their word that they will adhere to this new deadline. NCGA will continue to work with the EPA to ensure the numbers are consistent with the statute passed by Congress and put the RFS back on track."

Under the consent decree and other commitments, the EPA will follow the following timeline:
-    By June 1, the agency will propose volume requirements for 2015 and 2016 and will re-propose volume requirements for 2014, by June 1, that reflect the volumes of renewable fuel that were actually used in 2014.
-    By November 30, EPA will finalize volume requirements for 2014, 2015 and 2016, and resolve a pending waiver petition for 2014.
-    With regard to the RFS and biomass-based diesel volume requirement for 2017, EPA will propose and finalize a volume on the same schedule.

What makes the RVO such a major concern for corn growers?
In November 2013, the EPA proposed to reduce the baseline 2014 renewable volume obligation for corn ethanol in the RFS from 14.4 billion gallons to 13 billion gallons - a 10 percent cut. They proposed this after a record corn crop in 2013, which was then followed by a second record crop in 2014, with the price of corn falling to below the cost of production in many areas.

If the RVO reduction took place as proposed by the EPA, estimates were for the price of corn to fall by as much as an additional $1.10. With corn stocks high and prices low well into 2015's planting season, NCGA and its growers will continue to track progress on these deadlines and hold EPA accountable.

When the EPA announced its lower volume for 2014, NCGA activated its grassroots membership in a number of ways, and saw the largest response ever seen for a call to action. When the time came for our growers to speak up, they did so - loudly and forcefully. NCGA's growers and allies sent the EPA a clear signal when this proposal was first issued, with nearly 200,000 people responding to the public comment opportunity in opposition to the reduction. Nearly 10,000 farmers called the White House directly.



NCGA Announces Changes to Corn Yield Contest

The National Corn Growers Association announced important rule changes for the upcoming 2015 National Corn Yield Contest. For the 2015 season, contest rules have been altered to ensure a more even field upon which all contests may participate and, thus, to highlight the incredible accomplishments of so many of the entrants.

Each NCGA membership used to register for the NCYC must have an individual's name on it, and each individual may have only one membership number. Each membership number may be used on as many contest entries as desired but, as in previous years, each number will only be awarded official placement for one state and one national level entry.

"Over the past few years, NCGA has seen so many incredible entries to the yield contests, and we truly wish to recognize as many as possible," said NCGA Production and Stewardship Action Team Chair Don Glenn. "We hope that this rule change will allow us to showcase more of the breadth of talent and innovation we see across the contest and, at the same time, gin up additional interest and inspiration among potential participants."

For half of a century, NCGA's National Corn Yield Contest has provided corn growers the opportunity to compete with their colleagues to grow the most corn per acre, helping feed and fuel the world. This has given participants not only the recognition they deserved, but the opportunity to learn from their peers.

Winners receive national recognition in publications such as the NCYC Corn Yield Guide, as well as cash trips or other awards from participating sponsoring seed, chemical and crop protection companies. The winners will be honored during Commodity Classic 2016 in New Orleans, La.



Commodity Classic Session Videos Now Online

Did you miss a session at the 2015 Commodity Classic? Do you want to revisit a session you attended? Were you unable to attend Commodity Classic and want to see what you missed? Video recordings of the 2015 Educational Sessions and General Session are now available!

Full-registrants to 2015 Commodity Classic receive complimentary access to view video recordings of the 2015 educational sessions. Non-attendees may purchase access to the educational sessions, and 2015 one-day registrants may purchase access at a discounted rate. Purchase access now and have the opportunity to watch the videos at your leisure from now until March 1, 2016.

To access the recorded content, please follow these steps:

Access the Video Library from the Commodity Classic website at http://www.commodityclassic.com/videos/videos15. This will take you to the ProLibraries hosting portal for the Commodity Classic videos, where you can browse and preview more than 25 videos to see which ones interest you. To view any video in its entirety, you’ll need to create an account with the ProLibraries video library system. Follow the account creation instructions.

·        During the account creation process, full registrants to Commodity Classic should enter the conference code COMMCLASSIC15 in the field labeled “Conference Code” and click “Submit Code.” You will need to do this when creating your account. You do not need to enter the conference code again during check-out.

·        One-day registrants will need to enter their discount code upon check-out. Enter the promotional code CC25OFF to receive discounted pricing on up to five videos, or promotional code COMM25CONF to receive discounted pricing on the package of all conference videos. Enter the code in the “Add a Promotional Coupon” field. Pricing will be adjusted to reflect the discount.

Note: During the account creation process, the system will ask for your name, zip code and email address used when registering in order to verify your attendance status. In some cases, attendees may have been registered by someone else and email addresses may not match. If you have any questions during this process, please contact the ProLibraries Video Library Helpdesk at (877) 796-1325 and they will be glad to assist and verify your attendance status.

Once you have created your account, selected your items and completed your purchase, click on the “My Library” link in the “My Account” section to the left to the page to access your content. Videos will be available until March 1, 2016.

Enjoy watching the 2015 session videos!



USGC Report Offers Details to Overseas Customers About Quality of Corn Headed for Export

The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) has released the 2014/2015 Corn Export Cargo Quality Report, the fourth in a series measuring U.S. corn quality by looking at grade factors, moisture, chemical composition and physical composition in corn samples ready to be loaded for overseas shipment.

This information is valuable for U.S. international corn customers, many of whom have come to anticipate its findings each year. USGC’s global staff and membership will start presenting the report’s results to interested customers during the coming month.

“The United States is the only country that releases such a comprehensive report on the quality of its corn crop,” said USGC Manager of Global Trade Manuel Sanchez, who will use the report’s results in his work with overseas customers. “International customers know this and eagerly await its release. This year is no exception.”

This year’s report is based on 411 yellow commodity corn samples collected from corn export shipments as they underwent the U.S. government-licensed export sampling and inspection process. The report covers both waterborne and rail export cargoes with results reported as U.S. aggregate and with details from three regions, the Gulf, Pacific Northwest and Southern Rail.

Important findings from the 2014/2015 report include the following:
-    For all grade factors measured, the aggregate average is better than or equal to U.S. No. 2 standards.
-    The average test weight was 74.0 kg/hl (57.5 lb/bu), which indicates good overall grain quality with well-filled kernels and a large percentage of horneous or hard endosperm.
-    The average U.S. aggregate for broken corn and foreign materials (BCFM) was at the maximum for U.S. No. 2 corn.
-    The average U.S. aggregate for total damage was below the 3 percent limit for U.S. No. 1 grade with 69.6 percent of samples at or below the limit for No. 1 corn. Nearly 98 percent of samples were below the limit of 5 percent for No. 2.
-    U.S. aggregate average moisture across all samples was 14.5 percent, the same as in 2013/2014.
-    All samples were safely below the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) action and advisory levels for aflatoxins and DON.

“Overall, the report indicates U.S. corn at the point of export meets the requirements for U.S. No. 2,” Sanchez said. “One thing of note was the hardness of the 2014 U.S. corn crop. We believe this was due to the favorable growing conditions the crop experienced, which led to larger corn kernels than last year with hard endosperms of 70 to 100 percent."

The hardness of the 2014 corn crop is one example of a trait that has varied year-to-year. With four years of report data now available, users can begin to develop an average baseline and track trends. For the first time this year, the report includes three-year-averages for the different characteristics to aid in this analysis.

The newly-released export cargo quality report is a companion to the Council’s 2014/2015 Corn Harvest Quality Report, which details the quality of U.S. corn at the time of harvest.



CWT Assists with 3.3 Million Pounds of Cheese and Whole Milk Powder Export Sales

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted 11 requests for export assistance from Dairy Farmers of America, Michigan Milk Producers Association, Northwest Dairy Association (Darigold), and Tillamook County Creamery Association who have contracts to sell 1.993 million pounds (904 metric tons) of Cheddar, and Monterey Jack cheese and 1.332 million pounds (604 metric tons) of whole milk powder to customers in Asia, the Middle East, and Central America. The product has been contracted for delivery in the period from April through October 2015.

Year-to-date, CWT has assisted member cooperatives who have contracts to sell 27.756 million pounds of cheese, 24.387 million pounds of butter, and 8.653 million pounds of whole milk powder to twenty two countries on five continents. The amounts of and butter in these sales contracts represent the equivalent of 868.077 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis.

Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program, in the long-term, helps member cooperatives gain and maintain market share, thus expanding the demand for U.S. dairy products and the U.S. farm milk that produces them. This, in turn, positively impacts U.S. dairy farmers by strengthening and maintaining the value of dairy products that directly impact their milk price.



NFU Releases 2015 Policy Handbook

National Farmers Union (NFU) today released its 2015 policy handbook, an extensive document that underscores the 113 year old organization’s longstanding commitment to family farmers, sustainable farming practices, and its strong grassroots underpinnings.

“NFU policy is the result of a grassroots development process – with some of the policies in this handbook starting on the county level  –  that culminates every year at the organization’s annual convention,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “The policy decided upon by our members at this year’s convention will shape the direction of the organization for 2015 and ‘drive the future of agriculture,’ as the convention theme suggests.”

NFU’s policy-setting process began in late January with the meeting of the NFU Policy Committee, comprised of members who are all considered outstanding leaders in their state/regional Farmers Union organizations and were nominated by their respective state's president to serve on the committee. These members began the process of revising NFU's policy handbook and brought their recommendations to the delegate body at the NFU’s 113th Anniversary Convention, March 14-17, for consideration, amendment and adoption.

“This year’s policy reaffirms NFU’s strong support for Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL), the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and fair trade policies,” said Johnson. “Initiatives like these support family agriculture’s ability to provide food, fuel and fiber to our nation and the world.”

“NFU’s policy development is truly American democracy in action,” said Johnson. “NFU will continue to represent its members’ priorities through policy originated and developed by those members, and ensure family farmer-friendly policies are part of the dialogue in Washington.”

Delegates to the convention adopted the following six special orders: Family Farming and Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL); Family Farming and the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS); Family Farming and Transparency in Livestock Markets; Family Farming and Cotton in the 2014 Farm Bill; Family Farming and Trade Policy; Family Farming and Animal Disease Protection and Research.

Full text of the adopted policy manual is now available here... http://www.nfu.org/nfu-2015-policy/2066.