Bruce Anderson, UNL Extension Forage Specialist
The greening up of pastures usually is a good sign, except when the green is weeds like cheatgrass in native warm-season grasses.
Early weeds should be controlled in warm-season grass pastures. Weeds remove moisture that could be used for grass growth later on and they remove valuable nutrients from the soil. Early weeds also can develop so much growth that they can shade, smother, and reduce early growth of your pasture grasses.
Herbicides and prescribed burning can control many early weeds, but I think another method actually is better — grazing. Heavy, pre-season grazing costs you nothing. In fact, you get some feed from these weeds while herbicides or burning would only kill and remove growth. Plus, this early pasture might be especially valuable if it saves you from feeding expensive hay.
Chasing green, as some folks call pre-season grazing, will not harm your summer grass — provided you stop grazing before new grass shoots get more than a couple inches tall. This usually doesn’t occur until late April or early May in southern Nebraska and slightly later as we move farther north. Early, preseason grazing of warm-season grass can also remove some old growth from last year, which starts recycling nutrients trapped in dead plant tissue. In fact, about the only bad news about early, preseason grazing is you have to get fences and water ready earlier, you need to move animals to the pasture, and you won't completely kill out these weeds in one year.
Funny thing, though. These so-called weeds might actually make pretty timely and valuable pasture. Try chasing green with preseason grazing, I think you'll like it.
NEBRASKA EXTENSION JOINS FIELD TO MARKET
Nebraska Extension announced today that it has joined Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, a multi-stakeholder initiative working to foster improvements in productivity, environmental quality and human well-being across the agricultural supply chain.
"Meeting the challenge of doubling agricultural output without further pressuring already-stressed water and land resources largely depends on significantly improved efficiency in agriculture and food systems," said Chuck Hibberd, dean and director for Nebraska Extension. "By joining Field to Market, we look forward to contributing our expertise to their efforts to advance the sustainability of commodity crop production."
Field to Market's membership of grower organizations, leading companies, academia, conservation groups and public sector partners provides a platform that unites the agricultural supply chain in defining, measuring and advancing the sustainability of food, fiber and fuel production.
"Land-grant institutions have a long history of partnering with farmers to manage natural resources, increase productivity and strengthen their bottom line, and they will play a critical role in helping the agricultural system meet future food, fiber and fuel needs in a sustainable manner," said Rod Snyder, president of Field to Market. "We are pleased to welcome Nebraska Extension to the alliance and look forward to working together to help producers identify opportunities for continuous improvement in both productivity and environmental quality."
Field to Market brings together a diverse group of grower organizations; agribusinesses; food, beverage, restaurant and retail companies; conservation groups; universities and public-sector partners to focus on defining, measuring and advancing the sustainability of food, fiber and fuel production. The alliance is comprised of more than 70 members representing all facets of the U.S. agricultural supply chain, with member companies employing more than 3.9 million people and representing combined revenues of more than $1.3 trillion. For more information, visit http://www.fieldtomarket.org.
Consumer Choice Expands with Kum & Go E15 Announcement
Convenience store Kum & Go announced April 27 that it will offer E15 as a fuel option. Kum & Go has more than 20 stations in Nebraska.
“We commend Kum & Go for providing a higher-octane, cleaner-burning, lower-cost fuel for consumers in the Omaha metro area and beyond,” said Todd Sneller, Nebraska Ethanol Board administrator. “E15 coupled with their E85 offering shows they are a leader in the market, and demonstrates their commitment to consumer choice and cleaner fuels to help address air quality challenges related to toxic emissions from conventional gasoline.”
During the next two years, Kum & Go plans to make E15 available at more than 65 stores across Iowa, Nebraska, Arkansas, Colorado, Missouri, Oklahoma and South Dakota. The first station, located in Windsor Heights, Iowa, is scheduled to open April 30.
E15 (15 percent ethanol and 85 percent unleaded gasoline) was approved for vehicles 2001 and newer by the EPA in 2011 after more than two years of testing. Approximately 75 percent of cars on the road are approved to use E15.
Kum & Go has been an industry leader in introducing alternative fuels. In the 1970’s, the company was among the first to offer 10 percent ethanol blends. In 1997, Kum & Go expanded its fuel options to include E85. Today, the company offers E85 at more than 160 locations across 11 states.
Ethanol Stocks Down; Output Lower
U.S. ethanol inventories eased off a seven-week high last week, falling 545,000 barrels (bbl) to 20.797 million bbl during the week-ended April 24, new data from Energy Information Administration showed. Compared to a year ago, total ethanol supplies are 3.6 million bbl, or 20.8%, higher.
The EIA data showed domestic production falling 9,000 barrels per day (bpd) to a 6-1/2 month low of 921,000 bpd for the week profiled while up 2.6% year over year. Blender inputs, a proxy for ethanol demand, declined 4,000 bpd to a three-week low of 875,000 bpd for the week while up 1.2% year over year.
Implied demand for gasoline dropped 265,000 bpd last week to 8.920 million bpd, 2.6% higher than the same week last year.
U.S., Honduras Sign Agreement to Promote Agricultural Development and Trade
Deputy Agriculture Secretary Krysta Harden and Honduras Secretary of Agriculture and Livestock Jacobo Paz today signed an agreement to support agricultural development and trade in Honduras.
Through the Food for Progress Program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service will provide the government of Honduras with 30,000 metric tons of U.S. yellow corn and 18,000 tons of U.S. soybean meal, valued at approximately $17 million. The Honduran government will use proceeds from the sale of the commodities to implement projects aimed at improving agricultural productivity, enhancing farmers' access to information and market skills, building government capacity, and strengthening local, regional and international trade in agricultural products.
"The Food for Progress Program is a cornerstone in USDA's efforts to support sustainable agricultural production in developing nations and promote agricultural trade," Harden said. "The Obama administration remains committed to investing in the creation of economic stability and opportunity in Central America. Today's agreement continues USDA's successful partnership with the Honduran government and the private sector under Food for Progress and the McGovern-Dole Food for Education Program. I am proud that our cooperative efforts are building a stronger agricultural sector, creating new opportunities and better lives for the people of Honduras."
The projects supported by this new agreement will focus on the creation of jobs and income opportunities for some of Honduras' most vulnerable citizens. The beneficiaries will include small farmers, as well as small businesses and producer organizations, particularly those that support rural women and youth.
Grain Entrapments Up in 2014
The number of grain bin entrapments and resulting fatalities in the U.S. increased last year to the highest level since 2010, due in part to the large amount of grain stored on-farm, Purdue University reported Wednesday.
There were 38 documented entrapments resulting in 17 deaths in 2014, compared with 33 entrapments and 13 deaths in 2013, according to Purdue's annual "Summary of U.S. Agricultural Confined Space-Related Injuries and Fatalities."
This was the highest recorded total since 2010 when there were 59 entrapments and 26 deaths.
Entrapments were reported in 16 states in 2014, mostly in the Midwest. Minnesota had six documented incidents while Indiana and Iowa had four each. Illinois, Wisconsin, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota each reported three, while Michigan had two and Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, South Carolina and North Carolina had one each.
Bill Field, professor of agricultural health and safety, said in a Purdue University news release that the number of documented entrapment cases has increased for several different reasons. For starters, more grain is being stored on-farm and workers with little experience moving stored grain are at greater risk.
"Dealing with a mountain of grain can be very hazardous," Field said in the news release. "If you're working around grain for the first time and you might not be aware of the risks involved, the potential for an accident is much higher.
In addition, Field said the number of documented entrapments has increased in recent years partly because of better reporting.
"Over the past few years, the surveillance effort was expanded to include not only entrapment in grain but other types of agricultural confined space incidents," he said in the release.
There were 70 total confined space incidents in American agricultural facilities last year compared with 67 in 2013. In 2014, there were 38 entrapments, 12 falls, nine fire-related injuries, eight entanglements and three asphyxiations.
Confined space incidents were reported in 20 states in 2014, compared with 17 states in 2013.
Minnesota and Ohio led the nation with nine reported confined space accidents each. Ohio's total included seven workers who were injured in a fire inside a grain storage unit.
Indiana, Nebraska, Illinois and Wisconsin reported five cases each. There were four cases each in Michigan, Iowa and Pennsylvania.
North Dakota and South Dakota each reported three confined space cases, while Kanas, Arkansas, Georgia, North Carolina and New York had two each. Missouri, Mississippi, South Carolina and Idaho had a single case in 2014.
NEW TOOLS HELP SAVE LIVES
Modern technology is helping first responders when they deal with grain entrapment incidents. Devices such as RES-Q from GSI offer aid in rescuing victims.
The RES-Q tube is designed to fit around the victim of grain entrapment to stop the flow of the grain toward the victim and to block any additional pressure which could be created from rescuers. Once the tube is in place around the victim, the limited amount of grain inside the tube is removed, allowing the victim to be free of a potentially deadly situation. More information can be found on the company's website: http://www.grainsystems.com/safety/resqtube.php.
Other equipment companies sell similar rescue tube devices.
Capitol Hill Briefing Focuses on the Role of Milk in Child Nutrition Programs
A Capitol Hill briefing for House staff yesterday focused on a new report on “Fluid Milk in School Programs” by the National Dairy Council. It was hosted by Representative G.T. Thompson (R-PA) and Representative Joe Courtney (D-CT) in the House Committee on Agriculture. The National Milk Producers Federation and the International Dairy Foods Association strongly support the National Dairy Council’s report and helped coordinate the briefing.
The report identified declining milk consumption in schools as a concern because of the nutritional importance of milk in children’s diets. The majority of school-aged children do not meet current government dietary recommended intakes for low-fat and fat-free milk and dairy products. With Congress set to reauthorize school nutrition programs this year, this report will provide members of Congress with the information they need to ensure that school children continue to have access to healthy and nutritious dairy products.
“The decline in milk consumption is worrisome because it is difficult to replace the nutrient package found in milk with other foods, without adding extra calories and cost,” Jean Ragalie-Carr, RD, president of the National Dairy Council, told briefing participants. She discussed the role of fluid milk in school meal programs and outlined the opportunity for improved child nutrition through increased milk consumption.
Robert Murray, M.D., professor of human nutrition at The Ohio State University, emphasized the importance of milk as a component of a healthy diet. “People must think in terms of the whole food pattern, not just individual nutrients,” he said.
Milk is the leading source of nine essential nutrients for children 2 – 18 years old. Milk also includes eight grams of protein in each eight-ounce serving.
School meals are designed to provide foods recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), including low fat and fat free milk. As the Obama administration continues its work on the next set of dietary guidelines, preliminary findings by the committee charged with drafting the DGA have already demonstrated strong support for continued consumption of dairy products. The school milk report provides background information on numerous USDA programs that include milk, as well as identifies the challenges to maintaining and expanding milk consumption to achieve recommended dietary guidelines.
USDA Dairy Production Production Summary
Total cheese production, excluding cottage cheeses, was 11.5 billion pounds, 3.1 percent above 2013 production. Wisconsin was the leading State with 25.4 percent of the production.
Italian varieties, with 4.95 billion pounds were 4.5 percent above 2013 production and accounted for 43.2 percent of total cheese in 2014. Mozzarella accounted for 79.3 percent of the Italian production followed by Provolone with 7.3 percent and Parmesean with 6.1 percent. California was the leading State in Italian cheese production with 31.6 percent of the production.
American type cheese production was 4.53 billion pounds, 2.6 percent above 2013 and accounted for 39.6 percent of total cheese in 2014. Wisconsin was the leading State in American type cheese production with 18.7 percent of the production.
Butter production in the United States during 2014 totaled 1.86 billion pounds, 0.3 percent below 2013. California accounted for 33.0 percent of the production.
Dry milk powders (2014 United States production, comparisons with 2013)
Nonfat dry milk, human - 1.76 billion pounds, up 19.4 percent.
Skim milk powders - 544 million pounds, down 13.8 percent.
Whey products (2014 United States production, comparisons with 2013)
Dry whey, total - 870 million pounds, down 8.7 percent.
Lactose, human and animal - 1.13 billion pounds, up 8.9 percent.
Whey protein concentrate, total - 538 million pounds, up 8.1 percent.
Frozen products (2014 United States production, comparisons with 2013)
Ice cream, Regular (total) - 872 million gallons, down 2.8 percent.
Ice cream, Lowfat (total) - 412 million gallons, up 2.7 percent.
Sherbet (total) - 45.7 million gallons, down 1.0 percent.
Frozen Yogurt (total) - 66.8 million gallons, down 10.4 percent.
Breakthrough Corn Herbicide Receives US EPA Approval
Syngenta announced today that it has received US EPA approval for its breakthrough corn herbicide, ACURON. The first sales of the product to US growers will take place this year.
In the USA herbicide resistance, notably to glyphosate, is increasing with infestations of broadleaf weeds in corn up 50 percent in the past four years. ACURON has been shown to improve control of more than 70 weeds that are increasingly difficult for growers to manage, such as Palmer amaranth and Giant Ragweed.
ACURON incorporates bicyclopyrone, a novel chemical ingredient which is combined with three other active ingredients to target a wider range of weeds than any existing product. The four active ingredients and three modes of action in ACURON deliver a multi-targeted approach to weed control.
Davor Pisk, Chief Operating Officer, said: "As current herbicides such as glyphosate lose effectiveness, corn farmers have to spend considerably more per acre on crop protection. The most cost-effective solution is to use a high performing pre-emergent herbicide that stops weeds before they start. We're delighted that we can now offer ACURON to US corn farmers. It sets a new standard for weed control and will be critical in helping farmers make corn production more sustainable."
ACURON is a key component of Syngenta's $3 billion crop protection pipeline with peak sales potential of more than $250 million.
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