Wednesday July 29 Ag News

Preventing Beef Cattle Lameness - Hosted by Zinpro Performance Minerals
August 19, 2015 - Nielson Community Center - West Point, NE

General Information: 
  - Registration 8:30-9:00 am
  - Seminar concludes at 3:30 pm
  - A noon meal to be served with all RSVP’s
  - You may RSVP by phone with your Zinpro Sales Representative, or electronically via the following link: https://www.getfeedback.com/r/QlXoP7ad
  - Be sure to designate which seminar date you plan to attend, along with the total number of guests you plan to bring with you

Key Presenters: 
  - Dörte Döpfer, DVM/Ph.D. ~ University of WI, Madison - Managing Digital Dermatitis in the Feedyard
  - Tom Noffsinger, DVM ~ Benkelman, NE - Cattle Handling to Prevent Lameness
  - Connie Larson, Ph.D. ~ Zinpro Corporation - Reducing Lameness and Improving Performance

For More Information, Contact your Zinpro Sales Representative:
  - Mark Gerber 319-350-1561  -  Dwight Kickhafer 612-308-7818
  - Floyd Sutton 608-558-0988  -  Gary Tibbetts 970-396-0813



Tiemann Elected New U.S. Grains Council Chairman

Alan Tiemann, a farmer from Nebraska, was elected today as U.S. Grains Council chairman during the organization’s 55th Annual Board of Delegates Meeting in Montreal, Canada.

“Markets don’t just happen, we have to work to make them happen,” Tiemann said in his first speech to USGC delegates as chairman. “The Council has been successfully doing that for more than 55 years and has developed a level of excellence in its work that I want to focus on this year.

“That is why our theme this year is Excellence in Exports. I have found the Council displays excellence in its membership, its global staff team, the relationships it fosters, the collaboration it has with its partners and its dedication to export markets. All these areas have been key in making the Council the successful organization it is today.”

Tiemann farms in Seward, Nebraska, and has spent more than 35 years in production agriculture.

An at-large director and past chairman for the Nebraska Corn Board, Tiemann has been a delegate from that Board to the Council since 2005. Prior to that, Tiemann served as a delegate to the Council from the Nebraska Grain Sorghum Board for a number of years.

At the Montreal meeting, the Board of Delegates also elected the Council’s 2015-2016 Board of Directors. That body now includes:

• Alan Tiemann, Chairman, Nebraska Corn Board
• Chip Councell, Vice Chairman, Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board
• Deb Keller, Secretary/Treasurer, Iowa Corn Promotion Board
• Ron Gray, Past Chairman, Illinois Corn Marketing Board
• Thomas Sleight, President and CEO, U.S. Grains Council
• Steve Brody, Agribusiness Sector Director, DuPont Pioneer
• Mark Seastrand, Barley Sector Director, North Dakota Barley Council
• Dick Gallagher, Corn Sector Director, Iowa Corn Promotion Board
• Bill Kubecka, Sorghum Sector Director, United Sorghum Checkoff Program
• Craig Floss, State Checkoff Sector Director, Iowa Corn Promotion Board
• Jim Tobin, At-Large Director, Monsanto Company
• Jim Stuever, At-Large Director, Missouri Corn Merchandising Council
• Charles Ring, At-Large Director, Texas Corn Producers Board
• Jim Raben, At-Large Director, Illinois Corn Marketing Board

The new board was seated Wednesday and will serve until July 2016.



USGC Presents Ethanol Export Promotion Strategy To Delegates During Annual Meeting

An ethanol export promotion strategy developed in consultation with industry partners and the U.S. Department of Agriculture was presented to U.S. Grains Council (USGC) members from throughout the grains sector this week at USGC’s 55th Annual Board of Delegates Meeting in Montreal, Canada.

The Council has been working in partnership with USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and Growth Energy to develop country-by-country marketing plans for U.S. ethanol in a handful of near-term markets.

“In 2014, the Council and its partners completed in-depth market assessments in Southeast Asia, Peru, Panama, Japan and Korea that produced valuable information used develop this strategy,” said USGC Chairman Ron Gray.

“Our plans in these markets continue to develop, and we are carrying on market assessment work in places like Canada and the European Union. However, we are also moving forward aggressively with market development and policy-focused work in countries like the Philippines that have the potential to increase demand for U.S. ethanol in the near term.”

Ethanol was the subject of a general session panel at the meeting, including input from Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis, RFA President and CEO Bob Dinneen and Green Plains Renewable Energy Executive Vice President for Ethanol Marketing Steve Bleyl, moderated by USGC’s Chief Economist Mike Dwyer, a leading global biofuels analyst.

Ethanol export plans were explored in more depth during the Ethanol Advisory Team (A-Team) meeting, comprised of members from throughout the value chain, and a breakout session focused specifically on USGC’s ongoing ethanol-focused programs.

“U.S. ethanol exports are becoming increasingly vital to our stakeholders’ bottom line, which makes finding new markets for U.S. ethanol is a priority for the Council,” Gray said. “This plan shows our and our partners’ commitments to making that happen.”

Among other activities, two trade teams in the United States and three missions traveling overseas are scheduled to focus on ethanol in the remainder of 2015.

More about the meeting is available online at http://grains.org/news-and-events/events/55th-annual-board-delegates-meeting-0. 



Ames workshop will examine stewardship of antimicrobial drug use in livestock

Stewardship of medically-important antimicrobial drugs in food animals is the subject of workshop targeted to livestock producers, their feed suppliers and veterinarians in the Southeast United States. The workshop will be Sept. 16 2015 at the Gateway Hotel, 2100 Green Hills Drive, Ames, IA. 

This free workshop is an opportunity for participants to gain a comprehensive understanding of two Guidance for Industry (GFIs) issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding the use of medically-important antimicrobial drugs in food-producing animals, as well as FDA's revised Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD). The workshop is also an opportunity for other stakeholders, such as state and federal agencies, colleges of veterinary medicine and university extension personnel, to gain insights into the changes needed to meet the requirements.

Led by Farm Foundation, NFP, this workshop is targeted to pork, cattle, poultry and sheep producers, veterinarians and feed suppliers in Iowa, Eastern Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Western Illinois, Northern Kansas and Northern Missouri.  Advance registration is requested and can be completed online. This is one of 12 regional workshops Farm Foundation will host across the nation in the next three months. A complete list of workshop locations is available on the Farm Foundation website... www.farmfoundation.org.

The Sept. 16 workshop will include presentations by producer leaders, the local veterinary community, and representatives from the regional feed industry. Officials from FDA and USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will also participate. A major part of the agenda is designated for producers, veterinarians and feed suppliers to identify and discuss the management challenges ahead.

To gauge awareness of the changes being put in place by FDA on the use of medically-important antimicrobial drugs in food animals, Farm Foundation, NFP is asking stakeholders to complete a brief survey. The survey is also intended to learn more about the potential implications of these changes. The survey is open to all livestock producers, feed suppliers and veterinarians, whether or not you attend a workshop. Survey results will only be gathered and reported in the aggregate. Survey results will be shared with workshop participants.

Comments gathered at the 12 workshops will be compiled in a report assessing the economic and physical challenges facing producers as they implement the new provisions in the GFIs and revised VFD. Informational and educational needs will also be evaluated, as well as the role of veterinarians in monitoring and managing antimicrobial drug use.

Farm Foundation will convene a national summit in late fall 2015 for farmers, ranchers, feed suppliers, veterinarians, academics and government agency staff to address the issues identified in the regional workshops. This will also be an opportunity to advance the conversation on the industry's adaptation to the changing landscape of antimicrobial drug use.

Many producers and businesses across the entire food and agricultural value chain have already taken action to reduce the use of medically-important antimicrobial drugs in food animal production. FDA's GFI 209 and GFI 213 call on animal drug sponsors of approved medically-important antimicrobials administered through medicated feed or water to remove production uses (i.e., to promote growth or improve feed efficiency) from their product labels, and bring the remaining therapeutic uses of these products--to treat, control, or prevent disease--under the oversight of a veterinarian by the end of December 2016. Manufacturers of products containing these medically-important antimicrobial drugs have voluntarily agreed to submit changes to their product labels to comply with the GFIs. FDA also revised the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) to facilitate the increased veterinary oversight of medicated feeds called for by GFI 209 and 213. By the end of 2016, administration of these products to food-producing animals will be restricted to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian.

Successful adaptation to the policy changes is critical to public and animal health, ensuring consumer confidence in food safety and the future viability of animal agriculture in the United States. "The success of achieving this goal--for both public health and the economic health of animal agriculture--hinges on producers having access to the information they need to adjust production practices, and the capacity of veterinarians to provide the additional oversight needed," says Farm Foundation President Neil Conklin. "As an organization respected for its objectivity, Farm Foundation is well positioned to quickly respond to this informational need and draw relevant and diverse stakeholder groups to the table for constructive discussions on this important topic."

In addition to Farm Foundation's leadership, individual producers and many companies are providing financial support for this educational effort. These include JBS United, Hormel Foods Corporation, Jennie-O Turkey Store, Rose Acre Farms, Elanco Animal Health, J.R. Simplot Company and North American Meat Institute. The staff of Adayana Agribusiness Group will facilitate the workshops.



NCGA Announces Leadership At Its Best Participants

The National Corn Growers Association announced the participants who will constitute the 30th class of NCGA's Leadership at Its Best Program, which is co-sponsored by Syngenta.  This year's class includes 14 aspiring leaders from 9 states.

"We are excited to see such great interest in the program and strongly believe the quality of the applicants bodes well for the future of our industry," said NCGA President Chip Bowling.  "For decades now, Leadership at Its Best has helped train strong, confident volunteers who have shaped the industry through their subsequent work at the state and national level. As a graduate of Leadership At Its Best, I personally understand the importance role this program plays in helping develop the skills and build the relationships necessary to effectively lead such a dynamic grassroots organization."

This year's Leadership at Its Best Class includes: Aron Carlson (Ill.); Aaron Frank (Colo.); Jeremiah Freidel (S.D.); John Greer (Neb.); Lynn Greer (Neb.); Kirby Hettver (Minn.); Kurt Hora (Iowa); Shane Kinne (Mo.); Larry Klever (Iowa); Fred Miller (Ohio); Guy Mills Jr. (Neb.); Doug Rebout (Wis.); Dirk Rice (Ill.); and Keith Truckor (Ohio).

Open to all NCGA membership, Leadership at Its Best provides training to interested volunteers of all skill levels.  The first session addresses personal communications skills, public speaking and association management.  The second session addresses public policy issues, working with the Hill and parliamentary procedure.  Through this program, participants build the skill set needed to become a more confident public speaker with a solid background in the procedures and processes used by NCGA and many state organizations.

Participants must be members of NCGA.

Since 1986, the National Corn Growers Association, the state corn associations and, most importantly, the U.S. corn industry, have benefited tremendously from the Syngenta- co-sponsored Leadership At Its Best Program.  More than 560 growers have gained invaluable media, communications, association management and public policy knowledge and skills over the lifetime of the program. 



Avian Flu Vaccine Being Developed for Chickens

Scientists have developed a vaccine strain that has tested 100 percent effective in protecting chickens from bird flu and testing is underway to see if it also protects turkeys, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told the House Agriculture Committee at a hearing on Wednesday.

If it does, the agency plans to quickly license it for widespread production and is seeking funding from the Office of Management and Budget to stockpile it nationally, reports the Waterloo Courier.

"Hopefully we'll be able to get a lot of folks working collaboratively together and we stockpile enough so that if this does hit and hits us hard we're in a position to respond quickly," Vilsack said.

Developing a vaccine targeted to the H5N2 virus that has killed 48 million birds since early March in 15 states, including hardest-hit Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska, is one aspect of planning for a potential recurrence of the bird flu, Vilsack said.

Scientists believe the virus was spread through the droppings of wild birds migrating north to nesting grounds. They're concerned it could return this fall when birds fly south for the winter or again next spring.



Ethanol Stocks, Demand Up
Output Dips to 9-Week Low

The U.S. Energy Information Administration released a report Wednesday showing ethanol stocks in the United States were little changed last week, up 89,000 bbl to 19.648 million bbl in the week-ended July 24 while 5.7% higher than a year earlier.

The EIA also showed domestic production fell to the lowest level in nine weeks, down last week by 8,000 bpd to 965,000 bpd while up 1.2% year on year.

Blender inputs, a gauge for ethanol demand, rose last week by 6,000 bpd to a three-week high of 903,000 bpd, while 2.96% higher year on year.

Implied demand for gasoline plunged 410,000 bpd to 9.339 million bpd for the week reviewed, although 3.7% higher than the same week last year, EIA said.



Application Open for Beef Industry Internship in Washington D.C.
 
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Public Lands Council's government affairs office in Washington, D.C., is accepting applications for the spring 2016 public policy internship. The deadline to submit an application is Oct. 1, 2015.

NCBA Executive Director of Legislative Affairs ,Kristina Butts, said this is a great opportunity for students with an interest in the beef industry and public policy.

“The internship gives college students the opportunity to work alongside staff on a range of issues that impact U.S. cattlemen and women,” Butts said. “The internship is designed to work closely with the lobbying team on Capitol Hill; to assist with NCBA and PLC’s regulatory efforts; and to work closely with the communications team.”

Producer-led and consumer-focused, NCBA is the nation's oldest and largest national organization representing America's cattle producers. PLC is the only organization in Washington, D.C., dedicated solely to representing cattle and sheep ranchers that utilize federal lands. The organizations work hand-in-hand on many issues, sharing office space in the heart of the nation's capital.

Summer 2015 intern Chris Pudenz said the internship has been a great experience and has him considering job opportunities in D.C. in the future.

“I’ve learned so much about policy issues that impact the beef industry in far-reaching ways: Country-of-Origin Labeling, the “waters of the United States” regulation, international trade agreements, the potential impact of foreign animal diseases, and many more,” said Pudenz, who is a junior at Hillsdale College studying economics. “The work I do is always valued, and I know that I’m working alongside first-rate NCBA staff to help U.S. beef producers every day. Before this summer, I had no desire to work in a Congressional office, but now I’m seriously considering working on Capitol Hill after I graduate from college. I didn’t really know what to expect from this internship before I arrived in D.C., but looking back I can’t imagine having spent the summer any other way.”

The full-time internship will begin January 11, 2016 and end May 13, 2016. To apply, interested college juniors, seniors or graduate students should submit the application, college transcripts, two letters of recommendation and a resume to internships@beef.org. More information about the NCBA public policy internship is available on www.BeefUSA.org.