Monday August 17 Ag News

Midwest Crop Tour Day 1 - Ohio Corn Averages 148.4 BPA; South Dakota 165.94 BPA

Those who question the size of this year's corn crop need to make a trip to South Dakota. Scouts on the Pro Farmer Midwest Crop Tour found a lush reminder that high yields are still possible for the 2015 crop season in this part of the Midwest.

"The catch word [in South Dakota] was consistency," said Chip Flory, western tour director and Pro Farmer editorial director. "The scenery did not change."

By contrast, scouts on the eastern leg of the tour saw a crop that can only be called variable with wide swings in yield estimates.

Ohio's average corn yield was pegged at 148.4 bushels per acre, compared to a 3-year average of 154.8 bpa and USDA's estimate of 168 bpa. The state's average pod count in a 3-foot-by-3-foot square came in at 1125.3, compared to a 3-year average of 1,219.

South Dakota's corn yield was measured at 165.94 bpa, compared to a 3-year average of 129.57 bpa. The tour estimate is higher than USDA's estimate of 160 bpa. South Dakota's soybean pod count came in at 1,055 in a 3-foot-by-3-foot square, compared to a 3-year average of 886.

The crop tour will release results for Indiana and parts of Nebraska on Tuesday.



Corn Disease Update and Fungicide Research Review
Tamra Jackson-Ziems, NE Extension Plant Pathologist

Gray leaf spot has increased at alarming rates in some areas of the state.  Disease severity has increased so that it's now covering more leaf area with lesions and developing on leaves higher on the plant. This and other diseases will increase as long as weather conditions are favorable, especially in susceptible hybrids. Reviewing the hybrid disease ratings provided by seed companies, as well as other higher risk growing conditions such as continuous corn and minimum tillage, can help indicate which hybrids may develop severe disease and need treatment.

Southern Rust
Distribution of southern rust continues to expand in Nebraska and has been confirmed as far west as Dawson County, with unconfirmed reports elsewhere, including further west.  As samples are received and confirmed with the disease, the southern rust distribution map is updated. The disease has been confirmed in Iowa and South Dakota and is likely distributed further across Nebraska and the U.S. than is indicated on the map. At this time, southern rust incidence and severity in most locations has reportedly been low.  Severity may be limited by recent cool night temperatures.  The confirmed distribution of southern rust can be observed on the IPM PiPE website .

The most reliable method for identifying corn rust diseases is based on examination of microscopic spore characteristics, which can be done quickly for samples submitted to the UNL Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic.  Southern rust spores are usually orange/tan, produced mostly on top side of the leaf, and easily wiped off.  They can easily be mistaken for other diseases. 



2014 Farm Program Payment Estimates - July Update
Brad Lubben, Nebraska Extension

Farm program payments for the 2014 crop will be due to producers in October 2015, after the 2014 crop marketing year is complete for all crops and national marketing year average prices are published as of the end of September. Price Loss Coverage (PLC) payments, if any, are directly calculated from the difference between these national marketing year average prices and the corresponding reference prices set in the 2014 Farm Bill. Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) payments, either under county coverage (ARC-CO) or individual coverage (ARC-IC), are dependent on both prices and yields. Currently available information as of late July 2015 allows for estimates of both PLC and ARC-CO payments, although actual payments will differ based on final price and yield determinations. As a note, estimates for ARC-IC payments are not included due to the complexity and uniqueness of the calculations to every farm operation that enrolled in ARC-IC, but any ARC-IC payments in Nebraska will be small in aggregate as enrollment in ARC-IC was very limited in the state.

With market prices in 2014 down substantially from recent levels, producers are looking to potential farm program payments as part of the cash flow on grain operations across the state this fall. For the minority of farms and crops enrolled in the PLC program, farm programs payments are expected to be non-existent as current forecasts for the nearly-complete marketing year average price are at or above levels that would trigger PLC payments. Nationally, only peanuts, long grain rice, and canola appear to be in line for 2014 crop PLC payments.

Conversely, ARC-CO payments for the majority of farms and crops in Nebraska are expected to add up to hundreds of millions of dollars across the state for the 2014 crop, but will vary substantially by crop, county, and practice (irrigated vs. nonirrigated). ARC-CO guarantees are calculated as the 5-year Olympic average national price multiplied by the 5-year Olympic average county yield multiplied by 90%. Given current prices expectations for the marketing year that are as much as 30% below the 5-year Olympic average, crop revenue will fall far short of the 90% ARC-CO guarantee except for counties, crops, and practices where yield results in 2014 were far above average or where 5-year Oympic average yields fell far short of expected yield levels due to more than one poor yield in the 2009-2013 period (one poor year would be excluded in the Olympic average, but a second poor year would bring the average down).

A recent Cornhusker Economics article on estimated farm program payments is available at http://agecon.unl.edu/farm-program-payments-and-protection-under-arc-and-plc and includes maps of projected ARC-CO payments by crop, county, and practice across the state for crops with available yield and price estimates. A full set of maps is available at http://agecon.unl.edu/farmbill/maps and a companion table of yield, price, and ARC-CO calculations is available as a PDF file  to give specific insight into every available county-crop-practice combination. As more data and yield and price estimates are updated, this report will be updated as well.



Nebraska Ethanol Board Meeting: Sept. 1, 2015

The Nebraska Ethanol Board will meet at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept 1. The meeting will be held at the Crane Trust Nature and Visitor Center (Alda I-80 Exit 305). Highlights of the agenda include:
-    Presentation: Husker Motorsports Funding Request
-    Marketing Programs Update
-    State and Federal Legislation
-    Ethanol Plant Reports

This agenda contains all items to come before the Board except those items of an emergency nature.



Iowa State Introduces Soon-to-be Released Farm Video Game

The Iowa State Fair showcases Iowa’s farm industry in big ways – from big machinery and boars to Iowa chops and melons on sticks – and leaves most visitors feeling like they are very much part of Iowa agriculture. Fairgoers with the desire to try their hand at a more personal farming experience should stop by the Iowa State University exhibit in the Varied Industries Building Aug. 20 and 23.

Demonstrations of C6 BioFarm, a new tablet app sponsored by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, CenUSA Bioenergy, and Iowa NSF EPSCoR, will be featured on the special guest stage Aug. 20 and 23. The game teaches the values and steps to create products in a manner that is environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable.

“C6 BioFarm is an interactive lesson for young people about the agricultural concepts involved in providing food, fuel, fiber and products,” said Jay Staker, youth development specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach. “One unique element of the game is that Iowans can relate it to their own communities.”

The game is aimed at students in grades 5-9, and can be played much like FarmVille or similar “legacy” games. A legacy game is one that can be built upon forever, as users are essentially writing code when they create and maintain new elements.

“The game comes with support materials for teachers interested in incorporating C6 BioFarm into their classroom,” said Staker. “At the core of C6 BioFarm is the interactive application, which can be downloaded soon on Google Play or the iTunes App Store.”

Playing C6 BioFarm is only one of the activities at the Iowa State exhibit, “Camp Cy, a statewide adventure,” which highlights the many ways ISU Extension and Outreach is Iowan’s 99-county campus. While under the cardinal and gold tents, visitors can ride a virtual roller coaster, splash in a stream and watch a monarch butterfly grow – all demonstrating Iowa State’s outreach across Iowa and ISU Extension and Outreach’s community involvement.



Bee Losses Double in E.U.

Preliminary results were released for international bee colony mortality from the 2014-2015 winter, conducted by the independent bee researchers' network COLOSS.

Bayer CropScience reports that a key takeaway is that restrictions on neonicotinoids in the European Union did not lead to an immediate improvement in bee health; the loss rate was twice as high once the restrictions were in place, showing colony losses are not correlated to the use of neonics.

The overall loss rate was 17.4%, twice as high as in the past year according to the 469,249 honey bee colonies that contributed to this data.



USDA Adds More Eligible Commodities for Farm Storage Facility Loans

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Val Dolcini today announced that the Farm Storage Facility Loan (FSFL) program, which provides low-interest financing to producers to build or upgrade storage facilities, will now include dairy, flowers and meats as eligible commodities.

“For 15 years, this program has provided affordable financing, allowing American farmers and ranchers to construct or expand storage on the farm,” said Dolcini. “By adding eligible commodities, these low-interest loans will help even more family farmers and ranchers to expand on-site storage.”

The new commodities eligible for facility loans include floriculture, hops, rye, milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, meat and poultry (unprocessed), eggs, and aquaculture (excluding systems that maintain live animals through uptake and discharge of water). Commodities already eligible for the loans include corn, grain sorghum, rice, soybeans, oats, peanuts, wheat, barley, minor oilseeds harvested as whole grain, pulse crops (lentils, chickpeas and dry peas), hay, honey, renewable biomass, and fruits, nuts and vegetables for cold storage facilities.

Since 2000, more than 35,000 facility loans have been approved totaling $2 billion in rural investments. On average, about 1,600 new loans are made each year. Producers do not need to demonstrate the lack of commercial credit availability to apply. The loans are designed to assist a diverse range of farming operations, including small and mid-sized businesses, new farmers, operations supplying local food and farmers markets, non-traditional farm products, and underserved producers.



Appellate court reverses previous dismissal of HSUS case against NPPC

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia is breathing new life into a previously dismissed lawsuit alleging pork checkoff funds were indirectly used to benefit the lobbying efforts of the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC).

Today's ruling reverses an earlier court's dismissal of a lawsuit brought by an Iowa pork producer along with the Humane Society of the United States and the Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement in 2012 and allows it to potentially be reconsidered.

The groups alleged that the National Pork Board used the purchase of four trademarks associated with the “Pork: The Other White Meat” advertising campaign to funnel $60 million in checkoff funds to NPPC, the chief trade association of the U.S. pork industry.

The plaintiffs sued Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack under the Administrative Procedure Act, seeking an order to stop the Pork Board's further payments to the Council and directing the Secretary to “claw back” what payments he could from the deal. But a district court dismissed the plaintiffs' suit for lack of standing.

In court documents, the plaintiffs of the case claim the Pork Board “did not buy the slogan (from NPPC) for its value as a marketing tool.” Rather, they say the purchase - to be doled out in $3 million increments for the next 20 years - was used “as a means to cut a sweetheart deal with (NPPC) to keep (NPPC) in business and support its lobbying efforts.” They say the board “overpaid for the slogan” and that the Pork Board's shift to the “Pork: Be Inspired” campaign “makes the initial slogan all but worthless.”

U.S. pork producers and importers pay $0.40 per $100 of value when pigs are sold and when pigs or pork products are brought into the U.S. to fund the checkoff. It is a violation of the federal orders that established checkoffs to use funds for lobbying interests.

In a blog post, HSUS CEO Wayne Pacelle called the ruling “a potentially enormous win for animal welfare groups, small farmers, and environmentalists - since they've all felt the wrath of the NPPC's intense lobbying efforts.”



Permits in place, financing the goal for N.D. fertilizer plant

Northern Plains Nitrogen (NPN) has received all the regulatory approvals needed to move forward in constructing a fertilizer plant at Grand Forks, N.D.

Financing the more-than-$2 billion construction project is the main focus at this point. “While NPN remains optimistic, it is a difficult and highly competitive financial market for raising development capital, and NPN’s ability to secure the necessary financing remains a work in progress,” a recent announcement noted.

The final permitting hurdle for the proposed nitrogen fertilizer facility, a “Permit to Construct” was issued by the North Dakota Department of Health Division of Air Quality based on analysis of the facility’s projected impact on air quality.

“The permit was issued following a 30-day public comment that drew only positive feedback, including an endorsement from the Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corporation (EDC),” NPN proclaimed.  The EDC wrote, “NPN and the City of Grand Forks are working closely to ensure this plant technically meets or exceeds expectations for the safety and benefit of the region. The EDC supports projects that will enhance our region’s economy, generate new wealth and create new jobs. NPN’s project meets these goals, not only for our region but our state.”

It was noted by Anderson and Don Pottinger, CEO of NPN, that the recent decision by CHS to abandon its proposed Spiritwood, N. D., project concept has no negative affect on NPN’s plans. If anything, it would appear to be positive for NPN.

“We may see less pressure on building costs and will be in a better position to hire the talent needed during construction and for operation of the facility,” Pottinger said. “Ultimately, though, our long-term goal remains the same regardless of the decisions others make—to provide growers in our region with a reliable supply of high-quality nitrogen fertilizer.”

NPN’s proposal is for a large-scale nitrogen fertilizer complex that includes a 2,400-ton-per-day ammonia plant. The site has a total of 320 acres.

NPN notes that an adequate supply of processed and cooling water for its facility has been ensured in planning with the city of Grand Forks. It has been explained that “the plant will meet a substantial share of its water needs by re-using ‘gray’ water (wastewater from the adjacent Grand Forks city sewage lagoons.”

Anderson also noted, “The site also has access to abundant and competitively priced natural gas. For example, the Viking Gas Transmission Co. has a pipeline located 16 miles east of the NPN site.” Of additional importance, he pointed out that the site is adjacent to major rail and highway corridors.

Anderson concluded in his statement, “The bottom line, though, is the marketplace. The NPN facility will provide a dependable supply of fertilizer to a region that over the years has been affected by everything from flooding or late ice-out on the Mississippi River to the shortage of rail cars.”



ROUNDUP READY PLUS® CHALLENGE TO DEMONSTRATE EFFECTIVENESS AND VALUE OF RESIDUAL HERBICIDE PROGRAMS IN SOYBEANS

Monsanto announced today the online kickoff of the 2015 Roundup Ready PLUS® Challenge, a program designed to demonstrate the benefits of a complete residual herbicide program in combination with Genuity® Roundy Ready 2 Yield® soybeans.  This approach is effective in controlling weeds and in protecting yield potential for farmers battling herbicide-resistant and tough-to-control weeds in their fields.

“The PLUS Challenge is a head-to head comparison of weed management systems designed to show the effectiveness and value of the Roundup Ready PLUS Crop Management Solutions to a farmer’s current practices,” says Chris Reat, Monsanto’s Roundup Ready PLUS Marketing Manager. “For five years now, Roundup Ready PLUS Crop Management Solutions has been instrumental in helping farmers put together an effective residual herbicide program in their Genuity Roundup Ready 2 Yield soybean crops while offering incentives to use multiple mechanisms of action for better management of resistant and tough-to-control weeds. This year’s PLUS Challenge will help reinforce to more farmers the value of protecting yield potential through better weed management.”

In the PLUS Challenge, farmers using alternative weed control management systems to Roundup Ready PLUS Crop Management Solutions were chosen to participate. Alternative weed control strategies may include less-than-recommended rates of residual herbicides, no residuals or an alternative trait package and weed control systems.

Participating farmers were asked to either split fields, or plant an adjacent field, using their current weed management system and compare it to a field where the farmer uses a Roundup Ready PLUS Crop Management Solutions approach. The farmers were required to follow complete recommendations in the Roundup Ready PLUS Crop Management Solutions, which include:
-    Start clean with a burndown herbicide or tillage
-    Apply residual herbicide for weed control
-    Use full labeled rates of recommended herbicides

Farmers’ progress with weed control – and their insight into what they are seeing when comparing a field that follows the Roundup Ready PLUS Crop Management System recommendations versus their current weed management system - at www.RoundupReadyPLUS.com/RRPChallenge15. Twitter updates are also available by following @RRPLUS and the hashtag #CompeteForClean.

Roundup Ready PLUS Background
The platform known today as Roundup Ready PLUS began as Cotton Performance PLUS in 2008. Cotton Performance PLUS was a revolutionary platform that provided cotton farmers incentives to use residual herbicides, including competitor products, in their weed management program. In the 2011 growing season Roundup Ready PLUS evolved to include weed management recommendations and incentives in cotton, soybeans and corn. Since its introduction, Roundup Ready PLUS has served as a platform of recommendations, incentives and education/training to manage tough-to-control and glyphosate-resistant broadleaf weeds. Products endorsed in Roundup Ready PLUS have been proven to perform with glyphosate-tolerant crops, and farmers are incentivized for using them. For more information, visit www.RoundupReadyPLUS.com.

Take Action
Take Action is an industry-wide partnership between university weed scientists, major herbicide providers and organizations representing corn, cotton, sorghum, soybean and wheat farmers to help them manage herbicide-resistant weeds. The Take Action effort encourages you to develop a proactive strategy to manage herbicide-resistant weeds that incorporates a diverse set of controls. To find out more about how you can take action, visit www.TakeActionOnWeeds.com, or contact your local extension office.



 CWT Assists with 794,000 Pounds of Cheese and Butter Export Sales

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted 5 requests for export assistance from member cooperatives who have contracts to sell 242,509 pounds (110 metric tons) of Cheddar, Gouda and Monterey Jack cheese, and 551,156 pounds (250 metric tons) of butter to customers in Asia, and the Middle East. The product has been contracted for delivery in the period from August through December 2015.

Year-to-date, CWT has assisted member cooperatives who have contracts to sell 45.137 million pounds of cheese, 28.063 million pounds of butter and 33.409 million pounds of whole milk powder to thirty-three countries on five continents. The amounts of cheese, butter and whole milk powder in these sales contracts represent the equivalent of 1.292 billion pounds of milk on a milkfat basis. Numbers are adjusted for cancellations.

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 all U.S. dairy farmers by strengthening and maintaining the value of dairy products that directly impact their milk price.