Friday October 23 Cattle on Feed Report + Ag News

NEBRASKA CATTLE ON FEED UP 2 PERCENT
Nebraska feedlots, with capacities of 1,000 or more head, contained 2.27 million cattle on feed on October 1, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. This inventory was up 2 percent from last year. Placements during September totaled 510,000 head, down 4 percent from 2014. Fed cattle marketings for the month of September totaled 430,000 head, up 8 percent from last year. Other disappearance during August totaled 10,000 head, unchanged from last year.



IOWA CATTLE ON FEED REPORT

Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in Iowa for all feedlots totaled 1,110,000 on October 1, 2015 according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Cattle on Feed report. The inventory is down 2 percent from September 1, 2015 but up 8 percent from October 1, 2014. Feedlots with a capacity greater than 1,000 head had 600,000 head on feed, down 3 percent from last month but up 7 percent from last year. This is the highest October 1 inventory for feedlots with greater than 1,000 head inventory on record since the series began in 1994. Feedlots with a capacity less than 1,000 head had 510,000 head on feed, down 1 percent from last month but up 9 percent from last year.

Placements during September totaled 144,000 head, an increase of 4 percent from last month but down 25 percent from last year. Feedlots with a capacity greater than 1,000 head placed 85,000 head, up 21 percent from last month but down 14 percent from last year. Feedlots with a capacity less than 1,000 head placed 59,000 head. This is down 14 percent from last month and down 37 percent from last year.

Marketings for September were 163,000 head, down 4 percent from last month and down 20 percent from last year. Feedlots with a capacity greater than 1,000 head marketed 101,000 head, up 31 percent from last month but down 11 percent from last year. Feedlots with a capacity less than 1,000 head marketed 62,000 head, down 33 percent from last month and down 31 percent from last year. Other disappearance totaled 6,000 head.



United States Cattle on Feed Up 2 Percent
   
Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 10.2 million head on October 1, 2015. The inventory was 2 percent above October 1, 2014. The inventory included 6.93 million steers and steer calves, up 7 percent from the previous year. This group accounted for 68 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 3.29 million head, down 7 percent from 2014. October 1, 2015 heifers and heifer calves inventory is the lowest percent of total October inventory since the series began in 1996.

Placements in feedlots during September totaled 1.93 million head, 4 percent below 2014. Net placements were 1.87 million head. During September, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 395,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 290,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 416,000 head, and 800 pounds and greater were 830,000 head. Placements are the lowest for September since the series began in 1996.

Marketings of fed cattle during September totaled 1.64 million head, 2 percent below 2014.   Other disappearance totaled 57,000 head during September, 12 percent below 2014.



LENRD approves a lower levy for fiscal 2016 budget

The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District’s levy is down for the 2016 fiscal budget.  The board of directors set the levy on Thursday, September 10th, at the rate of 0.024061; down from last year’s rate of 0.025105 due to an overall valuation increase of 12.39% across the District.  The property tax request is $6,4,224,679. Homeowners living in a home valued at $100,000 within the District will pay $24.06 in property taxes for water quality and water quantity benefits such as groundwater management, flood control, and nitrate management; as well as erosion control, recreation, cost-share to landowners who apply for conservation practices, and many other benefits that protect our natural resources and improve the quality of life.

LENRD General Manager, Mike Sousek, said, “We have worked together to create this budget as a blueprint for the next fiscal year.  We have addressed our 12 responsibilities throughout the document and are focused on improving the quality of life for the citizens across our district.”



NBIS Announces 2015 Speakers

The 2016 Nebraska Beef Industry Scholars class at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, in cooperation with the Nebraska Cattlemen, is excited to announce more detail about the line-up of topics and speakers at this year’s Beef Summit. The Summit will be held Thursday, November 19th in the Animal Science Complex on UNL’s East Campus. The seminar will begin with registration at 8:30 a.m. and conclude at 4:00 p.m. More information can be found at the UNL Animal Science web page with a link to registration and sponsorship forms.

Welcome will be provided by Dr. Larry Berger, UNL Department of Animal Science Faculty Head. 

First on the speaking agenda is Stan Moore of Michigan State University to address the ever-challenging issue of Recruiting, Hiring, and Retaining Quality Labor in beef production. Mr. Moore is a senior educator in the dairy department at Michigan State and has taken special interest in Labor Management having developed and presented multiple presentations on the topic throughout the Midwest. When many Nebraska ranchers and Ag producers are asked what their biggest challenge will be in the next 10-20 years, they respond, “finding and keeping good help.” Stan will provide some great insight to the strategies and effort it takes to attract quality employees and prevent your operation from being limited by a lack of labor.

Next, Michael Maroney, a representative of Commodity and Ingredient Hedging (CIH) in Chicago, Illinois will talk about Managing Risk in Volatile Markets. Mr. Maroney leads CIH’s Beef Margin Management Service team to help cattle producers manage profitability. Michael began his career as a runner on the floor trading futures and options in grains, equities, and treasuries at the Chicago Board of Trade and his expert knowledge of managing risk in the markets has led him to his current position at CIH.

Following Mr. Maroney, an update and Question & Answer on Beef Industry Issues in the Nebraska Legislature will be led by Jay Rempe of the Nebraska Farm Bureau. Jay is Nebraska Farm Bureau’s Vice President of Governmental Relations. Jay will provide quality insight to the both the issues currently being discussed and those that may be coming in the future, and what action producers need to take to have their voices heard or prepare to adapt.

After lunch, there will be a panel discussion titled: Freedom to Operate vs. Sustainability – Do They Conflict? This discussion was deemed appropriate following the great deal of recent discussion about sustainability in beef production and its inclusion in the U.S. Dept. of Health’s 2015 Dietary Guidelines. With so many definitions and connotations of the word sustainability, is it just a way for anti-agriculture agencies to paint the wrong picture of beef production? This panel will address the challenges beef production faces to continue to operate amidst growing environmental and external regulations.

Present on the panel will be:
Joan Ruskamp, Dodge, NE. Joan and her husband Steve own and operate a feedlot west of Dodge, NE. Joan is an avid “agvocate” having worked in beef production advocacy through a multitude of positions and agencies including the Beef Checkoff, NCBA, American National Cattlewomen, and many others.

Dean Settje, Raymond, NE. Dean is the founder of Settje Agri-Services and Engineering, Inc. (SASE), a company that has been the leader in the Midwest for livestock systems design and environmental compliance. SASE provides assistance to beef producers through a team of professional engineers, agronomists, geologists, and groundwater monitoring specialists.

Steven Zabel, Ag Dept. of NDEQ. Steven will be representing the Department of Environmental Quality and further explaining some the development and enforcement of environmental regulations with a feedlot emphasis.

Scott Yager, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. Mr. Yager works on the NCBA environmental counsel and has spent much time advocating for the beef industry regarding the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) proposed legislation.

The final speaker of the day will be Brian Lubbers, DVM, of Kansas State University. Brian is the director of the Microbial Surveillance Lab at K-State and oversees the day-to-day case management of bacterial and fungal diagnostic specimens. Brian will be addressing the upcoming Antibiotic Regulations and Veterinary Feed Directive and the imminent changes producers will have to make in their beef herd health programs and systems.

Closing remarks will be given by Troy Stowater, Wayne, NE, Nebraska Cattlemen Vice President.

We look forward to a very informative and valuable day with much to gain for all involved in the beef industry in Nebraska!




Current National Drought Summary

Dry weather dominated much of the country, favoring summer crop harvesting and winter wheat planting. However, topsoil moisture shortages hampered wheat emergence and establishment in a variety of regions, including portions of the Plains, lower Midwest, and interior Northwest. Meanwhile, significant short-term drought continued to grip the South, primarily from the southeastern Great Plains to the Mississippi Delta. In addition to concerns about recently planted winter wheat, Southern drought issues included stress on pastures and late-maturing summer crops; an elevated risk of wildfires; and diminishing surface-water supplies. In stark contrast, dry weather in South Carolina and environs favored flood-recovery efforts. Starting on October 16-17, widespread freezes ended the Midwestern growing season—as much as 1 to 2 weeks later than the normal first freeze in some locations. On October 18-19, freezes into the mid-Atlantic region and interior Southeast were roughly on schedule, or even a little earlier than normal. Elsewhere, a period of record-setting Western warmth preceded the arrival of a slow-moving storm system. Showers overspread California by October 15 and over the next several days reached into the Great Basin, Southwest, and Intermountain West. The Western precipitation caused local flooding, but replenished topsoil moisture, benefited rangeland and pastures, and provided limited relief from long-term drought. Significant rain began to overspread the south-central U.S. on October 21, a day after the drought-monitoring period ended, and will be reflected in next week’s U.S. Drought Monitor.

Great Plains
Mostly minor expansion of abnormal dryness (D0) and moderate drought (D1) was noted across the northern and central Plains. Conditions were not as dry as those being experienced farther south, but some impact on winter grain emergence has been reported. In Colorado, most (95%) of the winter wheat had been planted by October 18, but emergence (60%) lagged the 5-year average by 12 percentage points. On the same date, topsoil moisture was 59% very short to short in Kansas and 50% very short to short in Colorado.

Midwestern and Great Lakes States
Mostly dry weather supported a rapid expansion of abnormal dryness (D0) and moderate drought (D1), especially from Missouri to Michigan and Ohio, and across the upper Midwest. By October 18, topsoil moisture—as rated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture—stood at 68% very short to short in Missouri, along with 53% in Indiana, 52% in Illinois, and 46% in Ohio. Sub-state readings indicated more significant dryness in several areas. Among them was the western division of Illinois—bordered by southeastern Iowa and northeastern Missouri—which reported topsoil moisture 86% very short to short, and the east-central division of Missouri (91% very short to short). Although the short-term Midwestern dryness remained favorable for fieldwork, recently planted winter wheat was in need of rain to ensure even emergence and proper crop establishment.

Looking Ahead
During the next 5 days, a slow-moving storm system will provide significant drought relief but possibly cause flash flooding in the south-central U.S. Five-day rainfall totals could reach at least 2 to 5 inches on the southern High Plains; 2 to 6 inches in the western Gulf Coast region; and 3 to 7 inches across the southeastern Plains. Showers will also overspread the northern and central Plains, although totals from Nebraska to the Dakotas will be mostly an inch or less. Scattered showers will also reach the Ohio Valley and the Midwest, but mostly dry weather will prevail through the weekend in the southern Atlantic States and the Far West. Outside of the storm system’s primary impact area (e.g. the south-central U.S.), warm weather will prevail nearly nationwide.

The NWS 6- to 10-day outlook for October 27 – 31 calls for the likelihood of warmer-than-normal weather across Florida, Alaska, and from the Pacific Coast to the northern and central Plains and the upper Midwest. Meanwhile, near- to below-normal temperatures can be expected across much of the South, East, and lower Midwest. The last 5 days of October should feature near- to above-normal precipitation across the majority of the U.S., with the greatest likelihood of wet weather occurring across the lower Southeast. In contrast, drier-than-normal conditions should occur in western Alaska and from the northern Plains into the upper Great Lakes region.



USDA INVESTS $30 MILLION TO HELP PROTECT WETLANDS IN SIX STATES.

Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will award $30 million to projects in six states - including Nebraska - to protect, restore and enhance wetlands on private and tribal agricultural lands. The projects are funded under the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership (WREP), a program authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill.

The Rainwater Basin – a wetland complex located in south central Nebraska – is one of the six areas in the nation that will receive this USDA funding. The application was submitted by the Rainwater Basin Joint Venture, an organization that works with landowners, organizations and conservation agencies to restore wetlands within the Rainwater Basin.

Craig Derickson, Nebraska State Conservationist with NRCS wasn’t surprised to see Nebraska on the short list of funding recipients.

“Nebraska has a strong conservation partnership. We have been working with producers in the Rainwater Basin and with the Rainwater Basin Joint Venture for nearly 25 years to help restore and protect critical wetland habitat.

“The funding available through the Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership program is a perfect fit for the work being done within the Rainwater Basin by targeting locally led conservation efforts that can have a global impact on waterfowl populations,” Derickson said.

The WREP Project in Nebraska will build on the success of two previous WREP projects to acquire and restore the state’s playa wetlands and mixed-grass prairie buffers. By modifying irrigation and grazing practices, this project will provide a unique twist on traditional easements with innovative partner input that links production agriculture land with conservation easements. NRCS plans to invest $1.7 million in this project through the WREP program.



17 Farmer-Leaders Appointed to United Soybean Board

After being appointed by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, 17 farmer-leaders from across the country will be sworn in as directors of the United Soybean Board (USB) at its upcoming annual meeting. The 17 soybean farmers will include five new appointees and 12 returning directors.

Additionally, the U.S. Department of Agriculture also recently announced that USB will increase its number of farmer-leaders from 70 to 73 to reflect growing U.S. soybean production. These new directors will be from Missouri, New Jersey and Wisconsin. The change will be effective for the 2016 board-appointment process.

This year’s new volunteer farmer-leaders invest soy checkoff funds on behalf of all U.S. soybean farmers in projects to improve farmer profit potential. With unpredictable prices, growing production worldwide and more competition, U.S. soybean farmers will need more innovation, such as improved seed varieties and technology, new ways of generating demand and new methods for increasing the value they receive from soybean meal and oil.

“We are thrilled to have these farmer-leaders be part of a new chapter with the United Soybean Board,” says Bob Haselwood, USB chairman and soybean farmer from Berryton, Kansas. “The checkoff is dedicated to using advancements in technology to help U.S. soy remain a top choice for our customers, and these farmer-leaders will be instrumental in helping us accomplish that.”

Appointed farmer-leaders include:
•    Jim Carroll III, Arkansas*
•    Walter L. Godwin, Georgia*
•    Gary Berg, Illinois (2-year term)
•    Lynn Rohrscheib, Illinois
•    Mark Alan Seib, Indiana*
•    April Hemmes, Iowa
•    Dennis Clark, Kentucky*
•    Raymond S. Schexnayder, Jr., Louisiana*
•    Rochelle Krusemark, Minnesota
•    Todd A. Gibson, Missouri*
•    Mark Caspers, Nebraska*
•    Morris Lee Shambley, North Carolina*
•    Jay Myers, North Dakota*
•    John Motter, Ohio*
•    Andrew J. Fabin, Pennsylvania
•    David Gregory Iverson, South Dakota*
•    Robert W. White, Jr., Virginia*

*Indicates returning director

All but one appointee will serve three-year terms, beginning Dec. 10, when they’ll be sworn in at USB’s annual meeting in St. Louis. Qualified State Soybean Boards (QSSBs) nominated all of the appointees.



PORK PULLED FROM, PUT BACK ON FEDERAL PRISONS MENUS

National Pork Month got off to a rough start, with the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) deciding to stop serving pork products in its 122 federal penitentiaries. But after NPPC and Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, weighed in on the matter, expressing concerns, BOP late last week reversed itself. The decision to pull pork from the menu supposedly was based on a survey of federal inmates and on costs. The National Pork Producers Council and Grassley sent letters last Thursday to BOP Director Charles Samuels Jr., asking for more details on the decision. “Pork is a very economical, nutrient-dense protein that ought to be a food option for federal prisoners, and the U.S. pork industry has a variety of products that could meet BOP’s needs,” NPPC said in its letter. Despite the BOP’s reversal, Grassley is pressing the agency on the reasons it purged pork from prisons.



PROVISION IMPORTANT TO AGRICULTURE APPROVED BY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Thursday approved by voice vote the six-year “Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act,” which include an important provision sought by NPPC and other agricultural groups. The highway bill extends through 2018 a deadline for U.S. railroads to install positive train control (PTC) technology on about 60,000 miles of the nation’s 140,000 miles of track. PTC automatically stops a train before certain incidents occur, including train-to-train collisions and derailments caused by excessive speed.

The American Association of Railroads, the U.S. Government Accountability Office and the Federal Railroad Administration indicated that the majority of rail carriers would not meet the original deadline of Dec. 31, 2015, which was set in the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008. Failure to meet the deadline could mean millions of dollars in federal fines for rail companies and likely prompt them to discontinue on the covered tracks passenger service and freight service for railcars hauling hazardous materials such as anhydrous ammonia.

The provision in the highway legislation also would allow an additional two-year extension if certain benchmarks are met. Because the highway bill is unlikely to be approved before an Oct. 31 target date set by the railroads, lawmakers are being urged to include the PTC deadline extension provision in legislation extending funding for surface transportation programs that expire Oct. 29.

Not included in the highway bill is an amendment that would increase the allowable weight limit for trucks. Sponsor Rep. Reid Ribble, R-Wis., indicated he will offer his amendment when the highway bill goes to the House floor. The “Safe, Flexible and Efficient (SAFE) Trucking Act” would allow states to set higher weight limits for vehicles equipped with an additional (sixth) axle driving on their Interstate highways. For more than 30 years, the federal vehicle weight limit has been set at 80,000 pounds. About a quarter of U.S. truck shipments meet that limit, with trucks having significant space left in their trailers, meaning shippers use more truckloads and fuel and drive more miles than necessary.



White House to recognize Champions of Change for “Sustainable and Climate-Smart Agriculture”

On Monday, October 26, the White House will recognize 12 individuals from across the country as White House Champions of Change for Sustainable and Climate-Smart Agriculture. These individuals were selected by the White House for their achievements and will be honored for exemplary leadership and innovation in agricultural production and education. The Champions have helped implement agricultural practices that promote soil health and energy efficiency, improve water quality, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  Climate change can no longer be seen as a distant threat.  It is already impacting forest, grassland, and cropland systems in the United States, and is threatening agricultural producers and their communities. These Champions understand the challenges our nation is facing from a changing climate and are taking steps to build resilience to the impacts of climate change, which also protects their bottom line. The program will feature remarks by United States Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.

The Champions of Change program was created as an opportunity for the White House to feature individuals who are doing extraordinary things to inspire and empower members of their communities. The event will be live-streamed on Monday, October 26 at 2:00 PM ET. Visit www.whitehouse.gov/live/ to tune in.  To learn more about the White House Champions of Change program, visit www.whitehouse.gov/champions. You can also follow the conversation at #WHChamps and #ActOnClimate.

Keith Berns – Bladen, Nebraska
Keith Berns and his brother Brian are co-owners and operators of Providence Farms, a 2,000-acre diversified family-farming operation in Bladen, Nebraska and Green Cover Seed, one of the nation’s leading providers of cover-crop information and seed.  Green Cover Seed has grown from supplying seed and information for 1,000 acres of cover crops in 2009 to over 500,000 acres in 2015. Green Cover Seed’s “SmartMix Calculator” is the industry standard for planning and designing cover-crop mixes and is used extensively across the country. Keith spends countless hours educating farmers and ranchers about the importance of soil health and carbon sequestration through field days, workshops, and conferences.

Martin Kleinschmit – Hartington, Nebraska
Martin Kleinschmit is the owner of an organic farm in Nebraska that produces grains and raises grass-finished cattle on annual and permanent pastures. The farm maintains natural fertility using crop rotation, cover-crop mixtures and animal impact.  After recognizing the need for a high-microbial life to foster carbon sequestration, Martin mentored other farmers through a 4-year program that was instrumental in enrolling over 60,000 Nebraska acres in a USDA organic transition program. In his 17 years serving as a staff member for the Center for Rural Affairs, Martin managed and taught projects to inform farmers of the importance of soil carbon. In an effort to conserve the use of fossil fuels, Martin now owns and manages MarLin Wind & Solar, LLC. He currently holds positions on the rural water district board and the Nebraska Farmers Union.

Timothy Smith – Eagle Grove, Iowa
Tim Smith is a fourth-generation farmer who raises soybeans, corn and cover crops on his family’s Century Farm in Wright County, Iowa. In addition to raising crops, Tim is focused on strengthening soil health and improving water quality. He has worked with a number of organizations, including the Iowa Soybean Association and the Soil Health Partnership, to implement new farming methods. Tim travels throughout Iowa and the United States advising farmers on how to approach new sustainability efforts.

Anita Adalja – Washington, D.C.
Anita Adalja is the Farm Manager at Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture. Anita serves the Washington, D.C. metro area to create a more equitable and sustainable food system through increasing food access, sustainable farming, farmer training and ‘farm-to-school’ education. Under Anita’s management, Arcadia Farm grows thousands of pounds of naturally-grown produce that is sold in low- or no- food access areas in Washington, D.C. through their mobile farmers’ market program. A social worker by training, Anita previously farmed at One Woman Farm in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania and was the Farm Manager for Common Good City Farm in Washington, D.C.

William “Buddy” Allen – Tunica, Mississippi
Buddy Allen is a producer in Tunica, Mississippi and a member of the Macon Edwards Company, a Washington D.C.-based consulting firm. He is actively involved in several agricultural businesses, including a large-scale multi-crop farming operation in Mississippi. Buddy is a leader in conservation on the farm and holds a leadership role in several agricultural and conservation organizations.

Larry Cundall – Glendo, Wyoming
Larry Cundall, a Vietnam War Veteran and fourth-generation rancher from Glendo, Wyoming, is a leader in his ranching community. His priority is managing his land for increased productivity while protecting wildlife and natural resources for future generations. Larry manages water in an effort to decrease water use and cut down labor costs, has switched from windmills to solar wells, and has added miles of waterlines for better water use and grazing distribution. He was one of the first ranchers in Wyoming to sell carbon credits, and led efforts to help ranchers unite to sell wind leases on the windblown shortgrass prairie. For more than 25 years, Larry has served as an advisor for agriculture research and outreach grants on behalf of the University of Wyoming and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Western SARE program.

Herman “Trey” Hill – Rock Hall, Maryland
Trey Hill serves as Partner and Manager of Harborview Farms located in the heart of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Harborview Farms produces corn, wheat and soybeans for the Mid-Atlantic region, with a focus on sustainable agriculture and environmental stewardship. Under Trey’s direction, Harborview has taken 4.5 percent of its 12,500 acres out of production due to being in environmentally sensitive areas. Harborview Farms uses best practices, including no-tillage, nutrient management plans, and planting cover crops on 100 percent of its acres. Trey has embraced the environmental community by serving as a panelist on multiple environmental forums and by hosting a Community Supported Agriculture endeavor on his land.

Loretta Jaus – Gibbon, Minnesota
Loretta Jaus and her husband Martin operate a 410-acre, rotationally-grazed, 60-cow dairy farm in south-central Minnesota. In 1980, with Biology and Wildlife Management degrees, the couple settled in as the fourth generation on Martin’s family farm. Their training created a solid foundation for the farm’s conservation focus and subsequent transition to certified-organic production. Loretta currently serves on the boards of the Land Stewardship Project and Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, has functioned as organic representative in Environmental Initiative’s Agricultural Leadership Dialogue project, and as an educator for CROPP Cooperative/Organic Valley’s Outreach and Education Program.

Jennifer “Jiff” Martin – Storrs, Connecticut
Jiff Martin is the Sustainable Food System Associate Educator for the University of Connecticut Extension, which is part of the College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources. Jiff has worked for over 12 years on food and agriculture issues in Connecticut, helping residents discover local agriculture, connecting kids to healthy, whole foods, and researching community food security in Connecticut’s 169 towns.  Her recent work includes leading a team of Extension Educators to assist new farmers in production and farmland management; directing two AmeriCorps service learning programs; and educating consumers through BuyCTGrown.com’s 10% Campaign, under which residents and businesses are asked to pledge 10 percent of their food and gardening budget to locally-grown products. Jiff was previously State Director for the American Farmland Trust and Food Policy Director at Hartford Food System.

Jesus Sanchez – Fresno, California
Jesus Sanchez serves as Farm Manager for Sano Farms – a diversified tomato, almond, wheat, garbanzo, and garlic farm spanning 4,000 acres in Firebaugh, California.  Firebaugh is a small town of about 8,000 people in the heart of the western portion of San Joaquin Valley. For over ten years, Jesus has implemented a number of innovative conservation agriculture practices including the use of cover crops and strip-tillage at Sano Farms. These practices have resulted in considerably less diesel fuel use, dust and soil water evaporation, and increased soil carbon – all of which contribute to the farm’s resilience and sustainability. Jesus has been an eager spokesperson for these conservation farming practices, has hosted numerous tour groups and provided many presentations to farmers from all over the world who are excited to learn from him.

Erin Fitzgerald Sexson – Rosemont, Illinois
Erin Fitzgerald Sexson is Senior Vice President of Global Sustainability at Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, a forum for the dairy community to work together pre-competitively to foster research, measurement and innovation for farm-to-table sustainability. Under Erin’s leadership, the Innovation Center conducted environmental impact assessments that propelled an industry-wide voluntary carbon-reduction goal, and provided tools and resources to measure and track progress. She is currently leading the effort to enhance dairy’s contributions toward a more sustainable food system by examining the intersection between nutrition, health, hunger, food waste and environmental impact.

Donald Tyler – Beech Bluff, Tennessee
Donald Tyler is a soil management researcher in the Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science Department at the University of Tennessee. He has done research in soil management for over 37 years. He is being honored for his research and outreach contributions in the areas of no-tillage cropping systems. These systems have reduced soil erosion by up to 95 percent, enhanced soil carbon storage from 1 percent to 4 percent, and increased soil biodiversity. When he arrived at the University of Tennessee, soil erosion rates were some of the highest in the United States. No-tillage adoption now tops 70 percent for corn, soybean and cotton acreage in the state.



Dow Reports Lower Sales, But Higher Net Income

The Dow Chemical Company, parent company of Dow AgroSciences, announced its third quarter 2015 earnings.

The Agricultural Sciences division reported third-quarter sales of $1.2 billion, down from $1.4 billion in the year-ago period. Sales were impacted by lower crop commodity prices in Latin America, high channel inventories and significant currency headwinds.

Crop Protection reported decreased sales due to price declines driven by high channel inventories, currency headwinds and lower volume, primarily in Latin America. Demand remained strong for new product technologies (up 8 percent year to date), led by spinetoram insecticide and ISOCLAST active.

Seeds reported decreased sales on the shift of acreage from corn to soybeans in Latin America and North America, as well as inventory pressures. On a year-to-date basis, Agricultural Sciences gained market share in Brazil in both Seeds and Crop Protection.

Operating EBITDA for the segment was a loss of $39 million, compared with a loss of $15 million in the year-ago period, reflecting a decline in price, as well as lost EBITDA from the sale of AgroFresh, which was partially offset by a gain of $44 million from the one-time sale of a joint venture.