Monday October 12 Ag News

Stalk and Ear Rots, Black 'Dusty' Corn Evident in Some Fields
Tamra Jackson-Ziems, NE Extension Plant Pathologist

As harvest nears or progresses throughout Nebraska, stalk and ear rot diseases continue to become evident and producers should be monitoring for diseases.

Stalk rot diseases have weakened stalk strength in some fields, resulting in lodging. Most of the corn is in very good condition; however, some fields have ears with one or more ear rot diseases, such as Diplodia, Fursarium, Gibberella or others.  Ear rot diseases will likely continue to grow in storage which will adversely affect grain quality.  Drying corn to less than 15% and cooling it will help to slow mold growth for short-term storage, but will not kill the fungi or prevent future growth in the bin.

Pay special attention to fields that have one or more risk factors for stalk or ear rot diseases and lodging:
    Higher yielding hybrids
    Lost leaf area (due to leaf diseases, hail, etc.)
    Excessive rainfall/ponding anytime during the season
    Stalk or ear wounding, usually by hail or insects
    High planting populations
    Tall plants
    Thin stalks

If you are in doubt about the identity of a disease or cause of another plant problem, you can submit a sample to the UNL Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic (P&PDC) for diagnosis. For more information about these and other plant diseases or for submission forms for the P&PDC and submission instructions, visit the Clinic’s CropWatch website.

Black “Dusty” Corn
Many people have noted the appearance of black to gray discoloration or “dust” on corn plants during recent weeks. In some cases, large amounts of black “dust” has been reported from combines during harvest, sometimes looking like smoke.  The large amount of microscopic spores produced by some fungi can cause these phenomena.

Diseases such as common smut have been common this year and could have contributed to the appearance of these spores.  In addition, the late season rainfall has created a favorable environment for other common, beneficial fungi to flourish and rapidly produce copious amounts of spores.  Some of these fungi, such as Alternaria spp., grow on dead plant tissue, like corn husks, but don’t typically cause damage to the ear underneath.  No management is necessary for this issue and it’s not expected to damage the corn, although dust masks may be advised for those who are prone to respiratory issues and sensitive to particulate matter.



Avoiding Compaction During Harvest
Paul Jasa, NE Extension Engineer

With harvest underway across Nebraska, some producers are concerned about compaction as their large combines and grain carts move across the fields. In some areas, fall rains have left the fields soft and ruts are being cut into the soil during harvest. These ruts leave the soil surface rough and have severe compaction below them. This compaction can impede the crop's roots next season and increase runoff because of reduced infiltration.

If the combines and grain carts aren't leaving a rut, don't worry about compaction from the heavy equipment. Compaction is the loss of pore space between soil particles and occurs when that space is squeezed out of the soil and reappears somewhere else, such as in the form of a rut. If a rut wasn't formed, there was enough soil structure present to support the weight without causing additional compaction.

If ruts were formed during harvest, tillage can break up compaction but the soil must be dry to fracture compaction. If the soil was wet enough to cause ruts, the odds are that it is too wet to do tillage. Tilling a wet soil causes more compaction as the soil particles are lubricated and easily slide under the weight of the tractor and tillage implement. This compaction is harder to see because the entire soil surface is compacted, even though the surface looks loosened. Deep tilling a wet soil often only cuts slots and smears the soil rather than fracturing compaction.

Regardless, tilling destroys soil structure and more tracks will be formed with future passes. Typically ruts are as deep as the soil was tilled, down to the compaction layer from the tillage. The majority of compaction is caused primarily by tillage. It breaks up the existing soil structure and packs the soil below the tillage depth. With little soil structure in the tilled layer, the next pass easily compacts the soil, either full width with tillage or in tracks with traffic.

Controlling Traffic, Controlling Compaction
Producers should practice controlled traffic to reduce the areas in the field with wheel traffic compaction. Eighty to 85 percent of soil compaction damage is done with the first pass of the tires. If additional passes are made on the same traffic lanes, little additional compaction occurs. Because once a traffic lane has been driven on and the soil has been firmed up, subsequent passes have little effect on the amount of compaction. By using the same traffic lanes year after year, the soil structure and water infiltration in the untrafficked areas greatly improve.

Controlled traffic lanes improve traction, soil load bearing, and timeliness of planting and harvesting operations while minimizing potential yield reduction from compaction. Compaction is managed, not eliminated, and the area subjected to compaction is minimized. The concept is to separate traffic zones from root zones. Controlled traffic keeps compaction where it is less detrimental to root development and uptake of nutrients and water. Fertilizer placement and furrow irrigation practices can be modified as these traffic zones are established and the traffic lanes are known.

To minimize wheel compaction at harvest time, grain carts should be following the same tracks as the combine. A lot of grain cart drivers think they should move over a few rows and spread out compaction, but this will only compact more of the field. Likewise, grain trucks shouldn't be driven in the field as the axle loads and tire pressures are not suitable for soils.

If ruts were cut at harvest, wait until the soil is dry to smooth them out to avoid causing additional compaction. This smoothing operation may be a light tillage operation next spring before planting. Deeper tillage in the spring will usually cause more compaction as the soil is wet and the tillage will break up soil structure.

To fracture the compaction in the ruts from this year's harvest, a producer may have to wait until next fall before the soil is dry enough. However, often the compaction in the bottom of the ruts extends deeper into the soil than most producers will be able to till. This is a case where prevention is far more effective than the cure. It's best to build soil structure and not drive on wet soils if possible. Controlled traffic, no tillage, and cover crops will all help build soil structure and reduce compaction concerns.




CVA Coop Returns $3.4m in Equity to Members

Central Valley Ag (CVA) distributed a total of $3,436,293 in a Special Equity Redemption during the month of August. With this amount, CVA has now distributed $13,142,808 million in Cash to its member-owners in the form of equity redemptions and cash dividends this past Fiscal Year. Central Valley Ag is proud to return equity to its member-owners. Sharing the success of the company is truly the cooperative way.

CVA Member-Owners enjoy seeing this direct benefit come their way. “Patronage is always a big topic at the board meetings, and it’s nice to know that the current board and management are striving to promote this endeavor,” said Bill Schriver, CVA Member-Owner from St. Edward Nebraska. “People are what distinguishes one business from another, and our coop (Central Valley Ag) has some of the very best!”

Several of CVA’s Field Sales Agronomists delivered checks to patrons and comments such as Bill’s were common amongst the group. Roger Loseke of Monroe, Nebraska summarized the process with his statement, saying, “It really pays to be a member of the coop.”

The success of Central Valley Ag is a result of its member-owners support, Board of Directors vision, and the employee’s dedication to great customer service.



Forage Insurance
Kate Brooks, UNL Department of Agricultural Economics

Forage is one of the major costs associated with cow-calf operations. Producers need to continue to monitor costs as returns begin to decline compared to 2014.  Two insurance products are available for producers as a risk management tool for forage production. These include the Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage (PRF)[1] insurance and the Annual Forage (AF)[2] insurance, both offered through the USDA - Risk Management Agency.  Both programs use a rainfall index to determine losses and trigger indemnities.

Beginning with the 2016 crop year, the Rainfall Index PRF is available in all 48 contiguous states. The Vegetation Index PRF will no longer be offered. The signup deadline for 2016 calendar year coverage is on November 15, 2015.  PRF is a single-peril, subsidized insurance product available to producers with grazing or haying land that is from a perennial forage.  An indemnity is payed if the rainfall index for the insured's area falls below a trigger level selected by the producer.  The rainfall index value is based upon the rainfall over an entire grid area and not on an individual farm or ranch or at a specific weather station. For more detailed information, a UNL NebGuide is available at: http://extensionpublications.unl.edu/assets/html/g2217/build/g2217.htm.

AF insurance is available for Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Colorado.  AF is a subsidized, production risk management tool for producers with annual forage crops including but not limited to grazing, haying, grazing/haying, grain/grazing, green chop, grazing/green chop, or silage that are used for livestock feed or fodder.  AF plans are available for two different growing seasons, fall planted forage and spring planted forage.   The fall planted forage is for annual forage planted between July 15 and November 15th with a growing season from September 1 to March 31st.  The spring planted forage is for annual forages with a planting date between December 15th and July 15th with a growing season from March 1 to September 30th.  The signup deadline for spring planted forage is December 15, 2015.  More detailed information can be found in a UNL BeefWatch newsletter article by my colleague Jay Parsons at: http://newsroom.unl.edu/announce/beef/4535/26304.

Producers must pay subsidized premiums to participate in PRF and AF as risk management tools.  Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) is a disaster assistance program that is based on county losses.  PRF may be used to cover gaps that LFP may not cover.  Producers interested in LFP or AF insurance are encouraged to visit the USDA websites to access more information including decision support tools, grid locators, and historical rainfall indexes for their specific locations.

1- USDA RMA PRF website: http://www.rma.usda.gov/policies/pasturerangeforage/.
2- USDA RMA AF website: http://www.rma.usda.gov/policies/ri-vi/annualforage.html. 



IA Farmers Reminded to Wait until Soil Temps Are 50 Degrees and Falling before Applying Anhydrous Ammonia Fertilizer

Farmers are reminded to wait until soil temperatures remain below 50 degrees Fahrenheit before applying anhydrous ammonia (NH3) fertilizer this fall. Harvest is progressing rapidly in many parts of the state and officials with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach said that waiting can help reduce nitrogen loss and better protects the environment.

“It is important that farmers wait for cooler soil temps to apply anhydrous so that there is a better chance the fertilizer stays put and will be available to the crop next spring,” said Bill Northey, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture.  “Soil temperatures, like air temperatures, can change quickly so it is important that we wait with applications until soils are likely to remain below 50 degrees.”

ISU Extension and Outreach maintains a statewide real-time soil temperature data map on its website that ag retailers and farmers use to determine when fall N applications are appropriate. The website can be found at extension.agron.iastate.edu/NPKnowledge.

“The reason for waiting to apply anhydrous ammonia until soils are cold is that nitrification, the process of biological conversion of ammonium to nitrate, occurs at a more rapid rate with warm soils. Since ammonium-N does not leach and is not subject to denitrification, as is nitrate, it is more stable in the soil,” said John Sawyer, professor and extension specialist in soil fertility and nutrient management at Iowa State University.

In addition to waiting for cooler soil temperatures, farmers also should make sure that the soil is not too dry, too hard or too wet, as those conditions can cause injection issues and allow ammonia to move to the soil surface and be lost to the air. If conditions are not suitable, then waiting for better conditions is suggested.



USMEF Announces Mansfield Award, Distinguished Service Award Honorees

The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) has announced the recipients of its Mansfield Award and Distinguished Service Award. Both will be presented at the 2015 USMEF Strategic Planning Conference, Nov. 4-6 in Tucson, Arizona.

The Mansfield Award recipient is Rosemary Mucklow, director emeritus and consultant for the North American Meat Institute (NAMI). Mucklow’s career in the meat industry spans more than 50 years, including 25 years (1982-2007) as Executive Director of the National Meat Association. Mucklow also provided valuable regulatory and business guidance to the industry as part of the North American Meat Association, which later merged with the American Meat Institute to form NAMI.

“I am deeply honored, and enormously surprised – I certainly didn’t see this coming,” Mucklow said. “The Mansfield Award is a great honor, and one that makes me reflect on all the wonderful people I have worked with in the U.S. meat industry who have been such a great help to me over the years.”

The Mansfield Award was established in recognition of former U.S. senator and diplomat Michael J. Mansfield, who served a record 11 years as U.S. Ambassador to Japan under both the Carter and Reagan Administrations, where he displayed an unyielding commitment to U.S.-Japan free trade. He was also the nation’s longest-serving U.S. Senate Majority Leader, holding the position for 16 years while representing the state of Montana.

Rich Degner is the recipient of USMEF’s Distinguished Service Award. The award is presented to individuals who have shown outstanding leadership toward achievement of USMEF’s export goals. Until his retirement on Sept. 30, Degner was chief executive officer of the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) – a position he had held since 1998. Prior to becoming CEO, Degner served IPPA in the areas of producer education, market development, communications and public policy.

Degner was instrumental in launching IPPA’s foreign market development program, working in conjunction with USMEF and the Iowa Economic Development Authority. He is a longtime champion of exports of U.S. pork, educating producers about the premiums delivered through international marketing and how exports enhance producer profitability. Degner often traveled to key international markets, meeting with pork buyers and establishing business relationships beneficial to U.S. exporters, processors and producers. He also helped host numerous international trade teams visiting the United States.

“I’m extremely humbled and thankful to USMEF for recognizing me with this award,” Degner said. “Looking back, I find it amazing that a farm boy from northwest Iowa, who grew up on a small, diversified operation, would actually have the opportunity to travel to international markets and have such a remarkable experience while working on behalf of U.S. producers.”

“The U.S. meat industry is fortunate to have many great leaders within its ranks, and Rosemary and Rich are two of our finest,” said Philip Seng, USMEF president and CEO. “We look forward to honoring them in Tucson for their many years of outstanding, dedicated service.”



ASA Cheers Court of Appeals Stay on WOTUS Rule

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Cincinnati on Friday issued a stay that temporarily blocks enforcement of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule in all 50 states. The American Soybean Association welcomed the ruling and noted that the federal court used the same argument advanced by the nation’s soybean growers—the misapplication of the rule’s significant nexus test, or how connected a body of water in question is to a body of water under Clean Water Act jurisdiction—as a key reason for its decision. ASA President Wade Cowan, a soybean farmer from Brownfield, Texas, commended the court for its decision and called on EPA to pull the rule and commit to working with farmers on more practical ways to meet the nation’s water quality goals:

“The stay granted by the Sixth Circuit this morning only underscores what soybean farmers have been saying about this rule since day one: it is unnecessarily broad, incorrectly applied, and entirely unworkable for American agriculture. The Court pointed to the same misinterpretation of the Supreme Court’s significant nexus test that ASA had identified in its public comments months ago, and allows for additional time to evaluate the application and implication of this rule.

“Moving forward, we propose that EPA abandon the rule as written and start over with farmers at the table. Find out what we’re doing on our farms and at the state and regional levels in watersheds like the Great Lakes, the Chesapeake and the Mississippi, and craft a rule that covers what we don’t. Let’s put something in place—together—to improve water quality nationwide.”