Monday October 5 Ag News

NePPA and NSB Introduce Pigmania--a Free Educational Tool for Teaching Elementary School Students

The Nebraska Pork Producers Association (NePPA) and the Nebraska Soybean Board (NSB) announce a new educational tool to teach elementary school students about Nebraska’s thriving pork industry.

Entitled Pigmania, the six-lesson package is being offered at no cost to the state’s elementary school teachers by the NPPA and the NSB.

Pigmania teaches fourth- through sixth-graders the basics about pork. Lessons focus on how pork gets from the farm to their dinner tables, the high nutritional values of pork in their diets, and the many non-food uses of pig byproducts, including medicinal and surgical products. The teacher package also helps educators meet Nebraska Department of Education standards in several areas, including social studies, language arts and math. Enclosed quizzes and other activities keep students engaged in learning about pigs and pork.

Students will learn that pork is the world’s most widely eaten meat, that Nebraska is one of the leading producers of pork in the country and that pig byproducts are the source for nearly 40 drugs and pharmaceuticals. They’ll also learn that pork is one of the leanest sources of meat available, and that Nebraska soybean farmers produce much of the feed used to nourish the state’s pigs.

The NePPA and the NSB actively work together to inform Nebraskans about the importance of animal agriculture to the state’s economic health, according to Teri Zimmerman, NSB education and outreach manager.

“Our goal is to educate Nebraskans about the importance of animal agriculture to our economy,” she says. “The earlier we can tell students about pork and soybean production in the state, the better informed they will be, so they can make wise purchasing decisions for their families when they become adults.”

“It’s important that elementary school students appreciate the steps Nebraska farmers take to make sure their pigs are well taken care of so they can provide healthy, nutritious food for their dinner tables,” says Kyla Habrock, the NePPA’s youth leadership director. “Pigmania is an excellent educational package to teach these students the facts about pork.”

Other educational materials provided free to the state’s elementary schools by the Nebraska Soybean Board and the Nebraska Pork Producers Association include: a Bingo card game that teaches students about pork and soybean farming; Food For Thought, an animated video package that gives students a look at how pork is produced in Nebraska; Producers, Pigs & Pork, a series of lessons that teaches students about our food supply system, centering on pork production; and Short Snoots, Soybean Sprouts, a colorful, four-page worksheet with interactive exercises to help students understand the interdependency of pig and soybean farming in Nebraska. 

Teachers can order Pigmania at no cost at www.nebraskapigmania.com. Quantities are limited, so teachers are urged to order immediately.



Harvest 2015: Yield Monitor Data Collection Tips
Joe Luck, Nebraska Extension Precision Ag Engineer

Many folks are already getting into the field for harvest this year and for those who collect yield monitor data, it’s a good time to ensure that you’re collecting accurate information.

The most important (and time consuming) aspect of collecting accurate yield data is calibration of the yield monitor system. While many operators can use calibrations stored in the display from previous years (always double check to see how well previous calibrations are performing), most will need to perform new calibrations. Remember that separate calibrations are needed for different crops (e.g., corn or soybeans) and accuracy will generally improve when calibrating for significant moisture variability for a crop (e.g., high and low moisture corn).

For each calibration, try to conduct separate loads that span the variability (high to low) that you may expect to see when harvesting fields. Generally you can change combine speed or header cut width to varying crop flow through the machine to create this variation while calibrating. In general only 3,000 lb to 6,000 lb of grain are needed for each of these loads. Harvesting a full semi-load of grain per calibration load point won’t necessarily improve your calibration accuracy.

Another common issue that often affects yield data is acceleration or deceleration while harvesting. Sometimes it’s necessary to stop quickly, but this will often contribute to over-estimating yield. Minimizing speed changes can help reduce these types of errors.
Resources

For more information on these issues see these UNL Extension publications:
-    Precision Agriculture: Best Management Practices for Collecting Accurate Yield Data and Avoid Errors During Harvest (EC2004), an overview of yield monitor errors.
-    Improving Yield Map Quality by Reducing Errors through Yield Data File Post-Processing (EC2005), information on how these errors can impact yield maps plus post-processing techniques for removing errors. (This will be available soon on the Nebraska Extension Publications website at http://extensionpubs.unl.edu/)

In the end, remember that most well-calibrated yield monitors should be able to estimate yields within 1% to 3% on a full-field basis and you’re likely to see errors exceeding 3% when looking at the sub-field scale.



A New Reason to Sample for SCN This Fall
John Wilson, NE Extension Educator
Loren Giesler, NE Extension Plant Pathologist

For years we have promoted farmers soil sampling their fields for soybean cyst nematode (SCN) in the fall after harvest. The reasons we’ve listed for sampling at this time of year have not changed. They are just as important today as they were five or ten years ago. Here’s our countdown of the “Top Five” reasons for soil sampling for SCN this fall:

5. Poor yielding fields or areas are likely fresh on your mind or evident from yield maps. These are areas where yields didn’t meet expectations and you can’t “blame” it on anything else, such as weeds, compaction, insects, soil type, herbicide injury, etc. What reinforces this is if corn yields continue to increase while soybean yields hit a plateau or even start to drop off.

4. Life is generally less hectic after harvest and you can dedicate time to taking good representative samples. Take 20-25 soil cores from the area and mix the samples together. Then take a sample from this composite sample (representing the area or field) and submit it for analysis. Sample problem areas in a field separate from normal yielding areas and compare SCN egg counts. If you don’t have yield variations and are just trying to determine if SCN is present, sample areas up to 80 acres in size.

3. You, your co-op, or your crop consultant or field scout often pull soil samples in the fall to determine fertilizer needs for the next year. When sampling for fertilizer, sample for SCN. Both need topsoil samples six to eight inches deep, making fall an opportune time to do both samples in one trip. Take a few extra cores in the field, mix them all together, and then split the sample, using half for fertilizer recommendations and half for SCN analysis.

2. The Nebraska Soybean Board promotes sampling by covering the cost of the SCN analysis. Normally there is a $20 fee for soil samples submitted to the University of Nebraska Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic for SCN analysis. Commercial labs will charge $15 to $30. If you submit five samples from your farming operation, you will receive the equivalent of $100 of checkoff dollars you have paid. Special sample bags for this free analysis are available at your local Nebraska Extension office.

So far there’s nothing too exciting or earth shaking in the first four reasons. SCN causes the most yield losses for soybean growers in Nebraska and across the U.S. These first four points all reinforce why fall is a good time to sample a field to determine if SCN is present.

The newest reason is for soybean growers who already know they have SCN in their field and have been working to manage it.

1. About 98% of the SCN-resistant soybeans varieties available to farmers all use the same source of resistance (PI88788). The reason for this is simple: It was easiest to breed in this source of resistance and still maintain yields. The downside to this is that there is a lot of variability in the genetics of the SCN in any field and no source of resistance is going to control all of the SCN present. Just like using the same herbicide, insecticide, or fungicide year after year will lead to resistance, using the same source of SCN resistance will eventually allow a portion of that SCN population to survive and reproduce on soybeans with that genetic source of resistance. That is why it is important for soybean growers to check their fields periodically (every six to seven years) to see if the SCN population is increasing or decreasing.

If your initial confirmation of SCN in a field was found in a soil sample taken in the fall after a soybean crop, six or seven years later sample that field again in the fall after a soybean crop. If the SCN population remains constant or decreases, your resistant varieties are doing their job. However, if SCN counts are higher, you will want to select a soybean variety with a different source of SCN resistance the next time you plant soybeans in that field. Your choices will be greatly reduced, but long-term it will be worth it to keep the SCN population in check in your field. It is much easier to identify low levels of SCN in the soil and keep them low than it is to let SCN populations increase, then try to bring them back down.



Registration Open for 2016 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show

Registration and housing for the 2016 Cattle Industry Convention and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Trade Show opens today. The 118th Annual Convention will be held in San Diego, Calif., Jan. 27-29, 2016. Advanced registration is open until Jan. 4, 2016. Convention participants will hear from industry leaders, gather insight on industry trends, enjoy an evening of stars and stripes on the USS Midway and this year’s Cowboy Concert Series will feature Martina McBride. NCBA President Philip Ellis said this convention is a must for everyone involved in the cattle industry.

“The Cattle Industry Convention is the oldest and largest, national convention in the cattle business,” Ellis said. “We look forward to another great meeting in an outstanding location. Once again, NCBA will have one of the largest trade shows in agriculture, with 350 companies exhibiting on nearly 6 acres of show floor. Between the USO show on the USS Midway and Martina McBride, our entertainment will be outstanding.”

In addition to access to all of the 2016 convention events, registrants for the full convention will receive a 50 percent off coupon for Roper and Stetson apparel and footwear at the NCBA Trade Show. To register and secure housing for the 2016 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show, visit www.beefusa.org or e-mail meetings@beef.org.



 CWT Assists with 8 million Pounds of Cheese, Butter and Whole Milk Powder Export Sales

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted 18 requests for export assistance from Dairy Farmers of America, Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative, Michigan Milk Producers Association, Northwest Dairy Association (Darigold) and Tillamook County Creamery Association who have contracts to sell 465,175 pounds (949 metric tons) of Cheddar and Gouda cheese,  6.515 million pounds (2,955 metric tons) of butter and 1.041 million pounds (472 metric tons) of whole milk powder to customers in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and South America. The product has been contracted for delivery in the period from October 2015 through March 2016.

Year-to-date, CWT has assisted member cooperatives who have contracts to sell 47.145 million pounds of cheese, 25.671 million pounds of butter and 35.556 million pounds of whole milk powder to thirty-five countries on six continents. The amounts of cheese, butter and whole milk powder in these sales contracts represent the equivalent of 1.272 billion pounds of milk on a milkfat basis.

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.



DFA to Close Wisconsin Dairy Plant

Dairy Farmers of America has announced plans to close its Plymouth, Wisconsin cheese plant early next year.

CEO John Stephens said Friday that despite numerous upgrades to the facility, the plant is aging and its dated infrastructure and technology is making it difficult to justify keeping the location open for business.

The move means nearly 300 people will be out of work by January. DFA plans to explore setting up a job fair to identify other local employment opportunities for displayed workers.

The Plymouth manufacturing facility has been in operation since 1954. It produces Borden Cheese and other private-label cheese products. Production will continue through mid-December.



New CAST Issue Paper Considers the Pros and Cons of Food Labels

Consumers are exposed to a barrage of food labels, and the results are mixed. While some consumers gain useful information, for others the label may as well say “certified confusing.” The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology authors of this timely issue paper provide needed clarity about the labeling controversy. They examine what is known regarding consumer reactions to process labels; they identify the legal framework for process labeling; and they provide policy recommendations that highlight the pros and cons of labels.

As stated in the paper, “Process labels can effectively bridge the informational gap between producers and consumers.” They increase consumer choices, open new markets, and help remove harmful ingredients from the food we eat. Consumers feel more connected and more able to make informed decisions.

Problems arise when process labels are subject to consumer interpretation. Are products really “healthier, safer, and more environmentally friendly”? Opinion can override credible science, and the consequences might include increased food prices and the stunting of technological advances in agriculture.

While some people call for a ban on process labels, these experts explain why that would be a bad idea. Labels can be good for consumers and producers alike, but the food industry and government officials should keep key points in mind:
-    Governments should not impose bans on process labels.
-    Mandatory labeling should occur only when science-based facts prove that the product is harmful.
-    Voluntary process labels should be encouraged if they are true and scientifically verifiable.
-    Next-generation process labels should avoid the “all or nothing syndrome” while incorporating new technology and imaginative ways to clearly inform consumers.

The adage “you are what you eat” has become “you are what you think you eat,” as consumers struggle to interpret food labels. The authors of this paper explain how producers can eliminate confusion and turn the phrase into “you are what you know you eat.” Next generation labels should be clear, science-based, and consumer friendly.



U.S. Ethanol Producers Looking at Thin 2015-16 Profit Margins

Following 18 months of record earnings, the U.S. ethanol industry has rebalanced in 2015. As energy prices collapsed in late 2014, so did ethanol prices and plant margins. However, ethanol's supply and demand has remained well balanced, and producers have maintained positive earnings, according to a new report from CoBank titled, "Ethanol Industry Rebalances." Looking ahead through 2016, the report says plant operators will face dueling positive and negative shifts in the market that are likely to result in lean, yet positive margins.

"With corn prices expected to remain relatively static, it will be the prices of distillers grains and ethanol that determine the direction of earnings," explained Dan Kowalski, the report's author, and director of CoBank's Knowledge Exchange Division. "Ethanol profitability will largely hinge on two key factors: the volatility of energy prices and the industry's ability to maintain strong export sales," said Kowalski. The report also points to the importance of sustained discipline in growing production capacity and output.

The industry will see little growth in domestic sales as a result of improving fuel efficiency in the nation's vehicles and changes to the EPA's renewable fuels blending mandate. The EPA's proposed alteration to the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) is expected to be approved later this year, and will set a floor beneath the current 10 percent blending level. However, the new policy will not incentivize retailers to sell higher ethanol-blended fuels.

"Somewhat counterbalancing the domestic picture is the potential for increased export sales," said Kowalski. "Brazil has increased its domestic ethanol blending rate to 27 percent, which has impeded its ability to supply product to foreign markets, and U.S. producers will continue to benefit as their share of world trade increases."

The report cautions foreign markets also pose a risk to ethanol producers. China, which currently imports 60 percent of U.S. distillers grains, is expected to change its grain policies to discourage the import of corn-alternative feed grains. These changes could significantly impact producers' bottom lines.



Bion Files Patent on Process to Recover Nitrogen Fertilizer from Waste

Bion Environmental Technologies, Inc. (OTC QB: BNET), a provider of advanced livestock waste treatment technology, announced that it has filed a new patent application for a process that recovers a nitrogen-rich, natural, non-synthetic fertilizer product from a livestock waste stream.

The product is produced by Bion’s next-generation livestock waste treatment technology platform without the use of chemical additives. Bion has retained consultants and is preparing a filing with the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) for product certification as a natural non-synthetic that can be used in organic production.

The fertilizer contains 12 to 15 percent nitrogen in a solid crystalline form that is water soluble and provides readily-available nitrogen. It contains none of the other salt, iron and mineral constituents of the livestock waste stream, and it is in an industry-standard form that can be precision-applied to crops using existing equipment.

Bion believes that the product has broad applications in the world of organic production, due to its high concentration of nitrogen that is readily available and water soluble. As a solid, the product can be pelletized and cost-effectively transported. Based on initial market assessments, Bion projects that the product will have market applicability in crop production, horticulture, greenhouse and hydroponic production, and potentially in the retail markets. Successful OMRI approval for the product’s use in organic crop production will provide Bion with access to a higher value market for the product than the synthetic nitrogen markets.

Craig Scott, Bion’s communications director, stated, “This product marks the first to be identified for broad commercialization as a result of our Separate and Aggregate Strategy that treats the livestock waste stream as a source of assets to be recovered and refined. We will continue to identify and develop opportunities to capture value from the waste stream in the form of commercial products, including various forms of renewable energy, fertilizer products, soil amendments, and potentially feed additives.”

Mr. Scott added, “By isolating the volatile nitrogen and incorporating it into a solid state that will be water soluble and therefore readily available, it can now be precision-applied more effectively and efficiently than broadcasting manure. Besides the economic implications for Bion, the livestock producer and the agriculture industry, this is especially important in the many watersheds in the U.S. where land-application of livestock waste contributes to excess nutrient runoff and harmful algal blooms.”

Established in 1990, Bion’s Environmental Technologies’ patented, next-generation technology provides comprehensive treatment of livestock waste that achieves substantial reductions in nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), ammonia, greenhouse and other gases, as well as pathogens, hormones, herbicides and pesticides in the waste stream. Nutrients and renewable energy can now be recovered in the form of valuable by-products, providing substantially improved resource and operational efficiencies. For more information, see Bion’s website, www.biontech.com.