Thursday December 17 Ag News

Rural Mainstreet Index Falls Below Growth Neutral for Fourth Straight Month

The Creighton University Rural Mainstreet Index for December fell from November’s weak reading, according to the monthly survey of bank CEOs in rural areas of a 10-state region dependent on agriculture and/or energy.  

Overall: The Rural Mainstreet Index (RMI), which ranges between 0 and 100, sank to 41.5 from November’s 43.7.

“This is the fourth straight month the overall index has declined, reflecting weakness stemming from lower agriculture and energy commodity prices and from downturns in manufacturing.  Adding to the economic malaise was the free fall in beef prices over the past month," said Ernie Goss, Jack A. MacAllister Chair in Regional Economics at Creighton University's Heider College of Business.

Nebraska: The Nebraska RMI for December slumped to 36.3 from 40.1 in November. The state’s farmland-price index fell to 12.3 from November’s 20.8. Nebraska’s new-hiring index increased to 48.0 from 47.7 in November.

Iowa: The December RMI for Iowa sank to 40.8 from November’s 44.3. Iowa’s farmland-price index for December increased to 32.1 from November’s 28.6. Iowa’s new-hiring index for December advanced to 55.2 from 50.9 in November.

Farming and ranching: The farmland and ranchland price index for December sank to 28.8 from November’s weak 34.8. “This is the 25th straight month the index has moved below growth neutral. But, as in previous months, there is a great deal of variation across the region in the direction and magnitude of farmland prices with prices growing in some portions of the region,” said Goss.

This month bankers were asked to predict the change in farmland prices in their area over the next year. On average bank CEOs expect farmland prices to drop by another 5.9 percent over the next year.

As farm income has declined so has the share of farmland cash sales. Over the past year, the percentage of cash sales of farmland has declined by three percent. “I expect the percent of cash sales of farmland to decline even more in the months ahead,” said Goss.

The December farm equipment-sales index plummeted to a record low 8.8 from 14.2 from November.  “The strengthening U.S. dollar and global economic weakness have pushed farm commodity prices down by eight percent over the past 12 months.   These weaker prices have discouraged farmers from buying additional agriculture equipment and have negatively affected the agriculture equipment dealers and manufacturers in the region,” said Goss.

Each month, community bank presidents and CEOs in nonurban agriculturally and energy-dependent portions of a 10-state area are surveyed regarding current economic conditions in their communities and their projected economic outlooks six months down the road. Bankers from Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming are included. The survey is supported by a grant from Security State Bank in Ansley, Neb.

This survey represents an early snapshot of the economy of rural agriculturally and energy-dependent portions of the nation. The Rural Mainstreet Index (RMI) is a unique index covering 10 regional states, focusing on approximately 200 rural communities with an average population of 1,300. It gives the most current real-time analysis of the rural economy. Goss and Bill McQuillan, former chairman of the Independent Community Banks of America, created the monthly economic survey in 2005.



 FREMONT CORN EXPO ON JAN.7 TO FOCUS ON FINDING PROFIT

The 2016 Fremont Corn Expo on Jan. 7 will assist corn producers in planning for next year's growing season.

The expo will feature presentations from industry experts, 50 local agricultural exhibitors, continuing education units for certified crop advisors, breakfast, lunch and numerous door prizes. The event is free to attend.

“This is a great local event for corn growers to interact with local ag businesses and learn from regional corn production experts,” said Nathan Mueller, Nebraska Extension cropping systems educator and host of the expo. “With great food, prizes and exhibits, it’s an event you won’t want to miss.”

This year, the expo will focus on finding profit. In a presentation titled “Searching for profits when faced with low corn prices,” Bob Nielsen, Purdue University Extension corn specialist and host of the Chat 'n Chew Cafe, will be discussing production costs that growers may want to take a closer look at for 2016, including nutrient applications and rates, corn seeding rates, and hybrid selection.

"Today's seeds are a costly input," Nielsen said. Given several years of weather extremes, Nielsen noted the importance of selecting hybrids that have proven resilient to a variety of unpredictable weather stresses as well as being good yield producers. "Then, if we can minimize other stresses on the crop, we can minimize year to year yield swings and the resulting income swings."

Other presentations include:
-    Utilizing On-Farm Research to Evaluate Practices for Profitability with Laura Thompson, Nebraska Extension On-Farm Research coordinator
-    Things We Learned from the Corn Yield Contestwith a panel of corn producers from southeast Nebraska: John McNamara, Plattsmouth; Mike Scholting, Louisville; Brent Hopkins, Rogers; Tony Johanson, Oakland
-    Business and Industry Update with representatives of the Fremont Area Chamber of Commerce; Nebraska Corn Growers Association; Nebraska Corn Board; and Nebraska Farm Bureau
-    Economic Impact of Expanding Livestock Production with Eric Thompson, UNL economist
-    Tackling Tough Corn Disease in Eastern Nebraska? with Tamra Jackson-Ziems, Nebraska Extension corn plant pathologist

The expo with be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Christensen Field Main Arena located south of the Fremont airport. At the conclusion of the expo will be the Nitrogen Certification and Water Conservation Training Class for Lower Platte North NRD producers in the small meeting room.

For more information, visit http://croptechcafe.org/fremontcornexpo/ or contact Mueller at 402-727-2775 or nathan.mueller@unl.edu. 



Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers and Ranchers to Meet in North Platte

Registration is open for the 2016 Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation (NFBF) Young Farmers and Ranchers (YF&R) Conference, Jan. 22-23 at the Sandhills Convention Center in North Platte. The conference theme is “Keeping Agriculture on Track.”

The event features a dynamic keynote speaker, breakout sessions on issues facing farmers and ranchers and their operations and a lot of fun and fellowship, including a casino night and dueling pianos. The conference is also the start of the YF&R Discussion Meet that qualifies a young farmer or rancher to represent Nebraska at the American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Meeting.

Governor Pete Ricketts has been invited to address the conference’s Jan. 22 evening dinner.

Keynote speaker Jolene Brown will address the group on Jan.23. Brown is a speaker and family business expert, who brings lots of humor, hope, and helpful ideas to any event. She's on a mission to share leading-edge best practices, appreciation, laughter and celebration to increase productivity, profitability and peace of mind.

Break-out sessions on Saturday Jan will include a producer panel on lessons learned from their farms and ranches, marketing and profitability, opportunities in livestock production, running and successfully passing the family business onto the next generation, Nebraska water issues, and health and safety on the farm.

Adult registration is $100 per person. The Sandhills Conference Center is also the hotel for the conference. Hotel rooms are $90 plus tax per night. The deadline to book your hotel room is Jan. 8.

For more information and to register visit www.tiny.cc/yfrsignup. You don’t have to be a Farm Bureau member to attend.



RAISING NEBRASKA CLAIMS INTERNATIONAL AWARD IN PROMOTING AGRICULTURE

    Raising Nebraska, the agricultural literacy experience open year-round at the Nebraska State Fairgrounds, took top honors in the category of promoting agriculture at the recent International Association of Fairs and Expositions convention in Las Vegas.

    A joint effort of Nebraska Extension within the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture and the Nebraska State Fair, Raising Nebraska is designed to convey Nebraska agriculture and show how the state is positioned for leadership in feeding the world.

    This marks the second straight year Raising Nebraska has received the award. This year the award was for the outdoor expansion space at the exhibit, an educational landscape shaped like the state of Nebraska that is aimed at helping visitors understand the abundant opportunities agriculture provides to the state. The space is about 180 feet long and 120 feet wide with a variety of crops, plants, trees and grasses positioned in the areas of the state in which they are prevalent. Walkways throughout the space represent the major river systems in Nebraska.

    "Our goal is to help visitors understand and appreciate the advancements, impact and global leadership of Nebraska agriculture," said Kathleen Lodl, associate dean of Nebraska Extension.

    Raising Nebraska debuted at the 2014 Nebraska State Fair. The 25,000-square-foot space includes an interactive house showing how farmers put food on the table, a theater inside of a grain bin showcasing short films about Nebraska agriculture, a 50-foot walkable map of the state and a virtual combine ride.

    The exhibit is staffed by a Nebraska Extension educator, who provides agricultural literacy education to visitors. Families, school groups, trade teams and agribusiness groups often visit the space.

    The International Association of Fairs and Expositions is a voluntary, nonprofit corporation serving state, provincial, regional and county agricultural fairs, shows, exhibitions and expositions. It represents more than 1,100 fairs around the world and more than 900 members from allied fields.

    For more information about Raising Nebraska, visit http://raisingnebraska.net.



2015/2016 Corn and Sorghum Harvest Quality Reports Indicate High-Quality, Abundant Crops

The overall quality of the United States’ 2015 corn and sorghum crops was good, with 94 percent of corn samples and 92 percent of sorghum samples rated at quality grade No. 2 or better in the U.S. Grains Council’s (USGC’s) newly-released 2015/2016 Corn Harvest Quality Report and 2015/2016 Sorghum Early Harvest Quality Report.

“This is the fifth year of releasing our corn quality reports and the inaugural year for the sorghum reports,” said USGC Chairman Alan Tiemann. “Our objective in compiling and publishing this unique information is to arm our customers with the data they need to make good purchasing decisions – and take advantage of the excellent U.S. crops now available to them.”

According to the corn quality report, the 2015 U.S. crop is entering marketing channels with the following key characteristics:
-    Average test weight within the range for No. 1 grade corn, indicating good kernel filling and maturation.
-    Low levels of broken corn and foreign material, with 98 percent within the range for No. 2 grade corn, indicating little cleaning will be required.
-    Low levels of total damage, with 96.1 percent within the range for U.S. No. 2 grade.
-    No observed heat damage.
-    Average elevator moisture of 15.7 percent, which will decrease the potential for stress cracking.
-    100 percent of the corn samples tested below the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) action level for mycotoxins.

According to the sorghum report, the 2015 U.S. crop is entering marketing channels with the following key characteristics:
-    Average foreign material of 0.5 percent, which is within the range for U.S. No 1 grade, indicating little cleaning will be required.
-    An overall low level of broken kernels and foreign materials, with 92 percent in the range for U.S No. 1 grade.
-    An overall low level of total damage, with 96 percent within the range for U.S. No. 1 grade.
-    Average elevator moisture of 14.5 percent, which is near optimum for harvest moisture.

Both reports are already being rolled out to international customers in conferences, seminars and one-on-one consultation meetings held by USGC staff members around the world.

“Our customers look forward to this information on an annual basis, and we are pleased to be able to offer it to them in a way that benefits their businesses,” Tiemann said. “We’ve had a lot of success with building relationships with overseas buyers and end-users by presenting the findings of the corn quality reports, and we expect similar success following the release of the sorghum-focused report.”

The corn report is based on 620 yellow commodity corn samples taken from defined areas within 12 of the top corn-producing and exporting states, including Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Inbound samples were collected from local grain elevators to observe quality at the point of origin and to provide representative information about the variability of quality characteristics across geographic regions.

The corn samples were tested at the Illinois Crop Improvement Association’s Identity Preserved Grain Laboratory in Champaign, Illinois, in accordance with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Federal Grain Inspection Service’s (FGIS) Grain Inspection Handbook. This follows the methodology that was developed for USGC’s 2011/2012 Corn Harvest Quality Report and that has been used in each subsequent year’s follow-up study.

The sorghum report is based on 50 commodity grain sorghum samples taken from inbound elevators in defined areas within five of the top sorghum-producing and exporting states, including Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. They were tested at the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, in accordance with the FGIS Grain Inspection Handbook.

Though both harvest quality reports provide valuable information to customers, sorghum and corn quality will be affected by further handling. In January 2016, the Council will publish two additional reports to assess the quality of these crops as they are assembled for export.

As a package, the four reports are intended to provide reliable, timely and transparent information on the quality of U.S. corn and sorghum as it moves through export channels. They also use consistent methodology to permit the assessment of trends over time.

“With five years of results, patterns are surfacing about the impact of weather and growing conditions on the quality of the U.S. corn crop as it comes out of the field, which helps our customers know what to expect when they buy from the United States,” Tiemann said. “We are hopeful our sorghum customers will find this information equally as valuable, and that both sets of reports help bolster our customers’ confidence in the U.S. as a reliable supplier.”



No Progress on Farm Payment Limit Reform

Today the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued their final rule to define what it means to be actively engaged in farming, and therefore eligible to receive federal farm payments.The final rule made no progress from the proposed rule issued last May, and it not only ensures access to unlimited farm program payments for the majority of the largest farms in the country, it goes one step further by writing loopholes directly into regulation.

“The purpose of revising the actively engaged definition was to make farm payment limits more effective,” said Traci Bruckner, Senior Associate at the Center for Rural Affairs. “The USDA is, however, clearly more interested in defending the interests of mega-farms by preserving loose definitions that will continue to allow the nation’s largest farms to avoid meaningful payment limits.”

“This is not reform” added Bruckner. “In 2007, while campaigning in Iowa for his first election, President Obama promised to close these loopholes. He said that “every President since Ronald Reagan has had the authority to close this loophole without action by Congress, but has failed to act.” noted Bruckner. “Well, now we can add President Obama to that list of Presidents that have failed to act.”

“The lack of effective payment limitations has resulted in federal farm programs financing farm consolidation and the elimination of many mid-size family farms…. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will close the loopholes that allow mega farms to get around the limits by subdividing their operations into multiple paper corporations.  They will take immediate action to close the loophole by proposing regulations to limit payments to active farmers who work the land…. Every President since Ronald Reagan has had the authority to close this loophole without additional action by Congress, but has failed to act." President Barack Obama, writing as a candidate for President in his rural platform - Obama-Biden: Real Leadership For Rural America

According to Bruckner, the USDA stated in the final rule that the 2014 Farm Bill language prohibits them from applying any new rule to farms structured solely of family members.

“We disagree with that premise, and this rule does nothing more than say the largest and wealthiest farms structured solely of family members are not subject to this new rule or any payment limitation,” argued Bruckner. “In fact, if  USDA would have interpreted the 2014 Farm Bill language correctly, they would have crafted a rule that says farms structured solely of family members can only qualify for farm programs payments if they provide labor - meaning they actually work on the farm," added Bruckner.

“That is what happens when Congressional leaders throw the will of the House and the Senate under the bus, in the dark of night, behind closed doors… you get messy language. The USDA makes matters worse by choosing to interpret the intent of Congress only in ways that lack reform and are easily evaded by the nation’s largest and wealthiest farms,” said Bruckner. “And of the few farms this rule would impact, those structured as non-family member operations, most will surely work with an attorney to reorganize their operations to be structured solely of family members to evade any payment limitations.”

Bruckner also explained that the new rule affects less than four percent of farm operations. And leaves the loophole door wide open for the other 96 percent, the USDA has issued an invitation to farm reorganizations undertaken to maximize subsidies beyond the payment limit.  Even for those farms who choose to keep their business structures organized as part of the four percent, the new rule provides for a limit over $1 million in subsidies per year for the largest farms.  This is the antithesis of reform.

“The proposed rule makes one improvement, tightening the farm management definition by requiring recordkeeping to back up management claims and adding a quantifiable test for farm management,” added Bruckner. “This small step forward could serve as a key ingredient for real reform if a future Administration should decide to enforce payment limits and actually close the loopholes.”

“However, overall this final rule is fatally flawed, lacks real reform, and will result in few changes other than mega-farms scrambling to reorganize their business structure to fit within the loopholes,” Bruckner concluded.



Iowa Food & Family Project survey finds enduring consumer trust in farmers

While many things change from one year to the next, Iowans’ confidence in farmers and how they farm endures according to the Iowa Food & Family Project’s (Iowa FFP) annual Consumer Pulse Poll.

Conducted last month, the survey asked 351 Iowans about their opinions regarding a variety of food and farming topics. The majority of respondents were female, affluent, highly educated and make the majority of their household’s food purchases. The survey’s margin of error was 5.2 percent.

Now in its fourth year, the survey showed continued improvement in how food-minded Iowans perceive today’s farming practices, their knowledge of how food is grown and self-assessed interest in learning more about what farmers do.

Rewriting headlines
In a time of heightened awareness of food and farming, shoppers remain confident that farmers are trustworthy.
-    Eighty-four percent have a positive impression of farming, the highest in the survey’s history.
-    Nearly three-quarters of respondents ranked farmers as doing a good to great job in caring for their livestock, such as cattle, hogs and poultry.
-    More than half (56 percent) ranked farmers near the top on a five-point rating scale when asked about their commitment to animal care, environmental stewardship and overall impression of the job farmers do. 

“These results are a testament to the fact that people know and trust farmers,” said Shannon Latham, vice president of Latham Seeds who also blogs frequently about food and farming topics. “Despite the media spotlight on the ag industry this past year, consumers continue to recognize Iowa farmers’ dedication to producing safe food and protecting our natural resources.”

Beyond the labels
Ninety-six percent of respondents consider themselves knowledgeable about how the food they purchase is grown (up from 86 percent in 2012), while three-quarters of respondents find food labels helpful, up from 46 percent just two years ago.

Among food labels viewed most positively by consumers, “local” ranks highest (65 percent), followed by “hormone-free” (45 percent) and “antibiotic-free” (40 percent). Labels declining in consumer support are “GMO-free” (28 percent), “organic” (25 percent) and “natural” (22 percent).

“I’m not surprised by the fact that ‘local’ rises to the top of the list,” said Anne Hytrek, registered dietitian at the Ankeny Prairie Trail Hy-Vee. “Our customers have also expressed interest in knowing their food is grown and sourced locally. For us, that means within 200 miles of our store location.”

Support of “antibiotic-free” food labels was of particular interest to livestock organizations like the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA). According to Joyce Hoppes, IPPA promotions director, the slight downward trend in support is reassuring, but also means an area of opportunity for farmers to shed light on the practices they have on their farms.

“Antibiotics have been in the news this year, which served as an opportunity for farmers to share the safety measures in place surrounding their use,” she said. “Farmers use the medicine when necessary and do so under veterinarian supervision, following precautions to ensure there are no traces of antibiotics before an animal enters the food system.”

Lindsey Foss of the Iowa Soybean Association and Iowa FFP coordinator, said the annual survey provides important feedback from the people farmers care most about: their customers.

“The Iowa FFP relishes the opportunity to strengthen relationships between farmers and consumers by facilitating greater understanding through dialogue and personal engagement,” she said. “Farmers are excited about the fact that people want to know more about how their food is grown and we’re pleased to enable more conversation, knowledge and trust.”

For more information and complete poll results, visit IowaFoodandFamily.com.



Federally Inspected Meat Available for Purchase on ISU Campus

Students, employees and the public can purchase federally inspected meat cuts on the Iowa State University campus. As a federally inspected facility, the ISU meat laboratory in Kildee Hall is inspected every day to ensure high quality product reaches the shelves of the meat lab store, according to meat lab manager Mike Holtzbauer.

The meat lab store is used as a cost recovery tool to cover expenses associated with raising and harvesting animals used for teaching purposes in various Iowa State animal science classes, Holtzbauer said.

“We do not operate the store to make a profit,” he said. “We want to cover our costs of purchasing the animals we use to teach animal science classes.”

The meat lab store, located at 162 Kildee Hall, is open Wednesdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. except during some university breaks. Holtzbauer said these hours were in place when he started at the meat lab 28 years ago.

The availability of cuts, products and species varies throughout the year,  Holtzbauer said. Although the store doesn’t have the inventory to match up with other grocery stores in the area, it can offer lower prices.

“Inventory is sporadic because we do not harvest anything specifically for store inventory,” Holtzbauer said. “However, the store is one of the few places in Ames that carries lamb, so we run out quickly.”

Another difference between the meat lab store and other grocery stores is how the items are sold. Meat cuts are sold frozen and any processed meats in stock are sold refrigerated.

Student employees in the meat laboratory assist in processing the meat, packaging and selling product to customers, and taking inventory for each sale date.

Employee Trapper Woodley, senior in Spanish with a minor in animal science, said student employees also answer questions from customers during the open hours.

“We get a lot of questions about where the meat comes from and what animals we use in our store,” Woodley said. “We usually have two students in the store at a time in order to fill orders and answer questions. We need to have knowledge of our products to relate to our customers.”

In addition to walk-in sales, the store has a website where customers can place orders. Holtzbauer keeps the website as current as possible with lists of in-stock items and those not available that week. Anyone can place an order online, and pick up and pay for it at the store. See the website and current product availability at https://www.meatscience.ag.iastate.edu/meat-sales.



Benefits Must Outweigh Risks for Planting Cover Crops

When Iowa farmers believe the benefits of planting cover crops outweigh the risks, they’re more likely to adopt this practice, new Iowa State University research shows.

Iowa State researchers analyzed data from the Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll and conducted in-depth interviews with Iowa farmers to examine the factors that determine whether farmers adopt the use of cover crops. Their research recently was published in the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation.

The study evaluated the roles of several factors in farmers’ decision-making, including farmers’ perceptions about the characteristics of cover crop practices, their perspectives on potential barriers and facilitating factors and crop and livestock diversity on their farms.

“As expected, farmers who believed that cover crops have important agronomic and environmental benefits were more likely to use cover crops. Farmers who had more diverse farm operations, particularly those who reported having livestock, also were more likely to have adopted cover crops,” said J. Arbuckle, an ISU Extension and Outreach sociologist and co-director of the Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll.

In-depth interviews with farmers across the state helped to shed light on both their motivations for cover crop adoption and barriers to their use, said Gabrielle E. Roesch-McNally, a graduate student in the Department of Sociology who worked with Arbuckle on the study and co-authored the journal article with him.

A number of farmers stated that they had turned to cover crops after major erosion events convinced them that they had to take action to combat erosion. Other farmers cited the “soil health” benefits of cover crops, relating that their primary motivation for cover crop use was to build organic matter and other indicators of healthy soils, Roesch-McNally noted.

“Our in-depth interviews with farmers showed that perceptions of soil health and erosion control benefits are strong drivers for cover crop adoption. Further efforts to measure these benefits will be helpful for farmers who are making cost-benefit assessments of whether or not to use cover crops on their farm,” Roesch-McNally said.

“Our results also suggest that farmers would be more likely to adopt cover crops if there were more technical assistance and other support available, for example if private sector agricultural advisers had greater capacity to provide cover crops-related information and services,” Arbuckle said.

Organizations and agencies that promote cover crop use and adoption can help farmers understand the potential risks of cover crop use, such as yield loss or failed establishment due to weather, Arbuckle said.

“A lot of emphasis is rightly placed on the benefits of cover crops, but the study results indicate that helping farmers learn how to manage and minimize potential risks might lead to more adoption,” Arbuckle said.



ASA Weighs in on Double-Crop Proposals

American Soybean Association (ASA) offered comments to the Risk Management Agency (RMA) this week on its proposals to improve double cropping and replanting provisions of the basic crop insurance policy. RMA had asked for comments on their suggestions on providing greater flexibility in determining double crop eligibility; providing full coverage on both crops; and the basis for double cropping qualification. On behalf of ASA, President Richard Wilkins wrote, “Issues and problems with existing double crop provisions have emerged in several soybean-growing states. As farmers respond to new market opportunities and changing demand, ASA’s priority is that the crop insurance program support market signals, rather than getting in the way.”

ASA generally supported the proposals, writing, “ASA supports the proposed alternative, which would allow eligible double cropping acres to be based on either the greatest number of acres, or percentage of acres historically double cropped, rather than the greatest number of acres double cropped in two of the last four crop years in which the first insured crop was planted.” ASA went on to write, “We support the recommendation from Mid-Atlantic region growers that full coverage of both crops in a double cropping rotation – even if a new rotation – be offered if local agricultural experts certify that the crop combination is a good farming practice in the county.”



National FFA CEO W. Dwight Armstrong to Retire

The National FFA Organization announced today that W. Dwight Armstrong, Ph.D., chief executive officer of the National FFA Organization and the National FFA Foundation, will retire effective June 30, 2016. Armstrong shared his plans with the National FFA Board of Directors and the National FFA Foundation Board of Trustees, saying the time was right to transition the leadership of FFA and for him to spend quality time with his family, friends, volunteer opportunities and personal pursuits.

Armstrong joined the National FFA Organization in 2009 as its chief operating officer and was later named chief executive officer. In 2014, he was also named chief executive officer for the National FFA Foundation and currently serves both organizations in a joint appointment.

National FFA Advisor and Chair of the National FFA Board of Directors Dr. Steve A. Brown voiced appreciation for Armstrong’s service and commended him for his contributions to the organization. “Dr. Armstrong has provided outstanding executive leadership for FFA at a critical time in our development,” said Brown. “In addition to being a close advisor and confidante, Dwight has been a steady, driving force in helping formulate our strategic direction and achieving program goals for FFA. Leading by example, he exemplifies the best of FFA by ‘Living to Serve.’ On behalf of the board and my colleagues in agricultural education, we wish him the very best for a satisfying and productive retirement.”

National FFA Foundation Board of Trustees Chair Elin Miller said, “Dwight’s contributions to the foundation have been transformative at a critical time for FFA. His emphasis on building the individual giving and estate planning segments of our donor base is the perfect complement to the strong corporate sponsorship that makes so many FFA opportunities available to students. Dwight’s leadership and personal commitment to FFA and agricultural education will be deeply missed by all of us in industry and philanthropy.”

In his announcement, Armstrong praised the National FFA staff and thanked FFA board members “for their support and confidence in the strategic and cultural foundation we have restored, adapted and developed over the past six-plus years.” He added, “The focus and energy our staff put into building culture, strategy, people and finances have allowed us to make the advances that put FFA in a positive position for future growth and service to our stakeholders.” Armstrong added, “As fulfilling as my career in agriculture has been, nothing compares to the satisfaction of seeing young people discover their talents and achieve success. FFA is exactly what we need to develop leaders, build healthy communities and strengthen American agriculture. I look forward to being an active and vocal supporter of FFA for years to come.”

During his seven-year tenure with the organization, Armstrong has overseen an era of dramatic growth and success. Under his leadership, the organization achieved an all-time record membership this year with 629,327 student members in grades seven through 12 in 7,757 local FFA chapters throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Attendance at the National FFA Convention & Expo grew significantly from 53,473 in 2009 to 65,173 in 2015, making it the nation’s largest annual student gathering. During Armstrong’s tenure, financial stability was strengthened for both the National FFA Foundation and the National FFA Organization. Under the banner of “We Are FFA,” Armstrong solidified close collaboration and complementary strategic direction for both FFA organizations. The National FFA Foundation staff achieved record results for the annual fundraising campaigns, while the area of individual giving was developed into a productive segment of fundraising for FFA. Armstrong provided the vision and executive guidance for development of the web-based resources of the FFA Agricultural Career Network which in turn paved the way for FFA’s “My Journey” and a tightened connection between secondary instruction in agriculture and industry’s need for talent and human resources. Armstrong was a champion of deepening FFA engagement in fighting food insecurity through its “Feeding Our World—Starting At Home” platform that enlisted FFA members in aggressive hunger-fighting efforts in local communities and overseas.

Armstrong is a native of Kentucky where he grew up on a small general farm. An active FFA member in high school, he earned a B.S. degree in agriculture from Murray State University in 1971 and Master’s (1973) and Ph.D. (1975) degrees from Purdue University in animal science. After serving on the faculty at North Carolina State University in the Animal Sciences Department 1975-1982, Armstrong built a career in the swine nutrition area beginning at Akey, Inc., in Lewisburg, Ohio, where he served as director of nutrition, director of sales and, finally, president. In 2000, the company was sold to Provimi, located in the Netherlands. There, Armstrong served as CEO of North American Nutrition Companies, director of the Americas and global group vice president. In 2008, he retired from Provimi to start his own consulting business in the animal nutrition and agribusiness areas. It was during his tenure at Provimi when Armstrong served as chair of the National FFA Foundation Sponsors’ Board and led the drive to a record-setting annual fundraising campaign.

Armstrong will continue to serve as chief executive officer until he officially retires on June 30, 2016. He anticipates working closely with the National FFA Board of Directors and the National FFA Foundation Board of Trustees during the selection process for his replacement and on the transition plan for a new CEO.



Sorghum Checkoff Board Invests $6.198 Million in Industry

The United Sorghum Checkoff Program board of directors invested $6.198 million, the largest investment made by the board since its establishment, to fund proposals targeted at furthering sorghum growers’ productivity and demand. The commitment, which was approved during the Dec. 9 board meeting, concludes the request for proposals that began July 2015.

The Sorghum Checkoff board, external committee members and staff dedicated the past several months to reviewing proposals in a two-part process within crop improvement, high value markets and renewables. A total of 114 pre-proposals were received and 37 full proposals were requested.

“This culminates the board's efforts in requesting, reviewing and establishing funding for projects intended to assist the sorghum industry and more importantly, the sorghum farmer,” said Sorghum Checkoff Executive Director Florentino Lopez.

Lopez said the board continues to emphasize its commitment to funding projects that will support increases in field-level productivity as well as market-level demand and value enhancements, which continue to be seen as a valuable means of increasing opportunities for farmer profitability.

The board of directors made a final decision on 30 projects through the RFP process to address key priorities for the sorghum industry. The following includes approved projects, principal investigators and funding allotment:

    Todd Gaines of Colorado State University was funded $150,000 to develop new over-the-top grass herbicide resistance traits in sorghum using mutagenesis.
    Anita Dille of Kansas State University was funded $160,000 to evaluate ecology of grass weeds in grain sorghum including critical period weed control.
    Mithila Jugulam of Kansas State University was funded $30,000 to evaluate sorghum germplasm for herbicide tolerance.
    The Connect Group, Cassandre Pallas and The Door were funded $175,000 to reinforce the momentum created within the food and chef communities to help solidify sorghum messaging, increase marketplace knowledge and consumption to open distribution channels and food sales.
    Patricia Alemdar from Nature2Kitchen was funded $100,000 for promotion of food grade sorghum within farmers’ markets, festivals and shows.
    Allison Talley with Enginuity Worldwide was funded $100,000 to analyze energy and cost effective pretreatment methods using a rotary compression dryer to increase starch digestibility, grain efficiency, porosity and total lipid uptake of feed grains.
    Kun-Jun Han of Louisiana State University was funded $68,000 to explore the opportunity of maximizing sorghum grain prebiotics production.
    Sajid Alavi of Kansas State University was funded $150,000 to examine sustainability, oxidative stress mitigation and sensory characteristics of sorghum-based canine diets designed for the international market.
    Kenny Xie of International Chemistry Testing LLC was funded $20,000 to develop sorghum as a functional ingredient and nutraceutical for health promotion and disease prevention.
    Fang Zhou of BioResource International was funded $79,403 to increase the use of grain sorghum in the Mid-Atlantic by reducing anti-nutritional compounds with novel enzyme applications in feed for pigs.
    Donghai Wang of Kansas State University was funded $180,000 to evaluate the potential of pedigreed sorghum mutants for biofuel production.
    Kansas State University was funded $2 million to be leveraged with the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission and KSU to implement the Kansas Improvement Program.
    The U.S. Grains Council was funded $127,000 for grain sorghum promotion within Mexico.
    The U.S. Grains Council was funded $135,000 for grain sorghum promotion within Europe as a consumer food product and as a commodity.
    The U.S. Grains Council was funded $93,000 to conduct a duck feeding trial in China.
    The U.S. Grains Council was funded $35,000 to develop a Japanese promotional booklet.
    The U.S. Grains Council was funded $88,000 to conduct a catfish feeding trial in Vietnam.
    The U.S. Grains Council was funded $80,000 to create a sorghum quality report.
    $300,000 for continued sugarcane aphid management and a support system*
    $100,000 for best management practices for ALS technology*
    $120,000 for fungicide yield enhancements, effects on yield and ROI*
    $50,000 for regional development of herbicide guidelines*
    $25,000 for multiple projects designed to evaluate and inform producers*
    $1,150,000 for the continuation of the conversion program*
    $75,000 for an evaluation of lipids, oils and waxes*
    $75,000 to determine the ability of sorghum DDGS in replacement of soybean meal*
    $50,000 for ethanol production with and without oil extraction*
    $350,000 for leveraged investments with DOE*
    $120,000 for the continuation of the Prairie Aqua Tech project*
    $13,000 for qualitative consumer research*
    *Principal investigators and project specifics to be determined

Funding of these proposals is contingent upon approval from USDA Agricultural Marketing Service.

"The Sorghum Checkoff board and staff do a great job allocating sorghum producers' checkoff dollars," said Sorghum Checkoff Chairman David Fremark. "Checkoff dollars give farmers the ability to actively remain engaged in research, promotion and education that will benefit producers and the sorghum industry in the future. We are excited about the opportunity presented by these efforts."



Commodity Classic Releases Mobile App for 2016 Event

Everything you need to know about the 2016 Commodity Classic can now be held in the palm of your hand.  The mobile app for the 2016 Commodity Classic, March 3-5, 2016, in New Orleans, Louisiana, is now available for download for iOS iPhone and iPad devices, Android phone and tablets and other mobile devices.

To download the 2016 Commodity Classic app at no charge, visit the app store for your device.  Type Commodity Classic in the search bar of the iTunes Store or Google Play.  Download links are also available at commodityclassic.com/app. 

"This tool is a great feature and will certainly come in handy for those attending Commodity Classic," said event Co-Chair Sam Butler, a soybean grower from Alabama. "With so many sessions and things to experience in so many locations over several days, this app can help attendees stay organized and get the most out of our convention and trade show."

With the mobile app, you can access the entire Commodity Classic schedule, get details on the dozens of educational sessions, browse the list of exhibitors, and receive immediate updates and notifications during the event.  You can also build your own calendar, schedule reminders for yourself and navigate your way through what promises to be the largest trade show in Commodity Classic history.

Content on the app will be updated continually leading up to and during the event. Once you've downloaded the app, make sure to accept updates, as details are being added daily.

Registration is now open for Commodity Classic, the nation's largest farmer-fed, farmer-focused convention and trade show.  Established in 1996, Commodity Classic is America's largest farmer-led, farmer-focused convention and trade show, produced by the National Corn Growers Association, American Soybean Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Sorghum Producers and the Association of Equipment Manufacturers.

For more information on registration, housing and the schedule of activities, visit www.CommodityClassic.com.