Thursday February 11 Ag News

NEBRASKA COVER CROP CONFERENCE SET FOR FEB. 25

    The Nebraska Cover Crop Conference will take place Feb. 25 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Agricultural Research and Development Center, 1071 County Road G in Ithaca. The conference will provide information to growers who are in a corn-soybean rotation and assist them in understanding the value of cover crops.

    "The conference features innovative speakers who have worked with cover crops extensively," said Keith Glewen, extension educator in the Southeast Research and Extension Center. "They will share the benefits to using cover crops, such as improved soil health and reduced erosion."

    Topics and presenters include: 

    > Current assessment of Eastern Nebraska soils -- Neil Dominy, National Resources Conservation Service state soil scientist.

    > Restoring degraded soils and improving soil health with cover crops -- Robert Kremer, adjunct professor of soil microbiology, soil, environmental and atmospheric sciences and division of plant sciences, University of Missouri.

    > Cover Crops 101 for a corn-soybean rotation -- Keith Berns, Green Cover Seeds, Bladen.

    > Placing value on cover crops -- Keith Berns, Green Cover Seeds.

    > Corn-soybean farmers sharing successes and challenges -- Steve Berger, Wellman, Iowa; Neil Sabata, David City; Dan Gillespie, Battle Creek; and Chris Gaesser, Corning, Iowa.

    The conference will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with registration beginning at 8:30 a.m. Pre-register by Feb. 22 to ensure resource materials are available and for meal-planning purposes. 

    To register, call 402-624-8000 or email cdunbar2@unl.edu.

    The conference is sponsored by Nebraska Extension and the Nebraska Soybean Board in partnership with the Lower Platte North Natural Resources District and USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education.



Iowa Cattle Producers Supportive of Proposed State Checkoff
Survey shows 80% support 50 cent state checkoff

For the past few years, Iowa’s cattle industry has shown interest in increasing funding for vital needs, such as promotion of our beef industry and production research specific to Iowa. One potential source of funding that has surfaced during this same time period is reinstating the Iowa beef checkoff.

Prior to the national beef checkoff, Iowa had it’s own checkoff through the Iowa code chapter 181.  While the code remained intact, the assessment was repealed following authorization of the 1985 Farm Bill and eventual producer referendum which led to the collection of the $1/head national beef checkoff.  And from that time to the current, national beef checkoff dollars have been used to increase demand for beef and beef products in the US and internationally.

Several directives and resolutions have been approved by ICA members that support reinstating the state assessment. If reinstated by referendum, the proposed state checkoff would be a mandatory collection, with a voluntary refund provision. While the state checkoff would provide funding for industry needs in Iowa, the more important aspect is the ability to utilize funds more flexibly and more comprehensively outside the scope of the National Beef Checkoff.  For instance, Iowa’s beef community would have more versatility to fund Iowa beef industry need-based production research while also funding issue based beef responses without the oversight of USDA.

ICA Members Surveyed
In late 2015, all ICA producer members received a survey to gauge interest in a state checkoff initiative. Over 900 survey results were tabulated and showed that 80% of those surveyed support reinstating the 50 cent state checkoff. Survey respondents represented all sectors of the industry and every county in Iowa.

“With a softening cattle market, we wondered if our producers would look at the long-term impacts of this initiative. We wanted to make sure we had a clear picture of where Iowa cattle producers stand on this issue. They have shown support for a state checkoff and our producers and board voted to move forward with the initiative,” said Matt Deppe, ICA executive director.

Priorities Identified
Not only did the survey gauge interest of ICA members to reinstate the Iowa beef checkoff, but more importantly it asked members to prioritize investment resources collected through the state assessment. Survey results revealed that the national beef checkoff, due to federal code constraints, is not fully meeting the needs of the Iowa cattle industry.  Those that participated in the survey ranked the importance of the following priorities for potential state dollars/additional investments:
-    Marketing and promoting Iowa beef and beef products.
-    Enhancing Iowa’s beef industry Image by marketing our Iowa producer image and communicating transparency.
-    Production research focused on the state’s weather, feedstuffs, and management practices.
-    Expanding international trade relationships.
-    Providing educational opportunities to Iowa cattlemen and Iowa youth. 

Iowa is not the only state looking at ways to increase checkoff investments in order to further promote, enhance  and market their beef industries. Fourteen states have an additional state beef checkoff assessment. Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio and Texas, currently have a $1 per head state checkoff. Seven other states, including Idaho, Illinois, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and Washington, have a 50 cent state checkoff. Missouri is currently moving forward to approve a 50 cent state checkoff.

Next Steps
The next step for ICA is to continue communication with cattlemen across the state regarding the proposal. We will continue to accept feedback as ICA staff work with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship develop a referendum to reinstate the Iowa checkoff. Because each producer has the ability to vote yes or no to support the referendum, it is imperative that non-members are aware of the checkoff initiative.

When reviewing Chapter 181 of Iowa Code, portions of the law were outdated, confusing, and irrelevant to to the state’s current beef cattle industry. Therefore, during the 2016 Iowa legislative session, the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association will be lobbying for amendments to chapter 181 that better align with cattle producer’s vision for the Iowa beef checkoff.

Amendments will include:
-    Provide the refund request for the state checkoff online.
-    Re-define uses for the state checkoff dollars.
-        Strike cattle feeding contests and demonstrations.
-        Add research on beef production and evaluation of Iowa beef production needs.
-        Add education materials and opportunities for consumers, producers, and youth.
-    Streamline engagement of the decision makers for the state checkoff.

The changes have been included in House Study Bill 561, sponsored by Rep. Hein (Chairman of the Ag Committee) and Senate Study Bill 3131 Sen. Seng (Chairman of the Ag Committee).

The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association will continue to lobby these progressive changes through the duration of the legislative session. If members are interested in talking with their legislator on these amendments, please contact our office.

ICA anticipates a referendum vote later in 2016. ICA will educate cattle producers on when, where and how the vote will take place.

If you did not complete a survey and would like to do so at this point, please contact the ICA office 515-296-2266.



Insecticide Evaluation Results Available for Soybean Aphid Management

The Yellow Book for Soybean Aphid 2015 Report of Insecticide Evaluation is now available as a free download at the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Store. The publication provides soybean aphid treatment recommendations and application rates based on research conducted at the Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm and the Northwest Research and Demonstration Farm in 2015. The report also includes insecticide effectiveness on the soybean aphid and yield, and information on the soybean aphid life cycle and scouting methods.

The Yellow Book has been published annually since 2005 with trial results and evaluations. Erin Hodgson, associate professor in the Department of Entomology and extension entomologist with ISU Extension and Outreach, took over writing the publication in 2009. This particular evaluation is important because of the economic importance of soybean aphid.

“Soybean aphids have only been confirmed in Iowa since 2010, so there were not a lot of insecticides being used,” said Hodgson. “The potential for economic loss has led to more insecticide products for farmers, with changed chemistries and formulations.”

With more insecticide use, Hodgson said she receives a lot of questions from farmers asking which products are best to use for soybean aphid management, and if the new products are better than the old.

“The publication gives treatment application results on insecticide performance and its effect on yield, so farmers can select an insecticide that fits their operational needs,” said Hodgson.

At the Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm in Nashua application rates, timing, yield summary and plant resistant information on 21 different insecticides was evaluated. The Yellow Book for Soybean Aphid uses both graphs and tables to convey the information.

Hodgson recommends using insecticides when aphids reach the economic threshold of 250 per plant. Spraying too early or too late will not likely produce a yield response, she warns. And while insecticide resistance has not yet been a problem in Iowa, at some point, she predicts it will be.  

“To avoid resistance, I recommend mixing up the chemistries from one year to the next,” said Hodgson. “Farmers now have a huge toolbox of products that they can use to switch it up from year to year.”



Hay & Forage Expo Heads to Boone IA

Penton Agriculture announces its 30th annual Hay & Forage Expo is set for June 22 and 23, 2016 at the Central Iowa Expo site, located near Boone, Iowa. The event rotates between locations in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

“Having the Hay & Forage Expo centrally located and near major highways and interstates makes it easy for hay producers to attend, “ says Matt Jungmann, show director, Penton Agriculture. “Plus, the amenities offered by the Central Iowa Expo facilities such as paved streets and permanent display lots make it enjoyable for the producers who attend the event and exhibitors.”

The Central Iowa Expo is the same location as the 2016 Farm Progress Show, scheduled for the end of August. The Hay & Forage Expo exhibit field and parking will be located within the CIE grounds and the alfalfa acreage used for the parking lots during the Farm Progress Show will be used as the demonstration fields for the Hay & Forage Expo.  “Typically the first cutting of hay is the end of May, making the alfalfa used for the Hay & Forage Expo demonstrations the second cutting,” says Jungmann.

“This will be our third time bringing the Hay & Forage Expo to Boone,” comments Jungmann. “We plan to offer additional programing this year and more details will be announced later this spring.”

Sponsored by Penton Agriculture’s Wallaces Farmer, The Farmer and Wisconsin Agriculturist, Hay & Forage Expo provides the industry’s best update for the latest hay and forage technology with a comprehensive exhibit area and working field demonstrations that will be conducted throughout each show day.

The two-day hay extravaganza showcases mowing, conditioning, baling and hay handling demonstrations on prime alfalfa. Visitors have multiple opportunities to compare the most popular equipment brands operating side by side under actual field conditions.

A 10-acre exhibit field highlights displays from the major and shortline specialty manufacturers with a focus on products aimed at boosting the efficiency and profitability of hay and forage productions. The Hay & Forage Expo is a one-stop shopping and learning venue for the hay producer. Visitors can examine the latest balers, forage choppers, disk mower conditioners, tedders, rakes, mergers, bale carriers, forage seed and more hay production products.

The 2016 Hay & Forage Expo will be held June 22 and 23 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The show site is located off of Highway 30, east of Boone, Iowa at Central Iowa Expo. Admission is free and parking is $10 per vehicle. The public is welcome. For more information, visit HayExpo.com or call (866) 264-7469.



NORTHEY TO VISIT SHELBY, HARRISON, CRAWFORD AND IDA COUNTIES FEBRUARY 12 AS PART OF “DAY IN THE DISTRICT” WITH SEN. JASON SCHULTZ

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today announced that he will be visiting in Shelby, Harrison, Crawford and Ida Counties on Friday, February 12 as part of a “Day in the District” with State Sen. Jason Schultz.

Northey and Schultz will visit with Harlan High School FFA students, tour Woodbine Manufacturing Company, visit Schenkelberg Implement in Denison, visit with area farmers at Beeck Farms in Denison and visit the Bennett Farm in Galva.

Shelby County – 8:30 a.m., meet with FFA students, Harlan High School, 2102 Durant St., Harlan
Harrison County – 9:45 a.m., tour Tommy Gate, Woodbine Manufacturing Company, 83 Bus Brown Dr., Woodbine
Crawford County – 11:30 a.m., visit Schenkelberg Implement, 701 Hwy 39, Denison
Crawford County – 1:00 p.m., visit Beeck Farms, 1730 Hwy 59, Denison
Ida County – 2:30 p.m., visit the Bennett Farm, 1681 Market Ave., Galva

Northey, a corn and soybean farmer from Spirit Lake, is serving his third term as Secretary of Agriculture. His priorities as Secretary of Agriculture are promoting the use of science and new technologies to better care for our air, soil and water, and reaching out to tell the story of Iowa agriculture.



Ethanol Committee Visits California's Low Carbon Economy

Members of the National Corn Growers Association's Ethanol Committee gathered last week in Sacramento to meet with California regulators and ethanol industry representatives in this important market. Meeting discussions and presentations focused on existing market conditions, modeling to calculate greenhouse gas emissions and efforts being made to expand higher blends of ethanol at the retail level.

Anil Prabhu of the California Air Resources Board's Transportation Fuel Branch in Sacramento discussed the history behind CARB's carbon emissions scoring and the criteria contained in the current Low Carbon Fuel Standard. According to Prabhu, there is potential for improving the methodologies for the models CARB uses. The Ethanol Committee will continue to serve as a resource for CARB as they seek to improve their scoring methodologies.

"California's low carbon fuels standard presents an excellent opportunity for higher ethanol fuel blends to perform well in this market," said Ethanol Committee Chair Paul Jeschke. "Although there have been improvements made in the GHG number assigned to corn ethanol by CARB, corn farmers feel there is more work to be done in order for CARB to recognize the true benefits of corn ethanol under California's LCFS Program." 

The committee also met with Tom Koehler of Pacific Ethanol and Rob Elam, CEO of Propel Fuels, to discuss the E85 marketing efforts these companies are using in California. Pacific Ethanol supplies ethanol to Propel Fuels which is the largest E85 retailer in California. Low carbon fuels are more affordable than gasoline in this market. However, only three percent of the available market is being served. The keys to Propel's success in capturing 75 percent of the current E85 market are ownership and maintenance of E85 infrastructure, extensive analytics and aggressive marketing to Flex Fuel Vehicle owners. After the presentation, the committee visited a retail station in a high FFV volume area where Propel has a canopy with dedicated pumps for higher blends.

In addition to Jeschke, the Committee includes: Vice Chairman Mark Recker of Iowa; Corn Board Liaison Keith Alverson of South Dakota; Bill Leigh of Illinois; David Gottbrath of Indiana; Dennis McNinch of Kansas; Russell Braun of Michigan; Jerry Demmer of Minnesota; Jay Schutte of Missouri; Dennis Gengenbach of Nebraska; Keith Truckor of Ohio; Jeremiah Freidel of South Dakota; Graham Adsit and Cal Dalton of Wisconsin; Ken Parrent of Indiana Corn Growers Association; Bradley Schad of Missouri Corn Growers Association and NCGA staff Jessica Bennett, Beth Elliott and Mel Gibson.



NPPC Calls For Improved FMD Vaccine Bank

Citing the seriousness of the disease and the devastation it could cause the U.S. livestock industry, the National Pork Producers Council today urged congressional lawmakers and the Obama administration to make dealing with an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) a priority.

“Improving preparedness for an FMD outbreak through development of an adequate vaccine bank must be a priority,” testified NPPC immediate past president Dr. Howard Hill, a veterinarian and pork producer from Cambridge, Iowa, before a subcommittee of the House Committee on Agriculture.

FMD, a foreign animal disease endemic in Africa, Asia, South America and the Middle East, can affect all cloven-hoofed animals, including pigs, cattle and sheep. While it rarely infects humans and isn’t a food safety issue, an outbreak in North America, which currently is free of it, could negatively affect meat exports and domestic meat sales.

To deal with any foreign animal disease outbreak, the U.S. pork industry has been working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture on a “Secure Pork Supply” plan, which would enhance coordination and communication among producers and federal, state and local government officials, support continuity of operations for producers and accelerate disease response. Part of that response would be vaccinating susceptible animals.

But, pointed out NPPC’s Hill to the House agriculture panel’s Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) currently doesn’t have enough vaccine or the ability to obtain it to adequately deal with an FMD outbreak. He said improving the vaccine bank will require:

·         Contracting with an offshore, vendor-maintained vaccine antigen bank that would have available antigen concentrate to protect against all 23 of the most common FMD types currently circulating in the world.

·         Maintaining a vendor-managed inventory of 10 million doses of vaccine, which is the estimated need for the first two weeks of an outbreak.

·         Contracting with an international manufacturer or manufacturers for the surge capacity to produce at least 40 million doses.

U.S. law prohibits live FMD virus from being on the U.S. mainland, so APHIS contracts with foreign vaccine production companies to produce finished vaccine from the antigen stored at Plum Island Animal Disease Center, off the coast of Long Island, N.Y. But only a limited number of FMD strains are covered by the antigen stored at Plum Island, and under current production contracts, only 2.5 million doses of vaccine could be produced within three weeks of an outbreak.



Antibiotic Stewardship White Paper Available Now

The issue of antibiotic resistance is complex and has been the topic of discussion for several years. At this year's antibiotic symposium (Antibiotic Stewardship: From Metrics to Management), funded in part by the beef checkoff, experts and other stakeholders gathered to continue the conversation.

Access the 2015 Antibiotics Symposium White Paper here... http://www.animalagriculture.org/WhitePapers. 

The 2015 symposium addressed the issue of how to determine the success of current and planned efforts to improve antibiotic use in animal and human health. As at the preceding symposia, the 2015 conference combined information delivered during plenary sessions with facilitated discussions in breakout groups, each of which had defined tasks for developing output.

“Antibiotics have been critical in human and veterinary medicine since the 1940’s and antibiotic resistance has been a challenge almost as long,” said Dr. Robert Tauxe, Deputy Director of the Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “Thus, with the ever changing antibiotic landscape, research, education and constantly improving stewardship is imperative.”



NCBA Continues to Express Concerns with Market Volatility

After hearing concerns from membership nationwide, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association has instituted a working group with the CME Group to address volatility in the cattle markets. Working together as an industry is the best way to resolve these issues said Colin Woodall, NCBA senior vice president of government affairs.

“Recently the cattle markets have been susceptible to volatile limit price moves without corresponding market news,” said Woodall. “The result has been decreased confidence for cattlemen using the futures markets as a risk protection tool. This is not an issue for the government to address, but an issue the industry can resolve by working with CME.”

NCBA has asked CME to address specific areas of concern including implementing a delay between trading actions, greater enforcement against market spoofing, monitoring and reporting of market misuse, and the release of audit trail data.

“While CME has announced certain measures, the effect of automated trading remains unresolved,” said Woodall. “The market needs liquidity, but it must also serve the function of a meaningful risk management tool. If the playing field is not leveled between speculators, commercial traders, and producers; then our industry loses a critical marketing tool. Before any other changes are proposed, we expect CME to utilize the working group to address the actions we have already suggested.”



EPA Testifies before House Agriculture Committee
 
Today, the House Agriculture Committee held a hearing to consider the impacts of the Environmental Protection Agency’s actions on the rural economy. EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy was the hearing’s sole witness. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President Tracy Brunner said this hearing showed the continued broad opposition to the EPA’s “waters of the United States” or WOTUS rule.

“While the WOTUS rule remains under a judicial stay, we all understand that is only temporary, said Brunner. “This rule poses a significant risk to cattle producers and all land use stakeholders. The overwhelming requests to withdraw the WOTUS rule by the bi-partisan members of the House Agriculture Committee mirror those of America’s farmers and ranchers.”

During the course of the hearing, Administrator McCarthy was repeatedly questioned about her agency’s violation of the anti-lobbying provision of the federal rulemaking process. Despite the fact that the Government Accountability Office found that EPA violated these provisions, Administrator McCarthy maintained that her agency acted within the law. Representative David Scott (D-Ga.) pointed out that EPA drastically manhandled and violated the rights of farmers, especially in dealing with the Clean Water Act.

“You broke the law,” said Rep. Scott. “It needs to be admitted, it needs to be recognized and furthermore you spent taxpayer’s money in the lobbying. And, the GAO reports it’s $64,610 that you spent in lobbying from February 2014 to 2015. Now, let’s come clean with this so we can correct this. There’s no way you’re going to correct this if you don’t realize that you’ve drastically overstepped here.”

The committee also discussed the exemptions, including the exemptions in place for agriculture, which EPA claims will not be affected by the WOTUS rule. In response to a question by Rep. Walorski (R-Ind.) Administrator McCarthy admitted that landowner questions of jurisdiction over waters must be considered by the government, in contradiction to earlier statements that the ditch exemptions were automatic.

“The way in which the law works is that if there is a question that you’re going to be destroying or polluting what might be a water… the individual landowner might be concerned that their activity would be doing that and they may need a permit… on their private land or elsewhere, then that question is raised by that landowner and they ask the appropriate questions, that usually and often goes to USDA or others and filters its way through.”

Rep. Crawford (R-Ark.) also raised the issue of EPA compliance, expressing concern that EPA agents raise enforcement actions with farmers and ranchers, knowing that producers are not willing to fight the agency because it costs them more in legal costs than succumb to EPA pressure.

Withdraw or defunding of the WOTUS rule remains a top priority for NCBA in 2016. NCBA will also continue the lawsuit against the agency.



ASA Highlights Soy-Specific Elements of White House Budget, Pledges Renewed Defense of Crop Insurance

The American Soybean Association (ASA) took a hard look at the budget proposal for fiscal year 2017 issued this morning from President Barack Obama. The association expressed strong opposition to a proposed $18 billion cut to crop insurance and a lack of funding for infrastructure improvements. ASA noted the budget contains funding for multiple soybean farmer priorities, including increased resources for oversight at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and full funding for the Market Access Program and Foreign Market Development program.

“We once again find ourselves fighting attempts to cut crop insurance,” said Richard Wilkins, ASA President and a farmer from Greenwood, Del. “Our policy has always been that we will strongly and absolutely oppose any attempt to target farm bill programs for additional cuts, and it goes without saying that we will continue to fight proposed cuts to the farm safety net. All it takes is a quick glance around the farm economy to see that we need a stronger safety net for our farmers, not a weaker one.”

Wilkins also pointed out the association’s disapproval in the budget’s 22 percent cut to funding for the Army Corps of Engineers, which oversees the maintenance and construction of locks and dams on the nation’s waterways. Specifically, the budget cuts more than 41 percent from the Corps’ construction account, $2.7 billion from the operations and maintenance account, and fails to fund the Navigation Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP), a priority for ASA.

“We’re disappointed with this budget’s neglect of investments in waterways infrastructure, which is vital to rural economies as it is a means of efficient transportation of soybeans and a key component of our global competitiveness in export markets,” said Wilkins. “Infrastructure investments should not be limited to highways, mass transit, and high speed rail, but should include those aspects important to rural America too. ASA will continue to work with industry partners and Congress to build on the successful increases in investments achieved in FY16 Appropriations for our ports and waterways operations & maintenance and infrastructure improvements.”

While noting the association’s displeasure in the infrastructure and crop insurance provisions in the budget, Wilkins did point out several areas in which the budget addressed and increased funding for farmer priorities.

“Clearly we absolutely oppose any cut to crop insurance, and the proposed hobbling of the Corps funding, but there is plenty in the president’s budget that we support, including $330 million in funding for commodity market oversight at the CFTC,” said Wilkins. “Market integrity is not front-of-mind until something goes wrong, and adequate resources for oversight of futures markets are an important priority for farmers.”

The budget’s continued funding for programs that promote trade with both emerged and developing markets is also something ASA welcomed, and Wilkins said the association will fight for in future budgets.

“The MAP and FMD programs are an essential part of our industry’s work to establish and expand the beachhead for American soybeans in foreign markets,” he said. “That money helps to fund valuable research and market development work by the U.S. Soybean Export Council, which translates directly into increased exports and revenue for American soybean farmers.”

From a legislative standpoint, the president’s budget is a non-starter in an election year and with a Republican-controlled Congress, however Wilkins said the release of the budget can start a productive conversation on the importance of funding many of the programs critical for soybean farmers.

“Every year, we bring the same funding fight down to the wire in November and December. Party leaders hold one another’s feet to the fire, and at the eleventh hour we manage to eke out funding for programs that are essential to farmer success,” said Wilkins. “Regardless of the long-term prospects of this specific proposal, let’s use it to at least start a discussion about how important these programs are to farmers, and how we get them funded for the coming year.”

“That work has to start with farmers,” added Wilkins. “We need to turn up our volume and increase our face-time with lawmakers so that they understand these programs aren’t simply line items on a budget, but real, working tools that help us operate more successfully.”



Administration’s Proposed FY 2017 Budget Invests in Research, Cuts Crop Insurance
(from NAWG newsletter)

On Tuesday, President Obama unveiled his FY 2017 budget request, which kicks off the FY 2017 appropriations process in Congress. Cabinet secretaries are now in the process of testifying before Appropriations Subcommittees in the House and Senate to discuss their budget justifications. Agriculture Secretary Vilsack appeared on Thursday before the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee to defend the budget request for the Department of Agriculture. Those subcommittees will then work to draft and consider their own appropriations bills.

Within the realm of agriculture, the budget request includes a significant increase in funding for USDA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI). Specifically, the Administration’s proposal nearly doubles funding for AFRI to the Farm Bill-authorized level of $700 million, allocating $375 million in discretionary spending and $325 million in mandatory funding.

In addition to a significant investment in agricultural research, the request includes full funding for conservation programs. Furthermore, to lay the foundation for the hopeful elimination of the Cuban embargo, the Administration requests funding to place five USDA employees at the new embassy in Cuba to promote American agricultural products.

Unfortunately, the Administration is once again proposing severe cuts to crop insurance. Specifically, the budget would cut $18 billion (over ten years) by reducing the premium subsidy for policies with the Harvest Price Option (HPO) by ten percentage points and by reducing the subsidy for particular prevented planting options. The Administration has proposed similar cuts in the past, which have been rejected by Congress. However, the inclusion of this provision continues to underscore the need for grassroots engagement by farmers across the country to defend the crop insurance program and Title 1 during the upcoming appropriations process. 



American Farm Bureau Federation Statement Regarding President Obama’s Budget

“A global glut of food production has sent U.S. farm revenues down sharply. With farm income down 56 percent in the past two years alone, America’s farmers and ranchers face difficult times. Yet, the president’s just-released budget would cut 27 USDA programs, including a 10-year, $18 billion cut to the federal crop insurance programs so important to farmers. And all this happens as farm income is projected to decline another 3 percent in 2016.

“The president’s budget would also harm farm and ranch families through capital gains taxes and special provisions that would force new generations to pay much higher taxes on any land and assets they inherit. Such treatment is a recipe for farm fragmentation and an unnecessary obstacle for agriculture’s next generation.

“There is some positive in his proposal; the president’s budget does include increases for food and agricultural research – a critical need in a world in which hunger remains a problem in many countries – as well as increases for research into antimicrobial resistance in humans and livestock. Each of these needs to be addressed in serious ways, and we appreciate the support for such research.

“Leaders in Congress have been clear in their negative views on the administration’s proposed cuts, noting that they will be writing the budget on Capitol Hill. We will work closely with our elected officials as they begin their work on the budget to protect the interests of our farmers and ranchers.”



Farmer Input Sought for Survey on USDA Programs

The American Farm Bureau Federation is encouraging farmers and ranchers to complete a short online survey about 10 Agriculture Department programs. All farmers, whether they are long-time food producers or just beginning their careers, are encouraged to complete the survey.

"If you have ever found it confusing or complex to apply for USDA programs, this is your opportunity to provide feedback on how to improve the process," said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. "We know USDA staff are concerned that farmers and ranchers who could benefit from agency programs frequently do not apply," he added. "Our goal is to help turn that around."

AFBF will use feedback from the survey to develop recommendations on how USDA can enhance its programs and make them more useful.

The survey focuses on programs housed in three USDA agencies: Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Rural Development:

Membership in Farm Bureau is not required for the survey, which takes fewer than 10 minutes to complete. Take the survey online through March 15 at usdaprograms.questionpro.com/.



USDA Sees Strong Demand for Conservation Reserve Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is reminding farmers and ranchers that the competitive sign-up deadline for its most popular voluntary conservation program, the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), is Feb. 26, 2016. This will be one of the most competitive general sign-up periods in history, in part due a statutory limit on the number of acres that can be enrolled in the program. The most competitive applications will be those that combine multiple conservation benefits, such as water quality and wildlife habitat.

For the past thirty years, CRP has provided financial incentives to farmers and ranchers to remove environmentally sensitive agricultural land from production to be planted with certain grasses, shrubs and trees that improve water quality, prevent soil erosion and increase wildlife habitat. Since 1985, CRP has sequestered an annual average of 49 million tons of greenhouse gases, equal to taking 9 million cars off the road; prevented 9 billion tons of soil from erosion, enough to fill 600 million dump trucks; and reduced nitrogen and phosphorous runoff by 95 and 85 percent, respectively.CRP also protects more than 170,000 stream miles with forests and grasses, enough to go around the world seven times. The program has allowed for the restoration of 2.7 million acres of wetland and protects more than 170,000 stream miles with forests and grasses, enough to go around the world seven times.

"Since the start of this Administration, USDA has invested more than $29 billion to help producers make conservation improvements, working with as many as 500,000 farmers, ranchers and landowners to protect land and water on over 400 million acres nationwide," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "The Conservation Reserve Program has been and continues to be a key piece of USDA's conservation strategy, and with this competitive sign-up we are encouraging applications that offer the greatest environmental protection."

As of January 2016, 23.6 million acres were enrolled in CRP, with contracts for more than 1.6 million acres set to expire this fall. The statutory cap on acres that can be enrolled is 24 million acres. Submissions will be ranked according to environmental benefits in comparison to all other offers nationwide. USDA will announce accepted offers after the enrollment period ends and offers are reviewed. For an interactive tour of CRP success stories from across the U.S., visit www.fsa.usda.gov/CRPis30, or follow on Twitter at #CRPis30.

In 2015, a record number of continuous CRP acres were enrolled, totaling over 830,000 acres. These high-value acres provide multiple benefits on the same land including water quality, wildlife, carbon sequestration and others. For example, the acres dedicated to pollinators have almost tripled to over 190,000 acres and support the National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators.

This record sign-up came after a May 2015 announcement that an additional 800,000 acres would be accepted for key natural resource enhancements. Since the May 2015 announcement, wetland restorations have increased by 77,000 acres, duck nesting habitats have increased 35,000 acres and other wildlife habitat has increased 255,000 acres within the CRP State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE).

Surveys have demonstrated significant increases in populations of upland grassland birds; the 227,000 acres dedicated to upland bird habitat buffers are estimated to increase bobwhite quail numbers by 350,000 each fall.



Vilsack Announces the Selection of Warren Preston as USDA Deputy Chief Economist

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the selection of Dr. Warren Preston as U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Chief Economist, effective February 21. He has served as senior economist for agricultural policy in the Office of the Chief Economist (OCE) since August 2015, after serving as USDA's acting Deputy Chief Economist beginning in February 2015. He joined USDA in 1992.

"I am pleased that Dr. Preston's experience in program and policy analysis will continue to support informed decision making at USDA to the benefit of American agriculture," said Vilsack. "Dr. Preston is extremely well prepared for the demands of this position through years of experience in applying economic analysis to agricultural policy issues in USDA and in academia."

In his role as Deputy Chief Economist for Policy Analysis, Dr. Preston advises the Chief Economist, the Secretary, and top policy officials regarding the economic implications of programs, regulations, and legislative proposals affecting the U.S. food and fiber system and rural areas. He supports USDA policy decision making by evaluating policy options on complex domestic and global agricultural issues and serves as the backup to the Chief Economist.

Prior to joining OCE, Dr. Preston served as an economist and associate deputy administrator analyzing and overseeing programs and policies across the full spectrum of marketing activities administered in the Livestock, Poultry, and Seed Program of USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service. From 1992 to 2001, he worked as an economist and branch chief in the Packers and Stockyards Programs of USDA's Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration, playing a key role in integrating economic analysis into investigative procedures and processes. From 1986 to 1992, he held a research and teaching position as an assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Virginia Tech, focusing on agricultural marketing and the interface between public policies and food system performance.

Dr. Preston earned master's and doctoral degrees in agricultural economics from Purdue University and a bachelor's degree in dairy science from The Ohio State University.



Bunge Reports Profit

Bunge Ltd. on Thursday reported it swung to a profit in the final quarter of the year but saw a steeper-than-expected slide in revenue on weakness in its core agribusiness as well as in its edible oil and milling products units.

"In the fourth quarter, Bunge managed the challenging market conditions well, leveraging our balanced global footprint to capitalize on good soy processing margins and increased South American grain exports," Chief Executive Soren Schroder said.

Like other companies in the agriculture space, Bunge has grappled with softer commodity prices and weaker global demand. DuPont Co. stepped up its cost-cutting efforts as slowing growth in developing countries and the strengthening U.S. dollar continued to challenge to the maker of seeds and chemicals.

Bunge, one of the world's largest traders and processors of agricultural commodities, saw mixed profit results in its business segments in the latest quarter.

In its core agribusiness division, earnings plummeted 15%. Profit from edible oil and milling products plunged 28% and 42%, respectively. Meanwhile, earnings from fertilizer rose 4.8%, while sugar and bioenergy swung to a profit.

Over all, the company reported a profit of $203 million, or $1.30 a share, compared with a loss of $54 million, or 43 cents a share, a year earlier. Adjusted earnings rose to $1.49 a share from $1.12 a year earlier.

Revenue declined 16% to $11.13 billion.



Over-the-Top Grass Control: DuPont™ Zest™ Herbicide Approved for Sorghum

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced the registration approval of the active ingredient nicosulfuron (the active ingredient in DuPont™ Zest™ herbicide) that will complement the non-GMO DuPont™ Inzen™ herbicide-tolerance sorghum trait.

This product, the only herbicide technology focused solely on sorghum, will provide growers with over-the-top grass control for the first time ever as a result of a 10-year partnership between Kansas State University and DuPont Crop Protection with support from the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission, the Sorghum Checkoff and National Sorghum Producers.

“I thank the EPA for their attention to grower needs and the approval of this much needed technology across the Sorghum Belt,” said James Born, NSP board chairman from Booker, Texas. “Our industry has worked a long time for this technology. As growers, we have been entrusted with this new tool to control grass in sorghum, and it is critical we provide the stewardship and best management practices needed to ensure it remains available long-term.”

DuPont Pioneer and Advanta US have a joint agreement to commercialize DuPont™ Inzen™ herbicide-tolerant sorghum. DuPont received registration approval Nov. 10 from the EPA for tolerances to nicosulfuron and rimsulfuron on sorghum varieties containing the DuPont™ Inzen™ herbicide-tolerance trait—an important first step to the approval for the herbicide Zest™. As new hybrids become available, the sorghum industry will emphasize best management practices to ensure the long-term viability and sustainability of this technology.

“Producer surveys have shown the top hurdle sorghum farmers face in optimizing yields is providing over-the-top grass control,” said Tim Lust, NSP and Sorghum Checkoff CEO. “This news is a monumental achievement for our organizations and sorghum farmers across the U.S., and we are excited to see limited quantities of this new technology in the field in 2016.”