Wednesday February 24 Ag News

NEBRASKA CROP VALUES

The value of Nebraska’s 2015 field and miscellaneous crops is forecast at $9.78 billion, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. This is a 4 percent decrease from 2014.

The value of corn production is expected to total $6.09 billion, up 1 percent from the previous marketing year. Nebraska’s corn price is projected to average $3.60 per bushel, a decrease of $0.17 from the last marketing year.

The value of soybean production is expected to total $2.61 billion, down 7 percent from the previous marketing year. Nebraska’s soybean price is projected to average $8.55 per bushel, a decrease of $1.18 from the last marketing year.

NASS National Crop Values Estimates
According to USDA, the value nationwide for field and miscellaneous crops for 2015 is forecast at $135,711,812,000, down 9.4% from $149,815,239,000 calculated in 2014.  The national average corn price was figured to $3.60 per bushel for 2015, down a dime from the prior year and down from $4.46 in 2013.  All wheat came in at $5.00 per bushel in 2015, down 99 cents in a year and down $1.87 in two years.  The average per bushel price for soybeans in 2015 came in at $8.80, compared to $10.10 in 2014 and $13.00 in 2013. 



IOWA CROP VALUES

The production of Iowa’s field and miscellaneous crops was valued at $14.0 billion in 2015, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Crop Values summary. This was a 2 percent decrease from 2014.

The value of corn production totaled $8.77 billion, down slightly from the previous year, even though production was up 6 percent. Iowa’s corn price averaged $3.50 per bushel, a decrease of $0.21 from the last marketing year.

Down 3 percent from 2014, the value of soybean production was $4.79 billion, even though production was up 11 percent. Average prices dropped $1.31 from the previous year to $8.65 per bushel.

Value of production decreased in 2015 from 2014 for oats, winter wheat, alfalfa hay, and all forage. Value of production increased from the previous year for other hay.



NE Extension Looking for Cooperators for On-Farm Nitrogen/seeding rate study

The University of Nebraska is collaborating with the University of Illinois and the University of Kentucky in securing growers for an on-farm study to research the profitability and effectiveness of on-the-go variable rate planting and nitrogen application in corn production. The individual experimental units are usually about 250+ feet in length and two combine passes wide. The main effects are N rate and seeding rate each with four levels. 
 
For N rate the levels are
1)           Producer’s rate +25 lb/ac
2)           Producer’s rate
3)           Producer’s rate -25 lb/ac
4)           Producer’s rate -50 lb/ac
 
For Seeding rate the levels are
1)           Producer’s rate + 3,000/ac
2)           Producer’s rate
3)           Producer’s rate - 3,000/ac
4)           Producer’s rate - 6,000/ac

In short, the participating grower must have the capability to variable rate nitrogen application either before, during or after planting and to variable rate plant a minimum of an 80 acre center pivot field.

Growers will be compensated for financial loss for treatments other than their own. Fields which receive nitrogen through fertigation are not eligible.

If interested, please contact Keith Glewen at the ARDC near Mead by calling 402-624-8000. 



Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture 2016 Teachers of the Year Announced

The Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture’s Board of Directors, Promotion and Education Committee and staff have selected two teachers as their 2016 Teachers of the Year.

Anica Brown, a seventh grade teacher at Pound Middle School in Lincoln and Judi Roach, a fourth grade teacher at North Elementary in Sidney were honored.

“Both of these educators demonstrate how teachers can incorporate agriculture examples and hands on teaching methods into standards-based curriculum to engage the next generation in critical thinking about where their food, fiber and fuel comes from,” said Megahn Schafer, executive director of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture.

Brown currently teaches seventh grade science at Pound Middle School in Lincoln. She enhances her lessons with an agricultural perspective by connecting with farmers and ranchers in Nebraska through the Foundation's Ag Pen Pal program. Brown’s Pen Pals include, Brock and Kerry Elsen, Buffalo County Farm Bureau members, Darren and Stacy Nelson, Platte County Farm Bureau members, Ben Hendrix, Dundy County Farm Bureau member, Cheryl Feala from North Bend and high school students from the Cody Killgore FFA Chapter. Brown is one of many teacher in the program who have multiple Ag Pen Pals. She wants to show the diversity of agriculture across Nebraska.

“These experiences are rich in diversity and bring to life real lessons about Nebraska agriculture that help my students grow in their knowledge about food production in our state,” Brown said.

She began with the Ag in the Classroom program while teaching fourth grade at Belmont Elementary School in Lincoln. Brown grew up in the city but spent many summers with her grandma, aunts and uncles who lived on farms just west of Emerald and near Malcolm, Nebraska.

“My students are engaged in learning about Nebraska’s roles in food and livestock production through the wonderful letters and, we hope, visits that will come about because of this program,” she said.

Judi Roach first participated in the Ag Pen Pal program in 2012, when her fourth grade students wrote letters to Jeff and Robyn Huffman, Lincoln County Farm Bureau members and Ag Pen Pals. The student’s exchanged letters, visited via Skype technology and were able to take a field trip to the Huffman farm. “The visit to the farm made the whole Ag Pen Pal experience come full circle,” said Roach.

Judi’s class participated in multiple Google handout sessions with Jeff. During each session the students asked questions and Jeff would answer them. During one particular session Jeff showed the class how the corn planter worked and shared when he would begin planting. On the first day of planting Jeff was able to virtually show the class how to fill the planter and how it operated. “It was great that we were there on the first day of planting via technology!” Roach said.

Through the incorporation of the Ag Pen Pal program and Ag in the Classroom, Roach’s class has created an Ag Pen Pal Show that is shared with grades 1-4. They are using video footage from their field trip and are going to be showing it throughout the year. Roach’s class continues to be an Ag Pen Pal with the Huffman family.

Each teacher is being awarded an all-expenses paid trip to the National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference in Litchfield Park, Arizona, June 20-24. The conference brings educators together from all over the United States to collaborate on how to incorporate agriculture into their curriculum and engage students. Teachers will have the opportunity to attend tours of local ag businesses along with farms in the area.



Classroom Grants Awarded to Support Ag Learning

The Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation (IALF) has awarded 172 grants to schools throughout Iowa to support the integration of agriculture into classroom instruction or after school programs with an academic focus.

The Agriculture in the Classroom Teacher Supplement Grants are designed to help teachers initiate new projects or expand existing projects that promote agriculture literacy in students. Grants can be used to fund innovative lessons, activities, classroom resources, guest speakers, outreach programs, fieldtrips, and other projects.

"This year's grant projects will focus on integrating agriculture into 21st century skills and language arts curriculums," said IALF education program manager Cindy Hall. "We hope these grants will allow teachers to make real world connections to what they are already teaching."

Some of the innovative applicants will be conducting projects this spring including agriculture reading units, hydroponics, comparing historical and modern farming, poultry, dairy, bees and many more. Successful applicants will use agriculture as the vehicle to teach many of the concepts already taught in their classroom like social studies and language arts.

One grant recipient, Julie Voss, commented, "I look forward to contacting local farmers to see if I am able to secure a guest visitor. I am most grateful for the opportunity to share the love of agriculture and farming with my students."

The grants are a special project of IALF and made possible through support from the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation.

"We are very pleased to be able to provide this support to classroom interested is teaching agriculture," said IFBF director of community resources Barb Lykins.

The projects will be completed before the end of the school year with final reports to be submitted by June 5. For more information visit www.iowaagliteracy.org.



CHS returns $519 million to owners
Farmers, ranchers and cooperatives across the United States will share in an estimated $519 million cash distribution from CHS Inc. (NASDAQ: CHSCP), the nation's leading agricultural co-op and a global energy, grains and foods company. The distribution ranks among the largest in CHS history and extends a five-year record of significant cash returns to owners.

David Bielenberg, CHS Board chairman and a Silverton, Ore., farmer, said the 2016 cash returns to owners demonstrate CHS commitment to maintaining a strong financial foundation, providing economic returns to its owners and continuing to invest in the company's future.

"The ability of our owners, who are also our customers, to directly share in the financial success of CHS is a unique benefit of a cooperative business," said Bielenberg. "And, this cash return is added value that enables farmers, ranchers and member cooperatives to invest in their own futures and in the communities where they live."

The 2016 cash return to owners is based on CHS net income of $781 million for the fiscal year ending Aug. 31, 2015. Between fiscal 2012 and 2016 (based on fiscal 2011 – 2015 earnings) CHS has distributed a total of $2.7 billion in cash, a $544 million annual average.

The distribution beginning this month to about 1,100 member cooperatives and approximately 50,000 individual members and others consists of patronage paid on business conducted with CHS in fiscal 2015. During fiscal 2016, CHS will also redeem previously earned equity to eligible member cooperatives and individual members, as well as pay quarterly dividends on its five classes of CHS preferred stock.



Soy Checkoff Leads Industry to Think Beyond the Bushel

With a focus on building preference for U.S. soy, farmer-leaders of the soy checkoff met last week to continue implementation of the checkoff’s long-range strategic plan. The checkoff is working in three areas to meet U.S. soy’s end users’ needs – meal, oil and sustainability.

End users of U.S. soy don’t buy bushels of beans; they buy the components: meal and oil. And checkoff farmer-leaders have plans to improve these products, add value for farmers and build preference for U.S. soy among these end users.

“We have a dynamic plan and really set ourselves on the right track at this meeting,” says Jared Hagert, United Soybean Board (USB) chair and farmer from North Dakota. “We’re really looking at programs that make U.S. soybeans more than just a commodity and help us to better meet our end users’ needs.”

One way U.S. soy is already meeting end users’ needs is through high oleic soybeans. Oil from these varieties provides the stability that many food end users need. By collaborating with DuPont Pioneer and Monsanto, the checkoff is helping make these varieties available in more growing areas.

The soy checkoff continues work on increasing protein, and in turn available amino acids, in U.S. soybeans. This will build preference for U.S. soybean meal among the animal agriculture sector, which already consumes nearly 97 percent of all U.S. soy.

End users are also facing their own demands, especially in the area of sustainability. U.S. soy is sustainably produced and can help end users meet their sustainability goals. The checkoff is working with these end users to let them know what U.S. soybean farmers are doing to be sustainable and to learn what more end users require.

“The time to drive these initiatives forward is now,” adds Hagert. “As a board, we are excited about our work and dedicated to improving profit opportunities for all U.S. soybean farmers.”



USGC Expands Digital Portfolio With Grains-In-All-Forms Portal, Conversion App

The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) released a grains conversion calculator app and a U.S. grains-in-all-forms exports portal at its recently-concluded annual meeting in Sarasota, Florida, to help members of the global grain trade access critical information more easily.

“We are excited to expand our digital presence to include these products that will be helpful for both domestic and international stakeholders,” said USGC Chairman Alan Tiemann, who farms in Nebraska. “The grains conversion app and the grains-in-all-forms portal are cutting-edge resources that contain information, trends and statistics that will help the global grain trade work and grow.”

The Council’s grains conversion app converts English units to metric units and vice versa for grains and related measures. The app is available to download for free in the appropriate app stores for Apple, Android and Windows platforms. It also includes an option to switch between multiple languages including English, Arabic, Japanese, Mandarin, Spanish, French and Korean.

To view the app on iTunes, please visit https://itunes.apple.com/am/app/u.s.-grains-council-conversion/id1078739553?mt=8.

The U.S. grains-in-all-forms exports portal is an online calculator that converts volumes of exported U.S. corn, sorghum, barley, their co-products, ethanol and meat products into corn equivalents. This offers a different and holistic view of the amount of feed grains produced by U.S. farmers that are consumed by overseas customers.

Available on the Council’s website, www.grains.org, this portal allows users to access raw export data, corn equivalent data and U.S. dollar values for each country and the world as a whole for the past five marketing years. A related chart tracks the top importers of each of these products by volume and value.

To visit this page directly, go to http://grains.org/market-data/feed-grain-exports-in-all-forms.

The Council works on behalf of corn, barley, sorghum and ethanol producers as well as associated industries to help develop markets and enable trade worldwide. This work is done through technical training, engaging in policy development and implementation and, critically, facilitating the flow of information that drives global grain markets.



Abengoa US Unit Files for Bankruptcy

A U.S. unit of Spanish renewable-energy company Abengoa SA filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Wednesday, bowing to creditor pressure.

Abengoa Bioenergy US Holding LLC reported assets and debts each in the range of $1 billion to $10 billion in its chapter 11 petition, filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in St. Louis.

The voluntary filing by the Chesterfield, Missouri, company, which operates ethanol plants, comes shortly after corn suppliers owed money filed involuntary chapter 7 liquidation petitions against two affiliated Abengoa units in Kansas and Nebraska bankruptcy courts.

The ethanol plants Abengoa operates in the U.S. include a Hugoton, Kan., facility that opened in 2014 with a $132.4 million loan guarantee and $97 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. The Abengoa loan has been repaid in full, an Energy Department spokesman said Wednesday.

Court papers show that several other affiliates joined Abengoa Bioenergy US Holding in bankruptcy, including the two companies that creditors sought to force into liquidation: Abengoa Bioenergy of Nebraska LLC and Abengoa Bioenergy Co.

The voluntary chapter 11 filing gives the company a chance to reorganize under its current leadership. If the creditors' bid for a chapter 7 liquidation had been allowed to move forward, then a trustee would have been appointed to take over and sell off the company's assets.

The Spanish parent, Abengoa, has preliminarily sought protection under Spanish insolvency law and is working on a plan to reorganize and avoid bankruptcy.



Growth Energy: Oil Industry Misleads Again

Even as evidence continues to pour in of the consumer, economic, and environmental benefits of ethanol, the oil industry today spouted its same old, disproven talking points about ethanol and the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

The truth is that ethanol is the most tested fuel in history, and is a less expensive choice for consumers. The United States Department of Energy has tested ethanol-blends for a total distance of six million miles with zero instances of engine damage or performance issues. NASCAR has competed using ethanol more than eight million miles, and thanks to the high octane of ethanol, drivers have benefited from increased engine performance and greater fuel efficiency.

“Though this kind of rhetoric should be shocking, it no longer is,” said Tom Buis, co-chair of Growth Energy. “The oil industry has made a habit of repeatedly trotting out bogus studies for the single purpose of blocking competition and consumer choice to protect their profits. The fact is that rigorous testing and unbiased studies from the government and other industries have repeatedly demonstrated that ethanol and other biofuels are a less expensive, cleaner and better performing alternative to oil.”

It’s obvious that API’s discredited study has no basis in fact and is simply an attempt to maintain its monopoly on the motor fuel marketplace. In reality, a strong, bipartisan majority of Americans support ethanol and the Renewable Fuel Standard, which provides our country with nearly 400,000 jobs and significantly cuts greenhouse gas emissions.

“API's proposal will turn back the clock – and it must be rejected so that cleaner burning, higher performing biofuels will not be eliminated,” added Buis. “Congress should ignore a request that leads to an increase in air toxins and dirtier air to breathe."



Growth Energy Statement on RFS Hearing: Ethanol Aids Climate, Cleans Air and Reduces Toxic Emissions

Today, the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held an oversight hearing on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). In response, Tom Buis, co-chair of Growth Energy, issued the following statement:

“Homegrown ethanol and the RFS are major wins for the American people. Biofuels, such as ethanol, are a 21st century fuel for 21st century vehicles. It is our only alternative to oil, and the RFS is the most effective policy in reducing cancer-causing chemicals and the toxic emissions that come from oil’s monopoly on our motor fuel supply. The RFS supports consumer choice, creates hundreds of thousands of jobs across America, strengthens our energy security and slashes climate change causing emissions.

“Policies like the RFS improve America’s climate, national security, rural economy and consumer choice. Repealing or changing the RFS would turn back the clock and undermine the progress we’ve made toward increasing America’s energy independence and cleaning our air and environment.”



ACE statement on Senate RFS oversight hearing

Brian Jennings, the Executive Vice President of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) issued the following statement in advance of today’s Senate Environment and Public Works Committee oversight hearing on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

“While we appreciate that the Administration improved the final Renewable Fuel Standard blending targets for 2016 compared to the purposed rule, regrettably, the methodology used to waive volumes for 2016 protects the old way of doing business by obstructing consumer access to cleaner fuels, stifling competition in the marketplace, and undermining innovation.   ACE members have made significant biofuel production advancements because of the RFS and we know that further innovation is within reach if federal policy continues to reward a competitive marketplace. ACE is strongly committed to ensuring consumers have access to high octane, low carbon, affordable blends of ethanol and we will explore all options at our disposal to achieve that goal with this Administration and the next.”



HydroBio and Monsanto Work to Increase the Sustainability of Seed Production

HydroBio, Inc. is partnering with Monsanto Company to further both companies’ commitments to sustainability and supply chain productivity by using satellite imagery and advanced agronomic modeling.

HydroBio is leveraging its expertise in remote sensing analytics and irrigation management to provide crop water use analytics on four continents through a new research agreement with Monsanto’s Global Supply Chain division. HydroBio is driven by its commitment to increasing farm productivity and managing natural resources on the farm; working with Monsanto to implement a global irrigation management tool exemplifies that mission.

HydroBio’s analytics and field monitoring platform combines hyper-local weather data and satellite imagery to assess crop water demand. Monitoring fields with Monsanto in 10 countries (USA, France, Italy, Hungary, Romania, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, and South Africa) allows field managers to make better decisions about where, when and how much water to apply improving irrigation application efficiency in the seed production supply chain.

"The HydroBio irrigation management platform increases productivity and conserves resources,” said Barrett Mooney, Co-Founder and CEO of HydroBio about the research agreement. “We are excited to be expanding our impact through collaboration with a global leader in agriculture.”

As global water use continues to increase, HydroBio's advanced remote sensing technology and analytics become increasingly relevant in improving the future of farming, the environment, and food security.

“We are undergoing a tremendous effort to evaluate several management practices that will lead to improved irrigation water application efficiency,” said Giovanni Piccinni, Global Production Sustainability Lead at Monsanto. “The collaboration with HydroBio represents one of the many steps we are taking towards our goal.  The ability to remotely sense crop water needs and introduce variable rate irrigation technology in our seed production fields will be key to achieving our sustainable production goal.”