Friday April 15 Ag News

UNL Releases New Web Tool for Soybean Pest Management 

What should I be scouting for in my soybeans today? In two weeks? What cultural practices might affect disease development?

A new online tool from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln offers timely pest management information, recommended tasks, and UNL research results to tackle Nebraska’s primary soybean pests.

Developed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln doctoral student Josh Miller with financial support from the Nebraska Soybean Board, the Soybean Management Calendar is now available at CropWatch.unl.edu/SoyCal.

“This tool is organized in a way that makes sense to growers for timely decision-making,” Miller said. Disease, insect, and weed information is available in a calendar format with a “Current Tasks” section that outlines pest management steps to focus on now.

"This management tool is a really good means to help growers quickly identify when different pests are likely to be attacking their crop," said Victor Bohuslavsky, executive director of the Nebraska Soybean Board. "We're glad that this will be available to our soybean growers for the 2016 season."

Pest management involves a complex web of interactions among weed, disease, and insect pressures, cultural practices and weather, Miller said. SoyCal creates an information hub identifying which pressures are greatest at that point in the season and what steps producers can take to address them. It includes short management tips, photos to aid in pest identification, video demonstrations, and links to more detailed information in CropWatch.unl.edu. The Exploratory Research Section “boils down” results of research projects funded by the Nebraska Soybean Board so growers can implement the findings that apply to their operations, he said. The research covers a range of topics in disease, weed, and insect management and soybean production.

Miller realized the need for a mobile friendly tool like SoyCal based on his work as an agronomist with a mid Atlantic independent ag retailer for eight years.

SoyCal reflects how Miller approaches his research and his work, taking a systems-based approach to crop production and pest management issues. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Maryland where his studies focused on cell and molecular biology and plant genetics. After working in industry, Miller wanted to pursue advanced degrees that would allow him the flexibility of studying cropping systems while also pursuing a specialized course of study. UNL offered the benefits Miller sought. He is currently a student in the Doctor of Plant Health (DPH) program and pursuing a doctorate in plant pathology. Miller’s PhD advisor is Loren Giesler, professor in the UNL Department of Plant Pathology and his DPH advisor is Gary Hein, DPH director.

Using SoyCal
To start, select a field location on a map and input planting date and seed maturity. The display then adjusts its season length and plant growth stage to the settings. Growers can then choose to explore Current Tasks or Disease, Weed or Insect Management calendars to identify pest scouting and treatment windows. For example, under today's date for soybean cyst nematode, recommended activities would include sampling, variety selection (which also links to related research), sanitation, water management, rotation (with research link) and chemical control. The selection also links to in-field plant pathology videos on sampling for and managing soybean cyst nematodes and other resources.

Contributors
UNL web specialists who worked with Miller to develop SoyCal are Nic Colgrove in IANR Media, who helped developed the concept and prototype, and Eric Rasmussen in UNL’s Information Technology Services, who programmed and populated the site.

SoyCal is linked to another UNL Web tool, SoyWater.unl.edu, for seasonal plant development information. SoyWater was also developed with support from the Nebraska Soybean Board.



Nebraska Corn Board Presents Awards of Recognition and Achievement

The Nebraska Corn Board presented its annual awards to five exceptional individuals and organizations during its Cooperator and Awards Dinner in Lincoln last week.

For 25 years, the Nebraska Corn Board has acknowledged outstanding representatives in the livestock, ethanol and agribusiness industries, as well as awarding an organization in the media. The Ag Achievement Award is the pinnacle of awards given to an individual who has helped develop Nebraska’s corn industry and agriculture over time.

The Ag Achievement Award was the Corn Board’s first-ever award presented in 1991 with the intent of recognizing outstanding and unselfish efforts which further the corn industry. This year, the Nebraska Corn Board selected a highly respected leader in the agricultural industry, Don Hutchens, to be the recipient of this prestigious award. Don served as the executive director of the Nebraska Corn Board from 1987-2014.

“Don has played an instrumental role in representing agriculture. His diligent leadership and commitment to Nebraska’s grain and livestock industries is evident through his many years of service on a local, state, national, and international level,” said David Merrell, farmer from St. Edward, Nebraska and chairman of the Nebraska Corn Board. “On behalf of Nebraska’s 23,000 corn producers, it was an honor to recognize Don for his tireless dedication to agriculture and admirable goals in moving the state forward in its agricultural ambitions.”

The Livestock Industry Appreciation Award was given to Duane “Dewey” Lienemann, extension educator in Webster County, whose focus is primarily on beef systems. Lienemann was selected for this award based upon his outstanding 45 years of focused commitment to Nebraska agriculture education and his continued enthusiasm to share his wisdom about the beef industry with young agricultural leaders in 4-H and FFA.

“Dewey has always had a wonderful ability to share the story of agriculture with youth,” said John Greer, farmer from Edgar, Nebraska and director on the Nebraska Corn Board. “Over the years as an FFA advisor and extension educator, he has helped students and community members not only understand, but appreciate the value of the livestock industry in Nebraska. He was very deserving of this award.”

The Ethanol Industry Appreciation Award recognizes a producer or organization in the industry who has worked hard to develop ethanol markets and expand demand for ethanol in the state while appreciating the value of the corn checkoff and its involvement in ethanol market development. The recipient of this year’s award was the fuel retailer, Kum & Go. They were recognized for their extensive efforts to advocate and promote E85 and their continued commitment to Nebraska’s ethanol industry.

“Over the last few years, Kum & Go has been an exceptional partner to the Nebraska Corn Board, hosting a series of summer E85 pump promotions in Omaha and the front range of Colorado. These popular promotions have been highly successful in educating consumers and bringing awareness to not only E85, but also the clean air benefits of using ethanol,” said Dennis Gengenbach, farmer from Smithfield, Nebraska and vice-chair on the Nebraska Corn Board.

The Media Appreciation Award recognizes an outstanding individual or organization that helps tell the story of agriculture. This year’s Media Appreciation Award was presented to KOLN/KGIN TV’s daily show, “Pure Nebraska”. “Pure Nebraska” was started in 2012 by Jon Vanderford and was originally a weekend program showcasing Nebraska’s number one industry, agriculture. As the show quickly gained popularity, it expanded to a daily program, airing from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

“As a full-hour daily show, “Pure Nebraska” has become a great platform to tell the story of agriculture to a diverse audience,” said Alan Tiemann, farmer from Seward, Nebraska, chairman of the US Grains Council and chair of the communications committee on the Nebraska Corn Board. “Simply put, the “Pure Nebraska” team gets it. They have an extensive knowledge of the state and national economy, and agriculture’s role in that. And they do an outstanding job highlighting that during their show.”

The Agribusiness Appreciation Award identifies a Nebraska agribusiness that recognizes and appreciates the mission of the Nebraska corn checkoff program, shows proven leadership in explaining the benefits of the checkoff and its investments and supports Nebraska agriculture. The recipient of this year’s award was Cargill. While Cargill has been a valuable partner with Nebraska agriculture for a very long time, this award was in special recognition of Cargill’s generous contribution to Raising Nebraska—the award-winning ag literacy experience on the Nebraska State Fairgrounds in Grand Island.

Tim Scheer, farmer from St. Paul, Nebraska and past chair on the Nebraska Corn Board noted that, “The Nebraska team at Cargill have been true champions of Raising Nebraska. Their communications team has served as a valuable resource as Raising Nebraska continues to evolve and educate consumers more about their food and the families who grow it. Additionally, the credibility that the respected Cargill name has brought to Raising Nebraska has been instrumental in building the Raising Nebraska brand.”



INCREASE PASTURE CARRYING CAPACITY USING CROSS FENCES
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist

               As your cows finish grazing corn stalks, don't put away your electric fence for the summer.  You can use it to stretch your pasture.

               Electric fence is the easiest and cheapest way to increase production from summer pastures.  Dividing pastures with electric cross fences gives you more control of when and where your cattle graze.  It helps you encourage cattle to graze pastures more uniformly and completely, including areas they normally avoid.  And, it can help you improve the health and vigor of your grass by giving it time to recover and regrow after each grazing.  As a result, your grass production and pasture carrying capacity will increase.  This will be especially valuable this year considering the currently high cost of pasture.

               I'm sure you've seen many ads promoting high-powered, high-tensile, imported electric fencing systems.  I encourage using these systems in many situations – I use them myself sometimes.  But, cross fences do not need to be permanent, nor do they need to be expensive.  This is especially true if you already have electric fencing your animals respect.  And using fencing equipment you already have gives you an inexpensive opportunity to experiment with where you might eventually place a more permanent cross fence.

               The electric fence that keeps your cows on stalks during winter can give you this inexpensive opportunity to try some cross fencing where you have been reluctant to try it before.  You might need to use two strands, though, to help keep baby calves in place.

               So, as spring growth of your pastures begins, use your winter electric fence to try some extra summer cross fencing of your pastures.

               More grass, better gains, and better profits might be the result.



Rodrigo Werle New WCREC Cropping Systems Specialist

Rodrigo Werle starts today as the new cropping systems specialist at the UNL West Central Research and Extension Center at North Platte. An assistant professor in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, Werle will have a split appointment between research (50%) and extension (50%). He replaces Greg Kruger, who is the new weed science and application technology specialist.

Education and Training
Werle was born in a small farming community of Dutch immigrants in the state of São Paulo in southeastern Brazil. His early passion for agriculture led him to pursue a bachelor’s degree in agronomy from the College of Agricultural Sciences, São Paulo State University. In 2009, before graduation, he had an internship at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln working in weed science with Mark Bernards, weed science specialist. After receiving his bachelor’s degree, he returned to UNL where he received his master’s degree in agronomy in 2012. Werle has completed his doctoral studies and will receive his PhD in May. His advisor is John Lindquist, professor and plant ecologist in the UNL Department of Agronomy and Horticulture.

As a graduate student, Werle’s interests were in weed biology, ecology, and management in agroecosystems. While pursuing his M.S., he studied the emergence patterns and overwintering survival of several winter annual weed species, and the ability of one common winter annual weed to serve as an alternative host to soybean cyst nematode, an important pathogen of soybeans in Nebraska and much of the U.S. As a doctoral student, he evaluated the distribution and mechanism of acetolactate synthase (ALS) herbicide resistance in shattercane and johnsongrass populations in Nebraska and Kansas, and developed a simulation model to assess management options to mitigate the risk of ALS resistance evolution in shattercane in potential ALS-tolerant sorghum (Inzen technology, DuPont) production areas of the Great Plains. The results of his work assisted DuPont develop Best Management Practices for the Inzen technology, which is expected to become commercially available in 2017.

Rodrigo has authored or co-authored 11 peer reviewed journal articles and several extension publications and scientific abstracts. One of his M.S. manuscripts was awarded the 2014 Outstanding Paper in Weed Technology by the Weed Science Society of America. He received the North Central Weed Science Society Outstanding Graduate Student Award in 2013 and the Weed Science Society of America Outstanding Graduate Student Award in 2016. Rodrigo was an active member of UNL’s Weed Science program, involved in teaching and several extension activities, and has served as a coach for the UNL Weeds Team.

Research and Extension Goals
West central Nebraska is known for its semi-arid climate, moderate to low soil organic matter and high pH, along with a diversity of irrigated and dryland cropping systems (corn, soybean, sorghum, and wheat). Water and nutrient availability play a major role in the likelihood of crop success in western Nebraska, and wise use and timely delivery of these important resources are crucial in this region. Thus, conducting long-term research on productive, profitable, and sustainable crop rotation schemes in the presence and absence of irrigation in western Nebraska will be the main focus of his program. Werle plans to conduct research focused on management options to maximize crop water use and nutrient use efficiencies, minimize irrigation needs, and explore the benefits associated with reduced- and no-tillage, and crop residue conservation. The occurrence of glyphosate-resistant weeds pose a major threat to no-till production in Nebraska; thus, weed management across different cropping systems is one of his research interests. He also intends to explore the benefits of cover crops and alternative crops, such as field peas, in western Nebraska. The ultimate goal of his program is to demonstrate how these practices together could lead to more sustainable and resilient cropping systems where water is a major limiting factor.

As an extension specialist, he plans to serve his clientele via phone, office visits, and formal summer field days and winter trainings. He will be collaborating with specialists and extension educators from multiple disciplines within and outside the UNL system to ensure his research is current and relevant. Training crop scouts and agronomists on proper pest identification, pesticide selection and application, nutrient deficiencies and management in collaboration with WCREC colleagues also will be a focus. 

Werle is excited to continue the legacy started by Bob Klein, extension western Nebraska cropping specialist, to establish an internationally recognized program to develop practices to increase profitability, productivity, and sustainability of dryland and irrigated cropping systems with limited water in west central Nebraska. He is eager to collaborate with the diverse and talented group of scientists and educators at the WCREC and across the UNL system.

Rodrigo and his young family moved to North Platte at the end of February and are enjoying the community and lifestyle in western Nebraska.



Timing Key in Maximizing Profit of Land, Market Investments

It’s 1950 and you are at a crossroads. A thousand dollars is burning a hole in your pocket. The economy is booming and the stock market seems like a perfect place to invest that hard-earned money. But on the way to invest you see a sign offering land for sale; that option sounds good too. The options are there. Which should you choose?

That question is the premise for an article titled ‘Comparing the stock market and Iowa land values: A question of timing” by Wendong Zhang, Iowa State University assistant professor and extension economist, and Mike Duffy, retired extension economist. The article appears in the April 2016 issue of Ag Decision Maker.

“This study was designed to provide an intuitive analysis for stakeholders who are interested in investing in farmland and determining how stable their return is,” Zhang said. “The study examines how landholdings perform in relation to other markets, in this particular case the stock market.”

Assuming all dividends from the land were invested back into more acres, the $1,000 investment made in Iowa farmland in 1950 would be worth $1,080,753 if sold today. The investment in the Standard & Poor’s index, again assuming all dividends were reinvested, would be worth $805,646.

As with anything in life, timing is everything. That same $1,000 investment made in 1980 instead of 1950 would be in favor of the S&P today. The value of that S&P investment would be $37,589 while Iowa farmland would be worth $21,224.

While the investment in land made in 1950 would pay out over $275,000 more today than an investment in the S&P that was not always the case over the last 65 years. While farmland outpaced the market investment from 1975-85, it was the investment in stock that was more valuable over much of the last 30 years.

From 1985 until 2005 the investment in the S&P would have been more profitable had it been sold during that time. It wasn’t until the recession of the 2000s that land values climbed above that of the market.

“Timing really matters,” Zhang said. “In previous versions of this study we had emphasized the timing when you started the investment, this study also looks at how long that investment is held. Even if you had invested in Iowa farmland in 1950, if you sold that investment in 2000 it would not have paid off as much because you hadn’t had the chance to enjoy the uptick in the market over the last 15 years.”

With the projected decline in farm income and stagnant commodity prices, investing in farmland right now might not provide a favorable return over the investment in the stock market, at least in the short run.

However, according to Zhang, “farmland has consistently shown to be a strong investment; Iowa farmland increased in value in more than 80 of the last 100 years. It is a robust investment through the last century and that is why people are interested in farmland investments.”

The question as to which investment is better has no easy answer, as the article clearly shows. The better investment option is dependent upon the time of investment and when those funds are removed.



IOWA FARM TO SCHOOL PROGRAM CELEBRATES NEW GROWING SEASON

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today highlighted opportunities for Iowa students and Iowa schools to become involved in the Iowa Farm to School program through the “A Garden is the Way to Grow” initiative.

“We continue to see growing interest and engagement by both schools and students in taking advantage of the wonderful foods we produce right here in Iowa. The Farm to School program is designed to give students access to these nutritious foods while also benefiting the local community and area farmers,” Northey said.  “The ‘A Garden is the Way to Grow’ initiative is a great way for schools to get involved with the Farm to School program.”

For the past four years, one of our most popular initiatives has been “A Garden is the Way to Grow.”  Each year we offer schools the opportunity to receive great gardening supplies to help establish or expand a school garden.

Last year alone, 54 schools applied to be a part of this growing opportunity.  The result of these gardens in just one year impacted over 10,000 students.  In addition to learning great gardening skills, many students had the opportunity to try a new fruit or vegetable for the first time.

This year, 23 schools around the state will not only be planting their school gardens, but they will also be creating their own compost as a part of the initiative.

For the schools that didn’t apply for a composter through the Farmer to School program, they can still order a composter at a reduced rate.  Through a partnership with Garden Supply Company, any Iowa school wanting garden supplies can receive a 25% discount on anything in their catalog.

To receive this discount, schools may email Garden Supply Company at Sales-CA@gardeners.com, call 888-560-1037 or visit their website at http://gardeners.com/commercial.

Learn more about the “A Garden is the Way to Grow” initiative and other Farm to School opportunities by visiting the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s Farm to School page at http://www.iowaagriculture.gov/AgDiversification/farmToSchoolProgram.asp.



GROWING FINANCIAL PRESSURES FACED BY U.S. FARMERS AND RANCHERS

The House Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management held a hearing Thursday on the growing financial pressures faced by U.S. farmers and ranchers. The hearing was the first in a series the Agriculture Committee will be holding to focus on growing financial stress in the farming community.

Witnesses spoke on a variety of topics, including current market conditions, the importance of farm policy, crop insurance and other risk management tools and the dramatic drop in net farm income over the last three years.

Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway, R-Texas, and subcommittee Chairman Rick Crawford, R-Ark., stressed that the farm safety net is proving vital to helping the nation’s farmers and ranchers weather growing economic uncertainty and that efforts to lessen that safety net would be detrimental to the nation’s farmers, ranchers and economy.

HOUSE AG PANEL CONTINUES ITS EXAMINATION OF FARM ECONOMY
The House Committee on Agriculture’s Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit next week will continue its series of hearing on the farm economy. The April 19 hearing will examine the tightening credit conditions for farmers.



USDA Confirms Negative Farm Net Income in 2013

U.S. farm households generally receive income from both farm and off-farm activities, and for many, off-farm income largely determines the household's income-tax liability. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says that since 1980, farm sole proprietors, in aggregate, have reported negative net farm income for tax purposes.

From 1998 to 2008, both the share of farm sole proprietors reporting losses and the total amount of losses reported generally increased, due in part to deduction allowances for capital expenses.

Since 2007, strong commodity prices bolstered farm-sector profits and the net losses from farming declined, leading to a peak in taxable profits (though still a negative taxable amount on net) in 2012.

In 2013, the latest year for which complete tax data are available, U.S. Internal Revenue Service data showed that nearly 68 percent of farm sole proprietors reported a farm loss, totaling $25 billion.

The remaining farms reported profits totaling $17 billion.



DYK Shorts ... Beef Industry Information

Did you know ... the latest issue of the checkoff-funded Beef Issues Quarterly journal covers topics ranging from “Feeding GMO Crops to Livestock” to a summary of the film, “Cowspiracy,” which provides helpful insights and resources if you’re asked about this film? As with every quarterly journal, this issue includes an in-depth issues media monitoring and response analysis article discussing the key issues that the checkoff team has been addressing during the quarter. Beef Issues Quarterly is the only industry-funded issues journal that provides in-depth analysis on market research, trends and topics that are of importance to the entire beef industry. Visit beefissuesquarterly.com to read the journal. 

Did you know ... the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance, funded in part by the beef checkoff, recently worked with Discovery Education to create a “Virtual Field Trip” that brought farmers and ranchers “virtually” into more than 1,200 classrooms across the country? USFRA and Discovery provided an open-access, 45-minute virtual production, accessible at no cost to schools and communities worldwide so that students could hear directly from farmers about how they grow and raise food. “The Smart Farm: Where Technology and Innovation Meet” gave viewers opportunities to email and tweet questions to speakers for real-time engagement. The virtual field trip also included enhanced video footage to offer students behind-the-scenes access of how we farm and ranch today. USFRA estimates that more than 37,000 students tuned into the livestream.

To learn more about your beef checkoff investment, visit MyBeefCheckoff.com.



Missouri CattleWomen to Host National Regional Conference

The Missouri CattleWomen's Association (MCW) announced it will host the American National CattleWomen (ANCW) Region III and VII Conference June 2 to 4 at The Elms Hotel and Spa in Excelsior Springs, Missouri. ANCW Regions III and VII are represented by women from Missouri, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois.

"We are excited to be hosting Regions III & VII of ANCW here in Missouri. The program is shaping up with engaging presenters and opportunities to network with some of the most dynamic women in the beef industry today," said Marsh Corbin, conference coordinator.

Conference highlights include:
-- Presentations by the Missouri Beef Industry Council and the American Hereford Association;
-- Marylin McCray, author of Canning, Pickling, and Freezing with Irma Harding;
-- VanTill's Family Farm and Vineyard;
-- Jennifer Allwood, The Magic Brush Lady; and

Registration is $100 per person for the full conference and $50 per day if received by April 20.  Registrations will be accepted after April 20 at $150 per person.  Conference agenda, registration form and hotel information can be found online. For more information, please contact Sue Day, past MCW president, at 660-621- 0813 or email skday@iland.net. Hotel reservations can be made by contacting The Elms at 816-630-5500. Ask for the special conference rate.



BASF supports students’ research project on how to farm in space

Summer of 2016 is set as the launch date: The V3PO student project supported by BASF will fly to the International Space Station (ISS). Behind V3PO are three students from the agricultural faculty of the Edith Stein School in Ravensburg, Germany, who want to find out if plant cuttings build roots in zero gravity and how the roots behave over time.

The central question for Maria Koch, Raphael Schilling and David Geray is whether vegetative propagation of vegetables is possible in space to generate fresh food for space missions without having to carry large amounts of seed. BASF and NASA became interested in this question. While BASF is providing the scientific support for the project, NASA has reserved a spot for the experiment on the ISS.

“This is perhaps the most extraordinary field experiment that my team and I have ever participated in,” said Dr. Sebastian Rohrer of the Early Fungicide Biology Department of BASF’s Crop Protection division. “We’re eagerly awaiting the launch and are curious about the results.”

A visionary school research project
To date, experiments conducted in zero gravity have concentrated on the growth behavior of roots during seed germination. However, unlike seeds, cuttings have no root system. The students want to investigate if and how cuttings build roots, sprouts, and leaves without the influence of gravity. At the same time, a control experiment will be carried out on Earth, and hence under the influence of gravity. If cuttings can be used for vegetative propagation under zero-gravity conditions, it would be a significant advance in efforts to supply food grown in space for long-term space flights, such as to Mars.

BASF works together with agricultural scientists of the future
BASF is the only company providing scientific support. “Our hearts beat for research. We are always striving for novel ways to solve global challenges. This means that we love revolutionary ideas and unconventional thinking. That’s why we are supporting the V3PO team with scientific advice. We will not only get new insights into plant behavior, but also inspiration for new production areas,” said Dr. Harald Rang, Senior Vice President for Research and Development at BASF’s Crop Protection division.

To develop a suitable experimental design, the students completed an internship at the BASF Agricultural Center in Limburgerhof. Here they prepared for the experiment that will be performed at the laboratories of the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Once in space, there is a high probability that differences in temperature and humidity could lead the cuttings to become contaminated by bacteria or fungi. This is the area in which BASF is providing its knowledge – and its products. BASF fungicides will help protect the cuttings from fungal diseases during the research at the ISS, and on the trip there and back.

In addition to BASF, other sponsors supporting V3PO include: Dreamup, mymicrogravity, the Federal Ministry for the Economy and Energy, the German Center for Air and Space Travel, the business consultancy inside, Airbus, and the Kreissparkasse Ravensburg.

This is the first German school project that has been accepted into the NASA Educational Program.