Monday April 4 Ag News

USDA Crop Progress Report Delayed
Anthony Prillaman, Agricultural Statistics Board,  USDA-NASS 

USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is delaying today’s Crop Progress report until tomorrow April 5 at 4 p.m. ET.



Colostrum Helps Newborn Calves
Troy Walz, Nebraska Extension Educator

Colostrum, or first milk produced by the mother after birth, is high in nutrients and antibodies. A newborn calf lacks disease protection because antibodies do not pass across the cow’s placenta to the fetus’ circulatory system. Antibodies in colostrum provide calves with their initial protection.

Calves need about two quarts of colostrum (or at least five percent of the calf’s body weight) within four hours of birth – ideally within 30 minutes – and one gallon within 12 hours.

Time is important because a newborn calf’s digestive tract allows antibodies to pass directly into the blood. After 24 hours, the calf’s intestines cannot absorb antibodies intact. The absorbed antibodies protect against systemic invasion by pathogens while antibodies that are not absorbed play an important role in protection against intestinal disease.

Allowing the calf to suckle the dam is the most efficient method of feeding colostrum. However, sometimes this is not possible due to problems with the dam or calf. In cases such as these the calf will need to be fed colostrum. Acquire colostrum by milking the dam as soon as possible after calving or using colostrum that you have previously acquired. Acquired colostrum should be from healthy cows to minimize disease transmission. Cows in at least their third lactation generally provide higher-quality colostrum than heifers. A yellow color and a thick, creamy consistency are good indications of quality.

Colostrum can be stored by freezing in milk cartons or plastic containers. The containers can be easily thawed and mixed with warm water for feeding. Never microwave or boil frozen colostrum, as this will destroy the antibodies.

You may also want to consider purchasing a commercially available colostrum supplement or replacer if you don’t have ready access to fresh colostrum. Consult your veterinarian on the use of these supplements or replacers.

Due to the importance of colostrum to the newborn calf it is always a good idea to have some alternative sources of colostrum on hand “just in case” during the calving season.

Here’s a trick for storing colostrum. Use a 1 gallon Ziploc freezer bag. Fill half full (2 qts.) and squeeze the air out before sealing. They lay flat and you have room to store more. When needed, take one out and put in sink of hot water. It thaws and warms up very rapidly and it’s a ready measured feeding. You should date the bag when you store it.



Wheat Leaf Rust Confirmed in Nebraska March 31, 2016
Stephen Wegulo - Extension Plant Pathologist
Jennifer Rees - Extension Educator

On March 30, leaf rust was found in several wheat fields in Nuckolls County in south central Nebraska. Severity was trace, but the rust was found in every field surveyed. Presence of leaf rust in Nebraska this early in the growing season suggests it may have overwintered or is a result of unusually warm winter temperatures which resulted in earlier than normal movement of spores from southern states into our region.

Because of the presence of leaf rust in Nebraska and Kansas and stripe rust in Kansas and Colorado, there is an elevated risk for development of these diseases to damaging levels starting in April. It is recommended that growers scout their fields for early disease detection and be prepared to apply a fungicide if presence of stripe rust or leaf rust or both is confirmed. Current and forecast weather conditions are favorable for rust development.

Wheat Rust Scouting and Treatment
When scouting, look in the lower as well as the upper canopy of the wheat crop. Stripe rust pustules are yellow and appear on the upper leaf surface.  On young leaves before the jointing stage, stripe rust usually does not form stripes. Stripes form on older leaves. Leaf rust pustules are orange-brown and are randomly distributed on the upper leaf surface.

The decision to spray is made based on the presence of disease, susceptibility of the wheat variety, and weather conditions. (Moisture, cool to moderate temperatures, and wind favor development and spread of leaf and stripe rust.) Because leaf and stripe rust fungi can develop new races, varieties known to have good resistance can become susceptible if new races emerge. Even if you have planted a variety known to have good resistance, consider a fungicide application as a second line of defense.

Due to the early onset of rust, it may be necessary to make an early season fungicide application followed by a flag leaf application. The early season application is best timed around the Feekes 5 (leaf sheaths strongly erected) to the Feekes 6 growth stage, when the first node on the main tillers is visible or detectable. Flag leaf timing (50% to 100% flag leaf emergence) is aimed at protecting the flag leaf because, compared to the other leaves, it contributes the most to grain fill.

When planning your treatment strategy, take into account the yield potential and price of wheat. If the yield potential is low, consider applying a low cost fungicide product such as a generic at the early season timing and a higher cost fungicide at the flag leaf timing. A list of fungicides and their efficacy ratings on various wheat diseases is provided in a table developed by the multistate committee NCERA-184: Management of Small Grain Diseases.



Nominations Saught for 2016 Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Awards

Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today encouraged Iowans to nominate farmers for the Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award who have taken voluntary actions to improve or protect the environment and natural resources of our state. Nominations are due by June 15, 2016 and the nomination form, a list pf previous awardees and other information can be found at www.iowaagriculture.gov/EnvironmentalLeader.asp.

The award is a joint effort between the Governor, Lt. Governor, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and Iowa Department of Natural Resources to recognize the efforts of Iowa’s farmers as environmental leaders committed to healthy soils and improved water quality.

“Farmers around our state have always been and are always going to be great conservators of their land,” said Branstad.  “The Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award is our chance to recognize farmers who are going the extra mile in conservation and land stewardship.”

“The Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award allows the state to recognize and appreciate the farmers who feed the world and demonstrate the priority they place in protecting the land,” said Reynolds.  “Iowa farmers are leading the way in implementing science-based practices that are responsibly protecting our land and soil and improving our water quality.”  

Farmers that are nominated should have made environmental stewardship a priority on their farm and incorporated best management practices into their farming operation. As true stewards of the land, they recognize that improved water quality and soil sustainability reaps benefits that extend beyond their fields to citizens of Iowa and residents even further downstream.

Nominations may be submitted on a year-round basis and are due by June 15th of the year to be considered for the award. Farm owners and operators are eligible for consideration.

“Iowa is leading the way in using voluntary, science-based practices to protect our soil and improve water quality.  This award is an opportunity to highlight and recognize the farmers who are going above and beyond to adopt conservation practices on their farm,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey.

An appointed committee of representatives from both conservation and agricultural groups will review the nominations and select the winners. The recipients will be recognized on Wednesday, Aug. 17 at the Iowa State Fair.

Since creation of the award in 2012, more than 300 farm families have been recognized. Winners are presented a certificate as well as a yard sign donated by Monsanto. Hagie Manufacturing also sponsors a recognition luncheon for award recipients following the ceremony.



Pork Producers Support ‘CARB’ Recommendations

Recommendations for addressing antibiotic-resistant bacteria in a report issued last week by a White House advisory panel were welcomed by the National Pork Producers Council, which said U.S. pork producers having been doing their part to tackle the growing resistance problem.

The Presidential Advisory Council on Combatting Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (PACCARB) recommended that federal agencies involved in the effort to address antibiotic resistant take a number of steps, including embracing a “One Health” approach that looks at the resistance issue from a human, animal and environmental prospective; improving coordination and collaboration among agencies; establishing partnerships with states and local agencies, tribes, private-sector organizations, commodity groups, philanthropic organizations and international bodies; providing economic incentives for developing and deploying new diagnostic, preventive and therapeutic tools to fight diseases; and committing sufficient resources to address the resistance problem.

On the latter, PACCARB advocated that, at a minimum, agencies’ fiscal 2016 funding levels be maintained. It also pushed for funding U.S. Department of Agriculture efforts to conduct on-farm antibiotic-resistance surveillance. (USDA got no fiscal 2016 money for surveillance.)

“For at least the past 10 years, pork producers have taken steps to address the resistance issue, so we agree with these recommendations, particularly the need for adequate funding,” said NPPC President John Weber, a pork producer from Dysart, Iowa. “Pork producers support changes to confront this very serious problem, and we will continue to do our part.”

Beginning next year, pork producers no longer will be able to use antibiotics important for human medicine for promoting growth in animals, and they will be required to obtain a veterinary prescription for other uses of those same antibiotics delivered in feed and water. Additionally, the pork industry has invested more than $6 million to collect data related to and conduct research on the resistance issue, including on alternative antibiotic technologies, the effects of therapeutic antibiotic treatment on multi-drug resistant Salmonella and the environmental fate of antibiotics in manure.

“Antibiotics are essential tools for keeping our animals healthy and producing safe food,” Weber said. “So ensuring they continue to work against diseases is vital to producers.”

The PACCARB report also looked at federal government efforts over the past six months to implement the national action plan to address antibiotic resistance, finding that good progress has been made, including establishing programs for requiring antibiotic stewardship in inpatient and long-term care settings; setting up a public-private partnership to support and accelerate clinical development of drugs, vaccines and diagnostics; and implementing the Veterinary Feed Directive rule related to feed and water uses of antibiotics for food animals.



Protein-Rich Diet Tied to Improved Physical Function During Weight Loss

New research published in the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences shows that eating more protein from foods like lean beef, as part of a reduced-calorie diet, can help obese older adults with limited ability to exercise to lose weight and increase physical function.[1] This new research, supported by the beef checkoff, contributes to the growing body of evidence that shows lean beef and other high-quality protein foods are beneficial for health, including overweight and obese people looking to reduce weight.

Obesity in older adults contributes to negative health outcomes, leading to a potential loss of independence due to reduced muscle strength and limited ability to perform activities of daily living. Duke University Medical Center researchers Drs. Connie Bales and Kathryn Porter Starr hypothesized that enhancing the quantity and quality of dietary protein at each meal during a weight loss intervention would help protect muscle mass and improve balance, lower-body strength and walking speed in obese older adults with functional limitations.

“Until recently, weight-loss regimens were not recommended for obese older adults due to concerns about further loss of muscle mass, especially in those who could not exercise,” says Bales. “While more recent research shows that engaging in exercise may preserve lean mass in obese older adults, we wanted to look at an intervention that would allow these individuals to start losing weight without exercise to account for functional impairments that may make regular exercise difficult.”

In the study, those who ate a reduced-calorie diet higher in high-quality lean protein had greater gains in physical function measured by balance, lower body strength and walking speed, compared to those who ate a diet lower in protein. Although the increase in overall dietary protein was modest between the two groups (1.2 vs. 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day), improvements in function were significantly higher in the protein group. The higher protein diet included at least 30 grams of lean, high-quality protein like beef (e.g. Lean Ground Beef, Deli Roast Beef and Flank Steak), along with other lean meats and poultry, low fat dairy foods and eggs at breakfast, lunch and dinner.

“High-quality protein like lean beef has unique benefits for health,” says Shalene McNeill, PhD, RD, who serves as executive director of human nutrition research for the checkoff. “A substantial body of evidence shows the nutrients in beef, such as protein, can help satisfy hunger and maintain a healthy weight and build and maintain muscle.[2-5] Beef is an important source of nutrients, including iron, zinc and B-vitamins, for optimal health.”

Although more research is needed, results from this study are encouraging and support the idea that protein-enhanced meals, as part of a reduced-calorie diet, can foster improvements in physical function during periods of weight loss in obese older adults.

1 - Porter Starr, et al. Improved function with enhanced protein intake per meal: A pilot study of weight reduction in frail, obese older adults. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2016. Full text available at http://biomedgerontology.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2016/01/15/gerona.glv210.long.
2 - Westerterp-Plantenga MS, et al. Dietary protein, metabolism, and body-weight regulation: dose–response effects. Int J Obes 2006;30:S16-S23.
3 - Paddon-Jones D, et al. Protein, weight management, and satiety. Am J Clin Nutr 2008;87:1558S-61S.
4 - Paddon-Jones D, et al. Role of dietary protein in the sarcopenia of aging. Am J Clin Nutr 2008;87:1562S-6S.
5 - Wolfe R. The underappreciated role of muscle in health and disease. Am J Clin Nutr 2006;84:475-82.

For more information about your beef checkoff investment, visit MyBeefCheckoff.com.



‘Dairy 3 for Me’ Pledge Calls for Commitment to Three Daily Servings of Dairy

The recently released 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends three servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy foods every day to maintain a well-balanced diet, however the majority of Americans fall short of this amount, getting on average less than two daily servings. To help families be more successful in meeting the Dietary Guidelines recommendation, and to ensure they aren’t missing out on key nutrients dairy foods provide, Midwest Dairy Council has launched the Dairy 3 for Me pledge.

The pledge creates awareness about the nutritional value of dairy foods, highlighting how together, milk, cheese and yogurt provide nine essential nutrients including calcium for strong bones and protein for healthy muscles. Also, it calls for individuals to pledge their commitment to integrating three daily servings of dairy into their diet by taking a Dairy 3 for Me pledge. The pledge can be taken by completing an online form or by using the hashtag #Dairy3forMe on Twitter.

There are many ways to get three servings of dairy every day, such as making milk the meal time beverage, topping sandwiches and salads with cheese and using plain Greek yogurt as an ingredient in appetizers, like Cucumber Yogurt Dip and Deviled Eggs.

“Dairy’s nutrition, versatility, as well at its affordability – an 8-ounce glass of milk costs, on average, only .25 – are all motivating factors in taking the Dairy 3 for Me pledge,” says Stephanie Cundith, Midwest Dairy registered dietitian. “Not only is upholding a commitment to get three servings of dairy every day important to our health, but it can be easy to do and easy on a grocery shopper’s budget.”

For more recipes and tips to get three servings of dairy every day, visit MidwestDairy.com.



Change in CHS fertilizer patronage pools create value potential

The CHS Board of Directors recently approved the consolidation of patronage pools for bulk fertilizer (nitrogen, phosphates, potassium – NPK – and other bulk products) into a single dry bulk fertilizer rate. A separate rate will be retained for specialty products including starter fertilizers and nitrogen efficiency products which have significantly lower volumes, but typically higher rates. The revision is effective for products purchased during fiscal 2016 (Sept. 1, 2015 – Aug. 31, 2016) upon which any patronage distribution authorized by the CHS Board would be based for distribution in fiscal 2017.

“Given our recent connection to potentially enhanced patronage earnings stream created through the CHS investment in CF Industries Nitrogen, LLC, this change allows us to reward all eligible members who purchase any of our bulk crop nutrients product, even if they don’t have direct access to CF Nitrogen-sourced products,” says Rick Dusek, vice president, CHS Agronomy.

The ability to share in the economic success of a company with which you do business is a core benefit of being a cooperative owner, Dusek adds.

The program is consistent with that in place with many member cooperatives as well as that in place for individual producer-owners.



CWT Assists with 152,000 Pounds of Cheese Export Sales

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted two requests for export assistance contracts to sell 152,119 pounds (69 metric tons) of Cheddar cheese to customers in Asia and Oceania. The product has been contracted for delivery in the period from April-August 2016.

So far this year, CWT has assisted member cooperatives who have contracts to sell 12.361 million pounds of American-type cheeses, 7.716 million pounds of butter (82% milkfat) and 14.676 million pounds of whole milk powder to 14 countries on five continents. The sales are the equivalent of 394.845 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis.

Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program, in the long-term, helps member cooperatives gain and maintain market share, thus expanding the demand for U.S. dairy products and the U.S. farm milk that produces them. This, in turn, positively impacts all U.S. dairy farmers by strengthening and maintaining the value of dairy products that directly impact their milk price.



USDA Reports Record Growth In U.S. Organic Producers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced a significant increase in the number of certified organic operations, continuing the trend of double digit growth in the organic sector. According to new data, there are now 21,781 certified organic operations in the United States and 31,160 around the world.

"Organic food is one of the fasting growing segments of American agriculture," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "As consumer demand for organic products continues to grow, the USDA organic seal has become a leading global standard. The increasing number of organic operations shows that USDA's strong support for the vibrant organic sector is helping to create jobs and opportunities in rural communities."

According to data released by the Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) National Organic Program (NOP), the number of domestic certified organic operations increased by almost 12 percent between 2014 and 2015, representing the highest growth rate since 2008 and an increase of nearly 300 percent since the count began in 2002. The total retail market for organic products is now valued at more than $39 billion in the United States and over $75 billion worldwide.

Along with consumer demand for organics, increasingly they are asking for local foods. Under Secretary Vilsack, USDA has supported providing consumers a stronger connection to their food with more than $1 billion in investments to over 40,000 local and regional food businesses and infrastructure projects since between 2009. Industry data estimates that U.S. local food sales totaled at least $12 billion in 2014, up from $5 billion in 2008. More information on how USDA investments are connecting producers with consumers and expanding rural economic opportunities is available in Chapter IV of USDA Results on Medium published today.

USDA has strengthened programs that support organic operations over the past seven years, helping to make organic certification more accessible, attainable, and affordable through a "Sound and Sensible" approach. This initiative includes streamlining the certification process, focusing on enforcement and working with farmers and processors to correct small issues before they become larger ones.

USDA has also established a number of resources to help organics producers find technical and financial resources to help them grow domestically and abroad. The site www.usda.gov/organic creates a one-stop-shop for operators, and USDA has made market and pricing information for approximately 250 organic products available free of charge through USDA's Market News. In 2015, USDA made more than $11.5 million available to assist organic operations with their certification costs.

The NOP maintains the list of organic operations and leads activities that support organic integrity and market growth. In addition, USDA helps organic stakeholders access programs that support conservation, provide access to loans and grants, fund organic research and education, and mitigate threats from pests and diseases. USDA also administers organic certification cost-share programs that offset the costs of organic certification for U.S. producers and handlers.



Antibiotic Use in Livestock Growing in Other Countries

Drug-resistant bacterial diseases have little concern for international borders, and as the growing global middle-class demands more and more meat, rising production is leading to rising antibiotic use around the world. According to one study published last year in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, antibiotic use is expected to double in Brazil, Russia, China, South Africa, and India thanks to an increased appetite for meat.

In India, where about a third of the population is vegetarian and the majority of those who do eat meat do not consume beef, chicken is often the animal protein of choice, reports Bloomberg News. Consumption has increased 14-fold since 1985, according to Bloomberg, which revealed in a story published Tuesday that the rising demand has led to very concerning uses of antibiotics by Indian poultry companies.

The story's claims that antibiotics used in human medicine are given to chickens are refuted by the SR Group, which contracts with the farmers who were interviewed for the story.

"Nobody uses antibiotics unnecessarily because we are professionals," Ravinder Reddy, the technical director of SR Group, told Bloomberg. "We are not illiterate farmers. We know what we are doing."