Tuesday May 17 Ag News

Corn Silage Conference to Offer Latest Information to Beef Industry Worldwide

An abundance of new information on an age-old feed has led extension specialists from Iowa State University and University of Nebraska—Lincoln to offer a one-day conference for cattle producers, nutrition consultants and extension personnel. Galen Erickson, beef feedlot extension specialist with UNL, said the June 17 Silage for Beef Cattle Conference, sponsored by Lallemand Animal Nutrition, will capitalize on the resurgence of silage in beef diets.

“Corn silage appears to be very economical in beef growing and finishing situations, and we know many people use it,” he said. “If it is going to be used, however, it’s important to know the specifics about types, storage and pricing, and this conference will tackle all those issues.”

The speaker lineup includes university experts from UNL, Iowa State and Kansas State University (KSU), and from program sponsor Lallemand Animal Nutrition. The agenda features eight presentation sessions and a panel discussion, and will be held at the August N. Christenson Research and Education Building at the UNL Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center near Mead, NE. The conference is approved for 5 CEUs from the American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists (ARPAS).

The conference begins with registration at 8:15 a.m., will adjourn by 4 p.m. and is free for those preregistered by Monday, June 13. Otherwise, the fee is $30 per person for those not preregistered with that amount due on-site. The conference brochure has agenda information, directions to the location, contacts for more information and a fillable registration form in pdf format, and is available on the Iowa Beef Center website.

“Because we know there’s a great deal of interest in this topic, and we know not everyone can travel to attend this conference, we’re also offering a web viewing option for the entire day available to people with internet access from anywhere around the world,” Erickson said. “In addition to this streaming option, we plan to capture shorter segments that highlight the take-home points and provide them after the conference, and we’ll provide a proceedings of all the material presented during the day.”

UNL and ISU have provided joint beef nutrition programming for years, and working together to offer this conference was a logical choice, according to Dan Loy, Iowa Beef Center director at Iowa State.

“This is a great opportunity for us to bring current research information to the cattle industry in Nebraska, Iowa and beyond,” Loy said. “Offering both an on-site location and an online streaming opportunity increases the reach of this information to a national and international audience.”

Erickson said Lallemand Animal Nutrition approached the team about working with them to sponsor a meeting focused on silage, and its financial support makes it possible for preregistered attendees to do so at no cost.

“We are excited to be working in conjunction with the University of Nebraska and Iowa State University on this conference,” said Bob Charley, PhD, Forage Products Manager, Lallemand Animal Nutrition. “We believe that this is a great opportunity to educate beef producers on the importance of producing high quality silage for their operations.”

Erickson said it’s important for producers to understand how to select proper hybrids for silage, know when to put up silage and knowing how to store silage to minimize shrink.

“Optimizing both the amount fed and silage in combination with which other ingredients is critical in determining whether silage is an economical choice,” Erickson said. “This conference will provide that information, as well as tools for pricing silage.”

The conference speakers, their affiliation and presentation topics follow:
 ·    Dr. Bob Charley, Lallemand Animal Nutrition, “Corn Silage Fermentation Process”
 ·    Dr. Keith Bolsen, KSU, “Silage Safety, Shrink, and Methods to Control Losses”
 ·    Dr. Renato Schmidt, Lallemand Animal Nutrition, “Impact of Silage Inoculant”
 ·    Dr. Jim MacDonald, UNL, “Optimizing Corn Silage Harvest for Quality and Yield”
 ·    Dr. Dan Loy, Iowa State, “Evaluation of Silages, and What a Feed Test Means for Good vs. Bad Silage”
 ·    Dr. Andrea Watson, UNL, “Use of Corn Silage in Growing Programs and Protein Considerations”
 ·    Erickson and Henry Hilscher, UNL, “Feeding Programs for Silage, Silage Hybrid, and Harvest Time Impact on Performance”
 ·    Dr. Terry Klopfenstein and Hilscher, UNL, “Economics of Silage Use and Proper Pricing”

For more information, contact Erickson at 402-472-6402 or Loy at 515-294-1058.




CUTTING EXCESS SPRING PASTURE FOR HAY
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist

               Substantial spring rain.  That’s something most of you folks have received this year.  How will you handle the excess pasture growth all the rain will produce?

               Extra rain produces extra grass.  As pastures grow faster than cattle can eat, finding ways to use this extra grass efficiently can be like money in the bank.

               The most obvious way to conserve extra growth is by cutting hay from parts of the pasture.  Normally I try to avoid extra hay cutting but if you have the equipment, the time, and more pasture than you can use this spring, cutting hay for use later in summer or winter when pasture becomes scarce is a good option.

               If you choose the hay option, cut as seedheads are about to emerge for good hay quality and plant regrowth potential.  Also, fence out soon the area to be cut from the rest of the pasture.  Otherwise, cattle will ignore and waste the taller, stemmier grass as they just graze new regrowth after cutting hay.  You might even apply a little nitrogen fertilizer to stimulate growth if soil moisture still is good.

               Don’t be surprised if certain weeds like common ragweed or foxtails become abundant in areas cut for hay.  Ragweed or other non-palatable broadleaf weeds can be killed easily with herbicides.  Not much can be done about the foxtails or other annual grassy weeds, but cattle will graze them quite well if you allow them access before these weeds begin to head out.  And the same holds true for many broadleaf weeds.

               Don’t let extra spring pasture go to waste.  Cutting the excess as hay is one way to save and stretch your forage supply.         



Second Southern Iowa Grassroots Grazing Session Set for May 26

The second session in the three-part series, Grassroots Grazing, for young and beginning graziers in southern Iowa is set for May 26 at the Tony Mullen farm near Corning. Iowa State University Extension beef specialist Joe Sellers said this event features information on cover crops usage in beef operations and yield prospects for no-till soybeans.

“We’ll also take a look at a rye stand that will be chopped and bagged in the next few weeks, and talk about the nutritional value of ryelage,” Sellers said.

Sellers said the session begins at 6:30 p.m., which gives attendees time to attend a grilling event by the Adams County Cattlemen at the Corning Farmers Market before heading to the farm.

“The Beef Month grilling celebration at the Corning City Park runs from 5 to 7 p.m., so people headed to the grazing session should plan to enjoy a sandwich by 5:45 and still get to the farm on time,” Sellers said. “From Casey’s in Corning, go west two blocks and turn right on Davis Avenue. Go two and a half blocks north and the barbecue event will be in the park to the left.”

To get to the farm, go north from Corning on Highway 148 approximately four miles to 183rd Street, also known as the Carbon Corner. Go west (left) one mile on 183rd Street to Holly Avenue and turn south (left) approximately 1/4 mile. There’s a farmstead with a white house on the east (left) side of the gravel road. Drive through the farmstead to the machine shed.

“There is no fee to attend, but we encourage preregistration to ensure adequate materials for everyone,” Sellers said. “Please contact me at 641-203-1270 or ISU extension beef specialist Chris Clark at 712-250-0070, or Brian Peterson at 641-344-1026 for more information.”



Dairy Iowa Event Includes Program for Dairy Farmers, Dairy Youth

Mike Pearson, Iowa Public TV’s Market to Market host, and dairy economist Dr. Marin Bozic of the University of Minnesota are the headline speakers for a Dairy Iowa event June 14 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Prairie Links Golf and Event Center in Waverly, Iowa. The program also includes a panel of dairy farmers who will talk about succession planning and dairy expansion.

Bozic will address plant and processor capacity in Iowa, as well as future dairy protein demand.

The event, open to all of the state’s dairy farmers and supporters, will be combined with a Youth Communications Workshop for young people who wish to learn more about advocating for the dairy community. The interactive session will include ideas for telling dairy’s story, handling tough questions and topics, and a chance to practice communication skills.

Dairy Iowa is a collaboration between Midwest Dairy Association, the Iowa State Dairy Association, and companies and individuals who have a stake in a strong future for Iowa’s dairy farmers and processors. Its activities are focused on providing resources and dialogue between dairy farmers, their organizations, and other groups and people whose actions play a role in the Iowa dairy community’s well-being.

Registration for both events begins at 9:30 a.m. To pre-register, contact Sue Ann Claudon, Midwest Dairy Association, at 515-330-7906 or saclaudon@midwestdairy.com.



EPA Disparages Farmers, Hinders Progress, Farm Bureau Tells Congress

Three Farm Bureau members today called on the federal government to use more carrots and fewer sticks with farmers who care for land that has often been in their families for generations. Pennsylvania Farm Bureau President Richard Ebert, former Ohio Farm Bureau President Terry McClure and Florida Farm Bureau member Kate English testified before the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry.

Ebert told the subcommittee that the Environmental Protection Agency has failed to explain its expectations in the ongoing Chesapeake Bay cleanup.

“Despite my four-year degree in animal science from a well-known and respected university and 34 years of farming while implementing modern technologies, I don’t understand EPA’s science,” Ebert said. “And no farmer can legitimately comprehend and respond to the reams of academic analyses that have been produced through these meetings and continue to perform the tasks needed to run his or her farm business.”

Ebert chided EPA for spreading false information about family farms.

“EPA and its cohorts point fingers and paint agriculture – farmers just like me – as a villain that impairs water quality in the Bay,” Ebert said. “But their accusations are in direct conflict with U.S. Geological Survey data – which showed pretty positive gains on water quality in tributaries throughout the Bay Watershed. These gains are not because of our revised Bay strategy or EPA’s model. It merely demonstrates what agriculture has been doing for decades through increased knowledge, additional opportunities, technology and time.”

McClure noted that Ohio farmers work hard to reduce runoff of excess phosphorous and nitrogen from their farms.

“Farmers have invested tens of millions of dollars of their own money in establishing conservation practices on their farms,” McClure said. “Between 2006 and 2012, they have voluntarily reduced phosphorous applications in the Western Lake Erie Basin by more than 13 million pounds. As farmers are stepping up to implement conservation practices now, they are committed to finding additional solutions in the future.”

English warned that federal regulations have become unworkably complex.

“A farmer shouldn’t have to have a lawyer and an engineer on staff to grow food,” she said.

English singled out the EPA’s controversial Waters of the United States rule as an example of bad science.

“The rule not only expands the regulatory footprint for farming and increases the uncertainty we battle daily, but it also lacks peer-reviewed sound science,” English said. “These regulations appear instead to be based on public opinion and social media trends rather than facts and science. The result is a highly unpredictable regulatory environment and uncontrolled costs when faced with compliance based on a moving target rather than a rational, science-based goal.”



Roberts Announces Witnesses for Hearing on Farm Credit System

U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, R-Kan., chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, announced witnesses for the Committee's hearing on the Farm Credit System.

"The Farm Credit System: Oversight and Outlook of the Current Economic Climate,' which begins at 10:15 a.m. May 19 in the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C., has a first panel of witnesses that will include:
-- Ken Spearman, chairman, Farm Credit Administration Board, McLean, Va.
-- Dallas Tonsager, member, Farm Credit Administration, chairman, Farm Credit Insurance System Corporation Board, McLean, Va.
-- Jeffrey Hall, member, Farm Credit Administration Board, McLean, Va.

The second panel will include:
-- Verlin "Gus" J. Barker, president/chief executive officer, Community Bank of Oelwein, Oelwein, Iowa
-- Doug Stark, president and CEO, Farm Credit Services of America & Frontier Farm Credit, Omaha, Neb.
-- Jed Welder, owner, Trinity Farms, Greenville, Mich.
-- Leonard Wolfe, president, CEO, and chairman of the board, United Bank and Trust, Marysville, Kan.

The hearing will be webcast live on ag.senate.gov.



Registration Open For USGC Summer Annual Meeting In Louisville, Kentucky

The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) encourages farmers, members and other industry representatives to register now for its 56th Annual Board of Delegates Meeting scheduled for Louisville, Kentucky, from July 25 to 27, 2016.

Registration is available online here or via www.grains.org/louisville.

During the July meeting, attendees will learn about what the Council is doing to develop markets over the long term for corn, sorghum, barley and their co-products including ethanol as well as the pockets of demand Council staff is working to capture this marketing year.

“This meeting is built around the theme of Excellence in Exports, which has five pillars including membership,” said USGC Chairman Alan Tiemann, who farms in Nebraska. “Staying ahead of the curve on factors impacting new and growing global demand is one way our farmers and agribusiness members can contribute to that excellence.”

Attendees will also hear expert speakers use current events - including the two multilateral trade agreements under consideration as well as the country’s ongoing debate about the merits of trade policy - as a backdrop to wade into important issues impacting the global grain trade.

“This meeting will include breakout sessions that will create time for deep dives into some of the most important issues for U.S. grain demand, including ethanol exports, biotechnology and livestock growth,” Tiemann said. “Our members should leave these workshops with a refreshed perspective and dedication to the work we need to do to continue expanding grain exports.”

The meeting in Louisville will also be the Council’s annual business meeting, with the Board of Delegates set to elect new officers and directors and USGC’s Advisory Teams (A-Teams) scheduled to review the Council’s operational plan, known as the Unified Export Strategy (UES).

More about the meeting is available online at www.grains.org/louisville. 




Anti-Ethanol Bill a Step Back for Farmers, Consumers

Last week, Reps. Bill Flores (R-Texas), Peter Welch (D-Vermont), Bob Goodlatte (R-Virginia) and Jim Costa (D-California) introduced a bill to cap ethanol blends to no more than 9.7 percent by volume.

Paul Jeschke, a farmer from Mazon, Illinois, and chair of the Ethanol Committee of the National Corn Growers Association, called the bill "a step backward for both farmers and consumers."

"Americans want cleaner air, affordable choices at the gas pump, and a strong economy that fosters investment in new technology and improves our energy independence," said Jeschke.

"Meanwhile, American corn farmers are struggling, with prices below the cost of production and the largest carryover stock in two decades. The Renewable Fuel Standard was created to promoted American renewable energy while creating a steady market for corn. This bill would undercut the RFS and negatively impact corn farmers, and with it, the entire farm economy.

Members of Congress will be heading back to their districts soon for Memorial Day recess. Jeschke urged farmers and community members to use the opportunity to talk to their elected officials about the bill.

"When you see your Senators and Representatives, remind them that the Renewable Fuel Standard works. It had has taken American renewable energy forward, and this is not the time to back down. Tell your elected officials to stand up for clean air, a strong economy, and energy independence. Urge them to oppose Rep. Flores' anti-ethanol bill."



Data Supports Safety, Benefits of GE Crops

Experts from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine again confirmed the safety and efficacy of genetically engineered crops for federal legislators and regulators during the event releasing the group's new report titled Genetically Engineered Crops: Experiences and Prospects today.

Asserting that safety and nutritional value of GE crops, as well as their societal and economic benefits, the detailed report offers a basis to open a conversation on this technology based on objective evidence.

Competing claims and research that promote either the benefits or perceived risks of GE crops create a confusing landscape for both the public and for policy makers. This new report examines a range of questions and opinions about the economic, agronomic, health, safety, or other effects of genetically engineered crops and food. In doing so, it provides an independent, objective examination of the breadth of knowledge gained since the introduction of GE crops, based on current evidence.



Soy Growers Cheer Release of NAS Study on Genetically-Modified Crops

The American Soybean Association (ASA) welcomes a report issued today by the National Academy of Sciences Board on Agriculture and Natural Sciences that points to the safety and benefits of continued use of genetically modified crops for soybean producers, with specific regard to economic and environmental impact. The NAS report, Genetically Engineered Crops: Experiences and Prospects, reviewed a broad range of studies and reaffirmed that there are no adverse health impacts associated with the use of GMOs for either humans or animals. ASA President Richard Wilkins, a farmer from Greenwood, Del., issued the following statement in response to the NAS report:

“Today, the National Academy of Sciences reaffirmed what health and safety officials have confirmed for two decades: GMOs are safe. The scientists at the Academy also confirmed what we as farmers also have known for 20 years – that GMOs provide significant benefits for producers. They help us manage pests, weeds and reduce on-farm inputs, and they do it with absolutely zero risk to people or animals. This is an exceptionally in-depth report, and we hope that it will move the dialogue on GMOs to the next chapter.

“The other side of the GMO debate continues to attempt to engage our industry on the safety of and science behind genetic engineering. Yet, as we’ve seen today, NAS and the world’s most respected health and scientific organizations have unequivocally settled that question.

“The report also points to the significant advances we are seeing in the science of plant breeding techniques. Farmers can only benefit from these technologies if we continue to have access to them. The NAS report is a very positive step, and we hope that those in charge of approving these new breeding techniques and getting them in the hands of farmers as soon as possible will take note.”



Vilsack to Deliver Keynote Remarks at 43rd Annual World Trade Day Luncheon

ON THURSDAY, May 19, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will deliver keynote remarks at the 43rd Annual World Trade Day Luncheon, hosted by the Denver World Trade Center. In October 2015, the United States and eleven other nations concluded negotiations on the historic Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement. Passage of TPP by the U.S. Congress will provide new market access across the board for America's farmers and ranchers by lowering tariffs, eliminating barriers, boosting exports and supporting jobs in America's rural economies.

Agricultural exports have climbed more than 35 percent in value since 2009, totaling a record $919.6 billion over the past seven years. In fiscal year 2015, American farmers and ranchers exported $139.7 billion of food and agricultural goods to consumers worldwide. Not only that, U.S. agricultural exports supported more than one million American jobs both on and off the farm, a substantial part of the estimated 11.7 million jobs supported by exports all across the country. The TPP is a new, high-standard trade agreement that levels the playing field for American workers and American businesses, supporting more Made in America exports and higher-paying American jobs.

The TPP will help expand U.S. agricultural exports to some of the fastest growing countries in the Asia-Pacific region, and the Administration will now work with Congress to secure its passage into law. The agreement would eliminate or significantly reduce tariffs on our products and deter non-science based sanitary and phytosanitary barriers that have put American agriculture at a disadvantage in TPP countries in the past. Despite these past barriers, countries in the TPP currently account for up to 42 percent of all U.S. agricultural exports, totaling $63 billion. Thanks to this agreement and its removal of unfair trade barriers, American agricultural exports to the region will expand even further.