Thursday June 23 Ag News

PRAIRIE HAY STRATEGIES
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist

               When is the best time to cut prairie hay?  While it’s still leafy?  When it heads out?  After it’s done growing for the year?

               First let’s make sure we all know what I mean by prairie hay.  In today’s message, I’m talking mostly about warm-season grasses like the bluestems and gramas, indiangrass, switchgrass, lovegrass, or prairie sandreed.  There might be some wheatgrass or junegrass or other cool-season species present, but if this field is fully green and growing by mid-April in Nebraska, it’s not what I’m calling prairie hay.

               One factor to consider when timing harvest of prairie hay is stand persistence.  Producer experience and university research both show that prairie hay stands decline rapidly if they are often harvested twice a year.  Another factor is hay quality.  Prairie hay cut in late June or early July might have over 10 percent protein and 65 percent TDN.  But as grass gets older and develops stems and seedheads, its forage quality will decline.  If you wait until August to cut, protein might drop down below 5 percent and TDN as low as 45 percent.

               Other practical considerations might be your difficulty harvesting all your prairie hay at once and your potential need for both high quality hay for young stock and average quality hay for dry cows.

               What I think this means is that most operations should have at least two different prairie hay areas.  Harvest one area in late June or early July for high quality and again in October if sufficient regrowth occurs.  Harvest the other area just once in early August for high yield.  Then switch areas the next year.

               Prairie hay is a valuable resource.  Extra care can assure long term production of highly useable hay.



CLIMATE ASSESSMENT RESPONSE COMMITTEE TO MEET

Mat Habrock, assistant director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, has scheduled a meeting of the Climate Assessment Response Committee (CARC) for Tuesday, June 28, 2016.  The meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. in room 901, Hardin Hall on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln East Campus.

Officials will brief CARC members on existing, as well as predicted, weather conditions and provide a water availability outlook. 

For more details, call the Nebraska Department of Agriculture at (402) 471-2341.



Current National Drought Summary
droughtmonitor.unl.edu

Please note any rain which fell after Tuesday morning, 8 a.m. EDT, will be incorporated into next week’s drought assessment. For the 7-day period ending June 21, hot weather intensified or expanded from southern California and the Southwest across the Plains and interior Southeast. Cooler-than-normal conditions for the week were confined mostly to the Northwest. Rain was intermittent, albeit locally heavy, from the Upper Midwest to the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern States. Despite the locally heavy showers and thunderstorms, the overall trend toward drought persistence or expansion prevailed across many areas east of the Rockies.

Central and Southern Plains
Although the region is mostly drought free, excessive heat (100°F or greater) coupled with pronounced short-term dryness necessitated the introduction of Abnormal Dryness (D0) in central and eastern Oklahoma as well as southeastern Kansas. Over the past 60 days, these D0 areas have reported 40 to 60 percent of normal rainfall, and a rapid descent into drought is imminent if rain does not materialize soon. Another pocket of D0 was introduced in south-central Nebraska, while Moderate Drought (D1) in northwestern Nebraska coincided with excessive heat and pronounced short-term dryness.

Looking Ahead
A pair of disturbances will continue to track east along a stalled frontal boundary, producing a swath of moderate to heavy rain (1 to 3 inches, locally more) from the lower Great Lakes into the Mid-Atlantic States. Somewhat spottier showers will develop south of the front from the middle Mississippi Valley into the Carolinas, though some of this rain could be locally heavy as well. Farther west, a pair of upper-air disturbances will trigger scattered showers and thunderstorms, the first over the central Plains and middle Mississippi Valley, while the second moves into the Northwest. In contrast, hot, mostly dry weather will prevail across Texas, Oklahoma, and much of the West. The NWS 6- to 10-day outlook for June 28 – July 2 calls for above-normal temperatures in the Northeast, Gulf Coast, and from the Plains to the Pacific Coast States. Conversely, cooler-than-normal weather is anticipated across the Corn Belt and Tennessee Valley. Above-normal rainfall is expected across much of the southern and eastern U.S., including the Four Corners, while drier-than-normal conditions prevail from the Northwest into the Great Lakes Region.



Crop Insurance Gives Farmers More Planting Flexibility

Acting Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Michael Scuse today announced that the federal crop insurance program will provide additional flexibility to farmers. The modifications center on the practice of growing two crops on the same field at different times of the year, which is known as double cropping.

"We are constantly looking for ways to meet the needs of our farmers and seek out their feedback so we can best provide them with the tools and resources they need to grow and support their operations," Scuse said. "After receiving input from a number of stakeholders, we made these changes to the federal crop insurance program to provide greater flexibility and better reflect current agricultural practices."

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) worked to provide additional flexibility requested by farmers. Double cropping requirements are revised to adequately recognize changes in growing farm operations or for added land. This change will address both land added to an operation, and account for multiple crop rotations. These changes will be in effective for the 2017 crop year for most crops, starting with winter wheat.



USDA Livestock Slaughter Report: Record High Pork Production for May

Commercial red meat production for the United States totaled 4.00 billion pounds in May, up 5 percent from the 3.81 billion pounds produced in May 2015.

Beef production, at 2.03 billion pounds, was 5 percent above the previous year. Cattle slaughter totaled 2.51 million head, up 6 percent from May 2015. The average live weight was up 1 pound from the previous year, at 1,333 pounds.

Veal production totaled 6.0 million pounds, 9 percent below May a year ago. Calf slaughter totaled 35,500 head, up 7 percent from May 2015. The average live weight was down 49 pounds from last year, at 286 pounds.

Pork production totaled 1.95 billion pounds, up 5 percent from the previous year. Hog slaughter totaled 9.18 million head, up 5 percent from May 2015. The average live weight was down 1 pound from the previous year, at 283 pounds.

Lamb and mutton production, at 13.0 million pounds, was up 9 percent from May 2015. Sheep slaughter totaled 185,300 head, 9 percent above last year. The average live weight was 140 pounds, down 1 pound from May a year ago.

Prod By State          May '16         % of May '15
                              (million pounds)
Nebraska ..........:            639.6            109      
Iowa .................:            538.4            100      
Kansas ..............:            442.6            102      

January to May 2016 commercial red meat production was 20.2 billion pounds, up 3 percent from 2015. Accumulated beef production was up 4 percent from last year, veal was down 6 percent, pork was up 1 percent from last year, and lamb and mutton production was up 1 percent.



American Soybean Association Backs Roberts/Stabenow GMO Labeling Compromise

The American Soybean Association (ASA) signaled its strong support today for legislation from Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) that would set a national standard for the labeling of foods containing genetically modified ingredients, or GMOs.

“This package has been a long time in coming, and we’re happy to see it introduced today,” said ASA First Vice President Ron Moore, a soybean farmer from Roseville, Ill. “Soybean farmers absolutely support this bill and we call on the Senate to pass it as soon as possible.”

The bill would establish a national standard of mandatory disclosure through a variety of options, including quick-response (QR) codes, 800-numbers, websites and on-pack labeling, such that companies would be able to select the method of disclosure that works best for their range of products.

“The work put in over the past year by Chairman Roberts and Ranking Member Stabenow has yielded a piece of legislation that gives consumers the information they want and need, yet doesn’t drive a proven-safe technology from the marketplace through the stigmatization that comes with language that could be perceived as a warning label,” added Moore.

By setting a national mandatory standard, the bill would preempt state labeling laws, and in doing so prevent a patchwork of differing standards between states. Also, and perhaps most importantly for the nation’s soybean farmers, the establishment of the national standard removes the stigmatization that comes with explicit language on products.

“We’ve seen time and time again that regardless of the repeated proven safety of GMOs, consumers react negatively when presented with a product containing a warning label,” said Moore. “If consumers panic and run from these products based on false stigmatization, companies are forced to reformulate away from this safe and affordable technology. Not only would this result in food more expensive food for consumers, but prices for soybean producers would fall sharply.”

The legislation is the product of a full year of discussions and negotiations between Republicans and Democrats, a point ASA says illustrates the bipartisan, compromise nature of the package, and cites as a key reason for the association’s support.

“We get nothing from a ceremonial effort,” said Moore. “What we need is a piece of legislation that can pass, and in today’s Congress, that means a bipartisan compromise. There are 30 soybean-growing states in the U.S.—that’s the 60 votes we need to pass the bill in the Senate. The Chairman and the Ranking Member have a comprehensive bill that both Republicans and Democrats can support and we will call on every one of the soy-state Senators to back this farmer priority.”

It is anticipated that the bill will come to the Senate floor for a vote next week.



CRA Commends Senate Agriculture Leaders for Bipartisan Agreement on GMO Labeling, Urges Congress to Take Swift Action

The Corn Refiners Association today commended Senators Roberts (R-KS) and Stabenow (D-MI) for their hard work to finalize a bipartisan federal GMO agreement ahead of the July 1 implementation date for the Vermont GMO labeling law. The Senate agreement would establish a uniform, national standard for GMO labeling.

“Today’s bipartisan agreement is a positive step forward to averting the current patchwork of state GMO laws. Without this legislation, American consumers will see their groceries bills increase by over $1,000 annually.” said John Bode, President and CEO of CRA. “We commend the Senators for working together toward this common sense solution and urge the Senate to swiftly pass it ahead of the looming July 1 deadline, so the House can do the same when they return in early July.”



NMPF Statement on Roberts-Stabenow Agreement on Food Biotech Legislation
Jim Mulhern, President and Chief Executive Officer, National Milk Producers Federation

 “We are very pleased that the months-long effort to develop a compromise national solution to provide information to consumers on foods made with biotechnology has resulted in a strong agreement.

“We commend Sens. Pat Roberts and Debbie Stabenow for their efforts to produce this sound and workable approach that will reaffirm the federal government’s role in food labeling policy and prevent the chaotic mess that would arise from leaving this issue to the whims of 50 different states. It is now critical that the Senate vote on and approve the Roberts-Stabenow agreement as soon as possible next week, prior to July 1 when the Vermont biotech labeling law is slated to take effect.

“We’re pleased that the legislative proposal clearly stipulates that milk and meat from animals that consume feed grown from biotech seeds are not subject to the labeling disclosure provisions. This is an important common sense provision. Milk and meat are not genetically modified just because the cows consume biotech feed, just like humans are not genetically modified by consuming foods derived from biotechnology. NMPF argued strongly for this provision throughout the negotiations process, and we are pleased that Sens. Roberts and Stabenow agreed with us.

“Earlier this month, our Board of Directors and our national Young Cooperators held dozens of meetings in the Senate and House to advocate for a national policy on this issue. Following those visits, the NMPF board adopted a resolution calling on Congress to act quickly to provide consumers across the country clear and consistent information on food biotechnology. It is gratifying that this grassroots expression from dairy farmers across the country had a positive impact.

 “We are confident that this agreement will allow food companies to provide additional information to consumers about the products and processes used in formulating their foods in a way that doesn’t stigmatize foods produced with biotechnology. This will be important in addressing the interests of consumers and food producers, and ultimately to the future of agricultural sustainability.”



Reaction to GMO labeling compromise

Iowa Soybean Association Policy Director Carol Balvanz issued the following statement concerning today’s introduction of Senate legislation that would set a national standard for the labeling of foods containing genetically modified ingredients, or GMOs.

“This compromise is a first step in putting something down on paper that everyone can live with around labeling foods containing GMOs.

“The law would preempt a patchwork of state laws and provide a unified symbol for food manufactures who were facing uncertainty. Additionally, the exemption for meat, dairy and eggs fed GMOs is a positive for Iowa soybean farmers whose No. 1 customer is livestock.

“The next step will be passing the legislation through the Senate and ultimately the House. We are talking with our Senators about supporting the bill.”



NCGA Urges Swift Passage of Roberts-Stabenow Agreement on GMO Labeling

The National Corn Growers Association today thanked Senate Agriculture Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and ranking Democrat Debbie Stabenow of Michigan for their work to put forth the agreement announced today that will address the growing threat of a patchwork of state labeling laws. NCGA strongly urges that the Senate and House both act as swiftly as possible to pass this important legislation.

“The introduction of this solution comes at a critical time when Congress must act to restore sanity to America’s food labeling laws,” said National Corn Growers Association President Chip Bowling, a farmer from Maryland.  “GMOs are perfectly safe and America’s farmers rely on this proven technology to protect our crops from insects, weeds and drought. Important food safety and labeling decisions should be made by qualified policymakers, not political activists and campaigns. Yet, despite the scientific evidence, Vermont will place into effect a costly, confusing mandatory labeling legislation, and other states will follow in rapid succession.

“It is imperative that the Senate and House both take up this issue immediately to avoid a situation in which all American consumers pay a high price and gain little actual information.”

Vermont’s mandatory law requiring on-package labels of foods containing ingredients that have been genetically modified takes effect in July, and unless Congress acts now, families, farmers and food companies will face chaos in the market and higher costs. Multiple studies have shown that the associated costs with Vermont’s GMO-labeling law and a subsequent patchwork of state laws will cost American families hundreds of dollars more in groceries each year – with low-income Americans being hit the hardest.

The Roberts-Stabenow agreement brings continuity to the marketplace, ensuring that consumers have the access to product information they deserve without stigmatizing this safe, proven technology valued by American farmers.

NCGA, working with partners across the value chain, has pushed for a solution to this issue for more than two years now as a member of the Coalition for Safe Affordable Food.



Statement by American Feed Industry Association Regarding Labeling Compromise
Leah Wilkinson, Vice President of Legislative, Regulatory & State Affairs

"After much anticipation, AFIA welcomes and strongly supports the bipartisan Roberts/Stabenow agreement that would set a federal standard for the labeling of foods containing genetically engineered (GE) ingredients. We take note of the time and dedication put into the crafting of this language, and thank Chairman Roberts and Ranking Member Stabenow for their work toward a unified standard for the betterment of consumers, retailers, the feed industry and farmers.

"This agreement would protect everyone who touches the U.S. food chain from the costly and negative impacts of Vermont's on-package labeling mandate. It also gives consumers access to the information they desire when making food-related decisions and does so without shunning GE products, which are proven to be safe and nutritious.

"AFIA stresses this agreement's importance, and urges the Senate to pass it as soon as possible!"



Regarding Introduction of GMO Labeling Legislation in the Senate

"There are no - and never have been any- documented health risks from genetically engineered food in the marketplace. The American Farm Bureau Federation continues to oppose mandatory food labels that are not necessary for health or safety reasons. We also oppose a patchwork of state-by-state labeling rules. We are reviewing this legislative proposal, and over the next few days will determine how it fits with our policy. We will also assess its impact on farmers' abilities to use modern agricultural technology to produce more, high-quality food.

"We appreciate Chairman Roberts' diligence in taking action prior to the Vermont law's going into effect. This deal clearly seeks to prevent a 50-state mismatched quilt of differing labeling standards. But the mandatory feature holds significant potential to contribute to confusion and unnecessary alarm. Regardless of the outcome, we continue to believe a national, voluntary standard remains the best approach. Our board will deliver a decision soon."



Global Oilseed Producers Address Market Access

Oilseed producers from around the globe face a variety of challenges as markets and end-user demands continue to evolve. To support a profitable and sustainable soybean industry, U.S. soybean farmers joined other global oilseed producers in an effort to understand opportunities and challenges in the marketplace, including new breeding technologies, sustainability, social pressures and customer trends.

The gathering took place this week in Berlin as part of the International Oilseed Producers Dialogue (IOPD). Representatives from the United Soybean Board (USB), American Soybean Association (ASA) and the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) all participated in these discussions.

“Forming partnerships with other oilseed producers allows us to look at the big picture of the global oilseed business,” says John Motter, USB vice chair and soybean farmer from Jenera, Ohio. “Sharing customer trends and challenges allows U.S. soybean farmers to better anticipate where demand is coming from and what our customers will need next. This is very relevant for the U.S. soybean industry as we continue to focus on end-user demands. Whether end users want an improved protein profile, a more functional soybean oil or a more sustainably-produced product, we’re focused on ensuring they have it.”

One issue that was at the forefront of the dialogue was the pressures mounting on the way farmers in other countries operate. The group heard from representatives from several countries experiencing changes in the way they are allowed to produce oilseeds and other crops.

“It’s important for us to see what is happening globally with farmers and the limitations being put on farming practices,” says Jim Miller, USSEC vice chair and soybean farmer from Belden, Nebraska. “If we understand where these concerns are coming from, we can proactively market U.S. soy’s sustainability story and help alleviate any concerns on our production practices.”

Another issue addressed this week was Germany’s position on biotechnology and GMO labeling. The lack of biotechnology trait acceptance is a threat to U.S. soybean farmers’ bottom lines.

“The available supply of soybeans with enhanced genetics continues to grow as seed companies provide options to the market and farmers work hard to grow crops, so now we need to ensure there is a clear path to demand,” says Richard Wilkins, ASA president and soybean farmer from Greenwood, Delaware.

Oilseed producers formed IOPD under the belief that while producers of oilseeds may be competitors in the marketplace, they also share many common interests and objectives.

IOPD provides a foundation for discussions about how to come together to address global challenges, such as worldwide food security.

While in the European Union, the U.S. soybean organizations also took the opportunity to meet with the International Soybean Growers Alliance (ISGA). This coalition of international soybean farmers helps elevate the need for timely biotech approvals in the European Union, China, and other markets.



USGC July Meeting Speakers Focus On Export Demand, Trade Policy Environment

The U.S. Grains Council’s (USGC’s) 56th Annual Board of Delegates Meeting scheduled for Louisville, Kentucky, from July 25-27, 2016, is slated to have a thought-provoking line-up of expert speakers offering members and other attendees insights into new and growing global demand for U.S. coarse grains and co-products.

Hot topics will include the current election cycle's treatment of trade and the importance of trade to the U.S. economy, including the recently concluded Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations; a forward-looking examination of world markets in terms of feed grains in all forms; and updates from USGC staff members and commodity association partners.

Confirmed speakers include:
-   A keynote presentation about trade’s impact on current U.S. policy and politics, including the importance of a positive trade environment, by journalist and businessman Ron Insana.
-   An overview of top markets for U.S. grains in all forms, by USGC Chief Economist Mike Dwyer.
-   A discussion about U.S. ag exports’ return on investment to the U.S. economy, by Dr. Gary Williams, Texas A&M Professor of Ag Economics & Co-Director of the Agribusiness, Food & Consumer Economics Research Center.
-   An update on the USGC Tanzania Food for Progress program, by Tanzanian poultry producer Neema Minja and USGC Manager of Global Development Programs Anne Zaczek.
-   A look at issues facing USGC’s affiliated commodity sectors and their respective shares of the global grain trade, by National Sorghum Producers (NSP) Chairman James Born; National Barley Growers Association (NBGA) Past President Doyle Lentz; and National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) First Vice President Wesley Spurlock.
-   A conversation about chemical facts and myths and how they impact agriculture production, by McGill University Director for the Office of Science and Society Dr. Joe Schwarcz.

As a member-led organization, the Council depends on its delegates’ commitment and participation. Potential attendees are requested to register online and secure their hotel rooms as soon as possible, no later than June 28.

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



Additional Time Granted to Comment on Triazine Registration Review

Growers across the country will have until October 4, 2016, to submit comments regarding the re-registration of Atrazine, Simazine and Propazine. The additional time reflects a 60-day extension of the public comment period by the Environmental Protection Agency following requests by the National Sorghum Producers, other agricultural organizations and House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-Minn.).

“We appreciate EPA’s recognizing growers are currently in the busiest season of planting, managing and harvesting the nation’s food, fiber and fuel stocks,” James Born, NSP chairman and farmer from Booker, Texas, said. “We thank Ranking Member Peterson for his supportive efforts in securing the extended comment period. Growers will now have adequate time to thoroughly review and respond to the draft EPA assessment of these important crop protection tools.”

EPA’s Draft Triazine Ecological Risk Assessments, released on June 2, determined the herbicides atrazine, simazine and propazine pose an ecological risk to plants and animals. As a result, proposed level of concern (LOC) for aquatic life would be lowered to about one-third of the current level for atrazine, slashing average field application rates down to 8 ounces (half pound) per acre. 

However, the methodology used to arrive at these recommendations departs from sound science, including 50 years of use and almost 7,000 science-based studies consistently demonstrating atrazine’s safety as well as the recommendations of EPA’s own Scientific Advisory Panels.

“Logic and science will not return to EPA’s risk assessment process without growers sharing why these tools are essential to their operations,” Tim Lust, NSP CEO, said. “Without action, the proposed restrictions on atrazine in the EPA’s assessment would render the top herbicide used in sorghum useless in controlling weeds on 90 percent of the acres in the U.S.”

Other agricultural organizations joined NSP in requesting the 60-day extension for public comment, including National Corn Growers Association, Triazine Network, National Farmers Union, Texas Grain Sorghum Association, Missouri Corn Growers Association and Kansas Corn Growers Association.

Growers must submit comments on the draft assessments by October 4, 2016. After receiving and reviewing comments, the EPA will amend the assessments, as appropriate, according to the agency.



During National Pollinator Week, USDA Announces Key Measures to Improve Pollinator Health

Today, during National Pollinator Week and in advance of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) seventh annual Pollinator Week Festival, the USDA is announcing two initiatives in support of the President's National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honeybees and Other Pollinators, announced just over one year ago. A review of USDA's most popular conservation program found that farmers and ranchers across the country are creating at least 15 million acres of healthy forage and habitat for pollinators, and the department has also entered into a new partnership with leading honey bee organizations that will help to ensure future conservation projects continue to provide benefits to these important species.

"Pollinators are small but mighty creatures who need our help as much as we need theirs, and that is why USDA is dedicating resources from all corners of our department to boost their habitat and better understand how to protect them," said Agriculture Secretary Vilsack. "In addition to creating healthy habitat and food for pollinators through our conservation work, USDA research is leading to breakthroughs in pollinator survival that may reverse the declines we've seen over the past few decades. We look forward to continued collaboration with America's beekeepers and honey producers to ensure this work is meaningful and effective."

USDA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with two honey bee organizations, the American Honey Producers Association and the American Beekeeping Federation, to facilitate an ongoing partnership that will ensure USDA's conservation initiatives are as advantageous as possible to pollinators and that beekeepers understand how they can benefit from USDA's conservation and safety net programs. For several years, USDA's Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) have worked closely with these groups and others to help improve habitat for honeybees and other pollinators in various conservation programs. The National Strategy emphasized the need for public-private partnerships like this one to expeditiously expand pollinator-health initiatives to achieve the scale necessary to make meaningful and long-term improvements.

FSA also plays a critical role in the delivery of programs that provide a safety net for beekeepers who experience losses due to natural disasters, and the agency administers the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program, which provides assistance for the loss of honeybee colonies, in excess of normal mortality, due to Colony Collapse Disorder or other natural causes. These groups have helped to ensure that these safety net programs work well, and they have helped focus research to learn more about the impacts of USDA programs and make continuous improvements. This MOU creates a framework to ensure ongoing, meaningful information sharing to help beekeepers and honey bees into the future.

In addition to this MOU, a thorough review of USDA's Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) has revealed that farmers and ranchers across the country have created more than 15 million acres of healthy habitat and forage for pollinators through the Conservation Reserve Program. Of these, 269,000 acres are enrolled in a pollinator-specific initiative, but these creatures are also helped by several other CRP initiatives on private land that provide wildflowers, shrubs, and safe nesting sites through measures that are intended to improve water quality or create bird habitat.

The National Strategy called for seven million acres of land to be enhanced or restored for pollinators. Since then, USDA has more than tripled the acreage enrolled in CRP's pollinator initiative, through which USDA helps to cover the cost of planting pollinator-friendly wildflowers, legumes and shrubs, and USDA has increased the limit on this initiative in response to landowner demand so that more acres can be enrolled in the future.

USDA conducted the high-level review of existing conservation practices and other studies by the U.S. Geological Survey and universities to determine which voluntary conservation practices benefit pollinators. FSA continues to work with USGS to assess which strategies work best to support pollinator health, and future studies may indicate that additional acres also can be considered pollinator friendly.



Bayer Seeks Nominations for Award Honoring Collaboration between Beekeepers and Growers

Bayer Crop Science Division today announced it is seeking nominations for its fourth annual Bee Care Community Leadership Award. The 2016 program recognizes a partnership between a beekeeper and a grower whose collaboration protects pollinators and benefits their community.

An initiative of Bayer’s North American Bee Care Program, the award provides a $6,000 grant to the winners to be used in support of a community partnership that demonstrates how beekeepers and growers are working together to promote and protect pollinators. This year‘s award has evolved from previous years of focusing on the efforts of individuals to recognizing the importance of collaboration between beekeepers and growers in supporting our pollinators.

A panel of three judges consisting of Pamela Smith, editor at The Progressive Farmer, Joe Graham, editor at the American Bee Journal and Dr. Becky Langer-Curry, program manager for the Bayer Bee Care Center, will consider applications based on select criteria. Specifically, they will make their decision based on a description of the cooperative project submitted, the quality of answers to questions about bee health, and a letter of reference from one of several stakeholders, such as an apiarist, community organization, grower, agricultural group or member of a relevant organization, such as a beekeeping or gardening association.

“Honey bees play a critical role in supporting modern agricultural production, the pollination value of which has been estimated as much as $15 billion to American crops,” said Dr. Becky Langer-Curry, project manager for the Bayer North American Bee Care Program. “By working together, beekeepers and growers have shown how they can promote pollinators in their communities. This effort will highlight such programs and support partnerships that support crops and honey bees in a mutually beneficial manner.”

The past winners of the Bee Care Community Leadership Award exemplify beekeepers who leveraged their passion for honey bees into ways that benefited their neighbors and communities:
-2015 winner Paul Vonk of Mountain City, Georgia, created “HiveTool,” a system he created to help beekeepers better understand their hives, bee health and larger pollinator trends.
-2014 winner Herbert Everhart of Kearneysville, West Virginia, was recognized for founding an innovative program for veterans and youth to learn about beekeeping.
-2013 winner Steve McNair of Flanagan, Illinois, is the director of development at Salem4youth, a therapeutic residential program for at-risk men ages 12-18 years old. Through beekeeping, he provided a unique skill set and approach to teaching responsibility and discipline to Salem4youth teens.

Any beekeeper and grower pair that has created a partnership that promotes bee health in their community may apply. Those interested in applying for the award can obtain an application at BeeHealth.Bayer.us/Beekeepers/Community-Leadership-Award. The deadline for submission is Aug. 19, 2016.

The Community Leadership Award is only one of several Bayer North American Bee Care Program initiatives.  Others include:
-Healthy Hives 2020, a program to support key areas of research to tangibly improve hive health in the United States by the year 2020 through investments totaling $1 million in grants over four years.
-Feed a Bee, an initiative to improve nutrition for pollinators by planting ­flowers and establishing additional forage acreages by working with individuals and organizations throughout the U.S.



Partnerships equal success for Operation Pollinator

From the manicured grounds of luxury golf resorts to the native wildlife landscapes across the Mid-South and Midwest, pollinator habitats are bringing renewed vitality to the health of bees and other pollinators. Contributing to this success are programs like Operation Pollinator, a global Syngenta initiative that helps restore pollinators in agricultural, golf and other landscapes by creating essential habitats. Equally important are the partnerships that enable this effort to prosper.

“As we observe National Pollinator Week, now is a great time to bring continued awareness to bee health and reflect on the progress of initiatives like Operation Pollinator,” said Caydee Savinelli, pollinator and integrated pest management stewardship lead, Syngenta. “Like any endeavor designed to benefit the environment, partnerships and relationships are essential to realizing success.”

Participation in Operation Pollinator entails planting plots with region-specific wildflower seed blends, which attract pollinators and function as essential food sources. In the United States, Operation Pollinator is widely implemented on Marriott Golf properties and commercial farmland—and is advocated by conservation organizations Pheasants Forever and Delta F.A.R.M.

For Sean O’Brien, certified golf course superintendent and director of grounds for the Ritz-Carlton Members Golf Club in Sarasota, Florida, a Marriott Golf property, Operation Pollinator underscores a steadfast commitment to pollinator health. After planting three Operation Pollinator plots on the coastal luxury property in 2013, O’Brien has witnessed bee populations flourish—so much so that he now maintains four beehives on the premises and has become a beekeeper. The honey harvested from the hives is used in signature cocktails and spa treatments at the resort.

O’Brien attributes the lively bee populations, in part, to Operation Pollinator. “The plots provide a food source and have helped the bees thrive,” he said.

Additionally, the pollinator habitats—and their residents—bear witness to a sustainable and earth-friendly landscape. “Our clientele want to know that the inputs we use on the grounds are not harmful to the earth or their health,” O’Brien said. “What better way to illustrate safety and sustainability than to observe the pollinators that have made their home here?”

For Pete Berthelsen, director of habitat partnerships for Pheasants Forever, wildlife habitats and pollinator habitats are synonymous. “The types of habitats needed to sustain pollinators and build biodiversity are the same types of habitats that appeal to pheasants and quail,” he said. “As a conservation organization, we believe any farm can benefit from practices that build biodiversity—like converting unproductive land to habitats.”

As commodity prices stagnate and farmers take a closer look at the return on investment of their land, converting marginal acres to pollinator habitats is a decision being made with increasing frequency, said Berthelsen. Additionally, advances in precision ag technology are helping farmers more readily identify the areas that would be beneficial to take out of production—acres where input costs exceed production value.

“This is a moment in time when an interest in pollinators and the acute need for growers to be strategic are helping us be good stewards of the land and making every acre the best that it can be,” said Berthelsen.

Trey Cooke, executive director of Delta F.A.R.M., an organization dedicated to conserving and enhancing northwestern Mississippi’s wildlife and natural resources, agrees that optimal crop productivity and biodiversity can be achieved concurrently. “There are many similarities between maintaining pollinator sites and managing farmland,” he said. Delta F.A.R.M. partners with Mississippi Delta farmers and Syngenta to establish and maintain Operation Pollinator plots adjacent to fields of commercial row crops such as cotton, soybeans and corn.

Helping biodiversity flourish is not a goal unique to conservation organizations; it is among the six commitments comprising The Good Growth Plan, Syngenta’s pledge to increase productivity while using fewer resources. Since The Good Growth Plan’s introduction in 2013, Syngenta has enriched nearly four million acres of land through biodiversity-enhancing practices.



Organic Consumers Sues Maker of Shredded Wheat Cereal for False ‘Natural’ Claims

The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) today filed suit against Post Holdings, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiary, Post Foods, LLC, for falsely claiming one of its brands, Shredded Wheat, is “natural” even although it tests positive for the herbicide glyphosate.

The suit, filed on behalf of the general public of Washington, D.C., claims Post is violating the District of Columbia Consumer Protection Procedures Act (“DC CPPA”), D.C. Code § 28-3901, et seq. Similar actions were also filed in federal court in California and New York.

“On the back of its cereal box, Post says Shredded Wheat is made of ‘100% Whole Grain Wheat’ and that the product is ‘made with nothing but goodness,’” said OCA’s international director, Ronnie Cummins. “But tests prove Shredded Wheat contains glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup. Glyphosate is not only very unnatural, it is a known toxin, linked to a long list of potential and serious health problems.”

Kim Richman of The Richman Law Group, which represents OCA in the suit, noted that “Consumers don’t expect a product labeled ‘natural’ to contain a chemical that has been classified by the World Health Organization as a ‘probable’ human carcinogen. Post advertises Shredded Wheat as ‘100 Percent Natural,’ and glyphosate in any amount is not natural,” Richman said.

Shredded Wheat samples were tested by an independent lab in California, using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, a commonly used technique in medical and chemical labs. The testing found glyphosate at a level of 0.18 parts per million in the sample, a level below that which is allowed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in cereal grains.

Even at low levels, including levels below those approved by regulatory agencies, studies show that glyphosate is an endocrine disruptor. Endocrine disruption may result in cancer, reproductive and developmental problems, and birth defects. These effects are thought to result from very low doses over a long period of exposure or from exposures in critical windows of development, such as fetal development.