Friday July 22 Cattle on Feed + Ag News

NEBRASKA CATTLE ON FEED DOWN 4 PERCENT

Nebraska feedlots, with capacities of 1,000 or more head, contained 2.18 million cattle on feed on July 1, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. This inventory was down 4 percent from last year. Placements during June totaled 365,000 head, down 3 percent from 2015. Cattle marketings for the month of June totaled 510,000 head, up 6 percent from last year. Other disappearance during June totaled 15,000 head, unchanged from last year.



IOWA CATTLE ON FEED

Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 610,000 head on July 1, 2016, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Cattle on Feed report. This was down 3 percent from June 1, 2016, and down 5 percent from July 1, 2015. Iowa feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head had 545,000 head on feed, down 4 percent from last month and last year. Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in all Iowa feedlots totaled 1,155,000 head, also down 4 percent from last month and last year.

Placements of cattle and calves in Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during June totaled 54,000 head, a decrease of 16 percent from last month and down 19 percent from last year. Feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head placed 51,000 head, up 16,000 head from last month and up 2,000 head from last year. Placements for all feedlots in Iowa totaled 105,000 head, up 6 percent from last month but down 9 percent from last year.

Marketings of fed cattle from Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during June totaled 72,000 head, unchanged from last month but down 5 percent from last year. Feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head marketed 74,000 head, up 23 percent from last month but down 18 percent from last year. Marketings for all feedlots in Iowa were 146,000 head, up 11 percent from last month but down 12 percent from last year. Other disappearance from all feedlots in Iowa totaled 4,000 head.



United States Cattle on Feed Up 1 Percent
   
Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 10.4 million head on July 1, 2016. The inventory was 1 percent above July 1, 2015. The inventory included 6.87 million steers and steer calves, down 1 percent from the previous year. This group accounted for 66 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 3.49 million head, up 5 percent from 2015.

Placements in feedlots during June totaled 1.53 million head, 3 percent above 2015. Net placements were 1.46 million head. During June, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 290,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 255,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 340,000 head, and 800 pounds and greater were 640,000 head.

Marketings of fed cattle during June totaled 1.91 million head, 9 percent above 2015. Other disappearance totaled 61,000 head during June, 12 percent below 2015.



Nebraska Soybean Board to Hold 2016 Soybean Management Field Days

The Nebraska Soybean Board is hosting its annual Soybean Management Field Days Aug. 9–12.

The Nebraska Soybean Board (NSB) is partnering with the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) Extension to provide guidance on tools and strategies to maximize soybean yields and get the best return on the market. The Field Days will offer farmers solutions based on research at UNL that has been funded by NSB.

The Field Days are taking place in four different locations throughout Nebraska: Orchard, Chapman, Cordova and Schuyler, respectively. Admission is free and includes a complimentary lunch. Each day includes one-hour presentations, rotating from 9:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. The presentations will focus on irrigation, soil fertility, grain marketing and soybean production management.

“The Field Days are designed to bring the results of NSB-funded research to farmers and address other topics of interest,” said Victor Bohuslavsky, executive director of the Nebraska Soybean Board. “Nebraska Extension educators and other experts will help soybean growers improve yields and profitability.”

At the events, there will be field tours and presentation tents, university presenters and industry consultants. Participants will learn research-based information on marketing and financial outlooks, soybean production, weed management and irrigation management. Attendees may also bring irrigation pressure regulators for testing.

Registration for the events begins at 9 a.m. each day. CCA credits are available for participants.

For more information and directions, visit http://ardc.unl.edu/soydays, or call 1-800-852-BEAN (2326).



NC Policy Passed at NCBA

Nebraska Cattlemen is pleased to announce that numerous NC policy measures passed with overwhelming consent at last week's NCBA mid-year meeting in Denver, Colorado.

Three marketing-focused resolutions that were developed during June's NC midyear meeting in Broken Bow, Nebraska were passed in NCBA's Live Cattle Marketing and International Trade Committee meeting. NC's resolution regarding price discovery in the fed cattle market was amended minimally and passed in a form concluding "NCBA (will) pursue initiatives that encourage an increase in negotiated cash trade in all major cattle feeding regions." NC's CME Live Cattle and Feeder Cattle Futures resolution was adopted with no modifications at the NCBA level, concluding "NCBA supports initiatives between cattle producers, the CME, and other market participants to increase transparency, level access to information and transactions, and foster an environment that builds confidence in the ability of the hedging community to effectively manage forward price risk using futures and options on Live Cattle and Feeder Cattle contracts." Also adopted at the NCBA level with no changes was NC's CME Live Cattle Contract Specs & Delivery Points resolution, stating in summary that "NCBA supports CME Live Cattle contract specifications that equally incentivize both short and long participation in the marketplace and the existence of numerous well designed and efficient physical delivery points to which cattle may be delivered."

In addition, a product of the work of NC's Banking and Financial Task Force and conversations with several other state affiliates, NC's resolution dealing with electronic funds transfer (EFT) and lien release regulations passed in an amended form concluding "NCBA will work with other state and national commodity organizations as well as regulatory agencies and financial institutions in an effort to clarify and standardize regulations governing transfer of title and release of liens when transactions are completed using electronic funds transfer."

Policy developed by The Nebraska Cattlemen Education committee regarding the funding of the National Beef Cattle Evaluation Consortium( NBCEC) was also forwarded to NCBA.This resolution asks for the Agriculture Research Service to make a permanent commitment to funding for this very important organization. The NBCEC has historically provided expertise in the area of Expected Progeny Differences (EPD's), and more recently has been integral in the development of enhanced EPDs, which include genomic evaluation as well. These tools are valuable for seedstock producers and commercial cattlemen alike. The NC policy was approved with only slight wording changes.



ICGA Members Take to Washington, D.C. To Inform Congressional Staff on Key Ag Issues

Iowa Corn members as well as directors of the Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) convened in a particularly quiet Washington, D.C. this week as part of the National Corn Congress. This was due to Congress being on recess and the Republican National Convention – many of the Iowa delegation were not available for meetings.  Members of ICGA still had the opportunity to speak on behalf of all Iowa corn farmers to non-Iowa, non-corn states.

They spent Wednesday afternoon and part of Thursday morning meeting with Hill staffers from Vermont to Florida who cover vital topics such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the re-registration of atrazine by the EPA, and support of a strong Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

“Corn is a widely universal topic; it touches almost every area of everyone’s life,” said Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) President Bob Hemesath. “This year, we had the opportunity to talk with non-Iowa, non-corn states on the Hill and we had a lot of great conversations. I appreciate all of the offices and staffers that took the time to meet with us. It’s important that we have conversations with offices that may not support our issues or understand what it is that we really do. Iowa Corn and NCGA work hard to keep a strong voice on the Hill and while this wasn’t the traditional Corn Congress – it is still an essential part of that process.”

Action team meetings concluded on Tuesday afternoon, which led to the beginning of the 2016 Corn Congress. Wednesday morning saw two farmer-members elected to the National Corn Board. Chris Edgington from St. Ansgar, Iowa was elected for his first term and Kevin Ross from Minden, Iowa was elected for another three-year term.



‘Vote Farmer’ with Iowa Food & Family Project at Iowa State Fair

Opinions and preferences will vary when people go to the polls this November. But when it comes to providing a safe and sustainable supply of high-quality food, fuel and fiber, there’s one consensus candidate with a proven track record of results: the Iowa farmer.

Join in the celebration of great food and the people who grow it by visiting the Iowa Food & Family Project (Iowa FFP) “Vote Farmers!” exhibit during the Iowa State Fair, Aug. 11 – 21.

Located in the south atrium of the Varied Industries Building, the exhibit will feature a must-see sculpture carved from 50 tons of sand. Artists Greg and Brandi Glenn, co-owners of Sandscapes®, will create their work of art featuring farm scenes and other fun caricatures using just water, trowels, other small tools and their imagination. Sculpting the centerpiece will begin on opening day of the fair and continue for one week, standing nearly 14-feet tall when completed.

Visitors to the booth will receive a must-have woven food and farming-themed tote bag perfect for holding treasures collected during time spent at the fair. Numerous activities and prizes will provide fun for people of all ages including:

-    Register to win $500 in farm-fresh pork, beef and turkey, $250 in Hy-Vee groceries and Casey’s pizza for a year

-    Spin the Iowa FFP trivia wheel and test your knowledge of food and farming topics (and did we mention that everyone’s a winner!?)

-    Embark on a scavenger hunt throughout the fair to learn more about agriculture. “AgVenture Discovery Trail” maps are available throughout the fairgrounds and can be turned in to the Iowa FFP booth for a special prize upon completion.

-    Also, farmers will be on hand at various times throughout the fair to share their personal and first-hand knowledge of food production including a commitment to conservation, sustainability and animal care.

“Iowa farmers work from the ground up, both literally and figuratively, in an effort to provide quality food while caring for their animals, the land and their communities,” said Iowa FFP coordinator Lindsey Foss of the Iowa Soybean Association (ISA). “The exhibit will be a visual reminder of all that farmers do and provide a unique opportunity for consumers to learn about today’s farms and the food system in a fun and inviting way.”

Iowa FFP partners assisting with “Vote Farmers!” exhibit include the Iowa Pork Producers Association, Iowa Beef Industry Council, Casey’s General Stores, ISA and the United Soybean Board.

The Iowa FFP champions the continuous improvement of Iowa’s farm families and their dedication to providing wholesome food for everyone for the purpose of building greater understanding and confidence among food-minded Iowans. It proudly sponsors Live Healthy Iowa and supports the Iowa Games and is backed by more than 30 partners including a variety of farm organizations, restaurants and retailers throughout the state.



USSEC Announces EU Approval of Three Soy Events

The U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) is pleased to announce the long awaited European Union approval of three biotech soy traits for import and processing. The three stacked events are:
-    Monsanto’s Xtend (dicamba x glyphosate MON87708 x MON89788)
-    Monsanto’s Vistive Gold (high oleic x glyphosate MON87705 x MON89788)
-    Bayer CropScience’s Balance GT (glyphosate x HPPD inhibitor FG72)

"The EU’s approval of these events is welcome news for U.S. soybean farmers," said USSEC chairman Laura Foell, a soybean grower from Schaller, Iowa. “We’re happy that we can supply our European customers with a reliable supply of safe food.”

Europe is one of the largest customers of U.S. soybean farmers with over 165 million bushels of soybeans in exports already this year.  

In 1996, U.S. growers began to adopt biotechnology on their farms.  Today, twenty years later, growers are expected to plant 94 percent of their soybean acres with biotech soybeans. The technology allows U.S. soybean farmers to produce a healthy, affordable protein source sustainably with increased yields on less land, which helps to feed a growing world population. Biotech seeds allow farmers to limit their impact on the land as they apply fewer pesticides and herbicides, along with employing sustainable practices such as no-till that helps them to achieve a better moisture content in the soil in addition to reducing erosion and cutting carbon dioxide emissions and also helps to reduce energy consumption. Biotech also reduces the amount of crops that are lost due to variables such as insects or drought, which helps keep food prices more affordable.



Three Soybean Traits Receive Long-Awaited EU Approval

According to representatives from the United States Soybean Export Council (USSEC), three biotech soybean traits have been approved by the European Union for import and processing. The three stacked events are:
·         Monsanto’s Xtend (dicamba x glyphosate MON87708 x MON89788)
·         Monsanto’s Vistive Gold (high oleic x glyphosate MON87705 x MON89788)
·         Bayer CropScience’s Balance GT (glyphosate x HPPD inhibitor FG72)

Greg Greving, a farmer from Chapman and director on the United Soybean Board, welcomed the news of the announcement. “This is very exciting news for soybean producers,” Greving said. “Europe is a large market for U.S. soybean exports, and this approval gives farmers another option to help control weeds and produce quality products that meet the needs of our customers.”

Soybean exports are an important part of the American farm economy. In 2015, U.S. soybean farmers exported 1.69 billion bushels of soybeans to foreign end users, or 43 percent of overall production. European countries represent a large market for U.S. soy, importing more than 165 million bushels already this year.

U.S. soybean farmers began to adopt biotechnology on their farms in 1996. Today, U.S. soybean farmers plant an estimated 94 percent of their acres with biotech traits. Biotechnology is an important tool for farmers, allowing them to produce a healthy, affordable protein source in a sustainable manner. Biotech seeds allow farmers to maximize yields while utilizing fewer pesticides and herbicides. The use of biotechnology, along with other best management practices such as no-till, has allowed U.S. soybean farmers to meet global demand in a more sustainable manner.

Tony Johanson, a farmer and Nebraska Soybean Board member from Oakland, said he was pleased to hear about the long-awaited announcement. “These approvals allow growers to utilize multiple platforms to combat weed pressure,” Johanson said. “Having choices benefits growers because it gives them the flexibility to choose the mode of action that works best for them and their operation.”



Soy Growers Welcome European Approval of New Biotech Traits

American Soybean Association (ASA) President and Greenwood, Del., soybean farmer Richard Wilkins welcomed news this morning out of Brussels that the European Union (EU) has approved three outstanding biotech soybean traits for import and processing. The approved traits include the Xtend dicamba-tolerant soybean and Vistive Gold high oleic soybean products from Monsanto, and the Balance GT FG72 soybean from Bayer CropScience. In a statement, Wilkins welcomed the action of the EU, while noting that improvements still are needed in the timeliness of EU approvals. The three soybean events had received positive scientific opinions from the European Food Safety Agency over a year ago, and had been waiting for final approval by the EU Commission since January.

“We are very relieved to see these three traits approved for import into the European Union, as today’s announcement represents a clearing of an important hurdle for the commercialization of these valuable products in the U.S. In Europe, the approval means that the EU’s livestock and feed industry, which is more than 70 percent dependent on imported feed, can get the high-quality protein it needs. In the U.S., American farmers need an ever-increasing range of tools to tackle the challenge of resistant weeds that now impact nearly every soy-growing state. Similarly, with the continuing move away from trans-fats in American diets, farmers need additional tools to produce soybeans that meet that market demand as well.

“With today’s announcement, we hope that we can take solid steps to ensure that the approvals of new biotech traits in our major markets continues to improvebut there is still work to be done. Given the commoditized nature of our soybeans, we simply can’t take the risk that unapproved traits make their way into the grain export stream and result in rejected shipments abroad. But the longer and more tedious that process is, the more barriers stand between soybean farmers and their productivity, and the less incentive our technology partners have to bring these new products to market.”



Soy Checkoff Sets Tone for Future Farmer Profitability

Together, the U.S. soybean industry can achieve more. That’s a key takeaway from the five-year plan the United Soybean Board (USB) put further into motion this week. Through a portfolio of programs, the national soy checkoff looks to collaborate with industry more than ever to bring solutions that will improve profit potential for U.S. soybean farmers.

The checkoff has seen successful partnerships in the past, including working with John Deere and Ford to bring new industrial uses to the market. This model of working with industry will help frame the direction of the board moving forward. It will also allow the checkoff to understand different perspectives within the industry.

“To maximize soybean farmer profitability, we can’t just wear the farmer hat. We have to look at the needs of other stakeholders in the value chain and find ways to work together so everyone wins,” says Jared Hagert, USB chair and farmer from Emerado, North Dakota. “Our end users are no longer looking for just a bulk commodity; they want quality, too. It’s time for us to start thinking beyond the bushel and working with industry to help meet the needs of those users.”

USB met this week to provide direction on key strategies that have the biggest opportunity to impact U.S. soybean farmer profitability: meal, oil and sustainability. Farmers looked at issues affecting the marketplace that U.S. soybean farmers currently operate in and what that marketplace might look like in the future. They invested checkoff dollars in programs aimed at maintaining supply, ensuring demand and addressing factors in between. 

“Our conversations continue to look for ways to add value beyond the bushel, we have discovered more opportunities to meet the needs of those purchasing our soy,” adds Hagert. “We’ve seen the need for high oleic soybeans and the oil they produce for the food industry and reacted aggressively. Now, we also have to focus on the needs of our meal customers and the sustainability demands of those purchasing meal, oil and whole U.S. soybeans.”

In addition to the work of the board, the soy checkoff also heard insights from key industry experts discussing transportation, sustainability and marketplace dynamics. Major players Syngenta and DuPont Pioneer also took the opportunity to address the board and get feedback directly from farmer-leaders who represent their customers. 

“We heard from the top minds in the industry to learn more about our key issue areas and to brainstorm ideas of ways to address them,” says Hagert. “The more we understand from industry perspectives the better our programs can be in delivering profit opportunities for U.S. soybean farmers.

Earlier this month, USB Chief Executive Officer John Becherer announced his retirement, set to take place December 2017. This week, the farmer-leaders approved a transition process and farmer team to lead the transition.



Latin American Product Showcase Continues to Pay Big Dividends for U.S. Meat Industry

Now in its sixth year, the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Latin American Product Showcase has become a premier event for connecting exporters of U.S. beef, pork and lamb with buyers from Central and South America and the Caribbean. The 2016 showcase was held July 20-21 in the city where the event began – Panama City, Panama. Funding support was provided by the Nebraska Beef Council, the Indiana Soybean Alliance, the Beef Checkoff Program and the Pork Checkoff.

“For the inaugural showcase in 2011, Panama City was an excellent venue and we were able to attract a strong turnout of buyers and exporters,” said Dan Halstrom, USMEF senior vice president of marketing. “But that early success really pales in comparison to what the showcase has become today. Exhibitor space sold out weeks ago, and the event just seems to gain more momentum year after year.”

This year’s event attracted 120 buyers representing 14 countries, and 42 USMEF member companies exhibiting U.S. red meat products. During the main showcase, exporters were given ample time for one-on-one meetings with buyers to discuss their specific product needs. The event also included educational sessions that provided buyers with detailed information about the positive attributes of U.S. red meat and highlighted value opportunities offered by underutilized pork and beef cuts. In addition, keynote speaker Josue Merced Reyes, president of market research firm InterEmarketing, outlined several important consumer trends impacting red meat demand.

One factor fostering recent growth in red meat exports to Latin America is the implementation of several free trade agreements – including the Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) as well as bilateral agreements with Chile, Peru, Colombia and Panama. But as Halstrom explained, capitalizing on these agreements still requires strong marketing efforts that connect buyers and sellers and differentiate U.S. red meat products from the competition.

“FTAs have definitely reduced tariffs and eliminated many trade barriers, making U.S. products accessible to a much broader range of Latin American consumers,” Halstrom said. “But penetrating these markets still requires relationship building and education, as buyers in these emerging regions are hungry for information about our products and about our industry. That’s where an event like the Latin American Product Showcase really shines. It brings an entire hemisphere of buyers to one location and allows dozens of solid business contacts to be made in a very short period of time.”

This sentiment was echoed by Dean Freese of FPL Food, LLC, who participated in the showcase for the third consecutive year.

“This showcase is very effective for us, both in terms of meeting new prospects and solidifying relationships with existing customers,” Freese said. “I walked away from today’s show with many new orders and renewed some valuable contacts we developed as a result of our participation in this event.”

Sami Rizk, president of Mirasco Inc., used the showcase to spotlight beef livers, which Mirasco has successfully marketed in the Middle East as an economically priced table meat and sandwich ingredient.

“In much the same way that you see hot dog carts in U.S. cities, liver sandwiches have become a very popular street food in Egypt,” Rizk said. “So Mirasco is taking the concept that was developed in Egypt and introducing it in markets here in Latin America. We believe there are similar tastes in terms of palate, and that the sandwich application has great potential in Central and South America.”

Buyers also showed great appreciation for the showcase, as it allows them to access a wider range of product options and helps them market these products to their clientele. Abel Machin of Prime Line Meats, who supplies U.S. beef and pork to retail outlets and restaurants in Panama, said the showcase is an excellent complement to the educational seminars and other outreach efforts USMEF conducts in Central America.

“When we started in Panama about 15 years ago there were no U.S. products here, except maybe at the military bases,” Machin explained. “What we needed was to educate people about U.S. products – how to use them, and how to prepare them. USMEF has filled this need by providing great information and helping customers understand the advantages of U.S. meat.”

U.S. producers attending the Latin American Product Showcase were also pleased with their experience, and came away feeling confident that the event is effective in building demand for their products.

“My biggest takeaway is the relationships that are being built between importers and exporters, and the trust they are gaining,” said Rod Gray of Harrison, Nebraska, a rancher who serves on the Nebraska Beef Council board of directors. “I visited with several of the U.S. exporters who have participated in this showcase the past two or three years, and they are selling a lot more product as a result.”

Doug Wolf, a Lancaster, Wisconsin, pork producer who serves as chair of the National Pork Board’s International Trade Committee, was especially impressed with the level of meat industry knowledge among the buyers in attendance.

“We had an opportunity to spend some time with a few of the importers here and I have to say, they are very well-informed people,” Wolf said. “They know about U.S. pork production practices and the rules and regulations we deal with – and in the areas in which they did have questions, we were able to fill the gaps for them. Meeting them was a very rewarding and enlightening experience.”

David Lowe, who produces soybeans, corn and livestock near Dunkirk, Indiana, and serves as a director for the Indiana Soybean Alliance, also viewed the showcase as a very positive investment for U.S. agriculture.

“I was really impressed with USMEF’s organization of the program and the quality of the attendees at this event,” Lowe said. “It was also encouraging to see how excited the exhibitors are about this showcase, because it clearly creates new business opportunities for them.”



USDA Reminds Nebraska Producers of Aug. 1 Deadline to Enroll in ARC/PLC Programs

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Nebraska Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director Dan Steinkruger reminds farmers and ranchers they have until Aug. 1 to enroll in Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and/or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2016 crop year.

“Producers have already elected ARC or PLC, but they must enroll for the 2016 crop year by signing a contract before the Aug. 1 deadline to receive program benefits,” said Steinkruger. “Producers are encouraged to contact their local FSA office to schedule an appointment to enroll.”

The programs trigger financial protections for participating agricultural producers when market forces cause substantial drops in crop prices or revenues. Nationwide, more than 1.76 million farmers and ranchers are expected to sign contracts to enroll in ARC or PLC. Covered commodities under the programs include barley, canola, large and small chickpeas, corn, crambe, flaxseed, grain sorghum, lentils, mustard seed, oats, peanuts, dry peas, rapeseed, long grain rice, medium grain rice (which includes short grain and sweet rice), safflower seed, sesame, soybeans, sunflower seed and wheat.



GOP PLATFORM CRITICAL OF GMO LABELING, ‘GIPSA’ RULE, ‘WOTUS’ REGULATION, EPA

The Republican Party platform cobbled together and unveiled at the GOP presidential convention in Cleveland touches on a number of agricultural issues. Among other things, the 58-page document urges Congress to remove the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) – food stamps – from the Farm Bill. More than 75 percent of Farm Bill funding goes to SNAP.

The platform also opposes mandatory labeling of foods that contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Congress last week approved legislation requiring such labeling as a way to avoid a patchwork of 50 state GMO-labeling laws.

It also calls for a “fundamental restructuring of the regulatory process,” citing the pending “draconian” rules on the buying and selling of livestock and poultry – the so-called GIPSA Rule – from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration.

The platform calls the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Waters of the United States (WOTUS) Rule a “travesty” that will micro-manage and over regulate “puddles and ditches on farms, ranches and other privately-held property.” The document proposes eliminating EPA in its current form.

Dropped from the 2016 platform was any mention of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement. A draft document urged Congress not to “rush” passage of the 12-nation TPP deal; the final platform simply states that “significant trade decisions” should not be rushed. (The 2012 GOP platform said a Republican president should finish the trade talks begun in 2008 “to open rapidly developing Asian markets to U.S. products.”)



AGRICULTURE GROUPS COMMENT ON FDA RISK ASSESSMENT ON MANURE USE

Nine agricultural groups this week submitted comments to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on its proposal to conduct a risk assessment of foodborne illnesses associated with pathogens found in manure applied to land on which produce is grown. The risk assessment could lead to regulation of manure use.

The groups expressed concern that if FDA doesn’t have current and emerging scientific research and doesn’t consider existing conservation and environmental standards, its decisions on manure use could adversely affect animal agriculture. They also suggested that FDA consider including expert stakeholders from the animal agriculture community in its “summit” meeting planned for next year, which would “prove invaluable in providing a necessary perspective and informing the risk assessment.”

Click here to read the comments...  http://nppc.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/FDA-Risk-Assessment-Comments-July-19-2016-Final-Submittal.pdf. 



June Egg Production Up 9 Percent

United States egg production totaled 8.21 billion during June 2016, up 9 percent from last year. Production included 7.10 billion table eggs, and 1.11 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.02 billion were broiler-type and 96 million were egg-type. The total number of layers during June 2016 averaged 359 million, up 8 percent from last year. June egg production per 100 layers was 2,285 eggs, up 1 percent from June 2015.
                                   
All layers in the United States on July 1, 2016 totaled 358 million, up 8 percent from last year. The 358 million layers consisted of 300 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 54.4 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 3.70 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on July 1, 2016, averaged 76.1 eggs per 100 layers, up 1 percent from July 1, 2015.

Egg-Type Chicks Hatched Up 23 Percent
Egg-type chicks hatched during June 2016 totaled 58.1 million, up 23 percent from June 2015. Eggs in incubators totaled 44.1 million on July 1, 2016, up 1 percent from a year ago.  Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 244 thousand during June 2016, down 24 percent from June 2015.

Broiler-Type Chicks Hatched Up Slightly
Broiler-type chicks hatched during June 2016 totaled 789 million, up slightly from June 2015. Eggs in incubators totaled 650 million on July 1, 2016, down slightly from a year ago.  Leading breeders placed 8.56 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during June 2016, up 10 percent from June 2015.

NEBRASKA CHICKEN AND EGGS
All layers in Nebraska during June 2016 totaled 9.20 million, up from 6.43 million the previous year, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Nebraska egg production during June totaled 223 million eggs, up from 162 million in 2015. June egg production per 100 layers was 2,423 eggs, compared to 2,519 eggs in 2015.

Iowa egg production during June 2016 was 1.19 billion eggs, up 56 percent from last year, but down 1 percent from last month, according to the latest Chickens and Eggs report from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.  The average number of all layers on hand during June 2016 was 51.3 million, up 49 percent from last year, and up 2 percent from last month. Eggs per 100 layers for June were 2,321, up 5 percent from last year, but down 3 percent from last month.



Washington State’s Proposed Clean Air Rule Ignores Biofuels’ Climate Benefits

Washington state’s proposed Clean Air Rule (CAR) fails to recognize the climate benefits associated with biofuels and in fact penalizes their use, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) told the Washington Department of Ecology in comments submitted today. The proposed rule is inconsistent with virtually every other program designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and could have the perverse effect of reducing or eliminating the production and use of liquid biofuels in Washington state.

In an effort to address climate change, Washington state has proposed its first-ever rule to cap carbon pollution. The rule, which would take effect next year, would regulate a number of emissions, including those from biofuels. However, “the CAR proposal eschews globally accepted bioenergy carbon accounting methods out of fear that properly recognizing the carbon benefits associated with biofuels would trigger the so-called ‘poison pill’ legislative provision that would shift funding from climate-friendly transportation investments to road and highway construction projects,” according to RFA comments.

Analyses from the California Air Resources Board, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, and U.S. Department of Energy show that first-generation ethanol is reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 30–60 percent compared to petroleum, while second-generation ethanol can reduce GHG emissions by 80 percent or more. Washington state’s proposal fails to recognize those clean air benefits from biofuels. “The proposed CAR treats biofuels and fossil fuels identically, which sets a dangerous carbon accounting precedent with potentially far-reaching impacts,” RFA wrote in its comments. “Other GHG cap-and-trade programs exempt biofuels from a compliance obligation because it is broadly understood that bioenergy combustion emissions are ‘carbon neutral’ (i.e., the biomass recently removed an amount of atmospheric carbon through photosynthesis that is equivalent to emissions from combustion).”

Curiously, Washington state seems to understand this point, as it exempts emissions from biomass combustion in stationary sources, such as the use of woody biomass to generate electricity. “It is perplexing that this approach would be (properly) applied to stationary emissions from bioenergy production from biomass combustion, but not to emissions from liquid biofuel combustion,” RFA wrote.

“Implementing the CAR as proposed would set a perilous regulatory precedent, deter investment in the state’s biofuels market, and compel reduced consumption of low-carbon biofuels,” the comments continued. If implemented, developers of advanced biofuel technologies would avoid the Washington state market and instead shift focus on investments in California, Oregon, British Columbia and elsewhere.

“For these reasons… we strongly urge the Department of Ecology to exempt biofuels from compliance obligation in the final CAR,” RFA added.