Thursday July 14 Ag News

SURVEY SHOWS SHIFTING PRICES FOR NEBRASKA AG PRODUCERS

    Recent findings from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's 2016 Custom Rates Survey show changing rates for machinery operations and related services. The survey summarizes the current rates charged for specific machinery operations commonly used by agricultural producers.

    Many Nebraska producers hire custom operators to perform machinery services for their farms and ranches across the state. Prices for these services become more critical as profit margins tighten with lower crop and livestock prices.

    Findings from the survey, conducted every two years, divides the custom operations performed in Nebraska into two major sections. Part I includes spring and summer operations such as tillage, planting and harvesting of small grains. Part II includes information about fall and miscellaneous operations. Custom rate summaries in these sections include regional rates for the eight Nebraska Agricultural Districts and the overall state. A total of 163 custom rates were reported as part of the 2016 survey.

    The statewide average for disk harrowing (heavy) increased by 14.1 percent from $12.94 per acre in 2014 to $14.77 per acre in 2016. Planting row crops with row cleaners reported a much smaller statewide change from $18.31 per acre in 2014 to $18.91 per acre in 2016, accounting for a 3.2 percent increase over the prior two years. Combining dryland corn, including tractor and grain cart, statewide rate averaged 9.1 percent higher from 2014 to 2016, equating to a $3.05 per acre increase to $36.45.

    "Differences in necessary expenses for performing custom rates across the state, such as fuel and labor, have a strong influence on the custom rates charged by operators, according to survey participants," said Jim Jansen, assistant extension educator and one of the survey's authors.

    The statewide expected farm delivered fuel cost per gallon declined nearly 50 percent from the 2014 high of $3.39 per gallon to the 2016 average $1.68 per gallon in 2016. The statewide average labor rate assumed or included in custom rates increased by 12.5 percent from $15.58 per hour in 2014 to $17.53 in 2016. Necessary expenses vary across the state as local market forces and availability of labor may affect costs.   

    Custom rates reported include charges for the use of necessary equipment, fuel, labor and supplies, such as baling wire or twine, provided by the custom operator. Seed, fertilizer and chemical costs are not included.

    Full report summaries from the 2016 UNL Custom Rates Survey are published as Nebraska Extension Circular (EC) 823 for Part I and EC 826 for Part II. The publications are available at http://farm.unl.edu/customrates.



PETERSON RECEIVES NEBRASKA AG YOUTH INSTITUTE’S HIGHEST AWARD

The Nebraska Agricultural Youth Council (NAYC) presented its highest honor, the Nebraska Agricultural Youth Institute’s Award of Merit, to Gerald “Pete” Peterson of York, Nebraska, during the annual NAYI banquet held July 13 in Lincoln.

“The NAYI Award of Merit is given each year to someone with a strong commitment to youth and a lifelong dedication to agricultural,” said Nebraska Department of Agriculture Director Greg Ibach. “Mr. Peterson has an extensive, positive history of working with youth interested in agriculture. In 4-H alone, he has influenced so many young people and helped guide them to ag-related careers.”

Peterson worked for county Extension programs in Nebraska for more than 41 years before his retirement in January of this year.  He spent the last 17 years of his career working as Assistant at the York County Extension office in the 4-H program.  Peterson has served on the Fair Board in the past and also as secretary to the York-Hamilton Cattlemen Association. He served as a ring steward at the State Fair and at AKSARBEN.

“I have always been amazed with Pete’s organizational skills and the great rapport he had with 4-H members when he was ring steward at the State Fair, AKSARBEN and the State 4-H Horse Show,” said Eugene Bergen, a past recipient of NAYI’s Award of Merit. “Pete’s a hard worker and always enjoyed helping young people and their families succeed in 4-H.”

Peterson currently resides in York.



Current National Drought Summary
droughtmonitor.unl.edu

A ridge of high pressure across the South and a trough of low pressure over the Northwest combined for an active storm track along the northern tier of the U.S. into the Midwest and southeastward into the Tennessee Valley. As numerous cold fronts tracked from the Northwest and southwestern Canada into the Nation’s mid-section and encountered the Southern ridge, they would stall and generate bands of heavy showers and thunderstorms. The week’s greatest totals fell on western and southern Kentucky, south-central North Dakota, central Minnesota, and northwestern Wisconsin where 4-8 inches (locally over 10 inches) was measured. Elsewhere, light to moderate rains occurred in the northwestern quarter of the U.S., most of the northern two-thirds of the Great Plains, upper Midwest, western Corn Belt, Tennessee Valley, portions of the Southeast, most of the Carolinas, and sections of the Northeast. Mostly dry weather enveloped the southwestern quarter of the Nation, the southern Plains, most of Florida, the Ohio Valley and eastern Great Lakes region, and mid-Atlantic. Weekly temperatures averaged below normal in the West, northern Plains, parts of the Midwest, and in New England. Positive temperature anomalies were found in the southern half of the Plains, across the Southeast, mid-Atlantic, and eastern Great Lakes region, with excessive heat (anomalies more than +6 degs F and triple-digit highs) in the southern High Plains. Precipitation decreased in Alaska as compared to last week (except in east-central sections), windward showers continued across Hawaii, and most of Puerto Rico saw light to moderate showers except for drier weather in south-central and southwestern sections of the island.

Midwest
An extremely wet week hit the northern Plains and upper Midwest, with Minnesota experiencing their largest flash flood event in the state since June 2012. More than 6 inches of rain fell during the 24-hour period ending 12 UTC July 12 (Day 7 for the DM period) across central Minnesota into northwestern Wisconsin. However, it also rained several other days during the week, with widespread storms and generous amounts of rain occurring in the northern Plains, upper Midwest, western Corn Belt, and southward into the Tennessee Valley. Not surprisingly, a 1-category improvement was made to the D0-D2 area of western Minnesota, northeastern South Dakota, and southeastern North Dakota. A 2-category improvement could have been made with the excessive rainfall except that the dryness had stretched back to 6-months or longer, creating rather large shortages that this week’s rain did not erase. For example, Wheaton, MN, recorded 6.32 inches of precipitation during January 1-June 30 (normal = 11.81 inches). During this week, 4.51 inches fell (July 1-31 normal = 3.20 inches), so not all of the 6-month deficit was recovered. The recently added D0 in east-central Minnesota was mostly removed except for the southern portion where less than 2 inches fell, and small 60- and 90-day deficiencies remained. Farther south, over 2 inches of rain was enough to eliminate D0 from parts of eastern Nebraska and western Iowa, but the larger D0-D1 area in southern Iowa and northeastern Missouri stayed as the rains were not enough to significantly eliminate 90-day deficits or greatly improve 3-month SPIs except in a few locations; however, another week or two of similar rains should be enough for improvement. Across central Missouri, pockets of heavier rain eliminated parts of the D0. Lighter amounts (less than an inch) also fell on the western and central Great Lakes region, central Corn Belt, and parts of the lower Missouri Valley, leaving conditions unchanged. In contrast, a few parts of the Midwest missed out on the moisture, namely southern Nebraska, southern Wisconsin, and the eastern Corn Belt (Indiana, Ohio, southern lower Michigan). The eastern Corn Belt was discussed in the New England and eastern Great Lakes section, but southeastern Wisconsin has been dry enough the past 2-3 months that D0 was added.

Looking Ahead
During the next 5 days (July 14-18), light to moderate precipitation (0.75-1.5 inches) is expected across much of the northern and central Plains, Midwest, Tennessee Valley, southern Appalachians, Carolinas, southern Louisiana and Florida, and the Northeast, with the largest totals (2-3.5 inches) in the south-central Plains, southern Appalachians, and North Carolina. Little or no rain is forecast for much of the Far West, Rockies, southern Plains, and coastal New England. Temperatures should average above normal in the Southwest and southern High Plains, Deep South, and in the Atlantic Coast States, with subnormal readings in the Northwest, northern Plains, and Midwest.

The NWS 6- to 10-day outlook for July 19-23 favors sub-median precipitation for much of the lower 48 States (West, northern Rockies, Plains, Midwest, southern Alaska), except for odds tilted toward above-median rainfall in northern Alaska, the Southwest, and small areas of the Pacific Northwest, southern Texas and Florida, and eastern Carolinas. The chances for above normal temperatures are high in southern Alaska and across much of the contiguous U.S., especially in the North Central States. Exceptions to this include eastern Alaska and the Pacific Northwest where subnormal readings are likely.



ISU Extension to Host Soybean Cyst Nematode Clinic

Anyone with an interest in learning more about the biology, sampling, scouting and management of soybean cyst nematodes is welcome to attend the Soybean Cyst Nematode Clinic on Aug. 23 at Field Extension Education Laboratory in Boone, Iowa. This clinic will give attendees the opportunity to understand the interactions of SCN with abiotic factors and other pests and pathogens. There also will be a portion to obtain hands-on experience with SCN specimens.

Greg Tylka presents research at a crop clinicThe one-day clinic is open to anyone who wishes to attend, but will pertain particularly to crop consultants, agronomists and farmers. This clinic does qualify for 7.0 pest management credits for Certified Crop Advisers, subject to board approval. The clinic's instructors include Greg Tylka, extension nematologist and professor at Iowa State University, and Augustine Beeman, Chelsea Harbach and Jared Jensen, graduate students in the Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology at Iowa State University.

"Our Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) program will focus on the biology and life cycle of SCN, along with current research updates focused on management of this pest and other concerns related to SCN," said Warren Pierson, ISU Extension and Outreach Field Extension Education Laboratory coordinator. "Greg Tylka and current graduate students will discuss their most recent research updates and discuss management solutions for SCN."

The Field Extension Education Laboratory is located at 1928 240th St. in Boone, IA. Check-in will begin at 8 a.m. on Aug. 23, with the actual program starting at 8:30 a.m. Lunch will be provided for all who attend, and the clinic will end at 5 p.m.

The cost of the event is $150 and that includes workshop materials, publications, lunch and refreshments. Pre-registration is required to attend, and the deadline to register is midnight, Aug. 16. Additional information and online registration with credit card is available at www.aep.iastate.edu/feel/scn.

For assistance with registration, receipts, cancellation or questions on registration status contact ANR Program Services at 515-294-6429 or anr@iastate.edu.



Senators Fischer and Heitkamp Introduce Bipartisan FARM Act

Today, U.S. Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) introduced bipartisan legislation to stop harmful federal standards that could severely impact farmers and their families by unnecessarily increasing production costs and adding uncertainty. The bill, known as the Fertilizer Access and Responsible Management (FARM) Act, would stop a federal standard from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regarding anhydrous ammonia, a fertilizer and critical input used by farmers across the country.

Senator Fischer released the following statement:
“Farmers in Nebraska rely on fertilizer so they can provide safe food to the world. OSHA has circumvented Congress and public input by introducing new rules that will make it harder for farmers to do their job. The bipartisan bill Senator Heitkamp and I are introducing today would protect farm families by rolling back OSHA’s unilateral decision to create harmful rules without following the law.”

Senator Heitkamp released the following statement
“We’ve heard this burdensome standard will force more than a dozen North Dakota retailers to stop selling this critical fertilizer, severely hurting farmers across the state who will need to travel much longer distances to access fertilizer and incur higher costs. Such sweeping and harmful actions need to be more thoroughly thought out before going into effect, and they must take into account the needs and impacts in each state. The bipartisan bill Senator Fischer and I introduced would make sure retailers and farmers have meaningful input into the process if OSHA wants to make such major changes to existing policy.”

On July 22, 2015, OSHA issued new standards to restrict farmers’ abilities to access critical tools necessary for them to feed the world. The new policy would require facilities that store or transport 10,000 pounds or more of anhydrous ammonia to obtain Process Safety Management Standard documentation. If the facility cannot obtain this documentation, they could be forced to purchase new storage tanks, costing $70,000 or more.

The new standards were announced in July 2015 and became effective immediately. OSHA did not adhere to the traditional rulemaking process and instead issued interpretive guidance which does not allow for meaningful input from affected industries.

The Fischer-Heitkamp bill would require OSHA to withdraw the July 2015 memo. It would also require the agency to abide by a formal rulemaking process when instituting a similar policy change in the future.



Regarding U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer Legislation on OSHA Fertilizer Regulations
Statement by Steve Nelson, President, NE Farm Bureau

"OSHA's misguided and falsely predicated new regulations on anhydrous ammonia retail facilities must be put to a stop. This is clearly another example of a federal regulation that is entirely unneeded, unnecessary and unwarranted. We want to thank Sen. Fischer for introducing the Senate version of Congressman Adrian Smith's (NE-3) FARM Act which will help prevent Nebraska's farmers from being forced to pay thousands of dollars in increased fertilizer costs for no real benefit to public safety."



 Smith Statement on GMO Labeling Compromise Bill

Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement today after voting in favor of S. 764, a bipartisan GMO labeling compromise bill.  This legislation preempts Vermont’s labeling law, which took effect on July 1.

“The potential impacts of Vermont’s mandatory GMO labeling law on Nebraska agriculture and our country’s food supply have concerned me deeply.  A mandatory label hurts the poorest among us the most by unnecessarily raising the cost of food.  The voluntary labeling bill passed by the House last year, of which I was a cosponsor, would have preempted the Vermont law while avoiding higher food prices by allowing the market to dictate what should be labeled.

“The bill before us now is a compromise labeling agreement.  It is a less favorable option than the House’s original legislation, but I believe it is better than doing nothing and allowing a costly patchwork of unscientific local and state labeling laws to take effect.

“Numerous agriculture stakeholders in the Third District contacted me about their support for this agreement, finding it better than the alternative.  To bring certainty to producers and consumers throughout the country, I supported this legislation and will continue working to bring greater awareness to the safety and benefits of biotechnology.”

Smith is the founder and co-chairman of the Modern Agriculture Caucus.



Regarding Senate Passage of GMO Labeling Law
Steve Nelson, President, Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation

“We are pleased that the U.S. House of Representatives voted today to advance the Senate's GMO Labeling bill, sending it to the President’s desk for his signature. There is no question that the science surrounding GMO products shows a clear track record of safety and environmental benefits. While we continue to maintain that the mandatory nature of this bill is unnecessary, the potential costs to consumers, farmers and ranchers of a state-by-state patchwork of unnecessary GMO labeling laws forces us into supporting this measure. While not perfect, this legislation does allow for the continued development and investment in crop technologies in agriculture due in part to the national uniformity it provides regarding GMO labeling. We appreciate the support of all three of Nebraska's Congressmen Jeff Fortenberry, Brad Ashford and Adrian Smith and hope that the President's signature, making this proposal law, will help put this issue to rest.”



ASA Congratulates House on GMO Labeling Passage, Looks to Move Forward

Following the House passage of a bill that creates a national labeling standard for foods containing GMO ingredients, American Soybean Association (ASA) President Richard Wilkins, a soybean farmer from Greenwood, Del., recognized the House’s bipartisan work to provide certainty in the marketplace with the following statement:

“The passage of this bill allows for both consumers and producers to move on from this fight, and benefit from a uniformed, standardized labeling law across the country. We believe this thoughtfully-crafted compromise provides consumers with the information they need, without stigmatizing a safe and sustainable food technology. We appreciate the support from House leaders to get us to this point. ASA and its state and regional affiliates now encourage President Obama to sign this bill into law. Its enactment will stop a potential patchwork of state labeling and providing farmers, producers, manufacturers and consumers peace of mind as they continue to enjoy America’s safe and affordable foods.”



NCGA Thanks House, Urges Presidential Action

The National Corn Growers Association praised the U.S. House of Representatives for its vote today passing S. 764. Particularly, the association praised Chairmen Conaway and Roberts, Ranking Members Peterson and Stabenow, Congressmen Pompeo and Butterfield, and all of the members of Congress, from both sides of the aisle, who worked together to pass this bill.

Now, NCGA calls upon President Obama to quickly sign this bill into law, thus avoiding the negative impacts of Vermont's law.

"Today, our representatives in the House built upon last week's work in the Senate, taking another important step toward bringing consistency to the marketplace,' said NCGA President Chip Bowling, a farmer from Maryland. "This achievement was made possible as members of the food and agricultural value chain came together as never before to advance a solution that works for farmers, food companies and, most importantly, consumers.

"S. 764 ensures consumers have the access to product information without stigmatizing this safe, proven technology that America's farmers value. Now that both houses of Congress have come together to address this important issue, we ask that the President take the final step by signing this legislation into law."

America's corn farmers, along with other family farmers across the country, rely on agricultural biotechnology to meet the demand of an ever-growing global population, while reducing their impact on the environment. The bill passed today ensures that mandatory, on-pack labels do not place an unwarranted stigma on safe, proven technology.

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.

For more information on the need for a federal labeling standard, visit the Coalition for Safe Affordable Food, at www.CFSAF.org. 



GMO Labeling Bill Heading to White House

This afternoon, the House passed the GMO labeling agreement designed by Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow, by a vote of 306 to 117. The Senate passed the bill last Thursday by a vote of 63 to 30, advancing the agreement on to the House this week, and now the bill will be on the President’s desk to sign into law.

In 2014, President Obama wrote to Julie Borlaug, granddaughter of the Nobel Peace Prize recipient and notable wheat researcher Norman Borlaug, publicly stating his support for biotechnology and his belief, shared with Norman Borlaug, that biotech will be part of a solution to the planet’s agricultural programs. NAWG encourages President Obama to stand by the statement by signing this important bill into law and creating real progress in achieving public acceptance of biotechnology.

This bill is a crucial step forward in informing customers about a safe and sustainable technology to ensure access to affordable food for consumers. The labeling options allowed in this law will encourage public acceptance of this reliable technology, while preempting the state-by-state patchwork that Vermont’s law alongside other potential future state laws could cause. This technology, which has been proven safe for human consumption, is one of the most reliable ways forward in assuring global food security and access to sustainably-produced food.

“We applaud the House’s action in clearing this bill and sending it to President Obama,” said NAWG President Gordon Stoner. “We urge him to see that this bill will inform consumers about the technologies which make their food safe and affordable, and we hope that he will sign it immediately. It is crucial that American consumers receive clear and simple information about their food, so that they will see the benefit of these technologies that supply safe, sustainably-produced food.”

NAWG supports the House’s passing of this bill, and strongly urges President Obama to sign the bill into law as soon as possible.



Statement of AFBF President Zippy Duvall on Passage of GMO Disclosure Legislation in the House

"Today's House passage of GMO disclosure legislation means we now begin the work of putting in place a uniform, national labeling system that will provide balanced, accurate information to consumers. Genetically engineered crops have a decades-long track record of safety and benefits for agricultural productivity and our environment. This legislation helps to continue those benefits by avoiding the confusion of differing and potentially misleading labeling standards from state to state. The next stop is the president's desk. We are pleased that Congress has moved quickly to finish the job."



NMPF Comment on Passage of Biotech Labeling Bill in House of Representatives
From Jim Mulhern, President and Chief Executive Officer:

“Today’s action in the U.S. House to pass the Senate’s biotech food labeling bill is a resounding rejection of activists who have been working for years to undermine consumers’ understanding of the safety of food biotechnology. By reasserting the federal government’s role in regulating food labeling, the Congress is ending the ‘death by a thousand cuts’ approach of potentially conflicting state laws in this area.

National Milk greatly appreciates the efforts of members of both the House and Senate on this issue, which unfortunately has been one of the most challenging – and important – food policy issues of the 21st century.  We strongly urge President Obama to sign this legislation into law. Once this process is complete, we can begin moving beyond specious arguments over labels, terminology and absence claims, and work to address real food safety and nutrition issues, and further the sustainability of our food system.”



NCFC Statement on House Passage of S. 764

“Today’s House vote—along with yesterday’s White House announcement that President Obama intends to sign the bill—is a tremendous victory for American farmers, co-ops and consumers. This bill will ensure that there will be no 50 state patchwork of labeling laws. It will give grocery shoppers access to more information than ever before about how the food that they purchase was produced. And it will provide producers and their co-ops with certainty as they make marketing decisions for the current crop and as they look forward to making planting decisions for next year’s.

“Vital to today’s achievement has been the leadership displayed by lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, who have worked for several years to craft a solution to the looming crisis created by the Vermont GMO labeling law. In the House, Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway and Ranking Member Collin Peterson once again proved their strong commitment to American agriculture; also instrumental were Congressmen Mike Pompeo and G.K. Butterfield, who introduced the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act last year, and Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton. In the Senate, Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow dedicated long hours to negotiating this legislation that has gained broad bipartisan backing.

“A final key to getting to this point has been the unity displayed across the food and agriculture value chain. The Coalition for Safe and Affordable Food has brought together a remarkable, diverse group of organizations and has shown what can be accomplished by working together towards a common goal.

“We look forward to moving from the legislative to the implementation phase on this issue and will continue providing input as the U.S. Department of Agriculture begins the rulemaking process.”



Regarding House Passage of GE Labeling Bill
Leah Wilkinson, Vice President of Legislative, Regulatory & State Affairs
American Feed Industry Association

"The American Feed Industry Association thanks the House of Representatives for its quick and positive response to the Senate amendment to the House amendment to S. 764 (the Roberts-Stabenow agreement). Today's passage of this legislation, 306 to 117, marks a monumental win for all--industry and consumers--in the discussion on food labeling. The passage also serves as affirmation by Congress, GE food products--brought to market for the last 20 years--are equally as safe and nutritious as their counterparts.

"AFIA is pleased the confusion surrounding animal food products will be minimized by requiring disclosure for human food only. Products derived from animals fed GE ingredients are also not required to display a label. State preemption in the bill does apply to all food--the term 'food' being all encompassing (human and animal) by federal definition--thereby ensuring one national standard.

"This decision proves Congress understands the need for a national standard, not a patchwork system, when it comes to those supplying food and animal feed, and those purchasing it. Now we look to President Obama to stay true to his word, and sign this bill into law. We urge the president to act immediately, and thank Congress for their swift actions."



Cattle Producers Meet in Denver to Establish Direction for Industry
 
This week, more than 700 cattle producers are gathered in Denver, Colo., for the annual Cattle Industry Summer Business Meeting to set direction for the industry. The event includes meetings of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Cattlemen’s Beef Board, American National Cattlewomen and National Cattlemen’s Foundation. The purpose of this yearly Summer Business Meeting is to create the framework for policy and checkoff efforts on behalf of U.S. cattle producers for the year ahead.

The meeting officially kicked off today with the Opening General Session, featuring a panel of experts discussing the benefits of trade, specifically the Trans Pacific Partnership. The panel was moderated by Oklahoma farm broadcaster Ron Hays and included Kent Bacus, NCBA director of international trade, Thad Lively with the U.S. Meat Export Federation, and Bill Westman from the North American Meat Institute.

“Trade is a critical component of the cattle industry’s profitability, and expanding exports through current and future trade agreements like TPP hold tremendous potential for our producers,” said Tracy Brunner, NCBA president. “The panel at Opening General Session was a great opportunity to discuss the impacts of reducing the tax on U.S. beef into Japan and highlight the gains that can be made by growing  export markets.”

Checkoff committees representing Convenience, Freedom to Operate, Global Growth, Beef’s Image, Market Research, Taste, Value and Nutrition and Health will begin this afternoon, and continue through Friday morning. At the same time, NCBA Policy committees, representing Agricultural and Food Policy; Tax and Credit; Cattle Health and Well-Being; Federal Lands; Cattle Marketing and International Trade; Property Rights and Environmental Management will be meeting.

“These committee meetings on both the policy and checkoff sides of the organization are where the work of the association is done by our producer leaders and state affiliates to set the direction for the year ahead,” said Brunner. “The policy resolutions brought forward and the discussions at this meeting set the agenda for our efforts in Washington D.C. In the same way, the Checkoff committee meetings set the direction for checkoff programs to grow beef demand on behalf of all cattle producers as we conclude this year and look to 2017.”

NCBA’s seven regions will hold caucuses Friday morning from 7:30 – 9:00 a.m. At these sessions members from the regions will discuss issues of specific concern.

Separate board meetings will be held for the Cattlemen’s Beef Board July 17, and NCBA Board of Directors July 18, rounding out the week’s meetings and events.



U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef Completes General Assembly Meeting

This week, the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (USRSB) concluded its second annual General Assembly meeting, wrapping up two days of successful meetings aimed at advancing the sustainability of beef in the United States. This year’s meeting focused on reviewing accomplishments over the past year, aligning to a work plan for the coming year and approval of a strategic plan for the future which will guide the group’s efforts moving forward, according to newly-elected USRSB Chairman John Butler, a cattle producer from Kansas.

“We had about 150 participants here for this year’s meeting, so we’re very pleased with the turnout and engagement for advancing the USRSB efforts,” said Butler. “Each of the stakeholder groups were well represented. During this first year we’ve accomplished two key goals. We approved a strategic plan which provides a roadmap for the future and will guide our efforts for the next couple of years.”
The development of high priority sustainability indicators for the beef industry was another key development for USRSB during its first year. Butler explained that the identification of six priority indicators was a monumental task, indicators in areas such as water resources and animal care allow the beef value chain to benchmark its efforts and focus individual sustainability efforts in order to continually advance beef’s sustainability. He also pointed out that those six key areas align with the beef checkoff-funded beef industry lifecycle assessment, meaning that much of the initial benchmarking work is already complete and future improvements can be measured against work that is already complete and third-party certified.

“The next step for USRSB is the completion of an assurance framework from which to measure improvement. This next phase is an important one for our industry because it paves the way to demonstrate that companies and individuals all along the value chain are putting practices in place which advance our sustainability,” said Butler. “Under this framework, USRSB will provide the education and training resources for each segment of the beef supply chain. In the case of some companies, we’re already seeing value-added programs that are advancing our sustainability and providing a return on investment for the producers who are taking part in it, so it’s a very exciting time to be a part of the sustainability effort.”

Several existing programs were showcased during the USRSB General Assembly meeting, a fact which USRSB administrator Ashley McDonald says is further proof that beef industry sustainability continues to improve rapidly.

“The sustainable solutions showcase allowed producers, agri-businesses and civil society members to demonstrate programs such as Progressive Beef™ or the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association exchange program which are on-the-ground efforts to advance sustainability and provide additional value to the producers who are taking part in them,” said McDonald. “Improving the sustainability for our industry is something cattlemen and women, and businesses up and down the supply chain take very seriously and are always looking for new and innovative ways to ensure their operations are improving while also protecting the resources they’ve been entrusted to protect. Thanks to these companies and individuals, many of whom are present here today, we can begin to document those efforts, inform future decisions, and in some cases, add value to our products.”

For beef producers, Butler acknowledged that there has been a great deal of ambiguity about the true definition or meaning of sustainability and the efforts of USRSB are designed to resolve those questions and continue moving the beef value chain forward.

“Because of the work of the roundtable, producers will be better able to understand the importance behind the industry’s sustainability efforts,” said Butler. “The entire industry has a great deal of societal pressure to demonstrate responsibility. By explaining what sustainability really is, documenting the good work we are already doing and then taking steps to improve, we can tell our story of sustainability and build trust in our product. Through these efforts, we can be more transparent with the consumer and that’s something we should all be able to embrace.”



ASA Applauds Senator Grassley’s Introduction of Biodiesel Tax Credit Reform, Extension Act

The American Soybean Association supports the work of Sen. Grassley (R-Iowa), Sen. Cantwell (D-Wash.) and the other 12 senators who yesterday introduced legislation to reform the biodiesel tax credit to a domestic production credit and extend the new policy through 2019.

“This bill allows producers the security they need to grow their operations in the coming years, and will help to continue biodiesel’s success in diversifying the fuel market,” said ASA president Richard Wilkins, from Greenwood, Del. “This tax credit and extension is vital to the industry’s continued growth, and will maximize the added value of domestic production of biofuels.”

Biodiesel production, in addition to providing a clean fuel alternative, benefits soybean farmers and the livestock industry. Approximately half of U.S. biodiesel is produced from soybean oil that is a by-product of soybean production, which is driven by demand for protein meal.

Joining Grassley and Cantwell to co-sponsor the Biodiesel Tax Incentive Reform and Extension Act of 2016 are Sens. Pat Roberts, Heidi Heitkamp, John Thune, Sheldon Whitehouse, Mark Kirk, Martin Heinrich, Joni Ernst, Joe Donnelly, Roy Blunt, Mazie Hirono, Al Franken and Patty Murray.



AFBF Urges Support for the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act

Career and technical education and post-high school job training and retraining are essential to the economic viability of rural communities. For that reason, the American Farm Bureau Federation is urging congressional support for H.R. 5587, the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act.

The bill reauthorizes the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. In a letter sent to House lawmakers, AFBF encouraged reauthorization of the bill. "A skilled workforce is needed in rural America, just as it is in urban and suburban communities," wrote AFBF President Zippy Duvall.

Duvall pointed out the bill would provide agriculture education programs the funding assistance needed to create a well-rounded practical approach to learning through classroom education. This would include topics such as plant and animal sciences, horticulture, forestry and agri-marketing, in addition to hands-on supervised agricultural career experiences, such as starting a business or working for an established company.

The House Committee on Education and the Workforce approved H.R. 5587 earlier this month. AFBF urges the full House to promptly approve the legislation.



USGC Hosts Japanese Delegation For Corn Quality Meeting

As the traditional top buyer of U.S. corn, Japan is a critical export market for U.S. farmers. With continued diversification of its sourcing from countries like Argentina and Brazil, however, quality remains a top concern.

In an effort to maintain this important relationship and foster ongoing communication between producers and customers, the U.S. Grains Council's (USGC's) Washington, D.C., office hosted Japanese feed industry leaders and domestic partners for a corn quality meeting on Monday, July 11.

The delegation included representatives from the Japanese Feed Manufacturers Association (JFMA), the National Federation of Agricultural Co-operative Associations (Zen-Noh) and the Japan Feed Trade Association (JFTA) as well as partners from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) and the North American Export Grain Association (NAEGA).

The meeting, hosted annually since 2009, addressed topics ranging from corn grade factors and moisture to chemical composition and physical factors.

“U.S. farmers want to work to maintain their reputation as the primary supplier of corn to Japan,” said Tom Sleight, USGC president and CEO, addressing historical data and general safety questions. “We have yearlong conversations with our Japanese buyers and welcome their feedback on what they are seeing in shipments of U.S. corn."

The 2015/2016 marketing year saw record high yields and better-than-average quality across most attributes measured in annual USGC corn quality reports. USDA-FGIS hopes to see similar trends this year in part because of good weather so far in the crop season.

Despite minor concerns, the Japanese delegation seemed pleased with U.S. corn exports overall. In response to the delegation’s proposed efforts to harmonize recognition of quality, the Council and NAEGA agreed to discuss a potential vessel sampling and monitoring project focusing on U.S. corn shipments to Japan.

USGC continues to build on its outreach efforts in Japan with regular U.S. producer missions to Japan and trade team travel to the United States by members of the Japanese industry.

USGC works closely with 29 different states to report to customers globally on corn quality at the time of harvest and at export. Accurate and timely information on crop quality helps buyers make better informed decisions, increases confidence in the capacity and reliability of the market and assists nations around the world in achieving food security through trade.



Growth Energy Applauds House Letter to EPA

Today, a bipartisan group of representatives from the Congressional Biofuels Caucus sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy, urging the EPA to finalize blending targets under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) that will expand the production of renewable fuels and offer consumers a choice at the pump. The letter highlighted the success, progress and growth of the renewable fuel industry since Congress adopted the RFS in 2005. Emily Skor, Growth Energy CEO, issued the following statement:

“The letter explicitly urges EPA to put the RFS program back on track by finalizing blending targets that are in line with Congress’ original intent. The RFS program has successfully grown the biofuels industry in the United States, and finalizing blending targets that satisfy the original statutory requirements will keep that progress intact.

“We commend these members of Congress for supporting progress in the biofuels industry, and protecting America’s security and economy through the RFS. The EPA must return stability to this policy to ensure that we do not turn back the clock on the strides we have made. The RFS improves our environment by reducing harmful emissions and displacing toxic chemicals found in gasoline, creates American jobs, reduces our dependence on foreign oil and gives American consumers a choice of a higher performing, less expensive fuel.

“The RFS is our nation’s most successful energy policy, and the biofuels industry is an American success story. We thank this bipartisan group of representatives for their commitment to fostering growth in the American biofuels industry, and stand with them in support.”



Bayer AG sweetens offer in another attempt to acquire biotech company Monsanto

Nearly two months after biotechnology company Monsanto rejected a $62 billion takeover offer from Bayer AG, the German pharmaceutical company said Thursday it has upped the proposal by about $3 billion.

On July 1, Bayer offered shareholders of Missouri-based Monsanto $125 per stock share, which is $3 per share higher than its last offer in May, when Monsanto said the amount was "inadequate."

The increased offer was announced by Bayer and Monsanto Thursday.

"We are convinced that this transaction is the best opportunity available to provide Monsanto shareholders with highly attractive, immediate and certain value. Bayer is fully committed to pursuing this transaction," Bayer Chief Executive Officer Werner Baumann said.

Bayer said it hopes the new proposal settles Monsanto's apprehension over the prior offer.

"It has comprehensively addressed Monsanto's questions concerning financing and regulatory matters and is prepared to make certain commitments to regulators, if required, to complete the proposed acquisition of Monsanto," the company said in a news release Thursday.

"The Board of Directors of Monsanto will review the proposal, in consultation with its financial and legal advisors. Monsanto will have no further comment until its Board of Directors has completed its review," Monsanto said in a statement. "There is no assurance that any transaction will be entered into or consummated, or on what terms."

Monsanto has said it is open to a corporate takeover to help resolve some financial difficulties.

""We believe in the substantial benefits an integrated strategy could provide to growers and broader society, and we have long respected Bayer's business," Monsanto Chairman and CEO Hugh Grant said in May.

"Bayer believes that its offer fully captures the intrinsic value of Monsanto, and shares the synergy benefits that the combination would create," the company said Thursday.

Bayer had said the combined company would generate synergies of $1.5 billion over three years, and said it would finance the transaction with debt and equity.

Bayer's debt doubled from 2011 to 2015 as it acquired an assortment of companies.