Tuesday July 5 Ag News

NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

For the week ending July 3, 2016, widespread rainfall and cooler temperatures were experienced, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Moisture accumulations of an inch or more were common with smaller amounts in some southern counties. Temperatures averaged two to four degrees below normal in central and eastern areas but near normal across the Panhandle. Wheat harvest progressed in central and southern counties. There were 5.7 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 5 percent very short, 28 short, 65 adequate, and 2 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 2 percent very short, 19 short, 77 adequate, and 2 surplus.

Field Crops Report:
Corn condition rated 1 percent very poor, 2 poor, 17 fair, 64 good, and 16 excellent. Corn silking was 10 percent, ahead of 4 last year, and near the five-year average of 8.

Sorghum condition rated 0 percent very poor, 0 poor, 17 fair, 74 good, and 9 excellent.

Soybeans condition rated 1 percent very poor, 3 poor, 19 fair, 64 good, and 13 excellent. Soybeans blooming was 10 percent, behind 24 last year and 21 average.

Winter wheat condition rated 3 percent very poor, 9 poor, 25 fair, 49 good, and 14 excellent. Winter wheat coloring was 94 percent, near 91 last year, and ahead of 88 average. Harvested was at 20 percent, ahead of 13 last year, but near 21 average.

Oats condition rated 1 percent very poor, 1 poor, 26 fair, 65 good, and 7 excellent. Oats headed was 98 percent, near 95 last year, and ahead of 93 average. Coloring was 70 percent, well ahead of 50 last year.

Alfalfa condition rated 3 percent very poor, 3 poor, 12 fair, 67 good, and 15 excellent. Alfalfa second cutting was 33 percent, ahead of 24 last year, but near 34 average.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 1 percent very poor, 2 poor, 17 fair, 66 good, and 14 excellent. Stock water supplies rated 0 percent very short, 4 short, 92 adequate, and 4 surplus.



IOWA CROP PROGRESS & CONDITION REPORT

 Spotty precipitation brought relief to some while missing other areas entirely in Iowa during the week ending July 3, 2016, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Statewide there were 5.5 days suitable for fieldwork. Activities for the week included cutting hay, hauling grain and spraying beans.

Topsoil moisture levels rated 8 percent very short, 25 percent short, 64 percent adequate and 3 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 4 percent very short, 20 percent short, 73 percent adequate and 3 percent surplus. South central and southeast Iowa continued to have the lowest levels of topsoil moisture in the State with two-thirds short to very short this week.

Six percent of the corn crop had reached the silking stage, with 79 percent of the crop rated good to excellent.

Soybeans blooming reached 20 percent, 2 days ahead of last year and the 5-year average. There were scattered reports of soybeans setting pods. Soybean condition rated 77 percent good to excellent this week.

Oat acreage headed reached 95 percent. Oats turning color reached 51 percent, 5 days ahead of last year and 6 days ahead of normal. Harvesting oats for grain or seed has begun in some areas. Oat crop condition rated 80 percent good to excellent.

The second cutting of alfalfa hay reached 48 percent, 2 weeks ahead of last year and 10 days ahead of normal. Hay condition was rated at 71 percent good to excellent, while pasture condition declined from last week, rating 64 percent good to excellent. Livestock conditions were reported as normal although some producers may need to supplement water in pastures due to low creek levels.



IOWA PRELIMINARY WEATHER SUMMARY
Provided by Harry J. Hillaker, State Climatologist
Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship

Iowa received a welcome break from the heat this past week. Temperatures were above normal across most of the state on Monday (27th) but were below normal for the remainder of the period, particularly over the weekend. Donnellson recorded a high of 95 degrees on Monday while much of southern Iowa saw daytime high temperatures only in the mid-sixties on both Saturday (2nd) and Sunday (3rd). Lowest minimum temperatures were 47 degree readings at Elkader on Wednesday (29th) morning and at Cresco, Elkader and Estherville on Sunday (3rd) morning. Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged 6 to 8 degrees below normal over the northeast to 2 to 3 degrees subnormal over the far southwest with a statewide average of 5.6 degrees less than normal. Rainfall amounts were highly variable, but in a reverse from recent weeks were generally greatest over the southwest and least in the northeast. There were some isolated thunderstorms over southwestern Iowa on Monday (27th) evening, including some that brought a destructive combination of high winds and hail to portions of Mills and Fremont counties. Thunderstorms covered parts of western Iowa on Wednesday (29th) with some damaging wind and hail in portions of Harrison and Pottawattamie counties. Thunderstorms were scattered over much of the state on Thursday (30th) with a band of heavy rain centered over Carroll where 3.83 inches of rain fell in the pre-dawn hours. Friday (1st) was dry in most areas while Saturday (2nd) brought widespread rain to southern and southwestern Iowa with heaviest rains in parts of Mills and Montgomery counties. The reporting week ended with mostly dry weather on Sunday (3rd). Rain totals for the week varied from only sprinkles at Pocahontas and Dyersville to 4.20 inches near Hastings in Mills County. The statewide average precipitation was 0.70 inches while normal for the week is 1.11 inches.



USDA Weekly Crop Progress

U.S. corn and soybean development continued slightly ahead of the average pace this past week. The condition of the corn crop was unchanged while soybean conditions dropped slightly from the previous week, according to the USDA Crop Progress report released Tuesday due to the Independence Day holiday on Monday.

Corn silking was at 15% as of Sunday, July 3, slightly ahead of the five-year average of 13%. Corn condition was unchanged from the previous week at 75% good to excellent.

Soybean blooming was also ahead of normal with 22% of the crop blooming as of Sunday compared to the average pace of 16%. Soybean conditions worsened again this past week, dropping to 70% good to excellent from the previous week's rating of 72% good to excellent.

Winter wheat was 58% harvested as of Sunday, up 13 percentage points from the previous week and 3 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 55%. Winter wheat condition remained the same from the previous week at 62% good to excellent.

Spring wheat was 74% headed, well ahead of the five-year average of 45%. Spring wheat condition also held steady from the previous week at 72% good to excellent.

Cotton squaring was at 42%, behind the five-year average of 47%. Cotton setting bolls was 11%, equal to the average pace. Cotton condition held steady from the previous week at 56% good to excellent. Rice was 20% headed, ahead of the average pace of 15%. Rice condition was also unchanged from the previous week at 69% good to excellent.

Sorghum was 29% headed, ahead of the average of 24%. Sorghum condition dropped slightly to 69% good to excellent from the previous week's rating of 70% good to excellent.

Oats were 92% headed as of Sunday, well ahead of the five-year average of 80%. Oats condition held steady at 67% good to excellent.

Barley was 72% headed, also well ahead of the average pace of 48%. Barley condition was unchanged from the previous week at 75% good to excellent.



Extreme Heat and the Livestock Indemnity Program
Larry Howard, NE Extension Educator, Cuming County

With the extreme conditions we have been experiencing this summer, it is important producers diligently document and report their death losses for possible Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) payments. It is a good risk management practice to keep good records anyway but it is at times like these that they can really pay dividends. In 2015, over $2.4 million in LIP payments were made to 129 Nebraska producers.  Jay Parsons, Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln has put together some great information that we want to share with producers.

The Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), administered by the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), provides compensation to eligible livestock producers who have suffered livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality due to adverse weather, including extreme heat and humidity.

FSA recently made a notable change to LIP regarding livestock owner eligibility. Beginning this year, the livestock owner does not have to have an interest in a farming operation in order to qualify for program benefits. In the past, this created issues for livestock owners who had an interest in cattle in a feedlot setting but didn’t necessarily own a farm. Now, a producer only has to have an interest in producing agricultural products, including commercial livestock, in order to be qualified to participate in LIP.

To be eligible for LIP payments, a producer must file a notice of loss on form CCC-852 with their local FSA office within 30 calendar days of when the death losses became apparent. The producer can then file an application for payment to request compensation for losses in excess of the normal mortality rate. This must be completed no later than 30 calendar days after the end of the calendar year in which the loss occurred (i.e. January 30, 2017 for the current year).

Multiple notices of losses and multiple applications for payment may be filed by producers that suffer multiple livestock losses during the same calendar year. Once a qualifying weather event has been identified, adult livestock dying within 60 days of that qualifying event can be considered eligible for loss benefits.

The LIP payment rates are based on 75 percent of the national market value of the livestock. For example, the 2015 payment rate for a 900 pound steer would have been $1,375.41 per head. With the current markets, these payments will be less for 2016 losses but still a potentially important cost recovery from the financial impacts of losing a larger than normal number of animals.

LIP payments are calculated based on eligible death losses in excess of normal annual mortality. Normal mortality rates are established by FSA on a State-by-State basis using recommendations from State livestock and Extension Service organizations.

Producers must document the number and kind of livestock that died. Preferably, this is supplemented with a video record or dated photo(s). It is important producers understand that the key piece in documenting death loss above normal mortality is good inventory records.  Producers need accurate counts of the number and type of livestock in their inventory before and after the eligible event. Beginning and ending year inventory numbers supplemented with production records, purchase records, sale records, veterinarian records, inventory related bank loan documentation, and other reliable documents can help verify livestock inventories at different points throughout the year.

The producer should continue to accurately document inventory counts and death losses throughout the year. Because once the annual death loss threshold (normal mortality) has been exceeded, subsequent death losses due to normal mortality or due to eligible events in the same calendar year may trigger additional losses eligible for LIP payments.

The Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) Factsheet is available from FSA at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/usdafiles/FactSheets/2015/lip_fact_sheet_2015_march2015.pdf. 



JULY NE SOYBEAN BOARD DISTRICT ELECTION BALLOTS HAVE BEEN MAILED

The July election ballots for the Nebraska Soybean Board Districts 2, 4 and 8 have been mailed to soybean farmers in those districts. Each district ballot contains important information that will make the voting process easy to complete and return. As a voter, you will learn about the candidates and why they would like to represent you on the board. If you have not received a ballot by July 11, please call 402-466-1969 and request one. Ballots must be post marked by July 31, 2016, to count.
If you are a qualified soybean farmer living in one of the election districts, the following candidates are asking for your vote!

District 2 (Counties of Burt, Cuming, Dakota, Dixon, Stanton, Thurston and Wayne)
Candidates:
v Tony Johanson, Oakland, NE - Burt County
v Lucas Miller, Randolph, NE - Wayne County

District 4 (Counties of Boone, Hamilton, Merrick, Nance, Platte, Polk and York)
Candidates:
v Brian Brown, Central City, NE - Merrick County
v Eugene Goering, Columbus, NE - Platte County
v Wayne Sackschewsky, York, NE - York County

District 8 (Counties of Arthur, Banner, Blaine, Box Butte, Brown, Chase, Cherry, Cheyenne, Custer, Dawes, Dawson, Deuel, Dundy, Frontier, Furnas, Garden, Garfield, Gosper, Grant, Greeley, Harlan, Hayes, Hitchcock, Hooker, Howard, Keith, Keya Paha, Kimball, Lincoln, Logan, Loup, McPherson, Morrill, Perkins, Phelps, Red Willow, Rock, Scotts Bluff, Sheridan, Sherman, Sioux, Thomas, Valley and Wheeler)
Candidates:
v Terry Horky, Sargent, NE - Custer County
v Norm Lewandowski, Rockville, NE - Sherman County

Election results will be announced in August.



Controlling Summer Grasses In Alfalfa
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist 

Wet soils in alfalfa fields right after cutting can lead to quick growth of weedy grasses like foxtail and crabgrass, particularly in a thin alfalfa stand.

Management of these weeds begins early, with a thick stand with good soil fertility so the field will compete aggressively with invading grasses. In addition, harvest alfalfa only after it begins to bloom or when new shoots appear at the base of the plants.   Then alfalfa should regrow rapidly so grasses don't have much time to become established.

While this sounds obvious, it's not easily done and can have a cost. Harvesting alfalfa after bloom begins may sacrifice some forage quality.

Herbicides are another option.   Roundup works great, but only for Roundup Ready varieties.   In conventional alfalfa, two post-emerge herbicides that control annual grasses well are Select Max and Poast Plus.   These herbicides work well on seedling grasses that are less than 4 inches tall, and alfalfa tolerates both herbicides very well.   If you see these grass seedlings after you cut your alfalfa, apply the herbicides soon after harvest and before alfalfa regrowth forms a canopy.   None of these herbicides has any soil residual activity, so good plant coverage of the weedy grasses is necessary for control. You may need repeat spray after the next harvest if new weeds emerge.



FARMERS ENCOURAGED TO UPDATE INFORMATION ON IOWA HAY AND STRAW DIRECTORY

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today encouraged Iowa hay and straw producers to register or update their listing on the Iowa Hay and Straw Directory.  The directory lists Iowa producers with hay and straw for sale, as well as organizations and businesses associated with promoting and marketing quality hay and straw.

“The directory has been a great tool for both buyers and sellers and we hope farmers will take the time to review and update their information so that it remains a valuable resource,” Northey said.  “This directory can serve as a critical link for those producing hay and those looking to buy, so we encourage Iowans to take advantage of this free directory.”

The listing is available to interested buyers throughout the nation, however only sellers from within Iowa can be included on the list.

Names are gathered throughout the year with added emphasis now that hay harvest has started. Sections within the Hay and Straw Directory include “Forage for Sale,” “Forage Auctions,” “Hay Associations,” “Forage Dealers,” “Hay Grinders” and “Custom Balers.”

Farmers interested in listing should visit the Department’s website at www.IowaAgriculture.gov.  An application form can be found by going to the “Bureaus” link and then selecting “Agricultural Diversification and Market Development.”  Then click on “Hay & Straw Directory” on the right side of the page under “Directories.”

For those without internet access, please call the Hay/Straw Hotline at 800-383-5079.  The Department will fax or send a printed copy of the application to be filled out.

The Department is also supporting the Iowa Crop Improvement Association’s “Iowa Noxious Weed Seed Free Forage and Mulch Certification Program.”  Through this program Iowa forage and mulch producers can take advantage of many emerging market opportunities for “Certified Weed Free” products.  For more specific information on this program producers should contact the Iowa Crop Improvement Association at 515-294-6921.  More information can also be found by visiting http://www.iowacrop.org/Weed_Free.htm.



NMPF Offers Updated Tools to Help Dairy Farmers Enrolling in Margin Protection Program for 2017

The National Milk Producers Federation has updated its Margin Protection Program website – futurefordairy.com – with new materials to assist dairy producers considering enrollment in the third year of the federal dairy safety net program. The enrollment period officially opened July 1 and ends September 30, 2016, for coverage in calendar year 2017. Farmers already participating in the program can change their coverage level during this three-month enrollment window.

The Margin Protection Program (MPP) provides financial assistance to participating dairy producers when the margin – the difference between the price of milk and feed costs – falls below a coverage level selected by the producer. Dairy farmers can insure their farms on a sliding scale between $4 and $8 per hundredweight, deciding both how much of their production history to cover, and the level of margin to protect. The program, created in the 2014 farm bill, offers more extensive coverage for low-margin conditions than previous programs.

“The poor margins in the first half of 2016 demonstrate that the Margin Protection Program can play an important role in helping America’s dairy farmers manage their financial risks,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF.  “While we continue to examine ways to improve the program in the future, farmers need to carefully consider their risk management coverage options in 2017.”

To better inform producers as they enroll in MPP, or choose different supplemental coverage levels, NMPF offers the following materials on the website’s Resources page:
·         Overview of the Margin Protection Program
·         A link to the MPP online calculator
·         How to use the MPP online calculator
·         Informative PowerPoint presentation on MPP
·         Frequently Asked Questions
·         MPP Margin Spreadsheet of Milk and Feed Prices, 2007-2015

At the request of NMPF, the USDA has made several improvements in the MPP program in the past year. One change announced by USDA in April ensures that farms enrolled in the program will receive catastrophic coverage at the basic, $4 per hundredweight margin level on 90% of their production history, even if a farmer purchases additional, supplemental coverage at a level of less than 90% of their production base. This should improve the flexibility of the program in offering effective risk management options to dairy farmers.

The USDA also announced earlier this year that a farm’s production history can be restructured to accommodate new family members joining the dairy operation. This will accommodate the intergenerational transfer of production history for children, grandchildren and their spouses to join a dairy operation. Any dairy operation already enrolled in MPP that had an intergenerational transfer occur will have an opportunity during the 2017 annual coverage election period to increase the operation’s production history up to 4 million pounds per year.

Those dairy farms that have already signed up for the MPP will remain in the program through 2018, as long as they pay the $100 administrative fee each year. Producers have the option of selecting a different coverage level during open enrollment each year.  Those enrolled in the MPP as of the start of 2015 will receive a 1.3% increase in their production history for 2017, reflecting the overall national increase in the nation’s milk supply since last year.

According to the USDA, 54% of America’s 43,000 dairy farms are enrolled in the MPP, representing 80% of the nation’s milk supply.  The USDA also has its own website on the MPP.



CWT Assists with 353,000 Pounds of Butter Export Sales

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted 2 requests for export assistance from Dairy Farmers of America and Northwest Dairy Association (Darigold) who have contracts to sell 352,740 pounds (160 metric tons) of butter (82% milkfat) to customers in Asia and the Middle East. The product has been contracted for delivery in the period from July through October 2016.

So far this year, CWT has assisted member cooperatives who have contracts to sell 28.098 million pounds of American-type cheeses, 5.351 million pounds of butter (82% milkfat) and 20.406 million pounds of whole milk powder to twenty countries on five continents. The sales are the equivalent of 528.696 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis. Product volumes and milk equivalent have been adjusted to reflect contract cancellations.

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



New Survey Shows Vermont GMO Labeling Mandate Misleads Consumers

A recent online survey of 1,665 online primary shoppers examined consumer understanding of five common on-pack food labels, and found that Vermont’s mandatory on-pack labeling of genetically modified ingredients (GMOs) strongly misleads consumers.

When consumers were asked about the three GMO label statements mandated by the Vermont law, Act 120, (“partially produced with genetic engineering,” “may be produced with genetic engineering,” and “produced with genetic engineering”) the survey showed that on-pack labeling misled substantial percentages of consumers to wrongly perceive the labeled product as less safe, less healthful, less nutritious, and worse for the environment. The Vermont label requirements are so disparaging to consumer perceptions of products that an average of 73% of consumers indicated they would be less likely to buy foods bearing the required on-pack GMO label.

The large consumer survey was conducted from Jun 13-21, 2016 by the MSR Group and sponsored by a group of food and agriculture trade associations, including the American Soybean Association, Corn Refiners Association, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, National Grain and Feed Association, and SNAC International. The five food labels tested were common food label statements related to trans-fat, allergens, gluten, organic, and GMOs.

The Vermont on-pack GMO label requirements are powerfully disparaging.  The Vermont mandated GMO label statement caused approximately --
·         36% of consumers to incorrectly perceive the food to be “less safe.”
·         28% of consumers to incorrectly perceive the food to be “less healthful.”
·         22% of consumers to incorrectly perceive the food to be “less nutritious.”
·         20% of consumers to incorrectly perceive the food to be “worse for the environment.”
·         73% of consumers to be less likely to buy the food.

Consumer perceptions varied significantly by age group.  Using the Vermont law’s “produced with genetic engineering” label option to illustrate, consumer perception that the labeled product is –
•       “less safe” ranged from 48% (18-34 years old) to 27% (35-44 years old).
•       “less nutritious” ranged from 45% (18-24 years old) to 7% (65+ years old).
•       “less healthful” ranged from 41% (18-24 years old) to 18% (65+ years old).
•       “worse for the environment” ranged from 32% (25-34 years old) to 13% (55+ years old).

The associations that commissioned the large consumer perception survey issued the following joint statement:

“The survey demonstrates that the Vermont on-pack GMO labeling law that is effectively setting GMO labeling policy for interstate commerce is misleading to consumers and powerfully disparaging of a safe, environmentally appropriate technology.  The Roberts Stabenow compromise bill now pending in the U.S. Senate would preempt the inappropriate Vermont GMO labeling law and permit GMO disclosure without the on-pack labeling that is so misleading and disparaging to consumers.

“With shocking clarity, the survey results demonstrate why food companies would be pressured to switch to non-GMO ingredients to avoid the requirement of Vermont’s on-pack GMO label and potential conflicting multi-state labeling requirements. Switching away from GMO ingredients is the key assumption of a recent economic analysis that concluded the Vermont on-pack GMO label law would increase food costs for the average American household by approximately $1,050 annually.   The Roberts Stabenow bill would avoid the Vermont GMO labeling law’s disparagement of biotechnology and attendant steep increase in consumer food prices.

“While the survey did not test specific GMO disclosure options under the Roberts Stabenow bill, that legislation would authorize disclosure through multiple means, including an internet link that would allow food companies to include informative statements that educate, rather than mislead, consumers.  Since the Roberts Stabenow compromise is the only viable legislative option to preempt the Vermont GMO labeling law, the survey results strongly suggest support for the Roberts Stabenow compromise.”



Sorghum Checkoff Launches First Consumer Brand

The Sorghum Checkoff announced today the first consumer-facing brand, Sorghum Natures Super GrainTM, and the launch of SimplySorghum.com.

“Whole grains are becoming increasingly popular,” said Doug Bice, Sorghum Checkoff marketing director. “Nearly two-thirds of consumers are making at least half their grains whole, which is great news for sorghum. These new branding efforts are imperative to help support the expanding sorghum consumer marketplace, and American farmers are eager to meet that growing demand.” 

The goal of the Sorghum Checkoff consumer branding efforts is to educate consumers about the wholesome goodness of sorghum and the endless possibilities it has to offer in a healthy diet.

Jennifer Blackburn, Sorghum Checkoff external affairs director, said the new logo and tagline were created to help showcase sorghum’s capabilities as a whole grain. The tagline highlights sorghum’s health, versatility and sustainable attributes.

Serving as the premier source of information for consumers, and food and health professionals, Blackburn said SimplySorghum.com will share information as it relates to what sorghum is and how it can be used. Key features of the website include a sorghum cooking-directions library, recipe catalog, nutritional information, and a list of chefs and restaurants using sorghum. 

“SimplySorghum.com and the consumer logo are integral components of the Sorghum Checkoff’s consumer-facing brand,” Blackburn said. “We are excited about the new website, the first sorghum consumer website of its kind, and the robust information and opportunities it provides users.”

Blackburn said new consumer branding efforts and the website not only help enhance consumer awareness of sorghum’s healthy characteristics, it also helps consumers close the missing gaps by giving them a place to locate sorghum brands and take action to request products containing sorghum in their local grocery stores.

Developed using modern-web technology, the website features clean, bold-imagery, rich content and was designed to provide a user-friendly experience. Plus, the website is mobile friendly, so recipes, cooking tips and more can be accessed anywhere users go.

“Just a year ago, establishing a consumer brand was only an idea – a big idea,” Blackburn said. “The launch of this new consumer site and logo further amplifies the strides we have made as an industry. Our hope is that these efforts will help move the needle and make the connections that lead to more sorghum on more consumers’ plates, that in turn will help increase demand for the farmer.”

The Sorghum Checkoff’s new consumer website will be updated regularly with recipes, cooking tips, new sorghum products, restaurants using sorghum and more. Visitors can explore the website and sign up for the consumer newsletter at SimplySorghum.com.



Registration Open For Export Exchange 2016 In Detroit, Michigan

The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) encourage U.S. suppliers of coarse grains and co-products, industry representatives and members of the grain trade to register now for Export Exchange 2016, to be held Oct. 24-26 in Detroit.

Registration is available online via www.exportexchange.org. USGC and RFA members will be eligible for discounted pricing.

The biennial event, co-sponsored by the Council and RFA, is expected to bring together 200 international buyers and end-users of coarse grains and co-products, including distiller's dried grains with solubles (DDGS), with approximately 300 U.S. suppliers and agribusiness representatives.

“This premiere event is focused on networking in order to establish connections between U.S. suppliers and international customers,” said USGC Chairman Alan Tiemann, a farmer from Nebraska. “Our last Export Exchange in 2014 generated well over a billion dollars’ worth of sales. We know the relationships built at this conference not only help our industry now, but also help build demand for the future.”

In addition to networking opportunities, the conference will have general sessions, which will address critical issues facing U.S. agricultural exports, offering the customers and sellers in attendance an increased awareness of the benefits of U.S. coarse grains and co-products.

“The U.S. ethanol industry has emerged as a major producer of high quality animal feeds like DDGS and corn gluten feed,” said Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen. “The Export Exchange provides a venue to connect producers and marketers of those co-products with customers around the world.”

More information will be distributed in the coming months and will be available online at www.exportexchange.org.



USDA Has Made Most Significant Food Safety Updates Since 1950s

Over the past seven years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has instituted some of the most significant updates to our country's food safety system since the 1950s, leading to a 12 percent drop in foodborne illness associated with meat, poultry and processed egg products from 2009 to 2015. Throughout July, at the height of summer grilling season, USDA will be highlighting these changes, introducing Americans to the men and women who are enacting them, and demonstrating the positive impacts for public health.

"The United States has the strongest food safety system in the world, and over the past seven years it has grown even stronger. We're better now at keeping unsafe food out of commerce, whether it's made unsafe because of dangerous bacteria, or because of an allergen, like peanuts or wheat," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "Over the course of this Administration, we have tightened our regulatory requirements for the meat and poultry industry, enhanced consumer engagement around safe food handling practices, and made smart changes to our own operations, ultimately moving the needle on the number of foodborne illness cases attributed to products that we regulate."

USDA has a role to play in ensuring the safety of virtually all foods produced and eaten in America, but its most direct responsibility is through FSIS, the public health agency charged with ensuring America's supply of meat, poultry and processed egg products is safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged. Through its Agricultural Marketing Service and research agencies, however, USDA is also working to help America's fruit, vegetable and grain producers comply with the landmark Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), and is making groundbreaking discoveries that can lead to safer food production methods.

USDA's modernization efforts are bringing down the number of foodborne illnesses in USDA-regulated products. Advanced testing methods, greater focus on mislabeling, and more rigorous scientific processes are building a stronger overall safety net to detect pathogens and mislabeled product before they reach consumers.

Here are five of the top food safety changes FSIS has made since 2009:

1. Prohibiting STECs: In the 1990's, USDA took historic action by declaring that beef contaminated with shiga-toxin producing E. coli O157:H7 was adulterated and therefore illegal to be sold in America. Prior to this Administration, other strains of shiga-toxin producing E. coli, or STECs, were considered to be a rare public health concern and therefore were not given the same illegal and unsafe status as O157:H7. In 2011, armed with new information about the prevalence of other STECs from our partners at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USDA established a zero tolerance policy for raw beef products that contain E. coli O26, O103, O45, O111, O121 and O145, collectively known as the "Big Six" strains of STEC.

2. Labeling Mechanically Tenderized Meat: Beginning this summer, USDA is requiring meat companies to disclose on packages of beef steak and other whole cuts if a product has been "mechanically tenderized," meaning the meat was pierced with needles or small blades to break up tissue and make it tenderer. The blades or needles can introduce pathogens from the surface of the beef to the interior, making proper cooking very important. However, mechanically tenderized products look no different than meat that has not been treated this way, so without disclosure on the label, consumers may not know about this higher food safety risk. Home cooks, restaurants and other food service facilities now have more information about the products they are buying, as well as useful cooking instructions so they know how to safely prepare them.

3. Targeting Commonly Purchased Items: In February 2016, FSIS finalized the first-ever pathogen reduction standards for poultry parts, like breasts and wings. FSIS implemented performance standards for whole chickens in 1996 but has since learned that Salmonella levels increase as chicken is further processed into parts. Poultry parts like represent 80 percent of the chicken available for Americans to purchase. By creating a standard for chicken parts, and by performing regulatory testing at a point closer to the final product, FSIS can greatly reduce consumer exposure to Salmonella and Campylobacter. These new standards are expected to prevent 50,000 cases of foodborne illness annually.

4. Modernizing Poultry Food Safety Inspections: In August 2014, USDA finalized the most significant update to poultry food safety inspections since 1957, requiring for the first time ever that that all poultry facilities create a plan to prevent contamination with Salmonella and Campylobacter, rather than addressing contamination after it occurs. Under this update, poultry companies now have to collect samples at two points on their production line and have them tested to show control of enteric pathogens, which is done in addition to USDA's own improved testing strategy in poultry plants. This same update introduced the New Poultry Inspection System, a science-based inspection system that, while optional for poultry companies, positions food safety inspectors in a smarter way so that they can have maximum food safety oversight.

5. Testing and Holding Policy: In 2012, USDA began requiring meat and poultry companies to hold all product that is undergoing laboratory analysis until the agency's microbial and chemical tests for harmful hazards are fully complete. This "test and hold" policy will significantly reduce consumer exposure to unsafe meat products, and it could have prevented 44 recalls of unsafe foods between 2007 and 2009 if it had been in place at the time.



Agri-Mek® SC miticide/insecticide from Syngenta now registered for use on soybeans and sweet corn

Soybean growers can now use Agri-Mek® SC miticide/insecticide for exceptional control of pests. Already trusted by fruit, nut and vegetable growers, this industry-proven miticide/insecticide is now available to treat difficult-to-manage pests, like spider mites, in soybeans.

Hot, dry conditions during the flowering and early-pod-fill growth stages can significantly hurt soybean yields. These conditions also favor increased populations of twospotted spider mites. According to Purdue University, dry conditions suppress naturally occurring fungi that could otherwise control spider mite populations. Warmer temperatures accelerate developmental times, allowing for spider mite populations to grow rapidly in soybeans.

“With Agri-Mek SC, soybean growers are armed to prevent widespread crop damage due to spider mites,” said Meade McDonald, insecticide product lead at Syngenta. “Some problems can be unpredictable, but growers can feel at ease knowing they have control over other factors like yield-threatening pests.”

The active ingredient in Agri-Mek SC, abamectin, is locally systemic and provides a reservoir of protection against mobile forms of spider mites. Upon application, abamectin penetrates the leaf and is rapidly absorbed into the leaf tissue, controlling mites on both the upper and lower leaf surfaces. This translaminar movement makes Agri-Mek SC rainfast once dry and provides residual control that lasts up to 21 days.

Soybean growers have flexibility with Agri-Mek SC for ground or aerial applications. They can also tank mix Agri-Mek SC with Endigo® ZC insecticide or other insecticides for broad-spectrum control of soybean pests.