Friday August 26 Ag News

LENRD approves a lower tax levy for fiscal year 2017 budget

The 2017 fiscal year budget for the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) was approved by the board of directors at their August 25th meeting.

The tax request for 2017 is $4,390,132.  The budget of all expenditures shows a 10.5% decrease of over $1 million from last year, due to the grant funding secured by the district.

The estimated levy based on the property tax request is 2.401 cents per $100 of valuation, a decrease of 0.2% from the fiscal year 2016 levy of 2.406 cents per $100 of valuation.  For example, if a person owns a $100,000 house, the taxes owed to the LENRD would have been $24.06 in 2016, and will be approximately $24.01 in 2017.

The funds received by the LENRD are returned to the citizens of the district, through projects, programs, and studies across all or parts of 15-counties in northeast Nebraska.  Some of these conservation benefits include:  water quality and quantity programs such as groundwater management, flood control, and nitrate management; as well as erosion control, cost-share to landowners who apply for conservation practices, recreation areas and trails, urban recreation and community forestry programs, and many other benefits that protect our natural resources.

LENRD general manager, Mike Sousek, said, “We are working together to create a budget that not only addresses our 12 responsibilities, but that also focuses on improving the quality of life for the citizens across our district.  We are doing more with less, by focusing on efficiencies and streamlining processes to protect our natural resources for the benefit of everyone.”



BACTERIAL LEAF STREAK DISEASE CONFIRMED IN CORN IN NEBRASKA

    Bacterial leaf streak disease of corn, caused by Xanthomonas vasicola pv. vasculorum, has been confirmed in some Nebraska corn fields. The disease had not been previously identified in the United States, but had been reported on corn in South Africa. The bacterium also causes gumming disease in sugarcane in numerous other countries. The species has undergone name changes and is recognized by several other synonyms.

    Surveys are currently under way across the Corn Belt to identify the disease distribution and to raise awareness. Initial observations and survey results suggest that it may be widely distributed and established throughout the Corn Belt. Eradication is not thought to be possible. Additional research is planned and under way to better understand its biology, and best management practices.

    Unusual symptoms were first reported on corn samples received by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic in 2014. Identification was delayed because of the lack of historic research on the pathogen and limited data available on this bacterium and its close relatives. Advanced and multiple testing procedures were conducted on the bacteria at multiple institutions to confirm its identity. Third-party confirmation of the bacteria was conducted by the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Collaboration between agencies was critically important to obtaining a correct diagnosis.

    Although its appearance may be similar to other common fungal and bacterial diseases – e.g., gray leaf spot – foliar fungicides are not expected to control the bacteria causing this disease. Typical management strategies for bacterial diseases are recommended. This pathogen survives in infected crop residue. Sanitizing equipment to remove infected crop residue prior to moving between fields may help slow its spread. Although research is incomplete, crop rotation may also help reduce the impact of the disease, but will not eliminate the pathogen.

    Symptoms of this disease appear similar to those of several other diseases and are typically narrow tan to brown streaks between leaf veins. This disease causes lesions that usually have wavy margins in contrast to smooth, linear rectangular lesions observed with the common fungal disease, gray leaf spot.  Producers or others needing assistance identifying this or other diseases are asked to submit a sample to the Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic using the instructions at http://cropwatch.unl.edu/plantdisease/unl-diagnostic-clinic-lincoln.

    For more information on bacterial leaf streak, visit http://cropwatch.unl.edu/bacterial-leaf-streak.



Fischer, FCC Commissioner O’Rielly to Host Broadband/Ag Roundtable at State Fair

U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, will welcome Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Michael O’Rielly to Nebraska this Monday, August 29, 2016. Fischer and O’Rielly will host a roundtable discussion with Nebraska stakeholders to explore policies that will enhance broadband access for agriculture producers. The roundtable will take place at the state fair in Grand Island.

At Monday’s roundtable discussion, Fischer and O’Rielly will hear from Nebraska’s telecommunications providers, government officials, and agriculture producers about the policies government can pursue to make broadband more widely available for agriculture purposes.

Commissioner O’Rielly was invited to Nebraska by Senator Fischer as part of her ongoing efforts to encourage innovation and streamline regulations. O’Rielly is currently serving his second term as FCC Commissioner. He was first nominated for this position by President Obama in 2013 and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate on October 29, 2013.

EVENT:  Roundtable Discussion on Broadband and Agriculture
DATE:  Monday, August 29, 2016 - 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. CDT
LOCATION: Nebraska State Fair - The Nebraska Building, 2nd Floor - 501 East Stolley Park Road - Grand Island, NE 68802
PARTICIPANTS:
U.S. Senator Deb Fischer
Michael O’Rielly - Commissioner - Federal Communications Commission
Tim Schram - Chairman - Nebraska Public Service Commission
Jeff Pursley - Executive Director - Nebraska Public Service Commission
Ann Prockish - Director of State Regulatory and Legislative Affairs - CenturyLink
Brian Thompson - Vice President of External Relations - Consolidated Companies Inc.
Ken Pfister - Vice President of Strategic Policy - Great Plains Communications
Grant Spellmeyer - Vice President of Federal Affairs & Public Policy - U.S. Cellular
Sarah Werner - Nebraska Cattlemen
Andy Jobman - Nebraska Corn Growers Association
Kevin Peterson - Nebraska Pork Producers
Travis Barker - Nebraska Pork Producers
Tyler Fitzkey - Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation
Dean Hartwig - Nebraska Agri-Business Association



COVER CROPS FOLLOWING CORN SILAGE
Bruce Anderson, NE Extenison Forage Specialist

               Following corn silage harvest, your ground can lay bare for seven to nine months.  Instead, let’s plant some crops to grow and cover it until next season.

               After silage harvest, bare ground has two things working against it.  One is exposure to wind and water erosion.  And two, it isn’t growing anything.  Cover crops might help you overcome both problems.

               But what should you plant?  That depends primarily on what you want to achieve with your cover crop.  For example, hairy vetch and winter peas are good cover crops if you want to improve your soil by planting a legume that will produce 30 to 40 pounds of nitrogen per acre for next year’s crop.  Or maybe use a deep-rooted radish to breakup some hardpans.

               Are you still hoping for some feed this fall?  Then oats, spring barley, annual ryegrass, and turnips might be better choices because these plants have the greatest forage yield potential yet this fall.  Oats and barley also will die over winter so they won’t interfere with next year’s crop.  But, dead residue from oats and barley is not very durable, so it provides less effective soil protection and for a shorter duration.

               For better soil protection, winter rye is the best choice among the cereals.  And cereal rye can provide abundant grazable growth early next spring to get cows off of hay sooner.  Wheat and triticale also can be good cover crops.  Of course, wheat then can be harvested later for grain while triticale makes very good late spring forage.

               What is becoming especially popular is planting a mixture of several types of plants to reap some of the benefits of each one.

               Cover crops can preserve or even improve your soil, and can be useful forages as well.  Consider them following your early harvests.



Nebraska Corn and Sorghum Urge Farmers to Tell EPA That They Need Atrazine

The Nebraska Corn Growers Association and Nebraska Grain Sorghum Producers Association are urging farmers to submit comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), on their proposed reduction of acceptable application levels for atrazine, a herbicide used for weed control in growing corn, sorghum and other crops.

For more than 50 years, Atrazine has been a mainstay of corn and sorghum farmers for its proven control of a broad range of weeds. That is why the Nebraska’s Corn and Sorghum Associations are strongly encouraging Nebraska farmers to contact the EPA and express their disapproval of their ecological risk assessment for atrazine. If the recommendations included within the assessment stand, it would effectively render this important tool useless on farms and significantly increase farmers input costs. EPA is accepting public comments on the assessment through October 4, 2016.

“Atrazine is a safe and effective crop management tool that farmers cannot lose access to,” said Larry Mussack, farmer from Decatur, Nebraska and president of the Nebraska Corn Growers Association. “Farming without atrazine could cost farmers up to $59 additional dollars per acre. In a time when net farm incomes are already at a sharp decline, this is a staggering cost most Nebraska farmers cannot afford.”

In a joint statement, Nebraska Corn and Sorghum leaders expressed great disappointment and concern regarding the EPA’s recently released ecological risk assessment on the herbicide. “In spite of more than 7,000 scientific studies proving atrazine’s safety, the EPA chose to ignore sound science and is proposing to drastically reduce the use of one of the most reliable herbicides available,” added Mussack.

 The EPA based their ecological risk assessment for atrazine on studies their own Science Advisory Panel deemed ‘flawed’ just 4 years ago. Through the use of these highly questionable studies, the EPA arrived at an aquatic level of concern for Atrazine of 3.4 parts per billion, a two-thirds reduction from the current level of 10. Scientific evidence points to a safe aquatic life level of concern at 25 parts per billion or greater. If the proposed level of concern becomes the standard, effective use of the herbicide would be unachievable and would ultimately represent a de facto ban on the use of atrazine.

“The facts are simple—we need Atrazine,” added Lynn Belitz, farmer from Fullerton, Nebraska and president of the Nebraska Grain Sorghum Producers Association. “Taking away atrazine will drastically set back our conservation and no-till practices as well as eliminate safe, long lasting weed control. That is why it is absolutely imperative that farmers get engaged during this comment period.”

Farmers can take action on this issue and submit a comment to the EPA by visiting the website: FightEPA.org. The website will directly link you to a comment submission form with suggested verbiage. Additionally, farmers will be able to directly submit comments to the EPA and learn more about this issue from Nebraska Corn and Sorghum Associations leaders in the commodities building during Husker Harvest Days.



Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska Reach Consensus on Republican River Compact

Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska established an agreement this week in the longstanding conflict over water from the Republican River basin, as the Republican River Compact Administration signed two resolutions.  Representatives from the three states have been meeting monthly for over two years, in an effort to change the approach and improve how they manage interstate water matters.  This effort has created a new focus on transparency and certainty as all three states work to serve their water users.  The intent of these resolutions is to replace the need for annual reviews and instead provide long-term surety to water users.

“Signing these resolutions shows the commitment from all three states to engage in open and transparent dialogue for the past two years,” said Kansas Governor Sam Brownback.  “This long-term agreement will ultimately improve water management for water users in Kansas as well as Nebraska and Colorado.”

The resolutions signed this week will provide flexibility and greater certainty to all water users in the region, while remaining consistent with the terms of the Republican River Compact and the Final Settlement Stipulation of 2002.  The three states have been involved in various litigation and arbitrations for the past 15 years over administration of water in the Republican River basin, and this agreement is a significant and positive step forward, with the next steps focusing on working with the basin’s water users to implement these agreements.

“We are proud to be part of this historic agreement,” said Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper.  “For the first time since signing the Compact, the three states have worked together to resolve their issues without litigation and have brought certainty to the water users in the basin.  This is how we do our best work in Colorado and defines our approach to addressing our water challenges — cooperation and collaboration.”

It has been a priority of the states to collaborate on interstate water matters to ensure each state’s water users are protected while also maintaining a positive working relationship between the compacting states.

“These resolutions represent a long-term strategy for representing each state and ultimately improving water management for water users in all three states,” said Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts.

The Republican River basin begins in the plains of eastern Colorado and flows through northwest Kansas and southern Nebraska, ultimately returning to Kansas.  The Republican River Compact was negotiated during the early 1940s with participation by the states of Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska and a representative of the President of the United States.  The Compact was formally signed in 1942.  Its purposes are to provide for equitable division of such waters, remove all causes of controversy, promote interstate comity, promote joint action by the states and the United States in the efficient use of water and the control of destructive floods, and provide for the most efficient use of waters in the Republican River basin.



Statement by Steve Nelson, President, NE Farm Bureau, Regarding Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska Agreement on Republican River Compact.

“We are pleased by today’s announcement that agreements have been reached between Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska regarding water use in the Republican River Basin. It is imperative our states work together on water management in a way that avoids the need for costly litigation. The actions by the states is also critical in providing some long-term surety to waters users, including Nebraska farmers and ranchers who rely on water from the Republican River to maintain their operations.”



Iowa Farmers Call for Cooperation in Biotech Trade Issues at Global Agribusiness Forum

Iowa Corn farmer-leaders Pam Johnson and Julius Schaaf traveled to Sao Paulo, Brazil last month to represent MAIZALL, the international maize alliance, at the 2016 Global Agribusiness Forum. MAIZALL is a coalition of corn growers from the United States, MAIZAR in Argentina and ABRAMILHO in Brazil who work together on challenges of mutual interest including innovation and food security, even while they compete in the global marketplace. Johnson who served as president of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and Schaaf, past chair of the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) spoke at the biennial conference calling on the global agricultural industry and exporting countries’ governments to work with a spirit of collaboration to solve the challenges pledging the advancement and adoption of new production technologies. Both serve as officers on the MAIZALL board.

Giving the opening address, Johnson’s remarks centered around the need for cooperation among farmers in having access to a range of tools needed to ensure a continued supply of safe, affordable and sustainably-produced food supply. “Addressing influential group global leaders at the forefront of global market access issues for biotech crops was powerful,” said Johnson. “MAIZALL works to give U.S. corn farmers that front row access in meeting the global food challenges of our day. With the global population expected to reach 9 billion people by 2050, farmers in North and South America must understand the need to increase agricultural productivity to meet the unprecedented demand for food and feed. Food security continues to be a priority with more than 800 million people still not having enough food to eat. We know that we are still not where we need to be on basic nutrition … even before we factor in growth.  And all of us today must understand that increased trade remains essential to closing the gap.”

Schaaf joined a panel focused on the challenge of sustainable production. He emphasized the need for science-based regulations that allow farmers to access the technology. “Meeting this increased global food demand must be accomplished sustainably using less land, energy and water and mitigate the impacts of climate change,” said Schaaf. “In order to accomplish such a task, farmers will need access to agricultural biotechnology. However, regulatory gridlock and lack of consumer understanding of agricultural technologies restrict farmers’ ability to capture the benefits of innovation.”

Earlier this year, MAIZALL set key priorities for the organization. These include:
-    Continuing engagement with government and industry leaders in China to create an open dialogue about the importance of trade and innovation to Chinese food security objectives;
-    Continuing to monitor the performance of the European Commission on issuing approvals to determine if MAIZALL needs to re-engage in that region; and
-    Improving capacity to communicate to both the World Trade Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations the impacts that biotechnology regulations have on trade and, in turn, the ability of farmers to meet global demand.



Pro Farmer U.S. 2016 Corn and Soybean Crop Estimates

Corn: 14.728 billion bu.; Average yield of 170.2 bu. per acre
Corn /- 1% = 14.875 billion bu. to 14.581 billion bu.; 171.9 bu. to 168.5 bu. per acre

Soybeans: 4.093 billion bu.; Average yield of 49.3 bu. per acre
Soybeans /- 2% = 4.175 billion bu. to 4.011 billion bu.; 50.3 bu. to 48.3 bu. per acre

Note: These estimates are based on assumptions for normal weather through September. With a normal finish to the growing season, the soybean crop stands to benefit more from weather than corn. Rains rolled across the Corn Belt during Crop Tour. When we get our boots wet when sampling fields on Crop Tour, it’s typically a good thing for the soybean crop. Much of the corn crop is too advanced in maturity to benefit much if late-season weather is favorable. We made no adjustments to harvested corn or soybean acres.

Corn
Ohio: 154 bu. per acre. We didn’t find as much corn in Ohio as USDA did with its August survey work. The northwestern portion of the state showed the impacts of too much water in the spring, followed by a dry June.

Indiana: 174 bu. per acre. We found the Indiana crop vastly improved from year-ago. Portions of eastern Indiana have some “problem” areas, but yield prospects are strong in the western portion of the Hoosier state.

Illinois: 194 bu. per acre. Illinois has a great corn crop, but it’s not as good as 2014 when the state yielded 200 bu. per acre. This year’s crop isn’t as uniform as two years ago through the areas we sampled and southern portions of the state will pull down the statewide yield, unlike 2014.

Iowa: 193 bu. per acre. The Iowa corn crop is also very good, but not quite as good as its neighbor to the east. Yields were more variable in Iowa than in Illinois. Plus, stalk quality concerns could cost some producers yield.

Minnesota: 175 bu. per acre. The Minnesota corn crop was a disappointment. The crop showed impacts from the May 15 frost and three weeks of heat in late June/early July.

Nebraska: 179 bu. per acre. We found irrigated corn disappointing in the Husker state. South-central and southeastern areas are dealing with a lot of lodging and green snap.

South Dakota: 142. bu. per acre. Southeastern portions of the state got their crop planted late due to excessive spring precip. Once the crop was finally in the ground, conditions turned dry. Crop maturity has been pushed.

Soybeans
Ohio: 50 bu. per acre. While the crop has moisture to finish, pod counts were down 6.2% in our Tour samples. With the crop done flowering, what you see is what you get for pods.

Indiana: 55 bu. per acre. Pod counts in Indiana were up 7.8% from year-ago. The crop has plenty of soil moisture to fill pods and finish strong.

Illinois: 58.5 bu. per acre. The soybean crop in Illinois was exceptionally tall. While tall beans don’t always produce big yields, the Illinois soybean crop has plenty of pods and moisture to push above USDA’s August estimate.

Iowa: 58.5 bu. per acre. Iowa has potential to have a very big soybean crop. But Sudden Death Syndrome and other diseases will be an issue for some producers in eastern Iowa. That could keep yields from creeping higher.

Minnesota: 48 bu. per acre. We found a relatively consistent soybean crop in southern Minnesota. Unlike many other areas of the Corn Belt, Minnesota’s soybeans aren’t exceptionally tall, but they podded well.

Nebraska: 59 bu. per acre. The soybean crop in Nebraska is really tall, but is also heavily podded. In a change from recent years, water hemp is not a major problem across the state and shouldn’t be a yield robber this year.

South Dakota: 42 bu. per acre. The South Dakota soybean crop was tall and the distance between nodes was wide. That kept the crop from being heavily podded. On a positive note, the South Dakota soybean crop is free of disease or weed pressure.



USDA ENHANCES PORK CUTOUT
(from NPPC newsletter)

The USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is planning to enhance the pork cutout by placing additional product into the ham primal. The pork carcass cutout is an estimated value for a hog carcass based on current wholesale prices paid for sub-primal pork cuts. By adding individual muscles (insides, outsides and knuckles) to the ham primal, USDA contends the cutout will more accurately reflect today’s marketing environment and capture more product to be included in the weighted average calculation. According to analysis from USDA AMS, the enhanced cutout including insides, outsides, and knuckles is expected to lower the overall carcass cutout value by an average of -$1.41. The change is effective September 12, 2016.



Expert Panel Named to Judge Pig Farmer Award Finalists

To help build consumer trust and foster greater transparency about U.S. pork production methods, the National Pork Board announced an expert judging panel that brings a new, multi-faceted approach to selecting the second annual America’s Pig Farmer of the YearSM.

Members of the five-member panel include Dr. Robin Ganzert, president and CEO of American Humane; Kari Underly, a third-generation butcher, author and principal of Range®, Inc., a meat marketing and education firm; Dr. Justin Ransom, senior director, supply chain management at McDonald’s USA; Dr. Jodi Sterle, an associate professor of animal science at Iowa State University; and Keith Schoettmer, the 2015 America’s Pig Farmer of the Year.

“We are very pleased to have such a diverse and accomplished group of experts to judge the finalists in this year’s America’s Pig Farmer of the Year Award,” said National Pork Board President Jan Archer, a pig farmer from Goldsboro, North Carolina. “It was important to create a unique judging panel that was objective and brought a variety of perspectives to the table.”

Looking forward to the finalist judging slated for Sept. 1, Ganzert said, “As an animal lover and the leader of the country’s first national humane organization, I am honored to again serve as a judge for America’s Pig Farmer of the Year. American Humane celebrates all those, including our nation’s farmers, who care for animals and work hard to ensure they are treated humanely. Today, more than ever, it is important not only to point out where progress is needed, but to recognize when we get it right.”

Joining Ganzert on the judging panel will be Ransom of McDonald’s, who said, “I’m very pleased to have the opportunity to participate in this national award program. I am eager to learn more about how America’s best pig farmers are tackling issues such as long-term sustainability on their farms.”

The judges will evaluate and score a video produced at the finalists’ farms and then conduct in-person interviews with them. The public can view the farmers’ videos and vote for a favorite from Sept. 1 through 10 by going to www.americaspigfarmer.com. The final winner will be announced Oct. 11.



Share of Income Spent on Food Remains Consistent

In 2014, Americans spent an average of 9.7 percent of their disposable personal incomes on food.

New USDA figures show that after falling from 17.0 percent in 1960 to 10.0 percent in 1999, the share of DPI spent on total food by the average American has remained between 9.5 and 9.8 percent since 2000.

The share of DPI spent on food away from home (food purchased from restaurants, fast food places, schools, and other food-away-from-home eating places) was 3.9 percent in 2000, 4.1 percent in 2005 and, after flattening out during the 2007-09 recession through 2012, reached 4.3 percent in 2014.

In contrast, the share of DPI spent on food at home (food purchased from supermarkets, convenience stores, warehouse club stores, supercenters, and other retailers) declined from 5.8 percent in 2000 to 5.5 percent in 2014.



Growth Energy and RFA Disappointed by European Commission’s Decision to Appeal Ruling Invalidating Ethanol Duties

The Renewable Fuels Association and Growth Energy are disappointed with today’s decision by the European Commission (EC) to file an appeal with the EU General Court related to its June 2016 ruling invalidating certain ethanol duties. That ruling annulled the European Union’s 9.5 percent antidumping duty on ethanol imported from the United States produced by entities that had been selected as part of a sample group in an antidumping investigation. During the appeal process, the duty will remain on ethanol generated by these producers and all other American ethanol entering the European Union.

The duty has been in place since February 2013. On June 9, the EU General Court ruled that the five-year antidumping duty was invalid because the European Commission was required by EU law to give each sampled U.S. company its own antidumping rate. Instead, the EC applied a countrywide rate to all parties, even those for which it had more specific information. This action is in direct violation of both the European Commission’s own rules and longstanding World Trade Organization (WTO) precedent.

The EC had approximately two months from the June 9 court ruling to appeal.

In May 2013, Growth Energy and RFA filed a joint complaint, outlining violations by the European Commission in its antidumping investigation. The antidumping duty had effectively shut out U.S. ethanol producers from accessing the European market, which before the penalty was imposed had represented a 300-million-gallon market for our industry.

“While not surprising, we are disappointed with EC’s decision,” said Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen. “The antidumping duty should have never been assessed and is only hurting European consumers by shutting out the lowest-cost ethanol in the world. We will continue to fight to ensure the duty is removed.”

Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy added, “The ongoing resistance of the EC is frustrating. Their willingness to continue to pursue an unprecedented, protectionist agenda will only delay the inevitable outcome, absolving U.S. ethanol producers from any false claims of anti-dumping. We will continue to pursue all options to fight this unfounded complaint, and are confident we will be vindicated.”