Monday September 12 Crop Progress, Crop Production + Ag News

NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

For the week ending September 11, 2016, temperatures averaged two to four degrees below normal across western Nebraska, but two to four degrees above normal in the east, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Precipitation of an inch was common across north central areas, portions of the east, and central Nebraska. Southwestern areas and much of the Panhandle remained dry. Cutting Silage was active and the first fields of high moisture corn were being harvested for feedlot use. There were 5.4 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 8 percent very short, 27 short, 61 adequate, and 4 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 7 percent very short, 28 short, 63 adequate, and 2 surplus.

Field Crops Report:
Corn condition rated 1 percent very poor, 5 poor, 20 fair, 57 good, and 17 excellent. Corn dented was 89 percent, ahead of 83 last year, and near the five-year average of 87. Mature was 28 percent, ahead of 23 last year, and near 25 average. Harvested was 1 percent, equal to last year, and near 4 average.
Sorghum condition rated 0 percent very poor, 1 poor, 14 fair, 64 good, and 21 excellent. Sorghum coloring was 95 percent, ahead of 81 last year, and well ahead of 75 average. Mature was 22 percent, ahead of 9 last year and 7 average.

Soybeans condition rated 1 percent very poor, 3 poor, 19 fair, 60 good, and 17 excellent. Soybeans dropping leaves was 29 percent, near 33 last year, but ahead of 22 average.

Winter wheat planted was 19 percent, ahead of 13 last year, and near 16 average.

Alfalfa condition rated 4 percent very poor, 3 poor, 21 fair, 59 good, and 13 excellent. Alfalfa fourth cutting was 51 percent, near 55 last year, but ahead of 45 average.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 3 percent very poor, 9 poor, 25 fair, 55 good, and 8 excellent. Stock water supplies rated 1 percent very short, 12 short, 86 adequate, and 1 surplus.



IOWA CROP PROGRESS & CONDITION REPORT

Iowa’s wettest week of the year, with especially heavy rains in northern Iowa, limited fieldwork during the week ending September 11, 2016, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Statewide there were just 3.7 days suitable for fieldwork. Producers reported seeing corn stalk rot and stress on soybeans due to excessive moisture. Activities for the week included chopping corn for silage, seed corn harvest and cutting hay.

Topsoil moisture levels rated 1 percent very short, 3 percent short, 86 percent adequate and 10 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 1 percent very short, 6 percent short, 84 percent adequate and 9 percent surplus.

Ninety percent of the corn crop reached the dent stage or beyond, 5 days ahead of the five-year average. Twenty-nine percent of corn had reached maturity, 3 days ahead of last year, but 1 day behind average. Corn condition rated 83 percent good to excellent.

Sixty-two percent of soybeans have started to turn color, 2 days ahead of last year’s pace. Nineteen percent of soybeans were dropping leaves, 3 days ahead of average. Soybean condition rated 82 percent good to excellent.

The third cutting of alfalfa hay was 91 percent complete, two weeks ahead of last year. Producers in several parts of the State have been working on a fourth cutting of hay. Especially green and productive for late summer, pasture condition improved slightly to 65 percent good to excellent. Livestock conditions were reported as excellent although there were a few reports of muddy feedlots.



USDA Weekly Crop Progress

Five percent of the nation's corn crop had been harvested as of Sept. 11, according to USDA's latest Crop Progress report released Monday. Illinois and Indiana reported 3% of their crops were in the bin, while Iowa and Nebraska logged 1% harvested.

Eighty-seven percent of the nation's corn is in the dent stage, compared to 76% last week, 84% last year and an 82% average. Thirty-three percent of the corn is mature, compared to 18% last week, 31% last year and a 32% average. Corn condition held steady at 74% good to excellent.

Soybeans were 26% dropping leaves, compared to 12% last week, 30% last year and a 25% average. Soybean condition ratings held steady at 73% good to excellent.

Winter wheat planting was reported for the first time this growing season with 6% in the ground, compared to 7% last year and a 7% five-year average. Ninety-four percent of spring wheat has been harvested, compared to 91% last week, 96% last year and an 86% average. Hultman said Monday's numbers are neutral for spring and winter wheat.

Forty-one percent of cotton had bolls opening, compared to 33% last week, 42% last year and a 45% average. Cotton harvested was reported for the first time this growing season at 4% complete, compared to 3% last year and a 5% average. Cotton condition worsened slightly to 16% poor to very poor, compared to 15% last week.

Fifty percent of the rice crop was harvested, compared to 35% last week, 41% last year and a 39% average. Rice condition decreased to 17% poor to very poor, compared to 15% last week.

Sorghum was 83% coloring, compared to 74% last week, 80% last year and a 72% average. Forty-four percent of sorghum was mature, compared to 38% last week, 40% last year and a five-year average of 38%. Twenty-six percent of the crop is harvested, compared to 20% last week, 26% last year and a 27% average. Sorghum condition decreased slightly to 65% good to excellent, compared 66% last week.

Barley is 95% harvested, compared to 91% last week, 98% last year and a 92% average.



NEBRASKA CROP PRODUCTION REPORT

Based on September 1 conditions, Nebraska's 2016 corn crop is forecast at a record high 1.73 billion bushels, up 2 percent from last year, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.  Acreage harvested for grain is estimated at 9.40 million acres, up 3 percent from a year ago.  Average yield is forecast at 184 bushels per acre, down 1 bushel from last year.

Soybean production in Nebraska is forecast at a record high 310 million bushels, up 1 percent from last year. Area for harvest, at 5.25 million acres, is down slightly from 2015. Record high yield is forecast at 59 bushels per acre, up 1 bushel from a year ago.

Sorghum production of 13.4 million bushels is down 42 percent from a year ago. Area for grain harvest of 150,000 acres is down 38 percent from last year. Yield is forecast at 89 bushels per acre, down 7 bushels from last year.



IOWA CROP PRODUCTION REPORT

 Iowa corn production is forecast at 2.67 billion bushels according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Crop Production report. If realized, production would be a record high, topping last year’s record of 2.51 billion bushels. Based on conditions as of September 1, yields are expected to average 196 bushels per acre, down 1 bushel from the August 1 forecast, but up 4 bushels per acre from last year. If realized, yield would set a new record high for a second consecutive year. Acres harvested for grain remain unchanged at 13.6 million acres.

Soybean production is forecast at 560 million bushels. If realized, this will be a new record, exceeding last year’s record high of 554 million bushels. The September 1 yield forecast is a record high 58 bushels per acre, 1.5 bushels more than the previous record set last year. Area harvested remained unchanged at 9.65 million acres.

All crop forecasts in this report are based on September 1 conditions and do not reflect weather effects since that time. The next production forecasts, based on conditions as of October 1, will be released on October 12.



USDA Crop Production Report - Sept 12, 2016
Corn Production Down Less Than 1 Percent from August Forecast
Soybean Production Up 3 Percent
Cotton Production Up 2 Percent

Corn production is forecast at 15.1 billion bushels, up 11 percent from last year but down less than one percent from the August forecast. Based on conditions as of September 1, yields are expected to average 174.4 bushels per acre, down 0.7 bushel from the August forecast but up 6 bushels from 2015. If realized, this will be the highest yield and production on record for the United States. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 86.6 million acres, unchanged from the August forecast, but up 7 percent from 2015.

Soybean production is forecast at a record 4.20 billion bushels, up 3 percent from August and up 7 percent from last year. Based on September 1 conditions, yields are expected to average a record 50.6 bushels per acre, up 1.7 bushels from last month and up 2.6 bushels from last year. Area for harvest in the United States is forecast at a record 83.0 million acres, unchanged from August but up 1 percent from 2015.



USDA Projects Record Corn Production and Yield
   
Corn production is forecast at 15.093 billion bushels, down 61 million from last month, according to the World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimates Report released today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Corn supplies for 2016/17 are lowered from last month, but are still forecast at a record 16.859 billion bushels.

USDA also reduced the average U.S. corn yield by 0.7 bushels per acre to 174.4. If realized, these figures would still represent record yield and production numbers. The average price was increased by 5 cents to $3.20 per bushel.

Chip Bowling, President of National Corn Growers Association, said the report is further evidence of the challenges family farmers are facing.

"The farm economy is in peril. If this trend continues, it means fewer family farms, fewer jobs, and fewer dollars being invested back into rural communities," said Bowling, who farms corn, soybeans, and sorghum in Newburg, Maryland. "Farmers, industry, and government all have a responsibility to step up and work together to solve this challenge. We need to invest in our industry and open markets around the world and right here at home."

"In Washington, the single biggest thing Congress can do to help rural America right now is pass the Trans-Pacific Partnership in 2016. Every day that goes by without an agreement hurts America's farmers and ranchers," said Bowling.

"Ethanol is also an important piece of the puzzle. The EPA must uphold the Renewable Fuel Standard and bring the 2017 ethanol volume back up to statute. At the same time, farmers, the ethanol industry, and government must continue working together to grow our nation's fuel infrastructure, giving consumers across America greater access to renewable fuel choices."

Feed and residual usage was reduced by 25 million bushels; ethanol, other FSI and export projects were unchanged. Carry-in was increased by 10 million bushels.



Gard Appointed to Serve on Nebraska Ethanol Board

Randy Gard, Bosselman Enterprises executive director, joins the Nebraska Ethanol Board as the petroleum representative. He was appointed by Gov. Pete Ricketts Sept. 1.

Gard has more than 30 years of business development and management experience. Currently, he serves as executive director of Bosselman Enterprises and is a board member for the Bosselman family of companies. Responsibilities include executive and strategic oversight of both corporations.

Gard is a former member of the Grand Island City Council, former president of the Grand Island Economic Development Corporation, St. Francis Board of Trustees, president of the Riverside Golf Club Board of Directors, member of the Fonner Park Board of Directors and former board member of the Hall County Airport Authority.

Charles ‘Tod’ Brodersen of Thomsen Oil Company in Hastings, Nebraska, was recognized for his board service from September 2000 to August 2016.  Brodersen preceded Gard as the petroleum representative on the Ethanol Board.

Gard joins current board members: Paul Kenney, chairman (Kearney, Neb.); Mike Thede, vice chairman (Palmer, Neb.); Mark Ondracek, secretary (Omaha, Neb.); Galen Frenzen (Fullerton, Neb.); Tim Else (Belvidere, Neb.); Jan tenBensel (Cambridge, Neb.); and University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chemical Engineering Professor Hunter Flodman, who serves as the board’s technical advisor.

Members of the Nebraska Ethanol Board are appointed by the Governor to serve four year terms. The seven-member board includes four members actively engaged in farming (general farming, corn, wheat and sorghum), one member representing labor interests, one member representing petroleum marketers and one member representing business. The Board’s technical advisor serves as a non-voting member.



WEEDS IN ALFALFA MAY SUGGEST RESEEDING
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist

               Did weeds take over your alfalfa this summer?  Well, join the crowd.  So, why were the weeds so vigorous and what might happen to your alfalfa?

               Weeds seemed to show up everywhere in alfalfa fields during August.  And I'm not exactly sure why.  One thing is for sure, though.  The weeds were worst in older fields, thinner stands, and in areas where rainfall was higher than normal.

               Summer weeds that invade alfalfa when rain is heavy isn't unusual, especially if it is wet right after harvest.  Alfalfa stubble just doesn't compete well with weeds, so weed growth gets a jump start on the alfalfa.

               If the alfalfa plants are healthy and vigorous, though, this weed invasion should be just a temporary problem.  After the next cutting, or maybe as late a next year, most weeds will disappear and the alfalfa will take over again.

               What I'm more concerned about are your older fields, those fields starting to get a little thin.  I've noticed this year that many alfalfa fields seemed to be getting weaker and weaker as the year went on, especially if they were harvested within a month of the previous cut.        What I think is happening is that alfalfa plants in many fields have slowly been weakened naturally by root and crown diseases, but they weren't killed.  Then, as the summer went on, the weakened root systems eventually couldn't handle the stress caused by frequent harvesting.  So plants slowly died.  And weeds invaded the open areas.

               If this scenario describes one or more of your alfalfa fields, check it closely this fall.  It might be time to reseed.

               Preparing to reseed now will help avoid bad surprises next spring.



NPPC, Farm Bureau Win FOIA Case Against EPA

A federal appeals court Friday overruled a lower court decision to throw out a lawsuit brought by the National Pork Producers Council and the American Farm Bureau Federation against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over its release to environmental groups of personal information on tens of thousands of farmers.

In late 2015, a U.S. district court dismissed the NPPC-Farm Bureau suit for lack of standing. But the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit in St. Louis ruled that “the associations have established a concrete and particularized injury in fact traceable to the EPA’s action and redressable by judicial relief.”

“EPA’s release of sensitive, private and personal materials on more than 100,000 farmers and ranchers was an outrageous abuse of its power and trust,” said NPPC President John Weber, a pork producer from Dysart, Iowa. “We are very pleased with the Court of Appeals’ decision to reinstate our lawsuit to prevent the EPA from doing this again.”

The case stems from the February 2013 release by EPA’s Office of Water to several activist groups, which filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, of extensive private and personal information the agency had collected on farmers in 29 states. (EPA gathered the information despite being forced in 2012 to drop a proposed data reporting rule for large farms because of concerns about the privacy and biosecurity of family farms.)

After objections from NPPC, the Farm Bureau and other agricultural groups, EPA requested that the activist organizations return the data, but the agency subsequently was prepared to release additional farm information it collected from seven other states. NPPC and the Farm Bureau also objected to the additional release, and in July 2014 filed suit against EPA in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, seeking injunctive relief.

The district court dismissed the suit, claiming that neither NPPC nor the Farm Bureau had standing to sue since some of the farm data could be obtained from other sources. The two agricultural organizations appealed the ruling and sought a protective order to prevent release of any farm information while the appeal was pending. The district court did grant the order.

In its unanimous ruling, the 8th Circuit determined that EPA “abused its discretion in deciding that the information at issue was not exempt from mandatory disclosure under Exemption 6 [personal privacy interests] of FOIA.”

“NPPC will vigorously defend the rights and privacy of its producers against outrageous and unethical government actions,” Weber said.



EPA Violated Personal Privacy of Farmers, Ranchers

The Environmental Protection Agency has violated the personal privacy of tens of thousands of farmers and ranchers, according to a unanimous ruling issued by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

The ruling in American Farm Bureau Federation and National Pork Producers Council vs. EPA concerned the federal agency’s 2013 release to three environmental groups of a vast compilation of spreadsheets containing personal information about farmers and ranchers who raise livestock and poultry in 29 states. The case also related to similar personal information from farmers and ranchers in six additional states that had yet to be released. The information included the names of farmers, ranchers and sometimes other family members, home addresses, GPS coordinates, telephone numbers and emails. EPA claimed that it was required to disclose the information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

“This was an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy by a federal agency in violation of law,” said AFBF General Counsel Ellen Steen. “The court’s decision is a vindication of the right of farm families to control their own personal information. Farmers and ranchers have a strong privacy interest in their personal information, including their home address, even when they live and work on the farm.”

Farm families usually live on the farm and the court took note that EPA’s disclosures in this case could facilitate unwanted contact and harassment of farmers and ranchers by the FOIA requestors and others. According to Steen, “this case assures us that individuals still have a privacy interest in their personal information. The fact that government agencies may have that information and even store it on the Internet does not eliminate the individual’s privacy interest.” According to the court, “EPA’s release of the complete set of data on a silver platter, so to speak, basically hands to the requesters a comprehensive database of their own, whatever their motives might be.”

“EPA now has to ‘recall’ all of the personal information it unlawfully released, but unfortunately that information has now been in the hands of the FOIA requestors for three years, and many feel that the damage is done,” Steen said. “AFBF will continue to work to ensure that personal information about farmers and ranchers is not disclosed by EPA.”



Fischer Statement on CAFO Data Release Ruling

On Friday, September 9, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the EPA’s release of personal information related to concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) was a violation of privacy. U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement in support of the ruling:

“The EPA blatantly violated the privacy of Nebraska ag producers with this data release. I’m pleased that the court has confirmed what many in Nebraska knew all along: the release of this private and confidential information was illegal.

“The EPA must end their shameless disregard for the Constitutional rights of our citizens and operate within the law, not outside it. I will continue to monitor this case and conduct aggressive oversight to ensure the privacy rights of all private citizens and businesses are protected.”

Senator Fischer has worked for years to hold the EPA accountable for their actions. Friday’s ruling by the 8th Circuit stems from a 2012 request by environmental groups to the EPA under the Freedom of Information Act. The EPA proceeded to release data on private businesses and farms in February 2013. This information included the animal type and number of head, as well as the personal contact information, including the names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of livestock owners.

In July 2013, Fischer cosponsored legislation, known as the Farmer Identity Protection Act, to prevent the EPA from disclosing the private information of farmers and ranchers. She also joined several of her colleagues in a 2013 letter to  Acting EPA Administrator Bob Perciasepe, demanding answers for the agency’s decision to release personal and confidential business information of Nebraskans.



Farm Safety Week Observed Sept. 18-24

The Iowa Farm Safety and Health Week will be held Sept. 18-24 in conjunction with the National Farm Safety and Health Week. This year’s theme is “Farm Safety…A Legacy to be Proud Of."

This is the 73rd observance of the National Farm Safety and Health Week that was originally declared by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Roosevelt signed the first proclamation for farm safety in 1944 because of the high injury rate in agriculture that was impacting the nation’s production efforts during World War II.

farm safety week imageNearly 75 years later agriculture still ranks as the most dangerous industry in the United States.

Today, safety professionals use this week to remind those working within the industry to be careful. Agriculture has the highest annual death rates per 100,000 workers in the nation, surpassing all the other industries including mining, construction and manufacturing. Agriculture’s death rate is more than five times higher than all U.S. industries combined. This high death rate is why Iowans must use safe farming practices during harvest and throughout the year.

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad signed a proclamation Sept. 9 to commemorate the week. The proclamation calls for all Iowans to “work together to control and mitigate these farm risks.” Working to make farms safer is crucial to a state like Iowa that has more than 90 percent of its land used in agriculture and distributes more than $10 billion worth of agricultural products each year, the proclamation notes.

The Iowa Farm Safety Council encourages Iowans to make better safety and health decisions this harvest season and during the next year. You can prepare to prevent serious injuries and death by:
-    cautiously approaching field adjustments or repairs,
-    taking precautions to avoid slips and falls,
-    making smart decisions while assigning tasks to youth, and
-    understanding how physical abilities change with aging.

Join the Iowa Farm Safety Council and the National Safety Council in promoting safety during the 73rd annual National Farm Safety and Health Week Sept. 18-24, 2016. During this time please encourage others to adopt safe practices and behaviors as we prepare to prevent injuries during this harvest season.



American Soybean Association Seeks Candidates for Soy Scholarship

The American Soybean Association (ASA) wants to give a scholarship to a high school senior interested in pursuing agriculture.

The Soy Scholarship is a $5,000 one-time award presented to a high school senior who plans to pursue agriculture as an area of study at any accredited college or university in the 2017-18 academic year. The scholarship is managed by ASA and made possible through a grant by BASF Corporation. High school seniors may apply online Sept. 12 through Nov. 21, 2016.

"ASA is thankful to once again partner with BASF and offer this opportunity to an exceptional student pursuing a career in ag,” said ASA President Richard Wilkins, Greenwood, Del. "It’s important to encourage young people who are interested in agriculture and provide them with tools to help them succeed.”

ASA and BASF have rewarded students for their hard work and interest in agriculture since 2008.

Laura Thompson, ASA’s first Soy Scholarship recipient, now works as cropping systems and agriculture technologies extension educator for the Nebraska Extension. She said the scholarship helped her on the path to her career in agriculture.

“Receiving the SOY scholarship allowed me to focus on my studies and take advantage of opportunities, such as extracurricular activities, rather than having to worry about finances. Being able to attending the Commodity Classic was an added benefit,” Thompson said. “At the Commodity Classic I was exposed to many different aspects of agriculture and met many interesting people – this really broadened my horizons and enriched my understanding of agriculture.”

The scholarship is presented in $2,500 increments per semester. The student must be a child or grandchild of a current state affiliate and ASA member, maintain successful academic progress and be in good standing with the college or university to receive the full amount of the scholarship.

Final selection will be made the first week of December during the ASA Board meeting. The student will be notified prior to an official announcement made during Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Texas the week of March 2-4, 2017.

"BASF, like ASA, is excited to support and help prepare the next generation of agriculture professionals," said Neil Bentley, director of marketing, US Crop, BASF. “This scholarship program is a way to reward students interested in our industry and excel in their studies."

BASF sponsors the winner and one parent or guardian to attend Commodity Classic to participate and receive special recognition at their booth on Thursday and the ASA Awards Banquet on Friday.



NFU Hosts 275 Farmers Union Members in D.C. for Fall Legislative Fly-In

Today, 275 Farmers Union members gathered in Washington D.C. for the National Farmers Union (NFU) Fall Legislative Fly-In. The annual event allows Farmers Union members from across the country to meet directly with lawmakers, USDA leaders and other administration officials to discuss issues important to family farmers and ranchers.

“Family farmers and ranchers are the best advocates we have for agriculture, and NFU’s annual legislative fly-in is an important part of our ongoing grassroots advocacy efforts,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “We emphasize to our members the importance of having open dialogue and building relationships with their elected officials in order to have their viewpoints represented in food and farm policy discussions.”

The four-day event began today with a briefing at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). NFU members heard from USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, USDA Chief Economist Robert Johansson, Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief Jason Weller and USDA Risk Management Agency Administrator Brandon Willis. President Johnson and NFU government relations representatives also provided remarks.

NFU members will be meeting with lawmakers over the next several days to advocate for legislative priorities that will affect their operations and communities, including: Farm Bill programs and the farm safety net, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the Renewable Fuel Standard and corporate consolidation in agriculture.

“NFU’s annual fly-in is a good opportunity for our members to follow up on the conversations they’ve had with their elected officials during the August congressional recess. There are several issues still on the table this fall that NFU members will be advocating to lawmakers this week,” Johnson said.

NFU’s Legislative Fly-In will run through September 14th. More information about the fly-in is available on the NFU website.



Dairy Groups Across the Globe Urge Trade Officials to Challenge New Protectionist Dairy Policy in Canada

Dairy organizations in the United States, Australia, the European Union, Mexico and New Zealand today issued a joint letter to their respective trade and agriculture officials, expressing indignation about Canada’s recent actions to deepen its already prohibitive restrictions on dairy trade.

The groups said Canada’s increasingly protectionist policies violate “international trade obligations, hold out the prospect of trade diversion with attendant global price-depressing impacts and are in conflict with the principles of free markets and fair and transparent trade.”

The U.S. groups, including the National Milk Producers Federation, the U.S. Dairy Export Council and the International Dairy Foods Association, oppose a Canadian Agreement in Principle recently concluded between Canada’s dairy producers and processors. The agreement, which is undergoing finalization and review in Canada, would provide an incentive to substitute Canadian dairy ingredients for imported dairy ingredients and would unfairly subsidize exports of Canadian dairy products. If ratified, the agreement would take effect November 1, 2016.

In addition to the three U.S. organizations, the other dairy groups are the Australian Dairy Industry Council, the European Dairy Association, the European Whey Products Association, the European Association of Dairy Trade, Mexico National Chamber of Industrial Milk and the Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand. Each of the dairy organizations asked officials in their respective countries to initiate a WTO dispute settlement proceeding to challenge the agreement once its details are announced.

In the letter sent jointly to U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman and to the other government trade officials, the dairy organizations stated that the Agreement in Principle would breach Canada’s trade obligations under the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). They said it also would undermine the intent of the pending Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).

“Canada’s continued disregard for the provisions in its pacts with trade partners is unacceptable,” said Connie Tipton, president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association. “These protectionist policies are in direct conflict with the principles of free markets and fair trade, which trade agreements like TPP aim to promote.”

“The dairy trade situation with Canada has gone from bad to worse this year and now Canada is contemplating doubling down on that terrible track record,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation. “Enough is enough; Canada needs to stop shirking its dairy commitments and hold up its end of already negotiated agreements.”

“For years U.S. exporters have borne the brunt of a continuing procession of new Canadian policy tools intended to curtail dairy imports,” said Tom Suber, president of the U.S. Dairy Export Council. “TPP has included new features to move toward more open trade by expanding market access compared to the status quo; but Canada’s been doing its best to erode longstanding existing access as much as possible before this agreement is even put in place.”



FARM Program, Merck Animal Health to Jointly Offer Animal Care Training Webinars for Version 3.0

The Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program announced today it is teaming up with Merck Animal Health to offer a series of informational webinars as part of the FARM Version 3.0 rollout. This webinar series will further build upon the strong partnership between the Merck Dairy Care365® Program and the FARM Program that was established last year.

The National Milk Producers Federation and Merck Animal Health announced last summer that the two groups would collaborate to help ensure a comprehensive, industry-wide approach to employee training and animal care in the dairy industry. Through the partnership, dairy producers across the country have access to the tools, resources and workshops available through the Merck Animal Health Dairy C.A.R.E.™* Initiative, which is nicely designed to complement FARM.

The partnership will produce 10 webinars on various animal care topics, including calf care, stockmanship, antimicrobial stewardship and more. Participation in these webinars will help dairy farmers meet the new training requirements established in FARM Version 3.0. Each month will feature a different topic and will be recorded for viewing at a later date.

“Merck’s proactive, engaging partnership has greatly strengthened the FARM Animal Care Program and we are grateful for their support for the program again this year,” said NMPF Chief of Staff Emily Meredith, who also leads the FARM Program. “These webinars, hosted by Merck Animal Health and leading animal health and welfare experts, will provide valuable training resources to producers and their employees.”

“Dairy C.A.R.E. was developed to help producers provide the best animal care by maintaining sound policies, hiring the right people and making sure they are properly trained – and our partnership with NMPF is a natural fit,” said Rick Jackson, Merck Animal Health U.S. dairy product manager. “The new webinar series helps us meet our goal of offering supplemental materials dairy farmers can use to meet the new requirements under FARM Version 3.0 while supporting the significant efforts of dairy producers to continuously improve the care and handling of their animals.”

In addition to hosting the webinars, the Merck Animal Health Dairy Care365 animal handling training videos will be available for viewing on the National Dairy FARM Program website. These videos were shot on farms to provide a realistic representation of how cows behave and react to their surroundings. Through these videos, employees can learn how to work with dairy cattle and youngstock safely and effectively, move cows to the milking parlor, and handle non-ambulatory cows, among other topics.

Merck Animal Health will enhance the availability of its already existing training materials by also posting content on its own FARM Program website.

Both Merck Animal Health and the FARM Program support the significant efforts of dairy producers to continuously improve the care and handling of their animals.



Agrium, Potash to Merge

Canadian fertilizer giants Agrium Inc. and Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan Inc. said they would merge to create one of the largest crop nutrient companies in the world with $20.6 billion in annual revenue.

Potash shareholders will receive 0.4 common share of the new company for each common share they own and Agrium shareholders will receive 2.23 common shares of the new company for each common share of Agrium they own. On Friday, Potash shares closed at CAD$124.14 ($94.69) and Agrium shares closed at CAD$22.14.

The combined company will have nearly 20,000 employees and an enterprise value, including debt, of about $36 billion.

Potash shareholders will own about 52% of the new company and Agrium shareholders will own about 48%.

The two companies said the merger combines potash, nitrogen and phosphate production assets with an agricultural retail network. Nitrogen, phosphorous and potash, a compound of potassium, are essential for plant life. Modern farmers uses these primary nutrients in large amounts plus additional ones to assure plant health and proper ripening.

A merger would help Saskatchewan-based Potash, the world's largest fertilizer producer by capacity, insulate its earnings against volatile moves in crop nutrient prices by giving it access to Agrium's steadier retail business that sells fertilizer, seeds and other products to farmers.

For Calgary-based Agrium, the deal would greatly expand its product of potash and other fertilizer ingredients, representing a bet that demand and prices for these products have bottomed and are poised for a rebound.

The companies estimate that the deal will generate up to $500 million in annual operating synergies from distribution and retail integration, production and general expense optimization and procurement benefits.

The companies first announced they were in preliminary discussions late last month.

Potash's Chief Executive Jochen Tilk will be executive chairman of the combined company and Agrium's chief, Chuck Magro, will be CEO. The new company will be based in Saskatoon, Potash's current headquarters.

The deal is expected to close in mid-2017 and is subject customary closing conditions, including approvals by regulators, Canadian courts and shareholders.

The merger between Potash and Agrium adds to a string of transactions involving the global farming sector, including the pending merger of Dow Chemical Co. and DuPont Co. and China National Chemical Corp.'s planned takeover of Swiss pesticide and seed company Syngenta AG.

U.S. lawmakers said last month that they plan to hold a hearing to examine this wave of mergers, saying the deals could potentially reduce competition and lead to higher prices.



EPA approves new Agrisure® trait stack from Syngenta for above-ground corn insect control

Agrisure® 3120 E-Z Refuge®, a new trait stack from Syngenta, has received registration approval from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Agrisure 3120 E-Z Refuge offers above-ground insect control, featuring two modes of action against corn borer and control of ear-feeding insects, with the convenience of an integrated refuge product.

“Syngenta developed Agrisure 3120 E-Z Refuge as a part of our ongoing commitment to providing growers with more options to meet the need for above-ground control,” said Iris Tzafrir, commercial traits product lead with Syngenta. “This new trait stack is a great solution for growers interested in controlling above-ground insect pressure from pests like European corn borer and western bean cutworm, both of which have been prevalent this season.”

Agrisure 3120 E-Z Refuge will be available for 2017 planting from Syngenta seed brands Golden Harvest® and NK® Corn and through licensing agreements with other seed companies. Additionally, growers will have access to the insect control benefits of Agrisure 3120 E-Z Refuge in combination with Agrisure Artesian® technology for water optimization designated as Agrisure 3120A E-Z Refuge.

Hybrids containing Agrisure 3120 E-Z Refuge or Agrisure 3120A E-Z Refuge will be available for sale immediately in states were all regulatory approvals have been granted. In states where additional approvals are required, sales will not begin until receipt of such approvals.