Friday October 28 Ag News

NC Hosts Price Discovery & Market Volatility Forum

Your input is valuable in providing Nebraska Cattlemen leadership and staff direction prior to the upcoming annual convention. Join them to learn of NC efforts and actions regarding market conditions.  This is exclusive to current paid members.  Forum locations and dates include...

Monday, November 7, 2016
1:00 pm CST LOUP Room
River's Edge Convention Center
265 33rd Ave, Columbus, NE

Monday, November 7, 2016
7:00 pm CST
Nielsen Community Center
200 Anna Stalp Avenue, West Point, NE



Dirt Rich or Dirt Poor: Principles of Soil Health, Adaptive Grazing and Cover Crop Livestock Integration
The Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition and Nebraska Extension Present: Dirt Rich or Dirt Poor: Principles of Soil Health, Adaptive Grazing and Cover Crop Livestock Integration. Featuring Allen Williams.  Stops include....

Tuesday, November 15, 2016
5 PM - 9 PM (Central time) Gage Co. Extension Office Meeting Room, Beatrice, NE
Contact Paul Hay, Nebraska Extension in Gage County - 402 223 1384 or 402 239 1341

Wednesday, November 16, 2016
10 AM - 2 PM (Central time) Northeast Community College Lifelong Learning Center, Norfolk, NE
Contact Wayne Ohnesorg, Nebraska Extension in Madison County - 402 370 4040

Cost $15 which covers the cost of the meal. NGLC will pick up the cost of all student registrations. Must preregister by November 7 to reserve a meal by calling the UNL Extension office indicated.

Registrations will be taken until full. For more information, contact Ron Bolze, Coordinator, Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition, 402 321 0067 (cell) or ron@nebraskagrazinglands.org.



NE Corn Board to Meet

The Nebraska Corn Board will hold its next meeting, Monday, November 21, 2016 and Tuesday, November 22, 2016 at Cornhusker Marriott in Lincoln, Nebraska.

The Board will be in a Strategic Planning Session on November 21st and the part of the morning on November 22nd. The board will address regular board business the afternoon of November 22nd. The meeting is open to the public. A copy of the agenda is available by calling either 402/471-2676 or 800-NECORN1 or by emailing susan.zabel@nebraska.gov.



Wait for Soil Temps to Remain Below 50 Degrees to Apply Anhydrous Ammonia

Farmers are reminded to wait until soil temperatures remain below 50 degrees Fahrenheit before applying anhydrous ammonia (NH3) fertilizer this fall. Soil temperatures have been slow to cool due to the unusually warm late October temperatures, and officials with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach said that waiting can help reduce nitrogen loss and better protects the environment.

“It is important that farmers wait for cooler soil temps to apply anhydrous so that there is a better chance the fertilizer stays put and will be available to the crop next spring,” said Bill Northey, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture. “Soil temperatures, like air temperatures, can change quickly so it is important that we wait with applications until soils are likely to remain below 50 degrees.”

ISU Extension and Outreach maintains a statewide real-time soil temperature data map on its website that agriculture retailers and farmers use to determine when fall N applications are appropriate. The website can be found at extension.agron.iastate.edu/NPKnowledge.

“The reason for waiting to apply anhydrous ammonia until soils are cold is that nitrification, the process of biological conversion of ammonium to nitrate, occurs at a more rapid rate with warm soils. Since ammonium-N does not leach and is not subject to denitrification, as is nitrate, it is more stable in the soil,” said John Sawyer, professor and extension specialist in soil fertility and nutrient management at Iowa State University.

In addition to waiting for soils to cool below 50 degrees, use of a nitrification inhibitor should be considered to help further slow conversion to nitrate.

Temperature is only one soil condition that farmers should consider when applying anhydrous ammonia. Making sure that the soil is not too dry, too hard or too wet, will reduce injection issues that allow ammonia to move to the soil surface and be lost to the air. If conditions are not suitable, then waiting for better conditions is suggested.

Farmers with questions about timing of fertilizer applications can talk to their local ISU Extension and Outreach field specialist or their ag retailer for more information.



Educational Program for Sheep Producers to be Held in Ames

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host an educational program for sheep producers on Nov. 19 in Ames, Iowa. The event will be held at the Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center and will feature speakers Dan Morrical and Curtis Youngs.

Registration will begin at 9:30 a.m. and the cost is $5 per person.

“The focus of the presentations in this session are part of the industry roadmap goals to increase lamb crop and improve consumer satisfaction with American lamb,” said Morrical, professor in animal science and extension sheep specialist at Iowa State.

Morrical will present at 10 a.m. on the new veterinary feed directive and its impact on sheep producers. He will also provide information on producing better market lambs at 11:30 a.m.

Youngs, professor in animal science at Iowa State University, will inform attendees on critical management factors to achieve a high lamb crop during a presentation at 10:30 a.m.

There are two options for the day’s afternoon sessions. Morrical will speak on evaluating lamb carcasses and using Sheep Brands computer ration software to balance rations, beginning at 1:15 p.m. in Kildee Hall on the Iowa State campus.

The second option is hands-on skills development held at the ISU Sheep Teaching Farm and presented by Youngs and Joe Sellers, beef specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach.

An educational program designed specifically for youth and led by Amy Powell, extension program specialist in animal science at Iowa State, will also be held at 10 a.m. Youth who attend will learn about lambing management and newborn lamb care. In the afternoon session youth can select either option. 

The event is sponsored by ISU Extension and Outreach and Premier Sheep Supply. Contact Morrical at 515-294-2904 or morrical@iastate.edu with any questions.



Farm Lending Declines, But Remains Elevated

Farm lending at commercial banks declined in the third quarter of 2016, but remained elevated as lenders continued to assess the downturn in the U.S. agricultural economy, according to the Federal Reserve's Agricultural Finance Databook.

The need for short-term financing in the farm sector remained high as profit margins remained weak. The volume of farm loans originated in the third quarter decreased about 19 percent from a year ago but remained elevated by historical standards.

Consistent with recent trends, loans for operating expenses continued to drive the demand for new loans. So far in 2016, loans used to finance operating expenses have comprised about 70 percent of all non-real estate farm loans and nearly 60 percent of total loan volume.

Alongside growing risk in the sector and slight declines in loan performance, agricultural bankers made modest adjustments to loan terms. Bankers also continued to rely more heavily on farm real estate as collateral.

Most prominently, the share of collateral on loans of more than $250,000 that was comprised of farm real estate increased from 10 percent to 32 percent. The sharp increase reversed a five-year decline in the use of farm real estate as a share of total collateral on non-real estate loans.

Farmland values continued to decline at a modest pace, which may put further pressure on agricultural credit conditions for some borrowers.



USDA Invests $1.7 Billion to Protect Sensitive Agricultural Lands through CRP

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will issue nearly $1.7 billion in payments to more than half of a million Americans who have contracts with the government to protect sensitive agricultural lands. The investment, part of the voluntary USDA Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), will allow producers to protect almost 24 million acres of wetlands, grasslands and wildlife habitat in 2016.

CRP provides financial assistance to farmers and ranchers who remove environmentally sensitive land from production to be planted with certain grasses, shrubs and trees that improve water quality, prevent soil erosion, and increase wildlife habitat. In return for enrolling in CRP, USDA, through the Farm Service Agency (FSA), provides participants with rental payments and cost-share assistance. Landowners enter into contracts that last between 10 and 15 years.

"We have seen record demand to participate in this important program," said Vilsack. "Despite the current enrollment limit of 24 million acres, USDA is committed to continuing our important partnerships with farmers, ranchers, state and local governments and sportsmen to maintain the environmental benefits provided by the Conservation Reserve Program."

More than 1.3 million acres were newly enrolled in CRP in fiscal year 2016 using the continuous enrollment authority, triple the pace of the previous year. In fiscal year 2016, FSA also accepted 411,000 acres through its general enrollment authority, plus 101,000 acres in the new CRP-Grasslands program, which balances conservation with working lands. More than 70 percent of the acres enrolled in CRP-Grasslands are diverse native grasslands under threat of conversion, with more than 97 percent of the acres having a new, veteran or underserved farmer or rancher as a primary producer.

During its 30-year history, CRP has reduced nitrogen and phosphorous runoff by 95 and 85 percent, respectively, and restored 2.7 million acres of wetlands. It has also protected more than 170,000 stream miles with riparian buffers, enough to go around the world seven times. The program provides 15 million acres that are beneficial to pollinators, and hundreds of thousands of acres of wildlife habitat that has resurrected waterfowl and gamebird populations, like pheasants, quail and prairie chicken.

CRP has sequestered an annual average of 49 million tons of greenhouse gases, equal to taking nine million cars off the road, and prevented nine billion tons of soil from erosion, enough to fill 600 million dump trucks.



Vilsack on How Ag Export Surge Boosted GDP Growth

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today issued the following statement:

"Today's report on gross domestic product growth in the third quarter of 2016 brings welcome news for our overall economy, and brings further affirmation that America's agriculture sector remains a shining star in our nation's ability to seize export opportunities. Economic growth has increased 2.9 percent in the third quarter of 2016, a direct result of the gains made in export sales. Exports reached 10 percent growth in the quarter, the highest since 2013, with agricultural exports contributing disproportionately to the gains. Although a strong U.S. dollar and lower commodity prices have created headwinds for America's farmers and ranchers, this report demonstrates their ability to remain resilient and to seize opportunities to sell U.S. food, fiber and fuel to markets around the world.

"In this Administration alone, agricultural exports have topped $1 trillion since 2009, far and away the best stretch in our nation's history. Our farmers and ranchers have also helped to maintain a consistent agricultural trade surplus year after year since the 1960s-a remarkable feat in our global marketplace. Since 2009, USDA has worked to remove hundreds of unfair barriers to trade; open or expand key markets for products such as beef, dairy, fruits and vegetables, and more; and led 17 trade and investment missions and attended 23 trade shows, generating billions-of-dollars in sales for U.S. businesses.

"In order to continue this momentum, we can and should do more to expand global markets. U.S. farmers are facing unprecedented competition amid a slowing global economy and appreciating dollar. That's why it is important for Congress to approve the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Exports are responsible for 20 percent of U.S. farm income, also driving rural economic activity and supporting more than one million American jobs on and off the farm. The American Farm Bureau Federation has found that ratifying the TPP agreement will boost annual net farm income in the United States by $4.4 billion-an increase which would directly boost out economic prosperity. As the agriculture sector expands, U.S. real income will increase by $57.3 billion and sixty-six percent of GDP growth from TPP would go to American workers through increased wages and job opportunities.

"Today's announcement shows the capability of America's agricultural sector to increase overall growth and prosperity across the country. American agriculture needs the good deal laid out in the TPP agreement to bolster its position in the world economy."



Broad Beef Producer Input Sought for 2016 National Beef Quality Audit

Beef producers all across the country, from every segment of the industry, are being encouraged to participate in a survey that will help establish a benchmark and course for the beef industry for 2017 and beyond. The Producer Survey of the checkoff-funded 2016 National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA) will collect producer information and opinions, which will be added to the audit's traditional production research to form an in-depth look at where the industry stands and what its successes and shortcomings are.

"It's very important that every interested producer weigh in with their information and opinions," according to Jesse Fulton, NBQA audit manager. "By having substantial participation in the survey across all industry segments, we create the best opportunity for determining where the industry is and where we need to take it."

The survey will be completely anonymous and include both information about the industry's cattle operations and the opinions of the people who run them about the strengths and weaknesses of the industry. Input from every segment of the industry - cow-calf, stocker, feeder, dairy and others - is valued and will become part of the detailed picture of the U.S. cattle industry.

The survey can be accessed at the Beef Quality Assurance website at http://www.bqa.org/nbqa-producer-survey.



USDA Announces Enrollment Period for Safety Net Coverage in 2017

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Val Dolcini today announced that producers on farms with base acres under the safety net programs established by the 2014 Farm Bill, known as the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs, can begin visiting FSA county offices starting Nov. 1, 2016, to sign contracts and enroll for the 2017 crop year. The enrollment period will continue until Aug. 1, 2017.

“FSA issued more than $7 billion in payments in October 2016 under the ARC-County and PLC programs for the 2015 crop to assist enrolled producers who suffered a loss of price or revenue or both,” said Dolcini. “Since shares and ownership of a farm can change year-to-year, producers on the farm must enroll by signing a contract each program year. I encourage you to contact your local FSA office today to schedule an appointment to enroll.”

If a farm is not enrolled during the 2017 enrollment period, the producers on that farm will not be eligible for financial assistance from the ARC or PLC programs for the 2017 crop should crop prices or farm revenues fall below the historical price or revenue benchmarks established by the program. Producers who made their elections in 2015 must still enroll during the 2017 enrollment period.

The ARC and PLC programs were authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill and offer a safety net to agricultural producers when there is a substantial drop in prices or revenues for covered commodities. Covered commodities include barley, canola, large and small chickpeas, corn, crambe, flaxseed, grain sorghum, lentils, mustard seed, oats, peanuts, dry peas, rapeseed, long grain rice, medium grain rice (which includes short grain and sweet rice), safflower seed, sesame, soybeans, sunflower seed and wheat. Upland cotton is no longer a covered commodity. For more details regarding these programs, go to www.fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc.



Cattle Weights Reached Record High in 2015

Commercial cattle slaughter has trended down since the early 2000's after a steady increase during the 1990's, according to USDA's recent livestock slaughter summary report. Cattle slaughter was 28.8 million head in 2015, down 5 percent from 2014 and the smallest annual cattle slaughter since 1963. The largest number of cattle slaughtered in the last 25 years was 36.6 million head in 1996. This coincides with the peak of the 1990 to 2004 cattle cycle.

Commercial cattle average live weights have seen a steady increase over the past 25 years and reached a record high in 2015 at 1360 pounds. This was 30 pounds higher than the year before. Since 1990, average live weight has increased 224 pounds, or 20 percent. Since USDA slaughter records began in 1935, commercial cattle average live weights have increased by 56 percent.

Federally inspected average dressed weights for all cattle, steers and heifers have also steadily increased. Cattle average dressed weights reached a record high of 829 pounds in 2015, up 21 pounds from 2014. Since 1990, cattle average dressed weights have increased 143 pounds, or 21 percent. USDA records began in 1921 when federally inspected average dressed weight for cattle was 541 pounds and reached a low of 450 pounds in 1934. Steer and heifer average dressed weights also reached record highs last year. Steers averaged 892 pounds in 2015, 20 pounds higher than a year earlier. Heifers averaged 818 pounds, 18 pounds higher than 2014.

Due to changes in size group categories since 1990, a comparison of what size plants are slaughtering cattle was limited to 2000 and 2015. In 2000, plants that slaughtered over 1,000,000 head per year slaughtered 21.1 million head or 59 percent of the federally inspected cattle slaughter. In 2015, plants
that slaughtered over 1,000,000 head per year slaughtered 16.2 million head or 57 percent of the federally inspected cattle slaughter. The biggest changes have come in the second and third largest size groups. In 2000, 15 percent of federally inspected slaughter was conducted in plants where
500,000 to 999,999 head are slaughtered yearly versus 8.5 percent in 2015. However, only 10 percent of slaughter was conducted at plants slaughtering 300,000 to 499,999 head during the year in 2000 versus nearly 19 percent in 2015.



Commercial Hog Slaughter and Weights Continue Upward Trend

Commercial hog slaughter has trended upward since 1990, according to USDA's recent livestock slaughter summary report. A record high commercial hog slaughter of 116.5 million head was recorded in 2008. Since 2008, commercial hog slaughter hasn't been below 110 million except in 2014 when the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv) hit the industry. In 2015, commercial hog slaughter was the second largest it has ever been, at 115.4 million head. Since 1990, commercial hog slaughter has increased over 35 percent.

Commercial hog average live weights have seen a steady increase over the past 25 years and reached a record high in 2014, at 285 pounds. This was 9 pounds higher than the year before. Since 1990, average live weight has increased 34 pounds, or approximately 14 percent. In 2015, average live weights decreased 2 pounds to 283 pounds. Since USDA slaughter records began in 1935, commercial hog average live weights have increased by 27 percent.

Federally inspected average dressed weights for all hogs and barrows and gilts have also steadily increased. Hog average dressed weights reached a record high of 214 pounds in 2014, up 7 pounds from 2013. Since 1990, hog average dressed weights have increased 33 pounds, or 18 percent. Hog average dressed weights decreased by 1 pound in 2015 to 213 pounds. USDA records for slaughter began in 1921 when federally inspected average dressed weight for hogs was 173 pounds and reached a low of 137 pounds in 1958 and 1959. Barrow and gilt average dressed weights reached a record high in 2014, at 212 pounds. Weights were 210 pounds in 2015. Sow average dressed weights have been relatively steady over the past 25 years. In 2015, sow average dressed weight was 309 pounds, up 4 pounds from 2014. In 2002, sow average dressed weights reached a record high of 317 pounds.

Due to changes in size group categories since 1990, a comparison of what size plants are slaughtering hogs was limited to 2000 and 2015. In 2000, plants that slaughtered over 4,000,000 head per year slaughtered 24.7 million head or 34 percent of the federally inspected hog slaughter. In 2015, plants that slaughtered over 4,000,000 head per year slaughtered 68.7 million head or 60 percent of the federally inspected hog slaughter. There were large decreases in the second and fourth largest size groups. In 2000, 35 percent of federally inspected slaughter was conducted in plants where 3,000,000 to 3,999,999 head are slaughtered per year versus 3 percent in 2015. In plants that slaughtered between 1,000,000 and 1,999,999 head per year, 24 percent of federally inspected slaughter was conducted at these plants in 2000 versus only 4 percent in 2015.



OIG Finds BLM Wild Horse and Burro Programs Out of Compliance

In a report from the Office of Inspector General for the Department of the Interior, the OIG found the Bureau of Land Management’s wild horse and burro program does not maximize efficiencies and is not compliant with federal regulation. Public Lands Council President and Utah rancher, Dave Eliason, said this report confirms what public lands ranchers have long known to be true.

“The fact is that wild horse and burro populations are growing at unsustainable rates on our nation’s public lands,” said Eliason. “The unchecked growth of these populations threatens the productivity of public grasslands and the health and welfare of the wild horse and burro populations. The BLM’s solution has been to move more of these wild horses and burros off the range and into short-term holding facilities, some horses being held in those facilities for an average of five years, rather than transporting horses to the under-utilized long-term holding facilities. The OIG report points out that this solution is not financially sustainable or efficient.”

The BLM was charged under the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burros Act of 1971 with managing and protecting the nation’s wild horses and burros. Under BLM’s management, horse and burro populations have exponentially exceeded the appropriate management levels and continue to grow at a rate of 20 percent per year. Additionally, 45,000 horses and burros remain in long-term holding facilities at a cost to taxpayers of $50,000 per animal.

“It is clear that we must manage our wild horse and burro population to ensure we meet sustainable appropriate management levels,” said Eliason. “Earlier this year the BLM’s own Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board recommended selling horses to private owners and euthanizing animals that cannot be sold. Wild horses and burros are a part of our nation’s heritage, but no one wins when these populations outgrow the resources available.”

OIG recommends BLM develop and implement policy to use appropriate rate determinations and adjustments for wild horse and burro populations and a plan for sustainable on and off-range population management. The report finds that implementing these strategies and maximizing the transition to long-term facilities would save taxpayers $3.7 million. PLC urges the BLM to allow for the sale of wild horses and restore a thriving ecological balance.