Thursday October 13 Ag News

Foley Announces Antelope County as Nebraska’s 40th Livestock Friendly County

Today, Lt. Governor Mike Foley announced that Antelope County has become the newest county in Nebraska to be designated as a Livestock Friendly County (LFC) through a program administered by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA).  Antelope County is the 40th Livestock Friendly County designated in Nebraska.  The LFC designation ceremony was held at the Thiele family dairy farm in Clearwater, Nebraska.

“Having a Livestock Friendly designation is a significant opportunity for this northeast county rich with history,” said Lt. Governor Foley.  “Antelope County now has another tool to help expand existing livestock operations and bring in new businesses.  Their decision to become a Livestock Friendly County will help grow livestock development for years to come.”

Created in 2003 by the Nebraska Legislature, the LFC program is designed to recognize counties in the state that support the expansion of the livestock industry.  In 2014, livestock receipts in the state comprised over half of the $24 billion of Nebraska’s total on-farm receipts.  The LFC designation gives counties an extra promotional tool to encourage expansion of current livestock operations and attract new businesses that spur local economies.

“Expanding livestock operations in Antelope County has already helped one farm family attract future generations to the family business,” said NDA Assistant Director Mat Habrock.  “The Thiele family dairy farm wanted to grow their operation to bring family and jobs to the county.  Three generations of Thieles currently work on the farm, and now, with expanded operations and job opportunities, there’s something for everyone on the farm.”

Counties wishing to apply for the LFC designation must hold a public hearing and the county board must pass a resolution to apply for the designation.  Then a completed application must be submitted to the Nebraska Department of Agriculture.  Local producers or groups can encourage county officials to apply.

Thursday's announcement was hosted by Thiele Dairy, which recently expanded by building a new double 35 milking parlor and new free stall barns.  At the same time, an additional 500 cows were brought on to the dairy, bringing the total to about 1700.  The dairy supports five families, including brothers Bill, Ron, and Tom.  Also cousins Luke and Scott have recently returned to the dairy.  Thiele Dairy production averages about 91 pounds of milk per cow per day.  Milk is shipped to LeMars IA and packaged under the Land O' Lakes brand as bottled milk, whipping cream, sour cream, or ice cream.

Additional information about the Livestock Friendly County program is available on NDA’s website at www.nda.nebraska.gov or by calling 800-422-6692.



Vote for your Favorite Face of Farming & Ranching

U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance® (USFRA®) announces today public voting for its third class of Faces of Farming and Ranching, a nationwide search to help put real faces on agriculture. These standout farmers and ranchers will share their stories on a national stage to help shift conversations about food production and serve in multiple high-visibility roles on behalf of USFRA, such as public appearances, national media interviews, web chats, blog posts and social media activities.  

With enthusiastic farmers across the country, spanning beef, corn, cotton, dairy, pork, poultry and soybeans, the eight finalists are included below. Their videos and bios can be found on USFRA's Facebook Page and www.FoodDialogues.com, beginning October. 14.

Faces of Farming & Ranching Finalists
Geoff Ruth, (Rising City) Neb. - Corn, soybeans
Lauren Arbogast, Va. - Turkeys, broilers, cattle
Emily Buck, Ohio - Sheep, soybeans, corn
Katie Roth, Wis. - Dairy, corn, soybeans
Lauren Schwab, Ohio - Pigs
Jeremy Brown, Texas - Cotton, wheat, sorghum, peanuts
Paul Lanoue, Minn. - Cattle, corn, soybeans
Joy Widerman, Pa. - Dairy, corn, rye

How To Vote
Through October 14-23, people can visit USFRA's Facebook Page, to learn more about each of the finalists and the work they do, including short videos highlighting their farm or ranch. From there, the public can vote for the farmers and ranchers whom they believe best represent the passion and innovation behind today's agriculture. The Facebook voting through ShortStack will appear as a tab on USFRA's Facebook page (it's one vote per 24 hours). These votes will be factored into the final decision to determine the next Faces of Farming and Ranching, which will be announced on November 9 at a NAFB press conference in Kansas City, Mo.



Des Moines has Iowa's 'Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin'

2016 - Iowa's "Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin" this year is right in the capital city.  Nick's on Army Post Road on the city's south side has been judged to have the best tenderloin in the state. It's the first time in the 14-year history of the Iowa Pork Producers Association's contest that the winner has been in Des Moines.

"I'm really thrown back. I've wanted this award since I opened; I watch the contest every year," said owner Nick Iaria, a Des Moines native. "I'm really excited; This is great."

Nick's is known in the Des Moines Metro area for its tenderloin sandwiches and serves a thousand a week during the year. Eighty percent of Iaria's annual food sales is the tenderloin, Iaria said.

"We make sure that the process is fresh, the meat is always fresh and never frozen, and we put our soul into the tenderloin. That's why people come here," he said.

The former stock broker cuts and machine tenderizes pork loins each morning. Once ordered, he then uses a four-step process where the loins are seasoned, floured, battered and breaded and cooked in a tenderloin-only fryer to maintain the pure pork flavor. Nick's sells a queen size (6-7 oz.) tenderloin and a king size (12-13 oz.) tenderloin.

"Nick's is a very nice pork tenderloin. It's nicely flavored and very crunchy," said Chef Robert Anderson, one of IPPA's final judges. "There is no oil flavor and you can taste the pork."

The IPPA Restaurant and Foodservice Committee is presenting Nick's with a check for $500, a plaque and a large banner in ceremonies at the restaurant at 11:00 this morning.

The 1901 Chop Haus in Traer had the runner-up tenderloin in this year's contest and will receive $250 and a plaque. The remaining finalists are Sweet n' Saucy in Fairfield, Stumpy's Bar and Grill in Duncombe and Willie's Sports Bar and Grill in Hampton. These restaurants will receive a plaque to display in their restaurant.

"This year's contest had many good tenderloins entered," said IPPA Restaurant and Foodservice Committee member Linda Madison. "Choosing the top five was not easy and deciding the 'best of the best' was challenging.  Nick's was chosen because it met our high standards for a breaded tenderloin that the chefs and myself expect of an award winning tenderloin."

IPPA placed the names of everyone who nominated Nick's for the award in a drawing for $100 from Iowa Pork. The winner is Carlin Mitchell from Des Moines.

A total of 385 restaurants, cafes and other establishments received 1,982 nominations this year and the top five restaurants with the most nominations from each of the eight IPPA districts were judged this summer on the quality of the pork, taste, physical characteristics and eating experience.

The contest recognizes Iowa dining establishments that support the swine industry by putting pork on their menu. All restaurants, cafes and taverns that serve breaded pork tenderloin sandwiches year round and list them on their daily menu can be nominated for the award.



Iowa DNR Investigating Red Color in Cherokee County Stream

After a report from the Cherokee County Sheriff's office Wednesday afternoon, the DNR is looking for the cause of a red color in Bear Creek about four miles west of Larrabee.

The red color extends for about one mile and began entering Mill Creek about 5 p.m. Field tests showed elevated ammonia levels in the water, but DNR investigators did not see any dead fish.

Staff will continue investigating and work to stop the source of pollution.



Exports of U.S. Feed Grains In All Forms Increase in 2015/2016

U.S. exports of feed grains in all forms in 2015/2016 totaled 100.5 million metric tons (3.96 billion bushels), an increase of more than 300,000 metric tons (11.8 million bushels) from the previous marketing year and the second highest level on record, new trade data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) show.

The feed grains in all forms calculation made by the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) accounts for feed grains exported by the United States in either unprocessed or value-added forms, which offers a holistic look at demand from global customers being met by U.S. farmers.

It includes U.S. corn, sorghum, barley, distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS), corn gluten feed (CGF), corn gluten meal (CGM), ethanol as measured in corn equivalents, meat and poultry as measured in corn equivalents, and processed feed grain products.

The highest export volume recorded by this measure was in 2008 with 100.6 million metric tons, only slightly higher than the 2015/2016 total.

In the marketing year that just finished, higher exports of corn, DDGS, and pork offset lower exports of barley, CGF and CGM, sorghum and poultry from the previous marketing year.

Exports of unprocessed feed grains (corn, sorghum and barley) accounted for only 56.6 percent of total exports of feed grains in all forms.

According to 10-year projections by the USDA and USGC, feed grains in all forms have a positive outlook in the future as exports are expected to increase by 26.5 million metric tons (1.04 billion bushels) to 127 million metric tons (5 billion bushels) by 2025/2026. These larger exports will come in the forms of corn, ethanol, and meat and poultry.

Looking at the bigger picture of U.S. grain demand, unprocessed feed grains accounted for almost 16 percent of U.S. feed grain production in the 2015/2016 marketing year. However, exports consumed 27 percent of U.S. grain when including value-added forms of feed grain exports.

By 2025/2026, feed grain and products exports are expected to reach almost a third of U.S. production with international markets for U.S. corn as an animal feed, ethanol and meat as the industry’s principal drivers.

To achieve these possibilities, members of the U.S. feed grains industry support broad-based trade agreements such as those signed with Central America, Peru and Colombia as well as the pending 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). These agreements improve market access for both unprocessed and value-added forms of feed grains and also open opportunities for market development by USGC and its partners.



Anhydrous, 10-34-0 Leading Way Lower

Retail fertilizer prices continued to move lower during the first week of October 2016, continuing the recent trend, according to retailers surveyed by DTN. All eight of the major fertilizers are lower compared to last month with only two fertilizers down a substantial amount.

Leading the way lower for the first time is anhydrous. The nitrogen fertilizer is 6% lower compared to a month earlier and has an average price of $472/ton.

The other fertilizer significantly lower is 10-34-0. The starter fertilizer is 5% less expensive from the first week of September and now has an average price of $454/ton.

The remaining six fertilizers were all lower compared to last month, but the move to the low side was fairly slight. DAP had an average price of $438/ton, MAP $451/ton, potash $312/ton, urea $315/ton, UAN28 $224/ton and UAN32 $263/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.34/lb.N, anhydrous $0.29/lb.N, UAN28 $0.40/lb.N and UAN32 $0.41/lb.N.

Retail fertilizers are lower compared to a year earlier. All fertilizers are now double-digits lower.

Both DAP and MAP are now down 20% and both 10-34-0 and UAN32 are 22% lower. UAN28 is down 24%, urea is 25% less expensive, anhydrous is 26% lower and potash is 30% less expensive compared to a year prior.



Delaware Soy Grower Meets with EPA Officials on Dicamba Registration

American Soybean Association (ASA) President Richard Wilkins and representatives from the National Cotton Council met Wednesday with Jim Jones, the assistant administrator of the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and other top EPA officials.

The meeting was scheduled to press EPA on the pending registration of low-volatility formulations of dicamba to be used with dicamba-resistant varieties of soybeans and cotton. The EPA staff reported that they are nearing a registration decision, and urged both ASA and the National Cotton Council to work with our memberships to underscore the proper stewardship and legal use of dicamba.

ASA and cotton leaders reiterated that farmers need new mechanisms to address weed resistance issues. They also stated that it is important to provide ample time for companies and states to be able to provide training for use of the new product. EPA does not plan to make label changes to existing dicamba products.

Wilkins raised the issue of how inefficient it is to prohibit tank mixing, as has been proposed by EPA, because farmers then have to make additional passes through the field. The four-sided field perimeter buffers proposed by EPA were also discussed as unnecessarily burdensome.



More than 60,000 Expected in Indianapolis Oct. 19-22 for 2016 National FFA Convention & Expo

The 89th National FFA Convention & Expo will celebrate its first year of a nine-year commitment in Indianapolis beginning Oct. 19. More than 60,000 FFA members and guests from throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are expected at this year's event, which runs through Oct. 22.

The convention and expo will bring an estimated economic impact of $36 million a year. Attendees will stay in 135 hotels in Indianapolis and the surrounding areas.

Convention and expo events will take place at several venues in downtown Indianapolis and other locations. FFA members and advisors will meet in Bankers Life Fieldhouse, where eight of the nine general sessions will be held. At the Indiana Convention Center, members can explore the expo or expand their minds by attending a variety of workshops or participating in educational and career success tours.

This year, the theme of the convention and expo is “Transform Purpose to Action,” and the national officer team is excited to share this with all of those in attendance.

"FFA members transform their purpose into action by making their voices heard and by educating others on the importance of agriculture and growing our resources every day," 2015-16 National FFA President Taylor McNeel, a student at Southern Arkansas University, said. "During the convention and expo, we can learn from one another how we can continue to grow leaders, strengthen agriculture and build our communities."

The convention and expo will kick off with the National FFA Band leading a grand march down Georgia Street in downtown Indianapolis on Wed., Oct. 19. The march will end at Bankers Life Fieldhouse and usher in the start of the opening session. Eight general sessions will be held in the fieldhouse. On the morning of Saturday, Oct. 22, the eighth general session will be held in Lucas Oil Stadium where American FFA Degrees, the highest degree for an FFA member, will be bestowed upon more than 3,000 members.

Throughout the week, convention and expo attendees will also be lending a helping hand to the greater Indianapolis area as part of the National Days of Service. Areas where students will be giving back to the community include Gleaners Food Bank, MapleLawn Farmstead, the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, Indy Read Books, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Woodruff Place Civic League and more.

This year, attendees will be able to stay up-to-date with the convention and expo app, which features a customizable schedule; cool photo filters; interactive maps; the exhibitor listing; exclusive convention and expo news and updates; a photo challenge; and more. Available on iOS and Android, the brand new app is a free download in the App Store and via Google Play.



KDA Welcomes American Royal BBQ to Kansas

The American Royal Association’s World Series of Barbeque is a longstanding tradition in Kansas City, Mo., but in 2016 the event will take place in Kansas for the first time in its history. The Kansas Department of Agriculture is proud to welcome the annual barbeque competition to the state, and encourages Kansans to attend this unique event.

“We are thrilled to host our World Series of Barbeque for the first time in Kansas,” said Lynn Parman, President and CEO of the American Royal Association. “We are expecting 600 teams from around the world and 50,000 people to attend this exciting weekend at the Kansas Speedway.”

The 37th annual American Royal barbeque presented by Smithfield will be held on Oct. 26-30 on the infield of the Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan. The event is the finale of the competitive barbeque season, and will feature more than 600 teams. The public is encouraged to attend the Friday, Oct. 28, event which features marketplace vendors, BBQ vendors, food, beverages and more from 1:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., including entertainment from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 29, the Cowtown Family Fun Fest is a kid-friendly barbeque festival featuring a variety of activities including inflatables, face painters, a petting zoo, pony rides and stage entertainment from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The American Royal’s World Series of Barbeque is organized and hosted by the American Royal Association, a not-for-profit corporation that has been a Kansas City tradition since 1899. The competition is just one of many events and activities put on by the Royal during its fall season that helps support its mission of championing agriculture excellence while providing scholarships and education opportunities.

Information about the American Royal BBQ, including how to purchase tickets for both events, as well as other special events, can be found at americanroyal.com/bbq.



Shell to Go Cellulosic

Shell Oil Company has agreed to buy Abengoa Bioenergy's cellulosic ethanol plant in Hugoton, Kansas, for what could be a significantly discounted price of $26 million, according to court documents filed Wednesday in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Kansas. The plant was built at an estimated cost of $400 million to $500 million.

Court documents show Shell is being put forward by Abengoa Bioenergy as the stalking-horse bidder on the plant. A stalking-horse bidder is the first bid in an auction and more or less sets a floor price for the auction. Abengoa is selling its ethanol assets as part of a bankruptcy reorganization.

Though a purchase agreement has been signed by officials at both Shell and Abengoa, there is an official auction scheduled. If additional qualified bids are made for the plant and its liabilities, Abengoa will conduct an auction on Nov. 21, 2016, at the company's office in Chesterfield, Missouri, according to court documents. If approved, the sale would be completed by no later than Dec. 8.

As part of the purchase agreement, Shell will assume a number of existing contracts Abengoa has related to the operation of the Hugoton plant.

Shell is not new to the biofuels industry. The company is part of a joint venture with Raizen to produce sugarcane ethanol in Brazil. Shell is one of the largest biofuels blenders in the world, blending about 2.4 billion gallons in 2014, according to Shell's website.

In addition, Shell owns and operates two pilot plants in Houston, Texas, used to study advanced biofuels.



NAWG Calls on Congress to Fund Public Education on Biotechnology in Ag

Last week, the National Association of Wheat Growers signed on to a letter to the U.S. Senate and House leadership supporting the inclusion of $3 million in the Fiscal Year 2017 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The funds will be applied to informing the public about the benefits realized by the application of biotechnology to food and agriculture production.

Since the passing of the GMO labeling bill by Congress this summer, and its signing by President Obama, biotechnology in food has risen to the forefront of consumers’ attention. As the letter states, there is a considerable amount of misinformation about agriculture biotechnology in the public domain.

The $3 million, recommended by many agricultural organizations would specify that key federal agencies, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, are equipped to successfully convey to the public science- and fact-based information demonstrating the safety of food products containing GMO-produced ingredients.

The innovations that biotechnology has brought are crucial for increased production, environmental conservation, and food security. NAWG this funding to mitigate negative public opinion regarding biotechnology in food, and encourages Congress to retain the funding provision and oppose any legislative action to restrict agriculture technology development.



Improved Management of Phosphorus Will Be Essential For Feeding Growing Global Population

With a global population expected to reach 9 billion people by 2050, improved management of key essential nutrients such as phosphorus (P) will be necessary to boost crop yields and stay one step ahead of steeply rising food demand.

Phosphorus is present as phosphate in every cell of our bodies. It is a nutrient required by all living things for basic life-sustaining processes, such as energy storage. Global supplies of phosphate are finite, and most of the largest phosphate reserves are in areas of the world that are prone to political instability, such as Africa and the Middle East.

The phosphorus situation is also challenged by many agricultural soils with insufficient levels of plant-available P, and some soils with a high capacity to fix applied P in slowly available forms due to reactions with calcium, magnesium, aluminum or iron. Crops grown in these soils are not able to obtain sufficient P to meet their needs and cannot reach their full yield potential.

If an applied rate of P is less than optimum for a crop under existing conditions, and a practice such as fertilizer placement is changed that increases nutrient use efficiency, yield will usually increase, at least in the short term. However, in other cases, nutrient use efficiency can increase with no effect on yield if a rate exceeding optimum levels is reduced to optimum.

According to the International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI), its soil test summary and evaluation of phosphorus balance – the difference between P application and removal by the crop – does suggest that P is being under-applied in rather significant portions of the U.S. Corn Belt. In such cases where soil fertility levels are less than optimum, an increase in P application rates is called for, even though that rate increase will likely reduce nutrient use efficiency. In other cases, the summary shows P is being over applied and use reductions would be appropriate and would increase nutrient use efficiency without reducing yield.

The lowest soil test P levels in North America are generally found in the Great Plains, but many farmers there are responding to that and slowly building those levels up by increasing P use relative to crop-removal rates.

In contrast, states in the central and eastern Corn Belt generally have higher soil test P levels today than in the Great Plains, but soil levels are either stable or slowly declining due to application of less P than what is being removed by crops. Farmers there have been to a degree living off P that was built up in their soils from past fertilization. In some cases in the same region, P levels were higher than the optimum range, and they are now moving down into the optimum range, which is good for both economic and water quality reasons.

“The key to producing higher yields and feeding the growing world population is not simply applying more fertilizer, as one might think,” said Kenneth Avery, chief executive officer at Verdesian Life Sciences. “Rather, it is finding sustainable solutions for nutrients such as phosphorus to be used more efficiently and effectively to produce more food.”

“Increased plant uptake of P translates into less of that nutrient being left in the soil, where it is subject to off-site movement into waterways,” Avery said. “It also allows farmers to be good stewards of the land and help minimize the environmental footprint left by P applications.”

Like many other agricultural industry leaders, Verdesian is a 4Rs Nutrient Stewardship Partner. The four tenets of this program recommend applying nutrients from the right source, at the right time, at the right place and rate. “The 4Rs Nutrient Stewardship Program provides a science-based framework for building sustainable systems,” Avery said.

Unlike nitrogen, which is subject to a great amount of movement within the soil, air and water, phosphorus mostly doesn’t go anywhere once applied.  Phosphorus placed in direct contact with the soil is quite immobile. The biggest quantity of phosphorus loss is usually by soil erosion. If phosphorus sources like fertilizer or manure are left on the soil surface without enough time for retention or if the soil surface is over-enriched in phosphorus, the soluble P lost in run-off can contribute significantly to water quality problems.



When thinking about feed rations, think about weight gain
Marty Andersen, PhD, nutritionist, Zoetis Beef Strategic Technical Services

The ration plays a critical role in cattle performance. Feed is important for getting protein, energy, vitamins and minerals into cattle. Maximizing weight gains and efficiency is normally the goal. Rumensin is known for improving feed efficiency and BOVATEC® is known for not only improving feed efficiency, but also weight gains. But what might not be as well-known is the ionophore CATTLYST® also improves both feed efficiency and rate of weight gain.

There are several advantages to having an ionophore that increases feed efficiency and weight gain.

Finish cattle faster. The market pricing structure, with lower feeder cattle prices and lower fed cattle prices, is telling cattle feeders to finish cattle faster. Higher feed intake helps get cattle started and finished faster. By including an ionophore that improves feed efficiency and weight gain, you’ll see a higher feed intake with similar feed conversion, which gives you a greater average daily gain (ADG). The data indicates cattle will consume about one additional pound of feed.1 I’ve had cattle feeders share that they’ve seen feed intake jump as much as one to two pounds.

More pounds of live and carcass weight. More pounds mean more dollars in your pocket. An ionophore in your ration that gives an advantage in ADG can lead to more gains. A pooled statistical analysis of seven feedlot studies published between 2008 and 2010 showed cattle fed CATTLYST with AUREOMYCIN® (chlortetracycline) ate 2.8% more feed and gained 2.1% faster with similar feed conversion when compared with cattle fed Rumensin and Tylan®. Carcass weights averaged 8.7 pounds more when feeding CATTLYST and AUREOMYCIN together than when feeding with Rumensin and Tylan.2

Greater return on investment. Regardless of the state of the cattle market, there’s always room to improve return on investment. One way is to evaluate and scrutinize every input going into the feed ration. Challenge your ionophore input to do more than improve feed efficiency. Also, look at convenience while evaluating ionophore inputs. Unlike Rumensin, CATTLYST does not require a step-up program and can be used in combination with AUREOMYCIN.

Flexibility to improve performance and health. AUREOMYCIN in feedlot rations at 350 mg per head per day is approved for control of bacterial pneumonia associated with shipping fever complex caused by Pasteurella spp. susceptible to chlortetracycline. Fed at the rate of 10 mg per pound of body weight per day, it is approved for treatment of bacterial enteritis caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli) and bacterial pneumonia caused by Pasteurella multocida organisms susceptible to chlortetracycline. Taking advantage of an ionophore, such as CATTLYST, that is approved for use with a chlortetracycline means you won’t have to remove the ionophore from the ration.* You will continue to get performance advantages from your ionophore that increase weight gain but also have the flexibility of treating and controlling bacterial pneumonia caused by Pasteurella species and treating bacterial enteritis caused by E. coli when needed. You won’t have to make a choice between performance and health.

When it comes to the feed ration, there’s a lot to think about. Feeding equipment, consistency in mixing rations, mixing properly and delivering to cattle at a consistent time are just a few things that are likely on your mind. So as you think about your ionophore choices, consider more than just feed efficiency. Remember the value of added weight gain and the flexibility to use with a brand-name chlortetracycline like AUREOMYCIN.