Wednesday November 16 Ag News

Farm Service Agency Reminds Producers of Grain Loan Requirements, Urges Timely Visit to Office for 2016 Assistance

Farmers who may be considering a Marketing Assistance Loan to assist with farm financing for 2016 should stop into their county Farm Service Agency (FSA) office as soon as possible to begin the process.

Nebraska FSA State Executive Director Dan Steinkruger said Marketing Assistance Loans (MALs) provide producers with interim financing after harvest to help them meet cash flow needs without having to sell their commodities when market prices are typically at harvest-time lows.

“With Nebraska’s large corn and soybean harvests this year, we know a great deal of grain went into storage,” Steinkruger said. “Marketing Assistance Loans offer short-term financing at a reasonable interest rate. It can be a useful tool to meet immediate financing needs and income balancing goals.”

MALs are available for feed grains, soybeans and other oilseeds, wheat, pulse crops, wool, honey and other commodities. The national loan rates for key commodities in Nebraska are $1.95/bushel for corn, $5/bushel for soybeans and $1.95/bushel for grain sorghum, although county loan rates vary. The November MAL interest rate is 1.625 percent.

To be eligible for a MAL, producers must have a beneficial interest in the commodity. They also must comply with conservation and wetland protection requirements, submit an acreage report to account for all cropland on the farm and meet adjusted gross income limitations. There are additional requirements and actions that need to be taken before a loan can be processed, Steinkruger said. He encouraged producers to call ahead to their county office for details about what information they should bring to an appointment.

“For FSA to best serve those interested in marketing assistance loans for the current calendar year, producers should schedule a loan appointment with their local office prior to December 15, 2016,” he said. “That should allow us appropriate time to process the loan by December 31, 2016.”



National Biodiesel Board Members Elect Governing Board

National Biodiesel Board members selected their trade association leadership this week, electing six returning governing board members and one new member to serve in leadership roles.

“The biodiesel industry is fortunate to have a strong team of leaders from all sectors of the industry," said NBB CEO Donnell Rehagen. “The membership is united, optimistic, and will continue to grow into the future under the direction of the board.”

NBB members voted to fill seven board member spots:
    Greg Anderson, Nebraska Soybean Board
    Jennifer Case, New Leaf Biofuel, LLC
    Mike Cunningham, ASA
    Tim Keaveney, Hero BX
    Steven J. Levy, Sprague Operating Resources
    Mike Rath, Darling Ingredients, Inc.
    Ben Wooton, World Energy

Kent Engelbrecht, Ron Heck, Ed Hegland, Ron Marr, Steve Nogel, Amy Sigg Davis, Robert Stobaugh, and Chad Stone also continue to serve on the Governing Board.

The board also took the opportunity to elect officers with Kent Englebrecht serving as the new chairman, Mike Cunningham as Vice Chairman, Greg Anderson as Treasurer and Chad Stone as Secretary.

During the annual fall membership meeting NBB members discussed a number of important topics including the current state of federal policies impacting the industry, held meetings of standing committees, and began the annual program planning process.

With nearly 200 member companies, NBB is the leading U.S. trade association representing biodiesel and renewable diesel.



Cow-Calf Producers Invited to Learn about Improving Margins

Cow-calf producers who want to learn more about improving the return from their enterprise are invited to a strategy-focused workshop hosted by the Iowa Beef Center and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach in Mapleton on Wednesday, Dec. 14. ISU Extension and Outreach beef program specialist Beth Doran said this meeting is the first in a statewide series set for this winter, and will include a variety of topics that relate to feeding and marketing.

“ISU cow-calf specialist Patrick Gunn will share information on the feed side of your operation, including grazing harvest residue, cover crops and alternative feeds,” Doran said. “He’ll also talk about controlling feed waste, formulating balanced rations and winter supplementation.”

Gunn and Doran will present research investigating factors affecting feeder calf price and how changes in marketing timing may affect revenue. They also will discuss other long-term strategies that improve revenue such as changes in the breeding program and how to shorten the calving season.

“Annual cow costs are projected to be in excess of $800, and up to 45 percent higher than in 2010 before drought conditions impacted the U.S.,” Gunn said. “Because winter feed costs represent one of, if not the largest costs, reducing feed cost while maintaining cow productivity is key to achieving good returns.”  

“The other side of the balance sheet involves careful marketing to improve revenue,” Doran said. “Currently, calf prices are roughly 50 to 60 percent of prices in 2014, so deciding when and how to market the calves will be critical.”

The program will be held at St. John’s United Methodist Church at 212 South 7th St., Mapleton, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Preregister by Dec. 9 and pay $20 per person at the door. Walk-in registration is $25 per person; there’s no noon meal guarantee.

To preregister, call ISU Extension and Outreach Monona County at 712-423-2175 or email mbeerman@iastate.edu or kwbaker@iastate.edu.



Commercial Manure Applicator Training Scheduled for Jan. 5, 2017

Commercial manure applicators may attend annual training to meet commercial manure applicator certification requirements on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources will conduct Commercial Manure Applicator training from 9 a.m. to noon at 75 locations in Iowa, one location in Wisconsin and one location in Minnesota. Doors open at 8:30 a.m.

There is no fee for the workshop, but applicators must register by Dec. 28 with the ISU Extension and Outreach county office where they plan to attend. See a complete list of workshop locations at http://www.agronext.iastate.edu/immag/certification/macprogrampostcard.pdf.

Commercial manure applicators needing to recertify and those wanting to certify for the first time should attend. All currently certified commercial manure applicator licenses will expire on March 1, 2017. Those wanting to renew must complete training requirements and submit forms and fees to the DNR prior to March 1 to avoid paying late fees. The law requires all commercial manure applicators to attend three hours of training annually to meet certification requirements. Businesses that primarily truck or haul manure of any type or from any source are also required to meet certification requirements.

Those unable to attend the program on Jan. 5 need to schedule time with their ISU Extension and Outreach county office to watch the training DVD. Due to scheduling conflicts, many extension offices will no longer accept walk-in appointments to watch these DVDs, but do offer scheduled dates and times to provide this training. For those unable to attend training during one of the scheduled reshow dates, a $10 fee will be charged to view the training at their convenience. If attending the workshops or watching the three-hour DVD is not convenient, commercial applicators may contact their local DNR field office to schedule an appointment to take the certification exam. Another option for commercial manure applicators is to take their training online at DNR MAC eLearning site at https://elearning-dnr.iowa.gov/.

In addition to the commercial manure applicator training offered on Jan. 5, ISU Extension and Outreach will also offer six dry/solid manure workshops for commercial manure applicators in February 2017. Information regarding these workshops and locations is also contained in the link to the brochure listed above. Program requirements are the same as the regular commercial training program, but this training program is geared more toward dry/solid manure issues. 

For more information about the commercial manure applicator certification program, contact an ISU Extension and Outreach county office or visit the Iowa Manure Management Action Group website at http://www.agronext.iastate.edu/immag/mac.html.



Researchers Make Breakthrough in Controlling Soybean Cyst Nematode

A microscopic worm that has been a giant pain for U.S. soybean farmers may soon find farm fields unpleasant places to be.

Kansas State University researchers recently announced a significant breakthrough in controlling the spread of the soybean cyst nematode, a parasitic roundworm that the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates has reduced yearly returns in soybeans by $500 million and yields by as much as 75 percent.

Plant geneticist Harold Trick said the university has received a patent for the technology that essentially "silences" specific genes in the nematode, causing it to die or, at the least, lose the ability to reproduce.

"We have created genetically engineered vectors [or DNA molecules], and put those into soybeans so that when the nematodes feed on the roots of the soybeans, they ingest these small molecules," said Trick, who has worked closely with plant pathologist Tim Todd on this project.

Previously, the scientists studied the nematode to learn which genes are crucial to the parasite's survival. The new vectors target those genes and shut them off, a process called gene silencing.

"The nematode will either lose fitness to live, or its ability to produce will be greatly reduced," Trick said.

So far, the scientists have found the technology has reduced the nematode population in greenhouse studies by as much as 85 percent.

"The next question for us is, with our technology, can we enhance the germplasm that is already available for soybean breeding," Trick said. "We also have several other genes we've looked at. Is it possible to combine all of these traits into one soybean variety and have an even greater reduction than 85 percent."

The soybean cyst nematode is known to be present in at least 29 states, as well as South America and Asia. Previous work indicates that once it is present in soil, it can never be fully eliminated. The parasite is so small that if 32 of the largest worms were laid end-to-end, they would measure only one inch.

Once they feed on a soybean plant, it takes just about 48 hours for them to penetrate the roots. After about a week, they can rupture through the plant tissue.

"We've been focusing on the soybean cyst nematode, but we also think that there are a lot of similarities in the genes we selected to other nematodes, such as the root knot nematode (which affects grasses, fruits, vegetables and weeds)," Trick said.

The technology will take many years to reach producers' fields, Trick said.

"This is a genetically engineered product," he said, noting that it will undergo intense regulatory scrutiny before it can be made commercially available.

"We hope to eventually take the traits we've discovered and move those over into Kansas-adapted cultivars so that we can deploy this in farm fields," he said.

The work is funded by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI). Funding and support has also been provided by the Kansas Soybean Commission, U.S. Soybean Board and the North Central Soybean Research program.



Limited Movement in Fertilizer Prices

Retail fertilizer prices continued to be fairly steady the second week of November 2016, as they have been in recent weeks, according to fertilizer retailers surveyed by DTN.

Prices for six of the eight major fertilizers were lower compared to a month earlier, and none of these moves were significant. DAP had an average price of $429 per ton, MAP $449/ton, 10-34-0 $447/ton, anhydrous $468/ton, UAN28 $217/ton and UAN32 $256/ton.

Two fertilizers, however, were slightly higher in price looking back to a month prior. Potash had an average price of $314 per ton and urea was at $323/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.35/lb.N, anhydrous $0.29/lb.N, UAN28 $0.39/lb.N and UAN32 $0.40/lb.N.

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

Both MAP and urea are now down 20%, DAP is 22% less expensive and both 10-34-0 and UAN32 are 23% lower. UAN28 is 25% less expensive while both anhydrous and potash are 26% lower compared to a year prior.



Certified Angus Beef Accepting Scholarship Applications

Each year the Certified Angus Beef Colvin Fund gives away thousands in scholarship dollars to students looking to make a difference in the beef community. The annual Colvin Scholarship awards recognize Louis M. "Mick" Colvin, co-founder and executive director of the CAB brand for 21 years. After he retired in 1999, CAB established the fund to carry on his legacy of making dreams a reality and inspiring others to be their best.

Undergraduates can win $6,000, $5,000, $4,000, $3,000 and $2,000, and $6,000 for a graduate student in 2017.

College juniors and seniors who have shown commitment to the beef industry, either through coursework or activities, are encouraged to apply by the Dec. 12 deadline. These will be evaluated on activities, academic achievements, communication skills and reference letters.

"We enjoy hearing from the students and getting to see the beef business from their perspective," says Christy Johnson, CAB director of advertising and chair of the selection committee. "It's evidence that we've got some very enthusiastic young professionals who will be joining our field."

The graduate level scholarship will be awarded to a full-time masters or doctoral student conducting research related to high-quality beef. Applications for that award are due Jan. 16, 2017.

The top undergraduate and graduate scholarship recipients will win an all-expense-paid trip to the 2017 CAB Annual Conference, Sept. 27-29 in Nashville, Tenn., to interact with leaders across the production, packing, retail and foodservice sectors.



 October CWT-Assisted Member Export Sales Contracts Total 7.8 Million Pounds of Dairy Products
Cooperatives Working Together assisted member cooperatives in October in winning 48 contracts to export 5.44 million pounds of American-type cheeses and 2.39 million pounds of butter. The products will go to customers in Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Oceania, and will be shipped from October 2016 through January 2017.

CWT assisted members in getting exports sales contracts totaling 44.19 million pounds of American-type cheese, 10.98 million pounds of butter (82% milkfat) and 19.1 million pounds of whole milk powder going to customers in 24 countries on five continents. The sales are the equivalent of 794.32 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis. Totals are adjusted for cancellations received during the month.

Assisting CWT member cooperatives gain and maintain world market share through the Export Assistance program in the long-term expands the demand for U.S. dairy products and the U.S. farm milk that produces them. This increases demand, which positively affects all U.S. dairy farmers by strengthening and maintaining the value of dairy products that directly impact their milk prices.

The amounts of dairy products and related milk volumes reflect current contracts for delivery, not completed export volumes. CWT will pay export assistance to the bidders only when export and delivery of the product is verified by the submission of the required documentation.



Thanksgiving Dinner Ticks Down to Less Than $5 Per Person

The American Farm Bureau Federation's 31st annual informal price survey of classic items found on the Thanksgiving Day dinner table indicates the average cost of this year's feast for 10 is $49.87, a 24-cent decrease from last year's average of $50.11.

The big ticket item - a 16-pound turkey - came in at a total of $22.74 this year. That's roughly $1.42 per pound, a decrease of 2 cents per pound, or a total of 30 cents per whole turkey, compared to 2015.

"Consumers will pay less than $5 per person for a classic Thanksgiving dinner this year," AFBF Director of Market Intelligence Dr. John Newton said. "We have seen farm prices for many foods - including turkeys - fall from the higher levels of recent years. This translates into lower retail prices for a number of items as we prepare for Thanksgiving and confirms that U.S. consumers benefit from an abundant, high-quality and affordable food supply."

The AFBF survey shopping list includes turkey, bread stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and coffee and milk, all in quantities sufficient to serve a family of 10 with plenty for leftovers.

Foods showing the largest decreases this year in addition to turkey were pumpkin pie mix, milk and a veggie tray comprised of celery and carrots. A 30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix was $3.13; a gallon of milk, $3.17; a one-pound veggie tray of celery and carrots, $0.73; and a group of miscellaneous items including coffee and ingredients necessary to prepare the meal (butter, evaporated milk, onions, eggs, sugar and flour), $2.81.

"Due to a significant expansion in global milk production, prices fell to the lowest levels since 2009, leading to lower retail milk and dairy product prices. Additionally, this year's pumpkin prices are slightly lower following the production decline and higher prices seen in 2015," Newton said.

Items that increased modestly in price were a dozen brown-and-serve rolls, $2.46; two nine-inch pie shells, $2.59; one pound of green peas, $1.58; 12 ounces of fresh cranberries, $2.39; a half-pint of whipping cream, $2.00; a 14-ounce package of cubed bread stuffing, $2.67; and a three-pound bag of fresh sweet potatoes, $3.60.

The average price is down slightly from last year to $49.87. After adjusting for inflation, the cost of a Thanksgiving dinner fell to $20.66 - the lowest level since 2010.

Although the classic Thanksgiving meal priced by Farm Bureau is considered modest by some, "we're fortunate to live here in America, where many people are able to enhance their holiday meals with another type of meat or additional side dishes or desserts," Newton said.

The stable average price reported this year by Farm Bureau for a classic Thanksgiving dinner tracks closely with the government's Consumer Price Index for food eaten at home. The most recent CPI report for food at home showed just over a 2-percent decline over the past year (available online at http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm).

A total of 148 volunteer shoppers checked prices at grocery stores in 40 states for this year's survey. Farm Bureau volunteer shoppers are asked to look for the best possible prices, without taking advantage of special promotional coupons or purchase deals, such as spending $50 and receiving a free turkey.

Shoppers with an eye for bargains in all areas of the country should be able to purchase individual menu items at prices comparable to the Farm Bureau survey averages. Another option for busy families without a lot of time to cook is ready-to-eat Thanksgiving meals for up to 10 people, with all the trimmings, which are available at many supermarkets and take-out restaurants for around $50 to $75.

The AFBF Thanksgiving dinner survey was first conducted in 1986. While Farm Bureau does not make any scientific claims about the data, it is an informal gauge of price trends around the nation. Farm Bureau's survey menu has remained unchanged since 1986 to allow for consistent price comparisons.



Now is the time to sample for soybean cyst nematode

Extension services and Syngenta agronomists are recommending that growers sample soil for soybean cyst nematode (SCN) this fall, after harvest but before a hard freeze or significant snowfall occurs. SCN presence has been expanding across the U.S. every year, yet many growers are still unaware of SCN presence on their farm. Per the South Dakota State University Extension, SCN management starts with testing soil for the nematode, and fall is the best time to do so.

SCN is the most damaging pest to U.S. soybeans. Studies have shown that SCN can contribute to yield losses of 30 percent to 40 percent with no visual symptoms above ground. But since the most common SCN yield reduction is less than 15 percent, few obvious above-ground symptomology is most common. “Because this pest is so stealthy, it steals yield across tens of millions of U.S. soybean acres every year, leaving behind few above ground visual traces of its existence," says Dale Ireland, Ph.D., Seedcare technical product lead at Syngenta.

Not only will sampling in the fall provide timely results in preparation for next season, but it will deliver a more comprehensive image of SCN populations. Because SCN has multiple generations throughout one season, testing mid-season will not provide a complete picture of the severity of a grower’s SCN problem.

Despite SCN presence expanding across the U.S. every year, awareness of the severe threat SCN poses is low. According to a Syngenta survey of more than 1,000 U.S. soybean growers from 17 states, 64 percent of the growers know little about SCN scouting and sampling. This low awareness poses a problem because SCN is most manageable when populations are still small. If SCN goes untreated, nematode numbers can grow rapidly. It is easier to keep low SCN population densities low than it is to manage high SCN numbers, according to the Iowa State University Extension.

While SCN-resistant soybean varieties have been a common tool for control, decreasing efficacy of the most common source of genetic resistance, PI88788, makes it critical to incorporate a broader management program. In addition to planting resistant varieties, growers are encouraged to practice crop rotation and plant varieties treated with a seed-applied nematicide. Once SCN is present, it cannot ever be entirely eliminated. To properly manage SCN, growers must use all the tools available.

“The time is now to fight back against SCN,” said Palle Pedersen, Ph.D., head of Seedcare product marketing for Syngenta. “We are standing at the edge of a cliff and can fall fast if we don’t start dealing with this challenge.”

To help explain the severe threat SCN poses, Syngenta teamed up with university experts across the Midwest to create a series of videos. Available on ClarivaCompleteBeans.com, these videos explore the challenges and provide in-depth management recommendations.

“When I talk to farmers, I don’t tell them to go sample to see if they have it. They should assume they already have it because it’s so widespread,” emphasizes Jason Bond, plant pathologist at Southern Illinois University and one of the featured experts in the videos. “Sampling is good to see what my population numbers are, and then what my management strategies are doing to try to reduce those populations.”

If soil samples test positive for SCN, it’s not too late. In addition to planting an SCN-resistant variety and practicing crop rotation, many universities now recommend incorporating a seed-applied nematicide like Clariva® Complete Beans seed treatment, a combination of separately registered products, to help manage SCN populations – including those becoming resistant to SCN-resistant genetics. Clariva Complete Beans delivers lethal, season-long protection against SCN and enhances the performance of SCN-resistant varieties.