Monday January 23 Ag News

2017 Beef Feedlot Roundtables Feb. 7-9 at Scottsbluff, Lexington, West Point

Beef feedlot managers, owners, employees and supporting industry personnel will learn the latest in feedlot nutrition, health, and marketing at the 2017 Beef Feedlot Roundtables Feb. 7-9 in Scottsbluff, Lexington, and West Point with remote connections to locations in Iowa. Registration begins at 12:30 p.m. At each location with welcome and introduction at 1 p.m. Exact dates and locations are as follows:
·         SCOTTSBLUFF: Feb. 7, Panhandle Research and Extension Center
·         LEXINGTON: Feb. 8, Dawson County Extension Office
·         WEST POINT: Feb. 9, Nielsen Community Center

      University and industry representatives will speak about nutrition and management, marketing options, environmental topics, industry updates and other timely topics for feedlot operators. Topics and presenters include:
·         Effects of Environment on Bovine Respiratory Disease (Brian Vander Ley, Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center)
·         Marketing fat cattle options and what the fed cattle exchange entails (Steve Sunderman, producer and Nebraska Cattlemen Marketing Committee Co-chair)
·         Livestock and Climate Change- Facts and Fiction. (Frank Mitloehner, University of California-Davis)
·         UNL Feedlot Research Update (Galen Erickson and Matt Luebbe, Nebraska Extension)
·         Beef Quality Assurance- Feedlot Assessments (Rob Eirich, Nebraska Extension BQA Director)
·         Beef Industry Update (Doug Straight, Nebraska Beef Council)
·         Optional BQA Training, 5:00 p.m. (Rob Eirich, UNL Extension, Nebraska BQA Director)

      The Nebraska Beef Council will give an update on new beef products and sponsor refreshments at Nebraska locations.

      Preregistration is available by phone, fax, e-mail or mail, and requested by Feb. 1. Cost is $20 for those who preregister, and will be accepted at the door. Cost for those who have not preregistered will be $30.

      For more information or a registration form contact Matt Luebbe at the Panhandle Research and Extension Center, 4502 Ave. I, Scottsbluff, NE 69361, phone 308-632-1260, fax 308-632-1365 or e-mail mluebbe2@unl.edu.

      The Beef Feedlot Roundtable is sponsored by Nebraska Extension and the Nebraska Beef Council and ISU Extension.



Free Grain Marketing Workshop at Eastern Nebraska Research & Extension Center at the ARDC

A free grain marketing workshop will be held near Mead on Tuesday, February 7, 2017. 

Location: Eastern Nebraska Research & Extension Center located at the Agricultural Research & Development Center near Mead - 1071 County Road G, Ithaca, NE 68033.

Time: 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

This workshop will assist grain producers minimize losses during this time of low prices. Nebraska Extension Educators will present location and commodity specific marketing information. Topics include developing a written marketing plan, and understanding basis and carrying charges. The workshops feature the Marketing in a New Era simulator and the Grain Marketing Plan smartphone application.

The workshop is limited to 40 participants with a complimentary lunch.

Register by visiting go.unl.edu/marketingworkshops, calling Cheryl Dunbar  at 402-624-8030 or cdunbar2@unl.edu. 



NE Cover Crop Conference
Keith Glewen, NE Extension Educator

The Nebraska Cover Crop Conference is Tuesday, February 14 at the Eastern Nebraska Research & Extension Center at the ARDC. The flyer with details and registration information is located at this website link: http://ardc.unl.edu/2017CoverCropConference.pdf.  Registration is requested for meal and reference material planning purposes.

What you can expect by attending:
1.    No registration fee thanks to the sponsors listed on the flyer.
2.   Great information from people with experience.
3.   Great food and time to visit with speakers and other growers with cover crop experience.
4.   CCA Credits
5.   Free parking!

Now if you ask me this is a sweetheart of a deal. Did I say sweetheart? No wait, if you register by Feb. 10 you will receive not one but two Cover Crop hand pocket guides absolutely free! Don’t wait register now.



Trends, Issues and Production Topics Headline Nebraska Dairy Convention

Longtime dairy journalist Jim Dickrell, editor of Dairy Herd Management, is among the featured speakers at the 2017 Nebraska Dairy Convention February 21 at the Ramada Inn, Columbus, Nebraska. Dickrell will discuss dairy industry trends and issues at the convention’s evening banquet at 6:30 p.m. The convention, sponsored by the Nebraska State Dairy Association, includes sessions surrounding dairy production, a trade show and the association’s annual business meeting.

The day will begin at 8:30 a.m. with a presentation from Grow Nebraska on helping the state develop the dairy community from both farm and processing perspectives. Veterinarian Jan Schearer, of Iowa State University, will discuss treatment and control of lameness in dairy cattle, and Thomas Oelberg of Diamond V will present on total mixed ration quality. Their presentations are scheduled for 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., respectively.

Lucas Lentsch, the recently named CEO of the Midwest Dairy Association, will be featured at the noon luncheon, providing an update on the organization’s work on dairy farmers’ behalf. Midwest Dairy will also present a workshop on social media from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., featuring Missouri dairy farmer Lisa Leach, who drew the attention of a Chipotle executive through a Facebook post that went viral last summer.

Award presentations and the coronation of the 2017-2018 Nebraska Dairy Princess and Ambassadors will also take place during the evening banquet.

Dairy production awards will be presented at 3 p.m., followed by the Nebraska State Dairy Association’s annual business session at 4 p.m. The trade show hours are from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The Nebraska Dairy Convention is free to all Nebraska dairy farmers, families and guests. Pre-registrations are due February 14, in order to be included in meals. Attendee and sponsorship registration forms are available at nebraskamilk.org. Questions about the convention can be directed to Rod Johnson, Nebraska State Dairy Association, at 402-261-5482 or rod@nebraskamilk.org.



Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation 2017 Teachers of the Year Announced
The Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation has selected two teachers as their Nebraska Agriculture in the Classroom 2017 Teachers of the Year. The Teacher of the Year is awarded to two outstanding teachers that incorporate agriculture into their classroom through innovative ideas.

Jane Gundvaldson, a fourth grade teacher at Thomas Elementary School in Gretna and Matthew Koth, a third grade teacher at Highland Elementary School in Omaha were honored.

“Both of these educators demonstrate how teachers can incorporate agriculture examples and hands on teaching methods into standards-based curriculum to engage the next generation in critical thinking about where their food, fiber and fuel comes from,” said Megahn Schafer, executive director of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation.

Gundvaldson, brings agriculture into her classroom by paralleling what foods her students eat on a regular basis to the farms where the food is grown and raised.

“I believe these lessons linking Nebraskans to where their food comes from are the most fulfilling part of my teaching career,” Gundvaldson said. “I find it more important than ever to help my students understand that the hamburgers or pork chops that they are eating come from Nebraska.”

In addition, Mrs. Gundvaldson’s fourth graders participate in the Foundation’s Ag Pen Pal Program, where their classroom is matched with a farmer in Nebraska. Chuck Homolka, a Merrick County Farm Bureau member, sends videos and pictures of planting and harvest to the students so they can understand what it really takes to grow their food. For the past two years the students have visited Homolka’s farm in Central City to see first-hand the equipment necessary to grow popcorn and corn for ethanol plants and raise cattle.

Koth’s classroom is also involved in the Ag Pen Pal Program and is matched with Arlan and Sarah Paxton in Stapleton.

“The Paxton’s have shared with us by sending video of how they care for the cattle and prepare for the winter by bailing hay,” Koth said. “The students learn first-hand how important agriculture is to the entire state of Nebraska through this program.”

Koth also incorporates agriculture into the classroom by reading the story Stone Soup by Jon Muth to his third graders. The students discuss and write the ingredients on the board then are tasked at finding where each ingredient in the soup is from. From there, they talk about how the food gets from the farm to the grocery store and if we are able to grow those foods in Nebraska.

“This activity brings up discussion about why some crops are grown in different areas of the country and world,” Koth said. “We then compare which ingredients have traveled the furthest and which are the closest to us in Nebraska.”

Each teacher is being awarded an all-expense paid trip to the National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference in Kansas City, Missouri June 20-23. The conference brings educators together from all over the United States to collaborate on how to incorporate agriculture into their curriculum and engage students. Teachers will have the opportunity to attend tours of local ag businesses and farms in the area.



Conservation Efforts Recognized at Annual Lower Elkhorn NRD Awards Banquet 

The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) board honored outstanding conservationists at their annual awards banquet on Friday, January 13th.  The event was held at the Divots Conference Center in Norfolk and attracted over 60 people.

Outstanding Tree Planter Award
The Outstanding Tree Planter Award is presented to individuals within the district who have shown a strong commitment to the planting and care of trees.  The Bill Osborn family of Tilden were honored as the recipients of the 2016 Outstanding Tree Planter Award.

The Osborns live north of Tilden in Pierce County where Bill is a carpenter.  The rustic log cabin that the family resides in was built by Bill, with the assistance of friends and family.  Bill, and his wife, Kathy, have three children, Tyler, Audrey, and Elizabeth.

The Osborns were nominated by LENRD Forester, Pam Bergstrom.  Bergstrom said, “If you were to visit Bill’s place, you would think you were out in a native forest, when you are in fact in a man-made windbreak/forest that encircles the property and has been planted one tree at a time by Bill and his family.”

The main windbreak that protects the log cabin was planted by the Lower Elkhorn NRD in the late 1990s and early 2000s.  With planting around 300 new trees each year along with the trees that the NRD has planted, it is estimated that there are over 5,000 trees on his property that have been purchased through the Lower Elkhorn NRD’s Conservation Tree Program, a grand total of 9,200 trees from both the NRD and other nurseries.

Bergstrom added, “This would be roughly 10-15 acres of trees.  Maintenance and management on his trees is Bill’s main priority and every year he replants the ones that have died.   He is very diligent about making sure that there is no space left vacant.  He has started a new project of growing his own trees from seed that he has collected from his own trees and unique trees from around the area.  Bill and his family are very deserving of this award.”
 
Educators of the Year Award
The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District partners with schools across the district and encourages students to become good stewards of our natural resources.  At their recent awards banquet, the district recognized two teachers who have demonstrated excellence throughout their career.

Suzy Goedeken and Patrick Kratochvil are instructors at Madison Public School.  Madison Public Schools implemented a Watershed Dynamics program into their summer curriculum in 2011.  Suzy and Patrick are the co-instructors of the program which brings students together to learn more about our water through a diverse sampling program in the Taylor and Union Creek Watershed.  Madison High School has received grants from the Lower Elkhorn NRD to continue the program thanks to the efforts of both Suzy and Patrick.

The program brings approximately 20 students together to complete water sampling and analysis of the data throughout the summer months.  Each year, Suzy and Patrick, bring the students to an NRD board meeting so they can give a report on what they discovered and show the directors what they have learned.

Suzy is currently in her 16th year of teaching.  She has been working with the Taylor-Union Creek Watershed Program since the beginning.  Before that, Suzy worked with the Shell Creek Watershed Program in Newman Grove for 5 years. Suzy and her husband, Mick, have two children, Michayla and Micah.

Patrick is in his 19th year of teaching and has been teaching High School Physical Sciences for 14 years at Madison High School.  He has been co-sponsoring the Taylor-Union Watershed Class for 6 years.  Patrick and his wife, Beth, have four children, Courtney, Shawn, Michael, and Curtis.

Vice-Chairman of the LENRD Board, Dennis Schultz, presented the awards.  Schultz stated, “The educator of the year award recognizes Suzy and Patrick for their excellence in teaching future generations the value of our natural resources.”

Outstanding Partnership
The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District works with various agencies and partners each year as we work to improve the quality of life for the citizens across Northeast Nebraska.  At the banquet, the district recognized Susan Risinger Green for the outstanding partnership they have shared with her throughout the years.

Susan Risinger Green is a native of Brunswick and a graduate of Plainview High School. She attended Wayne State College and Northeast Community College.

She began her journalistic career in 1981 at the Neligh News and Leader, and was named assistant news director at WJAG radio in Norfolk in September of 1989. She was with WJAG, Lite Rock 97.5 and 106KIX Radio in Norfolk for more than 26 years, where she served as assistant news director and farm director.

She has received numerous awards over the years for her agricultural reporting and programming, including the 2007 Oscar in Agriculture.  Most recently, she received the award of merit for significant achievement in the advancement of agriculture at the AgCeptional Women’s Conference, which the Lower Elkhorn NRD helps sponsor each year.

Schultz said, “Susan has been an outstanding partner with the Lower Elkhorn NRD for the past 26+ years.  She has been extensively involved with stories from water to wildlife.  This award recognizes Susan for her past support & excellence in reporting on the wise use and conservation of Nebraska's natural resources.  Susan, thank you for the partnership we have shared with you.”

Susan joined Northeast Community College in May of 2016 to serve as the campaign director for the proposed Ag and Water Center of Excellence.

She and her husband, Ron, live in Norfolk and have four children.

Service Awards:
Service awards were also presented by LENRD General Manager Mike Sousek.

Laurie Schold of Oakland, Logan East Rural Water System Financial Secretary, was awarded for 10 years of service.

Director awards were also presented to the following:  Jarvis Otten of Norfolk for his service on the board since 2015; Dave Shelton of Wayne for his service on the board since 2014; Danny Kluthe of Dodge for his service on the board since 2010; and Tim Tighe for his 25 years of service to the district from 1991-2016.

Vice-Chairman Schultz added, “Congratulations to all of our winners tonight.  We thank you for your hard work and continued efforts in protecting our natural resources.”



Ag partnerships continue to demonstrate water quality momentum

The Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) is partnering with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) to offer additional cost share dollars to pig farmers installing new nutrient loss reduction technologies.

Through this program, IPPA will provide up to $25,000, throughout the next year, to offset up to 50 percent of costs for pig farmers to install saturated buffers or bioreactors on their farm land. Sites will be selected based on greatest opportunity for nitrate reduction and be geographically dispersed throughout the state to aid in education and demonstration opportunities.

"Bioreactors and saturated buffers are new practices that have been developed to address water quality, so this $25,000 investment will help us install them at sites across the state so we can continue to demonstrate to farmers how they may be able fit on their farm," Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey said. "I greatly appreciate the Iowa Pork Producers Association for making this significant investment. This is another great example of ag groups in Iowa stepping up to help improve water quality."

Participating producers will be asked to share information and experiences with other farmers through IPPA and IDALS programs. 

Pig farmers interested in the program can submit basic farm information for project consideration at www.surveygizmo.com/s3/3108271/IDALS-EOF-Funding-Application. For more information, contact Tyler Bettin at IPPA at (800) 372-7675 or tbettin @iowapork.org or Matt Lechtenberg at IDALS at (515) 281-3857 or matthew.lechtenberg@iowaagriculture.gov.

"We are happy to partner with IDALS to offer this program and technical assistance," said 2017 IPPA President Curtis Meier, a pig farmer from Clarinda. "While these practices are not specific to pork production, our leaders have recognized the importance of enhancing assistance to install and build awareness of these exciting new edge-of-field technologies."

This new offering from IPPA builds on its additional efforts supportive of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy, including cover crop research, field day support and educational outreach.

"Iowa Pork Producers Association members have established policy supporting the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy and have committed their own Pork Checkoff investments to efforts that can aid in neighbor relations and improve the quality of our natural resources," said Meier. "By supporting the Nutrient Reduction Strategy, enhancing Water Quality Initiative efforts and building efforts with the Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance, there is a strong momentum and opportunity within our commodity organizations and others to drive progress for continuous improvement and practice adoption."

The Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy science assessment cites an average 4 percent reduction in Nitrate loss and up to 46 percent reduction in Phosphorous loss when using swine manure as a nutrient source compared to commercial fertilizer, while also having positive impacts on soil organic carbon, soil structure and runoff. Research from the University of Arkansas shows that efficiencies of modern pork production enabled pig farmers to reduce water use 41 percent land use 78 percent and carbon footprint 35 percent from 1959-2009.

"Manure management is regulated in Iowa. Pig farmers meet requirements for certification to apply manure and do so based on Manure Management Plans and crop needs. It is already against the law for manure from any confinement to reach a body of water," said IPPA Environmental Committee chair and Webster County pig farmer Gregg Hora. "Even with this regulation, pig farmers have a long-standing commitment to continuous improvement and collaborative efforts to build on Iowa's sustainable production model and optimization of manure as a fertilizer resource."



Study Shows Iowa Farm Incomes Strong Despite Economic Downturn

It’s no secret that the farm economy has faced a downturn since its peak in 2012. But how has the downturn affected farmers, specifically related to their farm income and levels of farm debt?

A new study by David Peters, associate professor and extension rural sociologist with Iowa State University, aims to directly answer those questions. "Income Trends for Iowa Farms and Farm Families 2003-2015" (SOC 3076) is now available through the Extension Store.

“Family farm income has remained relatively high, even though there were strong declines in income across the board over the last three years,” Peters said. “That indicates the incomes in 2011 and 2012 must have been phenomenally high to keep income averages this high after a drop off, in many cases, of 30 to even 50 percent over the last two years.”

Commercial farm net income averaged $187,000 in 2015, down from a high of $381,344 in 2012. Intermediate farms, farms where the operator’s primary occupation is farming, averaged an income of $34,000. Residence farms, where the operator’s primary occupation is not farming, had an income of $17,000.

“The concern should be for the 800 to 1,000 acre commercial farm,” Peters said. “We talk in general about the falling farm economy, but the area of most concern is the midsized commercial farm. They are the leaders in rural communities and are the slice of the farm sector that policy makers should be most concerned about.”

The uniqueness of these farms – large enough to sustain a family but not so large as to be able to survive downturns in the economy – place them in a vulnerable position.

“Very large farms bring in a lot of income, there is more room for them to move as the economy goes up or down. And smaller farms survive on off-farm work,” Peters said. “With the midsized commercial class, policy should be aimed at supporting them, the ones with viable farm operations who are the most vulnerable to changes in the farm economy. They are the leaders in rural communities and we don’t want to lose them.”

Growing debt has become a problem for farms of this size. The debt utilization rate (a measure of total debt relative to maximum feasible debt) rose from 35 percent in 2012 to 73 percent in these farms three years later.

“Midsized farms have taken out as much debt as they feasibly can,” Peters said. “When we lump them together with larger farms the outlook is very rosy, but these midsized farms are the ones that are really struggling. Bringing home only around $100,000 a year with high debt levels makes them the most susceptible to any additional downturns in the economy.”

To Peters, the study clarifies the need for financially supporting farmers.

“It is so important to have farm bill income support for farmers,” Peters said. “This is exactly what those farm bill programs are designed to do; when there are short-term fluctuations in the economy they won’t drive people out of farming because they can’t afford it.”



 Iowa Learning Farms Releases New 'Talking With Your Tenant' Publication Series

Caring for Iowa’s farmland requires many decisions that impact today and future generation’s ability to best utilize the land for agricultural production. Land rental relationships can vary, but many face similar challenges when discussing new conservation practices with a tenant or landlord.  To help begin the conversation, Iowa Learning Farms created a publication series with talking points and relevant research findings about a variety of conservation practices.

“A large number of Iowa cropland acres are rented every year; nearly 50 percent according to recent surveys. These rented acres are greatly influenced by the tenant who farms them,” said Mark Licht, Iowa State University assistant professor of agronomy and Iowa Learning Farms advisor, who conceptualized the series.

“Landowners are integral in the decision-making process: from leasing structure and understanding farming practices, to being considerate of practice costs and profitability. With emphasis being placed on nutrient loss reduction and practices ranging from in-field to land use changes, it’s imperative for landowners and tenants to have conversations about reaching production, profitability and environmental goals,” said Licht. “These conversations can lead to improvements of soil health and water quality, along with meeting productivity and profitability goals.”

As land is passed from one generation to another, or is sold, it can lead to uncertainty for tenants and landowners alike.

“We developed this series in response to questions we heard from landowners. They wanted to understand how conservation practices such as strip-tillage and cover crops would affect both their land and the tenant’s bottom line before asking them to add these practices to their management plans,” said Jacqueline Comito, Iowa Learning Farms director. “While the name of the series is ‘Talking to Your Tenant,’ the reverse is also true. We think tenants will also find the series helpful as they educate their landowners on implementing these important practices.”

The series addresses in-field practices like cover crops, no-tillage and strip-tillage, and edge-of-field practices such as denitrifying bioreactors and wetlands. If landowners or renters with ideas for future topics for this series should contact Liz Juchems at ilf@iastate.edu or call 515-294-5429.  The four-part series, along with other print and video resources, is available online at www.iowalearningfarms.org/conservation. Copies will also be available at Iowa Learning Farms field days and workshops, or mailed upon request.



National Pork Industry Forum to Be Held March 1-3

Producer delegates from across the United States will gather in Atlanta, March 1-3, for the annual National Pork Industry Forum.

The 15 producers who serve as members of the National Pork Board and Pork Checkoff staff leadership will hear directly from Pork Act Delegates appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. Each year the delegates confer, vote on resolutions and advisements and provide valuable direction on the important issues facing pork producers and the industry.

The theme for this year’s Pork Forum, Power of Pork: Moving Mountains, references the current record-breaking U.S. pork production and pork producers’ continued work together to meet the challenges and opportunities of a growing industry. Delegates will learn about the aggressive promotions to grow consumer demand and plans to build consumer trust and drive sustainable production.

“While our industry is growing, so is demand for our product – both domestically and internationally,” said Jan Archer, president of the National Pork Board and a pig farmer from Goldsboro, North Carolina. “With faith and focus, resolve and connectedness to each other, we can achieve our goals and move mountains.”

At the meeting, Pork Act Delegates will rank eight candidates for the National Pork Board and submit the list to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, for approval. The candidates, in alphabetical order, are:
    Todd Erickson – Northwood, North Dakota
    M. James Faison – Hopewell, Virginia
    Heather Hill – Greenfield, Indiana
    Brett Kaysen – Nunn, Colorado
    Scott Phillips – Drexel, Missouri
    Steve Rommereim – Alcester, South Dakota
    Kristine Scheller-Stewart – Goldsboro, North Carolina
    Charles Wildman – South Charleston, Ohio

Prior to the annual meeting, members of the National Pork Board also will convene their March meeting. The agenda will include updates on 2017 plans to enhance pork demand, increase market opportunities, improve pork production practices and invest in research priorities.

Included on the 2017 Pork Forum agenda will be opportunities for pork producers to become certified in the pork industry’s Pork Quality Assurance® Plus (PQA Plus®) program, as well as learn more about pork industry programs. The full agenda is available at www.porkindustryforum.com.



Sasse Statement on TPP

U.S. Senator Ben Sasse issued the following statement this morning regarding news reports that President Trump will withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership today.

"It's clear that those of us who believe trade is good for American families have done a terrible job defending trade's historic successes and celebrating its future potential. We have to make the arguments and we have to start now."



Statement by Steve Nelson, President, Regarding the U.S. Withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership

 “We are certainly disappointed with President Trump’s decision to sign an executive order withdrawing the U.S. from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Economic analysis conducted by the Nebraska Farm Bureau showed that virtually every county in Nebraska would have been positively impacted by the agreement with the state as a whole projected to see increased agricultural cash receipts by more than $378 million annually.“

“The TPP reflected a major opportunity for the farmers and ranchers who grow and raise Nebraska’s top commodities including beef, pork, corn, and soybeans. Over $150 million or nearly 40 percent of Nebraska’s projected increase in sales of agriculture products under TPP would have come from the sale of Nebraska beef into TPP countries. Nebraska pork producers would have also seen growth opportunities with Nebraska pork sales statewide expanding by more than $39 million annually. Finally, our corn and soybean farmers would have seen annual growth of over $76 million and $34 million respectively.”

“It is imperative that the Trump Administration now work on other ways to expand agricultural trade. While we continue to support all of our previous free trade agreements, including the North American Free Trade Agreement, which has quadrupled U.S. agricultural exports to Canada and Mexico, we stand ready to work with the new administration to help expand and develop new markets for Nebraska agricultural products.”



Smith Statement on U.S. Withdrawing from TPP

Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement today after President Trump signed an executive order withdrawing the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).   

“TPP was not a perfect agreement, but it established a framework for U.S. exporters to pursue greater economic opportunity in the Asia-Pacific region,” Smith said.  “Our country should be a leader in writing the rules of the global economy, rather than allowing other world powers to take our place.  Moving forward, I hope we can pursue bilateral agreements with these TPP countries to open more markets to U.S. agriculture producers and manufacturers.”



USMEF Statement on TPP Executive Order

In response to the executive order withdrawing the United States as a signatory to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Philip M. Seng issued the following statement:

USMEF remains fully committed to our valued trading partners in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). These countries account for more than 60 percent of U.S. red meat exports.

In some of these key markets, the U.S. red meat industry will remain at a serious competitive disadvantage unless meaningful market access gains are realized. We urge the new administration to utilize all means available to return the United States to a competitive position, so that our industry can continue to serve this important international customer base and further expand our export opportunities.



Wheat Grower Organizations Disappointed in TPP Withdrawal; Call for New Agreements in Crucial Asian, Latin American Markets

U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) and the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) recognize that President Trump’s executive order to withdraw the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) was inevitable. It is disappointing, however, that until an alternative trade policy is established, export opportunities in the promising Pacific Rim markets that could help U.S. wheat farmers at a time when they need it most are very much at risk.

“U.S. wheat farmers depend heavily on export demand to determine their per-bushel income,” said Jason Scott, USW Chairman and a wheat farmer from Easton, Md. “We can compete very effectively in Asian and Latin American markets where the demand for high quality wheat is rapidly increasing and our organizations took a long-view of the benefits TPP held out — a trade agreement that promoted economic growth abroad as a way to grow export sales and prosperity for farmers at home.”

Without TPP or alternative agreements, U.S. farmers will be forced to the sidelines of trade while losing market share in the region to our competitors including Australia, Canada, Russia and the European Union, which have current agreements or are negotiating new ones with countries outside the network of existing U.S. trade agreements,” said Gordon Stoner, NAWG President and a wheat farmer from Outlook, Mont.

USW and NAWG agree that trade agreements must provide the most benefit possible to our own farmers and industries. We continue to support new agreements that expand free, rules-based trade, as TPP would have done, and encourage that agricultural interests be able to continue to provide input into those negotiations.



NFU Statement on U.S. Withdrawal from Trans-Pacific Partnership

A staunch opponent of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement, National Farmers Union (NFU) applauded the Trump Administration’s decision to withdraw the U.S. from the deeply flawed TPP trade agreement. NFU President Roger Johnson released the following statement in response:

“The Trans-Pacific Partnership was a continuance of our nation’s deeply flawed trade agenda, and we’re pleased that the Trump Administration has decided to formally withdraw the U.S. from the pact to prioritize a fair trade agenda.

“For too long, our nation’s trade negotiators have prioritized a free trade over a fair trade agenda, leading to a massive $531 billion trade deficit, lost jobs and lowered wages in rural communities across America. It’s time our country refocuses the trade agenda to prioritize balanced trade, U.S. sovereignty, and U.S. family farmers, ranchers and rural communities. The Trump Administration should look to do so with a level of tact that does not motivate our trade partners to take retaliatory actions or threaten the integrity of positive trade markets that American agriculture relies upon.

“NFU looks forward to working with the new administration and Congress to promote fair trade solutions that work for family farmers and ranchers and the U.S. economy.”



Cattlemen Express Concerns With Trump Administration's Trade Action

Tracy Brunner, President of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, today released the following statement in response to President Trump’s announcement that he is withdrawing the United States from the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal and may seek to take action on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA):

“TPP and NAFTA have long been convenient political punching bags, but the reality is that foreign trade has been one of the greatest success stories in the long history of the U.S. beef industry.

“Fact is American cattle producers are already losing out on $400,000 in sales every day because we don’t have TPP, and since NAFTA was implemented, exports of American-produced beef to Mexico have grown by more than 750 percent. We’re especially concerned that the Administration is taking these actions without any meaningful alternatives in place that would compensate for the tremendous loss that cattle producers will face without TPP or NAFTA.

“Sparking a trade war with Canada, Mexico, and Asia will only lead to higher prices for American-produced beef in those markets and put our American producers at a much steeper competitive disadvantage. The fact remains that 96 percent of the world’s consumers live outside the United States, and expanding access to those consumers is the single best thing we can do to help American cattle-producing families be more successful.”



ASA Registers Significant Concern Following Withdrawal from TPP

The nation's soybean farmers expressed significant concern Monday, following an executive order from President Donald Trump that withdraws the United States from the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). American Soybean Association (ASA) President Ron Moore pointed out the high stakes for soybean farmers, and urged the Trump Administration to immediately announce how it intends to engage and expand market access in the Asia-Pacific region.

"Trade is something soybean farmers take very seriously. We export more than half the soy we grow here in the United States, and still more in the form of meat and other products that are produced with our meal and oil," said Moore, who farms in Roseville, Ill. "The TPP held great promise for us, and has been a key priority for several years now. We're very disappointed to see the withdrawal today."

Soybeans are the nation's largest agricultural export, and markets in Southeast Asia and Latin America continue to grow in their potential as buyers of U.S. soy. The biggest beneficiary from TPP, however, was the American livestock industry--in the form of increased meat and dairy exports--which represents the largest domestic market for soybean meal.

The TPP represents 40 percent of the world's gross domestic product (GDP), and according to the Peterson Institute, would have increased overall U.S. exports by $357 billion by 2030. Specifically for U.S. farmers, TPP would have increased annual net farm income by $4.4 billion according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. Additionally, TPP was the first regional trade agreement to address the need to coordinate international policy on trade in the products of agricultural biotechnology, a benefit that ASA will push to see in any future agreements with TPP partner nations.

"Moving forward, we expect to see a plan in place as soon as possible to engage the TPP partner nations and capture the value that we lose with the withdrawal today. With net farm income down by over 40 percent from levels just a few years ago, we need trade deals with the Asia-Pacific countries to make up for the $4.4 billion in annual net farm income being lost by farmers from not moving forward with the TPP. Also, we expect a seat at the table to help ensure these agreements in whatever form they take are crafted to capture their full value for soybean farmers," added Moore. "Trade is too important for us to support anything less."



NMPF, USDEC Urge Trump Administration Not to Cede Export Opportunities as United States Withdraws from TPP, Reconsiders NAFTA Role

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) today urged the Trump Administration not to retreat from pursuing new trade opportunities in the Pacific Rim, and to protect the agricultural trade relationship between the United States and Mexico.

The dairy groups spoke out Monday as President Trump formally withdrew the United States from the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement, which NMPF and USDEC had supported because it contained benefits for America’s dairy farmers. A retreat from TPP “must not lead to a retreat from economic engagement with growing Asian markets for American dairy products,” said NMPF President and CEO Jim Mulhern.

“While we recognize that TPP as it now stands has no path forward, we urge the Trump Administration to look for future opportunities to increase our dairy exports in Asia and around the world. Our competitors have been successfully negotiating trade agreements over the past several years. This puts the U.S. agriculture sector at a competitive disadvantage if we don’t pursue our own initiatives,” he said.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership “was far from perfect, but was beneficial to the U.S. dairy sector because in addition to new market access, it also made significant progress in focusing on other barriers, including sanitary/phytosanitary standards, as well as the abuse of geographical indications to block competition in common food categories,” said Matt McKnight, Acting Chief of Staff for USDEC.

He said one approach the new administration could take is to replace TPP with bilateral agreements with countries such as Japan, Vietnam and others in Southeast Asia.

NMPF and USDEC on Monday joined 130 other farm and food organizations in calling on President Trump to preserve hard-fought agriculture market access in Mexico, which is the No. 1 market for U.S. dairy exports, totaling $1.2 billion in 2016.

“The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has opened a major door to Mexico that we don’t want slammed shut,” Mulhern said.

“In contrast, Canada, the other NAFTA party, has habitually and deliberately worked to undermine dairy trade. We have been very vocal in the past year that Canada is not living up to its dairy market access opportunities for the United States. This issue must be on the table in any discussion about the future of NAFTA.”

McKnight noted that “the U.S. dairy sector exports 15 percent of its milk production, or one day’s worth of milk production out of each week. In 2015, those exports were worth over $5 billion, and helped generate more than 120,000 jobs in dairy farming, manufacturing and related sectors.”

He said the groups will continue to press lawmakers on the important link between export sales and dairy job growth in the United States.



Statement by AFBF President Zippy Duvall Regarding the Importance of Trade to U.S. Agriculture

“U.S. agriculture creates jobs and supports economic growth in rural America, and American agriculture depends on maintaining and increasing access to markets outside the United States. Trade is vital to the success of our nation’s farmers and ranchers. More than 25 percent of all U.S. ag production ultimately goes to markets outside our borders.

“While President Trump signed an executive order today withdrawing our nation from the Trans- Pacific Partnership, we viewed TPP as a positive agreement for agriculture – one that would have added $4.4 billion annually to our struggling agriculture economy. With this decision, it is critical that the new administration begin work immediately to do all it can to develop new markets for U.S. agricultural goods and to protect and advance U.S. agricultural interests in the critical Asia-Pacific region.

“American agriculture is virtually always a winner when trade agreements remove barriers to U.S. crop and livestock exports because we impose very few compared to other nations. We have much to gain through strong trade agreements. AFBF pledges to work with the administration to help ensure that American agriculture can compete on a level playing field in markets around the world.  But we need the administration’s commitment to ensuring we do not lose the ground gained -- whether in the Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe or other parts of the world.

“This is why we believe it is also important to re-emphasize the provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico that have been beneficial for American agriculture. U.S. agricultural exports to Canada and Mexico have quadrupled from $8.9 billion in 1993 to over $38 billion today, due in large part to NAFTA.  Any renegotiation of NAFTA must recognize the gains achieved by American agriculture and assure that U.S. ag trade with Canada and Mexico remains strong. AFBF will work with the administration to remove remaining barriers that hamstring the ability of America’s farmers and ranchers to benefit from trading relationships with our important North American trading partners.”



CWT Assists with 3.4 Million Pounds of Cheese Export Sales

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted 24 requests for export assistance from Dairy Farmers of America, Foremost Farms USA, Northwest Dairy Association (Darigold) and Tillamook County Creamery Association. These member cooperatives have contracts to sell 3.380 million pounds (1,533 metric tons) of Cheddar, Gouda and Monterey Jack cheeses to customers in Asia, Central America, the Middle East and Oceania. The product has been contracted for delivery in the period from January through April 2017.

So far this year, CWT has assisted member cooperatives who have contracts to sell 3.431 million pounds of American-type cheeses and 220,462 pounds of butter (82% milkfat) to eight countries on three continents. The sales are the equivalent of 36.633 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis.

Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program in the long term helps member cooperatives gain and maintain market share, thus expanding the demand for U.S. dairy products and the U.S. farm milk that produces them. This, in turn, positively affects all U.S. dairy farmers by strengthening and maintaining the value of dairy products that directly impact their milk price.