Monday January 30 Ag News

Central Valley Ag and Farmway to Engage in Formal Study for Merger

The Board of Directors for both Central Valley Ag (CVA) and Farmway Co-op, Inc. (Farmway) have each voted unanimously to begin a formal study regarding the possibility of merging the two cooperatives. This study will be considered and reviewed by both cooperatives to determine if consolidation and merger would be beneficial to the members of both cooperatives.

“Increasing and improving the value to the members of Farmway and CVA is our primary focus,” said Dave Beckman, Chairman of the Board for Central Valley Ag. “This study is the first step in allowing us to determine if a merger will indeed improve such value through improved efficiencies and collaborative efforts.”

Tim Porter, Chairman of the Board for Farmway added, “The agricultural marketplace is changing rapidly and we are committed to be a partner in growth with our customers. Both CVA and Farmway have many strong common values and we feel it is wise to explore a merger to ensure we are keeping our commitment of growth with our customers.”

Completion of the study is expected within 60-90 days. Further action related to a merger will be done once the study has been completed and diligently reviewed and discussed by each organization’s Board of Directors.

More information about the study can be found at this link.... http://cva-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/content/uploads/2017/01/Talking-Points-for-public-012517.pdf. 

ABOUT CENTRAL VALLEY AG
Central Valley Ag is a farmer-owned cooperative headquartered in York, NE. CVA has locations in Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska. CVA is an innovative leader providing products and services in grain, agronomy, feed, and energy. You can find more information about Central Valley Ag by visiting www.cvacoop.com.

ABOUT FARMWAY
Farmway is focused on helping their producer-owners succeed. Headquartered in Beloit, KS, Farmway has 37 locations across nine counties in North Central Kansas, offering energy, agronomy, feed and grain solutions. Find out more about Farmway by visiting www.farmwaycoop.com.



Lower Elkhorn NRD Hosts Three Cover Crop Management Educational Workshop
Cuming Co. Courthouse – 200 S Lincoln St - West Point, Nebraska
Monday, February 6, 2017 - 9:00 a.m.  – 12:00 p.m.

Pierce Library – 207 W Court St. - Pierce, Nebraska
Tuesday, February 7, 2017 - 9:00 a.m.  – 12:00 p.m.

Lifelong Learning Center – 601 E. Benjamin - Norfolk, Nebraska
Wednesday, February 8, 2017 - 9:00 a.m.  – 12:00 p.m.

9:00 – 9:30 a.m. - (coffee and rolls provided by LENRD)

Soil Health – Why It Is So Important
Aaron Hird, NRCS State Soil Health Specialist
Marty Marx, Soil Conservation Technician, Wayne Co. NRCS

Cover Crop Management in Corn/Soybean Rotations
Dan Gillespie, No-till Specialist, Madison Co. NRCS
Dan has applied continuous no-till systems in a corn/soybean rotation since 1991, adding cover crops in 2006.  Dan will talk about cover crop management: What cover crops do I seed? When do I terminate cover crops?  What herbicides do I use? When do I plant cash crops? What benefits do I look for?

Client Gateway, Access Your NRCS Documents On-line - Pam Polenske, Stanton Co. NRCS

Workshops are sponsored by: Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District.  Please RSVP To your local NRCS Office or Call LENRD, 402 371 7313



NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

For the month of January 2017, temperatures averaged near normal across eastern Nebraska but two to six degrees below normal in the west, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Heavy snow across northern counties the last full week of the month covered stubble fields, requiring supplemental feedings of livestock. At the end of the month, snow cover was limited to northern areas.

Topsoil moisture supplies rated 7 percent very short, 16 short, 73 adequate, and 4 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 7 percent very short, 24 short, 68 adequate, and 1 surplus.

Field Crops Report:
Winter wheat condition rated 1 percent very poor, 8 poor, 44 fair, 43 good, and 4 excellent.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report:
Cattle and calf conditions rated 0 percent very poor, 1 poor, 12 fair, 76 good, and 11 excellent. Calving progress was 4 percent complete. Cattle and calf death loss rated 0 percent heavy, 64 average, and 36 light.

Sheep and lamb conditions rated 0 percent very poor, 1 poor, 22 fair, 72 good, and 5 excellent. Sheep and lamb death loss rated 1 percent heavy, 62 average, and 37 light.

Hay and roughage supplies rated 0 percent very short, 2 short, 92 adequate, and 6 surplus.
Stock water supplies rated 0 percent very short, 4 short, 95 adequate, and 1 surplus.



WHAT’S IN A NAME
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist

               What comes to mind if I say forage rye?  What about ryegrass?  These words can mean half a dozen types of forage and they all are very different.  Let me try to reduce the confusion.

               The words rye and ryegrass cause much confusion.  Rye typically refers to the cereal or small grain plant.  As a forage, it can produce high tonnage but is coarser and less palatable than some other forages.  Like wheat, rye varieties can be either winter ryes or spring ryes.  Planted in spring, spring types grow tall and form seed but winter types stay short with only leaves.  Planted in the fall, spring types grow tall but die over winter.  Winter varieties stay short and leafy during fall, but survive winter and grow tall and form seed the next spring.

               Ryegrass, though, is a very palatable, high quality forage grass.  There are several types of ryegrass with variety differences within each type.  For example, perennial ryegrass produces very high quality pasture but only lasts for a few years under most Nebraska conditions.

               A bigger confusion comes from annual ryegrass and Italian ryegrass.  Technically, they refer to the same plants but in the forage world they have acquired different meanings.  Annual ryegrass refers to varieties that are used for turf and to varieties used as winter and spring forage in the Gulf-state region.  Spring plantings in Nebraska head out and regrow very slowly during the heat of early summer, usually dying over winter.  Italian ryegrass, however, is more like a biennial and produces mostly leaves while growing throughout summer and fall if moisture is available.  Many varieties survive winter and then produce seedheads the following spring.

               Still confused?  Then be sure to carefully describe to your seedsman when you want to plant and how you want to use your grass.  Then they can help you get the right kind of rye or ryegrass.



NDA Funding Available for Buffer Strips

Would you like to keep more of your topsoil on your farm while reducing contamination of water resources? Funding is available from the Nebraska Department of Agriculture to aid in the use of buffer strips to stabilize the environment and filter out sediments and agrichemicals that might otherwise enter field runoff.

The Nebraska Buffer Strip Program will pay landowners for using filter strips (narrow strips of grass) or riparian forest buffer strips (strips containing trees and grass) next to seasonal or permanent streams, wetlands, and ponds. The minimum widths are 20 feet for filter strips and 55 feet for riparian forest buffer strips; the maximum widths are 120 and 180 feet, respectively.

Buffer strips, used along with other best management practices, are a common sense approach to reducing sediment and agrichemicals in field runoff, notes Craig Romary, NDA environmental program specialist in the animal and plant health division. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service reports that filter strips have been shown to remove 30-60% of pesticides in field runoff, depending on site conditions, including width of filter strip, pesticides used, field conservation practices, and runoff volume. Buffer strips have also been shown to remove 75% of sediment from runoff.

Buffer strip contracts run from 5 to 10 years. State program payments vary from $20 to $250 per acre, depending on soil type, whether the acres are irrigated, and whether payments are received from other programs. This program is designed to be used in conjunction with the USDA Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), or other programs, but can also be used by itself.

For more information on adding buffer strips to your conservation plan, visit NDA’s website at bit.ly/NDAbuffer or call NDA at 402-471-2351. To begin the application process, interested landowners should contact their local Natural Resources District or USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service office in Nebraska.



Register Now for Farm Finance and Ag Law Clinics in February 
Openings are available for one-on-one, confidential farm finance and ag law consultations being conducted across the state each month. An experienced ag law attorney and ag financial counselor will be available to address farm and ranch issues related to financial planning, estate and transition planning, farm loan programs, debtor/creditor law, water rights, and other relevant matters. The clinics offer an opportunity to seek an experienced outside opinion on issues affecting your farm or ranch.

Clinic Sites and Dates
    Norfolk — Wednesday, February 1
    Grand Island — Thursday, February 2
    North Platte — Thursday, February 9
    Lexington — Thursday, February 16
    Fairbury — Tuesday, February 21
    Ainsworth — Friday, February 24
    Norfolk — Tuesday, February 28

To sign up for a free clinic or to get more information, call Michelle at the Nebraska Farm Hotline at 1-800-464-0258.  The Nebraska Department of Agriculture and Legal Aid of Nebraska sponsor these clinics.




NDA TO OFFER SEASON EXTENSION SEMINAR FEBRUARY 23 IN KEARNEY

Produce growers can learn how to extend their growing and harvest seasons at a Season Extension Seminar hosted by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) on Feb. 23 in Kearney.

“Consumers want the opportunity to purchase fresh, locally-grown produce throughout the year,” said Casey Foster, NDA program specialist. “This Season Extension Seminar will educate growers on opportunities available to extend their growing season while connecting them with a retailer interested in sourcing local produce.”

The seminar will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the University of Nebraska – Kearney, Ockinga Conference Room, 19th and University Drive. There is no cost to attend, but individuals need to RSVP by Feb. 13 to casey.foster@nebraska.gov or 800-422-6692. A complimentary lunch will be provided.

Seminar participants will:
·         Learn growing practices related to season extension methods;
·         Connect with a retailer interested in sourcing local produce;
·         Watch a chef perform a cooking demo using locally-grown produce;
·         Learn about affordable financing options;
·         Meet a season extension outfitter who will showcase a line of season extension products;
·         Learn marketing and selling strategies of specialty crops; and
·         Receive an educational book related to specialty crop production.

This seminar is being funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. For more information, contact Casey Foster at the email address and/or phone number above.



IOWA PEST RESISTANCE MANAGEMENT PLAN UNVEILED

 Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey, Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Associate Dean Dr. John Lawrence and Iowa farmer Larry Buss of Logan today announced the release of the Iowa Pest Resistance Management Plan.  The full plan and additional information about pest resistance management efforts can be found at www.ProtectIowaCrops.org.

The Iowa-specific plan seeks to engage farmers on the issue of pest resistance management with the goal of keeping technology and tools such as pesticides, seed treatments, and biotechnology products and native traits available and effective.

“This plan brought together a broad cross-section of Iowa agriculture partners to proactively address the issue of pest resistance.  Pests do not recognize field borders, so it is important we work collaboratively on this issue.  Iowa is again ahead of the curve in developing a state pest resistance management plan and I hope farmers take the time to learn more about the effort and consider if there are opportunities to be involved in their area,” Northey said.

“The time is right for Iowa agriculture to take steps to effectively manage pest resistance and to put the best science available to use to ensure the state’s leadership in crop productivity is sustained far into the future,” said Wendy Wintersteen, dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University. “The plan that’s been developed is the result of more than two years of discussions with many public and private partners, and they should be commended for their efforts.”

The Iowa Pest Resistance Management Plan’s goal is to document and promote holistic and integrated management solutions that will effectively and sustainably control pests, including insects, weeds and plant disease.  This includes postponing or delaying resistance development, foster methods of early detection, and then mitigating, to the extent possible, the spread of pest resistance.

The plan includes chapters that address governance, the state of the science, pilot projects, and communication and outreach.

As the plan is implemented, pilot projects of active pest resistance management will be established to encourage adoption of science-based resistance management efforts and to develop adaptive management approaches.  These pilots will also seek to examine approaches to encourage successful, voluntary pest resistance management adoption.

The pilot projects will identify key stakeholders within a defined community and will be inclusive, bringing all potential players to the table. The pilot projects will work to establish incentives and novel approaches to encourage the community to work together to address the identified pest-resistant problems. These projects are intended to deal with resistance issues that are imminent or already present with the objective of minimizing the potential of further resistance development.

It is expected that the first round of pilot projects will be selected this April and get underway in May so they can be operating during the growing season this year.

A broad cross-section of the Iowa agriculture industry was involved in putting the plan together, including the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Agribusiness Association of Iowa, Agricultural Biotechnology Stewardship Technical Committee, Iowa Corn Growers Association, the Iowa Chapter of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Iowa Independent Crop Consultants Association, Iowa Institute for Cooperatives, Iowa Soybean Association, Pesticide Resistance Action Committees, Practical Farmers of Iowa, and the Soil and Water Conservation Society.



Clarinda farmer becomes Iowa Pork Producers president for second time

A long-time Page County pork, beef and grain farmer has embarked on his second one-year term as president of the Iowa Pork Producers Association.

Curtis Meier of Clarinda received the president's gavel from 2016 President Al Wulfekuhle of Quasqueton at the conclusion of IPPA's annual meeting in Des Moines on Jan. 24. Meier is believed to be the first, two-time president in the association's 82-year history. He first served in the role in 2003.

"It's a great opportunity, not one I really asked for, but things just fell in place," Meier said. "I never dreamed I'd have another chance at it. We have a strong and knowledgeable board of directors and I look forward to working with the board in the coming year to address the issues, achieve our goals and improve the success of the state's producers."

Meier and the IPPA Board of Directors will be focused on trade, the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Iowa State University and conservation.

Pork exports closed 2016 with increased strength after a slow start and trade missions and market development will continue to be key in 2017, said Meier. IPPA will continue to do its job of promoting pork and creating markets with the help of the Iowa Economic Development Authority, the National Pork Board and the National Pork Producers Council.

"I went to Viet Nam in 2003 and wondered what we're doing here because these people are so poor, I don't think there's a market here," Meier recalled. "Today, it's an up and coming market. When people get a little bit of money in their pocket, the first thing they look for is a protein source in the diet and that's where we come in. We have a great protein source in pork. Every Asian market we can develop is big for [pork producers]."

Iowa State University is seeking a $100 million appropriation from the state of Iowa to fund an 83,000 square-foot addition and renovation of 27,500 square feet of the existing College of Veterinarian Medicine's Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. ISU will supply $4 million of the necessary funding and seek another $20 million in private gifts. IPPA has already promised $1 million for the facility and Meier says the association will continue pushing for the state funding.

"The organization needs to support the vet lab. The pork industry relies heavily on the lab's services and we will emphasize the importance [of the funding] in the coming year. We need to talk to our state legislators to let them know how critical it is to our industry," he said.

As a Page County soil and water commissioner, Meier knows the importance of caring for our natural resources and he will continue encouraging producers to install new nutrient loss reduction technologies wherever possible.

"Even with times as tough as they are, people are still concerned about conservation and are willing to spend money on cover crops, terraces, waterways, CRP, etc., Meier said. "We want to continue strong support for conservation as an organization."

Meier and his wife, Brenda, along with their son and son-in-law, have a diversified farming enterprise. The family has a 160-sow farrow-to-finish swine business, 1,100-head of beef cattle and 3,000 acres of corn and soybeans.



NPPC Hails Trump U.K. Trade Announcement

The Trump administration over the weekend announced it would pursue closer trade relations with the United Kingdom, news welcomed by the National Pork Producers Council, which urged the administration to begin talks as soon as possible.

Meeting last week at the White House, President Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May agreed to hold preliminary talks on a trade deal, which can’t be finalized until the U.K. leaves the European Union. (The U.K. in June 2016 voted to get out of the economic bloc, which was formed after World War II to promote economic growth and to avoid conflict among the 28 member countries.)

“We applaud the Trump administration for recognizing the importance of free trade agreements to American agriculture and the entire U.S. economy,” said NPPC President John Weber, a pork producer from Dysart, Iowa. “We’re pleased that it will work for a stronger trade relationship with the United Kingdom through a mutually beneficial trade agreement.”

Trump and May agreed to set up a working groups to consider ways to improve trade between the countries before the United Kingdom, which consists of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, exits the EU. The so-called Brexit process may take up to two years.

At a Friday press conference with the president, May said the countries will work to “lay the groundwork for a U.K.-U.S. trade agreement and identify the practical steps we can take now in order to enable companies in both countries to trade and do business with one another more easily.”

Given its desire to negotiate a free trade agreement with the U.K., it is unclear if the Trump administration will continue trade talks with the EU through the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. Those negotiations have been limping along nearly since the TTIP was initiated in 2013.

Although NPPC had been supportive of the TTIP, it was skeptical that U.S. hog farmers – or any other farmers – would get a good deal out of the agreement given the EU’s intransigence on eliminating tariff and non-tariff barriers on agricultural products, including pork.

“In pursuing better trade with the U.K. and working toward a free trade agreement with it, I think the administration recognized that TTIP isn’t going anywhere,” Weber said. “We’re pleased President Trump is instead focusing on bolstering our historic ties with the U.K.”



CHS Foundation Now Accepting High School Scholarship Applications

The CHS Foundation, funded by charitable gifts from CHS Inc., the nation's leading farmer-owned cooperative, is now accepting scholarship applications. 

"The CHS Foundation is committed to supporting the next generation of agricultural leaders," says Mark Biedenfeld, president, CHS Foundation. "These students are the future of our industry and we are proud to support them as they begin their education and career exploration in agriculture."

In 2017, the CHS Foundation will award nearly 300 scholarships to students studying agriculture or STEM (science, technology, engineering or math) fields of study with an interest in agriculture or energy industry careers. One hundred high school students will be awarded $1,000 scholarships as they enter their freshman year of college in Fall 2017.

High school scholarship applications must be submitted by March 31, 2017. An independent external review committee will select recipients based on essays, transcripts and reference letters. For additional information and to apply, visit http://www.chsinc.com/stewardship/leadership-development/scholarships.

The CHS Foundation supports nearly 200 additional scholarships that are available to existing college students pursuing agricultural-related degrees. These scholarships are directly administered by more than 30 partnering universities throughout the U.S. and application deadlines vary by school. For more information and a list of partnering universities, visit http://www.chsinc.com/stewardship/leadership-development/scholarships.

The CHS Foundation is funded by charitable gifts from CHS Inc., the nation's leading farmer-owned cooperative and a global energy, grains and foods company. As a part of the CHS stewardship focus, the CHS Foundation supports organizations that develop future leaders for agriculture through education and leadership programs, improve agricultural safety and enhance community vitality in rural America.



FFA Makes Changes to Official Dress, Opening Ceremonies

The National FFA Board of Directors has approved two recommendations from the National FFA Delegates regarding Official Dress guidelines and the National FFA Opening Ceremony. Effective immediately, the board approved the changes during its January meeting in Indianapolis last week.

For the Opening Ceremonies, the reporter's part will now say 'the FFA is a national organization that reaches from the state of Alaska to the Virgin Islands and from the state of Maine to Hawaii.' Previously, Puerto Rico was cited as the most southeastern area to be impacted by the organization.

The Official Dress Guidelines have also been amended to allow recognized religions to wear Official garb with Official Dress. Other language on the exact use of certain clothing for Official Dress was also clarified.

Both of these changes were approved by the student member delegates to the 89th National FFA Convention in October 2016.



U.S. Dairy Companies Push Back Against Canada’s Protectionist Policies

The U.S. dairy industry this week continued to push back against Canada’s protectionist policies that are effectively blocking American dairy imports into the country in violation of international agreements. A group of 17 dairy companies representing dairy farmers and processors from coast to coast asked governors in 25 states to urge Canadian policymakers to uphold existing trade commitments with the United States and halt the imminent implementation of a national strategy that would unfairly subsidize Canadian dairy products in its domestic and global markets.

“[U.S.-Canada] trade cannot be a one-way street with Canada expecting to enjoy the benefits of exporting its products of interest to our market while denying a sector accounting for hundreds of thousands of jobs in rural America reliable access to the Canadian market,” the group said in its letter to the governors. “[An existing provincial] program has already cost U.S. companies tens of millions of dollars in exports, thereby harming the dairy farmers, dairy plant employees and rural communities that depend on the benefits those foreign sales bring.”

Beginning Feb. 1, Canada is poised to expand the product scope of that provincial program while instituting it nationally. It also intends to disrupt skim milk powder markets around the world by using the new program to dump excess milk powder on global markets.

The 17 dairy companies sent the letter to governors in states with significant numbers of dairy farms and dairy processing companies because of the damage Canada’s policies have had already or are poised to have on these farms and companies, as well as their employees and many communities. The letter urges state officials to “consider all tools at their disposal to ensure Canada understands the seriousness of this issue.” The states are Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. Read the letter here.

Earlier this month, U.S. dairy organizations and state departments of agriculture across the country sent a similar letter to President Donald Trump that said Canada’s protectionist policies are in direct violation of its trade commitments under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). The organizations urged the president and his key cabinet members to take immediate action. The letter to Trump was signed by the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA).

“In the current trade climate across North America, it is foolhardy for Canada to continue provoking the United States with a course of action that so blatantly violates our trade agreements,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. “We need our nation’s governors to join in our call for Canada to step back from the brink of what it is about to do and take steps to remind Canada how critical trade is to its own interests, as well.”

“Despite Canada’s efforts to distance itself from the administration’s focus on enforcement and improving how NAFTA functions, it is Canada – not Mexico – that has time and again chosen to disregard its dairy trade commitments to the United States and intentionally dismiss serious concerns from the United States about the impact its dairy policies are having on trade,” said Matt McKnight, acting Chief Operating Officer of USDEC. “Canada should take a page out of Mexico’s book and hold up its end of the bargain to us on dairy trade.”

“The U.S. dairy industry is united on this issue because these policies and incentives severely hinder U.S. exports to Canada and threaten our ability to remain competitive in markets around the world,” said Michael Dykes, D.V.M., president and CEO of IDFA. “IDFA will continue to speak out against Canada’s protectionist policies on Capitol Hill, with members of the Trump Administration and among state governors and legislators, while asking for changes that will force Canada to honor its trade commitments and allow more access for U.S. dairy products.”



Corn and Animal Agriculture - Poised for Success
Chris Novak, Chief Executive Officer, National Corn Growers Association

In less than a week's time, colleagues in the cattle industry will head off to Nashville, Tennessee to participate in the 120th Cattle Industry Convention and Trade Show.  Further south, our friends in the poultry industry will head to Atlanta, Georgia for the largest annual trade show for the poultry, meat and feed industries in the country.  With these two industries coming together, it makes it a good time to reflect on our relationships with those in animal agriculture. Collectively, beef, poultry, pork and dairy producers represent corn farmers' number-one customer.  It's a fact of which we're both proud and grateful.  Over 39 percent of U.S. grown corn goes toward animal agriculture. Adding in distillers dried grains (DDGs), a co-product of corn ethanol production, brings total consumption figures to 47 percent1.  Clearly, what is good for animal agriculture is good for corn growers.

The reverse is also true.  Consumer skepticism in the nation's food supply, negative media attention, and challenges to free trade threaten the health of all our industries.  Knowing this, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is constantly looking for ways to contribute to the economic health of its largest customer in ways that are mutually beneficial.  That is why we incorporated livestock-related objectives into our Strategic Plan2.  Corn farmers recognize that livestock and poultry's successes are vital if we are to achieve our stated goals of building competitive market demand for corn, and corn products, and enhancing customer and consumer trust in our nation's food supply.

To accomplish the goals set forth in our plan, NCGA and its state affiliates engage in a variety of activities to help support animal agriculture.  For example, we continue to invest in educational efforts - such as the Soil Health Partnership - that helps create new efficiencies in corn production and help farmers better utilize crop nutrients.  Healthy soil results in a quality product, which in turn, is beneficial to livestock operations. We also work alongside our livestock and poultry producing colleagues in broad-based agricultural organizations - such as U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance - to help reduce consumer misperceptions.  And we are collaborating with industry professionals, animal experts, and plant scientists to help deliver improvements in the nutrient composition of corn and expand the cost-effective use of DDGs in livestock rations.

Looking ahead, we want - and need - to do even more with our livestock and poultry colleagues. Farm and ranch families comprise just two percent of the U.S. population3.  However, thanks to advancements in technology and agronomic practices, we collectively produce enough food to feed both American citizens and a growing world population. Developing economies have an appetite for quality protein from meat, and this trend shows no signs of slowing.  NCGA's vision is to feed and fuel a growing world.  To achieve this vision, we must work together to continue to push for farming programs and trade policies that support all of agriculture.

Livestock producers and corn farmers have more in common than they do differences, and a whole lot to gain by working together.  As our friends in the cattle and poultry industries head off to Music City and the Big Peach, we want them to know that corn growers sincerely wish you all continued success and prosperity - and we're working hard to help you achieve it.



Kansas State University is the 'Silicon Valley for biodefense,' according to Blue Ribbon Study Panel

What Silicon Valley is to technology, Kansas State University is to biodefense.

When former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle and the bipartisan Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense visited the Manhattan campus on Thursday, Jan. 26, for a series of agrodefense discussions, the university cemented its status as a national leader in animal health, biosciences and food safety research.

"K-State has really become the Silicon Valley for biodefense," Daschle said. "Its Biosecurity Research Institute, links to the Kansas Intelligence Fusion Center and the National Bio and Agro-defense Facility are all illustrative of the extraordinary effort that is now underway in Manhattan. It's an amazing demonstration of innovation, of collaboration and of engagement."

Daschle and legislators, scientists, academic leaders and industry representatives visited the university for a series of discussions, titled "Agrodefense: Challenges and Solutions." Daschle and other panel members and staff attended to learn about better ways to protect the country's food supply and fight bioterrorism.

The Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense — chaired by former Sen. Joe Lieberman and former Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge, a former governor of Pennsylvania — recommends changes to U.S. national policy and law to strengthen biodefense. The panel intends to produce a report to share with the country's new administration, Congress and the public by the end of the year.

"One of the centerpieces of our report is the recommendation to try and coordinate information-sharing efforts among the different and often disparate parts of state and local governments that address biothreats," said the Honorable Kenneth Wainstein, panel member and former Homeland Security adviser to President George W. Bush. "Nowhere is that as important, and the need as marked, as in the agriculture area."

During the panel, Kansas State University researchers discussed their work on emerging diseases — Zika virus, West Nile virus, avian influenza and porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, known as PEDv — as well as efforts to fight biological terrorism, such as the anthrax events of 2001, which affected Daschle. They also discussed pursuing biodefense through partnerships with government, industry and other universities.

"We want to be a good partner in the effort to protect our nation's food supply, both plant and animal," said Kansas State University President Richard Myers, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks. "We have expertise and facilities here that enable us to do this."

Below are additional remarks from some of the meeting participants.

• Thomas Daschle, former Senate majority leader and panel member:
"Collaboration requires a convener. Collaboration requires leadership. I believe that K-State is in a very good position to be that convener, to be that leader and to create opportunities for better dialogue and engagement with others as we consider the national challenges we face. That's going to take a real effort and I think K-State is well-positioned to do just that."

"As agriculture is elevated in terms of recognition and importance, it will be important for K-State to play a key role in giving us the kind of direction and public policy approach that is necessary to get the job done right."

• Roger Marshall, congressman and physician:
"Kansas is agriculture; agriculture is Kansas. Kansans have proven themselves in leading and preventing potential outbreaks."

"Zoonotic diseases are going to require physicians, veterinarians and researchers to work together. I see that my role is to push these people together. I see incredible opportunity with NBAF to work with those people and further the collaboration."
• Stephen Higgs, Kansas State University associate vice president for research and director of the Biosecurity Research Institute:
"Preventing an attack is going to be knowledge-based. We need to know everything possible about the pathogens and the potential perpetrators. Know the agent. Know the agencies that are involved. The type of research, education and training conducted at the Biosecurity Research Institute is critical to gain that sort of knowledge."

• Tammy Beckham, dean of Kansas State University's College of Veterinary Medicine:
"We cannot simply discuss One Health anymore, but we must embrace it. We need surveillance systems that can share information from the animal sector to the human health sector. We need surveillance systems that are not agent or disease based, but are more broadly syndromic based so that we have early detection for these emerging diseases."