Friday February 24 Cattle on Feed + Ag News

NEBRASKA CATTLE ON FEED DOWN SLIGHTLY

Nebraska feedlots, with capacities of 1,000 or more head, contained 2.45 million cattle on feed on February 1, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. This inventory was down slightly from last year. Placements during January totaled 540,000 head, up 10 percent from 2016. Fed cattle marketings for the month of January totaled 450,000 head, up 3 percent from last year. Other disappearance during January totaled 10,000 head, down 5,000 head from last year.



IOWA CATTLE ON FEED

Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 640,000 head on February 1, 2017, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Cattle on Feed report. This was up 7 percent from January 1, 2017, and up 3 percent from February 1, 2016. Iowa feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head had 585,000 head on feed, up 4 percent from last month but down 6 percent from last year. Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in all Iowa feedlots totaled 1,225,000 head, up 6 percent from last month but down 1 percent from last year.

Placements of cattle and calves in Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during January totaled 128,000 head, an increase of 23 percent from last month and up 44 percent from last year. Feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head placed 81,000 head, up 37 percent from last month but down 10 percent from last year. Placements for all feedlots in Iowa totaled 209,000 head, up 28 percent from last month and up 17 percent from last year.

Marketings of fed cattle from Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during January totaled 86,000 head, down 16 percent from last month but unchanged from last year. Feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head marketed 52,000 head, up 11 percent from last month but down 31 percent from last year. Marketings for all feedlots in Iowa were 138,000 head, down 7 percent from last month and down 14 percent from last year. Other disappearance from all feedlots in Iowa totaled 6,000 head.



United States Cattle on Feed Up 1 Percent
   
Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 10.8 million head on February 1, 2017. The inventory was 1 percent above February 1, 2016.

By State:  (1,000 hd - % of Feb 1 '16)
Colorado .......:        900          102              
Iowa .............:         640          103              
Kansas ..........:      2,210          103            
Nebraska ......:      2,450          100              
Texas ............:      2,450          101        

Placements in feedlots during January totaled 1.98 million head, 11 percent above 2016. Net placements were 1.93 million head. During January, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 380,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 445,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 585,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 410,000, 900-999 pounds were 116,000, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 45,000 head.

New placement weight categories are available this month. The new categories are 800-899 pounds, 900-999 pounds, and 1,000 pounds and greater. Information for January 2017 and January a year ago can be found on page 5 of this publication. This additional information will be published monthly in the Cattle on Feed report.

By State:  (1,000 hd - % of Jan '16)
Colorado .......:      180           124             
Iowa .............:       128           144             
Kansas ..........:       480           116              
Nebraska ......:       540           110              
Texas ............:       360           107         

Marketings of fed cattle during January totaled 1.75 million head, 10 percent above 2016.  Other disappearance totaled 53,000 head during January, 5 percent below 2016.

By State:  (1,000 hd - % of Jan '16)
Colorado .......:      175          135             
Iowa .............:        86           100             
Kansas ..........:      430           121              
Nebraska ......:      450           103             
Texas ............:      320            98         

2016 Cattle on Feed and Annual Size Group Estimates
Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head represented 81.2 percent of all cattle and calves on feed in the United States on January 1, 2017. This is comparable to the 80.4 percent on January 1, 2016.

Marketings of fed cattle for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head during 2016 represented 87.1 percent of total cattle marketed from all feedlots in the United States, down slightly from 87.2 percent during 2015.



Nebraska Pork Producers Elect New Directors and Officers

Nebraska’s Pork industry gathered at the Nebraska Innovation Campus Conference Center in Lincoln for their Annual Meeting to address industry issues, recognize the Outstanding Pork Service Award winners, Allied Members and elect new directors and officers.

Russ Vering with Central Plains Milling in Howells was re-elected President for the Association. Darin Uhlir of St. Paul will serve as 1st Vice President, Tim Chancellor of Broken Bow assumed the position of 2nd Vice President, and Kevin Peterson of Osceola was elected to fill the 3rd Vice President position. Elected to his first two-year term as Director is Paul Segner of Friend. Alan Stephens of Elkhorn and Alesha Meyer of Diller were elected as alternate directors. 

John Csukker and Michael Luckey of Columbus, Stuart Spader of Waco, Darin Uhlir of St. Paul and Aaron Reichmuth of Humphrey were elected to serve another two-year term on the Board of Directors. Retiring from the Board of Directors was Aaron Kavan of York. 

The Annual Meeting began with Progress and Promise in the Pork Industry, a panel discussion     
on expanding the pork industry in Nebraska. Mike Brumm of Brumm Swine Consultancy located
in Mankato, Minnesota enlightened the audience with past, present and future trends in our
industry with a list of Brummism’s. Bill Davis, Senior Director for Congressional Relations with
the National Pork Producers Council shared issues, atmosphere, and developments from our
Nation’s Capital. A panel of Human Resource and Recruitment professionals reflected on
employee hiring and retention practices.

NPPA President Russ Vering recognized more than sixty industry Allied Members. He thanked
them for their financial support that allows NPPA to do continuing education, provide leadership
opportunities, assist with special projects and also for sharing their time and expertise.



2016 Outstanding Pork Service Award Winners and Hall of Fame Inductees Honored

Russ Vering, President of the Nebraska Pork Producers Association recognized the 2016 Outstanding Pork Service Award winners at a ceremony held in conjunction with NePPA’s Annual Meeting. The Outstanding Pork Service Awards are given annually to recognize exceptional work by an individual, company, or organization that has advocated the fundamental efforts of the Nebraska Pork Producers Association.

Plaques were presented to each of the 2016 winners by NePPA President Vering. Acknowledging the National Pork Trailer and the exceptional individuals who travel with it, the Pork Service Award for Promotions was presented to Glen Roest and Jayne McCowell. Former Executive Director of AFAN, Willow Holoubek was recognized as the Producer Outreach award winner for her numerous speaking engagements on behalf of the pork industry. His positive voice and promotion of the Industry made Dave Harrington of St. Paul the obvious choice for Industry Outreach. Accepting the award for Outstanding Allied Member for Parks of Nebraska located in Humphrey was manager, Kevin Nolan.

Hall of Fame Inductees Terry O’Neel of Friend and Bruce Livingston of Fairbury were honored at the annual Ribs and Bibs, Salute to State Senators banquet. The guest speaker at the event was Governor Pete Ricketts.

Terry O’Neel of Friend was inducted into the Check-off Hall of Fame. For twenty-seven years Terry has been an active member of county, state and national committees and boards. Back in 1985 he joined the Saline County Pork Producers by, 1987 he was an officer, and by 1988 President. He went on to be a State Director from 2001 to 2009 and served as State President in 2007. He will begin term as National President in March of this year. “He takes great pride in his farrow to finish pork operation and shares his years of experience in the industry. Terry has earned and held the respect of fellow pork producers through his leadership and enthusiasm for the pork industry,” stated President Vering. 

Inducted into the Voluntary Check-Off Hall of Fame was Bruce Livingston of Fairbury. By the time Bruce has graduated from high school he owned a 150 sow farrow to finish operation. He turned it into a nationally recognized operation. With his early commitment to the hog business, a strong work ethic learned from his parents, and expansion always on the horizon, his sow number is 25,000 and growing. At the induction President Vering read, “In a recent article Bruce was quoted as saying, I could not wait for the weekends and summer breaks to arrive so I could work with pigs”, the scenario maybe a little different now days, but I’ll bet the sentiment is the same and the future of Livingston Enterprises is secure.”



NePPA Announces Participants in 2017 Pork Mentorship Program

The Nebraska Pork Producers Association is proud to welcome participants of the 2017 Pork Mentorship Program. This year, six students will participate in the program, which has worked to further develop youth leaders through individual and group based learning experiences since 1999.

Participants in the 2017 Pork Mentorship Program are:

Catherine Jones of Omaha, is a junior at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln studying Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Communication;

Cheyenne Gerlach of DeWitt, is a freshman at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln studying Agricultural Economics;

Fina Choat of Saint Edward, is a freshman at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln studying Pre-Veterinary Medicine;

Marissa Kegley of Kearney, is a freshman at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln studying Animal Science;

Thomas Waldo of DeWitt, is a junior at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln studying Agricultural Economics;

Vanessa Knutson of Palmyra, is a sophomore at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln studying Agricultural Education with an option in teaching;

The 2017 Pork Mentorship Program is comprised of six members attending college at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, with academic majors that represent a cross section of interests and disciplines within the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.

Each year, participants in the Pork Mentorship Program participate in activities that encourage personal growth, career readiness, and develop leadership skills, while expanding their knowledge of the pork industry. Participants are also active in projects that encourage giving back to their community. Each of the participants will receive a $500 scholarship upon the successful completion of requirements throughout the year-long program.



IOWA CROP VALUE SUMMARY

The production of Iowa’s field and miscellaneous crops was valued at $14.9 billion in 2016, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Crop Values summary. This was a 5 percent increase from 2015.

The value of corn for grain production totaled $9.18 billion, up 4 percent from the previous year, and production was up 9 percent. Iowa’s corn price averaged $3.35 per bushel, a decrease of $0.17 from the last marketing year.

Up 9 percent from 2015, the value of soybean production was $5.34 billion, even though production was only up 3 percent. Average prices increased $0.49 from the previous year to $9.40 per bushel.

Value of production decreased in 2016 from 2015 for oats, alfalfa hay, other hay, and all forage. Value of production increased from the previous year for winter wheat.



'Working Together: Farmer and Lender Webinar’ provides tips to navigate 2017 and beyond

Good communication between farmers and their lenders has always been important, but the current agricultural economy makes the strength of that relationship critical to sustainability.  To help foster and grow farmer-banker relationships, the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) and the Iowa Bankers Association (IBA) have partnered to present ‘Working Together: Farmer and Lender Webinar’ on Wednesday, March 8 at 1:00 p.m., as part of the IFBF Margin Management Webinar Series.  

The future outlook for the ag economy is foggy, and high production costs coupled with commodity volatility makes this a very challenging time for both farmers and lenders.  This collaborative IFBF webinar is designed to give tips to help navigate 2017 and plan for the future.

“Ultimately, lenders should be considered a strategic advisor for farmers, as they work to help the operation survive and thrive,” says Ed Kordick, IFBF commodity services manager. “We hope participants take the opportunity to pick up some tips on growing the relationship with their banker to truly maximize the resources and opportunities available.”

Kim Greenland, senior vice president of City State Bank and Mount Ayr branch manager, will speak about the communication between lender and farmer and the expectations lenders have.  Robert Hartwig, legal counsel and ag committee staff liaison with the Iowa Bankers Association, will also share his insights to help farmers understand challenges that lenders face.

“We are excited to partner with Farm Bureau to help assist Iowa farm producers with understanding lender expectations during this economic cycle.  IBA members are always focused on their customers’ success and the overall goal of building wealth in their farm operations, no matter what economic conditions persist,” said Bob Hartwig, IBA Legal Counsel.         

Participants will also have the opportunity to ask questions during the webinar.  Participants can register in advance or join the live webinar as a guest a few minutes prior to the 1:00 p.m. start time.



Dairy Beef Short Course Coupled with Dairy Expo

The third annual Dairy Beef Short Course will be offered March 28 at the Denny Sanford Premier and Convention Center, Sioux Falls.  This is a Pre-Welcome Reception Educational Events at the Central Plains Dairy Expo and is being hosted by the I-29 Moo University Collaboration.  Topics covered will include:

- Vaccination and Implant Protocols: Workshop will cover selecting the right vaccines and implants for your operation to improve herd health, optimize performance, and exceed customer expectations. Presented by Russ Daly, SDSU Extension Veterinarian.

- Managing Liver Abscesses in the VFD Age: Participants will learn about management strategies to minimize acidosis and liver abscess issues and comply with the VFD regulations. Presented by Warren Rusche, SDSU Extension Beef Feedlot Specialist.

- Marketing Dairy Beef in 2017: This workshop will focus on issues surrounding marketing dairy beef, including market access, price discovery, increased red meat supply, and end product specifications. Presented by Brad Kooima, President Kooima & Kaemingk Commodities, Inc.

- Financial Management and Working with Lenders: This workshop will provide attendees with insight into what bankers are looking for as they work with cattle feeders. Presented by Dave Karnopp, Retail Commercial Lender/Beef Specialist - Farm Credit Services.

The Dairy Beef Short Course begins 10 a.m. with registration; program starts at 10:30 a.m. and will end at 3 p.m.  The agenda will allow for attendees to take in the evening entertainment at the Welcome Reception for the Central Plains Dairy Expo.

To cover costs, there will be a $25 registration fee which will include lunch. We would appreciate registrations by March 27th to insure a spot at the meeting, since attendance is limited to 80 people. Please contact the Watertown Regional Extension Office at 605-882-5140 or email to register. On-line registration will be available on the iGrow events page after Feb. 25.

In its 12th year of collaboration, I-29 Moo University has established a learning community which is a cooperative effort of South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, and Nebraska University Extension personnel along with the SW Minnesota Dairy Profit Initiative, Iowa State Dairy Association, Minnesota Milk Producers Association, Nebraska State Dairy Association, and the South Dakota Dairy Producers. The objective of various educational venues offered is to bring research-based information to stakeholders while helping to grow a sustainable agricultural industry.



Corn, Soybean, Wheat Crops Projected to Come Down, But Supplies Still High in 2017

In its early forecast for crop production, USDA's Outlook for crops lowers corn, soybean and wheat production for the 2017-18 crop year.

USDA pegs corn production at 14.065 billion bushels, 7% below a year ago with an average yield of 170.7 bushels per acre, down from last year's record yield of 174.6 bpa. USDA projects corn acreage at 90 million planted acres, down 4 million from 2016.

Despite USDA boosting soybean planted acres for this spring by 4.6 million acres to a record 88 million acres, USDA still lowers projected soybean production to 4.18 billion bushels, 3% lower than 2016 with an average yield of 48 bpa, down 4.1 bushels from 2016.

Wheat production is projected at 1.837 billion bushels, down 20% from last year with a yield expected at 47.1 bpa, down 10% from last year. Planted wheat acres are projected at 46 million, down 4.6 million from last year.

The USDA Outlook is the department's first major forecast of the 2017-18 marketing year, which will be updated in the March 31 prospective plantings report.



Expect Growth in Beef, Hog and Poultry Production

Is there such a thing as too much meat? Maybe, according to the USDA World Agricultural Board.

In an initial 2017 outlook comments for the beef, pork, and poultry industry, USDA cited 2016 as a record year for meat production in the U.S., which could weigh down markets as production continues to climb in 2017 and the U.S. beef herd enters its fourth year of expansion.

No single sector of the meat production industry set records, but together, beef, pork, broilers and turkey all increased production 3.1% from 2015 to a record 97.6 billion pounds in 2016. And 2017 may set more records, namely for red meat and poultry production, which are expected to increase more than 3% and surpass 100 billion pounds for the first time ever.

These soaring production levels will have the expected depressing effect on prices, USDA added. The board predicted lower prices for cattle, hogs and turkeys in 2017. Broiler prices are expected to make only "fractional" gains in the coming year.

As a result of lower prices, exports are expected to improve slightly, but the strong U.S. dollar and continued modest economic global growth will likely hamper any significant export gains.



NPPC TESTIFIES AT FARM BILL HEARING

Michael Springer, a third-generation crop and hog farmer from southeastern Kansas, Thursday testified on behalf of the National Pork Producers Council on the 2018 Farm Bill at a field hearing held by the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. Among other provisions, NPPC wants lawmakers to include in the next Farm Bill:
-    Authorization and funding for an FMD vaccine bank.
-    Funding for the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, which conducts diagnostics on animal diseases, and for grants to states for disease surveillance.
-    An increase in funding for agricultural research to ensure that the U.S. livestock industry maintains its competitiveness in the global marketplace.
-    Funding levels that sustain the Market Access Program and the Foreign Market Development Program, which support U.S. exports.
-    Funding levels maintained for conservation programs.

In written testimony presented to the committee, which held its first in a series of field hearings at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan., NPPC urged Congress and the Trump administration to pursue in the 2018 Farm Bill “policies and regulations that support the U.S. pork industry rather than hinder its ability to continue producing safe, lean and nutritious pork and pork products for the global marketplace.”



NO ADDITIONAL CUTS TO FARM, FOOD PROGRAMS, SAY GROUPS

More than 500 agricultural, conservation, food and nutrition-assistance organizations, including the National Pork Producers Council and 13 state pork producer associations, urged Senate and House lawmakers on the budget and on the appropriations committees to reject cuts to farm and feeding programs included in the next Farm Bill. The groups pointed out in a letter to the chairmen and ranking members of the committees that the 2014 Farm Bill included significant cuts, which were estimated to contribute $23 billion to deficit reduction over 10 years. The cuts, they said, resulted from “hard choices” made to reform and reduce the farm safety net, conservation initiatives and nutrition assistance.

“With the agriculture and rural economy struggling, households across the country struggling to meet their basic needs for nutrition, and farm income down 46 percent from only three years ago, it would be perilous to hinder development and passage of the 2018 Farm Bill with further cuts,” said the organizations.



NGFA supports STB proposal requiring railroads to make information available online

The NGFA supported the Surface Transportation Board's (STB) proposal to require Class I railroads to post and make available common carrier tariff rates and service terms for agricultural products and fertilizer on their respective websites in a statement submitted to the agency on Feb. 21.

The STB proposed the rule to update its 20-year-old regulations to reflect the fact that Class I railroads have begun making common carrier tariff rates and service terms available on their websites, rather than in paper form. Such information is required to be made available under the Interstate Commerce Termination Act of 1995. Agricultural transportation represents the largest users of common-carrier (non-contract) rail service, with grain representing approximately one-third of all common-carrier movements.

The NGFA strongly supported the STB's proposal that such information needs to be made available to all persons, not just the customers or prospective customers of the given railroad, and urged the agency to refine its proposal to prohibit current impediments to accessing such information that exist on some carriers' websites. The NGFA's statement noted that some carriers currently erect barriers to accessing tariff rates and service terms through cumbersome and time-consuming registration requirements or password-protection requirements that preclude the public from accessing such information.

"The STB should make it abundantly clear in its final regulations that such registration features must provide for immediate and unrestricted access to any person - not just current or potential customers - of all tariff rates, pricing information and all applicable service terms and conditions for agricultural commodities and fertilizer," as required under federal law.

In addition, the NGFA statement urged the STB to require that Class II and III railroads, if they voluntarily decide to provide tariff and service terms on their websites, do so under the same rules for transparency, accessibility and format usability as required of Class I railroads.

The NGFA statement also commended the STB for issuing a clarifying policy statement contained in the same proposed rulemaking document that would allow farmers, agricultural producers and state attorneys general (on behalf of farmers or shippers) to be potentially eligible to be granted standing to bring a rate challenge - and to aggregate their rate claims - at the STB, even though they have not been directly harmed and/or are not direct payers of rail freight. The NGFA concurred with the STB that current law expressly allows grain producers and other indirectly harmed parties to challenge unreasonable freight rates by filing complaints before the agency.



Case IH Celebrates 175 Years

Case IH is beginning a year of celebrations to commemorate its 175th anniversary at its global headquarters in Racine, Wisconsin. It was there, on the shores of the Root River, that founder Jerome Increase Case established Racine Threshing Machine Works to produce a revolutionary machine to speed up the separation of grain after harvest.

"I find it amazing to see just how far the farming industry and our company have come during the last 175 years, especially given the fact that we are stronger today than ever before," Case IH President Andreas Klauser said.

He added that the common theme that has always guided by innovative approach to provide customers with ever-improving technologies that enable them to farm more efficiently and profitably.

The company's beginnings are closely linked with those of the American economy, as pioneers moved West and new farms were established to feed the growing population centers in the East. In 1869, Case went on to manufacture the first steam engine tractor, which, although wheel-mounted, was drawn by horses and used only to power other machines.

In 1876, Case built the first self-propelled traction steam engine. As steam engines quickly replaced horses for threshing, the J.I. Case Threshing Machine Company became the world's largest producer of steam engines by 1886.

In 1902, five companies merged to form the International Harvester Company in Chicago, the deal being brokered, personally, by J.P. Morgan, the American banker who dominated corporate finance and industrial consolidation at the time. The company produced its first combine harvester in 1915 and, in 1923, introduced the Farmall®, the world's first row crop tractor.

Providing greater productivity, reliability and safety, it was a revolutionary unified system of tractors and implements for plowing, cultivating and harvesting. International Harvester sold more than 5 million Farmall tractors and, in 1977, launched the unique single-rotor Axial-Flow® rotary combine, which revolutionized the farming industry with its simplicity, grain quality, grain savings, crop adaptability, matched capacity and high resale value. Axial-Flow combines still set the standard for harvesting performance today.

Case IH was formed in 1985 when J.I. Case acquired the agricultural division of International Harvester, uniting the legacies of Case and IH in a single brand. Its first product, the Magnum™ tractor with horsepower ranging from 160 to 240 horsepower, was introduced in 1987 and became the first tractor to win the Industrial Design Excellence Award from the Industrial Designers Society of America. Now producing up to 380 horsepower, the Magnum tractor continues to be one of the most recognizable Case IH products, and more than 150,000 have been sold.