Friday March 10 Ag News

NEBRASKA GROUNDWATER LEVELS RECOVERING FROM 2012 DROUGHT

State groundwater levels continue to recover from the 2012 drought, according to the 2016 Nebraska Statewide Groundwater-Level Monitoring Report.

Released by the Conservation and Survey Division in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's School of Natural Resources, the report showed that groundwater levels in spring 2016 continued to rise following above-normal and near-average precipitation recorded for the year across the state. However, many parts of Nebraska still showed groundwater levels that remain 10 to 15 feet below spring 2012 conditions.

Report authors found water levels rose an average of 0.69 feet from spring 2015 to spring 2016. Significant rises were measured in the Panhandle, along the Platte River Valley and the eastern third of the state. The rest of Nebraska recorded near-average precipitation and modest, localized water level changes.

The report was authored by Aaron Young, survey geologist; Mark Burbach, environmental scientist; Leslie Howard, geographic information science and cartography manager; Michele Waszgis, research technician; Matt Joeckel, state geologist and associate director of the Conservation and Survey Division; and Susan Olafsen Lackey, research hydrogeologist.

Available online and in the Nebraska Maps and More Store in Hardin Hall, the report examines groundwater level changes, using data collected from nearly 5,000 wells across the state. It studies the rate of drawdown and recharge measured in regional wells and gives a general depiction of the current state of groundwater levels on a yearly basis. It also looks at historical trends, comparing regional water levels during extended periods of time.

In-depth maps in the report look at one-year groundwater level changes, but also examine five-year and 10-year changes, in addition to changes since the beginning of irrigation development. The maps are based on information collected by the Conservation and Survey Division, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Nebraska Natural Resources Districts and Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District.

The reports and maps are produced by the Conservation and Survey Division and have been since the 1950s. Groundwater monitoring began in Nebraska in the 1930s.

For more information on the report and groundwater-related data, visit http://go.unl.edu/4xvc or call 402-472-8339.



LENRD public hearing to certify irrigated acres will be held March 23rd

The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) will conduct a public hearing to certify irrigated acres on March 23, 2017 at 7:30 p.m.  The hearing will be held at the Lifelong Learning Center, located on the campus of Northeast Community College - 601 East Benjamin Avenue in Norfolk. 

You can find a list of individuals are those who have fields in this certification hearing  on the www.lenrd.org web site.  If you have any questions about this hearing or the certification process, contact Mike Murphy at the LENRD office, 402-371-7313.



Grower to Speak at New Series of Poultry Informational Meetings
Graham P. Christensen, GCResolve

As the proposed Costco-owned chicken processing operation in Fremont continues to be discussed and challenged by local residents, farmers and their families from surrounding Nebraska counties are weighing the benefits and the costs of entering into the life of a contract-grower. Major questions need to be asked -- and answered.

To continue to help provide real-world information and separate the myths from the facts of contract- growing, a second series of informational meetings will be held across Northeast Nebraska featuring a nationally-recognized expert and whistleblower on the industrial poultry industry.

Craig Watts is a former contract-grower for agribusiness giant Perdue in North Carolina who stood up to the industry and the shortcomings common and harmful to growers. Currently an independent family farmer and consultant for Socially Responsible Agricultural Project, Watts offers a unique, experienced perspective on contract-growing and the issues local Nebraska farmers will face.

The meetings will also include a showing of the short documentary film “Sharecropper,” which explores the ongoing struggles of America’s chicken farmers.

The following is the calendar for informational meetings:

TUESDAY, MARCH 14
-Norfolk Library | 308 West Prospect Ave, Norfolk, NE | 9:30am & 12:00pm (two separate events)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15
-Keene Memorial Library |1030 North Broad Street, Fremont, NE | 9:30am
-Tekamah Auditorium | 1315 K Street, Tekamah, NE | 1:00pm

THURSDAY, MARCH 16
Nielsen Center | 200 Anna Stalp Ave, West Point, NE | 9:30am
-Wahoo Library | 637 North Maple St, Wahoo, NE | 1:30pm
-Columbus Library | 2424 14th Street, Columbus, NE| 5:30pm

This meeting series is co-sponsored by Nebraska Communities United, Socially Responsible Agricultural Project, Farm Aid and GC Resolve.



HEJNY RECEIVES AGRI-AWARD AT TRIUMPH OF AG SHOW

Terry Hejny, director of the Nebraska LEAD Program was honored with the Agri-Award on March 8 at the Triumph of Agriculture Exposition Farm and Ranch Machinery Show in Omaha.

The Triumph of Agriculture Exposition established the annual Agri-Award as part of Nebraska’s Centennial Celebration in 1976 to recognize outstanding organizations and individuals that have contributed to the agricultural development in the Midwest.

“I am honored to be selected as this year’s recipient of the Agri-Award by the Triumph of Agriculture’s Farm and Machinery Council. As I look at the names of the previous recipients, I am humbled to be included among them,” Hejny said.

Hejny began his career with the University of Nebraska Lincoln in 1998. He worked as an educator for Nebraska Extension in Fillmore County specializing in grain marketing and risk management before transitioning to the Cass County Extension office in 2005. Hejny has served as director of the Nebraska LEAD Program since 2007. In addition, Hejny is the president of the Nebraska Agricultural Leadership Council.



Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement to honor two, elect new members

The Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement will honor Robert Andersen and Eugene Glock at a banquet on March 16 in the Great Plains Room of the Nebraska East Union in Lincoln.    

Formed in 1916, the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement is dedicated to preserving and improving Nebraska agriculture. Each year, the group recognizes at least one honoree and inducts new members.

As president of the Nebraska Cooperative Council for 42 years, Robert Andersen spent his professional career making contributions to Nebraska’s agriculture industry and its natural resources. He effectively mentored cooperatives statewide by assisting with their organization, leadership, education and financial stewardship. He also was an effective leader at the national level, serving as a director of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives for more than 20 years.

A 1972 graduate of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Andersen has been a strong supporter of the University and the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. He helped establish $130,000 in scholarships that have been awarded to 170 students and helped establish the University’s professor of agricultural and rural cooperatives tenure-track position.

A few of Andersen’s honors include the Nebraska Corn Board Elevator Industry Award; the Nebraska Ag Relations Council Ag Relations Award; the Nebraska Rural Radio Association Service to Agriculture Award and the Nebraska Agri-Business Club Public Service to Agriculture Award.

Eugene Glock is a lifelong native of Butler County, Nebraska. He raises corn and soybeans, primarily for seed production, on the family farm near Rising City. Adopting progressive soil and water conservation practices has always been a high priority for him. Glock is recognized as a leader in water conservation.

Glock was instrumental in establishing the Nebraska Soybean Association and served as its first president in 1973. He was also a founding member of the Nebraska Soybean Development Board that administers the soybean check-off program and served in that capacity for 15 years. His leadership in the soybean industry extended to the national level where he served nine years on the American Soybean Association Board and seven of those years on the executive committee.

Eugene’s leadership contributions extend to all corners of Nebraska’s agricultural industry. He served 12 years on Senator Bob Kerrey’s staff as the Senator’s State Agriculture Representative; six years on the Board of Directors of Agriculture Builders of Nebraska; and on numerous University of Nebraska advisory committees. He currently serves on NU President Bound’s Advisory Council. He also served in a leadership role for the Ag 40 Group that was instrumental in establishing the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

A few of Glock’s honors include the Nebraska Agribusiness Club Service to Agriculture Award; Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben Agricultural Achievement Award; Nebraska Crop Improvement Association Premier Seed Grower Award; University of Nebraska CASNR Alumni Achievement Award; Nebraska Chapter of the American Society of Farm Managers Distinguished Service Award; and Nebraska Rural Radio Association KRVN Service to Agriculture Award.

NHAA will also welcome new members at the banquet. New members are nominated by a fellow member of the hall for their significant contributions to the state’s agriculture industry.
This year’s new NHAA members, listed by hometown are:
· BRIDGEPORT: Nick Lapaseotes, farmer, feedyard and cow-calf operator
· CHADRON: Connee Quinn, rancher, retired Elanco Animal Health sales rep
· COLUMBUS: Debora Hamernik, interim associate vice chancellor for research, associate dean of the Agricultural Research Division, associate director of Agricultural Experiment Station, professor of animal science, University of Nebraska–Lincoln; James Hellbusch, owner and operator, DuoLift
· KEARNEY: Anne Marie Bosshamer, executive director, Nebraska Beef Council
· LINCOLN: Dean Eisenhauer, emeritus professor, biological systems engineering, University of Nebraska­ –Lincoln; Galen Erickson, Nebraska Cattle Industry Professor of Animal Science, beef feedlot nutrition specialist, University of Nebraska­ ­ ­ ­ –Lincoln
· PAXTON: Mark Spurgin, owner, Spurgin Inc.
· SHELTON: Randy Gangwish, owner and operator, Gangwish Seed Farms
·YORK: Gary Zoubek, retired educator, Nebraska Extension



Collaborative Program Connects Dietitians with Beef Community

The Nebraska and California Beef Councils recently collaborated on a program to provide culinary dietitians with a taste of beef production practices set in the ranching communities of Napa and Sonoma County California.  The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ conference focused on the link between nutrition, cooking and the enjoyment of food.

“Beef has a unique and versatile culinary appeal,” said Mitch Rippe, Director of Nutrition for the Nebraska Beef Council. “We wanted to showcase those aspects, but also hear from the farmers and ranchers who produce our beef to learn how the nutritious and responsibly-raised product gets to our table.”

The program began with an interactive session entitled Plates and Palates. The Plates and Palates presentation included beef cut identification, an interactive taste and flavor session, and suggestions on creating nutritious meals with beef. The session was led by Chef Laura Hagen, Senior Director of Culinary and registered dietitian Erin Weber, Associate Director of Health Communications Outreach, both from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff. Subject matter was delivered via a carcass diagram with retail cuts of beef and appropriate cooking methods, a hands-on exploration of sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami (savory) and fermented with umami-rich beef and tastings of two checkoff-developed recipes to show how beef fits in a balanced and healthy dietary pattern.

“It was so nice to talk to a group of foodies who were really interested in the beef umami tasting exercise,” said Hagen, who is responsible for the Beef Culinary Center and works alongside culinary staff members to implement food production, recipe testing and food photography. “Hearing what attendees are doing with beef in the kitchen validates the current work we’re doing testing new recipes and preparation methods like sous vide and pressure cooking.”

In the afternoon, 22 dietitians travelled to Kunde Estates, home of the Sonoma Mountain Hereford ranch. Jim and Marcia (Kunde) Mickelson, fourth generation ranchers and winegrowers, provided a tour of operations at the ranch. At the center of the discussion were the production practices that contribute to meeting a growing global beef demand while balancing environmental responsibility, social diligence, and food safety. The dietitians were provided a tour of the ranch and given a direct approach to understanding the production cycle by handling a sale bull.

Regrouping at the Kunde family winery, the dietitians were treated to a tasting of five Kunde wines. During the tasting, the group also took a walking tour of the wine caves and discussed the barrel aging process of premium wines. During the event, Rippe and Weber also led a nutrition presentation on the health aspects of lean beef.

“We are helping people to learn more about their food, not just about the nutrients in it, but how all the hard work and efforts by our farmers and ranchers contribute to the high quality, nutritious beef we all enjoy.” As the trusted health and nutrition resource, consumers look to registered dietitians to help them in choosing and selecting the most beneficial foods to feed their families, Rippe said. “Therefore, it is important that we provide dietitians the opportunity to join us in the production experience, so they can see and understand the direct correlation between beef production and beef nutrition.” 



PREPARE NOW TO BEAT THE DROUGHT
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist

               Winter will be over soon and another grazing season will begin. Who knows how much moisture lies ahead.  Today I’ll suggest some ways you can limit the forage problems drought could cause.

               Drought is likely to be a problem again this summer, at least somewhere.  Because hay can be costly when pastures are short, we need to consider ways to minimize damages if we receive less than average rainfall.  Fortunately, early spring is a time you can take action that can minimize some of drought’s problems.

               For starters, prepare a strategy for using any remaining hay.  One good option is to feed hay a bit longer into spring before turning cows out to permanent pasture.  I know this action is exactly opposite of my usual recommendation to graze more and feed less hay. But, allowing pastures to accumulate a bit more growth before grazing begins will provide more total grazable forage if drought prevents much regrowth later on.  Leftover hay also can be used later during the grazing season to give pastures more time to recover between grazings.

               Another strategy is planting annual forages for pasture or hay.  Some excellent choices are oats planted as early as possible or summer annual grasses like sudangrass, sorghum-sudan hybrids, and pearl millet planted once soils are good and warm.  Late May or early June usually is best for these grasses.  Reserve some ground now for these drought-insurance grasses, before you plant everything to corn, beans, and other crops.  And don’t forget about possibly planting these grasses or even some fall cover crop forages into wheat stubble as a double crop after harvest.

               If the rains don’t come, planning and acting now to reduce potential forage losses from drought will pay big dividends.



Ricketts Temporarily Waives Hauling Requirements

Today, Governor Pete Ricketts directed the Nebraska State Patrol to temporarily waive certain requirements for trucks traveling in and through Nebraska in support of efforts to aid citizens of Kansas impacted by wildfires.

“Due to the recent fires in Kansas, the Governor has temporarily waived the length and weight requirements for trucks traveling in and through Nebraska in support of efforts to assist the citizens of Kansas,” said the Governor’s Chief of Staff Matt Miltenberger.  “There is likely to be an increased number of trucks carrying hay and livestock, and this temporary waiver will expedite efforts to provide assistance to victims of the wildfires.”

The directive is effective immediately until Friday, March 17th, 2017 at 11:59pm pending further notice from the Governor.



Wildfire Relief Efforts: How You Can Help

As the wildfires that recently ravaged the plains are put out, our fellow cattlemen in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Colorado are left with devastating loss. If you are interested in donating funds, hay, feed, or fencing supplies, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association has compiled information on how to help here... http://www.beefusa.org/firereliefresources.aspx.

Kansas
Donate at www.kla.org/donationform.aspx or call the Kansas Livestock Association at (785) 273-5115.

Colorado
Donations of hay, feed, and fencing supplies can be taken to CHS Grainland in Haxtun. Information on monetary donations can be found at http://coloradofarmbureau.com/disasterfund/.  Checks can be mailed to Colorado Farm Bureau Foundation, Attn: Disaster Fund, 9177 E. Mineral Circle, Centennial, CO 80112.

Oklahoma
Make checks payable to Oklahoma Cattlemen's Foundation and put "Fire Relief" in the memo line and send to P.O. Box 82395, Oklahoma City, OK 73148. To donate online, visit www.okcattlemen.org.  To donate hay or trucking services for hay, contact either the Harper County Extension Office at 580-735-2252 or Buffalo Feeders at 580-727-5530.

Texas
Three supply points have been established to collect donated hay. Each are listed here... http://www.beefusa.org/firereliefresources.aspx.  If you have hay that you can donate and transport to either supply point, please contact the location directly prior to transportation.



Investing in Research for the Good of Science, Agriculture and the Environment

Through the Iowa Corn Promotion Board’s (ICPB) investment in research, Iowa corn farmers continue making strides in sustainably increasing corn plant efficiency while reducing the environmental impact of corn production.

In 2014, ICPB embarked on creating a public, broad-umbrella initiative to translate genomic information for the benefit of growers, consumers and society. The initiative, called Genomes To Fields (G2F), is funded with the Iowa Corn Promotion Board, National Corn Growers Association and now includes 21 states plus Ontario. This program leverages the mapping of the corn genome to identify key corn genetic traits that impact yield and the plant’s ability to respond to environmental stressors to design a better corn plant in the future.

“When the genes of corn were mapped back in 2009, for the first time we could see all the genes in a corn plant,” said Iowa Corn Research and Business Development Committee Chair Curt Mether, a farmer from Logan. “But having the complete corn gene sequenced doesn't tell us anything about what all these genes do in terms of crop growth and production. So, the Iowa Corn Promotion Board has been taking the initiative to do something about this.”

Corn growth and productivity is determined by its genes and how those genes interact with the environmental conditions in which a corn plant is placed, such as temperature, rainfall, soil types, and pests, something researchers refer to as the Genotype x Environment interaction, or GxE. To understand how genes affect corn growth, we need to evaluate this GxE effect for a large number of hybrids (genotypes) grown in a wide range of environments.

At the beginning of the program, Iowa Corn’s Research and Business Development committee funded the Genomes To Field Initiative (aka Phenotyping), with the initial emphasis on the GxE Trial, where hundreds of genotyped corn hybrids grown across dozens of environments in several states, from New York to Arizona to South Dakota to Georgia. The objective was to understand how genes and environments interact to impact corn traits and performance.

“One of the requirements of the committee has always been that the results of this work needs to be public,” explained Mether. “A key step is building an open source data information site for corn research. This past month that finally happened. The 2014 and 2015 data is now publicly available with the 2016 data available to G2F researchers.”

This represents the largest dataset of corn genotype, environmental and phenotypic data that has ever been made available to researchers at universities and agencies such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

“This knowledge base will assist seed companies in commercializing improved corn hybrids and will advance farmers’ precision farming techniques including the more efficient use of land and the more precise use of pesticides and fertilizers,” Mether said.

But the release of this dataset marks just the beginning, not the end.  Unlike sequencing the corn genome, which was completed in 2009, researchers will never be finished collecting phenotype data and understanding how plants respond to various environmental factors. This dataset represents the beginnings of a resource that will continue to grow and become more valuable over time. It will allow researchers to convert the corn genome sequence into functional knowledge and develop new methods and devices to analyze the relationship between genetic, trait and environmental data to predict performance of plants.

2017 will be the fourth year of the G2F GxE Trials including three new states. The initiative is working closely with Iowa Corn Growers Association in developing a strategy to use with Congress and government agencies to obtain research funding. Funds raised by the Iowa Corn Promotion Board, Illinois Corn and Nebraska Corn boards have been matched by grants from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA‐NIFA) totaling $500,000.

To learn more about ICPB’s research and science funding, please visit: iowacorn.org/research.



Congress Sends Resolution to Halt BLM Planning Rule to President

The Senate earlier this week joined the House in approving a Farm Bureau-supported resolution (H.J. Res. 44) to stop an Obama administration rule that would weaken the influence of local and regional input on Bureau of Land Management decisions.  The resolution now goes to President Donald Trump for his signature.

Known as “Planning 2.0,” the far-reaching rule incorporated numerous Obama-era presidential and secretarial orders, along with internal agency guidance and policy documents. By reducing the opportunity for public comment, minimizing federal requirements to coordinate with state and local governments and imposing new mitigation requirements, Planning 2.0 would have caused significant problems in the federal land use planning processes.



White House Submits Some Nomination Paperwork for Agriculture Secretary

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The White House has submitted nomination paperwork for agriculture secretary pick Sonny Perdue -- more than seven weeks after President Donald Trump nominated him.

The Senate Agriculture Committee received the nomination on Thursday. But it still doesn't have Perdue's ethics paperwork or FBI background check. That's according to a spokeswoman for Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow, the panel's top Democrat.

The forms are necessary to schedule a confirmation hearing.

Perdue's ethics forms are also missing from the Office of Government Ethics website, which posts them when they are completed. The ethics agreements identify potential conflicts of interest and how they will be resolved.

Perdue is a former Georgia governor who's had businesses in grain trading, trucking and exports. It's unclear whether any of those interests are causing the holdup.