Friday March 17 Ag News

Makin’ Bacon … and a Whole Lot More!

Apply now to participate in the 2017 Nebraska Pork Youth Conference, Makin’ Bacon … and a Whole Lot More! sponsored by the Nebraska Pork Producers Association, Nebraska Corn Board, Nebraska Soybean Board, Nebraska Extension, and the UNL Department of Animal Science.

The conference will be conducted from Wednesday afternoon, May 31st through approximately noon, Friday, June 2nd.

What Participants Experience
Participants will evaluate market animals, grade carcasses, fabricate carcasses into wholesale and retail cuts, and exercise basic culinary methods on a variety of different pork products.

Throughout the program, a conscientious effort will be made to highlight and discuss, within the context of other material, related industry and/or consumer issues. Additional lab activities include a hands-on genetics lab, a food safety lab, and a biosecurity and animal health activity. Not only will youth learn about pork as a wholesome food product, but they will also learn how the pork industry is using science to address many significant challenges.

Finally, various and engaging life skills activities will be intermixed throughout the program that focus on development of communication, leadership, and networking skills. Upon conclusion of this workshop, our youth will have a more thorough understanding of the product we produce, the consumers who purchase those products, and will have greater confidence in their ability to effectively communicate with one another regarding the many issues and challenges facing the pork industry.

Apply Today!
Sophomores, juniors, and seniors in high-school are encouraged to participate in the 2017 Nebraska Pork Youth Conference, Makin’ Bacon … and a Whole Lot More! Applications will be reviewed and up to 32 students will be selected to participate.

The deadline to apply is April 1st. Please email a letter of recommendation in .PDF form from an advisor or educator to breiling2@unl.edu to complete your application.  More details are online at www.nepork.org. 

Other than the youth’s transportation to and from Lincoln, there will be NO COST to participate. All lodging, meals, and conference materials are covered!



2017 PASTURE RENTAL RATES
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist

              What’s it cost to rent pasture this year?  Every year I get that question – and I hate it!  Fortunately, preliminary results from the Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Survey were just released.

               As you know, pasture rent varies for many reasons.  Quality of the grassland, location of the pasture, fence, water, and management responsibilities, as well as tradition, individual relationships, and local demand all influence individual pasture rental rates.

               According to this year’s survey, the average monthly rent being paid to graze a cow-calf pair this grazing season is lowest in the West, the Panhandle, at just over thirty-five dollars per month.  The highest average rate is in the Northern District at a little more than sixty-one dollars per month.  All other districts are around fifty dollars per pair per month, plus or minus five dollars.  Projecting these rates over a five-month grazing period, it will cost an average of one hundred seventy-five to three hundred dollars to graze a cow-calf pair for the summer.

               Now please note that these are only averages.  Some pastures in Nebraska are being rented for as little as twenty dollars per pair per month, maybe even less.  Other pastures cost up to ninety dollars.

               Overall, pasture rent per cow-calf pair month dropped 5 to 10 percent compared to last year.  This is similar to the drop in cropland rental rates and reflects the decline in row crop and cattle prices the past couple of years.

               Pastures are a major resource for the ranching and cattle industry in Nebraska and pasture rent is a critical factor in the financial well-being of both landlords and tenants.  Knowing what other pastures are renting for can help you negotiate a fair rate for yours.



NDA, NE GRAIN AND FEED ASSOCIATION TO HOST COURSE ABOUT ANIMAL FOOD IN FEED INDUSTRY

The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) and the Nebraska Grain and Feed Association will host a two-and-a-half-day course about new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations affecting animal food in the grain and feed industry. The course, developed by the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA), will be held March 28-30, 2017, at the Country Inn and Suites in Lincoln. A $75 registration fee covers course materials.  Participants who complete the course will receive a FSPCA certificate that is needed to comply with FDA regulations.

“Those involved in the grain and feed industry want to know more about the Food Safety Modernization Act and how it impacts daily operations,” said NDA Director Greg Ibach. “This course allows participants a place to discuss these regulations in detail and will provide answers to questions regarding compliance requirements.”

Course topics include: regulatory overview, current Good Manufacturing Practices, animal food safety hazards, overview of the Food Safety Plan, hazard analysis, preventive controls components and processes, and recall plans.

To register for the course, contact Sara Bishop at the Nebraska Grain and Feed Association at (402) 476-6174 or by email at sara.bishop@negfa.org. More information about the course can be found at: bit.ly/FSPCAPreventiveControls.



Consolidated Ag Solutions Welcomes Jeff Grawe as President/CEO

Consolidated Ag Solutions, Inc. (CAS) is pleased to announce the hiring of Jeff Grawe as President/CEO. He will be responsible for the strategic direction and project execution of CAS.  Grawe comes to CAS from Central Valley Ag where he worked as the Senior Vice President of Strategic Projects. Prior to this, he served as Vice President-Relationship Manager for CoBank and was the owner of Heartland Strategies Business Consulting. Grawe, replaces Robert (Bob) Dude.

CAS is an innovative cooperative formed and founded in 2015 to create strategic advantage for three forward thinking cooperatives, Central Valley Ag (York, NE), Landus Cooperative (Ames, IA) and South Dakota Wheat Growers (Aberdeen, SD). 

“We are excited to have Jeff accept the position of CEO/President, his background and experience will be a valuable asset for CAS as we develop new opportunities for the three cooperatives and their respective member-owners,” said Carl Dickinson, Chairman of the Board for Consolidated Ag Solutions. “We look forward to the leadership that Jeff will provide, and the progress that CAS will enjoy going forward.”

Grawe has a BA in Finance Management from Loras College in Dubuque, IA and a MBA in Finance from Rockhurst College in Kansas City, MO. In addition, he also is a graduate of the Land O’ Lakes Executive Development Program and the Institute for Cooperative Leadership from the University of Missouri in Columbia, MO.

Jeff and his wife Shelley have a son and a daughter and reside in the Omaha, Ne area.

Consolidated Ag Solutions (CAS) is a cooperative collaboration between Central Valley Ag (York, NE), Landus Cooperative (Ames, IA) and South Dakota Wheat Growers (Aberdeen, SD). CAS is focused on creating strategic advantages and pooling resources to create efficiencies and value for the members of each cooperative partner. You can find more information about Consolidated Ag Solutions by visiting www.consolidatedagsolutions.com.



Glyphosate-Resistant Palmer Amaranth Confirmed in South-Central Nebraska
Amit Jhala - NE Extension Weed Management Specialist

In 2016, control failure of a Palmer amaranth population following sequential glyphosate applications was observed in a grower’s field under glyphosate-resistant corn-soybean rotation in Thayer County in south-central Nebraska. Palmer amaranth seeds were collected from that field and greenhouse dose response studies were conducted to confirm its suspected resistance to glyphosate and to determine the level of resistance.

Dose response analysis was performed to estimate the ED90 (effective dose required to control 90% population) values for the glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth compared with two glyphosate-susceptible Palmer amaranth populations. Based on the ED90 value, glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth exhibited a 37- to 40-fold level of resistance depending on the susceptible Palmer amaranth population being used for comparison.  For example, glyphosate─susceptible populations were controlled 90% at a glyphosate rate of 9-10 fl oz/acre, while 365 fl oz/acre was required for glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth control. This is 17 times the labeled rate (22 fl oz).

The evolution of glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth in south-central Nebraska is of great concern as glyphosate is the most commonly used herbicide in glyphosate-resistant corn and glyphosate-resistant soybean and would not be effective in controlling this weed anymore. Moreover, a Palmer amaranth population with resistance to PS II- and HPPD-inhibitors was reported in a seed corn field within 10 miles proximity.

Glyphosate is the most widely used agricultural pesticide globally and glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth populations have been reported in 26 states due to the continuous and repeated use of glyphosate for weed control. In Nebraska glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth had previously been confirmed in the southwest.



Half of Iowa Farmers Interested in Cover Crops

More than half of Iowa's farmers are interested in cover crops. In Iowa State University Extension's Iowa Farm and Rural Life poll, 20.6 percent of farmers used cover crops in 2015 and another 33.5 percent said they might use it in the future.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey says it's encouraging to see those numbers, "It also shows the potential for significant growth in acreage of cover crops. In many cases farmers are trying cover crops on a limited acreage and then starting to expand that as they become more familiar with the practice and better understand how it fits into their farming operation."

For other conservation practices, 42 percent of farmers say they used no-till practices in 2015, with another 20 percent who might use it in the future. And while fewer than a percent used bioreactors, more than 15 percent are interested in trying it out.

The poll sent surveys to more than 2,000 farmers, about 1,000 responded. Participants averaged 65 years old, with larger than average farms at a mean of 450 acres.



Producers Invited to Field Days on Successful Cover Crop Use in Beef Production

Producers interested in learning more about cover crops and how to successfully incorporate their use in both stocker cattle and cow-calf operations are invited to two field day events in northwest Iowa on Tuesday, April 11. Erika Lundy, extension beef program specialist with Iowa Beef Center said the events will be held on the same day in two different locations. There’s no cost to attend either site.

“The morning session will be held at the Iowa State University Allee Research Farm near Newell, 2030 640th Street, and will focus on using stocker cattle to graze cereal rye,” Lundy said. “This session runs from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. with presenters from Iowa State University -- extension field agronomists Joel DeJong and Mike Witt, and extension beef specialist Beth Doran.”

Rebecca Vittetoe, ISU Extension and Outreach field agronomist said other presenters will offer information on cover crop termination and management going into corn.

“Mark Hanna, ISU Extension and Outreach agricultural engineer, will talk about planter settings and managing row crops being planted into cover crops,” she said. “Michael Henderson, Area 1 agronomist with Natural Resources Conversation Service, will describe cost share options and crop insurance considerations when integrating cover crops into a row crop system.”

Following the Allee field day, producers are invited to travel to the Mark Schleisman farm located at 1635 365th Street, Lake City, for a complimentary lunch. The afternoon field day there will run from noon to 3 p.m.

“This program will look at cover crop planting and grazing strategies for cow-calf production,” Lundy said. “Topics for the afternoon session include cover crop economics, herbicide considerations for grazing and establishing cover crops, and soil compaction.”

There is no cost for either field day thanks to the sponsorship of ISU Extension and Outreach, Iowa Beef Center, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, and Practical Farmers of Iowa. However, those planning to attend are asked to RSVP to ensure adequate meal and materials. To RSVP, contact Alisha Bower of PFI by phone at 515-232-5661 or email alisha@practicalfarmers.org.



Iowa cattlemen come together to help wildfire victims
Statewide Wildfire Relief Fundraiser April 7

Over the past two weeks, as cattlemen across Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas fell victim to wildfires, there has been an overwhelming desire among Iowa cattlemen to help. In response, the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association and Iowa Cattlemen’s Foundation are partnering with DreamDirt Farm and Ranch Real Estate on an online auction fundraiser.

The most immediate need has been for hay to feed the surviving cattle. Many Iowans have stepped up and donated hay already, and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association is helping facilitate these donations, matching donations with transportation. Governor Branstad today issued a disaster proclamation lifting restrictions on oversize and overweight loads of forage throughout the state of Iowa, to help facilitate these donations.

“Our cattlemen across the state are eager to help brethren cattlemen and women recover from these devastating fires,” says Matt Deppe, CEO of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association. “We are grateful for the governor’s support of our relief efforts.”

While forage donations continue to come in, additional needs continue to surface for those affected. Milk replacer for orphan calves, fencing materials, and seed to re-establish pasture are merely a few examples. But as the needs grow diverse throughout the recovery process, cash donations will be important to those affected.

Many county cattlemen’s associations and individual ICA members have already begun to organize generous relief efforts. The online auction idea was a result of the same desire to help felt by many in Iowa’s cattle industry.

“We couldn’t stand by and not do something. We know how to raise money and the idea of an online auction quickly made its rounds in our office.  We approached the good folks at the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association with our idea to give Midwesterners a way to donate to the relief efforts and they were on board from the first contact and have worked with us for days to get this up and running,” says Jason Smith, DreamDirt.

The Iowa Cattlemen’s Foundation, a 503(c) nonprofit organization, will coordinate the donations and auction proceeds, with 100% of the funds going to help the affected ranchers. Parties interested in donating items to the auction or taking part in the auction should visit www.iacattlemen.org for more information.



AGRICULTURE SECRETARY NOMINEE FINALLY GETS HEARING

Former Georgia Gov. George “Sonny” Perdue, President Trump’s pick to be the next secretary of agriculture, finally will get a hearing on his nomination. The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry next Thursday, March 23rd will hold a hearing to consider him.

Trump tapped Perdue, who is a veterinarian and businessman, Jan. 19. He served on Trump’s agricultural advisory team during the 2016 presidential campaign. Perdue was governor of Georgia from 2003 to 2011, and prior to that, he served in the Georgia Senate for 10 years. In his two terms as governor, Perdue presided over the state’s top-performing agricultural economy. He grew up on a row crop farm in central Georgia and owned agricultural businesses.

 

CFTC ACTING CHAIRMAN NOMINATED FOR CHAIRMANSHIP

President Trump this week announced he will nominate J. Christopher Giancarlo to be chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The CFTC oversees and regulates the futures markets, which farmers use to manage risk. It ensures the futures, options and swaps markets work properly and helps deter and prevent fraud and manipulation.

Giancarlo, who was sworn in as a commissioner on the five-member CFTC in June 2014, was named acting chairman on Trump’s first day in office. He is expected to have a nomination hearing soon before the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.



Strong Trade Numbers and Good Technicals
Stephen R Koontz, Ag and Resource Economics, Colorado State University

The market fundamentals news released last week was excellent for all the meat production sectors.  The USDA released meat and poultry trade data last week for the month of January.  The main conclusion from the information is that exports were stronger and imports were weaker.  And this is in the face of a continuing strong dollar.  The U.S. dollar did not strengthen appreciably in January but did rally to two-year highs during the last half of 2016.  This is likely when the export sales occurred.  The relatively low meat prices - as opposed to any dollar incentive - are creating exports opportunities and limited economic incentive to import.

During the month of January, U.S. beef export tonnage was up 21% year-over-year.  Beef exports are rather seasonal and usually peak in July.  However, last year exports strengthened almost every month and finished the year at monthly well above those of the summer.  This year started very strong compared to prior January but not to December.  The seasonal pattern appears to be returning.  Exports were the largest since the early 2000s.  Year-over-year, exports were up 41% for both Japan and Mexico, followed by 38% for South Korea, and 10.5% for Canada.  Increases greater than 10% were seen for exports to the major destinations of Vietnam and Taiwan.  Further, for January, beef import tonnage continued its relative decline.  Imports were steady compared to December and down 25% compare to the prior year's January.  Imports from Australia accounted for most of the decrease and were down 47% compared to the prior year.

The 2016 and January 2017 information communicates that price drives trade and not the reverse - it is not trade or specifically imports that drive meat prices lower.  Low cattle, beef, and other protein prices drive exports and it is not imports that are the cause of the low prices.  It's in the data.

And the news is not just specific to cattle and beef markets.  The trade data show strong export and weak import performance for pork and poultry.  Why should readers of, "In the Cattle Markets" care?  Exported protein does not weigh on domestic markets.  Exported pork and poultry is not consumed in the U.S. where increased supplies of both would necessitate lower price for both and for beef through a substitution effect.  Pork exports were 20% higher than the prior year.  Mexico and South Korea drove those gains with 36% and 34% increases.  And exports to Japan were up 6%.  Also during January, pork imports off 14% from the prior year.  For poultry, exports increased 12% compared to the prior year.  January was strong and is typically a weaker month.  Another underlying story is that poultry exports were very broad based.

All in all, the export and import perspective is very solid news for U.S. protein producers and for cattle and beef producers.

What do the technical say?  There continues to be bullish news here.  The long-term down trends seen on most weekly live and feeder cattle charts are clearly pressured.  They are not solidly broken but have been pressured through March.  Daily charts show strong rallies off the October-November lows.  There were very modest corrections during January and February following these rallies.  But during March most of the contracts are no longer correcting and are instead approaching January's highs.  The technical communicate that the collapse of 2015-16 is over.  Technical patterns for 2017 will likely be sideways as the herd expansion and trade dynamics manifest.



INNVICTIS CROP CARE, LLC Announces New VANDAL MOC Soybean Herbicide

INNVICTIS CROP CARE, LLC announces the US EPA registration for VANDAL MOC, a combination of sulfentrazone plus metolachlor. VANDAL MOC is a great addition to the Innvictis premix line up and will provide a cost effective alternative to Authority Elite and BroadAxe.

VANDAL MOC is a multi-mode of action soybean herbicide offering long lasting residual and broad spectrum grass and broad leaf control. It is especially effective on glyphosate resistant weeds such as waterhemp and amaranth. With a flexible application window and 45 to 60 days residual, VANDAL MOC is an easy choice for soybean farmers.

“A good soybean production plan starts with excellent weed control. Having a pre-emergent herbicide product that incorporates a multi-mode of action approach is crucial. VANDAL MOC is our first line of defense which offers both group 14 and 15 MOA support for an excellent addition in our soybean production system,” says Will Scott, Tech Services and Market Development Manager for INNVICTIS.

VANDAL MOC is labeled for use in soybeans both pre-plant and pre-emerge. It is also labeled for use in sunflowers and dry shelled peas.