Monday March 13 Ag News

NE Extension Grain Marketing Workshops this Month

Location- and commodity-specific grain marketing information will be presented during the Nebraska Extension Grain Marketing Workshops to be held across Nebraska this winter. The meetings will provide information and tools to help grain producers minimize losses during this time of low prices.

Topics include developing a written marketing plan and developing an understanding of basis and carrying charges. The workshops feature the Marketing in a New Era (MINE) simulator and the Grain Marketing Plan smartphone application.

March Sites include....
    David City — March 24 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the David City Library; to register call Michael Rethwisch at (402) 367-7410

Register for these meetings at go.unl.edu/marketingworkshops. Each workshop begins at 9:30 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m. A complimentary lunch is provided. Workshops, which are funded by the Nebraska Corn Board, are limited to 40 participants each.



NE Extension Quicken Workshops at 5 Sites in March 

When commodity prices go down, it’s important for farmers and ranchers to keep financial books on the ranch for more than just tax time. This March Nebraska Extension is continuing its workshops on how to use Quicken software for farm finances.

Nebraska Extension Educators will teach how to use Quicken, a popular commercial record-keeping package that is user friendly, inexpensive, and easy to find. Quicken is flexible for ag and non-ag business enterprises and separates out family living expenses.

Quicken’s checkbook register makes for a familiar environment to begin computerized record-keeping. Quicken comes with home and general business income and expense categories, and educators will demonstrate how to easily import farm categories to match the tax Schedule F.

Quicken allows finances to be organized by category and subclasses, and includes a tag feature useful for splitting enterprises, by partnership share, or by ranch. Quicken allows users to split transactions, so one check written at a local gas station can be divided among several expenses: fast food, oil for the tractor, and farm fuel for the feed pickup.

Reports such as transactions, cash flow, account balances, balance sheet, comparison, and tax summary can be easily generated, information filtered, and layout modified. Quicken files can also be exported to QuickBooks®, used by many tax accountants.

The hands-on training will include computer time with Quicken. Educators will also demonstrate how to run reports helpful for financial decisions.

Workshop Sites & Dates include
    Columbus — March 23 from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. at the Farm Credit Services of America office; to register call the Platte County Extension Office at 402-563-4901

Each workshop is limited to 10 participants. The cost to attend the workshop is $20/participant.



Pender Implement's Spring Clinic
Tuesday, March 14, 2017 - 2pm
Pender Implement will be host their annual spring clinic. There will be 5 class options covering: Planters, Tractors, Hay Tools, Sprayers, and Tillage.  For more information, email lkaser@penderimpl.com or call 402-385-2211. 



PVC March Meeting will be 3/20
Bradley Christensen, President, Platte Valley Cattlemen

The year is quickly moving along and many of our members are in the middle of calving while others are trying to figure out this cattle market. The local weather has been almost perfect and luckily we have not had to deal with the fires that some our neighboring states have been dealing with.

Our March meeting will be on Monday, March 20st at Wunderlich’s Catering in Columbus. Dr. Galen Erickson from UNL will be presenting on new nutrition and management information for growing and finishing cattle. Some of the updates will include feeding enogen corn to cattle, distillers and byproducts and current economics, silage in growing and finishing programs, implant strength and impact on performance. Dr. Erickson will also touch on feedlot assessments.

Social hour will begin at 6:00 p.m. and is being sponsored by Settje Agri-Services & Engineering, Inc. The meal will be at 7:00 p.m. and sponsored by Kit Held Trucking/Mycogen Seed. See you Monday, March 20st, for drinks, steak, and great discussion.



Ricketts Announces National Ag Week Visits

Today, Governor Pete Ricketts and Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) Director Greg Ibach announced three days of activities and stops across Nebraska to support and celebrate National Ag Week.  During March 21-23 the Governor and agriculture industry representatives will visit several Nebraska communities including Ainsworth, Auburn, Fremont, Friend, Grand Island, Omaha, Plattsmouth, Scottsbluff, Wakefield, and West Point.  National Ag Week will be celebrated on March 19-25, 2017 across Nebraska.

“Visiting these communities during National Ag Week is a great way to highlight agriculture in Nebraska and celebrate our state’s number one industry,” said Governor Ricketts.  “Our planned stopovers around the state pay tribute to those who contribute to agriculture from livestock and crop producers to the innovative technology, processing, and infrastructure that goes along with it.”

NDA Director Ibach stated the three-day tour will showcase Nebraska’s number one industry – agriculture.

“Nebraska’s agricultural industry is quite diverse from the east to west,” said NDA Director Ibach.  “With three days of stops and activities planned, we’re able to highlight a variety of Nebraska agriculture products and family farm operations.  Nebraska is a leader in production of meat, grain, dry beans, and many other commodities while also showing promise in new areas, like hops production.”

Gov. Ricketts said the group will use the stops to talk about the importance of Nebraska agriculture, livestock and value-added agriculture development, international trade, and agriculture education.  The Governor will also unveil the 2017 edition of the Nebraska Agriculture and You magazine.

The public is invited to attend many of these events.  Private events are indicated below.

Tuesday, March 21st
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. - Fremont Chamber Agriculture Awards Luncheon - Fremont Golf Club - 2710 N. Somers Ave., Fremont, NE
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. - Tour of Diamond 6 Feeders - Diamond 6 feeders - 294 18th Rd., West Point, NE
4:30 – 6:00 p.m. - Tour of Wakefield Farms, LLP - Wakefield Farms, LLP - 86051 588th Ave, Emerson NE
6:00 – 8:30 p.m. - National Ag Day Celebration Dinner - Wakefield Legion Hall -211 Main Street, Wakefield, NE

Wednesday, March 22nd
9:00 – 10:00 a.m. - Tour of Beel Ranch - Beel Ranch – 41347 Beel Lane, Johnstown, NE
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. - Luncheon Event - The Flight Deck, 250023 Airport Terminal St., Scottsbluff, NE
3:30-4:30 p.m. - Raising Nebraska Open House - Raising Nebraska, S Locust St. & State Fair Boulevard, Grand Island, NE

Thursday, March 23rd
8:30 – 10:00 a.m. - Pork and Poultry Industry Breakfast - Pour House, 511 2nd St., Friend, NE
11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. - Auburn FFA Tour and Town Hall Student Luncheon - (PRIVATE EVENT)
2:00 – 3:30 p.m. - Tour of Midwest Hop Producers - 18003 Club View Drive, Plattsmouth, NE
4:00 – 6:00 p.m. - Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce Celebration of Ag Week - Upstream Brewing Company, 514 S. 11th Street, Omaha, NE

RSVP required as space is limited.  Please RSVP directly to: avhouten@selectgreateromaha.com.

RSVP Information for Events – Your RSVP is not required, but appreciated.  To RSVP to attend any of the above events (unless otherwise noted), please email dianna.seiffert@nebraska.gov.  In the email please include:  the location you are submitting the RSVP for, and all names / affiliations for all parties attending.



Accepting Applications for the 2017 Nebraska Pork Youth Conference: Makin’ Bacon … and a Whole Lot More!

Sophomores, juniors, and seniors in high-schools across Nebraska  are encouraged to apply 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. Students may apply for the opportunity by visiting the youth tab on www.nepork.org.

The conference will be conducted from Wednesday afternoon, May 31st through approximately noon, Friday, June 2nd, at the University of Nebraska Lincoln’s East Campus. 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!

Due to the activities in the meat lab, students must be 16 years or older at the time of the conference. Current seniors who will be graduating in May are also welcome to apply to participate in this conference.

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. Additionally, 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, plus, throughout the conference, participants will discuss consumer issues.

Finally, participants will enjoy 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 pork products produced, 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.

The 2017 Nebraska Pork Youth Conference: Makin’ Bacon … and a Whole Lot More! is sponsored by the Nebraska Corn Board, Nebraska Soybean Board, Nebraska Pork Producers Association, as well as Nebraska Extension and the University of Nebraska Lincoln’s Department of Animal Science.



Nebraska Pork Producers Provide Input at National Programs

Nebraska pork producers traveled to Atlanta, Georgia to serve as delegates to the Pork Act Delegate (NPB) and National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) Delegate assembly on March 1-3. Pork Act Delegates are appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and NPPC delegates are elected at the state level from producers that participate in the Strategic Investment Program.

Serving as Pork Act Delegates were Tim Chancellor of Broken Bow, Michael Luckey of Columbus, and Duane Miller of Davenport, Nebraska. They were among the 168 appointed delegates who traveled from 49 states across the country to represent pork producers and importers who sell pork products in the United States. The duties of the delegate body include nominating members to serve on the National Pork Board, establishing how much of the Pork Checkoff is returned to state pork organizations, and providing direction on pork promotion, research and consumer and producer education priorities funded by the Pork Checkoff.

To fund programs, America’s pork producers contribute 40 cents of every $100 of sales to the Checkoff. Importers use a sales formula to contribute a similar amount. The role of the Pork Checkoff is to promote and enhance consumer demand for pork on a global basis, as well as invest in research designed to improve production practices and safeguard the pork supply, the environment and animal well-being. Building consumer confidence and educating America’s pig farmers about livestock production practices through training and certification programs are also key priorities.    
The National Pork Producers Council Board set its number of delegates at 125. Those producers attending from Nebraska were Russ Vering of Howells, John Csukker of Columbus, Mike Wisnieski of Omaha, Aaron Reichmuth of Humphrey and Dave Harrington from St. Paul, Nebraska.  The number of delegates that can attend is based on the Strategic Investment Program (SIP) total income attributable from each state. Pork producers voluntarily contribute 10 cents of every $100 of sales to the program to fund legislative and regulatory issues. Al Juhnke, Executive Director for the Nebraska Pork Producers Association also made the trip to Atlanta.  



Nebraska Rural Radio Foundation to Shut Down, Scholarship to Continue

After a decade of providing scholarships for non-traditional students, age 25 or older living in Nebraska’s rural communities, the Nebraska Rural Radio Foundation (NRRF) has announced it will dissolve on April 1, 2017.

“Following a strategic planning session last year it became apparent that without some major changes our Foundation was not large enough to sustain a full-time executive director and support staff and still continue to provide scholarships to qualified applicants,” noted Barb Bierman Batie, NRRF marketing director.

With Executive Director Eric Brown’s retirement approaching, the board began to research options for continuing the mission of NRRF. On Nov. 10, 2016, the NRRF voted to transfer $150,000 to the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation and create an endowment titled, “The Nebraska Rural Radio Foundation Scholarship in honor of Max and Eric Brown.”

“It has been enjoyable to work with the Rural Radio Foundation Board for the past ten years. It became apparent that we needed a strategic partner and the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation was a natural fit to continue providing scholarships,” said Brown.

“The Nebraska Rural Radio Foundation has made a tremendous positive impact on rural Nebraska. I am grateful for the confidence placed in the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation by the Rural Radio Foundation Board of Directors. Our staff is excited to continue the important work of providing scholarships to students in rural Nebraska,” said Megahn Schafer, executive director of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation.

A $5,000 donation has been made to the Nebraska L.E.A.D. Foundation and once all expenses have been paid, the remaining NRRF funds will be transferred to the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation endowment.

Non-traditional students seeking funding to complete a degree or pursue new education options are encouraged to apply for the NRRF scholarship through the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation’s website. Go to nefbfoundation.org, click on the Scholarships for Students and Awards tab and scroll down to the NRRF scholarship tab. Application forms for one-time funding up to $2,500 are available for download and are due April 1.



OATS AND ITALIAN RYEGRASS FOR HIGH QUALITY PASTURE
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist

               High quality pasture always seems to be in short supply.  If you need high quality early pasture, use oats and Italian ryegrass.

                I like oat forage.  It grows during spring when we are likely to receive rain and when moisture is used efficiently to produce forage.

               Oats can be grazed earlier than anything else you plant this spring.  Once it gets five or six inches tall, it quickly can shoot up to a foot tall in almost no time.  Unfortunately, once oats gets that tall it may not stool out, tiller, and regrow after grazing very well.  So it’s important to start grazing early when oats get six to eight inches tall to stimulate it to form new tillers.

               After this first grazing, keep oat regrowth between six and sixteen inches tall. Begin with a light stocking rate, about one animal every two acres.  Then adjust animal number as oat growth changes.

               For a longer grazing season, plant a mixture of oats and Italian ryegrass.  Oats comes on strong early while Italian ryegrass tends to wait until June before it grows rapidly.  Then it just keeps growing high quality leaves the rest of the year if moisture is available.

               For straight oats, drill at least three bushels per acre as soon as possible.  Oats will be 6 to 8 inches tall and ready to graze in about 6 weeks.  With good moisture and 40 to 60 pounds of nitrogen, oats can provide a couple months of grazing for 1 or 2 cows per acre.  For extended grazing, drill just a couple bushels of oats plus around twenty pounds of Italian ryegrass per acre.  Your stocking rate might need to be a little lighter at first, but with some timely moisture or irrigation you can continue to get great grass all summer and fall.

               Do you need reliable high quality pasture this year?  Oats, with or without Italian ryegrass, may be your best option.



New NebGuide on Planning the Transition to Organic Crop Production 

Nebraska farmers considering a transition to organic production will gain a broad overview of the planning needed to be successful in this new NebGuide, Planning the Transition to Organic Crop Production (G2282).

The NebGuide identifies issues and outlines a path for farmers and their consultants to start the transition to organic certification. It provides Nebraska-specific guidance and on-line resources for:
-    preparing to meet organic certification requirements;
-    assessing farm resources;
-    choosing a transition strategy;
-    integrating a market-based strategy;
-    developing a business plan and record keeping system; and
-    developing a farm management approach for weed and soil fertility management, crop rotation, and integration of livestock.

NebGuide authors are Charles Wortmann, extension soils specialist; Richard Little, farming systems research technologist; Colin Kubik, former graduate student; Charles Shapiro, Nebraska Extension soils specialist-crop nutrition; and Charles Francis, professor of agronomy and horticulture.
Related Information

New Financial Assistance for Organic Producers (CW article): Beginning on March 20, 2017, certified organic producers may apply through the Farm Service Agency (FSA) for federal assistance for certification cost share reimbursement.

Find additional Nebraska Extension NebGuides, circulars and other publication at http://extensionpubs.unl.edu/.



New Soybean Herbicides for 2017
Amit Jhala, Nebraska Extension Weed Management Specialist

Several new herbicides have been registered for weed control in soybean. These new herbicides do not have an active ingredient with a new mode of action, but they are tank-mixtures of existing herbicides. A season-long weed management plan should include herbicides with Multiple Modes Of Action. (For more information see the newly revised industry Herbicide Classification chart.)

Following are new soybean herbicides that should be available for the 2017 growing season.

Authority®Elite [sulfentrazone (7.55%) + S-metolachlor (68.25%)]. It is a soil-applied herbicide for control of broadleaf, grass, and sedge weeds in soybean. The crop rotation restriction for corn and sorghum is 10 months. It should not be applied at a rate of more than 38.7 fl oz/acre per year. EPA Reg. No. 279-3442. BroadAxe XC has similar herbicide active ingredients as Authority Elite. EPA Reg. No. 279-3442-100. Modes of Acton: 14 + 15.

Authority®Maxx [sulfentrazone (62.12%) + clorimuron-ethyl (3.88%)]. It can be applied pre-plant or pre-emergence in soybean for broadleaf and partial grass weed control. The application rate is 6 to 9 oz/acre depending on soil texture and organic matter content. EPA Reg. No. 279-9560. Modes of Acton: 14 + 2.

Enlist™ Duo [2,4-D choline (24.4%) + glyphosate (22.1%)]. Enlist Duo can be applied only in Enlist corn and in Enlist soybean for control of annual and perennial weeds. Do NOT apply this product in Roundup Ready or Liberty Link soybean. This herbicide is based on Colex-D technology. Products with 2,4-D that do not contain Colex-D technology are  not authorized for use in conjunction with Enlist corn and soybeans. It is a systemic herbicide intended for control of annual and perennial weeds. Apply 3.5 to 4.75 pints of Enlist Duo per acre. Make one to two applications with a minimum of 12 days between applications. In Enlist Soybean, apply 3.5 to 4.75 pints of Enlist Duo per acre. Apply when weeds are small and any time after soybean emergence but no later than R2 (full flowering stage). Do not apply more than 4.75 pints of Enlist Duo per acre per application. Do not apply more than 14.25 pints/acre of Enlist Duo per season. EPA Reg. No. 62719-649. Modes of Action: 4 + 9.

Fierce® XLT [flumioxazin (24.57%) + pyroxasulfone (31.17%) + chlorimuron (6.67%)]. Fierce XLT in Nebraska can only be used in the fields south of Route 30 and east of US Highway 281. This herbicide provides residual control of broadleaf and grass weeds in soybean. It also provides additional burndown activity when used as part of a burndown program. Moisture is necessary to activate this herbicide in soil for residual weed control. Do not apply more than 5.25 oz/acre per growing season. Do not apply additional chlorimuron-containing herbicides to fields treated with Fierce XLT. EPA Reg. No. 59639-194. Modes of Acton: 14 + 15 + 2.

Marvel™ [fluthiacet-methyl (1.2%) + fomesafen (30.08%)]. This is a new premix herbicide from FMC for post-emergence weed control in soybean. It can be applied at 5 to 7.25 fl oz/acre from pre-plant through full flowering stage (prior to R3). It is a contact herbicide; therefore, good coverage is essential for optimum weed control. Do not apply more than 7.25 fl oz/acre per application and 9.75 fl oz/acre per year. EPA Reg. No. 279-3455. Modes of Acton: 14 + 14.

Presidual™ [S-metolachlor (58.2%) + metribuzin (13.8%)]. Presidul is for control of certain grasses and broadleaf weeds in soybean. The application rate of this herbicide is 2.0 to 2.9 pt/acre depending on soil texture and organic matter content. EPA Reg. No. 1001162-1381. Modes of Acton: 15 + 6.

Warrant® Ultra [acetochlor (30.2%) + fomesafen (7.1%)]. In Nebraska Warrant Ultra can be applied only in counties east of or intersected by US Highway 281. It can be applied as a preplant surface, pre-emergence, or post-emergence treatment in soybean. A maximum of 48 fl oz/acre of this herbicide can be applied in alternate years in soybean fields in these Nebraska counties. It can provide residual as well as burndown activity. This herbicide can be applied only once per growing season. EPA Reg. No. 524-620. Modes of Acton: 15 + 14.

XtendiMax™ [dicamba (42.8%)]. XtendiMax is a new dicamba product to be used on dicamba-tolerant (Roundup Ready 2 Xtend) soybean. The formulation contains Vapor Grip, which reduces the volatility of this product. This product has 2.9 lb/gallon of DGA salt of dicamba in liquid, so 22 fl oz provides 0.5 lb of dicamba, which is equivalent to 16 oz of Clarity and other 4 lb/gallon dicamba products. The minimum application rate for any use is 22 fl oz/ac. The maximum rate per application prior to soybean emergence is 44 fl oz/acre, which is also the total maximum allowed for all applications prior to soybean emergence. The maximum rate per application after soybean emergence is 22 fl oz/acre. The total of all POST applications cannot exceed 44 fl oz/acre. The cumulative application rate per year cannot exceed 88 fl oz/ac. Use of ammonium sulfate, UAN, etc. is not allowed due to their potential to increase the volatility of dicamba. Certain adjuvants can be mixed with XtendiMax and are listed at xtendimaxapplicationrequirements.com. Post-emergence application of XtendiMax can be made from emergence up to and including the R1 stage of soybean growth. Weeds should be less than 4 inches tall at time of post-emergence application. EPA Reg. No. 524-617. Mode of Acton: 4.

Zidua® PRO [imazethapyr (13.45%) + pyroxasulfone (23.06%) + saflufenacil (4.81%)]. Zidua PRO is a premix of Pursuit, Zidua, and Sharpen. It provides contact burndown and residual pre-emergence control of annual grass and broadleaf weeds in soybean. It can be applied from 4.5 to 6.0 fl oz/acre depending on tillage system. It has three modes of action and will be a good herbicide to consider in a resistant weed management program. EPA Reg. No. 7969-365. Modes of Action: 2 + 15 + 14.



NORTHEY HIGHLIGHTS AVIAN INFLUENZA PREPARATIONS FOLLOWING CONFIRMATION OF THE DISEASE IN THE U.S.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey has highlighted the continued biosecurity efforts by Iowa turkey, egg and broiler farmers and the preparations undertaken on the state and federal level following the confirmation of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Tennessee and low pathogenicity avian influenza in Tennessee and Wisconsin in the past week.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus strains are extremely infectious, often fatal to domestic poultry, and can spread rapidly from flock-to-flock. Low pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) virus strains occur naturally in wild migratory waterfowl and shorebirds without causing illness.  LPAI can occur in domestic poultry, with little or no signs of illness.

“Iowa saw firsthand the devastating impact of avian influenza in 2015 and in response our poultry farmers have made significant investments and an ongoing commitment to increase biosecurity efforts to keep their birds healthy. We have also worked to learn from the 2015 outbreak to improve the response from both the state and federal governments.”

Biosecurity Important for Farmers
Iowa turkey, egg and broiler farmers have updated their biosecurity measures and made significant investments to help prevent the disease from getting on their farm. They focus every day on biosecurity in recognition of the potential that Avian Influenza and other diseases are always a risk.

All poultry farms need to have a biosecurity plan to qualify for USDA indemnification.  It is also recommended all livestock premises that have 1 or more animals have an official premises identification number, which may be obtained for free by contacting the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.  Information on how to obtain premise identification can be found at http://www.iowaagriculture.gov/animalIndustry/premiseIdentificationProgram.asp or by calling the Department toll free at 888-778-7675.

Iowa's egg and turkey companies have implemented company-wide biosecurity plans. The Center for Food Security and Public Health, Iowa State University, College of Veterinary Medicine has produced numerous materials to help farmers update biosecurity measures on their farm.  More information about their suggestions can be found at http://poultrybiosecurity.org/.

State and Federal Preparations
In addition to the work by poultry farmers, state and federal partners have taken numerous steps to learn from the 2015 incident and prepare for any future outbreaks.

The Iowa response to Avian Influenza operates under a Unified Command involving the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) and USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Veterinary Services.  We also work closely with partners in the Poultry industry as well as other state agencies, including the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Iowa Department of Public Health, Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Links for additional information
Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship Avian Influenza Page
http://www.iowaagriculture.gov/avianinfluenza.asp

USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Avian Influenza page
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/avian-influenza-disease

Iowa State University Egg Industry Center
http://www.eggindustrycenter.org/

USDA APHIS Biosecurity Information for Backyard Flocks
http://healthybirds.aphis.usda.gov



Agronomy in the Field Meetings for Women Farmers Continues this Spring
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach’s Agronomy in the Field for Women will be held this spring across Iowa. The program is in its third year bringing together women landowners, farmers and ag retailers to learn about Iowa crop production.

The goals of this series are to strengthen agronomic skills for women that allow for better decision-making, provide a better understanding of inputs for crop production, see and understand different conservation practices and increase confidence in communication with their spouse, farming partner, ag retailer or tenant.

These programs are hosted by ISU Extension and Outreach field agronomists Angie Rieck-Hinz, Meaghan Anderson, Rebecca Vittetoe and Mike Witt. Five locations, covering many areas of the state, will be used.

“Depending on the location, we plan to have biweekly or monthly workshops to cover topics on crop growth and development, pasture management, pest management principles, scouting techniques, cover crops and water quality, and additional practices and topics as they come up this spring and summer,” said Anderson. “The individual groups really lead the topic selection and discussion.”

Following each session, a recap of the workshop with resources and information will be sent to those interested in the meetings. There is no charge to participate and women are not required to attend every session to participate. While a start date for the meetings is yet to be determined, please contact the location host to be kept up-to-date on individual sites:

Central Iowa: Meetings in central Iowa, hosted by Rieck-Hinz, will meet approximately biweekly at the Field Extension Education Laboratory (FEEL) near Boone, Iowa this spring and summer. Please contact Angie Rieck-Hinz at 515-231-2830 or amrieck@iastate.edu.

West Central Iowa: Meetings in west central Iowa, hosted by Witt, will meet approximately biweekly in Guthrie County this spring and summer. Please contact Mike Witt at 641-430-2600 or witt@iastate.edu.

East Central Iowa: Meetings in east central Iowa, hosted by Anderson, will meet approximately biweekly on farms in Iowa and Benton Counties in conjunction with the Price Creek Watershed Project. Please contact Meaghan Anderson at 319-337-2145 or mjanders@iastate.edu.

Southeast Iowa: Meetings in southeast Iowa, hosted by Anderson and Vittetoe, will meet monthly at the Southeast Research and Demonstration Farm near Crawfordsville, Iowa. Please contact either Meaghan Anderson at 319-337-2145 or mjanders@iastate.edu, or Rebecca Vittetoe at 319-653-4811 or rka8@iastate.edu.

South Central Iowa: Meetings in south central Iowa, hosted by Vittetoe, will meet monthly at the McNay Memorial Research and Demonstration Farm near Chariton, Iowa. Please contact Rebecca Vittetoe at 319-653-4811 or rka8@iastate.edu ,

Agronomy in the Field is sponsored by an NCR-SARE Partnership Grant Project. Local support is provided by Story, Boone, Iowa, Benton, Washington, Guthrie, Lucas, Wayne, and Warren County Extension.



University of Missouri Releases FAPRI 10-year Baseline Projections

Net farm income could fall for the fourth straight year in 2017, and the farm debt-to-asset ratio is rising. Even with a modest recovery in farm income in 2018 and beyond, pressure on farm finances is expected to continue, according to the University of Missouri's Food and Agriculture Policy Research Institute's "U.S. Baseline Briefing Book". 

These baseline projections for agricultural and biofuel markets were prepared using market information available inJanu-ary 2017. Macroeconomic assumptions are based primarily on forecasts by IHS Global Insight which suggestmoderate growth in the U.S. and global economies. The baseline incorporates 2014 farm bill provisions andassumes a continuation of current agricultural and biofuel policies.

The world is an uncertain place and commodity markets will continue to be volatile. We use our models to develop arange of projected market outcomes that takes into account some major sources of uncertainty about future supplyand demand conditions. In some of the resulting 500 outcomes, prices, quantities and values are much higher ormuch lower than the averages reported here.

Some key results:
· Record U.S. yields and world production have resulted in further declines in the prices of corn, wheat and many other crops in the 2016/17 marketing year.
· Because of shifts in relative prices, projected soybean and cotton planted acreage increases in 2017, while wheat and corn acreage declines.
· Projected corn prices average $3.60 per bushel for the 2017/18 marketing year, up slightly from 2016/17. Cornprices average $3.71 per bushel for the 2018-2026 period.
· Strong export demand has supported soybean and cotton prices in 2016/17. Projected soybean prices average $9.57 per bushel in 2017/18 and remain near that level in later years.
· Cattle, hog, chicken and milk prices have all declined sharply since 2014. Production has increased, and a strong dollar is constraining meat export sales.
· Cattle and hog prices both fall in 2017 because of large domestic supplies. U.S. milk prices increase in 2017 with stronger international markets.
· Net farm income has declined by 48 percent since its 2013 peak. It increases in 2018 and later years, but in real terms, projected net farm income remains below the 2015 level.
· Lower farm income and rising interest rates result in lower projected land prices and farm asset values. The debt-to-asset ratio increases from 11 percent in 2012 to nearly 14 percent in 2017 and 16 percent in 2026.
· Agricultural risk coverage (ARC) payments are expected to decline rapidly, largely because ofreduced guarantees tied to moving averages of past market prices. More farmers are assumed to choose price loss coverage (PLC) in 2019 if current program rules are extended by a new farm bill and producers are allowed to make a new election.
· Crop insurance net outlays are projected to average about $8 billion per year for fiscal years 2018-2026. Major commodity program outlays average about $7 billion per year over the same period.
· Food price inflation was just 0.3 percent in 2016, and is expected to reach 1.7 percent in 2017. In later years, pro-jected food price inflation is similar to the overall rate of inflation in the U.S. economy.

See the complete report at this link... https://www.fapri.missouri.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/FAPRI-MU-Report-01_17.pdf. 



NCGA Study Shows Crop Insurance Returns Have Decreased

Private crop insurance company returns have decreased significantly since the 2010 renegotiation of the Standard Reinsurance Agreement (SRA) between the insurance companies and the federal government, and are in line with benchmarks established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency, according to a new study released today by the National Corn Growers Association.

“The federal crop insurance program is the cornerstone of farm bill risk management programs, and it is more important than ever given the state of the farm economy,” said Steve Ebke, chairman of the NCGA Risk Management Action Team and a farmer from Daykin, Nebraska. “We commissioned an independent analysis of the crop insurance industry’s performance to determine whether criticisms against the insurers’ returns have merit. What we discovered is that the returns private crop insurance companies receive are much smaller than opponents claim, and they are well within the standards set by RMA.”

According to the findings, from 1998 to 2010, crop insurance companies had an average net return on retained premium of 14.1 percent. From 2011 to 2015, returns averaged 1.5 percent, a decrease of 12.6 percentage points.

Private crop insurance companies are part of a public-private partnership for delivering federal crop insurance to American farmers. Crop insurance companies are responsible for delivering policies to farmers and managing the claims adjustment process. Crop insurance companies bear a portion of the risks associated with crop insurance policies. In return for these services, companies receive compensation in the form of Administrative and Operating (A&O) reimbursements and underwriting gains.

The SRA establishes the levels of compensation for the companies. The 2010 renegotiations substantially cut A&O reimbursements and limited the share of underwriting gains that crop insurance companies could receive. As a result, net returns to retained premiums are expected to average approximately 5.7 percentage points lower compared to pre-2010 levels.

The study was commissioned by NCGA and conducted by Dr. Gary Schnitkey, professor of agricultural and consumer economics at the University of Illinois; Dr. Joshua Woodard, assistant professor and the Zaitz Family Faculty Fellow of Agricultural Business and Finance at Cornell University; and Dr. Bruce Sherrick, professor of agricultural and consumer economics and Director of the TIAA-CREF Center for Farmland Research at the University of Illinois.



 UNIQUE PROGRAM Spotlights the Evolving Role of Women in Agriculture

Just as rural communities are the backbone of America, farm moms play a vital and integral role on the farm, with their families, in their communities and across the entire agriculture industry. To honor the significant contributions these women make in their communities and beyond, the America’s Farmers Mom of the Year Contest program, sponsored by Monsanto, will help some of the most outstanding farm moms make an even bigger difference in their communities.

In 2017, the program will focus even more on the communities in which these women live and work by providing financial support to nonprofit organizations these moms are passionate about.

“Looking at our previous Farm Mom of the Year winners, one commonality stood out – their dedication to their communities,” said Tracy Mueller, Monsanto marketing communications manager. “This year we’ve enhanced the program to further highlight farm moms’ efforts in their local communities and provide financial support to nonprofit organizations they care about.”

March 1 through March 31, an eligible person can nominate an eligible exceptional farm mom for the chance to be named America’s Farmers Mom of the Year. A panel of judges from American Agri-Women will judge the nominations based on published criteria and Monsanto will select five regional winners based on the judges’ decisions. Each of the regional winners will receive $2,000 to direct to an eligible nonprofit organization of her choice, as well as $3,000 for her personal use. Among the five regional winners, one woman will be named America’s Farmers Mom of the Year based on public voting and receive an additional $2,000 to direct to an eligible nonprofit she cares about in her community.

To nominate your favorite farm mom, an eligible person can visit AmericasFarmers.com and complete an online entry or print a form for mailing by March 31, 2017. Nominations are limited to 300 words and should include details about the nominee’s contributions to her farm, family, community and the agricultural industry. For the Official Contest Rules, including a complete list of program rules and eligibility information, please visit AmericasFarmers.com/community-outreach/farm-mom-program-rules/. More information on the America’s Farmers Farm Mom of the Year program can also be found at facebook.com/AmericasFarmers.

“It’s so humbling to read about all of the amazing farm moms who give so much of themselves and ask for nothing in return,” says Doris Mold, American Agri-Women President “It’s their selflessness that makes our job to judge the nominations extremely difficult, but also so rewarding.”



New ASTM High-Octane Fuel Standard Published

Last week, ASTM International published an important new high-octane fuel standard, ASTM D8076 – 17, Standard Specification for 100 Research Octane Number Test Fuel for Automotive Spark-Ignition Engines. A major victory for the ethanol industry, this new specification intends to describe and align the fuel properties needed to enable high compression ratio, turbocharged boosted engines that will utilize fuels with up to 50 percent ethanol.

Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor issued the following statement regarding the specification:

“A significant milestone and high priority Growth Energy effort was achieved at ASTM last week – the first publication of a high-octane fuel specification to support the development of new engine technologies that can harness ethanol’s powerful octane boost while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

 “One of Growth Energy’s primary goals is to facilitate the expansion of higher ethanol blends in markets across the United States, and this new specification is a great sign for what’s to come with higher blends. Moving forward, optimizing engines to use up to 50 percent ethanol will be a victory for engine performance, the environment, and the American consumer.

“The ASTM process is rigorous and requires the review and approval of premier automotive and fuel experts from around the globe, so it is very common for new standards and specifications to take up to five years to be fully developed and reach publication status. Specification D8076 went from concept to completion in record time at ASTM due to the tremendous partnership among the automotive, agriculture, and ethanol industries. I also want to give a special thanks to Dr. Robert McCormick of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, for leading the effort to get this standard published.”

ASTM International is a leader in the development and delivery of voluntary consensus standards. Today, over 12,000 ASTM standards are used around the world to improve product quality, enhance health and safety, strengthen market access and trade, and build consumer confidence.