Thursday April 20 Ag News

URBAN YOUTH TO EXPERIENCE LIFE ON THE FARM

Agriculture is the state’s largest industry, and the Nebraska Agricultural Youth Council (NAYC) wants to make sure that elementary school students know how important ag is. This week, the NAYC will host its annual Urban Youth Farm Tour connecting elementary-age students from Lincoln with area farms to experience agriculture up close and learn from working farmers and ranchers how our food is produced.

The tour will take place Friday, April 21. NAYC members will be joined by nearly 250 elementary students and their teachers from elementary schools in Lincoln as they visit operating beef, dairy and grain farms near Wahoo. The Nebraska Department of Agriculture’s (NDA) sponsors the NAYC.  The Nebraska Corn Board is sponsoring the transportation costs for the students to attend the tour.

“It’s important to show young people firsthand what agriculture is and how the industry impacts their lives daily,” said NDA Director Greg Ibach. “These tours will give urban students an opportunity to experience life on a farm and learn more about agriculture.  We are very grateful for the farmers and ranchers in the Wahoo area that are willing to take time out of their busy days to personally share their stories with these young Nebraskans.”

The NAYC consists of 21 college-age men and women who have been selected by NDA to promote agriculture to youth. Council members are chosen based on their enthusiasm, interest and leadership in agriculture. This year, the NAYC is celebrating its 46th anniversary of promoting agriculture to Nebraska youth, from preschoolers to high school students.



FARMERS, PESTICIDE APPLICATORS ENCOURAGED TO WORK TOGETHER TO PROTECT SENSITIVE SPECIALTY CROPS

As spring planting season gets underway, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) wants to remind farmers and other outdoor pesticide applicators to work together to protect sensitive specialty crops and pollinators from pesticide use. Pesticides include all categories of pest control products such as herbicides, insecticides and fungicides.

“Pesticides are important to farm management, but they affect commodity crops and specialty crops differently,” said NDA Director Greg Ibach. “For example, herbicide applications are critical for corn and soybean production, but some specialty crops, like grape vines and hops, are extremely sensitive to these products.”

One way farmers and other pesticide applicators can reduce potential damage to specialty crops and pollinators is by communicating with one another throughout the planting and growing season.

DriftWatch™ and BeeCheck™ are online mapping services from FieldWatch that allow those with commercial specialty crops, organic crops and beehives to report their field locations. It’s voluntary, free, easy to use and secure. Pesticide applicators can review the website to gain an understanding of the locations of specialty crops in their area. Included in the registry are commercial apiary sites, vineyards, orchards, fruit and vegetable grow sites, nursery and Christmas tree production sites and certified organic crops.

In Nebraska, 466 growers have registered a total of 1,151 specialty crops sites on DriftWatch™.  Those sites are currently found in 74 of Nebraska’s 93 counties.

“As producers continue to register their sensitive specialty crops, I encourage them and pesticide applicators to work together to protect sensitive specialty crops,” said Ibach.

DriftWatch™ and BeeCheck™ can be found online at fieldwatch.com. NDA monitors the DriftWatch™ website for the state. For more information contact Craig Romary at (402) 471-2351.



Rural Mainstreet Sinks for the Month: Farm Loans Rise to Record Level

April Survey Results at a Glance:
·       The overall index fell below growth neutral for the 20th straight month.
·       Loan volume soars to record level as banks reject fewer loan applications.
·       Almost one-third of bankers indicate no change in lending practices stemming from the downturn in the farm economy.
·       For 2017, bank CEOs expect approximate cash expenses to exceed cash revenues for  17.1 percent of grain farmers,  down from 19.5 percent in 2016.
·       Farmland prices declined for the 41st straight month, but the percent of cash  farmland sales remained steady from 2015.

The Creighton University Rural Mainstreet Index remained weak with a reading below growth neutral for the 20th straight month, according to the monthly survey of bank CEOs in rural areas of a 10-state region dependent on agriculture and/or energy.  

Overall: The index, which ranges between 0 and 100, slipped to 44.6 from 45.3 in March. The last time the overall index was at or above growth neutral was August 2015.

“Weak farm commodity prices continue to squeeze Rural Mainstreet economies. Over the last 12 months, livestock commodity prices have tumbled by 5.8 percent and grain commodity prices have slumped by 4.5 percent. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is estimating  2017 will mark the fourth consecutive year that farm income has declined. This downward trend has pushed our survey results into negative territory,” said Ernie Goss, Jack A. MacAllister Chair in Regional Economics at Creighton University's Heider College of Business.

Farming and ranching: The farmland and ranchland-price index for April slumped to a frail 30.7 from March’s 33.0. This is the 41st straight month the index has languished below growth neutral 50.0.

The April farm equipment-sales index sank to a very weak 21.5 from 22.0 in February. This marks the 44th consecutive month the reading has fallen below growth neutral 50.0. 

Nebraska: The Nebraska RMI for April rose slightly to a weak 43.9 from 43.3 in March. The state’s farmland-price index fell to 30.4 from March’s 32.0. Nebraska’s new-hiring index expanded to 59.3 from 57.1 in March.

Iowa: The April RMI for Iowa sank to 39.1 from 40.0 in March. Iowa’s farmland-price index for April sank to 28.5 from 30.4 in March. Iowa’s new-hiring index for April climbed to 51.5 from March’s 50.5.

Each month, community bank presidents and CEOs in nonurban agriculturally and energy-dependent portions of a 10-state area are surveyed regarding current economic conditions in their communities and their projected economic outlooks six months down the road. Bankers from Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming are included. The survey is supported by a grant from Security State Bank in Ansley, Neb.

This survey represents an early snapshot of the economy of rural agriculturally and energy-dependent portions of the nation. The Rural Mainstreet Index (RMI) is a unique index covering 10 regional states, focusing on approximately 200 rural communities with an average population of 1,300. It gives the most current real-time analysis of the rural economy. Goss and Bill McQuillan, former chairman of the Independent Community Banks of America, created the monthly economic survey in 2005.



NEBRASKA MILK PRODUCTION

Milk production in Nebraska during the January-March 2017 quarter totaled 352 million pounds, up slightly from the January-March quarter last year, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. The average number of milk cows was 60,000 head, unchanged from the same period last year.

USDA: January-March Milk Production up 1.0 Percent
Milk production in the United States during the January - March quarter totaled 53.5 billion pounds, up 1.0 percent from the January - March quarter last year.  The average number of milk cows in the United States during the quarter was 9.37 million head, 25,000 head more than the October - December quarter, and 57,000 head more than the same period last year.



March Milk Production up 1.8 Percent
                       
Milk production in the 23 major States during March totaled 17.5 billion pounds, up 1.8 percent from March 2016. February revised production at 15.6 billion pounds, was down 1.2 percent from February 2016. However, production was 2.3 percent above last year after adjusting for the leap year. The February revision represented a decrease of 27 million pounds or 0.2 percent from last month's preliminary production estimate.  Production per cow in the 23 major States averaged 2,012 pounds for March, 18 pounds above March 2016. This is the highest production per cow for the month of March since the 23 State series began in 2003.  The number of milk cows on farms in the 23 major States was 8.71 million head, 72,000 head more than March 2016, and 15,000 head more than February 2017.

IOWA: 
Milk production in Iowa during March 2017 totaled 444 million pounds, up 2 percent from the previous March according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Milk Production report. The average number of milk cows during March, at 216,000 head, was the same as last month, but 4,000 more than last year. Monthly production per cow averaged 2,055 pounds, up 10 pounds from last March.



Record Total Red Meat and Pork Production for March

Commercial red meat production for the United States totaled 4.54 billion pounds in March, up 6 percent from the 4.26 billion pounds produced in March 2016.

By State:  (million lbs.   -   % March '16)
Nebraska .......:         707.1            105      
Iowa ..............:         640.7            106      
Kansas ...........:         476.2            109      

Beef production, at 2.25 billion pounds, was 7 percent above the previous year. Cattle slaughter totaled 2.77 million head, up 9 percent from March 2016. The average live weight was down 20 pounds from the previous year, at 1,350 pounds.

Veal production totaled 6.4 million pounds, 1 percent above March a year ago. Calf slaughter totaled 45,000 head, up 25 percent from March 2016. The average live weight was down 56 pounds from last year, at 246 pounds.

Pork production totaled 2.27 billion pounds, up 6 percent from the previous year. Hog slaughter totaled 10.7 million head, up 6 percent from March 2016. The average live weight was unchanged from the previous year, at 284 pounds.

Lamb and mutton production, at 13.7 million pounds, was down 4 percent from March 2016. Sheep slaughter totaled 196,900 head, 5 percent below last year. The average live weight was 140 pounds, up 2 pounds from March a year ago.

January to March 2017 commercial red meat production was 12.8 billion pounds, up 4 percent from 2016. Accumulated beef production was up 6 percent from last year, veal was down 4 percent, pork was up 3 percent from last year, and lamb and mutton production was down 2 percent.



USFRA Conducts Survey to Help Elevate Voice of Farmers, Ranchers

The U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) is made up of more than 100 farmer and rancher led organizations and agricultural partners representing virtually all aspects of agriculture. USFRA strives to bring the voice of the farmer and rancher to consumers, and answer questions about how today’s food is grown and raised.

In an effort to further the dialogue, USFRA is conducting a short survey to better determine how it can help elevate the voice of farmers and ranchers, and create a united voice for agriculture. We ask that you take five minutes and complete the survey to help with the efforts.

Thank you in advance for sharing your opinion and insights. The survey can be found here... http://www.questionpro.com/t/ANKhvZYpng.  Please submit all responses by April 30.



Workshop discusses national bio-surveillance system for US swine industry

Last week, the Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases (IIAD), a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Center of Excellence, along with the National Pork Board (NPB) and the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC), hosted a workshop to discuss the development of a national bio-surveillance system for the U.S. swine industry. The meeting, which also received sponsorship from the DHS Science and Technology Directorate, aimed to foster a focused, interactive discussion between the industry representatives and state and federal animal health officials in attendance. Through interactive discussions, participants were asked to build upon previous and current industry and government efforts in identifying and developing a road map to address gaps for a workable, credible, affordable and robust nationally coordinated bio-surveillance system to meet commerce and trade needs for the US swine industry.

The meeting was designed as a way to look forward to what the industry needs. The United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) currently has regulatory surveillance programs (pseudorabies, brucellosis and classical swine fever), monitors for influenza and vesicular diseases and is in the process of evaluating the parameters to develop a comprehensive U.S. swine surveillance program. Additionally, the U.S. pork industry daily actively monitors for swine diseases in a continual effort to protect the health and welfare of the country’s swine herd.

There was a significant consensus among the industry stakeholders participating in the workshop regarding the attributes of an optimal risk-based comprehensive disease preparedness system and that a modern robust national bio-surveillance system is a vital component. Those preparedness attributes include: allowing granular, access-controlled information sharing to protect data; leveraging easy-to-collect, aggregate samples (i.e. oral fluids) collected by trained production personnel on farm for testing; using triggers to automatically identify anomalies for further investigation; and utilizing standardized, electronic, real-time data capture for movements, premises production, slaughter, and veterinary diagnostic laboratory information. Priority actions to develop the identified needed surveillance system were also articulated and included, among others, validation of an oral-fluids-based diagnostic assay for priority FADs and establishing a network of producers, state animal health officials and National Animal Health Laboratory Network laboratories in core pork producing states to work together on key gaps and opportunities. A complete list of key elements and priority action items to achieve progress towards such a system, can be found here.

Steve Brier, a member of the NPB Swine Health Committee, presented industry views at the workshop and said that a “nationally coordinated bio-surveillance system is an industry-identified priority to improve capacity to prepare, detect and rapidly respond to regulatory FADs, emerging and re-emerging diseases, as well as contribute to successful implementation of the Secure Pork Supply Plan to facilitate business continuity in the face of high consequence disease outbreaks.”

Among all participants there was a commitment to timely forward progress. “Though we have a good consensus among our stakeholders, we have to work on these action items with a sense of urgency – including developing a timeline for completion of activities,” said Paul Sundberg, DVM, Ph.D., DACVPM, SHIC executive director.

Swine health and food safety is of paramount importance ­– the industry has more than 60,000 pork producers who annually market more than 110 million hogs, equals total gross receipts of $23.4 billion, supports 550,000 jobs and contributes $39 billion to the U.S. Gross Domestic Product. With record industry expansion in recent years, pork production exports have risen to more than 26% of U.S. production – a number that is expected to continue to increase. With an ever-expanding industry, diseases that can disrupt trade and commerce are of increasing concern, making adapting the nation’s current surveillance system to keep up with the industry’s needs and speed of commerce of upmost importance.



Peruvian Corn Imports Exceed Five-Year Average In First Half Of 2016/2017

“The U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement has served to generate a continuing, symbiotic trade relationship between the United States and Peru that shows no signs of diminishing.”

That bold statement - published in an April 10, 2017 Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) report produced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA's) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) - rings true for U.S. feed grain and value-added exports to this growing South American market.

“The Peru trade agreement has been the major driver in growing U.S. corn imports,” said Ana Maria Ballesteros, USGC co-products specialist in Latin America. “The agreement also provides an opportunity for other U.S. agricultural products such as distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and sorghum.”

Peruvian imports of U.S. corn in the first six months of the 2016/2017 marketing year (Sep. 2016-Feb. 2017) exceeded the five-year average for total sales, driven by attractive prices, duty-free quotas under the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA) and market development efforts by the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) and FAS Office of Agricultural Affairs in Lima, Peru.

Peruvian corn imports for the first half of the 2016/2017 marketing year (Sept. 2016-Feb.2017) totaled 1.32 million metric tons (51.97 million bushels), a 36 percent increase over 2015/2016 imports during the same time period the prior year (971,000 metric tons or 38.2 million bushels). These six months of sales outpace the five-year marketing year average total of 1.24 million metric tons (48.8 million bushels).

Peruvian buyers also purchased more ethanol, poultry, beef and pork products measured in corn equivalent and corn gluten feed than during the same time period the year prior.

To continue building opportunities for U.S. feed grains and value-added products with Peru’s growing poultry and dairy industries, the Council is working to develop confidence in U.S. corn, offer training and information to end-users, introduce other agricultural products to the market, and promote and support feeding trials.

These activities, in combination with favorable trade policies that provide market access and attractive prices, will help secure a long-term U.S. market share in Peru.

“More than an attractive price is required to keep this market,” Ballesteros said. “Ensuring Peru is committed long-term to buying from the United States is critical work for the Council.”



Bayer North American Bee Care Center Celebrates 10,000 Visitors

It’s not just the beehives at the Bayer Bee Care Center that are buzzing with activity today. Today, the Center celebrates the more than 10,000 visitors who have passed through its doors in just three years. The Center recognized a group of 75 fourth-graders and their teachers from Ravenscroft School in Raleigh, North Carolina, as the “honorary visitors” to mark the achievement.

“The Bee Care Center has served as a gathering spot and community outreach arm for pollinator initiatives in the Raleigh area and beyond, and we’re thankful to the many partners and supporters who have joined us to bring this special occasion to fruition,” said Jim Blome, president and CEO of Crop Science, a division of Bayer, who joined the students during the celebration. “We look forward to continuing our work in researching and advocating for solutions supporting bee health.”

To celebrate this success and the Center’s third anniversary, students spent the morning learning about pollinators through a hands-on, interactive guided tour and scavenger hunt. Included in the day’s festivities was an observation hive, giving students a true peek into the lives of these fuzzy friends.

“We are incredibly excited to have opened our doors to more than 10,000 pollinator enthusiasts in only our first three years,” said Becky Langer, project manager for the Bayer North American Bee Care Program. “It’s been rewarding to welcome so many different people and know they are leaving with new perceptions and understanding of the roles bees play in our environment.”

Students also had the opportunity to participate in a learning station on the importance of pollination taught by Sweet Virginia Foundation, a newly-announced partner of Bayer’s Feed a Bee initiative. Since its launch in 2015, the program, which aims to increase food for bees and other pollinators, has planted 2 billion wildflowers across the U.S. Sweet Virginia Foundation is an educational organization that encourages elementary school students to learn about the vital role honey bees play in our ecosystem by using media-rich lessons and resources available online. In addition, each student took home a potted sunflower plant to begin their own pollinator garden.

“This is an exciting opportunity for us to unite with an equally passionate organization in our shared goal of supporting bees and other pollinators,” said Dan Price, founder and CEO of Sweet Virginia Foundation. “I’m eager to see the many possibilities that will come to life in the future from our work together.”

The 10,000th visitor milestone was also commemorated with a $10,000 donation from Bayer to Project PLANTS, a Grow For It project from the JC Raulston Arboretum educating students about the science behind horticulture. The donation, made during a tour of the Bee Care Center on Tuesday, April 18, will support flower plantings, establishing forage and habitat for pollinators and supporting them in pollinating many of the crops and landscapes we enjoy.

In addition to its community outreach arm, the Bee Care Center houses much of the research Bayer conducts on pollinator health. From implementing Smart Hive technology for remote monitoring of hives to developing some of the first miticides available to beekeepers to combat harmful pests, Bayer has spent more than 30 years researching and developing solutions for the problems honey bees face. Some of this research will be highlighted through a webinar series during National Pollinator Week, June 19-25, 2017. More information will follow about how those interested can tune in to join researchers, partners and other stakeholders interested in bee health.
                                                                                          
For more information on Bayer’s bee health initiatives, please visit: http://beehealth.bayer.us. You can also follow and share with us on Twitter @BayerBeeCare, on Facebook at facebook.com/BayerBeeCareCenter and view photos on Flickr.