Monday May 15 Ag News

Field Day on June 6 Showcases Local Value of Growing Winter Wheat
Nathan Mueller, NE Extension Educator

Positioning your farm to manage manure, control tough weeds, and improve soil health are just some of the advantages to growing winter wheat in Dodge and Washington counties. Nebraska Extension in Dodge and Washington counties will be hosting a Winter Wheat Field Day on Tuesday, June 6 at 6:00 pm east of Winslow in northwest Washington County.

Current livestock producers and future poultry growers are encouraged to attend this field day to understand the potential value of adding winter wheat to their farming operation and to learn local agronomic fundamentals of growing wheat.

Speakers will discuss the following topics during the field day:
·        Winter wheat variety trials – Teshome Regassa, Research Assistant Professor
·        Variety tour and variety selection – Stephen Baenziger, Professor and Nebraska Wheat Growers Presidential Chair
·        Managing diseases of wheat – Stephen Wegulo, Extension Plant Pathologist
·        Value of wheat in manure management plans – Rick Koelsch, Extension Livestock & Bio Environmental Engineer
·        Other key fundamentals of growing wheat – Nathan Mueller, Agronomist – Extension Educator

The field day starts at 6:00 pm in the evening at the winter wheat variety field trial site located 4 miles east of Winslow on paved County Road J, 1 mile north on County Road 3 from the Immanuel Lutheran Church corner, and then ¾ east on County Road 10. A map with directions can be found at our website at http://croptechcafe.org/winterwheat/.  A sponsored supper will follow the field day at the Immanuel Lutheran Church gymnasium. If inclement weather occurs during the field tour, the event will be moved to the gymnasium. This event is sponsored by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the Nebraska Wheat Board. Continuing education units for certified crop advisers will be available for the event.

The field day is free and pre-registration is highly encouraged to ensure all attendees have a meal provided.  Please pre-register by doing one of the following:
1.      Call the Dodge County Extension Office at 402-727-2775
2.      or Register Online at http://croptechcafe.org/registration/.

More information about the field day can be found at http://croptechcafe.org/winterwheat/.



Scout Emerging Corn for Early Season Insects 
Keith Jarvi - NE Extension Educator

As corn begins to emerge, be alert to the potential for damage from early season insects such as cutworms, wireworms, or white grubs.

Wireworms and white grubs are most often associated with fields that have been in pasture or CRP where the grasses were allowed to grow for more than one year. It is rare to see these problems in continuous corn, but exceptions happen. Since wireworms and white grubs feed underground and cutworms feed on or below the soil surface, scout for plant damage and then dig in soil around the plant to identify the insect causing the damage.

Cutworms
Cutworms and other insects may hinder emerging corn plants this spring, even if seed was treated with insecticide or Bt corn hybrids were used. High populations of insects can overwhelm the protection method, regardless of whether it was an insecticide applied at planting (liquid, granular, or seed treatment) or a Bt corn hybrid.

In some cases products are not labeled for the full spectrum of Nebraska insects. For example, Bt corn hybrids expressing the Cry 1F and VIP3A Bt protein list control of black cutworm on the label, but do not list control of other soil cutworm species. The Agrisure Duracade hybrids also list control of black cutworm on the label. See the Handy Bt Trait Table for a list of which hybrids express which Bt proteins.

Cutworms can cause serious damage to corn in the first couple weeks after emergence so it is important to scout fields early for damage. Several species of cutworms attack corn. The severity and the area affected will vary greatly, depending on species involved, previous crop history, and weather conditions.

The black cutworm does not overwinter in Nebraska, and infestations depend on moths moving up in southerly spring winds. They are most commonly found in the eastern one-fourth of the state. We have been capturing black cutworm moths in pheromone traps in several counties in eastern Nebraska. Fields with winter annual weeds or abundant crop residue are more attractive to the egg-laying black cutworm moths in the spring. Several other cutworm species ― dingy, claybacked, army, and Sandhills ― overwinter as partly grown caterpillars and are found more widely in Nebraska.

Remember that early detection of a problem is essential because most of the cutting occurs within seven days of plant emergence.

Treatment
Generally, a postemergence "rescue" treatment should be considered if cutting is observed on 3-5% or more of plants and the worms are one inch or less in length. Rescue treatments are effective in controlling soil cutworms.

Insecticides containing pyrethroids or chlorpyrifos will give satisfactory control as postemergence sprays. If soil is dry or crusted, rotary hoeing immediately before or after a chlorpyrifos application may enhance control. Products containing pyrethroids should not be incorporated.

Wireworms
Wireworms are the larvae of click beetles. The adult beetles prefer to lay eggs in grass and the larvae can remain in that stage for up to six years, depending on the species. Wireworms are our earliest corn pests each season, as they can feed on the seed before germination, causing reduced plant emergence. Later feeding may kill or stunt small emerged plants.

All wireworm feeding is done underground. Wireworms are white, yellow, orange, or brown with hard shells. They tend to be more numerous in fields that have been in grass or pasture or fields that have had grassy weed problems. Wireworms prefer cooler soil temperatures, under 70°F, so fields that were planted early or have heavy surface residue may be at higher risk than tilled fields.

Treatment. There is no rescue treatment for wireworms, so the main decision at this time is whether there is sufficient stand reduction to warrant replanting. The use of seed treatments like Cruiser and Poncho has greatly reduced the incidence of wireworm damage. These products are excellent early season stand protectors.

White Grubs
White grubs are the larvae of May (or June) beetles. They also prefer to feed on grasses and rarely affect crops other than corn. There are two basic types of grubs.

    Annual grubs complete their development in one year. They do most of their feeding in the late summer and fall and are not considered serious pests of spring-planted field crops.

    Three-year grubs, however, can damage corn severely in the last two years of their larval stage. The larvae overwinter deep in the soil. As the soil warms they begin feeding on plant roots. Damage to corn may not occur until the corn is in the 2- to 6-leaf stage. This is difficult because up to the time of feeding, the stand may look fine. Often three-year grub damage is near shelter belts where the adults may congregate to feed and mate.

    To identify white grubs examine the pattern of spines on the underside of the last abdominal segment. Three-year grubs have two rows of parallel spines in a line; annual white grubs have spines scattered randomly.

Treatment
Like wireworms, there is no rescue treatment for white grubs. Again, high risk areas need to be treated at planting. Products for white grub control are similar to wireworm control.

Replanting
If wireworm or white grub damage is serious enough to warrant replanting, use planting time treatments, although the odds for damage diminish with the warming of the soil.

For More Information
    On insecticide products and rates, see the Insect Management section of EC 130, 2017 Guide for Weed Management, with Insecticide and Fungicide Information.

    On managing cutworms, see UNL Extension NebGuide G1153, Corn Cutworms.



BLUEGRASS VS BROME
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist

               Bluegrass is heading out and overrunning brome pastures throughout the region this spring.  Stick around for some ways to get brome dominance back into these pastures.

               Pastures greened up early this spring during our warm March weather.  Unfortunately, bluegrass in pastures also matured and headed out early, reducing both its growth potential and forage quality.

               This early heading also showed us we had much more bluegrass in these pastures than many of us realized.  So how do we get rid of this bluegrass and bring back the higher producing brome?

               It would be nice if a magic chemical would kill bluegrass and not hurt brome but I’m afraid there isn’t anything labeled and available to do that yet.  So we need to use other methods.

               It starts with creating a growth environment that is better for brome than bluegrass.  That means higher soil fertility and improved rotational grazing management.

               As a taller, potentially higher yielding grass, brome responds more to fertilizer than does bluegrass, especially to nitrogen.  Spring fertilization can give brome a competitive advantage over bluegrass.

               But we can’t stop there.  Bluegrass invades and thrives in areas that are grazed short and remain short for a long time.  Unfortunately, this describes how most brome pastures are grazed.  What we also need to do is leave more grass in pastures when we move to a new area, shorten the length of time a pasture is grazed to no more than four or five days, and let pasture regrow longer before grazing again.

               The only way to practically do this is to subdivide with more cross-fences.  It probably takes ten to twelve smaller pastures to make a big change.  I know it sounds like a huge undertaking, but if you are serious about improving your pastures, it’s worth doing.



NCTA leads in “vet tech” programs

One of the nation’s oldest college programs for educating technicians in animal health care has been reaccredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association.

The University of Nebraska’s Veterinary Technology program at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis was notified in late April that its program has again received national accreditation.

Accreditation is required in Nebraska for post-secondary institutions offering academic programs to students studying to become licensed veterinary technicians, said Ron Rosati, NCTA dean.

“Since its establishment in 1968 through the efforts of the University of Nebraska and Dr. Walter Long, the veterinary technology program has graduated more than 1,000 students,” Rosati said.

Then known as the University Of Nebraska School Of Technical Agriculture, the UNSTA program was one of the first two in the U.S. to be accredited and has continuously maintained that status, which is important for students seeking top training.

When students from the Midwest and around the nation arrived at Curtis in 1968 for their two-year associate degree program, they were paving the way for many to follow.

They were educated in radiology, anesthesia, anatomy and physiology, surgery, pharmacology, diseases, facilities, office records, and many of the primary areas studied by their nursing and radiology counterparts in human health.

One of those early-year graduates is Barbara Berg, licensed veterinary technician (LVT) and assistant professor, who is chair of the NCTA Veterinary Technology Systems program.

“Over the years the veterinary technician profession has grown and changed,” Berg said. “Today’s LVT’s share with the veterinarian the challenge of providing high level quality care for the patients in their hospital or clinic.  There are now over 15 specialties a technician can pursue after completing their veterinary technician education.”

In a national review, the AVMA scorecard is a rigorous team evaluation of an institution’s entire program including curriculum, staffing, learning objectives, facilities, equipment, laboratories, animals, safety and biosecurity, and more.

“Our iconic campus dairy barn where early graduates attended classes, including large animal surgery, has been transformed into the Dr. Walter Long Veterinary Technology Teaching Clinic,” Berg noted. “Here, the students can apply the hands-on skills they have learned in classes to scenario-based practice cases.  This allows a little more  real-world experience before internship and graduation.”

Aggie students pursue one or more areas of study for an Associates of Applied Science degree:  veterinary technician, veterinary assistant, equine health care, animal health management, and animal husbandry.

Those who graduate from NCTA as a veterinary technician are qualified to sit for the VTNE (Veterinary Technical National Examination) which is offered by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards. Veterinarian technicians who practice in Nebraska must be licensed by the state.

“This highly successful reaccreditation of NCTA’s veterinary technology program is testament to the effectiveness and knowledge of our faculty. External evaluators thoroughly reviewed their work and verified the academic rigor and historical integrity of the program,” Dean Rosati said.

Faculty members in the NCTA Veterinary Technology Systems division are Berg; Professor Ricky Sue Barnes, DVM; Assistant Professors Judy Bowmaster Cole, LVT and Glenn Jackson, DVM; and facilities class coordinator Josi Arnold.

Additional information about NCTA can be found at ncta.unl.edu or specifically about veterinary technology at http://ncta.unl.edu/veterinary-technician.



Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation Seeks Scholarship Applicants

The Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation is seeking applicants for scholarships of up to $2,500 per recipient. The Nebraska Rural Radio Foundation (NRRF) Scholarship in Honor of Max and Eric Brown is awarded to non-traditional students, age 25 or older living in Nebraska’s rural communities.

Non-traditional students seeking funding for education or training are encouraged to apply for the scholarship through the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation’s website. Go to www.nefbfoundation.org, click on the Scholarships and Awards tab, select For Students, and scroll to find the NRRF scholarship. Application forms are available for download and are due June 1.



ACE opens registration, previews agenda for 30th annual conference

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) has opened registration and announced a preliminary agenda for its milestone 30th annual conference coming up Aug. 15-17 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in downtown Omaha. This year’s conference theme is Tested. Proven. Driven. The general session will include testimonials from retailers and fuel marketers on why they are selling E15 and flex fuels and a presentation on ethanol’s export market potential. In addition, the general session will decode tax reform efforts in Washington, D.C. and highlight progress toward high-octane ethanol blends.

General session preview:
 ·    Retail Panel Discussion: Ethanol’s Point of Opportunity
Fuel marketers Charlie Bosselman, owner of Bosselman Enterprises, and Bob O’Connor, owner of JETZ Convenience Centers, will reveal why and how they made the move to offering higher ethanol blends and lessons learned along the way.
 ·    Global Tailwinds and Headwinds
Lakeview Energy CEO and director, Jim Galvin, who also serves as the leader of the U.S. Grains Council Advisory Team for Ethanol, will discuss market trends and factors impacting global demand for ethanol and coproducts—all with an eye on the implications of Trump’s trade policy reform on the industry.
 ·    Tax Reform: Opportunities and Challenges for the Ethanol Industry
Donna Funk, principal at KCoe Isom, will step conference attendees through potential impacts on tax reform and how to prepare for the proposed changes.
 ·    Shifting to High-Octane Fuel
Leadership from Wayne Fueling Systems—the first equipment manufacturer to exclusively offer fuel dispensers UL-listed for E25 in North America—will be joined by the brains behind the engine testing and regulatory strategies for high-octane fuel. Brian West with Oak Ridge National Lab and Adam Gustafson at Boyden Gray & Associates will provide this insight.

Topics for many breakout sessions have also been determined, including a track specifically for ethanol plant boards of directors covering roles and responsibilities, succession planning and retention, and risk management. Other breakout session topics include coproduct diversification, production efficiency trends, and bringing ethanol direct to retail.  For more information on breakout sessions see the online agenda... https://ethanol.org/events/conference. 

“We encourage ethanol producers and industry members to register now for this year’s ACE conference,” said Brian Jennings, ACE executive vice president. “This event will equip those who attend with the knowledge of the most current activities underway to increase demand for ethanol here and around the world.”



Iowa Cash Rent Prices Decline for Fourth Consecutive Year

Rental rates for Iowa farmland declined for the fourth consecutive year, according to the results of the 2017 Cash Rental Rates for Iowa Survey conducted by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

After 14 consecutive years of rental price increases (2000-2013), prices have now gone down for four straight years. Prices dropped by 4.8 percent in 2017 and have gone down nearly 19 percent in the last four years. 

“Cash rents are declining but not as fast as crop prices,” said Alejandro Plastina, assistant professor in economics and extension economist at Iowa State University. “Corn prices dropped by about 60 percent in the last four years and rent has gone down 19 percent. Profitability in cash rented acres will still remain tight.”

Rental rates came to $219 per acre statewide, with a dip in prices shown in all regions but the southeast region. The state average rate was $270 just three years ago. The largest drop in prices came from District 2, a $25 drop in the counties making up the north-central region of the state. Most regions saw decreases of $9 or more.

The highest average cash rent was observed in the District 3 (north-east region) at $241 per acre.

District 8, the south-central region, saw the smallest drop in rental prices but continues to have the lowest rental rate at $180 per acre.

“Even with these overall lower cash rental rates, it will still be hard to squeeze profits out of cash rented acres in 2017,” Plastina said. “Despite some recent anecdotal evidence of firm land values scattered across the state, I wouldn’t expect a generalized increase in cash rental rates any time soon if corn and bean prices remain at current levels.”

Rental values were estimated by asking people familiar with land rental markets what they thought were typical rates in their county. Of the 1,448 responses received, 52 percent came from farm operators, 29 percent from landowners, 9 percent from agricultural lenders, 9 percent from professional farm managers and realtors and 2 percent from other professionals.

The Cash Rental Rates for Iowa – 2017 Survey is available online from the Iowa State Extension Store and Ag Decision Maker.

Other resources available for estimating a fair cash rental rate include the Ag Decision Maker information files Computing a Cropland Cash Rental Rate (C2-20), Computing a Pasture Rental Rate (C2-23) and Flexible Farm Lease Agreements (C2-21). All documents include decision file electronic worksheets to help analyze leasing questions.



Ibotta Mobile App Campaign a Huge Success for Beef Industry

Nationwide sales of fresh beef at retail got a boost earlier this year as the result of a beef industry partnership with the mobile rebates app Ibotta. The partnership also significantly increased consumer engagements with beef through videos, recipes and messages on the app. Overall, the Federation of State Beef Councils of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association invested $600,000 in reserve funds in the partnership, which ran through early February. Local state beef councils also added $90,000 to help boost the campaign in specific states.

Ibotta is a consumer mobile app that has a subscriber rate of 22 million mostly-millennial consumers and growing. In the campaign, consumers who downloaded the app could browse the grocery category for small rebates on fresh ground beef products, unlock the rebates and after reviewing educational information about beef through a short recipe, message or video get cash back on the beef items they bought at any grocery store nationwide. Beef only paid for verified sales.

Results from the ground beef Ibotta campaign, which was managed by NCBA, a beef checkoff contractor, significantly surpassed standard Ibotta campaigns. The redemption rate for ground beef was nearly 40 percent, almost double the average Ibotta redemption rate of 23 percent. There were about 1.45 million consumer engagements, with beef rebates unlocked after consumers got the videos, recipes and messages. Of those, more than 576,000 consumers redeemed the rebates. The 4-week campaign resulted in more than 631,000 pounds of ground beef sold.

Other campaign results were just as significant, according to Jerry Effertz, a beef producer from Velva, N.D., and chairman of the Federation of State Beef Councils.  Ibotta campaign analytics showed that when consumers were offered the small (25 to 50 cent) rebates on ground beef, they also bought other whole muscle cuts, such as steaks or roasts, which were not offered on rebate. According to Ibotta receipt data, the average Ibotta user spent $7.80 on beef products.

“These results suggest our efforts inspired more beef trial and usage,” Effertz says. “Consumers were buying more beef overall, and that’s one of the things this Ibotta campaign was meant to accomplish.” 

Furthermore, during the 4-week Ibotta users increased their beef buying overall and decreased the amount of other protein (such as pork and chicken) they were buying. Beef’s protein market share increased by 14 percent, and beef maintained a 9 percent market share increase even two months after the campaign ended, the data showed. This highlighted a second Ibotta campaign objective: drive people back to beef after years of record-high beef prices, when many consumers may have stepped away from the product.

In addition to the national campaign, many state beef councils contributed additional funding to promote the campaign to consumers in their own markets. These state partners helped drive traffic to the app and created broader visibility for beef. The total value of the Ibotta campaign is estimated to be more than $4.4 million.

“This campaign was conducted during a time of high protein production, and our cattle industry was definitely in need of a lift because of the struggling market,” according to Effertz. “This campaign, targeted to a consumer millennial audience that loves beef but wants more information about it, was the right promotion at the right time.”

In addition to the national campaign, many state beef councils contributed additional funding to promote the campaign to consumers in their markets. Through in-app media tiles, email newsletters and social media engagement, state partners helped drive traffic to the app and create broader visibility of lower beef prices for 2017.

Beef checkoff funds invested in the Ibotta program were part of a $1,240,000 package from the Federation reserve fund for both international and domestic beef sales-enhancement efforts. The initial $940,000 investment was made in November, 2016.



CWT Assists with 1.2 million Pounds of Cheese and Butter Export Sales

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted 8 requests for export assistance from Dairy Farmers of America, Foremost Farms, Northwest Dairy Association (Darigold) and Tillamook County Creamery Association that have contracts to sell 930,351 pounds (422 metric tons) of Cheddar and Gouda cheese and 220,462 pounds (100 metric tons) of butter to customers in Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. The product has been contracted for delivery in the period from May through August 2017.

So far this year, CWT has assisted member cooperatives who have contracts to sell 31.604 million pounds of American-type cheeses, and 2.088 million pounds of butter (82% milkfat) to 15 countries on four continents. The sales are the equivalent of 338.708 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis.

Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program in the long term helps member cooperatives gain and maintain market share, thus expanding the demand for U.S. dairy products and the U.S. farm milk that produces them. This, in turn, positively affects all U.S. dairy farmers by strengthening and maintaining the value of dairy products that directly impact their milk price.



Choice-Select Spread
Brenda Boetel, Professor, Dept of Ag Econ, University of Wisconsin-River Falls

The Choice-Select spread has widened in the last few weeks. Although it is occurring slightly early, this widening of the spread is a seasonally expected occurrence. This widening of the Choice-Select spread provides incentives for increased production of Choice beef as compared to Select beef.  Over a 12 month period of time, the Choice-Select spread is typically narrowest in the January to March timeframe as the demand for Choice graded middle meats is at its lowest and the supply of Choice graded cattle is typically at its highest.  In contrast, as we go into summer, the demand for Choice graded middle meats is higher as retailers fill shelves in anticipation of the grilling season, but the supply of Choice graded cattle is lower as we see more calf-fed cattle being harvested.

What makes the widening of the Choice-Select spread this year interesting is the slightly early occurrence. However, the early widening can still be explained through supply and demand.  On the supply side, the industry is extremely current and the average weekly year to date dressed weights for steers in 2017 is down 17 pounds as compared to last year.  Beef production however is up almost 4 percent due to increased slaughter. Year to date, the percentage of cattle grading choice is up 2 percent, however, this percentage is starting to slip and in the last month the year-over-year weekly increase in percentage is only up 1 percent. 

On the demand side, demand is strong and retailers are struggling with procuring enough product for the summer sales. Additionally demand for Choice quality beef increases relative to Select quality beef in summer. Putting all this together tells us the total tonnage of both Choice and Select graded beef is up this year; and although Choice quality tonnage is up by more than the Select quality tonnage, the demand for Choice beef has increased by even more. Likely one reason for this increased demand for Choice quality beef is the overall decline in retail beef prices.  On average, fresh retail beef prices have declined 5 percent over the same period in 2016.  This overall decline in beef prices allows consumers to potentially switch from Select quality beef to Choice quality beef while not paying substantially more for a better product.

The widening of the Choice-Select spread is seasonal, and although the widening is a bit earlier than typical this year, it likely will return to normal by mid to late June.



 
NGFA and Grain Journal introduce CONVEY17 - a new operations and regulatory compliance conference

The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) and Grain Journal Magazine introduce CONVEY 2017, a newly redesigned operations and regulatory compliance conference and trade show for the grain handling, processing, milling and feed industries.

CONVEY, a successor to the former NGFA-Grain Journal Safety Conference and Elevator Design Conference, will focus annually on key regulatory compliance, safety and operational issues that are vital to facility managers and their key employees.

"We are excited to build on the safety, grain quality, and elevator design conferences we have held with the NGFA over the past seven years with this rebranded CONVEY17 conference," said Grain Journal publisher Mark Avery.

A significant focus of CONVEY17 will be on the Trump administration's regulatory philosophy and policy changes affecting the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Environmental Protection Agency. Key operations issues affecting the industry and prudent safety practices to maintain safe and operationally efficient facility operations also will be addressed.

"The NGFA and Grain Journal are natural partners for this endeavor. The combination of NGFA's Washington-based expertise on regulatory matters and on-the-ground knowledge of grain handling facility operations issues and Grain Journal's contacts with firms offering the latest products and services for the industry will provide valuable information for industry members," said NGFA Vice President of Safety and Regulatory Affairs Jess McCluer. "To boot, CONVEY will serve as a great way to reiterate the dedication to safety and health that guides our members' operations."

This year's conference, to be conducted July 24-26 at the Westin Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center in Kansas City, Mo., includes several sessions on specific OSHA regulations - like recordkeeping and reporting - that are not expected to change, as well as an interactive session covering OSHA inspections.

In addition to opportunities to engage with industry leaders about emergency preparedness, automation and employee retention, CONVEY17 also will cover best practices on how to comply with the most far-reaching law to hit the feed industry - the Food Safety Modernization Act.

CONVEY17 includes a 75-exhibitor trade show, which offers ample time to explore the latest product offerings and meet with colleagues.

Registration for CONVEY17 is available here.... http://www.convey17.com/register/attendee/. 



Growth Energy Outlines Regulations Hindering Biofuels in Comments to EPA

 Growth Energy today filed comments to the Environmental Protection Agency in response to the agency’s request for comment following President Trump’s Executive Order, “Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda.” Growth Energy’s comments outlined multiple concerns with regulations that hinder the growth of American biofuel.

Chiefly, Growth Energy urged the agency to administer the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) as enacted into law by Congress and make every effort to get annual renewable volume obligations proposed, out for public comment, and finalized in a timely manner. Also related to the RFS, the association called on the agency to finalize its denial of the petition to change the point of obligation.

Another key issue in Growth Energy’s comments include a request for EPA to work with Congress to support legislation to fix the vapor pressure disparity amongst ethanol-blended fuels so that American drivers and retailers alike may choose E15 – fuel blended with 15 percent ethanol. Additionally, the association urged EPA to continue to find ways to improve the approval process for fuel pathways under the RFS.

“By removing these barriers, our industry can continue its success to create jobs, improve our agriculture and rural economies, increase our energy security, and improve our nation’s environment,” Growth Energy stated in its comments.



NFU, Coalition of Rural Organizations Oppose Elimination of Rural Development Mission Area and Under Secretary

Highlighting the important work carried out by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development, National Farmers Union (NFU) and a diverse coalition of rural organizations are calling on Congress to prevent any attempt to eliminate the Rural Development Mission Area (RD) and the Office of the Under Secretary for Rural Development.

The groups outlined their concerns in a letter to members of Congress today. The letter follows a proposed reorganization of USDA by the Trump Administration, which would eliminate Rural Development as a core mission area and replace the Under Secretary for Rural Development with a Special Assistant.

“Rural America is much more than production agriculture,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “Family farmers and ranchers need vibrant rural communities because they provide desirable amenities and jobs. Underfunding, understaffing or demoting the Rural Development Mission Area within USDA would cause real harm to programs that benefit farming and rural communities.”

Rural families, businesses and cooperatives need efficient transportation infrastructure, high-speed broadband, affordable water, quality schools and public safety for rural communities to prosper. USDA’s Rural Development Mission Area allows underserved rural communities to be competitive in the national and global marketplace.

“RD has a $216 billion portfolio with over forty different programs,” noted the coalition’s letter. “Programs under the Rural Development portfolio provide critical resources and technical assistance for some of the most underserved communities in the country – a responsibility demanding the highest caliber of leadership and accountability.”

Rural Development is currently a core USDA Mission Area. It is overseen by an Under Secretary, and is therefore part of the USDA subcabinet. The reassignment would remove Rural Development from the subcabinet and rescind both the decision-making power that comes with being a core USDA Mission Area and the ability for Congress to have direct oversight.

“The Administration highlights the shift as an “elevation of rural development” as the new assistant would report directly to the Secretary of Agriculture,” noted the letter. “Yet all Under Secretaries already report directly to the Secretary, and indeed serve as part of his subcabinet, so the assertion this would better position RD is deeply misleading.”

The letter also noted the USDA reorganization is the result of a congressional directive included in the 2014 Farm Bill, which instructed USDA to create a new Undersecretary of Trade. Although Congress directed USDA to create a Trade Under Secretary, USDA was under no legal obligation to eliminate any other mission area or Undersecretary to accomplish the directive.

“Rural America should not have to choose between production agriculture and critical economic development investments. We need core services and programs aimed directly at addressing the unique and diverse needs of rural communities,” concluded the letter.