Thursday May 25 Ag News

NEBRASKA EXTENSION RELEASES GRAIN MARKETING PLAN APP

A new mobile application from Nebraska Extension aims to help farmers manage their operations in a rapidly changing price environment. The free Grain Marketing Plan app is available on iPhone and iPad devices for users marketing corn, soybeans or winter wheat.

The app can help farmers develop customizable grain marketing plans pre- or post-harvest. It has a built-in reminder system so that once a farmer has entered decisions into their plan, he or she will receive alerts once a decision trigger has been hit. The decision triggers can be set up based on a target time or futures price. It is one of the first apps of its kind to allow users to not only view futures price information, but interact with them.

"The idea is that the mobile app will help producers make their grain marketing decisions, even while they're in the field," said Associate Extension Educator Jessica Groskopf.

While grain marketing plans are critical to an operation's success, the majority of Nebraska farmers have not developed a plan. Nebraska Extension hopes that this new user-friendly app can help producers decipher fact versus feeling when making grain marketing decisions.

"The Grain Marketing Plan app allows farmers to dictate their future, on their terms," said Cory Walters, assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics. "A simple reminder for farmers of the decision triggers they committed to in the spring can make a huge difference in the overall success of a farming operation."

According to Walters, the app is beneficial in the current environment because it is important for farmers to actively market their grain during times of lower commodity prices. With rapidly changing prices, there are limited opportunities for farmers to price grain above break-even prices. This app can alert farmers when futures prices have hit their estimated break-even point.

For more information on the app, visit http://farm.unl.edu/grain-marketing-plan.

The Nebraska Corn Board, North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center and Nebraska Extension provided funding for the app.



GRAZING MANAGEMENT CRITICAL NOW
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist

               Most pastures are looking pretty good.  But how they are grazed now will affect how well your pastures do the rest of the summer.

               When pastures look good and cattle are doing well we usually pay little attention to them.  But don't take good pasture for granted; in a couple months it could look a lot different.

               Now is the time to pay special attention to your rotational grazing.  In particular, whenever possible, leave more growth behind than usual when you move to new pasture.

               When moisture is available, like now, your grasses will regrow after grazing.  Regrowth starts more rapidly when extra leaves remain behind after grazing.  These leaves help plants harvest more sunlight energy to hasten regrowth, so your pasture will be ready to graze again much sooner and with more forage than if it had been grazed very short.  After all, grass grows grass.

               Another valuable reason to leave extra growth behind is the increased competition this provides to weeds.  June and early July is the time many weeds like ragweed really start growing rapidly.  The extra grass you leave behind and the faster regrowth of your grass will help reduce this weed invasion.

               A final reason to leave extra growth behind is to improve animal nutrition.  As you leave behind the stemmy, less desirable feed and move animals more frequently into fresh, high quality pasture, rates of gain increase, cows get bred more rapidly, and overall performance improves.

               Sure, your pastures look good now.  To keep them looking good and your cattle performing well: avoid overgrazing, encourage rapid regrowth, maintain competitive residues, and rotate often onto fresh, productive pasture.



NCGA Thanks House of Representatives for Passing NPDES Permits Legislation

The National Corn Growers Association commended the House of Representatives for passing H.R. 953, the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act of 2017. This bipartisan legislation states that National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Systems (NPDES) permits are not required when applying pesticides according to their EPA-approved labels.

"We are pleased the House of Representatives recognizes this permit requirement for what it is: expensive, duplicative, and unnecessary red tape," said Brandon Hunnicutt, Vice Chair of the Freedom to Operate Action Team and a farmer from Giltner, Nebraska. "As it currently stands, the NPDES permitting system only adds to farmers' regulatory burdens, without actually improving water quality."

The Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act would reverse a 2009 court ruling that forced the Environmental Protection Agency to require pesticide applicators to get permits to spray in or near "navigable waters," as defined in the Clean Water Act. Although NPDES permits do not provide any additional environmental benefits, they do significantly increase the regulatory burden on farmers, while also exposing them to potential citizen action suits. NCGA has been a leader in efforts to end this redundant and ineffective permitting requirement.

"We thank the House for their vote, and urge the Senate to act quickly on this important issue," said Hunnicutt.



2017 Auctioneer of the Year, Auctioneer and Ringman Champions, and New Officers and Directors

Miles Marshall, Marshall Land Brokers & Auctioneers, Kearney, has been elected President of the Nebraska Auctioneers Association for 2017-2018. Marshall Land Brokers & Auctioneers is recognized throughout the Midwest as a leader in marketing ag real estate, farm machinery, heavy equipment and business liquidations. His election was announced at the 69th Annual Convention of the Association held at the Holiday Inn Convention Center, Kearney, Nebraska, May 19-21, 2017. Travis Augustin, Ruhter Auction & Realty, Inc., Hastings, was elected Vice President and Mark Beacom, Auction Solutions, Inc., Omaha, was elected President-Elect.

Newly elected Board Members include Mike Nuss, Helberg & Nuss Auctions & Realty, Gering, Nebraska; Duane Wellensiek, Wellensiek Auction Co. LLC, Cook, Nebraska; and Ed Hall, Vandertook Auctions LLC, Adams, Nebraska.

The annual Nebraska Auctioneers Association Championship Auctioneer and Ringman Contest was held on Friday, May 19, 2017 kicking off the first evening of the 69th Annual Convention. Curtis Wetovick, C W Auction, Fullerton, Nebraska, was named Nebraska Auctioneer Champion for 2017 and Kam Hartstack of Clarinda, Iowa, captured the 2017 Nebraska Ringman Champion title. In addition to cash and prizes, Wetovick will receive the entry fee to the 2018 International Auctioneers Championship and will represent Nebraska in the competition. Kam Hartstack received the Jon Moravec Memorial Ringman trophy.

The top ten from the competition consisted of Scott Jarman, The Auction Mill, Cedar Bluffs, Nebraska; Austin Creamer, Creamer Heimes Janssen LLC, Hartington, Nebraska; Kenny Hendren, Hendren Auction Service, Mitchell, Nebraska; Kam Hartstack, Hartstack Auction Group, Clarinda, Iowa; Dan Botsch, Full Throttle Auction Company, Chapman, Nebraska; Russ Puchalla, Heartland Auction Company, Roca, Nebraska; Runner-Up, Courtney Mensik, Jack Nitz & Associates, Cedar Bluffs, Nebraska; Reserve Champion, Josh Larson, JML Auction, Haxtun, Colorado; and Rookie of the Year, Jake Rogers, Lexington, Nebraska. Rookie of the Year, Runner-Up and Reserve Champion all received commemorative plaques.

Also in conjunction with the Convention, Don Helberg, Helberg & Nuss Auctions & Realty, Gering, Nebraska, was named Nebraska Auctioneer of the Year. Don was awarded a commemorative plaque, Stetson hat and trophy belt buckle. Gene Sisco, Sisco Auction Company, Syracuse, Nebraska, who passed away on January 20, 2017, was inducted posthumously into the Auctioneer Hall of Fame. His family accepted on behalf of Gene.

Awarded $1,000 college scholarships at the annual awards banquet from both the Association and the Auxiliary were Braelyn Isernhagen, Deshler, daughter of Brian and Heidi Isernhagen; Austin Creamer, son of Ryan and Janet Creamer, Creamer Heimes Janssen LLC, Hartington; and Kaitlyn Schultis daughter of Aaron and Lisa Schultis and granddaughter to Wayne and Linda Schultis, Schultis & Son Inc, Fairbury, Nebraska.

The Nebraska Association works with more than 3,500 members of the National Auctioneers Association throughout the world. The National Auctioneers Association is the largest organization of its kind dedicated to promoting the auction method of marketing.  The Nebraska Auctioneers Association is headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska.



USDA Livestock Slaughter Report: Record Low Veal and Lamb Production for April

Commercial red meat production for the United States totaled 3.97 billion pounds in April, down slightly from the 3.98 billion pounds produced in April 2016.

Beef production, at 1.96 billion pounds, was slightly below the previous year. Cattle slaughter totaled 2.46 million head, up 2 percent from April 2016. The average live weight was down 23 pounds from the previous year, at 1,325 pounds.

Veal production totaled 5.8 million pounds, 3 percent below April a year ago. Calf slaughter totaled 39,000 head, up 12 percent from April 2016. The average live weight was down 36 pounds from last year, at 257 pounds.

Pork production totaled 1.99 billion pounds, down 1 percent from the previous year. Hog slaughter totaled 9.34 million head, down slightly from April 2016. The average live weight was unchanged from the previous year, at 285 pounds.

Lamb and mutton production, at 11.5 million pounds, was down 10 percent from April 2016. Sheep slaughter totaled 179,500 head, 5 percent below last year. The average live weight was 128 pounds, down 7 pounds from April a year ago.

By State  (million lbs   -   % of Apr '16
Nebraska ....:     596.7             98  
Iowa ...........:     567.2             99      
Kansas ........:     411.9             95      

January to April 2017 commercial red meat production was 16.7 billion pounds, up 3 percent from 2016. Accumulated beef production was up 5 percent from last year, veal was down 4 percent, pork was up 2 percent from last year, and lamb and mutton production was down 4 percent.



Field Days to Help Participants Improve Profit and Water Quality

Farmers and their consultants can learn how to improve both farm profits and water quality at a series of field days hosted by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

The field days are part of ISU Extension and Outreach’s Nitrogen and Water Week, which runs from June 27-29.

“The purpose of these field days is for farmers and their consultants to learn the research related to profitable nitrogen management and water quality,” said Jamie Benning, water quality program manager with ISU Extension and Outreach. “The field days will also allow participants to visit the sites where research is occurring relating to nitrogen management and water quality.”

Five field days will be held throughout the state at Iowa State University Research and Demonstration Farms, providing an opportunity to learn about the university’s research facilities that evaluate nitrate loss. A tour of plots where Iowa State researchers study the effects of fall application, cover crops and nitrification inhibitors is included in the event. The field day will also provide an opportunity to learn about factors that are used to make nitrogen fertilizer recommendations and nitrogen deficiency in corn and how to correct it.

“Participants will leave the field day with a better understanding of research and the breadth of projects and practices we are evaluating,” said Mark Johnson, extension field agronomist. “They will also receive a better understanding of tools that are available to them like the N Rate Calculator and how they can help farmers be more profitable while minimizing impact on water quality.”

Each field day will provide the same format and program, with ISU Extension and Outreach field agronomists and agricultural engineering specialists providing instruction. Registration at the research farm meeting room begins at 9:15 on the day of the event, with the program beginning at 9:45. The program concludes at 12:15 p.m. with lunch following.

“The format provides for four 30-minute sessions during the field day, discussing how a water quality research site works, what practices are being studied, how effective the various management practices are in reducing nitrogen loss, and the impact of those practices on farm profitability,” said Paul Kassel, extension field agronomist.

2017 Nitrogen and Water Week Field Days
    June 27 – Armstrong Memorial Research and Demonstration Farm (53020 Hitchcock Ave., Lewis, Iowa)
    June 27 – Ag Engineering and Agronomy Research Farm (1308 U Ave, Boone, Iowa)
    June 28 – Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm (3321 290th St., Nashua, Iowa)
    June 29 – Northwest Research and Demonstration Farm (6320 500th St., Sutherland, Iowa)
    June 29 – Southeast Research and Demonstration Farm (3115 Louisa-Washington Road, Crawfordsville, Iowa)

There is a $25 registration fee for the program which includes lunch, refreshments, and course materials and publications. Attendees are asked to pre-register to assist with facility and meal planning. For additional information or to register online visit www.aep.iastate.edu/nitrogen.



USDA Invests in Commodity Board Projects

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Wednesday announced five grants totaling more than $2.5 million for agricultural research that is funded jointly with national or state commodity boards. The funding is made possible through NIFA's Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), which was authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill.

"Our collaboration with commodity boards helps the U.S. agriculture industry thrive," said NIFA Director Sonny Ramaswamy. "By responding to the needs of the U.S. agricultural sector, we are investing in research that will have a positive economic impact."

In FY 2016, the first year of collaboration with national and state commodity boards, topics from five commodity boards were integrated into four program area priorities within two AFRI Requests for Applications (RFAs): Improving Food Safety, Critical Agricultural Research and Extension, and Plant Breeding for Agricultural Production in the Foundational Program RFA; and Breeding and Phenomics of Food Crops and Animals in the Food Security Challenge Area RFA. The commodity boards provided half of the funding for the award in their topic area. The projects include:

- The USDA Agricultural Research Service, Southern Region, received a NIFA grant of $489,804, funded jointly with the National Peanut Board, to investigate peanut and tree nut allergies.

- Oregon State University, Corvallis, received a NIFA grant of $294,000, funded jointly with the Washington State Potato Commission, to improve data management tracking of potato early-dying disease.

- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, received a NIFA grant of $294,000, funded jointly with the National Peanut Board, to research drought tolerance in peanuts.

- Iowa State University of Science and Technology, Ames, received a NIFA grant of $490,000, funded jointly with a consortia of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board, Illinois Corn Marketing Board, Minnesota Corn Research and Promotion Council, Nebraska Corn Board, and Kentucky Corn Promotion Council, to improve yield prediction models for next generation breeders.
- Kansas State University, Manhattan, received a NIFA grant of $980,000, funded jointly with the Kansas Wheat Commission, to improve selection protocols to accelerate wheat quality.

More information on these projects is available on the NIFA website.

Commodity boards are organizations that promote, research, and share industry and consumer information on particular agricultural products, such as almonds, honey, lamb, and wheat. The 2014 Farm Bill enables commodity boards to submit topics for research supported through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, America's flagship competitive grants program for foundational and translational research, education, and extension projects in the food and agricultural sciences. Topics must relate to established AFRI priority areas: plant health and production and plant products; animal health and production and animal products; food safety, nutrition, and health; bioenergy, natural resources, and environment; agriculture systems and technology; and agriculture economics and rural communities. Once topics are approved, the resulting proposals are reviewed using NIFA's established peer-review process.

NIFA welcomes commodity board topics that support AFRI priority areas throughout the year. To submit a topic for consideration for inclusion in an AFRI RFA in FY18, commodity board representatives should visit the NIFA Commodity Board webpage for more information.



Programs Help Farmers Gain Consumer Communication Skills
Maddie Hagerty, IPIC Communications Assistant & Student

Most consumers are becoming disconnected from agriculture, but still have to find a source for information about what they consume. Pig farmers want to be able to properly inform consumers about the well-being of their livestock and the safety of food products but can sometimes struggle to find the space to share their story. This can create the issue of a gap or communication barrier between the two groups. Both farmers and consumers can benefit from maintaining an open line of communication, however seeking out consumers and encouraging the conversation can be difficult.

Joyce Hoppes, director of consumer information for the Iowa Pork Producers Association, said it's important to first find common ground. This allows both parties involved in the conversation to become comfortable and remain engaged.

"Transparency is very important," Hoppes said. "The best way to start the conversation with a consumer is to first find common values. Use the information they share about themselves to help drive the conversation."

It's important to realize, however, that not all discussions are created alike, Hoppes said. Making sure discussion points resonate with the individual or group is vital.

"While it is important to know your audience, your communication strategy may not differ all that much between certain age groups because they will be at a similar level of agricultural literacy," she said. "But, you must make sure the information you are sharing is relevant to them. Identify what needs they have in their lives and explain how the industry works to fulfil them."

Claire Masker is director of public relations for the Pork Checkoff where her job involves working with farmers and the public. She teaches producers how to use open dialogue with consumers.

"When talking to consumers, the goal should not be to strictly educate the consumer, but just to establish an open dialogue and ensure that they can trust you and seek you for answers," she said. Both IPPA and the Pork Checkoff are affiliated with programs designed specifically for producers that build and strengthen communication skills and strategies.

The IPPA partners with the Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation to reach consumers.

"One program that we at IPPA participate in is FarmChat, which facilitates virtual farm tours," Hoppes said. "Pork producers can use FarmChat technology to open their barns to students and other audiences, and explain modern pork production and interact on-site by answering their questions."

The IPPA currently is recruiting producers to participate in the FarmChat program and plans to have summer training sessions for the tours. Producers interested in participating in FarmChat or want to learn more can contact Hoppes at 515-225-7675 or jhoppes@iowapork.org.

The Pork Checkoff has a well-established communications skills program for producers called Operation Main Street.

"OMS provides training sessions throughout the year and at World Pork Expo for producers to learn how to represent themselves and tell their story to consumers and other targeted groups," Masker said. "Program coordinator Ernie Barnes has great resources for that program."

More information about OMS is available at the NPB website and Masker said those who want more information can contact Barnes at ebarnes@pork.org.



NPPC White Paper Details Benefits Of NAFTA

Following last week’s notification by the Trump administration that it will renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the National Pork Producers Council today released a white paper on the benefits of the trade deal among the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The paper, which focuses primarily on trade with Mexico, makes the case for not abandoning the 23-year-old pact and for not disrupting trade in sectors for which the agreement has worked well, including U.S. pork. Mexico is the No. 2 export market for U.S. pork, and Canada is No. 4.

For all U.S. goods and services, Canada and Mexico are the top two destinations, accounting for more than one-third of total U.S. exports, adding $80 billion to the U.S. economy and supporting more than 14 million American jobs, according to U.S. government data.

While considerable attention has been given to the $63 billion trade deficit the United States has with Mexico, NPPC’s paper highlights two key facts: When NAFTA took effect Jan. 1, 1994, trade between the United States and Mexico was only $50 billion each way. Last year, U.S. exports to Mexico were nearly quintuple that amount at $231 billion, and those exports supported 5 million U.S. jobs. And while imports to the United States from Mexico were $294 billion, those, too, supported millions of U.S. jobs. (Nearly 40 percent of Mexican imports include U.S. content.)

For U.S. agriculture, Canada and Mexico are the second and third largest foreign markets. They imported more than $38 billion of U.S. products in 2016, or 28 percent of all U.S. agricultural exports. Those exports generated more than $48 billion in additional business activity throughout the economy and supported nearly 287,000 jobs.

Disrupting U.S. agricultural exports to Mexico and Canada, the NPPC paper points out, would have devastating consequences for America’s farmers and for the U.S. processing and transportation industries. U.S. pork producers would be particularly hard hit.

Iowa State University economist Dermot Hayes calculated that if Mexico placed a 20 percent duty on U.S. pork – a likely response to a U.S. withdraw from NAFTA – and allowed other countries duty-free access, the U.S. pork industry eventually would lose the entire Mexican market. That equates to a loss of 5 percent of U.S. pork production, which would reduce the U.S. live hog market by 10 percent at a cost of $14 per hog, or a nearly $1.7 billion aggregate loss to the industry.

“A loss in exports to Mexico of that magnitude would be cataclysmic for the U.S. pork industry,” said Nick Giordano, NPPC’s vice president for global government affairs, who will share highlights of the paper at the “NAFTA: From Cars to Carrots” panel discussion hosted by the Global Business Dialogue later today. “Pork producers will support updating and improving NAFTA but only if duties on U.S. pork remain at zero and pork exports are not disrupted.”

The NPPC paper also notes that NAFTA has provided benefits beyond trade, including improved relations with Canada and Mexico, better regional investment and supply chains, increased cooperation with Mexico in fighting drug trafficking and terrorism and greater political stability in that country.



USMEF Kicks Off Spring Conference, Announces Succession Plan

The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) opened its Spring Conference Wednesday in Arlington, Virginia, with an extensive discussion of the current international trade environment and a review of year-to-date export results for U.S. pork, beef and lamb. The federation also announced the successor to longtime USMEF President and CEO Philip Seng, as Dan Halstrom, USMEF senior vice president for marketing, will become president on Sept.1 and assume the title of president and CEO on Dec. 1. Seng will remain with the organization as CEO emeritus through July 2018.

USMEF Chairman Bruce Schmoll, a soybean and corn producer from Claremont, Minnesota, welcomed members to the Spring Conference and recapped the very strong first-quarter results for U.S. red meat exports. Schmoll noted that Mexico is a terrific destination for U.S. pork, and USMEF’s new product development and consumer education efforts continue to bolster per capita pork consumption in Mexico. U.S. beef exports to Mexico are also trending upward in 2017, but the main drivers of beef export growth in the first quarter were the mainstay Asian markets of Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. Schmoll said home meal replacement is a rapidly growing segment in Asia and especially in Korea, noting that he and his family hosted a team of Korean buyers last year who specialize in home meal replacement items.

Schmoll also discussed the recent decision by Costco-Korea to convert the chilled beef meat cases at all 15 of its locations to 100 percent U.S. beef.

“With Costco being such a respected trend-setter for Korean consumers and other Korean retailers, the long-term, positive impact for U.S. beef will reach well beyond the walls of these Costco warehouses,” he said.

Schmoll said the USDA Market Access Program (MAP) and the Foreign Market Development (FMD) Program are important tools that contribute to the success U.S. red meat is achieving in the global marketplace. He urged USMEF members to voice their support for these programs, which were targeted for elimination in the Trump administration’s Fiscal Year 2018 budget proposal released earlier this week.

“This is only the first step in a long budget process, and there is strong bipartisan support on Capitol Hill for MAP and FMD,” Schmoll explained.

Seng offered a historical perspective on red meat trade with Japan, explaining the impressive gains made in this market despite significant trade barriers. He noted that Japan has imported $62 billion in U.S. beef and pork over the past 30 years, despite a temporary closure of the market to U.S. beef due to BSE, and an even longer period in which U.S. exports to Japan were restricted to beef from cattle less than 21 months of age.

Seng cautioned that the United States may be underestimating the importance of constructive relationships with key trading partners, citing Mexico as an example of a country that is actively seeking alternative food suppliers.

“For the past 70 years, the hallmark of our agricultural trade policy with countries that can’t be self-sufficient in food production has been, ‘you don’t have to be self-sufficient, but you can be food secure with the United States as your partner,’” Seng said. “When we start talking about playing by a different set of rules, these countries look to diversify. And as Mexico begins to look south, they’ll find that they can source pork and beef from different suppliers, and that’s a very important development.”

USMEF’s guest speaker was Stuart Rothenberg, a long-time Washington, D.C., political analyst who is senior editor at Inside Elections. He served for more than two decades as editor and publisher of The Rothenberg Political Report, a non-partisan political newsletter covering U.S. House, Senate and gubernatorial campaigns and presidential politics. He also was a columnist for Roll Call and The Washington Post.

Rothenberg spent much of his presentation on the struggles of the Trump administration to establish meaningful policy directions, with the investigation into the Trump administration’s possible ties to Russia and several other distractions coming at a bad time for a brand new presidency.

“President Trump is going to deal with healthcare and tax reform and infrastructure and budget spending priorities - while all this other stuff is going on?” Rothenberg asked. “Well, he’s going to have to. But you can see how much more difficult it will be. In Washington, it’s difficult to get things through during good times.”

Rothenberg expressed frustration with the national media, which he said tend to examine every poll as if it is going to somehow demonstrate a dramatic turn in public opinion.

“But the president has only been in office for a little over four months,” Rothenberg said. “In another four months, six months, eight months – some of his supporters may start to take the criticism more seriously.”

To close the session, USMEF past chairman Roel Andriessen, who chaired the search committee charged with finding and recommending candidates for the position of USMEF president, explained the extensive process that led the committee to identify Halstrom as its leading candidate. Andriessen also paid tribute to Seng for his decades of service to the organization, which Seng joined as Asia director in 1982 – just six years after USMEF was founded.

“Phil, on behalf of the USMEF Executive Committee and USMEF members and staff, we applaud your leadership and vision for this industry, which started a long time ago,” Andriessen said. “You are a legend in our industry – there’s no doubt about that, and your shoes will be extremely difficult to fill. You will leave behind a great legacy and I want to applaud you for all you have done for us.”

Halstrom echoed these sentiments, noting that he’s learned a wealth of information from Seng – not only during his time with USMEF, but throughout his 34-year career in international meat trade.

“I certainly don’t expect to replace Phil Seng, but I hope to complement him with the help of a very talented USMEF team, and that is a tremendous advantage going forward,” he said. “Many people are aware of Phil’s long career with USMEF, and I’ve learned a great deal from him in the time I’ve been involved with the organization. But we also have staff members in key markets such as Hong Kong, Korea and Japan who have been with USMEF for a very long time. They are truly grounded in the meat business, and they are in these markets every day building demand for U.S. meat products and monitoring our competition. I look forward to being even more involved with this group and drawing upon their knowledge and experience.”

Halstrom joined USMEF as senior vice president for marketing in 2010, overseeing promotional activities for U.S. red meat managed through the organization’s 18 international offices. He was previously vice president for international sales with JBS S.A., where he managed global beef and pork sales. From 1990 through 1999, Halstrom directed international pork sales for Swift/ConAgra Foods, Inc. A native of northwest Iowa and a graduate of the University of Iowa, Halstrom currently resides in Fort Collins, Colorado.



ASA and Valent Offer a New Opportunity for Young People Interested in Ag Policy

The American Soybean Association (ASA) is pleased to announce a new educational program, sponsored by Valent, the “Soy Leaders of the Future.” This program provides an exciting opportunity for students interested in improving their understanding of major agricultural policy issues, the importance of advocacy, and careers that can impact agricultural policy.

The Leaders of the Future program will take place July 10 – 13, 2017, in Washington, D.C. This program may be of particular interest to high school seniors and freshmen or sophomores in college majoring in various areas of agriculture, political science, communications and/or business. Students must complete an online application and be at least 18 years old to participate. The class size will be limited to six to eight students, and the deadline to apply is Friday, June 9. Click here for more information... https://soygrowers.com/learn/soy-leaders-future/. 



America’s First FTA Partner, Israel, Remains Steady U.S. Customer

Free trade agreements help provide market access for some of the largest purchasers of U.S. grains and for some smaller but steady buyers. Israel, as the first market with which the United States signed a free trade agreement, is a good example.

The United States-Israel Free Trade Agreement was implemented in 1985, when the United States exported $2.5 billion in goods to Israel, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. By 2016, overall U.S. exports soared to $13.1 billion, a five-fold increase. For U.S. agricultural exports, Israel has remained a small but important market, especially for value-added products including corn gluten feed/meal and distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS).

Israel imported 786,000 metric tons of U.S. corn, DDGS and corn gluten feed, valued at $141.5 million, in 2015/2016 - a 2.5 fold increase from the previous year. U.S. DDGS exports to Israel reached nearly 134,000 tons in the current marketing year (September-March), a 22 percent increase year-over-year.

Additionally, Israel was the third largest market for U.S. corn gluten feed/meal exports in 2015/2016, responsible for 18 percent of U.S. exports. U.S. corn gluten feed/meal exports this marketing year (September-March) have increased 17 percent year-over-year to more than 125,000 tons.

“These increases are driven in part by attractive commodity price and competitive U.S. exports,” said Alvaro Cordero, U.S. Grains Council (USGC) manager of global trade.

“The Mediterranean basin is a very competitive marketplace, with U.S., Black Sea and South American grain exports competing for customers. As a result, the edge provided by the free trade agreement with United States is vital for our exporters.”

The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) works to maintain and develop relationships with trading partners like Israel, supported by funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development (FMD) program. Through these trade servicing efforts, USGC is able to help U.S. grain producers and exporters take advantage of favorable conditions for U.S. exporters built into trade agreements as well as capitalize on market opportunities that might otherwise go unnoticed.



National Dairy FARM Program Opens Registration for 2017 Evaluator Conference
The second annual National Dairy FARM Program Evaluator Conference will be held in Indianapolis, Ind., from July 18-19, with an optional farm trip to Fair Oaks Farm on July 20. More than 400 certified FARM Program evaluators will have the chance to network and discuss relevant topics in animal care, environmental stewardship and antibiotic stewardship.

Starting on Tuesday, July 18, FARM evaluators will spend a day with key Elanco staff, focusing on professional development and learning more about Elanco’s global business of feeding a growing population. Wednesday, July 19, features a full day of programming, including presentations on “The Economics of Animal Well-Being,” as well as insight from a panel of farmers and veterinarians on the importance of protocol development and employee training.

“We are excited to host a dedicated group of FARM evaluators for what will be three full days of enlightening conversation and learning,” said Emily Meredith, chief of staff for the National Milk Producers Federation. “Nurturing strong relationships among members of the animal care community will only enhance our ability to share the industry’s great story of top-notch animal care.”

Elanco is also a sponsor for this year’s event, in addition to Zoetis and Merck Animal Health.

Thursday’s optional trip to Fair Oaks Farms includes a tour of the dairy’s facilities and a discussion with co-founder Mike McCloskey, farm veterinarians and management staff about how Fair Oaks implements training and protocols for the high-level care of their animals and land. Located in Fair Oaks, Ind., the agritourism operation offers educational opportunities about dairy, hog and crop farming.

Registration is $199, with the optional Fair Oaks tour costing an additional $50. For more information and to register for the conference, please visit the conference website.

This is the second Evaluator Conference hosted by the National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program. The first was held last fall in Nashville, Tenn., after the NMPF Joint Annual Meeting. Created in 2009 by the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), the FARM Program raises the bar for the entire dairy industry – creating a culture of continuous improvement.



Trump Wants $108M for Deeper Ports

(AP) -- President Donald Trump wants $108 million to deepen harbors for two U.S. seaports, while other ports scrambling to make room for larger cargo ships will benefit from a boost of more than $56 million already approved by Congress.

Ports from New England to Texas are seeking more than $4.6 billion in federal and state funding to deepen their harbors. They're playing catch-up after the Panama Canal finished a major expansion last summer that is sending supersized ships to U.S. ports on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts.

Most of those ports have waterways that are too shallow for such big ships to navigate unless they carry lighter loads or travel at high tides.

While Congress has authorized 15 total port projects to pursue deeper and wider shipping channels, Trump's proposed budget released Tuesday requests money for only two of them in the 2018 fiscal year that starts Oct. 1. Deepening projects for Boston and Savannah, Georgia, would essentially split $108 million.

But not every port left out of Trump's budget request came away empty-handed. The Army Corps of Engineers, which oversees maintenance and construction on U.S. waterways, on Wednesday evening released its spending plan for discretionary funds recently approved by Congress.

That plan includes more than $56 million for five harbor-deepening projects, including $17.5 million for deepening to begin at the Port of Charleston, South Carolina, and the Port of Jacksonville, Florida. For projects still in the study and permitting phase, $2.8 million will go to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and $557,000 for the Sabine-Neches waterway that serves three Texas ports.

The discretionary funds should give a guaranteed boost to the Army Corps' chosen harbor projects. Trump's proposed $4.1 trillion budget for fiscal 2018, meanwhile, faces a long and uncertain road in Congress.

"Now you've got the congressional money and you're going to see what's coming to you right now," said Jim Walker, navigation policy director for the American Association of Port Authorities. "You may be a year away from seeing the (fiscal) 2018 money."

The Port of Boston, where officials hope to start deepening the harbor later this year, may turn out to be the biggest winner. In additional to Trump's $58 million request for the project, the Army Corps added $18.2 million in discretionary funding.

And while Trump's request of $50 million for Savannah, the fourth-busiest U.S. container port, is 17 percent more than President Barack Obama secured in his last budget, it's still only half of what Georgia officials said was needed to keep the $973 million project on schedule.

Sen. Johnny Isakson, a Georgia Republican, said in a statement he was "disappointed by the failure of the Army Corps of Engineers" to route some of the discretionary funds to Savannah. He made no mention of Trump's budget request.

"Rest assured that I will continue fighting in Congress to secure sufficient funding for this worthy project to be completed without further delays," Isakson said.

Federal funding for deeper harbors proved tough to get under Obama as well. And while Congress gets the final say over the federal budget, the president's recommendation on specific port projects still carries weight. That's because a ban on so-called earmark spending adopted years ago prohibits lawmakers from inserting line items for their own pet projects.

Georgia ensured dredging of the Savannah River got started in 2015 by spending state taxpayers' $266 million share upfront. South Carolina was prepared to do the same, with $300 million in state funding set aside to begin deepening the Charleston harbor this fall. The federal money from the Corps was welcomed.

"The significance of this funding for the timeline of our deepening project cannot be overstated -- it is tremendous news for Charleston," Jim Newsome, CEO of the South Carolina Ports Authority, said in a statement.



NAWG Applauds Senate Agriculture Committee for Holding Hearing to Examine the Farm Economy

Today, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry held a hearing to examine the farm economy in rural America. Members heard testimony from USDA Chief Economist Robert Johansson who spoke on several domestic and global factors generating low commodity prices and the financial implication this has on farmers. Additional witnesses included Nathan Kauffman, assistant vice president and Omaha branch executive with the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City; Bruce Weber, professor emeritus of applied economics and director of the rural studies program at Oregon State University; and Alec Sheffer, director of retail sales for Agri-AFC.

NAWG President David Schemm made the following statement:

“With the rural economy struggling and farm income down 46 percent from only three years ago, growers are enduring some of the toughest economic conditions since the 1980s.  Farmers have also had to deal with severe weather issues, making the Farm Bill a key tool to enable them to farm another year.

“Low commodity prices have led to farmers to take on more debt to continue operating, as such producers’ debt-to-asset ratios have grown rapidly. USDA’s Chief Economist Dr. Robert Johansson testified that nearly 8% of wheat producers are considered to be ‘highly leveraged’ and over 16 percent are ‘very highly leveraged’.

“Farmers have had to deal with a rapidly declining market, and months and years of sustained low prices will make each passing year more difficult to get by, particularly for young and beginning farmers who weren’t able to build up reserves during the high price years.

“The economic conditions of the past few years have also contributed to a drop in planted wheat acreage. Plantings for 2016-2017 winter wheat are at the lowest level since 1909, and it is anticipated that overall planted acres of wheat will be at historically low levels this year.  Compounding these factors has been growing impact of wheat streak mosaic virus in my neck of the woods which is causing a big yield hit to the wheat that survived the blizzard.

“NAWG applauds the Senate Committee on Agriculture for holding this hearing to evaluate the economic conditions in rural America.”



Syngenta receives EPA registration for Fortenza® insecticide seed treatment for corn and cotton

Fortenza® seed treatment insecticide from Syngenta has received registration approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for use on corn and cotton to guard against early-season insect damage.

“We designed Fortenza to complement our brands containing Cruiser® insecticide, and data shows combining these products enhances the spectrum of insect control activity, raising the bar of protection for U.S. growers,” said Dale Ireland, Ph.D., Seedcare technical product lead, Syngenta. “This combination will provide the most comprehensive early-season insect protection in the corn seed treatment market.”

The active ingredient in Fortenza, cyantraniliprole, is labeled to protect against above- and below-ground insects, including black cutworm, fall armyworm, white grub, seedcorn maggot and wireworm. This is especially important to growers who are located in areas with high cutworm history. In corn particularly, Fortenza® seed treatment insecticide is a great tool for growers that have a corn hybrid with black cutworm susceptibility.

“From the moment our crops are planted, every seed is at risk for pest infestation,” said Palle Pedersen, Ph.D., head of Seedcare product marketing at Syngenta. “Fortenza will help protect emerging corn and cotton plants against insect damage from day one, leading to vigorous crop establishment and increased stand, which will help maximize the return and genetic potential on a grower’s seed investment.”

Fortenza may also help manage insect resistance, when used in combination with other insecticide chemistries or traits, by providing an additional mode of action against targeted insects.