Thursday June 8 Ag News

Vyhnalek to assume farm transitions role with NE Extension
Nebraska Extension’s educational effort focused on farm succession and transition will be led by Allan Vyhnalek, effective July 1. Vyhnalek, currently an extension educator and unit leader in Platte County, will transition to the role within the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. 

As the age of Nebraska’s farm and ranch operators continues to trend older, it’s important for those operators to have a plan in place to pass on the family operation. Farm succession and transition plans involve numerous decisions regarding business, family, tax and legal issues and can often be an overwhelming task for operators.

“In this role I want to help Nebraskans understand how important it is to have a farm or ranch succession plan in place,” Vyhnalek said. “Solid communication is needed to ensure smooth transitions, and Nebraska Extension has tools and resources available to guide those conversations through each stage of planning.”

Part of extension’s programming in this area includes a workshop called, “So you’ve inherited a farm – Now what?” This workshop helps new owners understand what it means to own an agricultural operation. Land values and rental rates, family communication, future goals for the land, land ownership options and rental considerations are sample topics covered in this workshop.

Vyhnalek has worked in extension in Iowa and Nebraska for over 29 years. A native of Saline County, Vyhnalek received B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in agricultural education. He taught in high school and post-secondary classrooms for eight years prior to joining extension.



Contract Production: Making Opportunities for Nebraska Livestock Producers
Farmers looking to diversify their operations to withstand increasing volatility in the marketplace might consider taking advantage of growing opportunities in contract livestock production.
   
That was the overarching message from a recent panel of current contract livestockproducers and industry experts speaking to over 200 participants at informational events in Seward, David City and York, Nebraska.

"With continuing volatility in the ag sector, farm families need to evaluate opportunities to diversity their operations, reduce operating costs, increase equity and expand secure sources of revenue," said Alan Stephens, senior business development manager for The Maschhoffs, one of the largest family owned hog-farming networks in North America.

"By partnering with the right integrator, custom feeding of pigs offers a great option, with minimal risk, to bolster the long-term financial health of their farming operations," Stephens said.

During the informational meetings, producers could ask questions and get an overview of the possibilities from contracting companies, or "integrators," and from farmers already partnering on these types of contracts.

Farmers learned contract production can take various forms, some examples discussed by the panel included:
-    Farmer-partner contracts, where farmers own the land and buildings used for the livestock and are paid to care for the animals. This includes day-to-day care of the livestock, vaccinations, sorting, manure management and sometimes ordering feed. The contracting companies pay for veterinary services, feed, and the cost of hauling animals to and from the farm.
-    Contract systems where farmers own the land and buildings, but the integrators provide management of the barn and hire the workforce. Under these contracts, farmers are hands off, except for manure management, and are paid for leasing their buildings to the integrators.

Whatever the form, the goal is to provide opportunities for livestock operators to thrive financially by adding an increased and more secure revenue stream. These partnerships also grow equity through building of a new barn and reduce operating costs while improving soil quality and crop yields through effective use of manure. In the end, this increases the chance of bringing the next generation back home to the farm.

"Contract livestock production is an opportunity for younger farm family members to stay on the farm," said panelist Robert Turek, senior vice president of feed for Central Valley Ag Cooperative. "Increased livestock production is good for our communities too; it increases the tax base and improves grain prices. This is truly a win-win-win proposition."

If you're interested in learning more, please contact Emily Skillett, livestock development coordinator for AFAN (Alliance for the Future of Agriculture in Nebraska, at 402-421-4416 or emilys@a-fan.org.



Agricultural Education Students Receive Scholarships

The Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation awarded 10 scholarships to students enrolled in the Agricultural Education Teaching Program at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln.

“Each of these 10 students have demonstrated a passion for agriculture and their excitement to continue to grow the agricultural education and FFA programs in Nebraska,” said Megahn Schafer, executive director of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation. “We are happy to support scholarships that align with our vison of developing strong agricultural leaders to ensure a bright future for agriculture in Nebraska,” she continued.

Each recipient will receive a $1,500 scholarship during their student teaching semester at the University. Applicants answered why they wanted to be an agricultural education teacher, professional goals for the future, and what the scholarship would mean to them.

“To me, Agricultural Education instructors are more than just teachers. They are mentors, role models, support systems, and friends,” said Jacob Goldfuss, a senior from O’Neill, NE. “I want to do my part in preparing the next generation of leaders in the world’s most important industry, agriculture.”

The 10 recipients of the scholarships are Jacob Goldfuss, Holt county; Mattison Sullivan, Nuckolls county; Sarah Wollenburg, Gage county; Spencer Noble, Boone county; Juliana Krotz, Lancaster county; Shawna Wheeler, Cherry county; Laura Lundeen, Kearney county; Maranda Kegley, Buffalo county; Morgan Schilling, Red Willow county; and Chris Scheideler, Greeley county.

Scholarships recipients were honored at the Nebraska Career Education (NCE) Conference in Kearney, June 7. The Foundation received the Outstanding Business Cooperation Award from the Nebraska Agricultural Educators Association during the conference. Six of the ten honorees were in attendance and recognized at the Nebraska Agricultural Educators Association banquet. In attendance were, Julianna Krotz, Laura Lundeen, Mattison Sullivan, Jacob Goldfuss, Christina Scheideler, and Sarah Wollenburg.

At the conference, the Foundation announced a call for applications for the Nebraska Agricultural Education Teacher Retention Program. Current teachers who have existing student loans and are in their first through fifth year of teaching are invited to apply. Applications can be found at www.nefbfoundation.org and are due August 15.



Repositioning Pork to Reach a Changing Audience

With the consumer market for pork and other protein sources changing rapidly, the Pork Checkoff is putting the finishing touches on a plan to capitalize on those changes by repositioning pork marketing, Terry O’Neel, president of the National Pork Board, told an audience at World Pork Expo Thursday. “The Pork Checkoff has embarked on a journey to determine how best to market pork today,” O’Neel, a pork producer from Friend, Neb., said. “The direction may be drastically different than we’ve seen in the last quarter century.”

The big changes that require a new marketing plan, the National Pork Board’s chief executive officer Bill Even said, are driven by what he called “the three M’s”:

Millennials: America’s largest generation has increasing buying power and makes buying decisions differently than its predecessor generations.
Mobile: The speed of communication and access to information fuels demand, requiring constant attention to new means of communication.
Multicultural: Currently 36 percent of the U.S. population, the newest arrivals to the U.S. and their families will make up 50 percent of the population by 2050.

Even said that responding to those drivers in a way that assures pork demand remains strong prompted the National Pork Board to spend the past year conducting extensive research to define the critical needs of pork marketing. The research has included in-depth discussions with producers, packers, processors, retailers, foodservice, and consumers.

Jarrod Sutton, the National Pork Board’s vice president of domestic marketing, said the research was designed “to find the marketing sweet spot at the intersection of market trends such as population growth and growing market diversity; market opportunity that capitalizes on pork’s flavor, convenience and value, and marketing tools the Checkoff can use to reach younger and more diverse audiences.

Sutton views the changing marketplace as an opportunity to inspire all segments of the pork chain to find new ways to succeed. The signs are positive, Sutton said. Demand for protein remains strong. Red meat and poultry production is projected to grow over the next three years -- by 6.6 percent for beef, by 9 percent for poultry and by 12.3 percent for pork, starting with projections that 2017 will be a record year for pork production

Sutton said the new direction of Pork Checkoff-funded marketing will build on the three pillars of pork’s brand identity – quality, trust and value – and “will provide a unique value to the pork supply chain to position itself as the industry leader in knowledge of the consumer’s requirements and preferences, insights into category growth, and future-proof solutions for stakeholders to grow and thrive in a rapidly changing world.”

O’Neel said he expects that the new marketing strategy will be deployed early in 2018.



Learn How to Identify, Diagnose Corn and Soybean Issues this Growing Season at the Field Diagnostic Clinic

Crop advisors, agronomists and agribusiness professionals are encouraged to take a day this summer to learn about and improve their knowledge of diagnostics and identification of common issues in corn and soybean fields. The Field Diagnostics Clinic, hosted by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, will include topics such as: herbicide injury identification, Palmer amaranth and nutrient deficiencies and fertilizer injuries. The clinic will take place at the Field Extension Education Lab in Boone, Iowa.

“The program is scheduled for mid-July, which is an advantage for crop advisors who attend because they will be able to see and learn to identify issues that will occur throughout the growing season,” said Warren Pierson, coordinator of the Field Extension Education Lab. “Most issues we discuss at the clinic will be current topics or issues that may show up in July and August.”

Mark Licht will lead two discussions: “Digging for issues in corn: what went wrong?” and “What went wrong with these soybeans?” Licht will take the group out to the demonstration plots to explain what to look for above and below the ground when assessing a corn crop for issues. The soybean discussion will be centered around the risks of early soybean planting and reduced populations that could lead to frost damage and reduced stands.

Learn about common corn diseases that are appearing or are expected to appear based on the growing conditions this summer in Alison Robertson’s presentation “Corn diseases and how to tell them apart.” Daren Mueller will discuss how to use field guides to help diagnose soybean diseases in his presentation: “How to use ‘A Farmer’s Guide to Soybean Diseases’ to identify soybean issues this year.”  Those who attend the Field Diagnostic Clinic will receive a 50% discount on A Farmer's Guide to Soybean Diseases for a purchase price of $15.

“We have a great lineup of common issues that occur in corn and soybean production,” said Pierson. “One topic that agronomists may find of particular interested is the Palmer amaranth discussion where Bob Hartzler will talk about Palmer amaranth identification and compare it to other amaranth species.”

The Field Extension Education Laboratory is located at 1928 240th St., Boone, Iowa. Check-in will begin at 8:30 a.m. on July 12, with opening comments at 8:55 a.m. The clinic will adjourn at 4:30 p.m.

Advance registration is required to attend this clinic. Registrations must be received by midnight, July 5, 2017. Registration is $125 and includes refreshments, lunches, and course materials and publications. Additional workshop information and online registration with credit card is available at www.aep.iastate.edu/fee/diagnostic.

Interested in management during the mid- to late-growing season? A Crop Management Clinic will take place the next day, July 13, at FEEL. Visit http://www.aep.iastate.edu/feel/management
if you’re also interested in attending the Crop Management Clinic.

For assistance with registration, receipts, cancellation or questions on the status of your registration contact ANR Program Services at 515-294-6429 or anr@iastate.edu.



ASA Welcomes President Trump's Infrastructure Commitment

American Soybean Association (ASA) Governing Committee member Bret Davis, of Ohio, and Directors Kendell Culp, of Indiana, and Gerry Hayden, of Kentucky, were among a number of soybean farmers and industry stakeholders that joined President Donald Trump in Cincinnati yesterday to highlight the economic importance of the inland waterways system and the need to invest in upgrades to the locks and dams that enable the system to serve as an efficient mode of moving commodities, such as soybeans.

President Trump's remarks highlighted the importance of the waterways and the need for infrastructure upgrades, specifically citing the backlog in funding needs for modernization of locks and dams that have exceeded their life expectancy and are deteriorating.

Davis, a soybean farmer from Delaware, Ohio said of the event,"we appreciate and applaud the president for the attention he is placing on infrastructure needs, especially the emphasis that this event today places on our inland waterways system, which is an often overlooked aspect of our transportation infrastructure. Soybean farmers know the impact the waterways have on our bottom line and it is good to see the President and policymakers recognizing that as well."

Upgrading the inland waterways infrastructure is a top priority for ASA. Working with industry partners and policymakers, ASA is actively supporting action on a major infrastructure initiative in 2017 that provides funding to address priority needs to modernize locks and dams and other vital infrastructure.

“We’ve long maintained that the quality of our infrastructure networks in the United States—road, rail, waterways and ports—is directly connected to the competitive advantage we have over other soybean producing countries," added Culp, who farms in Rensselaer, Indiana.

"If we do not invest in modernization of this infrastructure, we lose our competitiveness in global export markets," said Hayden, a soybean grower from Calhoun, Ky. "We are very pleased to see President Trump acknowledge the importance of investing in projects to improve these vital aspects of our supply chain and we look forward to working with the Administration and Congress to advance an infrastructure package this year.”



Soy Growers Urge Funding for Food Research in 2018 Budget

Soy growers are asking Congress that $425 million be included in the FY 2018 budget for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Research Initiative (AFRI).

The American Soybean Association (ASA) and several other agriculture organizations signed onto a letter this week to Chairman John Hoeven and Ranking Member Jeff Merkley of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, and Chairman Robert Aderholt and Ranking Member Sanford Bishop of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, reiterating the importance of the program to keep American agriculture competitive and moving forward.

“All of agriculture needs innovation,” the groups state in the letters. “Whether the need is healthier cattle, healthier humans, or healthier balance sheets for farmers, the common thread is science-driven innovation. This investment creates jobs and strengthens rural economies.”

The groups said lack of funding has left U.S. scientists behind and scrambling for grants to discover disease- and weather-resistant genes for plants and animals, while scientists in other countries are quickly catching up. The letters also expresses concern, as some department heads at leading research universities are being poached by European institutions because funding is more secure.

“Funding AFRI with $425 million in FY 2018 is a modest step toward ensuring American agriculture preeminence in the face of rapidly expanding research budgets in China, Brazil, and Europe,” the groups state in the letters. “We think you will agree that our best science and our best researchers should have every opportunity to succeed so that U.S. agriculture enjoys greatness for generations to come.”



USGC Board of Directors Meets In Mexico

The full U.S. Grains Council (USGC) Board of Directors is meeting in Mexico City, Mexico, this week to discuss the trade relationship between U.S. producers and Mexican end-users.

“We felt it was really important for the board, and the board felt it was important, to meet with their customers face-to-face and hear what they have to say,” said USGC President and Chief Executive Officer Tom Sleight. “That physical presence means a lot to our Mexican trading partners.”

While in Mexico, directors were able to talk with both Mexican end-users and representatives of the Mexican government, including meetings with ANFACA, AMEPA and CONAFAB, major associations representing the local livestock feeding industries. The board discussed the current U.S.-Mexico trade environment, current pace of imports and the future of trade with the United States and alternative trading partners in South America. The meeting also included briefings from USGC staff in Mexico and representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).

In addition to meeting with these valued customers, the group conducted regular business, including passing a fiscal year 2018 budget that will be presented to the USGC Board of Delegates in July for its approval.

Thanks to the favorable terms in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), increasingly integrated logistics and close geographic proximity, Mexico is the largest export market for U.S. corn. Mexico purchased 524.4 million bushels (13.3 million metric tons) worth $2.5 billion last marketing year, in addition to 23.86 million bushels (606,127 tons) of sorghum, 5.3 million bushels (115,000 tons) of barley and 1.9 million tons of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS).

Mexican buyers welcome these imports because U.S. feed grains provide a reliable supply of valuable nutrition for Mexico’s growing livestock, dairy and poultry sectors. USGC’s work in Mexico over the last 30 years has helped these businesses expand their operations, while also expanding the use of U.S. grain products throughout Mexico.

USGC’s top priority as the governments of the United States, Mexico and Canada modernize NAFTA is to maintain this market access and keep this demand in place. The meetings in Mexico this week were able to show USGC directors first-hand the importance of a continued open trading relationship between the two countries.

“The Board needs to hear these concerns for themselves,” Sleight said. “The full USGC Board of Directors going down to Mexico and demonstrating their support, demonstrating their interest in the marketplace, makes a very strong statement.”



NGFA-KSU Food Safety Modernization Act Feed Industry Training
August 1-3 | IGP Conference Center | KSU | Manhattan, KS
Registration deadline July 1

Earn Preventive Controls Qualified Individual and HACCP training certificates by participating in the three-day NGFA-KSU FSMA Feed Industry Training. The program is accredited by the International HACCP Alliance and delivers the FDA-recognized curriculum for the Preventive Controls for Animal Food rule.

Upon successful completion of both components of this program,  you will receive two certificates of training - one from the FSPCA and one from the International HACCP Alliance. 

Topics Covered will include:
-        FDA's current Current Good Manufacturing Practice and Preventive Controls rule for animal food
-        Evolution of risk-based food safety preventive controls (HACCP)
-        Animal food safety plan
-        Good manufacturing requirements
-        Hazard analysis and preventive controls determination
-        Process and sanitation controls
-        Preventive controls management components
-        Recall plan
    
Please Note:
This particular course is two separate courses offered in succession. The course offering includes registration fees to cover both the PCQI and the HACCP components. Please reach out to Brandi Miller, 785-532-4053 or at bmmiller@ksu.edu with any questions.  Click here for more information.... https://igpevents.grains.ksu.edu/packagedetail.aspx. 



Farmer Lawsuit Against Syngenta Over Chinese Trade Begins

The first of tens of thousands of U.S. lawsuits went to trial Monday in Kansas against Swiss agribusiness giant Syngenta over its decision to introduce a genetically engineered corn-seed variety to the U.S. market before China approved it for imports.

According to the Associated Press, the lawsuits allege Syngenta's move wrecked an increasingly important export market for U.S. corn and resulted in price drops that hurt all producers.

Court filings show Syngenta aggressively marketed the seeds even when it knew Chinese approval was going to be a problem. Plaintiffs' experts estimate the economic damage at $5 billion, though Syngenta denies its actions caused any losses for farmers.

The trial in Kansas City, Kansas, involves four Kansas farmers representing roughly 7,300 farmers from that state, according to William Chaney, an attorney for the plaintiffs. It will mark the first test case.

The second, involving about 60,000 cases, goes to trial July 10 in a state court in Minnesota, where Syngenta's North American seed business is based in suburban Minneapolis. The two cases are meant to provide guidance for how the complex web of litigation in state and federal courts could be resolved.

Syngenta commercialized its Viptera brand of genetically modified corn seeds before China approved importing it. Syngenta invested over $100 million and 15 years in developing Viptera, which has a trait that protects against pests such as earworms, cutworms, armyworms and corn borers, the AP reported.

With U.S. government approval, Syngenta began selling Viptera in the U.S. for the 2011 growing season. But China didn't approve it until December 2014.

Court papers show Syngenta initially assured stakeholders China would approve the trait in time for the 2011 crop. But the date kept slipping. Some exporters sent shipments containing the trait to China anyway. After two years of accepting them, China began rejecting them in late 2013.



Fraudulent Organic Certificates Posted

The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) National Organic Program (NOP) is alerting the organic trade about the presence of fraudulent organic certificates. Fraudulent organic certificates listing the following businesses are in use and have been reported to the NOP:
-    Morgan Cosmetics LLC
-    Biofir S.A De C.V
-    Agrobioos
-    Qingdao Devotion Chemical Co., Ltd.
-    Cooper Venture Associates
-    Lala Jagdish Prasad & Co.

These certificates falsely represent agricultural products as certified organic under the USDA organic regulations, violating the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990. Fraudulent certificates may have been created and used without the knowledge of the operator or the certifying agent named in the certificate.

The posting of fraudulent certificates does not necessarily mean that the named operator or certifying agent was involved in illegal activity. If an operation named on a fraudulent certificate is certified, its certifying agent, identified in the list of certified operations, can provide additional information and verification to the organic trade. Organic handlers should continue to review certificates carefully, validate with their certifying agents where needed, and send any suspicious certificates to the NOP Compliance and Enforcement Division.

Any use of these certificates or other fraudulent documents to market, label, or sell non-organic products as organic can result in a civil penalty of up to $11,000 per violation. Persons with information regarding the production or use of this or other fraudulent NOP certificates are asked to send information to the NOP Compliance and Enforcement Division.