Tuesday June 6 Ag News

Avoid Poisoning Livestock with Hemlock
Larry Howard, Extension Educator, Cuming County

Have you noticed tall weeds with umbrella-like white flowers in moist areas of pastures recently?  It’s probably hemlock, and it could poison your livestock.  Poison hemlock and water hemlock, are two of the most poisonous of all flowering plants.  They are found throughout our region, especially in wet or moist soils along streams, roadsides, and grasslands.  The heavy, persistent rain this spring has made them abundant and especially vigorous this year.

Fortunately, hemlock usually is not palatable to most livestock.  Animals won’t eat much of it unless very hungry or if the plant has been altered in some way.  So how should this be managed?  It’s critical that you avoid overgrazing pastures that contain hemlock.  When adequate forage is available to graze, animals select healthy, palatable plants to eat and avoid the hemlock.  But if grass gets short, even unpalatable poisonous plants might be eaten.  This includes turning hungry animals into fresh pasture containing hemlock, since some hungry animals will eat the first green plant they come to when very hungry, palatable or not.  Also make sure plenty of water, salt, and mineral always are available.  Animals deprived of water or mineral may eat abnormally, increasing the risk of consuming some hemlock.

Do not try to control hemlock during the grazing season by clipping or spraying.  This alters the plant and actually can increase its palatability, making it more likely that animals will eat enough of it to cause poisoning. The risk of poisoning animals with hemlock may be greater than normal this year.  But, graze intelligently and losses can be avoided.



GRAZING SWITCHGRASS EFFECTIVELY
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist

               Switchgrass is a native warm-season pasture grass that is difficult to graze correctly.  Stay tuned and I’ll explain how to make this problem grass more useful.

               Grazing switchgrass is a challenge.  It becomes stemmy, mature, and less palatable to cattle if not grazed before tall stems develop sometime in June.  This year, that will start to happen very soon.

               Switchgrass must be grazed before stems develop.  Then it is palatable and nutritious but after seedheads emerge, cattle are reluctant to eat it.

               Even if you have other pasture available, it is better to graze switchgrass when it’s ready and then go back to graze the other pasture later than to let switchgrass get stemmy while grazing other pastures.  If this does happen, however, cut the switchgrass for hay and then graze its regrowth seven to eight weeks later.

               There are two good methods to graze switchgrass.  One involves starting when switchgrass is about ten inches tall and using the right number of animals to keep the grass between eight and sixteen inches.  Predicting growth rate of switchgrass in order to stock it correctly is difficult, so I prefer a second method.  When switchgrass gets about a foot to eighteen inches tall, stock it heavily enough to graze it down to about six inches in two or three weeks.  In good growing conditions, this could take several cows per acre.  Then move to a different pasture.  Come back to the switchgrass if it regrows to at least a foot tall, which probably will take six or more weeks.  Be sure to leave six to eight inches of growth going into winter to keep the stand healthy.

               Switchgrass is a problem grass for graziers if not grazed correctly.  Use the methods I just described, though, and I think you will find it works pretty good.



Siouxland Ethanol celebrates 10-year anniversary

Siouxland Ethanol LLC has been producing a clean-burning, high-octane fuel additive for the past decade, and to celebrate reaching this milestone, Siouxland Ethanol is hosting an open house on June 13 at its plant near Jackson, Nebraska. Media are invited to attend and interviews are available upon request.

Siouxland Ethanol’s 10-year anniversary event will begin with plant tours at 10 a.m. and conclude around 2 p.m. following another round of tours. A barbecue and remarks from ethanol industry dignitaries and public officials, including featured speaker Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts, will round out the day’s list of events. In addition to industry representatives and public officials, Siouxland Ethanol is inviting some 700 shareholders in the area, distillers grains customers and the general public.

“We see the bigger picture even more now than when we started,” said Pam Miller, board chair and director of industry and investor relations at Siouxland Ethanol. “Back then, we were mainly concerned with producing the product, but we’ve expanded our offering of co-products and we're actively involved in promoting the use of higher blends of ethanol such as E30 and advocating for less restrictions and regulations surrounding the sale of ethanol.”

Over the past year, Siouxland Ethanol has expanded the plant’s production to 80 million gallons per year. Miller credits this opportunity in large part to the efforts of company president and CEO Nick Bowdish. “With Nick's leadership and the excellent employees at Siouxland Ethanol, we have expanded our operation and increased our efficiency, resulting in greater returns to our investors.”
The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) executive vice president Brian Jennings will join Gov. Ricketts and others speaking at the anniversary event.

“We congratulate Siouxland Ethanol for continuing to promote rural economic development and for the great strides it’s made over the past 10 years of operation by adding gallons and co-products,” Jennings said. “It’s great to see member plants like Siouxland Ethanol reach these significant milestones, while delivering value back to investors, area corn growers, the community and greater ethanol industry.”

Siouxland Ethanol became operational in May 2007, and the plant consumes 27 million bushels of corn each year, mainly purchased within a 60-mile radius of the plant. Siouxland Ethanol produces 190,000 tons of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and 27 million pounds of corn oil each year. Forty people are employed at Siouxland Ethanol, and spin-off businesses that have resulted from the plant, such as local trucking businesses and a convenience store in Jackson, have generated economic development in the town of Jackson and Dakota County.



EASTERN NEBRASKA RESEARCH AND EXTENSION CENTER OPEN HOUSE IS JUNE 29

The inaugural open house at the University of Nebraska Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center near Mead -- formerly the Agricultural Research and Development Center -- is planned for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 29. The event is co-hosted by State Sen. Bruce Bostelman.

Don Adams, ENREC research and extension director, invites the public to see how ENREC is making a difference. 

“There will be opportunities to interact with Sen. Bostelman, university faculty, commodity groups and others attending the open house," Adams said. "The event is intended to show firsthand what we are doing at ENREC and why it matters." 

The event kicks off with an informal time to meet with industry leaders and representatives and visit commodity group booths from 10 to 10:50 a.m., followed by morning presentations:

> Mike Boehm, Harlan Vice Chancellor of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, will present “Driving Nebraska’s Economic Vitality.” Nebraska is uniquely positioned to be a global leader in key areas such as food, fuel, water and rural development. Boehm will share his insights about how the university’s research, teaching and extension efforts are positioned to drive the vitality of the state's economy and communities.

> Nebraska Extension Agricultural Climatologist Al Dutcher will present “The Ag Climate: Temperatures, Trends, and Outlooks.” Weather presents opportunity and risk in agriculture, Nebraska’s economy, and global markets.  Dutcher will take a closer look at the interconnection of historical conditions, current trends, and the forecast outlook regionally, across the cornbelt, and globally and its impact on agriculture.

> Attendees will take a virtual tour of the university’s swine research facility at the conclusion of lunch.

“University of Nebraska scientists are studying issues that are important to bringing a safe, high quality pork product to the table," Adams said. "We want people to see where the research takes place and who is working on it, as visits are limited due to biosecurity precautions to keep the animals healthy.”

Afternoon tours are from 1 to 3 p.m. at three different locations. Adams said the opportunities for partnerships and collaboration keep growing and that the tours will highlight some of those projects.

Tour stops include In the Field Crops Classroom, See a Live Hail Machine Demo with Keith Glewen, extension educator and Justin McMechan, crop protection and cropping systems specialist; Carbon Farming: Reducing Greenhouse Gases with Crops with Andy Suyker, research associate professor; Drones on the Farm with Wayne Woldt, professor and extension environmental engineer; Nebraska: The Beef State: Empowering our No. 1 Ag Industry with Matt Spangler, Nebraska Extension beef genetics specialist; and Plant Phenotyping: A Bird’s Eye View with Yufeng Ge, assistant professor of biological systems engineering and Frank Bai, postdoctoral fellow in biological systems engineering.

RSVPs are requested by 5 p.m. June 23 to assist with plans for lunch and tour transportation. Please RSVP at http://enrec.unl.edu.

The University of Nebraska Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center is at the former Agricultural Research and Development Center near Mead. Morning program and lunch are at the August N. Christenson Building, 1071 County Road G, Ithaca. Transportation will be provided for the afternoon tours.

For more information, contact enrec@unl.edu or 402-624-8037.



 NEBRASKA EXTENSION ISSUES EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OF RUNOFF HOLDING PONDS RECOMMENDATIONS

With Nebraska’s recent wet weather pattern, Nebraska Extension and the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality are reminding producers and landowners to be vigilant in monitoring lagoon and runoff holding pond levels. Many areas of Nebraska have experienced higher than normal precipitation events recently, with some areas receiving rainfall that far exceeded a 25-year, 24-hour storm event. This abnormally wet weather pattern has caused drainage and flooding issues in some parts of the state.

Nebraska Extension and the NDEQ have partnered to issue recommended practices for emergency management of runoff holding ponds during this period of unusually wet weather. Notable recommendations include:
-    Do not allow your holding pond to overflow
-    Utilize land with the least possible slope to minimize runoff potential from effluent application
-    Operate irrigation equipment at a minimal application rate to minimize runoff potential
-    Use greater separation distances between application areas and water bodies than what is dictated by regulation
-    Keep complete detailed records of precipitation, storage basin management and land application

For a complete list of recommendations, click here... http://ianrnews.unl.edu/pdf/2017%20Emergency%20Management%20of%20Holding%20Ponds%20During%20Wet%20Weather.pdf.

If producers need assistance determining how best to manage specific wet weather conditions on your farm, contact an NDEQ field inspector.



Enhanced Stockmanship and Stewardship Program Kicks Off Regional Sessions in California, Nebraska

A successful Stockmanship and Stewardship program from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association will kick off a new regional series of sessions for cattlemen and women with two-day events in California and Nebraska in June. The sessions, to be held at the University of California - Davis on June 23-24, and the University of Nebraska - Lincoln on June 29-30, will provide cattle handling suggestions and education that will help cattlemen and women improve their bottom lines.

Thanks to support from Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health the program is expanding and enhancing scope of events beyond the successful local events held in the past, according to Chase DeCoite, NCBA associate director for Beef Quality Assurance.  After Davis, Calif., and Lincoln, Neb., the tour will continue to Starkville, Miss., and Fort Collins, Colo., before wrapping up in San Luis Obispo, Calif. The sessions are being supported through additional sponsorship from the BQA program, funded by the Beef Checkoff.

“Stockmanship and Stewardship sessions have become ‘must attend’ events for cattlemen and women who want to apply innovative and proven cattle handling strategies on their own operations,” said DeCoite. “These new regional programs will allow us to attract cattlemen from a larger area at a central location.”

DeCoite said well-known and respected clinicians Curt Pate and Ron Gill will continue to be the primary instructors for these sessions, providing demonstrations and hands-on learning experiences that will be entertaining, lively and informative. Pate has been conducting clinics for more than a decade, while Gill is a renowned stockman and animal scientist for Texas Agrilife Extension who captivates his audiences with his credibility and ability to relate as a rancher.

Among the sessions during these events are lessons on horseback cattle handling, chute-side cattle handling, Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) training and preventative herd health programs. A nominal registration fee ($50) is charged, which includes all sessions, meals and entertainment.

“These new events will include a variety of educational opportunities for cattle producers,” said DeCoite. “We’ll include input from local extension representatives, industry leaders and government agencies, so the sessions will be sure to cover topics of interest to any cattle producer wanting to improve their bottom lines as well as their cattle handling skills.”

For more information and to find an event near you, visit www.StockmanshipandStewardship.org.



Farm Bureau Asks Senate Committee to Advance EPA Nominee Susan Bodine

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall has asked leadership of a Senate committee to approve the nomination of Susan Bodine to Assistant Administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assistance of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Duvall’s letter to Chairman John Barrasso and Ranking Member Tom Carper of the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works praised Bodine for her many years of fair and effective leadership in the House of Representatives and Senate, as well as the Bush-era EPA.

“In her decades of experience in private practice, for Congress and EPA, Susan Bodine has proven her leadership skills and her deep understanding of our nation’s environmental laws and how they affect ordinary citizens and small businesses,” Duvall wrote. “We believe she will strictly enforce our nation’s environmental laws, using the hammer when necessary. We also believe she will bring back an effective yet underutilized tool in EPA’s toolbox – compliance assistance. Farmers and ranchers across the nation look forward to a new era of firm, but fair enforcement.”



A Warning to Commerce: National Security Arguments Cut Both Ways

The Department of Commerce (DOC) has released public comments, including comments submitted by U.S. Wheat Associates (USW), related to its investigation into the national security implications of steel imports. USW believes that if the United States goes down a road to restricting steel imports, many countries may use the same national security pretense to restrict imports from U.S. wheat farmers. After all, food security has always been tied to national security.

Under Section 232 in the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, the Commerce Department may investigate the effect of imports on national security. Commerce announced its investigation of steel imports on April 20, 2017. It is the first such investigation since 2001. Findings could lead to a conclusion that protective duties on imported steel should be applied for national security reasons.

“Pursuing a strategy of import protection under the guise of national security would set a dangerous precedent,” said USW President Alan Tracy. “If the United States undermines WTO national security exemptions, it would be handing a gift-wrapped roadmap of protectionism to food self-sufficiency advocates all over the world.”

The World Trade Organization (WTO) allows countries to impose trade restrictions for very few reasons, including national security. This exception is rarely used outside of weapons, nuclear materials and the like because most countries understand that doing so would open a Pandora’s Box of competing national security claims. If the United States went first with a commonly traded product like steel, many countries would be eager to include food security in the exception.

“I’m all for challenging unfair subsidies, but farmers like me know you need to use the right tool to fix a problem,” said Jason Scott, USW Chairman and a wheat farmer from Easton, Md. “Citing national security to block imports like this would be like lighting a fire to kill a weed. It might do the job but you could destroy the whole field.”

The Department of Commerce has only authorized duties twice after Section 232 investigations, and not once since the WTO was created in 1995. The WTO agreements include an exemption under GATT Article XXI for trade restrictions related to “essential security interests,” which can be defined broadly by the WTO member country.



 Family Beef Producers Deserve Better From NAFTA

On the heels of an announcement that the Trump Administration intends to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), National Farmers Union (NFU) is urging the administration to amend the agreement to work in the interest of independent beef producers.

In a letter to President Donald Trump, NFU President Roger Johnson contends that NAFTA has been a boon to multinational meatpacking companies to the detriment of small and mid-sized beef producers. Since its implementation, the agreement has led to increased consolidation in the beef industry and loss of U.S. sovereignty to the interests of foreign governments and corporations.

“While trade with our NAFTA partners is important to family farmers and ranchers, the agreement has contributed to increased consolidation in the beef industry and has pushed out small and mid-sized beef producers,” said Johnson. “It has also robbed American producers of the opportunity to proudly stand behind their product and denied consumers the right to know where their food comes from. As you renegotiate NAFTA, we urge you to act in the best interest of American farmers, ranchers and consumers and restore the United States’ sovereignty over farm and food policy.”

While NAFTA has driven an increase in overall beef exports, it has also increased the U.S. beef trade deficit with both Canada and Mexico. From 1993 to 2015, the total U.S. beef trade deficit with its NAFTA trading partners increased by 131 percent, from almost $1.2 billion to over $2.7 billion.

“The free trade agenda has not worked in the best interests of the U.S. beef producer and has had wide-reaching impacts on all sectors of our economy,” noted Johnson. “Multinational meatpackers and their lobbying groups frequently tout increases in exports, but they fail to factor increases in imports, and the impact that a massive trade deficit has on American independent producers and American industries.”

Johnson urged President Trump to make reinstating Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL) a priority in NAFTA renegotiations as a means to ensuring U.S. sovereignty.

“The elimination of COOL laws due to free trade agreements undermines independent cattle producers who proudly produce high-quality, American-grown beef,” said Johnson. “Prohibitions against COOL also deny consumers the opportunity to know what is in their food and where it is produced.”

Johnson noted that just four beef packers now control 85 percent of the beef market, up from 69 percent in 1990. These multinational corporations take advantage of rules in NAFTA that allow companies to operate across borders. “NAFTA provisions essentially encourage companies to shop for the cheapest production costs,” he said. “Because of this, companies often raise cattle in Mexico and Canada and then bring the cattle back to the U.S. for slaughter and sale.”

NAFTA has also contributed to a steep decline in the number of beef cattle operations in the United States. Between 1992 and 2012, the number of farms raising cattle and calves fell from 1,074,349 to 913,246, a decrease of almost 15 percent. At the same time, the number of the largest ranches – those with 5,000 or more head – increased 60 percent, from 704 to 1,124. The largest operations’ share of the total cattle population increased from 10.4% to 17.9%.

“As you renegotiate NAFTA, we urge you to act in the best interest of American farmers, ranchers and consumers and restore the United States’ sovereignty over farm and food policy. I look forward to working with your administration to reset the nation’s failed trade agenda,” Johnson concluded.



Enzymes Provide Common Ground for Latin American Poultry, Swine Professionals Seeking Answers

Novus International, Inc. invited more than 20 poultry and swine professionals representing almost every region of Latin America to its global headquarters for a collaborative, four-day meeting focusing on the future of enzymes in the feed industry, held May 22-25, in St. Charles, Missouri, USA.

"Feed enzymes have emerged as a critical technology for sustainable animal production," said Luis Azevedo, Area General Manager for Novus in Latin America and Africa. "It's a truly cross-functional and global tool to help livestock reach their full genetic potential."

Enzymes are one of the fastest growing segments of feed additives in the animal protein production industry. A wide array of enzyme types and products can be found in almost every major market around the world, and the industry shows no sign of changing direction. In animal nutrition, most enzymes are used to improve digestibility of certain feed ingredients and reduce the negative impacts of anti-nutrients in livestock and poultry.

For four days, individuals including poultry specialists, swine nutritionists, and researchers in varying fields engaged in open dialog on the influence of substrates in the use of multiple enzymes, how to properly validate enzymes, applying new technologies in monogastric diets and numerous other complex topics. Novus experts and other attendees presented their latest research and techniques from the perspectives of their home countries and businesses to offer a clearer picture of each marketplace and its unique and shared challenges.                     

"To continue serving our customers effectively, we need to stay well-versed in the latest and greatest technologies and usage practices. That may be the next generation of enzymes or an entirely new innovation," said Juan Ruiz, Technical Services Manager for Enzymes for Novus in Latin America. "As a group, we shared vital information to help navigate the obstacles and opportunities facing enzyme users, and I have no doubts that everyone took something home to better their business."