Wednesday July 19 Ag News

Does High Humidity and Temperature Disrupt Corn Pollination?
Nathan Mueller, Extension Educator, Dodge County

With the high humidity and high temperatures this week, how could this impact corn pollination?  Here is a short summary and highlights from a UNL CropWatch article “How Extended High Heat Disrupts Corn Pollination” written by Tom Hoegemeyer in 2011.
-    High humidity helps reduce crop water demand which is helpful for rainfed corn
-    Corn heat stress can occur starting at about 92 degrees and higher
-    When soil moisture is sufficient, one day of 95-98 degrees has little to not impact on yields.
-    Temperatures above 95 degrees several days in a row will decrease the volume of pollen shed and pollen viability (time that pollen remains viable to fertilize silks)
-    Higher nighttime temperatures burns more sugars that were produced by the plant during photosynthesis during the day. Not ideal for yield potential.
-    Hybrids that silk early compared to pollen shed more at risk of silk desiccation from high temperatures, though less risk with high humidity.
-    Dehiscences, releasing of pollen from anthers (picture above), is triggered by the drop in humidity and a temperature increase. So when extremely humid and lack of drop in humidity in the morning can delay pollen shed until later in the day.

Other facts about corn pollination that are good to remember from Bob Nielsen at Purdue:
-    It only takes one pollen grain per silk. However, “many pollen grains may germinated on a receptive silk.”
-    “Pollen grain germination occurs within minutes after a pollen grain lands on a receptive silk.”
-    “A pollen tube develops and grows inside the silk, and fertilizes the ovule within 24 hours.”
-    “Majority of successful ovule fertilization occurs during the first 4 to 5 days after silk emergence.”
-    “Silks remain receptive to pollen grain germination up to 10 days after silk emergence,”
-    Elongation of an individual silk stops shortly after germination.

More information is available at Mueller's blog at www.croptechcafe.org. 



SUMMER HEAT AND FORAGE GROWTH
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist

               Summer heat hit us hard the past few weeks.  How do these high temperatures affect different types of forage plants?

               When it suddenly turns ‘hooey boy’ hot – you know, 90 plus degrees and humidity so thick you can almost see it – cool-season plants suffer along with you and me.  Alfalfa and clovers, bromegrass, orchardgrass, fescues, needlegrasses, and wheatgrasses all struggle during hot weather.

               If you’re old enough, do you remember – before air conditioning – how drained you used to feel after spending a night when the temperature never dropped below 80?  The same thing happens to cool-season forages, resulting in very slow growth, lower forage quality as plants burn up the good nutrients, and limited recovery of root reserves after defoliation.  And if it also is dry these conditions can even become deadly.

               Warm-season grasses are just the opposite.  Millet, sudangrass, sorghums, and our native bluestems, gramas, switchgrass, and other warm-season grasses thrive when the temperature is around 90 degrees.  Their metabolism runs at peak efficiency when it is hot so they grow rapidly while maintaining reasonable forage quality and good root growth.

               Of course, this assumes these plants have adequate moisture.  Once they dry up, these grasses will overheat too, just like cool-season grasses do at lower temperatures.

               As you graze or hay, be aware of the stress weather is putting on your forage.  When it’s too hot, allow plants to recover for a longer time before next use.  And don’t expect high feed values or good animal gains when the nutritional goodies are burned right out of the plants.

               Proper expectations and management adjustments can limit the stress from stressful weather.



August learning circle dates announced for women farmer series

Women farmers and landowners are invited to attend a series of learning circles next month. The circles are led by women farmer-leaders who are supported by Center for Rural Affairs staff. The circle sessions will cover a variety of topics at each gathering.

Learning circles are peer group sessions that consider participants as the experts on their own production, farmland, and conservation needs. Information, experience, and resources are shared at each circle, allowing women to implement what they’ve learned into their own farm business or operation.

“This format provides an opportunity for women to determine what they are most interested in exploring about each topic,” said Kirstin Bailey, project organizer at Center for Rural Affairs. “We based this year’s topics on feedback from the group during last year’s circles.”

There is no charge to attend. Aspiring, beginning, experienced, and retired women farmers are all welcome. Participants can attend the whole series or select sessions. Each learning circle session will include time to ask questions and network with other women. Refreshments will be provided.

Details for each circle are as follows:
-    Saturday, Aug. 5, 2017, 9 to 11 a.m., Diversification, on-farm businesses, and season extension at Great Plains Nursery, 3074 County Rd I, Weston, Nebraska

-    Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017, 9 to 11 a.m., Self-care and “Business of the business” at Common Good Farm, 17201 NW 40th St., Raymond, Nebraska

-    Sunday, Aug. 20, 2017, 2 to 5 p.m., Value-added producer grants, getting involved in conservation and policy, micro-creamery tour at Darby Springs Farm, 414 Co Rd. 15, Ceresco, Nebraska

“Women are connecting with one another in a supportive environment,” added Bailey. “The learning circles have helped to create a network that women can turn to for resources.”

For more information, visit www.cfra.org/events, or contact Bailey at kirstinb@cfra.org or 402.367.8989. This learning circle series is funded in part by a grant from USDA North Central SARE.



PLANT SCIENTISTS AIM TO TURN SORGHUM INTO JET FUEL

As members of a new federally funded bioenergy research center, two Nebraska plant scientists plan to spend the next five years working to expand the oil-producing capability of the sorghum plant.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is one of 15 institutions partnering with the University of Illinois in the $104 million Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation. Energy Secretary Rick Perry announced the new Department of Energy-funded research center July 17.

Biochemistry professor Edgar Cahoon and agronomy and horticulture professor Tom Clemente, members of the university's Center for Plant Science Innovation, will lead Nebraska's part of the project. They expect to receive slightly more than $4 million for their research during the next five years. Their goal is to genetically enhance certain sorghum species so that the stems and leaves contain more oil and less starch. If they can do that, sorghum could rival soybeans in terms of oil production per acre.

"Vegetable oil is more energy-dense than carbohydrates like starch," Cahoon explained.

One advantage of oil-producing sorghum, Clemente said, is that sorghum is a sturdy, drought-tolerant crop that can be grown on more marginal lands than other farm crops.

"The idea is that you wouldn't be displacing land now used to grow corn, soybeans and cotton," Clemente said. "You could grow sorghum on marginal lands and have all of its oil used for industrial purposes."

Illinois, Nebraska and two fellow Big Ten Institutions, the University of Wisconsin and Michigan State University, are amid Department of Energy efforts to develop and use biomass products as a sustainable energy resource. The new center at Illinois will join three previously created bioenergy research centers funded by the Department of Energy: The Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, led by Wisconsin in partnership with Michigan State; the Center for Bioenergy Innovation, led by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory; and the Joint BioEnergy Institute, led by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

"These centers will accelerate the development of the basic science and technological foundation needed to ensure that American industry and the American public reap the benefits of the new bio-based economy," Perry said in announcing that the Department of Energy would award $40 million to the four research centers during the 2018 fiscal year.

The Illinois-based center will focus on three general priorities – the development of high-tech feedstocks that can synthesize the molecules for bioproducts and biofuels directly in plant stems; new biologically based conversion systems to efficiently produce biodiesel, organic acids, jet fuels and other high-value molecules; and a sustainability framework to measure the project's bottom line in terms of economics and the environment.

Part of the feedstocks priority, Nebraska's research is to focus on sweet sorghum and biomass sorghum, tall plants whose leaves and stems now are used to make ethanol. Clemente and Cahoon are among researchers nationally who are investigating whether sorghum's novel chemistry and lignin content could produce high-value molecules that could replace petroleum in lubricants and plastics – even jet fuel.

Other researchers have been able to produce oil in tobacco, which has a broad leaf, but more work is needed to transfer the trait to a grassy plant like sorghum, Clemente said.

Among other center partners, the Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York, Iowa State University, the University of Illinois and the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology in Huntsville, Alabama, also will be exploring whether sorghum can be modified to produce more oil, Clemente and Cahoon said.

A key advantage is the center's laboratory-to-field-to-processing approach, Clemente said. After new plant varieties are developed in scientists' laboratories, they can be grown and processed on a pilot basis at Illinois' large-scale facilities.



Nebraska Producers Have Until Aug. 1 to Submit FSA County Committee Nominations

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Acting Executive Director for Nebraska, Mike Sander, today reminded farmers and ranchers they have until Aug. 1, 2017, to nominate eligible candidates to serve on local FSA county committees.

County committees are made up of farmers and ranchers elected by other producers in their communities to guide the delivery of farm programs at the local level. Committee members play a critical role in the day-to-day operations of FSA. In Nebraska, committees consist of three to seven members and meet once a month or as needed to make important decisions on disaster and conservation programs, emergency programs, commodity price support loan programs, county office employment and other agricultural issues. Members serve three-year terms. Nationwide there are over 7,700 farmers and ranchers serving on FSA county committees.

“The August 1 deadline is quickly approaching,” said Sander. “If you know of a great candidate or want to nominate yourself to serve on your local county committee, go to your county FSA office right now and submit the nomination form. I especially encourage the nomination of beginning farmers and ranchers, as well as women and minorities. This is your opportunity to have a say in how federal programs are delivered in your county.”

To be eligible to serve on an FSA county committee, a person must participate or cooperate in an agency administered program and reside in the local administrative area where the election is being held. A complete list of eligibility requirements, more information and nomination forms are available at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/elections.

All nominees must sign the nomination form FSA-669A. All nomination forms for the 2017 election must be postmarked or received in the local FSA county office by Aug. 1, 2017. Ballots will be mailed to eligible voters by Nov. 6 and are due back to the local USDA Service Centers on Dec. 4. The newly-elected county committee members will take office Jan. 1, 2018.



Corn Congress Elects Four Growers to Serve on Corn Board in FY18

Delegates attending the National Corn Growers Association's Corn Congress in Washington this morning elected four farmers to serve on the organization's Corn Board.  Taking office on Oct. 1, the start of NCGA's 2018 fiscal year, are new board members Brandon Hunnicutt of Nebraska, Gary Porter of Missouri and Kenneth Hartman of Illinois. Current board member Don Glenn of Alabama was re-elected. All four were elected to three-year terms.

"NCGA had an impressive slate of candidates for the Corn Board, with many growers who already have an extensive history of service to American agriculture," NCGA Chairman Chip Bowling, who chairs the nominating committee, said. "It encourages me to see such an interest on the part of these growers, particularly at this time when our industry faces so many challenges. I am certain they will be a valuable addition to the board and look forward to see what they do for corn farmers in the years to come."
 
The NCGA Corn Board represents the organization on all matters while directing both policy and supervising day-to-day operations. Board members represent the federation of state organizations, supervise the affairs and activities of NCGA in partnership with the chief executive officer and implement NCGA policy established by the Corn Congress. Members also act as spokesmen for the NCGA and enhance the organization's public standing on all organizational and policy issues.



Mexican Ambassador Addresses Corn Congress Delegation

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has benefited both the American and Mexican agriculture industries, and Mexico is optimistic about the prospects of modernizing the trade agreement, Mexican Ambassador Gerónimo Gutiérrez told more than 200 corn farmers gathered today in Washington at the National Corn Growers Association’s semiannual meeting.

“Our agricultural trade through NAFTA has been a success for all parties,” said Ambassador Gutiérrez. “The challenge is that none of us should stay in our comfort zone. If we want to achieve a win-win trade modernization, we must keep active. There is no guaranteed outcome.”

Ambassador Gutiérrez expressed a strong desire to continue strengthening agricultural trade between the U.S. and Mexico, but he also acknowledged that Mexico must keep its options open and is looking to other markets to secure his nation’s grain supply.

NCGA President Wesley Spurlock thanked the Ambassador for his remarks and echoed the importance of NAFTA to U.S. corn farmers.

“NAFTA has made the agriculture industry stronger in both the U.S. and Mexico. We thank Ambassador Gutiérrez for his remarks today, and we share his desire to protect a strong agriculture trade relationship between our countries,” said Spurlock.

“The Ambassador engaged in a productive dialogue with our farmers, who will be on Capitol Hill this week reinforcing the importance of a trade policy that strengthens existing markets such as Mexico and develops new ones to ensure U.S. agriculture keeps its global competitive edge,” said Spurlock.

Earlier this week, the Trump Administration released its NAFTA negotiating objectives ahead of modernization talks, which are scheduled to begin later this summer.

“We are encouraged that the Administration’s NAFTA objectives reflect that the Trump Administration has been listening to corn farmers and other voices in agriculture on trade,” said Spurlock. “We look forward to continuing our close collaboration with the Administration as the hard work of NAFTA modernization begins.”



Anhydrous, Urea Prices Push Lower

For the second straight week, retail fertilizer prices are showing significant movement after five months of holding mostly steady, according to fertilizer retailers surveyed by DTN. Prices for all eight of the major fertilizers were lower the second week of July 2017 compared to a month earlier.

As the fertilizer application season wraps up for this growing season, retail prices are beginning to decrease with lower demand.

Anhydrous is 10% lower compared to last month while urea is 5% less expensive. Anhydrous had an average price of $451 per ton while urea was at $321/ton.

The remaining six fertilizers had just slightly lower prices compared to last month. DAP had an average price of $436/ton, MAP $467/ton, potash $340/ton, 10-34-0 $431/ton, UAN28 $235/ton and UAN32 $268/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.35/lb.N, anhydrous $0.28/lb.N, UAN28 $0.42/lb.N and UAN32 $0.42/lb.N.

Prices of all retail fertilizers are lower compared to a year earlier. Five of the eight major fertilizers are double digits lower.

10-34-0 is 20% lower from a year ago while anhydrous is 17% less expensive, UAN32 is 13% lower, UAN28 is 12% less expensive and urea is 11% less expensive. DAP is 7% lower, MAP is 6% less expensive and potash is 5% lower.



Pork Checkoff Announces #RealPigFarming Student Social Forces

The Pork Checkoff has selected 12 college students to represent the #RealPigFarming Student Social Forces team this year. Candidates were selected based on their involvement in the pork industry and their strong communication skills. The team will be active from July until December. 

“Social media is ingrained in young people’s lives,” said Claire Masker, public relations director for the Pork Checkoff. “It’s easy for them to share their thoughts about an industry that they are proud to be a part of through the various social media channels available to them.”

Tori Abner - Texas A&M University - Howe, Texas
Hannah Rehder - North Dakota State University - Moorhead, Minnesota
Brooke Sieren - Iowa State University - Keota, Iowa
Edan Lambert -     Iowa State University - Orange City, Iowa
Katelyn Lowery - North Carolina State University - Clayton, North Carolina
Taylor Homann - University of Minnesota - Pipestone, Minnesota
Amy Lund - Iowa State University - Polk City, Iowa
Kristin Liepold - University of Minnesota - Okabena, Minnesota
Hunter Everett - North Carolina State University - Mebane, North Carolina
Jenna Chance -     Kansas State University - Lebanon, Indiana
Megan Anderson - The Pennsylvania State University - Schellsburg, Pennsylvania
Julia Hay - Texas A&M University - Somerset, Pennsylvania

Consumers continue to have questions about how pigs are raised, and no one knows the answers better than pork producers. The Pork Checkoff’s social media outreach program is helping real farmers share real stories with consumers through #RealPigFarming. The hashtag (#) before Real Pig Farming helps people search social media posts with the same phrase, making it easier for them to follow conversations.

"I am excited to have this opportunity to share my Real Pig Farming story with consumers searching for answers about where their pork comes from,” said Edan Lambert, one of the newly selected members of the #RealPigFarming Student Social Forces and a student at Iowa State University.

“The social forces team will be encouraged to use #RealPigFarming as advocates for the pork industry,” Masker said. “Through social forces, the students will be able to improve their communications skills and expand their professional network within the industry.”



Perdue Applauds President Trump for Selections of McKinney & Clovis for USDA Posts

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today applauded President Donald J. Trump’s declaration of intent to nominate Ted McKinney for Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs and Dr. Sam Clovis for Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics.

In May, USDA created the new position of Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs as directed by the 2014 Farm Bill.  Secretary Perdue issued the following statements:

Regarding Ted McKinney:
“For our new under secretary position emphasizing international trade, I have always said that I want someone who wakes up every morning asking how we can sell more American agricultural products in foreign markets. Ted McKinney is that person. His longstanding background in agriculture, economic development, and global issues will make him an unapologetic advocate for U.S. products in the world marketplace.”

Regarding Dr. Sam Clovis:
“Dr. Clovis was one of the first people through the door at USDA in January and has become a trusted advisor and steady hand as we continue to work for the people of agriculture. He looks at every problem with a critical eye, relying on sound science and data, and will be the facilitator and integrator we need. Dr. Clovis has served this nation proudly since he was a very young man, and I am happy he is continuing to serve.”



House Agriculture Committee Rallies Behind Updates to Rural Infrastructure

Today, the House Agriculture Committee held a hearing examining the state of infrastructure in rural America. Chairman K. Michael Conaway (TX-11), Ranking Member Collin Peterson (MN-7) and members of the committee heard from witnesses on opportunities to renew infrastructure in America’s heartland. Following the hearing, Chairman Conaway and Ranking Member Peterson made the below remarks: 

“America’s heartland deserves to be front-and-center as we look to upgrade our aging infrastructure,” said Chairman Conaway. “From rural broadband, to ag research, to transportation – rural America faces its own set of challenges and considerations and today’s hearing highlighted some of those. Take for instance producers in farm country, if they can’t get their commodities to market, it’s not just rural America that suffers, but also urban America. Our manufacturing sector depends on products produced in the heartland to create the ‘made in America’ products that create jobs and grow our economy. I applaud the president for drawing attention to this important matter and appreciate the efforts of the Rebuild Rural coalition to share rural America's story with the rest of our nation."

“A strong rural infrastructure is necessary for our rural areas to remain vital but our rural economy faces unique infrastructure challenges. It’s surprising to a lot of folks but broadband access is lacking in many of these areas. I appreciated today’s discussion on ways to expand service to rural residents,” said Ranking Member Peterson. “There are a lot of pieces to the infrastructure puzzle which is why it’s so important they work together. Access to clean water, reliable electricity, state of the art health care services and affordable housing are all necessary for farmers and ranchers to do their jobs and to maintain a certain quality of life in our rural areas. Adequate flood control is another essential infrastructure tool, especially in my area.”

Panel I Witnesses
-  Mr. Tom Halverson, President and CEO, CoBank, Washington, DC, on behalf of the Farm Credit System
-  Dr. Thomas G. Coon, Vice President, Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, on behalf of the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities (APLU)
-  Mr. Rick Calhoun, Former President, Cargo Carriers, Cargill, Inc., Silver Spring, MD, on behalf of the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA)
-  Mr. Curtis Wynn, President and CEO, Roanoke Electric Cooperative, Ahoskie, NC, on behalf of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA)
-  Ms. Jennifer L. Otwell, Vice President and General Manager, Totelcom Communications, LLC, De Leon, TX, on behalf of the Rural Broadband Association (NTCA)
-  Mr. Brian E. MacManus, General Manager, East Rio Hondo Water Supply Corporation, Rio Hondo, TX, on behalf of the Texas Rural Water Association and the National Rural Water Association (NRWA)



NGFA: Invest now in nation's transportation infrastructure or fall farther behind

The United States needs to make more strategic, significant and predictable investments in the U.S. transportation infrastructure or risk having U.S. agriculture lose its competitive export advantage to foreign countries, the National Grain and Feed Association told Congress today.

"Over the last decade, I have witnessed an alarming decline in the historical competitive advantage that our transportation infrastructure has provided U.S. agriculture, and the corresponding increase in investment in critical infrastructure being made by our foreign competitors," said Rick Calhoun, former president of Cargo Carriers, Cargill Inc.'s marine operations business unit, who testified on NGFA's behalf at a hearing on rural infrastructure conducted by the House Agriculture Committee. "We welcome the critically needed renewed sense of urgency by this Congress and the Trump administration to enact an infrastructure package that includes a reliable funding mechanism to renovate our dilapidated inland waterways system, as well as to restore rural roads and bridges. Both are essential to the future vibrancy of rural communities and competitiveness of U.S. agriculture."

Historically, the United States has been blessed with a transportation system where the four major modes of transportation - truck, rail, barge and ocean-going vessels - complement and to an extent compete with one another, noted Calhoun, who chaired NGFA's Waterborne Commerce Committee. The U.S. inland waterways, which constitute the most economical, fuel efficient and environmentally friendly mode, are used to transport about two-thirds of the U.S. grains and oilseeds destined for export while U.S. ports help move more than 90 percent of those shipments. But the NGFA noted the United States is spending less on its transportation infrastructure - the lowest since World War II measured as a percentage of gross domestic product - while major foreign competitors are increasing theirs.

Calhoun said stronger federal investments in U.S. locks, dams and ports and would help chip away at the backlog of critical inland waterways projects that remain unfunded. Noting that the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund currently has a $9 billion surplus, he said Congress also should direct those funds to be spent for their intended purpose - to maintain U.S. ports and harbors, including dredging activities.

The NGFA touted as a successful public-private partnership the 50 percent funding of inland waterway locks and dams already provided by commercial users of the system, including farmers, agribusinesses and the barge and towing industry. Since 1978, the federal government has assessed a barge diesel user fee on commercial users now set at 29 cents per gallon, which is deposited into the Inland Waterways Trust Fund (IWTF) and ostensibly matched by federal appropriations. The NGFA asked legislators to consider how other beneficiaries of the inland waterways system that do not pay, such as recreational users and hydropower and flood-control recipients, could contribute financially to its modernization without imposing counterproductive lockage fees and tolling on inland waterways, which have been rejected repeatedly on a bipartisan basis by Congress dating to the Clinton administration.

"Imposing additional costs on those utilizing commercial barge transportation - on top of the 50 percent cost-share that farmers and the private sector already pays into the IWTF - would risk diverting traffic from the most efficient mode of transportation available to U.S. agriculture, further congesting U.S. highways and resulting in higher rail freight rates ultimately paid by farmers," Calhoun said.

Regarding rural bridges and roadways, the NGFA suggested that Congress explore prioritizing increases in federal funding, reclassifying rural roads and bridges to be eligible for funding, and developing a system of block grants so states and localities could prioritize road and bridge projects that they deem most important, with input from the agricultural sector and rural communities.

"The road to feeding a growing country and world population will be met by looking forward, not through the rear-view mirror," Calhoun concluded. "Let's not let just under $9 billion stand in the way of our ability to feed our country and the soon to be 9 billion people around the globe."



Next Week at the Agriculture Committee

House Committee on Agriculture advises the following committee hearing:
Renegotiating NAFTA: Opportunities for Agriculture
Full Committee – Public Hearing
Wednesday, July 26, 2017 – 10:00 a.m.
1300 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C.

Upon announcing the hearing, Chairman K. Michael Conaway (TX-11) issued the following statement:

“As the administration prepares to renegotiate NAFTA, agriculture needs to keep its foot on the gas to ensure their interests are known and reflected in the agreement. The administration has already outlined key objectives for ag, such as expanding market opportunities and tightening enforcement, and I look forward to hearing from our witnesses about opportunities to achieve the best deal possible for American agriculture.”



NCGA Statement on Sen. Inhofe’s Anti-Ethanol Floor Speech

The following is a statement from the National Corn Growers Association in response to Sen. Jim Inhofe’s (R-Oklahoma) floor speech today in opposition to S. 517, the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act.

“Senator Inhofe’s remarks, while unfortunate, are no surprise given his longtime opposition to ethanol. The nation’s corn farmers would like to assure Senator Inhofe that, despite his claims to the contrary, corn productivity has increased significantly over the past 10 years, going from an average of 150 bushels per acre in 2007 to 174.6 bushels per acre in 2016. Today’s efficient farmers produce more than enough corn to meet feed, food, and fuel needs, in an increasingly sustainable manner. Corn farmers are also proud that, based on actual corn and ethanol production experience over the past 10 years, ethanol currently results in 43 percent lower greenhouse gas emissions than gasoline.

“We appreciate the efforts of Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska) and her Senate colleagues who are working to advance this bill. NCGA supports giving consumers choice, especially a choice they can make to improve the environment, enhance vehicle performance, and save money. We encourage Senators to support this straightforward red-tape removal.”



Growth Energy: E15 Bill is About Protecting Consumer Choice

Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor released the following statement in response to Sen. Jim Inhofe’s (R-Okla.) floor speech today in opposition to the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act (S. 517):

“This bill is about protecting consumer choice year-round for a legal fuel that is better for the environment, improves engine performance, and saves Americans money at the pump. We stand firm that Congress should put the needs of consumers ahead of the oil industry.

“E15 is a federally approved fuel for all cars made since 2001. It boosts octane, saves consumers up to 10 cents per gallon, and improves the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and displacing toxic additives in gasoline. Consumers have recently surpassed 1 billion miles driven on the fuel, and it is now available at more than 900 retail sites across 29 states. Drivers are demanding E15, and more retailers are offering it every day.

“However, due to an outdated regulation that hasn’t been updated since 1990, gas stations are forced to restrict their sales to flex-fuel vehicles only, or remove it from sale altogether between June 1 and September 15. That means that when gas prices are at their peak, consumers are denied the choice of an affordable, cleaner option for their cars.

“A vote against this bill is a vote against consumers — it’s saying that you don’t trust consumers to make their own choices at the pump. In fact, Growth Energy released a survey showing that U.S. small engine owners are pleased with the performance of their fuel and find it easy to pick the best option, including regular unleaded blends of 10 percent ethanol (E10).

“This legislation is a common-sense fix that has bipartisan support in both the House and Senate. We applaud the bill’s champions in the Senate for keeping the focus where it needs to be — ensuring year-round consumer savings at the pump.”



Ag Workforce Coalition Praises Rep. Newhouse for Championing Farm Labor Issues in Appropriations Process

Members of the Agricultural Workforce Coalition (AWC) today praised Representative Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.) for leading the effort in the appropriations process to address agriculture’s labor crisis. Two amendments--offered by Congressman Newhouse in House Appropriations Committee markups of FY 2018 government funding bills—would make reforms to the H-2A visa program in an effort to patch a broken program.

The first, offered and accepted last week during consideration of the FY 2018 Agriculture Appropriations bill, would allow ag employers to utilize Section 514 housing for both domestic and H-2A workers where the units are currently unoccupied. Section 514 provides loans to producers to buy, build or improve housing for farm workers but those admitted through H-2A are currently ineligible.

The second, considered and approved during markup of the FY 2018 Homeland Security spending bill, would amend the H-2A program to allow employers to utilize it for work that is not temporary or seasonal. This would give producers with year-round labor needs a new option as they look to fill jobs on their farms.

“As both a farmer and a former state commissioner of agriculture, Congressman Newhouse knows firsthand that the H-2A program is a bureaucratic nightmare and is currently unusable for large segments of agriculture; yet he also realizes that it is the only program available to help meet the severe labor shortages faced by farmers and ranchers across commodities and across the country,” the Coalition said. “While our ultimate goal is a permanent solution to our current and future labor needs, these two amendments would help ease some of these burdens and give farmers added flexibility. We thank Mr. Newhouse for continuing to be a champion for America’s farmers, ranchers and growers and we look forward to working to ensure these provisions are retained as the appropriations process moves forward.”



Tomi Lahren to Keynote R-CALF USA Convention

Tomi Lahren, a conservative political commentator and rising star of social media will be the keynote speaker at R-CALF USA's 18th Annual Convention to be held Aug. 25 and 26 at the Best Western Ramkota Hotel in Rapid City, S.D. Last year, BBC News stated Lahren was "bigger than Trump on Facebook." Her Facebook page has more than 4.4 million followers.

Lahren's family is from Rapid City and her uncle is a cattle rancher near Mobridge, S.D.

R-CALF USA members will host a members-only meet-and-greet with Lahren at 5:00 p.m. on August 26, which will be followed by the group's banquet. Lahren will speak after the banquet at 7:00 p.m.

Lahren's speech titled, "Making the Dinner Table American Again," is appropriate for the R-CALF USA group of American ranchers who have spent longer than a decade trying to convince defiant administrations and a stubborn Congress to require all beef to be labeled as to its country of origin.

The general public is invited to attend Lahren's 7 p.m. speech for a nominal fee of $10.00 per person. The fee must be paid in advance at www.MakeTheCattleIndustryGreatAgain.com or by mailing a check payable to R-CALF USA/Tomi, PO Box 30715, Billings, MT 59107.

HBO's VICE NEWS will be following Lahren at the convention as she interacts with America's ranchers.

"More than any other person, Tomi helped us to communicate to the world that the meatpacking cartel is destroying opportunities for American ranchers, which has forced about 9,000 ranchers to exit America's cattle industry each year since the mid-90s," said R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard.

In early January, Lahren hosted R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard on her Facebook to discuss how the loss of mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL) for beef was harming American ranchers and American consumers.

Lahren's 15-minute interview with Bullard attracted 725,000 Facebook viewers while her solo commentary on how the American rancher has been drop kicked by both political parties attracted an amazing 5.3 million views.

In February, Lahren hosted an encore segment about the plight of the American rancher and the loss of COOL, this time featuring Wyoming rancher Dr. Taylor Haynes, a former R-CALF USA Director and retired medical doctor. A remarkable two million people viewed Lahren's interview with Haynes.

"We are honored and grateful that Tomi has agreed to speak at our convention. She continues to help us disprove the propaganda the meatpacking cartel, which includes the check-off funded NCBA (National Cattlemen's Beef Association), uses to seek favors on Capitol Hill - favors that hurt American ranchers like repealing COOL for beef and delaying rules that protect the competitiveness of the American ranchers' cattle markets," Bullard said.



U.S. Should Enforce Trade Agreements, NFU Says

National Farmers Union (NFU) joined a number of other manufacturing and agricultural organizations to support the U.S. Department of Commerce’s decision to investigate aluminum and steel imports under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. Should the investigation determine that imports threaten national security, the administration is authorized to act to protect the U.S. domestic steel and aluminum industries.

In a letter to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross yesterday, the group emphasized that the investigation is a “crucial opportunity to protect national security, rebuild the U.S. economy, and counter strategic economic tactics of foreign countries.”

In addition to expressing thanks, the coalition urged Secretary Ross to enforce trade rules as a means to address trade distortions, foreign government subsidies, and global overcapacity. “The U.S. manufacturing and agriculture industries have been undermined by years of public policies that failed to neutralize foreign mercantilism and enabled decay of many important U.S. industries,” noted the letter. “As a leader among nations, the U.S. has the responsibility, indeed the obligation, to revise and adjust its policies to match the needs of the modern world.”

NFU President Roger Johnson reaffirmed support for the investigation. “Full implementation of trade rules is essential to ensure trade partners meet their obligations,” Johnson said. “Agriculture has certainly benefitted from international trade and from trade enforcement actions. But too often, a fear of retaliation has led to a lack of enforcement, which ultimately hurts family farmers. For the sake of fair trade and domestic security, we should not shy away from enforcing trade agreements.”

“As the U.S. appropriately moves to reduce our enormous trade deficit, we must act with conviction, tenacity, and wisdom,” Johnson concluded.



Valent U.S.A. and ASA’s New Ag Voices of the Future Program Offers Students an Education on Ag Policy in Washington, D.C.

Eight college students from five states have completed the inaugural Ag Voices of the Future program hosted in Washington, D.C. The program, sponsored by Valent U.S.A. and the American Soybean Association (ASA), provides an opportunity for young people to improve their understanding of major policy issues that impact soybean farmers, the importance of advocacy, and careers that can shape agricultural policy. The class was held July 10-13, in conjunction with the ASA Board Meeting and Soy Issues Forum in Washington, D.C.

An application process for the program was initiated in the spring, and the following students were selected to participate in this year’s program:
• Corbin Bell, Missouri
• Kelsey Cassebaum, Alabama
• Mason Gordon, Indiana
• Evan Jackson, Kentucky
• Will Nalley, Kentucky
• William Raftis, Illinois
• Kelsey Smith, Illinois
• Abigail Steinkamp, Indiana

“More and more, regulations that impact the ag industry are being directed by legislative and regulatory leadership many generations removed from the farm,” said Jeffrey Smith, industry affairs manager for Valent. “We believe the best way to ensure sound regulation is to encourage more young leaders with a practical understanding of ag production to consider careers based in Washington, D.C. Valent appreciates the opportunity to partner with ASA to identify, develop and direct these future leaders to have a positive impact on the issues facing soybean farmers and the crop protection industry.”

The new Ag Voices of the Future program is designed to give young people, with a connection to the farm, an education on major policy issues and advocacy, and encourage these future leaders to consider careers within agriculture associations and industry, as well as government regulatory and legislative positions.

“It’s important that young people have an understanding of the important policy issues that directly impact the productivity and economic well-being of our farms and the soybean industry,” said ASA President Ron Moore, a farmer from Roseville, Ill. “ASA appreciates Valent’s support of this valuable program that helps to cultivate future voices for agriculture in Washington.”

The three-and-a-half day program was packed with activities and valuable networking opportunities including the chance to hear from ASA and Valent’s Washington representatives and a Senate Ag Committee staff member about their current positions and past career experience. The group also attended an ASA policy issues briefing, Capitol Hill visits with farmer-leaders, a visit to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), a presentation from an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) representative, and a meeting at CropLife America’s office for additional education on talking with consumers about modern agriculture.



WD-40 Launches Product Line for Ag Equipment

A dusty blue-and-yellow can of WD-40 is a common sight in farm shops across the U.S. Now, the company is hoping a new lineup of specialized greases will also prove to be invaluable for keeping farm machinery in top condition.

In particular, farmers may be able to put the Superior Performance True Multi-Purpose Grease to many good uses, according to WD-40 brand manager Shannon Edwards.

"We think it's the only grease you'll ever need," she says. "It's reliable at temperatures above 650*F, it's water-resistant against rust and corrosion, and it's engineered for heavy duty applications for the farming industry."

Edwards says there are no storage concerns or restrictions, and that the grease has been tested on a broad range of farm equipment.

"It's a pretty lengthy list we go through," she says.

All products are compatible with each other, according to Edwards. They are currently available at Home Depot, with distribution efforts underway to additional automotive retailers and tractor supply stores.