Wednesday July 5 Ag News

NEBRASKA EXTENSION OFFERS CROP MANAGEMENT CLINICS

Agribusiness professionals and crop producers will have an opportunity to take a close-up look at field conditions, research and techniques at Nebraska Extension Crop Management Diagnostic Clinics in July and August at the Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center near Mead. 

"Benefits of the crop management and diagnostic clinics include one-on-one attention, on-site plot demonstrations, interaction with other participants, discussions about cutting-edge research and an opportunity to earn continuing education credits through the Certified Crop Adviser program," said Keith Glewen, Nebraska Extension educator.  The clinics are:

> July 18: Improving and maintaining soil health is essential to the productivity of land for current and future use. Nebraska Extension is partnering with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service to provide a Soil Health Clinic. The in-field training is ideal for agribusiness professionals and those who work with soil management. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m., and the clinic is from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

> Aug. 2: The Precision Ag Clinic focuses on implementing and understanding precision ag technologies and their use in crop production. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m., and the clinic is from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

> Aug. 23: The Soybean Production Clinic includes plots with growth and development at a range of vegetative/reproductive growth stages. The clinic will provide opportunities for hands-on interaction and to see demos up close. Registration begins at 8 a.m., and the clinic is from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

> Aug. 24: The Corn Production Clinic includes plots with growth and development at a range of vegetative/reproductive growth stages. The clinic will provide opportunities for hands-on interaction and to see demos up close. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m., and the clinic is from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Participants will meet at the August N. Christenson Research and Education Building at the Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center (formerly the Agricultural Research and Development Center).

Early registration is recommended to reserve a seat and resource materials. Cost for one clinic is $95 for those registering one week in advance and $120 afterward. Special pricing is available for those registering for both the Aug. 23 and 24 clinics: $150 by Aug. 18, $200 afterward.

For CCA credit information, additional details or to register, contact the Nebraska Extension CMDC Programs, 1071 County Road G, Ithaca, NE 68033, call 800-529-8030, fax 402-624-8010, e-mail cdunbar2@unl.edu or visit http://ardc.unl.edu/cmdc.shtml.



REMOVE BALES SOON AFTER HARVEST
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist

               Many fields have been cut and baled for hay lately.  Looking around, though, I see many of those bales still in the middle of fields.

               Bales and stacks of hay left in the middle of fields have to be removed sometime.  After the final cutting for the year, it may not matter too much if they set there for a while.  But when more harvests are expected from that field, delaying removal can be harmful.

               One problem is directly under the bale or stack.  Plants underneath often are killed if covered for more than a week or two.  This may not hurt yield too much, but makes for a great place for weeds to get started.  And you know how they can spread.

               Most of the damage, though, is due to wheel traffic on the regrowth.  Studies have shown that when fields are dry, plants driven on right after harvest and before regrowth occurs will yield about 5 to 7 percent less at next cutting.  It gets much worse if you wait to remove bales.  Just seven days after cutting, when regrowth shoots had started to grow, yield was reduced over 25 percent and fewer of these plants survived.

               Worse yet is removing bales when fields are wet.  Then wheel traffic causes much more compaction.  When this happens, yield loss typically exceeds 30 percent.

               These studies emphasized the benefits of baling and removing bales from hay fields as quickly as possible after cutting as well as minimizing driving on wet soils.  They also suggest that following the same wheel track when removing bales or stacks from fields can reduce losses from wheel tracks by limiting the total area damaged.

               Hay fields must be driven on, of course, to remove bales after harvest.  But you can lessen damage by controlling where, when and how often you drive.



Grassland Fall Seminar Series and Leu Lecture Set

The Center for Grassland Studies will present a new round of the Fall Seminar Series between Aug. 28 and Dec. 4. The free one-hour sessions, which are open to the public, are held in the Nebraska East Union at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

The presentations are an opportunity to highlight the work associates of the Center for Grassland Studies are conducting, and to bring internal and external groups together to form cooperative working relationships. In addition, the series provides students with an avenue to earn class credit, or to present at a national conference.

Each series features a Frank and Margaret Leu Distinguished Lecturer, a nationally recognized person with expertise in some aspect of grassland management. The 2017 Leu Lecturer is Dr. David Briske, a professor in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management at Texas A&M University. Dr. Briske's research interests include physiological plant ecology, ecosystem science, and global change biology. Dr. Briske will lecture on Nov. 6.

Some of the additional sessions will address topics such as photographic inquiry of vegetative heterogeneity in the Sandhills, managing an integrated cow-calf system, utilizing Animal Unit Month as a tool for planning and management in range and pasture, and developing an integrated cow/calf system in eastern Nebraska.

For more information about the series, contact the Center for Grassland Studies at (402) 472-4101. Additional information about speakers and topics will be posted at grassland.unl.edu/upcoming-seminars as it becomes available.



Iowa State University Northwest Iowa Research and Demonstration Farm Field Day Set for July 12

Information of interest to farmers in northwest Iowa will be presented July 12 at a field day at the Iowa State University Northwest Iowa Research and Demonstration Farm near Sutherland.  The field day is open to the public at the farm, which is located at 6320 500th St. near Sutherland. Check-in and registration will begin at 9 a.m. with the program starting at 9:30 a.m.

“The field day will give farmers and the public a chance to see current research projects and talk with the researchers involved in the experiments,” Joel DeJong, an Iowa State University Extension and Outreach field agronomist, said. “Participants also will be able to ask questions about the latest in the agriculture industry.”

The scheduled presentations and speakers include:
-    The 2017-18 Crop Market Outlook:  The Search for Higher Prices by Chad Hart, extension economist
-    Soybean Aphids and Insecticide Resistance by Erin Hodgson, extension entomologist
-    Where Are We With Aerial Imaging and UAVs? by Ryan Bergman, precision ag specialist
-    Agronomic and Weed Management Issues from the 2017 Growing Season by Joel DeJong and Paul Kassel, extension field agronomists

 Following the morning program, lunch will be available for a minimal charge.  The farm is located 1/4 mile east of Highway 59 on B-62, about two miles south of Calumet or about 12 miles north of Cherokee.



Renewable Energy Group Announces Resignation of CEO

Ames, Iowa-based Renewable Energy Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGI) announced today that Daniel J. Oh has resigned as President and Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the Company’s Board of Directors.  The resignation was effective July 3, 2017.

 “The Board appreciates Dan’s work in guiding REG to its position as the industry leader with sales of over $2 billion in 2016, as well as his willingness to assist on transitional matters over the next several months.  We wish him the best in his future endeavors,” said Jeff Stroburg, Chairman of the REG Board of Directors.  Oh commented, “I am extremely proud of the REG team and the success we achieved over the past ten years.”

The Board of Directors appointed long-time director Randolph (Randy) L. Howard as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer.

Mr. Howard has served as a member of REG’s Board of Directors since February 2007, serving on both the Company’s Audit Committee and Nominating and Governance Committee and as chair of the Board’s Risk Management Committee.  Mr. Howard has extensive leadership experience in all aspects of a complex energy business, including international experience.  He was as a senior executive with Unocal Corporation for 33 years, including time as President of its large North Asian Energy business, Vice President of Refining and Vice President of Supply, Trading and Transportation.  Those positions included responsibility for crude, product and natural gas trading, as well as oversight of the Pipelines, Terminals, and Marine Shipping functions.

“We expect a seamless transition and firmly believe Randy Howard is an ideal choice to begin taking REG to the next level,” Stroburg said.  “Randy is well known to our management team and has been deeply involved in setting our existing strategy, to which we remain firmly committed.  The Board is confident that Randy will help sustain and advance the momentum in our near-term strategic initiatives, including our efforts to increase the profitability from our base biodiesel business, grow our renewable hydrocarbon diesel platform and capture additional downstream margins by continuing to expand our market penetration.  We are confident that the Company is in excellent hands as we begin the search for a new CEO."

Howard commented, “I look forward to an even deeper involvement with REG as we continue to grow our capabilities and reach. REG has a solid team of senior leaders and world class employees who will continue to operate our business in the same manner our customers, vendors, and shareholders expect.  We see near-term opportunities to substantially increase our earnings power, as we outlined in our recent analyst day presentation, and I intend to keep our team highly focused on realizing this potential.”



Cattle Prices Hit Summer Swoon
David P. Anderson, Professor and Extension Economist
Department of Agricultural Economics, Texas A&M University

Fed cattle prices took another step lower to end June, finishing up in the low $120s per cwt across fed cattle country.  Prices dropped about $17 per cwt over the course of the month.  While the average price for the week remained just above last year's price the ratcheting down of cattle prices looks a lot like last year's price chart pattern.  Not only have cattle prices declined, but the Choice beef cutout is down about $25 per cwt over the same time period.

Why lower prices?  One reason is getting all the beef orders filled for the early summer holidays of Memorial Day and Independence Day.  Now that those big demand holidays are past, some pressure is off.  And it's a long time until Labor Day.  Following relatively tight supplies fueled by a rapid pace of slaughter earlier in the year and fed cattle weights well below a year ago, supplies are starting to increase, seasonally.  Steer slaughter remains slightly above last year's pace, while heifer slaughter in recent weeks has run close to 10 percent above last year.  Dressed weights are also increasing, as the usually do this time of year.  Steer dressed weights have increased 23 pounds since they bottomed at 832 pounds.

The weeks following Memorial Day saw a dramatic increase in beef cow slaughter, up about 10,000 head per week, almost 20 percent more than the same weeks in 2016.  For the year, beef cow slaughter is up about 9.8 percent over last year.  About 62 percent of the increase in total beef cow slaughter is in the Southern Plains region, including Texas and Oklahoma.  While cull cow prices in the Southern Plains have increased slightly over the past month, the cow beef cutout and 90 percent lean wholesale beef price have increased sharply.  The boxed cow-beef cutout hit $180 per cwt last week, up steadily from $158 at the beginning of the year.  This cutout has increased $8 per cwt over the last month.  Wholesale boneless beef, 90 percent lean hit $229 per cwt the last week of June, up from $218 the same week last year.  The strength in lean boneless beef is indicative of relatively tight supplies of lean beef for ground beef and apparently good interest in hamburgers from consumers.

USDA's Hogs and Pigs report came out at the end of June.  While we normally focus on beef in this newsletter, this report indicated that pork production should continue to increase.  The pork industry has managed to push hog prices above a year ago due to good domestic and export pork demand and demand for hogs by opening a couple new packing plants.



EPA Proposes RFS Volumes Reflective of Market Realities for 2018

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) signed a proposed rule setting the minimum amount of renewable fuels that must be supplied to the market in calendar year 2018 under the Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS) program.  Today’s action proposes volume requirements and associated percentage standards that maintain renewable fuel volumes at levels comparable to the 2017 standards, recognizing limits to the growth of cellulosic and advanced biofuels.

EPA is committed to successfully administering the RFS consistent with the direction entrusted to the Agency by Congress and is on track to meet the November 30th statutory deadline to make today’s proposed Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) final.  The proposed volumes are based on requirements under the law and an analysis of current market dynamics, including energy demand, biofuel production, and market constraints. The proposed standards will help stabilize the renewable fuels program and provide certainty for stakeholders.

“Increased fuel security is an important component of the path toward American energy dominance,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “We are proposing new volumes consistent with market realities focused on actual production and consumer demand while being cognizant of the challenges that exist in bringing advanced biofuels into the marketplace. Timely implementation provides certainty to American refiners, the agriculture community and broader fuels industry, all of which play an important role in the RFS program.”

Some key elements of today’s action:
·         Non-advanced or “conventional” renewable fuel volumes are maintained at the 15-billion gallon target set by Congress.
·         The biomass-based diesel standard for 2019 would be maintained at the 2018 levels of 2.1 billion gallons.
·         EPA is beginning technical analysis that will inform a future rule to reset the statutory volumes for cellulosic, advanced, and total biofuels. The law requires this reset when certain conditions are met.

EPA is also taking comment on addressing concerns that some RFS obligations are increasingly met with imported fuel from Brazil, Argentina and Indonesia. Additionally, the Agency is assessing higher levels of ethanol-free gasoline and bolstering an existing memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission​ (CFTC) to analyze and address a host of market concerns, including the need for increased transparency.

“The Clean Air Act requires EPA to reset volume targets when certain conditions are met. We expect those conditions to be met in the near future, so we are conducting technical analysis now, to inform future reset rules,” said Administrator Pruitt.

Proposed and Final Renewable Fuel Volume Requirements for 2014-2019
                                                                 2017      Proposed 2018   Proposed 2019
Cellulosic biofuel (million gallons):          311                  238                        n/a
Biomass-based diesel (billion gallons):     2.0                  2.1*                       2.1
Advanced biofuel (billion gallons):           4.28                4.24                        n/a
Renewable fuel (billion gallons):              19.28             19.24                       n/a
*Biomass-based diesel standard is final for 2018.

For more information on today’s announcement, go to: https://www.epa.gov/renewable-fuel-standard-program/2017-announcements-renewable-fuel-standard.  



Fischer on EPA’s Proposed 2018 Renewable Volume Obligations

U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, today released the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the proposed 2018 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVO) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS):

“Nebraska producers are leaders in ethanol production and biofuel investment. I’m happy to see the EPA’s proposed conventional RVOs comply with the law. Our producers need more certainty given the status of our current farm economy. Moving forward, I'm optimistic that the voices of all stakeholders can be heard during the public comment period."

Earlier this year, Fischer questioned EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt during his nomination hearing about the RFS. In their exchange, Pruitt committed to follow the law and honor the congressionally mandated timelines and the volume requirements under the RFS.

By law, EPA is required to finalize the upcoming year’s mandates for conventional ethanol and most advanced biofuels by November 30 of the previous year. A public comment period is open following the release of the proposed volume obligations.

Nebraska is the second largest ethanol producing state in the nation with 25 ethanol plants that have the capacity to produce more than 2 billion gallons annually. Ethanol contributes $5 billion to Nebraska’s economy every year and provides Nebraskans with more than 1,300 full-time jobs.



NCGA Statement on EPA’s Proposed 2018 Renewable Volume Obligation

The following is a statement from Texas farmer Wesley Spurlock, president of the National Corn Growers Association, in response to today’s announcement by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the proposed 2018 renewable volume obligation (RVO) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

“We are pleased to see EPA pick up where last year’s RFS rulemaking left off and propose a rule that keeps the RFS on track for conventional ethanol production. EPA’s proposal is good for farmers who are facing tough economic times and good for consumers who want affordable fuel choices that give us a cleaner environment.

“The Renewable Fuel Standard has been a resounding success: cleaner air, greater energy independence, and stronger rural communities. We call on the EPA to keep the RFS moving forward in line with the law and in a timely manner. Doing so will bring greater stability and certainty to the marketplace and spur increased investment in renewable fuels.

“NCGA will continue working with both public and private sector partners to grow our national fuel infrastructure so that consumers around the world will have greater access to cleaner-burning renewable fuels.

“In the coming weeks, EPA needs to hear from all of us. If you want cleaner air, a stronger farm economy and vibrant rural communities, and greater energy independence, stand up for the Renewable Fuel Standard. Tell EPA thank you for proposing the RVO at the statutory level for conventional fuels, and ask EPA to support a growing biofuels sector and stronger RFS when issuing the final rule in the fall.”



ASA: RFS Volumes a Missed Opportunity for Biodiesel

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the proposed Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) volumes for biomass-based diesel for 2019 and the advanced biofuels volumes for 2018, calling for biomass-based diesel volumes of 2.1 billion gallons for 2019, the same level established by EPA for 2018. For the advanced biofuels volumes, EPA has proposed 4.24 billion gallons for 2018, below the 4.28 level established for 2017. American Soybean Association (ASA) President and Illinois farmer Ron Moore signaled ASA’s frustration with the levels in a statement:

“The lack of growth in the biomass-based diesel volumes and the reduction in advanced biofuels volumes is certainly disappointing and a missed opportunity by the Administration to demonstrate their support for the U.S. biodiesel and soybean industries. As a point of reference, there were approximately 2.9 billion gallons of biodiesel and renewable diesel utilized in the U.S. in 2016. ASA and our biodiesel industry partners have urged EPA to set the RFS levels for biomass-based diesel at 2.75 billion gallons for 2019. To have the levels proposed be no higher than called for in 2018 and less than what is being utilized in 2016 is disappointing and would miss an opportunity to utilize surplus soybean oil to diversify our fuel supply and boost jobs, particularly in rural America.

“ASA believes the volumes for the biomass-based diesel category and the over-arching advanced biofuels category should be higher to capitalize on the opportunity to boost domestic biodiesel production. ASA, along with the National Biodiesel Board, supported RFS volumes at a level of 2.75 billion gallons for biomass-based diesel in 2019 and 5.25 billion gallons of total advanced biofuels for 2018. The advanced biofuels volume requirements provide an important market opportunity for soy biodiesel, which is the most prevalent fuel to qualify as an advanced biofuel.

"The levels proposed do not take full advantage of an opportunity to further promote the viable, domestically produced renewable fuel industry that is U.S. biodiesel. This is only the beginning of the process, and in the coming weeks ASA and U.S. soybean farmers will meet with EPA and others in the Administration to demonstrate the value of increased biodiesel volumes for both farmers and consumers nationwide.”



Proposed RVOs Signal Administration Holding to Promise of Support for Renewable Fuel Standard, but More Certainty Needed

Today the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released proposed 2018 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The total renewable fuel volume is proposed to be 19.24 billion gallons, while the proposed conventional biofuel amount of 15 billion gallons maintains the level set in the final RVOs for 2017. The proposal also calls for 4.24 billion gallons of advanced biofuel, including 238 million gallons of cellulosic biofuel.

In response, Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor issued the following statement:

“The release of the proposed RVOs is the first real test of the current administration’s pledged support for renewable fuels, and we are encouraged to see the EPA demonstrate President Trump’s continued commitment to the Renewable Fuel Standard.

“Information from the Department of Energy, as well as from the numerous retailers across the country selling higher biofuel blends, confirm what we’ve known for years – there is no ‘blend wall.’ More and more of America’s drivers are choosing higher biofuel blends, like E15, and fulfilling the promise of the RFS.

“While we are pleased with the EPA and Administration’s commitment to a 15-billion-gallon target for conventional biofuels, we would like to see final levels for cellulosic and advanced biofuels continue to give producers and stakeholders certainty in their investment in second generation technology.

“The RFS is a great American success story: It has helped provide consumers with real choice and savings at the pump, while also strengthening our economy, delivering greater energy independence, and improving our environment.”



ACE reaction to proposed 2018 RVOs

Brian Jennings, executive vice president of the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), issued the following statement on the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) for the 2018 Renewable Fuel Standard.

“ACE is grateful EPA is proposing to maintain the 15-billion-gallon conventional biofuel blending requirement for 2018. This issue is of paramount importance to America’s farmers—who are reeling from oversupplies and low prices—and the rural communities that depend upon a strong farm economy.”

“Given the delay in issuing the proposal, it is imperative that Administrator Pruitt ensures the process moves forward in a timely manner to meet the final rule publishing date of Nov. 30. We are grateful EPA will hold a public hearing on the proposal and urge the Agency to expedite the process of finalizing strong blending targets to help restore confidence to the rural economy and reassure retailers that it makes sense to offer E15 and flex fuels like E30 and E85 to their customers.”

“The RFS is meant to drive increasing levels of domestic biofuel production and use and we are encouraged EPA is taking a hard look at whether Brazilian sugarcane ethanol should continue to be preferentially treated under the RFS in a manner that displaces lower carbon, domestically produced corn ethanol in the marketplace.  We urge the Agency to take advantage of the comment period to fine tune the cellulosic and advanced blending targets so further investment can be made in domestic cellulosic and advanced biofuel facilities.”

“Finally, as stated many times before, ACE strongly opposes EPA’s previous misapplication of the RFS general waiver authority to use so-called ‘infrastructure constraints’ as an excuse to ride the brakes on RVOs.  That is why we are petitioners in Americans for Clean Energy et al. vs. EPA, a lawsuit pending in the U.S. Court of Appeals for D.C.  We are encouraged by the oral arguments made about this case in April and look forward to the Court deciding in our favor soon.”



 NFU Statement on EPA’s RFS Volume Targets

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today released the Trump Administration’s first proposed set of volume obligations for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The proposal maintains the conventional biofuel amount at 15 billion gallons, yet lowers obligations for advanced biofuels, including biodiesel, and ultimately falls nearly 7 billion gallons short of the levels prescribed by Congress in the RFS statute.

In response to the proposal, National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson issued the following statement:

“While we’re pleased to see proposed conventional renewable fuels obligations remain consistent with the RFS statute, the overall proposal falls short of preserving the integrity of the RFS – which is to drive the biofuels market and grow the industry.

“For the past year, President Trump and his administration have assured family farmers and rural residents that this administration plans to support biofuels and uphold the intent of Congress as it relates to the RFS. But today’s disappointing proposal, by lowering volume obligations for the next generation of biofuels, seems to back off these assurances.

“As family farmers navigate a severely depressed farm economy, this is a time the administration should be raising expectations for a policy that drives many economies in rural America. We urge the administration to reconsider this action and to increase these proposed obligations to meet the levels as written by Congress.”



Growth Energy, RFA, USGC release statement on Brazil’s delayed decision on ethanol import tariff

The Executive Management Committee of CAMEX, Brazil’s Chamber of Foreign Trade, announced today it would delay a decision on a pending proposal to impose a tariff of up to 17 percent on Brazil’s imports of U.S. ethanol. The following is a joint statement on this action from U.S. Grains Council (USGC) President and CEO Tom Sleight, Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) President and CEO Bob Dinneen and Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor:

“We are encouraged to see Brazil’s continued postponement on a decision regarding a pending proposal to impose tariffs on U.S. ethanol imports. Our organizations have been tracking this issue for months and have worked heavily in Washington, D.C., and Brasilia to provide all necessary information to the Brazilian government on this issue. Imposing tariffs on U.S. ethanol imports will hurt Brazilian consumers by driving up their costs at the pump. Additionally, this action on U.S. ethanol imports will go against Brazil’s own longstanding view that ethanol tariffs are inappropriate and will harm the development of the global ethanol industry. We will continue this work and appreciate the thoughtful consideration Brazilian officials are taking on a proposal that could have wide-ranging and long-standing impacts on both our industries and the global fuel supply.”



USDA:  Fats and Oils: Oilseed Crushings, Production, Consumption and Stocks

Soybeans crushed for crude oil was 4.72 million tons (157 million bushels) in May 2017, compared to 4.49 million tons (150 million bushels) in April 2017 and 4.83 million tons (161 million bushels) in May 2016. Crude oil produced was 1.83 billion pounds up 6 percent from April 2017 but down 2 percent from May 2016. Soybean once refined oil production at 1.45 billion pounds during May 2017 increased 11 percent from April 2017 and increased slightly from May 2016.

Canola seeds crushed for crude oil was 114 thousand tons in May 2017, compared to 164 thousand tons in April 2017 and 132 thousand tons in May 2016. Canola crude oil produced was 93.1 million pounds down 34 percent from April 2017 and down 17 percent from May 2016. Canola once refined oil production at 99.5 million pounds during May 2017 was down 21 percent from April 2017 and down 27 percent from May 2016. Cottonseed once refined oil production at 34.9 million pounds during May 2017 was down 27 percent from April 2017 and down 21 percent from May 2016.

Edible tallow production was 73.3 million pounds during May 2017, up slightly from April 2017 but down 12 percent from May 2016. Inedible tallow production was 321 million pounds during May 2017, up 11 percent from April 2017 and up 10 percent from May 2016. Technical tallow production was 107 million pounds during May 2017, up 20 percent from April 2017 but down 5 percent from May 2016. Choice white grease production at 109 million pounds during May 2017 increased 7 percent from April 2017 but decreased 7 percent from May 2016.



USDA Grain Crushings and Co-Products Production

Total corn consumed for alcohol and other uses was 508 million bushels in May 2017. Total corn consumption was up 3 percent from April 2017 and up 6 percent from May 2016. May 2017 usage included 90.9 percent for alcohol and 9.1 percent for other purposes. Corn consumed for beverage alcohol totaled 3.08 million bushels, up 3 percent from April 2017 and up 8 percent from
May 2016. Corn for fuel alcohol, at 452 million bushels, was up 3 percent from April 2017 and up 6 percent from May 2016. Corn consumed in May 2017 for dry milling fuel production and wet milling fuel production was 89.6 percent and 10.4 percent respectively.

Dry mill co-product production of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) was 1.91 million tons during May 2017, up 9 percent from April 2017 and up 3 percent from May 2016. Distillers wet grains (DWG) 65 percent or more moisture was 1.36 million tons in May 2017, up 5 percent from April 2017 and up 10 percent from May 2016.

Wet mill corn gluten feed production was 341 thousand tons during May 2017, down 2 percent from April 2017 but up 2 percent from May 2016. Wet corn gluten feed 40 to 60 percent moisture was 314 thousand tons in May 2017, up 11 percent from April 2017 and up 2 percent from May 2016.