Thursday September 14 Ag News

HUSKER-LED PROJECT AIMS TO BOOST CLIMATE LITERACY

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is working with Nebraska high schools to develop an online tool focused on climate modeling.

Cory Forbes, associate professor of science education in the School of Natural Resources at Nebraska, will lead the four-year project funded by a $1.7 million grant from the National Science Foundation. To develop the curriculum, the team will use global climate models, which are used to produce daily weather reports and climate-related news. While the general public rarely comes into contact with the models, they are commonly used by NASA scientists.

"A lot of science in today's world is based around these computer-based models, something historically K-12 students don't really have a lot of exposure to," Forbes said. “Students need an understanding of how these models are used in science."

Forbes said the team will use climate as a launch-pad for high school students to explore other issues related to food, energy and water. For instance, students will use the tool to look at historical data and climate trend predictions in the Great Plains to see how they might impact the agricultural economy and other industries.

Forbes will work with Mark Chandler, a climate scientist at Columbia University who also works at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies; Devarati Bhattacharya, a K-16 STEM education postdoctoral fellow at Nebraska; and partner school districts throughout the state to develop, implement and assess the new curriculum. Funding also supports a doctoral student and undergraduate student researchers. 

"We’re taking the largest computational models on the planet and getting them into the hands of high school students in Nebraska," Chandler said.

Martha Shulski, director of the Nebraska State Climate Office, will advise the team on curriculum development.

"Educating youth on climate and climate change will help lead to an informed public that is able to navigate this complex issue that impacts us all," Shulski said.

The first phase of the project will be focused on designing and piloting locally relevant, standards-based curriculum built around the online tool. The team will work with a small number of Lincoln Public School teachers to develop the curriculum, which will be piloted in high school science classrooms in LPS and other districts. By the project's fourth year, the team expects to include 55 secondary teachers and 3,000 students. 

Climate change is an interdisciplinary core idea included in Nebraska's new science standards. The project also contributes to the missions of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources' Science Literacy Initiative and Nebraska Collaborative for Food, Energy and Water Education. They are core parts of IANR's efforts to foster a scientifically literate society capable of making effective decisions grounded in science-informed analysis of complex, real-world challenges associated with food, fuel, water, landscape and people.



 2018 NEBRASKA GROWER AND BREWER CONFERENCE AND TRADE SHOW TO BE HELD JAN. 18-19

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln has announced the dates for the second annual Nebraska Grower and Brewer Conference and Trade Show. The two-day conference will be held Thursday and Friday, Jan. 18-19, 2018, at Embassy Suites Omaha – Downtown/Old Market, 555 S. 10th St., Omaha.

The two-day event will feature a variety of sessions for hop growers and craft brewers. Several prominent speakers from around the country will be on hand to discuss market outlook, horticultural practices of growing hops, pest and disease control, harvest and post-harvest practices, nutrient management, legal and regulatory topics, water sciences, marketing and branding, crop and brewery insurance and much more.

A networking reception featuring a Nebraska-hopped beer, brewed specifically for this conference, will be held Thursday evening, Jan. 18th and is open to all conference attendees.

This event is sponsored by the University’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Nebraska Hop Growers Association, Nebraska Craft Brewers Guild and Midwest Hop Producers, LLC.

There will be a discount for those who register before December first.

For more information and to register, visit http://www.growbrewnebraska.com/. Follow along on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/negrowerbrewerconference/. 



 Nebraska Farmers Union Brings 8 Members to Washington to Advocate on Behalf of Family Farmers and Ranchers

Eight Nebraska Farmers Union (NeFU)Members returned home from Washington, D.C. after participating in the National Farmers Union (NFU) Fly-In that included 320 Farmers Union members from across the nation.

“Times are tough right now for American family farmers and ranchers,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “And when times get tough for farmers, Farmers Union members step up and advocate.”

NeFU President John Hansen said his participants were polite, but not shy about sharing the fact that times were tough out in the country.  They explained that agriculture has seen a dramatic, 50 percent drop in farm income over the past four years.  Congress needs to step up their efforts to address the growing crisis in farm and ranch country.  These economic problems are directly tied to failed farm and trade policies and are not going to magically disappear,” he said.  “Farmers and their bankers need a strong and swift response from Congress before ag loans are considered.” 

NeFU District 2 Board of Director Jim Knopik of Belgrade said, “It is up to us farmers and ranchers to share our views, problems, and concerns with our elected officials.  It is up to our elected officials to listen, and then respond in an appropriate way.  We think they listened to our concerns.  Time will tell whether or not Congress comes up with a better Farm Bill, works across party lines to fix health care issues, and accelerate the use of more renewable energy and bio fuels. Congress needs to heal itself by working together across party lines so it can function better and do the people’s business.”

Monday morning NFU Fly-In participants began with a briefing at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). NFU members heard from USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue, USDA Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett, National Resources Conservation Service Acting Chief Leonard Jordan and USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service Administrator Hubert Hamer.

Monday afternoon, participants visited Capitol Hill where they heard from the House and Senate Agriculture Committees majority and minority staff, and also asked questions and shared perspectives.  Participants heard differing views on the level of funding available for the Farm Bill, approaches to farm policy, rural development, and .

Tuesday and Wednesday were spent on Capitol Hill as participants met in small-group meetings with all 535 congressional offices. NeFU members met with House of Representatives Jeff Fortenberry, Don Bacon, and Adrian Smith and Senators Ben Sasse and Deb Fischer.

This year, the Fly-In focused on the need to strengthen the farm safety net in the next Farm Bill; support homegrown renewable energy development; and ensure family farmers and ranchers have access to affordable and quality health care.



NFU Honors 33 Congressional Champions of Agriculture with Golden Triangle Award

National Farmers Union (NFU) proudly recognized 33 outstanding U.S. Senators and Representatives who have demonstrated leadership and support at the federal policymaking level for family farmers, ranchers and their rural communities.

The Golden Triangle Award, the family farm organization’s highest legislative honor, will be presented to recipients at an awards reception tonight, during NFU’s Fall Legislative Fly-In.

“The Golden Triangle Award recognizes farm and food champions in Congress that display outstanding leadership on the issues that are important to both our industry and our organization. We’re appreciative of their insight and devotion to securing the nation’s food supply for the good of both American family farmers and consumers,” said NFU President Roger Johnson.

The Golden Triangle, first presented in 1988, symbolizes the core principles of the Farmers Union organization: education, cooperation, and legislation. This year’s Golden Triangle honorees were selected for their leadership and dedication to improving the livelihoods of family farmers and ranchers.

The 2017 recipients of the Golden Triangle Award are:
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin
U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, Colorado
U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, Ohio
U.S. Senator Bob Casey, Pennsylvania
U.S. Senator Steve Daines, Montana
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, Illinois
U.S. Senator Al Franken, Minnesota
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, New York
U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp, North Dakota
U.S. Senator John Hoeven, North Dakota
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota
U.S. Senator Ed Markey, Massachusetts
U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, Missouri
U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, Oregon
U.S. Senator Christopher Murphy, Connecticut
U.S. Senator Gary Peters, Michigan
U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, New York
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Michigan
U.S. Senator Jon Tester, Montana
U.S. Representative Cheri Bustos, Illinois
U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro, Connecticut
U.S. Representative Jeff Fortenberry, Nebraska
U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard, Hawaii
U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur, Ohio
U.S. Representative Ann Kuster, New Hampshire
U.S. Representative Dave Loebsack, Iowa
U.S. Representative Michelle Lujan Grisham, New Mexico
U.S. Representative Jim McGovern, Massachusettes
U.S. Representative Rick Nolan, Minnesota
U.S. Representative Nancy Pelosi, California
U.S. Representative Collin Peterson, Minnesota
U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree, Maine
U.S. Representative Tim Walz, Minnesota



SHIC Rapid Response Corps Training Now Live

Memories of PEDv are never far from pork industry stakeholders’ minds. Anticipating another novel or transboundary disease will someday strike, the Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) took on creation of a Rapid Response Program including the infrastructure ability to respond to an outbreak from a known or unknown etiology. SHIC funded a proposal from Iowa State University to develop the Rapid Response Program including creation of a Rapid Response Corps, a team of skilled and purposefully trained persons.

Training for Corps members is now available online at the SHIC website. While Corps members will be required to participate in the online training, it is open to all who are interested in the Rapid Response Program or wish to grow their knowledge of epidemiological investigation and processes. The objective of the newly available training program is to standardize the conduct of epidemiological investigations conducted by the Rapid Response Corps in the event of a swine disease outbreak.

“Quick response in the event of a new incident requires collaboration, training, and willingness to participate in the process,” remarked Dr. Paul Sundberg, executive director of SHIC. Corps members have been identified through nomination and recruited to join the Rapid Response Program. The Corps will consist of veterinarians, state and federal animal health officials, diagnosticians, virologists, and epidemiologists.

When a disease investigation is requested by a producer or veterinarian, SHIC will coordinate engaging Rapid Response Corps members in the appropriate region.  Within 72 hours of notification, a Rapid Response Team will be able to be on site to conduct the epidemiological investigation in cooperation with the producer and veterinarian. SHIC has a cooperative agreement with USDA to help fund the Rapid Response Corps investigations.



Roberts, Stabenow Announce Hearing on USDA Nominees

U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., announced the Committee will hold a hearing to consider two nominations within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Tuesday, Sept. 19. The nominations include American Soybean Association (ASA) CEO Steve Censky, to be deputy secretary of agriculture, and also Ted McKinney to be under secretary of agriculture for trade and foreign agricultural affairs.



EIA increases 2017, 2018 ethanol production forecasts

The U.S. Energy Information Administration has increased its 2017 and 2018 ethanol production forecasts in the September edition of its Short-Term Energy Outlook. The U.S. is now expected to produce 1.03 million barrels of ethanol per day this year, increasing to 1.04 million barrels per day next year. Last year, production averaged 1 million barrels per day. In the August STEO, the EIA predicted 2017 ethanol production would average 1.02 million barrels per day, falling to 1.01 million barrels per day in 2018.

On a quarterly basis, the EIA predicts ethanol production will average 1.03 million barrels per day during the third and fourth quarters of this year. During the first quarter of 2018, ethanol production is expected to be maintained at 1.03 million barrels per day, increasing to 1.04 million barrels per day during the second and third quarters, and increasing to 1.05 million barrels per day during the fourth quarter of next year.

The EIA currently predicts an average of 940,000 barrels of ethanol per day will be blended into motor gasoline this year, maintaining the 2016 blend volume. In 2018, ethanol blending is expected to increase to 960,000 barrels per day.

The STEO also notes U.S. regular gasoline prices reached $2.69 per gallon on Sept. 11, up 29 cents per gallon from Aug. 28 and the highest weekly average since August 2015. EIA forecasts the average U.S. regular gasoline retail price will be $2.61 per gallon in September, falling to $2.40 per gallon in October. These prices are 25 cents per gallon and 10 cents per gallon higher, respectively, when compared to the forecasts made in the August STEO. Regular gasoline prices are expected to fall to $2.23 per gallon in December.

The EIA’s most recent weekly ethanol production data shows production reached 1.047 million barrels per day the week ending Sept. 8, down from a near record setting 1.06 million barrels per day the previous week. The current weekly ethanol production record sits at 1.061 million barrels per day and was set the week ending Jan. 27.

The EIA’s most recent monthly import data shows the U.S. imported 252,000 barrels of ethanol in June, all from Brazil. During the same month, the U.S. exported 2.21 million barrels of ethanol, primarily to Canada, Brazil, and India.



Farm Bureau Urges Lawmakers to Stop the HIT for 2018

Citing a recent report that estimates the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance tax will force families purchasing coverage in the small group market to pay an additional $500 on average in premium costs next year, the American Farm Bureau Federation and 20-plus other organizations representing small businesses are urging the Senate Finance Committee to suspend the HIT for 2018.

“Absent immediate congressional action, our members, as well as seniors, Medicaid beneficiaries and individuals purchasing coverage on their own will face a $14.3 billion tax hike, driving up the cost of coverage for those struggling to afford the cost of care,” the groups—all members of the Stop the HIT Coalition—wrote to Senate Finance Committee Chair Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

The groups noted that previous congressional efforts to provide HIT relief—including bipartisan action from nearly 400 Republicans and Democrats in the House and the Senate to suspend the HIT for 2017—represented a significant step forward for small businesses.

The House this spring approved legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. The American Health Care Act of 2017 (H.R. 1628) also repealed the health insurance tax, ended penalties on employers that fail to purchase health insurance for their workers and eliminated penalties for individuals who fail to purchase health insurance.

While efforts to pass an ACA repeal and replace bill fizzled out in the Senate earlier this summer, some lawmakers in that chamber are pressing on. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chair Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) has teamed up with Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.) in an effort to draft legislation geared toward stabilizing health insurance markets. Also, Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Dean Heller (R-Nev.) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) recently announced legislation that would convert ACA funding into block grants.

In addition, the Senate HELP Committee conducted a series of ACA hearings over the past two weeks and the Senate Finance Committee is holding a hearing on Sept. 14 on health care issues.



ECJ Ruling on Member State GMO Bans a Victory over the Precautionary Principle

The American Soybean Association (ASA) welcomed news yesterday that the European Court of Justice ruled EU member state governments cannot ban cultivation of genetically engineered crops in the absence of scientific evidence of risk to human health. ASA President Ron Moore, a soybean farmer from Roseville, Ill., issued the following statement on the ruling:

“From a scientific standpoint, today’s ECJ ruling is a comforting one. The Court’s decision reverses the ‘precautionary principle,’ which has been the EU’s longstanding default argument that, in the absence of proof that a product is absolutely safe, unverified concerns about its safety are sufficient to ban either importation or cultivation. Unfortunately for the last 20 years, this unscientific approach has given rise to an equally unscientific patchwork of restrictions or prohibitions on EU imports and cultivation of biotech crops by member states, even after those products have been approved by the European Food Safety Authority, not to mention countless other food safety and global health agencies. We are happy to see this ruling and hope it will lead to similar science-based stances on genetic engineering in Europe in the years to come.”



Southeast Asia Summit Targets Future Regional Grain Demand

Deb Keller, U.S. Grains Council (USGC) chairman, left corn harvest preparations at her farm in Iowa behind this week to speak directly with customers during the Southeast Asia Agricultural Leadership Summit (SEALS) in Auckland, New Zealand.

“The growing importance of the Southeast Asia region for future feed grain demand is why I am here today,” Keller said during opening remarks at her first overseas mission since assuming the role of chairman in August. “This is a critical opportunity for our industry to talk about how we can partner to build together.”

The Summit, jointly organized by the Council and the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC), brought together grain buyers, traders and end-users from across the Southeast Asian region with the goal of enhancing understanding of world grain flows and trends as well as facilitating dialogue on how U.S. feed grains and co-products can meet future regional demand.

According to the World Economic Forum on ASEAN in Cambodia, rapid population growth and climate volatility are projected to push up demand for food in the region by 40 percent by 2050. The Council includes Brunei, Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam in the Southeast Asian region. Together, these countries represent a large and growing market for U.S. feed grains and co-products.

“U.S. farmers know that our growth lies beyond our borders, and that our success depends on building markets, serving customers, working to achieve better trade policy and engaging with the world,” Keller said. “We continue to work with you to serve customers who already know the product is worth using, to introduce DDGS to new buyers and to ensure robust markets stay open.”

In addition to commodity-specific presentations, the conference included discussions on China’s impact on world meat markets, new food security technologies, consumer demographic changes, the changing agenda for trade, price risk management and other topics. Farmers Don Duvall, representing the Illinois Corn Marketing Board, and Wayne Humphreys, representing the Iowa Corn Promotion Board, shared updates from the corn crop harvest currently in progress.

The Council has operated a regional headquarters office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, since 1991 and continues to expand capacity through the region, including recently naming Manuel Sanchez as the new South and Southeast Asia Region Director.

“We often say we are working around the world and around the clock for our members and our customers,” Keller said to Summit attendees. “We know dedication to these markets and additional effort from the Council are needed to continue to see those markets grow and to increase U.S. market share.”



U.S. Tractor Sales Steady in August

According to the Association of Equipment Manufacturer's monthly "Flash Report," the sale of all tractors in the U.S. in August 2017, were up 1% compared to the same month last year.

For the eight months in 2017, a total of 152,178 tractors were sold which compares to 144,883 sold thru July 2016 representing a 5% increase for the year.  Combine sales were down 2% for the month.

For the month, two-wheel drive smaller tractors (under 40 HP) were up 2% from last year, while 40 & under 100 HP were up 2%. Sales of 2-wheel drive 100+ HP were down 13%, while 4-wheel drive tractors were up 66%.

For the year, two-wheel drive smaller tractors (under 40 HP) are up 10% over last year, while 40 & under 100 HP were even. Sales of 2-wheel drive 100+ HP are down 15%, while 4-wheel drive tractors are down 1%.

Sales of combines for the year total 2,459 a decrease of 6% from 2016.



ACE reminds retailers annual E15 restrictions soon lifted

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) is reminding retailers they can resume offering E15 to drivers of all gasoline-powered 2001 and newer passenger vehicles after the low-Reid vapor pressure (RVP) season ends Sept. 15. EPA rules controlling maximum RVP effectively ban the sale of lower-cost, higher-octane E15 from June 1 through Sept. 15 in most of the U.S., even though E15 has a lower RVP and lower emissions than the gasoline sold in those markets each summer.

The industry is as close as it’s ever been to getting RVP relief for E15 and higher blends thanks to bipartisan leadership in Congress and a new way of thinking at EPA, and ACE hopes that this is the last time the organization needs to remind retailers of the end of the RVP restriction.

As Congress reconvenes this fall, ACE will continue to urge Senators to keep exploring ways to enact RVP legislation (S. 517 and H.R. 1311), and Administrator Pruitt is examining legal options for RVP relief at EPA. Record growth and investment in retail infrastructure for flex fuels has occurred over the past two years, with nearly 1,000 locations in 29 states selling E15, and 90 percent of the vehicle market able to use the fuel. ACE emphasizes that it’s important to double down on efforts to make this commonsense RVP fix, with expanding E15 availability and both legislative and administrative options on the table. 

It appeared that the end of the low-RVP season came early this year for many areas, as a result of efforts to address fuel shortages caused by Hurricane Harvey. In an Aug. 31 letter, EPA granted designated states emergency waivers from summer RVP regulations. However, because EPA did not expand the one-pound RVP waiver to blends beyond 10 percent ethanol, gasoline meeting the higher allowable RVP could not be used for E15. In its expansion of the waiver, EPA clarified that retailers would still have to comply with the federal rules associated with selling E15, which includes a registration process and wait for EPA approval that would unlikely be completed before the Sept. 15 end of the low-RVP season.

“Unless a retailer had already planned on marketing E15 in September or was already marketing it in June when the low-RVP season started, it would be virtually impossible to utilize the fuel early,” said Ron Lamberty, ACE Senior Vice President. “Whether an oversight or planned, there was no extension of the one-pound waiver, and it was a missed opportunity. We’re hopeful with the end of the low-RVP season upon us, we can get some traction on this issue.”



Taiwan Flour Millers Sign Letter of Intent to Import U.S. Wheat

Taiwan Flour Millers Association (TFMA) Chairman Tony I. T. Chen (center right) and U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) President Vince Peterson (center left) signed a letter of intent by TFMA to purchase a total of 1.8 million metric tons of U.S. wheat in 2018 and 2019 on Sept. 13, 2017, in the Mansfield Room of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. The ceremony is a part of a biennial Agricultural Trade Goodwill Mission to the United States to purchase grains and other agricultural products for the people of Taiwan. Witnesses to the signing include Congressman Roger Marshall of Kansas (left of Vince Peterson), Representative Stanley Kao, Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (right of Tony Chen) and a Republic of China agricultural minister.

“We all look forward to this event and appreciate the long history of mutually beneficial trade relations with the Taiwan milling and wheat foods industries,” said Peterson.

USW, the U.S. Grains Council, the U.S. Soybean Export Council and the North American Export Grain Association honored delegates from TFMA and Taiwan’s feed and oilseed industries at a reception Sept. 12, 2017, in Washington, D.C. The delegates also signed letters of intent to import U.S. corn and soybeans.

Taiwan is on average the sixth largest market for U.S. wheat. TFMA imports wheat on behalf of all 20 Taiwanese flour mills and has imported far more wheat from the United States compared to other origins, at an average of 1.03 million metric tons (37.9 million bushels) per year since marketing year 2011/12 (June to May).

Significant hard red spring (HRS) imports reflect a need for strong gluten flour for breads, rolls and frozen dough products as well as for blending with hard red winter to make traditional Chinese flour foods and noodles. Year-to-date sales of HRS to Taiwan in marketing year 2017/18 are up 93 percent from 2016/17. Soft white (SW) wheat imports, including Western White wheat (a blend of SW and up to 20 percent club), help meet growing demand for cake, cookie and pastry flours.

Chairman Chen and other TFMA delegates will also visit North Dakota, Montana and Idaho to make similar commitments and to meet with state wheat commission representatives and state government officials.



The Upside of Preconditioning Programs

Progressive cow/calf producers think about calf health even before the calves are born. Raising healthy, heavy calves is the goal and preconditioning is a critical management step.

“From cow/calf to feedlot sectors, preconditioning is the most conscientious choice producers can make for the betterment of their animals’ health,” said Che Trejo, DVM, with Zoetis Beef Technical Services. “Preconditioning programs promote calf growth, enhance immune function and minimize stress as calves move from their ranch of origin to the stocker or backgrounder operation and then to the feedlot.”

SelectVAC® is a calf preconditioning program that combines cattle vaccination and management services to prepare calves for weaning and shipping. Every enrollment is validated by a third party prior to approval. Once accepted, producers receive a physical or electronic barn card so they can let buyers know those calves are enrolled in SelectVAC.

A study demonstrated that calves enrolled in SelectVAC were four times less likely to get sick or die in a feedlot setting than calves with an unverified health history.1

“With these lower chances of sickness and death, feedyard operators purchasing calves that meet the requirements and are enrolled in SelectVAC may be able to adjust on-arrival protocols because the calves are better able to respond to health challenges,” Trejo said.

According to Brad Peek, general manager for Western Video Market, SelectVAC adds additional value to their customers’ cattle.

“Over the course of the past seven or eight years that we have been tracking SelectVAC®, there has been anywhere from a $3 to $9 per hundredweight additional premium,” Peek said. “Our buyers are asking for a branded program—and specifically SelectVAC.”

Selling cattle with a history in a verified preconditioning program, like SelectVAC, provides transparency to buyers because it provides which products were administered, when they were administered and verification through a third party.

For Laurie Johnson, a cow/calf producer in northeastern South Dakota, SelectVAC is a risk management tool used on her family’s operation.

“I think it allows us to get our calves on the map before they’re in the sale barn, so buyers are aware. It’s on the SelectVAC website when these calves are selling, how many there are, who it is that’s selling them and what program they’re enrolled under,” Johnson said. “Because we’re small, getting my calves on the market and people knowing about them is important to me as a producer. It’s a good risk management tool for us.”