Tuesday November 21 Ag News

Cuming County 4-H Livestock Judging Team Participates in National Contest

The Cuming County 4-H program was represented at the North American International Livestock Exposition in Louisville, KY by the 4-H Livestock Judging team during the week of November 11-15.  According to Larry Howard, Nebraska Extension Educator in Cuming County, the team placed first at the Nebraska State Contest in June and won the right to represent Nebraska at the National Contest.  There were 124 individuals representing 34 states at the event.

The Cuming 4-H team placed 13th overall and was 7th in Sheep, 11th in Beef, 18th in Reasons and 22nd in Swine. Team members were Connor Klitz, Ross Klitz, and Blake Guenther of West Point and Megan Schroeder of Wisner.  Individually, Ross Klitz placed 17th overall and was named an All American with the other top 20 individuals.  Ross was 9th in Sheep, 24th in Beef, 70th in Reasons, and 84th in Swine.  Blake Guenther was 35th overall, 29th in Reasons, and 38th in Sheep, 41st in Beef and 57th in Swine.  Connor Klitz was 49th overall, 35th in Sheep, 53rd in Swine, 75th in Reasons and 81st in Beef.  Megan Schroeder was 83rd overall, 35th in Beef, 88th in Reasons, 97th in Sheep and 103rd in Swine.

The team was sponsored by funding provided by the Nebraska 4-H Foundation, Cuming 4-H Foundation, Cuming County Feeders Association, Cuming County Pork Producers and the use of the vehicle by Citizen’s State Bank in Wisner.  Todd Schroeder of Wisner accompanied the team as their sponsor.  Lee Schroeder coached the team for the state contest.



QUICK BOOKS WORKSHOP

Nebraska Extension is hosting a QuickBooks workshop December 6 & 7 in Norfolk at the Lifelong Learning Center in one of their computer labs.  Space is limited to 20 people each day.  Below is a description of the topics we are covering each day. 

Workshop description:
QuickBooks 101: December 6 - This introductory course covers the basics of setting up a company, creating customers, receiving payments, and making deposits into your bank accounts. We will work with and create vendors and pay bills, create and edit a chart of accounts for your company, run reports, and reconcile bank accounts. 

QuickBooks 201: December 7 - This course covers creating inventory, dealing with items, and adjusting inventory.  Learn about Sales Tax and Sales Tax groups, paying your sales tax, running payroll, and paying your payroll liabilities. We will create capital assets and loan accounts and discuss dealing with bad debt.

Cost: $30 for one day or $50 for both days.  Each day will begin at 10:00 am and conclude by 4:00 pm.  A computer will be provided, but you can bring your laptop with the software already installed, if you wish.   Register at the following website: https://dairy.unl.edu/quickbooks-101-201. 



NEBRASKA CHICKEN AND EGGS

All layers in Nebraska during October 2017 totaled 7.70 million, down from 8.96 million the previous year, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service.  Nebraska egg production during October totaled 193 million eggs, down from 230 million in 2016. October egg production per 100 layers was 2,513 eggs, compared to 2,564 eggs in 2016.

IOWA CHICKEN AND EGG REPORT
Iowa egg production during October 2017 was 1.33 billion eggs, up 4 percent from last month and up 3 percent from last year, according to the latest Chickens and Eggs report from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. The average number of all layers on hand during October 2017 was 55.5 million, a slight increase from last month and up 3 percent from last year. Eggs per 100 layers for September were 2,403, up 3 percent from last month but down 1 percent from last year.

U.S. October Egg Production Down Slightly
United States egg production totaled 8.83 billion during October 2017, down slightly from last year. Production included 7.67 billion table eggs, and 1.16 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.08 billion were broiler-type and 73.0 million were egg-type. The average number of layers during October 2017 totaled 374 million, up 1 percent from last year. October egg production per 100 layers was 2,359 eggs, down 1 percent from October 2016.
                                   
All layers in the United States on November 1, 2017 totaled 375 million, up 1 percent from last year. The 375 million layers consisted of 315 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 56.8 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 3.12 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on November 1, 2017, averaged 76.4 eggs per 100 layers, down 1 percent from November 1, 2016.

Egg-Type Chicks Hatched Up 18 Percent
Egg-type chicks hatched during October 2017 totaled 51.0 million, up 18 percent from October 2016. Eggs in incubators totaled 44.9 million on November 1, 2017, up 9 percent from a year ago.  Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 198 thousand during October 2017, down 39 percent from October 2016.

Broiler-Type Chicks Hatched Up 2 Percent
Broiler-type chicks hatched during October 2017 totaled 794 million, up 2 percent from October 2016. Eggs in incubators totaled 650 million on November 1, 2017, up 3 percent from a year ago.  Leading breeders placed 7.59 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during October 2017, up 10 percent from October 2016.



Cattlemen can weigh in on 2018 policies at annual Iowa Cattle Industry Leadership Summit

As part of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association’s mission to grow Iowa’s beef business through leadership, advocacy and education, ICA will host the second annual Iowa Cattle Industry Leadership Summit.

The summit, which will be held on December 7 and 8 in Ames, will have sessions devoted to leadership development for cattle producers and ICA county cattlemen’s associations. The event will also feature policy committee meetings and the ICA annual meeting.

The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association has three policy committees: Beef Products, Business Issues and Cattle Production. The committee meetings are open to any ICA members, and will generate policy related to important topics in the cattle industry. These policies drive the efforts of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association and are used by staff and leaders in discussions with local and national elected officials and regulatory agencies.

Policy discussions on Thursday are expected to revolve around animal health challenges like Trichomoniasis, live cattle marketing, local control of environmental regulations, and rules regarding the hauling of livestock.

The ICA Trichomoniasis task force recently met and developed recommendations aimed at decreasing the incidence of trich in Iowa. The recommendations will be presented to the policy committees for discussion.

Environmental regulation of livestock production is also likely to be discussed. There have been increased efforts from various groups to give counties more power in determining whether or not a construction permit should be granted for large animal feeding operations and to raise the requirements of those operations.

Attendees will also hear an update with recent news regarding the looming Electronic Logging Device (ELD) mandate. The ELD rule, in conjunction with Hours of Service requirements, restricts livestock haulers’ ability to get animals to their destination in a timely manner. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently announced a 90-day extension for ag commodity haulers to comply with the rule, but more work and input is needed to find a longer-term solution for the livestock industry.

The committees will determine what, if any, action should be taken on these issues and more. Then, on Friday, ICA members will have a chance to ratify the policy developed in the committee meetings at the ICA annual meeting, after the Iowa Beef Industry Council annual meeting.

The event will also include the Iowa Cattlemen’s Foundation dinner and auction, and complimentary lunch featuring the 2017 Iowa’s Best Burger from the Smokin’ Hereford in Storm Lake. Dr. Keith Belk will discuss beef exports in his keynote presentation on Thursday and Drs. Dan Loy and Lee Schulz will share information about the economic impact of the Iowa beef industry. On Friday morning, Matt Rush will help us bridge the consumer/farmer divide with his inspirational and entertaining presentation.

There is no cost to attend the Leadership Summit, but RSVPs are requested. Visit www.iacattlemen.org or call 515-296-2266 for more info.



Increase Cash Flow by Communicating Plan with Lenders

Managing a farm’s cash flow is critical. The ability to generate cash is what allows farmers to pay their bills.

Many Iowa farmers have done a good job of forward contracting 2017 new crop bushels and hedging or buying put options, putting them in a position to avoid cash flow concerns this fall and winter. There are other farms, however, holding large quantities of unpriced crops that could see cash flow challenges and may want to focus on understanding other marketing strategies and tools rather than storing bushels unpriced.

Suggestions for how to market these stored bushels is the focus of “Communication is key when cash flow is tight,” an article by Steve Johnson, farm management specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. The article can be found in the November issue of Ag Decision Maker.

Johnson has these recommendations for farmers trying to maximize their cash flow.

First, don’t wait too long to talk to your lender.

“If you know cash flow will be a problem, communicate that early to your lender,” Johnson said. “A large amount of cash debt has been recently restructured to stretch out principal payments and free up working capital. Lenders could be reluctant to restructure loans without a commitment from the borrower to improve their cash flow management to meet existing debt obligations.”

Additionally, most cash flow problems don’t appear until late December or January. Some lenders will require the use of the USDA Farm Service Agency’s guaranteed loan program before providing additional funds.

If storing grain on farm, Johnson recommends shopping around for the best cash price possible.

“Perhaps the greatest benefit of storing grain on farm, aside from harvest efficiency, is that it allows the farmer more time and improved chances to shop around for better cash prices reflected in basis,” Johnson said.

His final suggestion is to consider delivering additional bushels in December. By communicating with your grain merchandiser in advance a producer can still seek a greater future price through a basis or minimum price contract.

“With much of the actual cash price of the grain being received on delivery, needed cash flow can be generated while also eliminating storage costs, basis risk and accrued interest,” Johnson said.



Farmers Receive 11 Cents of Thanksgiving Retail Food Dollar, NFU Farmer’s Share Shows

Farmers and ranchers take home just 11.4 cents from every dollar that consumers spend on their Thanksgiving dinner meals, according to the annual Thanksgiving edition of the National Farmers Union (NFU) Farmer’s Share publication. The popular Thanksgiving Farmer’s Share compares the retail food price of traditional holiday dinner items to the amount the farmer receives for each item they grow or raise.

“This holiday season, it’s important for us to take time to recognize and thank the family farmers and ranchers who provide our Thanksgiving meals,” said Rob Larew, NFU’s Senior Vice President for Public Policy and Communications. “If you don’t live on a farm or work in agriculture, you probably don’t realize the tremendous difference between the price you pay for food at the grocery store and the prices farmers end up receiving for these products. While consumer holiday food costs have declined recently, incomes for American farm and ranch families have dropped precipitously. We’re in the midst of the worst farm economic downturn in 30-40 years, and we’re hopeful these numbers can help illustrate that fact to the general public.”

On average, farmers receive 17.4 cents of every food dollar consumers spend, while more than 80 percent of food costs cover marketing, processing, wholesaling, distribution and retailing. For the 15 items NFU tracks for the Thanksgiving version, farmers received just 11.4 cents of the retail food dollar.

Turkey growers, who raise the staple Thanksgiving dish, receive just 5 cents per pound retailing at $1.69. Wheat farmers averaged a meager 6 cents on 12 dinner rolls that retail for $3.49. And dairy producers received only $1.47 from a $4.49 gallon of fat free milk.

Thanksgiving presents an opportunity to raise awareness about food production, including misconceptions about food costs, Larew explained. “Farmers and ranchers play the most valuable role in actually producing the food that is served at holiday dinners, yet they make just pennies on the dollar for their products.”

The Farmers’ Share is based on calculations derived from the monthly Agriculture Prices report produced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, and compared to price points of common grocery food items at Safeway supermarket. The figure farmer’s share of retail turkey sales is reported by the Contract Poultry Growers Association of the Virginias, as national data on farm prices for turkey does not reflect the amount turkey growers receive.



Russia to Restrict Brazilian Pork, Beef Imports from Dec. 1

Russia will place temporary restrictions on imports of pork and beef products from Brazil from Dec. 1, the country's Rosselkhoznadzor food safety watchdog said on Monday.

According to Reuters, Russia said last week it was considering a ban on all pork and beef imports from Brazil after finding the feed additive ractopamine in some shipments, an allegation Brazilian meat industry groups denied.

"Given the seriousness of the situation, Rosselkhoznadzor is forced to take urgent measures to protect Russian consumers and the domestic food market and introduce temporary restrictions from Dec. 1 this year," the agency said in a statement.



Alltech 2017 Harvest Analysis indicates high levels of mycotoxins in corn silage across the U.S.
High levels of risk from DON, fusaric acid, T-2 and fumonisin present

In 2016, corn growers faced challenges from mycotoxins, and those challenges seem likely to show up for them again as they harvest this fall. The 2017 growing season was challenging across the U.S. Growers in different regions experienced varied weather conditions that could not only reduce yield, but could also increase plant stress and lead to challenges with mycotoxins.

Corn silage samples from across the entirety of the U.S. have shown extremely high levels of mycotoxins, particularly deoxynivalenol (DON), type A trichothecenes (T-2), fusaric acid and fumonisin. It is important to note that once there are mycotoxins in the crop, they will not go away. There will be higher levels of mycotoxins on farms practicing monocropping of corn, as opposed to those farms that are rotating crops or using deeper tillage methods.

Samples submitted to the Alltech 37+® mycotoxin analytical services laboratory between Sept. 1 and Nov. 1, 2017, show that grains contained mixtures of mycotoxins, including DON, fusaric acid and fumonisin. Forages such as corn silage, barlage and haylage samples also contained multiple mycotoxins in 2017, including DON, fusaric acid, T-2 and fumonisin.

Fumonisin is trending higher across all states as of this time and can have a negative impact on feed intake, gut health, liver function and immune response. Swine and horses are particularly sensitive.

Mycotoxins are a regular concern for producers, as they influence feed quality and animal safety. They are produced by certain species of molds and can have toxic properties that impact animal health and performance.

“Understanding the risk of mycotoxins and combinations of mycotoxins, even at lower levels, allows livestock owners and managers to institute a management program for more optimum performance and health,” said Dr. Max Hawkins, nutritionist with the Alltech® Mycotoxin Management team. “Testing feedstuffs and finished feeds is paramount to putting this management program in action.”

Mycotoxins are seldom found in isolation, and when multiple mycotoxins are consumed, they may have additive, or even synergistic, interactions that increase the overall risk to performance and health. As a result, an animal may have a stronger response than what would be expected if it was only experiencing a single mycotoxin challenge.

For feedstuffs harvested in 2017 and that are currently being fed, it is important to conduct a mycotoxin analysis that identifies the storage mycotoxins, including Penicillium and Aspergillus mycotoxin groups, as there is potential for additional mycotoxins to develop during storage. Proper mycotoxin management techniques can reduce the risk of mycotoxins coming from feed materials as well as help to prevent the negative effects mycotoxins can on have animal health and performance.