Fischer Welcomes Announcement of New Guidance on Hours of Service Rules for Livestock and Ag Haulers
Today, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) released clarifying guidance on hours of service exemptions for haulers of agricultural commodities, including livestock, and personal conveyance. U.S. Senator Deb Fischer, chairman of the Senate Surface Transportation Committee and a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, released the following statement:
“It is clear the hours of service regulations for truck drivers are inflexible and fail to consider many of the unique operations occurring everyday across the country. This is especially true for livestock haulers, who transport a live and perishable product. Issuing this clarifying guidance is a step in the right direction to provide flexibility in the hours of service rules. I look forward to continuing to work with U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and FMCSA Administrator Ray Martinez to explore all avenues, including possible legislation, to provide flexibility for livestock and ag commodity haulers,” said Senator Fischer.
The FMCSA’s guidance on ag commodity haulers’ hours of service clarifies the 150-air mile radius exemption from hours of service for ag commodity haulers. According to the guidance, time within the 150-air mile radius driving to, loading, or driving away from a source will be exempted from hours of service. Only after a driver has exited the 150-air mile radius will the driver’s hours of service time begin. However, if a driver reenters the 150-air mile radius from the source of the load, his or her time will again begin exempted from hours of service. The guidance clarifies the definition of a source to mean any place an ag commodity is loaded.
FMCSA also updated its guidance on personal conveyance, which is when a driver utilizes his or her commercial motor vehicle for personal use during off-duty time. This guidance clarifies that a driver can use a commercial motor vehicle for personal use, such as driving to a place to rest, regardless of whether the vehicle is loaded or not, as long as the driver has been released from work.
Senator Fischer has been working closely with the Administration for the past year to provide flexibility for ag and livestock haulers. She raised this issue with Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao during the secretary’s visit to Nebraska in August 2017. She followed up with letters to Secretary Chao and the FMCSA in September and November. Earlier this year, she met with both the Administrator and Deputy Administrator of the FMCSA on multiple occasions to highlight the concerns raised by Nebraskans regarding hours of service, including a meeting with Nebraska livestock representatives. She also joined 29 of her colleagues in sending a letter earlier this month requesting the FMCSA to examine ways to provide flexibility in the hours of service rules for all drivers.
AFAN Announces a New Service: Producer Empowerment Workshops
AFAN announces a new service that provides Producer Empowerment Workshops designed for agriculture producers who want to expand their operations by adding livestock. The curriculum covers a range of topics important to producers, from how the zoning process works to how to communicate with community leaders, decision makers and the media. Workshop participants receive a binder with helpful resources that will prepare them to navigate the often complicated expansion process easier and more effectively. The half-day workshops will walk producers through the ins and outs of dealing with zoning boards and prepare them to answer concerns from neighbors and community leaders. Workshops can be designed to address issues specific to each livestock group or more broadly designed to include information encompassing several types of livestock.
Agri-businesses, financial organizations, clubs and other producer groups interested in scheduling a Producer Empowerment Workshop are to contact Ashley Babl, Livestock Programming Coordinator. AFAN will work with your organization to make arrangements and invite your customers and/or members to the workshop.
Contact Ashley Babl at 402-421-4416 or AshleyB@a-fan.org.
New FieldNET® Modem Will Support 4G LTE Technology
Lindsay Corporation (NYSE: LNN), a leading global manufacturer and distributor of irrigation and infrastructure equipment and technology, today announced that FieldNET technology soon will be available with 4G LTE functionality.
The new cellular Category M1 (Cat-M1) modem has been certified and approved by a major wireless carrier as a network ready-to-integrate device that supports 4G LTE technology in the United States. LTE Cat-M1 is a low-power technology that allows growers to connect to the Internet of Things (IoT) and machine-to-machine (M2M) devices. The new FieldNET Cat-M1 offers extended range and compatibility with current and future FieldNET products.
"The 4G LTE modem will provide our U.S. customers with a simple, reliable and cost-effective wireless management solution for new systems or for upgrading existing FieldNET products," said Reece Andrews, product manager for FieldNET and Irrigation Controls. "This innovative device is another example of our commitment to provide growers with the tools they need to make faster, better-informed irrigation decisions."
The most-awarded pivot telemetry in the industry, FieldNET offers seamless remote monitoring and control, integrating a grower's irrigation tools and systems. The platform, which is compatible with almost any electric pivot brand, delivers real-time information, so growers can see exactly what their systems are doing and control them quickly and easily from a smartphone, tablet or computer.
A phased roll-out for the Cat-M1 is expected begin in June 2018.
Lindsay's FieldNET Advisor™ Adds New Crops, Regions and Productivity Features
Lindsay Corporation (NYSE: LNN), a leading global manufacturer and distributor of irrigation and infrastructure equipment and technology, has added new features to further enhance FieldNET® technology and extend its capabilities to more growers around the world.
"The new features will give growers an increased level of customization and mobility, while helping them be even more precise when deciding when, where and how much to irrigate," said Brian Magnusson, vice president of technology at Lindsay Corporation. "These enhancements are the result of Lindsay's commitment to accelerate the development and deployment of precision irrigation technologies to help growers around the world make the most of every drop of water."
FieldNET is a fully integrated wireless management tool that gives growers the ability to remotely monitor and control entire irrigation systems, regardless of electric pivot brand. Offering an added level of decision support, FieldNET Advisor gives growers science-based recommendations to help them make faster, better-informed irrigation decisions.
When it launched in 2017, FieldNET Advisor covered corn and soybean crops in the U.S. and Canada. With the latest enhancements, the technology now extends to 21 crops, including alfalfa, barley, cotton, dry edible beans, peanuts, popcorn, potatoes, sorghum, sugarbeets, sweet corn, sugarcane and wheat. In addition, the technology is expected to be available later this year in several new countries - Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, France, Mexico, New Zealand, Paraguay, Portugal, Spain, Tasmania, Turkey, Ukraine and Uruguay.
Growers can now view irrigation recommendations from FieldNET Advisor via the FieldNET app, providing growers with an added level of convenience and mobility.
"From virtually anywhere, with a smartphone or tablet, growers can now check soil water depletion and irrigation recommendations, access field-specific weather information, make real-time modifications to location-specific crop growth stages, soil moisture levels or rainfall data, have full access to the daily VRI prescriptions and more," Magnusson said. "We also have enhanced the web version of FieldNET Advisor to improve the user experience and deliver many powerful new features."
Some of the key new features include:
- A new "Irrigated Area" page that allows users to further customize the irrigated area that FieldNET Advisor uses to generate irrigation recommendations. It also allows users to select certain areas of the field that they may want to avoid or ignore when determining irrigation application and VRI prescriptions.
- The addition of an "Unmanaged" crop zone to the crop type list, which allows growers to define a crop zone and irrigation depth for areas of the field with crops that are not currently supported by FieldNET Advisor.
- Integration with a global soil database to provide more precise soil data for areas outside of the U.S.
- The addition of in-field adjustment pages that allow growers to update FieldNET Advisor based on field observations.
- Added displays and enhanced charting to allow growers to more easily visualize crop water usage, irrigation schedules and rainfall events throughout the entire growing season.
- Integration with Growsmart™ Rain Buckets to utilize rain bucket data.
- The ability to prioritize different soil areas within a field based on past or present productivity and profitability.
- Enhanced irrigation management settings that allow growers to account for various water restrictions, dynamically optimize VRI prescriptions and irrigation schedules and customize irrigation management by crop zone.
- Yield prediction graphics based on potential crop water stress that allow growers to visualize and analyze potential yield loss data for irrigated and unirrigated portions of a field.
"These updates and features give growers more control over the inputs and data used in FieldNET Advisor," Magnusson said. "We know that every operation is unique, so we've given growers the ability to edit information based on the specifics of their operation and what they're seeing in their fields. This increased level of customization and precision is critical as growers look for ways to produce more with less."
Baker Named Director of Beginning Farmer Center
Dave Baker has been named director of the Beginning Farmer Center, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach announced Wednesday.
Baker, who has been serving as interim director since January 2018, previously was the Beginning Farmer Center’s Farm Transition Specialist. He has been with the center since 2006.
“Dave has been invested in the Beginning Farmer Center for many years, working to help those who want to farm get their operation started,” said Jay Harmon, interim director of Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension and Outreach at Iowa State University. “His leadership will continue to positively impact farmers across Iowa.”
Baker holds a bachelor’s degree in facility management from Troy University and received his MBA in business management from Southwest Minnesota State University. Prior to joining ISU Extension and Outreach, Baker owned and managed a farm in northwest Iowa, consisting of corn, soybean, hay, cattle, hogs and poultry.
“I look forward to leading the Beginning Farmer Center and serving farm families with succession planning needs,” Baker said. “The transition of Iowa’s farms is never complete as there will always be the next generation to consider.”
Created by the Iowa Legislature in 1994, the Beginning Farmer Center assists in facilitating the transition of farming operations from established farmers to beginning farmers.
USMEF Statement on Possible Retaliatory Tariffs; More Details to Come
Today the Mexican Ministry of Economy announced that in retaliation for new tariffs on U.S. steel and aluminum imports, Mexico intends to impose tariffs on some U.S. pork cuts and pork products. Full details – such as the tariff rate and the exact products to which the tariffs could apply – are not entirely clear at this time. USMEF will provide more information as these details become available. In 2017, Mexico was the largest volume market for U.S. pork exports at more than 800,000 metric tons, valued at $1.51 billion.
Statement by U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Dan Halstrom
It will be very unfortunate if U.S. pork exports to Mexico, which deliver tremendous benefits to both the U.S. supply chain and to Mexican consumers, importers, processors, retailers and restaurants, no longer enjoy duty-free access to this critical market. It is especially frustrating to see U.S. pork caught up in a dispute that has nothing whatsoever to do with pork trade. If these tariffs are implemented, they will negatively impact millions of consumers and thousands of people in the meat and livestock industries on both sides of the border. USMEF is hopeful that this impasse will be resolved as soon as possible, with duty-free access for U.S. pork maintained. This is especially important now that key competitors such as the European Union are making market access gains in Mexico and view it as a promising market for their pork products.
Canada’s Department of Finance also announced that the Canadian government intends to impose countermeasures in response to the steel and aluminum tariffs.
NPPC Statement on Latest Steel and Aluminum Tariffs
Jim Heimerl, president of the National Pork Producers Council
The National Pork Producers Council has consistently stated its concern about retaliation against U.S. agriculture, including pork, in response to tariffs placed by the United States on steel and aluminum imports. Today’s decision to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum from Mexico and Canada, critical export markets, significantly heightens our concern as Mexico is already threatening to retaliate against U.S. pork. U.S. pork shipped $1.5 billion of product to Mexico, its largest export market, and $792 million to Canada, its fourth-largest market, last year.
Global export market uncertainty has resulted in considerable lost value for U.S. pork producers. According to Iowa State University Economist Dermot Hayes, hog futures dropped $18 per animal, amounting to a $2.2 billion loss on an annualized basis, since March 1 when speculation about U.S. pork access to the critical Chinese market began.
The market disruption caused by export market uncertainty comes at a time when U.S. pork is expanding production to record levels. Five new pork processing plants have recently opened or will soon begin operations, increasing U.S. pork production capacity by approximately 10 percent from 2015 levels by next year. Exports accounted for more than $53 of the average $149 value of a hog last year and support over 110,000 U.S. jobs.
We call for an end to these trade disputes so that hard-working U.S. pig farmers can do what they do best: meet global demand for one of our nation’s most competitive export products, one that favorably impacts U.S. trade imbalances with countries around the world.
Statement by Steve Nelson, President, Regarding U.S. Tariffs on Canada, Mexico, European Union
“For months we’ve warned of the risks involved for farm and ranch families as the Trump administration continues to pursue policies that target our closest trading partners.”
“Today’s announcement that Mexico, Canada, and the European Union, three of the top agriculture trading partners for Nebraska agriculture commodities, will no longer be exempt from these tariffs only creates additional uncertainty in agricultural markets and in the minds of farm and ranch families.”
“The announcement regarding steel and aluminum tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and the European Union puts more than $1.8 billion in annual Nebraska agricultural exports at risk. This action, as well as the decision to move forward with $50 billion in tariffs on Chinese products and services, will have consequences for Nebraska families who put food on our tables, clothes on our backs, and fuel in our tanks.”
Tariffs Put U.S. Farmers in Jeopardy
North Dakota farmer Kevin Skunes, president of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), made the following statement after the White House announced plans to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from the European Union, Canada and Mexico, triggering potential retaliatory actions against American agriculture.
“Farmers are busy with planting season but are moving forward without knowing who will buy their crop when it’s harvested later this year. With a 52 percent drop in net farm income over the last five years and depressed commodity prices, this is not the time to face such a burden. This uncertainty impacts every step of the agriculture economy, from securing financing to marketing.
“Imposing tariffs has the potential to undermine positive relationships with our closest allies and erode long-standing market access. NCGA urges policymakers to strengthen cooperation with our trading partners and stay at the negotiating table.”
U.S. Grains Industry Watches For Retaliation Following New Tariffs Implementation
As new tariffs on steel and aluminum imports go into effect for some of the United States' closest allies, the U.S. grains industry is watching closely for retaliations that impact sales of U.S. corn, sorghum, barley and their related products, including ethanol and distiller's dried grains with solubles (DDGS).
U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross confirmed on Thursday that discussions to continue extensions of tariff waivers for Mexico, Canada and the European Union - three of the largest markets for U.S. grains and related products - had failed. As of June 1, they will join a large group of countries facing new tariffs of 10 percent on aluminum imports and 25 percent on steel imports, applied under Section 232 of U.S. trade law.
At press time, it appeared neither Mexico nor Canada had added feed grains or ethanol to their initial retaliation lists, though it is expected those lists will evolve as trade tensions ramp up. The European Union previously announced its countermeasures would include a 25 percent tariff on both U.S. feed and sweet corn, which is largely blocked due to biotechnology concerns. Several other U.S. agricultural products were implicated, including some pork products going to Mexico and a variety of specialty crops. Yogurt and various prepared foods were among the agricultural and food products targeted by Canada.
“Based on information we have heard from our customers and past experience, we have every reason to believe U.S. agriculture, including the products we represent, will be among the most vulnerable to countermeasures from our trading partners," said U.S. Grains Council President and CEO Tom Sleight in a statement.
"We had strong hopes this situation would be averted permanently, but it now appears we need to prepare for retaliation and its direct impact U.S. farmers. Our global staff is doing this to the best of their abilities as we continue to follow new developments.”
Many countries are already facing the new tariffs, which initially went into effect in March. Those include China, which on April 2 counter-imposed tariffs of 15 percent on imported U.S. ethanol and 25 percent on imported U.S. pork. Japan, Turkey, Russia and India also face the tariffs and have said they would retaliate but have not issued lists or their lists did not include U.S. grain products. Quota agreements on steel and aluminum to stave off tariffs have been reached with South Korea, Australia, Argentina and, tentatively, Brazil.
The Section 232 tariffs are in addition to tariffs proposed under Section 301 of U.S. trade law, particularly targeted at China, and a plethora of other trade policy issues, negotiations and concerns.
USDA Reopens Application Period for Producers Recovering from Cattle Loss, Other Disasters
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will begin accepting disaster assistance program applications on June 4 from agricultural producers who suffered livestock, honeybees, farm-raised fish and other losses due to natural disasters.
USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is reopening the application period for two disaster assistance programs in response to statutory changes made by Congress earlier this year.
“When disasters hit, help is as close as your USDA service center,” said Bill Northey, Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation. “After any catastrophic event, an eligible producer can walk into any one of our local offices and apply for help.”
Beginning June 4, FSA will accept new applications for losses for calendar year 2017 or 2018 filed under the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) or Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP). Producers who already submitted applications and received decisions on their applications for these years do not need to file again, but they can reapply if they have additional losses or their application was disapproved because it was filed late.
In February, Congress passed the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, which made several changes to these two disaster programs, including:
- Removing ELAP’s $20 million fiscal year funding cap, enabling FSA to pay producers’ 2017 applications in full and their 2018 applications as soon as they are approved.
- Removing the per-person and legal entity annual program payment limitation of $125,000 for LIP for 2017 and future years. (The income limitation applies as it did before, meaning producers with an adjusted gross income of more than $900,000 are not eligible.)
- Changing LIP to allow producers to receive a payment for injured livestock that are sold for a reduced price due to an eligible event. Previously, the program only covered financial loss for livestock death above normal mortality.
Producers interested in LIP or ELAP should contact their local USDA service center. To apply, producers will need to provide verifiable and reliable production records and other information about their operation.
Drought, wildfires and other disasters continue to impact farmers and ranchers, and LIP and ELAP are two of many programs available through USDA to help producers recover. Learn more at https://www.usda.gov/disaster.
RVP Period to Begin at Highest Fuel Cost to Consumers in Years
Tomorrow marks the beginning of the Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) restriction on E15 sales across most of the country during the summer driving season – June 1 to September 15. The ban on E15 comes at a time when American drivers would most benefit from relief at the pump. Instead, consumers are barred from purchasing lower cost fuel at a time when gas prices are approaching a national average of $3 per gallon – higher than they have been in years.
“Every summer, earth-friendly E15 is held to tougher standards than other fuels sold year-round, cutting off sales and imposing needless costs on retailers and consumers alike,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “The Environmental Protection Agency must act to fulfill President Trump’s promise to ‘unleash E15’ by cutting this arcane regulation – saving retailers millions of dollars in labeling costs and letting rural America succeed in the marketplace unhampered.”
E15 retailers face costs of up to $1.5 million dollars each year just to relabel pumps around RVP, while others markets are entirely shut off for consumers because retailers cannot adjust for these astronomical barriers.
“RVP relief now means lifting our rural economy out of the worst crisis in a generation, with farm income plunging to a 12-year low,” said Skor. “And it means putting our industry on the path to an additional 1.3 billion gallons of ethanol demand within five years.”
Through an ongoing digital advocacy campaign Growth Energy is mobilizing rural America to call on the Administration to follow through on President Trump’s promise to make E15 available year-round, a move that would boost farm income amid the sharpest agricultural downturn since the 1980s.
E15 is approved by the EPA for use in nine out of 10 cars on the road, and it can be found at over 1,300 locations in 29 states. By providing regulatory relief to American fuel retailers, Growth Energy says the administration can hold down fuel costs, keep the air clean, and provide a vital market for more than two billion bushels of surplus grain.
NGFA asks Senate appropriators to fully fund CFTC
In a letter to the leaders of the Senate Appropriations Committee's Financial Services Subcommittee, the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) and several other significant U.S. agricultural producer and agribusiness groups urged the lawmakers to incorporate the full budget of $281.5 million requested by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
"The commission's responsibilities have expanded dramatically in recent years, but funding has not kept up," noted the NGFA and 15 other ag groups in a May 31 letter submitted to Subcommittee Chairman James Lankford, R-Okla., and Ranking Member Christopher Coons, D-Del. "For U.S. agricultural futures markets that are utilized extensively by our members to manage their market and business risks, this regulatory oversight is absolutely crucial."
The groups outlined several rulemakings and other initiatives at the CFTC that have direct bearing on price-discovery and risk-management functions that affect U.S. agriculture that could be hampered without adequate funding, including:
- Issuance of a Speculative Position Limit Final Rule: "As this very important rule moves toward final status, it is imperative that CFTC has sufficient staff and resources to get the rule right."
- Regulating Automated Trading/High-Frequency Trading: "Commission oversight continues to be needed to help ensure that high-frequency trading doesn't overwhelm or otherwise adversely impact agricultural futures contracts."
- Block Trading: "Now that block trading has been extended to agricultural contracts (by the CME Group), close scrutiny is merited by the commission to preserve appropriate liquidity and transparency for agricultural futures markets."
CFTC Commitments of Traders Report: "Enhancements to provide additional frequency and transparency are needed, but will require personnel and technology resources" from the agency. This report is important in providing transparency regarding participation in U.S. futures markets.
The letter also emphasized that the CFTC needs funding to hire important personnel. "Without sufficient resources to staff the commission and invest in needed technology upgrades, the CFTC's ability to perform these important functions, as well as to continue its core regulatory mission, will be undermined," the letter noted.
The groups sent a similar letter to House appropriators on May 9, but that committee approved only a slight increase in the CFTC budget from the current $249 million to $255 million.
Land O'Lakes, Inc. Announces CEO Retirement
Land O'Lakes, Inc. announced today that Chris Policinski will retire as Land O'Lakes President and Chief Executive Officer, effective June 30, 2018. Policinski was appointed President and CEO of the Fortune 216 farmer-owned cooperative in 2005.
"On behalf of the Board of Directors, I want to thank Chris for his many years of service on behalf of the company and the results he has generated," said Pete Kappelman, Chairman of the Land O'Lakes, Inc. Board of Directors.
"It's been a privilege to help lead Land O'Lakes through a period of growth and innovation," said Policinski. "My deepest thanks go to the members and employees who have made our success possible and who have created the opportunities ahead."
Policinski's tenure has been marked by significant growth in the size of the company which is twice the size today than it was when he assumed leadership nearly 13 years ago. In addition, Policinski oversaw global expansion in recent years with joint ventures in both South Africa and Kenya, and the biggest merger in the company's history with United Suppliers in 2016. In addition, Policinski has championed Land O'Lakes' continued investment in the Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn. community in which the company is headquartered.
With nearly 40 years of experience in the food industry, Policinski held positions with Kraft General Foods, Bristol-Myers Squibb and The Pillsbury Company before joining Land O'Lakes. In addition, he is active at the board level with various industry associations, trade groups and corporations.
Today's announcement is part of a leadership succession plan directed by the board. In addition to forming a search committee to identify a permanent CEO, the board has appointed Peter Janzen as interim CEO to ensure a smooth transition and continued execution of the company's business plans. Janzen, Land O'Lakes, SVP, General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer, will postpone his recently announced retirement to serve the company as requested by the Board until the new CEO has been named. Janzen has been with the company for his entire career, joining Land O'Lakes, Inc. in 1983.
Farmer’s Business Network, Inc. Launches Commodity Crop Marketing Platform
Farmer’s Business Network, Inc., the independent farmer-to-farmer network, together with its affiliate companies, today announced the launch of its Commodity Crop Marketing platform to help farmers make better decisions when marketing their grain.
For many farmers, crop marketing is notoriously stressful and time-consuming. Information is available, but it’s often hard to know what’s important versus what’s noise. It’s even harder to turn that information into accurate decision making. Farmer’s Business Network, Inc. is looking to help reduce farmers’ marketing pain points and make better decisions.
“After talking to hundreds of members, farmers kept telling us they wanted more marketing support but it needed to be affordable.” said Devin Lammers, Head of FBN Commodity Crop Marketing. “FBN Commodity Crop Marketing provides an extensive and affordable suite of crop marketing services that can help farmers make better decisions through data driven, personalized, and actionable advice, and take action on those decisions through independent cash contracts and brokerage.”
FBN Commodity Crop Marketing offers the following products and services to help make the grain marketing process simpler, more efficient, and transparent:
- FBN Cash Grain Management: A premium crop marketing advisory service that provides subscribers with a personal grain marketing manager to advise on marketing strategies, provide selling recommendations, and a personalized marketing plan.
- FBN Market Intelligence: A subscription content service providing commodity markets news, analysis, and insights through email newsletters, custom reports, webinars and in-person meetings [included in Cash Grain Management]
- FBN Brokerage: A low cost commodity brokerage account where members can trade on the futures market at significantly lower cost than typical Ag brokerages.
- FBN Cash Contracts: Forward contracts that allow FBN members to take forward positions with more options and flexibility than those that come with traditional contracts.
Farmers are looking for new crop marketing solutions.
“Farmers Business Network has clearly been a disruptor in crop inputs. The crop marketing world needs the same thing and now it has it,” said Brandon Hunnicutt, Nebraska farmer and FBN member. “FBN has really shown itself in the last few years that they are capable of gathering, producing and generating good data, quickly. Good data leads to good decision making especially when you’re marketing your crop. And with the speed that FBN can deliver info, we’ll be able to respond and make better decisions quicker than we’ve ever been able to.”
The FBN network is dedicated to building an independent farm economy that is efficient and boosts farmers’ profitability.
“We are building advisory services that are accurate, easy and affordable,” said Lammers. “We are matching that with tools that keep farmer decision making independent, allowing farmers to develop better strategies and maximize basis. In the end, we want to enable farmers to become their own elevators.”
Building Out a Full Crop Marketing Platform
Commodity Crop Marketing builds on FBN Crop Marketing, which launched initially in 2017, with FBN Profit Center.
FBN Profit Center automatically analyzes the estimated profitability of thousands of bids based on each farmer's individualized costs of production, transportation, and storage – and identifies the best options. Farmers also get automatic alerts for “in-the-money” bids, delivered right to their phones.
Creating a Full Profit System to Put Farmers First℠
The idea for the FBN network originated from farmers who wanted to create an independent, farmer-driven information and commerce network. The FBN network makes fair market input prices, real-world seed performance or optimal grain delivery points transparent in a no frills way – driven by member-contributed statistics from its millions of acres of member farms.
With the price transparency and online purchasing through FBN Direct, farms have commonly saved tens of thousands on inputs in a single year. Combined with the FBN analytics platform – the industry’s most advanced farm analytics system – and FBN Crop Marketing, farmers now have a full profit system with the FBN network.
The FBN network is available throughout the United States and prairie provinces in Canada. For more information, visit farmersbusinessnetwork.com.
Welcome to the KTIC Agriculture Information blog!!! Check back here for the latest in ag news and information, from local events to international happenings and government reports that affect your operation. Please email with suggestions! -Chad Moyer, Farm Director, KTIC Radio
Thursday, May 31, 2018
Wednesday May 30 Ag News
CropPro/GuideOne Crop Hail Named Peril Policy Cancellations
On May 10, 2018, the Nebraska Department of Insurance became aware of a pending cancellation of a large number of crop hail named peril (crop hail) policies issued to Nebraska growers by CropPro, a managing general agent of GuideOne Mutual Insurance Company. The reason given for the possible cancellation was the failure of CropPro to secure reinsurance. On May 11, CropPro began to issue notices of cancellation on many, but not all, crop hail policies issued in Nebraska. This cancellation notice did not apply to federally reinsured multi-peril crop insurance (MPCI) that was sold in conjunction with the private crop hail policies.
Since the issuance of the cancellation notices, the Department became aware of two pieces of misinformation provided to growers and insurance producers:
· First, emails from CropPro to insurance producers indicate that the Nebraska Department of Insurance required CropPro to cancel policies. This statement is false. The decision to cancel the policies was a decision made by CropPro.
· Second, emails from CropPro to insurance producers indicate grower losses will not be paid. This statement is false. GuideOne, as the insurer who issued the policy, will be responsible for any covered losses, subject to the provisions of the policy, that occur while the policy is in force. This includes policies that were not cancelled or replaced, as well as covered losses occurring while cancelled policies were still in force (between the policy’s effective date and the effective date of the cancellation).
RMA Bulletin
On Friday, May 28, 2018, the United States Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency (RMA), issued a bulletin in response to the market disruption caused by CropPro’s decision to cancel a large number of crop hail policies in Nebraska. The bulletin allows growers to transfer their MPCI coverage back to the approved insurance provider who insured the MPCI policy in 2017. The window for transfers is 15 business days from May 28. The bulletin can be found on the RMA’s website at https://www.rma.usda.gov/bulletins/managers/2018/mgr-18-005.pdf.
Talk with your Insurance Agent
Each individual grower is unique and this situation involving misinformation, cancellations, and transfers is unusual and confusing. Nebraska growers affected by CropPro are encouraged to reach out and contact their insurance producers (agents) to determine their insurance needs and options for the 2018 growing season.
USE GRAZING TO CONTROL PASTURE WEEDS
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist
Pasture weeds are a problem for many of us. It’s a challenge to control or prevent them in the first place. The right grazing practices, though, can help reduce this problem.
If you have weedy pastures, first ask yourself – Why? Nearly always the existing forage stand was not thick or vigorous enough to out-compete invading weeds. So the first step in pasture weed control must be to manage pastures so they can be competitive. That may include fertilizer, extra seeding, and especially well-managed grazing.
Once weeds become a problem, though, control strategies must be used. One technique is to heavily stock a pasture, maybe with a ten-fold higher concentration of animals per acre than usual, for a very short time. Only do this if your good grass is healthy.
Use temporary cross fences to create small enough areas to achieve these high animal concentrations. If this is done while weeds like crabgrass, foxtail, lambsquarter, and field bindweed are still young, many of them will be eaten readily. Animals even eat cheatgrass, downy brome, and sandbur when plants are young. Once they form seed stalks, though, cattle almost totally reject them. Be sure to remove animals while desired grasses still have a few leaves remaining so they regrow quickly and compete with any recovering or new weeds.
Some established weeds, especially perennials, aren’t controlled easily with grazing. Clipping or spraying these weeds when their root reserves are low and to prevent seed production will reduce their pressure. But remember, they will return quickly unless follow-up grazing management keeps your pasture healthy, vigorous, and competitive.
Pasture weeds are troublesome, but proper grazing helps control them.
University, SNR to Host Soil Moisture Workshop
The leading scientists in soil moisture sensing, monitoring and modelling from the top universities, federal agencies and national laboratories in the United States will meet June 4 to 7 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for the eighth annual MOISST Workshop: From Soil Moisture Observations to Actionable Decisions.
The workshop provides a unique opportunity for the researchers to exchange ideas and develop collaborations, said Trenton Franz, one of the workshop organizers and a hydrogeophysicist at the School of Natural Resources.
"The exchange of water between the land surface and the atmosphere is critical for understanding the water and energy cycles," Franz said. "The feedback between land surface and atmosphere is critical to issues such as drought monitoring and short-term weather forecasting."
A nationwide interest in better understanding these relationships has experts pushing to establish a national soil moisture monitoring network, and one goal of the workshop is to stimulate progress toward realizing the vision of the National Soil Moisture Network, which aims to integrate diverse sources of soil moisture observations, including federal and state in-situ monitoring networks, satellite remote-sensing missions, and numerical models.
The workshop, hosted by Nebraska at the School of Natural Resources, will also: * Provide a highly focused venue for presenting cutting-edge research and new concepts related to soil moisture monitoring. * Highlight new applications of soil moisture data and identify application-oriented research needs.
The workshop will include special sessions by the National Drought Mitigation Center. Invited speakers are from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and various universities and laboratories around the country.
Climate Assessment Response Committee to Meet
Mat Habrock, assistant director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, has scheduled a meeting of the Climate Assessment Response Committee (CARC) for June 4. The meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. in room 901, Hardin Hall on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln East Campus.
Officials will brief CARC members on existing, as well as predicted, weather conditions and provide a water availability outlook.
For more details, call the Nebraska Department of Agriculture at (402) 471-2341.
Fuel Your Summer Road trip with Iowa’s Homegrown Fuel
Planning a summer vacation or a weekend getaway? You probably don’t put much thought into which gas station you stop at, but by making pit stops at stations with higher blends of homegrown ethanol including E85, could save you money. Determine the best fuel for your vehicle by using our Vehicle Fuel Finder to find out!
E85 is a fuel made up of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. E85 can be used to fill up your “flexible fuel” vehicles. As the summer driving season begins, the U.S. Energy Information Administration is already warning drivers that they likely see the highest gasoline prices in four years. Pump prices have already begun to increase, so make the right choice for your vehicle to save money for what matters most.
As of Tuesday, May 22 the current price for unleaded gasoline averaged $2.84 across Iowa according to AAA. This is up $.05 from last week and $.58 higher than one year ago. The national average on the same day was $2.95, up $.06 from last week’s price. However, ethanol is helping to offset higher prices, and 10 percent ethanol blends (E10) alone could save consumers at least $39 billion this year, according to an analysis released by the Renewable Fuels Association. The current Des Moines Terminal/Rack Prices are $2.16 for E10 and E85 is priced at $1.76 per gallon.
Crop Rotation Changes May Impact Manure Management Plans
As June approaches, some northern areas of the state have experienced delays in corn planting due to a cold spring that turned wet. Producers considering changes to crop rotation should pay attention to the impact it has on manure management plans.
The Iowa Administrative Code only allows a maximum of 100 pounds N per acre manure application on ground to be planted to soybean. However, it does allow fields that had liquid manure applied at rates intended for growing corn to be switched to soybean on or after June 1 with no penalty of over-application of manure nitrogen. Thus if a field planned for corn has not been planted and will be switched to soybean, this can be done. Producers should document the changes in crop rotation, application methods and other changes in their annual manure management plans.
Given it has been a wet spring in some areas, nutrient management and specifically, nitrogen loss may be top of mind. Livestock producers with Iowa DNR manure management plans are reminded if they have already applied the maximum nitrogen rate to the field, they can't apply additional sources of nitrogen unless the need is confirmed by the use of a Late Spring Nitrate Test. This test measures nitrate-N concentration at the 0-12 inch depth.
Results can be interpreted by the ISU Extension and Outreach publication "Use of the Late-Spring Soil Nitrate Test in Iowa Corn Production" (CROP 3140), which considers both the original fertilizer source and the amount of rain that occurred in May (excessive is more than five inches in May). When adding extra nitrogen, be sure to document soil sample results and reference the publication to interpret the test results in management plans.
While fall provided favorable application conditions, and periods in March were favorable, producers should plan ahead if not as much manure as normal is applied in the spring. Having a plan in place will help prevent potential issues from turning into problems. Keep an eye on storage, and have a plan for needed action.
Iowa Farm Bureau appoints Marty Schwager as Field Service Director
Marty Schwager has been named Iowa Farm Bureau Federation’s (IFBF) Director of Field Service, succeeding longtime IFBF employee Joe Johnson in the role. Johnson, who was recently named IFBF Executive Director, says Schwager’s reputation for building successful coalitions with business and industry groups, legislators and farmers will help meet Farm Bureau’s goals as the 100-year-strong farm organization moves forward.
“Marty is widely recognized within the organization and across the industry for his forward-thinking passion for ag, diplomacy and ability to reach common ground to achieve goals. For all those reasons and more, he is perfectly suited to work with our staff and farm leaders as we come together to find solutions for the next century of issues for agriculture,” says Johnson.
Prior to being named Director of Field Service, Schwager served in several roles at IFBF, including State Lobbyist, National Lobbyist and Regional Manager. Schwager’s long service to agriculture also includes working as Director of Producer Education for the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA), overseeing the Pork Quality Assurance program and Swine Welfare Assurance program, along with other producer and consumer educational efforts. In addition to his agriculture expertise, the Clive resident served as president of the Clive Chamber of Commerce and as a volunteer for the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program.
“I’m honored to take on this new role within Farm Bureau. I am motivated by our members and staff and look forward to seeing what we can accomplish for Farm Bureau and Iowa agriculture moving forward,” says Schwager.
Schwager earned his Agricultural Business bachelor of science degree and his Master of Agriculture degree from Iowa State University.
Iowa Farm Bureau appoints Kevin Kuhle as State Policy Advisor
Kevin Kuhle has been appointed to State Policy Advisor for Iowa Farm Bureau Federation’s (IFBF) Government Relations team, effective June 1, 2018. Kuhle replaces Marty Schwager, who was recently named IFBF Field Service Director.
Kuhle has served as IFBF’s National Policy Advisor for the past five years. Prior to joining IFBF, his political experience included working for Representative Lee Hein in the State Capitol, and developing extensive election and policy experience with numerous National, State, or Congressional level political campaigns.
IFBF’s Director of Government Relations, Don Petersen, says Kuhle’s experiences, as well as his passion for agriculture and collaborative skills will help sustain Farm Bureau’s reputation as Iowa’s oldest and strongest grassroots farm organization.
“Kevin’s political savvy will assure a seamless transition in representation for our organization and the thousands of Iowans who come together each year to form our policies. Kevin never loses sight of the people he works for---the farmers who have made Farm Bureau the 100-year strong organization that serves agriculture and rural Iowans now, and into the future,” says Petersen.
Kuhle received his bachelor’s degree from Drake University in politics and public relations and resides in Des Moines with his wife and son.
“I look forward to working with my talented colleagues and farm leaders at the Statehouse, who work so hard to represent Iowa agriculture. I am eager to begin this new challenge,” says Kuhle.
An 8-Billion-Pound Market for Beef
From restaurants and resorts to cafeterias and mess halls, the foodservice industry represents the majority of away-from-home food purchases - and an 8-billion-pound market for beef.
The newly released, checkoff-funded "2017 Foodservice Volumetric Study" shows foodservice demand grew for the second year straight. According to the research, foodservice demand for U.S. beef is making a comeback after four years of decline.
Now in its 15th year, the annual study measures beef and chicken use in the foodservice industry. In 2017, the study:
- Measured beef use by segments and cuts
- Assessed chicken volume and penetration
- Analyzed category usage trends and menu positioning
According to the study, 97 percent of foodservice operators serve beef. Beef saw the highest gain in volume of all proteins, up 221 million pounds, or 2.8 percent. Key findings include:
- Beef accounts for 16 percent of total food purchases made by operators
- Ground beef represents the largest share in pounds and dollars and grew the most in both pounds and dollars in 2017
- Demand for pre-cut steaks declined as more operators are purchasing roasts (subprimal and ribs) to cut into steaks
- Barbecue trends led to 8 percent growth in beef rib volume
Since 2003, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, working on behalf of the beef checkoff, has engaged Technomic to perform the annual study to assess trends and inform marketing strategies. A total of 964 operators participated in the 2017 research study.
The increase in beef popularity in the foodservice industry should continue into 2018 as indicated by the USDA's beef supply forecast. The forecast states that consumers are projected to eat 9.6 percent more beef in 2018 than in 2015.
Pork Checkoff Showcases U.S. Pork at Launch of World Meat Congress
Leaders from around the globe are gathering in Dallas this week for the 2018 World Meat Congress (WMC). Key international stakeholders and National Pork Board leadership and staff will engage in real-time discussions of issues affecting the international marketplace for pork and other commodities. The WMC is a biennial event – held in the U.S. for the first time in over two decades – that brings together 700 of the world’s meat industry thought leaders.
The National Pork Board is one of the title sponsors of the event and will leverage that sponsorship to showcase U.S. pork in a variety of ways, including at the opening reception and a pork-themed luncheon. Also, board members and producer members of the Checkoff’s International Marketing Committee will network with key international stakeholders to share details about sustainability on today’s pig farms and to discuss emerging issues facing the industry.
“We’re excited to be here in Dallas talking about U.S. pork not as a commodity, but as a unique and special product with a story,” said Terry O’Neel, National Pork Board president and a producer from Friend, Nebraska. “As an industry, we have harnessed our collective strength to elevate our position in international markets, which has led to a record-setting global demand for U.S. pork.”
The pork industry is not unique in its growing dependence on exports to deliver returns to pork producers. In the last 10 years, U.S. agriculture has grown rapidly, shifting from exporting relatively few products to becoming heavily reliant on consumers outside of the U.S. and their intention to demand and buy American-grown products.
“It is critical that the U.S. pork industry diversify its global market opportunities,” said Craig Morris, vice president of international marketing at the National Pork Board. “No longer can we just be concerned with commodity volume. We proved this in 2017 when the top markets for U.S. pork included Mexico, Japan and China/Hong Kong. And although exports were down overall to China last year, U.S. pork variety meat exports set an all-time export record surpassing $1 billion in total value.”
At the World Meat Congress, U.S. pork industry leaders and pig farmers will have the opportunity to personally connect with world leaders, gaining invaluable insights that will continue the record-breaking pork export trajectory. Through speakers and networking opportunities, attendees will build relationships to elevate the Pork Checkoff’s international marketing efforts. The important contacts and conversations will aid in developing international marketing strategies designed to grow U.S. pork demand abroad.
As part of its sponsorship, the Pork Checkoff is sponsoring the keynote address by award-winning author and Forbes contributor Jeff Fromm, an expert on emerging consumer trends. Fromm, who has authored several books on reaching young consumers, says that food has moved from a mere menu item to a form of self-expression.
“Today’s young consumers are passionate about food; it is a ‘badge’ product,” Fromm said. “We used to express ourselves through clothing, but now it is food culture driven by the young consumer who can often afford to buy anything they wish.”
With both millennial and Generation-Z consumers (born 1996 to 2010) using food to curate their identity, the rules of food production and promotion are changing, with a focus moving from transparency to proof of performance.
“As an industry, food marketers must shift from ‘story telling’ about a product into ‘story living,’ or showing how the young consumer can integrate a product into their life,” Fromm added. “For example, today’s Gen Z consumer literally has an empty spice cabinet and they look to food merchandisers to fill that gap through innovative, seasoned product offerings. This delivers to the young consumer something they need and do not already have.”
The World Meat Congress continues through June 1, allowing time for producer leaders in attendance to exchange ideas and share strategies to face challenges and overcome barriers to international marketing. Insights, such as those shared by Fromm and other speakers, will generate conversations that will lead to critical relationship building. The conference provides a historic opportunity to gather critical insights and showcase the superiority of U.S. pork production to key international customers.
“The Checkoff will work hard to ensure that U.S. pork is literally at the center of the plate and top of mind for each conference attendee,” O’Neel said. “The insights we gain here will help us to better target future international markets and better understand the global consumers’ unique preference with the goal to increase U.S. pork consumption around the world.”
2018 World Pork Expo Showcases Everything Pig
A record-setting trade show, expanded seminar lineup, elite swine shows, and an abundance of delicious pork are all part of the 2018 World Pork Expo, June 6-8, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. Presented by the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) since 1987, Expo has become the must-see event for anyone involved in the U.S. or global pork business.
“As we mark 30 years of Expo, it’s exciting to see how the event has evolved and grown,” says Jim Heimerl, NPPC president and producer from Johnstown, Ohio. “It not only reflects the vibrancy of the U.S. pork industry, but also the connectedness of the global marketplace. For anyone involved in pork production, Expo is a wonderful opportunity to discover new technologies, exchange ideas and plan for the future.”
Organizers expect approximately 20,000 producers, employees, industry specialists and other pork professionals, including 1,000 international visitors, to participate in Expo’s three days.
More products, more companies, more exhibits
From the beginning, Expo has featured the world’s largest pork-specific trade show, but this year, it’s even bigger. New to Expo, the Jacobson Exhibition Center (JEC) will join the Varied Industries building to display products, services and technologies from more than 500 U.S. and international companies.
“This will be our biggest trade show ever,” says Doug Fricke, Expo director of trade show marketing for NPPC. “Adding JEC and the expanded space also allows for bigger and more elaborate displays; companies are really rolling out the red carpet. All aspects of pork production, from the ground up, will be represented within the trade show.”
Visitors also will find more outdoor exhibits throughout the fairgrounds. On display around the swine, sheep and cattle barns will be products and services associated with live-hog shows. In all, Fricke estimates Expo’s trade show will exceed 360,000 square feet, making it more than 40,000 square feet larger than in 2017.
This year’s expansion extends to the hospitality tents, which will increase from 52 to 60, giving allied industry and producers more opportunities for one-on-one interaction.
Trade show doors will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 6, and Thursday, June 7, and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, June 8.
Live-hog shows and youth educational events
The World Pork Expo Junior National is another event that continues to grow and draw participants from across the nation. This premier youth live-hog exhibition begins on Monday, June 4. In addition to show ring competition, the event includes judging contests, certification programs, Skillathon and other educational activities.
Hosted by the National Junior Swine Association and Team Purebred, this year’s Junior National has set another record with 1,450 youth from 34 states entered to participate. That compares to 1,050 exhibitors from 32 states in 2017. The final hog numbers won’t be determined until the actual event but are expected to exceed the 2,500 pigs exhibited last year.
Also taking place in the swine barn on Friday, June 8, is the open show, presented by the National Swine Registry, Certified Pedigree Swine and American Berkshire Association. Divisions include Berkshire, Chester White, Duroc, Hampshire, Landrace, Poland China, Spotted, Yorkshire and crossbred breeding swine, with a sale on Saturday morning, June 9.
Free seminars and entertainment
Educational opportunities have long been a centerpiece of Expo. This year, a record 20 seminars are on the schedule for Wednesday, June 6, and Thursday, June 7. Throughout both days, experts will present the latest innovations and insights into pork production and management at the PORK Academy and Business Seminars. Pork producers, their employees and other pork professionals will have access to experts on a wide range of topics, including sow productivity, water quality and manure management, antibiotic use and resistance, optimizing piglet growth, export and domestic pork marketing strategies, and much more.
MusicFest lights up the stage on Thursday, June 7, from 4:30 to 8:00 p.m. Presented by NPPC, Expo visitors can enjoy a summer evening with the free concert and lots of grilled pork. First up will be the R&B and classic country sounds of Josh Hoyer, a Nebraska native and contestant on season 12 of The Voice. Headlining the evening is The Big Noise, led by Cactus Moser, a musically adventurous group that has recorded and toured with Wynonna Judd over the past five years.
The Big Grill, another long-time Expo staple, will serve free pork lunches from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. all three days of the show. Manned by Iowa pork producers and industry personnel, the Big Grill dishes up an estimated 10,000 pork lunches each year.
Don't miss out
The final countdown to the 2018 World Pork Expo is underway, but there’s still time to make plans to attend.
“If you haven’t been to Expo in a while, this is the year to make a return trip. You’ll be amazed to see how much it’s changed,” says Heimerl. “Expo is a great place to discover what’s new, as well as learn and compare what you will need for your business in the years to come.”
Online registration is available until 5 p.m. CST on May 31. The pre-Expo registration fee is $10 for adults and children 12 years and older, $1 for children ages 6 to 11, and no charge for children 5 years and younger. Onsite registration takes place at Gate 15, with an entrance fee of $20 per adult and $3 for children ages 6 to 11 years. In all cases, the price includes entry for all three days of Expo. A special rate of $10 is available for adults arriving on Friday.
For all the latest updates and details to plan your visit, including room availability at official World Pork Expo hotels, maps and exhibitors, go to Expo’s website. Also connect with Expo by following us on Twitter and Facebook and tagging your posts with the hashtag #WPX18.
Be sure to download the World Pork Expo app, available on Google Play and the Apple store. It will help you navigate the fairgrounds, identify exhibitors that you want to visit and keep you on schedule.
The 30th World Pork Expo has something for everyone, so don’t miss out on everything pig, June 6-8 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines.
Half of Fertilizers Continue Higher
Prices for half of the eight major fertilizers continue to be mostly higher, according to prices tracked by DTN for the third week of May 2018. Like off and on in recent weeks, there are some possible signs that fertilizer prices may be weakening.
Four of the eight major fertilizer were once again higher in price compared to last month, although none were up a considerable amount. MAP had an average price of $504/ton, potash $354/ton, 10-34-0 $439/ton and UAN28 $241/ton.
The other four fertilizers were slightly lower in price compared to the previous month. DAP had an average price of $483/ton, urea $364/ton, anhydrous $504/ton and UAN32 $276/ton.
On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.40/lb.N, anhydrous $0.31/lb.N, UAN28 $0.43/lb.N and UAN32 $0.43/lb.N.
Six of the eight major fertilizers are now higher compared to last year, with prices pushing higher in recent months. Both 10-34-0 and anhydrous are now up 1%, potash is 4% higher, urea is 6% more expensive, MAP is 7% higher and DAP is 11% more expensive compared to last year.
The remaining two fertilizers are lower in price compared to a year prior. UAN32 is 1% lower, while UAN28 is 3% less expensive.
Ethanol Coalition Files Suit Against EPA’s Secretive Small Refinery Exemptions
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) and National Farmers Union (NFU), with support of Farmers Union Enterprises, today filed suit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit to challenge several waivers from the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted in secret to profitable refining companies.
The petitioners are challenging three EPA decisions, made under unusually clandestine proceedings, to exempt refineries in Wynnewood, Oklahoma; Cheyenne, Wyoming; and Woods Cross, Utah from the RFS requirements of the Clean Air Act. The Wynnewood refinery is owned by Wynnewood Refining Company, a subsidiary of CVR Energy, and the Cheyenne and Woods Cross refineries are owned by Holly Frontier Corporation. The companies have since estimated in financial disclosures that the exemptions have saved them a collective $170 million in compliance costs.
When Congress enacted the RFS program a decade ago, it sought to protect certain small refineries from the law’s impacts temporarily by providing an exemption for refineries with no more than 75,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil throughput. After a two-year blanket exemption expired, Congress also allowed those same refineries to ask for extensions of the temporary exemption if they could show that compliance with the RFS program was causing that particular facility a “disproportionate economic hardship.” Until late last year, EPA only granted a handful of exemptions per year. EPA denied many extension requests, presumably because the refineries failed to meet one or more of these requirements for an extension. In recent months, EPA has granted over two dozen exemptions—including the ones challenged here—without providing any basis for its reversal.
“EPA is trying to undermine the RFS program under the cover of night,” said Bob Dinneen, CEO and President of RFA. “And there’s a reason it has been done in secret – it’s because EPA is acting in contravention of the statute and its own regulations, methodically destroying the demand for renewable fuels,” continued Dinneen. “With the little information we’ve been able to piece together through secondary sources, it’s clear that EPA has been extending these exemptions to refineries that didn’t qualify for them.”
Although EPA typically publishes its proposed actions and final decisions in the Federal Register, EPA has not followed those protocols for small refineries; nor has EPA even informed the public by any means that it had received or acted on such carve-out requests. Instead, the petitioners learned of the unprecedented number of exemptions second-hand, through media reports and secondary sources.
“EPA left us with no choice but to challenge their systematic cuts to ethanol blending in the U.S. by distorting the intent of the law to grant secret hardship waivers to refineries which in some cases exceed the definition of ‘small’ and fall short of demonstrating ‘disproportionate economic hardship,’” said Brian Jennings, CEO of ACE. “We cannot sit by and allow EPA to violate the RFS which requires increasing the use of renewable fuels in the U.S.”
The petition also notes that EPA has consistently rejected all attempts to bring greater transparency to the small refinery exemption extension process. EPA has refused to provide even the most basic information requested in Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests from RFA and other parties. More surprisingly, the Agency has also ignored demands from members of Congress for the same essential facts.
“EPA’s improper handling of the RFS has significantly cut demand for biofuels grown and produced by American family farmers and their communities. The success of the law lies in the requirement that certain amounts of renewable fuel be blended into our transportation sector. Yet EPA has unlawfully allowed massive refineries to skirt compliance with these requirements, effectively reducing the amount of renewable fuels blended into the transportation sector by more than one billion gallons. These actions must be reversed immediately,” according to Roger Johnson, President NFU.
The petitioners are not challenging EPA’s underlying authority to exempt certain small refineries; rather they are challenging three granted exemptions as abuses of EPA’s authority. EPA should be forced to explain why an otherwise profitable refinery faces disproportionate hardship from compliance with the RFS. We want EPA to explain why it is reasonable for HollyFrontier, which apparently could not afford to comply with the RFS, could nonetheless afford to undertake a $1 billion stock share repurchase program during the same time—and that’s before the company received over $300 million in tax cuts last year. Likewise, the petitioners would like to understand how EPA could find hardship at CVR Energy, which reported a $23 million profit in the biofuels credit market in the first quarter of 2018 due to what it called a lower RFS obligation.
“With their rapidly rising profits, it’s difficult to see what economic hardship these refineries are facing. The apparent lack of hardship raises serious questions of why EPA granted these exemptions, which is compounded by the fact that there is zero transparency in EPA’s small refinery exemption process,” said Kevin Skunes, president of the National Corn Growers Association. “America’s corn farmers, who are expecting their fifth consecutive year of low commodity prices and who are experiencing the lowest net farm incomes since 2006, understand economic challenges. When refineries are reporting profit increases and repurchasing stock shares, we expect EPA to explain why these refineries were granted exemptions from their RFS volume obligations.”
In practice, EPA is attempting to use the small refinery exemptions to waive a significant part of the annual volumes of renewable fuel that are otherwise required to be blended into transportation fuel. Based on EPA data, RFA estimates that small refinery exemptions granted for the past two years have effectively reduced volumes of renewable fuel by as much as 1.6 billion gallons. In enacting the RFS program, however, Congress did not envision the small refinery exemption process would be abused in such a way.
New Study Shows Chinese Regulatory Delays Costing Rural Jobs & Economy
America’s farmers’ access to biotechnology seeds has been impeded by regulatory delays in China, costing the overall U.S. economy both jobs and billions of dollars in economic output, according to a study released today by Informa’s Agribusiness Consulting Group in tandem with the Biotechnology Innovation Organization.
“This report further confirms something that we have already known: China’s biotech approval process has functioned in an unpredictable manner that compounds delays and has global ramifications,” said Don Duvall, a farmer from Illinois and Chair of the National Corn Growers Association’s Freedom to Operate Action Team . “For American agriculture to achieve its full potential, farmers need access to both the most cutting-edge technologies as well as to international markets.”
More timely biotech import approvals would benefit China, as well as ag exporters such as the United States, Argentina and Brazil, by increasing food security and decreasing food prices for Chinese consumers while boosting farmer incomes and allowing for the use of more sustainable farming practices.
According to the report, limiting farmers’ access to technology and forgoing productivity gains has had profound effects in the U.S. over the last five years. Namely, these delays have:
· Limited farm incomes by $5.3 billion
· Prevented the creation and support of over 34,000 jobs
· Prevented wage growth of nearly $4.6 billion
· Reduced potential economic output by nearly $7 billion
· Reduced potential business sales by nearly $15 billion
Looking ahead, should China adopt regulatory practices that allow for more timely commercial introductions of products, the U.S. could see the following economic benefits unlocked:
· Increase in farm income by over $5 billion
· Over 19,000 jobs would be created and supported
· Increase in wages by nearly $4.4 billion
· Increase of potential GDP by over $7.3 billion
· Increase of business sales by nearly $15 billion
The NCGA is continuing efforts to work with the U.S. government in urging China to adopt a science-based regulatory system that ensures both proper oversight of new technologies as well as an efficient and effective review process.
ASA Underscores Importance of U.S. Trade with China
The American Soybean Association (ASA) reiterated its significant concern with the Administration’s decision yesterday to move forward and apply a 25 percent tariff on nearly $50 billion in goods imported from China.
The looming threat of tariffs creates uncertainty in the marketplace and for soy growers, whose livelihoods rely on the ability to export their crops and products to China.
“This is real money to a soybean farmer trying to determine when to sell their crop,” said ASA President and Iowa farmer John Heisdorffer. “Farm income is projected to be the lowest in more than five years and farmers cannot afford to have the bottom fall out now.”
ASA continues to ask the Administration to work with soybean farmers to find ways to reduce our trade deficit by increasing competitiveness rather than erecting barriers to foreign markets, and is confident in this week’s negotiations.
“We are very pleased to have USDA send some of their best negotiators in agriculture to this week’s meeting with officials in China,” Heisdorffer added. “Soybeans lead the way for agricultural trade with China, accounting for nearly $14 billion in exports to China annually. As we have called for months, we believe soybeans can be part of the solution and we’re hopeful to be a part of the conversation this week.”
NGFA recommends changes to FDA's draft guidance on FSMA importing rules
The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) has submitted a statement to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommending that the agency make several changes to its draft guidance to better inform importers on how they may comply with the import rules established under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).
The statement covers FDA's draft guidance for industry entitled, "Foreign Supplier Verification Programs for Importers of Food for Humans and Animals." The guidance, when finalized, is intended to provide the agency's thinking on how importers of human or animal food can comply with the regulation on foreign supplier verification programs (FSVP).
NGFA's statement also included recommendations on certain FSVP issues that, if implemented, would result in meaningful reduction in regulatory burdens and costs on the regulated industry, while still enabling FDA to fulfill its public health mission and statutory obligations under FSMA.
Among the recommendations made by the NGFA were that FDA should:
- Provide a more proactive system to inform entities when they have been named as the importer for purposes of the rule to avoid inaccurate or false designations that would create potential compliance obligations.
- Designate pulse raw agricultural commodities (e.g., dry peas, lentils, chickpeas, and dry beans) as "grain," so that the agency's previously announced enforcement discretion for certain importers of grain raw agricultural commodities intended for further processing would be appropriately extended to such commodities.
- Clarify that the agency intends to exercise enforcement discretion for animal food contact surfaces with regard to FSVP requirements.
- Limit the scope of potential economically motivated adulteration hazards that importers need to consider to those for which there has been a pattern of economic adulteration in the past.
- Update its website to provide clearer and more concise information pertaining to countries the agency recognizes as having a food safety system that is comparable or equivalent to that of the United States.
USDA Providing $8.89 Million for Risk Management Education
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) today announced the availability of $8.89 million for risk management education and training programs. The funding will allow organizations such as universities, county cooperative extension offices, and nonprofit organizations to develop training and educational tools to help farmers and ranchers learn how to effectively manage long-term risks and challenges.
Interested organizations may apply by submitting documentation required as part of the Risk Management Education Partnerships Request for Applications (RFA). The applications are then reviewed, and awardees enter into cooperative agreements that are managed by RMA’s Risk Management Education Division.
“Risk Management Education helps ensure that farmers and ranchers know and understand what tools are available to them and how to plan for unknown weather and financial situations. We work with private organizations to help us reach a wide range of producers, and connect them with resources from RMA, as well as from our partner agencies within USDA’s Farm Production and Conservation mission area, the Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service,” said RMA Administrator Martin Barbre.
Agriculture is an inherently risky business. The farm safety net provides producers and owners various methods to mitigate production and revenue risks and helps to maintain a healthy rural economy.
Available funding includes $4.73 million for the Crop Insurance Education in Targeted States Program for crop insurance education programs where there is a low level of Federal crop insurance participation and availability. The targeted states are Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Additionally, $4.16 million in funding is available for the Risk Management Education Partnership Program, which provides funding for the development of general nationwide crop insurance education as well as other risk management training programs for producers.
A broad range of risk management training activities are eligible for funding consideration under these programs, including training on Federal crop insurance options, risk analysis, and changes to the crop insurance program. Partners also can train farmers at all levels on risk management options that help secure local food systems and strengthen rural communities.
Information about how to apply to these programs is available at Grants.gov (www.grants.gov). For information about the Risk Management Partnership program, search by catalog of federal domestic assistance (CFDA) for 10.460 and information on the Crop Insurance Education in Targeted States can be found by searching for 10.458.
Applications for both programs are due by 5:00 p.m. EDT on July 30, 2018. All applications must be submitted electronically through the Results Verification System website (rvs.umn.edu) and received by the deadline.
For the 2017 crop year the Federal crop insurance program insured 311.4 million acres, with 1.12 million policies and $106 billion worth of coverage as of May 4, 2018.
RMA works with private partners to assist producers, especially limited resource, socially disadvantaged and other traditionally underserved farmers and ranchers, in effectively managing long-term risks and challenges. For more information about RMA, its programs, or to volunteer to serve as a reviewer, visit www.rma.usda.gov.
NFU Condemns DOJ Approval of Monsanto Acquisition by Bayer
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) today approved German drug and chemical giant Bayer’s $62.5 billion acquisition of Monsanto. The deal will consolidate control of more than a quarter of the world’s seed and pesticides market and create the largest seed and crop chemicals company in the world.
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson issued the following statement in response to the announcement:
“Bayer’s acquisition of Monsanto culminates the latest and most disturbing round of consolidation amongst the handful of companies that control both U.S. and global agricultural markets. Three massive companies now control the markets that supply agricultural inputs like seeds, traits and chemicals. This extreme consolidation drives up costs for farmers and it limits their choice of products in the marketplace. It also reduces the incentive for the remaining agricultural input giants to compete and innovate through research and development.
“While we appreciate the significant divestitures agreed to as part of this approval, Farmers Union condemns DOJ’s continued rubber-stamping of mergers in the food and agriculture arena. We will now focus our efforts on ensuring the promises made by Bayer and Monsanto throughout this approval process are kept. The company must continue to increase the productivity of American family farmers by delivering localized solutions in seed, trait, and crop chemical innovation.”
On May 10, 2018, the Nebraska Department of Insurance became aware of a pending cancellation of a large number of crop hail named peril (crop hail) policies issued to Nebraska growers by CropPro, a managing general agent of GuideOne Mutual Insurance Company. The reason given for the possible cancellation was the failure of CropPro to secure reinsurance. On May 11, CropPro began to issue notices of cancellation on many, but not all, crop hail policies issued in Nebraska. This cancellation notice did not apply to federally reinsured multi-peril crop insurance (MPCI) that was sold in conjunction with the private crop hail policies.
Since the issuance of the cancellation notices, the Department became aware of two pieces of misinformation provided to growers and insurance producers:
· First, emails from CropPro to insurance producers indicate that the Nebraska Department of Insurance required CropPro to cancel policies. This statement is false. The decision to cancel the policies was a decision made by CropPro.
· Second, emails from CropPro to insurance producers indicate grower losses will not be paid. This statement is false. GuideOne, as the insurer who issued the policy, will be responsible for any covered losses, subject to the provisions of the policy, that occur while the policy is in force. This includes policies that were not cancelled or replaced, as well as covered losses occurring while cancelled policies were still in force (between the policy’s effective date and the effective date of the cancellation).
RMA Bulletin
On Friday, May 28, 2018, the United States Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency (RMA), issued a bulletin in response to the market disruption caused by CropPro’s decision to cancel a large number of crop hail policies in Nebraska. The bulletin allows growers to transfer their MPCI coverage back to the approved insurance provider who insured the MPCI policy in 2017. The window for transfers is 15 business days from May 28. The bulletin can be found on the RMA’s website at https://www.rma.usda.gov/bulletins/managers/2018/mgr-18-005.pdf.
Talk with your Insurance Agent
Each individual grower is unique and this situation involving misinformation, cancellations, and transfers is unusual and confusing. Nebraska growers affected by CropPro are encouraged to reach out and contact their insurance producers (agents) to determine their insurance needs and options for the 2018 growing season.
USE GRAZING TO CONTROL PASTURE WEEDS
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist
Pasture weeds are a problem for many of us. It’s a challenge to control or prevent them in the first place. The right grazing practices, though, can help reduce this problem.
If you have weedy pastures, first ask yourself – Why? Nearly always the existing forage stand was not thick or vigorous enough to out-compete invading weeds. So the first step in pasture weed control must be to manage pastures so they can be competitive. That may include fertilizer, extra seeding, and especially well-managed grazing.
Once weeds become a problem, though, control strategies must be used. One technique is to heavily stock a pasture, maybe with a ten-fold higher concentration of animals per acre than usual, for a very short time. Only do this if your good grass is healthy.
Use temporary cross fences to create small enough areas to achieve these high animal concentrations. If this is done while weeds like crabgrass, foxtail, lambsquarter, and field bindweed are still young, many of them will be eaten readily. Animals even eat cheatgrass, downy brome, and sandbur when plants are young. Once they form seed stalks, though, cattle almost totally reject them. Be sure to remove animals while desired grasses still have a few leaves remaining so they regrow quickly and compete with any recovering or new weeds.
Some established weeds, especially perennials, aren’t controlled easily with grazing. Clipping or spraying these weeds when their root reserves are low and to prevent seed production will reduce their pressure. But remember, they will return quickly unless follow-up grazing management keeps your pasture healthy, vigorous, and competitive.
Pasture weeds are troublesome, but proper grazing helps control them.
University, SNR to Host Soil Moisture Workshop
The leading scientists in soil moisture sensing, monitoring and modelling from the top universities, federal agencies and national laboratories in the United States will meet June 4 to 7 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for the eighth annual MOISST Workshop: From Soil Moisture Observations to Actionable Decisions.
The workshop provides a unique opportunity for the researchers to exchange ideas and develop collaborations, said Trenton Franz, one of the workshop organizers and a hydrogeophysicist at the School of Natural Resources.
"The exchange of water between the land surface and the atmosphere is critical for understanding the water and energy cycles," Franz said. "The feedback between land surface and atmosphere is critical to issues such as drought monitoring and short-term weather forecasting."
A nationwide interest in better understanding these relationships has experts pushing to establish a national soil moisture monitoring network, and one goal of the workshop is to stimulate progress toward realizing the vision of the National Soil Moisture Network, which aims to integrate diverse sources of soil moisture observations, including federal and state in-situ monitoring networks, satellite remote-sensing missions, and numerical models.
The workshop, hosted by Nebraska at the School of Natural Resources, will also: * Provide a highly focused venue for presenting cutting-edge research and new concepts related to soil moisture monitoring. * Highlight new applications of soil moisture data and identify application-oriented research needs.
The workshop will include special sessions by the National Drought Mitigation Center. Invited speakers are from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and various universities and laboratories around the country.
Climate Assessment Response Committee to Meet
Mat Habrock, assistant director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, has scheduled a meeting of the Climate Assessment Response Committee (CARC) for June 4. The meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. in room 901, Hardin Hall on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln East Campus.
Officials will brief CARC members on existing, as well as predicted, weather conditions and provide a water availability outlook.
For more details, call the Nebraska Department of Agriculture at (402) 471-2341.
Fuel Your Summer Road trip with Iowa’s Homegrown Fuel
Planning a summer vacation or a weekend getaway? You probably don’t put much thought into which gas station you stop at, but by making pit stops at stations with higher blends of homegrown ethanol including E85, could save you money. Determine the best fuel for your vehicle by using our Vehicle Fuel Finder to find out!
E85 is a fuel made up of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. E85 can be used to fill up your “flexible fuel” vehicles. As the summer driving season begins, the U.S. Energy Information Administration is already warning drivers that they likely see the highest gasoline prices in four years. Pump prices have already begun to increase, so make the right choice for your vehicle to save money for what matters most.
As of Tuesday, May 22 the current price for unleaded gasoline averaged $2.84 across Iowa according to AAA. This is up $.05 from last week and $.58 higher than one year ago. The national average on the same day was $2.95, up $.06 from last week’s price. However, ethanol is helping to offset higher prices, and 10 percent ethanol blends (E10) alone could save consumers at least $39 billion this year, according to an analysis released by the Renewable Fuels Association. The current Des Moines Terminal/Rack Prices are $2.16 for E10 and E85 is priced at $1.76 per gallon.
Crop Rotation Changes May Impact Manure Management Plans
As June approaches, some northern areas of the state have experienced delays in corn planting due to a cold spring that turned wet. Producers considering changes to crop rotation should pay attention to the impact it has on manure management plans.
The Iowa Administrative Code only allows a maximum of 100 pounds N per acre manure application on ground to be planted to soybean. However, it does allow fields that had liquid manure applied at rates intended for growing corn to be switched to soybean on or after June 1 with no penalty of over-application of manure nitrogen. Thus if a field planned for corn has not been planted and will be switched to soybean, this can be done. Producers should document the changes in crop rotation, application methods and other changes in their annual manure management plans.
Given it has been a wet spring in some areas, nutrient management and specifically, nitrogen loss may be top of mind. Livestock producers with Iowa DNR manure management plans are reminded if they have already applied the maximum nitrogen rate to the field, they can't apply additional sources of nitrogen unless the need is confirmed by the use of a Late Spring Nitrate Test. This test measures nitrate-N concentration at the 0-12 inch depth.
Results can be interpreted by the ISU Extension and Outreach publication "Use of the Late-Spring Soil Nitrate Test in Iowa Corn Production" (CROP 3140), which considers both the original fertilizer source and the amount of rain that occurred in May (excessive is more than five inches in May). When adding extra nitrogen, be sure to document soil sample results and reference the publication to interpret the test results in management plans.
While fall provided favorable application conditions, and periods in March were favorable, producers should plan ahead if not as much manure as normal is applied in the spring. Having a plan in place will help prevent potential issues from turning into problems. Keep an eye on storage, and have a plan for needed action.
Iowa Farm Bureau appoints Marty Schwager as Field Service Director
Marty Schwager has been named Iowa Farm Bureau Federation’s (IFBF) Director of Field Service, succeeding longtime IFBF employee Joe Johnson in the role. Johnson, who was recently named IFBF Executive Director, says Schwager’s reputation for building successful coalitions with business and industry groups, legislators and farmers will help meet Farm Bureau’s goals as the 100-year-strong farm organization moves forward.
“Marty is widely recognized within the organization and across the industry for his forward-thinking passion for ag, diplomacy and ability to reach common ground to achieve goals. For all those reasons and more, he is perfectly suited to work with our staff and farm leaders as we come together to find solutions for the next century of issues for agriculture,” says Johnson.
Prior to being named Director of Field Service, Schwager served in several roles at IFBF, including State Lobbyist, National Lobbyist and Regional Manager. Schwager’s long service to agriculture also includes working as Director of Producer Education for the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA), overseeing the Pork Quality Assurance program and Swine Welfare Assurance program, along with other producer and consumer educational efforts. In addition to his agriculture expertise, the Clive resident served as president of the Clive Chamber of Commerce and as a volunteer for the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program.
“I’m honored to take on this new role within Farm Bureau. I am motivated by our members and staff and look forward to seeing what we can accomplish for Farm Bureau and Iowa agriculture moving forward,” says Schwager.
Schwager earned his Agricultural Business bachelor of science degree and his Master of Agriculture degree from Iowa State University.
Iowa Farm Bureau appoints Kevin Kuhle as State Policy Advisor
Kevin Kuhle has been appointed to State Policy Advisor for Iowa Farm Bureau Federation’s (IFBF) Government Relations team, effective June 1, 2018. Kuhle replaces Marty Schwager, who was recently named IFBF Field Service Director.
Kuhle has served as IFBF’s National Policy Advisor for the past five years. Prior to joining IFBF, his political experience included working for Representative Lee Hein in the State Capitol, and developing extensive election and policy experience with numerous National, State, or Congressional level political campaigns.
IFBF’s Director of Government Relations, Don Petersen, says Kuhle’s experiences, as well as his passion for agriculture and collaborative skills will help sustain Farm Bureau’s reputation as Iowa’s oldest and strongest grassroots farm organization.
“Kevin’s political savvy will assure a seamless transition in representation for our organization and the thousands of Iowans who come together each year to form our policies. Kevin never loses sight of the people he works for---the farmers who have made Farm Bureau the 100-year strong organization that serves agriculture and rural Iowans now, and into the future,” says Petersen.
Kuhle received his bachelor’s degree from Drake University in politics and public relations and resides in Des Moines with his wife and son.
“I look forward to working with my talented colleagues and farm leaders at the Statehouse, who work so hard to represent Iowa agriculture. I am eager to begin this new challenge,” says Kuhle.
An 8-Billion-Pound Market for Beef
From restaurants and resorts to cafeterias and mess halls, the foodservice industry represents the majority of away-from-home food purchases - and an 8-billion-pound market for beef.
The newly released, checkoff-funded "2017 Foodservice Volumetric Study" shows foodservice demand grew for the second year straight. According to the research, foodservice demand for U.S. beef is making a comeback after four years of decline.
Now in its 15th year, the annual study measures beef and chicken use in the foodservice industry. In 2017, the study:
- Measured beef use by segments and cuts
- Assessed chicken volume and penetration
- Analyzed category usage trends and menu positioning
According to the study, 97 percent of foodservice operators serve beef. Beef saw the highest gain in volume of all proteins, up 221 million pounds, or 2.8 percent. Key findings include:
- Beef accounts for 16 percent of total food purchases made by operators
- Ground beef represents the largest share in pounds and dollars and grew the most in both pounds and dollars in 2017
- Demand for pre-cut steaks declined as more operators are purchasing roasts (subprimal and ribs) to cut into steaks
- Barbecue trends led to 8 percent growth in beef rib volume
Since 2003, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, working on behalf of the beef checkoff, has engaged Technomic to perform the annual study to assess trends and inform marketing strategies. A total of 964 operators participated in the 2017 research study.
The increase in beef popularity in the foodservice industry should continue into 2018 as indicated by the USDA's beef supply forecast. The forecast states that consumers are projected to eat 9.6 percent more beef in 2018 than in 2015.
Pork Checkoff Showcases U.S. Pork at Launch of World Meat Congress
Leaders from around the globe are gathering in Dallas this week for the 2018 World Meat Congress (WMC). Key international stakeholders and National Pork Board leadership and staff will engage in real-time discussions of issues affecting the international marketplace for pork and other commodities. The WMC is a biennial event – held in the U.S. for the first time in over two decades – that brings together 700 of the world’s meat industry thought leaders.
The National Pork Board is one of the title sponsors of the event and will leverage that sponsorship to showcase U.S. pork in a variety of ways, including at the opening reception and a pork-themed luncheon. Also, board members and producer members of the Checkoff’s International Marketing Committee will network with key international stakeholders to share details about sustainability on today’s pig farms and to discuss emerging issues facing the industry.
“We’re excited to be here in Dallas talking about U.S. pork not as a commodity, but as a unique and special product with a story,” said Terry O’Neel, National Pork Board president and a producer from Friend, Nebraska. “As an industry, we have harnessed our collective strength to elevate our position in international markets, which has led to a record-setting global demand for U.S. pork.”
The pork industry is not unique in its growing dependence on exports to deliver returns to pork producers. In the last 10 years, U.S. agriculture has grown rapidly, shifting from exporting relatively few products to becoming heavily reliant on consumers outside of the U.S. and their intention to demand and buy American-grown products.
“It is critical that the U.S. pork industry diversify its global market opportunities,” said Craig Morris, vice president of international marketing at the National Pork Board. “No longer can we just be concerned with commodity volume. We proved this in 2017 when the top markets for U.S. pork included Mexico, Japan and China/Hong Kong. And although exports were down overall to China last year, U.S. pork variety meat exports set an all-time export record surpassing $1 billion in total value.”
At the World Meat Congress, U.S. pork industry leaders and pig farmers will have the opportunity to personally connect with world leaders, gaining invaluable insights that will continue the record-breaking pork export trajectory. Through speakers and networking opportunities, attendees will build relationships to elevate the Pork Checkoff’s international marketing efforts. The important contacts and conversations will aid in developing international marketing strategies designed to grow U.S. pork demand abroad.
As part of its sponsorship, the Pork Checkoff is sponsoring the keynote address by award-winning author and Forbes contributor Jeff Fromm, an expert on emerging consumer trends. Fromm, who has authored several books on reaching young consumers, says that food has moved from a mere menu item to a form of self-expression.
“Today’s young consumers are passionate about food; it is a ‘badge’ product,” Fromm said. “We used to express ourselves through clothing, but now it is food culture driven by the young consumer who can often afford to buy anything they wish.”
With both millennial and Generation-Z consumers (born 1996 to 2010) using food to curate their identity, the rules of food production and promotion are changing, with a focus moving from transparency to proof of performance.
“As an industry, food marketers must shift from ‘story telling’ about a product into ‘story living,’ or showing how the young consumer can integrate a product into their life,” Fromm added. “For example, today’s Gen Z consumer literally has an empty spice cabinet and they look to food merchandisers to fill that gap through innovative, seasoned product offerings. This delivers to the young consumer something they need and do not already have.”
The World Meat Congress continues through June 1, allowing time for producer leaders in attendance to exchange ideas and share strategies to face challenges and overcome barriers to international marketing. Insights, such as those shared by Fromm and other speakers, will generate conversations that will lead to critical relationship building. The conference provides a historic opportunity to gather critical insights and showcase the superiority of U.S. pork production to key international customers.
“The Checkoff will work hard to ensure that U.S. pork is literally at the center of the plate and top of mind for each conference attendee,” O’Neel said. “The insights we gain here will help us to better target future international markets and better understand the global consumers’ unique preference with the goal to increase U.S. pork consumption around the world.”
2018 World Pork Expo Showcases Everything Pig
A record-setting trade show, expanded seminar lineup, elite swine shows, and an abundance of delicious pork are all part of the 2018 World Pork Expo, June 6-8, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. Presented by the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) since 1987, Expo has become the must-see event for anyone involved in the U.S. or global pork business.
“As we mark 30 years of Expo, it’s exciting to see how the event has evolved and grown,” says Jim Heimerl, NPPC president and producer from Johnstown, Ohio. “It not only reflects the vibrancy of the U.S. pork industry, but also the connectedness of the global marketplace. For anyone involved in pork production, Expo is a wonderful opportunity to discover new technologies, exchange ideas and plan for the future.”
Organizers expect approximately 20,000 producers, employees, industry specialists and other pork professionals, including 1,000 international visitors, to participate in Expo’s three days.
More products, more companies, more exhibits
From the beginning, Expo has featured the world’s largest pork-specific trade show, but this year, it’s even bigger. New to Expo, the Jacobson Exhibition Center (JEC) will join the Varied Industries building to display products, services and technologies from more than 500 U.S. and international companies.
“This will be our biggest trade show ever,” says Doug Fricke, Expo director of trade show marketing for NPPC. “Adding JEC and the expanded space also allows for bigger and more elaborate displays; companies are really rolling out the red carpet. All aspects of pork production, from the ground up, will be represented within the trade show.”
Visitors also will find more outdoor exhibits throughout the fairgrounds. On display around the swine, sheep and cattle barns will be products and services associated with live-hog shows. In all, Fricke estimates Expo’s trade show will exceed 360,000 square feet, making it more than 40,000 square feet larger than in 2017.
This year’s expansion extends to the hospitality tents, which will increase from 52 to 60, giving allied industry and producers more opportunities for one-on-one interaction.
Trade show doors will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 6, and Thursday, June 7, and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, June 8.
Live-hog shows and youth educational events
The World Pork Expo Junior National is another event that continues to grow and draw participants from across the nation. This premier youth live-hog exhibition begins on Monday, June 4. In addition to show ring competition, the event includes judging contests, certification programs, Skillathon and other educational activities.
Hosted by the National Junior Swine Association and Team Purebred, this year’s Junior National has set another record with 1,450 youth from 34 states entered to participate. That compares to 1,050 exhibitors from 32 states in 2017. The final hog numbers won’t be determined until the actual event but are expected to exceed the 2,500 pigs exhibited last year.
Also taking place in the swine barn on Friday, June 8, is the open show, presented by the National Swine Registry, Certified Pedigree Swine and American Berkshire Association. Divisions include Berkshire, Chester White, Duroc, Hampshire, Landrace, Poland China, Spotted, Yorkshire and crossbred breeding swine, with a sale on Saturday morning, June 9.
Free seminars and entertainment
Educational opportunities have long been a centerpiece of Expo. This year, a record 20 seminars are on the schedule for Wednesday, June 6, and Thursday, June 7. Throughout both days, experts will present the latest innovations and insights into pork production and management at the PORK Academy and Business Seminars. Pork producers, their employees and other pork professionals will have access to experts on a wide range of topics, including sow productivity, water quality and manure management, antibiotic use and resistance, optimizing piglet growth, export and domestic pork marketing strategies, and much more.
MusicFest lights up the stage on Thursday, June 7, from 4:30 to 8:00 p.m. Presented by NPPC, Expo visitors can enjoy a summer evening with the free concert and lots of grilled pork. First up will be the R&B and classic country sounds of Josh Hoyer, a Nebraska native and contestant on season 12 of The Voice. Headlining the evening is The Big Noise, led by Cactus Moser, a musically adventurous group that has recorded and toured with Wynonna Judd over the past five years.
The Big Grill, another long-time Expo staple, will serve free pork lunches from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. all three days of the show. Manned by Iowa pork producers and industry personnel, the Big Grill dishes up an estimated 10,000 pork lunches each year.
Don't miss out
The final countdown to the 2018 World Pork Expo is underway, but there’s still time to make plans to attend.
“If you haven’t been to Expo in a while, this is the year to make a return trip. You’ll be amazed to see how much it’s changed,” says Heimerl. “Expo is a great place to discover what’s new, as well as learn and compare what you will need for your business in the years to come.”
Online registration is available until 5 p.m. CST on May 31. The pre-Expo registration fee is $10 for adults and children 12 years and older, $1 for children ages 6 to 11, and no charge for children 5 years and younger. Onsite registration takes place at Gate 15, with an entrance fee of $20 per adult and $3 for children ages 6 to 11 years. In all cases, the price includes entry for all three days of Expo. A special rate of $10 is available for adults arriving on Friday.
For all the latest updates and details to plan your visit, including room availability at official World Pork Expo hotels, maps and exhibitors, go to Expo’s website. Also connect with Expo by following us on Twitter and Facebook and tagging your posts with the hashtag #WPX18.
Be sure to download the World Pork Expo app, available on Google Play and the Apple store. It will help you navigate the fairgrounds, identify exhibitors that you want to visit and keep you on schedule.
The 30th World Pork Expo has something for everyone, so don’t miss out on everything pig, June 6-8 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines.
Half of Fertilizers Continue Higher
Prices for half of the eight major fertilizers continue to be mostly higher, according to prices tracked by DTN for the third week of May 2018. Like off and on in recent weeks, there are some possible signs that fertilizer prices may be weakening.
Four of the eight major fertilizer were once again higher in price compared to last month, although none were up a considerable amount. MAP had an average price of $504/ton, potash $354/ton, 10-34-0 $439/ton and UAN28 $241/ton.
The other four fertilizers were slightly lower in price compared to the previous month. DAP had an average price of $483/ton, urea $364/ton, anhydrous $504/ton and UAN32 $276/ton.
On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.40/lb.N, anhydrous $0.31/lb.N, UAN28 $0.43/lb.N and UAN32 $0.43/lb.N.
Six of the eight major fertilizers are now higher compared to last year, with prices pushing higher in recent months. Both 10-34-0 and anhydrous are now up 1%, potash is 4% higher, urea is 6% more expensive, MAP is 7% higher and DAP is 11% more expensive compared to last year.
The remaining two fertilizers are lower in price compared to a year prior. UAN32 is 1% lower, while UAN28 is 3% less expensive.
Ethanol Coalition Files Suit Against EPA’s Secretive Small Refinery Exemptions
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) and National Farmers Union (NFU), with support of Farmers Union Enterprises, today filed suit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit to challenge several waivers from the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted in secret to profitable refining companies.
The petitioners are challenging three EPA decisions, made under unusually clandestine proceedings, to exempt refineries in Wynnewood, Oklahoma; Cheyenne, Wyoming; and Woods Cross, Utah from the RFS requirements of the Clean Air Act. The Wynnewood refinery is owned by Wynnewood Refining Company, a subsidiary of CVR Energy, and the Cheyenne and Woods Cross refineries are owned by Holly Frontier Corporation. The companies have since estimated in financial disclosures that the exemptions have saved them a collective $170 million in compliance costs.
When Congress enacted the RFS program a decade ago, it sought to protect certain small refineries from the law’s impacts temporarily by providing an exemption for refineries with no more than 75,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil throughput. After a two-year blanket exemption expired, Congress also allowed those same refineries to ask for extensions of the temporary exemption if they could show that compliance with the RFS program was causing that particular facility a “disproportionate economic hardship.” Until late last year, EPA only granted a handful of exemptions per year. EPA denied many extension requests, presumably because the refineries failed to meet one or more of these requirements for an extension. In recent months, EPA has granted over two dozen exemptions—including the ones challenged here—without providing any basis for its reversal.
“EPA is trying to undermine the RFS program under the cover of night,” said Bob Dinneen, CEO and President of RFA. “And there’s a reason it has been done in secret – it’s because EPA is acting in contravention of the statute and its own regulations, methodically destroying the demand for renewable fuels,” continued Dinneen. “With the little information we’ve been able to piece together through secondary sources, it’s clear that EPA has been extending these exemptions to refineries that didn’t qualify for them.”
Although EPA typically publishes its proposed actions and final decisions in the Federal Register, EPA has not followed those protocols for small refineries; nor has EPA even informed the public by any means that it had received or acted on such carve-out requests. Instead, the petitioners learned of the unprecedented number of exemptions second-hand, through media reports and secondary sources.
“EPA left us with no choice but to challenge their systematic cuts to ethanol blending in the U.S. by distorting the intent of the law to grant secret hardship waivers to refineries which in some cases exceed the definition of ‘small’ and fall short of demonstrating ‘disproportionate economic hardship,’” said Brian Jennings, CEO of ACE. “We cannot sit by and allow EPA to violate the RFS which requires increasing the use of renewable fuels in the U.S.”
The petition also notes that EPA has consistently rejected all attempts to bring greater transparency to the small refinery exemption extension process. EPA has refused to provide even the most basic information requested in Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests from RFA and other parties. More surprisingly, the Agency has also ignored demands from members of Congress for the same essential facts.
“EPA’s improper handling of the RFS has significantly cut demand for biofuels grown and produced by American family farmers and their communities. The success of the law lies in the requirement that certain amounts of renewable fuel be blended into our transportation sector. Yet EPA has unlawfully allowed massive refineries to skirt compliance with these requirements, effectively reducing the amount of renewable fuels blended into the transportation sector by more than one billion gallons. These actions must be reversed immediately,” according to Roger Johnson, President NFU.
The petitioners are not challenging EPA’s underlying authority to exempt certain small refineries; rather they are challenging three granted exemptions as abuses of EPA’s authority. EPA should be forced to explain why an otherwise profitable refinery faces disproportionate hardship from compliance with the RFS. We want EPA to explain why it is reasonable for HollyFrontier, which apparently could not afford to comply with the RFS, could nonetheless afford to undertake a $1 billion stock share repurchase program during the same time—and that’s before the company received over $300 million in tax cuts last year. Likewise, the petitioners would like to understand how EPA could find hardship at CVR Energy, which reported a $23 million profit in the biofuels credit market in the first quarter of 2018 due to what it called a lower RFS obligation.
“With their rapidly rising profits, it’s difficult to see what economic hardship these refineries are facing. The apparent lack of hardship raises serious questions of why EPA granted these exemptions, which is compounded by the fact that there is zero transparency in EPA’s small refinery exemption process,” said Kevin Skunes, president of the National Corn Growers Association. “America’s corn farmers, who are expecting their fifth consecutive year of low commodity prices and who are experiencing the lowest net farm incomes since 2006, understand economic challenges. When refineries are reporting profit increases and repurchasing stock shares, we expect EPA to explain why these refineries were granted exemptions from their RFS volume obligations.”
In practice, EPA is attempting to use the small refinery exemptions to waive a significant part of the annual volumes of renewable fuel that are otherwise required to be blended into transportation fuel. Based on EPA data, RFA estimates that small refinery exemptions granted for the past two years have effectively reduced volumes of renewable fuel by as much as 1.6 billion gallons. In enacting the RFS program, however, Congress did not envision the small refinery exemption process would be abused in such a way.
New Study Shows Chinese Regulatory Delays Costing Rural Jobs & Economy
America’s farmers’ access to biotechnology seeds has been impeded by regulatory delays in China, costing the overall U.S. economy both jobs and billions of dollars in economic output, according to a study released today by Informa’s Agribusiness Consulting Group in tandem with the Biotechnology Innovation Organization.
“This report further confirms something that we have already known: China’s biotech approval process has functioned in an unpredictable manner that compounds delays and has global ramifications,” said Don Duvall, a farmer from Illinois and Chair of the National Corn Growers Association’s Freedom to Operate Action Team . “For American agriculture to achieve its full potential, farmers need access to both the most cutting-edge technologies as well as to international markets.”
More timely biotech import approvals would benefit China, as well as ag exporters such as the United States, Argentina and Brazil, by increasing food security and decreasing food prices for Chinese consumers while boosting farmer incomes and allowing for the use of more sustainable farming practices.
According to the report, limiting farmers’ access to technology and forgoing productivity gains has had profound effects in the U.S. over the last five years. Namely, these delays have:
· Limited farm incomes by $5.3 billion
· Prevented the creation and support of over 34,000 jobs
· Prevented wage growth of nearly $4.6 billion
· Reduced potential economic output by nearly $7 billion
· Reduced potential business sales by nearly $15 billion
Looking ahead, should China adopt regulatory practices that allow for more timely commercial introductions of products, the U.S. could see the following economic benefits unlocked:
· Increase in farm income by over $5 billion
· Over 19,000 jobs would be created and supported
· Increase in wages by nearly $4.4 billion
· Increase of potential GDP by over $7.3 billion
· Increase of business sales by nearly $15 billion
The NCGA is continuing efforts to work with the U.S. government in urging China to adopt a science-based regulatory system that ensures both proper oversight of new technologies as well as an efficient and effective review process.
ASA Underscores Importance of U.S. Trade with China
The American Soybean Association (ASA) reiterated its significant concern with the Administration’s decision yesterday to move forward and apply a 25 percent tariff on nearly $50 billion in goods imported from China.
The looming threat of tariffs creates uncertainty in the marketplace and for soy growers, whose livelihoods rely on the ability to export their crops and products to China.
“This is real money to a soybean farmer trying to determine when to sell their crop,” said ASA President and Iowa farmer John Heisdorffer. “Farm income is projected to be the lowest in more than five years and farmers cannot afford to have the bottom fall out now.”
ASA continues to ask the Administration to work with soybean farmers to find ways to reduce our trade deficit by increasing competitiveness rather than erecting barriers to foreign markets, and is confident in this week’s negotiations.
“We are very pleased to have USDA send some of their best negotiators in agriculture to this week’s meeting with officials in China,” Heisdorffer added. “Soybeans lead the way for agricultural trade with China, accounting for nearly $14 billion in exports to China annually. As we have called for months, we believe soybeans can be part of the solution and we’re hopeful to be a part of the conversation this week.”
NGFA recommends changes to FDA's draft guidance on FSMA importing rules
The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) has submitted a statement to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommending that the agency make several changes to its draft guidance to better inform importers on how they may comply with the import rules established under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).
The statement covers FDA's draft guidance for industry entitled, "Foreign Supplier Verification Programs for Importers of Food for Humans and Animals." The guidance, when finalized, is intended to provide the agency's thinking on how importers of human or animal food can comply with the regulation on foreign supplier verification programs (FSVP).
NGFA's statement also included recommendations on certain FSVP issues that, if implemented, would result in meaningful reduction in regulatory burdens and costs on the regulated industry, while still enabling FDA to fulfill its public health mission and statutory obligations under FSMA.
Among the recommendations made by the NGFA were that FDA should:
- Provide a more proactive system to inform entities when they have been named as the importer for purposes of the rule to avoid inaccurate or false designations that would create potential compliance obligations.
- Designate pulse raw agricultural commodities (e.g., dry peas, lentils, chickpeas, and dry beans) as "grain," so that the agency's previously announced enforcement discretion for certain importers of grain raw agricultural commodities intended for further processing would be appropriately extended to such commodities.
- Clarify that the agency intends to exercise enforcement discretion for animal food contact surfaces with regard to FSVP requirements.
- Limit the scope of potential economically motivated adulteration hazards that importers need to consider to those for which there has been a pattern of economic adulteration in the past.
- Update its website to provide clearer and more concise information pertaining to countries the agency recognizes as having a food safety system that is comparable or equivalent to that of the United States.
USDA Providing $8.89 Million for Risk Management Education
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) today announced the availability of $8.89 million for risk management education and training programs. The funding will allow organizations such as universities, county cooperative extension offices, and nonprofit organizations to develop training and educational tools to help farmers and ranchers learn how to effectively manage long-term risks and challenges.
Interested organizations may apply by submitting documentation required as part of the Risk Management Education Partnerships Request for Applications (RFA). The applications are then reviewed, and awardees enter into cooperative agreements that are managed by RMA’s Risk Management Education Division.
“Risk Management Education helps ensure that farmers and ranchers know and understand what tools are available to them and how to plan for unknown weather and financial situations. We work with private organizations to help us reach a wide range of producers, and connect them with resources from RMA, as well as from our partner agencies within USDA’s Farm Production and Conservation mission area, the Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service,” said RMA Administrator Martin Barbre.
Agriculture is an inherently risky business. The farm safety net provides producers and owners various methods to mitigate production and revenue risks and helps to maintain a healthy rural economy.
Available funding includes $4.73 million for the Crop Insurance Education in Targeted States Program for crop insurance education programs where there is a low level of Federal crop insurance participation and availability. The targeted states are Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Additionally, $4.16 million in funding is available for the Risk Management Education Partnership Program, which provides funding for the development of general nationwide crop insurance education as well as other risk management training programs for producers.
A broad range of risk management training activities are eligible for funding consideration under these programs, including training on Federal crop insurance options, risk analysis, and changes to the crop insurance program. Partners also can train farmers at all levels on risk management options that help secure local food systems and strengthen rural communities.
Information about how to apply to these programs is available at Grants.gov (www.grants.gov). For information about the Risk Management Partnership program, search by catalog of federal domestic assistance (CFDA) for 10.460 and information on the Crop Insurance Education in Targeted States can be found by searching for 10.458.
Applications for both programs are due by 5:00 p.m. EDT on July 30, 2018. All applications must be submitted electronically through the Results Verification System website (rvs.umn.edu) and received by the deadline.
For the 2017 crop year the Federal crop insurance program insured 311.4 million acres, with 1.12 million policies and $106 billion worth of coverage as of May 4, 2018.
RMA works with private partners to assist producers, especially limited resource, socially disadvantaged and other traditionally underserved farmers and ranchers, in effectively managing long-term risks and challenges. For more information about RMA, its programs, or to volunteer to serve as a reviewer, visit www.rma.usda.gov.
NFU Condemns DOJ Approval of Monsanto Acquisition by Bayer
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) today approved German drug and chemical giant Bayer’s $62.5 billion acquisition of Monsanto. The deal will consolidate control of more than a quarter of the world’s seed and pesticides market and create the largest seed and crop chemicals company in the world.
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson issued the following statement in response to the announcement:
“Bayer’s acquisition of Monsanto culminates the latest and most disturbing round of consolidation amongst the handful of companies that control both U.S. and global agricultural markets. Three massive companies now control the markets that supply agricultural inputs like seeds, traits and chemicals. This extreme consolidation drives up costs for farmers and it limits their choice of products in the marketplace. It also reduces the incentive for the remaining agricultural input giants to compete and innovate through research and development.
“While we appreciate the significant divestitures agreed to as part of this approval, Farmers Union condemns DOJ’s continued rubber-stamping of mergers in the food and agriculture arena. We will now focus our efforts on ensuring the promises made by Bayer and Monsanto throughout this approval process are kept. The company must continue to increase the productivity of American family farmers by delivering localized solutions in seed, trait, and crop chemical innovation.”
Tuesday, May 29, 2018
Tuesday May 29 Crop Progress & Condition Report - NE - IA - US
NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION
For the week ending May 27, 2018, there were 5.5 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 4 percent very short, 18 short, 71 adequate, and 7 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 5 percent very short, 24 short, 70 adequate, and 1 surplus.
Field Crops Report:
Corn condition rated 0 percent very poor, 1 poor, 16 fair, 77 good, and 6 excellent. Corn planted was 96 percent, near 94 last year and 95 for the five-year average. Emerged was 81 percent, ahead of 73 both last year and average.
Soybeans planted was 87 percent, ahead of 73 last year and 72 average. Emerged was 53 percent, well ahead of 32 last year and 33 average.
Winter wheat condition rated 1 percent very poor, 7 poor, 25 fair, 53 good, and 14 excellent. Winter wheat headed was 37 percent, well behind 82 last year, and behind 49 average.
Sorghum planted was 56 percent, ahead of 45 last year and 50 average.
Oats condition rated 1 percent very poor, 3 poor, 27 fair, 65 good, and 4 excellent. Oats emerged was 93 percent, near 97 last year and 96 average. Headed was 16 percent, behind 27 last year, but near 14 average.
Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 3 percent very poor, 8 poor, 34 fair, 48 good, and 7 excellent.
IOWA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION REPORT
A hot and dry week across much of the State allowed Iowa farmers 5.1 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending May 27, 2018, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Topsoil moisture levels rated 3 percent very short, 12 percent short, 77 percent adequate and 8 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 5 percent very short, 12 percent short, 74 percent adequate and 9 percent surplus. South central Iowa continues to struggle with subsoil moisture supply availability with three-quarters rated short to very short.
Iowa growers have planted 96 percent of the expected corn crop, with 77 percent of the crop emerged. Farmers in the northern one-third of the state were able to plant over 20 percent of their corn during the previous week which leaves less than 10 percent still to be planted.
Soybean growers have 81 percent of the expected crop planted, a week ahead of the 5-year average. Forty-four percent of soybeans have emerged, three days ahead of last year.
Nearly all the expected oat crop has been planted, 1 week behind average. Ninety-five percent of the crop has emerged, 2 days behind last year. Four percent of the oat crop has headed, 4 days behind both last year and the average.
Hay conditions improved slightly to 65 percent good to excellent.
Pasture conditions also improved to 60 percent good to excellent. Warm temperatures and improved soil moisture levels strongly supported pasture and hay growth. Extreme temperatures resulted in reports of heat stress in cattle herds.
US Corn Planting Progress Surpasses Five-Year Average
Corn planting progress reached 92% complete nationwide as of Sunday, May 27, 2018, according to the USDA National Ag Statistics Service weekly Crop Progress report released Tuesday. The report was delayed a day due to the Memorial Day holiday.
Nationwide, corn planting progress jumped 11 percentage points last week, up from 81% the previous week. Corn planting was also 2 percentage points above the five-year average of 90%.
Corn emergence, at 72% nationwide as of Sunday, was slightly ahead of last year's 70% and 3 percentage points above of the average pace of 69%.
Soybean planting was estimated at 77% complete, according to NASS. That's 15 percentage points ahead of the average of 62%. 47% of soybeans were emerged, ahead of 34% last year and ahead of the average of 32%.
Winter wheat was 73% headed, behind last year's 79% and behind the average of 75%. Winter wheat condition last week was rated 38% good to excellent, up from the previous week's rating of 36%.
Spring wheat was 91% planted as of Sunday, compared the average pace of 89%. 63% of the crop was emerged, compared to the five-year average of 68%.
Cotton was 62% planted as of Sunday, compared to 52% last week, 61% last year and 59% average. Rice was 98% planted, compared to 93% last week, 96% last year and 95% on average. 85% of the crop was emerged, compared to 74% last week, 83% last year and an 83% average.
Sorghum was 49% planted as of Sunday, compared to 39% last week, 43% last year and a 44% average.
Barley was 93% planted, compared to the average pace of 91%. 68% of the crop was emerged as of Sunday, compared to an average of 72%. Oats were 94% planted, compared to 86% last week, 95% last year and a 95% average. 82% of oats were emerged, compared to 67% last week, 90% last year and an 86% average.
For the week ending May 27, 2018, there were 5.5 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 4 percent very short, 18 short, 71 adequate, and 7 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 5 percent very short, 24 short, 70 adequate, and 1 surplus.
Field Crops Report:
Corn condition rated 0 percent very poor, 1 poor, 16 fair, 77 good, and 6 excellent. Corn planted was 96 percent, near 94 last year and 95 for the five-year average. Emerged was 81 percent, ahead of 73 both last year and average.
Soybeans planted was 87 percent, ahead of 73 last year and 72 average. Emerged was 53 percent, well ahead of 32 last year and 33 average.
Winter wheat condition rated 1 percent very poor, 7 poor, 25 fair, 53 good, and 14 excellent. Winter wheat headed was 37 percent, well behind 82 last year, and behind 49 average.
Sorghum planted was 56 percent, ahead of 45 last year and 50 average.
Oats condition rated 1 percent very poor, 3 poor, 27 fair, 65 good, and 4 excellent. Oats emerged was 93 percent, near 97 last year and 96 average. Headed was 16 percent, behind 27 last year, but near 14 average.
Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 3 percent very poor, 8 poor, 34 fair, 48 good, and 7 excellent.
IOWA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION REPORT
A hot and dry week across much of the State allowed Iowa farmers 5.1 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending May 27, 2018, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Topsoil moisture levels rated 3 percent very short, 12 percent short, 77 percent adequate and 8 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 5 percent very short, 12 percent short, 74 percent adequate and 9 percent surplus. South central Iowa continues to struggle with subsoil moisture supply availability with three-quarters rated short to very short.
Iowa growers have planted 96 percent of the expected corn crop, with 77 percent of the crop emerged. Farmers in the northern one-third of the state were able to plant over 20 percent of their corn during the previous week which leaves less than 10 percent still to be planted.
Soybean growers have 81 percent of the expected crop planted, a week ahead of the 5-year average. Forty-four percent of soybeans have emerged, three days ahead of last year.
Nearly all the expected oat crop has been planted, 1 week behind average. Ninety-five percent of the crop has emerged, 2 days behind last year. Four percent of the oat crop has headed, 4 days behind both last year and the average.
Hay conditions improved slightly to 65 percent good to excellent.
Pasture conditions also improved to 60 percent good to excellent. Warm temperatures and improved soil moisture levels strongly supported pasture and hay growth. Extreme temperatures resulted in reports of heat stress in cattle herds.
US Corn Planting Progress Surpasses Five-Year Average
Corn planting progress reached 92% complete nationwide as of Sunday, May 27, 2018, according to the USDA National Ag Statistics Service weekly Crop Progress report released Tuesday. The report was delayed a day due to the Memorial Day holiday.
Nationwide, corn planting progress jumped 11 percentage points last week, up from 81% the previous week. Corn planting was also 2 percentage points above the five-year average of 90%.
Corn emergence, at 72% nationwide as of Sunday, was slightly ahead of last year's 70% and 3 percentage points above of the average pace of 69%.
Soybean planting was estimated at 77% complete, according to NASS. That's 15 percentage points ahead of the average of 62%. 47% of soybeans were emerged, ahead of 34% last year and ahead of the average of 32%.
Winter wheat was 73% headed, behind last year's 79% and behind the average of 75%. Winter wheat condition last week was rated 38% good to excellent, up from the previous week's rating of 36%.
Spring wheat was 91% planted as of Sunday, compared the average pace of 89%. 63% of the crop was emerged, compared to the five-year average of 68%.
Cotton was 62% planted as of Sunday, compared to 52% last week, 61% last year and 59% average. Rice was 98% planted, compared to 93% last week, 96% last year and 95% on average. 85% of the crop was emerged, compared to 74% last week, 83% last year and an 83% average.
Sorghum was 49% planted as of Sunday, compared to 39% last week, 43% last year and a 44% average.
Barley was 93% planted, compared to the average pace of 91%. 68% of the crop was emerged as of Sunday, compared to an average of 72%. Oats were 94% planted, compared to 86% last week, 95% last year and a 95% average. 82% of oats were emerged, compared to 67% last week, 90% last year and an 86% average.
Tuesday May 29 Ag News
Syngenta GMO Settlement Claims Due October 12, 2018
J. David Aiken - NE Extension Water and Agricultural Law Specialist
Eligible producers and landlords must file their claims online no later than October 12, 2018 to be eligible to share in the settlement. If an applicant doesn't have internet access, they can call 1-833-567-2676 to request a paper form to be filed by the deadline.
The federal judge presiding over the Syngenta class action lawsuit granted preliminary approval for the $1.51 billion Syngenta GMO corn lawsuit settlement on April 10, 2018. Written settlement notices have been mailed to corn producers, crop-share and some variable cash rent landlords, grain handling facilities, and ethanol production facilities beginning on May 11, 2018. This newsletter focuses on the claims process for corn producers and eligible landlords.
What happened on May 11? On May 11, 2018, a claim settlement information packet was mailed to eligible corn producers, landlords, and others. Eligible producers and landlords may file their claims immediately, and must have them filed no later than October 12, 2018 to be eligible to share in the settlement.
What is in the settlement information packet? The settlement packet includes detailed information regarding the Syngenta class action lawsuit and the settlement process. You should read this information carefully. The packet describes the information needed to file your claim.
What corn producers are eligible? Producers who priced corn for sale between September 15, 2013 and April 10, 2018, and who have not opted out of the class action lawsuit or settlement are eligible to receive settlement payments. Producers who planted Viptera or Duracade seed are in a different payment category but are eligible to participate in the settlement payout.
How are claims filed? You can file your claim online at https://www.cornseedsettlement.com/ or with a paper claim form (call 1-833-567-2676). You can download a claim form and fill it out to help you complete the online claim form. The deadline for filing your claim is October 12, 2018.
How will payments be made? Essentially, payments will be based on the number of corn acres (as per your FSA Form 578 or RMA crop insurance information) times the average county yield as determined by USDA NASS data for each crop year. More information on this topic is included in the Iowa State publication referenced at the end of this newsletter and in the settlement packet.
What is the payment process? On or around November 15, 2018, the judge will hold a “fairness” hearing on whether to approve the settlement as fair, reasonable and adequate. Also, Syngenta will have a limited opportunity to withdraw from the settlement if too many producers have opted out of the settlement. If the judge approves the settlement, Syngenta must pay the settlement amount into the settlement fund no later than April 1, 2019 or 30 days after the judge approves the settlement, whichever is later. If producers object to the settlement plan, it could be a year or so before payments are made.
More detailed information about the settlement process is available from the Iowa State University Center for Agricultural Law & Taxation at http://www.calt.iastate.edu/blogpost/corn-farmers-may-begin-filing-claims-syngenta-settlement-may-11.
Ruminant nutrition expert to speak at Nebraska Ethanol Board meeting June 8
The Nebraska Ethanol Board will meet Friday, June 8, at 8:30 a.m. The meeting will be held at the Hyatt Place hotel (600 Q St.) in downtown Lincoln.
The board welcomes Galen Erickson, University of Nebraska-Lincoln professor of animal science and beef feedlot extension specialist, as the keynote speaker during the board meeting. Erickson will discuss distillers grains and the changing feed rations used for cattle.
Erickson is renowned for his ruminant nutrition research, and has done extensive work with cattle at feedlots. His work includes $7.94 million in research grants, and hundreds of publications including journal articles, extension reports, meeting abstracts and book chapters.
Erickson will speak at approximately 10 a.m. Highlights of the meeting agenda is as follows:
UNL Faculty Presentation
Marketing Programs
E30 Road Test in Legacy Vehicles
Presentation: Galen Erickson, UNL professor of animal science
Ethanol History Project Update
State and Federal Legislation
Ethanol Plant Reports
This agenda contains all items to come before the Board except those items of an emergency nature.
Farm Finance and Ag Law Clinics in June
Openings are available for one-on-one, confidential farm finance and ag law consultations being conducted across the state each month. An experienced ag law attorney and ag financial counselor will be available to address farm and ranch issues related to financial planning, estate and transition planning, farm loan programs, debtor/creditor law, water rights, and other relevant matters. The clinics offer an opportunity to seek an experienced outside opinion on issues affecting your farm or ranch.
Clinic Sites and Dates
Fairbury — Wednesday, June 6
Grand Island — Thursday, June 7
Norfolk — Tuesday, June 12
North Platte — Tuesday, June 12
Lexington — Thursday, June 21
To sign up for a free clinic or to get more information, call Michelle at the Nebraska Farm Hotline at 1-800-464-0258. The Nebraska Department of Agriculture and Legal Aid of Nebraska sponsor these clinics.
Flame-Weeding Workshop to be at Haskell Ag Lab
A full-day flame weeding workshop will be held at the Haskell Agricultural Laboratory near Concord Aug. 13. The day will begin with registration at 9:30 a.m. and end at 5 p.m., and include lunch. The lab is at 57905 866 Road, Concord, in northeast Nebraska.
The program will cover proper flaming to control more than 10 major Midwestern weeds in seven agronomic crops (field corn, sweet corn, popcorn, soybean, sorghum, sunflower and wheat).
Attendance is limited to 30. The registration fee is $100 to cover the cost of educational materials; lunch is included for one. Lunch for an additional spouse/guest is $10.
Partial scholarships may be available to certified organic farmers from Nebraska. For more information on registration or the agenda, contact Dee Foote at 402-584-3837 or dfoote2@unl.edu.
EVALUATE FORAGE STATUS ON MEMORIAL DAY
Bruce Andersson, NE Extension Forage Specialist
Memorial Day is a good time to examine the status of hay and forage programs for the year.
Many hay and forage jobs should be completed, or at least started, by Memorial Day. For example, all perennial grasses or legumes should be planted by now. If you have planting still to do -- wait until August.
Spraying for musk thistle needs to occur before Memorial Day. Plants that have started to grow tall usually are not completely killed by spraying. Digging may be your best option now.
Another job is fertilizing warm-season grasses with nitrogen. Complete it by Memorial Day or very soon afterwards.
For high quality hay, your alfalfa should have been cut already. Later cutting might give hay that’s good enough for many livestock, but there is little chance of getting dairy quality hay any more this cutting. And start planning now for any possible shortages.
Memorial Day also marks the start of the planting season for summer annual grasses for many folks. Sudans and forage sorghums can be planted now. Millets, though, should wait to be planted in a couple of weeks.
Memorial Day is a good time to estimate if your pastures will have enough moisture to produce the growth needed by your livestock this year. If drought has caused reduced growth, adjust animal numbers now before it's too late. Summer rains are not likely to allow you to catch up completely. And if growth is abundant, maybe you can cut some for hay instead or stockpile it for winter grazing.
Follow through with this Memorial Day evaluation and many hay and forage problems will be solved, or at least foreseen.
Nebraska farmers urge Senate to fund conservation in the farm bill
Thirty-five Nebraska farmers, in support of conservation and beginning farmer programs in the 2018 farm bill, recently signed and sent a letter to Deb Fischer, Nebraska’s senior U.S. senator.
“The farm bill is a critical piece of legislation that provides farmers and ranchers with the tools they need to preserve Nebraska’s agricultural future,” the farmers wrote. “We ask that you do everything you can to support and protect conservation and beginning farmer policy in the farm bill. This will help build a bright and better future for farmers, ranchers, and rural communities in our state.”
The farmers ask Fischer to protect working lands conservation programs, such as the Conservation Stewardship Program and the Environmental Quality Incentive Program.
“Conservation practices build soil health, preserve clean water, and fortify pastureland,” they wrote. “These practices also provide an important opportunity for farmers and ranchers to improve the resiliency of their land and reduce their risk during future droughts and other pressures.”
In addition, they request Fischer to preserve programs that assist beginning farmers in accessing land, credit, risk management strategies, and education.
“The future of Nebraska agriculture lies both in the land and in the people,” the letter states. “The farmers and ranchers who are starting out today are the established producers of tomorrow.”
By county, the signers are: Adams: Paul Swanson; Antelope: George Rethmeier; Boone: James Vanderloop Jr.; Burt: Russell Bryant; Butler: Al Moravec and Diane Schroeder; Cedar: Marnie Schieffer; Custer: David and Cornelia Hansen; Dixon: Anthony Rohan; Dodge: Chris Armstrong, Wayne Panning, and Ben Schole; Douglas: Russell Bryant; Gage: Gayland Regier; Holt: Carroll D. Marcellus and Kim Mosel; Howard: Mena Sprague; Kearney: Kevin Raun; Keith: Dennis Demmel; Knox and Madison: Wyman McCain; Lancaster: Brian Brhel, Todd Eggerling, Steve Hollman, and Steve McConnell; Madison: Gary Wolken; Nance: Jim Knopik; Saunders: Merlin Fick, Josh Hladik, and David and Jordan Rasmussen; Seward: Del Ficke and Matthew Hendl; Sherman: Kevin Fulton; and York: Kerry Hoffschneider.
To view the letter, visit cfra.org.
IOWA FARM TO SCHOOL PROGRAM TO REMAIN ACTIVE THIS SUMMER WITH “ROOT FOR RADISHES” CAMPAIGN
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today highlighted exciting Farm to School opportunities planned for 2018 starting with “Root for Radishes,” the Iowa Farm to School program’s summer campaign.
“Radishes are one of the first fresh vegetables available each summer and this program is a great way to let students learn about and enjoy locally grown produce,” Naig said. “Today’s students are tomorrow’s consumers and giving them the opportunity to try fresh fruits and vegetables can help shape their food choices and future food purchases.”
The Summer Food Service Program, administered by the Iowa Department of Education, provides nutritious meals and snacks to children in low-income areas during the summer months. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is partnering with the Iowa Department of Education, Food Corps and summer feeding sites across the state as part of the initiative.
Mini-grants of up to $150 are available to support sites by offering them assistance to purchase things like local produce, cooking supplies, and educational resources. Assistance in identifying local farmers, planning activities, help leading education activities and more is also available. You can find a map of participating sites here.
Summer feeding site sponsors, community partners, local food advocates, farmers, volunteers and teachers will all be involved in this campaign and will offer kids the opportunity to focus on local produce through educational activities such as gardening, taste tests, cooking and nutrition education.
“From school gardens and farm field trips to local food on school lunch trays, farm to school activities help students learn more about where their food comes from and how to make healthier choices, while also creating new markets for local and regional farmers and food producers,” Naig said.
2018 Iowa Farm to School Conference
The 2018 Iowa Farm to School Conference, to be held June 28-29 at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny and will highlight opportunities to better connect local farms with school lunch programs.
The conference will begin with appetizers created from locally sourced items and networking on the evening of June 28th and continue all day June 29th.
Leaders in Iowa’s Farm to School movement will present and highlight momentum that has been built around Farm to School and facilitate connections between partners. Everyone is invited to participate, including local farmers, food service staff, educators, food hub operators and students. To learn more about this opportunity or register go to: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/localfoods/iowa-farm-to-school-conference-2018/
October 11, 2018 is Iowa Local Food Day! Learn more about this exciting Farm to School opportunity by visiting the new website www.iowalocalfoodday.org/.
Pork Checkoff Announces Sponsored Activities at the 2018 World Pork Expo
The Pork Checkoff has an exciting lineup of Checkoff-sponsored events scheduled for World Pork Expo, June 6-8, 2018, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. World Pork Expo attendees can stop by the Varied Industries Building (booth No. 122) or the Pork Checkoff Hospitality Tent to learn more about Checkoff programs and initiatives.
Pork Checkoff Hospitality Tent (north of the Varied Industries Building)
- Breakfast will be offered beginning at 7:30 a.m. while supplies last. Stop by for snacks daily.
- Live morning radio program including markets, weather and interviews with industry leaders.
- Enjoy a free business luncheon Wednesday and Thursday at noon. Elwynn Taylor, Iowa State University, will present a weather outlook, and Steve Meyer and Joe Kerns, Kerns & Associates, will present market and grain outlooks.
Pork Checkoff Booth (No. 122 in the Varied Industries Building)
- Have questions about Checkoff-funded education, research and promotion activities? Stop by to learn about Checkoff programs and initiatives and pick up new resources.
- Learn how you can better incorporate We Care into your farm and what Secure Pork Supply means for your farm.
The PORK Academy, sponsored by the Pork Checkoff, will offer educational seminars for producers on the latest trends in pork production. For a list of the sessions and topics covered, visit www.pork.org/wpx.
Also, producers will have the opportunity to become certified in PQA Plus® program at sessions held in conjunction with World Pork Expo.
As in years past, the Pork Checkoff will provide dinner on Tuesday and lunch on Thursday and Friday for junior swine exhibitors and their families. The Pork Checkoff also will sponsor activities at the World Pork Expo Junior National Hog Show. For details, visit National Junior Swine Association and Team Purebred.
Trade Retaliation Hurting U.S. Pork Producers
The National Pork Producers today called for a swift resolution of the United States-China trade dispute, paving the way for increased U.S. pork exports to the world’s largest pork-consuming nation. According to Iowa State University Economist Dermot Hayes, U.S. pork producers have lost $2.2 billion on an annualized basis due to events leading up to and following China’s 25 percent punitive tariffs in retaliation for U.S. tariffs on aluminum and steel.
“U.S. pork has invested significantly to ramp production to capitalize on growth opportunities around the world, including China and other markets throughout the Asia-Pacific region,” said Jim Heimerl, a Johnstown, Ohio pig farmer and president of the National Pork Producers Council. “We applaud the administration for making the expansion of agriculture exports a cornerstone of the discussions with China. We hope the next round of trade talks with China results in improved market access to a critical export market for U.S. pork and other farm products.”
“Since March 1, when speculation about Chinese retaliation against U.S. pork began, hog futures have dropped by $18 per animal, translating to a $2.2 billion loss on an annualized basis,” said Iowa States’ Hayes. “While not all of this lost value can be attributed to trade friction with China, it is certainly the main factor.”
The market disruption caused by export market uncertainty comes at a time when U.S. pork is expanding production to record levels. Five new pork processing plants have recently opened or will soon begin operations, increasing U.S. pork production capacity by approximately 10 percent from 2015 levels by next year. Exports accounted for more than $53 of the average $149 value of a hog last year and support over 110,000 U.S. jobs. The United States has, on average, been the top global supplier of pork over the last ten years.
“We produce the safest, highest-quality and most affordable pork in the world,” Heimerl added. “We are dependent on exports and are one of the few sectors of the U.S. economy that can immediately reduce the trade imbalance with China, where pork represents approximately ten percent of the consumer price index. Eliminating punitive tariffs and improving access to China by eliminating or reducing tariffs on frozen and chilled pork would result in an explosion of pork exports, contributing significantly to U.S. economic growth and reduction of the trade deficit.”
Minnesota Pig Farmer Shares Perspective on Gene Editing in Animal Agriculture
Pork producer Randy Spronk will represent the farm perspective during an ethics panel at CRISPRcon, June 4-5, in Boston. Through speakers, panels and interactive discussions, CRISPRcon offers a forum for gene editing stakeholders to share ideas, ask and answer questions, and explore the future of the technology. Spronk will join researchers, academics, human health experts, agriculture professionals, non-profit leaders and regulators at this conference organized by the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT.
The future potential benefits of gene editing spans many aspects of life – from human and animal health to agriculture and conservation. Gene editing makes precise, intentional and beneficial changes in the genetic material of living things. As one of the tools used for gene editing, CRISPR technology shows tremendous promise for improvements in human health and food production.
“Gene editing will give us, as farmers, more options in how we produce pork in a way that is responsible for people, pigs and the planet,” said Spronk, a third-generation farmer from Edgerton, Minn. Spronk is a former president of the National Pork Producers Council who, along with his son, raises pigs, soybeans and corn.
Spronk will participate in the CRISPRcon closing panel, “Infinity and Beyond? Exploring and Determining Limits for Gene Editing.” Other panelists are Nnimmo Bassey, Health of Mother Earth Foundation; George Church, Wyss Institute at Harvard Medical School, and Rev. Kevin Fitzgerald, Georgetown University. The panel will be moderated by Tamar Haspel, Washington Post columnist. Spronk’s participation at CRISPRcon is supported by the Pork Checkoff and National Pork Producers Council.
One of the most devastating diseases to pigs is Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS). Before gene editing, there has not been an effective cure for the PRRS virus, which results in tremendous suffering and often premature death of affected pigs. Through gene editing, genetic resistance to PRRS can be created through a process that mirrors what could happen naturally or through traditional genetic selection. Decreasing PRRS cases would alleviate pigs’ suffering, reduce the use of medically important antibiotics, and help farmers keep pace with the growing demand for more and better food, while using fewer natural resources.
The agriculture community is keenly aware of uses for gene editing that can bring benefit to people through improved health and food, to pigs through enhanced animal welfare, and to the planet by producing more food with reduced natural resources.
“As a farmer and pork producer, I believe we should openly and transparently communicate the potential benefits and responsible use of gene editing,” Spronk said. “I welcome every chance I get to talk to people about how I farm, and the CRISPRcon event will provide a national platform to visit with many others about how we can use gene editing to improve food production.”
Ethanol Coalition Files Suit Against EPA’s Secretive Small Refinery Exemptions
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) and National Farmers Union (NFU), with support of Farmers Union Enterprises, today filed suit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit to challenge several waivers from the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted in secret to profitable refining companies.
The petitioners are challenging three EPA decisions, made under unusually clandestine proceedings, to exempt refineries in Wynnewood, Oklahoma; Cheyenne, Wyoming; and Woods Cross, Utah from the RFS requirements of the Clean Air Act. The Wynnewood refinery is owned by Wynnewood Refining Company, a subsidiary of CVR Energy, and the Cheyenne and Woods Cross refineries are owned by Holly Frontier Corporation. The companies have since estimated in financial disclosures that the exemptions have saved them a collective $170 million in compliance costs.
When Congress enacted the RFS program a decade ago, it sought to protect certain small refineries from the law’s impacts temporarily by providing an exemption for refineries with no more than 75,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil throughput. After a two-year blanket exemption expired, Congress also allowed those same refineries to ask for extensions of the temporary exemption if they could show that compliance with the RFS program was causing that particular facility a “disproportionate economic hardship.” Until late last year, EPA only granted a handful of exemptions per year. EPA denied many extension requests, presumably because the refineries failed to meet one or more of these requirements for an extension. In recent months, EPA has granted over two dozen exemptions—including the ones challenged here—without providing any basis for its reversal.
“EPA is trying to undermine the RFS program under the cover of night,” said Bob Dinneen, CEO and President of RFA. “And there’s a reason it has been done in secret – it’s because EPA is acting in contravention of the statute and its own regulations, methodically destroying the demand for renewable fuels,” continued Dinneen. “With the little information we’ve been able to piece together through secondary sources, it’s clear that EPA has been extending these exemptions to refineries that didn’t qualify for them.”
Although EPA typically publishes its proposed actions and final decisions in the Federal Register, EPA has not followed those protocols for small refineries; nor has EPA even informed the public by any means that it had received or acted on such carve-out requests. Instead, the petitioners learned of the unprecedented number of exemptions second-hand, through media reports and secondary sources.
“EPA left us with no choice but to challenge their systematic cuts to ethanol blending in the U.S. by distorting the intent of the law to grant secret hardship waivers to refineries which in some cases exceed the definition of ‘small’ and fall short of demonstrating ‘disproportionate economic hardship,’” said Brian Jennings, CEO of ACE. “We cannot sit by and allow EPA to violate the RFS which requires increasing the use of renewable fuels in the U.S.”
The petition also notes that EPA has consistently rejected all attempts to bring greater transparency to the small refinery exemption extension process. EPA has refused to provide even the most basic information requested in Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests from RFA and other parties. More surprisingly, the Agency has also ignored demands from members of Congress for the same essential facts.
“EPA’s improper handling of the RFS has significantly cut demand for biofuels grown and produced by American family farmers and their communities. The success of the law lies in the requirement that certain amounts of renewable fuel be blended into our transportation sector. Yet EPA has unlawfully allowed massive refineries to skirt compliance with these requirements, effectively reducing the amount of renewable fuels blended into the transportation sector by more than one billion gallons. These actions must be reversed immediately,” according to Roger Johnson, President NFU.
The petitioners are not challenging EPA’s underlying authority to exempt certain small refineries; rather they are challenging three granted exemptions as abuses of EPA’s authority. EPA should be forced to explain why an otherwise profitable refinery faces disproportionate hardship from compliance with the RFS. We want EPA to explain why it is reasonable for HollyFrontier, which apparently could not afford to comply with the RFS, could nonetheless afford to undertake a $1 billion stock share repurchase program during the same time—and that’s before the company received over $300 million in tax cuts last year. Likewise, the petitioners would like to understand how EPA could find hardship at CVR Energy, which reported a $23 million profit in the biofuels credit market in the first quarter of 2018 due to what it called a lower RFS obligation.
“With their rapidly rising profits, it’s difficult to see what economic hardship these refineries are facing. The apparent lack of hardship raises serious questions of why EPA granted these exemptions, which is compounded by the fact that there is zero transparency in EPA’s small refinery exemption process,” said Kevin Skunes, president of the National Corn Growers Association. “America’s corn farmers, who are expecting their fifth consecutive year of low commodity prices and who are experiencing the lowest net farm incomes since 2006, understand economic challenges. When refineries are reporting profit increases and repurchasing stock shares, we expect EPA to explain why these refineries were granted exemptions from their RFS volume obligations.”
In practice, EPA is attempting to use the small refinery exemptions to waive a significant part of the annual volumes of renewable fuel that are otherwise required to be blended into transportation fuel. Based on EPA data, RFA estimates that small refinery exemptions granted for the past two years have effectively reduced volumes of renewable fuel by as much as 1.6 billion gallons. In enacting the RFS program, however, Congress did not envision the small refinery exemption process would be abused in such a way.
NFU Condemns DOJ Approval of Monsanto Acquisition by Bayer
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) today approved German drug and chemical giant Bayer’s $62.5 billion acquisition of Monsanto. The deal will consolidate control of more than a quarter of the world’s seed and pesticides market and create the largest seed and crop chemicals company in the world.
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson issued the following statement in response to the announcement:
“Bayer’s acquisition of Monsanto culminates the latest and most disturbing round of consolidation amongst the handful of companies that control both U.S. and global agricultural markets. Three massive companies now control the markets that supply agricultural inputs like seeds, traits and chemicals. This extreme consolidation drives up costs for farmers and it limits their choice of products in the marketplace. It also reduces the incentive for the remaining agricultural input giants to compete and innovate through research and development.
“While we appreciate the significant divestitures agreed to as part of this approval, Farmers Union condemns DOJ’s continued rubber-stamping of mergers in the food and agriculture arena. We will now focus our efforts on ensuring the promises made by Bayer and Monsanto throughout this approval process are kept. The company must continue to increase the productivity of American family farmers by delivering localized solutions in seed, trait, and crop chemical innovation.”
CWT Assists with 4.5 Million Pounds of Cheese, Butter and Whole Milk Powder Export Sales
Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) member cooperatives accepted offers of export assistance from CWT that helped them capture contracts to sell 202,825 pounds (92 metric tons) of Cheddar cheese, 1.661 million pounds (753 metric tons) of butter and 2.646 million pounds (1,200 metric tons) of whole milk powder, to customers in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Oceania. The product has been contracted for delivery in the period from May through October 2018.
CWT-assisted member cooperative 2018 export sales total 35.360 million pounds of American-type cheeses, 11.035 million pounds of butter (82% milkfat) and 10.183 million pounds of whole milk powder to 25 countries on five continents. These sales are the equivalent of 649.002 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis.
This activity reflects CWT management beginning the process of implementing the strategic plan reviewed by the CWT Committee in March. The changes will enhance the effectiveness of the program and facilitate member export opportunities.
U.S. Dairy Groups Ask FDA Not to Use Same Imported Food Safety Oversight for Dairy as Being Applied to Foreign Shellfish
U.S. dairy producers and manufacturers offered to collaborate today with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to continue fostering dairy food safety and job growth, as the agency develops procedures for regulating imported foods, including shellfish and dairy.
The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) today asked for further engagement with FDA on ways to facilitate U.S. dairy exports, while expressing concerns that the manner in which the U.S. government is handling shellfish trade would pose a deep concern if that same process were applied to the trade of dairy foods.
At issue is FDA’s determination of whether a foreign country has “equivalent” food safety parameters as the United States. Equivalence is a process by which FDA can recognize other countries’ food safety measures as meeting an equivalent level of protection as provided by U.S. food safety measures, such as those mandated by the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference or the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments.
In a letter sent today to FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, NMPF and USDEC praised the commissioner’s commitment to “unlock economic opportunity…by creating new market access” and outlined the various ways in which the agency’s actions on dairy equivalence would need to differ dramatically from the process followed for establishing bilateral shellfish equivalency to safeguard U.S. consumers while addressing job-constraining foreign barriers to U.S. dairy products.
This spring, FDA published a notice in the Federal Register soliciting comments on its proposed finding that the EU’s food safety system for certain raw shellfish is equivalent to that in the United States. The notice represented the first time the agency has issued an equivalence determination. NMPF and USDEC filed detailed comments analyzing the notice’s potential implications for America’s dairy industry as FDA continues its ongoing Grade “A” dairy equivalence assessments of New Zealand, the European Union and Canada.
“While we recognize that the U.S. government has international obligations to be responsive to trading partners’ equivalency requests while still upholding high U.S. food safety standards, our trading partners likewise have their own obligations to not impose unduly burdensome or trade-distorting measures on U.S. exports,” said NMPF President and CEO Jim Mulhern.
“As part of the administration’s efforts to expand the U.S. economy and grow American jobs, FDA has a responsibility to safeguard our consumers while also working in tandem with our trade agencies to tear down foreign barriers to U.S. products,” Mulhern continued. “FDA’s scarce resources are best spent pursuing these goals in concert with one another by working with their inter-agency partners to make the best use of the agency’s skilled staff and taxpayer funds. Trade needs to be a two-way street; some of our trading partners understand that better than others.”
USDEC’s Chief Operating Officer, Matt McKnight, noted another area of the Notice that would be problematic were it applied to dairy trade: “American dairy producers in every state are governed by a uniform dairy food safety program which is overseen by FDA and provides consistently high food safety results for U.S. products exported all around the world, regardless of where in this country they were made.”
McKnight continued: “A dairy export deal that allowed only two states to access a foreign market, as is the case under this shellfish proposal, would create unacceptable commercial inequities in our industry. Our exporters face a lot of roadblocks around the world, particularly in the EU market. We look forward to working with FDA to fully address those barriers and ensure that all U.S. dairy products from all U.S. states have an equal opportunity to benefit from the agency’s work to tackle countries’ unjustified or overly burdensome requirements on American-made products.”
In the letter, NMPF and USDEC reiterated that their joint comments did not scrutinize the technical merits of FDA’s decision on the safety of EU shellfish, but rather focused on the process employed with the goal of ensuring it is not replicated with respect to dairy trade. The two organizations seek to work in partnership with FDA to pursue a dairy model that will successfully uphold U.S. food safety standards while facilitating the resolution of barriers to U.S. exports that limit job growth in the dairy sector.
Farmer’s Business Network, Inc. certified as Ag Data Transparent
Farmer’s Business Network, Inc., the leading and rapidly growing independent farmer-to-farmer network, recently completed Ag Data Transparent (ADT) third-party certification affirming that the FBN network’s data and analytics services are private and secure.
“The FBNSM network was created to help put Farmers FirstSM through the power of networking farmers and farm data,” said Charles Baron, co-founder of the FBN network. “Our values and mission have been crystal clear from inception and have never changed. We fight for our farmer members and their profitability. Transparency is a core philosophy of ours, and something we support wholeheartedly, whether in ag input markets or in ag data.”
Ag Data Transparent is a non-profit corporation backed by a consortium of farm industry groups, commodity organizations and ag technology providers in order to bring transparency, simplicity, and trust into the contracts that govern precision agricultural technologies. Ag Data Transparent certification verifies that a business is following specific, fair guidelines for companies collecting, storing, analyzing, and using farmer's ag data.
“It is great to have Farmer’s Business Network, Inc., on board with the Ag Data Transparent effort,” said Ag Data Transparent Administrator Todd Janzen. “Achieving the Ag Data Transparent certification shows that the FBN network takes farmers’ concerns with of data privacy seriously.”
“FBN members use data analytics to gain yield with hybrid selection, reduce seed and chemical costs through price and genetic transparency, and market their crops aided by their precision field data,” said Baron. “The value created for growers from using data can be incredible -- tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in gains in a season. So we’re proud to achieve the Ag Data Transparent certification so growers step confidently into farming’s digital age.”
The FBN network provides farmers an independent, farmer-driven information and commerce network. In the past, important information such as fair market input prices, real-world seed performance, or optimal grain delivery points were hidden from farmers or difficult to determine. The FBN network makes all this information transparent in a no frills way – driven by member-contributed data from its over 23 million acres and 6,600 member farms.
Farmer’s Business Network, Inc., recently announced its international expansion to Canada in the first quarter of 2018. The FBN network is available throughout the United States and prairie provinces in Canada.
For more information, visit www.farmersbusinessnetwork.com.
J. David Aiken - NE Extension Water and Agricultural Law Specialist
Eligible producers and landlords must file their claims online no later than October 12, 2018 to be eligible to share in the settlement. If an applicant doesn't have internet access, they can call 1-833-567-2676 to request a paper form to be filed by the deadline.
The federal judge presiding over the Syngenta class action lawsuit granted preliminary approval for the $1.51 billion Syngenta GMO corn lawsuit settlement on April 10, 2018. Written settlement notices have been mailed to corn producers, crop-share and some variable cash rent landlords, grain handling facilities, and ethanol production facilities beginning on May 11, 2018. This newsletter focuses on the claims process for corn producers and eligible landlords.
What happened on May 11? On May 11, 2018, a claim settlement information packet was mailed to eligible corn producers, landlords, and others. Eligible producers and landlords may file their claims immediately, and must have them filed no later than October 12, 2018 to be eligible to share in the settlement.
What is in the settlement information packet? The settlement packet includes detailed information regarding the Syngenta class action lawsuit and the settlement process. You should read this information carefully. The packet describes the information needed to file your claim.
What corn producers are eligible? Producers who priced corn for sale between September 15, 2013 and April 10, 2018, and who have not opted out of the class action lawsuit or settlement are eligible to receive settlement payments. Producers who planted Viptera or Duracade seed are in a different payment category but are eligible to participate in the settlement payout.
How are claims filed? You can file your claim online at https://www.cornseedsettlement.com/ or with a paper claim form (call 1-833-567-2676). You can download a claim form and fill it out to help you complete the online claim form. The deadline for filing your claim is October 12, 2018.
How will payments be made? Essentially, payments will be based on the number of corn acres (as per your FSA Form 578 or RMA crop insurance information) times the average county yield as determined by USDA NASS data for each crop year. More information on this topic is included in the Iowa State publication referenced at the end of this newsletter and in the settlement packet.
What is the payment process? On or around November 15, 2018, the judge will hold a “fairness” hearing on whether to approve the settlement as fair, reasonable and adequate. Also, Syngenta will have a limited opportunity to withdraw from the settlement if too many producers have opted out of the settlement. If the judge approves the settlement, Syngenta must pay the settlement amount into the settlement fund no later than April 1, 2019 or 30 days after the judge approves the settlement, whichever is later. If producers object to the settlement plan, it could be a year or so before payments are made.
More detailed information about the settlement process is available from the Iowa State University Center for Agricultural Law & Taxation at http://www.calt.iastate.edu/blogpost/corn-farmers-may-begin-filing-claims-syngenta-settlement-may-11.
Ruminant nutrition expert to speak at Nebraska Ethanol Board meeting June 8
The Nebraska Ethanol Board will meet Friday, June 8, at 8:30 a.m. The meeting will be held at the Hyatt Place hotel (600 Q St.) in downtown Lincoln.
The board welcomes Galen Erickson, University of Nebraska-Lincoln professor of animal science and beef feedlot extension specialist, as the keynote speaker during the board meeting. Erickson will discuss distillers grains and the changing feed rations used for cattle.
Erickson is renowned for his ruminant nutrition research, and has done extensive work with cattle at feedlots. His work includes $7.94 million in research grants, and hundreds of publications including journal articles, extension reports, meeting abstracts and book chapters.
Erickson will speak at approximately 10 a.m. Highlights of the meeting agenda is as follows:
UNL Faculty Presentation
Marketing Programs
E30 Road Test in Legacy Vehicles
Presentation: Galen Erickson, UNL professor of animal science
Ethanol History Project Update
State and Federal Legislation
Ethanol Plant Reports
This agenda contains all items to come before the Board except those items of an emergency nature.
Farm Finance and Ag Law Clinics in June
Openings are available for one-on-one, confidential farm finance and ag law consultations being conducted across the state each month. An experienced ag law attorney and ag financial counselor will be available to address farm and ranch issues related to financial planning, estate and transition planning, farm loan programs, debtor/creditor law, water rights, and other relevant matters. The clinics offer an opportunity to seek an experienced outside opinion on issues affecting your farm or ranch.
Clinic Sites and Dates
Fairbury — Wednesday, June 6
Grand Island — Thursday, June 7
Norfolk — Tuesday, June 12
North Platte — Tuesday, June 12
Lexington — Thursday, June 21
To sign up for a free clinic or to get more information, call Michelle at the Nebraska Farm Hotline at 1-800-464-0258. The Nebraska Department of Agriculture and Legal Aid of Nebraska sponsor these clinics.
Flame-Weeding Workshop to be at Haskell Ag Lab
A full-day flame weeding workshop will be held at the Haskell Agricultural Laboratory near Concord Aug. 13. The day will begin with registration at 9:30 a.m. and end at 5 p.m., and include lunch. The lab is at 57905 866 Road, Concord, in northeast Nebraska.
The program will cover proper flaming to control more than 10 major Midwestern weeds in seven agronomic crops (field corn, sweet corn, popcorn, soybean, sorghum, sunflower and wheat).
Attendance is limited to 30. The registration fee is $100 to cover the cost of educational materials; lunch is included for one. Lunch for an additional spouse/guest is $10.
Partial scholarships may be available to certified organic farmers from Nebraska. For more information on registration or the agenda, contact Dee Foote at 402-584-3837 or dfoote2@unl.edu.
EVALUATE FORAGE STATUS ON MEMORIAL DAY
Bruce Andersson, NE Extension Forage Specialist
Memorial Day is a good time to examine the status of hay and forage programs for the year.
Many hay and forage jobs should be completed, or at least started, by Memorial Day. For example, all perennial grasses or legumes should be planted by now. If you have planting still to do -- wait until August.
Spraying for musk thistle needs to occur before Memorial Day. Plants that have started to grow tall usually are not completely killed by spraying. Digging may be your best option now.
Another job is fertilizing warm-season grasses with nitrogen. Complete it by Memorial Day or very soon afterwards.
For high quality hay, your alfalfa should have been cut already. Later cutting might give hay that’s good enough for many livestock, but there is little chance of getting dairy quality hay any more this cutting. And start planning now for any possible shortages.
Memorial Day also marks the start of the planting season for summer annual grasses for many folks. Sudans and forage sorghums can be planted now. Millets, though, should wait to be planted in a couple of weeks.
Memorial Day is a good time to estimate if your pastures will have enough moisture to produce the growth needed by your livestock this year. If drought has caused reduced growth, adjust animal numbers now before it's too late. Summer rains are not likely to allow you to catch up completely. And if growth is abundant, maybe you can cut some for hay instead or stockpile it for winter grazing.
Follow through with this Memorial Day evaluation and many hay and forage problems will be solved, or at least foreseen.
Nebraska farmers urge Senate to fund conservation in the farm bill
Thirty-five Nebraska farmers, in support of conservation and beginning farmer programs in the 2018 farm bill, recently signed and sent a letter to Deb Fischer, Nebraska’s senior U.S. senator.
“The farm bill is a critical piece of legislation that provides farmers and ranchers with the tools they need to preserve Nebraska’s agricultural future,” the farmers wrote. “We ask that you do everything you can to support and protect conservation and beginning farmer policy in the farm bill. This will help build a bright and better future for farmers, ranchers, and rural communities in our state.”
The farmers ask Fischer to protect working lands conservation programs, such as the Conservation Stewardship Program and the Environmental Quality Incentive Program.
“Conservation practices build soil health, preserve clean water, and fortify pastureland,” they wrote. “These practices also provide an important opportunity for farmers and ranchers to improve the resiliency of their land and reduce their risk during future droughts and other pressures.”
In addition, they request Fischer to preserve programs that assist beginning farmers in accessing land, credit, risk management strategies, and education.
“The future of Nebraska agriculture lies both in the land and in the people,” the letter states. “The farmers and ranchers who are starting out today are the established producers of tomorrow.”
By county, the signers are: Adams: Paul Swanson; Antelope: George Rethmeier; Boone: James Vanderloop Jr.; Burt: Russell Bryant; Butler: Al Moravec and Diane Schroeder; Cedar: Marnie Schieffer; Custer: David and Cornelia Hansen; Dixon: Anthony Rohan; Dodge: Chris Armstrong, Wayne Panning, and Ben Schole; Douglas: Russell Bryant; Gage: Gayland Regier; Holt: Carroll D. Marcellus and Kim Mosel; Howard: Mena Sprague; Kearney: Kevin Raun; Keith: Dennis Demmel; Knox and Madison: Wyman McCain; Lancaster: Brian Brhel, Todd Eggerling, Steve Hollman, and Steve McConnell; Madison: Gary Wolken; Nance: Jim Knopik; Saunders: Merlin Fick, Josh Hladik, and David and Jordan Rasmussen; Seward: Del Ficke and Matthew Hendl; Sherman: Kevin Fulton; and York: Kerry Hoffschneider.
To view the letter, visit cfra.org.
IOWA FARM TO SCHOOL PROGRAM TO REMAIN ACTIVE THIS SUMMER WITH “ROOT FOR RADISHES” CAMPAIGN
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today highlighted exciting Farm to School opportunities planned for 2018 starting with “Root for Radishes,” the Iowa Farm to School program’s summer campaign.
“Radishes are one of the first fresh vegetables available each summer and this program is a great way to let students learn about and enjoy locally grown produce,” Naig said. “Today’s students are tomorrow’s consumers and giving them the opportunity to try fresh fruits and vegetables can help shape their food choices and future food purchases.”
The Summer Food Service Program, administered by the Iowa Department of Education, provides nutritious meals and snacks to children in low-income areas during the summer months. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is partnering with the Iowa Department of Education, Food Corps and summer feeding sites across the state as part of the initiative.
Mini-grants of up to $150 are available to support sites by offering them assistance to purchase things like local produce, cooking supplies, and educational resources. Assistance in identifying local farmers, planning activities, help leading education activities and more is also available. You can find a map of participating sites here.
Summer feeding site sponsors, community partners, local food advocates, farmers, volunteers and teachers will all be involved in this campaign and will offer kids the opportunity to focus on local produce through educational activities such as gardening, taste tests, cooking and nutrition education.
“From school gardens and farm field trips to local food on school lunch trays, farm to school activities help students learn more about where their food comes from and how to make healthier choices, while also creating new markets for local and regional farmers and food producers,” Naig said.
2018 Iowa Farm to School Conference
The 2018 Iowa Farm to School Conference, to be held June 28-29 at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny and will highlight opportunities to better connect local farms with school lunch programs.
The conference will begin with appetizers created from locally sourced items and networking on the evening of June 28th and continue all day June 29th.
Leaders in Iowa’s Farm to School movement will present and highlight momentum that has been built around Farm to School and facilitate connections between partners. Everyone is invited to participate, including local farmers, food service staff, educators, food hub operators and students. To learn more about this opportunity or register go to: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/localfoods/iowa-farm-to-school-conference-2018/
October 11, 2018 is Iowa Local Food Day! Learn more about this exciting Farm to School opportunity by visiting the new website www.iowalocalfoodday.org/.
Pork Checkoff Announces Sponsored Activities at the 2018 World Pork Expo
The Pork Checkoff has an exciting lineup of Checkoff-sponsored events scheduled for World Pork Expo, June 6-8, 2018, at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. World Pork Expo attendees can stop by the Varied Industries Building (booth No. 122) or the Pork Checkoff Hospitality Tent to learn more about Checkoff programs and initiatives.
Pork Checkoff Hospitality Tent (north of the Varied Industries Building)
- Breakfast will be offered beginning at 7:30 a.m. while supplies last. Stop by for snacks daily.
- Live morning radio program including markets, weather and interviews with industry leaders.
- Enjoy a free business luncheon Wednesday and Thursday at noon. Elwynn Taylor, Iowa State University, will present a weather outlook, and Steve Meyer and Joe Kerns, Kerns & Associates, will present market and grain outlooks.
Pork Checkoff Booth (No. 122 in the Varied Industries Building)
- Have questions about Checkoff-funded education, research and promotion activities? Stop by to learn about Checkoff programs and initiatives and pick up new resources.
- Learn how you can better incorporate We Care into your farm and what Secure Pork Supply means for your farm.
The PORK Academy, sponsored by the Pork Checkoff, will offer educational seminars for producers on the latest trends in pork production. For a list of the sessions and topics covered, visit www.pork.org/wpx.
Also, producers will have the opportunity to become certified in PQA Plus® program at sessions held in conjunction with World Pork Expo.
As in years past, the Pork Checkoff will provide dinner on Tuesday and lunch on Thursday and Friday for junior swine exhibitors and their families. The Pork Checkoff also will sponsor activities at the World Pork Expo Junior National Hog Show. For details, visit National Junior Swine Association and Team Purebred.
Trade Retaliation Hurting U.S. Pork Producers
The National Pork Producers today called for a swift resolution of the United States-China trade dispute, paving the way for increased U.S. pork exports to the world’s largest pork-consuming nation. According to Iowa State University Economist Dermot Hayes, U.S. pork producers have lost $2.2 billion on an annualized basis due to events leading up to and following China’s 25 percent punitive tariffs in retaliation for U.S. tariffs on aluminum and steel.
“U.S. pork has invested significantly to ramp production to capitalize on growth opportunities around the world, including China and other markets throughout the Asia-Pacific region,” said Jim Heimerl, a Johnstown, Ohio pig farmer and president of the National Pork Producers Council. “We applaud the administration for making the expansion of agriculture exports a cornerstone of the discussions with China. We hope the next round of trade talks with China results in improved market access to a critical export market for U.S. pork and other farm products.”
“Since March 1, when speculation about Chinese retaliation against U.S. pork began, hog futures have dropped by $18 per animal, translating to a $2.2 billion loss on an annualized basis,” said Iowa States’ Hayes. “While not all of this lost value can be attributed to trade friction with China, it is certainly the main factor.”
The market disruption caused by export market uncertainty comes at a time when U.S. pork is expanding production to record levels. Five new pork processing plants have recently opened or will soon begin operations, increasing U.S. pork production capacity by approximately 10 percent from 2015 levels by next year. Exports accounted for more than $53 of the average $149 value of a hog last year and support over 110,000 U.S. jobs. The United States has, on average, been the top global supplier of pork over the last ten years.
“We produce the safest, highest-quality and most affordable pork in the world,” Heimerl added. “We are dependent on exports and are one of the few sectors of the U.S. economy that can immediately reduce the trade imbalance with China, where pork represents approximately ten percent of the consumer price index. Eliminating punitive tariffs and improving access to China by eliminating or reducing tariffs on frozen and chilled pork would result in an explosion of pork exports, contributing significantly to U.S. economic growth and reduction of the trade deficit.”
Minnesota Pig Farmer Shares Perspective on Gene Editing in Animal Agriculture
Pork producer Randy Spronk will represent the farm perspective during an ethics panel at CRISPRcon, June 4-5, in Boston. Through speakers, panels and interactive discussions, CRISPRcon offers a forum for gene editing stakeholders to share ideas, ask and answer questions, and explore the future of the technology. Spronk will join researchers, academics, human health experts, agriculture professionals, non-profit leaders and regulators at this conference organized by the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT.
The future potential benefits of gene editing spans many aspects of life – from human and animal health to agriculture and conservation. Gene editing makes precise, intentional and beneficial changes in the genetic material of living things. As one of the tools used for gene editing, CRISPR technology shows tremendous promise for improvements in human health and food production.
“Gene editing will give us, as farmers, more options in how we produce pork in a way that is responsible for people, pigs and the planet,” said Spronk, a third-generation farmer from Edgerton, Minn. Spronk is a former president of the National Pork Producers Council who, along with his son, raises pigs, soybeans and corn.
Spronk will participate in the CRISPRcon closing panel, “Infinity and Beyond? Exploring and Determining Limits for Gene Editing.” Other panelists are Nnimmo Bassey, Health of Mother Earth Foundation; George Church, Wyss Institute at Harvard Medical School, and Rev. Kevin Fitzgerald, Georgetown University. The panel will be moderated by Tamar Haspel, Washington Post columnist. Spronk’s participation at CRISPRcon is supported by the Pork Checkoff and National Pork Producers Council.
One of the most devastating diseases to pigs is Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS). Before gene editing, there has not been an effective cure for the PRRS virus, which results in tremendous suffering and often premature death of affected pigs. Through gene editing, genetic resistance to PRRS can be created through a process that mirrors what could happen naturally or through traditional genetic selection. Decreasing PRRS cases would alleviate pigs’ suffering, reduce the use of medically important antibiotics, and help farmers keep pace with the growing demand for more and better food, while using fewer natural resources.
The agriculture community is keenly aware of uses for gene editing that can bring benefit to people through improved health and food, to pigs through enhanced animal welfare, and to the planet by producing more food with reduced natural resources.
“As a farmer and pork producer, I believe we should openly and transparently communicate the potential benefits and responsible use of gene editing,” Spronk said. “I welcome every chance I get to talk to people about how I farm, and the CRISPRcon event will provide a national platform to visit with many others about how we can use gene editing to improve food production.”
Ethanol Coalition Files Suit Against EPA’s Secretive Small Refinery Exemptions
The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) and National Farmers Union (NFU), with support of Farmers Union Enterprises, today filed suit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit to challenge several waivers from the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted in secret to profitable refining companies.
The petitioners are challenging three EPA decisions, made under unusually clandestine proceedings, to exempt refineries in Wynnewood, Oklahoma; Cheyenne, Wyoming; and Woods Cross, Utah from the RFS requirements of the Clean Air Act. The Wynnewood refinery is owned by Wynnewood Refining Company, a subsidiary of CVR Energy, and the Cheyenne and Woods Cross refineries are owned by Holly Frontier Corporation. The companies have since estimated in financial disclosures that the exemptions have saved them a collective $170 million in compliance costs.
When Congress enacted the RFS program a decade ago, it sought to protect certain small refineries from the law’s impacts temporarily by providing an exemption for refineries with no more than 75,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil throughput. After a two-year blanket exemption expired, Congress also allowed those same refineries to ask for extensions of the temporary exemption if they could show that compliance with the RFS program was causing that particular facility a “disproportionate economic hardship.” Until late last year, EPA only granted a handful of exemptions per year. EPA denied many extension requests, presumably because the refineries failed to meet one or more of these requirements for an extension. In recent months, EPA has granted over two dozen exemptions—including the ones challenged here—without providing any basis for its reversal.
“EPA is trying to undermine the RFS program under the cover of night,” said Bob Dinneen, CEO and President of RFA. “And there’s a reason it has been done in secret – it’s because EPA is acting in contravention of the statute and its own regulations, methodically destroying the demand for renewable fuels,” continued Dinneen. “With the little information we’ve been able to piece together through secondary sources, it’s clear that EPA has been extending these exemptions to refineries that didn’t qualify for them.”
Although EPA typically publishes its proposed actions and final decisions in the Federal Register, EPA has not followed those protocols for small refineries; nor has EPA even informed the public by any means that it had received or acted on such carve-out requests. Instead, the petitioners learned of the unprecedented number of exemptions second-hand, through media reports and secondary sources.
“EPA left us with no choice but to challenge their systematic cuts to ethanol blending in the U.S. by distorting the intent of the law to grant secret hardship waivers to refineries which in some cases exceed the definition of ‘small’ and fall short of demonstrating ‘disproportionate economic hardship,’” said Brian Jennings, CEO of ACE. “We cannot sit by and allow EPA to violate the RFS which requires increasing the use of renewable fuels in the U.S.”
The petition also notes that EPA has consistently rejected all attempts to bring greater transparency to the small refinery exemption extension process. EPA has refused to provide even the most basic information requested in Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests from RFA and other parties. More surprisingly, the Agency has also ignored demands from members of Congress for the same essential facts.
“EPA’s improper handling of the RFS has significantly cut demand for biofuels grown and produced by American family farmers and their communities. The success of the law lies in the requirement that certain amounts of renewable fuel be blended into our transportation sector. Yet EPA has unlawfully allowed massive refineries to skirt compliance with these requirements, effectively reducing the amount of renewable fuels blended into the transportation sector by more than one billion gallons. These actions must be reversed immediately,” according to Roger Johnson, President NFU.
The petitioners are not challenging EPA’s underlying authority to exempt certain small refineries; rather they are challenging three granted exemptions as abuses of EPA’s authority. EPA should be forced to explain why an otherwise profitable refinery faces disproportionate hardship from compliance with the RFS. We want EPA to explain why it is reasonable for HollyFrontier, which apparently could not afford to comply with the RFS, could nonetheless afford to undertake a $1 billion stock share repurchase program during the same time—and that’s before the company received over $300 million in tax cuts last year. Likewise, the petitioners would like to understand how EPA could find hardship at CVR Energy, which reported a $23 million profit in the biofuels credit market in the first quarter of 2018 due to what it called a lower RFS obligation.
“With their rapidly rising profits, it’s difficult to see what economic hardship these refineries are facing. The apparent lack of hardship raises serious questions of why EPA granted these exemptions, which is compounded by the fact that there is zero transparency in EPA’s small refinery exemption process,” said Kevin Skunes, president of the National Corn Growers Association. “America’s corn farmers, who are expecting their fifth consecutive year of low commodity prices and who are experiencing the lowest net farm incomes since 2006, understand economic challenges. When refineries are reporting profit increases and repurchasing stock shares, we expect EPA to explain why these refineries were granted exemptions from their RFS volume obligations.”
In practice, EPA is attempting to use the small refinery exemptions to waive a significant part of the annual volumes of renewable fuel that are otherwise required to be blended into transportation fuel. Based on EPA data, RFA estimates that small refinery exemptions granted for the past two years have effectively reduced volumes of renewable fuel by as much as 1.6 billion gallons. In enacting the RFS program, however, Congress did not envision the small refinery exemption process would be abused in such a way.
NFU Condemns DOJ Approval of Monsanto Acquisition by Bayer
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) today approved German drug and chemical giant Bayer’s $62.5 billion acquisition of Monsanto. The deal will consolidate control of more than a quarter of the world’s seed and pesticides market and create the largest seed and crop chemicals company in the world.
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson issued the following statement in response to the announcement:
“Bayer’s acquisition of Monsanto culminates the latest and most disturbing round of consolidation amongst the handful of companies that control both U.S. and global agricultural markets. Three massive companies now control the markets that supply agricultural inputs like seeds, traits and chemicals. This extreme consolidation drives up costs for farmers and it limits their choice of products in the marketplace. It also reduces the incentive for the remaining agricultural input giants to compete and innovate through research and development.
“While we appreciate the significant divestitures agreed to as part of this approval, Farmers Union condemns DOJ’s continued rubber-stamping of mergers in the food and agriculture arena. We will now focus our efforts on ensuring the promises made by Bayer and Monsanto throughout this approval process are kept. The company must continue to increase the productivity of American family farmers by delivering localized solutions in seed, trait, and crop chemical innovation.”
CWT Assists with 4.5 Million Pounds of Cheese, Butter and Whole Milk Powder Export Sales
Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) member cooperatives accepted offers of export assistance from CWT that helped them capture contracts to sell 202,825 pounds (92 metric tons) of Cheddar cheese, 1.661 million pounds (753 metric tons) of butter and 2.646 million pounds (1,200 metric tons) of whole milk powder, to customers in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Oceania. The product has been contracted for delivery in the period from May through October 2018.
CWT-assisted member cooperative 2018 export sales total 35.360 million pounds of American-type cheeses, 11.035 million pounds of butter (82% milkfat) and 10.183 million pounds of whole milk powder to 25 countries on five continents. These sales are the equivalent of 649.002 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis.
This activity reflects CWT management beginning the process of implementing the strategic plan reviewed by the CWT Committee in March. The changes will enhance the effectiveness of the program and facilitate member export opportunities.
U.S. Dairy Groups Ask FDA Not to Use Same Imported Food Safety Oversight for Dairy as Being Applied to Foreign Shellfish
U.S. dairy producers and manufacturers offered to collaborate today with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to continue fostering dairy food safety and job growth, as the agency develops procedures for regulating imported foods, including shellfish and dairy.
The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) today asked for further engagement with FDA on ways to facilitate U.S. dairy exports, while expressing concerns that the manner in which the U.S. government is handling shellfish trade would pose a deep concern if that same process were applied to the trade of dairy foods.
At issue is FDA’s determination of whether a foreign country has “equivalent” food safety parameters as the United States. Equivalence is a process by which FDA can recognize other countries’ food safety measures as meeting an equivalent level of protection as provided by U.S. food safety measures, such as those mandated by the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference or the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments.
In a letter sent today to FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, NMPF and USDEC praised the commissioner’s commitment to “unlock economic opportunity…by creating new market access” and outlined the various ways in which the agency’s actions on dairy equivalence would need to differ dramatically from the process followed for establishing bilateral shellfish equivalency to safeguard U.S. consumers while addressing job-constraining foreign barriers to U.S. dairy products.
This spring, FDA published a notice in the Federal Register soliciting comments on its proposed finding that the EU’s food safety system for certain raw shellfish is equivalent to that in the United States. The notice represented the first time the agency has issued an equivalence determination. NMPF and USDEC filed detailed comments analyzing the notice’s potential implications for America’s dairy industry as FDA continues its ongoing Grade “A” dairy equivalence assessments of New Zealand, the European Union and Canada.
“While we recognize that the U.S. government has international obligations to be responsive to trading partners’ equivalency requests while still upholding high U.S. food safety standards, our trading partners likewise have their own obligations to not impose unduly burdensome or trade-distorting measures on U.S. exports,” said NMPF President and CEO Jim Mulhern.
“As part of the administration’s efforts to expand the U.S. economy and grow American jobs, FDA has a responsibility to safeguard our consumers while also working in tandem with our trade agencies to tear down foreign barriers to U.S. products,” Mulhern continued. “FDA’s scarce resources are best spent pursuing these goals in concert with one another by working with their inter-agency partners to make the best use of the agency’s skilled staff and taxpayer funds. Trade needs to be a two-way street; some of our trading partners understand that better than others.”
USDEC’s Chief Operating Officer, Matt McKnight, noted another area of the Notice that would be problematic were it applied to dairy trade: “American dairy producers in every state are governed by a uniform dairy food safety program which is overseen by FDA and provides consistently high food safety results for U.S. products exported all around the world, regardless of where in this country they were made.”
McKnight continued: “A dairy export deal that allowed only two states to access a foreign market, as is the case under this shellfish proposal, would create unacceptable commercial inequities in our industry. Our exporters face a lot of roadblocks around the world, particularly in the EU market. We look forward to working with FDA to fully address those barriers and ensure that all U.S. dairy products from all U.S. states have an equal opportunity to benefit from the agency’s work to tackle countries’ unjustified or overly burdensome requirements on American-made products.”
In the letter, NMPF and USDEC reiterated that their joint comments did not scrutinize the technical merits of FDA’s decision on the safety of EU shellfish, but rather focused on the process employed with the goal of ensuring it is not replicated with respect to dairy trade. The two organizations seek to work in partnership with FDA to pursue a dairy model that will successfully uphold U.S. food safety standards while facilitating the resolution of barriers to U.S. exports that limit job growth in the dairy sector.
Farmer’s Business Network, Inc. certified as Ag Data Transparent
Farmer’s Business Network, Inc., the leading and rapidly growing independent farmer-to-farmer network, recently completed Ag Data Transparent (ADT) third-party certification affirming that the FBN network’s data and analytics services are private and secure.
“The FBNSM network was created to help put Farmers FirstSM through the power of networking farmers and farm data,” said Charles Baron, co-founder of the FBN network. “Our values and mission have been crystal clear from inception and have never changed. We fight for our farmer members and their profitability. Transparency is a core philosophy of ours, and something we support wholeheartedly, whether in ag input markets or in ag data.”
Ag Data Transparent is a non-profit corporation backed by a consortium of farm industry groups, commodity organizations and ag technology providers in order to bring transparency, simplicity, and trust into the contracts that govern precision agricultural technologies. Ag Data Transparent certification verifies that a business is following specific, fair guidelines for companies collecting, storing, analyzing, and using farmer's ag data.
“It is great to have Farmer’s Business Network, Inc., on board with the Ag Data Transparent effort,” said Ag Data Transparent Administrator Todd Janzen. “Achieving the Ag Data Transparent certification shows that the FBN network takes farmers’ concerns with of data privacy seriously.”
“FBN members use data analytics to gain yield with hybrid selection, reduce seed and chemical costs through price and genetic transparency, and market their crops aided by their precision field data,” said Baron. “The value created for growers from using data can be incredible -- tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in gains in a season. So we’re proud to achieve the Ag Data Transparent certification so growers step confidently into farming’s digital age.”
The FBN network provides farmers an independent, farmer-driven information and commerce network. In the past, important information such as fair market input prices, real-world seed performance, or optimal grain delivery points were hidden from farmers or difficult to determine. The FBN network makes all this information transparent in a no frills way – driven by member-contributed data from its over 23 million acres and 6,600 member farms.
Farmer’s Business Network, Inc., recently announced its international expansion to Canada in the first quarter of 2018. The FBN network is available throughout the United States and prairie provinces in Canada.
For more information, visit www.farmersbusinessnetwork.com.
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