Wednesday May 9 Ag News

Cuming County FSA Reminds Producers of Acreage Reporting Requirement, Deadline

Cuming County USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director Sarah Beck is reminding area producers that accurate and timely reporting of acres for all crops and land uses is an FSA program eligibility requirement. She is encouraging Cuming County producers to communicate with the FSA office as soon as spring planting is complete.

“Acreage certification is our busiest time of year,” Beck said. “It is important that producers connect with our FSA office shortly after they get done with their field work.”

Beck said Cuming County producers will receive an acreage certification appointment card in the mail soon. Producers who cannot make their appointment time are asked to contact the office immediately at (402) 372-2451, she said.

“Office appointments are essential in order for our county office staff to get all producers through the process efficiently and ahead of the certification deadline,” Beck said.

Producers who file accurate and timely acreage certification reports, including failed and prevented planted acreage, can prevent the potential loss of FSA program benefits. The acreage reporting deadline for all spring-seeded crops and Conservation Reserve Program acres is July 16, 2018.

According to Beck, Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) policy holders should note that the acreage reporting date for NAP-covered crops is the earlier of the date listed above or 15 calendar days before grazing or harvesting of the crop begins.

For questions regarding crop certification and crop loss reports, or to schedule an appointment to complete acreage certification, please contact the Cuming County FSA office at (402) 372-2451.



MITA’s 2018 World Trade Conference

On Wednesday, May 16, the Midwest International Trade Association (MITA) will be celebrating their 50th Anniversary and will be hosting a special World Trade Conference offering a full agenda of educational and global business speakers as well as recognizing a local businessman's exemplary lifetime of achievements in international trade. They are also taking this opportunity to honor their past MITA Presidents and Past Exporter and Importer of the Year award winners! Join MITA as they celebrate this milestone as well as the importance of international trade on the region's economy.

Pete Ricketts, Governor of Nebraska
· Presentation of MITA’s Golden Lifetime Achievement Award

John Brasch, President - J. Brasch Co., LLC
Topic: My MITA Roots; How MITA Made Me What I Am

Garrett Workman, Director of European Affairs - U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Topic: Trade Policy Update: A View from Washington
· Where is U.S. trade policy headed?
· How can we shape trade policy?
· The rest of the world won’t wait for us.
· What opportunities are there for new or improved trade agreements? i.e. NAFTA, KORUS, the United Kingdom

Senator Ben Nelson
Tony “TR” Raimondo, Chairman & Coach, Behlen Mfg. Co.
Charles Braymen, Ph.D. CFA, Associate Professor, Creighton University
Topic: Looking Back to Look Forward Panel Interview
· Conducted by the Omaha World-Herald’s Steve Jordon.
· Hear about the history of regional international trade from a government and local business perspective.
· Hear about what the future may hold from the same perspectives.

Michael Salerno, Vice President, Global Banking Group - First National Bank
Topic: International Banking – Past, Present and Future
· How technology such as SWIFT and electronic trading have changed international finance.
· Current issues and innovations that could be game changers in the future.
· Cross border payments and trade.

Tom Gouttierre, Dean Emeritus, International Studies & Programs
Director Emeritus, Center for Afghanistan Studies - University Nebraska Omaha
Topic: Globalization of Terrorism: Implications for the Future
· Is ISIS finished? What about Al Qaida? Where next?
· What economic sectors are the most vulnerable to threats of global terrorism?
· How does the Shia and Sunni rivalry destabilize the Muslim world?

Ernie Goss, Ph.D., MacAllister Chair in Economics - Department of Economics and Finance - Creighton University
Topic: Is International Trade the Next Economic Black Swan or Golden Geese?
· Findings from banker and manufacturer surveys.
· Regional economics and what our most recent past, current trends, and government actions are telling us about our future economy.

Presentation of MITA’s Past Presidents and MITA Past Export and Import Award Winners
“For those involved with international trade, the World Trade Conference is our region’s premier event of the year.” said Zach Severin, President of the Midwest International Trade Association (MITA). “This year MITA members are excited to celebrate their 50-year anniversary. As the industry landscape continues to evolve, our mission is to ensure we bring in top leading industry leaders to learn more about regulatory issues and global trade policies. The theme for this year’s conference is “Looking Back, to Look Forward” and attendees will gain insight in which to navigate what the possible future holds for the many aspects of international business. We are incredibly excited to have Governor Ricketts speak again this year and share his thoughts regarding important international trade issues impacting Nebraska.”

Sponsors of this year’s event are: AIT Worldwide Logistics/Cargo Zone LLC, Ascent Global Logistics, Behlen Mfg. Co., Commerce Bank, DB Schenker, First National Bank, International Logistics, Laufer Group International, McGrath North, Metropolitan Community College, Preferred Popcorn LLC, Scarbrough International, Ltd., and the Executive MBA Program, University of Nebraska at Omaha/Nebraska Business Development Center.

The World Trade Conference will be held at Embassy Suites Omaha-LaVista, Hotel and Conference Center, 12520 Westport Parkway, LaVista. For registration information, contact Gloria Penas at 402.596.1210 or mita@mitaonline.org.



Students Take Virtual Tour to Celebrate Beef Month

Students from two schools recently toured Iowa beef farms in a unique way -- virtually. Without leaving the classroom, students were able to interact live with a farmer and take a tour of their farm through videoconferencing technology. This Agriculture in the Classroom program is called FarmChat and students can interact with a variety of different farmers or agribusiness professionals to learn about the science, technology, engineering, and math that is involved in the agricultural industry.

Third and fourth grade students from Gilmore City-Bradgate Elementary in Gilmore City, Iowa, have been studying beef production as part of a High Steaks! Beef Marketing competition provided by the Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation. The class broke up into teams and developed marketing posters that highlighted the nutritional aspects of a specific beef product. More than 40 entries were submitted during the competition and these elementary students captured the first and second place prize. Part of the prize package included a barbeque beef lunch and a virtual field trip and tour of a beef farm. The students connected with a local, Humboldt County, beef producer who showcased his feedlot and how he finishes cattle and raising them to market weight.

Chariton Middle School students from Chariton, Iowa, captured the first-place prize for the middle school division of the competition when they developed a full marketing plan to make and sell beef jerky. Through the project they actually developed their product and conducted taste tests to improve the recipe. They identified a target audience and develop ad campaigns and other elements of the marketing plan. These students connected with a farmer in central Iowa and learned about the conservation practices that he has employed while raising beef cattle. Students learned about intensive grazing practices that better allow plant communities to rest and recover after grazing animals pass through. Students learned about the farmer's efforts to plant trees as shade for the animals and also as a method of helping control and minimize soil erosion. Though the farm was about over an hour away, students were able to interact with the farmer live and carry on a conversation learning about his farm.

FarmChat utilizes technology (Skype, FaceTime, Zoom, and other software platforms) to bring the farm into the classroom. Students can speak directly with the farmer and even ride along in the combine or see animals up close and personal all from the safety and security of their classroom.

"Most students don't ever have an opportunity to visit a livestock farm," said IALF Education Program Manager Cindy Hall. "This program gives students that chance and helps them understand where their food comes from and the care that goes into raising animals."

FarmChat programs can happen throughout the year and be matched with topics teachers are covering in their classrooms. These programs were scheduled in conjunction with May Beef Month celebrations. The High Steaks! Beef Marketing competition was sponsored in part by the Iowa Beef Industry Council. For more information about FarmChat or to learn more about Agriculture in the Classroom programs in your area visit www.iowaagliteracy.org.



Watershed Improvement Practices Highlighted in Publication Series

A new series of publications that highlights a variety of practices that can be implemented to reduce flooding and improve water quality are now available through the ISU Extension Store. This publication series, titled “The Iowa Watershed Approach,” walks readers through the impact these practices have on flood reduction, water quality, watershed management, wildlife benefits and more.

“Our purpose was to create a set of publications that can be used in the education and outreach efforts by the Iowa Watershed Approach,” said Jamie Benning, water quality program manager with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. “All publications feature practices that have the ability to reduce runoff or to store water and improve water quality by reducing nitrogen or phosphorus loss.”

The 10 publications in the series are written by Benning and Kristina TeBockhorst, with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach:
-    Wetlands (WQ 0022)
-    Farm Ponds (WQ 0023)
-    Water and Sediment Control Basins (WQ 0024)
-    Grade Stabilization Structures (WQ 0025)
-    Oxbow Restoration (WQ 0026)
-    Channel Stabilization (WQ 0027)
-    Terraces (WQ 0028)
-    Buffers (WQ 0029)
-    Floodplain Restoration (WQ 0030)
-    Perennial Cover (WQ 0031)

Additional publications are available from ISU Extension and Outreach that provide more information on woodchip bioreactors (WQ 0004) and saturated buffers (WQ 0005). Both have been recently updated to reflect their impact in minimizing flooding.

The publications are designed to both raise public awareness and to provide information to landowners who might be interested in implementing one or more of the practices.

“We want the public to be aware of what they might see on the landscape and how a particular practice is positively impacting water quality and reducing downstream flooding,” Benning said. “We also want to be able to introduce these practices to landowners who might be considering implementing one or more of these practices. The publications gives them a quick overview of the practice, its effectiveness, how it functions and other benefits it can provide.”

Many of the practices have cost share or other financial incentives available to landowners who install them on their property. The publications provide basic information about those programs and who landowners can contact to learn more.

The Iowa Watershed Approach is a program through which Iowans are working together to address factors that contribute to floods. The IWA is working in nine distinct watersheds in Iowa to reduce flooding and improve water quality.





NAIG: 2018 IOWA LEGISLATIVE WRAP-UP

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today highlighted key agriculture provisions passed by the Iowa Legislature during the 2018 legislative session. This includes long-term funding for water quality efforts, additional funding for foreign animal disease response preparations, continued funding for the Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program and updates to the Iowa noxious weed law.

“The state of Iowa is a nationally recognized leader in agriculture production, and the Iowa Legislature has reinforced their commitment to Iowa agriculture through their passage of landmark water quality and agriculture-related legislation,” Naig said.

In January, the Legislature passed and Governor Reynolds signed into law SF 512 which provides $282 million for water quality efforts in Iowa over the next 12 years. The legislation provides a growing source of funding, starting with $3.9 million next fiscal year and increasing to over $28 million annually. In addition to SF 512, the Legislature provided $10.2 million to support the Iowa Water Quality Initiative in the next fiscal year, which starts July 1.

“This funding will be targeted towards increasing the number of wetlands, saturated buffers and bioreactors that have been shown to improve water quality while also allowing the Department to continue to offer innovative new approaches, such as the first-of-its-kind crop insurance incentive program aimed at increasing acres of cover crops,” Naig said. “Long-term, predictable funding also makes it easier to leverage funds and attract additional partner investments as it shows the state’s commitment to water quality.”

The Legislature also provided an additional $150,000 to aid in preparing for a foreign animal disease outbreak. This is in addition to the $100,000 appropriated for the current fiscal year. The funds will increase the capacity of the animal industry bureau and provide resources to better equip and prepare for a future animal disease response.

The Department again received $3 million through the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund to continue the Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program. This program offers cost-share grants for the installation of E85 dispensers, blender pumps, biodiesel dispensers, and biodiesel storage facilities, which provides consumers with expanded access to renewable fuels.

In addition, the Legislature passed and the Governor signed into law during this session an update to the Iowa noxious weed law that allows the Iowa Secretary of Agriculture to declare a plant species as a noxious weed by administrative rule rather than this being set in Iowa Code. The goal is to give the Department additional tools to combat weed resistance more effectively.



Pelosi Discusses Farm Bill Issues at Central Iowa Farm Meeting

Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, toured a central Iowa farm on Monday morning followed by a discussion of farm bill issues with a group of Iowa farmers.

Pelosi toured the Aaron Lehman farm near Polk City to evaluate current growing conditions in Iowa and to observe various conservation practices in place on the Lehman Farm.

These include pieces of ground enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) through seedings of native plants and pollinator friendly plants. They also viewed ground enrolled in the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) which was seeded last fall with a cover crop that will add to soil health while providing clean water and weed suppression benefits. In addition, they viewed acres converted into an organic rotation with the help of transition assistance from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

Pelosi then joined Iowa Farmers Union President Lehman in Slater along with other Iowa farmers to discuss issues related to the current farm bill.

"The House Farm as currently written, lacks the improvements needed to help farmers cope with continued low prices," said Lehman. "The bill fails to provide farmers with the tools they need to be the best possible stewards of our natural resources, and it reverses progress toward expanding access to local, regional, and specialty markets. Furthermore, it makes unnecessary cuts to programs that feed hungry Americans."



AFBF Urges House Members to Oppose Harmful Farm Bill Amendments

As farmers and ranchers suffer under an agriculture recession entering its fifth year, the American Farm Bureau Federation and more than 300 other organizations are calling on House members to stand firmly against amendments to the farm bill (H.R. 2) that would hurt farm and ranch families.

“A core purpose of a farm bill at any time is to help the country’s farmers and ranchers weather factors beyond their control, including natural disasters, disease, and high and rising foreign subsidies, tariffs, and non-tariff trade barriers.  This is especially true during hard economic times,” the groups wrote in a May 9 letter.

While several potentially harmful proposals have surfaced in recent weeks, three possible amendments most frequently reported on by the media propose to gut crop insurance, undermine sugar policy and impose unworkable payment limits.

“We oppose these and any other amendments to H.R. 2 that would harm American farmers and ranchers and jeopardize passage of the bill on the House floor. During a prolonged recession in agriculture, failure to pass a farm bill on time would undermine the financial security of America’s food, fuel, crop and fiber producers,” the groups said.



United States Issues First-Ever WTO Counter Notification Against India’s Market Price Support

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced that the United States submitted a counter notification in the World Trade Organization (WTO) Committee on Agriculture (COA) on India’s market price support (MPS) for wheat and rice.  Filed on May 4, 2018, this is the first ever COA notification under the WTO Agreement on Agriculture regarding another country’s measures.

“The United States expects our trading partners to comply with the reporting requirements they agreed to when joining the WTO,” said Ambassador Lighthizer. “Accurate reporting and improved transparency of these programs is an important step in ensuring that our trading partners are living up to their WTO commitments and helps achieve more market-based outcomes through the multilateral trading system.”

“American farmers are the most productive and competitive in the world, and with free and fair trade, they always do well in the international marketplace,” Secretary Perdue said.  “India represents a massive market, and we want greater access for U.S. products, but India must be transparent about their practices.  For trade to be free and fair, all parties must abide by their WTO commitments.”

Based on U.S. calculations, it appears that India has substantially under-reported its market price support for wheat and rice.  When calculated according to WTO Agreement on Agriculture methodology, India’s market price support for wheat and rice far exceeded its allowable levels of trade distorting domestic support. The United States expects a robust discussion on how India implements and notifies its policies at the next COA meeting, which is scheduled for June 2018.

Background:
On May 4, 2018, the United States submitted a counter notification in the WTO Committee on Agriculture on India’s market price support for wheat and rice – based on publicly available information.  The United States has identified several areas of potential concern with India’s notification of its market price support for rice and wheat. These include issues with the quantity of production used in market price support calculations, the exclusion of state-level bonuses from calculations of applied administered prices, exclusion from India’s notifications of information on the total value of production (VoP) of wheat and rice (information necessary to assess compliance with WTO commitments), and issues with currency conversions.



Wheat Groups Welcome Counternotification on India’s Reports to WTO

This week the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) formally questioned data India has reported to the World Trade Organization (WTO) about its market price support programs for wheat and rice from marketing years 2010/11 to 2013/14. U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) and the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) consider this counter-notification (CN) to the WTO Committee on Agriculture as an appropriate and welcome step that further brings transparency to countries’ farm support programs.

“We want to thank USTR and USDA leadership, including Ambassador Robert Lighthizer, Secretary Sonny Perdue, Chief Agricultural Negotiator Gregg Doud, and U.S. Ambassador to the WTO Dennis Shea, and the hardworking staff at USTR and USDA for using available tools to call attention to this abuse of WTO rules,” said USW Chairman Mike Miller, a wheat farmer from Ritzville, Wash. “The proactive use of WTO tools like counter-notifications and dispute settlement will help build support for the global trade rules that provide a bulwark against market distorting policies that hurt American farmers.”

India’s domestic support scheme, which USTR and USDA demonstrate is vastly under-reported, creates excess capacity that prevents trade opportunities and sometimes has led to India dumping excess capacity from its massive public stocks. In 2013/14 India was the seventh largest wheat exporter in the world and consistently the largest rice exporter.

The U.S. counter-notification covers India’s market price support for wheat and rice. Under its WTO commitments, India may provide subsidies equal to no more than 10 percent of the total value of crop production. In the years covered in the CN, the United States demonstrates through India’s own data that its price support appears to be the equivalent of 60 percent to 68 percent of the value of production for wheat and 74 percent to 84 percent of the value of production for rice.

“India’s large price support program has a negative effect on international markets,” said NAWG President Jimmie Musick, a wheat farmer from Sentinel, Okla. “We welcome this signal from our government that it is not going to accept obvious attempts to cheat the system by India and other countries. We thank the USTR and USDA for its creativity in challenging this policy by being the first country to use the WTO’s counter-notifications rule on agricultural domestic support.”

If India does not take corrective actions to bring its programs in line with its WTO commitments, USW and NAWG hope that the United States will coordinate with other affected countries to consider putting forward a dispute settlement case, as it did with China’s domestic support and tariff rate quota policies.



Continued Split Seen in Retailer Fertilizer Price Moves

Average retail prices for the majority of fertilizers continued to move slightly higher at the beginning of May 2018. But, in the last two weeks, prices for multiple fertilizers were lower, according to retailers surveyed by DTN.

Two of the eight major fertilizers, MAP and urea, were slightly lower compared to the previous month. MAP had an average price of $505 per ton and urea $368 per ton.

The remaining six fertilizers were again higher in price than they were last month, although the moves were small. DAP had an average price of $485 per ton, potash $353/ton, 10-34-0 $431/ton, anhydrous $510/ton, UAN28 $241/ton and UAN32 $277/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.

Five of the eight major fertilizers are now higher compared to last year with prices pushing higher in recent months. Anhydrous is now up 1%, potash is 4% higher, urea is 5% higher, MAP is 8% more expensive and DAP is 11% higher compared to last year.

The remaining three fertilizers are lower in price compared to a year prior. Both 10-34-0 and UAN32 are 1% lower while UAN28 is 2% less expensive looking back a year.



2018 Beef Exports Off to a Strong Start
Josh Maples, Asst. Professor, Dept of Ag Econ, Mississippi State University

Beef exports during the first quarter or 2018 have continued (and built upon) the increases seen last year. According to the latest Livestock and Meat International Trade Data released on May 4th by the Economic Research Service (ERS), beef and veal exports during the month of March totaled approximately 261 million pounds. This is the largest total for the month of March on record and is an 11.4 percent increase over March of 2017. This follows year-over-year increases in January and February. Year-to-date, exports are 12.2 percent higher than during the first quarter of 2017.

This is especially encouraging because export totals were large in 2017, too. Exports during the first quarter of 2017 were 21.6 percent over the first quarter of 2016. So the increases this year are in addition to what were viewed as large numbers from last year. South Korea was the second largest export market during March of 2018 with 49.4 million pounds. This is a 38 percent increase over March of 2017. Japan was again the number one market with 75.6 million pounds which was 1.6 percent above March of 2017. Exports to Mainland China totaled about 1.2 million pounds.

The continuation of strong exports is welcome news to the U.S. beef industry in this time of larger supplies. The monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) show the evolution of export expectations as more data become available. For example, the large growth in exports during 2017 led to annual exports that were 8.4 percent greater than the January 2017 WASDE report projected. We have already seen increases in 2018 projections in response to the strong exports in the first few months. The April 2018 WASDE projected a 5.7 percent increase in 2018 annual beef exports over 2017. The projections included a 40-million-pound increase over the same projections in January 2018. In 2017, larger than expected export totals helped to offset some of the beef production increase and to moderate the amount of beef disappearance per person in the U.S. This provided some price support. Most of 2018 is still ahead of us, but the first three months were a good start for beef exports.



Judge Slashes $50m Punitive Penalty Against Pork Giant

(AP) -- A federal judge is slashing $50 million in damages that a jury awarded neighbors of an industrial hog operation to punish a pork producer for intense smells, noise and other disturbances.

U.S. District Judge W. Earl Britt ruled this week that North Carolina law required him to cut the size of punitive damages to $2.5 million total for the 10 plaintiffs.

Britt cited state law that limits the punishment for corporate misdeeds to no more than $250,000 per person. That's an amount 1/20th the $5 million that jurors ordered Smithfield Foods to pay each neighbor as punishment.



Survey Shows Continued Growth in Global Feed Production

When consumers around the world sit down for a meal of poultry, pork or beef, they're probably not thinking about U.S. soybean farmers. However, for much of the world, animal agriculture depends on U.S. Soy for high quality feed. In fact, the U.S. is the largest producer of soybeans in the world and 97 percent of the U.S. Soy supply goes to feed animal agriculture. As the need for feed rises in a world that's eating more meat, U.S. Soy stands ready to meet the demand.

Feed tonnage has exceeded 1 billion metric tons for the second consecutive year, according to the 2018 Alltech Global Feed Survey. Internationally, a total of 1.07 billion metric tons of feed was produced in 2017, growing at about 2.6 percent over 2016. The $430 billion feed industry has grown 13 percent over the past five years, averaging 2.5 percent annually. This substantial growth is supported by the higher reported consumption of meat, milk and eggs.

Alltech's seventh annual survey covered 144 countries and more than 30,000 feed mills. The results show that China and the U.S. remain the top two countries, producing one-third of all animal feed, and that predominant growth came from the pig, broiler and dairy feed sectors and from the European and Asia-Pacific regions.

The Alltech survey assesses compound feed production and prices in the last quarter of 2017, working with local feed associations. It is intended to serve as an information resource for policymakers, decision-makers and industry stakeholders.

The top seven feed-producing countries in 2017 were: China, United States, Brazil, Russia, Mexico, India and Spain. These countries contain more than half of the world's feed mills and account for 53 percent of total production.

North America produces a third of the beef feed, five times that of the next-largest producer. The U.S. and Canada are two of the top horse-feed producing countries. Feed prices in North America are lower when compared to other regions.

Brazil remained the leader in feed production for Latin America and third overall globally. Brazil, Mexico and Argentina account for almost 75 percent of regional feed production. Mexico leads the region in beef and layer feed production. The region has had the third-highest growth rate over five years, seen primarily in aqua, horses and pets.

Tied with Asia-Pacific for the fastest-growing regions, Europe saw a 3 percent feed tonnage growth, resulting from increases in pig, boiler and aqua feed production. The region was led by Russia with 37.6 million tons produced in 2017, moving up in the country rankings from seventh to fourth. Russia increased its estimated pig feed, including more private production. Russian broiler feed production also increased by 3 percent, while Ukraine, Romania, the U.K. and Belgium also reported higher numbers, supporting growth in the European region. Europe is the top pet food producing region.

The Asia-Pacific region accounts for more than 35 percent of the world's feed tonnage. China remained the top feed-producing country in the world with 186.86 million metric tons, a slight decline in overall feed production compared to the previous year. Asia-Pacific increased by 3 percent over the 2017 survey results, primarily due to increases in pig and pet food production. Increased production for Asia-Pacific also came from India with 7 percent and Thailand with 8 percent growth. Vietnam grew 4 percent over the previous year and is the second-highest producer of pig and aqua feed in the Asia-Pacific region. Seventy percent of all aqua feed and 44 percent of all layer feed is produced in Asia-Pacific countries.

Africa remains the fastest growing region in the world for dairy and broiler feed. With a regional average growth rate of nearly 30 percent over the last five years, it did not show growth in 2017. Pig, dairy, layer and broiler feed production increased, while decreases occurred in beef and aquaculture. Also, on average, Africa is the most expensive region for feeding pigs, layers and broilers. Smaller countries such as Botswana and Mozambique led the growth for pig, dairy, layer and broiler feeds. Beef feed production decreases were reflected in countries such as Zambia and Morocco. While many African nations showed a small increase in aquaculture feed production, the region as a whole was down primarily because of lower reported feed production in Egypt, which has now been surpassed by Nigeria.

In the poultry industry, broiler feed production increased across all regions. The largest growth occurred in Africa with 10 percent followed by Europe with 7 percent. Romania, Russia and Ukraine all reported steady growth, contributing to Europe's overall production, while Africa's growth came primarily from Egypt, Uganda and Mozambique.

China and Russia led the way in pig feed production in 2017. Many smaller African countries, particularly Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Uganda and Namibia, also showed increases.

Global dairy feed production saw growth across all regions. Europe, a global leader in dairy production, grew on average by approximately 2 percent. Africa as a region saw the largest dairy feed production increase, at 10 percent, with countries such as South Africa, Morocco and Zimbabwe showing significant increases from their reported 2017 dairy feed production.



Fertilizer Shortage Experienced in Upper Midwest

Due to spring storms in the Midwest this year, farmers who typically would have been in the field earlier had to wait for the snow to melt.

Now farmers from multiple states are trying to get into the field at the same time, causing a fertilizer shortage.

"North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin utilize some of the same resources for fertilizer," North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said. "Everyone is trying to use the same trucks, facilities and manufacturers and it is creating a supply issue."

Goehring said he has spoken with fertilizer plant managers who have said they have never experienced a shortage to this degree before. "They sympathize with their customers and feel the same level of anxiety and frustration. They are trying to find a way to supply the demand," Goehring said. "Please be patient and understanding. They have indicated they would like to sell it if they had it."

"Producers may want to consider some different options such as top dressing later or switching crops and coming back as supply returns," Goehring said. "We believe that this is a short-term problem and will begin to correct itself within the next two weeks."