Wednesday July 21 Ag News

 NDA ANNOUNCES CICELY BATIE AS AGENCY’S NEW ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) Director Steve Wellman has announced the hiring of Cicely Batie for the position of assistant director. Batie, who has education and experience in agricultural economics, natural resources, and trade, began working at NDA in late June.

“Cicely is a native Nebraskan, growing up on her family farm northeast of Lexington, so she understands agriculture and what the good life really means here in Nebraska,” said NDA Director Steve Wellman. “Her experience in livestock development combined with her education in ag economics will help grow Nebraska by growing Nebraska agriculture.”

Batie recently completed her Master of Science in Agricultural Economics at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and wrote her thesis on Nebraska’s Livestock Friendly County program which is managed by NDA. Prior to receiving her Masters’ degree, Batie worked for Senator Deb Fischer in Washington, D.C. where she advised the Senator on agriculture, energy, environment, natural resources, and trade policy.

“Agriculture is not only a family tradition; it’s become my professional passion. I’m excited to be a part of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture in my home state where agriculture is our number one industry,” said Batie. “I look forward to learning more about the great work the Department does for Nebraska’s farmers and ranchers and to help capitalize on the many opportunities we have to promote and engage with the agriculture industry.”

Batie fills the assistant director position previously held by Amelia Breinig who took an agri-business job in the private sector. Assistant Director Batie will lead the agency’s domestic and international promotions.

Recently, Allissa Troyer and Jon Kerrigan joined the NDA team and will work with Batie in promotions and international trade. Troyer will focus on sales, promotions and value-added aspects of Nebraska agricultural products within the United States, while Kerrigan will focus on sales, promotions and value-added aspects of Nebraska agricultural products in the international marketplace.



NDOT Announces Hay Permit Applications Accepted Online Beginning July 30

The Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) has announced that, for the first time, hay harvesting permit applications for the public will be accepted through an online application portal beginning July 30 at 7:00 a.m. CDT.

An individual may purchase hay harvesting permits online from July 30 through September 15 on a first-come, first-served basis, with each permit limited to five miles of roadside hay, one or both sides. The hay is for private use only and only one permit is allowed per family. With the new online option, an integrated online map will be utilized for customers and staff to select miles to mow, and will instantly be updated, showing the miles that are available for sale.

This effort by NDOT to move as much of the hay harvesting permit process online as possible involves a two-year phased implementation. This year, landowners were given the choice to renew last year’s permit by mail.  Meanwhile, the application has been moved online for public sale, reducing the need for people to come into the office and increasing efficiency.

“We are excited to offer this online option for purchasing hay harvesting permits,” said Tom Sands, NDOT Operations Manager. “This will streamline the process and provide greater convenience for Nebraskans who will be able to apply for hay permits from their homes, without waiting in long lines. Storing all the information in a centralized database will also allow for better record keeping for future renewals and electronic notification.”

The Hay Harvesting Permits Application and Help Docs will be available on the NDOT website. The option to purchase permits from specified NDOT locations will still be available. Please visit ndot.info/haypermit for more information.



USDA TO SURVEY COUNTY SMALL GRAINS ACREAGE

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will survey producers in 32 states, including Nebraska, for its 2021 small grains County Agricultural Production Survey (CAPS).

The survey will collect information on total acres planted and harvested, and yield and production of small grains crops down to the county level. CAPS will provide the data needed to estimate acreage and production of selected crops such as barley, oats, and wheat in the United States.

“The data provided will help federal and state programs support the farmer,” said Nicholas Streff, Director of the NASS Northern Plains Regional Field Office. “I hope every producer understands the importance of these data and will take the time to respond, if they receive this survey. Producers can lose out when there are no data to determine accurate rates for loans, disaster payments, crop insurance price elections and more. When enough producers do not respond to surveys, NASS is not able to publish data. Without data, agencies such as USDA’s Risk Management Agency or Farm Service Agency do not have information on which to base the programs that serve those same producers.”

Farmers are encouraged to respond online at agcounts.usda.gov or by mail. Alternatively, within the next few weeks, NASS representatives will contact selected Nebraska growers to arrange telephone interviews to complete the survey.

NASS safeguards the privacy of all respondents and publishes only aggregate data, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be identified, as required by federal law.

Survey results will be published in the NASS Quick Stats database (quickstats.nass.usda.gov) at 3 p.m. ET on Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021. For more information on NASS surveys and reports, call the NASS Northern Plains Regional Field Office at (800) 582-6443.



FALL OATS
– Ben Beckman, NE Extension Educator

It’s almost August and fall is just around the corner.  Could you use some extra pasture or hay in late September and October?  Oats might be your answer.

Oats may be one of our most under-used fall forages.  It grows fast, thrives under cool fall conditions, has good feed value, and can produce over 2 tons of hay or pasture yet this year.  Plus, it dies out over winter, so it protects soil without causing planting problems next spring.

Oats also play well with others.  Need a bit of spring growth? Mix in some winter small grains like cereal rye, wheat or triticale.  They won’t produce much fall growth but can provide early grazing next spring.  Want a high-quality grazeable forage in the late fall/early winter?  Select a long season oat that won’t go to seed and add in a brassica like a turnip or forage rapeseed.  Oat-brassica mixes can produce large amounts of forage in the fall, then hold quality well into the middle of winter even when they aren’t green.

To plant oats, drill about 3 bushels of oats per acre in early August for maximum yield potential.  A fully prepared seedbed usually is best, but you can plant oats directly into weed-free wheat stubble or other crop residues when soil moisture is available.  Avoid fields with herbicide carryover.  For an added boost, topdress 40 pounds of nitrogen per acre unless the previous crop was heavily fertilized.

With good moisture, oats will be ready to graze about 6 to 8 weeks after emergence.   Calves and yearlings can gain over two pounds per day.  Consider supplementing with magnesium to avoid grass tetany on lush oat pasture, and don't suddenly turn livestock out on oat pasture if they have been grazing short or dry pastures.  Sudden respiratory and digestive problems can occur.

For hay, cut oats soon after plants begin to dry out following a killing freeze, or cut earlier if plants reach a desirable growth stage.  Oats can accumulate nitrates, so test hay before feeding.

If you have good soil moisture, give fall oats a try.  Some of your best forage growth may still be ahead of you.



Bio Nebraska and IowaBio Announce 2021 Animal Health in the Heartland Symposium

Iowa Biotechnology Association (IowaBio) and Bio Nebraska announced today that the Animal Health in the Heartland symposium will be held October 12-13, 2021, at the Nebraska Innovation Campus in Lincoln, Nebraska. This year’s symposium will return to its traditional two-day, in-person format.

“We are excited to once again welcome in-person attendees to our fifth installment of this symposium,” said Rob Owen, executive director of Bio Nebraska. “The conversations surrounding animal health innovation, management and sustainability remain timely and critical. We look forward to bringing together animal health industry leaders and professionals from across Iowa and Nebraska this fall.”

This year’s symposium features a site tour and networking reception on day one, followed by a substantive agenda packed full of important animal health topics on day two. The agenda includes the following panel discussions:
    Animal Disease Management and Prevention
    New Innovations in Animal Health
    Industry Sustainability
    U.S. Policy Outlook

An agenda including developing panel overviews and speakers can be found here https://www.bionebraska.org/2021-animal-health-in-the-heartland/.

“We are proud to be working with Bio Nebraska again to host the Animal Health in the Heartland symposium,” said Jessica Hyland, executive director of IowaBio. “This year’s event features exceptional opportunities for networking and learning from our expert presenters and attendees about opportunities in today’s animal health industry.”



Carbon Market Webinar Will Discuss Resurgence of Interest

Renewed interest in carbon markets and carbon credit trading is quickly finding its way to the farm. In an effort to provide updates and answer questions, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will hold a public webinar Aug. 11 from 1-3 p.m.

A group of specialists will discuss the basics of what a carbon market is, how people can participate, the benefits and consequences of participating and the things landowners and tenants should consider.

“Some farmers are already being asked to join marketing agreements,” said Chad Hart, professor in economics and extension grain markets specialist at Iowa State University. “Over the last six to eight months in particular, we have seen a lot of private companies starting to set up their carbon trading mechanisms and some are reaching out to landowners.”

Hart will discuss the economic aspects of a carbon market and the potential for additional income. He will be joined by Marshall McDaniel, assistant professor in the Department of Agronomy at Iowa State, and Kristine Tidgren, director of the Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation at Iowa State and holder of the Leonard Dolezal Professorship in Agricultural Law.

McDaniel will discuss the science of carbon sequestration and how conservation practices can lead to sequestration; Tidgren will talk about the legal implications of contracts.

“We will discuss the knowns and unknowns related to soil carbon management,” said McDaniel. “There is still a lot that is unknown about monitoring soil carbon and the best ways to do it.”

Even so, McDaniel said that there is a clear connection between certain farming practices – especially conservation practices – and measurable carbon sequestration.

Efforts to sequester carbon usually lead to other ecosystem benefits, as well, such as improved water infiltration, reduced nutrient loss and reduced flooding.

“There are multiple co-benefits that come along when we sequester soil carbon,” he said.

The webinar will be moderated by Jamie Benning, assistant director for agriculture and natural resources with ISU Extension and Outreach. There will be time for questions after presentations are made.

The webinar will be provided via Zoom. To participate, visit: https://iastate.zoom.us/j/99971383632#success. There is no pre-registration and there is no cost to participate.

The agenda is available on the Ag Decision Maker website, and a recording of the webinar will be posted here within a few days after it is held.



Iowa Corn Shares Corn with RAGBRAI Cyclists

Iowa Corn® will be welcoming RAGBRAI cyclists at multiple stops along the route with the opportunity to talk with local farmers and enjoy sweet corn starting on Sunday. Farmers will share facts about field corn grown in Iowa that is used for livestock feed, ethanol fuel, and 4,000 other everyday products! Sweet corn is referred to as the delicious 1% that consumers enjoy.  Along with Fed by Farmers, Iowa Corn will be serving sweet corn to riders who tour the Iowa Corn trailer. Check out our highlight video here. Follow along on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

IOWA CORN STOPS:
STOP ONE: Sunday, July 25 in Aurelia – Main Street and Highway 7
STOP TWO: Monday, July 26 in Lake City – 1005 W. Madison near the swimming pool
STOP THREE: Tuesday, July 27 in Blairsburg – Downtown on Lake Street
STOP FOUR: Wednesday, July 28 in New Hartford – Downtown on the corner of Main & Packwaukee
STOP FIVE: Thursday, July 29 in Rowley – 2113 209th Street approximately 2 miles west of town
STOP SIX: Friday, July 30 in Calamus – Downtown on Main Street



NCGA Expresses Opposition to Anti-Ethanol Legislation

The National Corn Growers Association strongly opposes a bill that was introduced in the U.S. Senate today, referred to as the “Corn Ethanol Mandate Elimination Act,” which would remove the implied conventional biofuel blending requirement from the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), increasing harmful emissions and use of fossil fuels.

“This bill is ill conceived and would have a devastating impact on air quality, the diversity of our energy supply, fuel prices and rural economies,” said NCGA president John Linder. “Blending ethanol into the fuel supply is one of the most effective ways to lower carbon emissions to combat climate change and replace the most toxic components of gasoline.”

Today’s corn growers sustainably produce more corn on less land with fewer resources than when the RFS was enacted and are committed to further improvements in sustainability. These extraordinary results have been accomplished as food price inflation has decreased as ethanol production has grown.

“The RFS has been an incredibly successful policy, thanks to the innovation and contributions of corn farmers,” said Linder. “If you want to understand today’s sustainable corn and ethanol production, you can always ask a farmer for the facts. If Members of Congress want to reduce use of the low carbon renewable fuels that have enabled successful environmental policies, this bill would certainly do it.”  



New Ad Campaign Urges Washington to Stop Big Oil and Uphold Commitments to Reduce Carbon Emissions

Today, Growth Energy launched a new digital ad campaign urging President Biden and leaders in Congress to stop oil industry handouts and uphold their commitments to reduce carbon emissions and support low-carbon biofuels. The ads, appearing online in the Washington Post and POLITICO, will run until August and will direct readers to an action page focused on restoring year-round sales of E15 and emphasizing the importance of strong Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).  

In the wake of recent court decisions that could limit the market for U.S. biofuels, Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor emphasized the urgent need for action by regulators and lawmakers:

“It’s time for leaders in Washington to make good on their commitments to clean, renewable energy and put a stop to Big Oil’s efforts to restore its monopoly over the U.S. fuel mix. The evidence is clear. Congress and the administration cannot decarbonize transportation without a growing role for low-carbon biofuels, which are vital to our climate, working families, and the economy.  

“The last thing we can afford are more handouts to the oil industry. Policymakers must act swiftly to ensure uninterrupted, year-round access to E15 and set ambitious biofuel blending levels, including a statutory minimum of 15 billion gallons of conventional biofuel, under annual targets.”

Background on E15
E15 is a 15 percent ethanol blended fuel, known to many consumers as Unleaded/Regular 88 (UNL88), that allows drivers to save money at the pump while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, if the U.S. transitioned from standard E10 blends to E15, greenhouse gas emissions would decrease by 17.62 million tons per year, which is the equivalent of removing approximately 3.85 million vehicles from the road. Nationwide E15 would also add $17.8 billion to the GDP, create 182,600 new jobs, generate $10.5 billion in new household income, and save consumers $12.2 billion in fuel costs.

This blend is currently approved for use in cars model year 2001 and newer and is available at over 2,460 retail sites in 30 states. To date, Americans have logged over 22 billion miles with E15.

DC Circuit Ruling
In June 2019, the EPA issued an interpretation of a provision of the Clean Air Act that grants a 1.0 psi summertime waiver of Reid vapor pressure (RVP) requirements. In doing so, EPA allowed drivers to access cleaner, more affordable E15 year-round.

On July 2, 2021, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals overruled this interpretation, arguing that the word “contains 10 percent” in the relevant RVP statutory text does not extend the 1.0 psi RVP waiver from E10 to E15, thus limiting sales of E15 in conventional fuel areas during the summer, affecting 85 percent of current E15 fuel retailers across the country.

Background on RVOs
Each year, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issues a rulemaking proposal governing how much renewable energy should be available to consumers in the year ahead. These RVOs determine how many gallons of biofuel refiners will add to the motor fuel mix. After a proposal is issued, the agency then accepts comments from the public before issuing a final rulemaking under the RFS.

However, the RVOs for 2021 and 2022 have yet to be proposed, generating added uncertainty for biofuel producers and farmers.



Weekly Ethanol Production for 7/16/2021

According to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association for the week ending July 16, ethanol production slowed by 13,000 barrels per day (b/d), or 1.2%, to 1.028 million b/d, equivalent to 43.18 million gallons daily. Production was 13.2% above the same week last year, which was affected by the pandemic, but was 1.1% below the same week in 2019. The four-week average ethanol production volume decreased 0.5% to 1.048 million b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate of 16.07 billion gallons (bg).

Ethanol stocks jumped 6.5% to a 21-week high of 22.5 million barrels. Stocks were 13.7% above the year-ago level but 4.9% below the same week in 2019. Inventories built across all regions.

The volume of gasoline supplied to the U.S. market, a measure of implied demand, ticked up 0.1% to 9.30 million b/d (142.49 bg annualized). Gasoline demand was 8.7% above a year ago but 3.9% below the same week in 2019.

Refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol declined 1.0% to a six-week low of 907,000 b/d, equivalent to 13.90 bg annualized. Net inputs were 8.1% above a year ago but 3.7% less than the same week in 2019.

The U.S. imported 15,000 b/d of ethanol, or 4.41 million gallons for the week, following two weeks when no imports were reported. (Weekly export data for ethanol is not reported simultaneously; the latest export data is as of May 2021.)



Nutrition Research Improves Public Perception of Beef

As the Beef Checkoff celebrates its 35th anniversary, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, is shining a light on the successful promotion and research programs that drive the demand for beef. Consumers today are more open to the nutritional benefits of beef than at any other time since the Checkoff began more than three decades ago but getting here was not easy and required consistent long-term investment in nutrition research to turn the tide.

The Beef Checkoff was implemented at a time when U.S. Dietary Guidelines encouraged Americans to limit beef in their diet and reduce their intake of fat and cholesterol. This coincided with Americans’ growing interest in healthy lifestyles and it quickly became clear nutrition and health concerns could be a potential barrier to consumers eating beef. In order to address the concerns and further understand beef’s role in health, the Checkoff began funding nutrition research. Through the years, the Checkoff has made significant contributions to the scientific understanding about beef’s role in health. And now, The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) recommend introducing solid foods, like beef, to infants and toddlers, in order to make every bite count with protein, iron, zinc and choline.1-2

“I’ve seen firsthand the evolution of nutrition behavior over the years,” said Becky Walth, South Dakota producer and member of the Nutrition & Health Checkoff Committee. “The Beef Checkoff has been ahead of the curve, conducting research to demonstrate the importance of beef in a balanced diet.”

Two landmark studies reinforce that beef not only fits heart healthy diets but may also help decrease risk of cardiovascular disease when included in heart healthy diets. The Beef in an Optimal Lean Diet (BOLD) study found that people can enjoy 4-5½ ounces of lean beef daily, as part of a heart healthy lifestyle to lower blood pressure and improve cholesterol levels.3 The Mediterranean-style eating pattern study found that eating a Mediterranean diet that included 7-18 ounces of lean red meat per week can improve cardiometabolic disease risk factor profiles.4

The Checkoff has done more than just defend beef’s position in heart healthy diets using a strong foundation of science. In fact, nutrition research has been helping people discover the benefits of beef to health across the life span, starting with protein. Recent studies have focused on the power of protein and its impact on physical and emotional strength. While other research has shown the importance of high-quality protein for the aging population, as well as demonstrating beef’s critical role in growth and development, especially as a high-quality source of iron for older infants, women and girls.

Because of Checkoff-funded nutrition research, beef can now be Americans’ protein of choice in any gold standard heart healthy diet, and beef is consistently recommended by scientists, physicians and registered dietitians. In addition, 75% of consumers agree that beef is nutritious.5

New challenges are on the horizon as the nutrition and public health community grapple with how to ensure everyone has access to sustainable healthy food. A key part of this will be maximizing nutrition with fewer calories making nutrient density an important cornerstone of how the world defines a healthy sustainable diet. NCBA and the Beef Checkoff are already conducting research in these areas to help keep beef as a healthy choice for the center of the plate.

Checkoff-funded research has not only added to the scientific database but has also accelerated scientific discovery from others in a wide variety of areas related to the nutrients found in beef, and beef’s role in overall health. In the past, nutrition may have been a barrier to consumers eating beef, however, with help from the Checkoff, nutrition has now become the reason people want to include beef in their diets. For more information, visit www.beefresearch.org.  



NPPC Urges Congress to Address Comprehensive Labor Reform
 
The U.S. pork industry is suffering from a labor shortage that could increase production costs and consumer food prices if not addressed through visa reform to provide better access to the foreign-born workers on which it depends, according to National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) President Jen Sorenson, who testified today before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

U.S. pork production is a year-round effort, requiring a hardworking and dedicated workforce on farms and in processing plants. Pork producers offer jobs with good pay and benefits, but most Americans do not live near hog farms or harvest facilities and rural populations continue to decline, causing the U.S. pork industry to be largely dependent on foreign-born workers.

“Current visa programs designed for seasonal agriculture—such as the H-2A visa—fail to meet the workforce needs of U.S. pork producers and other year-round livestock farmers. Now more than ever, we need a dedicated, year-round workforce,” Sorenson told the committee. If not addressed, the labor shortage “could lead to farms and packing plants shutting down, causing serious financial harm to the communities in which they operate. As a result, pork production would be constrained, leading to higher food prices for consumers and the United States becoming an unreliable trading partner for the many countries around the world that rely on our pork,” she noted.

To address the labor shortage, NPPC is advocating for year-round access to the H-2A visa program without a cap. Legislation passed earlier this year in the U.S. House would offer a capped number of year-round visas. “While NPPC believes the bill is a step in the right direction, a cap will force different sectors of livestock agriculture to compete against one another for the same limited number of year-round visas. In that scenario, no one wins and, ultimately, the consumer will be punished with reduced pork supplies and higher prices at the store,” Sorenson explained.

“Our industry is vital to the U.S. economy and prosperity in rural communities. Our foreign-born workforce is an essential part of our supply chain, and we need visa reform to reflect our year-round needs,” Sorenson concluded.

Earlier this month, NPPC launched its “Year-Round Pork Needs Year-Round Workers” campaign to profile the stories of four foreign-born workers who make vital contributions to the U.S. pork industry and their communities. Learn more here: https://nppc.org/issues/issue/year-round-pork-needs-year-round-workers/.



NMPF Statement on Senate Judiciary Hearing on Essential Immigrant Farmworkers
President and CEO Jim Mulhern

“NMPF thanks the Senate Judiciary Committee and its chairman, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) for holding today’s hearing highlighting the importance of immigrant farmworkers to our nation’s food supply and rural communities. We are also grateful to Linnea Kooistra, formerly an Illinois dairy farmer for over 40 years, for testifying at the hearing and giving voice to this critical issue for dairy.

“Immigrant employees are vital to the dairy industry, with an estimated 79% of the U.S. milk supply produced on farms that employ immigrant workers. Dairy farmers know firsthand of dedicated and skilled teams that are led by and include immigrants; most producers also can speak to the challenges farms and rural communities face due to uncertainty surrounding the farm workforce.

“That’s why NMPF has been a leader in agricultural workforce reform efforts that address two areas of reform that are essential to solve America’s ag labor crisis. First: We must provide an earned legal protection for our current workers and their families. Second: We must reform the agricultural guestworker visa program so dairy and other year-round industries can use it to supplement the domestic workforce when needed.

“Dairy farmers currently cannot use the H-2A guestworker program because they produce milk year-round. Providing an earned legal protection for current workers is crucial, but it narrowly addresses only one aspect of the crisis. We must also reform the ag labor system so dairy farmers can hire legal guestworkers and do not remain trapped in a still-broken ag labor system moving forward. Both features must be present in any real solution.

“NMPF again thanks the Senate Judiciary Committee for today’s hearing and urges the Senate to seize the present opportunity to craft its own ag workforce reform bill that both provides legal protections to our current workers and restructures H-2A. Do not miss this chance for a real solution that helps farmers and farmworkers and supports them as they continue their crucial work of feeding our nation and the world.”



AFBF Hosts Mexico Leaders for Wide-Ranging Discussion

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall today met with Tatiana Clouthier, Mexico’s Secretary of the Economy, and Esteban Moctezuma Barragón, Mexico’s Ambassador to the U.S., to discuss a variety of trade matters, the use of technology to advance agriculture and the border crisis. Mexico is the third largest destination for U.S. agricultural exports. The following statement may be attributed to Mr. Duvall.

“It was a pleasure to host the Secretary and Ambassador today to discuss both opportunities and challenges facing our two countries. We reiterated our mutual commitment to the USMCA and discussed concerns about seasonal produce imports and exports on both sides of the border.

“We discussed recent decisions by the Mexican government that threaten our strong trade partnership. I expressed the deep disappointment of America’s farmers and ranchers in Mexico’s decision to limit use of technologies – and food produced using such technology – that increase agriculture’s sustainability and ability to meet the growing demand for food. I urged Mexico to return to a science-based approach to corn produced for both human consumption and animal feed. Secretary Clouthier conveyed concerns rising in her country related to increased U.S. interest in country of origin labeling of meat. She urged an approach that honors our WTO commitments.

“Beyond agricultural trade, I conveyed the seriousness of the situation for farmers and ranchers along our southern border who face an influx of migrants crossing their properties. I shared the heartbreaking stories about migrants left abandoned, dangerous smugglers on the run and the concerns of farmers and ranchers for their families’ safety and their farms’ security when homes are raided, fences are destroyed and water supplies are compromised. I was pleased to hear about efforts in Mexico to slow migration along their southern border from Central and South America and to increase border security along their northern border. Still, more must be done to address this crisis.

“Overall, it was a constructive meeting. I am a big believer in establishing personal relationships, especially with so much on the line for our farmers and ranchers. As the third largest destination for U.S. agricultural exports, Mexico is an important trading partner. I look forward to a continuing dialogue with Secretary Clouthier and Ambassador Barragón.”



ACE Conference to Highlight Ethanol Market Developments and Policy Work Around the World with USGC Leadership

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) will host Brian Healy, U.S. Grains Council’s Director of Global Ethanol Development, at its 34th annual conference taking place August 18-20 at the Renaissance Minneapolis Hotel, The Depot, to address activity underway to increase the global use and trade of U.S. ethanol and its coproducts.

“Globally, countries are looking for ways to decarbonize their transport sectors,” Healy said. “With our global presence, we continue to demonstrate to these governments the role that ethanol has in making meaningful GHG reductions. These new policies will drive growth in ethanol markets around the world.”

“While we work to overcome hurdles to increase ethanol demand domestically, we’re pleased to have USGC leadership join us to provide an export market and trade policy update and answer questions for farmers, ethanol producers, and other conference attendees about efforts to develop U.S. ethanol and coproduct markets around the world,” said Brian Jennings, ACE CEO. “We appreciate our working relationship with the USGC to support the global expansion of ethanol as a low carbon transportation fuel to help countries meet climate goals.”

Healy’s general session remarks will take place the morning of Friday, August 20, following a conversation among ACE staff and board leadership and Jim Pirolli, Chief Commercial Officer with Summit Carbon Solutions, about carbon sequestration strategies that can help low carbon ethanol producers achieve significant GHG reductions and return on investment. The full 2021 event agenda can be accessed at ethanol.org/events/conference.



SIU to test electricity as a weed killer

Southern Illinois University Carbondale is collaborating on a project testing the use of electricity to control weeds in agricultural settings.

Karla Gage, associate professor of weed science and plant biology, is working with researchers  Mandy Bish and Kevin Bradley from the University of Missouri on testing The Annihilator 6R30 Weed Zapper, a patented, electric weed control unit mounted to a tractor. The multistate project is funded by the North Central Soybean Research Program with support from the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council, who purchased the implement, and includes researchers from Iowa State University, University of Nebraska, Kansas State University and Purdue University.

With certain weeds becoming increasingly resistant to traditional herbicide management, farmers and agriculture researchers are taking another look at the practice of electrocuting weeds, which railroad companies used as long ago as the 1890s. Those companies, however, eventually turned to fire and eventually to herbicides, once those became available.

“Herbicide resistance is especially problematic in agriculture, and there are over 20 species in the North Central soybean production region that are confirmed as resistant to at least one herbicide site of action,” Gage said. “Growers are looking for new weed control tools to use.”

Two of the most problematic species in Illinois and the extended soybean production region are Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) and waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus), Gage said.

While electricity is one alternative, another option SIU researchers are exploring is called harvest weed seed control. In that method, weed seeds are managed or destroyed before they go back into the soil seedbank to germinate the following season.

SIU researchers also are exploring the use of inter-row cultivation and other non-chemical weed control methods. Keeping in line with the proposal’s exploration of non-chemical weed control methods, SIU will be looking at a comparison treatment of inter-row cultivation to remove weeds.

“This will be done alone and in combination with the Weed Zapper,” Gage said. “Electrocution has again become a potential tool.”

In the case of The Annihilator 6R30 Weed Zapper, the equipment researchers are testing, two or more tool bars are mounted to a tractor, with each containing an electrode. The bars contact weeds that have grown above the soybean crop canopy and electrocute them. Just 65 to 130 milliseconds of the proper amount of current can cause them to die.

Research with the Annihilator 6R30 Weed Zapper began in Missouri in 2020 with focus on weeds common to Missouri soybean producers.  But many questions remain with the method and how effective it will be across geographies and weed species.  The influence of a plant’s specific biology – factors such as its leaf orientation, cuticle thickness and the location of its growing points – will likely impact effectiveness.

“All this may have an impact on the feasibility and effectiveness of electrocution,” Gage said. “The study seeks to answer many of these questions.”



Nufarm announces launch of Leopard™ Herbicide

Nufarm Americas Inc. is pleased to announce the launch of Leopard™ Herbicide. Leopard is the latest in Nufarm’s portfolio of innovative herbicides formulated to deliver exceptional planting flexibility for soybeans, field corn and cotton.

Leopard’s dual-active formulation boosts foliar activity and adds residual to burndown applications, so fields stay clean up to planting. Leopard lets you keep your crop options open – so you can make crop decisions based on weather conditions and commodity price fluctuation.

“Based on SU chemistry, and with a superior granular formulation, Leopard provides growers with another fall or early spring option in their efforts to manage herbicide resistance, particularly prior to planting soybeans, corn and cotton,” said Chris Bowley, Customer & Brand Marketing Manager. “With excellent residual activity, Leopard is an ideal tank-mix partner for many foundational burndown products. Also, the label allows corn growers even more flexibility as the application window for corn extends all the way up to planting.”

As mentioned, Leopard is a highly compatible tank-mix partner for burndown herbicides like glyphosate and 2,4-D due to its low-use rate. It may be applied 30 to 45 days prior to planting for increased cropping flexibility – and is available for purchase from Nufarm Channel partners commencing mid-July.

Leopard herbicide is the latest addition to the Nufarm’s growing list of herbicides that farmers can use for weed management year round, from “Harvest to Canopy™”. For information about all of the crop protection solutions available from Nufarm, visit nufarm.com/uscrop.



Microbes Play Role in Corn ‘Hybrid Vigor’

The tiny organisms living in soil may have a greater effect on the yield and pest and disease resistance of crop plants grown in that soil than previously known.

Researchers at North Carolina State University and the University of Kansas have shown that soil microbes – microscopic organisms like viruses, bacteria and fungi found throughout nature – play a role in the phenomenon of heterosis or “hybrid vigor,” the superior performance of crossed plant lines, or hybrids, over inbred plant lines. Hybrids are often used by farmers for agricultural production due their superior crop yields.

Research into hybrid vigor has generally highlighted the roles of genetic and abiotic environmental factors behind the phenomenon. So finding that the biotic soil environment impacts heterosis was a bit surprising and serendipitous, the researchers say.

“This work moves us toward a better understanding of what’s driving heterosis,” said Manuel Kleiner, an assistant professor of plant and microbial biology at NC State and a co-corresponding author of a paper describing the research. “Microbes are critical players in causing effects on corn plants – it’s not just temperature and soil type.”

The researchers experimented with two types of inbred corn plants and a hybrid of those two lines in laboratory and field tests in North Carolina and Kansas.

The researchers started by growing hybrid and inbred corn plants in sterile bags; both types of plants grew similarly sized roots and shoots inside the bags. But when the researchers added to the bags a controlled set of microbes known to associate with corn roots in nature, hybrid lines grew more than inbred lines – their roots and shoots weighed more – showing the expected effects of heterosis.

“This seemed to be the result of a negative microbial effect on inbred lines, rather than a helping effect on hybrids,” Kleiner said.

Similar heterosis-enhancing activity of microbes was observed in field tests in North Carolina in which hybrid and inbred lines were grown in untreated plots, plots treated with an antimicrobial chemical, and in plots treated with both the antimicrobial chemical and a method of “cooking” the soil by sending ultra-hot steam into it.

Surprisingly, when a similar experiment was performed in Kansas, the opposite effect was observed – treatments that reduced the microbial populations in the soil caused increased heterosis.

“We can now say that microbes will have effects on heterosis, but we can’t predict the direction of those effects,” Kleiner said.

“We know that microbes are affecting inbreds and hybrids of corn in different ways, but the effects may depend on the environment or on the particular microbes in the soil,” said Peter Balint-Kurti, USDA professor of plant pathology at NC State and a paper co-author.

The researchers plan to continue their work studying the effects of microbes on corn heterosis.

The paper appears in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The research was supported by the National Science Foundation under awards IOS-2033621and OIA-1656006. Maggie Wagner, an assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Kansas and a former postdoctoral researcher at NC State, is the lead and co-corresponding author of the paper.