Wednesday June 30 Ag News

 2021 NEBRASKA ACREAGE

Nebraska producers planted 9.70 million acres of corn for all purposes, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. This is down 5% from last year. Of the total acres, 97% were planted with biotechnology varieties, up 3 percentage point from 2020. Area to be harvested for grain is estimated at 9.40 million acres, down 5% from a year ago.

Soybean planted acreage is estimated at 5.40 million acres, up 4% from last year. Of these, 96% were planted with genetically modified, herbicide resistant seed, unchanged from 2020. Producers expect to harvest 5.35 million acres, up 4% from a year ago.

Winter wheat planted in the fall of 2020 is estimated at 930,000 acres, up 3% from last year. Harvested area is expected to total 840,000 acres, up 1% from a year ago.

Alfalfa acreage to be harvested for dry hay is estimated at 960,000 acres, up 12% from last year. Other hay acreage to be cut for dry hay is estimated at 1.55 million acres, down 18% from a year ago.
Sorghum planted for all purposes is estimated at 280,000 acres, up 44% from the previous year. Area to be harvested for grain is estimated at 230,000 acres, up 53% from last year.

Oats planted for all purposes is estimated at 120,000 acres, down 11% from last year. Area to be harvested for grain is estimated at 21,000 acres down 28% from last year.

Dry edible bean planted acreage is estimated at 130,000 acres, down 21% from last year. Harvested acres are estimated at 117,000 acres, down 26% from the previous year.

Proso millet planted, at 130,000 acres is unchanged from a year ago.

Sugarbeet planted acres, at 45,000 acres, are down 3% from last year. Harvested area is forecast at 44,500 acres, down 3% from a year ago.

Oil sunflower planted area is estimated at 45,000 acres, up 13% from last year. Harvested area is estimated at 43,000 acres, up 10% from a year ago. Non-oil sunflower planted area is estimated at 8,000 acres, down 20% from the previous year. Harvested area is estimated at 7,000 acres, down 22% from the previous year.

Dry edible pea planted acres are estimated at 47,000 acres, up 31% from last year. Harvested acres are estimated at 43,000 acres, up 30% from the previous year.

Potato planted acreage is estimated at 21,000 acres, up 11% from last year. Harvested acreage is forecasted at 20,800 acres, up 11% from a year ago. Percent planted by type of potato is: 41% white, 55% russet, 1% red and 3% yellow.

The estimates of planted and harvested acreages in this news release are based primarily on surveys conducted during the first two weeks of June.



IOWA ACREAGE REPORT

 Corn planted for all purposes in Iowa is estimated at 13.1 million acres, down 100,000 from the March intentions, and down 500,000 acres from 2020 according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Acreage report. Corn to be harvested for grain is forecast at 12.65 million acres. Producers reported planting biotechnology varieties on 93 percent of their 2021 corn acres. The percent of corn acreage planted to insect resistant (Bt) varieties is estimated at 4 percent, herbicide resistant only varieties were planted on 9 percent of the acres, and stacked gene varieties were planted on 80 percent of the acres.

Soybean acreage planted is estimated at 9.90 million acres, up 100,000 acres from the March intentions and up 500,000 acres from the 2020 planted acreage. Soybean acreage to be harvested is forecast at 9.82 million acres. Based on reports from producers, 97 percent of the soybean acres were planted with herbicide resistant varieties.

Total dry hay expected to be harvested for 2021 is forecast at 1.15 million acres, unchanged from the March forecast, but down 10,000 acres from 2020. Of the total, 790,000 acres of alfalfa and 360,000 acres of other hay are expected to be harvested for dry hay.

Acreage seeded to oats is estimated at 180,000 acres, up 30,000 acres from the March intentions and up 10,000 acres from last year. Oat acreage expected to be harvested for grain is forecast at 65,000 acres, down 8,000 acres from 2020.



Corn Planted Acreage Up 2 Percent from 2020
Soybean Acreage Up 5 Percent
All Wheat Acreage Up 5 Percent

Corn planted area for all purposes in 2021 is estimated at 92.7 million acres, up 2 percent or 1.87 million acres from last year. Compared with last year, planted acreage is expected to be up or unchanged in 28 of the 48 estimating States. Area harvested for grain, at 84.5 million acres, is up 2 percent from last year.

Soybean planted area for 2021 is estimated at 87.6 million acres, up 5 percent from last year. Compared with last year, planted acreage is up or unchanged in 28 of the 29 estimating States.

All wheat planted area for 2021 is estimated at 46.7 million acres, up 5 percent from 2020. This represents the fourth lowest all wheat planted area since records began in 1919. The 2021 winter wheat planted area, at 33.7 million acres, is up 11 percent from last year and up 2 percent from the previous estimate. Of this total, about 23.6 million acres are Hard Red Winter, 6.59 million acres are Soft Red Winter, and 3.50 million acres are White Winter. Area expected to be planted to other spring wheat for 2021 is estimated at 11.6 million acres, down 5 percent from 2020. Of this total, about 10.8 million acres are Hard Red Spring wheat. Durum planted area for 2021 is expected to total 1.48 million acres, down 12 percent from the previous year.



NEBRASKA JUNE 1, 2021 GRAIN STOCKS

Nebraska corn stocks in all positions on June 1, 2021 totaled 504 million bushels, down 11% from 2020, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Of the total, 210 million bushels are stored on farms, down 32% from a year ago. Off-farm stocks, at 294 million bushels, are up 16% from last year.

Soybeans stored in all positions totaled 57.7 million bushels, down 48% from last year. On-farm stocks of 13.0 million bushels are down 64% from a year ago, and off-farm stocks, at 44.7 million bushels, are down 39% from 2020.

Wheat stored in all positions totaled 30.3 million bushels, down 13% from a year ago. On-farm stocks of 800,000 bushels are down 69% from 2020, and off-farm stocks of 29.5 million bushels are down 8% from last year.

Sorghum stored in all positions totaled 1.61 million bushels, down 44% from 2020. On-farm stocks of 350,000 bushels are up 119% from a year ago but off-farm holdings of 1.26 million bushels are down 54% from last year.

Oats stored in all positions totaled 748,000 bushels. On-farm stocks of 260,000 bushels, down 4% from a year ago and off-farm stocks totaled 488,000 bushels

Barley stored off-farm totaled 141,000 bushels, down 17% from last year.



IOWA GRAIN STOCKS REPORT

 Corn stored in all positions in Iowa on June 1, 2021, totaled 820 million bushels, down 23% from June 1, 2020, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Grain Stocks report. Of the total stocks, 41% were stored on-farm. The March-May 2021 indicated disappearance totaled 573 million bushels, 24% above the 462 million bushels from the same period last year.

Soybeans stored in all positions in Iowa on June 1, 2021, totaled 137 million bushels, 51% below the 281 million bushels on hand June 1, 2020. Of the total stocks, 29% were stored on-farm. Indicated disappearance for March-May 2021 is 118 million bushels, 3% below the 122 million bushels from the same quarter last year.

Oats stored on-farm in Iowa on June 1, 2021, totaled 840,000 bushels, up 20% from June 1, 2020.



Corn Stocks Down 18 Percent from June 2020
Soybean Stocks Down 44 Percent
All Wheat Stocks Down 18 Percent

Corn stocks in all positions on June 1, 2021 totaled 4.11 billion bushels, down 18 percent from June 1, 2020. Of the total stocks, 1.74 billion bushels are stored on farms, down 39 percent from a year earlier. Off-farm stocks, at 2.37 billion bushels, are up 11 percent from a year ago. The March - May 2021 indicated disappearance is 3.58 billion bushels, compared with 2.95 billion bushels during the same period last year.

Soybeans stored in all positions on June 1, 2021 totaled 767 million bushels, down 44 percent from June 1, 2020. On-farm stocks totaled 220 million bushels, down 65 percent from a year ago. Off-farm stocks, at 547 million bushels, are down 27 percent from a year ago. Indicated disappearance for the March - May 2021 quarter totaled 795 million bushels, down 9 percent from the same period a year earlier.

Old crop all wheat stored in all positions on June 1, 2021 totaled 844 million bushels, down 18 percent from a year ago. On-farm stocks are estimated at 142 million bushels, down 38 percent from last year. Off-farm stocks, at 702 million bushels, are down 12 percent from a year ago. The March - May 2021 indicated disappearance is 467 million bushels, up 21 percent from the same period a year earlier.



NEBRASKA COALITION REUNITES TO ENGAGE IN WATERS OF THE U.S. (WOTUS) RULE REWRITE

A coalition of organizations from across Nebraska have again joined together to ensure the federal government respects private property rights and the limits of federal regulatory authority following the Biden administration’s announcement that they would rewrite former President Trump’s Navigable Water Protection rule, which was written to replace former President Obama’s 2015 Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule.

“The Biden administration’s recent announcement of its plan to bring back at least portions of the ill-conceived 2015 WOTUS rule is extremely concerning to Nebraska farmers, ranchers, businesses, home builders, and virtually all property owners. Common Sense Nebraska (CSN) was formed by a diverse group of organizations in 2014 to push back on the Obama era rule which would have greatly expanded the federal government’s regulatory reach over private property,” said William H. Rhea III, president of Nebraska Cattlemen.

Since its creation in 2014, Common Sense Nebraska has worked to provide meaningful and deliberate direction to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) as the agencies worked through establishing the regulatory reach of the federal government when it comes to water regulations. In 2015, the coalition’s focus was an organized grassroots effort to push back against the Obama WOTUS rule that gave federal government bureaucrats unbound expansion and control over private property and states’ rights in the name of water quality.

“As a small business owner, this rule creates unpredictability, and that’s never good for businesses looking to comply with regulations. Construction projects rely on efficient, timely, and consistent permitting and review processes under Clean Water Act programs. If the rule is brought back by the Biden administration, the ability to sell, build, expand, or retrofit structures or properties will suffer notable setbacks, including added costs and delays. Those costs and delays don’t just get felt by builders, but also by end consumers,” said Don Wisnieski, president of the Nebraska State Home Builders Association.   

The Trump Navigable Waters Protection Rule replaced the 2015 Obama WOTUS rule, which limited regulation that recognized landowners and states’ ability to lead the protection of most water and land. This recent announcement from the Biden EPA and Corps reverts to regulating puddles and ditches and tramples the respect of private property rights and the balance of power at the state and local level.

“Unfortunately, the need for our collective efforts has again surfaced. The organizations which make up CSN stand ready to work with the EPA as well as the Army Corps of Engineers to clarify which bodies of water deserve federal protection. At the same time, the Biden administration must recognize the significant historic limits of federal jurisdiction. We all want clean water but, as our coalition name says, the regulations governing water quality must be grounded in common sense,” said Mark McHargue, president of Nebraska Farm Bureau.

Common Sense Nebraska coalition partners:
Association of General Contractors - NE Chapter
Farm Credit Services of America
Iowa-Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association
National Federation of Independent Businesses/Nebraska
Nebraska Agribusiness Association
Nebraska Association of County Officials
Nebraska Association of Resource Districts
Nebraska Bankers Association
Nebraska Cattlemen
NE Chamber
Nebraska Club Management Association
Nebraska Cooperative Council
Nebraska Corn Board
Nebraska Corn Growers Association
Nebraska Farm Bureau
Nebraska Golf Course Superintendents Association
Nebraska Grain Sorghum Association
Nebraska Pork Producers Association
Nebraska Poultry Industries
Nebraska Rural Electric Association
Nebraska Soybean Association
Nebraska State Dairy Association
Nebraska State Home Builders Association
Nebraska State Irrigation Association
Nebraska Water Resources Association
Nebraska Wheat Growers Association
Nemaha Natural Resources District
Pawnee County Rural Water District #1



UNL webinar on USDA conservation programs to launch new Center for Ag Profitability series

The new Center for Agricultural Profitability at the University-Lincoln will cover conservation program opportunities for producers and landowners during a webinar at noon July 8.

Amid the discussion of climate-smart agriculture and policy proposals for conservation and resource management, there are many ideas about the future of agriculture and conservation efforts. While there may be more developments to come, there are significant programs and opportunities now. Whether producers and landowners are looking at what can be done with various programs, or what programs can help to accomplish conservation goals, there are numerous incentives available.

The webinar will focus on the growth of conservation programs and investments over time, and the range of program opportunities available to producers and landowners. It will be hosted by Brad Lubben, extension policy specialist in the Department of Agricultural Economics, and include a panel of experts from USDA’s Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service.

It is presented as part of the Center for Agricultural Profitability’s weekly webinar series, held every Thursday. It is a continuation of the long-running series by the Extension Farm and Ranch Management team, which is now housed in the center.

The new interdisciplinary center opened June 28 to support informed economic decision-making in agriculture through research, extension and education. For more about the center, and to register for the July 8 webinar, visit https://cap.unl.edu.



Nebraska Beef Council July Board Meeting

The Nebraska Beef Council Board of Directors will meet at the NBC office in Kearney, NE, located at 1319 Central Ave. on Monday July 12, 2021 beginning at 8:00 a.m. CDT and Tuesday July 13, 2021 at 7:30 a.m. CDT. The NBC Board of Directors will listen to presentation from outside contractors for the fiscal year 2021-2022 on Monday. Funding decisions will be conducted on Tuesday. For more information, please contact Pam Esslinger at pam@nebeef.org.  




Nebraska Corn Growers Association Publishes Carbon 101 Guide

Recently members of the Nebraska Corn Growers Association (NeCGA), should have received a copy of the Carbon Markets 101 Guide in the mail. The information-packed booklet is meant to provide background and an introduction into many areas of carbon markets. It also includes key questions members should be asking when considering signing up for carbon programs.

“Our membership has been asking a lot of questions regarding carbon markets and the opportunities it may provide their operation,” said Andy Jobman, farmer from Gothenburg and president of NeCGA. “The goal with the carbon publication was to answer those questions and provide a foundation for our members to have as they navigate the many carbon market programs.”

This guide is currently available to members of the association only. Copies will be included with any new memberships sent out this summer. Those interested in receiving a copy are encouraged to join the association at joincorngrowers.com or by calling the association office at (402) 438-6459.



GRAZING WITH THE WEATHER
– Ben Beckman, NE Extension Educator
 
Precipitation and temperature play major roles in pasture productivity, and knowing how to adjust grazing to match current conditions is key.  Are you shifting your management to meet recent weather?
 
Stocking and grazing management are not static things.  When production is limited, especially during a drought period, stretching forage resources is a high priority.  By this point in the year, our pastures have produced the vast majority of forage that we will get.  Using temporary electric fence to cross fence can increase utilization, slowing down a grazing rotation and stretching forage considerably.  
 
This is especially true when plants become dormant due to lack of precipitation or heat.  Typically, utilization seeks to balance animal demand and plant health, but taking more of a dormant plant without damaging the crown has little impact on overall plant health.
 
On the flip side, grass that is getting tall and lanky, ahead of a grazing rotation, could benefit from flash grazing.  Moving animals on and off quick can help keep plants from getting over mature. Keep up this fast pace while growth is rapid.  Once growth slows, then the rotation can slow down as well.  
 
Speeding up grazing when things are wet and slowing down during dry times is a great strategy to use as we adjust to the weather Mother Nature throws our way.  Doing so can help you find the perfect balance for your pasture and animal health.



 USDA to Invest $5 Million in Wetland Mitigation Banks

The USDA is investing up to $5 million in the Wetland Mitigation Banking Program, a grant program that supports the development of mitigation banks for use by agricultural producers seeking to maintain eligibility for USDA programs. Funds are available to Tribes, government entities, nonprofits, and other organizations. NRCS is accepting proposals through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET on August 16, 2021.

“Our goal is to make sure agricultural producers have the tools they need to successfully farm or ranch and conserve natural resources,” said Britt Weiser, acting state conservationist in Nebraska. “Wetland mitigation banks enable the restoration or creation of wetlands for the purpose of compensating for unavoidable impacts to wetlands at another location. The Wetland Mitigation Banking Program helps states, local governments, and other qualified partners restore, create, and enhance wetland ecosystems.”

To participate in most USDA programs, agricultural producers agree to comply with the wetland conservation provisions, which means producers will not farm converted wetlands or convert wetlands to enable agricultural production. In situations where avoidance or on-site mitigation is challenging, the Farm Bill allows for off-site mitigation through the purchase of mitigation banking credits.

About the Wetland Mitigation Banking Program
NRCS awarded the first Wetland Mitigation Bank Program grants in 2016 and so far, has supported the creation or expansion of wetland mitigation banks in 11 states. So far, 21 wetland bank sites have been established through the program, totaling 313 acres.  Several more sites have been secured and are in various stages of the restoration process. The 2018 Farm Bill provided an opportunity for funding for this program through fiscal 2023.

NRCS is prioritizing funds in states with large amounts of wetlands as well as large amounts of producers with wetland determination requests. This includes Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

Awardees may use Wetland Mitigation Bank Program funding to support mitigation bank site identification, development of a mitigation banking instrument, site restoration, land surveys, permitting and title searches, and market research. Wetland Mitigation Bank Program funding cannot be used to purchase land or a conservation easement.

Submitting Proposals
NRCS is accepting proposals through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET on August 16, 2021.

More Information
To learn more, visit the Wetland Mitigation Bank Program webpage https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/programs/farmbill/?cid=nrcseprd362686.



Fortenberry Secures Big Wins for Nebraska in Committee-Approved Ag Appropriations Bill

Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (NE-01), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA), made the following statement tonight after the House Appropriations Committee approved the 2022 Ag Appropriations bill.  

"The vastness of our land, our ingenuity, and our technological prowess allow our nation to provide the most abundant, low-cost, nutritious, and diverse array of foods in the world.  This ag bill builds upon important support for our highly productive farmers and ranchers and those facing food insecurity in America and around the world.  Unfortunately, it had over a 10% increase in spending, making this bill far too big,” Fortenberry said.

 “I am, nevertheless, very happy that several of my funding priorities important to Nebraska made the cut, including a major expansion of rural broadband, a new center of ag innovation in Lincoln, and enhanced ag opportunity for students at minority-serving institutions,” Fortenberry added.



IDALS Tests Foreign Animal Disease Response Plans

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship hosted a day-long tabletop exercise to test its foreign animal disease response plans. State and federal animal health officials worked alongside producers and agriculture industry leaders to prevent and prepare for a potential foreign animal disease outbreak at a livestock show. The exercise is part of the Department’s ongoing commitment to preparing for a potential foreign animal disease outbreak.

“Iowa’s livestock industry is critical to the nation’s food supply and our state’s economy. A foreign animal disease outbreak would disrupt the supply chain and be emotionally and financially devastating to producers,” said Secretary Naig. “We are continuously working with producers and our federal and industry partners to prevent an outbreak. We must also be prepared to respond quickly if an outbreak occurs within the United States. These exercises allow us to test our plans and identify gaps, and we learn something new every time we host one.”

Previous foreign animal disease planning workshops and tabletop exercises
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has participated in a series of foreign animal disease workshops and tabletop exercises over the past several years to strengthen its response plans.

In September 2019, the Department and 14 other swine-producing states participated in a four-day African Swine Fever workshop led by USDA APHIS to test current foreign animal disease response plans. Each day of the exercise focused on different tactics that would be deployed during an outbreak — detection, containment, eradication and cleaning and disinfection.

In December 2020, the Department co-hosted a foreign animal disease planning and preparation workshop with USDA APHIS, with support provided by the Iowa State University Center for Food Security and Public Health. The two-day tabletop exercise brought state and federal animal health officials, Iowa livestock producers and industry representatives together to test the state’s plans to distribute a Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) vaccine if an outbreak occurs.



Fischer Calls on Biden to Uphold Promises to Farmers and Ethanol Producers

With reports indicating the Biden Administration is weighing bailouts for Big Oil and undermining the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska) joined her colleagues in calling on President Biden to uphold the promises he made on the campaign trail to support the biofuel industry and the family farmers who rely on it.

The letter, led by Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), reminds the president of his statements during his campaign supporting biofuel.

“Unfortunately, it is difficult to find a U.S. industry that has not been negatively affected by tariffs and the trade war,” the senators wrote. “These industries and businesses have faced increased costs, lost sales and market access, and competitive disadvantages due to the tariffs.  Moreover, many businesses have described that the primary beneficiaries of the trade war are their foreign competitors that do not face the same tariff costs.”

The lawmakers wrote: “During your campaign for President, you indicated your support for biofuel and your intent to “promote and advance renewable energy, ethanol and other biofuel.” […] Yet now that you are president, having no doubt heard the same tired and debunked complaints from big oil refiners about the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) harming them, you are reportedly considering bailouts for these refineries, which would undermine the biofuel industry and the family farmers who rely on it.”

They go on: “While we are aware of the power of the oil lobby, and its efforts to influence your administration, I urge you not to bend to their demands to undercut the RFS, by either reducing annual blending obligations, or any by other means that destroys demand for clean renewable ethanol and biodiesel. The farmers and biofuel industries in our states would welcome the same access to your National Climate Advisor to discuss shared priorities.”



Weekly Ethanol Production for 6/25/2021

According to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association for the week ending June 25, ethanol production increased 10,000 barrels per day (b/d), or 1.0%, to 1.058 million b/d, equivalent to 44.44 million gallons daily. Production was 17.6% above the same week last year, which was affected by the pandemic, but it was 2.1% below the same week in 2019. The four-week average ethanol production volume rose 0.6% to 1.050 million b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate of 16.10 billion gallons (bg).

Ethanol stocks expanded for the seventh straight week, rising to 21.6 million barrels. This is 2.1% above the prior week and a fourteen-week high. Stocks were 7.0% above the year-ago level but 5.6% below the same week in 2019. Inventories rose across all regions except the Rocky Mountains (PADD 4).

The volume of gasoline supplied to the U.S. market, a measure of implied demand, declined 2.8% to 9.17  million b/d (140.62 bg annualized). Gasoline demand was 7.1% above a year ago but was 3.4% below the same week in 2019.

Refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol scaled 1.7% higher to 938,000 b/d, the highest level since Dec. 2019 and equivalent to 14.38 bg annualized. Net inputs were 13.1% above a year ago yet 1.0% below the same week in 2019.

Imports of ethanol arriving into the West Coast were 23,000 b/d, or 6.76 million gallons for the week. This was the second consecutive week of imports. (Weekly export data for ethanol is not reported simultaneously; the latest export data is as of April 2021.)



ACE Supports Bipartisan Legislation to Provide Retailers and Automakers with Ethanol Infrastructure Incentives

U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn) introduced a series of bills last week that would provide incentives for gas station owners to offer higher ethanol blends and for automakers to make flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs). Two of the bills are co-sponsored by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), one provides funding for higher blend infrastructure and the other offers FFV incentives. A third bill is co-sponsored by Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) and offers a tax credit for the sale of E15 and higher ethanol blends. The bills align with recommendations the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) provided Congress April 15 as infrastructure spending is considered. ACE CEO Brian Jennings issued the following statement of support:

“When infrastructure legislation discussions began earlier this year, ACE called on congressional leaders to provide incentives for retailers to sell E15 and E85 and for automakers to resume the production of flexible fuel vehicles to achieve immediate climate benefits from clean energy infrastructure. ACE members are pleased to see the introduction of these bipartisan bills, which include our recommendations and would help capitalize on ethanol’s ability to make near- and long-term reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

“As Congress and the Administration explore ways to lower the carbon intensity of U.S. transportation fuels, we are encouraged by efforts like these bills that seek to level the playing field so that ethanol can compete fairly and meet the demand for low carbon fuels. No other transportation fuel source can offer the climate saving benefits ethanol provides and we encourage Congress to follow the lead of Sen. Klobuchar, Sen. Ernst, and Sen. Thune in acknowledging ethanol’s ability to rapidly decarbonize the transportation sector.”

Bill Information:
S.2271 – Authorizes $100 million over 10 fiscal years in United States Department of Agriculture grants to States to help retailers install equipment to sell E15 and higher ethanol blends. Under the grant program USDA would cover up to 75 percent of the cost for equipment dispensing E15 and E85.

S.2267 - Provides a $200 per vehicle tax credit for the production and sale of flexible fuel vehicles and restores fuel economy credits to automakers for the production of flexible fuel vehicles.

S.2262 - Establishes a tax credit for the sale or blending of E15 and higher ethanol blends and makes the credit refundable for retailers with five or fewer locations.



RFA Applauds Klobuchar, Ernst for Introducing FFV and Infrastructure Legislation

The Renewable Fuels Association today thanked Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) for introducing two new bills that would stimulate increased production of flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs) and expand retail infrastructure to enhance consumer access to lower-carbon fuel blends like E15 and E85.

“These two bills recognize that American-made ethanol can and should play a central role in our nation’s efforts to quickly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “Today’s ethanol already cuts GHG emissions by nearly half compared to gasoline, and the industry is on a path toward producing ethanol with net-zero emissions by mid-century or sooner. But our nation cannot fully capitalize on ethanol’s low-carbon benefits unless more retail stations offer higher blends and more vehicles are produced that can run on flex fuels like E85. The legislation introduced today would help address both of those marketplace bottlenecks while supporting rural communities across the heartland at the same time. We thank Sens. Klobuchar and Ernst for their vision and bipartisan commitment to a cleaner, greener, and more prosperous future.”

The Clean Fuels Vehicle Act (S.2267) would encourage increased production and deployment of flex-fuel vehicles by creating a $200 refundable tax credit for each light-duty FFV manufactured for a period of 10 years. The legislation would also restore certain Corporate Average Fuel Economy credits that were previously available to automakers for producing FFVs.

The other bill, known as the Renewable Fuel Infrastructure Investment and Market Expansion Act (S.2271), would codify a $500 million grant program for the deployment of renewable fuel infrastructure and direct the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to finalize proposed rules relating to requirements for E15 fuel dispenser labeling and underground storage tank compatibility.

Also, Sens. Klobuchar and John Thune (D-SD) introduced a third bill related to biofuel tax credits for higher blends, the Low-Carbon Biofuel Credit Act (S.2262); Reps. Cindy Axne (D-IA) and Adrian Smith (R-NE) today introduced similar legislation in the House.



Growth Energy Thanks Senate Republicans for Pushing to Protect the RFS

Following reports that the Biden Administration is considering bailouts for oil refineries, Iowa Senators Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley led a strong coalition of Senate Republicans in a letter to the president urging him to uphold the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). In their letter, the Senators referenced President Biden’s campaign promise to “promote and advance renewable energy, ethanol and other biofuel.”  

Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor thanked Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), as well as Senators Thune (R-SD), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) for holding the Biden Administration accountable to honoring the president’s commitments on the RFS:

“We’re grateful to our Senate champions for urging President Biden’s Administration to not enact decisions that would reverse course on his commitments to support biofuels,” said Skor. “Biofuels have repeatedly proven to be a solution that can be used today to reduce emissions and help our nation achieve our climate goals. Lowering, waiving, capping, or any backtracking on the RFS damages our ability to decarbonize our vehicle fleet, threatens large agricultural markets, and jeopardizes hundreds of thousands of good paying jobs supported by the biofuel industry. We certainly hope Biden Administration officials, especially at the Environmental Protection Agency, heed this letter, support the RFS, and keep annual conventional biofuels blending targets at 15 billion gallons.”



Potash Prices Show Strength Amid Supply Issues

Retail fertilizer prices continued to rise the third full week of June 2021. After five weeks with no significant price changes, which DTN designates as 5% or more, one fertilizer was noticeably higher. Potash was up 6% compared to last month and had an average price of $469/ton.  Prices for the remaining seven fertilizers were just slightly higher. DAP, urea and UAN32 prices increased 3%. DAP had an average price of $670 per ton, urea $541/ton and UAN32 $420/ton.   The remaining fertilizers only saw their price change by about 1%. MAP cost $720/ton, 10-34-0 $625/ton, anhydrous $724/ton and UAN28 $366/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.59/lb.N, anhydrous $0.44/lb.N, UAN28 $0.65/lb.N and UAN32 $0.65/lb.N.

Potash is now 29% more expensive, 10-34-0 is 34% higher, urea is 51% more expensive, UAN32 54% higher, anhydrous is 56% more expensive, UAN28 is 57% higher, DAP is 66% more expensive and MAP 68% is higher compared to last year.



Sustainability General Session Added to 2021 Cattle Industry Convention Agenda

Cattle producers from across the country will descend upon Nashville, Tenn., Aug. 10-12, for the 2021 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show. The annual event is well-known for its educational content, motivational speakers and hot topics. New for this year is an additional general session on the final day of convention entitled “Sustainability: Opportunity, or a Bunch of Bull.”

“Our connection and dependence on natural resources is the reason we must lead and tackle sustainability head-on,” says National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) CEO Colin Woodall. “We added this session specifically to provide information about consumer trends, offer the latest science and to discuss whether sustainability could be the cattle industry’s greatest opportunity.”

Cattlemen and women have been conserving natural resources, contributing to the economy and engaging with communities for generations, so sustainability is not a new concept. Sponsored by Roto-Mix, LLC, sustainability session speakers will discuss how the cattle industry offers solutions to the climate change conversation.

The session will include presenters Marty Smith, immediate past president of NCBA; Dr. Jason Sawyer, associate professor and research scientist with the King Ranch® Institute for Ranch Management; Shawn Darcy, NCBA’s senior director of market research; as well as a panel discussion with retail and foodservice leaders.

Panelists Kristine Young, manager of sustainability at Darden; Kyle Kinnard, vice president and divisional merchandise manager of meat and seafood at Sam's Club; and David Norton, president of Sysco’s specialty meat business across North America, will discuss current consumer trends related to sustainability and the programs their companies are putting in place to share the sustainability story.

Smith believes the industry is in a position to promote how cattle positively impact the environment, economy and social fabric in the United States. “In addition to stewarding our natural resources and leading the world on environmentally sustainable beef production, cattlemen and women are also focused on maintaining and building operations that are economically sustainable,” he says.

The additional session not only brings even more educational content to this year’s convention, but it also adds value for convention participants who are attending in person or virtually. A virtual ticket option is available for those who can’t attend the 2021 Cattle Industry Convention in person. CattleCon Remix attendees will be able to stream general sessions, various Cattlemen's College sessions, demonstration arena events and the NCBA Trade Show, and sessions will be made available on-demand following the event.

For more information and to register and reserve housing, visit https://convention.ncba.org/.



Reps. Dina Titus and Nancy Mace Applauded by Sustainable Agriculture and Animal Welfare Leaders for Introducing OFF Act to Reform USDA’s Runaway Checkoff Programs

Today, the Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM), Animal Wellness Action (AWA), Animal Wellness Foundation (AWF), and National Dairy Producers Organization (NDPO) applauded U.S. Reps. Dina Titus, D-Nev., and Nancy Mace, R-S.C. for introducing the Opportunities for Fairness in Farming (OFF) Act, designed to reform and bring accountability and transparency to reform the USDA’s Commodity Checkoff Programs that have long been plagued by scandal after scandal for misappropriation of funds, lack of transparency, and misusing farmer and rancher tax dollars against the best interests of the producers to further the agenda of industrial agriculture.

“This legislation will bring much-needed accountability and transparency to USDA’s checkoff programs which have operated without sufficient oversight for far too long,” said said Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev. “Family farmers should not be forced to pay into organizations that sometimes lobby against their interests and threaten animal welfare.”

“The USDA’s Checkoff Program was supposed to ensure American farmers of all sizes could promote their products across the nation and across the globe,” said Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C. “For years now, small farmers have seen their hard-earned money used to fund the lobbying efforts of massive, multi-billion-dollar agriculture conglomerates. This program has devolved from producing ‘Got milk?’ ads to creating taxpayer-funded lobbying firms, and it needs to stop.”

“USDA’s runaway checkoff programs must be held accountable, and family farmers have a right to know where their hard-earned tax dollars are being spent,” said Marty Irby, executive director at Animal Wellness Action, and a member of the board of directors at the Organization for Competitive Markets. “The checkoffs remain under fire because of their lack of transparency, misuse of funds, and damaging anti-competitive practices that have bankrupted millions of American farmers, and harmed billions of animals.”

“The checkoff is an example of how farmers lost their voice,” said Mike Eby, executive director at the Organization for Competitive Markets and chairman of the National Dairy Producers Organization. “We are disappointed that historically, the USDA and Congress appear to have little regard for the millions of farmer dollars that are being used for purposes that are not being made public.

“OCM stands firmly in support of putting more farmers back on the land and reigning in the egregious and illegal activities National Cattlemen’s Beef Assocation continues to engage in,” said Vaughn Meyer, president of the Organization for Competitive Markets and a lifelong cattle producer from Reva, South Dakota. “The OFF Act is proudly supported by more than 250,000 farmers nationwide and the U.S. House should swiftly hold a hearing to address checkoff reform.”

Background:
The OFF Act would amend the authorizing checkoff laws to ensure the programs cannot contract with organizations that engage in lobbying, conflicts of interest, or anticompetitive activities that harm other commodities. It would also require that they publish all budgets and disbursements of funds for the purposes of public inspection and submit to periodic audits by the USDA Inspector General. The measure is supported by more than 250,000 farmers and ranchers across America in an unlikely coalition of allies that include OCM, AWA, AWF, NDPO, the American Grass-fed Association, the National Taxpayers Union, and the National Farmers Union to name a few.

Commodity checkoff programs (“checkoff programs”) were established to serve as mechanisms by which agricultural industries pool money for common commodity-specific promotional and research purposes. Fees are mandatory, from the smallest local farmer to the largest factory operation. Checkoff dollars go to federal, industry-specific boards, which are required by law to use these funds for mutually beneficial advertising campaigns and research.

Under federal law, farmers of certain commodities (including pork, eggs, beef, and corn) are required to pay a portion of their sales into checkoff programs. These mandatory fees are intended to be used by the U.S. government to research and market those commodities. Well-known examples of past checkoff-funded advertising campaigns are “Got Milk,” “Pork. The Other White Meat,” “The Incredible, Edible Egg,” and “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner.” Checkoff programs collect over $850 million from America’s farmers and ranchers every year. In 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court declared that checkoff activities and speech are those of the federal government.

Despite the limited purpose of the checkoffs, checkoff programs have repeatedly acted beyond the scope of their statutory mandate. Lax oversight by the USDA has resulted in collusive and illegal relationships between checkoff boards and lobbying organizations, both of which have repeatedly used checkoff funds to influence legislation and government action despite a broad statutory prohibition. Such advocacy efforts have an anticompetitive effect and are forcing traditional family farmers to pay into a system that actively works against them.

The OFF Act was first introduced in the 115th Congress by Rep. Titus and former Rep. Dave Brat, R-Virg., in the U.S. House and Senators Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Cory Booker, D-N.J. in the U.S. Senate and a 2018 Farm Bill amendment that mirrored the OFF Act was one of only three amendments afforded a vote in the U.S. Senate, but the measure was not included in the final farm bill signed into law. Lee and Booker have since been joined by Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. in the effort for checkoff reform and the Senators plan to reintroduce the measure in the Senate in 2021.



NAWG Launches Industry Partners Program

Starting July 1, 2021, the National Association of Wheat Growers will formally launch its new Industry Partners Program (IPP). Tomorrow, we will welcome Syngenta, Ardent Mills, Farm Credit Council, and FMC as members to our organization through the IPP, where they will help bring a unique perspective to NAWG.

“We are grateful to the four members who have shown their support for NAWG and wheat growers around the nation,” said NAWG President and Cass City, MI wheat farmer, Dave Milligan.” Welcome, Syngenta, Ardent Mills, Farm Credit Council, and FMC! We are extremely excited about the unique perspectives our industry partner members will bring to our organization.”

In December 2019, NAWG held a Strategic Planning Session in Denver, Colorado, and one task that came out of the workshop was for NAWG to increase our engagement with partners across the wheat industry. Thus, the IPP concept was born to leverage our strong relationship with the industry and bring that perspective to our grower organization by offering a more influential role with the organization. While NAWG will remain a grower-led organization, the IPP will provide an opportunity for increased collaboration and partnerships between wheat growers and our partners in the agricultural industry.

 “Each IPP member comes from an organization with a large agricultural audience, and with this opportunity to have them directly involved with the wheat industry, we can accentuate the importance of our community and how impactful wheat is to the world,” said NAWG CEO, Chandler Goule.



RMA Announces Changes to Small Grains Crop Insurance Provisions

Earlier today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) announced a final rule that provides wheat growers new options designed to improve crop insurance delivery and risk management options for producers. Specifically, these changes will allow enterprise units by type for wheat, which will enable producers to separately insure all the acres of a type of wheat in the county.

“Crop insurance provides a critical risk management tool for wheat growers and today’s announcement helps provide additional coverage options in areas where both winter and spring wheat are grown,” said NAWG CEO Chandler Goule. “Previously, wheat producers could only get enterprise units for wheat, but this change breaks it out by type and prevents one type of wheat from impacting payments on another. Today’s announcement is welcome news, and NAWG will continue to work with its membership and RMA to provide feedback on how crop insurance can continue to provide additional flexibility and options to protect wheat growers and help manage risk on their operations.