Friday August 13 Ag News

 LENRD discusses a resolution to reaffirm their commitment to locally led conservation

One of the responsibilities of the NRDs is the development, management, utilization, and conservation of groundwater.  The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) monitors the quality and quantity of our groundwater annually.  This monitoring program has provided evidence that nitrate concentrations are continuing to increase in some areas.  Most recently, the data indicates elevated concentrations of nitrate in portions of Cuming, Colfax, and Dodge Counties, reaching levels that could pose health threats to humans and the environment.  It’s during these times when the LENRD board members are put in tough situations, dealing with resources that are shared among all citizens.

At their monthly committee meeting, the LENRD board of directors discussed a proposed resolution that would reaffirm their commitment to water quality management.

Mike Sousek, LENRD General Manager, said, “This resolution reaffirms the board’s commitment to the management of our natural resources and the importance of local control.  We are accountable for carrying out the responsibilities given to us by the Legislature.”

State Senator Tim Gragert of Creighton, representing District 40, addressed the board about the resolution and his personal commitment to the protection of our natural resources.  Senator Gragert said, “Water is the most important resource we have on this planet, it’s even more important than oil.  This resolution is an acknowledgement to the citizens of this district that you’re committed to protecting our natural resources.  We are fortunate to have this unique NRD system in Nebraska and I support local control 100%.”

He continued, “By increasing healthy soils, we can increase the quality of our water.  Soil health is a win, win, win - a win for producers, a win for consumers, and a win for the environment.”  He added, “We have a nitrate problem.  We are past the point of being proactive, we are now in the reactive mode.”

Senator Gragert presented his own resolution at the meeting.  He said, “I support your resolution and I hope it gets passed.  I want to work with you guys, but I will take this resolution to the Legislature myself, if I have to.”

A high concentration of nitrate in drinking water is being linked to adverse health risks, such as:  colorectal cancer, thyroid cancer, stomach and kidney cancer, ovarian cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Alzheimer’s, Diabetes, and Parkinson’s Disease.

Birth defects in Nebraska are on the rise, and within the LENRD evidence indicates that these health implications are increasing at a faster rate than the rest of the state.  Health researchers are also gaining additional insight on the potential link between nitrate contamination in drinking water and Nebraska’s high rate of pediatric cancer.  A study out of the University of Nebraska Medical Center has found that counties with groundwater nitrate concentrations between 2.1 and 5 mg/L have higher incidence of pediatric brain cancer, leukemia, and lymphoma.

The LENRD has evidence of multiple townships within its boundaries with average concentrations of nitrate over 10 ppm.

Sousek said, “As the growing body of science on the potential risks expand, the discovery of areas with elevated concentrations of nitrate becomes even more concerning.  The long-term implications demand our attention.”

He continued, “This resolution simply states that we’re here to protect our natural resources and we’re up for the challenges ahead.  We care about local control, we care about water quality, we care about human health.”

To learn more about the 12 responsibilities of Nebraska’s NRDs and how your local district can work with you and your community to protect your natural resources, visit lenrd.org and sign up for our monthly emails.  The next board of directors meeting will be Thursday, August 26th at the LENRD office in Norfolk at 7:30 p.m. and on Facebook Live.



Ricketts Issues Executive Order to Temporarily Allow Greater Flexibility to Transport Fuel

Recently, Governor Pete Ricketts issued Executive Order (EO) 21-11 to help address fuel supply shortages in the Midwest.  For fuel carriers, the EO temporarily waives restrictions on the hours of service a driver may work.

The closure of refineries for maintenance, along with issues related to the seasonal transition from winter gasoline to summer gasoline, has affected fuel supplies in the region.  The Governor’s Executive Order facilitates the transportation of fuel to help respond to the current shortages.

The Executive Order is effectively immediately, and will remain in effect through August 31, 2021.  It expands on the Governor’s previous Executive Order 21-10 (issued on August 5th) to cover other fuels in addition to gasoline.



Nebraska Cattlemen Influences National Policy

A small delegation of Nebraska Cattlemen had a significant influence on national policy decisions in Nashville this week for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s (NCBA) Annual Convention. The Convention, normally held in February, was delayed due to COVID concerns, and convened in place of NCBA’s annual Summer Business Meeting. Nebraska Cattlemen brought forth policy for consideration in the Property Rights and Environmental Management Committee, Live Cattle Marketing Committee, and Taxation and Credit committee.

The week began with policy developed and submitted by Nebraska Cattlemen’s members in the Property Rights and Environmental Management Committee. Fair Carbon Market policy discussed and adopted as interim policy at Nebraska Cattlemen’s Midyear Meeting was incorporated in to a larger, more robust resolution solely focused on carbon markets. This policy specifically opposes any legislation, regulation, trade agreement or international treaty that would regulate carbon or greenhouse gases in the cattle industry. It also opposes the creation or management of a government-based carbon trading platform and opposes the creation of a USDA carbon bank using Commodity Credit Corporation funding. The policy supports the government’s role in carbon trading be limited to USDA providing any applicable regulatory oversight of private markets to ensure programmatic authenticity for the protection of agriculture producers and credit purchasers and demands that previous longstanding practices be recognized and qualify for carbon markets.

Nebraska Cattlemen also presented policy for consideration in the Live Cattle Marketing Committee that directed NCBA to pursue research that calculates costs to the fed cattle market due to a lack of price discovery and loss of market leverage. This policy was incorporated into a larger measure that directs NCBA leadership to establish a market information, transparency and reporting working group to provide recommendations at the NCBA Convention in Houston in February 2022 that addresses Livestock Mandatory Reporting (LMR) confidentiality concerns, market transparency – specifically the development of a cattle contract library and LMR reporting details, captive supply type and alternative marketing arrangement (AMA) content reported to USDA, packers and stockyards act review, economic research, and LMR packer reporting thresholds.

“This year’s Live Cattle Marketing Committee was a solid reminder that cattle marketing issues are complex.” William H Rhea III – President, Nebraska Cattlemen “The need to continue researching and tweaking policies in a systematic manner to avoid negative, unintended consequences and move forward with a unified voice is key to the continued success and profitability of all sectors the cattle industry.”

Nebraska Cattlemen interim policy on capital gains was unanimously adopted as presented in the Taxation and Credit Committee. The policy specifically opposes the realization of a capital gain tax at the time of transfer from a donor or from a deceased owner of an appreciated asset. This policy provides NCBA with the direction necessary to protect the livelihood of future generations of farmers and ranchers from the devastating tax propels currently being discussed in Washington D.C.



Webinar to focus on beginning estate, succession plans for farm and ranch

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Center for Agricultural Profitability will host a webinar offering strategies for planning the transition to the next generation in farm and ranch businesses at noon on Aug. 19.  

It will be presented by Jeff Tranel, an agricultural and business management economist with Colorado State University. His work focuses on estate and succession planning, financial management, income tax management and human resource management.

Tranel will discuss key issues related to estate planning and management succession, including inheritance versus legacy, the four pillars of a lasting legacy and how to have productive family discussions about succession and estate planning.

The webinar is presented as part of the Center for Agricultural Profitability’s weekly webinar series, held every Thursday at noon.

For more information, and to register for the webinar, visit the Center for Agricultural Profitability’s website, https://cap.unl.edu.



Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy Modernizes Reporting by Using an Online Dashboard

Today, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Iowa State University announced improvements to the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy’s reporting process. New this year is an online dashboard that uses visual reporting tools, like charts, graphs and maps, to share the data instead of a longer, narrative-based report. Moving forward, the online dashboards will be updated regularly as data is collected from a variety of sources and partners. Each update will focus on one of the “measurable indicators of desirable change” — inputs, human, land and water — that guide the Nutrient Reduction Strategy.

Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy model
“We gathered feedback from multiple stakeholders and put a lot of effort into developing an online reporting system that will allow us to release data faster and do it in a way that is much easier for people to read. The way people consume information has drastically changed since we first developed the Nutrient Reduction Strategy annual report. Just as the science-based conservation practices that we use to advance soil health and water quality continue to evolve, so must our reporting methods,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. “This online reporting tool also creates efficiencies and allows additional staff time to be spent getting more science-based practices on the ground to advance the goals we outlined in the Nutrient Reduction Strategy.”

“We’ve come a long way in our ability to collect, organize, and share data and information. It’s great to see the continuous improvement in the reporting process with the release of the online dashboard,” said DNR Director Kayla Lyon.

2020 Land Report
Today’s initial release of the dashboard highlights data collected in 2020 related to the landscape indicators of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy. These metrics measure the adoption of practices that affect soil health and water quality. The dashboards are grouped by “land use and in-field” practices, including the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), cover crops, nutrient management and tillage acres, and “edge-of-field and structural erosion control” practices, including bioreactors, saturated buffers, wetlands, grade stabilization ponds and terraces. The dashboards also highlight nutrient reduction efforts at municipal and industrial wastewater treatment facilities.

Some key takeaways from the land update include:
    Iowa’s water quality wetlands treat 124,000 agricultural acres. Of these acres, 17,000 are treated by the nine wetlands that were constructed in 2019.
    As of 2019, Iowa has 46 bioreactors and 24 saturated buffers statewide, which collectively treat about 33,000 acres. Thirteen were constructed in 2019, treating 650 acres.
    During the baseline and benchmark time periods—1980-96 and 2006-10—there were no or very few acres of cover crops in Iowa. The 2017 USDA Census of Agriculture reported that 970,000 acres of cover crops were planted in Iowa in the fall of 2016, and the INREC Survey of Agricultural Retailers estimated 1.6 million acres. That survey estimated that 2.2 million acres were planted in the fall of 2018.
    During the 1980-96 baseline period, Iowa had, on average, 2 million acres of no-till and 5 million acres of conservation tillage each year. In 2019, there were 8.2 million acres of no-till and 10 million acres of conservation tillage.
    The annual survey of agricultural retailers found that in corn-soybean rotations, corn acres received, on average, between 170 and 178 pounds per acre during the 2017-19 period. On average, continuous corn rotations received between 200 and 202 pounds per acre during that time.
    In the 2019 crop year, nitrification inhibitor was applied on approximately 80 percent of crop acres that received fall commercial fertilizer.
    In 2019, 1.9 million corn acres received split commercial nitrogen application — spring and side-dress — and 5.6 million corn acres received spring application only.
    Permits continue to be reissued to wastewater and industrial facilities listed in the NRS. As of the end of 2019, 143 facilities (91 percent) had received new permits, and 14 facilities remained to be issued.
    In 2019, 32 facilities met nitrogen reduction targets and 18 met phosphorus reduction targets. In addition, 19 facilities have completed feasibility studies to assess needs and timelines for meeting nutrient reduction targets.
    Overall, 58 facilities now have committed to construction schedules for increasing their nutrient reduction capacity, with planned upgrades occurring through 2027.

To view the new Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy reporting dashboard and the 2020 land report, visit nrstracking.cals.iastate.edu. Future dashboards will focus on the other indicators of desired change — water, inputs and human elements.



Ready or Not, Corn Silage Time is Here

The Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Dairy Team’s monthly webinar series continues Wednesday, Aug. 18, from noon to 1 p.m., with a focus on corn silage.

The webinar will be led by Luiz Ferraretto, who will discuss how to use corn silage to put more milk in the bulk tank and ultimately, more money in dairy producers’ pockets.

Ferraretto is originally from Brazil, was an assistant professor of livestock nutrition at the University of Florida from 2016 to 2020, and joined UW-Madison in May of 2020. His research and extension interests are applied ruminant nutrition and management. Ferraretto’s program is focused on understanding and improving starch and fiber utilization by dairy cows, corn silage, and high-moisture corn quality and digestibility.

Producers, dairy consultants and industry reps are encouraged to attend the free webinar live from noon to 1 p.m. on Aug. 18 at https://iastate.zoom.us/my/dairyteamfredprogram. Registration is not needed.

The webinar will also be archived for later viewing at https://www.extension.iastate.edu/dairyteam/webinars.

For more information, contact the ISU Extension and Outreach dairy field specialist in your area. In western Iowa, contact Fred M. Hall at 712-737-4230 or fredhall@iastate.edu; in northeast Iowa, contact Jennifer Bentley at 563-382-2949 or jbentley@iastate.edu; and in eastern Iowa, contact Larry Tranel at 563-583-6496 or tranel@iastate.edu.



Strong Farm Economy Supports Ag Credit Conditions
Nathan Kauffman and Ty Kreitman, Kansas City Federal Reserve

Alongside a sharp turnaround in agricultural economic conditions and lasting support from government programs related to pandemic relief, farm income and loan repayment rates both increased from a year ago‑‑at the fastest pace on record. The improvement in farm finances eased credit issues and contributed to softer demand for farm loans. With support from a strong farm economy and historically low interest rates, farm real estate values rose 10% from a year ago, which was the largest increase since 2013.

The outlook for profit opportunities in 2021 remained strong for most agricultural producers as commodity prices remained well above recent years. Conditions in the cattle industry remained somewhat weaker, however, and drought continued to hinder conditions for farmers and ranchers in some areas of the District. Nearly all banks reported that production expenses for both crop and livestock producers increased and cash rental rates in the District also increased, which could pressure margins going forward. Despite potential headwinds, bankers indicated they expected improvement in farm income and credit conditions to continue in the months ahead.

Farm Finances and Credit Conditions
Strong prices for key agricultural commodities brought additional support to farm income in the Tenth District in the second quarter. Alongside multiyear highs in farm commodity prices, about 80% of bankers surveyed in June reported that farm income was higher than the previous year. Bankers’ optimism about farm income was greater than the previous quarter and corresponded with the strongest year-to-year turnaround in farm income since the survey began collecting that information in 2002.

Farm capital spending also continued to increase with higher incomes. More than half of survey respondents reported capital spending was higher than a year ago among farm borrowers, matching the survey record. The share reporting an increase was slightly higher than the previous quarter in all states except the Mountain States of Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico, and remained well above the average of recent years.

Production expenses also increased alongside higher commodity prices and increases in spending. A large majority of bankers reported that planned expenses for both crop and livestock producers increased relative to a year ago. Increased costs were slightly more prevalent for crop farmers in nearly all states but, on average, 80% of all lenders indicated that expenses for all producers were at least modestly higher than a year ago.

Despite the rise in expenses, opportunities for profit remained significantly improved from recent years and continued to promote easing of agricultural credit stress. Similar to farm income, loan repayment rates increased from the previous year at the fastest pace on record while renewal and extension activity continued to decline. Dropping considerably from recent years, bankers also reported that only 15% of farm loans had repayment problems, including just 5% with major or severe issues.

Alongside better prospects for farm finances, demand for farm loans continued to soften and bank liquidity remained ample. Throughout the District, farm loan demand declined at a quicker rate than the previous quarter while the availability of funds increased at a faster pace. With lower demand for agricultural lending, deposits also increased from a year ago at most banks.

In addition to improved income and credit conditions, interest rates on farm loans declined further. Throughout the District, both fixed and variable rates on all loan types decreased slightly from the previous quarter and reached all-time lows. In contrast to recent increases in costs of some inputs, low interest rates have limited interest expenses for many producers.

The slight decline in interest rates over the quarter was consistent across nearly all states in the District. The average fixed and variable rate on both farm real estate and operating loans was slightly less than the previous quarter in all states except Nebraska. The average rate for both types of loans also remained at least 80 basis points less than the average from 2015 to 2019 in all states.

The combination of low demand for farm loans and historically low interest rates has contributed to compressed interest margins for many agricultural lenders, but several factors have provided support to banks’ financial performance. Returns for External Linkcommercial agricultural banks improved markedly from the end of 2020, and the most common source of support cited by respondents was the Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Stronger financial conditions for borrowers, demand for non-agricultural loans and improved liquidity were the next most common sources of support.

Historically low interest rates and strength in the agricultural economy continued to support farm real estate values. The value of all types of land throughout the District were about 10% higher than a year ago, the largest increase since 2013. As of the second quarter, nonirrigated farmland values were about 14% higher than the beginning of 2019, offsetting the decline of about 12% from 2014 to 2018.

Cash rents on all types of land also increased, but at a slightly slower pace than farmland values. Cash rents on nonirrigated and irrigated cropland rose about 7% from last year, while rents for ranchland increased slightly less than 1%. Similar to land values, the increase in cash rents for non-irrigated and irrigated farmland was the largest since 2013.

Increases in nonirrigated farmland values outpaced increases in cash rents in most states and bankers expected a similar trend in coming months. The annual percent change in the value of nonirrigated land was slightly higher than the change in cash rents in nearly all states. Similarly, a smaller share of banks indicated they expected increases in cash rents than land values in the next three months in most states.

A total of 154 banks responded to the Second Quarter Survey of Agricultural Credit Conditions in the Tenth Federal Reserve District—an area that includes Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Wyoming, the northern half of New Mexico and the western third of Missouri.



RFA to the President: Choose U.S. Farm Fields Over OPEC+ Oil Fields

In response to this week’s announcement by the White House calling on OPEC+ member countries to increase oil output, the Renewable Fuels Association today sent a letter to President Biden supporting the Administration’s call for an investigation into the true causes of recent higher gas prices. The letter also underscored that the solution to higher pump prices is not more oil from OPEC+, but rather increased production and use of home-grown fuels such as ethanol.

“Rather than hoping Iraq, Iran, Venezuela and other OPEC+ countries will provide the cure to escalating gas prices in the United States, we urge your administration to pursue a real and immediate solution to higher pump prices—increased production and use of low-carbon renewable fuels like ethanol,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “Using more domestically produced ethanol would not only result in lower fuel prices for consumers, but it would also support your goals related to clean energy, climate change, and jobs.”

In 2019, a study found that the increased use of ethanol through the Renewable Fuel Standard both saves drivers money at the gas pump and enhances energy security by softening the blow to our nation’s drivers when global oil production is disrupted. In the analysis, researchers concluded that expanded use of ethanol under the RFS has lowered gasoline prices by an average of 22 cents per gallon in recent years, saving a typical American household $250 annually.

In the letter, RFA encouraged the Biden Administration to expeditiously finalize robust Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) for 2021 and 2022, take action to ensure consumers have year-round access to E15, and work with Congress to ensure upcoming legislation includes incentives to increase FFV production and expanded infrastructure for higher ethanol blends like E15 and E85.

“Mr. President, the key to cleaner and more affordable energy for American consumers lies not in the oil fields of Saudi Arabia and Russia, but in the farm fields of our nation’s heartland,” said Cooper. “U.S. ethanol producers and farmers stand ready to work with your administration to deliver immediate and effective solutions to the challenges posed by high pump prices and over-reliance on petroleum.”



Growth Energy Welcomes CHS as Newest Producer Plant Member

Growth Energy, the world’s largest ethanol trade association, is proud to announce the addition of the CHS as its newest producer plant member. This addition brings Growth Energy’s membership to a total of 91 producer plant members and 8.8 billion gallons represented out of the total U.S. annual ethanol production. CHS joined Growth Energy as an associate member in 2009.

CHS is a premier ethanol marketer, trader, and producer and has been a leader in renewable fuels for more than four decades. They produce 260 million gallons of fuel-grade ethanol and market 1 billion gallons of ethanol each year, making CHS one of the nation’s largest suppliers of ethanol-enhanced gasoline and the largest U.S. retailer of E85 ethanol. CHS is also a leading marketer of biodiesel products.

Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor welcomed CHS ethanol plant to the association:  

“We are thrilled to welcome CHS plant to our growing powerhouse list of Growth Energy producer plant members,” said Skor. “As a whole, CHS has already contributed so much to our industry as an associate member of Growth Energy, having just announced the sale of E15 at 19 more Midwest terminals through its refining business. We’re looking forward to expanding our relationship with CHS to their biorefinery practice and working together to increase demand at home and abroad for homegrown, low carbon biofuels.”

Tom Malecha, Vice President of Operations, CHS Global Grain & Processing, shared CHS’s excitement in joining Growth Energy:

“CHS values working together for shared success, and we look forward to active participation in Growth Energy and its efforts to advance pro-biofuels policies and expand consumer access to higher ethanol blends.”



STUDY: FMD CAN BE INTRODUCED THROUGH CONTAMINATED FEED PRODUCTS

A recently issued study has found that Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) can be introduced to pigs through the importation of contaminated feed products for up to 37 days. However, the study found that numerous conditions must be met for the transmission to occur, including: the feed must first become contaminated with the virus; the virus in the feed must then remain viable until it is fed, and the quantity of infectious virus must be sufficient to surpass the minimum infectious dose; and at least one pig must consume enough virus to become infected over one or multiple feedings.

The findings demonstrate the importance of increased biosecurity efforts to ensure FMD remain outside the United States. An FMD outbreak would immediately close all export markets to U.S. meat. The study was conducted by USDA’s Agricultural Research Service and funded by the Swine Health Information Center and the National Pork Board.



Farm Credit’s Commitment to Young, Beginning and Small Farmers Grew in 2020  

Farm Credit institutions increased their support of young, beginning and small (YBS) farmers and ranchers across the country in 2020, according to a Farm Credit Administration (FCA) report delivered on August 12, 2021.
 
“In the midst of a pandemic, Farm Credit leaned into its mission and strengthened its support for young, beginning and small farmers and ranchers. The commitment Farm Credit lenders make to YBS farmers and ranchers does not waver, in good years or bad. It’s a critical part of our mission, and we’re dedicated to fulfilling it regardless of a pandemic, low commodity prices, challenging trade environments or anything else,” said Farm Credit Council President and CEO Todd Van Hoose. “Across all 50 states and Puerto Rico, Farm Credit lenders work alongside YBS farmers, think through individual business plans and develop the appropriate financing for each operation.”
 
“The substantial increase in loans made to young, beginning and small producers was clearly boosted by Farm Credit’s extraordinary efforts to provide Paycheck Protection Program loans to customers. Farm Credit institutions across the country provided thousands of customers with these vital – forgivable – loans to help them offset the impact of the pandemic,” Van Hoose added.  
 
A comparison of FCA data released across the past three years demonstrates Farm Credit’s growing commitment to young, beginning and small producers:
 
Young Producers
    In 2020, Farm Credit made 65,807 loans to producers whose age was less than 36 years, compared to 49,104 in 2019 and 46,680 in 2018.   
    Similarly, the dollar amount of loans outstanding to young farmers grew to $33.6 billion at yearend 2020 compared to $31 billion at yearend 2019 and $30.9 billion at yearend 2018.   
    Over the past three years, Farm Credit made more than 160,000 loans to young agricultural producers for $33.7 billion.

Beginning Producers
    Over the past three years, Farm Credit made nearly a quarter of a million (223,740) loans to ag producers with 10 years or less of experience to help them get started in production agriculture.   
    In 2020, the number of new loans made by Farm Credit institutions to beginning producers jumped to 94,329 as compared to 67,088 in 2019 and 62,323 in 2018.   
    Loan volume outstanding at yearend to these producers grew as well to $54.8 billion in 2020, compared to $48.6 billion in 2019 and $47.1 billion in 2018.   

Small Producers
    At the end of 2020, nearly half (49.8%) of all loans outstanding in the Farm Credit System were to ag producers with less than $250,000 in farm sales.   
    New loans made by Farm Credit to these producers in 2020 grew dramatically to 166,282 from 123,494 in 2019 and 114,817 in 2018.  
    From 2018-2020, Farm Credit made in total some $50 billion in new loans to small ag producers.  
    At yearend 2020, Farm Credit had $160 billion in loans outstanding to small producers.

In 2020 alone, according to the FCA’s data, new loans made by Farm Credit to young farmers increased by 37%, to beginning farmers by 57% and to small farmers by 63%.
 
As FCA indicated at its board meeting, these strong increases were driven by a favorable interest rate environment for new loans and refinancing loans, Farm Credit serving its customers through the Paycheck Protection Program and strong demand for real estate and equipment purchases.
 
The FCA is an independent federal regulatory agency charged with oversight of the Farm Credit System. It annually reviews Farm Credit’s performance on meeting the needs of YBS farmers and ranchers and reports its findings to Congress.



USDA AMS EU Dairy Export Verification Program

As of January 15, 2022, the European Union (EU) will require new health certificates for U.S. dairy products exported to the EU. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will be prepared to issue these new health certificates.

AMS is amending the existing EU Dairy Export Verification Program to verify that the U.S. milk used for products exported to the EU is sourced from establishments regulated under the Grade “A” Pasteurized Milk Ordinance or the USDA AMS Milk for Manufacturing Purposes and its Production and Processing Recommended Requirements program. Entities throughout the supply chain are expected to maintain records to demonstrate that milk used for export to the EU was sourced from one of these programs.

Based on verbal and written technical exchanges with the EU Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, participation in these programs combined with the oversight provided by the Food and Drug Administration and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is sufficient for AMS to endorse the attestations on the new certificates established in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2235.

To minimize the impact on the U.S. dairy industry, AMS will implement slight changes to its current program to check existing records at milk processing plants or dairy cooperative milk suppliers. AMS will verify milk sources when conducting regular audits for compliance with the existing EU Somatic Cell Count (SCC) and Bacteria Standard Plate Count (SPC) requirements. AMS expects that this review will add minimal time to our routine audits. Entities that fail to maintain such records will be expected to take corrective actions and will be subject to further review.

In addition to slight modifications to the EU Dairy Export Verification Program, AMS is preparing to issue new EU export certificates in its Agriculture Trade Licensing & Attestation Solution (ATLAS) system. Additional details and instructions on these new EU certificates are under development and will be made available on the AMS website.



Free Digital Cookbook Easy Snackable Soy Offers Plant-Based Snack Ideas

            Don’t you feel as if this is the height of snacking season? Active lifestyles really accelerate with the combination of summer vacation, road trips, outdoor activities and snacks for the millions of American kids who are already starting back to school. So here’s the good news: The Soyfoods Council shares easy-to-make snack ideas in a new free digital cookbook funded by The Soybean Checkoff.  Easy Snackable Soy: Simple Snack Recipes Featuring High-Quality Plant Protein is a timely recipe collection. Currently, 65% of Americans say they have switched from traditional snacks to high protein/low sugar alternatives in the last 12 months. Additionally, 28% of U.S. consumers now eat more protein from plant sources than they did pre-pandemic.

            In the U.S. we’re serious about snacks, with 42% of consumers eating snacks three or more times a day. Snacks account for as much as one quarter of our daily energy intake; for children that number may rise to as much as 30%. For kid-friendly snack recipes, visit the website at www.thesoyfoodscouncil.com, click on the digital cookbook tab, download a copy of Easy Snackable Soy: Simple Snack Recipes Featuring High-Quality Plant Protein. Soyfoods such as edamame, soymilk and soynuts are sensible snack choices offering complete protein with all of the essential amino acids in the proper amounts needed for healthy growth.

            The illustrated 126-page digital collection features approximately 50 family-friendly recipes. The 82-plus color photos provide guidelines for how the prepared snacks should look and give home cooks a snap course in soyfoods ingredients to keep on hand. Easy Snackable Soy includes an ingredient directory of the soyfoods that make it easy to create plant-powered snacks. Readers can also find sources for ordering soyfoods online for delivery right to their doors.

            Easy Snackable Soy provides ideas for Zippy Dips, Sweet Snacks, Party Bites and Packable Snacks.  The digital cookbook has been curated by authors Linda Funk, Executive Director of The Soyfoods Council, and food writer Gail Bellamy, former executive food and beverage editor of a national magazine for the restaurant industry. Designer Jana Strobel of JS Creative added touches that make this digital cookbook an easy-access, quick-read collection.

            In addition to recipes, readers are given soy-specific tips. These include how to use miso (fermented soybean paste); hints for making sweet snacks with silken tofu, soy flour and textured soy protein (TSP/TVP); plus suggestions for making your own flavored soynuts and trail mix blends. The ingredient section includes a list with five reasons soyfoods are for snackers—including the fact that soyfoods are stars in the plant protein world. There’s also an informal quiz that makes predictions about your lifestyle, based on your snack choice when tight budgets, busy days, children’s nutrition and other concerns affect snack choices.

            Check out sweet ideas like three-ingredient Chocolate Cardamom Tempeh made with lightly fried or air-fried tempeh (fermented soybean cake) triangles coated with microwave-melted chocolate flavored with a bit of ground cardamom. Get fresh dip ideas, too, like Cauliflower and Silken Tofu Dip made in a blender or food processor with tahini, lemon juice, garlic and a little soybean oil.  Packable snacks include Asian-Style ChexTM Party Mix with roasted edamame and a burst of flavor from Sriracha sauce and Five Spice Powder. The Party Bites section offers simple snacks for entertaining, like Slow Cooker Bean Ranch Dip made with canned black soybeans, canned refried beans, soy sour cream, cheddar cheese, ranch dressing mix and salsa.

            Easy Snackable Soy also makes it easy to adapt your own favorite snack recipes to include soy protein. Visit www.thesoyfoodscouncil.com to download the free digital cookbook. You’ll also find Really Fast, Really Easy, Really Good, The Soyfoods Council’s first digital cookbook. The website provides other resource information and research about soyfoods and health as well.

            The Soyfoods Council is a non-profit organization, created and funded by Iowa soybean farmers, providing a complete resource to increase awareness of soyfoods, educate and inform media, healthcare professionals, consumers and the retail and foodservice markets about the many benefits of soyfoods.  Iowa is the country’s number one grower of soybeans.