Nebraska Unicameral Special Session
(NE Cattlemen newsletter)
Last week, Governor Ricketts officially called a special session of the Nebraska Legislature for the purpose of redistricting. During this special session, the Legislature will adjust district boundaries lines for the Nebraska Legislature, the University of Nebraska Board of Regents, the Nebraska Public Service Commission, the State Board of Education, and Nebraska’s congressional districts.
Shortly after the call from the Governor, Speaker of the Legislature Mike Hilgers announced the special session will convene on September 13th at 10:00AM. The Speaker’s expectation is that the Legislature will complete its work and adjourn the special session no later than Friday, September 24th.
The Legislature’s specially appointed Redistricting Committee has already begun work on a redistricting plan. Once complete, the plan will be released to the public before the start of the special session. Once the special session begins, a series of bills reflecting the Committee’s plan will be introduced.
Public hearings will be held to receive input on those plans. This will occur before the full Legislature begins debate on the bills. Those hearings will be on September 14, 15, and 16. The information is as follows and will be posted on the appropriate public pages of the Nebraska Legislature’s website:
September 14 at 1:30pm
Central Community College
3134 W. Hwy 34
Room 555, Health Science Education Center
3134 W. Hwy 34
Grand Island, NE
September 15 at 9:00am
Nebraska State Capitol Bldg.
1445 K St.
Room 1524
Lincoln, NE
September 16 at 10:00am
Scott Conference Center
6450 Pine St.
Omaha, NE
More information can be found here.... https://nebraskalegislature.gov/.
COMMON SENSE NEBRASKA COALITION DISAPPOINTED WITH INTENT TO REPEAL THE NAVIGABLE WATERS PROTECTION RULE
The Common Sense Nebraska coalition shared their disappointment with the Biden administration’s announced plan to repeal and replace former President Trump’s Navigable Water Protection Rule (NWPR). The comments were submitted as part of an official comment period which serves as the first in a series of steps the Biden administration is undertaking to again redefine what constitutes “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) and thus qualifies for federal regulatory protection under the Clean Water Act (CWA). Common Sense Nebraska, a coalition of organizations representing farmers, ranchers, large and small businesses, homebuilders, golf courses, and others, came together in 2014 to push back against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) WOTUS rule.
“Our coalition feels strongly that the NWPR was a clear, legally defensible rule that appropriately balanced the objective, goals, and policies of the CWA. The Biden administration should keep the NWPR in place, rather than revert to definitions of WOTUS that test the limits of federal authority under the Commerce Clause and are not necessary to protect the Nation’s water resources,” said Bryan Slone, NE Chamber president.
In written recommendations to the EPA and Corps, Common Sense Nebraska provided specific direction on what they believe must be maintained in order to strike a balance between having regulations that are easily understood and limit the federal government’s regulatory reach onto private property. The coalition called for the Biden administration to keep the NWPR in place, rather than revert to definitions of WOTUS prior to 2015.
“The NWPR can ensure clean water for all Americans through a blend of the CWA’s regulatory and non-regulatory approaches, just as Congress intended. It is unnecessary to define non-navigable, intrastate, mostly dry features that are far removed from navigable waters as “Waters of the United States,” said Andy Jobman, Nebraska Corn Growers Association president.
The Common Sense Nebraska coalition also promoted the idea of cooperative federalism, the idea that federal regulators work with state regulators in a cooperative fashion, a major tenant of the CWA.
“State and local regulators have a long history of working with landowners to improve water quality. Under the CWA’s cooperative federalism structure, state programs have been, and can continue to be, very effective in protecting water resources. Put simply, the protection of navigable waters does not require federal control over every feature that can conceivably be characterized as ’water.’,” said Jim Eschliman, Nebraska Association of Resource Districts president.
Common Sense Nebraska is a Nebraska-based coalition consisting of organizations and entities that have come together in response to EPA’s 2015 “Waters of the U.S.” proposal which would harm both rural and urban Nebraskans through expansion of EPA’s powers and authorities under the federal Clean Water Act. The coalition’s purpose is to build awareness and understanding of the EPA proposal and the impact it would have on Nebraskans.
Common Sense Nebraska coalition partners:
Associated General Contractors of America – Nebraska Chapter
Farm Credit Services of America
Iowa-Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association
National Federation of Independent Businesses/Nebraska
NE Chamber
Nebraska Agribusiness Association
Nebraska Association of County Officials
Nebraska Association of Resources Districts
Nebraska Bankers Association
Nebraska Cattlemen
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
USDA Designates Dakota, Woodbury counties as a Primary Natural Disaster Area
This Secretarial natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation or the refinance of certain debts. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available and repayment ability.
Impacted Area: Nebraska- Primary County Eligible: Dakota
Triggering Disaster Event: Drought
Contiguous Counties Also Eligible: Nebraska: Dixon and Thurston - Iowa: Woodbury - South Dakota: Union
Application Deadline: April 27, 2022
Impacted Area: Iowa
Primary County Eligible: Woodbury
Triggering Disaster Event: Drought
Contiguous Counties Also Eligible: Iowa: Cherokee, Crawford, Ida, Monona and Plymouth - Nebraska: Dakota and Thurston - South Dakota: Union
Application Deadline: April 27, 2022
On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Farm Loan Discovery Tool can help you determine program or loan options. To file a Notice of Loss or to ask questions about available programs, contact your local USDA Service Center.
USDA Providing Funds to Protect and Restore Agricultural Land, Grassland and Wetlands Across Nebraska
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is now accepting applications for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). This voluntary program provides funding for the purchase of conservation easements to help productive farm and ranch land remain in agriculture and to restore and protect critical grassland and wetlands.
Nebraska Acting State Conservationist, John Wilson said, “Conservation easements are a great tool to ensure natural resources are conserved and protected for all Nebraskans. We encourage Indian tribes, state and local governments, non-governmental organizations, and private landowners to contact their local NRCS office to find out how to apply.”
The main goal of ACEP is to prevent productive agriculture land from being converted to non-agricultural uses and to restore and protect wetlands and wildlife habitat. Cropland, rangeland, grassland, pastureland and nonindustrial private forestland are eligible.
Applications can be submitted at any time, but to be considered for fiscal year 2022 funding, applications in Nebraska must be received by Oct. 15, 2021. Applications are currently being accepted for both agricultural land and wetland easements.
NRCS provides technical and financial assistance directly to private and tribal landowners to restore, protect, and enhance wetlands through the purchase of conservation easements. Eligible landowners may enroll in 30-year or permanent easements.
All wetland reserve easement applications will be rated according to the easement’s potential for protecting and enhancing habitat for migratory birds, fish and other wildlife. Eligible applicants will be compensated with a payment rate comparable to the local land use value.
NRCS also provides financial assistance to eligible partners for purchasing agricultural land easements that protect ag land use and conservation values of eligible land. For working farms, the program helps farmers keep their land in agriculture. Agricultural land easements also protect high quality grasslands under threat of conversion to cropping, urban development, and other non-grazing uses.
All applicants will need to provide accurate records of ownership and ensure they have established fiscal year 2022 ownership eligibility with USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). Application information is available at your local USDA Service Center and at www.nrcs.usda.gov/GetStarted.
“NRCS staff will work with all interested applicants to help them through the application process and provide one-on-one assistance to create the conservation easement option that works best for their farming or ranching operation,” Wilson said.
For more information about the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the programs and services it provides, visit your local USDA Service Center or www.ne.nrcs.usda.gov.
CVA partners with Land O’ Lakes to support the Nebraska FFA Foundation
Central Valley Ag Cooperative (CVA) has partnered with Land O’ Lakes Inc. and their Land O’ Lakes Foundation Member Co-op Program, to again support the Nebraska FFA Foundation and the I Believe in the Future of Ag Program. This program helps local FFA chapters raise money for innovative projects in their classrooms, leadership programming, community service projects, and field trips to advance agriculture education in their schools.
"FFA is so important for the future of agriculture and the local communities we serve," said Nic McCarthy, Senior Vice President Agronomy for CVA. "We are honored and proud to once again support the efforts of our local FFA chapters through the Nebraska FFA Foundation."
"We are grateful for the support that CVA and all our partners provide for us, ensuring strong FFA chapters in the state of Nebraska," says Stacey Agnew, FFA Executive Director. "This program would not be what it is today without the help of CVA, their continued support and assistance in promoting this program over the years has greatly contributed to its success."
Nic McCarthy recently presented a check for $25,060.00 to Nebraska State FFA Officers and leadership of the Nebraska FFA Foundation. This check will support the "I Believe" program along with other Nebraska FFA programs.
"FFA has always been such a big part of my life. Servings as a state officer has shown me the generosity and support that so many have for this amazing organization. Donations like the one from CVA mean so much to all of Nebraska FFA. We are incredibly thankful," said Nebraska FFA State President Ellie Wanek.
The mission of the Nebraska FFA Foundation is to enhance quality education/FFA programs to achieve excellence in leadership development, curriculum innovation and academic advancement of students. For more information, visit neffafoundation.org.
UNL Animal Science Department appoints two new student ambassadors
The animal science department at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has appointed two new student ambassadors for the 2021-2022 academic year. After in-depth interviews with department faculty and second-year ambassadors, two students were selected out of a pool of eight applicants:
Laura Reiling, a junior from Malcolm.
Sarah Dilley, a sophomore from Lincoln.
The ambassadors will interact with prospective animal science students by visiting high schools and attending various university admissions events. In addition to attending and supporting events, each ambassador will also take on the responsibility of planning one recruitment activity per year.
The two new ambassadors will serve alongside current second-year ambassadors:
Kelsey Loseke, a junior from Blair.
Shaye Koester, a junior from Steele, N.D.
The animal science student ambassador program, started in 1999, selects two animal science majors as ambassadors to promote the animal science program each year. Students receive a $2,000 scholarship ($500 each semester) and serve for two years supporting the department’s recruitment efforts.
For more information on the animal science student ambassador program, visit http://animalscience.unl.edu/. Follow the department on Facebook at “UNL Animal Science,” on Twitter at @UNL_AniSci, and Instagram “UNL Animal Science” to stay up to date on upcoming events and current happenings in the department.
Iowa Pork Producers Encouraged to Participate in African Swine Fever Action Week
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig asks pork producers to take part in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) African Swine Fever (ASF) Action Week, to be held Sept. 13-17, 2021. The USDA APHIS and Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will hold educational webinars to help raise awareness about ASF, a viral disease that affects commercial, backyard, show and wild pig populations.
ASF is not considered a human health or food safety risk but it has devastated pig populations, pork producers, commodity markets and international trade as it spread through other parts of the world. ASF has not been detected in the U.S. but the disease is active in the Dominican Republic.
“The detection of ASF in the Dominican Republic is very concerning and should be a wake-up call for all of us. We must remain vigilant to keep ASF out of the U.S. The geographic border is our first line of defense against foreign animal diseases and on-farm biosecurity is our last,” said Secretary Naig. “Now is the time to take action. I encourage all pork producers to evaluate their biosecurity protocols and on-farm disease response plans and look for opportunities to strengthen them.”
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will host the following webinars for producers and veterinarians during ASF Action Week:
Iowa Perspective: ASF in Action on Friday, Sept. 10 from 3-4 p.m.
Next Steps in Iowa: ASF in Action on Friday, Sept. 17 from 2:30-3:30 p.m.
The webinars are free to attend and pre-registration is required.
The USDA APHIS will hold daily webinars to emphasize the importance of foreign animal disease preparedness, the ongoing, preventative efforts to keep the disease out of the United States, and what pork producers can do to protect their herds. The details and links to register for the USDA APHIS webinars are available at aphis.usda.gov.
Protecting Your Herd
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship reminds pork producers that practicing good biosecurity on their farms every day is the best way to keep animals healthy.
All pork producers should:
Evaluate opportunities to strengthen the biosecurity practices on their farms.
Register for a Premises ID and make sure the contact information, including a phone number and email address, is up to date.
Restrict visitors to their farms.
Avoid contact with livestock for five days after traveling abroad to prevent the potential spread of diseases.
Isolate new animals or exhibition animals that travel to a show, from the rest of the herd until they can confirm that the animals are illness-free.
Work with their herd veterinarian to monitor the health of the animals. Some of the clinical signs of foreign animal diseases overlap with endemic diseases that are already found in the U.S., including erysipelas, salmonella and PRRS.
If pigs have a high fever, decreased appetite, weakness, red, blotchy skin or skin lesions, diarrhea, vomiting, coughing or difficulty breathing, contact a veterinarian and state or federal animal health officials immediately.
More information about the USDA APHIS ASF Action Week is available at aphis.usda.gov.
Precision Ag Technology Is Focus of Learning Farms Webinar
The Iowa Learning Farms conservation webinar taking place Sept. 15 at noon will feature Ryan Bergman, technical project specialist, agricultural and biosystems engineering, at Iowa State University. Bergman works on developing and implementing precision agriculture technologies with a recent focus on application equipment.
In the webinar, “Precision Ag and Conservation,” Bergman will highlight multiple technological advances that have improved both profitability and environmental outcomes in agricultural operations. Management and placement of applied products, including the reduction of some products, also will be covered. In addition, Bergman will discuss systems and approaches that are under development to further advance the impacts of precision agriculture on the industry.
“The ability to better place products at the right location and time to deliver the maximum benefit to crops not only improves crop health but also mitigates loss of under-consumed products to runoff,” said Bergman. “Agricultural equipment technology is constantly improving, and the benefits to producers and the environment are clear. I am eager to update the audience on where we are today, and what might be possible in the near future.”
Participants in Iowa Learning Farms Conservation Webinars are encouraged to ask questions of the presenters. People from all backgrounds and areas of interest are encouraged to join.
Webinar Access Instructions
To participate in the live webinar, shortly before noon CDT Sept. 15:
Click this URL, or type this web address into your internet browser: https://iastate.zoom.us/j/364284172.
Or, go to https://iastate.zoom.us/join and enter meeting ID 364 284 172.
Or, join from a dial-in phone line by dialing +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 876 9923; meeting ID 364 284 172. The webinar also will be recorded and archived on the Iowa Learning Farms website, so that it can be watched at any time. Archived webinars are available online.
A Certified Crop Adviser board-approved continuing education unit has been applied for. Those who participate in the live webinar are eligible. Information about how to apply to receive the CEU will be provided at the end of the live webinar.
NPPC Asks Congress to Address Agricultural Labor Shortage Through Reconciliation Bill
With a scheduled vote in the U.S. House set for Monday, the National Pork Producers Council today called on Congress to include in a budget reconciliation bill language to expand the existing H-2A visa to year-round agricultural workers.
Like many sectors of the economy, the U.S. pork industry is faced with a severe labor shortage. But even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry was having trouble filling jobs, a situation generally attributable to urbanization and an aging rural population. The tight labor market prompted the pork sector to rely on foreign-born workers.
“The U.S. pork industry is highly dependent on foreign-born workers, but current visa programs don’t provide access to enough workers to meet our labor needs on farms and in packing plants,” said NPPC President Jen Sorenson. “We need a dedicated, year-round workforce."
“If the labor shortage is not addressed, it could lead to farms and plants shutting down, causing serious financial harm to the communities in which they operate,” Sorenson added. “Pork production would become constrained, leading to higher food prices for consumers and the United States becoming an unreliable trading partner.”
NPPC is urging congressional lawmakers to open the current H-2A temporary and seasonal worker visa program to year-round labor, without a limit on the annual number of visas, and to provide legal status for agricultural workers already in the country. Legislation approved earlier this year by the House would expand the H-2A program to year-round workers but cap the number of visas that can be issued each year.
In July, NPPC rolled out a campaign, “Year-Round Pork Needs Year-Round Workers,” to highlight the vital role foreign-born workers play in the U.S. pork industry and the critical need for comprehensive labor reform to address agriculture’s labor shortage.
Weekly Ethanol Production for 9/3/2021
According to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association for the week ending September 3, ethanol production expanded by 18,000 barrels per day (b/d), or 2.0%, to 923,000 b/d, equivalent to 38.77 million gallons daily and the first build in eight weeks. However, production was 1.9% below the same week last year and 9.8% under the 2019 level. The four-week average ethanol production volume decreased by 1.7% to 933,000 b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate of 14.30 billion gallons (bg).
Ethanol stocks shrank 3.4% to a 13-week low of 20.4 million barrels. Stocks were 2.0% above the year-ago level but 9.4% below the same week in 2019. Inventories tightened across all regions except the Rocky Mountains (PADD 4).
The volume of gasoline supplied to the U.S. market, a measure of implied demand, increased 0.3% to 9.61 million b/d (147.29 bg annualized). Gasoline demand was 14.5% above a year ago but 2.0% less than the same week in 2019.
Refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol declined 2.2% to 906,000 b/d, equivalent to 13.89 bg annualized and the lowest volume since the beginning of June. Net inputs were 9.2% above a year ago but 2.6% less than the same week in 2019.
There were zero imports of ethanol recorded after 33,000 b/d hit the books the prior week. (Weekly export data for ethanol is not reported simultaneously; the latest export data is as of July 2021.)
RFA Thanks Congressional Advocates for Biofuel Inclusion in Reconciliation Bill
The Renewable Fuels Association today thanked members of Congress in both chambers for incorporating infrastructure funding for higher ethanol blends into the pending budget reconciliation package.
“We are grateful to Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Reps. Cindy Axne and Angie Craig, as well as Senate Ag Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow and House Ag Committee Chairman David Scott, for moving this package forward and ensuring low-carbon renewable fuels have a seat at the table,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “They understand the critical role that low-carbon ethanol will continue to play in efforts to combat climate change. RFA’s members have pledged to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 or sooner, and building out the infrastructure to distribute higher ethanol blends is an important part of reaching that goal.”
Specifically, the new bill language provides for $960 million to install, retrofit, or otherwise upgrade fuel dispensers or pumps and related equipment, storage tank system components, and other infrastructure required to ensure the availability of fuel containing greater than 10 percent ethanol and fuel containing greater than 20 percent biodiesel.
The higher-blend funding provision now becomes part of the larger budget reconciliation package that will eventually be considered by the full House and Senate before being sent to President Biden for his signature and becoming law.
Group Spotlights Biofuel Benefits for California’s Carbon-Neutral Future
In joint comments submitted last week to the California Air Resources Board (CARB), a group of ag and biofuel organizations and companies highlighted the role renewable fuels like ethanol can and should play in helping the state achieve its goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2045 or sooner. CARB is in the process of updating its Scoping Plan, which lays out the path toward achieving the state’s carbon reduction targets.
The comments were signed by leadership of the Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy, National Corn Growers Association, Aemetis Inc., Alto Ingredients Inc., Calgren Renewable Fuels, Pearson Fuels, Propel, POET and RPMG. Their letter spotlights recent state-funded research that indicates pathways to carbon neutrality through greater reliance on renewable fuels like low-carbon ethanol.
“The carbon intensity of the fuel continues to drop as farmers and fuel producers invest in better techniques and technologies,” the group writes. “Ethanol in a wide range of blend levels above today’s typical 10% blend represents an immediate, mid-term and long-term opportunity for California to maximize GHG reductions, while proving affordable fuel to consumers and encouraging new economic development and job growth in the state.”
Reminding CARB that ethanol has already cut more than 26 million metric tons of carbon in California with a weighted average carbon intensity 46% lower than gasoline, the group recommended first that the board expedite the approval of E15 as a legal fuel in California. This action alone has the potential for an immediate 50% increase in GHG reductions from ethanol in the existing light-duty fleet.
Second, the group recommended the state consider requiring internal combustion engine light-duty vehicles sold in California be flex-fuel vehicles beginning in model year 2024. This requirement would put more vehicles on the road capable of maximizing GHG reductions comparable to battery electric vehicles through use of higher biofuel blends, which emit fewer toxic tailpipe emissions.
Finally, they urged that the Low Carbon Fuel Standard program be extended beyond 2030 in a form that is consistent with the state’s carbon neutrality goals. Specifically, the program should incorporate crediting for agricultural soil carbon sequestration, given the significant opportunity for GHG reductions with appropriate incentives and accounting.
USDA to Host Educational Webinar on New Livestock Mandatory Reporting Information
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will host an educational webinar about USDA’s Livestock Mandatory Reporting (LMR) program and newly released cattle market information covering formula transactions and net price distribution on September 21, 2021, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time. The webinar is part of the ongoing cattle industry outreach conducted by the USDA Cattle and Carcass Training Centers (CCTCs). While anyone can attend the webinar, it is targeted to producers, feeders and other stakeholders who want a better understanding of LMR and how this information can inform real-world marketing decisions at the farm, feedlot and other points in the supply chain.
In this webinar, USDA Market News staff will provide an overview of the new Daily Direct Formula Base Cattle reports and the National Weekly Cattle Net Price Distribution report. As formula trades comprise a growing share of cattle purchases, this webinar will provide more clarity into price, volume and other characteristics of these transactions. USDA staff also will provide an overview of the new Grading Dashboard.
The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Farm Bill) directed USDA to establish the CCTCs in order to conduct activities that will limit subjectivity in the application of beef grading standards, provide producers with greater understanding of the value of their cattle, and provide investors more confidence in the cattle delivery system. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) signed agreements in 2019 to establish the CCTCs at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Tex.; Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo.; and at the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s U.S. Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center, Neb.
Information about this webinar, including how to pre-register, is on the AMS website https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/beef/cattle-carcass-training-centers.
USDA Invests $700 million to Provide Relief to Small Producers, Processors, Distributors, Farmers Markets and Seafood Processing Vessels and Processors Impacted by COVID-19
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced it will soon publish Requests for Applications (RFAs) for new grant programs - the Pandemic Response and Safety (PRS) Grant program and the Seafood Processors Pandemic Response and Safety Block Grant program - to support agricultural stakeholders who haven’t yet received substantial federal financial assistance in responding to the COVID-19 crisis. These grant programs will provide assistance to small businesses in certain commodity areas, including small scale specialty crop producers and processors, shellfish, aquaculture and other select producers, meat and other processors, distributors, farmers markets, seafood facilities and processing vessels. Today USDA released grant forecasts for these new programs to help potential applicants determine their eligibility and to prepare to apply for funding. Approximately $650 million in funding is available for the PRS grants and $50 million is available for SPRS. All of these new programs are funded by the Pandemic Assistance provided in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.
“As the economy continues to gain strength after the Biden Administration’s historic vaccination and economic relief efforts, USDA is working with agricultural and food businesses to ensure they have the resources and tools to thrive in 2021 and beyond,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “The funding associated with USDA Pandemic Assistance is meant to serve as a bridge from disruptions associated with the pandemic to longer-term investments to help build back a better food system. Financial relief to these essential producers, distributors, processors and other small agricultural businesses is a critical to get our food system back on track.”
NBB Applauds House Ag Committee Proposal for Biodiesel Infrastructure Grants
Today, the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) applauded House Agriculture Committee Chairman Rep. David Scott (D-GA) and Senate Agriculture Chairwoman Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) for including in their draft section of the Build Back Better Act a $1-billion grant program to expand infrastructure and increase availability of higher blends of biodiesel. NBB specifically thanked Reps. Cindy Axne (D-IA), Rodney Davis (R-IL), Angie Craig (D-MN), and Dusty Johnson (R-SD) as well as Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) for championing bipartisan legislation in both House and Senate.
"Biodiesel is a better, cleaner fuel that reduces carbon emissions by 74% on average and cuts criteria pollutant emissions," said Kurt Kovarik, NBB's Vice President of Federal Affairs. "Expanding consumer access to low-carbon biodiesel and Bioheat® fuel through infrastructure grants can generate immediate health care benefits and savings for many communities at a very low-cost."
The grant program would expand and improve the successful implementation of USDA's Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program. To date, USDA has provided $23.2 million in grants to share costs with 24 projects that support more than 900 million gallons of biodiesel. The increased use of biodiesel through those projects will cut carbon emissions by more than 8.5 million metric tons, at a cost of less than $2.75 per ton.
Kovarik continued, "On behalf of NBB's members, I want to thank Representative Cindy Axne, Senator Amy Klobuchar and others for sponsoring legislation to enable USDA to continue to offer these cost-sharing grants and for ensuring its inclusion in the Build Back Better Act. We appreciate their ongoing support as we work to build markets for biodiesel, renewable diesel and other clean, low-carbon renewable fuels."
The U.S. biodiesel and renewable diesel industry supports 65,000 U.S. jobs and more than $17 billion in economic activity each year. Every 100 million gallons of production supports 3,200 jobs and $780 million in economic opportunity. Biodiesel production supports approximately 13 percent of the value of each U.S. bushel of soybeans.
USGC Continues To Support Members Affected By Hurricane Ida, Provides Port Update
Last week, Hurricane Ida, a Category 4 hurricane and the fifth-most powerful storm to strike the United States, made landfall with maximum winds of 150 mph, causing damage to the electrical grid in many locations, especially in and around the New Orleans area. The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) would like to offer its condolences to those affected by the storm and its aftereffects.
“The toll on human lives in and around New Orleans is immeasurable, and we hope our members’ operations will be up and running soon, considering the Mississippi and the Port of New Orleans are now open,” said Ryan LeGrand, USGC president and CEO, “but we know it will continue to be an arduous process. Our hearts go out to them and to the more than one million citizens in the area who have been and continue to be affected in the storm’s aftermath.”
The storm left thousands of Louisiana residents without electricity; however, work is being done throughout the region to restore utility services. The restoration process is expected to be slow, as many residents in the area remain without power. At this time, Entergy, the local power company, does not have a firm estimate on when power will return for all.
In a recent interview with CNBC, Brandy Christian, Port of New Orleans CEO, said that while the port held up rather well under the circumstances, the uncertainty surrounding power outages and locating workers continues to be a challenge. The Port of New Orleans is one of the top ten busiest ports in the U.S., with one in five Louisiana jobs related to it. Additionally, the New Orleans region is the largest outlet for U.S. feed grain exports.
USGC members that provide services and grain export elevation in the New Orleans region have had various levels of impaction, but all are working to resume operation as quickly as they can.
“It will take some time for the New Orleans and the lower Mississippi River region to get back to normal operations. How long is still difficult to tell, but we expect the grain market and U.S. exporters to make adjustments in the coming weeks to keep grains and oilseed exports from the U.S. moving as we enter the normally busy fall season,” Cary Sifferath, USGC’s senior director of global programs, said.
Additionally, the Council continues to update its international staff and its global contacts as it learns more about the situation.
USGC will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as more details arise.
Brazil Trims 2020-2021 Soybean, Total Corn Crop Estimates
Brazilian crop agency Conab trimmed its estimates for the country's total corn and soybean crops for the 2020-2021 growing season in its final report for the season.
Brazilian farmers produced a record 135.9 million metric tons of soybeans this season, the agency said Thursday. In August, the agency estimated a crop of 136 million tons and Brazil produced 124.8 million tons of soybeans in the 2019-2020 season.
Brazil overtook the U.S. to become the world's biggest soybean producer in the 2019-2020 season. The USDA forecasts the South American country will retain that position in the 2021-2022 season, with Brazil growing 144 million tons of soybeans to the US's 118.1 million tons.
Conab reduced its estimate for the 2020-2021 total corn crop to 85.7 million metric tons, down from 86.7 million tons in its August grains report. The country produced 102.6 million tons of corn in the 2019-2020 season.
Brazil's mild winters allow its farmers to produce two corn crops per year, one in the southern hemisphere summer and then another, normally larger crop, in the winter. Drought conditions in many agricultural areas since earlier this year, along with unusually cold weather in some places, have reduced crop yields for the winter harvest, which is just finishing up.
FFAR Grant Speeds Development of Enhanced Crops
While gene editing technology has improved crop breeding and adaptation, the process of regrowing a plant from edited cells is costly, lengthy and unpredictable. Many popular crops are difficult to regenerate with existing methods. The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) is providing a $664,000 grant through its Crops of the Future Collaborative to the University of Maryland (UMD) to develop a technology that can both edit a crop’s genes and speed up crop regeneration. Matching funds are providing a total $739,000 investment.
“The limitations of current regeneration methods are throttling the development of enhanced nutritional and agronomic traits,” said Dr. Jeff Rosichan, director of the Crops of the Future Collaborative. “Breakthroughs in gene editing are constrained if they don’t lead to viable, affordable crops. Applying proven gene editing technology to the problem of crop regeneration bottlenecks will more easily produce crops with enhanced nutrition and agronomic benefits.”
Currently, only a small number of plant species respond well to regeneration techniques that involve cell culturing—growing cells outside the plant in a suitable environment—though the reasons for this are unclear to researchers. Even among crops that regenerate, the process poses risks. Regeneration takes a long time, forcing researchers to predict which crops and traits will be in demand years in advance. Also, there are often multiple undesired and unpredictable changes to genomes that occur during the process.
Researchers led by Dr. Yiping Qi of UMD, Dr. Kranthi Mandadi of Texas A&M University and Dr. Randall Niedz of the US Department of Agriculture are developing a CRISPR-Combo system that will use CRISPR gene editing technology to kick-start the regeneration process. The CRISPR process injects RNA into cells to edit genes to promote desired traits in crops. With the CRISPR-Combo system, gene editing RNA will be combined with RNA that activates genes controlling growth. This will accelerate the cell culturing stage by making the cells more amenable to regeneration. The researchers are initially focusing on introducing traits that reduce allergen content in carrots, promote herbicide and disease resistance in potatoes and promote disease resistance in citrus. These crops were chosen in part because they are high-value food crops that face various impediments in breeding new varieties and CRISPR-combo could help overcome these hurdles.
"Compared to conventional breeding, genome editing technologies can accelerate crop breeding with high precision, less time and cost,” said Dr. Qi. “This project aims to make genome editing in crops more efficient and successful, which will translate into improved crop production and enhanced nutrition in the produce we eat with sustainable inputs. This can help sustain a growing global population."
“We are delighted to join forces with UMD and USDA and develop innovative CRISPR-based technologies to improve vegetable and fruit crops of relevance to Texas and US agriculture,” said Dr. Mandadi.
This grant was awarded as part of the Crops of the Future Collaborative’s Accelerated Crop Breeding program. The program accelerates development of diverse crop species suited to sustainable agriculture and improved human nutrition.
Drs. Qi and Mandadi are previous awardees of FFAR’s New Innovator in Food & Agriculture Research Award, which provides early-career scientists the investment needed to propel them into successful research careers.
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