Monday November 1 Ag News

 NEBRASKA HARVEST PROGRESS AND CONDITION
 
For the week ending October 31, 2021, there were 4.2 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 7% very short, 26% short, 62% adequate, and 5% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 11% very short, 37% short, 48% adequate, and 4% surplus.
 
Field Crops Report:
Corn harvested was 72%, behind 85% last year, but ahead of 63% for the five-year average.
 
Soybeans harvested was 91%, behind 100% last year, and equal to average.
 
Winter wheat condition rated 3% very poor, 10% poor, 31% fair, 48% good, and 8% excellent. Winter wheat emerged was 90%, near 88% last year and 92% average.  
 
Sorghum harvested was 78%, behind 91% last year, but ahead of 68% average.
 
Dry edible beans harvested was 96%.
 
Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 13% very poor, 21% poor, 50% fair, 15% good, and 1% excellent.



IOWA HARVEST PROGRESS REPORT

Widespread precipitation slowed or halted harvest across much of Iowa and limited farmers to just 2.7 days suitable  for  fieldwork  during  the  week  ending  October  31,  2021,  according  to  the  USDA,  National Agricultural Statistics Service.  Field activities, when possible, included harvesting and fall tillage.
 
Topsoil  moisture  levels  rated  2  percent  very  short,  12  percent  short,  73  percent  adequate  and  13  percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 8 percent very short, 27 percent short, 60 percent adequate and 5 percent surplus.    The week’s precipitation  helped  replenish  soil  moisture.    Eighty-six percent of the State’s topsoil moisture was rated adequate to surplus; the highest percentage of the season.
 
Seventy percent of Iowa’s corn for grain has been harvested, four days ahead of the five-year average. There were scattered reports of downed corn due to strong winds. Moisture content of field corn being harvested for grain  was  17  percent.  Only  farmers  in  south  central  Iowa  have  more  than  half  of  their  corn  for  grain  crop remaining to be harvested.
 
Soybean harvest reached 88 percent, two days ahead of the five-year average.  There were several reports of soybeans lodging due to the damp weather.  Soybean harvest in the southern one-third of the State continued to lag behind, but farmers in those districts have now harvested close to three-quarters or more of their soybean crop.  
 
Pasture condition rated 31 percent good to excellent. No issues with livestock were reported this week.



Wet Weather Slowed U.S. Corn, Soybean Harvest Last Week

Widespread precipitation across the U.S. slowed the row-crop harvest last week, with soybean harvest falling behind the five-year average pace by week's end, USDA NASS said in its weekly national Crop Progress report Monday.

Following a 13-percentage-point gain the previous week, the nation's soybean harvest progressed only 6 percentage points last week to reach 79% complete as of Sunday, Oct. 31. With that slowdown, harvest is now 7 percentage points behind last year's 86% and 2 percentage points behind the five-year average of 81%.

The corn harvest was also slowed by wet weather last week, though progress managed to stay ahead of the average pace. Following a 14-percentage-point jump the previous week, corn harvest moved ahead just 8 percentage points last week to reach 74% complete as of Sunday. That is 7 percentage points behind last year's pace but 8 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 66%.

While the row-crop harvest slowed last week, winter wheat planting moved slightly ahead of the average pace, reaching 87% complete as of Sunday, 1 percentage point ahead of the five-year average of 86%. Winter wheat emerged, pegged at 67%, was just 1 percentage points behind the five-year average of 68%. NASS estimated the crop's condition at 45% good to excellent, down 1 percentage point from 46% the previous week but up from 43% a year ago.

Sorghum harvested was 80%, 10 percentage points ahead of average.



2021 Nebraska Farm Bureau Silver Eagle Award Honors Sallie Atkins, Advocate for Nebraska Beef

Nebraska Farm Bureau has selected Sallie Atkins as the 2021 recipient of its highest honor, the Silver Eagle Award. Sallie has spent a lifetime serving agriculture and promoting Nebraska as the “Beef State”.

“Nebraska agriculture is indebted to Sallie for her lifetime of devotion promoting Nebraska beef and beef products in Nebraska, the United States and abroad. Sallie played an active role on the Halsey ranch, where she and her husband Al, raised commercial Angus crossbred cattle. As Nebraska ranchers, she and Al were innovators and early adopters in areas such as: rotational grazing to enhance land stewardship, synchronized breeding, optimized genetics, and the Beef Quality Assurance Program,” said Mark McHargue, Nebraska Farm Bureau president.

Sallie spent her early years on the Gudmundsen Ranch northeast of Whitman, which was managed by her father. She later moved to and grew up on her father’s family ranch near Mullen. Later the Gudmundsen Ranch would be donated to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as a research ranch and would become the University of Nebraska Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory. After college Sallie and Al came home to Al’s parents ranch near Halsey. This was the start of a lifelong commitment to serving her community and state in many leading roles in the agriculture industry.

Sallie has more than 50 years of experience in ranching and in Nebraska agriculture. She has served as the North Central regional director of membership for the Nebraska Farm Bureau, director of constituent services for Sen. Mike Johanns and agriculture director for Rep. Adrian Smith. She has also served as executive director and chairwoman of the Nebraska Beef Council, vice president of Nebraska Cattlemen, Nebraska CattleWomen, the Sandhills Cattle Association, and as board chairman of the Nebraska Agricultural Leadership Council. She was the first woman to be inducted to the University Block & Bridle Hall of Fame and she currently serves as the vice president of the Nebraska Hall of Ag Achievement. Additionally, she has been active in Nebraska 4-H and FFA. Her work on the Nebraska State Fair board earned her the 2011 Nebraska Volunteer of the Year award.

“Sallie is a tremendous advocate for the beef industry and Nebraska agriculture. Her history of service over self is known to many,” McHargue said. “Yet that is only part of the legacy. Sallie has impacted and made a difference in the lives of countless farm and ranch families now and for the future. It is for these reasons; I am honored to recognize her as the 2021 Silver Eagle Award recipient.”

The Silver Eagle Award will be presented during the Nebraska Farm Bureau Annual banquet Tuesday, Dec. 7 in Kearney.

Sallie has been a Thomas County Farm Bureau member for nearly 20 years and she and Al now live in North Platte. They have three daughters Tracy, Tessa, and Terra whom they raised on their Sandhills ranch, and six grandchildren.



Conservation easements and agriculture topic of Nov. 23 online discussion

Conservation easements can do many things, and when an easement is designed to permanently conserve a working farm or ranch, special care should be taken to assure the agreement is compatible with agriculture.

A good agricultural conservation easement should not interfere with day-to-day activities or the economic viability of an agricultural operation, and it should prevent development that permanently removes land from agricultural production.

On Tuesday, Nov. 23, the Center for Rural Affairs will host the online discussion “Getting to Know Agriculture Conservation Easements,” beginning at 5 p.m CST.  

Dave Sands, executive director of the Nebraska Land Trust, will be joined by Dean Fedde, a Sarpy County, Nebraska, farmer who placed an agricultural conservation easement on his farm.  The presentation will include general information about conservation easements and specific elements that should be included when the agreements are used to conserve agricultural lands.

“Too often we see our state's beginning farmers struggling to hang onto farmland, in some cases land that has been in their family for generations,” said Justin Carter, project associate for the Center, who will moderate the discussion. “Agriculture conservation easements can be a vital financial tool to securing that land and ensuring that it remains in agricultural production while protecting the native plant and animal species.”

Sands and Fedde also will discuss the Natural Resources Conservation Service Agricultural Land Easement program, which can provide funds for the purchase of conservation easements.  

“Payments for conservation easements make them a business decision in addition to leaving a legacy of conserved land,” Sands said. “In some cases, this can be a powerful financial tool for beginning farmers and ranchers who want to get started in agriculture, reduce debt or make other needed investments that can strengthen their existing operation.”

For more information and to register for this online event, visit cfra.org/events. Questions can be directed to Carter at justinc@cfra.org, or 402.237.5082.



 USDA Announces the Appointment of Roy Stoltenberg to Serve on the Farm Service Agency State Committee in Nebraska

The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) today announced the appointment of Roy Stoltenberg to serve on the FSA state committee in Nebraska which ensures the effective and efficient delivery of FSA federal farm programs to the state’s agricultural producers.

Members of the FSA state committee are appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture and are responsible for the oversight of farm programs and county committee operations, resolving program delivery appeals from the agriculture community, maintaining cooperative relations with industry stakeholders, keeping producers informed about FSA programs and operating in a manner consistent with USDA equal opportunity and civil rights policies.

Stoltenberg, of Cairo, Nebraska (Hall County), is owner/operator of a production cow/calf and row crop farming operation. He is active in several state and local civic and agricultural organizations including the Nebraska Farmers Union.

More appointments will follow as USDA seats the three to five member FSA state committees for each state and Puerto Rico. The state committee chairperson will be named when all committee members have been appointed.

The Farm Service Agency serves farmers, ranchers, foresters, and agricultural partners through the effective, efficient and equitable delivery of federal agricultural programs. The Agency offers producers a strong safety net through the administration of farm commodity and disaster programs. Additionally, through conservation programs, FSA continues to preserve and protect natural resources and provides credit to agricultural producers who are unable to receive private, commercial credit, including targeted loan funds for beginning, underserved, women and military veterans involved in production agriculture.



IANR NAMES FINALISTS FOR RURAL PROSPERITY NEBRASKA DIRECTOR, PROGRAM LEADER

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources has selected four finalists in its search for director, and one finalist for program leader, of Rural Prosperity Nebraska. The candidates will visit Nebraska and participate in public seminars in Lincoln Nov. 4 to 30.

Rural Prosperity Nebraska’s director will work on the university’s East Campus and will focus primarily on scholarship that benefits rural communities, as well as create teams that seek out and secure grants and funding opportunities to aid in community development. Stationed in the West Central Research, Extension and Education Center in North Platte, the program leader will oversee the extension arm of Rural Prosperity Nebraska, turning rural scholarship theories into practice to aid in community vitality.

“Neither of these positions can operate at their optimum in isolation of the other,” said Mark Balschweid, head of the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication and chair of the search advisory committee. “What’s different about this than the Rural Futures Institute, than Community Vitality Initiative, than any of the predecessors to RPN is that we lacked the scholarly piece that helps people around the world know we’re doing great things here in Nebraska, and we’ve got research-based evidence to support what we’re doing on the ground.”

The candidates, selected through an international search, will share an in-person presentation with the public and wider university community, focusing on their views on leadership and their vision for Rural Prosperity Nebraska. A Q&A between the candidates and attendees will follow. The seminars will also be broadcast via Zoom.

“I’ve been very impressed by the caliber of individuals who are interested in these two positions,” Balschweid said. “I think it communicates that people who work in this space recognize what’s happening in Nebraska and are very much wanting to be a part of this. I’m excited about these candidates and their interviews, and to see how they connect with our stakeholders.”

The finalists, listed by presentation date, are:

Director candidates:
> Mary Emery, professor of sociology and rural studies, South Dakota State University, Nov. 4, 10:30 to 11:45 a.m., Nebraska East Union’s Great Plains Room B (livestream available)

> Mallory Rahe, director of Missouri Small Business Center for Agriculture, Food and Forestry, University of Missouri, Nov. 9, 9:30 to 10:45 a.m., Nebraska East Union’s Great Plains Room B (livestream available)

> Brian Via, director of Forest Products Development Center and Regions Bank Professor, Auburn University, Nov. 15, 10:30 to 11:45 a.m., Nebraska East Union’s Great Plains Room B (livestream available)

> Eric Vaz, graduate program director, master of spatial analysis, Yeates School of Graduate Studies, Ryerson University, Canada, Nov. 22, 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. (Zoom only)

Program leader finalist:
> Steve Henness, founder, Clover Stem Consulting, LLC, Columbia, Missouri, Nov. 30, 10 to 11:15 a.m., West Central Research, Extension and Education Center, North Platte (Zoom available)

For additional information on the candidates, links to their presentations via livestream or Zoom, and to submit questions for the Q&As, visit https://ianr.unl.edu/rural-prosperity-nebraska-position-searches.

For more information on Rural Prosperity Nebraska, visit https://ruralprosperityne.unl.edu.



Register Today for the 16th Annual Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) is excited to welcome biofuel producers and supporters from across the U.S. to network and learn about the latest trends at the 2022 Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit, which is returning to an in-person format. Registration for the free Summit is now open.

“We look forward to welcoming friends and colleagues from across the biofuels sector as we meet in person again to dig into what is on the horizon for American ethanol and biodiesel,” said IRFA Marketing Director Lisa Coffelt. “Whether you’re new to biofuels or have been around since the beginning, there is something for everyone at the Summit.”

The 2022 Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit is taking place on January 25, 2022 in Des Moines, Iowa. Registration is free and required to attend. Click here to register for the Summit.

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit couldn’t be free and open to the public without the support of the Summit sponsors and trade show exhibitors. With the return of the in-person Summit, IRFA is also bringing back the nation’s 2nd largest biofuels trade show. To learn more about sponsoring or exhibiting at the Summit, visit IowaRenewableFuelsSummit.org.



U.S. Farmers Report Concerns of Shortages, Crippling Prices Due to Tariffs on Fertilizers, NCGA and Other Ag Groups Tell U.S. Court of International Trade

The National Corn Growers Association joined four other agricultural groups on Friday in encouraging the U.S. Court of International Trade to overturn an earlier decision by the International Trade Commission, which imposed tariffs on imported phosphate fertilizers from Morocco.

“Farmers are feeling the pain from these tariffs,” said Iowa farmer and NCGA President Chris Edgington. “We’re facing severe cost hikes on our fertilizers, and we are worried about fertilizer shortages next year. We desperately need the U.S. Court of International Trade to remedy this situation.”

The U.S. Department of Commerce recommended in February 2021 that the ITC implement tariffs over 19% on imported fertilizers from Morocco after the Mosaic Company, which manufactures fertilizers used in the U.S. and abroad, filed a petition with the department seeking the levies. The ITC voted in March to impose the tariffs while adding similar levies on Russian imports.

As a result, critical sources of imported supply have been shut out of the U.S. market, and the costs for fertilizers have increased for farmers. In the meantime, Mosaic, whose control of the phosphate market has grown from 74% to over 80%, is gaining a near-monopoly over the phosphate fertilizer supply in the U.S. In fact, Mosaic’s share price has quadrupled since a March 2020 low.

“Farmers pay the price when input companies monopolize a market,” said Edgington. To get our job done and keep prices reasonable, we need quick access to fertilizers from multiple companies, including those outside the U.S.”

One of the arguments in the brief centers on a decision by Mosaic in 2017 to shutter two facilities, which caused a shortage of fertilizers for U.S. farmers in the 2018 planting season. As a result, farmers sought supplies from companies outside the U.S.

Fertilizer supply typically takes several months to work its way through the supply chain, the brief notes. In addition, unexpected weather patterns, such as abnormally high precipitation, can negatively impact demand for fertilizers, causing a mismatch between projected demand and actual purchases.  

“…farmers can only apply fertilizers during a finite window of the planting season,” the brief explains. If supply is not available during that window, fertilizer application must be delayed until some future window of opportunity. This places a premium on reliability of supply, leading suppliers to diversify sourcing.”  

Agricultural Retailers Association, American Soybean Association, the National Cotton Council and the National Sorghum Producers also signed the brief. The Iowa Corn Growers also weighed in with the ITC and Department of Commerce on this issue in late summer. A decision from the court could come in 2022.



USDA Grain Crushings and Co-Products Production

Total corn consumed for alcohol and other uses was 457 million bushels in September 2021. Total corn consumption was down 2 percent from August 2021 but up 1 percent from September 2020. September 2021 usage included 91.4 percent for alcohol and 8.6 percent for other purposes. Corn consumed for beverage alcohol totaled 3.41 million bushels, up 44 percent from August 2021 but down 12 percent from September 2020. Corn for fuel alcohol, at 408 million bushels, was down 2 percent from August 2021 but up 1 percent from September 2020. Corn consumed in September 2021 for dry milling fuel production and wet milling fuel production was 91.2 percent and 8.8 percent, respectively.

Fats and Oils: Oilseed Crushings, Production, Consumption and Stocks
Soybeans crushed for crude oil was 4.92 million tons (164 million bushels) in September 2021, compared with 5.05 million tons (168 million bushels) in August 2021 and 5.13 million tons (171 million bushels) in September 2020. Crude oil produced was 1.94 billion pounds down 3 percent from August 2021 and down 1 percent from September 2020. Soybean once refined oil production at 1.93 billion pounds during September 2021 increased 18 percent from August 2021 and increased 25 percent from September 2020.

Flour Milling Products
All wheat ground for flour during the third quarter 2021 was 231 million bushels, up 3 percent from the second quarter 2021 grind of 223 million bushels but down 1 percent from the third quarter 2020 grind of 234 million bushels. Third quarter 2021 total flour production was 106 million hundredweight, up 3 percent from the second quarter 2021 but down 2 percent from the third quarter 2020. Whole wheat flour production at 4.97 million hundredweight during the third quarter 2021 accounted for 5 percent of the total flour production. Millfeed production from wheat in the third quarter 2021 was 1.68 million tons. The daily 24-hour milling capacity of wheat flour during the third quarter 2021 was 1.59 million hundredweight.



USDA Provides $1.8 Billion to Offset Market Fluctuations

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is in the process of issuing $1.8 billion in payments to agricultural producers who enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2020 crop year.  These payments provide critical support to help mitigate fluctuations in either revenue or prices for certain crops. These two USDA safety-net programs help producers of certain crops build back better after facing the impacts of COVID-19 and other challenges.  
In addition, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is encouraging producers to contact their local USDA Service Centers to make or change elections and to enroll for 2022 ARC or PLC, providing future protections against market fluctuations. The election and enrollment period opened on Oct. 18, 2021 and runs through March 15, 2022.

“As we build back better than we were before, we will continue to support our farmers, ranchers and producers as they overcome the challenges associated with COVID-19, climate change and other issues,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “We also know producers prefer to get good prices for their crops in the marketplace, but these programs provide stability when markets are volatile, making a big difference in the lives of farm families across the country.”

2020 Payments and Contracts
ARC and PLC payments for a given crop year are paid out the following fall to allow actual county yields and the Market Year Average prices to be finalized. This month, FSA processed payments to producers enrolled in 2020 ARC-County (ARC-CO), ARC-Individual (ARC-IC) and PLC for covered commodities that triggered for the crop year.  

For ARC-CO, view the 2020 ARC-CO Benchmark Yields and Revenues online database for payment rates applicable to their county and each covered commodity.  

For PLC, payments have triggered for barley, canola, chickpeas (large and small), dry peas, flaxseed, lentils, peanuts, seed cotton and wheat. More information on rice payments will be announced later this fall and in early 2022. 

For ARC-IC, producers should contact their local FSA office for additional information pertaining to 2020 payment information, which relies on producer-specific yields for the crop and farm to determine benchmark yields and actual year yields when calculating revenues.

By the Numbers
More than 1.7 million contracts were signed in 2019.  In 2020, producers signed nearly 1.8 million ARC or PLC contracts, and 251 million out of 273 million base acres were enrolled in the programs.  In 2021, signed contracts surpassed 1.8 million.

Since the ARC and PLC were authorized by in the 2014 Farm Bill and reauthorized by in the 2018 Farm Bill, these safety-net programs have paid out more than $32.5 billion to producers of covered commodities.

“I am incredibly proud of our FSA staff who work with producers to make elections and to enroll in these important programs,” Ducheneaux said. “We are excited for the 2022 signup and hope producers take advantage of these valuable programs.”

2022 Elections and Enrollment 
Producers can elect coverage and enroll in ARC-CO or PLC, which are both crop-by-crop, or ARC-IC, which is for the entire farm. Although election changes for 2022 are optional, producers must enroll through a signed contract each year. Also, if a producer has a multi-year contract on the farm and makes an election change for 2022, it will be necessary to sign a new contract.  

If an election is not submitted by the deadline of March 15, 2022, the election remains the same as the 2021 election for crops on the farm.  Farm owners cannot enroll in either program unless they have a share interest in the farm.   

Covered commodities include barley, canola, large and small chickpeas, corn, crambe, flaxseed, grain sorghum, lentils, mustard seed, oats, peanuts, dry peas, rapeseed, long grain rice, medium and short grain rice, safflower seed, seed cotton, sesame, soybeans, sunflower seed, and wheat.  

Web-Based Decision Tools 
In partnership with USDA, the University of Illinois and Texas A&M University offer web-based decision tools to assist producers in making informed, educated decisions using crop data specific to their respective farming operations. Tools include: 

    Gardner-farmdoc Payment Calculator, a tool available through the University of Illinois allows producers to estimate payments for farms and counties for ARC-CO and PLC.
    ARC and PLC Decision Tool, a tool available through Texas A&M tallows producers to estimate payments and yield updates and expected payments for 2022.  

Crop Insurance Considerations 
ARC and PLC are part of a broader safety net provided by USDA, which also includes crop insurance and marketing assistance loans.  

Producers are reminded that ARC and PLC elections and enrollments can impact eligibility for some crop insurance products.  

Producers on farms with a PLC election have the option of purchasing Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) through their Approved Insurance Provider; however, producers on farms where ARC is the election are ineligible for SCO on their planted acres for that crop on that farm.  

Unlike SCO, the Enhanced Coverage Option (ECO) is unaffected by an ARC election.  Producers may add ECO regardless of the farm program election.

Upland cotton farmers who choose to enroll seed cotton base acres in ARC or PLC are ineligible for the stacked income protection plan (STAX) on their planted cotton acres for that farm.  

More Information  
For more information on ARC and PLC, visit the ARC and PLC webpage or contact your local USDA Service Center.



Growth Energy Applauds Oregon’s E15 Efforts

Today, Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor applauded the state of Oregon for moving forward to clarify the law to provide for the sale of E15:

“We’re encouraged to see continued progress in Oregon to support and approve the sale of E15 across the state,” said Skor. “The environmental and economic benefits of E15 are clear. Moving to a nationwide E15 standard would reduce CO2 emissions by more than 17.62 million tons – the equivalent of taking 3.85 million cars off the road each year -- and save consumers $12.2 billion annually. Availability of E15 will allow Oregonians to access clean, affordable fuel at the pump.”

In June, Oregon Governor Kate Brown approved HB 3051, changing Oregon’s renewable fuel blending requirement from “10%” to “at least 10%” -- essentially allowing for the sale of E15 and potentially higher blends in the future. In response, the Oregon Department of Agriculture issued a proposed rule to make the change on blends higher than 10%. On Friday, October 29, Growth Energy’s Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Chris Bliley submitted comments in support of the proposed rule along with brief edits.

“Growth Energy strongly commends the department for its support of E15 sales in Oregon and strongly supports this proposal to clarify the legal sale of E15 in the state,” wrote Bliley. “We appreciate this opportunity to comment on this proposed rule and other actions by the department to facilitate sales of E15 and higher biofuel blends.”



Registration Now Open for Cattle Industry Convention in Houston

Registration is now open for the 2022 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show, which will be “Gone to Texas” in Houston, Feb. 1-3. The annual event draws thousands of cattlemen and women from across the country for education, entertainment and engagement.

“Everything is bigger in Texas,” and that holds true for the 2022 Convention. For the first time, there will be five general sessions packed with timely industry updates, inspirational speakers and important information that every producer can use. And the NCBA Trade Show will be the largest ever encompassing 9.7 acres of exhibitors, displays and educational opportunities all under one roof.

Convention attendees will gain insights on current market trends during the CattleFax Outlook Seminar, hear a “State of the Industry” update from NCBA leadership, and recognize Regional Environmental Stewardship Award Program recipients and Beef Quality Assurance Award winners. Participants will also enjoy networking opportunities and entertainment throughout the event, including a special Wednesday evening social and Cowboy Comedy Club on Thursday.  

The convention will be preceded by the 29th annual Cattlemen’s College, which is famous for stimulating and thought-provoking sessions. This event will begin Monday, Jan. 31, with afternoon sessions and live animal demonstrations, followed by an evening reception. It will continue on Tuesday with 15 educational sessions offered in the morning and conclude with a keynote presentation and lunch.

In addition to experiencing a wide variety of education and entertainment opportunities, producers will be hard at work guiding both Beef Checkoff and NCBA policy programs. Annual meetings of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, American National CattleWomen, CattleFax and National Cattlemen’s Foundation will also take place.

“This is the first time that the convention will be held in Houston, and I’m looking forward to experiencing all the city has to offer,” said NCBA President Jerry Bohn of Kansas. “I encourage producers to join me in Texas for the biggest convention yet.”

A variety of registration options are available including the popular family pack, which offers a $100 discount on the purchase of two full registrations combined with two student registrations. For more information and to register and reserve housing, visit https://convention.ncba.org/.



USDA Announces November 2021 Lending Rates for Agricultural Producers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for November 2021, which are effective Nov. 1. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans provide important access to capital to help agricultural producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment and storage structures, or meet cash flow needs.

Operating, Ownership and Emergency Loans
FSA offers farm ownership and operating loans with favorable interest rates and terms to help eligible agricultural producers, whether multi-generational, long-time or new to the industry, obtain financing needed to start, expand or maintain a family agricultural operation. FSA also offers emergency loans to help producers recover from production and physical losses due to drought, flooding, other natural disasters or quarantine.  For many loan options, FSA sets aside funding for historically underserved producers, including veterans, beginning, women, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and Hispanic farmers and ranchers

Interest rates for Operating and Ownership loans for November 2021 are as follows:
    Farm Operating Loans (Direct): 1.750%
    Farm Ownership Loans (Direct): 2.875%
    Farm Ownership Loans (Direct, Joint Financing): 2.500%
    Farm Ownership Loans (Down Payment): 1.500%
    Emergency Loan (Amount of Actual Loss): 2.750%

FSA also offers guaranteed loans through commercial lenders at rates set by those lenders.  
You can find out which of these loans may be right for you by using our Farm Loan Discovery Tool.

Commodity and Storage Facility Loans
Additionally, FSA provides low-interest financing to producers to build or upgrade on-farm storage facilities and purchase handling equipment and loans that provide interim financing to help producers meet cash flow needs without having to sell their commodities when market prices are low.  Funds for these loans are provided through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and are administered by FSA.

Commodity Loans (less than one year disbursed): 1.125%
    Farm Storage Facility Loans:
        Three-year loan terms: 0.625%
        Five-year loan terms: 1.000%
        Seven-year loan terms: 1.375%
        Ten-year loan terms: 1.500%
        Twelve-year loan terms: 1.625%
    Sugar Storage Facility Loans (15 years): 1.750%

Pandemic and Disaster Support
Due to recent outbreaks of the COVID-19 Delta variant, USDA has extended the deadline for producers to apply for the COVID-19 Disaster Set-Aside (DSA) loan provision to Jan. 31, 2022. FSA will permit a second DSA for COVID-19 and a second DSA for natural disaster for those who had an initial COVID-19 DSA. Requests for a second DSA must be received no later than May 1, 2022.  



NMPF Heralds Landmark New Climate-Smart Ag Investments in Build Back Better Act

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) today lauded the inclusion of $27 billion in a once-in-a-generation funding boost for conservation programs – with an emphasis on climate smart agricultural practices -- in the pending Build Back Better Act.

The package, spearheaded by Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), will help dairy farmers advance their sustainability leadership by bolstering farm bill conservation programs in meaningful ways for dairy. Substantial new investments will provide important voluntary technical assistance to dairy farmers who undertake a variety of stewardship practices. The legislation also includes targeted new funding that emphasizes critical farm practices that yield significant environmental benefits for dairy, notably in feed management.

“Dairy farmers have long been proactive land and water stewards because they seize opportunities for innovation,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. “We are deeply grateful to Chairwoman Stabenow for her tireless leadership to secure game-changing conservation investments, with a focus on climate-smart practices. These investments will better position dairy farmers to proactively implement the dairy sector’s Net Zero Initiative and fulfill its 2050 environmental stewardship goals.”

Dairy farmers in 2020 committed in their Net Zero Initiative to become greenhouse gas neutral or better by 2050 and maximize water quality around the country.

Key wins for dairy among the climate-smart ag provisions of the Build Back Better Act include:
-    $9 billion in new funds for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, which provides important technical assistance to dairy farmers, targeted toward stewardship practices that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions;
-    $25 million annually for Conservation Innovation Trials, with the new funding targeted toward initiatives that use feed and diet management to reduce enteric methane emissions, which can comprise roughly one-third of a dairy farm’s greenhouse gas footprint. NMPF is excited for this opportunity to amplify its focus on innovative feed additives and rations that reduce enteric emissions;
-    A new cover crop initiative to pay producers $25 per acre of established cover crop practices to reduce nutrient runoff and soil erosion; and
-    $7.5 billion in new funds for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program, which funds locally developed, targeted partnership projects, with emphasis on initiatives that incentivize or target reduced methane emissions.

Along with applauding the inclusion of climate-smart funding, NMPF expressed appreciation for Congress’s likely exclusion of tax-policy changes that could have discouraged inter-generational farm transfers.

NMPF and the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) in August led a coalition of 12 agricultural and conservation organizations on a letter advocating for significant new funding for climate-smart agricultural practices. That letter also voiced major concerns with proposed changes to tax policy that would undermine the transfer of family farms from one generation to the next. NMPF is pleased that these tax proposals are now unlikely to move forward in Congress.

“We are grateful that Congress is likely to heed our call and put aside problematic tax proposals that if enacted would have harmed the future of family farming,” Mulhern said. “We thank the many members of Congress who have worked to ensure these concepts did not move forward.”



USDA CSAF Program an Opportunity to Scale Up ACE’s RCPP Project to Ensure Farmer Access to Low Carbon Fuel Markets

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced a new Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry (CSAF) Partnership Program designed to scale the deployment of climate-smart farming practices and demonstrate the link those practices have on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from products such as biofuels. American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) CEO Brian Jennings today submitted comments on how the program should be designed to establish a marketplace at scale that rewards farmers and biofuel producers for the role they play in reducing GHG emissions.

ACE considers the proposed CSAF Program as an opportunity to expand upon the recently announced $7.5 million Expanding Soil Health Through Carbon Markets Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) project, which ACE is leading with project partners South Dakota Corn Growers, Dakota Ethanol, South Dakota State University, Cultivating Conservation, and collaborator Sandia National Labs. ACE’s comments on the program reflect this objective by outlining how USDA can implement the CSAF Program in a manner that allows for the scaling of farmer access to Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) markets through the establishment of validated, non-proprietary verification protocols. ACE’s comments today were complemented by those submitted by RCPP project partners Cultivating Conservation and South Dakota State University.

The ACE-led RCPP project will facilitate access to state-based LCFS markets, but it does not account for variabilities across regions and does not ensure that other farmers and ethanol companies will be granted LCFS market access. However, ACE’s project could be scaled to additional sites through the CSAF Program. ACE would use the CSAF Program to gain access to existing state-based LCFS markets, like California’s, and those we expect will be developed based on momentum for new clean fuel policies in Midwest states.

ACE’s feedback underscores that the key to gaining LCFS market access based on NRCS climate-smart conservation practices is by generating better localized quantification and verification of the GHG reductions achieved by these practices. In the case of ACE’s RCPP project, Dakota Ethanol estimates if California credited its farmers for adopting NRCS approved no-till practices with the LCFS program, it would mean between $10 and $12 million a year in premiums for their ethanol. This translates to an approximated $0.39 per bushel for corn grown using climate-smart agriculture practices.

“By providing CSAF payments to farmers who adopt climate-smart practices across a diverse cross-section of the corn belt — combined with CSAF funding for a non-proprietary quantification, verification, and modeling system — CSAF participating ethanol facilities will collect the localized data required to secure access to LCFS markets that includes on-farm contributions,” Jennings detailed in the comments, adding that “USDA should establish a program of GHG and carbon reduction price reporting to provide timely, accurate, and reliable market information, facilitate more informed farmer market decisions, and promote competition in GHG and carbon sequestration credit markets.”

The comments conclude by reiterating that the CSAF Program can best ensure fair compensation (and hence robust farmer participation) by requiring that all quantification and verification protocols developed with CSAF funding are non-proprietary, and mandatory carbon credit price reporting for all CSAF Program projects.



The National Wheat Foundation Begins Accepting Applications for Scholarship Honoring Ag Students

The National Wheat Foundation officially began accepting applications for the Jerry Minore Scholarship, honoring students pursuing a career in agriculture. The scholarship is available to both high school and college students for the 2022 academic year, with an application deadline of December 31, 2021. Interested students should go to Education and Scholarships | National Wheat Foundation.

“The scholarship is meant to aid students who have shown a passion for agriculture both inside and outside the classroom,” said David Cleavinger, Chairman of the National Wheat Foundation. “These students could play a key role in developing sound ag policy, research of new technologies, or other discoveries that are important to wheat growers, agriculture and society.”

The late Jerry Minore was a BASF Senior Market Manager and a liaison to the wheat industry. Since his unexpected death in 2012, BASF has partnered with the National Wheat Foundation to fund scholarships and honor his advocacy efforts for wheat growers.

“We are proud to partner with the National Wheat Foundation to find students who have shown a commitment to our industry and a willingness to honor Jerry’s legacy and enthusiasm for agriculture,” said Jeff Blackwood, BASF Senior Manager, Government Affairs and National Wheat Foundation Board Member. “We will continue to invest in the best and brightest ag students to help them achieve their career goals. We look forward to seeing their impact.”