Wednesday November 10, 2021

 ALFALFA SOIL SAMPLING
- Brad Schick, NE Extension
 
How did alfalfa fields fare this year? Drought, fall armyworms, and now fertilizer prices will affect what management decisions are made. This makes soil sampling this fall even more important.
 
The fertility of our soils is essential to creating good yields in alfalfa. All alfalfa fields should be sampled, especially for phosphorous, potassium, and pH while sulfur should be checked on sandy and weathered soils. Nitrogen is usually not needed because alfalfa fixes its own.
 
Soil cores and recommendations are often based on cores taken down to 8 inches. However, if historically samples have been at a different depth, such as 6 inches, stay with the historical and adjust accordingly if recommendations are based on an 8 inch depth. Due to mineralization, soils have more nutrients readily available nearer the soil surface, so deeper sampling depths can dilute the samples and increase nutrient supplement recommendations.
 
If sampling yourself, make sure the sampling is done in an accurate and precise manner. Soil type, grid, or a composite sample of 20 to 40 acres are several ways to take soil samples. With the latter, 10-15 cores will need to be composited to create a more accurate sample.
 
Precision and accuracy will change by sampling method and is affected by the element being analyzed. For example, phosphorous is accurate but not always precise with the variability across a field. Keep in mind that soil sampling may not reduce the overall cost of fertilizer needed, but will help ensure that it is applied to the places in the field more appropriately, which can result in a better yield.



NEBRASKA INTEGRATED BEEF SYSTEMS HUB RECAPS MILESTONES

The beef industry faces a number of challenges, including climate change, growing pressure on natural resources, increasing worldwide demand for beef, and economic pressures facing producers. The University of Nebraska is leveraging its established beef research programs; statewide network of research centers and working ranches; and location in the heart of the United States and the center of cattle country to address these issues by creating the Nebraska Integrated Beef Systems Hub.

The hub, one of the first of its kind, brings together faculty members in wide-ranging disciplines from beef genetics to agricultural resilience and resource conservation to consumer interests, along with cattle producers and industry partners, to solve new challenges facing the beef industry.  

“These challenges are significant,” said John Pollak, coordination co-lead for the NIBS Hub at the University of Nebraska and former director of the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center. “Nebraska is one of the few land-grant institutions with a significant statewide system of infrastructure supporting beef research and has programs already in place that are producing information and recommendations to address these challenges.”  

Leveraging a robust history of interdisciplinary work, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln is producing results. Milestones of beef systems research, education and teaching affiliated with the hub include:  

> A $2.4 million beef systems initiative project to investigate improved land use efficiency through the integration of livestock and crop production systems, supported by a $1 million Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research grant;

> A $1 million USDA Agricultural Research Service grant for the establishment of a Western Rangeland Livestock Center to develop precision-based nutrition and technology strategies to optimize the health and productivity of western livestock and the rangeland ecosystem at the Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory; additionally, a collaborative adaptive management research project at the Barta Brothers Ranch on ranch management tradeoffs funded by the Nebraska Environmental Trust and USDA/SARE grants coordinated by the Center for Resilience in Agricultural Working Landscapes and the Center for Grassland Studies with faculty members from the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, School of Natural Resources and Nebraska Extension;

> Creation of an undergraduate degree program in Grassland Systems with options in Grazing Livestock Systems and Grassland Ecology and Management in the Center for Grassland Studies.

> The hiring of seven new beef faculty with expertise in disciplines ranging from cow-calf and feedlot production to precision management and animal health and well-being. These experts integrate teaching, research and extension in their appointments and are strategically stationed across the state;  

> Collaboration with the newly launched Center for Resilience in Agricultural Working Landscapes, which focuses on maintaining productive and resilient landscapes for the production of food, energy, water and ecosystem services landscapes;

> Significant donor contributions toward construction of a new, state-of-the-art Feedlot Innovation Center at the Eastern Nebraska Research, Education and Extension Center;  

> Plans for a new Ranching Innovation Center at the Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory.

According to Pollak, the NIBS Hub is working today to enable better decisions for the industry tomorrow, by capitalizing on initiatives already taking place at Nebraska. For example, an interdisciplinary team has been formed to coordinate university activities that address the emerging issues of carbon banking, carbon markets and conservation payments to the nation’s farmers and ranchers, and regenerative agriculture.

“With broad capacity across research, teaching and outreach, Nebraska is poised to lead nationally and internationally in the development of resilient, integrated systems for the production and delivery of nutritious, high-quality beef,” said Archie Clutter, dean of the Agricultural Research Division within Nebraska’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. “We are on a journey to enhance and continue building resilient beef systems in Nebraska.”



Women in Agriculture to present Love of the Land conference in North Platte

Nebraska Extension’s Women in Agriculture program will host the Love of the Land Conference for female farmland owners and tenants looking to improve their business management skills, Dec. 9 at the Sandhills Convention Center, 2102 S. Jeffers St., in North Platte.  

Industry experts will present workshops covering lease agreements, rental rates, mental health, crop and livestock insurance and more.  

Allan Vyhnalek, a farm and ranch succession educator with Nebraska Extension, will welcome attendees with his keynote address, “For the Love of the Land, and Your Effective Relationships, It is About Communication.”

Vyhnalek has spent the last 33 years in Extension working in both Iowa and Nebraska. His current role at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln allows him to help agriculture families through generational transfers.  

Kate Zutavern, the second keynote speaker, is a sandhills rancher who resides in the Nebraska Sandhills with her family, where they raise black angus and, more recently, miniature Scottish Highlands. After losing her husband in 2020, she has found a way to balance life as a mother and a rancher while keeping her husband’s legacy alive.

“Navigating the challenges of owning and renting agricultural land is becoming more complex, especially given recent volatility in commodity markets and input prices,” said Jessica Groskopf, director of the Women Agriculture program. “The conference will prepare attendees with the knowledge and confidence necessary to make effective management decisions while better managing risk and improving profitability on their operations.”

The early bird cost is $75 for registrations received on or before Nov. 21, and $85 after Nov. 21. For more information about the conference, visit the Nebraska Women in Agriculture website at https://wia.unl.edu.



TAPS to Host Practicum Series in 2022
Krystle Rhoades - TAPS Program Coordinator

The Testing Ag Performance Solutions (TAPS) program is excited to offer a new six-part series focused on water, nitrogen and “Effective Conservation Technologies and Management Practices for Corn Production,” as the practicum is titled.

The practicum is planned as part of the USDA-NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) that the TAPS program received.

Session topics will be tailored to address participants’ current issues, aspirations and goals for their own operations. Topics will be supported by data and insights from the past five years of the TAPS farm management competitions.

Topics will include, but not be limited to the following:
    Precision Irrigation
    Limited Irrigation for Maximum Profitability
    Scheduling Irrigation Tools and Techniques
    Soil and Plant Sensors
    Satellite, Aerial and Drone Imagery
    N Recommendation Mechanisms
    N Prices
    N Technology
    In-Season N Strategies
    N Effects on Water Use

Much like the TAPS program, coordinators hope to uplift the peer-to-peer connections and exchange of ideas among the participants, instructors and facilitators. Presenters are being lined up and will include University of Nebraska specialists, as well as others from throughout the Ogallala Aquifer region. Industry professionals will also be invited for different portions of the practicum.

Practicum dates are associated with the TAPS Awards Banquet, Central Plains Irrigation Association Conference, TAPS June Field Event, and West Central Water and Crops Field Day, all of which are optional but highly relevant and recommended for practicum participants to attend.

The dates and locations for the six-part series include:
    Jan. 14 and 15, 2022 — Kearney, Nebraska (TAPS Banquet Jan. 15)
    Feb. 21, 2022 — Kearney, Nebraska (CPIA Conference Feb. 22-23)
    March 8-9, 2022 — North Platte, Nebraska (TAPS Kick-Off March 8)
    June 21, 2022 — North Platte, Nebraska (TAPS Field Day June 22)
    Aug. 24, 2022 — North Platte, Nebraska (WCREEC Field Day Aug. 25)
    Dec. 13, 2022 — North Platte, Nebraska

Attendance at all sessions is important because of the sequential nature of the curriculum. Participants must attend at least five of the six sessions to receive a Certificate of Completion.

The program is open to all, but space is limited to the first 35 registrants. Applications for Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) credits have been submitted.

Participant cost for the practicum is $150. All educational materials and noon meals are included. Participants are responsible for all travel and lodging expenses.

Registration is requested by Monday, Dec. 20. For more information and to register, please visit the registration page https://taps.unl.edu/2022-practicum or contact Krystle Rhoades, TAPS Program Manager.



Weekly Ethanol Production for 11/5/2021

According to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association for the week ending November 5, ethanol production contracted by 68,000 barrels per day (b/d), or 6.1%, to 1.039 million b/d. This is equivalent to 43.64 million gallons daily. Production was 6.3% above the same week last year, which was affected by the pandemic, and 0.9% above the same week in 2019. The four-week average ethanol production volume increased 0.2% to 1.087 million b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate of 16.66 billion gallons (bg).

Ethanol stocks rose 0.8% to a nine-week high of 20.3 million barrels. Stocks were 0.6% above the year-ago level but 3.3% lower than the same week in 2019. Inventories built across all regions except the Gulf Coast (PADD 3) and West Coast (PADD 5).

The volume of gasoline supplied to the U.S. market, a measure of implied demand, decreased 2.6% to 9.26 million b/d (141.94 bg annualized). Gasoline demand was 5.7% above a year ago but 0.7% below the same week in 2019.

Refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol slipped 1.0% to 893,000 b/d, equivalent to 13.69 bg annualized and the smallest volume in six months. Net inputs were 7.1% above a year ago but 5.0% less than the same week in 2019.

There were zero imports of ethanol recorded for the second consecutive week. (Weekly export data for ethanol is not reported simultaneously; the latest export data is as of September 2021.)



DTN Survey:  Nitrogen Fertilizer Prices Shatter Records

The average retail price of anhydrous set a record this week at $1,113/ton after increasing 38% from last month. The seven other major fertilizers tracked by DTN for the first week of November saw increases ranging from 9% to 36% as supply disruptions push prices to new highs. DTN considers a monthly price change of 5% or more to be significant.

DTN began collecting fertilizer price bids in 2008 as expanding corn acreage pushed up demand for fertilizer, taking prices with it. DTN reported anhydrous' highest price during the first week of November that year, at $1,043/ton. And while the nitrogen fertilizer is the most expensive of the eight DTN monitors today, it wasn't back then. That honor went to 10-34-0, which cost $1,250/ton. MAP was close behind at $1,079/ton. This year, high prices are more related to supply chain issues and worries about shortages than increased demand. The entire fertilizer complex is seeing higher prices, but the largest movers this month are nitrogen products.

The average price of UAN28 is 36% higher than last month at $545/ton. UAN32 is 32% more expensive at $604/ton, while urea is up 26% at $820/ton. All are new records for DTN's database.

Potash and DAP prices are 11% higher than last month, at $750/ton and $814/ton, respectively. MAP costs an average of $900/ton, up 9%.

Unlike 2008, 10-34-0 is the laggard. While it's up 10% from last month at $702/ton, it's only 54% higher on the year, far less than the price gains seen in other fertilizers. Anhydrous is now 163% more expensive than in the first week of November 2021. UAN28 is 162% higher. UAN32 costs 144% more. Urea, 129%. Farmers are paying 127% more for potash, 88% more for MAP and 82% more for DAP.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.89/lb.N, anhydrous $0.68/lb.N, UAN28 $0.97/lb.N and UAN32 $0.94/lb.N.



American Soybean Association analyses Infrastructure Bill

The House of Representatives on Friday passed H.R. 3684, the much-anticipated bipartisan infrastructure package that cleared the Senate back in mid-August. Soybean growers have vocally supported the bill, which will help assure a modern, efficient transportation structure for American agriculture.

The $1.2 trillion plan makes historic investments in U.S. infrastructure and will greatly impact the competitiveness of soy and other agricultural products for years to come.

While the bill has reached the finish line, ASA awaits word on the signing ceremony in which President Biden’s signature will cross the legislation over the line and into law. Read ASA’s news release.

Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill - Summary of Content & Costs
What’s in the bill? How is the math tallied? ASA breaks down what the package holds for transportation infrastructure critical to U.S. soy growers and others across the country.

Roads & Bridges:
    Includes the five-year surface transportation reauthorization legislation, which ASA supported, that was passed by the Senate Commerce and Environment and Public Works Committees
    Invests $110 billion in new spending on roads, bridges, and other major projects—including $40 billion specifically targeted for bridge repair and replacement.
    Includes targeted increases in transportation grant programs that assist states and counties in prioritizing projects of regional significance.

Rail:
    Provides $66 billion in new spending to address infrastructure needs throughout the U.S. rail network.
    Includes the Senate Commerce Committee-passed rail reauthorization legislation.
    Makes additional investments in programs that that support safety enhancements and general infrastructure improvements for freight railroads.

Waterways:
    Invests $17.3 billion in new spending for ports and waterways, which will be split among several agencies including the Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of Transportation.
    Allocates $9.55 billion to the Army Corps’ Civil Works mission, of which $5.15 billion is for construction to help address the backlog of authorized projects.
    Includes $4 billion over three years for operation and maintenance—directing funding for dredging federal navigation projects and repairing damage to Corps projects caused by natural disasters.

Broadband:
    Makes a significant $65 billion investment to help bridge the digital divide.
    Includes $40 billion in formula grants to states for broadband deployment, requiring projects to meet a minimum download/upload build standard of 100/20 megabits per second.
    Provides $2 billion for USDA rural broadband programs, including the ReConnect Program.
    Creates a “middle-mile” state grant program for the construction and improvement of middle-mile infrastructure—the dedicated line that transmits signal to and from an internet Point of Presence.

Vehicles
    Invests $7.5 billion for electric vehicle charging infrastructure (a significant decrease from the $15 billion the administration initially requested). ASA is disappointed that there is no comparable language for biodiesel infrastructure and will continue to look for opportunities to advance this priority.
    Allocates $5 billion for new school buses, requiring half of that funding to go toward buses that use diesel or natural gas technology.

The $1.2 trillion bill includes $550 billion in new spending over five years. The rest of the funding comes from already-obligated funding that is allocated annually for highways and other infrastructure projects (e.g., authorization of state appointments for federal highway construction, surface transportation block grants, formula-based transit grant programs).

The new spending will be partially offset through a variety of mechanisms, including:
    Using unspent pandemic relief funding ($41.8 billion)
    Drawing down the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (up to $6.1 billion)
    Recouping fraudulent unemployment insurance claims (up to $53 billion)
    Requiring brokers to report cryptocurrency transactions (up to $28 billion)

ASA will monitor implementation and provide updates on how the funding affects ag in the future.



National Farmers Union Announces 2022 Women’s Conference

National Farmers Union has announced the 2022 Women’s Conference to connect women in agriculture and provide education on applicable business skills and innovative marketing tactics.

“Farming is never a one-woman job,” said Emma Lindberg, Education Director, National Farmers Union, “It takes a village to run a successful operation. This conference will not only prepare attendees for success in agriculture, but it will also provide them with their own network of women farmers and ranchers they can reach out to throughout the year.”

Farmers, policy makers, educators, and specialists will present on a number of subjects, including business management, leadership, community building, and more. The 2022 Women's Conference will be a hybrid event with virtual sessions focusing on cooperatives, business management, and food sovereignty.

Farmers Union members are invited to attend the in-person conference in Nashville, TN. Registration information is available at: https://nfu.org/womensconference/.



Researchers Uncover Clues to Improving Pig Survivability

Kansas State University swine researchers and graduate students are reporting findings that could help the survival rates of newly weaned pigs.

Doctoral student Madie Wensley said she recently conducted nine experiments with more than 17,000 pigs and found that body weight loss and fall out rates -- two factors in preventing pig mortality -- can be improved through strategic feeding and management programs.

"Specifically," she said, "providing creep feed before weaning or mat feeding after weaning reduced pig mortality and removals. Providing sensory attractants -- such as large enrichment cubes in the feeder after weaning -- also helped reduce the percentage of pigs that lost weight after weaning."

Creep feeding is a method of supplementing a young animal's diet by offering feed while they are still nursing. Mat feeding involves spreading a small amount of feed on floor mats near the feeders, which has been shown to stimulate pigs to eat more.

"Pig livability is an important metric for the swine industry, both from a welfare and an economic standpoint," said Mike Tokach, University Distinguish Professor in K-State's Department of Animal Sciences and Industry.

Tokach said K-State is in partnership with Iowa State and Purdue on a five year grant funded by the National Pork Board and the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research to reduce mortality in the swine industry. As much as one-third of pigs that are born do not make it to market; the largest percentage of those die at birth or before weaning.

"Two of the greatest times when mortality occurs are within 48 hours after birth, and the first two weeks after weaning," he said.

Wensley said her research tested numerous feeding and management strategies to help better prepare young pigs for weaning, "which is arguably the most stressful event a pig faces in its lifetime," she said.

"The overarching goal of these experiments was to increase feed accessibility and recognition by encouraging pigs to explore their environment; encourage them to begin consuming feed earlier; and increase survivability after weaning."

Wensley and Tokach will be presenting their findings during K-State's annual Swine Day, which is scheduled for Nov. 18 in Manhattan. Registration for this year's event costs $25 and is available online at http://www.asi.k-state.edu/events/swine-day, or interested persons may contact Lois Schreiner by email, lschrein@ksu.edu.

"The research I have been involved in during my doctoral program is practical," Wensley said. "I can take the work I have done to the farm level and help animal caregivers implement and understand its importance. Ultimately, that's why I went to graduate school to study swine nutrition; I want to help people be more successful. I think this research gives producers the opportunity to do so."



What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger: University of Illinois Research Shows Crops Have Drought “Memory” to Help Reduce Yield Loss

According to new research from the University of Illinois, crops that experience drought conditions or extreme temperatures during their early stages of growth and survive are better able to deal with those same conditions later in their growth cycle. This “memory,” or adaptation by the plant, could help reduce yield loss that year and help researchers prevent future yield loss.

“What we have seen is if the crop survives an early drought, because of that experience they perform better when a drought occurs very close to harvest,” said Dr. Peng Fu, a member of the Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE) project team who conducted the research. “We think the crop responds to the drought and adapts to it, so when it happens again the crops have already planned for the drought and the impact is lessened.”

Unlike other drought or climate change research that takes place in a highly controlled environment, this behavior has been observed in corn and soybean fields across Illinois, Indiana and Iowa. This allows the researchers to look at how crops develop an ability to plan for extreme temperatures and drought, conditions that are only expected to increase in coming years due to climate change.

“Our motivation here is based on the climate change reports and projections we have seen from different agencies that say the Midwest is seeing record heat,” said Fu. “Since it will continue to happen, we need to develop crop cultivars that can cope with these extreme climates to ensure food security in the US Midwest. Understanding how much climate change could impact crop yield is very important.”

RIPE, which is led by the University of Illinois, is engineering crops to be more productive by improving photosynthesis, the natural process all plants use to convert sunlight into energy and yields. RIPE is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research and UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

In a recent study published in Food and Energy Security, Fu and his colleagues analyzed almost 20 years of crop yield data and found that corn and soybean plants that had been primed with early-season drought conditions were able to mitigate losses from a late-season drought up to seven percent. Identifying the drought-priming in the plants was a challenge for the group. Even if a priming signal existed, it would be extremely subtle compared to the other factors, including weather, that determine crop yield. To combat this, the team used geospatial and remote sensing data to analyze the crop growth over time and the various weather factors. They also used the Agricultural Productions Systems sIMulator (APSIM) to model different outcomes based on various parameters.

“These results suggest that future climate trends toward wetter springs and drier summers could worsen crop production,” said Dr. Carl Bernacchi, RIPE leader and scientist with the US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, who is based at the University of Illinois’ Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology. “However, the evidence that crops can use an early drought to ‘prepare’ for a later drought suggests that opportunities might exist to achieve a similar outcome through breeding.”

The potential to breed a similar response into plants based on this foundational knowledge is the next step for this research project. Fu, Bernacchi and their team will work with other RIPE researchers to develop drought-resistant crops in order to help production cope with the changing climate.

RIPE is led by the University of Illinois in partnership with The Australian National University, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Lancaster University, Louisiana State University, University of California, Berkeley, University of Cambridge, University of Essex and US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.



Deere May Ramp Up Production at Overseas Facilities

The UAW strike continues against John Deere more than three and a half weeks after after the two sides failed to reach an agreement by the strike deadline in October.

With more than 10,000 workers still on the picket line, John Deere is taking steps to keep production moving with its customer service continuation plan. It has brought in thousands of salaried workers to keep the production line operating to ensure it can meet customer demands during the harvest season.

"If something breaks, that's our first objective," says Corey Reed, President of Worldwide Agriculture & Turf Division, Production and Precision Ag for John Deere, "Our longer-term objective is to get our employees back and get them operating these facilities like they know how to operate them and maintaining that continuity of service with our John Deere employees going forward."

To keep up with that demand, it's also exploring options at its plants overseas. "In the quad cities, combines, the same S-Series combine is built in 3 different factories both in the US, in Brazil, and in Europe. So, we have a supply base that cuts across all three of those," says Reed.