Monday December 27 Ag News

Testing your private well water is important

Water that looks and tastes good may not necessarily be safe to drink. If your water comes from a well, annual testing is an important part of maintaining a safe source of drinking water. Regular testing helps well owners identify contamination problems and make informed decisions about how the water will be used, especially if it’s being consumed by humans and animals.

David Miesbach, groundwater section supervisor with the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, said, “The only way to tell if your drinking water is safe is by having it tested by a certified laboratory. Harmful bacteria are invisible to the naked eye.”

The quality of a water source may change over time or sometimes suddenly. Annual testing will help the owner track these changes.

“Frequent water testing will identify unsafe water,” Miesbach said. “Certain chemical contaminants that are sometimes found in a water source can cause long term health problems that take years to develop.”

If a well owner has a treatment system in place, yearly checkups are also needed to ensure the system is treating the water to a satisfactory level. “The upper limit for nitrate is 10 milligrams per liter in drinking water,” added Miesbach. “Your local health department can assist in selecting the appropriate test kit for your well and can refer you to a certified laboratory in your area.”

The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) is also able to test your domestic well water. “We recently started working with the University of Nebraska Medical Center to test domestic wells for nitrate, pesticides, uranium, and arsenic,” said Julie Wragge, LENRD information and education specialist. “It’s so important to know if your water is safe.”  Contact the Lower Elkhorn NRD, in Norfolk, if you’re interested in getting your well water tested.

Even those who get their water from a municipal source should be aware of nitrate levels in their drinking water, said Wragge.  “If you don’t own a private well, it’s still very important to know what’s in your water. Contact your city office or visit their website to find out what they test for and what they do locally to protect the resource.”



REDUCING FED HAY LOSSES
– Brad Schick, NE Extension Educator
 
Making, transporting, and feeding hay is a large investment in time, equipment, and money. How can you reduce loss of hay during feeding to make that investment go further?
 
There are many ways to feed hay, with each method impacting waste differently. If hay is fed unrestricted, cattle can waste 45 percent of the hay they are provided. Limit feeding hay so only what is required is fed, will significantly reduce waste right away. Studies show that cattle fed daily versus fed every four days, needed 25% less hay. That’s a huge amount, but labor and equipment cost slightly increased.
 
A common and usually labor efficient method of feeding is to feed hay directly onto the ground by unrolling bales, distributing ground hay or loose hay, and bale pod grazing. With any of these methods, there should only be enough feed distributed or available for one day.
 
Bale pod grazing might be another consideration. Bales are spread out across a field or pasture and temporary fence is used to confine animal access to one or several bales. When it’s time for more hay, the producer moves a fence instead of moving a bale. The losses will depend on herd size, however, because this relates to limiting feeding or limiting access.
 
Limiting access by physical barriers is another way to decrease hay loss. Bale rings, racks, fences, feed bunks, bale pod grazing, or another form of limited access can all decrease waste. These methods work by reducing trampling and animal ability to lay down on the hay. The most effective physical barriers have solid side bottoms. This prevents the hay being pulled out onto the ground. While these methods are effective, they require the purchase of additional equipment which for large herds or changing feeding location can add significant time and money.
 
No matter the improved method, reducing fed hay losses will improve the return on the hay investment.



NeCGA Call for D.C. Leadership Mission Candidates

The Nebraska Corn Growers Association is seeking candidates to participate in the Washington D.C. Leadership Mission. Held annually since 1986, this program has provided an opportunity for growers to interact with elected officials while also giving an in-depth look at the work of the association inside the Beltway. The mission is a great opportunity for members who are looking to get more involved in the association—and a great introduction to new members.

In 2022, the mission will be from February 28 through March 4. Attendees can expect to visit with their elected officials, the National Corn Growers Association, the U.S. Grains Council, and other cooperators. This is also a great chance for attendees to visit with members from across the state and form lifelong friendships. Spouses who are interested in learning more about the association are also encouraged to attend. The deadline to apply is January 5th, 2022.

If you or someone you know would be interested in being a part of this program, visit their website for applications and more information www.necga.org.



Motor Fuels Tax Rate Set for Jan. 1 to June 30

The Nebraska motor fuels tax rate for Jan. 1 through June 30, 2022, will be 24.8 cents per gallon, down from 27.7 cents per gallon. The components of the future and current rates include wholesale, variable, and fixed rates.

Future: (Jan. 1 - June 30, 2022) - Current: (July 1 - Dec. 31, 2021)

Wholesale Tax Rate 8.5 cents per gallon - 7.5 cents per gallon

Variable Tax Rate 0.0 cents per gallon - 3.9 cents per gallon

Fixed Tax Rate 16.3 cents per gallon - 16.3 cents per gallon

Total 24.8 cents per gallon  - 27.7 cents per gallon

The wholesale tax rate is set depending on the wholesale price of fuel. The variable tax rate is set to meet legislative appropriations. The fixed tax rate is set by statute.  The petroleum release remedial action fee is not included in the state motor fuels tax and remains unchanged at 0.9 cents per gallon on motor vehicle fuels and 0.3 cents per gallon on diesel fuels.

Statistical information regarding motor fuels tax receipts can be found on the Nebraska Department of Revenue's (DOR) website under Motor Fuels, and Statistics.

Current and historical motor fuels tax rates per gallon can also be found on DOR's website under Motor Fuels, and Fuel Tax Rates. For questions about the motor fuels tax, please contact Motor Fuels Taxpayer Assistance at 800-554-FUEL (800-554-3835) or 402-471-5730.