Monday January 31 Ag News

 2022 beef feedlot roundtables set for Bridgeport, North Platte, West Point

Beef feedlot managers, owners, employees and allied industries will learn new information related to feedlot price reporting, health, labor and sustainability at Nebraska Extension’s 2022 Beef Feedlot Roundtables Feb. 22-24 in Bridgeport, North Platte and West Point.  

University representatives will speak on new price reporting and risk production strategies, and economic impact of feedlots and the beef industry in Nebraska. As traditional, a portion of the event will be focused on feedlot cattle health with presentations by university and industry professionals on the impact of delayed vaccination on feedyard health and developing a health program based on research data.  

Employee management and concerns are always important, but especially in recent times. The new feedyard labor survey was recently completed, and new employee focused programs will be highlighted including employee training modules and ways to sustain your operations.  

New research pertaining to beef sustainability and the beef industry as a whole will be shared. A Nebraska research update from Extension professionals Galen Erickson, Pablo Loza, or Alfredo DiConstanzo will conclude the program. Topics from recent beef reports with work focused on improving feedlot programs will be highlighted plus some current issues.  

Pre-register for the roundtables online at https://go.unl.edu/2022roundtable by Feb. 18. Cost is $20 at the door.

Registration begins at 12:30 p.m. with each location with welcome and introductions at 1 p.m.. Roundtables will conclude at 4:45 p.m. and refreshments will be served at the meeting.  

Exact dates and locations are as follows:
BRIDGEPORT: Feb. 22, Prairie Winds Community Center, 402 N. Main St.
NORTH PLATTE: Feb. 23, W. Central Research Extension and Education Cntr, 402 W State Farm Rd.
WEST POINT: Feb. 24, Nielsen Community Center, 200 Anna Stalp. Ave.

For more information or to request a registration form, contact Galen Erickson at 402-472-6486 (Karen) or email at gerickson4@unl.edu

2022 Beef Feedlot Roundtables are sponsored by Nebraska Extension and Iowa Beef Center along with support from Elanco Animal Health.



Nebraska team awarded grant to advance plant phenotyping

A University of Nebraska-Lincoln research team has been awarded $50,000 from the Agricultural Genome to Phenome Initiative (AG2PI) to help plant phenotyping research through imaging segmentation.

The project is one of 11 seed grants awarded by AG2PI to 20 institutions across the country in the second of three rounds of grant competition. Awarded grants help to address genome to phenome issues and develop solutions for research needs and identify gaps as well as sharing opportunities. Project work begins in early 2022 and will run from six to 15 months.  

AG2PI is a three-year project funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The goal of AG2PI is to connect crop and livestock scientists to each other and to those working in data science, statistics, engineering, and social sciences to identify shared problems and collaborate on solutions.  

Das Choudhury, a research assistant professor in computer science and engineering, is the lead Project Investigator for the project, “Event-base Plant Phenotyping Using Deep Learning: Algorithms, Tools and Datasets.” She and the research team intend to establish datasets for plant dynamics through images captured at various angles from plant emergence through several growth stages. The datasets will help them create a tool for plant segmentation, which is a fundamental problem when separating plant images from each other and the background. The created datasets and tools will be shared with others in the plant breeding and genetics community.  

Other researchers working on the project are Ashok Samal, Srindhi Bashyam and Yufeng Ge.

The Round 2 Seed Grants span three levels of funding: emerging grants, enabling grants, and establishing grants. Award amounts range from $20,000–$75,000, depending on the grant type and associated funding level.

“The projects awarded in this round of our seed grant program help to broaden the interactions between crop and livestock science, which is necessary to find synergistic relationships,” says Patrick Schnable, AG2PI lead scientist and distinguished professor at Iowa State University.  

“Finding ways to work that transcend boundaries will improve the pace and methodologies for those in plant and animal research communities.”

The third round of AG2PI seed grants will be awarded in Spring 2022. Information for submitting a proposal for Round 3 is on the website; the deadline for submission is March 8. For more information on this and other grant opportunities, visit https://www.ag2pi.org/seed-grants/.

Connect with AG2Pi on Twitter, YouTube or LinkedIn by using #ag2pi.

The AG2PI is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The goal of AG2PI is to build communities that address the challenges of genome-to-phenome research across crops and livestock. The AG2PI partners include Iowa State University, University of Nebraska, University of Arizona, University of Idaho, and the Iowa Corn Promotion Board.

 

January 1 Cattle Inventory Down 2 Percent

All cattle and calves in the United States as of January 1, 2022 totaled 91.9 million head, 2 percent below the 93.8 million head on January 1, 2021.

All cows and heifers that have calved, at 39.5 million head, were 2 percent below the 40.3 million head on January 1, 2021. Beef cows, at 30.1 million head, were down 2 percent from a year ago. Milk cows, at 9.38 million head, were down 1 percent from the previous year.

All heifers 500 pounds and over as of January 1, 2022 totaled 19.8 million head, 2 percent below the 20.2 million head on January 1, 2021. Beef replacement heifers, at 5.61 million head, were down 3 percent from a year ago. Milk replacement heifers, at 4.45 million head, were down 3 percent from the previous year. Other heifers, at 9.71 million head, were 1 percent below a year earlier.

Steers weighing 500 pounds and over as of January 1, 2022 totaled 16.6 million head, down 1 percent from January 1, 2021.

Bulls weighing 500 pounds and over as of January 1, 2022 totaled 2.11 million head, down 5 percent from January 1, 2021.

Calves under 500 pounds as of January 1, 2022 totaled 13.9 million head, down 3 percent from January 1, 2021.

Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for all feedlots totaled 14.7 million head on January 1, 2022. The inventory is up slightly from the January 1, 2021 total of 14.7 million head. Cattle on feed in feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head accounted for 81.9 percent of the total cattle on feed on January 1, 2022, up slightly from the previous year. The combined total of calves under 500 pounds and other heifers and steers over 500 pounds (outside of feedlots) at 25.5 million head, was 3 percent below January 1, 2021.

Calf Crop Down 1 Percent
The 2021 calf crop in the United States was estimated at 35.1 million head, down 1 percent from the previous year's calf crop. Calves born during the first half of 2021 were estimated at 25.6 million head, down 1 percent from the first half of 2020. Calves born during the second half of 2021 were estimated at 9.46 million head, 27 percent of the total 2021 calf crop.



IOWA: All cattle and calves in Iowa as of January 1, 2022, totaled 3.85 million head, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service - Cattle report. This was up 150,000 head from January 1, 2021. Beef cows, at 925,000 head, were up 65,000 head from last year. Milk cow inventory was up 5,000 head at 225,000 head.

All heifers 500 pounds and over were up 2 percent at 850,000 head. Heifers for beef cow replacement were up 3 percent from 2021 at 160,000 head; heifers for milk cow replacement, at 120,000 head, were down 4 percent from the previous year; and all other heifers were up 4 percent at 570,000 head.

Steers weighing 500 pounds and over were up 2 percent from last year at 1.28 million head. Bulls weighing 500 pounds and over were unchanged at 60,000 head. Calves under 500 pounds on January 1, 2022, totaled 510,000 head, up 6 percent from last year.

The 2021 calf crop was estimated at 1.12 million head, up 9 percent from the 2020 calf crop. Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter in all feedlots on January 1, 2022, totaled 1.17 million head, unchanged from one year ago.

Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 600,000 head on January 1, 2022, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service - Cattle on Feed report. This was down 2 percent from December and down 2 percent from January 1, 2021. Iowa feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head had 570,000 head on feed, up 6 percent from last month and up 2 percent from last year. Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in all Iowa feedlots totaled 1,170,000 head, up 2 percent from last month but unchanged from last year.

Placements of cattle and calves in Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during December 2021 totaled 87,000 head, down 7 percent from November and down 6 percent from December 2020. Feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head placed 62,000 head, down 17 percent from November and down 10 percent from December 2020. Placements for all feedlots in Iowa totaled 149,000 head, down 12 percent from November and down 8 percent from December 2020.

Marketings of fed cattle from Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during December 2021 totaled 94,000 head, up 2 percent from November and up 3 percent from December 2020. Feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head marketed 30,000 head, down 43 percent from November and down 33 percent from December 2020. Marketings for all feedlots in Iowa were 124,000 head, down 14 percent from November and down 9 percent from December 2020. Other disappearance from all feedlots in Iowa totaled 5,000 head.

 

 

 

NEBRASKA JANUARY 1 SHEEP AND GOATS

All sheep and lamb inventory in Nebraska on January 1, 2022 totaled 73,000 head, down 1,000 from last year, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Breeding sheep inventory totaled 60,000 head, down 1,000 from last year. Ewes one year and older totaled 49,000 head, down 1,000 from the previous year. Rams one year and older totaled 3,000, unchanged from last year. Total replacement lambs totaled 8,000 head, unchanged from last year.  Market sheep and lambs totaled 13,000 head, unchanged from last year.

The 2021 lamb crop totaled 64,000 head, down 1,000 from 2020. The 2021 lambing rate was 128 per 100 ewes one year and older, compared with 118 in 2020. Sheep deaths totaled 3,000 head, unchanged from last year. Lamb deaths totaled 8,000 head, unchanged from last year.

Sheep and lambs slaughtered on farm totaled 1,500 head, up 500 from last year. Shorn wool production during 2021 was 400,000 pounds, down 15,000 from 2020. Sheep and lambs shorn totaled 56,000 head, unchanged from 2020. Weight per fleece was 7.1 pounds, down 0.3 from 2020. The average price paid for wool sold in 2021 was $0.67 per pound, compared with $0.77 in 2020. The total value of wool produced in Nebraska was $268,000 in 2021.

Milk goats and kids inventory in Nebraska totaled 3,700 head, up 200 from last year.

IOWA: All sheep and lambs inventory in Iowa as of January 1, 2022, totaled 160,000 head, unchanged from 2021, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service - Sheep and Goats report. Total breeding stock, at 114,000 head, was unchanged from one year ago. Market sheep and lambs was unchanged from a year ago and totaled 46,000 head. The 2021 lamb crop was estimated at 115,000 head, down 4 percent from the 2020 lamb crop. Wool production for 2021 was 740,000 pounds, down 7 percent from 2020, with fleece weights averaging 5.5 pounds.

Milk goat inventory in Iowa as of January 1, 2022, was 28,000 head, 4 percent above January 2021, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service - Sheep and Goats report. Total meat and other goat inventory was 41,000 head, 8 percent above the previous year.



January 1 Sheep and Lambs Inventory Down 2 Percent

All sheep and lambs inventory in the United States on January 1, 2022 totaled 5.07 million head, down 2 percent from 2021. Breeding sheep inventory at 3.71 million head on January 1, 2022, decreased 2 percent from 3.78 million head on January 1, 2021. Ewes one year old and older, at 2.91 million head, were 2 percent below last year. Market sheep and lambs on January 1, 2022 totaled 1.36 million head, down 3 percent from January 1, 2021. Market lambs comprised 94 percent of the total market inventory. Market sheep comprised the remaining 6 percent of total market inventory.

The 2021 lamb crop of 3.16 million head was down 2 percent from 2020. The 2021 lambing rate was 107 lambs per   100 ewes one year old and older on January 1, 2021, down 1 percent from 2020.

Shorn wool production in the United States during 2021 was 22.5 million pounds, down 3 percent from 2020. Sheep and lambs shorn totaled 3.20 million head, down 2 percent from 2020. The average price paid for wool sold in 2021 was  $1.70 per pound for a total value of 38.2 million dollars, down 1 percent from 38.4 million dollars in 2020.

Sheep death loss during 2021 totaled 200,000 head, down 5 percent from 2020. Lamb death loss decreased 1 percent from 370,000 head to 365,000 head in 2021.

January 1 All Goats and Kids Inventory Down 1 Percent
All goats and kids inventory in the United States on January 1, 2022 totaled 2.55 million head, down 1 percent from 2021. Breeding goat inventory totaled 2.09 million head, down 1 percent from 2021. Does one year old and older, at 1.55 million head, were 1 percent below last year's number. Market goats and kids totaled 457,000 head, down 2 percent from a year ago.

Kid crop for 2021 totaled 1.60 million head for all goats, down 3 percent from 2020.

Meat and all other goats totaled 2.03 million head on January 1, 2022, down 1 percent from 2021. Milk goat inventory was 410,000 head, down 2 percent from January 1, 2021, while Angora goats were down 9 percent, totaling 110,000 head.

Mohair production in the United States during 2021 was 546,000 pounds. Goats and kids clipped totaled 105,500 head. Average weight per clip was 5.2 pounds. Mohair price was $5.58 per pound with a value of 3.05 million dollars.



USDA to Measure Financial Well-Being of Nebraska Farmers and Ranchers

Beginning in late December, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will spend several months gathering information about farm economics and production practices from farmers and ranchers across Nebraska, as the agency conducts the third and final phase of the 2021 Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS).

“ARMS is the only survey that measures the current financial well-being of Nebraska producers and their households as a whole,” said Nick Streff, Director of NASS’s Northern Plains Region. “The results of this survey will help inform decisions on local and federal policies and programs that affect Nebraska farms and farm families.”

In an effort to obtain the most accurate data, NASS will reach out to more than 30,000 producers nationwide, including 1,700 in Nebraska, between the months of December and April. The survey asks producers to provide in-depth information about their operating revenues, production costs, and household characteristics. The 2021 ARMS survey includes a version of the questionnaire focused on farm costs and returns for standard and organic dairy, and corn. This year the survey also includes questions to help measure any impacts of COVID-19 on farms, farm and household finances, and off-farm employment.

“In February, our interviewers will begin reaching out to those farmers who have not yet responded,” said Streff. “We appreciate their time and are here to help them with the questionnaire so that their information will continue supporting sound agricultural decision-making.”

In addition to producing accurate information, NASS has strong safeguards in place to protect the confidentiality of all farmers who respond to its surveys. The agency will only publish data in an aggregate form, ensuring the confidentiality of all responses and that no individual respondent or operation can be identified.

The expense data gathered in ARMS will be published in the annual Farm Production Expenditures report on July 29, 2022. That report and others are available at nass.usda.gov/Publications. More reports based on ARMS data and more information about ARMS are available at ers.usda.gov/arms.



NEBRASKA REFRIGERATED WAREHOUSES CAPACITY

Gross refrigerated storage capacity in Nebraska totaled 49.3 million cubic feet on October 1, 2021, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Usable refrigerated storage capacity was 38.5 million cubic feet, or 78% of the gross space. Usable freezer space was 96% of the usable refrigerated space with the remaining 4% used as cooler space. Refrigerated warehouse numbers totaled 16 in 2021.



USDA Reports Refrigerated Warehouses Capacity at 3.73 Billion Cubic Feet

Gross refrigerated storage capacity in the United States totaled 3.73 billion cubic feet on October 1, 2021. This was the 52nd biennial survey of refrigerated warehouses. The five States with the largest gross warehouse capacity (million cubic feet) were: California 396, Washington 294, Wisconsin 285, Texas 262 and Florida 242.

Usable refrigerated storage capacity was 3.03 billion cubic feet, or 81 percent of the gross space. Usable freezer space was 80 percent of the usable refrigerated space with the remaining 20 percent used as cooler space.

Public warehouse refrigerated storage capacity totaled 2.67 billion gross cubic feet in 2021, accounting for 72 percent of the total storage. Private and semiprivate warehouse refrigerated capacity totaled 1.06 billion gross cubic feet, or 28 percent of the gross refrigerated space.

Refrigerated warehouse numbers totaled 904 in 2021. The number of public warehouses is 517. Private and semiprivate warehouses totaled 387.



Iowa Soybean Farmers, Biodiesel Producers Urge Action to Expand Biofuels Access

The Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) and Iowa Biodiesel Board (IBB) are urging the passage of House File 2128, also known as the Governor’s Biofuel Access Bill. It would improve access to and incentivize the production of homegrown biodiesel in Iowa.

“It’s time to act,” said ISA President Robb Ewoldt, a soybean farmer near Davenport who uses biodiesel to grow crops and transport freight. “We’ve gone to great lengths over the past year to help the state revise its approach to expanding biofuels access and use. We’ve listened and modified the legislation. It’s time to come together and get this done.”

The Governor’s Biofuel Access Bill updates and expands both the Biodiesel Production Tax Credit and Biodiesel Fuel Tax Differential. The bill would also shift a current fuel retailer tax credit for blends of 11% biodiesel (B11) to encourage higher blends of biodiesel, introducing new credits for blends like B20 and B30. Additionally, it expands the state’s Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program (RFIP).

"These incentives will assist in increasing the production and usage of cleaner burning fuels like biodiesel,” Ewoldt says.

Iowa biodiesel production totaled nearly 340 million gallons in 2021.

“This policy would help Iowa remain the number one biodiesel-producing state, which in turn helps create demand for Iowa’s soybean oil,” says Grant Kimberley, ISA sr. director of market development and executive director of the Iowa Biodiesel Board. “To continue increasing the demand for homegrown soy and keep Iowa’s 40,000 soybean farmers in a position to succeed, expanding access to biofuels is essential. We commend Governor Reynolds for her leadership on this legislation.”

Kimberley noted that Iowa biodiesel and soybean leaders believe that if Iowa is going to ensure biodiesel remains a viable fuel option, it must stay competitive with other alternatives, particularly in states with low-carbon fuel policies.

Strong state policies also help the state’s 11 production facilities weather the uncertainty of federal policies like the Renewable Fuel Standard, Kimberley adds, even as certain states ramp up low-carbon fuel efforts on their own.

“Iowa’s answer to the nationwide demand for low-carbon fuels is biodiesel,” Kimberley says. “We ask the House to recognize that as our nation’s approach to energy evolves, our state can be front and center, and reap the benefits. This is an investment in Iowa’s economy that will help our state thrive for years to come.”



Iowa Pork Producers Association Being Led by North Central Iowa Farmer
    
A Humboldt County pig farmer, Kevin Rasmussen, is the new president of the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA). The change in leadership followed the IPPA annual meeting on Jan. 25. Rasmussen, who had served as president-elect in 2021, replaces Dennis Liljedahl of Essex. Liljedahl now holds the past president position on the IPPA Board of Directors. Both Rasmussen and Liljedahl will serve one-year terms in their new roles.
 
Rasmussen has been a member of the IPPA Board of Directors since 2018, when he was elected by pig farmers in his area to represent them as the District 2 Director. He became a member of the executive committee in 2019. He has served on several IPPA committees and has been chairman of two – the public relations and public policy committees.
 
The Rasmussen family farm, Owl Lake Production Company near Goldfield, is operated by Kevin, his wife Lisa, and son, Joel. They finish 8000 hogs per year and grow about 1,100 acres of corn and soybeans using conservation measures such as strip-till. Kevin and Lisa have two other children, and four grandchildren.
 
Other changes on the IPPA board include:
    Selecting a new president-elect, who is Trish Cook of Winthrop. She formerly was the Northeast Region director on the board. An interim director for that position will be appointed by the board at their March meeting.
    Linda Schroeder, Remsen, is the new District 1 director. She replaces Dwight Mogler, Alvord, whose board term had expired.
    Rod Leman, Fort Dodge is the new District 2 director. He had previously served in a Stakeholder role on the board and is now filling a position that Gregg Hora, also of Fort Dodge had held as an interim director.
    Dean Frazer, Conrad, is the new District 3 director. He was elected by those in his district to fill the position formerly held by Lowell Busch.
    The District 4 position will be held by Clark Wikner, McGregor. He replaces retiring board member Jim Hogan of Monticello.
    Ryan Pudenz of Ames was re-elected to his position as the District 6 director. He was also elected to the board’s executive committee as the Vice President of Resources.
    Doug Gruver, Sully, is the new District 7 director. He replaces Patrick Gannon of Colfax, who chose to retire from the board.
    Matt Gent, Wellman, was elected to his second term as the District 8 director on the board. He will continue to serve on the board’s executive committee as Vice President of Market Development.
    Jeff Johnson, Dunkerton, was re-elected to the Allied position role.
    Darin Madson, DVM, Maxwell, was elected by the board to fill a Stakeholder position.
    Aaron Juergens, Carroll, who serves as the Southwest Region director, was elected to the board’s executive committee as Vice President of Operations.
    Marv Van Den Top of Boyden, who serves as the Northwest Region director, was elected to the board’s executive committee as Vice President of Producer Services.

The board oversees leadership and direction for all IPPA Pork Checkoff programs, public policy and general direction of the organization.



IPPA Delegates Pass State Resolutions on Transportation, Swine Health Resolutions on Checkoff Rates Passed for National Consideration

Labor issues related to transportation of pigs have many Iowa pork producers concerned about the availability of truck drivers to keep pigs moving through the supply chain. The number of drivers who are leaving this important segment is greater than the number coming in, said the Chickasaw County Pork Producers who asked the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) to work with other groups to explore potential solutions to the issue.
 
Leon Sheets of Chickasaw County said his county brought the resolution to the delegates because they are seeing seasoned drivers, not just those at retirement age, leaving the sector. “When you have too many people leave, it slows down the supply chain and creates a lot strain on everyone,” he said. According to the American Trucking Association’s estimates, the U.S. is currently short 80,000 truckers - an all-time high for the industry. Livestock haulers make up between 6-7 percent of drivers.
 
The 101 county delegates at the IPPA annual meeting on Jan. 25 approved the resolution and took action on other matters before them.
 
Delegates deepened the request they first made a year ago at the 2021 IPPA annual meeting to be engaged in developing the U.S. Swine Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) pilot program. SHIP is the next step for foreign animal disease (FAD) preparedness. Eighteen Iowans involved in pork production are currently developing protocols for biosecurity, testing and traceability in this effort. The 2022-approved resolution prescribes that IPPA support Iowa pig farmers enrolling in the pilot project.
 
“The SHIP pilot project is just getting off the ground right now, setting out the parameters,” said Dennis Liljedahl, the Essex, Iowa pig farmer who oversaw the delegate meeting. “Our delegates want to see Iowa be a leader in this effort of getting producers signed up.”
 
The third state resolution passed by IPPA delegates calls on their association to work with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Iowa Department of Natural Resources to determine and secure resources for depopulation and disposal of pigs in the event of a FAD outbreak.
 
Resolutions that IPPA delegates adopted and sent on for national consideration at the 2022 Pork Forum in Louisville, Kentucky in March include:
-    Support for the recommendations from the Pork Industry Visioning Task Force that create working groups of producers representing the National Pork Board and the National Pork Producers Council to identify and prioritize issues annually, as well as developing action plans that ensure the most efficient use of producer funding to accomplish those plans.
-    Decreasing the rate of the mandatory Pork Checkoff from $0.40/$100 value of live animal to $0.35/$100 value.
-    Increasing the rate of the Strategic Investment Program (SIP) from $0.10/$100 value of live animal to $0.15/$100 value. SIP is a voluntary program and is completely separate from the Pork Checkoff. SIP supports non-checkoff programs at both the state and national level. In their 2022 action, delegates said the increase should coordinate with the reduction in the mandatory checkoff. The resolution also rescinded a proposed SIP increase that was to go into effect July 1, 2022.



USMEF Statement on USDA/Port of Oakland Partnership

Today the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a partnership with the Port of Oakland to establish a new site designed to help agricultural exporters secure containers and prepare outbound shipments. U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Dan Halstrom issued the following statement:

USMEF appreciates the efforts of USDA, the Port of Oakland and other agencies to address a situation that continues to frustrate U.S. exporters. We realize there is no magic solution to the shipping difficulties confronting exporters at U.S. ports, but improving access to containers is certainly a step in the right direction. The Port of Oakland is an essential, strategic outlet for U.S. red meat exports, especially for chilled product destined for our key Asian markets, and our members look forward to utilizing the new container site.



AFBF Supports Port of Oakland Expansion

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on USDA’s announcement that the agency is partnering with the Port of Oakland to build a 25-acre container yard with the goal of reducing congestion and improving export flow of agricultural commodities.

“Supply chain issues are a big concern for farmers and ranchers and we appreciate USDA’s actions to ease congestion at several ports. Today’s announcement about increasing capacity at the Port of Oakland, our third largest port for containerized waterborne agricultural products, is welcome news. It’s an important step to ensure America’s farmers and ranchers have a reliable path for exporting the rice, beef, pork, fruits, vegetables, almonds and many other agricultural goods grown in the United States.

“Further steps must be taken to prevent carriers from sending empty containers out of U.S. ports, such as the passage and signing of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act. Port congestion is one piece of a larger puzzle and AFBF will continue working with industry, federal agencies and Congress to untangle the complicated web of supply chain issues facing farmers and ranchers.”



Large Decline in Cattle Inventory
David P. Anderson, Extension Economist, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

The long-awaited Cattle Inventory was released on the afternoon of the 31st. The topline, cattle inventory number indicated 91.9 million cattle in the U.S., down 2 percent from last year. This report is particularly important this year as a longer-term indication of the direction of the cow herd, given drought conditions, pandemic market turmoil, and relative cattle prices and costs.

Of more interest to me is the cow herd and replacement numbers. Cows are the productive engine of the industry. The number of beef cows in the U.S. was estimated to be 30.125 million head, down almost 2.5 percent from last year. That’s the fewest beef cows since 2015. The 718,500 head decline from 2021 was the largest year-to-year decline since the 860,000 head decline from 1996-97. It’s interesting to note that the report included a significant revision to last year’s beef cow inventory, reducing it by 314,000 head.  Almost 1 percent fewer dairy cows were reported on January 1.

Regionally, most states in the West reported fewer cows, with California, Washington, and Oregon reporting increases.  The Plains states from Texas to North Dakota all reported fewer cows. Texas’ 4.475 million cows was the fewest since 2017. Only Louisiana and Virginia reported more beef cows in the South.

Beef heifers held back for replacements were down 3.3 percent from last year. That is the fewest replacement heifers held back since January 1, 2014.  While fewer replacements would be needed with a smaller cow herd, a reduction this large indicates some expectations of more herd contraction.

Certainly, the drought contributed to falling beef cow numbers. Cow slaughter in 2021 was well above 2020. But, cow numbers declined in other regions not affected by drought. Calf prices relative to costs has forced some more culling. The inventory report indicates that we are headed towards less beef production and higher prices. A cow herd of this size should also lead to some expectations of calf prices approaching the rarified air of the years following the Texas 2010-2012 drought. The current drought and its development over the coming months will dictate a lot about cow herd over this year. But, good beef demand should also pull prices higher on top of available supplies.



Zoetis Adds New Digital Solutions to Enhance Cattle Data Management

Precision animal health technology brings data insights together to help cattle producers make earlier, more informed decisions to help keep animals healthy and productive. The newest tools from Zoetis – Performance Ranch™ and BLOCKYARD™ – provide cattle producers the information they need at their fingertips, accessible from digital devices anywhere.

Performance Ranch helps cow-calf producers easily capture health and performance data, manage costs, and track herd inventory in real time. The new cow-calf management software joins the Performance Beef platform, expanding the software solutions developed by Performance Livestock Analytics for cattle producers. The easy-to-use software provides users insights to make informed decisions across financials, nutrition, genetics and animal health. Users are able to access real-time data and see variations in performance to make more informed and earlier decisions on the health and marketability of their animals.

"Data shouldn't be hard. We're all pressed for time," said Scott Cherne, Owner and Cattle Producer, Cherne Angus near Guttenberg, Iowa. "Performance Ranch will allow you to enter as you go, keeping it simple and efficient. You can track everything chuteside or from the pasture in real time, without having to enter it in a spreadsheet or recall what you did later that day."

BLOCKYARD™ helps collect, transfer, and connect information on individual cattle from multiple sources. The new blockchain solution, developed in collaboration with IBM Consulting and leveraging IBM Blockchain Platform on the IBM Cloud, works with existing cattle management software, such as Performance Ranch, to allow seamless integration of data. BLOCKYARD makes the production, health and genomic information available to all stakeholders on a permissioned basis.

“It’s not about simply gathering more data. It’s about making the data more powerful and useful, so our customers are able to make better management decisions,” said Jason Osterstock, Vice President, Precision Animal Health, Zoetis. “Digital and data analytics are disrupting the industry – providing more opportunities to detect and prevent. Instead of a broad sweep at the farm or herd level, we’re helping to improve a producer’s decision making right down to the individual animal.”

Starting with the calf
An animal’s story starts at the ranch with birth records, vaccination status and genetic insights. While the opportunity to collect important data is available, that data may not be recorded at all, or may become lost in a paper shuffle if it is recorded.

“Mobile-first technology provides an easy way to gather daily insights, without changing how a rancher manages their business,” said Dane Kuper, Head of Growth and Strategy, Precision Animal Health, Zoetis and cofounder of Performance Livestock Analytics. “Performance Ranch creates a digital record for every animal, starting at birth. It makes it easy for anyone to easily manage and access the real-time information, without digging through a group text message or searching for a notebook or worrying about paper records and information becoming lost.”  

Enabling blockchain technology to share the story
The true value of animal data is unlocked when insights flow from the ranch to the feedlot and beyond. Unfortunately, a majority of digital intelligence has been lost and fragmented between segments of the cattle industry, rendering the ability to realize an animal's true worth in the value chain impossible. Oftentimes a buyer does not have access to data on individual genetic potential, animal health records or performance history, and a seller is unable to realize the true value of their investment in the animal.

“BLOCKYARD is like a digital wallet, providing secure access to valuable animal information for cattle buyers and sellers,” explained Osterstock. “By incorporating a virtual marketplace, buyers will know genetic history and vaccination status for core diseases, while the seller is able to access a wider marketplace to provide historic data and validate the quality of their animals.”

Cattle producers may enroll animals in BLOCKYARD to begin the process of securely sharing individual animal data.

Practical solutions for customers
Performance Ranch helps producers gather valuable on-farm data, while BLOCKYARD integrates information from multiple sources and provides the ability to securely share the data. Zoetis is creating an intersection of genetics, precision health tools and software to help producers maximize health and well-being, performance and sustainability across livestock farming operations. The on-farm data may also be meaningful if shared throughout the supply chain in response to consumers’ growing interest in how food-producing animals are raised.

“It’s time we reimagine animal health and advance animal care,” said Osterstock. “Data and technology solutions are abundant in every aspect of life. Zoetis has the same expectation for animal health – and is committed to offering innovative, user-friendly technology solutions to help cattle producers predict, prevent, detect and treat disease.”



Betsy Huber of the National Grange Joins Alliance Board of Directors

The Alliance for Aviation Across America announced today that Betsy Huber, President of the National Grange, has joined its Board of Directors.

"We are thrilled that Betsy Huber has joined the Alliance Board of Directors,” said Ed Bolen, President and CEO of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and the President of the Alliance’s Board of Directors. “Betsy brings a wealth of invaluable experience and perspectives on behalf of rural communities and our agricultural sector, which rely extensively on general aviation, local airports, and our aviation infrastructure."

Huber has been President of the National Grange since 2015. Previously she was on the National Grange’s executive committee from 2007-14. Huber also serves on the board of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s program Safety in Agriculture for Youth and as Executive Secretary of the Pennsylvania Young Farmers Association.  In 2017, she was appointed to the Federal Communications Commission’s Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee.

Huber has also served as a Trustee of The Pennsylvania State University from 2005-17 and served 24 years as a Supervisor of Upper Oxford Township in Chester County, Pennsylvania. She was born and raised on a dairy farm in Chester County.

“I am honored to serve on the Board of Directors for the Alliance for Aviation Across America,” Huber said. “General aviation is critical for agriculture, access to services like medical care and disaster relief, our nation's food supply, and the economy as a whole.”

Many agricultural operators use general aviation to transport goods, personnel, and oversee and treat crops and land.  There are about 5,000 public-use airports in towns across the country, yet the majority of airline traffic goes through 30 of them. All told, general aviation supports over 1.1 million jobs and over $246 billion in economic impact, according to a 2018 PricewaterhouseCoopers study.

Huber continued, "As our nation continues to recover, we are also pleased to support the commitments of the general aviation industry in critical areas of growth, such as the development and use of sustainable fuel and emerging technologies.”

Recently, the Alliance for Aviation Across America, the Grange, and many other national and local groups partnered to launch futureofaviation.org, which highlights the importance of general aviation and the benefits of the development and use of sustainable fuel and potential new technologies, such as vertical and landing aircraft, which have the potential to transport goods and people between rural and urban areas in a more efficient manner.

The Grange strengthens individuals, families, and communities through grassroots action, service, education, advocacy, and agriculture awareness.

The Alliance for Aviation Across America (AAAA) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, national grassroots coalition of over 6,000 aviation and non-aviation groups and individuals across the country, including businesses, FBOs, small airports, elected officials, agricultural and charitable organizations, and leading industry and aviation groups.  Formed in 2007, the organization is dedicated to spreading awareness and educating the public about the value of general aviation and local airports.