Friday March 4 Ag News

Training Opportunities on March 7th
Aaron Nygren, NE Extension Educator

With planting just around the corner, we are offering a final round of certification trainings in Saunders County, with the following training being offered on Monday, March 7th at the Lake Wanahoo Education Building, which is located at 1655 County Road 16 on the east side of Lake Wanahoo, just north of Bomgaars, which is located north of Wahoo.

Chemigation – 9:00 a.m.
This training works for recertification or initial training for a chemigation applicator certification, which is needed if you are managing fertigation or chemigation through an irrigation system. This training consists of videos, presentation, and a 50 question test. There is no cost to attend. Participants are encouraged to bring a calculator and a pencil. If you need this training, you should have received a letter in December. If you want to check you applicator status, you can check when you certification expires by going to https://deq-iis.ne.gov/zs/chemigation/main_search_chemigation.php . Please call the Saunders County Extension office at 402-624-8030 if you have any questions.

Private Pesticide – 1:00 p.m.
This training will meet the requirements to either recertify or gain initial private pesticide certification for those that will be using or purchasing any Restricted Use Pesticides on property that you own, lease,  rent, or for your employer.

Those that need to recertify should have received a letter from the Nebraska Department of Agriculture back in December. However, if you want to check your license status, you can check when you license expires by going to http://www.kellysolutions.com/NE/Applicators/index.htm and using the search by Applicator Last Name option.

Be sure to bring the following three items with you:
    Government issued photo ID
    Bar-coded recertification form you received in the mail in December from the Nebraska Department of Agriculture. If you misplaced your bar-coded recertification form, we do have an alternative form you can complete at the training. Please bring your dark orange & green private pesticide application card if possible to verify your private applicator number.
    $50 cash or check made out to University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

If this date doesn’t work, there is also an online training option available at https://pested.unl.edu The cost of on-line training is also $50. The online option will likely take 3 to 4 hours to go through modules with videos and questions. However, it also allows for a test-out option at the beginning, and if passed (70% or better score), the rest of the online training is not required.

With both the in-person and online trainings, all applicators then must pay a fee for the license with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture for $25. Please call the Saunders County Extension office at 402-624-8030 if you have any questions.

Lower Platte North NRD Nitrogen and Water Certification – 6:00 p.m.
This training meets the requirements for those applying nitrogen or that have certified irrigated acres in the Lower Platte North NRD. There is no cost to attend. Training will be conduced jointly by Lower Platte North and Nebraska Extension. If you need this training you should have received a letter from the NRD. Please call the Lower Platte North NRD at 402-443-4675 if you have any questions.



Center for Agricultural Profitability Webinars

The Center for Ag Profitability's webinar series focuses on topics related to farm and ranch management, profitability, economics and farm survival for producers and ag industry professionals in Nebraska and beyond.

The live webcasts are typically presented at noon Central time on Thursdays. Registration is always free at https://cap.unl.edu/webinars.

March 10 - Noon-1 p.m. CST     
Ag Succession Planning: Current Thoughts and Lessons Learned
Allan Vyhnalek, Nebraska Extension Educator for Farm and Ranch Succession and Transition

Nebraska Extension’s Allan Vyhnalek will draw on his over 40 years of experience to share lessons learned from working with farm and ranch families as they’ve worked on succession and transition planning. The webinar will highlight good communication strategies for families to successfully transfer their operations, review correct and incorrect assumptions that are often made in the process. Attendees will gain insight on simple steps to take to start the planning process and leave motivated to being or revisit their succession and transition plans.

The webinar is presented as part of Nebraska Land Link’s series of presentations.

March 17 - Noon-1 p.m. CDT     
The 1923 South Platte River Compact and Nebraska Water Rights
Dave Aiken, Professor and Agricultural Law/Water Law Specialist, UNL Agricultural Economics

The South Platte River Compact, negotiated by Colorado and Nebraska and approved by the Colorado and Nebraska legislatures, was approved by Congress in 1923. The compact gives Nebraska 120 cubic feet per second (cfs) during the irrigation season, and up to 500 cfs during the non-irrigation season if and only if Nebraska constructs the Perkins County Canal. Governor Ricketts has proposed $500 million to develop the Perkins County Canal to enable Nebraska to claim the up-to 500 cfs off-season flows. This webinar will examine the South Platte compact and Nebraska’s compact water rights. It will also examine Nebraska’s rights (or lack thereof) to displace Colorado South Platte River water development.

March 24 - Noon-2:30 p.m. CDT     
Virtual 2022 Landlord/Tenant Cash Rent Workshop for Eastern Nebraska
The workshops will cover 2022 cash rental rates, land values, leasing strategies, landlord-tenant communication, farm and ranch succession planning and an overview of farm programs for landowners.

March 31 - Noon-1 p.m. CST     
You CAN Stress-Less: Tips and Strategies for Success
With: Brandy VanDeWalle, Nebraska Extension Educator

Farmers and ranchers have many stressors in their lives. Weather challenges and disasters like many Nebraskans have recently experienced have led to uncertainty in their crop and livestock operations. Machinery breakdowns, debt loads, volatile markets, sleep deprivation, changing regulations, and the stress of holding onto a multi-generational farm/ranch all play a part of the stress and mental health of a farmer or rancher. Farmers and ranchers know the importance of planning and talking about their financial health to bankers, financial planners, spouses, etc. but might not realize how important it is to spend time on their mental health. This presentation is open for farm and ranch families to participate and will provide strategies for dealing with the stress of farming or ranching in today’s difficult economic environment.

The webinar is presented as part of Nebraska Land Link’s series of presentations.



Nebraska Beef Council March Board Meeting

The Nebraska Beef Council Board of Directors will have a zoom meeting at the NBC office in Kearney, NE located at 1319 Central Ave. on Tuesday March 15, 2022  beginning 12:00 p.m. CDT. The NBC Board of Directors will discuss strategic planning and foreign marketing. For more information, please contact Pam Esslinger at pam@nebeef.org.  



Nebraska Corn Board to Meet

The Nebraska Corn Board will hold its next meeting Thursday, March 17, at Embassy Suites in Lincoln (1040 P Street) and Friday, March 18, at the Dinsdale Family Learning Commons on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s East Campus.

The Board will address regular board business on Thursday. The meeting is open to the public and will provide an opportunity for open discussion. A copy of the agenda is available by writing to the Nebraska Corn Board, P.O. Box 95107, Lincoln, NE 68509, sending an email to nikki.bentzinger@nebraska.gov or by calling 402-471-2676.



USDA GATHERS CASH RENTS DATA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is conducting the Cash Rents and Leases survey. The survey provides the basis for estimates of the current year’s cash rents paid for irrigated cropland, non-irrigated cropland, and permanent pasture.

Survey recipients are encouraged to complete their Cash Rents and Leases survey by June 20. This survey canbe completed and returned by mail, over the phone, or at agcounts.usda.gov.

“Survey responses from as many farm operations as possible help calculate more accurate rental rates. Completion of this survey ensures cash rental rates accurately represent your locality,” said NASS’ Northern Plains Regional Director Nicholas Streff. “Results from the Cash Rents and Leases survey will serve as a valuable decision-making tool for farmers, ranchers and landowners and can be used for future rental agreement negotiations.” Information from this survey is also used in the Farm Service Agency (FSA) Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) as an alternative soil rental rate prior to finalizing new rates each year.

In accordance with federal law, survey responses are kept confidential. Survey results will be available in aggregate form only to ensure that no individual producer or operation can be identified. NASS will publish the survey results on August 26th.  



Study shows economic impact of the irrigation equipment and services industry

A new study measured the economic impact of the irrigation industry in the United States in 2020 and found that it has been growing by 2% per year since 2010. It also found the industry has a direct economic impact of nearly $9 billion and indirect impacts of $23.3 billion, creating more than 70,000 direct jobs — 167,000 jobs when secondary impacts are included.

The study includes agricultural, commercial, residential, and horticultural irrigation and provides an update on the industry’s growth since a similar study completed in 2010. Renata Rimsaite, a postdoctoral research associate with the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute and National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska, collaborated on the study, which was conducted by the Headwaters Corporation on behalf of the Irrigation Association and the Irrigation Innovation Consortium.

Gathering information for the assessment presented a challenge, as much of the data is not publicly available. However, the study was able to reveal industry trends by using economic analysis tools to piece together publicly available data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and conversations with industry members.

According to the Irrigation Association, quantifying the economic impact of the irrigation industry is important in order to document irrigation’s output, increase its credibility and provide insights for business planning.

“This assessment provides a tool for the irrigation industry to show that they are not just implementing water-conserving technology. but are valuably contributing to the economy as well.” Rimsaite said.



Nebraska part of multi-state ag effort to unwrap bioplastic benefits

University of Nebraska-Lincoln researchers are part of a new $6 million grant from the National Science Foundation to develop bioplastics for use in agriculture over the next four years.

The project includes a consortium of 15 researchers from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Kansas State University and the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. The Nebraska team is led by Karina Schoengold, associate professor of agricultural economics and faculty fellow of the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute. Chittaranjan Ray, director of the Nebraska Water Center, played a pivotal role in assembling the team.

“This idea spawned from conversations with neighboring researchers in Kansas and South Dakota,” Ray said.

In turn, the researchers asked each other what they could do that was truly novel. Their answer was “Bioplastics with Regenerative Agricultural Properties,” or BioWRAP. The project aims to reduce the use of plastics, herbicides, fertilizers and associated environmental impacts in agricultural production by creating an all-in-one bioplastic system that can better manage weeds, add nutrients to soils, improve soil and plant health, and save water.

BioWRAP draws from an array of scientific disciplines that fall into three major buckets – engineering biopolymers, strengthening agroecosystems, and assessing broader impacts. The general concept of bioplastics is to develop biodegradable plastics through renewable, biological substances rather than from finite petroleum-derived sources.

The team will investigate three types of biopolymers: Polyhydroxyalkanoate-based, protein-based and hybrid polymers. Ultimately, they will apply these bioplastics to field sites to assess their degradation and ability to enhance nitrogen fixing bacteria, soil moisture, weed suppression, irrigation efficiency, manage temperature, and improve the quality of agricultural products.

Second, the team will investigate how bioplastics can improve agroecosystem health. Weed control is a cornerstone of this bucket. Recent increases in herbicide-resistant weeds have elevated concerns over environmental contamination, human health risks and productivity losses. Additional research is planned around soil and water quality, life cycle assessment and resource use and impact inventory. Vaishali Sharda, assistant professor of biological and agricultural engineering at Kansas State University, will lead this area and is also BioWRAP’s principal investigator.

“New, locally sourced types of bioplastics that fully break down into safe by-products can be made,” Sharda said. “These new materials could provide farmers with a green way to control weeds, fertilize crops, protect soil and water resources, and work with nature to better manage their fields.”

The final bucket revolves around broader impacts. Under Schoengold’s lead, the team will scrutinize product adoption, rural sustainability, ecosystem services, markets and sustainable data provision. The team hypothesizes that – if implemented carefully and strategically – BioWRAP will strengthen rural areas socioeconomically through new biorefineries, careers, earnings and market access.

The last thread is student training and workforce development. Beyond the 15 participating faculty, the consortium will encompass three post-doctoral researchers, nine undergraduates, 12 graduate students, 40 high school students and 40 middle school students. Activities include webinars, workshops, curriculum development, summer research camps, and outreach to tribal, women, and underrepresented communities.

In addition to Schoengold and Ray, other Nebraska teammates include Erin Haacker, assistant professor of earth and atmospheric sciences; Loren Isom, assistant director, Industrial Agricultural Products Center; Christopher Proctor, associate extension educator with agronomy and horticulture; Daran Rudnick, associate professor of biological systems engineering; and Mark Wilkins, director, Industrial Agricultural Products Center.

The project is funded through NSF’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research Research Infrastructure Improvement Program Track 2. Successful projects involve a consortium of three or more EPSCoR jurisdictions (states) and may receive up to $1.5 million per year for up to four years.

BioWRAP will launch in early 2022 and run through 2025. Over that period, each university will receive $2 million in project funding and host an annual meeting of the consortium’s stakeholders, advisory board, research faculty, post-docs, and graduate, undergraduate, and secondary education students.



New Fact Sheet Looks at Additives to Mitigate Risk of Virus-contaminated Feed

Research trials have documented that viruses important to the swine industry can survive in feed ingredients and complete feed for transcontinental (23 days) and transoceanic (30 & 37 days) shipping. As biosecurity awareness and protocols have increased for animals, people and equipment, feed and feed ingredients may also be routes of virus transmission to be managed.

A new fact sheet from Iowa Pork Industry Center, Feed Additives to Mitigate the Risk of Virus-contaminated Feed, focuses on three research papers that evaluated compounds to mitigate virus-contaminated feed. Iowa State University extension swine specialist Mark Storlie is one of the authors. He described these compounds and the specifics for each paper.

"The compounds are classified into two different groups. Foreign Animal Disease (FAD) viruses: African Swine Fever (ASF) and Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD); and Domestic viruses: Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome virus (PRRSV), Senecavirus A (SVA) and Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDV) are discussed," he said. "The experimental design, feed additive or compound evaluated and results for specific viruses are highlighted for each paper."

A specific mode of action is not identified. While some products mitigate the viral load or/and viability in the feed, other products may support the immune system, gut environment or something yet to be determined to support pig productivity similar to non-challenged pigs.

"This is exciting research to identify tools which may help reduce or address specific viruses in swine production," Storlie said. "Each operation will need to evaluate the cost/benefit to incorporate these products into their feeding program. A source for product formulations, company contacts and relative pricing is highlighted to encourage producers to learn more."

Chris Rademacher, Iowa State Extension swine veterinarian, and Scott Dee with Pipestone Research are the other authors of this fact sheet.

Download the six-page pdf publication http://ipic.iastate.edu/publications/IPIC-MS-RiskMitigationInFeed.pdf at no charge from the IPIC website.



American Dairy Coalition applauds dairy checkoff collaboration with Mayo Clinic

The American Dairy Coalition applauds DMI’s recent announcement of a five-year collaboration with Mayo Clinic that could advance the benefits of dairy through research and consumer outreach efforts at all Mayo Clinic locations.

“We want to thank DMI CEO Barbara O’Brien for her leadership on this. We agree wholeheartedly with her that this IS a milestone moment for dairy farmers who make opportunities like this possible through their checkoff funds and the work they do every day on their dairy farms to produce high-quality, wholesome and nutritious milk and dairy products for consumers of all ages. We are glad to see the dairy checkoff expanding its scientific network with such a highly-regarded health source, and we are excited about some of the initiatives they have said they will be working on," observes ADC CEO Laurie Fischer.

“This collaboration gives dairy farmers hope that the steadily growing body of evidence on healthy fats, immune-building nutrients and the unique nutritional package of real milk and dairy products – including whole milk and full-fat dairy -- can be highlighted in consumer messaging going forward,” Fischer adds.

According to DMI’s recent news release, these initiatives will be led by teams comprised of National Dairy Council scientists and registered dieticians, Mayo Clinic physicians and health professionals as well as Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy experts focusing on areas that include: “Research to discover how dairy foods, particularly whole milk dairy, impacts cardiovascular health and metabolic conditions. Other potential research areas include dairy’s role on calm, sleep, digestive health and immunity.”

The collaboration announcement is also described by DMI as helping with the communication of evidence, research and insights across all Mayo Clinic locations.

For years, ADC has advocated for integrity in milk labeling and for whole milk to be allowed in feeding programs like WIC and school lunch – knowing the powerhouse nutrition real milk provides and the benefits of dairy’s storehouse of vitamins, minerals, complete high-quality protein and complex matrix of healthy fats that provide flavor so people can enjoy milk and dairy foods and be nourished at the same time.

“We hope this collaboration leads to consumers learning that not only is milk and dairy essential for calcium and strong bones but to also understand how unique dairy is in fulfilling their needs for many other nutrients of concern found lacking in diets in recent years -- as well as the role of dairy fat in metabolic health and the value of high-quality nutrient-dense real dairy protein at a time when the very integrity of milk and dairy is under attack by alternative labels,” Fischer noted.



USDA Dairy Products January 2022 Production Highlights

Total cheese output (excluding cottage cheese) was 1.17 billion pounds, 2.8 percent above January 2021 and 1.8 percent above December 2021. Italian type cheese production totaled 489 million pounds, 1.7 percent above January 2021 and 0.9 percent above December 2021. American type cheese production totaled 480 million pounds, 1.1 percent above January 2021 and 4.7 percent above December 2021. Butter production was 195 million pounds, 6.9 percent below January 2021 but 8.5 percent above December 2021.

Dry milk products (comparisons in percentage with January 2021)
Nonfat dry milk, human - 171 million pounds, down 13.8 percent.
Skim milk powder - 43.4 million pounds, up 20.6 percent.

Whey products (comparisons in percentage with January 2021)
Dry whey, total - 80.3 million pounds, down 4.4 percent.
Lactose, human and animal - 101 million pounds, up 7.2 percent.
Whey protein concentrate, total - 47.5 million pounds, up 8.5 percent.

Frozen products (comparisons in percentage with January 2021)
Ice cream, regular (hard) - 53.1 million gallons, down 6.9 percent.
Ice cream, lowfat (total) - 28.4 million gallons, down 7.5 percent.
Sherbet (hard) - 2.11 million gallons, down 20.8 percent.
Frozen yogurt (total) - 3.60 million gallons, down 5.4 percent.



Biofuel & Ag Leaders Call on White House to Provide Relief at the Pump Through Higher Blends of Biofuels

To provide relief at the pump in response to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis while simultaneously reducing carbon emissions from the transportation sector, six farm and biofuel organizations wrote to President Biden urging his administration to use existing authority to allow for the year-round sale of gasoline blended with up to 15 percent ethanol (E15).

In a letter to the White House, the American Farm Bureau Federation, Growth Energy, National Corn Growers Association, National Farmers Union, National Sorghum Producers, and the Renewable Fuels Association explained that an immediate move to restore year-round sales of E15 can ease the impact of oil market disruptions and surging gas prices caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“As American families continue to confront skyrocketing gas prices, we write today to urge the Administration to take a simple action that can provide immediate relief at the pump while simultaneously reducing carbon emissions from the transportation sector,” wrote the organizations. “Specifically, we request that the Administration use its authority to authorize the year-round sale of gasoline blended with up to 15 percent ethanol (E15) in response to surging oil prices and expected fuel supply disruptions caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“As Russia’s harmful actions in Ukraine continue and further sanctions are potentially imposed against Russia, oil prices will likely continue to rise, creating still higher consumer costs and threatening U.S. energy and economic security. Expanding the volume of American-made ethanol in the U.S. fuel supply can help alleviate these issues, as ethanol is currently priced 70-80 cents per gallon lower than gasoline. And, by displacing imported petroleum, increased ethanol use will enhance U.S. energy security and independence, while reducing emissions and supporting America’s farmers and rural economies.”