Monday March 14 Ag News

College instructor, retired farmer donates tractor to Northeast Community College’s Nexus Campaign

There’s a special twist to a farm retirement auction next week on the Big Iron platform. Proceeds from one of the tractors offered will be donated to the Northeast Community College agriculture department. The equipment being auctioned belongs to Bob and Shelley Noonan. They retired from active farming last year after 41 years on their place near Cornlea where they have raised their three children as well as corn and soybeans and seed corn for Producers Hybrids.

“I love farming so much,” Bob Noonan said, “but I have come to find that I love teaching about farming just as much.”

Noonan has been a full-time ag instructor at Northeast Community College since 2013, and he says he plans to continue in that position another six or seven years. But the Noonans now have seven grandchildren and he wants more time to spend with his family.

As an ag instructor, Noonan has been part of the planning for new ag facilities on the Norfolk campus. He said he wanted to make a meaningful donation to the Nexus fund drive for these buildings, and his retirement from active farming provided that opportunity.

“Another ag instructor, Bernie Theyen, told me about a farmer in Illinois who put a tractor up for auction for a hospital,” Noonan said, “and it brought hundreds of thousands of dollars.”

He doesn’t expect his 1967 4020 John Deere to bring a six-figure bid when it is sold Tuesday, but he is hoping it will generate a sizeable gift to Northeast, and perhaps encourage other retiring farmers to consider similar donations.

“I hope some others recognize the value of the college ag department and especially of the Nexus project. All Northeast ag students will be in the new buildings sometime during their time at Northeast,” he continued, “especially the vet tech, animal science and precision and mechanized ag students.”

Noonan says agriculture is a good career choice for students right now, with a wide variety of opportunities.

“I hope before I retire, we will be able to draw more students from the cities and towns who really don’t have a big ag background. It’s not just doing the hands on farming every day,” he explained of current opportunities in agriculture. “The co-ops, all the agronomy businesses, have become so much more specialized. Those businesses and the bigger farmers need the expertise from the type of students we produce at the College.”

The 4020 being donated to Northeast was the John Deere workhorse in the 1970s, Noonan explained.

“That tractor has done so much field work, planted so many crops. It hauled irrigation pipe, pulled manure spreaders. Its main purpose in recent years was on augers to load out corn and soybeans.”

Noonan’s father purchased it new in 1970 from the implement dealer in Humphrey and gave it to Bob and Shelley in 1982. Noonan says he isn’t big on equipment appearance, so his tractor could use a coat of paint.

“But it has a recent engine overhaul and a new clutch put in last year,” he said. “Plus it has brand new batteries.”

The Noonan Retirement Auction will be held Tue., March 23, on the Big Iron site. For a listing of the equipment and more information on how to bid, visit the website bigiron.com and search for “Noonan.”



REPLACING THIN ALFLAFA
Ben Beckman, NE Extension Forage Educator

Planting new fields of alfalfa is expensive.  So many of us put off tearing up old fields and planting new ones.  But is this smart?

Alfalfa stands usually reach peak production by year two or three.  After this, yields tend to decline each year.  By year four or five, yields are often much lower than their peak years, especially for dryland fields, because the subsurface moisture that plants were using during the early years is all gone.  This is most noticeable during drought years when regrowth is almost zero after the first or second cut. Yield decline in irrigated fields is slower but usually is a ton or more lower by year five or six.  In addition, thin stands with densities of less than 50 stems per square foot can open the door for weed encroachment.

So, should you try to squeeze another year out of your current alfalfa stand? Calculate the costs. First, and most obvious, how will the lower yield of your old field compare to yields from a younger field.  A second loss, is the lost rotation benefit received by crops like corn that follow alfalfa in the rotation.  Not only will alfalfa reduce your nitrogen fertilizer needs by one hundred to one hundred fifty pounds over the next couple years, much research has shown that corn after alfalfa often yields ten to twenty bushels more per acre than it will even with extra fertilizer.

This rotation benefit could be especially valuable this year if commodity and fertilizer prices stay high.  So if you have alfalfa fields that are past their prime, or maybe show winter damage this spring, this might be an excellent time to rotate those fields to a different crop and plant some new, higher yielding acres to alfalfa.

Both your alfalfa crop and the rotated crop could benefit.



Saunders County Quarterly Ag Breakfasts Resume March 25th
Aaron Nygren, NE Extension Educator

If you would like to learn more about what is going on with the current grain and livestock markets, please plan to join us for the Saunders County Quarterly Ag Breakfast the morning of Friday, March 25th at the Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center, formerly known as the ARDC. Nebraska Extension in Saunders County, in association with Union Bank and Trust of Wahoo and the Saunders County Corn Growers, are sponsoring this program, which will happen quarterly, with each program consisting of a speaker covering a relevant ag topic and breakfast. The initial meeting will take place on Friday, March 25th at the August N. Christenson Research and Education Building at the Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center near Mead, address 1071 County Rd G, Ithaca, NE 68033.

Registration will begin at 7:30 a.m. Hot breakfast will be provided courtesy of Union Bank and Trust of Wahoo and the Saunders County Corn Growers Association from 7:30 a.m. until 8:15 a.m. Our speaker, Jeff Peterson, of Heartland Farm Partners, will then provide an update of agricultural commodity markets following breakfast, with the program concluding around 9:00 a.m.

There is no cost to attend. However, ff you plan to attend, we ask that you call the Saunders County Extension Office at (402) 624-8030 and RSVP to Cheyenne Chromy by Wednesday, March 23rd.

Going forward, Nebraska Extension in Saunders County will be hosting a quarterly breakfast to update the community on agricultural topics relevant to the area. If you have any questions about this program or would like to be involved with future quarterly ag breakfasts, please contact either Connor Biehler, Beef Systems extension educator or Aaron Nygren, Water and Integrated Cropping Systems extension educator at 402-624-8030.



Former NE Farm Bureau President To Join Sasse Staff

U.S. Senator Ben Sasse released the following statement announcing that Steve Nelson, former President of the Nebraska Farm Bureau, has joined his staff as a Senior Agriculture Policy Advisor.

“It’s Nebraska’s job to feed the world — and we’re darn good at it. We’re leading the way, but we have to keep pushing for more trade deals and less Washington red tape. Steve is an expert, and I’m proud to have him on our team as we keep working hard to serve Nebraskans.”

Nelson farms near Axtell and served as NEFB President for nine years beginning in 2011.



Iowa Farmer Wins National Conservation Legacy Award

The American Soybean Association (ASA) presented Wayne and Ruth Fredericks from Osage, Iowa, with the 2022 National Conservation Legacy Award during the annual ASA Awards Banquet at Commodity Classic on March 11, 2022.

The Conservation Legacy Awards program is a national program designed to recognize the outstanding environmental and conservation achievements of soybean farmers that help produce more sustainable U.S. soybeans. Along with ASA, the program is co-sponsored by BASF, Bayer, Nutrien, the United Soybean Board/Our Soy Checkoff and Valent.

Fredericks calls himself the “accidental conservationist.” When he started farming in 1973, he believed a fully conventional tillage operation was the only way to go. But after nearly 20 years, Mother Nature stepped in and upended those plans on the Osage, Iowa, farm, turning Fredericks into a lifetime proponent of all things conservation.

“Our land needed the plow to raise soybeans successfully, or so I thought,” he says. “For the first 19 years, I plowed all my cornstalks ahead of soybeans, and I worked all my soybean stubble ahead of corn. In the winter of 1991, I was faced with a challenge I had yet to encounter. My farmland froze early, and I had not gotten my cornstalks plowed. What was I going to do?”

On the advice of his John Deere dealer, Fredericks planted his soybeans with a drill the following season. The crop performed well, weeds were under control and a smooth harvest led to strong yields. Fredericks never looked back, and today after almost 50 years farming with his wife, Ruth, the 756-acre farm of corn and soybeans is in a no-till/strip-till rotation. The farm also includes about eight acres of pollinator habitat enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).

“Strip-till corn came about a decade after no-till. The technology evolved and showed very real promise for those of us farming in colder, wetter climates,” says Fredericks. “I live and farm ‘just south of the North Pole,’ where many farmers believe it is too cold to practice no-till or to plant cover crops. I have proven them wrong.”

Fredericks says his goal became one of setting an example for other farmers by successfully showing that no-till and cover crops work, sharing information he learned and trying to make a dramatic difference on a large scale. As part of that effort, in 2008 he began working on replicated strip trials with the Iowa Soybean Association’s (ISA) On-Farm Network.

“To date, I have done over 100 replicated trials,” he says. “In 2016, while serving as president of ISA, Iowa was amid the Des Moines Water Works lawsuit against three northwest counties over nitrate levels in the Racoon River. I immediately moved from 50% to 100% in planting cover crops, and I knew from water sampling that it would dramatically reduce nitrates in tile drainage water. Everything we do on land affects someone else’s water downstream.”

Fredericks has seen positive results on his soils as well. “We learned early on that there was a huge reduction in the amount of organic matter in our soil under tillage. In a long-term study that looked at some of our farm, we nearly doubled our organic matter in 30 years after we quit conventional tillage and went to no-till, strip-till and now, cover crops,” he says. “Organic matter helps build soil structure and can supplement additional moisture needs when it gets dry.”

Fredericks has also undertaken conservation practices beyond his crop fields. In 2014, he completed a farm profitability analysis to enroll in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP).

“We found some spots in our corn-soybean rotation that were not, necessarily, always profitable,” he says. “By placing them in a conservation program, we could improve our bottom-line profitability but also provide wonderful habitat for monarch butterflies and other species.”

He had noticed a dramatic loss in the population of monarchs at about the same time. Since farming practices in the Midwest were partly blamed, he wanted to help protect the species. He seeded seven acres of pollinators across seven different locations and became ASA’s representative to Farmers for Monarchs, an initiative of the Keystone Policy Center. The small sites also provided new habitats for wildlife. One pollinator habitat next to the farm’s windbreak has added to the winter traffic of wildlife as animals find both food and protection in the area.

The following individuals were recognized for receiving regional Conservation Legacy Awards during the awards program. Click on a name below to watch a video on each of the regional winners’ operations.
• Wayne Fredericks, Osage, Iowa (Midwest Region)
• Brian and Jamie Johnson, Frankfort, South Dakota (Upper Midwest Region)
• Shane Burchfiel, Dyersburg, Tennessee (South Region)
• Grier Stayton, Lincoln, Delaware (Northeast Region)
 
A national selection committee, composed of soybean farmers, conservationists, agronomists and natural resource professionals, evaluated nominations based on each farmer’s environmental and economic program. The achievements of these farmers serve as a positive example for other farmers and help produce a more sustainable U.S. soybean crop.



Strong Momentum Continues for U.S. Beef Exports; Pork Exports Trend Lower

Coming off a record-breaking performance in 2021, U.S. beef exports remained red-hot in January, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). Pork exports continued to trend lower in January, despite another outstanding month for exports to leading market Mexico.

Wide range of markets fuel another $1 billion month for beef exports
Beef exports totaled 119,066 metric tons (mt), up 13% from a year ago, while value soared 57% to $1.03 billion. This was the third-highest value total on record – trailing only August and November of last year – and export value per head of fed slaughter set a new record, exceeding $500 for the first time. Export value to South Korea set a new record – topping $300 million – and strong year-over-year increases were achieved in China/Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, the Caribbean and Central America.

"This is a truly remarkable run for U.S. beef exports, and the momentum is not limited to our large Asian markets," said USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom. "Regions such as Central America and the Caribbean contributed significantly to January export growth, and export value made strong gains in the Middle East."

Strong pork exports to Mexico, but global shipments trend lower
January pork exports totaled 208,808 mt, down 16% from a year ago, while export value fell 14% to $555.6 million. Exports to Mexico were outstanding, up 36% from a year ago to more than 87,000 mt. Exports to the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica and El Salvador also continued to gain momentum and export value to Korea jumped significantly, but shipments to most other markets were below last year.

As expected, the continued rebound in China's pork production has slowed demand for U.S. pork, but Halstrom also noted the impact of additional headwinds.

"We have spoken often over the past year about port congestion and other logistical challenges, and shipping costs are heavily impacting the U.S. pork industry's ability to serve certain markets," he said. "Australia, for example, has been a very reliable destination for U.S. hams for further processing, but shipping raw material to Oceania is becoming cost-prohibitive. The low price of European pork is also impacting demand in other further-processing markets such as Southeast Asia and Taiwan. This underscores the importance of our Western Hemisphere markets, where the U.S. industry continues to pursue new strategies for increasing pork consumption and expanding demand. It is also a reminder that the U.S. industry must continue to strive for market diversification, so we are well-prepared for shifts in the competitive landscape."

Lamb exports trend higher, led by strong demand in Mexico
January exports of U.S. lamb totaled 1,533 mt, up 49% from a year ago, while export value climbed 59% to $1.9 million. Variety meat exports to leading market Mexico accounted for $1.3 million of the value total, a year-over-year increase of 73% and a new monthly record. Lamb muscle cut exports were higher year-over-year to Mexico, the Caribbean and Panama.



Combined United States and Canadian Soybeans Crushed Down 3 Percent From 2020

Combined United States and Canadian soybeans crushed for crude oil was 66.0 million tons in 2021, an decrease of 3 percent from 2020.  Crude oil production was 25.9 billion pounds, down 1 percent from 2020.

Combined United States and Canadian canola seeds crushed for crude oil was 12.9 million tons in 2021, down 5 percent from 2020.  Crude oil production was 11.0 billion pounds, down 7 percent from 2020.

This publication is a result of a joint effort by Statistics Canada and USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service to release the soybean and canola seed crushings information for both countries within one publication. United States soybean and oilseed crushings numbers for 2021 were previously released on March 1, 2022. Canadian soybean and oilseed crushings were released on January 25, 2022.



USDA Confirms Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Backyard Flock in Kansas

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a non-commercial backyard mixed species flock (poultry) in Franklin County, Kansas. Samples from the flock were tested at the Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and confirmed at the USDA–APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa.

The Kansas Department of Agriculture is working closely with USDA–APHIS on a joint incident response. KDA officials quarantined the affected premises, and birds on the property will be depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease.

Anyone involved with poultry production from the small backyard chicken owner to the large commercial producer should review their biosecurity activities to assure the health of their birds. Find guidance on biosecurity on the KDA Division of Animal Health webpage at agriculture.ks.gov/AvianInfluenza. More biosecurity resources as well as updates on the current HPAI status nationwide can be found on the APHIS website at: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/avian/avian-influenza/2022-hpai.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is a highly contagious viral disease that can infect chickens, turkeys and other birds and can cause severe illness and/or sudden death in infected birds. Attentively monitor your birds for symptoms of HPAI which include: coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge, and other signs of respiratory distress; lack of energy and appetite; decreased water consumption; decreased egg production and/or soft-shelled, misshapen eggs; incoordination; and diarrhea. Avian influenza can also cause sudden death in birds even if they aren’t showing other symptoms.



Register Today for 2022 Stockmanship & Stewardship Events

Registration is now open for three Stockmanship & Stewardship regional events, with the first stop in Blacksburg, Va., in May. During each event producers can become BQA certified, network with fellow cattlemen and women, participate in hands-on demonstrations led by stockmanship experts including Curt Pate and Dr. Ron Gill, and learn cutting-edge operation techniques.

2022 Stockmanship & Stewardship events include:
    Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va., May 20-21
    Leavenworth, Kan., June 16-18
    Auburn University, Auburn, Ala., Aug. 12-13

“In today’s world, no matter the beef production system you are involved with, stockmanship and stewardship are more important than ever,” said Curt Pate, Stockmanship & Stewardship clinician, and cattle handling expert. “This quality program combines age-old skills with modern practices to improve your bottom line and quality of life.”

Stockmanship & Stewardship is a unique educational experience for cattle producers featuring low-stress cattle handling demonstrations, Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) educational sessions, facility design sessions and industry updates that you won’t find anywhere else. The program is sponsored by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), Merck Animal Health, and the Beef Checkoff-funded National Beef Quality Assurance program.

“Merck Animal Health is proud to have a long-standing partnership with NCBA in ensuring education and animal welfare training with our sponsorship of Stockmanship & Stewardship,” said Kevin Mobley, executive director of sales and marketing for Merck Animal Health. “With products and technology designed to enhance animal health, productivity and traceability, combined with the expertise of our people, Merck Animal Health is in a unique position to provide leadership and innovation in the area of sustainability.”

For more information about upcoming Stockmanship & Stewardship events and to register, visit www.StockmanshipAndStewardship.org. Cattle producers attending a Stockmanship & Stewardship event are eligible for reimbursement through the Rancher Resilience Grant. To apply for a grant to cover registration costs and two nights hotel, visit www.ncba.org/producers/rancher-resilience-grant.  



Cull Prices Skyrocket, Calves Fall
David P. Anderson, Extension Economist, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

Cow and calf prices have taken divergent paths in recent weeks due to the uncertainty of war, rising feed costs, record cattle on feed, and shifting consumer purchases. Heavier feeder cattle, 750 lb. steers, have dropped dramatically over the last two weeks from about $165 per wt to $156 per cwt. They remain well above last year’s $138. Lighter weight steers, 550 lb and 450 lb, exhibited little decline and were about $199 and $213 in the first week of March in the Southern Plains. Country auctions further away from feedlots have been hit even harder on price. Much higher fuel costs are certainly a factor in lower calf prices.

Cull cow prices hit $75 per cwt in the Southern Plains last week, up from $55 in early February. A year ago, 85-90% lean cull cows averaged about $46 per cwt. The five-year average price for the first week of March was about $59 per cwt.

Cow prices are increasing in spite of large cow slaughter. Weekly cow slaughter during the first two weeks of February totaled, at least, 145,000 head per week. That was the largest weekly slaughter since the first week of December 2012. It was the biggest two consecutive weeks since the Fall of 2011. Beef cow slaughter has been extremely large, rivaling peak Fall slaughter levels. This large beef cow slaughter is coinciding with seasonally large dairy cow slaughter, which typically peaks early in the year.

High cow beef prices are providing some insight into beef demand. Both the cow beef cutout and the wholesale 90 percent lean beef for ground beef are well above a year ago, at $229 and $284 per cwt, respectively. Wholesale middle meat prices have dropped in recent weeks. For example, both wholesale ribeye and strip loin prices have fallen below year ago levels. There is some evidence of consumers shifting purchases to more ground beef and fewer steaks in response to high retail prices. There is also evidence of some shifting to less expensive Select beef cuts and away from higher priced Choice and Prime.

By the last week of February, slaughter had eased to 137,000 head, remaining larger than the same week last year. Both dairy and beef cow slaughter declined. Increasing milk prices should slow dairy culling in coming weeks, as it often does seasonally. Beef cow culling is going to be greatly influenced by drought and costs. The rate of culling over the last year should have already moved most of the older, less productive cows. On balance, reduced dairy culling should pull down total cow slaughter and support prices in coming weeks.



Ag Ministry: Ukraine Bans Fertilizer Exports

Ukraine, a major global producer of agricultural products, has banned exports of fertilizers given the Russian invasion, the agriculture ministry said on Saturday (March 12).

According to Reuters, Ukraine has already banned exports of some agricultural commodities and introduced licenses for its key export goods — wheat, corn and sunflower oil.

"The cabinet of ministers is introducing a zero quota for the export of mineral fertilizers that is a de facto ban on the export of fertilizers from Ukraine," the ministry said in a statement.

It said the ban would help "to maintain balance in the domestic market" and applied to nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and complex fertilizers.

Ukraine traditionally starts spring field work in late February or in March.

Farmers say they will start sowing in safe areas as soon as they can.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday the country must sow as many crops as possible this spring, despite the Russian invasion.

The country's agriculture producers' union said this week farmers were likely to reduce areas sown to sunseed, rapeseed, and corn this year, replacing them with cereals — buckwheat, oats and millet.

Ukraine, the world's largest exporter of sunflower oil, had forecast before the invasion that it could export more than 60 million tonnes of grain, including 33 million tonnes of corn and 23 million tonnes of wheat, in the 2021/22 July-June season.



Sheep Industry Report Provides 2021 Assessment
 
The sheep and lamb industry saw prices reach historic levels in 2021. The year of outstanding domestic demand for lamb is summarized in the 2021 Sheep Industry Review – a checkoff funded report commissioned by the American Lamb Board and compiled by the American Sheep Industry Association.
 
“The pandemic continued to bring uncertainty during 2021, which drove shifts in consumer food consumption and buying patterns,” said ALB Chairman Peter Camino of Buffalo, Wyo. “Per capita lamb consumption was 1.36 pounds per person for 2021 – the highest level since the early 1990s. Gains in lamb consumption have been linked to the year-round availability of more lamb cuts in supermarkets and direct sales as a result of the pandemic.”
 
Various factors on the supply side supported higher lamb prices. Persistent drought, higher feed costs and other production constraints – as well as strong slaughter ewe prices – resulted in significantly large mature sheep slaughter in 2021. The continuing downward trend in the American sheep flock has resulted in a smaller lamb crop and lamb supply. Additionally, cold storage inventories in 2021 were below year ago levels, which provided further support to lamb prices.
 
Although economic uncertainty continued in 2021 – with focus on price inflation and consumer response to higher prices for meat and other goods – the feeder and slaughter lamb prices saw gains of more than 40 percent in 2021. The wholesale lamb market also saw record highs in response to strong consumer demand and tighter available supplies.

Sheep and lamb inventory continued a declining trend, down 2 percent to 5.065 million head. Breeding sheep inventory registered at 3.71 million head, also down 2 percent from the previous year. Replacement prices posted large gains during the latter half of 2021, similar to live lamb and wholesale lamb price trends. Ewe prices all set new record levels in 2021.
 
Texas held onto the top position with 430,000 ewes. California and New Mexico each had the largest ewe increases – both at 8 percent – but with a significant difference in total ewes: California's inventory is five times the amount of New Mexico's ewe inventory.
 
Commercial slaughter was up slightly in 2021 to 2.25 million head. Tighter supplies of feeder lambs were evidenced in lower on-feed numbers during spring and summer months with inventories climbing into the fall. Compared to the 2015-2019 average, on-feed supplies averaged 7 percent lower.
 
As the sheep flock has continued to decline, so has lamb production. Commercial lamb production was down only 0.5 percent for the year, but was 8 percent lower than the 2015-2019 average. This lower production is attributed to smaller lamb supply and lighter weights.
 
Feeder lamb (60-90 lbs.) prices in 2021 were above previous year levels every week except the first week of March. In fact, the industry saw a new record high posted at $271.27 per cwt. This equates to 2021 prices that were 45 percent higher than the 2015-2019 average price. These stronger prices were due to tighter lamb supplies, strong consumer demand for lamb and growth in ethnic, local and niche market demand.
 
Slaughter lamb prices also set records, coming in 44.8 percent higher than 2020 and averaging $217.25 per cwt. The record high was set in early August. This brings 2021 prices 46 percent higher than the 2015-2019 average.
 
Wholesale lamb values reached record levels during the second half of 2021. The robust wholesale market was supported by strong consumer demand, supply constraints in the meat and poultry complex and year-round availability of more lamb cuts in supermarkets. Based on retail data collected by 210 Analytics LLC across fresh and processed meat, lamb was the only one to grow pound sales year-on-year in 2020. Lamb also had the highest growth in pound sales when compared to the 2019 pre-pandemic normal.
 
Strong American lamb prices and tight domestic supplies provided an attractive market for lamb imports. In fact, lamb imports were 264.2 million pounds in 2021 – up 23.7 percent.
 
Mutton imports have surged in the last few years and were up 13.5 percent to 99.8 million pounds in 2021. Australia was the lead country for lamb imports, contributing 195.6 million pounds at an increase of 20.7 percent in 2021. New Zealand also contributed to lamb import totals at 32.9 percent above 2020 and 64.4 million pounds. Overall, imports responded to record high U.S. wholesale lamb prices during the latter half of 2021.
 
Exports for lamb and mutton totaled 3.48 million pounds – 7.6 percent higher than in 2021. Growth in the export sector was driven primarily by lamb variety meat exports to Mexico. Lamb muscle cut exports rallied to the Caribbean in 2021, with notable growth in the Dominican Republic and gains to Bermuda, the Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, and Turks and Caicos. Lamb exports as a percent of lamb and mutton production were 2.4 percent, slightly higher than in 2020, but lower than the 2015-2019 average of 3.7 percent.
 
Live sheep exports increased in 2021 driven by exports to Canada, which accounted for 74 percent of all live sheep exports. Live exports to Mexico have been in decline in recent years.
 
Looking at 2022, the 2021 Sheep Industry Review report estimates commercial production to decline 4 percent and commercial slaughter of American lamb to decrease by about 3 percent. Likewise, imports are expected to fall 3 percent to 352 million pounds. Total lamb availability is expected to contract by 5 percent, with a decline in per capita availability due to the decline in production relative to the U.S. population. In 2022, feeder lamb prices are expected to average 10 percent higher and slaughter lamb prices to average 5 percent higher.
 
Production costs for all segments of the industry are expected to remain high in 2022, making getting lamb to the consumer more costly than prior years. Feed costs are expected to remain high due to drought conditions and strained hay stocks. Tighter lamb supply suggests high live lamb and meat prices will continue in 2022. Inflationary pressure and lower disposable incomes are expected to impact consumer demand and purchasing behavior in 2022. Supply chain constraints and labor challenges are likely to continue during 2022.



NGFA members elect Greg Beck as chairman

National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) members elected Greg Beck, senior vice president of the grain division at CGB Enterprises Inc. in Covington, La., as NGFA chairman for the upcoming year. Outgoing Chairman JoAnn Brouillette announced election results during the opening general session of NGFA’s 126th annual convention in Charleston, S.C. on March 14.

Election results include industry officers, members of NGFA’s Board of Directors and the ratification of amendments to NGFA Trade Rules.

NGFA Officers
Congratulations to NGFA's industry officers who were elected to serve one-year terms. Their terms officially begin with the Board of Directors meeting on March 15.

NGFA Chairman: Greg Beck, senior vice president, grain division at CGB Enterprises Inc. in Covington, La.

NGFA First Vice Chairman: Chris Boerm, president, global transportation at Archer Daniels Midland Co. in Decatur, Ill.

NGFA Second Vice Chairman: Brian Schouvieller, senior vice president, global grain marketing at CHS Inc. in Saint Paul, Minn.

“It’s been an honor to work with each of these gentlemen through the years, and our Association is in great hands with their leadership,” Brouillette said. “This is a close-knit team. Each of them has progressed through the NGFA officer roles and worked together for the past several years problem-solving for the Association and its members.

Board of Directors
Congratulations to NGFA’s directors elected to serve three-year terms:

Wyatt Brummer, vice president western rail grains at The Scoular Company in Overland Park, Kan.

James Burgum, CEO of The Arthur Companies in Arthur, N.D.

Kayla Burkhart, general manager of Dakota Midland Grain in Voltaire, N.D.

Sharon Clark, senior vice president, regulatory affairs and compliance at Perdue AgriBusiness LLC in Salisbury, Md.

Kevin Gray, general manager of Morrow County Grain Growers Inc. in Lexington, Ore.

Jeff Hillman, chief financial officer at J.D. Heiskell & Co. in Omaha, Neb.

Dennis Inman, vice president, grain at Central Farm Service in Truman, Minn.

Paul Katovich, CEO of HighLine Grain Growers Inc. in Waterville, Wash.

Chad Nagel, vice president of Nagel Farm Service in Wye Mills, Md.

Benjamin Smith, vice president of grain at Attebury Companies, Inc. in Amarillo, Texas

Eric Wilkey, president of Arizona Grain Inc. in Casa Grande, Ariz.

Jeff Wilson, vice president trade and execution at Zen-Noh Grain Corporation in Covington, La.

Alan Woodard, CEO of CoMark Equity Alliance LLC in Cheney, Kan.

Additionally, NGFA Chairman JoAnn Brouillette has appointed Corey Jorgenson, CEO and general manager of Shell Rock Soy Processing LLC in Shell Rock, Iowa, to fill the remaining two years of the term for the seat previously held by Dawn Caldwell, formerly with Aurora Coop in Aurora, Neb.

The Association distributed the voting ballot to NGFA member companies eligible to vote (active and affiliated NGFA members) on Feb. 11. Ballots were due Feb. 25. By the deadline, the responses received exceeded the minimum necessary to meet quorum requirements and number of affirmative votes required to complete the elections.

Special thanks for the efforts of NGFA’s Nominations Committee: Committee Chairman John Fletcher, general manager at Central Missouri AGRIService LLC; Scott Docherty, general manager at Western Grain Marketing LLC; Ted Schultz, chief operating officer at Team Marketing Alliance; Shay Rambur, vice president and CA general manager at J.D. Heiskell & Co.; Dianne Klemme, vice president at Grain Service Corp.; and Jim Banachowski, vice president feed ingredient merchandising at Perdue AgriBusiness, LLC.  



Entrepreneurs Wanted: Apply by April 29 for Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge

The American Farm Bureau Federation, in partnership with Farm Credit, is seeking entrepreneurs to apply online for the 2023 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge. Now in its ninth year, this national business competition showcases U.S. startup companies developing innovative solutions to challenges faced by America’s farmers, ranchers and rural communities.

Farm Bureau is offering $165,000 in startup funds throughout the course of the competition, which will culminate in the top 10 semi-finalists competing in a live pitch competition in front of Farm Bureau members, investors and industry representatives at the AFBF Convention in January 2023 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

“Innovation is at the heart of everything farmers and ranchers do,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “The Ag Innovation Challenge is an outstanding avenue for identifying and supporting startup businesses striving to solve the problems facing rural America. I look forward to seeing the innovative, resourceful and creative solutions that Challenge applicants submit.”

Applications remain open through April 29, and the 10 semi-finalist teams will be announced Sept. 13. Each of the semi-finalist teams will be awarded $10,000 and a chance to compete to advance to the final round where four teams will receive an additional $5,000 each. The final four teams will compete to win:
    Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge Winner, for a total of $50,000
    Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge Runner-up, for a total of $20,000
    People’s Choice Team selected by public vote, for an additional $5,000 (all 10 semi-finalist teams compete for this honor)

Prior to the live pitch competition, the top 10 semi-finalist teams will participate in pitch training and mentorship from Cornell University’s SC Johnson College of Business faculty, and network with representatives from the Agriculture Department’s Rural Business Investment Companies.

Recent winners of the Ag Innovation Challenge include Grain Weevil Corporation, a grain bin safety and management robot that improves farmer well-being by controlling risks and costs (2022 Ag Innovation Challenge Winner) and Harvust, a software platform that helps farmers successfully hire, train and communicate with employees (2021 Ag Innovation Challenge Winner). Other examples of successful Ag Innovation Challenge participants, as well as detailed eligibility guidelines and the competition timeline can be found at fb.org/challenge.

Entrepreneurs must be members of a county or parish Farm Bureau within their state of residence to qualify as top 10 semi-finalists. Applicants who are not Farm Bureau members can visit https://www.fb.org/about/join to learn about becoming a member.

Applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on April 29, 2022.