Tuesday March 1 Ag News

  UNL will build Small Meat Processing Plant of the Future to assist state, region’s small processors

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln announced plans to develop the Small Meat Processing Plant of the Future during a roundtable discussion on Saturday, Feb. 26, at the Nebraska Association of Meat Processors annual convention in Grand Island.  

“The Small Plant of the Future will be a multi-disciplinary center to strengthen the meat industry in the region,” said Clint Krehbiel, head of UNL’s Animal Science department during the roundtable. The plant, which will be located alongside existing UNL Animal Science facilities, will serve as a regional processing hub for local cattle producers, as well as a prototype for other small and very small facilities.  

As part of the initiative, UNL will look at making equipment upgrades to the Loeffel harvest and processing facility on East Campus, hire and train staff to maintain regular slaughter operations, and establish a suite of resources available to those looking to set up or expand small processing operations.  The project is structured to have a multiplying effect across the region.  

Krehbiel said that the COVID-19 pandemic illuminated issues that small meat processors had faced for years, including the insufficient capacity of small processors to keep up with rising demand, barriers to implementing new technologies, and widespread workforce shortages. The Small Plant of the Future aims to address those issues.  

Multiple processors at the roundtable raised the issue of labor and staffing challenges. To help strengthen the workforce, the Small Plant of the Future will include a set of workforce development programs, including an internship program that will pair meat science students with small meat processing businesses across the state. UNL continues to look at other ways to integrate both degree and non-degree programs into its Small Plant initiative. This may include training programs including workshops for employees new to the meat processing industry, partnerships with community colleges, continuing education opportunities for more experienced meat processors, and more.

“UNL has been a leader in meat science for over 100 years,” Krehbiel said. “We want to be part of the solution.”

Representatives from USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service and Food Safety and Inspection Services were present at the roundtable; USDA Rural Development personnel joined remotely. The event came just two days after the USDA announced it was making available $215 million in grants and other support to expand meat and poultry processing options, strengthen the food supply chain, and create jobs and economic opportunities in rural areas. UNL hopes to look to this program as one potential source of funds; other fundraising efforts for the plant are already underway.  

The Small Plant of the Future concept comes at a time when the University has already committed millions to building and expanding existing UNL food facilities, including the Food Processing Center and the Feedlot Innovation Center, said Mike Boehm, NU vice president and Harlan Vice Chancellor for UNL’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

“The Small Plant of the Future is a natural extension of what we’ve been building at a time when the industry is in dire need,” Boehm said. “The Small Plant of the Future is a dream initiative for a land-grant institution like UNL -- one that marries academic programs with hands-on application and deep community partnerships that strengthen the region’s economy.”

Chad Lottman, who attended the roundtable, said the discussion on workforce development caught his attention. Lottman and his wife, Courtney, own Landmark Snacks in Beatrice, which produces meat sticks and other processed snack foods and employs around 200 people. Prior to starting that business, the Lottmans ran C&C Processing, a small meat locker in Diller. Processors of all sizes are struggling to find reliable, qualified employees, he said.  

“We need a skilled workforce,” he said,   

Lottman said an internship program in particular would be valuable to his business, which already employs several UNL graduates in its food safety division. For smaller processors, he said, help implementing new software programs and other technologies would be invaluable.  

“For the small processor, that’s difficult.”

Krehbiel said he anticipated that some workforce development programs could be in place by fall of 2022, with the addition of more programming and facility improvements incrementally over the next several years.  



NE Pork Hires Lentfer as Education Director

Sophia Lentfer from Firth, Nebraska has been hired as the Education Director for the Nebraska Pork Producers Association (NePPA). Lentfer graduated from UNL in May of 2020 majoring in animal science with an emphasis in meat science. While at the University she was part of the UNL Livestock and Meat Judging teams, an active member of the Kappa Delta sorority, and was a member of the 2018 NPPA Mentor program.

Sophia has a strong background in youth organizations. As a 4-H and FFA member she formed leadership qualities, self-confidence and other personal growth skills. She started out showing sheep, but quickly discovered her real passion was pigs. Working closely with swine experts to learn more about the industry, production, and show operations resulted in the opportunity to shine in the show pig arenas.  Sophia assisted with organizing seven national junior events for Team Purebred to offer kids opportunities to exhibit projects on a regional and national level. She was selected to serve as national representative for junior swine producers to help connect junior members to industry and offer professional development and served as Secretary for the national Team Purebred Junior Board Member, June 2018 – June 2020.

The Director of Education will work closely with elementary, secondary, and post-secondary education providers, 4-H and FFA leaders to connect them to our industry.  In accepting the position of Education Director, “Ms. Lentfer said, “I believe in the power of young people and look forward to sharing my passion for my love of pigs and promoting the swine industry to children and adults alike”.



WINTER SURVIVAL IN ALFALFA
– Ben Beckman, NE Extension Educator

The time for spring planting alfalfa is just around the corner, and selecting the right seed is crucial. Two traits we should take extra time to consider are fall dormancy and winter survival. These traits are often treated the same, but are different.  Today let’s look at winter survival.

Winter survival or winter hardiness is the ability for an alfalfa plant to make it through winter without injury, once the plant goes dormant. This is different than the fall dormancy rating that measures the alfalfa’s ability to prepare for and recover from dormancy.  Winter survival is measured on a 1 to 6 scale with 1 being extremely hardy and 6 not hardy.  For Nebraska, a winter survival rating of 3 is about as high as we want to go.

As temperatures drop and days shorten, alfalfa plants change their physiology to survive freezing temperatures and make it through winter.  While increased hardiness can result in reduced yield potential, for a high dollar perennial forage, having a full stand year after year is better in the long run.

In the past, winter survival traits were linked with fall dormancy.  With new varieties, this isn’t always the case, so winter survival needs to be evaluated on its own.

We want to pick a winter survival ranking that will get us through winter without compromising yield.  Where you are in the state plays a big role in what to pick. Winter temperatures affect the choice, but maintained snow cover is also important.  As snow can help insulate the ground, parts of the state that regularly have open winters may need as high or higher survival rating than colder locations with winter-long snow cover.

Bottom line for Nebraska, a winter survival rating of 3 is about as high as we want to go and areas with open winters or regularly colder temperatures should be even lower.  



‘A History of Nebraska Agriculture’ chosen for next Women in Agriculture book club

Nebraska Extension’s Women in Agriculture program has announced “A History of Nebraska Agriculture: A Life Worth Living,” by Jody L. Lamp and Melody Dobson, as the selection for its next book club, which will conclude with a live virtual chat with the authors at 6:30 p.m. on March 22.

Participation is free and a complimentary copy of the book will be mailed to the first 20 people that register at https://wia.unl.edu/book-club.

Published in 2017 by Arcadia Publishing and The History Press, “A History of Nebraska Agriculture: A Life Worth Living,” celebrates the state’s forgotten and untold agricultural history, highlighting more than a century and a half of agriculture industry, inventions and innovations in the Cornhusker state. The book tells the story of how Nebraska, once known as the “Great American Desert,” has seen farmers, ranchers and agribusiness leaders nurture and grow the plains and native grasslands that have helped the state become a domestic leader in producing food, feed and fuel.

Authors Lamp and Dobson co-founded the American Doorstep Project, which collects and shares stories that promote historical spaces, places, innovations, commodities and events that have shaped the U.S. over the past hundreds of years. Lamp is a native of Scotts Bluff County and worked as an agricultural reporter and photographer before opening her own public relations and marketing business in 2009. Dobson is originally from a fourth generation eastern Montana operating farm and ranch. As a national signature event coordinator for the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial, she now specializes in interpretive communication, sharing the stories of our nation’s great agrarian pioneers.

Nebraska Women in Agriculture will continue to host the book club every quarter. Featured books will cover a variety of topics, such as inspirational stories, grain marketing, farm finance, estate planning and more.

More information about the Nebraska Women in Agriculture program is available on the program’s website, https://wia.unl.edu.  



Iowa Forage and Grassland Council Conference Returns as In-person Event

Organizers of the annual Iowa Forage and Grassland Council conference have scheduled a full day of information as it returns to an in-person offering in 2022. Set for March 30, this year’s event will take place at Iowa State University’s McNay Memorial Research and Demonstration Farm near Chariton.

Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. with the morning speakers at 10 a.m. Lunch, which will begin at 12:15 p.m., will include the Iowa Forage and Grassland Council annual meeting, and will be followed by a speaker and a producer panel. At 2:45 p.m. there will be a question-and-answer session for all speakers, and from 3 to 4 p.m., optional plot tours are available for all attendees.

Conference topics and speakers include:
    Advancements in hay equipment – Jeremy Erdmann, John Deere.
    Opportunities to increase days of grazing for small and mid-sized cow outfits – Eric Mousel, University of Minnesota.
    Making cover crops work in the upper corn belt – Cody Nelson, agronomist.
    Carbon programs … what’s available to producers – Chad Hart, professor in economics and extension grain markets specialist at Iowa State University.
    Utilizing cover crops on their farms – Producer panel: Allen Zellmer, producer from Atlantic; and Logan Wallace, farm manager, McNay Memorial Research and Demonstration Farm.

Members who have not yet paid dues can do so during the online registration process.

See the Iowa Forage and Grassland Council conference website https://agribiz.swoogo.com/2022ifgc for a map to the farm, links to the schedule and an online registration form.

For more information, contact ISU Extension and Outreach beef specialist Patrick Wall at patwall@iastate.edu or 515-450-7665.



 ASA President Testifies for Soy Growers Before House Ag. Committee on Title I of Farm Bill

American Soybean Association (ASA) President Brad Doyle, a soybean farmer from Arkansas, testified this morning during the U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture Committee’s hearing on Title I of the farm bill.

The hearing provided an opportunity for commodity organization leaders to discuss specific farm safety net components of the 2018 Farm Bill, including Price Loss Coverage (PLC), Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC), and Marketing Assistance Loans (MAL).

During his testimony, Doyle reflected on farmer feedback received from ASA’s 12 farm bill listening sessions, farm bill survey, and written comments received, highlighting two primary concerns of U.S. soybean growers regarding ARC and PLC: soybeans have an insufficient reference price and a low level of base acres.

“If there were ever a time that the farm safety net was designed for, it was the trade war in 2018 and 2019. Factors well outside farmers’ control structurally shifted, collapsing much of the demand for U.S. soybeans,” Doyle said. “If soybeans, the second-largest crop by area in the U.S., did not receive help through Title I during this critical situation, it is hard to imagine a scenario where the Title I safety net could provide meaningful help with the current reference price. It is clear that improvements are needed to make the farm safety net effective for soybean farmers.”

The current five-year farm bill is set to expire in 2023. In preparation for farm bill reauthorization, ASA will continue to engage with policy makers to ensure a secure safety net for U.S. soy growers in the next bill.



NCGA President Provides Testimony on Farm Bill Commodity Programs

The president of the National Corn Growers Association spoke today before the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture about the key challenges corn growers are facing and offered reflections on existing farm bill commodity programs.

“NCGA has a long history of advocating for market-orientated farm policies, including commodity and crop insurance programs that help growers manage their risks,” Iowa farmer and NCGA President Chris Edgington told the committee. “Our focus continues to be on accessible and defensible tools geared towards revenue, which factors in both yield and price risks that growers may face throughout the growing and market seasons.”

Edgington was invited by the committee to speak at the hearing, entitled “A 2022 Review of the Farm Bill: Commodity Group Perspectives on Title 1.”

During the 2018 Farm Bill, NCGA supported increasing the opportunities for producers to choose between the commodity programs, Edgington noted. Thanks to that work, producers were able to elect between the Agriculture Risk Coverage County, ARC-Individual and Price Loss Coverage programs in 2019, and, since 2021, they have an annual opportunity to change their elections. Growers are currently working with their Farm Service Agency offices ahead of the March 15, 2022, deadline for program elections for the upcoming crop year.



NFU Concludes 120th Anniversary Convention

The National Farmers Union (NFU) 120th Anniversary Convention concluded today following the adoption of the organization’s policy book and special orders of business. More than 450 members and guests convened in Denver, Colorado, to set policy positions and priorities that support American farm and ranch families and strengthen rural communities.

Delegates to the convention adopted the NFU policy book and five special orders of business that will guide the organization’s government affairs priorities over the course of the next year. Before the policy review began, they re-elected Rob Larew as president and elected Jeff Kippley as the organization’s vice president.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack headlined the general session. Convention attendees also heard remarks from Colorado Governor Jared Polis, and Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture Kate Greenberg. Senator Jon Tester of Montana also addressed the convention body and was presented with the Fairness for Farmers Champion Award.

"It was inspirational to be back in the presence of so many enthusiastic Farmers Union members after a long and difficult two years," said NFU President Rob Larew. "We had a lot of catching up to do and we exchanged what we learned from the challenges we faced. After hearing from a remarkable slate of speakers and a robust policy setting process, we leave Denver with a newfound energy. After all, Farmers Union is at its finest when the challenges are great, and we are well positioned to succeed in the difficult year ahead.

"I'd also like to thank Patty Edelburg for her four years of dedicated service as NFU Vice President. I look forward to working together with newly elected NFU Vice President Jeff Kippley."

In order to provide the national organization with a set of priorities for the coming year, delegates approved five special orders of business:
·    Fairness for Farmers
·    Family Farming and Supply Chains
·    Family Farming and Agricultural Workforce and Food Processing Reform
·    Family Farming and Climate Change
·    Family Farming and Dairy Policy Reform

Full text of the adopted policy manual will be available soon at www.nfu.org.



Kippley Elected Vice President of National Farmers Union

Delegates to the National Farmers Union (NFU) 120th Anniversary Convention re-elected Rob Larew as President and elected Jeff Kippley as Vice President. Their two-year term begins today and will conclude at NFU’s 122nd Anniversary Convention in 2024.

Kippley, who farms with his wife, Rachel, and dad, John, near Aberdeen, S.D., was motivated to fight for fair market prices. “Policy changes need to take place soon, so our children can earn a fair living on the family farm or ranch,” Kippley said. “This is critical for America’s farm families and our rural communities.”

Larew, re-elected for a second term, expressed his gratitude to the attendees, pledging to continue fighting for the organization’s key priorities, “I am honored to continue the fight for fairness on behalf of America’s farm families and their communities.  National Farmers Union’s mission and time-tested values will be essential to ensuring a prosperous future, and it is a privilege to represent our vibrant and growing organization,” said Larew.   

Larew splits his time between his farm in Greenville, West Virginia, and the national office in Washington, D.C. He previously worked in Congress and at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and served for four years as the NFU Vice President of Government Relations and Communications from 2016 to 2020.



EIA Data Confirm Record Ethanol Blend Rate in 2021

Data released Monday by the U.S. Energy Information Administration show that ethanol comprised a record share of America’s gasoline in 2021, averaging 10.34 percent of every gallon sold. The final EIA data for 2021 also confirmed a significant rebound in both ethanol production and consumption after COVID-related shutdowns ravaged the fuel market in 2020. The Renewable Fuels Association said the EIA data also underscore ethanol’s ability to diversify the domestic fuel supply and keep pump prices in check.

EIA’s data show that the U.S. ethanol industry produced 15.02 billion gallons (bg) in 2021, an 8 percent increase over 2020 and the largest annual volume growth since 2010. Domestic ethanol consumption grew even faster, jumping 1.26 bg over 2020 levels—a 10 percent increase. Meanwhile, U.S. ethanol exports dipped slightly from 2020 levels, but still registered as the fifth highest on record.

RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper said the data underscore the resilience of the U.S. ethanol industry and highlight the fact that the so-called “E10 blend wall” continues to crumble.

“Ethanol’s share of our nation’s gasoline continues to rise, as consumers are increasingly drawn to lower-cost, lower-carbon options like E15 and E85,” Cooper said. “Based on the EIA data, we estimate that 600-700 million gallons of ethanol were consumed in blends other than E10, proving that the oil industry’s so-called ‘blend wall’ is nothing but a figment of their imagination. As war in eastern Europe destabilizes global petroleum markets and crude oil prices continue to rise, our nation’s leaders should be taking steps to increase the use of cleaner-burning, homegrown ethanol. We have enough unused production capacity in the ethanol industry to entirely replace U.S. crude oil imports from Russia.”



USDA: Fats and Oils: Oilseed Crushings, Production, Consumption and Stocks

Soybeans crushed for crude oil was 5.83 million tons (194 million bushels) in January 2022, compared with 5.95 million tons (198 million bushels) in December 2021 and 5.90 million tons (197 million bushels) in January 2021. Crude oil produced was 2.28 billion pounds down 2 percent from December 2021 and down 1 percent from January 2021. Soybean once refined oil production at 1.59 billion pounds during January 2022 decreased 3 percent from December 2021 but increased less than 1 percent from January 2021.

2021 Fats and Oils Oilseed Crushings, Production, Consumption and Stocks
Soybeans crushed for crude oil was 64.2 million tons in 2021, a decrease of 3 percent from 2020.  Crude oil production was 25.2 billion pounds, down 1 percent from 2020.



USDA Grain Crushings and Co-Products Production

Total corn consumed for alcohol and other uses was 527 million bushels in January 2022. Total corn consumption was down 1 percent from December 2021 but up 13 percent from January 2021. January 2022 usage included 92.2 percent for alcohol and 7.8 percent for other purposes. Corn consumed for beverage alcohol totaled 3.79 million bushels, down 20 percent from December 2021 but up 15 percent from January 2021. Corn for fuel alcohol, at 474 million bushels, was down 1 percent from December 2021 but up 14 percent from January 2021. Corn consumed in January 2022 for dry milling fuel production and wet milling fuel production was 92.5 percent and 7.5 percent, respectively.

Dry mill co-product production of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) was 1.93 million tons during January 2022, down 7 percent from December 2021 but up 10 percent from January 2021. Distillers wet grains (DWG) 65 percent or more moisture was 1.43 million tons in January 2022, up less than 1 percent from December 2021 and up 37 percent from January 2021.

Wet mill corn gluten feed production was 271,890 tons during January 2022, down 5 percent from December 2021 and down 4 percent from January 2021. Wet corn gluten feed 40 to 60 percent moisture was 197,175 tons in January 2022, down 8 percent from December 2021 and down 8 percent from January 2021.

2021 Grain Crushings and Co-Products Production
Total corn consumed for alcohol for 2021 was 5.28 billion bushels, up 7 percent from 2020. Corn for beverage alcohol in 2021 totaled 43.8 million bushels, up 3 percent from 2020. Corn for fuel alcohol was 5.15 billion bushels in 2021, up 8 percent from 2020.  

Dry mill co-product production of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) was 22.2 million tons during 2021, up 10 percent from 2020. Distillers wet grains (DWG) 65 percent or more moisture was 13.9 million tons in 2021, up 12 percent from 2020.  Distillers dried grain (DDG) was 4.14 million tons in 2021, up 9 percent from 2020.

Wet mill corn gluten feed production was 3.37 million tons during 2021, down 2 percent from 2020. Wet corn gluten feed 40 to 60 percent moisture was 2.47 million tons, down 5 percent from 2020.

Dry and wet mill carbon dioxide captured was 2.70 million tons in 2021, up 18 percent from 2020.



U.S. Grain Companies Shutting Down Ukraine Operations

U.S. agriculture companies operating in Ukraine are closing offices and shuttering facilities there in response to Russia's attack.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Archer Daniels Midland Co. said it had stopped operating its facilities in Ukraine, where, a company spokeswoman said, the crop trader and processor employs more than 630 people. ADM's Ukraine facilities include an oilseed crushing plant in Chornomorsk, a grain terminal in the port of Odessa, six grain silos and a trading office in Kyiv.

Agriculture giant Bunge Ltd. closed company offices as well as temporarily suspended operations at processing facilities in two cities in Ukraine, the company said Thursday. Bunge employs more than a thousand workers in Ukraine who operate two processing facilities as well as grain elevators and a grain export terminal in various parts of the country.

CHS Inc., a farm cooperative and major grain shipper and retailer of seeds and chemicals, said it has been drawing down its export activity in Ukraine for the past few weeks. It employs 46 people in the region but doesn't own port operations in the country.



USDA Lists Destinations of Record 2021 Farm Product Exports

At more than $172 billion, the total value of U.S. agricultural exports reached a high in fiscal year (FY) 2021. Values are projected to remain elevated in FY 2022 (October-September) with the current forecast at $183.5 billion.

Exports grew in most trading regions, although East Asia (China, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea) recently has accounted for the largest share. Exports to East Asia slipped during the 2010s, from a high of $54 billion in 2014 to a low of $37.7 billion in 2019.

Since 2019, exports rebounded to $61.7 billion in 2021, of which China accounts for 54 percent and Japan 22 percent, and are forecast to exceed $66 billion in FY 2022. Much of the growth in East Asian exports was associated with higher consumption of grains and oilseeds as China rebuilds its pork industry after devastation caused by African swine fever.

U.S. sales to North American trading partners provided the second largest contribution to U.S. agricultural export growth. Abundant U.S. corn supplies supported the increases in grain and feed exports, especially to Mexico. In 2021, grain and feed exports to Mexico and Canada rose to $11.8 billion.

Agricultural exports to the next largest trading regions-Southeast Asia and the European Union (EU)-were comparatively flat, with both grain and oilseed exports to the EU down in 2020 and 2021.



USDEC and NMPF Praise White House Announcement on Ocean Shipping Enforcement

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) commend President Biden for outlining a new initiative to assign Department of Justice (DOJ) attorneys and litigators to the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) to jointly improve enforcement of the Shipping Act. The initiative also directs the DOJ to pursue further actions to increase competition in the ocean shipping industry.

NMPF and USDEC strongly endorsed these efforts as a means of promoting increased competition and better services for American dairy exporters from the ocean freight transportation system. Disruptions in the export supply chain have cost U.S. dairy shippers over $1.5 billion in 2021 due to reduced value, higher direct costs, and lost export sales.  

“We are grateful to President Biden and his administration for bringing the Department of Justice and the Federal Maritime Commission together in a partnership to better enforce the Shipping Act and promote competition in the ocean carrier market,” said Krysta Harden, president and CEO of USDEC. “Laws that protect shippers are only as good as their enforcement. We urge the DOJ and the FMC to move swiftly in pursuit of steps that will help deter unreasonable ocean shipping practices that harm U.S. dairy exporters.”

“Throughout 2020 and 2021, American dairy producers and cooperatives have faced unprecedented challenges in moving dairy exports from plants to ships due in key part to the actions of the ocean carrier industry,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. “The last year has clearly shown that changes are needed to tackle the unreasonable power shipping vessel owners have over America’s agricultural exporters working hard to get their goods to foreign markets. U.S. dairy exporters have been forced to endure unfair practices, including last minute changes, increased costs, and other unwarranted charges and penalties. Effective enforcement of the Shipping Act is long overdue particularly as ocean carriers enjoy record profits.”

The White House also called on Congress to address the present antitrust immunity for the predominantly foreign-owned ocean shipping alliances. On Monday evening the House moved quickly to advance reforms in this area by introducing the Ocean Shipping Antitrust Enforcement Act (H.R. 6864), which would repeal certain antitrust exemptions for ocean common carriers. Introduced by Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA), Adrian Smith (R-NE), John Garamendi, (D-CA), and Dusty Johnson (R-SD). NMPF and USDEC expressed support for the legislation and urged further action by Congress to advance it.



NGFA, NCFC endorse four CFTC nominees

In a March 1 letter to Senate Agriculture Committee leaders, the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) and the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) strongly endorsed the four current nominees to be commissioners of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).  

The nominees, Christy Goldsmith Romero, Kristin Johnson, Summer Mersinger, and Caroline Pham, “will strike the right balance in providing input to CFTC’s regulation and oversight of the financial and commodity markets,” the letter stated. “This will be critical as the Commission addresses emerging issues of new technologies such as digital assets and cybersecurity, while ensuring the integrity of the more traditional commodity markets our members rely on for risk management purposes.”

NGFA, NCFC and 17 other agriculture groups sent the letter in advance of the committee’s hearing to consider the nominations on March 2.

The Senate confirmed Rostin Behnam to serve as CFTC chairman in December 2021. Commissioner Dawn Stump announced in December she would not seek another five-year appointment when her current term ends in April 2022. The remaining seats of the five-member CFTC panel are vacant. “Therefore, we respectfully request the Senate confirm the nominees as soon as is practical to ensure a fully functional Commission moving forward,” the letter noted.

Goldsmith Romero is special inspector general for the Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP). She previously served in various roles at SIGTARP and at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). She has served as an adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University Law Center and University of Virginia Law School.

Johnson is currently a law professor at Emory University. She also served as associate dean and law professor at Tulane University Law School and practiced law in New York advising domestic and international clients on diverse financial transactions.  

Mersinger has served at the CFTC for the last two years, first as director of legislative and intergovernmental affairs, and currently as chief of staff to Commissioner Stump. She spent 15 years working on Capitol Hill, including for Sen. John Thune, R-S.D. She most recently served as the CFTC’s Agricultural Advisory Committee Designated Federal Officer.  

Pham is a managing director at Citi where she has held various senior roles, including as a global head of compliance and deputy head of global regulatory affairs. She also served in several public sector roles, including as special counsel and policy advisor to former CFTC Commissioner Scott O’Malia.

“Individually, we believe each nominee is well qualified to serve on the Commission,” the letter noted. “As a group, their various strengths and experiences would serve the CFTC well as it addresses a new era of developing issues, while carrying out the CFTC’s mission to promote the integrity, resilience, and vibrancy of the U.S. derivatives markets through sound regulation.”

Signatories on the letter include: Amcot; American Cotton Shippers Association; American Farm Bureau Federation; American Feed Industry Association; American Soybean Association; American Sugar Alliance; Commodity Markets Council; Farm Credit Council; National Association of Wheat Growers; National Cattlemen’s Beef Association; National Corn Growers Association; National Cotton Council; National Council of Farmer Cooperatives; National Farmers Union; National Grain and Feed Association; National Milk Producers Federation; National Pork Producers Council; North American Millers’ Association; and USA Rice.