Wednesday March 09 Ag News

 Midwest Dairy Announces Selection of 2022 Nebraska Dairy Ambassadors

The Midwest Dairy Ambassador Program is invested in creating dairy advocates and developing the next generation of leaders. This year’s program selected six college students and two high school students for 2022. New this year is the Junior Dairy Ambassador Program designed for high school junior and senior students, where the original program (Senior) is designed for post-secondary students.  
The 2022 Senior Dairy Ambassadors shared details about themselves included below.
    Jenna Albers was raised on a small farm near Randolph, Nebraska. She currently attends the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she is a freshman. Her major is undeclared with a strong interest in Animal Science or Ag Education.
    Caitlyn Childres is a senior Animal Science major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She is originally from the Central Valley of California.
    Whitney Hochstein is currently a senior at Wayne State College majoring in Graphic Design Marketing.
    Abigail Langdon is originally from Clarkson, Nebraska and is a Junior at UNL studying Agricultural Economics.
    Mikayla Martensen is a sophomore Agricultural Education major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln from Humphrey, Nebraska.
    Jaycie Meggison is a junior at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, studying Agribusiness with an emphasis in Animal Science.

Below is what the 2022 Junior Dairy Ambassadors shared about themselves.
    Kaitlyn Hanson is a senior at Mead High School. After graduation, she plans to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for Animal Science.
    Chancey Hoblyn-Bittner is a 5th generation rancher from Central, Nebraska.

The Dairy Ambassador Program is an educational and leadership opportunity for college students and high school juniors and seniors passionate about dairy. Dairy Ambassadors will have the opportunity to connect with consumers and share dairy’s story while networking with their peers and industry professionals. They will spend a year representing dairy farmers in Nebraska. At the end of their year, Senior Ambassadors are eligible to apply for educational scholarships up to $1,000 and Junior Ambassadors up to $500.

These Dairy Ambassadors engage in communication with consumers at a variety of events. Some of the events that the Dairy Ambassadors have an opportunity to participate include Ag Literacy Festivals, Nebraska State Dairy Association Convention, Nebraska State Fair, agribusiness tours, and television and radio interviews.

To inquire about Nebraska Dairy Ambassador event support, please contact Dawn Eckel, Nebraska Dairy Ambassador Coordinator, at dklabenes16@gmail.com.



Nebraska Association of Resources Districts Elects 2022 Executive Committee

The voting members of the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts (NARD) Board of Directors elected new officers during their board meeting March 7, 2022.

The NARD Board consists of representation from each of the Nebraska’s 23 Natural Resources Districts (NRDs). The board meets five times throughout the year and helps guide the association and NRDs in decision making that protects lives, property and the future of Nebraska’s natural resources. The NARD Risk Pool Board governs the health insurance program for NRD employees. Since its inception in 2007, the program has held the average annual cost increases for health premium rates below 4.5 percent.

Dr. Orval Gigstad, NARD President (Syracuse, Nebraska)
The NARD Board and NARD Risk Pool Board elected Dr. Orval Gigstad from the Nemaha NRD as president. Gigstad has served on the Nemaha NRD Board since 1993 and the NARD Board since 1996. He also serves as chair of the National Association of Conservation Districts Northern Plains Region. Previously, Gigstad served as NARD president from 2002-2004. A practicing veterinarian for more than 45 years, he operates the Arbor Valley Animal Clinic in Syracuse. Gigstad and his wife Carolyn have two children, Grady and Amber.

Marty Graff, NARD Vice President (Ainsworth, Nebraska)
Marty Graff of the Middle Niobrara NRD was elected as vice president of the NARD Board and NARD Risk Pool Board. Graff has served on the Middle Niobrara NRD Board 27 years and on the NARD boards since 2018. He farms with his wife, Brenda, and sons near Ainsworth. Off the farm, Graff serves on the East Woodlawn Cemetery Board (Johnstown, Nebraska) and is active in the Elks Club helping with youth baseball and wrestling.

Joel Hansen, NARD Secretary-Treasurer (Wayne, Nebraska)
Joel Hansen of the Lower Elkhorn NRD was elected secretary-treasurer of the NARD Board and NARD Risk Pool Board. Hansen brings a unique perspective to the board as the Street & Planning Director for the City of Wayne where he has worked for more than 27 years. He has served on the Lower Elkhorn NRD board 15 years and represents the board on the Wau-Col Rural Water System Advisory Committee. Hansen also manages his family’s farm, which includes row crops, a restored prairie, and several tree plantings.  The farm serves as an outdoor classroom for Wayne State College and Wayne Community Schools.

Jim Eschliman, NARD Past President (Ericson, Nebraska)
Jim Eschliman from the Lower Loup NRD moves into the immediate past president role of the NARD Board and NARD Risk Pool Board. He served as president since 2020 and has been on the boards since 2016. Eschliman has served on the Lower Loup NRD Board 16 years, is the current vice-chairman, and has also served on the program and projects committee. Eschliman also serves on his local co-op board and the Cattleman’s Beef Board. After selling his dairy cows in 2018, he considers himself retired and resides near Ericson with his wife, Deb.

In addition to the president, vice president, secretary-treasurer and past president, the NARD Board executive committee includes Jim Meismer, Legislative Committee chair representing the Twin Platte NRD, and Jim Johnson, Information and Education Committee chair representing the South Platte NRD.

Nebraska Natural Resources Districts Managers Committee
On March 2, the NRD managers elected Todd Siel, general manager of the Lower Republican NRD, as chair of the Managers Committee; and Scott Sobotka, general manager of the Lower Big Blue NRD, as vice-chair of the Managers Committee.

Todd Siel, Lower Republican NRD
Todd Siel has been general manager of the Lower Republican NRD since 2017. Prior to the NRD, Siel worked in banking and was also the co-owner operator of a construction business involved in agriculture land development and improvement, including erosion control and drainage structures. Siel lives in Franklin with his wife Melinda.

J. Scott Sobotka, Lower Big Blue NRD
J. Scott Sobotka was promoted to general manager of the Lower Big Blue NRD in January. He has served the district for 22 years as a land resources specialist and most recently as assistant manager. Sobotka lives near Tobias with his wife Wendee and daughters Jaicee, Josiee and Jaylee.

The Managers Committee includes managers from all 23 Natural Resources Districts. The committee meets five times a year to coordinate NRD activities with state and federal agencies, conservation partners and other parties to protect Nebraska’s natural resources.

Throughout 2022, the NRDs will commemorate breakthroughs and achievements in conservation these past 50 years. To join in the anniversary celebration and follow the Natural Resources Districts’ special activities throughout 2022, visit nrdnet.org and follow #Since1972 on social media.



OATS AND ITALIAN RYEGRASS FOR PASTURE
– Jerry Volesky, NE Extension Pasture and Forage Specialist

Good quality pasture might be in short supply this spring.  If you need some spring pasture, plant oats or a mix of oats and Italian ryegrass.

Spring-planted oats grow during spring when we are likely to receive rain and when moisture is used efficiently to produce forage.  Oats can be grazed earlier than anything else you plant this spring.  Once it gets five or six inches tall, which is usually about the third week of May, it quickly can shoot up to a foot tall in almost no time.  Unfortunately, once oats get that tall it may not stool out, tiller, and regrow after grazing very well.  So, it’s important to start grazing early when oats get six to eight inches tall to stimulate it to form new tillers.

After this first grazing, keep oat regrowth between six and sixteen inches tall. Begin with a light stocking rate, about one animal every two acres.  Then adjust animal numbers as oat growth changes.

For a longer grazing season, plant a mixture of oats and Italian ryegrass.  Oats comes on strong early, while Italian ryegrass tends to wait until June before it grows rapidly.  Then it just keeps growing high quality leaves the rest of the season if moisture is available.

For straight oats, drill at least two bushels per acre in late March to early April.  With good moisture and 40 to 60 pounds of nitrogen, oats can provide a couple months of grazing for 1 or 2 cows per acre.  For extended grazing, drill oats plus around 15 to 20 pounds of Italian ryegrass per acre.  



GRASSINI IS PARTNER IN PROJECT TO OPTIMIZE CROP PLACEMENT IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Patricio Grassini, associate professor of agronomy and horticulture at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, is a partner in a project led by Regrow Ag called Niche that aims to optimize crop variety placement in sub-Saharan Africa. Niche was awarded a four-year, $5 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and is supported by NASA Harvest, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and Africa-based nonprofit One Acre Fund.

According to Regrow, the Niche program intends to provide breeders, seed companies and advisories with information to optimize seed development and placement in sub-Saharan Africa. This will allow users to develop climatically adaptive seed varieties more precisely and rapidly, thereby improving crop resilience in the face of changing weather conditions and other stressors related to climate change.

Grassini’s contribution to Niche involves the Global Yield Gap Atlas, which will characterize sub-Saharan crop production environments. Developed in collaboration with Wageningen University in the Netherlands, the atlas is an online platform that estimates water productivity, crop nutrient requirements and yield gaps — the difference between current and potential yields — for major crops in 70 countries. It aims to help stakeholders increase production on existing cropland.

“Currently, we are expanding cropland areas at a rate of 13 million hectares every year and destroying fragile ecosystems,” Grassini said. “We need to understand how much more food we can produce on existing cropland — and where. The places with the biggest yield gaps have the biggest opportunities.”

Additional Nebraska agronomy and horticulture faculty working on the Global Yield Gap Atlas include Haishun Yang, associate professor, and Fatima Amor Tenorio, research assistant professor.

Regrow is a multinational team of scientists, agronomists, engineers and software developers committed to transforming the supply chain from farm to fork to ensure a prosperous future for people and the planet.

      

Naig Presents Leadership Awards for Outstanding Contributions to Iowa Agriculture

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig this week recognized organizations and entities making exceptional contributions to the state’s agriculture community. Naig presented the awards to the City of Cedar Rapids, Country View Dairy, Clear Creek Amana Community School District, Field to Family, the Mighty Howard County Fair, Bill Northey and Craig Hill during the 10th annual Iowa Agriculture Leaders dinner held at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny on March 8.

“Over the 10 years of the Iowa Agriculture Leader Awards, we have recognized people and organizations that are making a difference for our farmers and rural communities,” said Secretary Naig. “I am proud to continue that tradition this year by recognizing outstanding leaders who champion conservation, build new markets for Iowa products and engage the next generation of agriculture leaders.”

IOWA AGRICULTURE LEADER AWARD WINNERS

Leadership in Conservation – City of Cedar Rapids
The City of Cedar Rapids has been working alongside the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, farmers and county and local officials to implement conservation practices since 2015 when the Middle Cedar Partnership Projected was launched. These successful partnerships have grown to include the Cedar River Source Water Regional Conservation Partnership Project, the Midwest Ag Water Quality Regional Conservation Project and the recently announced Cedar River Clean Water Partnership. These conservation efforts help prevent soil and nutrient losses to improve water quality for the city and their neighbors downstream.

“When landowners implement conservation practices, not only does their soil health benefit, but our water quality benefits as well,” said Cedar Rapids Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell. “Because agriculture fuels a significant portion of our economy, we are proud to focus on partnership efforts that benefit farmers, local industries and Cedar Rapids residents, all at the same time.”

Leadership in Market Diversification – Country View Dairy, Field to Family, Clear Creek Amana School District
Country View Dairy, Field to Family and the Clear Creek Amana School District are working together to initiate conversations around food production, expand markets for Iowa products, and build effective supply chains for local foods.

Country View Dairy, a 250-cow dairy in Hawkeye produces yogurt that is sourced by Field to Family, an urban food hub serving the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City communities. The Clear Creek Amana School District sources the locally produced yogurt through the food hub for its school lunch program.  

“Our partnership with Country View Dairy and the Clear Creek Amana School District enables us to connect the hard work of Iowa farmers with students,” said Michelle Kenyon, executive director of Field to Family. “The ultimate goal of this partnership is to make local foods more accessible to more people.”

Leadership in Community – The Mighty Howard County Fair
The Mighty Howard County Fair in 2015 established the Reicks View Ag Education Center, a 22,900 square foot livestock facility located on the Howard County Fairgrounds in Cresco, Iowa. The Center includes a unique educational facility focused on teaching area youth about swine production while providing them the opportunity to show pigs at the fair. For three months before the Fair, any 4-H & FFA member can raise their pigs in the swine production area of the center, making the opportunity available to more students.

“The industry was changing and our community was changing,” said Sue Barnes, Howard County Extension Service office manager. “As the number of town kids was increasing, the number of farms kids was decreasing. To keep kids engaged in the agriculture industry, we knew we had to do something new and different.”

IOWA AGRICULTURE LEADER AWARDS – OUTSTANDING SERVICE IN AGRICULTURE
Bill Northey and Craig Hill were recognized with Iowa Agriculture Leader Awards for outstanding service in agriculture.

“Craig Hill and Bill Northey embody the spirit of Iowa agriculture,” said Secretary Mike Naig. “As servant leaders, they have championed conservation efforts, driven innovation, and facilitated industry growth opportunities, positioning Iowa agriculture as a global leader in food and ag product production. Their dedication to our agriculture community has enhanced the livelihoods of our farmers and rural communities.”

Outstanding Service in Agriculture – Craig Hill
Craig Hill spent a decade at the helm of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) serving as the organization’s president from 2011-2021. Prior to that, he served in various leadership positions with the Warren Country Farm Bureau, as District 8 representative on the state board and as vice president of IFBF from 2001-2011. During his time of service, Hill prioritized Iowa’s farmers and was instrumental in the development of Revenue Assurance, a revenue-based crop insurance for corn and soybean farmers written into the 1996 Farm Bill.

Hill also served as chairman of Iowa Ag State, board member for America’s Cultivation Corridor, trustee of the Council in Agriculture Science and Technology and appointee to USDA’s Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee on Trade.

Outstanding Service in Agriculture – Bill Northey
Bill Northey served as Iowa Secretary of Agriculture from 2007-2018 before being appointed U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation where he served from 2018-2021. As Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, Northey expanded opportunities in renewable energy, promoted conservation and stewardship, and was a champion for all aspects of Iowa agriculture. He continued to positively impact Iowa and U.S. agriculture during his time at USDA enhancing conservation and risk management opportunities available to farmers and landowners.

Northey, a fourth-generation farmer, also served as commissioner of the Dickinson County Soil and Water Conservation District, president and chairman of the National Corn Growers Association and president of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture.



Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Detected in Wild Birds in Kansas

The Kansas Department of Agriculture, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, has confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in wild waterfowl in central Kansas. This is the state’s first confirmed case of HPAI since 2015.

“Confirmed HPAI in wild birds in central Kansas is an indication that Kansas birds are at risk of exposure from the wild migratory bird population,” said Animal Health Commissioner Justin Smith. “We’ve encouraged Kansas poultry owners to be aware of this possibility, but now the reality is all poultry owners need to be vigilant in taking steps to protect their flocks from avian influenza. If you haven’t implemented biosecurity practices yet, the time to do it is now.”

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. HPAI has been identified in backyard flocks as well as commercial operations in neighboring states; at this time, it has not been detected in domestic birds in Kansas.



Most Retail Fertilizer Prices Resume Climb at Beginning of March

After a week in which half of the average retail fertilizer prices were lower, prices for most fertilizers moved higher the first week of March 2022 compared to a month earlier, according to sellers surveyed by DTN.

Seven of the eight major fertilizers were higher looking back a month, though none were up a significant amount. DTN designates a significant move as anything 5% or more.

DAP had an average price of $879 per ton, MAP $937/ton, potash $815/ton, 10-34-0 $837/ton, anhydrous $1,487/ton, UAN28 $603 (all-time high price) and UAN32 $703/ton (all-time high price).

One fertilizer was slightly lower in price compared to the prior month. Urea had an average price of $887/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.96/lb.N, anhydrous $0.91/lb.N, UAN28 $1.08/lb.N and UAN32 $1.10/lb.N.

Most fertilizers continue to be considerably higher in price than one year earlier.  MAP is now 39% more expensive, DAP is 44% higher, 10-34-0 is 50% more expensive, urea is 87% higher, potash is 96% more expensive, UAN32 is 131% higher, UAN28 137% is more expensive and anhydrous is 166% higher compared to last year.



Weekly Ethanol Production for 3/4/2022

According to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association for the week ending March 4, ethanol production rose by 31,000 barrels per day (b/d), or 3.1%, to 1.028 million b/d, equivalent to 43.18 million gallons daily and the high since January. Production was 9.6% more than the same week last year, which was affected by the pandemic, but 1.5% less than the same week two years ago. The four-week average ethanol production volume increased 0.9% to 1.015 million b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate of 15.56 billion gallons (bg).

Ethanol stocks expanded by 1.4% to 25.3 million barrels. Stocks were 14.5% higher than a year ago and 3.9%  more than the same week two years ago. Inventories built across the East Coast (PADD 1) and Gulf Coast (PADD 3) but receded across the other regions.
                                                                                                              
The volume of gasoline supplied to the U.S. market, a measure of implied demand, climbed 2.5% to 8.96 million b/d (137.39 bg annualized). Gasoline demand registered 2.7% higher than a year ago but 5.2% less than the same week two years ago.

Refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol improved by 2.3% to 896,000 b/d, equivalent to 13.74 bg annualized and a ten-week high. Net inputs were 9.5% more than a year ago but 2.5% less than the same week two years ago.

There were zero imports of ethanol for the sixth consecutive week. (Weekly export data for ethanol is not reported simultaneously; the latest export data is as of January 2022.)



Growth Energy Applauds Senate Action to Expand E15 in Response to Global Energy Crisis

Today, Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor applauded a bipartisan group of senators led by Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) for introducing the Home Front Energy Independence Act. In response to rising gas prices and the global energy crisis due to the war in Ukraine, this legislation would make the sale of E15 year-round permanent, create a tax credit for higher biofuel blends, streamline E15 labeling, provide funding for E15 infrastructure, extend the biodiesel tax credit for three more years, and ban imports of Russian petroleum products. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) also cosponsored the legislation.

 “Our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine and we stand in solidarity as they defend their independence and their democracy,” said Skor. “Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen significant market uncertainty given the turmoil in the region, impacting commodities across the board - oil spiking to well over $100 a barrel and gas prices rising to $4 or more a gallon in some areas.   

“The uncertainty of the situation in Ukraine underscores the need for more homegrown biofuels to displace the oil we import from Russia, reducing our nation’s dependence on foreign oil and improving our energy security. This bill by Senators Ernst, Grassley, and Klobuchar if enacted would provide relief for the rising gas prices families are paying at the pump. We urge the passage of this legislation to invest in a more energy independent nation through increasing the use of and access to higher biofuel blends today and the years ahead.”

Since the Renewable Fuel Standard was enacted in 2005, America’s crude oil imports have dropped almost 50 percent. Homegrown, plant-based ethanol displaces the gasoline produced from more than 700 million barrels of oil every year.  



ACE Thanks Senators for Bill that Recognizes Role Ethanol Can Play in Addressing Record High Gas Prices

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) commends Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) for leading the introduction of the Home Front Energy Independence Act in response to record high gas prices and other urgent challenges. The bill is cosponsored by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.). ACE CEO issued the following statement of support for this legislation:

“The only hurdles standing between saving consumers considerable money at the pump and replacing foreign oil with homegrown E15 are political or artificial in nature, and the Biden administration and Congress have the ability to help us overcome those hurdles. We support this bipartisan legislation as a timely and potent prescription to the simultaneous pocketbook, energy security, and climate challenges facing our nation.

“As gas prices set new record highs, ethanol is trading at a dollar per gallon discount to gasoline in the marketplace. We thank these senators for this important legislation and renew our call on the Biden administration to pursue every option at their disposal to ensure uninterrupted market access for E15. Ensuring year-round access to E15 for all parts of the country is the quickest way to address pain at the pump and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the U.S. transportation fleet.”



Clean Fuels Applauds Home Front Energy Independence Act

Today, Clean Fuels Alliance America thanked Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) for introducing new legislation -- the Home Front Energy Independence Act -- that would help biodiesel and renewable diesel continue growing, meeting consumer needs, and improving U.S. energy security. The bill would pair a ban on U.S. imports of Russian petroleum products with support for U.S. biofuel production to maintain fuel supplies and address prices. The legislation combines elements of the senators' previous bills that Clean Fuels supports, including a biodiesel infrastructure program and extension of the biodiesel tax incentive.

"Clean Fuels and its members applaud the strong, bipartisan action that Senators Ernst, Klobuchar and others are proposing to boost America's energy independence," Kurt Kovarik, Clean Fuels' Vice President of Federal Affairs, states. "The more than 65,000 U.S. workers in the biodiesel and renewable diesel industry are helping to meet the nation's need for cleaner, better transportation fuels.

"We appreciate the Senators' continued support for a new program to match investments in biodiesel infrastructure and improve consumer access to clean fuels. Over the past decade, the contribution that biodiesel and renewable diesel have made to America's fuel supply has kept fuel prices down by an average of 31 cents per gallon. The health benefits and environmental benefits that biodiesel provides Americans exceed two dollars a gallon, according to a recent study sponsored by Clean Fuels."



RFA Thanks Senators for Urging White House Action on Year-Round E15

The Renewable Fuels Association today thanked a bipartisan group of senators who urged President Biden to quickly authorize year-round use of E15 to bolster the nation’s liquid fuel supply and keep prices lower at the pump.

“As American families continue to experience unprecedented pain at the pump, we thank these Senators for encouraging the Administration to embrace homegrown renewable fuels as a lower-cost, lower-carbon alternative to Russian petroleum imports,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “Ethanol is $1 per gallon cheaper than gasoline today, meaning higher blends like E15 can immediately help put a lid on surging gas prices and deliver immediate economic relief to households across the country. The emergency action recommended by these Senators would remove a key roadblock that restricts consumer access to lower-priced E15, and we encourage EPA to immediately act upon this request.”

Sens. John Thune (R-SD) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) led the letter, which was also signed by Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Ben Sasse (R-NE), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). “As the United States joins global partners in seeking to hold accountable and isolate the Russian Federation for its unprovoked assault on Ukraine, we must deny Russia’s economic lifeblood of energy dominance,” the senators wrote. “This will require tapping every accessible contribution of American energy technology. As you know, American biofuels are one such readily available energy solution that offers consumers affordable and cleaner options at the pump.”

In a letter sent to the White House last week, RFA and other farm and biofuel organizations likewise urged the administration to use existing authority to allow for the year-round sale of E15 fuel, explaining 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.



AFBF EVP Dale Moore Announces Retirement
 
American Farm Bureau Federation Executive Vice President Dale Moore today announced his plans to retire in 2022 after four decades as an agricultural leader in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere. AFBF President Zippy Duvall today commented on the announcement.

“Dale has been a tireless advocate on behalf of farmers and ranchers throughout his career and has certainly contributed to American Farm Bureau’s strength over the past four years. He has become a trusted advisor to me and to many state Farm Bureau presidents and staff.

“More broadly, Dale has dedicated more than 40 years of his professional life to being a champion for agriculture through his work on Capitol Hill, at USDA and in the private sector. He certainly deserves to step back and enjoy time with family, but he will be deeply missed. I’m very happy for him and his wife, Faith, as well as their kids and grandkids as they open this new chapter together.

“I’m also pleased that Dale has agreed to assist in the selection of his successor. I look forward to working closely with him in the months ahead as we position our organization for continued success. I know I speak for farmers, ranchers and elected leaders across the country when I thank Dale for his tremendous service.”



NMPF Advances Marketing Order Discussions at March Board Meeting

National Milk Producers Federation celebrated strong global demand for U.S. milk in a time of turmoil and asserted leadership in its efforts toward Federal Milk Marketing Order modernization in its two-day March Board of Directors meeting that concluded today.

The first in-person board meeting held in Arlington, VA, since March 2020 provided an opportunity both to look back on dairy’s resilience and look forward to building a better future for dairy farmers, said board chairman Randy Mooney, a dairy farmer from Rogersville, MO, in remarks to the board.

“We’re here today with a strong sense of gratitude” for consumer support of dairy and the ability of farmers to weather challenging times, Mooney said in remarks to the board on Tuesday. “The world needs our product.”

U.S. per capita dairy consumption is at its highest since 1960, and exports reached an all-time high in 2021. Record prices are forecast in 2022.

High on NMPF’s list of priorities for 2022 is leading discussions on updated the Federal Milk Marketing Order system, the bedrock of orderly milk markets in the U.S. As the largest U.S. organization representing dairy farmers, NMPF is taking a deliberate approach toward meaningful modernization, crafting consensus among all sizes and regions, said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF.

“We may take the rest of this year to get this all done and get it right,” Mulhern said. “If we can keep a spirit of collaboration going throughout the process, we're going to end up in a very good place. I'm confident that we'll have a national federal order hearing proposal that reflects the consensus of our membership and reflects the needs of dairy producers across the country.”

NMPF’s Economic Policy Committee since last fall has been conducting analysis and engaging with farmers on the FMMO system, created in the 1930s and last updated in 2000.

NMPF’s board also discussed the response of agriculture and dairy to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and potential resulting volatility in agricultural markets. Board members pledged to seeks ways to assist Ukrainian families and farmers as the fast-developing situation evolves. The board unanimously adopted a resolution calling on policymakers “to immediately take the steps necessary to facilitate increased domestic energy production of all forms” to avoid agricultural supply disruptions at a time of already high and rising input costs.

Other topics ranged from sustainability to supply chains during the meeting, which also featured remarks from Rep. Glenn “G.T.” Thompson, R-PA, ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee. Valerie Lavigne, a dairy farmer from Schaghticoke, NY, and a member of Agri-Mark, also spoke in her new role as chairwoman of NMPF’s Young Cooperators.

New directors welcomed to NMPF’s board included:
    Rob Byrne, Dairy Farmers of America
    Chris Sukalski, Land O’Lakes
    Andy Mason, Land O’Lakes
    Frank Doll, Prairie Farms




U.S. Dairy Endorses Ocean Shipping Antitrust Enforcement Act

In response to last week’s introduction of the Ocean Shipping Antitrust Enforcement Act, USDEC and NMPF released the following statements:

Krysta Harden, U.S. Dairy Export Council president & CEO:
The U.S. Dairy Export Council thanks Representatives Costa, Smith, Garamendi and Johnson for introducing the bipartisan Ocean Shipping Antitrust Enforcement Act last week. U.S. dairy exporters experience a litany of unfair practices from foreign-owned ocean carriers – including unprecedented shipping rates, fees often incurred out of the exporters’ control, intentional lack of transparency, and continually rolled bookings. Due to the high concentration of power in the largely foreign-owned shipping industry, American dairy exporters have little option other than to accept these unwarranted fees and delays as a business expense. We commend the introduction of this important legislation to revoke the antitrust immunity that these shipping lines exploit at the expense of American producers and consumers, and we urge Congress to expeditiously pass this measure into law.

Jim Mulhern, National Milk Producers Federation president & CEO:
At a time when ocean carriers have been enjoying record profits, U.S. dairy producers have been bearing the brunt of the export supply chain crisis, with over $1.5 billion in added costs and lost sales in 2021 alone. We welcome the introduction of the Ocean Shipping Antitrust Enforcement Act that would reign in the enormous power foreign-owned shipping lines wield over American exporters. It has been evident over the past two years that ocean carriers do not share the interest of U.S. producers and are willing to break contracts and cancel shipments without warning. International customers want U.S. dairy products, but American dairy farmers are struggling to meet deadlines due to carrier behavior and justify the increased expense of paying exorbitant fees. This puts at risk key relationships with buyers around the world. NMPF encourages swift passage of this bipartisan legislation to put a halt to these unreasonable practices.



Ranch Group Releases MCOOL and 50/14 Toolkit

In response to the introductions of Senate Bills 2716 and 949, R-CALF USA issued an in-depth guide for U.S. cattle producers and consumers to influence the timely enactment of the two key pieces of legislation – the “MCOOL and 50/14 Toolkit”.

The toolkit breaks down the steps needed to pass S.2716, the American Beef Labeling Act of 2021 for mandatory country of origin labeling (MCOOL); and S.949, the 50/14 cattle market protection bill (50/14) to increase cattle purchases in the cash market – the industry’s most important cattle market, to a volume of at least 50% - below which studies have found harm to cattle prices. Current cash market purchases now average below 25%.

Included in the toolkit is a script for cattle producers and consumers to follow when calling their two senators and congressional representative, action steps, a letter to the editor example, a double-sided flyer/poster, and full bill texts and state resolutions to share with state legislators.

“It’s going to take everyone’s help to get these bills passed,” said R-CALF USA Marketing Coordinator Jaiden Moreland. “We hope to increase involvement by providing cattle producers and consumers with the information they need in a convenient toolkit.”     

Information specific to each bill is also included. For example, the history of failed voluntary country of origin labeling programs is discussed and a comparison chart of 50/14 and the Fischer/Grassley compromise bill, S.3229, is available. The newly introduced Senate bill S.3285 and House bill H.R.6250, the Protecting America’s Meatpacking Workers Act of 2021, are also in the toolkit.

“S.3285 and H.R.6250 were added to the toolkit because they restore MCOOL, increase cash market cattle purchase volumes to 50%, and include industry reforms that benefit cattle producers, workers and consumers,” Moreland said. “The toolkit reaffirms the necessity for the immediate and timely enactment of MCOOL and 50/14 and the need for cattle producer, as well as consumer engagement on these two important issues.”



ASA Congratulates the 2022 Regional Winners of the Conservation Legacy Award

The American Soybean Association (ASA) congratulates the regional winners of the 2022 Conservation Legacy Award.
• Wayne and Ruth 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)

The award winners will be recognized at the ASA Awards Banquet during Commodity Classic, on March 11, 2022. During the banquet, one of the farmers will be announced as the national winner.

The Conservation Legacy Award is a national program designed to recognize the outstanding environmental and conservation achievements of soybean farmers, which help produce more sustainable U.S. soybeans.

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 program is sponsored by ASA, BASF, Bayer, Nutrien, the United Soybean Board/Soy Checkoff and Valent USA.

Wayne and Ruth Fredericks, Osage, Iowa (Midwest Region)
Wayne 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 proved them wrong.”

Brian and Jamie Johnson, Frankfort, South Dakota (Upper Midwest Region)
Conservation-first decisions drive the whole-farm philosophy adopted by Jamie and Brian Johnson, a fourth-generation farm couple from Frankfort, South Dakota. The Johnsons have been farming for 15 years, continuously tweaking their sustainable crops plus-cattle approach.

“The diversity in our system allows us to consistently be productive because not every year is the same, and not every crop is great. When you have a diverse blend of crops and livestock, you reduce your risk and can take advantage of weather and market changes,” says Brian. “Integration is a long-term goal for us to continue improving our conservation.”

Brian’s great grandfather established the Johnson homestead after moving from Sweden more than a century ago. The original quarter has grown to 1,800 acres of cropland and 500 acres of grassland. Brian’s parents, Mickie and Alan, passed on their passion for resource optimization.

The Johnsons’ present crop rotation includes corn, soybeans, small grains and cover crops that are planted following small grain harvest for maximum growth potential.

Shane Burchfiel, Dyersburg, Tennessee (South Region)
No good deed goes unpunished. Shane Burchfiel is a strong proponent of conservation on his Dyersburg, Tennessee, farm. But it now comes with the added challenge of weed resistance.

“Evidently, we are the mecca for resistant weeds in this part of the world. It started with marestail and now Palmer amaranth. If there’s a resistant weed, we’ve got it,” says Burchfiel. “That creates a different set of challenges, but I know going back to the plow is not the answer.”

Burchfiel is not afraid to try new things—he keeps what works sustainably in his plan and punts any strategies that don’t. No-till is one of the success stories. The Burchfiels became no-till champions in the 1990s, switching 100% of their corn-soybean-double crop-wheat rotation to no-till after a local Extension agent ran an effective trial on the family’s farm.

Burchfiel says initially, his dad found weed control in no-till fields was just as good, if not better, than with conventional tillage. Now, with weed resistance, he is supplementing with other ideas.

Grier Stayton, Lincoln, Delaware (Northeast Region)
Not many American farmers can say their operation has been in the family since the 1600s. But Grier Stayton, farmer from Lincoln, Delaware, touts his family’s agricultural longevity and attributes its success to the family’s detailed attention to conservation and water management.

“We have an abundance of groundwater and no issues with having a well and being able to tap into the aquifer,” says Stayton. “But we have to be responsible. Part of the farm is in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and the other side goes to Delaware Bay. I’m right on the crown, so we have many regulations. Water is the primary yield-limiting factor in the sandy loam soils.”

Stayton today is the sole owner of 295 acres—including the family’s original 215 acres. About three-quarters of his tillable ground is irrigated with four center pivot systems. He raises corn, soybeans and alfalfa, and adds that wheat, milo and lima beans have been grown on the farm in the past. He manages about 100 acres of woodlands, including pine and mixed hardwoods.

“I am dependent on availability and quality of irrigation water, and I am willing to at least try new practices as they apply to my operation’s water management. Water conservation, efficient use of resources and generally good stewardship are considerations on 100% of the farm,” he says. “Irrigation allows me to get at least one additional cutting of hay, for example. I don’t over irrigate. I monitor exactly what crop needs are. And of course, weather is a huge factor.”