Monday November 07 Harvest Progress + Ag News

NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

For the week ending November 6, 2022, there were 6.2 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 46% very short, 38% short, 16% adequate, and 0% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 51% very short, 37% short, 12% adequate, and 0% surplus.

Field Crops Report:
Corn harvested was 90%, ahead of 81% last year and 75% for the five-year average.

Winter wheat condition rated 17% very poor, 19% poor, 40% fair, 21% good, and 3% excellent. Winter wheat emerged was 96%, near 93% last year and 94% average.

Sorghum harvested was 87%, near 84% last year, and ahead of 77% average.

Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 47% very poor, 30% poor, 18% fair, 4% good, and 1% excellent.



Iowa Crop Progress & Condition Report

Warm and dry conditions early in the week helped accelerate row crop harvest, which remained ahead of average with 5.3 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending November 6, 2022, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Fieldwork included harvesting row crops, completing fall tillage, anhydrous application, baling stalks, seeding cover crops, and applying manure.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 17 percent very short, 37 percent short, 44 percent adequate and 2 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 25 percent very short, 39 percent short, 36 percent adequate and 0 percent surplus.

Harvest of the corn for grain crop reached 89 percent complete, 6 days ahead of last year and 11 days ahead of the average. Moisture content of field corn being harvested for grain remained 17 percent.

Soybean harvest was virtually complete at 97 percent, 8 days ahead of last year and 9 days ahead of the average.

Livestock were mostly doing well, with some reports of calves being treated for pneumonia.



USDA Crop Progress Report: 13% of Corn, 6% of Soybeans Left to Harvest

The U.S. row-crop harvest was in the home stretch and winter wheat conditions improved slightly last week, USDA NASS reported in its weekly Crop Progress report on Monday.  

CORN
-- Harvest progress: 87% of corn was harvested as of Sunday, Nov. 7, up 11 percentage points from the previous week. This year's harvest progress is now 4 percentage points ahead of last year's 83% and 11 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 76%.

SOYBEANS
-- Harvest progress: 94% of the crop was harvested as of Sunday, up 6 percentage points from the previous week. That is now 8 percentage points ahead of last year's 86% and 8 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 86%.

WINTER WHEAT
-- Planting progress: 92% of winter wheat was planted as of Sunday, 2 percentage points ahead of both last year and the five-year average of 90%.
-- Crop development: 73% of winter wheat was emerged as of Sunday, 1 percentage point behind the five-year average of 74%. Kansas' winter wheat is 68% emerged versus an average of 76%.
-- Crop condition: 30% of the crop was rated in good-to-excellent condition, up 2 percentage points from 28% the previous week but 15 percentage points below last year's rating of 45% good to excellent.



NEBRASKA U BREAKS GROUND ON ONE-OF-A-KIND FEEDLOT INNOVATION CENTER

More than 150 leaders from across Nebraska’s beef industry gathered at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center near Mead Nov. 4 to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Feedlot Innovation Center.

The $7.2 million facility will pave the way for world-class research projects and teaching and extension opportunities in a commercial-scale, state-of-the-art feedlot. In addition, the facility will serve as a one-of-a-kind testbed where industry partners can see how new and emerging technologies work.

It will officially be named the Klosterman Feedlot Innovation Center, pending approval of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents. The name honors John and Beth Klosterman of David City, who are longtime supporters of both the university and its Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

The new center will be “a very unique facility in terms of the types of research we can do,” said Doug Zalesky, director of the extension center.

Construction of the facility marks the next step in a long history of beef innovation at Nebraska, Zalesky said. The extension center, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, built its first feedlot pens in 1964. The next year, the university hired Terry Klopfenstein, who went on to become the longtime leader of the university’s ruminant nutrition program and was a pioneer in using byproducts from the ethanol and sweetener industries to supplement cattle feeding. Beef research remains central to the extension center’s programming.

The Feedlot Innovation Center will include commercial-scale open air and covered pens, allowing researchers to improve cattle performance and environmental impact in varied settings. It will also include a 240-head feeding facility that will allow researchers to use precision techniques to study the outcomes of various feeding protocols, measure emissions and study the various uses for precision feeding technology already on the market. The center will allow for expanded research of the impact of low-stress animal handling and increased emphasis on animal welfare. A new cattle handling facility and enclosed classroom will give students hands-on experience and allow for training opportunities for Nebraska’s beef industry workforce.

“This is being built with all the right things in mind,” Chancellor Ronnie Green said.

The facility will also serve as an innovation laboratory, which industry partners, ag-tech startups, producers and others can use as a proving ground for new products, said Mike Boehm, Harlan Vice Chancellor for IANR and NU vice president.

Researchers across IANR are committed to ensuring that important discoveries can move quickly from lab to field, or in this case, feedlot, Boehm said. This is important in Nebraska, which has about 720 cattle feeders with 1,000 head or more.

“This innovation center is the next step in that,” he said. “It allows us to bring together public and private partnerships in ways that push the envelope.”

The new center will also be a key component of the university’s Beef Innovation Hub, which aims to advance, support and communicate continuous improvement of beef production, economic vitality and natural resources stewardship through innovative research, education and extension.

Fundraising for the project is ongoing. Major donors include John and Beth Klosterman; JBS USA; Greater Omaha Packing; Farm Credit Services of America; Dennis and Glenda Boesiger; and the Klopfenstein Fund, which includes gifts from a number of alumni, colleagues and industry partners who knew and worked with Terry Klopfenstein. In addition, Daniels Manufacturing, FBI Buildings Rock Solid Concrete and others have made significant in-kind contributions.



Ag Lender Survey: Interest Rate Volatility is Top Concern in 2023

The top concern facing agricultural lenders going into 2023 is interest rate volatility, according to the 2022 Agricultural Lender Survey report produced jointly by the American Bankers Association and the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, more commonly known as Farmer Mac (NYSE: AGM and AGM.A). Nearly half of respondents (49.0%) ranked interest rate volatility among their top two concerns, up 35.5 percentage points from last year. While rising rates have helped bolster bank net interest margins, a combination of higher funding costs, fears of weakening loan demand and strong competition is expected to cut into rising yields, according to the report released today at the ABA Agricultural Bankers Conference in Omaha, Neb.

“Given the Fed’s clear signal that it expects to continue raising rates until inflation is contained, it’s fitting that ag lenders cited interest rate volatility as their number one concern,” said ABA Chief Economist Sayee Srinivasan. “Lenders expect that both short-term and long-term rates will continue to rise in the coming year, reflecting market expectations that rates could rise by another 100-150 basis points by the end of the first quarter of 2023.”

Farm Economy
In response to the survey, lenders cited inflationary pressure as their number one concern for producers. Liquidity and farm income, two of the top two concerns in prior years, were the second and third greatest concerns this year, respectively. Lenders remain comparatively more concerned about weather and less concerned about total leverage than in prior survey years, according to the report. Recession risk, a new category this year, was lenders’ fifth highest ranked concern for producers. By comparison, lenders ranked “a slowing economic recovery” near the bottom of their list of concerns for producers in 2021.

“Many of America’s farmers and ranchers experienced a strong recovery in 2021 and 2022, driven by higher commodity prices and robust sales,” said Jackson Takach, Chief Economist at Farmer Mac. “Looking ahead, ag lenders are keeping a close eye on expenses, as feed, fertilizer, fuel, and other input costs remain elevated.”

Respondents’ level of concern for all categories of commodities fell this year. Lenders reported the highest levels of concern for the dairy, fruits and nuts, and beef cattle sectors, but concern for each sector showed improvement over 2021 levels. Lenders’ concerns notably declined for grains over the year.

For the second consecutive year, most ag lenders (66.3%) reported that overall farm profitability increased in the last year. About one in ten lenders (10.3%) reported that overall profitability declined. Lenders expect conditions to deteriorate next year, with 52.6% projecting a decline in farm profitability in the next 12 months. However, this remains well below the 2016-2020 survey average of 82.3%.

Approximately four out of five ag lenders reported rising land values in 2022, consistent with results from the 2021 survey. However, a growing percentage of lenders expected land values to slow down (59.4%) or decline (12.7%). Cash rents were also reported higher in 2022, with 72.2% of lenders reporting higher rents in their market areas and 43.2% of respondents expecting cash rents to continue to rise in the next 12 months, potentially adding to inflationary pressures for producers.

“Farmland, a significant store of wealth for millions of farm families, continued to appreciate in 2022,” said Takach. “Most ag lenders anticipate the growth of land values slowing in the coming year, likely in response to higher interest rates and potentially higher farm expenses. ”

Lending Conditions
Lenders’ top concerns after interest rate volatility are lender competition and weak ag loan demand, according to the report. Approximately one in three respondents ranked competition among their top two concerns, down 17 percentage points from last year. More than three-quarters of respondents (77.5%) ranked the Farm Credit System as their number one competitor for agricultural loans. Concern about credit quality and ag loan deterioration, which was the number one concern in 2020, remained the fourth highest concern facing lenders in 2022.

According to the report, demand for loans secured by farmland increased in 2022 at about the same pace as in 2021. Demand for agricultural production loans also grew in 2022, reversing the downward trend reported last year. However, demand for ag production loans remains below the 2016-2018 survey average. Respondents anticipate that loan demand for both categories will continue to increase over the next 12 months.

Lenders reported broad interest from borrowers in alternative ag financing, particularly for livestock grazing practices. The financing of reduced-till farming, precision technology and cover cropping practices were also areas of interest for ag borrowers.

Lenders also reported an average agricultural loan application approval rate for new loans of 86.0% in the 12 months leading up to August 2022 and, on average, they expect the approval rate for renewal requests to be 92.2% in the following 12 months, likely due to strong conditions in the agricultural economy and a decline in lending activity due to higher rates.

Survey respondents across all regions continued to report lower ag loan delinquencies and charge-off rates in 2022. Lenders in the South and West states anticipate credit quality will deteriorate next year, while lenders in the Corn Belt and Plains regions expect quality to remain fairly stable over the next 12 months.

“Credit quality was excellent in 2021 and 2022, so it is to be expected that lenders would anticipate some deterioration in the coming year as the potential for a downturn grows,” said Srinivasan. “Ag lenders have deep familiarity with both the ag sector and its cycles and will continue to work with their borrowers and support farmers and ranchers as credit quality normalizes to historical levels.”

The annual ABA and Farmer Mac Agricultural Lender Survey report is a joint effort to provide a look at the agricultural economy and market forces from the unique perspective of ag lenders. More than 300 agricultural lenders completed the survey in August 2022. The responses came from a diverse set of institutions, ranging from those with under $50 million in assets to those with more than $1 billion in assets. Regionally, the responses were somewhat concentrated in the Cornbelt and Plains.

To view the full Agricultural Lender Survey Report, please visit aba.com/agsurvey.

For over a decade, the alliance between Farmer Mac and ABA has enabled ABA-member banks to receive Farmer Mac preferred rates for their farm and ranch mortgage loans in addition to useful educational tools and other important benefits to better serve their agricultural customers.



Fremont Corn Expo

The Fremont Corn Expo is returning on January 26th, 2023 to the Christensen Field Main Arena in Fremont, Nebraska from 7:30 am- 3:00 pm.

The Corn Expo will begin with breakfast from 7:30 am-8:30 am, sponsored by the Fremont Area Chamber of Commerce Agricultural Business and Natural Resources Council. The expo will then feature several great speakers from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, who will cover topics ranging from market updates, corn diseases to watch for, soil health, and precision agriculture. There will also be time given to visit with exhibitors who are supporting the show.

Lunch will be provided from 12:00 pm- 1:00 pm.

Admission is free to the public.

IF YOU'RE A VENDOR AND INTERESTED IN EXHIBITING AT THE SHOW
They only have a few spaces left! This expo is not possible without the generous support of agribusinesses in the region. Please consider joining the expo as an exhibitor and demonstrating your support for growers in the area. Time will be given during the show for participants to visit booths. To learn more and register as an exhibitor, click the link... https://web.cvent.com/event/b425441f-3be3-473f-a3b5-82f2a38ff874/summary%20.  



PROJECT AIMS TO BOOST AG TECHNOLOGY THROUGH IMPROVED FIELD CONNECTIVITY

Many farmers and agricultural experts see digital farming as the way of the future. Managing farms using sensors, drones and robots, artificial intelligence, advanced data analytics and more will be key to efficiently feeding the world’s increasing population, expected to reach 10 billion by 2050.

But maximizing agricultural technology’s potential hinges on a tool that most fields lack: high-speed internet connectivity.

An interdisciplinary Nebraska research team, led by computer engineer Mehmet Can Vuran, is trying to change that fact. The team includes Shuai Nie, Qiang Liu, Christos Argyropoulos, Yufeng Ge and Santosh Pitla. With a three-year, $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation, the team is designing a next-generation wireless network for agricultural fields that would catalyze an array of digital farming technologies and buoy the businesses of countless farmers. Currently, at least two-thirds of farmers say they lack sufficient internet connectivity to run their operations, and 25% of U.S. farms do not have internet at all.        

“We have started to redesign the wireless network according to the constraints and requirements of agricultural fields,” said Vuran, Jensen Chair and professor of computing. “Right now, the best farmers and researchers can do is grab wireless technologies from whatever is available in nearby urban environments. They try to use Wi-Fi or existing cellular connections, which were not designed for the field. This is like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.”

It’s a mismatch because the two environments are vastly different. Urban connectivity leverages the vertical infrastructure inherent to cities: tall buildings, streetlights and traffic lights house the necessary equipment. Agricultural fields lack this robust vertical infrastructure, making it much more difficult to build a network.

Additionally, agricultural fields are subjected to harsh environmental and weather conditions that can interrupt wireless connections. The type of crop, its stage of growth and even a plant’s moisture content can also affect signals. Vuran’s group is devising a wireless architecture called Field-Nets to address these challenges.

A cornerstone of their approach is deployment of millimeter wave technology on farms. This technology, increasingly used to support 5G connections in urban areas, sends signals on a bandwidth of the radio-frequency spectrum that is not overcrowded. Plentiful bandwidth means signal transmission is fast, at gigabits per second, with minimal disruption.

Last summer, Vuran’s group conducted some of the first-ever experiments of millimeter wave technology in agricultural fields. These studies showed how easily corn and soybean growth can impact these delicate, high-frequency signals, whose wavelength size is just millimeters long. The resulting datasets are publicly available to help other researchers and practitioners. With the NSF funding, Vuran’s team will develop the computer processing abilities and complex algorithms necessary to support robust and reliable connections.

Another key strategy of Field-Nets is edge computing: a type of networking architecture that shifts computation and data storage closer to the data sources. Because rural environments lack what’s called backhaul — the high-speed connections between a remote site and the core network — cloud computing is a challenge. This is problematic because in the future, precision farming devices are likely to generate as much data as a typical city environment.

Vuran’s solution is to push processing to the “edge” of the network, which in this case means moving it to the farm. When a farm’s robots, sensors and other devices produce data streams, they will be processed and stored on-site, protecting farmers’ data privacy.

The team is also ensuring the Field-Nets infrastructure only uses the spectrum when and where it’s needed. Although there is currently abundant spectrum available in rural areas, this will change as digital farming gains momentum. A crowded spectrum could thwart rural residents’ ability to use the internet – creating a digital divide between farms and the towns next door.

“We are designing with the understanding of this potential divide from the beginning. We need to adopt advanced spectrum sharing solutions from scratch,” Vuran said. “We don’t want to have to go back and redesign spectrum sharing solutions later, which has been done in some urban environments. We’re learning from that history.”

The project advances Vuran’s longer-term research mission, which is to bridge the original digital divide: the gap between urban and rural areas. Of the 24 million Americans who lack high-speed internet, 80% live in rural areas. As society increasingly relies on digital tools, the gap in internet access exacerbates gaps in prosperity, education, health care and more.

The work represents an increasingly important merger between computing and agriculture. To maintain its position at the forefront of ag innovation, Husker researchers are prioritizing enhanced partnerships between these two disciplines.

“Computer scientists and agricultural engineers will have to work together more and more, and this is one of the first funded projects representing this joining of hands,” said Pitla, associate professor of biological systems engineering.

Pitla, an expert in agricultural robotics, has been developing small autonomous robots that plant seeds and apply fertilizers since he joined the university in 2014. Although the technology can work without connectivity, a reliable wireless infrastructure would unleash the robots’ full potential: They could communicate with each other or summon a drone for a supply refill.

“Connectivity solutions could really amplify what we do and catalyze and facilitate a lot of things, especially with logistics and operational efficiency,” he said.

The research group will test the Field-Nets infrastructure using Pitla’s technology.

The project includes partnerships with members of Nebraska’s agricultural community, farmers and industry members, and will enable Husker students to train in a highly interdisciplinary environment.



FALL FERTILIZATION ON CORN STALKS BEFORE GRAZING
– Brad Schick, NE Extension Educator
 
Grid sampling and application of dry fertilizer is common in the fall, but is it safe to graze corn residue fields that have had the fertilizer applied?
 
The answer comes down to how much risk in animal wellbeing we are willing to take. The risk potential varies based on different fertilizer components. Potassium, zinc, nitrogen, and sulfur nutrients could all be toxic, but risk depends on consumption rate and the amount animals can physically consume. To reduce risk, wait to graze until after precipitation whether that be rain or snow melt. Waiting for rain is more important if the application stuck to damp or wet residue.
 
Calculations can tell if what was applied would pose a risk.
 
Nitrogen fertilizers can cause toxicity in different ways related to amounts; but any spill available for consumption is a high risk. There are other fertilizer components in a grid sampled applications that may or may not be a problem due to the how much is in the mix. For example, potassium would be toxic at 30,000 mg/kg of intake or 3% of the diet which is very unlikely. High potassium intake can cause a magnesium deficiency; so making a high magnesium mineral available might be considered. High sulfur intake could cause polioencephalomalacia or PEM, but that is also unlikely. A lot of downed corn could also increase the risk of PEM. Cattle can tolerate 0.5% sulfur in the diet, but corn residue only contains close to 0.1%. Zinc consumption is fine up to 1000 mg/kg without problems and phosphorus can be tolerated up to 1% of the diet.
 
To review: The safest approach for grazing corn stalks is to wait until after a rain or graze before fertilizer application, but that may not be realistic. Assessing the fertilizer amount will give a good idea of risk level. If the fertilizer can easily be seen on the residue, be more cautious when grazing.



IDALS & APHIS Confirm Cases of HPAI in Louisa, Wright Counties

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have confirmed positive cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Louisa County, Iowa and in Wright County, Iowa.

The virus was found in a non-commercial backyard flock in Louisa County and a commercial layer flock in Wright County.

“Migration is expected to continue for several more weeks and whether you have backyard birds or a commercial poultry farm, bolstering your biosecurity continues to be the best way to protect your flock from this disease,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. “Our coordinated response team, comprised of state and federal professionals working with the affected producers, will continue to move swiftly to limit the spread of this virus.”

Commercial and backyard flock owners should prevent contact between their birds and wild birds. Sick birds or unusual deaths among birds should be immediately reported to state or federal officials. Biosecurity resources and best practices are available at iowaagriculture.gov/biosecurity. If producers suspect signs of HPAI in their flocks, they should contact their veterinarian immediately. Possible cases must also be reported to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship at (515) 281-5305.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the recent HPAI detections in birds do not present a public health concern. It remains safe to eat poultry products. As a reminder, consumers should always utilize the proper handling and cooking of eggs and poultry products. An internal temperature of 165˚F kills bacteria and viruses.



Registration Open for Women in Ag Leadership Conference

“Together We Lead” is the theme of the sixth annual Women in Ag Leadership Conference organized by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Nearly 30 speakers will enlighten, inspire and energize conference attendees Nov. 29-30, at the Gateway Hotel and Conference Center in Ames.  

The cost to attend is $90 for adults and $45 for students. A limited number of attendance scholarships are available by emailing schultz@iastate.edu.

Tuesday’s events run from 1-8 p.m. Attendees can choose from five campus tours including the horse farms, poultry farms and feed mill, agricultural and biosystems engineering, student innovation center, and a steam tunnel and history tour.

The first general session offers an interactive presentation on leading with grace and growth by past National FFA officer, Laila Hajji Down. A choice of four two-hour intensive workshops and a networking dinner completes the day’s program.

The workshops cover farmland management, discovering your leadership strengths, gaining and sharing wisdom through mentoring, and straight talk about farm financial statements.

“I am so grateful for and in awe of our amazing speakers and inspiring role models who agreed to be part of this conference,” said Madeline Schultz, program manager for women in ag with ISU Extension and Outreach. “They are passionate about supporting women in the agriculture industry and understand that we lead best when ‘Together We Lead.’”

Wednesday’s events begin at 8:30 a.m. and continue through 4 p.m. The morning general session keynote speaker is Amy Cronin, president of Cronin Family farms, where she raises hogs in Ontario, Canada, and Iowa and Missouri. Through her leadership and commitment to her six children and husband, she has grown the business while serving on the local Catholic school board and chairing the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission.

A welcome address will be given by John Lawrence, ISU vice president for extension and outreach. The highlight of the conference is the announcement and recognition of four Women Impacting Agriculture honorees who share their stories.   

There is something for everyone in the four morning concurrent sessions. Topics cover leadership lessons rooted in farming for generations, managing your cyber ecosystem, the new rules of remote work, and a workshop from Amy Cronin. The four afternoon concurrent sessions offer topics on agricultural carbon credit markets, strategic planning, igniting your leadership style and unconventional health tips.

The final general session includes a panel of current board members sharing insights on leadership for the common good of communities and organizations, including Michelle Book and Susan Tronchetti.

Author, entrepreneur and ag executive Cleophus Franklin Jr. will present the capstone address on how to partner with purpose and go from laying bricks to building castles.   

Farm Credit Services of America is a major sponsor of the conference. Register online at https://go.iastate.edu/HYEN9K.  



Central Valley Ag Cooperative Partners with Kansas State University
CVA - the official co-op of the K-State Wildcats.

The opportunity to work with Kansas member-owners through a partnership with Kansas State Athletics has been an opportunity CVA has been actively seeking since early fall. This opportunity recently presented itself and CVA took full advantage the offer. They are very proud to announce CVA as the Official Cooperative of Kansas State Athletics and they look forward to the newly found partnership.



Farmers Can Now Make 2023 Crop Year Elections, Enroll in Ag Risk and Price Loss Coverage Programs

Agricultural producers can now change election and enroll in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2023 crop year, two key safety net programs offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Signup began Monday, and producers have until March 15, 2023, to enroll in these two programs. Additionally, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has started issuing payments totaling more than $255 million to producers with 2021 crops that have triggered payments through ARC or PLC.  

“It’s that time of year for producers to consider all of their risk management options, including safety-net coverage elections through Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “We recognize that market prices have generally been very good, but if the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, frequent catastrophic weather events and the Ukraine war have taught us anything, it’s that we must prepare for the unexpected. It’s through programs like ARC and PLC that FSA can provide producers the economic support and security they need to manage market volatility and disasters.”

2023 Elections and Enrollment
Producers can elect coverage and enroll in ARC-County (ARC-CO) or PLC, which provide crop-by-crop protection, or ARC-Individual (ARC-IC), which protects the entire farm. Although election changes for 2023 are optional, producers must enroll through a signed contract each year. Also, if a producer has a multi-year contract on the farm and makes an election change for 2023, they must sign a new contract.

If producers do not submit their election by the March 15, 2023 deadline, their election remains the same as their 2022 election for crops on the farm. Farm owners cannot enroll in either program unless they have a share interest in the farm.

Covered commodities include barley, canola, large and small chickpeas, corn, crambe, flaxseed, grain sorghum, lentils, mustard seed, oats, peanuts, dry peas, rapeseed, long grain rice, medium and short grain rice, safflower seed, seed cotton, sesame, soybeans, sunflower seed and wheat.



Terrain Launches with Powerhouse of Ag Economists and Market Analysts

Terrain, a new source of agricultural industry analysis for U.S. farmers and ranchers, launches today, Nov. 7, 2022. Three leading Farm Credit Associations – American AgCredit, Farm Credit Services of America and Frontier Farm Credit – partnered to establish and offer Terrain to their customers.

“Serving farmers and ranchers – from everything between Iowa’s hog and corn farmers to California’s dairy and vineyard owners – is our shared mission,” said Curt Hudnutt, CEO of American AgCredit. “To continue to grow our customers’ success, we combined the scale of Farm Credit Services of America, American AgCredit and Frontier Farm Credit to create Terrain’s industry-leading team.”

Don Close, an internationally recognized leader in cattle marketing and policy, leads the Terrain team. Close, who serves as Terrain’s chief research and analytics officer, and the rest of the team bring extensive experience providing insight and analysis across the food and agricultural value chain. The team includes:

    David Weaber, senior animal protein analyst, whose career analyzing live animal and meat businesses has spanned the entire meat supply chain for beef, pork and poultry

    Ben Laine, senior dairy analyst, an economist who has dedicated his career to helping dairy producers manage price, trading and other external risks

    Matthew Roberts, Ph.D., senior grain and oilseed analyst, a recognized public speaker, economist and former 15-year Extension grain marketing specialist

    Cody Barilla, grain and oilseed analyst, who has a wealth of on-the-ground experience in appraising, crop farming and the Extension Service.

    Matthew Clark, senior rural economy analyst, known for his ability to distill how macroeconomic trends impact everyday agriculture, drawing on his experience as an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City

    Heather Stettner, engagement director, a public relations, communications, and marketing specialist whose career has spanned most of agriculture’s industries

Terrain’s experts share insights on trends and market-moving events through reports, videos, presentations and more. Visit terrainag.com for Terrain’s current perspective on the impact of interest rates on agricultural loans, a discussion on how grain storage costs change with interest rates, and insights on the near-term risks for the hog farming sector.

Mark Jensen, CEO of Farm Credit Services of America and Frontier Farm Credit, said, “We recognize that our customers’ needs are evolving. Many of our customers are looking for more insight to help them navigate the constant changes and complex factors affecting their markets. Terrain provides unique expertise to support the future of agriculture and rural communities.”  



Dairy Goat Management Seminar Dec. 10 in Orange City

The Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Dairy Team will host its annual Dairy Goat Management Seminar on Saturday, Dec. 10 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. at the ISU Extension and Outreach Sioux County Office in Orange City.

This year’s focus is on goat health, feeding and milk marketing.

“Iowa ranks third in the nation for dairy goat production, and we are one of the top states for dairy goat educational programming,” said Fred Hall, dairy specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach. “This program should reinforce that ranking and be extremely worthwhile for dairy goat producers to attend.”

Hall said that the program will feature the following topics and presenters:
    Colostrum Management, Dr. Pat Gordon, ISU College of Veterinary Medicine
    Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis (CAE) Management, Dr. Rosie Busch, University of California
    Subclinical Mastitis and Dry Off Decision Making, Dr. Pat Gordon, ISU College of Veterinary Medicine
    Forages for Dairy Goats, Fred Hall, ISU Extension and Outreach
    Feeding the Dry Doe, Mike Schlegel, Land-O-Lakes
    Building a Goat Milk Market, Nate Meech and Mitchel Kunkel, Stickney Hill Dairy

There is no registration fee to attend the program, but registration is required by calling 712-737-4230 or online at https://go.iastate.edu/AWOSXJ. Deadline to register is noon on Thursday, Dec. 8.

A complimentary lunch will be provided thanks to sponsorship from Hull Feed & Produce and Big Gain. The program is hosted at no charge, because this work is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Agricultural and Food Research Initiative Competitive Program, Antimicrobial Resistance number: 2020-04197.

For more information, contact Hall at 712-737-4230 or fredhall@iastate.edu.



U.S. farm exports rise 14% to record high

Boosted by large increases in most sales categories, U.S. farm exports mushroomed to a record $196.4 billion in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, according to newly released Commerce Department data. Sales were 14% higher than the previous mark of $172.7 billion, set one year ago in fiscal 2021.

China, the No. 1 market, bought a record $36.4 billion of U.S. agricultural products, topping its 2021 record of $33.6 billion, trade analyst Dylan Russell told USDA’s radio news service. Canada was second, with $28.3 billion, and Mexico was third, at $28 billion. In fiscal 2021, Canada imported $24.3 billion and Mexico bought $23.9 billion of U.S. agricultural goods. The three top customers accounted for 47 cents of every $1 in sales.

The record-breaking exports were driven by “huge increases” in sales, said Russell. Soybeans, the single largest ag export, climbed 26%, to $33.3 billion. Wheat exports were up 15%, to $8.3 billion, and corn rose 12%. Cotton had the largest increase in percentage terms, 41%, to $9 billion. Dairy, red meats and ethanol also notched large increases. But rice sales fell 10% and tobacco 27%.

Imports also surged, shooting up 19%, to $194 billion, leaving a scant trade surplus of $2.4 billion, compared to the surplus of $8.4 billion the previous year. Ag imports are dominated by shipments of fruits, vegetables, nuts, wine, beer, distilled spirits, sweeteners and tropical products such as coffee and cocoa.

The USDA has forecast another bumper year for exports, estimated at near-record $193.5 billion in the fiscal year that opened Oct. 1. Soybean exports would rise to $35.2 billion and horticultural products to $39.5 billion, while cotton, beef and sorghum exports turn downward. “The global economic outlook for 2022 and 2023 is growing more uncertain due to the continued materialization of downside risks,” said the USDA in the Aug. 30 forecast.



As COP27 Convenes, RFA Stresses Ethanol’s Low-Carbon Benefits and Net-Zero Future

Leaders from around the world are gathering over the next two weeks in Egypt for the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP27. As governments and businesses consider options for reducing global greenhouse gas emissions and combatting climate change, the Renewable Fuels Association has a simple message for COP27 delegates: Ethanol is a low-carbon renewable fuel available today to help meet climate goals—and it’s well on its way to net-zero carbon emissions in the not-too-distant future.

RFA also released an updated one-page fact sheet about ethanol’s carbon benefits.

“We’re excited about ethanol’s ability to significantly lower carbon emissions across the transportation sector and beyond,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “Lower-cost, lower-emitting ethanol is already cleaning up motor fuel around the world, and as we look to the future, ethanol can also play a leading role in sustainable aviation fuel or even generating electricity. It is our hope that U.S. policymakers ensure ethanol and other renewable fuels are an important part of the discussions at COP27. More and more national capitals across the globe are rightfully looking at the value of renewables like ethanol to sustainably fuel their vehicles and power their green economies.”

In 2021, RFA’s producer members unanimously committed to producing ethanol that reduces greenhouse gas emissions by at least 70 percent by 2030, compared to gasoline. By 2050, RFA’s members pledge to ensure that ethanol achieves net-zero lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions, on average. This past February, RFA released a report identifying five distinct workable pathways to net-zero corn ethanol by 2050, based on a set of 28 emissions reduction actions that were considered.

In a recently published article, Cooper pointed out how news media and others typically misunderstand or wrongly portray ethanol’s carbon benefits. Too often, they fail to look at the full carbon lifecycle for ethanol, or they make inappropriate comparisons among different fuel types, as happened in a controversial Reuters news article that was retracted after significant pushback from RFA and its allies.

“Zero-carbon corn ethanol isn’t an idealistic aspiration or a far-fetched concept,” Cooper concluded. “However, reaching net-zero emissions will require fairness and integrity in lifecycle analysis and honesty in discussions—and reporting—about the carbon impacts of different fuels.”



Corn Price and Dry Diller Grain Price Relationship
Brenda Boetel, Agricultural Economics, University of Wisconsin - River Falls

Corn price and Dry Distiller’s Grains tend to move in the same direction. There are years where this is the exception, including 2017 and 2020. When examining weekly Kansas City corn price data and 10% Dry Distillers Grain price data from May 2006 to March 2022, the correlation between the two prices series is 0.86, indicating DDG and corn prices tend to move in the same direction.
 
A regression analysis using the data was conducted to find which price series indicated a relationship with DDG. Weekly high protein Kansas soybean meal price, Kansas corn price, a weekly variable indicating seasonality and a variable indicating year were included in the analysis. The model showing the best fit, with 81% of the DDG price variability explained included all the variables. The results indicate that when Kansas City corn price has a 1% change, the Kansas DDG price will change by 0.77%. Therefore, a $0.10 change in 2021 Kansas City corn price per bushel results in a $1.82 change in Kansas DDG price per ton. These results are similar, although slightly less variable, to what Michael Langemeier found using the Central Illinois prices.
 
Looking forward into 2023 to determine DDG prices requires using projected corn and soybean meal prices. Using Chicago Board of Trade futures prices for 2023, corn prices will be between $6.25 and $7.00 per bushel, while soybean meal prices will be between $380 and $410 per ton. Results from the regression model indicate that Kansas DDG prices will be between $250 and $280 per ton.
 
Understanding how these price changes affect profitability requires an understanding of the displacement ratio between corn and DDGs. There are large variations in these ratios, depending on location and complexity of diets. For example, Kirk Klasing found that adding 30% DDGs in beef diets displaces about 24% of corn in the diet in the high plains, but only displaces about 2% of corn in the West where diets differ. How much the variability in DDG price affects profitability will depend on the least cost ration used.



American Angus Association concludes a strong fiscal year

The American Angus Association® concluded a successful fiscal year, packed with member-wide comradery and industry-leading advances. The year marked the eighth-consecutive year of more than 304,000 registrations, with an additional 141,385 recorded transfers. The fiscal year, which concluded September 30, tallied a grand total of 22,488 regular and junior memberships combined.

"Angus breeders have completed a successful year, despite many challenges with weather and rising input costs," said Mark McCully, CEO of the Association. "Angus females averaged $6,023 last year and bulls averaged $5,909 signaling that Angus genetics are very much in demand."

Angus Genetics Inc. (AGI®), a subsidiary of the Association, continued to plant themselves at the forefront of the industry to help breeders achieve their goals and serve as the trusted industry source of advanced genetic solutions. Boasting 1.229 million animals with profiles in the genetic evaluation, a 10% increase in profile tests and 13 ongoing research projects, AGI plans to keep the momentum heading into the new year and to new heights.

In efforts to provide tools to enhance breeder success, the Angus Herd Improvement Records (AHIR®) program transitioned the Hair Shed expected progeny difference (EPD) from the research environment to a production EPD, due to the hard work of Angus breeders who diligently collected data. The EPD aims to help breeders find animals best genetically equipped to handle hot, fescue-filled environments. Additionally, AHIR continued to promote the importance of complete cow herd data through its Inventory Reporting program, enrolling 97,271 head from 768 herds.

The Angus MediaSM team created The Angus Conversation and Angus at Work podcasts to provide on-the-go information for Angus breeders and commercial cattlemen. Found anywhere you listen to podcast, the episodes feature a variety of guests who discuss everything from technology and breeding philosophies to marketing and traditions. With its goal of providing cost effective and quality marketing services to Angus breeders, Angus Media helped foster 34,000,000 online sale book page views and 3,500,000 email marketing sends.

The Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB) brand affirmed its quality standard with another year of exceeding consumer expectations. Combined focus on genetics and management led to a 35.5% brand acceptance rate. More than 5.78 million carcasses were certified and CAB marked 1.234 billion pounds sold. That’s an impressive 3.4 million pounds of CAB sold per day and the entity worked with more than 18,000 licensed partners in 54 countries this year.

With the value of Angus cattle consistently increasing, the Association continued its Powered by AngusSM advertising campaign. Combating the "black-hided confusion" in the marketplace, the campaign illustrates the confidence cattlemen can put in the power of EPD data, documented pedigrees and marketing programs with the purchase of registered Angus.

The Angus family continued to pour their support into the Angus Foundation’s mission of education, youth and research. With a record-setting $1.4 million in donations, each cent will impact the lives of Angus generations to come.

To view the 2022 Annual Report with in-depth information about the year, visit bit.ly/2022AngusAnnualReport and to view the Association’s complete financial report, visit bit.ly/2022AngusFinancials.



New Leadership elected to the American Angus Association Board of Directors

The 139th Annual Convention of Delegates assembled November 7, 2022, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Five directors were elected to the board of directors, as well as a president/chairman and a vice president/vice chairman of the board. Jonathan Perry will serve as treasurer for the 2022-2023 term.

Elected officers are Chuck Grove, Forest, Virginia, president and chairman of the board and Barry Pollard, Enid, Oklahoma, vice president and vice chairman of the board.

Grove said the Angus breed is in a prime spot to lead industry advancement. "With the vast influence Angus has on the beef industry, the breed is looked to as leaders ready to navigate both opportunities and potential obstacles," Grove said. "The future of the industry and this great breed looks bright in the coming years, and while I have been devoted to the breed for a lifetime, the next year will be the most rewarding yet."

Elected to their first terms on the board of directors are Rob Adams, Union Springs, Alabama; Art Butler, Bliss, Idaho; Alan Mead, Barnett, Missouri; Henry Smith, Russell Springs, Kentucky; and Roger Wann, Poteau, Oklahoma.

Directors can serve up to two three-year terms on the board and, if elected, serve additional one-year terms in office as president/chairman and/or vice president/vice chairman.



Save the Dates: 2022-23 Webinars for Enlist® Weed Control System

To help farmers and retailers better prepare for success while using the Enlist® weed control system during the upcoming growing season, Corteva Agriscience is once again hosting monthly webinars through March 2023. Monthly applicator and special series webinars are now open for registration, and continuing education credits will be awarded to qualifying participants.

Each A Step Ahead applicator training webinar is hosted by an Enlist weed control system field specialist and provides valuable insights on:
    How to achieve effective weed control on acres with the Enlist weed control system
    Tank-mixing options and recommendations
    Characteristics of 2,4-D choline in Enlist® herbicides
    Field-planning scenarios
    Application best management practices and sprayer setup
    Label additions from the January 2022 label registration amendment

“Farmers and retailers who have attended past webinars found them valuable,” said Eric Scherder, U.S. Crop Protection Commercial Launch Leader, Corteva Agriscience. “Last year’s survey responses showed that attendees were very likely to recommend these webinars to others. When asked this question on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being most likely to recommend, the average response was 4.1.”

Registration is now open with options to fit almost any schedule. Attendees are encouraged to bring their most pressing weed control questions, as each webinar includes a question-and-answer session.

Upcoming Webinars: Register Here... https://www.enlist.com/en/enlist-360-training/a-step-ahead-webinar-series.html.

Applicator Training With Label Reminders:
    Nov. 17, 2022, at 8 a.m. CST
    Dec. 13, 2022, at 9 a.m. CST
    Jan. 12, 2023, at 8 a.m. CST
    Feb. 14, 2023, at 9 a.m. CST
    March 14, 2023, at 8 a.m. CDT

Special Series: Seed Selection + Enlist Weed Control System vs. In-crop Dicamba System:
    Dec. 6, 2022, at 8 a.m. CST
    Jan. 17, 2023, at 9 a.m. CST
    Feb. 21, 2023, at 8 a.m. CST



Zoetis Reports Stronger Quarterly Income

Zoetis Inc. reported its financial results for the third quarter of 2022 and lowered its guidance for full year 2022 to reflect lower than expected sales due to continued supply constraints, veterinary workforce challenges, and the negative impact of recent changes to foreign exchange rates.

The company reported revenue of $2.0 billion for the third quarter of 2022, an increase of 1% compared with the third quarter of 2021. Net income for the third quarter of 2022 was $529 million, or $1.13 per diluted share, a decrease of 4% and 3%, respectively, on a reported basis.

On an operational basis, revenue for the third quarter of 2022 increased 5%, excluding the impact of foreign currency. Adjusted net income for the third quarter of 2022 increased 2% operationally, excluding the impact of foreign currency.

Adjusted net income for the third quarter of 2022 was $566 million, or $1.21 per diluted share, which declined 5% and 3%, respectively, on a reported basis. Adjusted net income for the third quarter of 2022 excludes the net impact of $37 million for purchase accounting adjustments, acquisition-related costs and certain significant items.