Tuesday November 15 Ag News

Ricketts Announces Appointments to Boards and Commissions

Today, Governor Pete Ricketts announced appointments he has made to fill Nebraska’s boards and commissions.  The following appointees are unpaid and are not subject to Legislative confirmation:

Among the announcements today....

Corn Development, Utilization and Marketing Board
Deborah J. Borg, Allen
Dan Nerud, Dorchester

Dry Bean Commission
Courtney M. Schuler, Morrill

Dry Pea and Lentil Commission
Ben T. Goding, Sidney

Grain Sorghum Development, Utilization and Marketing Board
Dennis D. Fitzke, Edgar
Stuart D. Hoff, Lincoln
David A. Junker, McCook
Scott D. Nelson, Axtell

Nebraska Grape and Winery Board
Connie Brittan, North Platte

Thank you to the many Nebraskans who generously give time and talent to make a difference in our state.  These appointments will provide crucial insight and expertise to their respective boards, committees, and commissions.  To learn about openings and apply to serve on a board or commission, go to https://governor.nebraska.gov/board-comm-req.



Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance

Nebraska Extension and Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance will be offering Beef Quality Assurance and Beef Quality Assurance Transportation Certification.

The date and location is: Monday, December 12, 2022. 5:00pm – 7:00pm, Norfolk Extension, 1305 S 13th St, Norfolk, NE 68701.

Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) will be presenting the latest on the BQA and BQA Transportation (BQAT) programs and certifying/recertifying producers in BQA and BQAT. The BQA and BQAT programs educates beef producers and transporters on animal health best management practices, proper stockmanship, and proper animal welfare guidelines. “Beef cattle producers, who are committed to producing a quality, wholesome and safe beef and beef products for consumers, are encouraged to attend to stay up to date on BQA practices,” says Jesse Fulton, Director of Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance.

“By becoming or staying BQA and BQAT certified you are an integral part of beef's positive story to consumers. A story that can increase their understanding - and confidence - in how you and your operation are raising and transporting an animal that is fit to enter the beef supply chain,” says Fulton.

Many commercial beef packing facilities require producers who sell fed cattle to them to be BQA certified and those who deliver cattle to their facilities to be BQAT certified. If you have questions on how this may affect you, call Nebraska BQA.

All producers are invited to attend. BQA and BQAT certification is valid for three years. If your last BQA or BQAT training occurred prior to 2020, your certification could soon be or already be expired. Beef producers are encouraged to attend in order to keep their BQA and BQAT certification current. The certification fee is $20/person or a flat fee of $100 for operations who bring 5+ people.

Attendees will need to register online at bqa.unl.edu or by calling the Panhandle Research and Extension Center at 308.632.1230. Locations with no registered attendance will be canceled. Those who call in their registration, will need to be prepared to give name, phone number, for all those registering. Additionally, an email address will need to be provided for certificates to be electronically issued.

For all other inquiries, contact Nebraska BQA via email at nebraskabqa@unl.edu or by phone at 308.633.0158.



Summit Carbon Solutions Achieves Major Project-Wide Milestone

Demonstrating its ongoing commitment to partner with landowners across the Midwest, Summit Carbon Solutions has reached another major milestone as it continues to advance its transformative carbon capture, transportation, and storage project. By signing approximately 3,400 easement agreements totaling 1,030 miles across Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota, the company has now secured agreements for more than half of the proposed pipeline route project wide.

“Summit Carbon Solutions was formed to open new economic opportunities for ethanol producers and strengthen the ag economy that is so critical to families and communities across the Midwest,” Summit Carbon Solutions CEO Lee Blank said. “Securing easement agreements for more than 50% of the proposed route across our entire project footprint demonstrates the significant momentum behind our project and the growing recognition that carbon capture, transportation and storage projects will create jobs, improve environmental outcomes, and generate new sources of revenue for local communities.”

Summit Carbon Solutions is partnering with dozens of ethanol plants across the Midwest to develop the largest carbon capture and storage project in the world. Through a multi-billion-dollar private investment, these partners will be able to sell their product in the growing number of markets that pay more for low carbon fuels. California, the largest ethanol consuming state, and Canada, the largest U.S. ethanol importer, have both adopted policies that incentivize the use of low carbon fuels. Access to these markets is essential to the long-term viability of the ethanol industry that today purchases approximately 40% of all the corn grown in the United States and remains a key driver of commodity prices and land values.

In addition to driving growth in the ethanol and agricultural industries, Summit Carbon Solutions will support local economies across the Midwest by investing an average of $45 million in each of the 82 counties where the project is located during construction, which are dollars that will flow back to hotels, restaurants, hardware stores and other local businesses to generate ongoing economic growth. After construction, according to a study by global accounting leader Ernst & Young, Summit Carbon Solutions will pay an average of $930,000 in new property taxes annually to every county where the project is located, helping communities support key local priorities such as schools, road construction, public safety, and more.

In addition to crossing the 50%-mark project-wide, there are a number of counties that have far exceeded that pace, including:

Iowa (56%)                 South Dakota (49%)        North Dakota (53%)
Boone (79%)               Beadle (75%)                   Emmons (60%)
Cerro Gordo (67%)     Clark (86%)                      Logan (100%)
Cherokee (68%)          Edmunds (68%)              McIntosh (67%)
Chickasaw (82%)        Kingsbury (85%)            Mercer (100%)
Crawford (77%)          Lake (75%)                      Oliver (82%)
Floyd (73%)                McCook (100%)               Sargent (63%)
Greene (81%)              Miner (61%)        
Ida (66%)                    Turner (62%)                    Nebraska (46%)
Montgomery (61%)                                               Dakota (60%)
O'Brien (73%)            Minnesota (55% for            Merrick (61%)
Plymouth (70%)         Submitted Permit Route)    Stanton (62%)
Pottawattamie (85%)     Wilkin (77%)        
Sioux (67%)                

“As a company rooted in agriculture, Summit Carbon Solutions is committed to partnering with farmers to drive long-term economic growth in our rural communities and we are incredibly encouraged by the number of landowners across the Midwest who have signed easement agreements to help achieve that goal,” Blank said. “We look forward to continuing to meet directly with landowners in the five states where our project is proposed to be located to discuss this critical investment, answer their questions, and work together to advance the ethanol and agricultural industries that remain so vital to our state and region.”

To date, Summit Carbon Solutions has distributed more than $200 million in easement payments to landowners.



CATTLE COMPACTION IN CROPLAND
– Ben Beckman, NE Extension Educator
 
Are you looking for additional income from your corn acres or feed for cattle? Grazing corn residue is a low-cost winter feed source for cattle and a source of additional income for farmers without negative effects on the cropland.
 
Many crop producers are concerned that trampling from cattle grazing corn residue negatively affects crop yields. When grazed at proper stocking rates however, small but positive effects on crop production after grazing have been observed.
 
Research conducted at the University of Nebraska has shown that grazing corn residue at the recommended stocking rate does not reduce corn or soybean yields in irrigated fields the following growing season.
 
In fact, a long-term study in eastern Nebraska at the Eastern Research and Extension Center showed 2 to 3 bushel per acre improvements for soybean production following grazed corn residue in a corn-soybean rotation. This result was the same whether cattle grazed in the fall from November through January or spring from February through April.
 
A five-year study in western Nebraska measured corn yields from continuous corn after cattle grazing in the fall and found no negative effects on corn yields the following year.
 
It must be noted that minor surface compaction can result from grazing during wet weather. However, this compaction often disappears through the natural wetting and drying and freezing and thawing processes. Additionally, this compaction does not restrict root growth and does not carry over into the following growing season.
 
Grazing corn residue benefits both cattle and crop producers. Corn residue should be viewed as an economical source of winter roughage for cattle that can provide an extra source of income for corn producers that does not affect next year's crop production.



Solar Electric for Farms, Home, & Businesses Workshop Offered at HAL

The Haskell Ag Lab near Concord will be hosting this workshop on Tuesday, December 13th from 6 - 8 PM.Registration is $10. Register at: https://go.unl.edu/solarworkshop2022.

This workshop is for homeowners, farmers, and business owners who are interested in exploring solar PV systems. Each solar installation is unique, and individuals have their own reasons for exploring solar installations. This workshop will help you decide if solar is right for you, by learning about how systems work, safety, the value of electricity, value of incentives, and how to evaluate quotes from installers.

Sponsored by Nebraska Public Power District, Omaha Public Power District, and Lincoln Electric Systems.  

Questions?  Email: Jhay2@unl.edu.



2022 Nebraska Farm Bureau Silver Eagle Award Honors Dr. Ray Ward, Nebraska’s Advocate for Soil

Nebraska Farm Bureau has selected Dr. Ray Ward as the 2022 recipient of its highest honor, the Silver Eagle Award. Ray has spent a lifetime serving agriculture and working with farmers to promote good soil health and clean water in Nebraska.

“The name Ray Ward and soil go hand in hand. Water testing and soil conservation is proven to increase the quality and quantity of crop yields over the long term because testing provides data farmers can use to learn more about the condition and preserves the long-term productivity of the soil. Ray’s lifetime commitment to preserving water and soil health has greatly contributed to the success of Nebraska agriculture. ,” said Mark McHargue, Nebraska Farm Bureau president.

Ray and Jolene Ward founded Ward Laboratories in 1983, initially operating out of a three-bay garage in Kearney, Neb. Today, Ward Laboratories occupies a nearly 36,000 sq. ft., state-of-the-art facility that allows them to process on average 5,000 plus samples a day and ensures the highest standards of accuracy and quality.

“Nebraska agriculture is grateful to Ray for his passion and dedication to farmers and ranchers. His knowledge of soil fertility, water, and feed testing is vast. The data he provides helps farmers grow their crops and ranchers to raise their cattle more effectively. He has built a company based on honesty and integrity and it has made him a trusted source of data and information for producers across North America and around the world,” McHargue said.

Ray’s knowledge of water, soil, and feed testing plus his natural analytical ability to break down complex science makes him popular with the media, NRD’s, and on university campuses. He has been decorated with academic degrees, soil science awards, and business awards. He has served on numerous boards and committees and is a popular speaker teaching an agronomy class on the University of Nebraska-Kearney campus.

“Ray is the trusted standard in the business of water, soil, and feed testing. He is well respected in Nebraska and around the world. His history of service over self is known to many and he has made a difference on countless farms and ranches providing the necessary data to help farmers and ranchers better utilize Nebraska’s water, soil, and feed now and for future generations. We are proud to recognize Ray Ward as the 2022 Silver Eagle Award recipient.”

The Silver Eagle Award will be presented during the Nebraska Farm Bureau Annual banquet Tuesday, Dec. 6 in Kearney.

Ray and Jolene reside in Kearney. They have four grown children, seven grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren, with one more on the way. At 85, Ray continues to work at Ward Laboratories nearly every day, but now his grandson, Nick Ward, serves as president. He is excited about the future of agriculture and the continued changes he sees across the state as farmers and ranchers recognize the importance of keeping our water and soil heathy for future generations.  



Ricketts Announces $5.6 Million of Federal Awards to Develop Strategic Plans for Broadband Expansion

Today, Governor Pete Ricketts announced that the State has been awarded two federal grants—totaling nearly $5.6 million—from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NITA) to develop strategic plans to expand high-speed broadband service.  Earlier this year, Gov. Ricketts had created the Connect Nebraska working group, a team of leaders tasked with optimizing state and federal funds to expand broadband in Nebraska.  The group successfully submitted the grant applications on behalf of the State.

“In today’s digital world, broadband connectivity is basic infrastructure,” said Gov. Ricketts.  “No matter the distance Nebraskans live from a city, they should have access to the online tools they need to live, learn, and do business.  Over the past five years, the State has taken major strides toward our goal of connecting every corner of Nebraska with reliable, high-speed broadband networks.  Thank you to the Connect Nebraska working group for successfully securing these awards so that we can maximize federal funds to continue our broadband expansion.”

The State of Nebraska has been awarded $4,999,817 of initial planning funds through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program.  The BEAD Program provides support to expand high-speed internet access by funding planning, infrastructure deployment, and adoption programs.  The State will use the grant to generate a state broadband map, set up outreach activities to stakeholders statewide, and enable the Nebraska Public Service Commission to grow its team to meet the needs of the program.  Upon submission of the BEAD Program plan, Nebraska is anticipated to receive at least an additional $100 million in federal funding to develop broadband infrastructure across the state.

The State is also receiving $598,745 of planning funds through the State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program.  With these funds, the State will develop a plan to ensure Nebraskans in all areas of the state have internet connectivity, devices such as laptops and smartphones, and the skills to meaningfully use internet technologies.  The grant will also promote the use of technologies such as telehealth and precision agriculture, which are in the early stages of adoption and have the potential to significantly impact the lives of Nebraskans and the state’s economy.

The Nebraska Information Technology Commission (NITC)/Office of the CIO will be leading the digital equity planning effort with the assistance of the state’s regional economic development districts and the Nebraska Library Commission.  The one-year grant will start on Dec. 1, 2022.  After completing its digital equity plan, Nebraska can apply for $7.2 million or more in funding over five years to implement a state digital access, skills and opportunities grant program.

“Now that we have received planning funds for both the Digital Equity Program and the BEAD Program, we can begin the next phase in our plan to connect every Nebraskan,” said State Broadband Coordinator Patrick Redmond.  “Throughout this process, we will continue to prioritize communication, clarity, and coordination as we develop our comprehensive broadband plans.”

“The goals of the BEAD program align closely with the Commission’s priorities to get broadband to unserved areas of our state,” said Dan Watermeier, Chair of the Nebraska Public Service Commission.  “We are eager to administer this program, as we work together to connect Nebraskans through the deployment of high-speed internet access.”

Both grants are for programs created through the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which was signed into law in November 2021.  



USDA Provides Nearly $24M Boost for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Chief Scientist Chavonda Jacobs-Young today announced a nearly $24 million investment across 45 organizations and institutions that teach and train beginning farmers and ranchers.

“Investing in the professional development of our nation’s newest farmers and ranchers will help our food and agriculture sectors to flourish from the ground up,” said Jacobs-Young, who is also USDA’s Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics. “Strengthening and growing our next generation pipeline is vital to the continued success of American agriculture and prosperity of rural communities.”

This investment is part of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s (NIFA) Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BRDDP) that supports a wide range of professional development activities across an array of important topics for new farmers and ranchers, such as managing capital, acquiring and managing land, and learning effective business and farming practices.

“We recognize that beginning farmers and ranchers have unique needs for education, training and technical assistance. Their success, especially in the first 10 years, often hinges on access to reliable, science-based information and the latest educational resources so they can improve their operations’ profitability and sustainability long-term,” said NIFA Acting Director Dr. Dionne Toombs. “This investment will benefit a rising generation of beginning farmers and ranchers that truly reflect the tapestry of American agriculture and the many diverse communities we serve.”

NIFA’s BFRDP funds three types of projects:
    Standard Projects to new and established local and regional training, education, outreach and technical assistance initiatives that address the unique local and regional needs of beginning farmers and ranchers.
    Educational Team Projects to develop seamless beginning farmer and rancher education programs by conducting evaluation, coordination, and enhancement activities for Standard Projects and other non-funded beginning farmer programs.
    Curriculum and Training Clearinghouse to make educational curricula and training materials available to beginning farmers and ranchers and organizations who directly serve them.

NIFA invests in and advances agricultural research, education, and Extension across the nation to make transformative discoveries that solve societal challenges. NIFA supports initiatives that ensure the long-term viability of agriculture and applies an integrated approach to ensure that groundbreaking discoveries in agriculture-related sciences and technologies reach the people who can put them into practice. In FY2022, NIFA’s total investment was $2.2 billion.



New Lead Economist Krista Swanson Joins the NCGA Team

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is pleased to announce Krista Swanson joined the organization as Lead Economist.  Swanson will serve as the economic analyst resource for NCGA and its state affiliates.  She will be responsible for developing analysis and research needs on a wide variety of economic and political issues which impact corn farmers.

Swanson comes to NCGA from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where she served as a Research Specialist for the Gardner Agricultural Policy Program. Her responsibilities there included researching data on economic and policy topics, designing models for projecting future farm income under specific policy scenarios, and writing articles and budgets for the farmdoc website.

“As NCGA moves forward with defining economic sustainability for corn growers, Krista’s background in economic analysis—with specific emphasis in corn--will assist us with initial goal-setting, benchmarking and measurement,” said NCGA Production and Sustainability Vice President Nathan Fields. “We are likewise excited to be able to call on her expertise as we approach the next Farm Bill.”

Swanson also brings experience from her time at Integrated Financial Analytics and Research LLP (iFAR) where she consulted on projects for Field to Market, farm credit associations and NCGA.  A graduate of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a bachelor’s degree in Crop Science and master’s degree in Agricultural and Applied Economics, she specializes in production economics and agricultural policy analysis.

Swanson and her husband, Brett, farm in Oneida, Illinois.  As a team, the two received American Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers & Ranchers 2020 Excellence in Agriculture Award (Fourth Place).



Minnesota Court Folds Large Retailers into Packer Antitrust Suit

Several large retailers and wholesalers (including Sysco, US Foods, Kroger, Hy-Vee, Albertson, Associated Grocers, Subway, SuperValu, and Cheney Brothers) recently filed claims similar to those brought originally in April 2019 by R-CALF USA and National Farmers Union (NFU) against the Big 4 packers. Those claims are that the packers’ efforts to jointly manage their slaughter volume and their cattle purchasing practices caused beef prices to rise while also pushing cattle prices lower. In response, the U.S. District Court held a hearing and decided to coordinate these new claims with R-CALF USA and NFU’s suit ahead of trial. This does not substantially affect the current case. While the Court may amend the existing schedule to fold these new claims in, fact discovery is already expected to continue across 2023 given that the parties have only just begun document production.

As a continuing update on the consolidated case, the next major event is plaintiffs’ motion for class certification, presently due in August 2023. In that motion, R-CALF USA, NFU, and the other named cattle feeder plaintiffs will ask the Court to certify that their claims should proceed on behalf of feeders who sold fat cattle to Tyson, National Beef, Cargill, or JBS from January 1, 2015, to the present (other than on a cost-plus basis), and everyone who traded live cattle futures or options during that period. The Court appointed Scott+Scott Attorneys at Law LLP and Cafferty Clobes Meriwether & Sprengel LLP to act as co-lead counsel, and Robins Kaplan LLP as liaison counsel, on behalf of the proposed class. If the Court grants that motion everyone who did sell fat cattle to one of the Big 4, or traded live cattle, would be included in Plaintiffs’ proposed class, without the need to file separate suits or engage separate legal counsel.

“For years we’ve talked about how the packers have been squeezing ranchers and consumers,” said NFU President Rob Larew. “This addition of some of the largest retailers in the nation shows just how widespread the impacts of this rampant consolidation have been on the American economy.”

According to R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard, “while our original case was filed in early 2019 to address suppressed fed cattle prices, we soon saw consumer beef prices skyrocket to new historical highs in early 2020. That has obviously caused additional focus throughout the entire supply chain.”  

NFU and R-CALF USA look forward to litigating the case on behalf of all cattle feeders and working to correct years of unfair and suppressed fat cattle prices.



USDA Previews Crop and Revenue Loss Assistance for Agricultural Producers 

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced plans for additional emergency relief and pandemic assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). USDA is preparing to roll out the Emergency Relief Program (ERP) Phase Two as well as the new Pandemic Assistance Revenue Program (PARP), which are two programs to help offset crop and revenue losses for producers.  USDA is sharing early information to help producers gather documents and train front-line staff on the new approach.

“We have worked diligently to help agricultural producers bounce back from devastating natural disasters as well as the coronavirus pandemic through an extensive suite of programs,” said Vilsack. “No matter how well we design these targeted efforts, we often find that some producers fall through the cracks or were harmed more severely than their neighbors. These new programs apply a holistic approach to emergency assistance – an approach not focused on any one disaster event or commodity but rather one focused on filling gaps in assistance for agricultural producers who have, over the past few years, suffered losses from natural disasters and the pandemic.”  

ERP Phase Two will assist eligible agricultural producers who suffered eligible crop losses, measured through decreases in revenue, due to wildfires, hurricanes, floods, derechos, excessive heat, winter storms, freeze (including a polar vortex), smoke exposure, excessive moisture and qualifying droughts occurring in calendar years 2020 and 2021.   

PARP will assist eligible producers of agricultural commodities who experienced revenue decreases in calendar year 2020 compared to 2018 or 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. PARP will help address gaps in previous pandemic assistance, which was targeted at price loss or lack of market access, rather than overall revenue losses.   

Emergency Relief Program Phase Two 
ERP is authorized under the Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act, which includes $10 billion in assistance to agricultural producers impacted by wildfires, droughts, hurricanes, winter storms and other eligible disasters experienced during calendar years 2020 and 2021.  

Phase Two builds on ERP Phase One, which was rolled out in May 2022 and has since paid more than $7.1 billion to producers who incurred eligible crop losses that were covered by federal crop insurance or Non-insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program. 

ERP Phase Two includes producers who suffered eligible losses but may not have received program benefits in Phase One. To be eligible for Phase Two, producers must have suffered a loss in allowable gross revenue as defined in forthcoming program regulations in 2020 or 2021 due to necessary expenses related to losses of eligible crops from a qualifying natural disaster event.  

Eligible crops include both traditional insurable commodities and specialty crops that are produced in the United States as part of a farming operation and are intended to be commercially marketed. Like other emergency relief and pandemic assistance programs, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) continues to look for ways to simplify the process for both staff and producers while reducing the paperwork burden. The design of ERP Phase Two is part of that effort.

In general, ERP Phase Two payments are expected to be based on the difference in certain farm revenue between a typical year of revenue as will be specified in program regulations for the producer and the disaster year.  ERP Phase Two assistance is targeted to the remaining needs of producers impacted by qualifying natural disaster events, while avoiding windfalls or duplicative payments. Details will be available when the rule is published later this year.  

Deadline for Emergency Relief Program Phase One
Producers who are eligible for assistance through ERP Phase One have until Friday, Dec. 16, 2022, to contact FSA at their local USDA Service Center to receive program benefits.  Going forward, if any additional ERP Phase One prefilled applications are generated due to corrections or other circumstances, there will be a 30-day deadline from the date of notification for that particular application.     

Pandemic Assistance Revenue Program  
PARP is authorized and funded by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.

To be eligible for PARP, an agricultural producer must have been in the business of farming during at least part of the 2020 calendar year and had a certain threshold decrease in allowable gross revenue for the 2020 calendar year, as compared to 2018 or 2019. Exact details on the calculations and eligibility will be available when the forthcoming rule is published.   

How Producers Can Prepare
ERP Phase Two and PARP will use revenue information that is readily available from most tax records. FSA encourages producers to have their tax documents from the past few years and supporting materials ready, as explained further below. Producers will need similar documentation to what was needed for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) Phase Two, where a producer could use 2018 or 2019 as the benchmark year relative to the disaster year.   

In the coming weeks, USDA will provide additional information on how to apply for assistance through ERP Phase Two and PARP. In the meantime, producers are encouraged to begin gathering supporting documentation including:  
    Schedule F (Form 1040); and
    Profit or Loss from Farming or similar tax documents for tax years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 for ERP and for calendar years 2018, 2019 and 2020 for PARP.  

Producers should also have, or be prepared to have, the following forms on file for both ERP and PARP program participation: 
    Form AD-2047, Customer Data Worksheet (as applicable to the program participant); 
    Form CCC-902, Farm Operating Plan for an individual or legal entity;
    Form CCC-901, Member Information for Legal Entities (if applicable); and 
    Form AD-1026 Highly Erodible Land Conservation (HELC) and Wetland Conservation (WC) Certification. 

Most producers, especially those who have previously participated in FSA programs, will likely have these required forms on file. However, those who are uncertain or want to confirm should contact FSA at their local USDA Service Center.  

In addition to the forms listed above, underserved producers are encouraged to register their status with FSA, using Form CCC-860, Socially Disadvantaged, Limited Resource, Beginning and Veteran Farmer or Rancher Certification, as certain existing permanent and ad-hoc disaster programs provide increased benefits or reduced fees and premiums.

More Information
Through proactive communications and outreach, USDA will keep producers and stakeholders informed as program eligibility, application and implementation details unfold.  



Alltech introduces Egalis® high-quality silage inoculants             

Alltech, a global leader in the agriculture industry for more than 40 years, is proud to introduce Egalis®, a new range of high-quality silage inoculants that maximize nutrient quality, increase forage stability and reduce dry matter loss to help maintain optimal animal performance. Egalis drives proper fermentation and assists epiphytic bacteria to control the fermentation through the use of specific bacteria.

“The Egalis range of products brings together decades of expertise in fermentation, utilizing bacteria strains specifically selected by Alltech scientists to maximize nutrient and dry matter protection,” said Matthew Smith, vice president at Alltech. “Together with our on-farm support teams and range of services, Alltech helps to improve fermentation to produce superior-quality silage, enabling producers to hold onto more of what they grow, from field to feed passage.”

The Egalis range of silage inoculants available in the United States are:
Egalis Ultra - Suitable for use on all forages, Egalis Ultra efficiently and rapidly drives fermentation to a stable, final pH. It is comprised of specific strains of Lactobacillus plantarum and Pediococcus pentosaceus, which work in conjunction to rapidly lower the pH to a more stable, desired final pH. Egalis Ultra is available in a few packaging options for farms of all sizes. Benefits of Egalis Ultra include maximizing forage quality, supporting nutrient retention, reducing dry matter losses and driving sustainable feed usage.
Egalis Ultra HC - Suitable for use on all forages, Egalis Ultra HC provides the same benefits as Egalis Ultra and is offered in a concentrated formula to provide more ease of application for larger amounts of silage.
Egalis Ultra HC OA - Specifically formulated for organic use, Egalis Ultra HC OA drives lactic acid production and maintains dry matter, which leads to more feed preservation, digestibility and palatability. It is formulated using specific strains of Pediococcus pentosaceus and Lactobacillus plantarum. Benefits of Egalis Ultra HC OA include a rapid drop in pH and more dry matter recovery in a certifiably organic package.