Tuesday December 06, 2022

 Nebraska Corn Internship Application Deadline Extended

Nebraska Corn has extended the deadline for the Market Development and Innovation & Stewardship Internship hosted at the Nebraska Corn office in Lincoln. Nebraska Corn is seeking applicants to fill the role by Friday, January 13, 2023, with the internship experience beginning in August 2023. The internship is designed to provide students with an overview of Nebraska’s corn industry through real-world professional examples and experiences.

The position is a school-year internship where students will enhance their market development and research knowledge and experience.
    Market Development and Innovation & Stewardship Internship
    Host: Nebraska Corn
    Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
    Duration: August 2023 – May 2024

“The Market Development and Innovation & Stewardship Internship is a unique opportunity for students interested in experiential interactions with production and new use research as well as domestic and international trade,” states NCB Director of Innovation & Stewardship, Rachael Whitehair. “The selected student will assist many programs, including planning trade show events, assist evaluation of research projects, and attend stewardship-focused events. They will work alongside Nebraska Corn staff on an array of projects throughout the year. This position will allow students to gain a broad industry perspective and a wide range of skills immediately applicable to a career in agriculture.”

Nebraska Corn internships are open to all college students, with a preference given to students enrolled in colleges or universities located in Nebraska. The application process can be found online at https://nebraskacorn.gov/internships/. The submission deadline is Friday, January 13, 2023.



Annual Report highlights strides of The Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute in mission to grow more food with less water

Over the past year, the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute at the University of Nebraska has made great progress in finding ways to grow more food with less pressure on water resources. Its work has been focused in the areas of research innovation, entrepreneurship, student involvement, faculty development and knowledge-sharing. The institute took advantage of more opportunities for in-person connection this year and offers a glimpse of its significant movement forward in its annual report for fiscal year 2021-2022

A few of the highlights include:
    The publication of a new report analyzing various business ecosystems for smallholder irrigation in Rwanda – what works, what doesn’t and what more is needed to support young entrepreneurs and farmers.
    Continual development and increasing application of our suite of tools to improve irrigation water use and agricultural productivity and help water managers and producers make informed decisions.
    Communication of Nebraska’s diverse and localized policies for groundwater markets and transfers, so that Nebraskans — as well as others throughout the country and the world — can see how these programs could benefit their own areas.
    Research for solutions and fostered communication regarding the AltEn environmental crisis in Mead, Nebraska. While long-term solutions are still in development, the lessons learned have helped the Mead community heal and will benefit other communities dealing with similar challenges.
    Collaboration in the development of new methods for controlling nitrate leaching in agriculture. From innovative nitrate measurement tools to exploring the benefits of cover crops, we’re working to protect our groundwater and soil quality.

Located in Nebraska, DWFI leverages the world-class research capabilities at the University of Nebraska, the state’s expertise in managing water resources, and the state’s rich agricultural involvement to function as a living lab and global think tank. The report demonstrates the work that this unique combination of resources can achieve in the state of Nebraska, as well as several global achievements and partnerships.

“Water and food insecurity have been front page news many times this year with the consequences of the war in Ukraine, severe drought in the horn of Africa, the western US and Nebraska, and devastating floods across much of the productive farmland of the Indus basin in Pakistan,” said Peter McCornick, Executive Director of DWFI. “This has only underscored the importance of DWFI’s work, and our team has continued to engage purposefully. We have expanded our research and outreach activities, leveraged collaborations and partnerships to address complex issues, and seen marked progress toward impact.”

DWFI’s full annual report can be found online at go.unl.edu/annualreport.



New Cow-Calf Specialist Ready to Work for Beef Producers

Iowa State University’s new extension beef cow-calf specialist is looking forward to getting to know the state’s producers and learning how to best address issues facing them. Randie Culbertson said that starts with understanding the challenges, including her own change in perspective.

“Living in the West, I grew up with the discussion of the number of acres per cow. Here in Iowa the conversation shifts to the number of cows per acre,” she explained. “Exploring the differences of these systems and studying what works – and doesn’t work – is what fascinates me.”

Culbertson came to Iowa State from Bozeman, Montana, where she worked for the American Simmental Association as the lead geneticist for International Genetic Solutions. With her geneticist training and background, she’s very interested in providing a genetics short course for producers. And while that may happen down the road, right now she’s focusing on developing a grassroots program that’s built around the concerns of Iowa producers.

“I think it’s important for me to listen to producers and the industry, then bring those concerns back to academia to address them through research,” Culbertson said. “I want to provide tools producers can use in their operations that lead to success for them and the beef industry as a whole.”

First on her agenda is attending board meetings with the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association and Iowa Beef Industry Council. Her near-term travel plans include meeting with Iowa State University extension beef specialists and cattle producers around the state.

“I’m very excited to be here in Iowa, and what I’m looking forward to the most is getting to know Iowa cattle producers,” she said. “I welcome calls and emails and look forward to working with beef industry groups and individuals.”



IDALS, APHIS Confirm Cases of HPAI in Turkey Flocks in Sac and Cherokee 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 Cherokee County, Iowa and in Sac County, Iowa.

The affected sites are both commercial turkey flocks.

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.



CHS Inc. Owners Elect New Board Member During Annual Meeting

CHS Inc. owners elected five board members to three-year terms during the cooperative's 2022 annual meeting held Dec. 1 and 2 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. CHS Inc. is the nation's leading agribusiness cooperative and is owned by farmers, ranchers and cooperatives across the United States.

Reelected to three-year terms were:
    Al Holm, who raises corn, soybeans, sweet corn, peas and hay with his family near Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, representing Region 1 (Minnesota)
    Kevin Throener, who raises corn, soybeans, alfalfa and cattle with his family near Cogswell, North Dakota, representing Region 3 (North Dakota)
    Hal Clemensen, who raises corn, soybeans and wheat with his wife in Brown and Spink counties in South Dakota, representing Region 4 (South Dakota)
    Mark Farrell, who raises corn and soybeans with his brother and son in Dane County, Wisconsin, representing Region 5 (Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin)

Newly elected CHS Board member
Jerrad Stroh succeeds former director Steve Riegel, who retired from the Board on Dec. 2, 2022, and will represent CHS members in Region 8 (Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas). Stroh raises corn and soy beans with his family in Adams County, Nebraska.

CHS Board officer elections
The following CHS Board members were elected to one-year officer terms:
    Dan Schurr, LeClaire, Iowa, reelected chair
    Scott Cordes, Wanamingo, Minnesota, elected first vice chair
    Russell Kehl, Quincy, Washington, reelected secretary treasurer
    C.J. Blew, Castleton, Kansas, elected second vice chair
    Holm, reelected assistant secretary-treasurer

Amendments passed
CHS owners voted to approve amendments to the CHS Bylaws that give the CHS Board flexibility to schedule regional caucuses and Director elections at a time and location that will enable the most owners to participate in CHS governance.



USDA Publishes Final Rule for Cattle Contracts Library Pilot Program

Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published for public inspection a final rule in the Federal Register to secure the contract information needed to populate a Cattle Contracts Library. The official publication of the final rule is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022. The final rule will require packers that slaughtered an average of not less than five percent of the number of fed cattle slaughtered nationally during the immediately preceding five calendar years to submit contractual information for the purchase of cattle.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022 directed the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) to create a Cattle Contracts Library Pilot Program (library) to increase market transparency for cattle producers. AMS hosted a listening session in April 2022 to begin the process of gathering feedback from stakeholders. Feedback gleaned from this meeting and over the subsequent months has informed the development of the pilot library, including comments related to content, frequency of reporting, and usability. From this process, AMS developed a working library model which was primarily populated with inactive contracts. The model was presented to a wide range of stakeholders and end users, with a focus on content and usage.

The publication of the final rule, which goes into effect on Jan. 6, 2023, will ensure complete reporting of contractual information and volumes purchased against the contracts, including: supplemental information on cattle requirements; associated schedules of premiums and discounts; delivery and transportation terms and payments; appendices and agreements of financing, risk-sharing, or profit sharing; or other financial arrangements associated with such contracts, whenever new contracts are offered, or existing contracts are updated.

After publication, AMS will work directly with those entities required to report to ensure they understand what type of information is required, and how and when it must be provided. AMS expects to have a working Pilot for public consumption in early 2023 with plans to hold an industry briefing session prior to release. Once that occurs, AMS will engage in producer education through webinars, meetings, and other opportunities. Ensuring that this information is readily available, accessible, and understood by those who stand to benefit is of critical importance.

All information related to the library pilot is posted on the AMS Cattle Contract Library webpage https://www.ams.usda.gov/market-news/livestock-poultry-grain/cattle-contracts-library.



NCBA Pleased with Changes in Cattle Contract Library Final Rule

Today, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) welcomed the release of a final rule from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to stand up the Cattle Contract Library Pilot Program. This program was authorized following NCBA’s engagement with Congress on the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022.

“We are pleased that USDA listened to feedback from stakeholders like NCBA while crafting the final rule on the Cattle Contract Library Pilot Program. We are hopeful that this pilot program will strike an appropriate balance between offering cattle producers additional insight into the market while also protecting their proprietary business information,” said NCBA Senior Director of Government Affairs Tanner Beymer. “A Cattle Contract Library is just one of many tools NCBA has advocated for to help producers make informed business decisions and capture the most value possible for their cattle.”

NCBA has long advocated for market transparency tools and worked closely with congressional leaders like Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) to secure congressional authorization to launch this pilot program. NCBA staff have worked closely with USDA to provide feedback throughout the testing phase of the program, and we look forward to continued engagement and evaluation as the pilot program launches.



No DMC payments for October as Prices Rise

The U.S. average all-milk price rose $1.50/cwt in October from a month earlier, boosting the month’s DMC margin well above the $9.50/cwt maximum coverage level needed to trigger program payments, after two months of payouts.

The October margin was $10.71/cwt, $2.09/cwt higher than September’s margin. The DMC feed cost dropped by $0.59/cwt in October, driven entirely by a sizeable drop in the price of corn.

Another small payment for $9.50/cwt Tier 1 coverage may be triggered in December, based on current projects. Payments this year under the program, for August and September, together total the equivalent of about $0.19/cwt on an annualized basis and would be enough to cover the annual premium for a farmer enrolled in DMC at the $9.50 coverage level.

November CWT-Assisted Dairy Export Sales Totaled 18.6 Million Pounds
CWT member cooperatives secured 52 contracts in November, adding 6.2 million pounds of American-type cheeses, 348,000 pounds of whole milk powder and 1.2 million pounds of cream cheese to CWT-assisted sales in 2022. In milk equivalent, this is equal to 69 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis. These products will go to customers in Asia, Central America, the Caribbean, Middle East-North Africa, Oceania and South America, and will be shipped from November through May 2023.

CWT-assisted 2022 dairy product sales contracts year-to-date total 92.1 million pounds of American-type cheese, 657,000 pounds of butter, 8.8 million pounds of cream cheese and 30.7 million pounds of whole milk powder. This brings the total milk equivalent for the year to 1.157 billion pounds on a milkfat basis.



Global Sales of U.S. Ethanol and DDGS Decline in October
Renewable Fuels Association

U.S. ethanol exports dropped below 100 million gallons (mg) for the second time in more than a year, scaling back 17% to 83.8 mg in October. However, shipments crossing north of our borders picked up by 5% so that Canada secured its status as our largest importer for the nineteenth consecutive month. While falling shy of its August record, Canada’s purchase of 44.5 mg was equivalent to over half (53%) of total U.S. exports in October. The bulk of the remaining U.S. ethanol exports were destined for India (7.4 mg, the first meaningful imports in 5 months), the European Union (6.9 mg, -59%)—primarily led by the Netherlands—Mexico (6.5 mg, +121% to a 7-month high), South Korea (5.0 mg, -58% to the lowest volume in over 2 years), and Peru (4.5 mg, up from essentially zero). Brazil and China again were principally absent from our export market. Year-to-date U.S. ethanol shipments totaled 1.20 billion gallons, pressing 22% ahead of last year’s pace.

The U.S. imported 16.0 mg of undenatured ethanol from Brazil. Total year-to-date imports stand at 58.4 mg, on par with last year at this time.

U.S. exports of dried distillers grains (DDGS), the animal feed co-product generated by dry-mill ethanol plants, slid 9% to 798,100 metric tons (mt)—the lowest volume since February 2021. Once again, just three markets represented roughly half of total U.S. DDGS shipments. Exports to Mexico, our top customer for the fourth consecutive month, dropped 17% to 155,108 mt while Vietnam lowered its imports by 18% to 128,257 mt. Conversely, shipments to South Korea expanded 58% to a record high of 130,463 mt. Exports to other larger U.S. markets were similarly mixed, including the European Union (67,255 mt, -14%)—primarily led by Spain—Indonesia (57,197 mt, +63%), Canada (51,929 mt, -15% to a 17-month low), and Japan (47,922 mt, +172% or nearly triple the September volume). Total exports for the first ten months of 2022 totaled 9.39 million mt, lagging just 2% behind last year’s pace.



Ag Groups Call For Confirmation of Biden's Ag Trade Nominees

A coalition of farm organizations sent in a letter to Senate leaders this week asking them to secure the confirmation of key agricultural trade nominees before the end of the year.

Nearly 60 groups signed the memo urging the confirmation of Doug McKalip to serve as chief agricultural negotiator for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and Alexis Taylor to serve as undersecretary of agriculture for trade and foreign agricultural affairs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Both nominees were easily advanced on a bipartisan basis by Senate committees earlier this year.

“Despite unanimous support by the committees and widespread and bipartisan support the Senate has yet to confirm these highly skilled candidates. Time is of the essence to confirm these nominees,” stated the Nov. 29 letter sent to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

“American agriculture needs experienced leaders representing us in international negotiations. We urge the U.S. Senate to confirm Doug McKalip and Alexis Taylor by the end of this year and appreciate your assistance with this critical matter.”

The letter also details that 20 percent of American farm revenue comes from exports and that U.S. food and agriculture exports support more than 1 million U.S. jobs.