Friday January 06 Ag News

 Leadership positions shuffle as Legislature convenes

Twenty-six members were sworn into office Jan. 4 as the 108th Nebraska Legislature convened for its 90-day first session. That number comprises 12 re-elected senators — including two nonincumbents who are returning after previously serving in the Legislature — 13 newly elected senators and one newly appointed member.

Lawmakers also elected a new speaker and chairpersons of the Legislature’s 14 standing committees.

Senators chose La Vista Sen. John Arch to serve a two-year term as speaker of the Legislature. Arch, who was unopposed, replaces former speaker Sen. Mike Hilgers of Lincoln, who left the Legislature after being elected attorney general in November. Among other duties, the speaker prepares the Legislature’s daily agenda and serves as its presiding officer in the absence of the lieutenant governor.

Several other senators also moved to new leadership positions as lawmakers elected new chairpersons to nearly all of the Legislature’s standing committees.

Glenvil Sen. Dave Murman unseated incumbent Sen. Lynne Walz of Fremont to serve as Education Committee chairperson. Murman, elected on a 32-17 vote, said Nebraska educators need to “hammer down on the basics” and that he would be the best choice to work with Gov.-elect Jim Pillen to reform how schools are funded.

Sen. Suzanne Geist of Lincoln prevailed in a three-way contest to chair the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee. Geist garnered 29 votes to beat out Plymouth Sen. Tom Brandt and Columbus Sen. Mike Moser for the position.

Elected chairperson in uncontested races were: Elmwood Sen. Robert Clements to the Appropriations Committee; Dunbar Sen. Julie Slama to the Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee; Ralston Sen. Merv Riepe to the Business and Labor Committee; Albion Sen. Tom Briese to the Executive Board; Kearney Sen. John Lowe to the General Affairs Committee; Blair Sen. Ben Hansen to the Health and Human Services Committee; Omaha Sen. Justin Wayne to the Judiciary Committee; Omaha Sen. Mike McDonnell to the Nebraska Retirement Systems Committee; and Omaha Sen. Terrell McKinney to the Urban Affairs Committee.

The chairpersons of four committees remain the same as last year, with the following lawmakers re-elected in uncontested races: Sen. Steve Halloran of Hastings to the Agriculture Committee; Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon to the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee; Sen. Bruce Bostelman of Brainard to the Natural Resources Committee; and Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn to the Revenue Committee.

Senators may introduce bills for the first 10 legislative days, or through Jan. 18.

The session is scheduled to last 90 legislative days, during which lawmakers will craft a two-year state budget and are expected to grapple with prison and tax reform, the state’s school funding formula and possible further restrictions on abortion.

The 2023 session is tentatively scheduled to end June 9.



Free Farm and Ag Law Clinics Set for January

Free legal and financial clinics are being offered for farmers and ranchers across the state in January. The clinics are one-on-one in-person meetings with an agricultural law attorney and an agricultural financial counselor. These are not group sessions, and they are confidential.

The attorney and financial advisor specialize in legal and financial issues related to farming and ranching, including financial and business planning, transition planning, farm loan programs, debtor/creditor law, debt structure and cash flow, agricultural disaster programs, and other relevant matters. Here is an opportunity to obtain an independent, outside perspective on issues that may be affecting your farm or ranch.

Clinic Dates
    Monday, Jan. 9 — Norfolk
    Wednesday, Jan. 11 — Fairbury
    Thursday, Jan. 26 — Norfolk

To sign up for a free clinic or to get more information, call the Nebraska Farm Hotline at 1-800-464-0258. Funding for this work is provided by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture and Legal Aid of Nebraska.



Nebraska Soybean Board to meet

The Nebraska Soybean Board will hold its next meeting on January 10, 2023 at the Holthus Convention Center located at 3130 Holen Ave., York, Nebraska.

The Board will conduct regular business along with committee and industry reports. The meeting is open to the public and will provide an opportunity for public discussion. The complete agenda for the meeting is available for inspection on the Nebraska Soybean Board website at www.nebraskasoybeans.org.  



Nebraska On-Farm Research Network Meetings Begin Feb. 15

The Nebraska On-Farm Research Network invites farm operators and agronomists from across the state to the 2023 research results update meetings beginning Wednesday, Feb. 15.

Meetings will provide valuable crop production-related information from on-farm research projects conducted on Nebraska farms by Nebraska farmers in partnership with University of Nebraska faculty. These research projects cover products, practices and new technologies that impact farm productivity and profitability.

“This is a unique program — attendees will have an opportunity to hear directly from the farmers who conducted on-farm research in 2022,” said Laura Thompson, Nebraska Extension educator and director of the Nebraska On-Farm Research Network.

In 2022, Nebraska farmers and agronomists conducted over 80 on-farm research studies across the state ranging from Richardson County in the southeast to Box Butte County in the northwest. These meetings are an opportunity to learn from these farmers and network with other innovative producers.

Meetings begin at 9 a.m. local time with check-in and refreshments beginning 30 minutes before the meeting starts. The meetings are free but pre-registration is required for everyone attending for meal planning purposes. Register online.

Meeting locations include:
    Feb. 15 — Alliance, Knight Museum and Sandhills Center, 908 Yellowstone, Alliance, Nebraska
    Feb. 15 — York, Holthus Convention Center, 3130 Holen Ave., York, Nebraska
    Feb. 16 — Beatrice, Holiday Inn, 4005 N 6th St., Beatrice, Nebraska
    Feb. 17 — Fremont, Dodge County Extension Office, 1206 W 23rd St., Fremont, Nebraska
    March 1 — North Platte, West Central Research, Extension, and Education Center (WCREEC), 402 W. State Farm Road, North Platte, Nebraska
    March 2 — Kearney, Buffalo County Extension Office, 1400 E. 34th Street (Fair Grounds), Kearney, Nebraska

“A wide variety of research projects were completed in 2022 including cover crops, variable rate seeding, starter fertilizer, biological products, seed treatments, variable rate nitrogen management and more. Our goal is to produce a variety of reliable, research-based information that is directly applicable to farmers,” Thompson said.

The complimentary meal and a copy of the 2022 research results book are provided thanks to sponsorship of the Nebraska Corn Board, Nebraska Corn Growers Association, Nebraska Soybean Board and Nebraska Dry Bean Commission.

CCA credits are applied for and pending approval.

The Nebraska On-Farm Research Network is a statewide, on-farm research program that addresses critical farmer production, profitability and natural resources questions. Growers take an active role in the on-farm research project sponsored by Nebraska Extension in partnership with the Nebraska Corn Growers Association, the Nebraska Corn Board, the Nebraska Soybean Checkoff, and the Nebraska Dry Bean Commission.

For more information or to register by phone, please contact Taylor Lexow, Nebraska On-Farm Research program coordinator, at 402-245-2222. For general inquiries about the Nebraska On-Farm Research Network, contact Laura Thompson, extension educator, at 402-245-2224.



WORKSHOP IN NEVADA, IA HELPS FARMERS BETTER MANAGE 2023 FARM MARGINS

With tight farm margins anticipated in the future, farmers have much to consider to keep their family farms viable. To help navigate this pressure, Iowa Farm Bureau and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach are hosting “Managing 2023 Farm Margins” at CNH Industrial Ag Information Training Center in Nevada, 23942 590th Ave in Nevada on Thursday, February 2, 2023.

During this workshop, attendees will learn strategies to protect working capital and how to diversify their income. They will glean from 30 years of crop marketing history the most opportune time to market bushels and the benefits of having a marketing plan. Ag lenders will also be present to give insights into what an optimal client-lender relationship looks like and how lenders can assist in farm business decisions.

As questions remain on carbon markets in agriculture, the event will also include a simulation to show farmers the carbon programs currently in the market and what the net return would look like over the life of the contract. Participants will also receive bonus information on “Cybersecurity and Ag Finance on the Web” and “Resources for Farm Wellness” at each event!

The workshop will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Registration is free for Iowa Farm Bureau members and $50 for non-members.

To register, visit www.iowafarmbureau.com/managing2023farmmargins.



Dairy Webinar to Focus on Climate and Weather Predictions for 2023

The Iowa State University Extension and Outreach dairy team monthly webinar series continues Jan. 18 with a focus on the climate and weather predictions for the 2022 growing season.

Dennis Todey.Dennis Todey, director of the USDA Climate Hub in Ames, will lead the presentation, from noon to 1 p.m. Todey is a native Iowan with his bachelor's of science and doctorate degrees from Iowa State University in meteorology and agricultural meteorology. He has spent two stints in South Dakota, first completing his master's at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and most recently as associate professor and State Climatologist for South Dakota at South Dakota State University.

He is well known regionally as a speaker and media source on various climate issues and is the former president of the American Association of State Climatologists.

“Weather and climate play an important role for both crop and livestock producers, and this is especially true for dairy producers,” said Fred Hall, dairy specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach. “The past few years, producers have been faced with the difficult consequences of drought. During this webinar, Dennis Todey will provide timely predictions for the upcoming year, with some analysis of what we are currently experiencing here in Iowa.”

Producers, dairy consultants and industry reps are encouraged to attend the free webinar live from noon to 1 p.m. on Jan. 18 by pre-registering at https://go.iastate.edu/NYRCQK.

For more information contact the ISU Extension and Outreach dairy field specialist in your area: in northwest Iowa, Fred M. Hall, 712-737-4230 or fredhall@iastate.edu; in northeast Iowa, Jennifer Bentley, 563-382-2949 or jbentley@iastate.edu; in east central Iowa, Larry Tranel, 563-583-6496 or tranel@iastate.edu.



Pork Exports Continue to Gain Momentum; Beef Export Value Sets Annual Record

November exports of U.S. pork were the largest of 2022 in both volume and value, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). November beef exports were below the large year-ago totals, but 2022 export value already set a full-year record of nearly $11 billion.

Record-shattering performance for pork exports to Mexico, Dominican Republic
Pork exports reached 245,663 metric tons (mt) in November, up 3% from a year ago, while export value climbed 10% to $725.1 million. In both volume and value, exports were the highest since May 2021. For January through November, pork exports were 10% below the previous year at 2.43 million mt, valued at just under $7 billion (down 7%).

Pork exports to Mexico and the Dominican Republic were record-large in November, with shipments to Mexico topping $200 million for the second consecutive month. Exports also trended higher year-over-year to China/Hong Kong, South Korea and the Philippines. November results were also bolstered by excellent growth in pork variety meat exports, which were up more than 25% year-over-year.

“I cannot say enough about the tremendous performance of the Mexican market and its importance to the U.S. pork industry,” said USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom. “U.S. pork faces heightened competition in Mexico, especially with the recent suspension of import duties. But U.S. industry efforts to educate the trade and consumers about the outstanding quality, consistency and value of U.S. pork continue to pay dividends and elevate overall demand. The rebound in pork variety meat exports is also excellent news for the U.S. industry, reflecting broad-based demand growth and an improved labor situation.”

Despite November slowdown, beef export value sets records in key markets
November beef exports totaled 115,777 mt, down 6% from the previous year’s large volume, while export value declined nearly 20% to $846.6 million. However, through the first 11 months of 2022, beef export value still increased 14% year-over-year to $10.9 billion, already topping the full-year record ($10.58 billion) set in 2021. January-November export volume was 1.36 million mt, up 3% from the record pace of 2021.

Through November, U.S. beef exports already set full-year value records in several markets. This includes South Korea and China/Hong Kong, where exports topped $2.5 billion and $2.4 billion, respectively. Export value also reached new annual highs in Taiwan, the Philippines and Singapore.

“Similar to the previous month, November results for U.S. beef exports reflected severe headwinds in our large Asian markets,” Halstrom said. “Key currencies in the region were still slumping, which impacted the buying power of importers and consumers. COVID cases and lockdowns in China were also intensifying, prompting widespread protests and the eventual lifting of many restrictions. But the U.S. dollar mainly peaked in late October and early November and global demand has remained relatively strong. Even with a high level of economic uncertainty, 2022 has been a fantastic year for U.S. beef exports and the outlook for the coming year remains positive.”

Mexico and Canada drive strong performance for lamb muscle cut exports
November exports of U.S. lamb muscle cuts more than doubled the year-ago volume, reaching 247 mt (up 129%), while export value increased 72% to $1.38 million. For January through November, exports increased 72% to 2,125 mt, valued at $12.5 million (up 61%). While 2022 growth was primarily driven by strong demand in the Caribbean, November exports were bolstered by larger shipments to Mexico and Canada.



USDA Dairy Products November 2022 Production Highlights

Total cheese output (excluding cottage cheese) was 1.15 billion pounds, 1.6 percent above November 2021 but 1.9 percent below October 2022. Italian type cheese production totaled 485 million pounds, 1.1 percent above November 2021 but 2.4 percent below October 2022. American type cheese production totaled 460 million pounds, 2.2 percent above November 2021 but 2.1 percent below October 2022. Butter production was 170 million pounds, 8.9 percent above November 2021 and 5.0 percent above October 2022.

Dry milk products (comparisons in percentage with November 2021)
Nonfat dry milk, human - 159 million pounds, down 1.0 percent.
Skim milk powder - 39.4 million pounds, down 33.9 percent.

Whey products (comparisons in percentage with November 2021)
Dry whey, total - 74.6 million pounds, down 1.7 percent.
Lactose, human and animal - 93.1 million pounds, up 2.8 percent.
Whey protein concentrate, total - 46.1 million pounds, up 6.1 percent.

Frozen products (comparisons in percentage with November 2021)
Ice cream, regular (hard) - 53.9 million gallons, up 3.4 percent.
Ice cream, lowfat (total) - 29.6 million gallons, up 0.6 percent.
Sherbet (hard) - 1.87 million gallons, up 5.2 percent.
Frozen yogurt (total) - 2.75 million gallons, down 5.3 percent.



2023 American Farm Bureau Convention Kicks Off Today
 
The 2023 American Farm Bureau Convention is officially underway. The convention is being held Jan. 6-11 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, with a virtual option for portions of the event available.

Anchoring this year’s event is an outstanding lineup of keynote speakers. AFBF President Zippy Duvall will give his annual address to Farm Bureau members during the opening general session of the convention at 9:30 a.m. Atlantic Time on Sunday, Jan. 8. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will speak during the closing general session at 11:30 a.m. Atlantic Time on Monday, Jan. 9.

Other general session keynote speakers are sure to inspire, engage and entertain attendees. Renowned artist, songwriter and humanitarian Big Kenny Alphin will speak about his efforts to end hunger during the afternoon general session on Sunday, Jan. 8, at 4 p.m. Atlantic Time. Bert Jacobs, co-founder and Chief Executive Optimist of the $150 million lifestyle brand Life is Good®, will share a powerful message on why he has championed the same mission for more than 25 years—to spread the power of optimism—during the closing general session on Monday, Jan. 9, at 11:30 a.m. Atlantic Time.

Sixteen workshops will focus on advancements in agriculture and opportunities—such as a new farm bill—as well as challenges, like inflation and supply chain issues, facing farmers and ranchers in the coming year. Eight workshops will be available via the virtual convention platform.

Convention programming begins today at 10:00 a.m. Atlantic Time when the Ag Innovation Challenge semi-finalists participate in a live pitch competition. The winners of the Ag Innovation Challenge, Foundation Book of the Year and Farm Dog of the Year will all be announced during convention as well, along with numerous state Farm Bureau awards.

An opening news conference, featuring remarks from President Duvall, AFBF Executive Vice President Joby Young and several industry partners will be livestreamed to all media, not just those registered for convention, on Sunday, Jan. 8, at 11:30 a.m. Atlantic Time.

Registered media may also attend the AFBF Annual Meeting of Voting Delegates in-person on Tuesday, Jan. 10. A digital stream of the session will not be provided.

If you are unable to attend the 2023 American Farm Bureau Convention in-person, consider registering for the virtual event. Select workshops and sessions will be broadcast live, and recordings will be available for on-demand viewing on the convention virtual platform for 90 days following the conclusion of convention.

Learn more and view the full convention schedule on the 2023 American Farm Bureau Convention website https://annualconvention.fb.org/.