Thursday February 23 Ag News

 Annual Nebraska LEAD Recognition Banquet March 17 in Lincoln

Douglas Kristensen, Chancellor of the University of Nebraska at Kearney will be the keynote speaker at the annual LEAD (Leadership Education/Action Development) Program recognition banquet Friday, March 17.

Kristensen’s address will provide insight on leadership development while addressing the need for quality leadership at all levels and aspects of society. The banquet will be held to honor Nebraska LEAD Class 40 at the Nebraska East Union on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s East Campus.

During the banquet, the Nebraska LEAD Alumni Association will also be presenting the 2023 “Dr. Allen G. Blezek Friend of LEAD” award. “This very prestigious award is presented annually to an individual and/or organization who has a distinguished history of providing outstanding support to the Nebraska LEAD Program. The award honors Dr. Blezek, the long-time director who passed away in 2020.” according to LEAD Program Director Dr. Terry Hejny. This year’s recipient is Dr. Ronnie Green, Chancellor of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Prior to the banquet, the Nebraska Agricultural Leadership Council will conduct its annual meeting at 4:30 p.m.  The council will elect 2023-24 officers to its board of directors.

Social hour will begin at 5:30 p.m. followed by the 6:30 p.m. banquet.

Banquet reservations are $25 and may be made by calling the Nebraska LEAD Program office at (402) 472-6810 no later than March 7.

Nebraska LEAD 40 Fellows by hometown that are completing the two-year leadership development program are:  
AURORA: Mitch Oswald
COZAD: Andrew Bellamy
DAVID CITY: Nate Parde
GREENWOOD: Steve Landon
HEMINGFORD: Timothy Hashman
KEARNEY: Abe Smith, Hannah Swink
LINCOLN: Austin Benes, Kurtis Harms, David Moss, Rachel Prosser, Stephanie Schuler, Logan Sheets, Curtis Welsh
LITCHFIELD: Cole Lewandowski
MINDEN: Stephanie Nelson
NORFOLK: Trentee Bush
SAINT EDWARD: Dylan Haas
SCOTTSBLUFF: Blake Wohlers
UPLAND: Chris Grams
WAHOO: Eric Coufal

The Nebraska LEAD Program includes men and women, currently active in production agriculture and agribusiness and is a two-year leadership development program under the direction of the Nebraska Agricultural Leadership Council, in cooperation with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

For more information, or to request an application for Nebraska LEAD 42, contact the Nebraska LEAD Program, 104 Agricultural Communications Building, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583-0940, telephone 402-472-6810 or email the Nebraska LEAD Program at leadprogram@unl.edu. The application deadline is June 15.

 

USDA AMS Establishes Cattle and Carcass Grading Correlation Training Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln

The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced that the University of Nebraska-Lincoln would be the site of one of three regional Cattle and Carcass Grading Correlation Training Centers on Wednesday.

West Texas A&M University and Colorado State University join Nebraska as the other regional sites.

Also known as Cattle and Carcass Training Centers or Training Centers, the sites will foster collaboration between industry and academia and provide educational and training opportunities to stakeholders interested in the official quality grading of feeder cattle, fed cattle, and beef carcasses in the United States.

"This partnership with the USDA gives us an opportunity to provide cattle producers in Nebraska and throughout the region with great educational resources on grading cattle and beef carcass merit," said Ty Schmidt, Associate Professor of Meat Science and Muscle Biology.

"It provides our stakeholders with a larger network of information to assist them in making the best choices for their operations."

The Nebraska training center will host an event targeted to producers, feeders, and other stakeholders who want a better understanding of the factors that contribute to the market value of cattle on June 15-16 showcasing technology used in the meat and livestock industries. Speakers from the USDA, the university, and the CME Group will share their knowledge and offer information covering a wide range of topics related to CME live cattle specifications and deliveries. AMS will also provide updates on the USDA’s supply chain initiatives, including an overview of USDA’s Meat and Poultry Processing Capacity Technical Assistance Program (MPPTA), which ensures that participants in USDA’s meat and poultry supply chain initiatives can access full-range technical assistance to support their project development and success.

The two-day event is free and open to the public but will be first come, first served, and limited to 75 participants. Those interested in attending are asked to pre-register for the event here https://www.ams.usda.gov/event/meat-livestock-technology-and-cme-acceptance-training-university-nebraska.



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:
Thursday, March 9th, 2023. 6:00pm – 8:00pm, Casey’s Building, W, South St., Albion, NE 68620.

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 2021, 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. 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.



Fischer, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Protect Nebraska Consumers and Producers from Radical Environmental Policies

U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) joined several of her Senate Republican colleagues in reintroducing the Food and Energy Security Act, which would prohibit the Biden administration from forcing its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) agenda onto the American economy.

Specifically, the bill would require federal financial regulators to estimate the impact of their rules on businesses involved in the agriculture or energy supply chains. If any rules are estimated to drive up food, energy, or gas prices, the regulators would then be prohibited from implementing the rules during times of high inflation. U.S. Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) led the reintroduction of the bill in the Senate.

“Inflation continues to devastate Nebraskans, yet the Biden administration is determined to force its radical environmental agenda onto our economy. Aggressive financial regulations would hurt Nebraska’s agricultural sector and raise prices for hardworking families. Our legislation would prevent these damaging ESG rules from moving forward to ensure costs aren’t driven up even further,” said Sen. Fischer.

In addition to Sens. Fischer and Thune, the legislation is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.).



Commercial Red Meat Production Up 4 Percent from Last Year

Commercial red meat production for the United States totaled 4.77 billion pounds in January, up 4 percent from the 4.56 billion pounds produced in January 2022.

Beef production, at 2.33 billion pounds, was 3 percent above the previous year.  Cattle slaughter totaled 2.83 million head, up 5 percent from January 2022.  The average live weight was down 18 pounds from the previous year, at 1,380 pounds.

Veal production totaled 4.4 million pounds, 4 percent below January a year ago.  Calf slaughter totaled 30,600 head, 5 percent below January 2022.  The average live weight was up 2 pounds from last year, at 249 pounds.

Pork production totaled 2.43 billion pounds, 6 percent above the previous year.  Hog slaughter totaled 11.1 million head, 7 percent above January 2022.  The average live weight was down 1 pound from the previous year, at 293 pounds.

Lamb and mutton production, at 10.2 million pounds, was 3 percent above January 2022.  Sheep slaughter totaled 162,800 head, 6 percent above last year.  The average live weight was 123 pounds, down 4 pounds from January a year ago.

By State         (million lbs  -  % Jan '22)
Nebraska .......:     654.6            101       
Iowa ..............:     788.6            106       
Kansas ...........:     498.9            103       



Weekly Ethanol Production for 2/17/2023

According to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association for the week ending February 17, ethanol production rose 1.5% to a 9-week high of 1.029 million b/d, equivalent to 43.22 million gallons daily. Production was 0.5% above the same week last year and 7.0% more than the five-year average for the week. The four-week average ethanol production rate increased 0.4% to 1.018 million b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate of 15.61 billion gallons (bg).

Ethanol stocks rose 1.0% to a 46-week high of 25.6 million barrels. Stocks were 0.3% higher than a year ago and 6.9% above the five-year average. Inventories built across all regions except the East Coast (PADD 1) and West Coast (PADD 5).

The volume of gasoline supplied to the U.S. market, a measure of implied demand, surged 7.7% to an 8-week high of 8.91 million b/d (136.59 bg annualized). Demand was 2.9% more than a year ago and 4.2% above the five-year average.

Conversely, refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol declined 2.3% to 854,000 b/d, equivalent to 13.09 bg annualized. Net inputs were 2.0% below the same week last year but 0.3% above the five-year average.

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



 USGC Identifies Top Five Ethanol Market Priorities For 2023

At the U.S. Grains Council's (USGC’s) 20th International Marketing Conference and 63rd Annual Membership Meeting in Savannah, GA, the Council's Ethanol Advisory Team (A-team) solidified key market priorities for 2023. U.S. ethanol exports for marketing year (MY) 2021/2022 totaled 1.45 billion gallons (Bgal), the third-largest marketing year on record, worth $4 billion. As the 2022/23 MY takes off, the Council continues to work worldwide to promote U.S. ethanol's quality, reliability and value worldwide, with a renewed focus on Canada, Japan, the European Union (EU) and United Kingdom (U.K.), India and the Southeast Asia (SEA) region.

Canada has been the most consistent ethanol export market for the U.S. since 2010. Canada was the top market destination for U.S. ethanol in MY 2021/22, totaling a record 466 million gallons (Mgal). The current national average blend rate has exceeded the clean fuel standard (CFS) requirement of E5 since 2012 and with Canada’s Clean Fuel Regulation (CFR) coming into force in July 2023, the country is gearing up to reach nationwide E15 by 2030. This will both cut carbon emissions by more than 26 million tons and increase net ethanol demand. In the first four months of the current marketing year, U.S. exports to Canada total more than 180 Mgal, on track for potentially another marketing year record if monthly trends hold.

“With renewed commitments to carbon reduction and a keener focus on energy diversification efforts, we have seen many countries begin to make the transition to include or commit to ethanol blending targets,” said Doug Berven, vice president of corporate affairs for POET, and the Council’s current ethanol A-team lead. “The Council’s expanded ethanol promotion programs are seeing a wider range of countries importing and implementing low carbon fuel standards that will allow U.S. ethanol to compete in high value and high margin export markets like never before.”

One of the largest markets for U.S. ethanol is Japan. In MY 2021/22, more than 140 million gallons of ethanol were exported in the form of ethyl tertiary-butyl ether (ETBE), an oxygenate for gasoline averaging a country-wide ethanol blend rate of only 1.9 percent. The longer-term goal is to see Japan expand total ethanol consumption, begin direct blending of ethanol at a three percent ethanol blend and expand to a 10 percent ethanol blend, representing a 1.2-billion-gallon market. In 2018, the U.S. industry was able to enter the Japanese market for the first time with a market share of up to 44 percent, the revised policy will be issued in April 2023 and the Council and various industry stakeholders have been diligently pursuing 100 percent market access for U.S. product.

The EU has also been setting records and was the third-largest market for U.S. ethanol in MY 2021/22, totaling nearly 140 Mgal, more than double from the previous marketing year. Member states such as France and Germany continue to increase their greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions through increased consumption of ethanol and the Netherlands and Sweden have rolled out their own E10 mandates.

The U.K. continues to increase its consumption of ethanol and was the sixth-largest market for U.S. ethanol in MY 2021/22, totaling over 80 Mgal, up over 300 percent from the previous marketing year. In the first four months of the current marketing year, U.S. exports to the EU and U.K. total more than 55 Mgal. With a continued focus on energy diversification and reducing consumer costs, the EU and the U.K. represent a timely opportunity to increase the emphasis on ethanol’s pricing, energy security and decarbonization benefits to the region.

“The Council will be more prominently engaging within the EU and U.K. region in 2023 to continue the momentum around increased ethanol consumption. With success stories of E85 or E10 in many EU member countries, it’s becoming more evident to decision makers the integral role ethanol has in a viable decarbonization strategy that can significantly reduce prices at the pump,” said Mackenzie Boubin, USGC director of global ethanol market development.

India is a top 10 market for U.S. ethanol year-over-year. It was the fourth-largest market for U.S. ethanol in MY 2021/22, totaling nearly 130 Mgal. Industrial ethanol will continue to represent a short-term opportunity for U.S ethanol producers with the removal of the five percent customs duty on imported denatured ethanol. Given the country’s ambitious blending target of E20, U.S. ethanol can facilitate supply gaps, with the Council’s office there anticipating a potential 200 million gallon market by 2025.

Record U.S. ethanol exports to Singapore placed it as the ninth-largest market in MY 2021/22, totaling 51 Mgal, up more than 1,000 percent from the previous marketing year. The majority of those exports had an end destination of Indonesia in the form of preblended E3 gasoline. The Southeast Asia (SEA) region represents many promising transportation markets receptive to ethanol’s octane economics and carbon reduction impacts. Countries like Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam all have robust blending policies and strong domestic industries that complement the Council strategy to increase education and expand awareness of ethanol’s blending benefits.

“With the diversification of our ethanol programs reaching the many various regions, all of which are experiencing similar growth opportunities and renewed ethanol enthusiasm, the Council’s ethanol staff looks forward to achieving a productive 2023 year,” Boubin said.



FDA Proposing to Allow Fake Milk to be Labeled As Real Milk
American Dairy Coalition

It has been a long five-year wait since former FDA commissioner Scott Gottleib said ‘almonds don’t lactate’ in 2018 when FDA called for public comments about their (lack of) enforcement of milk standards of identity in the labeling of fake milk alternatives. FDA’s draft guidance, “Labeling of Plant-based Milk Alternatives and Voluntary Nutrient Statements: Guidance for Industry,” was just released on Feb. 22.

This is a huge disappointment, but we aren’t giving up and will provide additional Public comments to the FDA as soon as the new FDA guidance opens up for comments.

Specifically, the FDA draft guidance “recommends that a plant-based milk alternative product that includes the term ‘milk’ in its name, and that has a nutrient composition that is unlike milk, may include a voluntary nutrient statement on their label that conveys how the product compares with milk based on the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) fluid milk substitutes nutrient criteria.

USDA’s FNS sets specific levels of calcium, protein, vitamins A and D, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, riboflavin, and vitamin B-12 for milk substitutes in federal feeding programs. The voluntary statement for a fake milk alternative -- if they decide to redo their product labels and include it -- would state the difference in content between their non-milk product and the USDA criteria, not their product compared to actual real MILK, and not their product vs. bioavailability of these and other nutrients in actual real MILK.
Remember, this disclaimer is voluntary, and not required. The FDA draft guidance allows the food industry to continue to use the term 'milk' to describe fake alternatives with no plan to enforce the FDA's own policy standards of identity for milk. For decades, FDA has disregarded 'enforcement discretion' to allow this.

Simultaneously, FDA also released a “Consumer Update” on Feb. 22 attempting to educate consumers on how to interpret nutrient labels, stating: “The milk section of the dairy case isn’t what it used to be. Along with milk, there’s a growing variety of plant-based milk alternatives. While many plant-based milk alternatives have the word ‘milk’ in their name, the nutritional content can vary between the products, and many of them don’t have the same amount of calcium and vitamin D, or other nutrients as milk. So, what should you look for when choosing plant-based milk alternatives? The Nutrition Facts label on the packaging can help you choose the best products to meet your nutrient needs and those of your family. to make their own choices when buying plant-based milk.”



"Engaging Gen Z" Webinar Highlights New Research and Strategies to Connect

Gen Z is poised to change the face of food, according to new research from The Center for Food Integrity (CFI). CFI conducted digital ethnography, quantitative research and immersive Gen Z experiences for a 360-degree look at this unique segment and how to engage to earn trust.

“The findings equip the food industry with insights to engage Gen Z consumers, Gen Z farmers and ranchers, and the Gen Z workforce,” said Roxi Beck, CFI Consumer Engagement Director, who led the Gen Z initiative.

Beck will detail the research and engagement strategies during the "Engaging Gen Z" webinar, Tues., Feb. 28, 1 to 2 p.m. CT. Specifically, Beck will:
    Highlight the research and the impact of immersive on-farm Gen Z influencer experiences.
    Detail engagemenet strategies agriculture organizations can use to attract and retain young members and future leaders.
    Show how food companies, restaurants, retailers, agribusinesses and others involved in the business of food can attract and integrate this up-and-coming generation into today's multigenerational workforce.

The research culminated in a communications guide, “Engaging Gen Z: The Consumer, The Farmer/Rancher, The Workforce,” that details CFI research and other Gen Z findings, along with specific strategies to engage each audience.

To register for the webinar and download the guide, visit foodintegrity.org.



New Holland and Raven Industries Donate Precision Agricultural Education Simulators to 11 FFA Chapters to Grow Understanding of Precision Agriculture Tech

New Holland North America and Raven Industries today, on the occasion of supporting and celebrating National FFA Week's Give FFA Day, announce the donation of agricultural technology education simulators to 11 FFA chapters across the United States.

After a rigorous selection process, the FFA chapters picked as finalists are Botkins FFA in Ohio, Cedar Crest FFA in Pennsylvania, Chicago Ag Sciences FFA in Illinois, Dodgeville FFA in Wisconsin, Graves County FFA in Kentucky, Imbler FFA in Oregon, Mosinee FFA in Wisconsin, Rossville FFA Chapter in Indiana, South Hamilton FFA in Iowa, Stockbridge Valley FFA in New York and Whitehall FFA in Wisconsin.

“For 75 years, New Holland Agriculture has been a proud sponsor of National FFA, and we are excited to continue to support the future of agriculture in new ways,” states Ben Sheldon, precision agriculture segment lead for New Holland Agriculture North America. “Involvement in FFA allows students to explore a broad range of career pathways to help discover their passion. Through this donation, we hope to raise interest in the precision agriculture technology sector and showcase the opportunities it offers the next generation of agriculturists.”

“National FFA is grateful for New Holland and Raven’s continued support and dedication to creating opportunities for our members,” says Molly Ball, president of the National FFA Foundation and chief marketing officer of the National FFA Organization. “This precision ag technology will help FFA members gain hands-on experience and develop new skills that will serve them well in future careers.”

New Holland and Raven technology applications
Designed as an educational simulator for teachers and students, the technology presents market-leading precision tools and accessories in a compact format that easily fits into any learning environment. The simulator includes two key elements of Raven technology: the Viper® 4+, Raven’s premier in-cab display, and the RS1™, Raven’s three-in-one GPS, Connectivity and autosteer sensor. Together with a monitor, receiver, cabling and adapters, steering wheel and auto-guidance collar, these elements simulate real-world farming applications to create a hands-on training experience.

“In a world revolving around technology, Raven sees the importance of providing unique training opportunities to convey the robust capabilities of autonomous farming technology," says Mitch White, sales strategist for Raven Industries. “With the Raven RS1 demo simulator, we are providing an opportunity for students to learn about the breadth and depth of a career path focused on precision ag technology.”

Along with the technology, each of the selected FFA chapters will receive access to training resources to support their use of the simulators. These include detailed explanatory videos and a dedicated training session provided by a qualified New Holland or Raven precision technology staff member on how best to operate and optimize the functions, setup and basic operation of the simulator.

Sparking student interest in precision agriculture
New Holland and Raven further collaborated to provide complimentary precision agriculture technology curriculum to any FFA advisor or agriculture teacher in North America. These online resources have been designed to equip teachers with the tools and materials to successfully implement a precision agriculture curriculum in the classroom. Course materials will cover the basics of precision farming, connectivity and benefits to producers. Specific subjects covered in the curriculum include how to use rate controls to deliver inputs at the right place at the right time and a special section on the future of technology, like autonomous farming equipment.