Wednesday March 15 Ag News (beware the Ides of March!) o.O

 Nitrates in Groundwater Forum Held Tuesday in Norfolk

Approximately 280 people attended a forum earlier this week in the Lifelong Learning Center at Northeast Community that addressed nitrate issues in Nebraska’s water. The forum, sponsored by the Flatwater Free Press, Norfolk Daily News, and Northeast following a series of articles, “Our Dirty Water, published in the Flatwater Free Press. Robert Noonan, agriculture instructor at Northeast Community College was among five panelists who spoke during the event. Others included Dr. Jesse Bell, Claire M. Hubbard Professor of Water, Climate and Health Programs at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s College of Public Health, Mike Sousek, general manager of the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District, Randy Hughes, a fourth-generation farmer in the Royal area, and Yanqi Xu, the Flatwater Free Press staff writer who researched and wrote the “Our Dirty Water” series of stories.

 


2023 Farm Real Estate Report Published: Nebraska Land Values Up 14%

The market value of agricultural land in Nebraska increased by 14% over the prior year, to an average of $3,835 per acre, according to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s 2023 Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Survey preliminary report. This marks the second-largest increase in the market value of agricultural land in Nebraska since 2014 and the highest non-inflation-adjusted statewide land value in the 45-year history of the survey.

The report is issued annually by the university’s Department of Agricultural Economics and Center for Agricultural Profitability, based on a survey of land industry experts across Nebraska, including appraisers, farm and ranch managers, agricultural bankers and other industry professionals.

The survey attributes the rise in agricultural real estate values to higher commodity prices, purchases for operation expansion, favorable financial situations for current owners and an increase in buyers acquiring land as a hedge against inflation.

Increases in crop and livestock prices contributed to a net farm income of over $8 billion in Nebraska in 2022, even as expenses for inputs like fertilizer and fuel increased by over $3 billion over the prior year in the state. But record-low interest rates at the beginning of 2022 rose to their highest points this decade by the end of the year. This may impact agricultural real estate markets in the coming year according to Jim Jansen, an agricultural economist who co-authors the survey and report.

“Monetary policy in 2022 created a dynamic period as the Federal Reserve raised interest rates to combat inflation. Interest expenses for land loans gradually rose over the prior year and into 2023 as the Federal Reserve continues policies to decrease inflation,” Jansen said.

He added that low interest rates on loans early on in 2022 and concerns about inflation fueled demand for investment in land, a tangible asset that helps to hedge purchasing power, noting that operators and investors use land purchases when evaluating hedges against inflation and grow farms and ranches.

The survey reports market values on seven types of land by region across Nebraska, as well all-land average values for the entire state. Dryland cropland with irrigation potential experienced the largest statewide increase on cropland, up 16% for all land classes. Increases between 17% and 21% led the category in the northeast, southwest and southeast districts. The estimated value of dryland cropland without irrigation potential rose by 13% across the state, with the largest gains — between 15% and 21% — reported in the northwest, south and southeast districts.

Average value - all land classes
Northeast District - $8035/acre - +16%
East Central District - $9320/acre - +15%

Center pivot irrigated cropland averaged 13% higher, with the northeast, east and southeast regions leading Nebraska in market value increases between 14% and 19%. The value of gravity irrigated cropland rose by 12% across the state, including gains between 14% and 20% in the east and south regions.

The gain in statewide grazing land and hayland market values ranged from 14% to 17%. Hayland led at 17%, as operators competed for additional acres during expansive drought across the state. Nontillable grazing land followed hayland with an increase of 15%. Major grazing regions in the northwest, north, central and southwest led the gains, ranging from 13% to 20%. Cow-calf producers competed for grazing properties during the drought and tillable grazing land also trended higher at 14% across the state.

Cash rental rates for dryland cropland rose between 7% and 11% across the state, which survey responses attributed to challenges related to drought, input expenses and water availability. Pasture and cow-calf pair monthly rental rates trended steady-to-higher across Nebraska, rising between 6% to 7% over the previous grazing season.

Cash Rental Rates by District
Northeast - Dryland $265/acre +9% - Center Pivot Irrigated $365/acre +5% - Pasture $72/acre +4%
East Central - Dryland $245/acre +4% - Center Pivot Irrigated $345/acre +5% - Pasture $60/acre +9%

“Extensive drought in major grazing land areas poses a threat if we don’t see additional rainfall this upcoming grazing season,” Jansen said. “The cash rental negotiations should include early removal provisions when accounting for drought considerations.”

The 2023 Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Survey’s preliminary report is available on the Center for Agricultural Profitability’s website, https://cap.unl.edu/realestate. The final report is expected to be published in June.



RONNIE AND JANE GREEN NAMED BLOCK AND BRIDLE HONOREES

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln Department of Animal Science will honor five individuals with awards at its annual Block and Bridle Club and Alumni and Friends Reunion April 22 in the Nebraska East Union’s Great Plains Room.

Ronnie and Jane Green will be recognized as the 2023 Block and Bridle Club honorees, while Cayla Beebe-Iske, Deb Hamernik and Rebecca Bott-Knutson will be honored for their outstanding accomplishments as undergraduate and graduate alumni.

Block and Bridle Club honorees
Since 1938, the Block and Bridle Club has recognized individuals who contributed to Nebraska agriculture through leadership, service, youth projects, community activities and involvement with the university. The candidates are nominated by industry leaders and selected by club officers and advisers.

Ronnie Green joins Edgar Burnett (1941) as the second University of Nebraska–Lincoln chancellor to be honored with the award, while Jane Green joins Sallie Atkins (2001) and Anne Marie Bosshammer (2016) as the third woman honored.

Ronnie Green was raised on a mixed beef, dairy and cropping farm in southwestern Virginia. He received a bachelor’s degree in animal science from Virginia Tech, a master’s degree in animal science from Colorado State University and a doctoral degree in animal breeding and genetics from Nebraska. Jane (Pauley) Green grew up on a diversified crop and livestock farm near Harvard, Nebraska, before enrolling at Nebraska on a Regent’s Scholarship, earning a bachelor’s degree in agricultural honors and master’s degree in agricultural economics from the university.

The Greens have had a tremendous impact on agriculture in Nebraska and beyond. Ronnie served on the animal science faculties at Nebraska, Texas Tech and Colorado State; was the national program leader for animal production research for the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service; and is an internationally recognized authority in animal genetics. He also served as executive secretary of the White House’s interagency working group on animal genomics within the National Science and Technology Council.

Jane’s work for Cooperative Extension in the Department of Agricultural Economics during the ag crisis of the 1980s continues to impact farming and ranching operations in Nebraska. She was also a co-founder, with Deb Rood, of the annual Women in Ag Conference, which last year reached 800 Nebraska women producers.

Young Alumni of Distinction Award
Cayla Beebe-Iske (Bachelor of Science, 2013), of Omaha, will be honored with the Young Alumni of Distinction award. As an animal science undergraduate student with the companion animal science option at Nebraska, Beebe-Iske excelled and developed an interest in nutrition. Over the course of her undergraduate and graduate careers, she began to look at ways to feed insects to improve their nutritional value for other animals, sparking changes in how feeder crickets are fed at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium.

She completed additional work looking at raw diets in large cats and their effects on animal behavior and nutrition. After earning her doctoral degree, she began her career as the nutritionist for Oxbow Animal Health, reinvigorating their research program and developing a wide range of new diets.

Beebe-Iske’s journey has come full circle, as she is now the director of nutrition for the Omaha zoo, overseeing one of the leading zoo nutrition laboratories in the United States. She works with the Department of Animal Science to assist with graduate student training and is a guest lecturer in multiple courses.

Undergraduate of Distinction Award
Deb Hamernik (Bachelor of Science, 1981), of Olathe, Kansas, will be honored with the Undergraduate of Distinction award. Following her graduation from Nebraska, she earned her master’s degree in animal science from Washington State University and her doctoral degree in reproductive endocrinology from Colorado State University. After completing her doctorate, she served in a variety of roles at Nebraska, the University of Arizona and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In 2009, Hamernik returned to Nebraska to become associate dean of agricultural research and associate director of the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station and professor in the Department of Animal Science from 2009-18. She served as administrator of sponsored funding for agricultural research and enhanced the competitiveness of interdisciplinary research teams for extramural funding. She served as interim associate vice chancellor for research at Nebraska from 2011-13 and 2016-17 before being named associate vice chancellor for research in 2018. Hamernik remained in that role until she returned to the USDA in 2020 to become director of the Animal Systems Division in the Institute of Food Production and Sustainability. She became deputy director of the institute in November 2020.

Graduate of Distinction Award
Rebecca Bott-Knutson (Master of Science, 2005), of Brookings, South Dakota, will be honored with the Graduate of Distinction award. Bott-Knutson came to Nebraska after earning a bachelor’s degree in animal science from the University of Missouri in 2003. She earned a master’s degree in animal science at Nebraska in 2005 before earning her doctoral degree in biomedical science from Colorado State University in 2009.

Bott-Knutson joined the faculty at South Dakota State University as an assistant professor of animal science and extension equine specialist in 2009 and was promoted to associate professor in 2015. In 2016, she served as interim dean for the Van D. and Barbara B. Fishback Honors College before being named dean of the Honors College in 2018.

In her current role, Bott-Knutson has strived to define quality and measure the impact of quality honors education through completion of the SDSU Assessment Academy and implementing new student learning outcomes and assessment. She has also engaged faculty from numerous disciplines to create new and innovative multidisciplinary venues for learning within the Honors Colloquium series.



Nebraska Corn Farmers Represented at Commodity Classic

Nebraska farmers were well represented at Commodity Classic in Orlando, Florida. Corn farmers from across the state attending to discuss policy and plan for the future of the Nebraska and national corn organizations. Commodity Classic had record attendance with over 10,000 people participating in the show and 125 delegates in the Corn Congress sessions. Nebraska Corn was represented by 13  delegates from both the Nebraska Corn Board (NCB) and Nebraska Corn Growers Association (NeCGA), along with three Nebraskans that sit on the National Corn Growers Association board of directors.

Commodity Classic and Corn Congress sessions allow corn producing states to come together to  debate proposed resolutions that  could then be accepted into the National Corn Growers Association’s (NCGA) Policy and Position Papers. During the two Corn Congress sessions, topics that passed included the next Free Trade Agreement (FTA), ethanol standards and the need for transparency and standardization when using ESG (environment, social, governance) scores.

In addition to Corn Congress sessions, Nebraska corn farmers interviewed with state and national media on topics including input costs, fertilizer and crop  outlooks. Learning sessions were also available for attendees and the Agriculture Committee Hill staff presented a panel which offered the opportunity for farmer questions.

“Commodity Classic provides the chance to converse with other state corn leaders, learn about the newest advancements in agriculture and develop deep-rooted policies to better the industry,” said Jay Reiners, Chairman of NCB. “This fast-paced conference provides countless opportunities for farmers.”

“Nebraska Corn was well represented in all capacities from the state to national level,” Chris Grams, NeCGA President states. “We also want to thank Deb Gangwish, Brandon Hunnicutt and Dan Wesley for their representation on the NCGA Board. Brandon also serves on the planning committee for the event and his work does not go unnoticed.”

The 2024 Commodity Classic will be held in Houston, Texas from February 29 – March 2.



Nebraska Wheat Board announces District 2 and At-Large Board of Director openings

The directorship appointments for At-Large and District 2 of the Nebraska Wheat Utilization, Development and Marketing Board (NWB) is open for appointment by the Governor. Applications will be due by close of business Monday, May 01, 2023. Tyson Narjes, the current member representing District 2 has indicated he will seek reappointment.

Qualified candidates include those who are citizens of Nebraska, are at least 21 years of age, have been actively engaged in growing wheat in Nebraska for a period of at least five years, reside in a county in the respective district for which the candidate is applying and derive a substantial portion of income from producing wheat.

District 2 represents the southwestern panhandle of Nebraska including the following counties:
Banner, Cheyenne, and Kimball.

To obtain an application, interested producers can call Pat Selk, Office of the Governor, at 402- 471-2256. Interested producers may also apply online at https://governor.nebraska.gov/board-comm-req.

The Nebraska Wheat Board administers the excise tax of 0.5% of net value of wheat marketed in Nebraska at the point of first sale. The board invests the funds in programs of international and domestic market development and improvement, policy development, research, promotion, and education.



Registration Now Open for World Pork Expo 2023

Registration for the 35th annual World Pork Expo is now open. The 2023 World Pork Expo, which is brought to you by the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), will be held at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa, from June 7-9. This year marks a major milestone for the world’s largest pork-specific trade show.

“We’re looking forward to celebrating the Expo’s incredible legacy this year with an impressive schedule of events,” NPPC board president Scott Hays said. “World Pork Expo continues to grow every year, and this year is shaping up to be the best Expo yet. Those connected to the pork industry won’t want to miss it.

Expo attendees, exhibitors and the media can learn more about the 2023 World Pork Expo and register to attend at WorldPork.org.
 
What To Expect at World Pork Expo 2023
The 2023 World Pork Expo will feature three days of programming and educational seminars that showcase the latest product and process innovations in the pork industry. Additionally, countless networking opportunities will be available for industry professionals to meet and connect. All events are included with the cost of admission.

Additional activities and opportunities include:
    The World’s Largest Pork-Specific Trade Show – Hundreds of exhibitors from around the world will be on-site showcasing new and exciting products and services.
    NPPC Hospitality Tent Meet-and-Greets – Speak one-on-one with National Pork Producers Council board members and staff to learn more about legislation, regulation and public policy issues that impact the pork industry.
    Lunch at the Big Grill – Free pork lunches are served each day of the Expo from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Last year, we prepared more than 10,000 lunches, and we expect large crowds again at this annual tradition.
    Special Anniversary Celebrations – This year marks the 35th anniversary of the World Pork Expo. Follow along with all of the happenings on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the hashtags #WPX2023 and #35YearsofWPX.
     
Register Early and Save
Registration is now available online and includes entry to the World Pork Expo for all three days. Until June 1, discounted rates are available during pre-registration, including $10 per adult (ages 12 and up) and $1 for children (6 to 11 years old). Children under 5 years old attend for free. Registration on-site at the event will be $20 per adult. There is an on-site, Friday-only option for $10.
 
Mark your calendar for June 7-9 and plan to visit Des Moines for an unforgettable experience! Get ready for three days filled with education, valuable networking opportunities and delicious pork. You won't want to miss this!



NCGA Joins Letter to Congress Calling for Sufficient Resources for the Next Farm Bill

The National Corn Growers Association joined a letter, signed by 400 national, regional, and state agriculture associations this week, which was sent to the Senate and House Budget Committees regarding budgetary resources needed to craft a comprehensive farm bill this year. Over 20 corn state grower affiliate associations also signed the letter with NCGA.
 

“We write to express our strong support for providing the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and House Committee on Agriculture with sufficient budgetary resources to write a new bipartisan, multi-year, comprehensive, and meaningful piece of legislation,” the letter read.

The letter noted that farm bill budget resources are needed for “protecting and enhancing crop insurance to assist with volatile weather and crop loss, improving access to voluntary conservation incentives, addressing rural development needs, investing in research for innovation and competitiveness, providing opportunities to help the nation become more energy independent and food secure, and supporting solutions to address logistics challenges.”
 
Congress is working to reauthorize the Farm Bill before it expires on September 30, 2023.



Major US Railroad Merger Approved

(AP) -- The way has been cleared for the first major railroad merger in more than two decades after federal regulators approved Canadian Pacific's $31 billion acquisition of Kansas City Southern.

The two railroads are the nation's two smallest, but the approval Wednesday by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board comes after a lengthy and arduous review because their coupling will create the only railroad linking Canada, Mexico and the United States.

The Transportation Board said that the new direct service "new direct will facilitate the flow of grain from the Midwest to the Gulf Coast and Mexico, the movement of intermodal goods between Dallas and Chicago and the trade in automotive parts, finished vehicles, and other containerized mixed goods between the United States and Mexico."

The board said the transaction, which will have little to no track redundancies or overlapping routes, is also expected to add more than 800 new union jobs in the U.S.



Thoughts regarding approved Canadian Pacific acquisition of Kansas City Southern
Mike Steenhoek, Executive Director, Soy Transportation Coalition

Many of you saw the announcement this morning from the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB) in which the STB approved Canadian Pacific Railway’s acquisition of Kansas City Southern Railway.  The new railroad will now be named “Canadian Pacific Kansas City” (CPKC).  CPKC will be the first railroad providing single-line service connecting Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

This process began on March 21st, 2021, when Canadian Pacific announced the agreement between the two railroads.  The proposal eventually was considered by the STB – the regulatory agency created by Congress to review proposed railroad mergers and resolve railroad rate and service disputes.  The STB is administratively affiliated with the U.S. Department of Transportation.  The STB announced it will oversee the merger for seven years – the first three years of implementation and an additional four years.  The full STB announcement can be accessed at: https://www.stb.gov/news-communications/latest-news/pr-23-07/.   

As I’ve shared earlier, mergers and acquisitions are inspired by and result in the benefit of the shareholders, customers, or both.  Some agricultural organizations and shippers have expressed disappointment in the approved acquisition.  Moreover, some communities along the combined CPKC network will indeed experience additional frequency of trains and the inconvenience and noise they will provide.  Others have expressed optimism that the merger of the two networks will result in enhanced marketing opportunities.  These shippers believe that the combined network will open up new geographic regions – particularly in Mexico and the south central United States – that they heretofore have not enjoyed.  We will obviously wait and see if one perspective becomes reality in the months to come.

Throughout this process, the following perspective has governed my thinking on the acquisition.
-    Whenever a merger or acquisition among large providers of a particular service occurs – including within the railroad industry – it is healthy to have some degree of concern given how mergers and acquisitions in the past have indeed resulted in a reduction of rail service access or increased rates among agricultural shippers.

-    In addition, a particular merger or acquisition often inspires and motivates additional mergers and acquisitions.  Will this acquisition result in increased energy for further consolidation among Class I railroads?  I do not know of many agricultural shippers who would welcome such a prospect.  It obviously remains to be seen whether this will occur.

-    Whenever a merger or acquisition is proposed, red flags are particularly raised among customers when the two companies have a similar geographical footprint.  This does not guarantee that significant portions of service will be disbanded or eliminated, but it often portends that.  The current Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern network maps have very little service overlap (https://www.cpr.ca/en/choose-rail/network-and-facilities; https://www.kcsouthern.com/en-us/work-with-us/partners/network-map).  The only current connection point is Kansas City.  This was one of the reasons the STB cited for its approval of the acquisition.  This provides some degree of encouragement among customers – including agricultural shippers – that this acquisition may result in increased service options.

-    It is important to view this proposed merger in the context of the other competing Class I railroads (see below).  The new CPKC railroad will still rank as the smallest Class I railroad in terms of operating revenue and track mileage.  Mergers and acquisitions usually elicit more concern when the two companies currently possess a higher percentage of the overall market share.  One of the arguments among those supporting the acquisition is that the combined CPKCS will become a more viable competitor to the remaining Class I railroads.  The question is what will exert more competitive pressure against the other Class I railroads: 1.) Two considerably smaller railroads with more limited and distinct networks or 2.) A single larger railroad with revenue and a network that is more comparable to the other railroads?  Time will obviously tell what ends up occurring.        

Class I Railroad – a freight railroad with an annual operating revenue exceeding $943.9 million. Seven Class I freight railroads operate in the United States: BNSF Railway, CSX Transportation, Kansas City Southern Railway, Norfolk Southern Railway, and Union Pacific Railroad. Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway are also considered Class I due to their significant trackage in the United States.

Class I Railroad Ranking (based on operating revenue), 2022:
    BNSF Railway: $25.6 billion
    Union Pacific Railroad: $24.9 billion
    CSX Transportation: $14.9 billion
    Norfolk Southern Railway: $12.7 billion
    Canadian National Railway: $12.4 billion
    Canadian Pacific Railway: $6.4 billion
    Kansas City Southern Railway: $3.4 billion
Source: Annual reports by above railroads

Class I Railroad Ranking (based on miles of track):
    BNSF Railway: 32,500 miles
    Union Pacific Railroad: 32,000 miles
    CSX Transportation: 20,000 miles and Canadian National Railway: $20,000 miles
    Norfolk Southern Railway: 19,500 miles
    Canadian Pacific Railway: 12,500 miles
    Kansas City Southern Railway: 7,100 miles
Source: Websites of above railroads

The decision by the STB is effective on April 14, 2023.  Petitions for reconsideration must be filed by April 4, 2023.  Requests for stay must be filed by March 27, 2023.



CP-KCS Merger Approval Disappoints National Wheat Organizations

U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) and the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) are disappointed that the Surface Transportation Board (STB) has approved the Canadian Pacific Railway’s merger with Kansas City Southern Railroad.

In public comments submitted to the STB on the proposed merger in February 2022, USW said the market power held by the Class I railroads has serious implications for U.S. wheat’s competitiveness compared to other major exporters. NAWG shared similar public comments with the STB in February 2022, which outlined how reliant wheat is on rail and how decreased rail-to-rail competition hurts shippers and growers alike. Now, this merger takes the U.S. rail system from seven to six Class 1 railroads.

USW and NAWG believe the STB has given a greenlight to rail consolation without regard for the consequences on agricultural shippers from lack of competition in the U.S. rail sector.

“U.S. rail industry consolidation has led to poorer, not improved, service for agricultural shippers,” said USW President Vince Peterson. “In addition, we see extreme disparity in rates for wheat shippers. Rail rates over the last decade have increased exponentially and rates for wheat are higher than rates for other commodities even with similar handling characteristics. Those higher rates make U.S. wheat less competitive in the global market at a time when higher prices already hurt our competitiveness.”

“NAWG is disappointed by today’s STB announcement and maintains our concerns that the merger of CP and KCS will impede competition in the rail market and increase rail rates,” said NAWG CEO, Chandler Goule. “With 50 percent of wheat being exported, wheat is heavily reliant on rail transportation to move across the United States. Since the merger was announced in 2021, NAWG has filed four public comments with the STB opposing the merger, citing a myriad of concerns on the impact to competition, unfair access to competing wheat producing countries, and changes to tariff provisions that could impact wheat farmers.”
 
USW and NAWG believe the STB must conduct more rigorous oversight of rail rates and service issues going forward. The STB should also aggressively pursue policies designed to inject competition such as reciprocal switching – a proposal that the STB ironically shelved last year because Class 1 rail service was severely challenged for agricultural shippers.

USW and NAWG continue to review the conditions the STB included in the merger agreement that are intended to protect competition and mitigate impacts on communities. We look forward to working with both the new CP-KCS railroad and the STB on addressing the disparities wheat shippers face going forward.



Weekly Ethanol Production for 3/10/2023

According to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association for the week ending March 10, ethanol production increased 0.4% to 1.014 million b/d, equivalent to 42.59 million gallons daily. However, production was 1.2% below the same week last year and 0.3% less than the five-year average for the week. The four-week average ethanol production rate remained unchanged at 1.014 million b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate of 15.54 billion gallons (bg).

Ethanol stocks swelled by 4.2% to a 50-week high of 26.4 million barrels. Stocks were 1.7% more than a year ago and 9.9% above the five-year average. Inventories built across all regions.

The volume of gasoline supplied to the U.S. market, a measure of implied demand, ticked up 0.4% to 8.59 million b/d (131.75 bg annualized). Still, demand was 3.9% less than a year ago and 6.2% below the five-year average.

Refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol rose 0.9% to 878,000 b/d, equivalent to 13.46 bg annualized. Yet, net inputs were 2.1% below the same week last year and 1.9% below the five-year average.

There were zero imports of ethanol recorded for the fourteenth consecutive week. (Weekly export data for ethanol is not reported simultaneously; the latest export data is as of January 2023.)



Anhydrous, UAN Fertilizer Prices Move Even Lower

Retail fertilizer prices continue on their path lower, according to prices tracked by DTN for the first full week of March 2023. This welcome trend has been in place for over two months. All eight of the major fertilizer prices are once again lower compared to last month. Five of the eight fertilizers had a considerable price decline. DTN designates a significant move as anything 5% or more.

Leading the way lower were both anhydrous and UAN28. Anhydrous was 13% lower compared to last month and had an average price of $1,059/ton while UAN28 was also 13% less expensive and had an average price of $436/ton. UAN32 was 10% lower looking back a month and had an average price was $522/ton. Urea was 7% less expensive compared to the previous month with an average price of $643/ton. Potash was 5% lower compared to last month with an average price of $657/ton.

The remaining three fertilizers were all just slightly lower compared to the prior month. DAP had an average price of $825/ton, MAP $823/ton and 10-34-0 $740/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.70/lb.N, anhydrous $0.65/lb.N, UAN28 $0.78/lb.N and UAN32 $0.82/lb.N.

All fertilizers are now lower double digits compared to one year ago. DAP is 10% less expensive, MAP is 14% lower, 10-34-0 are 15% less expensive, potash is 20% lower, UAN32 is 26% less expensive, UAN28 is 28% lower and both urea and anhydrous are now 29% less expensive compared to a year prior.



USDA Seeks Nominees for the National Sheep Industry Improvement Center

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking nominees for two producer positions and one expert in marketing to serve three-year terms on the National Sheep Industry Improvement Center (Center) Board of Directors. Nominations are due May 5, 2023.

USDA selects appointees from candidates nominated by Certified Nominating Organizations (CNO). A CNO is any certified national organization with a principal interest in the production of sheep in the United States and whose membership consists primarily of active domestic sheep producers.

The Center’s board of directors is comprised seven voting members and two non-voting members. Voting members include four active U.S. sheep producers, two members with expertise in finance and management and one member with expertise in lamb or wool product marketing. Non-voting members include USDA’s Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, and Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics.

The Sheep Industry Improvement Center was established as part of the 2008 Farm Bill and administers a grant program designed to improve the competitiveness of the U.S. sheep industry by strengthening and enhancing the production and marketing of sheep and sheep products.

AMS policy is that diversity of the boards, councils, and committees it oversees should reflect the diversity of their industries in terms of the experience of members, methods of production and distribution, marketing strategies, and other distinguishing factors, including but not limited to individuals from historically underserved communities, that will bring different perspectives and ideas to the table. Throughout the full nomination process, the industry must conduct extensive outreach, paying particular attention to reaching underserved communities, and consider the diversity of the population served and the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the members to serve a diverse population.

For more information, contact Barbara Josselyn at (202) 713-6918 or Barbara.Josselyn@usda.gov.



USDA Seeks Nominees for the United Sorghum Checkoff Program Board

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking nominees for the United Sorghum Checkoff Program Board (Sorghum Board) to succeed five members with terms that expire in December 2023. Nominees are needed to succeed members that include one to represent Kansas, one to represent Texas, and three to represent at-large. The deadline for nominations is May 2, 2023.

Sorghum producers within the United States who own or share in the ownership and risk of loss of sorghum production are eligible for nomination. A sorghum producer must be nominated by a certified producer organization and submit a completed application. The Secretary of Agriculture will select individuals from the nominations submitted.

The 13-member Sorghum Board was established to maintain and expand the market for sorghum. A list of certified producer organizations, the nomination form and information about the Sorghum Board are available on the AMS United Sorghum Checkoff Program webpage and on the board’s website, www.sorghumcheckoff.com. For more information, contact Barbara Josselyn at (202) 713-6918 or Barbara.Josselyn@usda.gov.



Traceability is a Means to Safeguarding the Industry
Todd Wilkinson, South Dakota cattle producer and president of NCBA

When asked what concerns me most for our industry’s future, one of the first things that comes to mind is the threat of a foreign animal disease outbreak on U.S. soil. This is why animal disease traceability has been a primary focus for me as an NCBA leader.
 
In 2021, the NCBA Board of Directors approved a strategic plan to give the organization a more focused approach to engaging with cattle producers, policy makers and consumers. Traceability was identified as one of our strategic priorities and the NCBA Traceability Working Group was formed. For the past year, I’ve chaired this group comprised of producers throughout the country from every sector of the industry. Our mission was to evaluate the current industry efforts to identify and trace animals through the cattle and beef system in the United States and develop a set of requirements for any eventual system that might be put in place in our industry.
 
For me, leading on this issue means making it clear what a traceability system must do to work in the best interests of cattle producers. We believe that a traceability system must:

    Advance the electronic sharing of data among federal and state animal health officials, veterinarians, and industry; including sharing basic animal disease traceability data with the federal animal health events repository (AHER).
     
    Use electronic identification tags for animals requiring individual identification in order to make the transmission of data more efficient.
     
    Enhance the ability to track animals from birth to slaughter through a system that allows tracking data points to be connected.
     
    Elevate the discussion with states and industry to work toward a system where animal health certificates are electronically transmitted from private veterinarians to state animal health officials.

The impact of a foreign animal disease in the United States, such as foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), would be catastrophic. Without a working, meaningful national traceability system in place, the impacts would be multiplied significantly. If FMD is identified in the U.S., it would result in an immediate stop of all livestock movement within the United States for up to 72 hours until movement control areas are established, and epidemiological investigation and tracing activities are undertaken. Most major export markets would close to U.S. beef immediately. The overall economic impact has been estimated as high as $228 billion.

Traceability is about risk protection, and I view it the same way as I view the insurance policy on my truck. It’s also about consumer trust. Consumer demand is the main driver of value for our product, both domestically and internationally. The reality is, we need a traceability program for our consumers so we can give them the information they want. Consumer demand for our product, and their trust in farmers and ranchers is strong and we want to keep it that way by providing the transparency they demand.
 
I firmly believe cattle producers are prepared to get out, protect their livelihoods and move forward with a producer-driven traceability program. Cattlemen and women with an innovative mindset are the ones that are going to chart the future. I am convinced that NCBA must take a leadership role to ensure that a traceability program is developed to benefit and protect producers like you and me.



Lucent Bio is the Scale-up Winner of the Thrive Shell Climate - Smart Agriculture Challenge

Vancouver-based Lucent BioSciences Inc. (Lucent Bio), an agritech company dedicated to delivering crop nutrition that improves yields and soil health while sequestering carbon, has won the prestigious THRIVE | Shell Climate - Smart Agriculture Challenge in the Scale-up category, with its product Soileos.

The THRIVE | Shell Climate-Smart Agriculture Challenge aims to identify and support start-up and scale-up innovators driving the global transformation to climate-smart agriculture practices. Over 300 start-ups competed in this challenge. As a winner, Lucent Bio will showcase Soileos, Lucent Bio's Climate-smart solution, during South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas in a session held on March 12 at Shell House.

Soileos is a soil-applied crop nutrition product that enhances yields, crop resilience, and soil health through improved nutrient delivery and sustained bioavailability. Soileos upcycles cellulose co-products such as pea, lentil, wheat and oat hulls into a climate-positive fertilizer solution. Soileos offers a more sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to traditional synthetic fertilizers by creating a circular economic model.

"We are thrilled to have won the THRIVE Shell Smart Agriculture Challenge Scale-up Program," said CEO Michael Riedijk. "We are grateful to have the opportunity to highlight how we help decarbonize agriculture with our Soileos smart biofertilizers."

Lucent Bio's mission is to deliver crop nutrition to growers that increases yield while minimizing environmental impact. The Soileos line of micronutrient fertilizers, seed treatments and slow-release coatings helps growers produce more and healthier crops and improve soil fertility. Lucent Bio looks forward to continuing to deliver innovative solutions that make agriculture more sustainable.