Weekend Ag News Round-up - March 12

 Northeast Community College seeks AgCeptional Woman of the Year nominations

Each year, Northeast Community College recognizes the vital role that women play in agriculture and honors one individual during its AgCeptional Women’s Conference in
the fall.

Nominations are currently being accepted for the 2023 AG-ceptional Woman of the Year Award, which will be presented during the 15th Annual AG-ceptional Women’s Conference on Fri., Nov. 17, in the Lifelong Learning Center at Northeast Community College in Norfolk. The recipient will be featured in a video tribute sponsored by Farm Credit Services of America.

Tara Smydra, dean of science, technology, agriculture, and math, said she looks forward to honoring all women in the industry during the annual event.

“This will be our 15th annual conference and we are looking forward to honoring our outstanding women of agriculture. An AgCeptional woman is someone who has made exceptional contributions to agriculture. The term AgCeptional pertains to any aspect of agriculture where excellence is demonstrated,” Smydra said. “By design, there are no specific criteria that must be followed in order to nominate someone for the AgCeptional Woman of the Year Award. You simply have to believe that a woman is ‘AgCeptional’ and then tell us why.”

Anita Keys, Elsmere, was named the 2022 Ag-ceptional Woman of the Year during last year’s conference. Other past AG-ceptional Woman of the Year honorees include Joan Ruskamp, Dodge, (2021), Lisa Kruger, Columbus, (2020); Lisa Lunz, Wakefield, (2019); Shana Beattie, Sumner, (2018); Liz Doerr, Creighton (2017); Anne Meis, Elgin (2016); Karen Grant, Meadow Grove (2015); Dawn Winkelbauer, Norfolk (2014); Jan Frenzen, Fullerton (2013) Nancy Kirkholm, Homer (2012); Jan Miller, Belden (2011); and Bonnie Schulz, Battle Creek (2010).

The deadline for nominating the 2023 AG-ceptional Woman of the Year recipient is April 30. Nomination forms are available online at neccweb.azureedge.net/documents/agceptional/NominationForm.pdf. To learn more about the Agceptional Women’s Conference, visit northeast.edu/events/agceptional.

For more information, contact Karmen Hake at khake1@northeast.edu or call (402) 844-7181.



Upcoming Nebraska Cattlemen Affiliate Events

Butler County Cattlemen Meeting
Date: Thursday, March 16, 2023
Time: 6:00 p.m. CT
Location: Frontier Cooperative- Yanka location (3541 O Road, David City, NE)


Platte Valley Cattlemen Meeting
Date: Monday, March 20, 2023
Social: 6:00 p.m. CT
Meal: 7:00 p.m. CT
Location: Wunderlich’s (304 23rd St. Columbus, NE)



Conservation Reserve Program Informational Meetings Planned for Locations Across Nebraska

Nebraska USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) along with several partners in conservation will be conducting informational meetings for agricultural producers and private landowners interested in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) opened a CRP General signup in February, and it runs through April 7, 2023.

CRP is a cornerstone voluntary conservation program offered by USDA. General CRP helps producers and landowners establish long-term, resource-conserving plant species, such as approved grasses or trees, to control soil erosion, improve water quality and enhance wildlife habitat on cropland. In return landowners receive annual rental payments.

“CRP offers a range of conservation options to farmers, ranchers and landowners,” said John Berge, FSA state executive director in Nebraska. “It can serve as a tool for farmers with less productive or marginal cropland, helping them re-establish valuable land cover to help improve water quality, prevent soil erosion, and support wildlife habitat.”


CRP General signup informational meeting dates, times and locations include (* is Mountain Time; all others are Central Time):
March 20, 2 p.m., St. Paul - St. Paul Community Library, 1301 Howard Ave.
March 20, 6 p.m., Lincoln – UNL Extension Office, 444 Cherrycreek Rd.

March 21, 9 a.m., Humboldt – Humboldt Ag Building, 1034 4th St.
March 21, 10 a.m., Trenton – Trenton Community Center, 402 E 1st St.
March 21, 1 p.m., Broken Bow – MPCC, Rm 104, 2520 South E St.
March 21, 1 p.m.*, Chadron – American Legion, 123 Bordeaux St.
March 21, 6 p.m., Neligh – Antelope County Courthouse, 501 M St.

March 22, 10 a.m., Dakota City – Old Dane Golf Club, 466 Hwy 35
March 22, 1 p.m.*, Oshkosh – Oshkosh Auditorium, 602 West 2nd
March 22, 6 p.m., Ord – Jubilee Events and Catering, 1528 L St.

March 23, 10 a.m.*, Benkelman – FSA Office Building, 1303 A St.
March 23, 1 p.m., Norfolk – Lifelong Learning Center, 601 E. Benjamin Ave.
March 23, 5 p.m., Red Cloud – Red Cloud Community Center, 142 W 3rd Ave.
March 23, 6 p.m.*, Imperial – Imperial Fire Hall, 315 Broadway

March 27, 1 p.m., Fairbury – Jefferson Co. Fair, 4-H Building, 56885 PWF Rd.
March 27, 1 p.m.*, Paxton – 207 North Oak St.

March 28, 10 a.m.*, Grant – Midwest Electric Conf Rm., 104 Washington Ave.
March 28, 1 p.m., Fremont – Fremont Eagles Club, 649 N. Main St.
March 28, 1 p.m., Tecumseh – Tecumseh Fire Hall, 1110 Buffalo Dr.
March 28, 1 p.m., Wallace – 105 West Alice St.

March 29, 9 a.m., Beatrice – Gage Co. Fair, 4-H Building, 900 W Scott St.

March 30, 6:30 p.m., Arapahoe – Arapahoe Public Library, 306 Nebraska Ave.
 
Nebraska FSA county office leaders will speak at the meetings, along with conservation organization representatives. They will discuss CRP practice options, land eligibility criteria and updated soil rental rates, among other information. The meetings are free, and there is no registration required.

Information on the CRP General signup as well as other CRP initiatives can be found at fsa.usda.gov/crp or contact the local USDA Service Center. To find your service center, visit offices.usda.gov.  



9 Nebraskans Attend NFU’s 121st Anniversary Convention in San Francisco, California

Nine Nebraska Farmers Union (NeFU) members attended the National Farmers Union (NFU) Convention March 5 to March 7, 2023 in San Francisco, California.  NeFU President John Hansen and Vern Jantzen, Plymouth represented the NeFU Board.  Delegates representing membership were: Don Schuller, Wymore, Marcia Regier, Beatrice, and Keith Dittrich, Tilden.  

Farmers Union Midwest Agency LLP General Manager Jeff Downing of Elkhorn, Gayland Regier of Beatrice, Tammy Dittrich of Meadow Grove, and Julie Schuller of Wymore also attended.

NeFU President John Hansen said, “It is always good to get together with fellow family farmers from around the country who share our passion for preserving and growing our traditional system of independent family farm and ranch owned food, fiber, and fuel production. This year’s convention featured an outstanding speakers and workshop presenters on the issues facing family farmers.”

Secretary Vilsack’s announcement that USDA was releasing the voluntary “Product of USA” or “Made in the USA” label claim to be used on meat, poultry and egg products only when they are derived from animals born, raised, slaughtered and processed in the United States received a standing ovation. Farmers Union has long championed Country of Origin Labeling (COOL). NeFU first pioneered COOL in 1984.

Secretary Vilsack also announced that USDA will spend an additional $89 million to expand independent meat and processing capacity, and that USDA will partner with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to take a look at the concentration and pricing of the seed industry while taking many questions from the crowd. All three issues are included in the National Farmers Union’s “Fairness to Farmers” ag market reform campaign that continues to gain traction as elements to be included in the next Farm Bill.

Farmers Union members from around the country met in San Francisco for the NFU Convention. The grassroots elected delegates approved three special orders of business:
    Fairness for Farmers
    Family Farming and the 2023 Farm Bill
    Family Farming and Dairy Policy Reform

Full text of the adopted policy manual will be available soon at www.nfu.org.

The 2024 National Farmers Union 122nd Anniversary Convention will be held March 10-12, 2024 at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort, Scottsdale, Arizona.



Nebraska grain handler suffocated after being engulfed in corn silo; company faces $531K in penalties

A 34-year-old worker’s attempt to clean out a Roseland grain silo, in preparation for fall harvest, turned tragic on Sept. 12, 2022, when corn engulfed and asphyxiated him.

An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration at CHS Inc. – operating as Agri-Service Center Roseland – found the employer disregarded federal regulations designed to prevent such tragedies and found the worker’s personal protective equipment was not adequate for protection from engulfment hazards. The worker died on-site.

OSHA also determined the company failed to equip the employee with an adequate body harness and lifeline that co-workers could have used to rescue him. Inspectors discovered the company kept a retractable lifeline tripod on-site, a device not designed for side entry onto grain, and had no adequate alternative method available to protect workers in silos.

“The dangers of working inside grain bins are well-known and safety standards have been in place for decades. Despite our continued outreach and enforcement activity in this highly hazardous industry, we continue to see preventable fatalities,” said OSHA Area Director Matthew Thurlby in Omaha, Nebraska. “Agri-Service Center Roseland should know that safety standards and proper training, procedures, and equipment can make the difference between life and death. Expediency should never be put ahead of worker safety.”

OSHA issued citations for 16 violations – two willful and 14 serious – for allowing workers to enter bins with grain build-up, and for failing to develop procedures for entering permit-required confined spaces, ensure emergency services were available, recognize and evaluate hazards and train workers, and implement machine safety procedures to prevent grain bin equipment from running while workers were inside bins.

The agency proposed $531,268 in penalties and placed the company in its Severe Violator Enforcement Program.

Through its alliance program, OSHA has partnered with the Grain Handling Safety Coalition, Grain Elevator and Processing Society and National Grain and Feed Association to address hazards, reduce risks and improve safety and health management systems to help prevent life-altering injuries and fatalities.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

From March 27-31, 2023, the National Grain and Feed Alliance will participate in its annual Stand Up 4 Grain Safety Week with a focus on making small changes for a big impact to improve safety in this high-hazard industry.



Build a Better Plate with Beef During National Nutrition Month
Madison Doeschot - Nebraska Beef Council

"Build a Better Plate with Beef," during National Nutrition Month this March, and beyond. Beef is packed with key essential nutrients that complement the nutrients and flavors found in fruits and vegetables, making them the perfect team to help you reach your health goals. You can find more protein, and fewer calories in lean beef than many other protein sources. Also, the protein and iron in beef are necessary for building and repairing muscle.

The Nebraska Beef Council is collaborating with registered dietitians to showcase beef’s nutritional value and versatility in the meal planning process.  High-quality protein, like that found in beef, plays an increasingly important role in muscle maintenance, weight management, and the prevention of chronic diseases. Research also shows the iron, zinc and B vitamins found in beef play an essential role in developing and maintaining cognitive ability in children and adults. As a result, NBC will highlight beef as a great protein option and source of essential nutrients to enjoy any day and for any meal.

This year's theme for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is, "Fuel for the Future." By choosing beef, we are choosing a sustainable food source for ourselves and the environment. Since not only is beef a great source of protein, but it also comes without the long and sometimes confusing list of other ingredients. Cattle can recycle grass from arid or rocky regions that is unavailable for growing food crops and turn it into protein. More specifically, protein that comes without a long and sometimes confusing list of other ingredients.

Find more sustainable, healthy recipes on nebeef.org.



ONLINE MAPPING SERVICE CONNECTS SPECIALTY CROP GROWERS, PESTICIDE APPLICATORS AND BEEKEEPERS TO PROTECT SENSITIVE CROPS, POLLINATORS

Specialty crops, like fruits and vegetables, and pollinators can be sensitive to pesticides. That’s why the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) is encouraging commercial specialty crop growers, pesticide applicators and beekeepers to work together to protect sensitive crops and pollinators from harmful pesticides. Pesticides include all categories of pest control products such as herbicides,
insecticides and fungicides.

“Nebraska farmers are innovative and find ways to increase productivity while protecting sensitive crops and pollinators,” said NDA Director Sherry Vinton. “There are free mapping resources available online designed for reporting field locations of commercial specialty crops, organic crops and beehives to help protect them from harmful pesticides.”

FieldWatch™ is an online mapping service, and NDA monitors FieldWatch registries for the state. Included in FieldWatch are commercial apiary sites, vineyards, orchards, fruit and vegetable grow sites, nursery and Christmas tree production sites and certified organic and transitional organic crops. Online mapping services help satisfy requirements on certain pesticide product labels. Depending on the product, applicators may be required to check the FieldWatch map for specialty crops or beehives, survey the area adjacent to the application site for these crops, and use no-spray buffers or apply another day if the wind is blowing toward a commercial specialty crop.

In Nebraska, 757 growers have registered a total of 2,173 specialty crop and apiary sites in FieldWatch. Those sites are currently found in 84 of Nebraska’s 93 counties and contain approximately 124,000 acres of specialty crops. New sites are added frequently.

Registration is voluntary, free, easy to use and secure. Pesticide applicators can view maps, sign up for free email alerts and get the free FieldCheck™ app, or receive direct data feeds or downloads. In addition, applicators registered in FieldCheck can benefit from viewing detasseling operation locations which helps ag applicators stay in compliance with label directions for worker safety. Approximately 85,200 acres of seed corn in 825 fields were displayed last year.

FieldWatch also integrates corn and soybeans with various herbicide traits into the mapping system. This enables row crop producers and pesticide applicators to work together to increase pesticide stewardship. When using the DriftWatch registry, producers create an account and map their fields.

Information about FieldWatch and its registries (FieldCheck, DriftWatch, BeeCheck and SeedFieldCheck) can be found at https://nda.nebraska.gov/pesticide/fieldwatch.html or by calling NDA Program Specialist Craig Romary at 402-471-2351.



Vilsack Lauds ISA’s Innovative Approach, Signs Grant to Support Environmental Efforts

Midwest farmers will soon be eligible to apply for financial incentives for farmer-led efforts to implement and scale on-farm practices yielding positive environmental outcomes.
 
The Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) has been awarded $95 million for the creation of the Midwest Climate-Smart Commodities Project, administered by the Soil & Water Outcomes Fund (SWOF). The grant, made possible through the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s (USDA) Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program, was reaffirmed by USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack during his remarks today from Commodity Classic 2023 in Orlando, Fla.
 
Secretary Vilsack and ISA President Randy Miller took to the main stage of the Commodity Classic trade show to officially sign the grant. They were joined by ISA President-Elect Suzanne Shirbroun, ISA Secretary Jeff Frank, ISA At-Large Director Tom Adam, and U.S. Under-Secretary of Agriculture Robert Bonnie.
 
The five-year program will provide direct financial incentives for farmers operating in 12 states to implement on-farm practices resulting in positive environmental outcomes.
 
“ISA has long touted this innovative approach—with farmers leading the way and being rewarded for implementing practices that have far-reaching benefits,” says Miller. “We extend a sincere thank you to Secretary Vilsack, Under-Secretary Bonnie and our other project partners for their continued efforts in support of climate-smart outcomes in agriculture.”
 
Vilsack recognized ISA and Iowa soybean farmers, saying the public and private partnerships are necessary to achieve sustained improvements in air and water quality while adding value to every acre and commodity enrolled.
 
“The Iowa Soybean Association has always been at the forefront of new and creative ways to farm,” Vilsack says. “I appreciate the great work that’s been done, and the unique partnership formed by this project. It’s everything we envisioned when establishing the program because it not only focuses on producers but involves those who also get the advantage of utilizing products grown on the farm.”
 
In addition to supporting farmers, federal funds will be leveraged with corporate commitments and used for farmer enrollment and technical assistance, as well as outcome quantification, measurement, reporting and verification.
 
Farmers interested in enrolling can visit the SWOF website and complete a brief interest form at theoutcomesfund.com. As enrollment opens in the near future, an agronomist will reach out to answer questions and assist with the enrollment process.



Iowa Leaders Elected to National Leadership Roles

Producers, advocates, students and organizations representing the best of the beef industry were present for the annual National Cattle Industry Convention, held February 1-3, 2023, in New Orleans. The Iowa Beef Industry Council is proud to announce three Iowa leaders were nominated and elected to represent Iowans in national leadership roles.

HAVENS ELECTED TO CBB EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Ross Havens of Wiota, Iowa, was elected to serve on the Cattlemen’s Beef Board Executive Committee. Havens has been a past president of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association and currently serves Iowans as a leader on the Iowa Beef Industry Council board. He has held multiple positions in the cattle industry but has served as the marketing coordinator for Nichols Farms in Bridgewater, Iowa since 1994. In his role at Nichols Farms, Ross works to produce and market beef genetics that will add value to his commercial customers’ herds and meet today’s consumer demands.

Birker Elected to Beef Promotion Operating Committee
Jenni Birker, Garrison, Iowa, was selected as a Federation of State Beef Council Representative to serve on the Beef Promotion Operating Committee. She also sits on the Beef Checkoff’s Consumer Trust Committee. Jenni and her husband, Scott, and their three kids raise commercial Angus cattle and grow crops as well. Jenni also works for an agriculture brokerage firm serving farmers across several industries.

The Beef Promotion Operating Committee makes the final recommendation on the budget for the national Beef Checkoff; this includes 10 producers elected by the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and 10 producers elected by the Federation of State Beef Councils. The Act and Order requires that the Beef Promotion Operating Committee contract with national, non-profit, industry-governed organizations to implement Beef Checkoff programs.

Moss Serves as New Cattlemen’s Beef Board Representative
Hayley Moss from Hull, Iowa, was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to represent Iowa beef producers on the Cattlemen’s Beef Board. Moss and her husband, Craig, farm in Sioux County where they grow corn and soybeans while raising hogs and cattle. Together they have two young boys, Merritt and McCoy, and operate alongside Craig’s parents on the family's fifth generation farm. Hayley succeeded Jenni Peters of Bellevue, as her term has now expired.

The board is authorized by the Beef Promotion and Research Act of 1985 and is composed of 101 members representing 34 states and 5 units. Members must be beef producers or importers of beef and beef products nominated by certified producer organizations.

The Checkoff has 6 primary committees that will engage with contractors. This year three Iowans served as co-chairs. David Bruene serves as co-chair of the Safety and Product Innovation Committee, Ross Havens for International Marketing, and Dan Hanrahan for Domestic Marketing. Also serving as committee members and with a record of leadership in their own right are Dean Black, Scott McGregor, and Kent Pruismann for the Federation of State Beef Councils, and Mike Holden for the Cattlemen’s Beef Board.

Additionally, Janine Moore serves as Region III Vice President for the Federation of State Beef Councils. In her role, Janine supports five states (Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin) as a regional liaison and works closely with state beef councils, coordinates regional activities, facilitates Federation Division regional elections and champions Checkoff efforts within the region, especially state beef council engagement in the federation.



NPPC Elects New Officers, Board Members to Lead Advocacy Efforts
 
The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) today installed new officers and elected members to its board of directors at its annual business meeting — the National Pork Industry Forum.
 
Scott Hays of Monroe City, Missouri, was elevated to NPPC president for 2023-2024. Scott Hays is a fifth-generation pork producer and has been involved in many aspects of production. While owning sows and production facilities remains the farm’s core business, he enjoys involvement in the sixth generation's swine management, swine building maintenance and livestock hauling businesses.
 
Scott also represents producers on various state and national committees. Scott is a member of the Missouri Pork Association Board, Missouri Corn Growers Association, Missouri Agri-leaders of Tomorrow president, Missouri Farm Bureau, Monroe City FFA Alumni and Missouri Institute of Cooperatives.

Hays takes over for Terry Wolters, producer from Pipestone, Minnesota, who becomes NPPC immediate past president.

Lori Stevermer became NPPC president-elect. Stevermer is co-owner of Trail’s End Farm in Easton, Minnesota, where she served on the executive board of the Minnesota Pork Producers Association. Stevermer has a history of advocating for the pork industry at the local, state and national levels.

The NPPC board of directors elected Duane Stateler, a fourth-generation pork producer and owner/operator of Stateler Family Farms, as vice president. Duane is a member of the Ohio Pork Council Board and is active in numerous Ohio Pork Council Committees.

Francis Forst of Missouri and Todd Marotz of Minnesota were elected as new members of the board. Bob Ivey of North Carolina and Dr. Jeremy Pittman of Virginia were each reelected to another three-year term. Jason Brester with Tyson Foods was elected to a two-year term as the allied industry representative.

They join current directors Craig Andersen of South Dakota, Rob Brenneman of Iowa, Steve Malakowsky of Minnesota, Pat Hord of Ohio, Dwight Mogler of Iowa, Jeb Stevens of Indiana and Russ Vering of Nebraska.
 
For NPPC’s nominating committee, Adam Dohrman of Missouri and Adam Krause of South Dakota were elected to the panel. Both will serve two-year terms.
 
“The NPPC Board of Directors is a critical part of NPPC’s success,” said NPPC CEO Bryan Humphreys. “All of the easy problems have been solved, and it is the outstanding leaders on our board that guide this industry through the mountain of challenges we face.”



NPPC Urges Quick Passage of the Beagle Brigade Act of 2023
 
The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) applauds the reintroduction of the Beagle Brigade Act of 2023. This legislation would provide congressional authority to the United States Department of Agriculture's National Detector Dog Training Center — a vital program in training agricultural canine teams that work daily to prevent foreign animal and plant diseases from entering the United States.
 
“Safe and reliable food production is critical to the United States' continued national and economic security,” said Terry Wolters, NPPC president and owner of Stoney Creek Farms in Pipestone, Minnesota. “As African swine fever continues to plague the Dominican Republic and Haiti, strengthening early detection capabilities at our U.S. borders is more important than ever.”
 
The “Beagle Brigade” serves as the first line of defense for early detection at the nation's ports of entry and is critical in keeping foreign animal diseases, like African swine fever, out of the United States. NPPC led over 50 agricultural and other organizations in supporting the Beagle Brigade Act's reintroduction and urges Congress to pass this bipartisan bill.
 
“We urge Congress to act fast and we thank Representatives Sandford Bishop (D-GA) and Drew Ferguson (R-GA) in the House and Senators Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) in the Senate for their bipartisan efforts,” said Wolters.



NAFA’s Alfalfa Checkoff Funds Four Research Projects

Alfalfa researchers from Georgia to Idaho were the beneficiaries of the National Alfalfa & Forage Alliance’s (NAFA) recent round of research funding through the U.S. Alfalfa Farmer Research Initiative (USAFRI), a farmer-funded investment in alfalfa-related research better known as the Alfalfa Checkoff.

“With all of the impressive projects we received in response to our request for proposals, our Review Committee certainly had their work cut out for them,” said Beth Nelson, NAFA President. “We were really pleased with the projects that were approved and believe they hold the greatest potential for positively impacting alfalfa farmers.”

NAFA’s USAFRI request for proposals generated 16 research projects from a broad geographic area, stretching from California to Pennsylvania, demonstrating the continued demand among researchers for alfalfa-related research funding. Proposals addressed a wide range of topics intended to drive innovation and profitability in the alfalfa industry - from integrated pest management and new uses to utility of mechanical processing and herbicide options for weed control. Research projects in Georgia, Idaho, Minnesota, and Montana were funded. They include:

    Alfalfa in the South Production Videos: Developing Digital Educational Resources to Improve Alfalfa Production Systems in the South
    Jennifer Tucker, University of Georgia

    Herbicide Options for Weed Burndown in Alfalfa
    Albert Adjesiwor, University of Idaho

    Alfalfa-Grass Mixtures: Evaluating Trade-Offs in Forage Quality, Productivity, and Field Carbon Balance
    Joshua Gamble & Allison Duff, USDA-Agricultural Research Service – St. Paul

    Controlling Adult Alfalfa Weevils: A Multi-State University/Industry Collaboration
    Kevin Wanner, Montana State University

Project objectives can be viewed on the NAFA website (alfalfa.org).

In addition to checkoff funding, the committee chose four additional projects to be funded through USDA’s Agricultural Research Service. Those projects include:

    Developing Alfalfa Varieties for a Water-Challenged Future
    Charles Brummer, University of California-Davis

    Evaluation of Methane Reduction Potential and Forage Quality in Conventional and Low-Lignin Variants of Alfalfa and Corn Silage
    Isaac Salfer, University of Minnesota

    Innovative Uses for Alfalfa Biomass: A Path to New Income for Farmers
    Srinivas Janaswamy, South Dakota State University

    The Utility of Mechanical Processing to Decouple Alfalfa Yield from Digestibiltity
    Matt Digman, Luis Ferraretto, Kevin Shinners, University of Wisconsin-Madison
    Ken Kalscheur, U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center

Project funding was determined by a NAFA panel which reviewed, scored, and discussed proposals to determine which best met NAFA’s established research priorities, including: Increase yield potential of alfalfa through genetics, biotechnology, and crop management; research and outreach of alfalfa environmental services; encourage market development through exploration of innovative new uses; improve alfalfa forage quality and analysis through genetics, harvest management, storage systems, and sampling techniques; and NAFA Publications Updates. Proposals were scored on methodology and analytical approaches; industry need; cost effectiveness; and partnerships.



Ag & Bioscience Groups: It’s Time for Action on Mexico’s Biotech Corn Ban

The National Corn Growers Association, along with a broad coalition of national and state agriculture and bioscience organizations, sent a letter to President Biden this week to thank the administration for beginning technical consultations with Mexico concerning its action to ban imports of biotech corn. The letter calls for those consultations to start without delay.

“We support your administration’s request for consultations with Mexico regarding its treatment of agricultural biotechnology and denying the use of certain crop protection tools, to provide a framework and timeline to resolve this issue,” the 62 groups wrote. “We look forward to these consultations beginning promptly.”

Technical consultations bring leaders from the involved countries, which now includes Canada as well, into formal discussions to resolve the dispute. If the talks are not successful, the U.S. can initiate a dispute settlement under USMCA.  

The organizations expressed appreciation for the administration’s efforts over several months to resolve the issue through negotiations but indicated that the results, including a revised decree that Mexico issued Feb. 13, 2023, are inadequate, and now it is time for action.

The new decree, which the groups said drew a non-science based distinction between corn for food and corn for feed and industrial uses, is inconsistent with USMCA obligations. The new decree “continues to limit the use of innovative agricultural tools, extends restrictions on safe crop protection products, and enacts barriers to trade,” the groups wrote, and it “fails to establish a science- and risk-based regulatory approval process for all agricultural biotechnology products and ignores the immediate need to establish a risk assessment process for gene editing technology.”  

The agricultural and biotechnology groups reiterated the importance of beginning the legal process to not only resolve the dispute with Mexico but also prevent other countries from following suit.

“The United States must use the dispute mechanisms afforded in trade agreements like the USMCA to ensure trade barriers or domestic policies do not limit the tools U.S. farmers have to sustainably produce food for our ever-growing world population,” the letter concludes. “Sending a strong signal on enforcement will serve as a critical precedent for other trading partners.”

Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador issued a decree in December 2020 to phase out imports of genetically modified corn by 2024. Mexico’s revised decree, issued last month, clarified that the ban applied to corn for food use effective immediately and could apply to feed corn in the future. Mexico is a top market for U.S. corn exports, which are mostly genetically modified corn.



USDA Announces $29 Million to Increase American-Made Fertilizer Production

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the Department received $3 billion in applications from more than 350 independent businesses from 47 states and 2 territories for the first two rounds of a new grant program to add innovative domestic fertilizer production capacity.

USDA also announced the first $29 million in grant offers under the first round that focused on projects that can come online in the near term. The grants will help independent businesses increase production of American-made fertilizer, which will spur competition, give U.S. farmers more choices and fairer prices and reduce dependence on unreliable foreign sources like Russia and Belarus. Vilsack made the announcement at the 2023 Commodity Classic, the same event where he first unveiled the program a year earlier.

“I know that increased costs for fertilizer and other inputs have put a strain on farmers and cut into the bottom line. The Biden-Harris Administration and USDA understand the importance of taking on the root causes and need to invest in the agricultural supply chain here at home to create a resilient, secure and sustainable economy for the long haul,” Vilsack said. “By expanding the production of domestic fertilizer supplies, we can grow independent local businesses, bring production and jobs to rural communities and support fair prices for our farmers.”

The Biden-Harris Administration’s Fertilizer Production Expansion Program is part of a government-wide effort to promote competition in agricultural markets. The program supports fertilizer production that is independent, made-in-America, innovative, sustainable and farmer-focused.

Strong Demand
Vilsack made the initial announcement to dedicate $250 million at the 2022 Commodity Classic, the same event where he is making the first awards a year later. From the start, it has been clear there is strong demand for the program and even before applications were being taken, President Biden directed USDA to increase the program to $500 million at a farm visit in Illinois in May 2022. This fall, demand for the program was immediately evident by the sheer number, range and diversity of applications. More than 350 applications came in from applicants of every size and business model, including cooperatives, Tribal communities, female-owned companies and public bodies. These applicants requested between $1 million and $100 million for projects across 47 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

In all, $3 billion in funding was requested for projects that could increase production immediately for Crop Years 2023 and 2024, as well as bolster long-term availability of U.S.-produced fertilizer. Projects were proposed for both fertilizers and nutrient alternatives, and represented different technologies, including composters, complex manufacturing, farm supply blenders and distributors.

In addition to increasing the supply of domestic fertilizer, the projects propose the creation or saving of hundreds of jobs, often in regions where they are most needed, including energy communities and those experiencing generational poverty. Additional details on the second round of applications will be released in the coming weeks as the reviews are completed.

First Award Offers
The first round of FPEP was focused on projects that could increase fertilizer capacity for the 2023 or the 2024 crop year, to prioritize projects with near-term impact. In January, a list of 21 potentially viable projects from the first round was released with a request for public comment. The $29 million announced by Secretary Vilsack will be offered to eight independent businesses in Alabama, Colorado, Massachusetts, Missouri, Ohio and Washington. The grants will help businesses modernize equipment, advance climate-smart practices and build production plants, among other activities.

For example:
    In Sylacauga, Alabama, Pursell Agri-Tech LLC, a manufacturer of controlled-release fertilizer (CRF), is being offered $4.9 million to assist with working capital that will increase its inventory by 40,000 tons per year. Each ton of CRF effectively doubles the nutrient benefit of a ton of fertilizer, making this 40,000 ton increase of CRF equivalent to 80,000 tons of uncoated fertilizer per year. These funds could be put to use beginning in spring 2023 with farmers realizing the benefit of increased fertilizer availability almost immediately.

    In Unionville, Missouri, Palindromes Inc. is being offered $4.9 million to expand the use of anaerobic digestion and renewable energy to produce, process and sell climate-smart fertilizer and associated products. The project will convert animal manure, meat processing, and food waste into dried organic fertilizers and soil amendments.

    In Othello, Washington, Perfect Blend LLC is being offered $2.6 million to assist with expanding and increasing its ability to manufacture and process raw manure and fish waste into fertilizer by using its patented technology. This project will replace a stainless-steel dryer drum and construct a liquid fertilizer blending station and storage area on its facility.

A full list of offers announced today is available at www.rd.usda.gov/media/file/download/usda-rd-nr-fpep-chart03092023.pdf.