Monday June 05 Crop Progress + Ag News

NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

For the week ending June 4, 2023, there were 5.2 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 21% very short, 32% short, 44% adequate, and 3% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 28% very short, 43% short, 29% adequate, and 0% surplus.

Field Crops Report:
Corn condition rated 2% very poor, 7% poor, 28% fair, 48% good, and 15% excellent. Corn emerged was 92%, ahead of 86% last year and 87% for the five-year average.

Soybean condition rated 3% very poor, 7% poor, 32% fair, 45% good, and 13% excellent. Soybeans planted was 96%, near 95% last year, and ahead of 90% average. Emerged was 85%, ahead of 72% last year and 71% average.

Winter wheat condition rated 19% very poor, 25% poor, 28% fair, 27% good, and 1% excellent. Winter wheat headed was 61%, behind 71% last year, and near 65% average.

Sorghum planted was 51%, well behind 74% last year, and behind 70% average.

Oats condition rated 13% very poor, 22% poor, 33% fair, 30% good, and 2% excellent. Oats emerged was 95%, equal to last year, and near 94% average. Headed was 18%, ahead of 12% last year, but behind 29% average.

Dry edible beans planted was 18%, behind 37% last year. Emerged was 3%.

Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 14% very poor, 15% poor, 35% fair, 29% good, and 7% excellent.



IOWA CROP PROGRESS REPORT

Isolated rain showers during the week led to 5.8 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending June 4, 2023, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Farmers were still planting some corn and soybeans this week, however nearly all planting activities are finished. There were limited reports of crop replanting in certain fields. Other field activities included cutting hay and spraying emerging crops.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 13 percent very short, 42 percent short, 44 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 12 percent very short, 41 percent short, 46 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus.

Corn emergence reached 94 percent, 1 week ahead of last year and 8 days ahead of the 5-year average. Corn condition declined 5 percentage points to 72 percent good to excellent.

Ninety-eight percent of Iowa’s expected soybean crop has been planted, 10 days ahead of last year and 2 weeks ahead of normal. Eighty-seven percent of soybeans have emerged, 10 days ahead of last year and 12 days ahead of the average. Soybean condition rated 70 percent good to excellent.

Thirty-eight percent of the oat crop has headed, 8 days ahead of last year and the average. Oat condition declined to 70 percent good to excellent.

Seventy-eight percent of the State’s first cutting of alfalfa hay has been completed, 12 days ahead of the 5-year average. Hay condition fell 6 percentage points to 52 percent good to excellent.

Pasture condition dropped to 42 percent good to excellent. Some livestock producers have already had to feed hay due to drying pastures.



USDA: Soybean Condition Rated 62% Good to Excellent, Corn Condition Falls 5 Points

Corn and soybean planting and development continued ahead of the average pace last week, but conditions for both crops are some of the lowest in at least the past decade, USDA NASS reported in its weekly Crop Progress Report on Tuesday.

CORN
-- Planting progress: Corn planting moved ahead 4 percentage points last week to reach 96% as of Sunday, June 4. That's 3 percentage points ahead of last year's 93% and 5 points ahead of the five-year average of 91%.
-- Crop progress: 85% of corn had emerged as of Sunday, up 13 percentage points from the previous week and 8 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 77%.
-- Crop condition: Nationally, corn was rated 64% good to excellent, down 5 percentage points from 69% the previous week and below last year's rating at this time of 73%. The current rating is the lowest for this time of year since 2013.

SOYBEANS
-- Planting progress: Soybean planting moved ahead 8 percentage points last week to reach 91% as of Sunday. That is 15 percentage points ahead of both last year and the five-year average of 76%.
-- Crop progress: 74% of soybeans were emerged as of Sunday, 20 percentage points ahead of last year and 18 points ahead of the five-year average of 56%.
-- Crop condition: In its first soybean condition rating of the season, NASS pegged conditions of the crop nationwide at 62% good to excellent. It's the lowest start for soybeans this time of year since 2014.

WINTER WHEAT
-- Crop development: 82% of winter wheat was headed nationwide as of Sunday, up 10 percentage points from the previous week and still 1 point behind than the five-year average.
-- Harvest progress: 4% of the crop was harvested as of Sunday, slightly behind last year's 5% and equal to the five-year average.
-- Crop condition: Nationwide, winter wheat was rated 36% good to excellent, up 2 percentage points from 34% the previous week and ahead of last year's rating at this time of 30% good to excellent.

SPRING WHEAT
-- Planting progress: 93% of the spring wheat crop was planted as of Sunday, up 8 percentage points from the previous week and now equal to the five-year average.
-- Crop progress: 76% of spring wheat was emerged as of Sunday, up 19 percentage points from the previous week and now 2 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 74%.
-- Crop condition: USDA said 64% of the spring wheat crop was rated good to excellent as of June 4, the highest start in three years.



Soybean Gall Midge Adult Emergence in Northeast and East-Central Nebraska
NE Extension

Soybean gall midge adults were collected at several sites in east-central and a single site in northeast Nebraska. No emergence has been reported in IA, SD, or MN. Adult females can infest soybean when fissures or cracks are present at the base of the plant, which usually occurs around the V2 stage. See the take action checklist, photos of fissures, and the emergence map on soybeangallmidge.org.



PVC Summer Tour is June 19th
Braden Wilke, President

It’s time for the annual Platte Valley Cattlemen’s tour.  The tour will be held on June 19, 2023. This year we are planning a longer route. We are going to Adam’s Land & Cattle in Broken Bow, Nebraska. We will plan on meeting at Rosendahl Farms Seed & Feed, north of Columbus on 175th Ave at 9:30 AM. We will take a bus from there.  When we return to Rosendahl’s, we will be grilling a steak dinner.  If you can not make the bus tour, you are welcome to join us for the dinner.

Please either call or text Hallee at 402-270-2686, so we can get a head count for our tour. Please RSVP if you want to go by Friday June 9th at the latest.  Also, you'll need to fill out a form and bring it along with you.  Contact Beth Jones at the Platte County Extension office to get a copy of the form.  

Please thank and try to support Rosendahl’s for their tremendous help of this year’s tour. We look forward to seeing you on June 19th!



Pillen Announced as 2023 Nebraska Pork Expo Keynote  

Governor Pillen will give the keynote address at the 2023 Nebraska Pork Expo set for July 19 in York, Neb.  

The program will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the keynote address taking place shortly after 9 a.m. at the Holthus Convention Center. Admission is free and lunch will be provided. Registration is requested by July 5, 2023.

The keynote will be followed by a full day of pertinent topics for those involved in the pork industry. Topics include current USDA programs, swine health, loose sow housing, research updates, along with The Nebraska Pork Producers Annual meeting. There will also be a class offered to those seeking continuing education credits. A free social hour, with door prizes, will be held from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. to round out the day.

The event is sponsored by the Alliance for the Future of Agriculture in Nebraska (AFAN), the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, the Nebraska Pork Producers Association, and York County Development Corporation.

“We are so excited to have Governor Pillen give this year’s keynote address at the 2023 Nebraska Pork Expo. Pillen has seen much success in his own endeavors in the swine industry and now as the Governor he will be able to offer wisdom and encouragement on future growth and development not only in the hog industry but in agriculture as a whole,” commented Kris Bousquet, AFAN Director of Livestock Development.

More information for attendees and vendors can be found by visiting www.becomeafan.org. Specific questions can be sent to mindyr@a-fan.org or by calling the office at 402.421.4472.



New NebGuide: Management of Herbicide-resistant Corn Volunteers in Corn and Soybean

Volunteer corn refers to corn that grows from kernels or ears that were not harvested or were lost from the combine during the previous season. Often, not all of the corn kernels and ears get harvested during the season and may fall on to the ground due to mechanical harvest problems, insect damage or natural events such as late-season windstorms. Despite advancements in mechanical harvesting, some level of harvest loss still occurs. This NebGuide provides recommendations to producers for management of corn volunteers in corn or soybean grown in rotation.

The new NebGuide EC3065 Management of Herbicide-resistance Corn Volunteers in Corn and Soybean is free and available online in both PDF and webpage formats. https://extensionpubs.unl.edu/publication/9000032245129/management-of-herbicide-resistant-corn-volunteers-in-corn-and-soybean/



Begin Scouting for Common Stalk Borers in Corn
Robert Wright - NE Extension Entomologist

Scouting in corn should begin now in southeastern Nebraska for common stalk borer larvae. Stalk borers are an occasional pest of corn in Nebraska. Stalk borer damage in corn commonly is confined to plants in the first few rows near field margins, fence rows, grass terraces and waterways. In addition to attacking corn, stalk borers attack over 100 other species of plants, including ornamentals, garden vegetables, broadleaf weeds, and grasses. They may feed on soybeans as well, but they are not an economically important pest of soybeans.

Using GDDs to Predict Development
Stalk borer hatch and migration to new hosts can be predicted using degree days (DD). Based on research at Iowa State University, stalk borer egg hatch begins at about 575 DD and ends at 750 DD. Begin scouting corn when 1,300-1,400 DD have accumulated. This corresponds with the beginning of larvae moving out of grassy hosts. Determine the need for treatment when 1,400-1,700 DD have accumulated.  According to the most recent map, between 1250 and 1600DD have accumulated in areas of northeast and eastern Nebraska.  

This week's map indicates that stalk borer larvae are beginning to move into corn in some areas of the state and scouting should begin when 1,300-1,400 degree days have accumulated.  

See the full article, which includes information on the life cycle, damage, and control options for the common stalk borer can be found in this Cropwatch article.... https://cropwatch.unl.edu/common-stalk-borer-scouting.  



Pesticide Container Recycling Continues in 2023
Jennifer Weisbrod – NE Extension Pesticide Safety Education Program Coordinator

Pesticides (such as herbicides, insecticides and fungicides) are critical tools for pest management, both in the agricultural realm and outside it. However, these tools must be handled with care — from purchase to disposal — in order to reap their benefits while minimizing their risks.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, tens of millions of pounds of pesticides are applied in Nebraska each year. That translates to a lot of empty plastic pesticide containers. The Nebraska Pesticide Container Recycling Program, now in its 32nd year, provides a way for the state’s private and commercial applicators to safely and responsibly dispose of their pesticide containers, free of charge.

The program accepts only containers that held pesticides for crop, ornamental/turf, forestry, aquatic and public health pest control. Also accepted are containers that held crop oils, surfactants and adjuvants. Containers that held consumer pesticides (e.g., home and garden products) are not accepted through this program. (Some cities or counties offer household hazardous waste disposal events for these types of products.)

All collection sites accept one- and 2.5-gallon plastic containers. Some sites also accept 15-, 30- and 55-gallon plastic drums. Check the list of sites for site-specific details.

A list of container collection sites can be found on Nebraska Extension’s Pesticide Safety Education Program website https://pested.unl.edu/recycling. Please note each site’s collection schedule here https://edmedia.wufoo.com/reports/2023-pesticide-container-recycling-/.

Preparing Containers for Drop-Off
Collection site managers thoroughly inspect containers before accepting them, so if you plan to recycle containers, be sure to prepare them beforehand.

Before dropping them off at a collection site, you must triple rinse or pressure rinse each container according to label directions. It is best to do this at the time of the application, as rinsate can be safely added to a tank load and used as spray. Delayed rinsing can result in dried residue in containers that is difficult to remove. The NebGuide, Rinsing Pesticide Containers (G1736), details the purpose, benefits and process of rinsing containers.

With the exception of materials that are glued to containers, remove and discard any labels, booklets and slipcover plastic. Caps cannot be recycled; rinse all caps and discard them as regular trash.

Recycling is the most sustainable, environmentally friendly method of pesticide container disposal. The plastic from recycled containers is used to make industry-approved products such as pallets, drain tile, underground utility conduit, landscape edging and nursery pots. Instead of adding them to a landfill, consider recycling your empty pesticide containers this year.



Statement by Mark McHargue, President, regarding the U.S. Challenge on Mexico’s Ban on Genetically Modified Corn

"Nebraska Farm Bureau thanks the Biden administration for pursuing formal proceedings through United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, (USMCA) against Mexico's proposed ban on Genetically Modified White Corn. This is an important first step to preserve the addition of a biotechnology title in USMCA, one of the largest wins for agriculture negotiated by President Trump and approved by Congress. As a leading producer of white corn, Nebraska farmers are at great risk if Mexico's planned ban on bioengineered white corn and glyphosate is allowed to proceed in 2024.”

“It is also important to note that a vast majority (more than 90 percent) of the corn grown in the U.S. is genetically modified to resist drought, herbicides, and pests and increase yields. Mexico also remains Nebraska's largest corn trading partner and the proposed ban and future movement in this type of direction, could put in jeopardy over $2 billion in corn exports every year. We encourage the Biden Administration to stand steadfast in ensuring Mexico adheres to the agreement they signed back in 2019."



MercyOne experts help reduce your skin cancer risk this summer

With summer heating up and more people getting outside to enjoy the sunshine, MercyOne reminds you to protect your skin from ultraviolet (UV) rays.

Iowa has one of the highest melanoma rates in the country – with 32 new cases per 100,000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s 9 percentage points more than the U.S. rate of 23 per 100,000.

“Sun safety protects your skin and reduces the risk for skin cancer – the most common type of cancer in the U.S.,” said Amanda Monroe-Rubendall, critical care clinical educator at MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center. “UV rays cause most skin cancers, which include the sun, tanning beds and sunlamps.”

You can still enjoy time outdoors without raising your risk of cancer. Follow these tips to have a safe, fun summer:
  - Seek the shade.
  - Cover up – clothing and hats provide the best protection.
  - Don’t forget sunscreen – pick something with an SPF of 15 or higher.
  - Examine your skin for changes.

What to look out for:
  - A sore that bleeds or doesn’t heal.
  - New itchiness, soreness or pain.
  - A rough bump that may crust or bleed.
  - A mole that’s new or has changed in size, shape or color.

“Skin self-checks should be done monthly,” Monroe-Rubendall explains. “Be sure to check all skin. This includes the scalp, in between your toes and behind your ears. If you notice any changes, contact your provider.”



Livestock Producers Will Need Veterinary Approval for Antibiotics Beginning June 11

Those who treat animals with antibiotics will need to pay close attention to the calendar. Beginning June 11, all medically important antibiotics previously available over-the-counter (OTC) can only be purchased directly from a veterinarian or with a prescription.

The change is part of the Food and Drug Administration’s “Guidance for Industry #263” rule, which is part of the FDA’s five-year plan to enhance the stewardship of antibiotics, released in 2018. The same plan required the transfer of medically important feed and water antibiotics to veterinary feed directive (VFD) and prescription status in 2017.

Grant Dewell, extension beef veterinarian with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, explains the change in an article in the May-June edition of the Acreage Living Newsletter.

According to Dewell, the antibiotics affected include injectable, oral and mastitis therapy products. He expects the move to prescription (Rx) status will be less problematic than the VFD move in 2017, as most producers are familiar with prescription drugs and have been obtaining them through their veterinarian.

If producers do not already have a Veterinary Client Patient Relationship (VCPR), he recommends they form a relationship with a veterinarian sooner rather than later.

“I would reach out to a veterinarian before you have a need for antibiotics,” said Dewell. “You don’t want to wait and find out you need something over the weekend, or when your veterinarian is busy helping other clients.”

He advises against stockpiling OTC antibiotics, because they become less effective after their expiration dates. Besides losing efficacy from age, they can also be damaged by heat and sunlight so they should be stored carefully.

“As is the case with all drugs only keep on hand what you really need,” he said.

Although the change will require animal owners to work with veterinarians, Dewell said this can also be an opportune time to review past prevention and treatment options.

“If you have to get a prescription any way, there may be better antibiotics that you could use. You might also learn something new that could help prevent illness and potentially reduce the need to administer antibiotics,” said Dewell.



USDA Dairy Products April 2023 Highlights

Total cheese output (excluding cottage cheese) was 1.17 billion pounds, 0.2 percent below April 2022 and 4.9 percent below March 2023. Italian type cheese production totaled 478 million pounds, 2.6 percent below April 2022 and 6.7 percent below March 2023. American type cheese production totaled 488 million pounds, 2.3 percent above April 2022 but 2.1 percent below March 2023. Butter production was 195 million pounds, 7.6 percent above April 2022 but 4.9 percent below March 2023.

Dry milk products (comparisons in percentage with April 2022)
Nonfat dry milk, human - 200 million pounds, up 1.9 percent.
Skim milk powder - 34.5 million pounds, down 22.6 percent.

Whey products (comparisons in percentage with April 2022)
Dry whey, total - 80.8 million pounds, up 1.7 percent.
Lactose, human and animal - 91.4 million pounds, down 4.9 percent.
Whey protein concentrate, total - 39.6 million pounds, up 7.2 percent.

Frozen products (comparisons in percentage with April 2022)
Ice cream, regular (hard) - 61.4 million gallons, down 6.1 percent.
Ice cream, lowfat (total) - 37.1 million gallons, down 8.2 percent.
Sherbet (hard) - 2.13 million gallons, up 7.1 percent.
Frozen yogurt (total) - 3.60 million gallons, up 2.6 percent.



National FFA Members Head to Washington, D.C., for Washington Leadership Conference

For more than 50 years, thousands of FFA members from across the country have converged in our nation’s capital each summer to engage with legislators, hone civic engagement and leadership skills, and create community impact projects to take back to their cities and towns.

The National FFA Organization’s Washington Leadership Conference (WLC) will take place from June 6-July 22 at the Omni Shoreham, with six weeklong sessions for FFA members to choose from. More than 2,000 FFA members from throughout the country are expected to attend the 2023 conference, the second-largest student experience that National FFA hosts each year, only behind the National FFA Convention & Expo that draws more than 70,000 attendees.

FFA members will spend the week under the guidance of agricultural and leadership professionals, facilitators, and FFA staff who will guide them through workshops, seminars, small group activities, and visits to national landmarks such as the National Mall, Arlington National Cemetery, Smithsonian Museums, and the U.S. Capitol. Each day of the conference focuses on a different principle taught through the context of our nation’s capital: exploration, encouragement, advocacy and service.

FFA members will have the unique opportunity to participate in congressional visits during the week with legislators from their states. Members can share concerns and challenges from their communities and discuss agricultural-related legislation.

Living to Serve
The capstone of the conference is the development of a Living to Serve Plan, a civic engagement project that participants will implement in their communities after returning home.

To develop this Living to Serve Plan, members are asked to analyze the needs of their communities before attending WLC. Students can lean on their FFA chapter advisors to implement the plan upon returning home. Examples of projects in recent years include promoting agricultural literacy, bringing attention to abuse, collecting and distributing shoes to individuals in Haiti, and creating a hunger awareness plan.

WLC Living to Serve Success Stories
Nadia Walker, an officer of the Nicholas County FFA in the Licking River Region in Kentucky, attended WLC in the summer of 2022. During her time in Washington, D.C., she created her Living to Serve Plan around establishing a food pantry after her community was hit by a devastating flood, the worst natural disaster to hit the area in recorded history.

 "I always knew I wanted to make a difference, but I never truly knew how,” says Walker. “When I attended WLC, I saw that even I could make a change. After attending WLC, The Hive Pantry came to life.”

 Walker’s pantry was placed in the lowest income area of the county and prioritized providing nutritional, preservable food.

 Another student who attended WLC in 2022 was Natalee Bray, an officer of the Pike Valley FFA in Kansas. Her Living to Serve Plan was to create a Safety Day with her local elementary school in partnership with Progressive Ag, where she taught more than 150 students about agricultural and farm safety.  

 The 2023 Washington Leadership Conference is sponsored by Merck Animal Health, Syngenta, Farm Credit, PepsiCo, Rabo AgriFinance and Growth Energy. For more information, visit FFA.org/WLC.

 The National FFA Organization is a school-based national youth leadership development organization of more than 850,000 student members as part of 8,995 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.