Monday September 04 Ag News

Pillen Leads Delegation on Trade Mission to South Korea and Japan

Governor Jim Pillen will lead a delegation to South Korea and Japan aimed at growing trade opportunities that will benefit Nebraska. The group will have multiple stops scheduled in both countries during the week-long visit, starting Monday, September 4. Other members of the team include Nebraska Department of Agriculture Director Sherry Vinton, ag-related businesses, and representatives from state government.

“South Korea and Japan are tremendous consumers of Nebraska agriculture products,” said Governor Pillen. “This visit will strengthen our already well-established partnerships.”

The trade mission will include visits to hydrogen facilities, engineering corporations, and meetings with South Korean and Japanese officials.

Earlier this summer, a delegation of Nebraska businesses leaders and officials went to Vietnam for Gov. Pillen’s first trade mission. The focus of the trip was threefold – agriculture, manufacturing, and increasing educational exchanges between Nebraska and Vietnam.

“We found a lot of potential for growing trade opportunities in Vietnam,” said Gov. Pillen. “As we head to South Korea and Japan, it is vital to continue to strengthen our established partnerships and understand how we can better meet the demands of their countries needs with Nebraska products.”



2023 Cover Crop and Soil Health Field Day
Paul Jasa - Extension Engineer

The annual University of Nebraska Rogers Memorial Farm Cover Crop and Soil Health Field Day will be 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19, with a free lunch.

A soil pit will be dug on the long-term tillage study, now in its 43rd year of comparing no-till to other tillage systems. Functional cover crop mixes for different purposes, with two planting dates, will be shown and discussed.

Also featured will be a statewide study to evaluate cover crop variety selection and performance. In addition, attendees will see a nitrogen versus carbon cover crop comparison, a nitrogen production from legumes study, and how cover crops suppress weeds in wheat stubble.

Field Day Presentations
    Learn about soil structure and soil health as Ray Ward and Candy Thomas explore the soil pit.
    Observe various cover crops and cultivars in a study by Andrea Basche.
    Meet Nebraska Extension’s Soil Health Specialist Carolina Córdova, speaking on carbon and nitrogen aspects of cover crops.
    Gain understanding about herbicide carryover concerns, grazing restrictions, and termination recommendations from Chris Proctor.
    Learn about growing and managing cover crops for livestock grazing from Mary Drewnoski.

Registration for the free field day is required for the lunch count. Please email Paul Jasa before Thursday, Sept. 14 to be included in the lunch count and ensure enough handouts are available.

The farm is located at 18630 Adams St., Lincoln, Nebraska, about seven miles east of the city.



Burt County Cattlemen Fall Outlook Meeting
Wednesday, September 06, 2023
Location:  Way North near Summit Lake
Social hour:  6:15 p.m.
Contact:   Mark Blackford



16th Annual Nebraska Wind & Solar Conference Sessions

The 16th Annual Nebraska Wind & Solar Conference (“Nebraska WSC”) will be held October 24-25, 2023, at the Cornhusker Marriott Hotel in Lincoln, Nebraska. The Conference will feature experts from across the country and the state.
 
“Nebraska wind and solar energy development are going through a remarkable period of growth and expansion,” Conference Chairman John Hansen said. “We have a lot of progress to report, as well as issues and opportunities to consider.”
 
Sessions on Tuesday will begin with an update from Jim Macy, Director of the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, followed by presentations on the growing role of renewable energy, the challenges in meeting record electrical growth, and measuring the benefits of renewable energy development. An update on the IRA production of hydrogen closes out the morning sessions. Nebraska WSC is very pleased to announce the keynote speaker is former U. S. Senator, U. S. Secretary of Agriculture, and Nebraska Governor Mike Johanns, who will speak on renewables and agriculture working together. The afternoon breakout sessions include a presentation on the best practices for renewable development, as well as a discussion on the state and federal cost-share programs for renewable energy in agriculture. The afternoon schedule will feature two sessions on the recycling of turbine blades. The first day's presentations finish with a legislative panel featuring Nebraska State Senators.
 
Wednesday's morning sessions will feature the Nebraska State Climate Office, as well as a session on battery storage. The Southwest Power Pool will follow with an update to the attendees on the queue and congestion issues. The luncheon keynote session will feature updates from Nebraska’s largest public power utilities. The second day finishes with a presentation on the economic benefits of renewable energy in agriculture and how to integrate solar projects into the agricultural landscape.
 
The Conference schedule can be found at Nebraska WSC Agenda. In addition to the scheduled programming, the Conference will feature a tradeshow with exhibitors such as governmental agencies, nonprofit organizations, vendors, developers, and more.
 
Conference attendees include private sector developers, public officials, landowners, environmental and wildlife organizations, and public utilities. The general public is also invited to register and attend Nebraska WSC.
 
Conference attendees are encouraged to take advantage of the Early Bird registration discount. Registration rates are as follows:
       Early Bird Registration (ends September 24): $125.00
       Standard Registration (September 26- October 14): $175.00
       November Registration (October 15-25): $225.00
       Student Registration (anytime): $65.00
 
Nebraska WSC has a room block at the Cornhusker Marriott Hotel. The deadline to reserve a room in the room block is October 2 or until full. The room block reservation includes a $115 per night room rate and free parking. Reservations can be made at Nebraska WSC Registration Information or by calling the Cornhusker Marriott at (402) 474-7474 and referencing the Nebraska WSC.
 
More information and past conference presentations are available on the Conference website https://www.nebraskawsc.com.



Free Farm and Ag Law Clinics Set for September, October

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

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

Clinic Dates
    Wednesday, Sept. 13 — Norfolk
    Thursday, Sept. 28 — Norfolk
    Monday, Oct. 2 — Fairbury
    Wednesday, Oct. 4 — Norfolk

To sign up for a free clinic or to get more information, call the Nebraska Farm Hotline at 1-800-464-0258.

Funding for this work is provided by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture and Legal Aid of Nebraska.




The 2023 NeCGA Membership Drive Is In Full Swing

The Nebraska Corn Growers Association’s membership is going on now through September 30th! We encourage you all to talk with potential new members about the opportunity that is held within the association.

The membership drive is based on a point system created by the National Corn Growers Association that will be calculated at the conclusion of the event. Each member will have the opportunity to receive prizes as a way to show our appreciation for your recruiting efforts.

The prizes are as follows:
3 recruits = T-Shirt
5 recruits = Lawn chair
10 recruits =  $100 store credit
15 recruits = Cooler

Join us today and help shape the future of the corn industry while reaping the rewards that come with it!

If you have any questions, please reach out to Katherine Byrne via email: kbyrne@necga.com



Fats and Oils: Oilseed Crushings, Production, Consumption and Stocks - July 2023

Soybeans crushed for crude oil was 5.54 million tons (185 million bushels) in July 2023, compared with 5.24 million tons (175 million bushels) in June 2023 and 5.44 million tons (181 million bushels) in July 2022. Crude oil produced was 2.18 billion pounds up 5 percent from June 2023 and up less than 1 percent from July 2022. Soybean once refined oil production at 1.76 billion pounds during July 2023 increased 2 percent from June 2023 and increased 4 percent from July 2022.

July 2023 Grain Crushings and Co-Products Production
Total corn consumed for alcohol and other uses was 504 million bushels in July 2023. Total corn consumption was up 2 percent from June 2023 and up 1 percent from July 2022. July 2023 usage included 92.0 percent for alcohol and 8.0 percent for other purposes. Corn consumed for beverage alcohol totaled 4.88 million bushels, down 10 percent from June 2023 but up 43 percent from July 2022. Corn for fuel alcohol, at 454 million bushels, was up 3 percent from June 2023 and up 2 percent from July 2022. Corn consumed in July 2023 for dry milling fuel production and wet milling fuel production was 91.9 percent and 8.1 percent, respectively.

Dry mill co-product production of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) was 1.78 million tons during July 2023, down less than 1 percent from June 2023 and down 8 percent from July 2022. Distillers wet grains (DWG) 65 percent or more moisture was 1.31 million tons in July 2023, up 1 percent from June 2023 and up 3 percent from July 2022.

Wet mill corn gluten feed production was 277,997 tons during July 2023, up 3 percent from June 2023 and up 2 percent from July 2022. Wet corn gluten feed 40 to 60 percent moisture was 224,484 tons in July 2023, up 25 percent from June 2023 and up 1 percent from July 2022.



2022 Grain Crushings and Co-Products Production

As part of the Current Agricultural Industrial Reports (CAIR) program, the 2022 Annual Summary of the Grain Crushings and Co-Products Production contains data and annual totals for January through December 2022.

Total corn consumed for alcohol for 2022 was 5.34 billion bushels, up 1 percent from 2021. Corn for beverage alcohol in 2022 totaled 49.8 million bushels, up 14 percent from 2021. Corn for fuel alcohol was 5.21 billion bushels in 2022, up 1 percent from 2021.  

Dry mill co-product production of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) was 21.6 million tons during 2022, down 2 percent from 2021. Distillers wet grains (DWG) 65 percent or more moisture was 16.1 million tons in 2022, up 16 percent from 2021.  Distillers dried grain (DDG) was 4.07 million tons in 2022, down 2 percent from 2021.

Wet mill corn gluten feed production was 3.16 million tons during 2022, down 6 percent from 2021. Wet corn gluten feed 40 to 60 percent moisture was 2.45 million tons, down 1 percent from 2021.

Dry and wet mill carbon dioxide captured was 2.77 million tons in 2022, up 3 percent from 2021.



Smithfield Foods Delivering 28,000 Pounds of Food to Help Victims of Hurricane Idalia

Smithfield Foods is trucking 28,000 pounds of food, the equivalent of 112,000 servings, to Live Oak, Florida, to provide hot meals to communities devastated by Hurricane Idalia.

The food, which includes Smithfield bacon, pork chops, ribs and pork loins, will be delivered to Mercy Chefs, a Portsmouth, Virginia-based nonprofit that deploys to disaster zones across America. Mercy Chefs will serve free, chef-prepared, restaurant-quality hot meals to hurricane victims, volunteers and first responders in western Florida.

Mercy Chefs’ mobile kitchen and smoker will be on site at Suwanee Middle School in Live Oak, Florida, to serve multiple free meals per day to anyone in the community who is in need. The team will also distribute meals up and down the western Florida coast to those unable to make it to the base of operations. To make a donation or find out how to volunteer locally, visit mercychefs.com/idalia.

“The devastation we have already seen from Hurricane Idalia has been tragic, with hundreds of thousands of families impacted by the storm,” said Jonathan Toms, senior community affairs manager for Smithfield Foods. “We are proud to stand with our partners from Mercy Chefs to help these communities, and we hope that our donation of protein and the meals served will provide comfort and relief to the first responders, search and rescue teams, and neighbors affected by this hurricane.”

“As we respond to Hurricane Idalia, we are immensely grateful for our friends at Smithfield Foods,” said Chef Gary LeBlanc, founder and chief executive officer of Mercy Chefs. “We rely on their partnership during disasters like this one, because their support helps us reach even more people in need.”

Since 2008, Smithfield has provided hundreds of millions of servings of protein in all 50 U.S. states, as well as in Poland, Romania and Mexico, through its Helping Hungry Homes hunger relief program. In 2022, the company donated nearly 25 million servings of protein to food banks, disaster relief efforts and community outreach programs across the U.S. To reflect its continued commitment to fighting food insecurity, Smithfield has pledged to donate 200 million servings of protein by 2025.



USDA Announces September 2023 Lending Rates for Agricultural Producers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for September 2023, which are effective Sept. 1, 2023. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans provide important access to capital to help agricultural producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment and storage structures or meet cash flow needs.   

Operating, Ownership and Emergency Loans  
FSA offers farm ownership and operating loans with favorable interest rates and terms to help eligible agricultural producers, whether multi-generational, long-time, or new to the industry, obtain financing needed to start, expand or maintain a family agricultural operation. FSA also offers emergency loans to help producers recover from production and physical losses due to drought, flooding, other natural disasters or quarantine.  For many loan options, FSA sets aside funding for underserved producers, including, beginning, women, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and Hispanic farmers and ranchers.  

Interest rates for Operating and Ownership loans for September 2023 are as follows:   
    Farm Operating Loans(Direct): 5.125%
    Farm Ownership Loans(Direct): 5.000%  
    Farm Ownership Loans(Direct, Joint Financing): 3.000%
    Farm Ownership Loans(Down Payment): 1.500%
    Emergency Loan(Amount of Actual Loss): 3.750%   

FSA also offers guaranteed loans through commercial lenders at rates set by those lenders.   

To access an interactive online, step-by-step guide through the farm loan process, visit the Loan Assistance Tool on farmers.gov.  

Commodity and Storage Facility Loans
Additionally, FSA provides low-interest financing to producers to build or upgrade on-farm storage facilities and purchase handling equipment and loans that provide interim financing to help producers meet cash flow needs without having to sell their commodities when market prices are low.  Funds for these loans are provided through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and are administered by FSA.   
Commodity Loans(less than one year disbursed): 6.375%
    Farm Storage Facility Loans:  
        o Three-year loan terms: 4.500%
        o Five-year loan terms:  4.250%
        o Seven-year loan terms:  4.125%
        o Ten-year loan terms: 4.125%
        o Twelve-year loan terms: 4.125%
    Sugar Storage Facility Loans(15 years): 4.250%