Tuesday September 26 Ag News

 Pricing corn harvested for feed
Alfredo DiCostanzo, Beef Systems Extension Educator
 
Grain production regions allow cattle producers to harvest grain crops as grain (dry or high moisture) or green chop to be preserved as silage for cattle feeding (feed crop). Corn grain production is particularly well suited for this purpose. Harvesting the ears and shank (earlage) or husk, grain, cob, and shank (snaplage) represent options intermediate to harvesting grain or chopping the whole plant.

The energy content of the crop (feed value), costs associated with planting, cultivating, and harvesting the crop, or market price of corn grain complicate pricing the feed crop from corn acres. From a corn-grower perspective, pricing the corn plant, portion thereof, or grain should reflect the gross value (market price) of the dry corn grain contained in it. Although this approach neglects the costs of producing corn grain, it is a starting point.

From a cattle feeder perspective, pricing the corn plant, portion thereof, or grain should 1) reflect costs of producing the feed crop up to harvest and its preservation or 2) be based on the feed crop energy value as determined from chemical analysis.

Therefore, we developed an Excel-based calculator (https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/cuming/) to determine 1) the value of the corn crop based on projected or actual bushels of corn contained in the crop or 2) the worth of the corn crop based on projected or actual costs of production. The calculator permits the user to include or exclude harvest and post-harvest costs to determine standing or harvested crop value (price) and worth (cost).

For continuity, cost items listed in the calculator (leftmost column) reflect those commonly reported in state farm business management reports. Reference examples of cost items were drawn from the 2022 Minnesota or Nebraska Farm Business Management Association reports and include corn grain raised by all farms reporting or those with owned or rented acres reporting (middle column). Government payments were excluded from the reference
value or the calculator.

Sections specific to costs associated with irrigation were provided for use on irrigated corn acres. The calculator itself is in the rightmost column. All calculations are in protected cells. Therefore, the user can only edit cells shaded in white (black font).

The reference column is editable to change four items to be included as reference customizing the user’s experience:
1) The moisture content of corn grain (drop-down menu),
2) yield (bushels) per acre,
3) acres under consideration,
4) a reference corn grain price is generally an elevator bid where corn grain would be trucked to sell.

The calculator column is editable to change:
1) State or region (self-reference),
2) crop year (self-reference),
3) feed crop to price (silage, earlage, high-moisture grain, or grain),
4) crop production costs.

Choosing a feed crop with the drop-down menu does not automatically select crop moisture or corn grain content in the feed crop (choosing grain as the feed crop assumes dry corn grain harvest and changes the units to bushels). The user must choose expected or actual crop moisture and corn grain content (dry matter basis). Common moisture content for silage, earlage or snaplage and high-moisture corn is 65%, 35% and 25%, respectively. Grain content in silage, and earlage or snaplage ranges from 40% to 50%, 70% to 80%, respectively.

The user can then enter cost items associated with production of the feed crop using items listed from the reference chosen (left column) or using their own estimates or actual values. Costs associated with harvest and post-harvest handling of the feed crop should be entered if the total cost of the crop is to be determined or left blank if a buyer and seller are negotiating standing crop price. The Nebraska Farm Custom Rates hosted by UNL Center for Ag Profitability (Nebraska Farm Custom Rates Report | Center for Agricultural Profitability (unl.edu)) summarizes state-wide costs of harvesting and handling corn silage or earlage.

Entering the actual or expected corn grain crop moisture under the reference column is needed to determine if the elevator bid applies or it must be adjusted for moisture content of grain. The reference example in the calculator was set at 15.5% moisture (trade level) so that the weight of a bushel of grain is at 56 lb. In the example, the elevator bid and market value (gold-shaded cell) are the same ($5.25/bu). This value becomes the reference price to appraise the value of the feed crop.

The example contained as default in the calculator is for earlage (drop-down menu) harvested in 2023, containing 33% moisture and 80% corn grain in the crop. Using the reference price of $5.25 for corn grain returns an equivalent value of $118.93/ton to compensate the corn grower for the corn grain contained in the earlage crop. An additional statistic of interest is provided at the end of this section: bushels of corn contained in each ton of feed crop harvested.

For any individual or corporation wishing to price standing corn relative to a reference corn grain price, this is all the information needed to determine the value of the feed crop derived from corn acres. If the example above represented reality, a corn grower willing to accept $5.25/bu for corn grain yielding 196 bushels/acre would receive an equivalent gross return from permitting a cattle feeder to harvest corn as earlage for $118.93/ton. Gross return per acre is listed under row 15 at $1,029 and is equivalent regardless of crop choice.

Alternatively, if a cattle feeder or corn grower wishes to consider the costs of producing corn grain or its alternative feed crop, either using the values provided as reference or entering values obtained from the operation, direct expenses and overhead expenses, including those associated with harvesting corn as grain or by chopping the whole plant or harvesting material for earlage or snaplage will permit determination of the crop’s worth (cost per ton associated with production).

In the example included with the spreadsheet, we used the reference values from a NE corn grain operation on rented acres. Corn grain from the reference example is worth $5.36/bu while earlage derived from that example would need to be priced at $130.62/ton to break even with costs of production.

We hope this tool is useful to you. Please feel free to explore its application and let us know if you have any questions: (adicostanzo3@unl.edu) or (ssand2@unl.edu).



Governor Pillen Proclaims Agriculture Literacy Week

Monday, Gov. Pillen proclaimed Sept. 25-29, 2023, as Agriculture Literacy Week in Nebraska during a news conference at Roosevelt Elementary School in Scottsbluff.  The proclamation kicks off First Lady Suzanne Pillen’s Bushels of Stories initiative to read accurate agriculture books in elementary school classrooms.

Agriculture is a uniquely important educational topic for Nebraskans as it is the driver of Nebraska’s economy. Agriculture impacts all Nebraskans each time they eat, put fuel in their vehicles, turn on their lights, or put on clothes. Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation works to share this important message in elementary classrooms.

“As students learn about how their food, fiber, and energy are produced, we inch closer to every Nebraskan from preschooler to retiree understanding the importance of agriculture,” said Courtney Shreve, director of outreach education with the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation.

The Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation manages the Nebraska Agriculture in the Classroom Program (AITC). AITC presents relevant and accurate information about agriculture that connects students to their source of food, fiber, and energy, demonstrating the positive impact of agriculture.

During her time as Nebraska’s First Lady, it is one of Suzanne Pillen’s missions to share accurate agriculture books with students in Nebraska. Nebraska Agriculture in the Classroom helped to create Bushels of Stories to connect students with agriculture through story.

“Books are interactive and require kids to think.  I am passionate about helping kids think about how agriculture is a part of their everyday life. I hope that by reading accurate agriculture books to students, we can help more students understand how their food starts on a farm and ends up on their plate,” said First Lady Suzanne Pillen.

Over the course of this week, First Lady Pillen will be in classrooms in Scottsbluff, Columbus, and Lincoln. Throughout Gov. Pillen’s time in office, the First Lady will fulfill requests to read agriculture books to classrooms across the state. Gov. and First Lady Pillen both recognize how important it is that every Nebraskan understands where their food, fiber, and energy comes from.

“The success of agriculture is critical to the future of a prosperous Nebraska. Ensuring that every Nebraskan knows where their food, fiber, and energy comes from means the future of agriculture and Nebraska remains bright,” said Gov. Pillen.

To request a Bushels of Stories visit go to https://nefbfoundation.org/bushels-of-stories/.



Drivers, Ag Producers Share the Road During Harvest Season

Harvest is in full swing across Nebraska and the Nebraska State Patrol encourages all motorists to be aware of agriculture equipment traveling on roads throughout the state.

“Harvest is a busy season across Nebraska and our ag producers are on the move, so all motorists should stay alert for slow-moving ag implements,” said Captain Martin Denton, Commander of NSP Carrier Enforcement. “Due to their dimensions and loads, operator visibility is often reduced, so we urge drivers to be cautious when approaching, following, or attempting to pass farm vehicles.”

Ag producers across Nebraska utilize a harvest permit to move their products to market. There are a number of benefits with this permit, including an overweight allowance of up to 15 percent above state law. To utilize the harvest exemption, the product owner should provide the hauler with a signed statement of origin and destination, such as this example.

Haulers should maintain the safety of their vehicle by conducting pre-trip inspections, voluntarily complying with traffic safety laws, displaying warning signs on machinery, using flashing yellow caution lights when traveling, and staying aware of vehicles that may be attempting to pass.



Safety around powerlines important when operating large equipment

Fall weather is moving into the state and as farmers start to harvest their crops, Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) wants to remind equipment operators to look up and look out for powerlines.

NPPD asks large equipment operators working around powerlines to keep their equipment at least 20 feet away from any lines. “If a piece of equipment gets too close to a line, electricity can arc to the equipment and result in potentially serious or fatal injury,” says NPPD Vice President of Energy Delivery Scott Walz. “Whether it is a piece of farm equipment, or other large equipment such as excavators, it’s important that operators are aware of powerline locations so they can complete their work safely.”

NPPD also wants to remind farmers who utilize drones to take note of where powerlines are located. “Drones can be a great tool for farmers to implement into their operations. The pilots should be aware of powerlines, so they don’t damage their drones or the powerlines near the fields they’re operating in,” adds Walz.

If an equipment operator does get too close or contacts a powerline, anyone inside the vehicle should remain there until help can arrive and deenergize the line. When a powerline is touching a vehicle or lying on the ground, it can electrify both the vehicle and the ground in the surrounding area. If a fire forces you to exit the vehicle, then do so by jumping away from the vehicle, landing on two feet, and shuffling as far away from the area as possible.

More information on harvest safety can be found on NPPD’s website at https://nppd.com/outages-safety/electrical-safety and farmers are encouraged to follow the tips below:
    Each day review all farm activities and work practices that will take place around powerlines and remind all workers to take precautions.
    Know the location of powerlines and when setting up the farm equipment, be at least 20 feet away from them. Contact your local public power provider if you feel this distance cannot be achieved.
    Use caution when raising augers or the bed of a grain truck or wagon. It can be difficult to estimate distance, and sometimes a powerline is closer than it looks. For large equipment, use a spotter to make certain the equipment stays a safe distance from the line.
    Always adjust portable augers or elevators to their lowest possible level – under 14 feet – before transporting them. Variables like wind, uneven ground or shifting weight can cause unexpected results.



GRAZING FOR INTERSEEDING
– Ben Beckman, NE Extension Educator

Pastures and hay meadows provide higher quality feed, are more productive, and require fewer inputs when they have good forage legumes growing in them.

Outside of moisture, nitrogen is often the limiting nutrient in pasture production.  While commercial fertilizer may be a quick and easy option, it’s costly.  Instead, let’s grow our own N using legumes.

Do you have a pasture area or hay meadow that is relatively free of weeds and makes up no more than about 15 percent of your total pasture acres?  If so, here is what I want you to do.  From now until that grass will grow no more this year, graze that grass hard.  Grub it down, then graze it some more.

Now why would I recommend overgrazing?  Surely it will hurt the grass.  Well, that's exactly what we want.  Next spring, you will interseed legumes like red clover, white clover, and alfalfa into that grass to make it more nutritious and productive.  We may even consider a winter frost seeding if conditions are right.

The biggest challenge to establishing legumes into a grass sod is competition by that existing grass on new, slow growing legume seedlings.  Anything you do to reduce competition and slow down grass growth will help.  Overgrazing this fall prior to next spring’s seeding will weaken the grass and slow its spring growth, thus giving new legume seedlings a better chance to get started. Areas that experienced drought this summer may have seen unplanned overgrazing this summer, interseeding may be a way to make some lemonade out of that particular lemon. Of course, all this depends on moisture next spring to work.

While you’re at it, also collect some soil samples.  Then analyze them and apply any needed fertilizer.  Legumes especially need good phosphorus and the proper soil pH.

So, add some legumes to your pasture next spring.  Graze your grass this fall until virtually nothing is left.  Then, keep grazing a couple weeks more just to make sure. Legumes you add next spring will establish better because of it.



NE Sorghum Board Seeks Applicants for Open Seat

Two directorships on the Nebraska Grain Sorghum Board are open for appointment. The appointments will fill  directorships to represent District 2 and an At-Large seat. The filing deadline is no later than 5:00 p.m., Friday, November 17, 2023.

District 2 includes the counties of: Knox, Antelope, Pierce, Madison, Boone, Platte, Nance, Merrick, Polk, Hamilton, York, Clay, Fillmore, Thayer, Nuckolls, Adams, Webster.

Sorghum growers interested in appointment to fill the open seat may place their name on a candidacy list by submitting to the Board a completed application for gubernatorial appointment, a letter or statement of interest in serving on the Board, two letters of endorsement from grain sorghum growers, and documentation substantiating qualification to serve as a member of the Board (sales receipts, warehouse receipts, government loan documentation, or acreage certification).

Qualified candidates include those who are citizens of Nebraska, are at least 21 years of age, and derive a portion of their income from growing grain sorghum.

Applications for appointment can be obtained from the Governor’s office by Pat Selk Administrative Assistant to the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, Nebraska Governor’s Office, State Capitol, Box 94848, Lincoln, NE 68509-4848, PH: 402.471-2256; or the Nebraska Grain Sorghum Board, P.O. Box 94982, Lincoln, NE 68509; PH: 402.471.4276; or email: sorghum.board@nebraska.gov.

Application may also be made on-line at: https://governor.nebraska.gov/board-comm-req.

The Nebraska Grain Sorghum Board administers the checkoff on sorghum sold in the state. The Board’s funds are invested in programs of international and domestic market development, research, policy development, and producer and consumer education.



Exploring new sorghum cultivars’ potential as forage crop for Upper Midwest

Sorghum is a productive and versatile annual crop used worldwide for livestock feed. Until now, the plant, which originated in the tropics, has done best in warmer regions with longer growing seasons than the Upper Midwest.

A new USDA-supported project will test and release several new sorghum cultivars that promise high-yielding, nutritious forage for beef and dairy cattle operations in the north-central states.

The project will be led by Maria Salas-Fernandez, associate professor of agronomy at Iowa State University, who directs the northernmost public sorghum breeding program in the United States.

The effort is funded by a $498,960 grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative. It will facilitate evaluation of Salas-Fernandez’s sorghum parental lines created from germplasm adapted for northern growing conditions, including drought-prone areas with sandy soils and low organic matter in the Dakotas and Wisconsin.

“Sorghum offers a number of economic and environmental benefits,” Salas-Fernandez said. “The seed is cheaper than corn, and it grows well with fewer inputs of pesticides and fertilizer. At the same time, it is an annual crop that uses similar equipment and familiar cultivation methods, so it fits well with conventional crop rotations in this region.”

Partners on the project are Christopher Graham and Sara Bauder, South Dakota State University Extension; Marisol Berti, North Dakota State University; and Matt Akins, USDA Agricultural Research Service Dairy Forage Research Center in Wisconsin.

The team of researchers will evaluate advanced experimental sorghum hybrids for alternative systems (hay, green chopping, grazing and silage) in regional trials at eight locations in Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Additionally, the treatments will be evaluated to help select the best performing hybrids for those production systems and locations and refine management recommendations.

“Our overall goal is to take the next steps to make new sorghum germplasm available for public use to benefit beef and dairy producers in northern states to improve the profitability and sustainability of their farming operations,” Salas-Fernandez said. “It will also be especially valuable to numerous small and mid-size seed companies that do not have proprietary sorghum germplasm and help them supply the best performing cultivars for their northern clients.”

Another focus of Salas-Fernandez’ work has been the development of sorghum strains tailored for biomass production in northern latitudes. Tests of those materials in Iowa and Michigan, including at the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, have had promising results.



Agriculture’s Clean Water Alliance Reaffirms Commitment to Safeguard Iowa Waters

Members of Agriculture’s Clean Water Alliance (ACWA) have reaffirmed their annual commitment to help protect Iowa’s waterbodies.

At their recent board meeting, ACWA members agreed to the Environmental Code of Practice for Nitrogen Fertilization, which states they will delay fall anhydrous applications without a nitrification inhibitor until soil temperatures are 50 degrees Fahrenheit and trending lower. This reduces nitrate loading in water leaving farm fields before it enters Iowa’s rivers and streams.

“For 24 years now — since ACWA’s founding in 1999 — our members have agreed to this Code of Practice,” said Dan Dix, NEW Cooperative general manager and ACWA president. “Membership of ACWA is comprised of ag retailers across the state. Although we are direct competitors, we are united in the mission to help farmers improve their environmental impact as well as their agronomic performance. Following the Code of Practice is one more example of this commitment.”

Because of the members’ locations, ACWA’s footprint touches 81 of Iowa’s 99 counties, enabling the Code of Practice to have a greater impact on water quality than ever before.

As a membership requirement, ag retailers self-report to ACWA to validate their conformance to the Code of Practice, which takes place usually in mid to late October, depending on the region. Colder soils hinder the conversion of ammonium nitrogen to nitrate, which reduces leaching, or denitrification, and keeps ammonium in the soil.

ACWA uses the county soil temperature and forecast maps published by Iowa State University as a decision tool for beginning fall fertilizer applications. The maps can be found at: https://www.mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/agclimate/soilt.php.

In addition, AWCA members encourage the use of nitrogen stabilizers, slow-release fertilizers, incorporation or injection, soil nitrate testing and other tools that minimize loss of nitrogen to water sources. Farmers and landowners can use conservation practices including no-till, cover crops, bioreactors and saturated buffers, which keeps nutrients and soil in farm fields and reduces loading into waterbodies.

“ACWA members are dedicated to helping farmers manage nutrients to enhance both environmental quality and crop production,” said Roger Wolf, ACWA Executive Director. “Last year, every member reported implementing Code of Practice requirements, and 95% of our members reported using a nitrogen stabilizer. The organization’s footprint continues to expand, enabling members to reach more farmers and landowners for a greater positive impact on water quality.”

ACWA also endorses 4R Plus, which focuses on nutrient stewardship using fertilizer from the Right Source, at the Right Rate, the Right Time, and the Right Place. The Plus refers to conservation farming practices for soil health and water quality improvement. 4R Plus is guided by a coalition of agricultural and conservation organizations to support farmers’ efforts to implement these practices.

For more information about the ACWA and the Code of Practice, visit www.acwaiowa.com.  



RFA Elects 2024 Board and Leadership at Annual Meeting
    
The Renewable Fuels Association elected officers and its board of directors today at its annual membership meeting in Des Moines. Erik Huschitt, CEO of Badger State Ethanol, was re-elected as chairman of the organization.

“If the ethanol industry has learned anything over the past 20 years, it’s to not get complacent in the good times, and that we must stay vigilant and be prepared to fight for every inch gained,” Huschitt said. “The Inflation Reduction Act and other policies have the potential to create an enormous amount of opportunity for our industry, but we need to engage aggressively to see that implementation is science-based and technology-neutral.”

Huschitt, of Monroe, Wisc., has been with Badger State since January 2002 and currently serves as president of the Wisconsin BioFuels Association. He also has spent years on the board of the Wisconsin Agri-Business Association, which plays a vital role in Wisconsin’s feed and grain industries.

RFA’s board also re-elected Jeff Oestmann, CEO of Aztalan Bio, as vice chairman. Before becoming CEO of Aztalan Bio, he served as CEO of Granite Falls Energy, head of biofuels operations at Syngenta, and was previously CEO of East Kansas Agri-Energy.

“Erik Huschitt and Jeff Oestmann have proven themselves as strategic leaders deeply committed to the role ethanol can play not just in their own communities, but also across our nation and around the world,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “This is an important time for the ethanol industry and in their first year of leadership, Erik and Jeff provided true leadership and guidance as we faced many challenges and opportunities, and we’re excited to see where the board take us in 2024.”

Retaining their current positions in board leadership for 2024 are Rick Schwarck, President of Absolute Energy, as Board Secretary, and Mike Jerke, CEO of Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy, as Treasurer.



Bartlett and POSCO INTERNATIONAL Exploring Joint Venture in Soybean Crush and Grain Origination Export

Bartlett, a Savage Company, and POSCO INTERNATIONAL are pleased to announce the exploration of a joint venture in soybean crush and grain origination and export. A joint venture between the two companies would leverage Bartlett’s North American agriculture supply chain and operational capabilities together with POSCO’s global ag network and market expertise to drive growth and new business opportunities. A joint venture would also be synergistic with the companies’ shared emphasis on sustainability and supporting growing international markets for grain and renewable transportation fuels.

“With 116 years of experience sourcing, transporting and processing grain for Customers across North America, and our soybean crushing facility in Southeast Kansas coming online in 2024, we’re excited to explore this opportunity with POSCO INTERNATIONAL to expand our business into global markets,” said Bartlett President Bob Knief. “Bartlett is part of Savage, a global provider of supply chain infrastructure and solutions, and our purpose is to move and manage what matters so our Customers and Partners can Feed the World, Power Our Lives, and Sustain the Planet.”

“At POSCO INTERNATIONAL, our vision is to be the global business leader for sustainable growth, and partnering with Bartlett would strengthen our North American supply chain connections and market position,” said POSCO INTERNATIONAL Vice Chairman and CEO Jeong Tak. “The future of humanity depends on people having access to sustainable sources of food and energy, and the work we do everyday plays an important role in making sure this can happen for millions of people around the world.”




A President’s Legacy: Making Moves with Mexico Trade Dispute
Tom Haag, NCGA President

In a few short days, my year as President of the National Corn Growers Association  (NCGA) will come to an end. Those 365 days sure went by quickly.

As I look forward to transitioning the leadership of this organization to another great Minnesotan, Harold Wolle, I find myself reflecting on what we’ve accomplished as an organization in the last year.

There have been many fun and special moments along the way: I’ve met with Secretary Vilsack a number of times, had many conversations with Senators and Representatives, testified in Congressional hearings, and discussed important issues facing our industry with any number of individuals who care about the future of corn and agriculture. It’s been an incredibly special experience, and I’m humbled to have had the opportunity.

But, I am most proud of how NCGA and our state partners made a difference when our trading relationship with our biggest export market was threatened. After Mexico issued a decree banning future imports of biotech corn, it was NCGA who stepped up to the plate to advocate for the nation’s corn growers and the technology they have used for decades. It was only after we began sounding alarm bells that we got the attention of U.S. government officials, who eventually brought a case forward under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement for Mexico’s violation of the biotechnology terms it agreed to in the trade pact. While we won’t know the outcome of this case for some months to come, I know that NCGA’s effort helped get us to this point and that is something to celebrate.

I have always believed in the mission of groups like NCGA – we must be our own best advocates if we want our industry to be successful. And what happened in the last year only reinforced and reinvigorated my confidence that we can and do make a difference when our collective voices are raised.

It’s been an honor to serve our nation’s 300,000 corn farmers.



USDA Expands Access to School Breakfast and Lunch for More Students

The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced that it is giving an estimated 3,000 more school districts in high-need areas the option to serve breakfast and lunch to all students at no cost, by expanding the availability of the Community Eligibility Provision, commonly known as CEP.

“Today’s announcement comes as we approach the one-year anniversary of the historic White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, where the Biden-Harris Administration promised to advance a pathway to healthy school meals for all students,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “USDA has taken an important step toward fulfilling that promise by expanding access to CEP. Increasing access to free, healthy school breakfast and lunch will decrease childhood hunger, improve child health and student readiness, and put our nation on the path to better nutrition and wellness.”

CEP is a simplified meal service option that allows schools to provide meals at no cost to all students without requiring families to apply for free and reduced-price meals. Instead, school districts receive federal funding based on a formula using existing data from SNAP and other programs, and local or state funds must fill any gap between program costs and federal support. Before this final rule, at least 40% of students had to live in households participating in certain income-based federal assistance programs, in order for a school, group of schools, or school district to be eligible for CEP. This final rule lowers that threshold from 40% to 25%.

While this change in CEP applies across the country, it will be particularly impactful in states and school districts which commit to supporting healthy school meals for all students with their own funds.

Eight states have taken additional permanent actions to make sure hunger is not a barrier to children’s success, in addition to allowing eligible schools to participate in CEP. California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico and Vermont passed state laws allowing their schools to serve healthy school meals to all their students at no cost. In these states, schools that previously were not eligible for CEP can now take advantage of this final rule to experience more efficient, streamlined school meal operations as well as predictable federal funding levels.

CEP – and all models for providing healthy school meals for all at no cost – is a win-win for schools, kids, families and communities and provides many benefits, including:
    Lowering food costs for families;
    Increasing food and nutrition security, especially for students from households that barely miss the cutoff to be eligible for free and reduced-price school meals;
    Eliminating school meal debt;
    Reducing social stigma for students who eat free or reduced-price meals, while other students pay full price;
    Increasing student participation in school breakfast and lunch programs, which increases revenues and helps schools offer healthier meals; and
    Saving time by simplifying program operations for hardworking school nutrition staff.

“Healthy school meals are an essential part of the school environment — just like teachers, classrooms and books – and set kids up for success and better health,” said Stacy Dean, USDA deputy under secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services. “More children are fueled for learning and development when they can count on tasty, nutritious meals at school. While there is still more work ahead to ensure every K-12 student in the nation can access healthy school meals at no cost, this is a significant step on the pathway towards that goal.”

USDA is also supporting expanded access to healthy school meals by offering extensive financial support for schools, including providing:
    50 cents more per lunch and 18 cents more per breakfast for school year 2023-24, compared to last school year’s base reimbursement rates, through annual inflation adjustments and Supply Chain Assistance;
    $30 million in Healthy Meals Incentives grants to 264 small and rural school districts nationwide;
    $30 million in Equipment Grants for states and school districts operating school lunch programs; and
    Nearly $11 million in Farm to School Grants, serving 1.2 million children.

USDA also continues to expand its Direct Certification for Medicaid Demonstration Projects, which ensure that eligible children in households receiving Medicaid benefits automatically receive free or reduced price school meals without their families filling out an application. The demonstration projects have been implemented in 38 states, and USDA continues to invite more states to participate. In school year 2019-2020, 1.4 million students received free and reduced-price school meals thanks to direct certification through Medicaid.



Five Tips for Battling White Mold in Soybeans

White mold is prevalent in Michigan this year, impacting soybean yields, says Justin Schneider, a Michigan-based LG Seeds agronomist. He encourages farmers to scout fields now for the disease to be better prepared to protect soybean yields in the future.

Weather conditions favored white mold
The weather pattern of early season drought followed by record-setting rainfall later contributed to the spread of white mold. "We had a lot of moisture overall in Michigan,” says Schneider. “While May and June were dry, too much rain in July created a perfect storm for white mold to infect plants throughout the month.”  

White mold develops after apothecia, or the fruiting bodies responsible for the reproduction of the fungus, on the soil surface shoot spores in the air, which land on senescing flowers and choke out the lifeline through the stem. “You end up finding either no soybean pods or a very small seed, depending on when the infection occurs,” says Schneider.  

Because soybean plants and the soil surface never dried out, disease pressure was at an all-time high for a large majority of the state. “Towards mid-to-late August, we started to see dead plants across fields from white mold girdling the stem.”

The extent of yield loss to white mold varies depending on the severity of the infection. Schneider estimates losses of 5% to 10%, and even higher in some areas with significant white mold pressure this year.  

Schneider encourages farmers to focus on prevention strategies. “It’s all about the next couple of years now, looking deeper into your management practices and preparing yourself to better manage certain fields in the future,” he says. “With white mold inoculum in the soil, the best thing farmers can do now is work with their local agronomist to learn what could have been done differently.”

#1. Select tolerant soybean varieties
Schneider says selecting soybean varieties with a strong tolerance to white mold is the first line of defense. “Our team looks for the best agronomically tough bean that has high tolerance to white mold,” says Schneider.  

He recommends LGS2001E3 and LGS2025XF for white mold tolerance. “LGS2001E3 is in all of our plots that don’t have white mold when everything else does,” he adds. “That, along with LGS2025XF, are the top two varieties in Michigan for anyone concerned with white mold.”

#2. Consider no-till
Because white mold lives in soil for seven to eight years, it’s always a threat. “You can plow it under, but it’s not going to go away,” says Schneider. “Once you till the ground again, it returns.”

That’s why Schneider says one of the best management practices for white mold is no-till. “The corn debris from last year is on the surface of the soil,” he says. “When white mold apothecia shoot spores up, it’s deflecting off the corn debris and has a more difficult time getting to the soybean flowers.”

#3. Strategic crop rotation
Rotating crops each year is important for any field, but to prevent white mold in soybeans, the type of crop planted the year prior is especially important.  

“Crop rotation after sugar beets is a big deal in Michigan because after sugar beets, your soil is black,” Schneider states. “However, there’s little to no debris from sugar beets, so white mold can shoot their spores up very easily.”

For farmers experiencing this, he encourages planting corn after sugar beets before rotating back to soybeans. “The fodder from the corn puts more debris on the field and helps keep white mold levels down,” he adds.

#4. Fine-tune fungicide timing
There are fungicides available to protect soybean flowers while they’re senescing to help prevent white mold from infecting the plant. “You need to get ahead of white mold because once you find it, the plant’s already infected,” adds Schneider. “But if you’re using fungicide as a way of trying to protect, you can adjust the timing based on row spacings.”

Schneider says narrower soybean row widths require earlier applications. “As row spacings get narrower, fungicide needs to be applied earlier because the canopy is getting denser earlier,” he explains. “With 30-inch rows, you get a little bit more air movement longer in the growing season.”

Schneider recommends the following times for spraying fungicides:  
    End of R1 to beginning of R2 growth stage for solid-seeded soybeans.
    End of R2 to early R3 growth stage for 15- to 20-inch rows.
    Closer to the R3 growth stage for 30-inch rows.

“With this being a very bad white mold year, farmers in the 15- to 20-inch row spacing might consider planting 30-inch rows on that field in the future,” he says.

#5. Balance soil fertility
Over-fertilization can lead to excessive plant growth and create favorable conditions for white mold. “If you’re planting soybeans on a field that used to be an old cow pasture and there's been heavy manure on it for years, it’s probably best not to fertilize that field,” Schneider says.  

Know your high fertility fields and manage accordingly, Schneider recommends.