Tuesday October 03 Ag News

 CVA invites you to celebrate October Co-op Month

The month of October is recognized as National Co-op Month https://www.coopmonth.coop/; a month to bring awareness to the cooperative business model. In this business model, the organization is owned and run jointly by its members, who share the profits and benefits. Central Valley Ag (CVA) is proud to be a member of the cooperative community.

The theme for Co-op month this year is "Owning Our Identity." To celebrate our unique identity, CVA has opened a retail store where everyone is welcome to purchase new co-op merchandise. The store will remain open until October 31st, and orders will be shipped after the store has closed. To order a t-shirt, hoodie, or crewneck, click here to shop https://stores.inksoft.com/cva_coop_retail_store/shop/home.

Throughout the month of October, CVA has some exciting things planned. CVA employees across Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa are celebrating with location photos, various events and sharing cooperative fun facts on CVA’s social media platforms. Keep a lookout on social media for more information!

To learn more about cooperatives, visit www.growingagriculturetogether.com. This website provides information on cooperative history, cooperative member control, and patronage. With PowerPoints, quizzes, wordsearches, and more, there are so many ways to learn! If you would like to schedule a classroom visit from a CVA employee, please reach out to info@cvacoop.com.

Happy Co-op Month!



CVA adds 3 new CVA Fuel Sites

Central Valley Ag has fuel sites across Nebraska and Kansas and recently received approval from its Board of Directors to build three more sites to service more of its member-owners. Two of these sites have been built in Nebraska and the other is in Kansas.

The three sites are located in Wakefield and Royal, Nebraska and Linn, Kansas. All three sites are now open to customers.
    In Wakefield, Neb., the fuel site serves customers with clear diesel and gas. The fuel site is located south of the CVA office in Wakefield to allow customers easy access when delivering grain or other commodities.
    The new fuel site in Royal, Neb. provides customers with clear diesel only, located on the east entrance of the CVA facility.
    North of Linn, Kansas at the CVA The Junction facility, the retail fueling site is located at the facility entrance south of the bins offering only clear diesel.

CVA built these sites to increase the ease of doing business for customers. Putting these sites at larger locations allows easy access for many customers. The sites are designed to accommodate large semis and allow them to fill up while they are at these locations. “During harvest when trucks are delivering, they won’t have to stop home to fill up,” said SVP of Energy, Jeff Ingalls. “The goal of these sites is to make fuel easily accessible to patrons help efficiency during busy seasons.”  

Central Valley Ag has fuel sites across Nebraska and Kansas where CVA Fuel Card holders can take advantage of a 5-cent per gallon discount at the pump, consolidate payments to one monthly statement and have 24/7 fuel access with a CVA fuel card or any major credit card.

If you are an existing CVA member-owner, please complete the request form at Request a CVA Fuel Card to get your CVA Fuel Card today https://www.cvacoop.com/request-cva-fuel-card.

If you aren't a CVA member yet, please first open an account and become a CVA member today.  If you have questions, please reach out to energy@cvacoop.com. Thank you!



UNL’s Klosterman Feedlot Innovation Center works with equipment manufacturers to find answers for the industry

For generations, improvements in cattle handling equipment were based on guesswork. Livestock producers observed cattle behavior, and equipment manufacturers made adjustments, sometimes only to change them back.

At the Klosterman Feedlot Innovation Center, a state-of-the-art, commercial-scale feedlot research center under construction at the Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center, researchers have the opportunity to attach data to those observations.

A Husker-red cattle handling system manufactured and donated by Daniels Manufacturing Co. in Ainsworth, Nebraska, the latest addition to the facility, is a "dream come true for many," said Ruth Woiwode, assistant professor of animal behavior and well-being at UNL. Woiwode is part of the team that planned the facility and is charged with dreaming up the future of the research to be conducted there.

Those dreams are big.

The processing barn that will house the Daniels Manufacturing Co. cattle handling system will also feature a separate cattle handling system, donated by ArrowQuip, that will allow side-by-side studies of cattle handling facilities and methods. An elevated classroom with one-way glass will let students and industry stakeholders observe cattle handling without interfering with the process, and a wall of screens in the classroom connected to cameras throughout the facility will enhance those observations.

The processing barn reflects the facilities in feedlots where cattle are given vaccines and other health treatments.

In operations that work thousands of cattle every year, small changes in facility design or handling practices can mean big results in stress reduction, safety or efficiency for animals or humans.

The Daniels system includes a double alleyway and a Bud box. The Bud box is named after Bud Williams, a pioneer in low-stress animal handling who developed the system. The Bud box is a rectangular pen that is positioned at a right angle to the entry point of the double alley leading to the squeeze chute where cattle are held for treatment.

"Both handling systems are designed to capitalize on an animal’s natural tendency to return to where they came from," Woiwode said. "Some of those details come down to the actual layout and understanding, from a handler perspective, where they need to stand and move in relation to the cattle."

The work UNL is planning at the Klosterman Feedlot Innovation Center will provide data that can be used to further streamline facility design.

"We can test concepts related to the number of animals and alley width, number of handlers, handler skill level, just to mention a few," Woiwode said.  With two systems side-by-side, Woiwode says UNL can generate an enormous dataset that can be used to inform the design of working facilities, and best practices for cattle handling in the respective facilities.

When Woiwode and her team started planning this project, they thought it made sense to include Daniels Manufacturing Co., a Nebraska company with a 65-year history in the cattle industry. Dude Daniels started Daniels Manufacturing Co. in 1958, building autogates, gates and panels.

"When Dude had an idea he would dive in head first and devote his time to building something the best way possible for the cattle and the user," said Kade Blake, sales manager and design consultant for Daniels Manufacturing Co. "He started building the double alleyway back in the early ’90s, and the very first one is still in use today down in Oklahoma."

Dude’s son and daughter-in-law, Danny and Teri, took over the company when Dude passed away. In 2001 they went to a Bud Williams cattle handling seminar and came home determined to figure out how those ideas could be used to improve their equipment.

"Danny was the first person to manufacture and sell the Bud Box," Blake said. "He worked with Bud and the Production Animal Consultation team to come up with the right size, and from there it took off."

Woiwode had worked with Daniels Manufacturing previously and knew they were committed to finding the best solutions for cattle and handlers, and the future of the cattle industry.

"When Ruth approached us about this project and explained how they were going to focus on stockmanship and study the voluntary flow of cattle, Danny was very excited about that," Blake said. "Our goal here at Daniels has always been building quality, long-lasting equipment that improves the life of cattle and the cattle handler. We focus on noise elimination, reducing sharp corners and edges, keeping our sides open so cattle can see the handler to use body placement to move the cattle, keeping our sides straight so cattle have a natural footing, and using the highest quality of steel to have equipment that gets used for generations."

Danny Daniels passed away in April of this year, but before then, he and Blake drove to Lincoln to meet with Woiwode about her plans.

"On our way home, he told me that ‘these kids are going to need our equipment’ and he was so glad to be able to help them out," Blake said.

Daniels and his contribution to the industry won’t be forgotten. There’s an inscription on the Husker-red alleyway, right below the Husker N and the sticker that says "Daniels Mfg. Co. Ainsworth, Nebraska." It reads, "Donated in Memory of Danny Daniels 1958-2023."



HUNTING RIGHTS AND LAND LEASES
- Shannon Sand, NE Extension Economist

With the volatility in the markets some producers may be asking what optional income opportunities are available to them. One of the things some producers have been thinking about is hunting. The question for those leasing is who has the hunting rights.

For a written cropland or pasture lease you can specify who has hunting rights. If the written lease does not reserve hunting rights to the landlord either directly or indirectly then the hunting rights would go to the tenant for the duration of the lease.

If the cropland lease is unwritten, then tenant would have the hunting rights unless the parties have a different agreement. This falls under the general notion that in the absence of explicit limitations, the tenant would have full rights to use the land to the exclusion of all others, including the landlord during the term of the lease. This can surprise some landowners who believe the landlord automatically retains many property rights that in fact go to the tenant.



Iowa CSP, EQIP application deadlines set for Nov. 3

Agricultural producers interested in implementing conservation practices are encouraged to apply for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). In Iowa, the deadline to submit initial paperwork is Nov. 3.

“Whether farmers are veterans in conservation or trying no-till, cover crops, or other practices for the first time, these programs provide them with an opportunity to take care of Iowa’s agricultural lands,” said Kate Hansen, senior policy associate for the Center for Rural Affairs.

Administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), CSP and EQIP provide financial and technical assistance for producers to implement conservation practices while keeping their land in production

CSP is designed to support conservation efforts operation-wide. To be eligible, producers must demonstrate they are currently addressing regional resource concerns with approved conservation practices and a willingness to implement additional practices, called enhancements.  

EQIP is designed to help producers address a particular resource concern with a single practice or project. Through EQIP, a number of structural practices, such as terraces, are available as well.

“These programs help farmers invest in practices that align with their conservation goals, both big and small,” Hansen said.

When applying for a contract, producers develop a conservation plan with their local NRCS staff that benefits natural resources, improving water quality and soil health. In 2022, more than 327,000 acres in Iowa were enrolled in CSP and EQIP.

Farmers interested in applying should call their local NRCS office to begin the process. To find your local office, visit nrcs.usda.gov/contact/find-a-service-center.



Iowa Speedway to Host First-Ever NASCAR Cup Series Race in 2024
Iowa Corn Signs on as Entitlement Partner for Historic Event on ‘Fastest Short Track on the Planet’

NASCAR today announced that it is bringing its first-ever NASCAR Cup Series race to Iowa Speedway on Sunday, June 16, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. CT on USA Network. This inaugural Cup Series race in Iowa Speedway culminates a weekend that will also include the NASCAR Xfinity Series at 2:30 p.m. CT on USA Network and ARCA Menards Series racing on June 14-16, 2024.

“Today’s announcement is an exciting one for NASCAR and for race fans in the state of Iowa,” said Ben Kennedy, NASCAR’s Senior Vice President, Racing Development and Strategy. “They have long sought a NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway, and we’re happy to deliver that for them. We fully expect this to be one of the most highly-anticipated dates on the 2024 schedule and an amazing weekend of NASCAR racing in The Hawkeye State.”

“The things Iowans value most are what NASCAR represents best—hard work, family, and community—which is exactly why our partnership has always been a natural fit,” Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds said. “We’re thrilled to bring a NASCAR Cup Series race to Iowa Speedway next summer and for this incredible opportunity to introduce millions of racing fans to our great state.”

Iowa Corn will be the entitlement partner for the first-ever Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway. Comprised of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board and Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Corn works to unlock the potential of corn in a sustainable manner to meet the global need for food and energy. The name and logo of the Cup Series race will be announced in the near future.

“Iowa Corn is no stranger to racing and the Iowa Speedway as we helped introduce farmer produced biofuels to consumers through race sponsorships for a dozen years,” shared Craig Floss, Chief Executive Officer of the Iowa Corn Growers Association and the Iowa Corn Promotion Board. “By bringing the NASCAR Cup Series to Iowa, farmers are able to showcase the power and performance of Sunoco Green E15 at the fastest short-track on the planet, which is surrounded by corn fields, the very source of that amazing, renewable, homegrown and affordable biofuel.”

Iowa Speedway successfully hosted the Xfinity Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series from 2009-2019, while the ARCA Menard Series has competed at the track in all but one season since the facility opened in 2006. Yet, since the racetrack opened in 2006, and was acquired by NASCAR in 2013, placing a Cup Series race at the venue had yet to materialize – until June 16, 2024.

Iowa Speedway is the latest new venue added to a season schedule as NASCAR continues making bold moves with its schedule, entering new markets and engaging new audiences with its premier series, the sanctioning body brought the Cup Series to the streets of downtown Chicago earlier this year and began its season with an exhibition race on a temporary oval inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum since 2022.

Now NASCAR is bringing a Cup Series race to Iowa Speedway’s 7/8ths-mile tri-oval, considered one of the most challenging short tracks in the country. The race will feature the best drivers in the world vying for a ‘win-and-you’re-in’ berth to the Cup Series Playoffs.

“This is a dream come true,” said NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace, Iowa Speedway’s co-founder and designer. “This track was built with the intent of hosting a NASCAR Cup Series race one day, and to finally see it come together is a testament to the tenacity of the great race fans in Iowa.”

The action will begin on Friday, June 14 with the ARCA Menards Series, continuing on Saturday, June 15 with the NASCAR Xfinity Series, and concluding on Sunday, June 16 with the NASCAR Cup Series.

Of the drivers projected to compete in the NASCAR Cup Series next year, 19 have won at Iowa Speedway in other NASCAR national and touring series, including Brad Keselowski, who joined NASCAR and state dignitaries for the announcement Tuesday on the Iowa State Capitol steps.

“For years, the Iowa community has patiently waited for the NASCAR Cup Series to come to town,” said Keselowski. “It is with great pleasure for all of the racing community to announce they will finally see that dream come together. Iowa truly is a hotbed for motorsports fans, I saw that enthusiasm firsthand in 2009 for the inaugural NASCAR Xfinity Series race, and can’t wait to see the atmosphere on race day in 2024.”

On-sale ticket information for the first-ever Cup Series Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway will be announced in the near future. Today, fans can put down a $25 deposit for priority access to purchase tickets before the public on-sale at iowaspeedway.com.



Register Today for the 18th Annual Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) is excited to welcome biofuel producers and supporters from across the U.S. to network and learn about the latest trends at the 2024 Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit. Registration for the free Summit is now open at IowaRenewableFuelsSummit.org.

“Renewable fuels are entering a phase of generational change, making this a can’t-miss event,” said IRFA Marketing Director Lisa Coffelt. “Biofuels experts, producers and supporters will shed light on opportunities and uncertainties in the industry. Topics will involve U.S. biofuels policy, expanding international and domestic markets as well as decarbonizing our footprint.”

The 2024 Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit is taking place on January 11, 2024, in Altoona, Iowa. Registration is free and required to attend.

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit couldn’t be free and open to the public without the support of the Summit sponsors and trade show exhibitors. In addition to a premier speakers program, the Summit brings the nation’s 2nd largest biofuels trade show to the heart of farm country. To learn more about sponsoring or exhibiting at the Summit, visit IowaRenewableFuelsSummit.org.



The Cenex® Brand Launches Community Giveback Program to Support Local Pride

Cenex®, the energy brand of CHS Inc., launched Hometown Throwdown, a social first contest encouraging local pride by asking individuals and organizations to share what makes their hometown festival unique. Qualifying festivals have a chance to win up to $100,000 to bring the celebration to the next level.

Hometown Throwdown is inspired by the Cenex brand's strong local roots and is a continuation of its long history of giving back to the communities it calls home. The brand is local to its core with all 1,400-plus retail locations across 19 states run by members of the community. To date, Cenex has given more than a half a million dollars in grants to support local communities. These efforts have helped fund more than 80 community projects, including the improvement of aging baseball fields, providing athletic workshops in schools, supporting local food shelters and more.

"At Cenex, we have always made it a priority to celebrate and support our local communities where our valued retailers and dealers call home. This new social contest, Hometown Throwdown, does just that and so much more," says Mimi Berlin, expert marketing and communications specialist, energy, at CHS Inc. "It highlights the unique celebrations that bring our local communities together and fosters community pride. We are excited to launch the Hometown Throwdown contest to enable consumers to celebrate the festivals that are near and dear to their hearts."

The entry period for the competition starts October 3, 2023, and runs until December 15, 2023. Individuals and organizations can enter by nominating their festival by posting a photo to Facebook, Instagram (tagging @CenexStores) or TikTok (tagging @CenexStores_) and using the #PoweredLocally and #Contest hashtags. Nominations can also be submitted online through the Hometown Throwdown online entry form. Once the entry period has closed, three finalists will be announced in April 2024, and voting will open. The grand-prize winner will be revealed in May 2024 and will receive $100,000 for their festival. The remaining two finalists will receive $25,000 each.

To be eligible, festivals must be run by a local chamber of commerce, municipality, downtown commission, community-oriented non-profit group, or other similar organization. Festivals must take place in the following states: AR, CO, ID, IA, IL, KS, MI, MN, MT, MO, NE, ND, OK, OR, SD, TX, WA, WI, and WY.

Additional information about Hometown Throwdown, along with further details about entry requirements and restrictions can be found at CenexHometownThrowdown.com.



Minnesota Farmer Harold Wolle Becomes NCGA President

Harold Wolle, a corn farmer from Madelia, Minn., took over as president of the National Corn Growers Association this week.

During a press conference today, Wolle talked about his goals over the next year, saying reauthorizing a farm bill that reflects the priorities of corn growers will be a pressing concern. He also noted that he plans to push for support of the Next Generation Fuels Act in the House and Senate while making ethanol a go-to biofuel in the aviation sector.

“My theme as president is ‘shaping the Future,’ and nothing shapes the future like effective advocacy,” Wolle said. “And no other group does advocacy as well as our state corn grower groups and NCGA.”

Wolle has deep experience in many issues important to corn growers, having served on NCGA committees and the organization’s board, including as a board liaison to the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Advisory Board. He is also past president of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association.

Wolle said NCGA has the relationships and the clout to effect change on behalf of corn growers.

“As a membership organization with 37,000 dues-paying corn grower members that represents some 300,000 growers who contribute through corn checkoff programs in their states, we are well positioned to make a difference,” he said. “I plan to rally our growers this year as we work on these pressing issues.”

NCGA’s board elects a member of the board to serve as president each year. The term begins in early October, the start of NCGA’s fiscal year.

Tom Haag, the organization’s immediate past president who also hails from Minn., will now serve as chairman of the board.



RFA Calls on California to Stop “Slow-Walking” E15 Approval

In a letter today to the California Air Resources Board, the Renewable Fuels Association called on the agency to expeditiously approve the use of cleaner-burning, lower-carbon E15 gasoline blends, which contain 15 percent ethanol. RFA noted that California is one of only two states in the country that still do not allow the use of E15, and the state’s failure to approve the fuel has caused unnecessary increases in greenhouse gas emissions and tailpipe pollution linked to smog, as well as higher prices at the pump for California consumers.

“California is woefully—and inexplicably—behind the rest of the nation when it comes to adopting a simple change to liquid fuel regulations that reduces both harmful tailpipe pollutants and GHG emissions from liquid-fueled light-duty vehicles,” RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper wrote in a letter sent to CARB Chair Liane Randolph and Executive Officer Steven Cliff. “While CARB has taken some initial steps toward approval of E15, the process has been impaired by numerous delays, uncertain timelines, and a general lack of emphasis or prioritization from CARB leadership. All of the required testing and analysis on E15 has been completed and submitted to CARB; yet, the agency appears to be purposely ‘slow-walking’ the approval process.”

RFA’s letter encourages CARB to commit to a certain timeline for approval of E15: “We urge CARB to immediately approve the long-delayed E15 Tier II and Tier III reports, secure approval by the Environmental Policy Council by the end of the year, and initiate a rulemaking to approve E15 prior to CARB’s January 2024 board meeting.”

Cooper also noted that CARB’s continued failure to allow the use of E15 clearly contradicts the scope and purpose of the waiver California has historically received from the Clean Air Act’s preemption provisions. California has historically received a waiver from the Clean Air Act’s preemption clause because the state’s air pollution regulations have been “at least as protective” as federal standards. RFA argued that “…CARB’s current gasoline regulations are less protective of public health and welfare than the federal standards that allow for E15 consumption in all light-duty vehicles built since 2001.”

In the letter, Cooper summarized tailpipe and carbon emission benefits of lower-carbon ethanol. If all gasoline in California in 2022 had been E15 instead of E10, the state would have seen a 450-million-gallon reduction in petroleum consumption and additional GHG savings of 2.2 billion metric tons, based on CARB’s own data. “By failing to act on E15 approval, CARB is incomprehensibly leaving massive air quality and climate benefits on the table,” the letter says.

“Moreover, CARB’s intransigence on E15 has directly hindered our association’s efforts to replicate California climate policies—specifically the LCFS—in other jurisdictions beyond the West Coast. Other states that have considered following California’s example on clean fuels policy ultimately have rejected the approach due, in large part, to CARB’s befuddling prohibition on E15.”



Diverse Genetics Drive Performance in Any Environment

Why should you care about the genetic diversity of your hybrids? Because no two growing seasons are the same. AgriGold’s annual evaluation of the hybrids in its Field GX™ genetic families ensure seed choices match your yield goals and management to minimize risk through diversification.

“Knowing a hybrid’s genetic family helps simplify management, reduce risk and maximize return on investment,” says AgriGold Agronomist Brian Ternus. “You never know how any given season will play out. That’s why it’s important to spread your risk by planting hybrids from different families.”

Value of diverse genetics
Think of Field GX as a diversity indicator, Ternus says. “I advise farmers to select hybrids from at least two different families for their farms,” he says. “If your goals allow, three families are even better.”

Grain fill is a prime example of how genetic diversity can ease on-farm risks, says AgriGold Agronomist Chris Ouzts. “The late grain-filling hybrids of Field GX G didn’t look impressive around the Fourth of July, but they received the moisture they needed to fill out their longer ears late in the season and were high yielders for southern Louisiana in 2023.”

If the season had played out differently and heat moved in, leading up to black layer, Ouzts says late grain fillers like Field GX G would have come in light. “Earlier fillers like Field GX H are better able to handle those conditions,” Ouzts says. “Having both families on your farm spreads your risk.”

Smart hybrid placement
The Field GX family groupings also give farmers a general idea of the hybrids’ agronomic characteristics as well as what management practices generate the best responses. “Thanks to the Field GX system, knowing what family a hybrid belongs to tells me how to place and manage it,” Ouzts says. “We know Field GX H hybrids respond well to fungicide, for example, keeping plants healthy during grain fill.”

A farmer’s goals, management practices and soil type factor into family selection. “If you have a lot of stress acres, one of our more versatile families that perform well across many soil types and management styles, like Field GX G or Field GX F, might be a good fit,” Ouzts says. Versatility and strong stress tolerance helped Field GX F perform well in Ternus’ territory of southern Minnesota and South Dakota where drought was a challenge in 2023.

Bottom line — no two growing seasons are the same, and hybrid performance will likewise vary. Planting hybrids with diverse genetic backgrounds spreads your risk. Reach out to your local AgriGold agronomist to learn more about how Field GX simplifies diversifying genetics on your farm.