Wednesday October 04 Ag News

The Ag Literacy festival is this week in Wahoo - Over 600 youth will attend

The Saunders County Ag Literacy Festival is happening this week, October 3rd-6th at the Saunders County Fairgrounds in Wahoo.  The Ag Literacy Festival is a one-day field trip designed specifically for 4th graders.  The interactive tour stops will help students gain a greater understanding of agriculture and how it impacts their daily lives.

Here are a few quick details about the festival:
-    Over 600 youth from 14 schools are attending over the course of 4 days.
-    The festival runs from 10:00 a.m. - 1:40 p.m. each day.
-    There are nine rotating 20 minute sessions (lunch break from 11:40 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.)
-    Topics include: Beef, Ag Careers, Ag Technology, Poultry, Dairy, Corn & Soybeans, Swine, Water, and On the Farm
-    The festival is a great fit for 4th grade Nebraska studies and teaches students about science and technology in agriculture.   

As communities continue to urbanize, youth are losing touch with  Nebraska’s greatest resource - AGRICULTURE.  The Ag Awareness Coalition seeks to bring youth back in touch with agriculture by hosting  agricultural awareness festivals.

Saunders, Douglas and Sarpy County schools attending include:
  - Tuesday, October 3 - Blumfield Elemetary, DC West, and Cedar Bluffs
  - Wednesday, October 4 - Meadows, Stephen Martyr, Seymour Elementary, and Karen Western
  - Thursday, October 5 - St. Johns, Wahoo Public, Wildwood Elementary, and Mockingbird
  - Friday, October 6 - St. Wenceslaus, Yutan, and Ackerman

Sponsorship includes: Nebraska Extension in Saunders, Lancaster and Douglas/Sarpy Counties, Agriculture in the Classroom, Douglas County Farm Bureau, Midwest Dairy Association, Nebraska AgRelations Council , Nebraska Agri Business Club, Nebraska Beef Council, Nebraska Corn Development, Utilization and Marketing Board, Nebraska Pork Producers Association, Nebraska Soybean Board, Omaha Agribusiness Club, and Papillion Grange No. 401.

The goal of festival is to help youth, primarily from urban communities, become aware of agriculture.  The group develops resources and opportunities that will increase youth  understanding and awareness about agricultural concepts.  Over 18,644 students have attended the Saunders County ag literacy festival from 1996-2022.



FALL THISTLE CONTROL
– Jerry Volesky, NE Extension Educator

Did you spray thistles this past spring and summer?  If so, it would be a good idea to revisit those areas as there are likely some remaining or new growth that has occurred.  Although harvest is upon us, October and early November is a key time to control thistles in pastures.  There are several biennial thistles, but musk, plumeless, Scotch, and bull thistles are our most problematic.  Biennials require portions of two growing seasons to flower/reproduce. They develop from seed the first season into a flat rosette. When trying to control biennial thistles, destruction of rosettes prior to flowering (bolting) is an effective means of preventing seed formation and subsequent spread.

Another thistle to look out for is Canada thistle.  Canada thistle is a creeping perennial that can be controlled with fall spraying, in conjunction with other management options in the spring.

While in the rosette stage, thistles are more effectively controlled using herbicides.  It is important to note that fall spraying of thistles is not a silver bullet and effective control often needs repeated applications.  It will take several years of timely control before the soil seed bank is reduced.  There are many herbicides labeled for thistle control.  Take care when purchasing products and always read/follow label directions before use.   

GrazonNext® HL, Milestone®, Chaparral®, Graslan® L, Stinger®, Overdrive®, and Tordon 22K® are all products that are labelled for use on biennial thistles as well as Canada thistle. 2,4-D mixed with dicamba is also an effective option but should be sprayed when temperatures are warmer for the highest efficacy.  When using Tordon 22K® or Graslan® L, both products are restricted use and contain picloram.  Use extreme caution around other vegetation, especially trees, as both products will kill woody plants.  



Application Cutoff for Natural Resource Conservation Funds Approaching

Farmers and ranchers interested in preventing erosion, improving soil health, conserving water and wildlife, or making other natural resource conservation improvements to their property are encouraged to apply now for funding available from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Those interested in receiving funding this year should sign up before November 17, 2023.

NRCS accepts conservation program applications on a continuous basis but sets application cutoff dates as funding allows. According to NRCS Nebraska State Conservationist Rob Lawson, there are several options still available to producers for this year.

“NRCS has a whole suite of conservation programs available to Nebraska’s farmers and ranchers looking for assistance in improving and protecting the natural resources on their ag land. These programs provide funding on cropland and rangeland, as well as for establishing or enhancing wildlife habitat and wetlands. NRCS staff can help landowners and operators identify their options that best suit their operation’s needs,” said Lawson.

Nebraska's two most popular conservation programs are the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). These programs provide financial incentives to landowners to install conservation practices that protect natural resources, resulting in cleaner air and water, healthy soil, and more wildlife habitat.

In fiscal year 2023, EQIP obligated $31.6 million to 1,047 contracts, covering 415,000 acres across the state. CSP obligated $31 million to 313 contracts, covering 767,366 acres. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act Nebraska received over 300 EQIP – IRA applications that were ranked and considered for FY23 funding. For applications to be considered eligible for IRA funding, applications need to include one or more core practices listed on the FY23 Climate-Smart Ag and Forestry (CSAF) Mitigation Activities List.

“Participation in our conservation programs is completely voluntary. We offer assistance that can help make farming and ranching operations more sustainable while conserving the natural resources like soil and water on which all Nebraskans depend,” said Lawson.

Individuals interested in applying for these conservation programs may do so at any time, but applications need to be submitted by November 17th to be considered for this year’s funding.

For more information about conservation programs and other assistance available, contact your local NRCS field office or visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/NE.



Transition to Organic Farming Workshop

If you've been thinking of transitioning to an organic farm operation or are a newly certified organic farmer, mark your calendar for this one-day conference hosted by UNL Extension. Learn and mingle with other growers, vendors, and educators.

Lunch will be provided.

Cost: Free
When: Wednesday, Nov. 8, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Where: Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center, 1071 County Rd G, Ithaca, Neb.

For more information: Contact Katja Koehler-Cole at kkoehlercole2@unl.edu.



Estate and Succession Planning Resources Available in Workbook, Upcoming Webinar

A common misconception in farm estate and succession planning is that an estate plan is only used after an individual passes away. In truth, a comprehensive estate plan should also provide for possible long-term care needs, dictate health care directives and designate a trusted individual to oversee desired funeral arrangements.

In order to help the farming community better understand estate planning, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach recently published a 100-page guide called “Estate and Succession Planning for the Farm.”

This educational resource covers property ownership, wills and trusts, estate and gift tax, income tax planning, business entity planning and more.

The workbook is designed to educate and answer questions that may arise during the planning process. It is intended to complement – not replace – advice from legal and tax experts. It includes 12 chapters, as well as a glossary of terms and blank pages for personalized input and planning.

“This workbook serves as a valuable guide during any phase of the planning process,” said Ann Johanns, program specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach. “It guides the reader through complex topics by providing illustrative examples throughout and sharing common aspects of estate planning to consider.”

The workbook will be highlighted during an Oct. 11 webinar for women farmland owners, in a session called “End-of-Life Taxes and Expenses,” featuring Kitt Tovar Jensen, staff attorney with the Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation and moderated by Johanns, from noon to 12:45 p.m.

A second webinar, called “Slowing Water Down,” will be held Dec. 13 from noon to 12:45 p.m. with Catherine DeLong, water quality program manager with ISU Extension and Outreach.

The bi-monthly series is part of a multi-year project led by the extension farm management team’s women in ag program to better understand and meet the educational needs of women farmland owners.

Participants can select specific sessions or register for the full series here https://go.iastate.edu/IAK3NV. A separate invitation email will be sent for each webinar you register for with the link to join the live session. (Reminder emails will also be sent shortly before each live session.) All sessions will be recorded with a link shared via follow-up emails after each live event, and archived on the Ag Decision Maker website https://go.iastate.edu/AGDMEVENTS.

The series is offered through collaborations with Iowa State’s Center for Agriculture Law and Taxation, Water Quality Initiative, and the Department of Economics, the project is bringing comprehensive land management information to audiences of women farmland owners.

Women Managing Farmland programs and resources are financially supported by a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture - Critical Agriculture Research and Education grant (2021-68008-34180) and a Farm Credit Services of America gift. For information on Women Managing Farmland courses, visit the Women in Ag website https://www.extension.iastate.edu/womeninag/.



Weekly Ethanol Production for 9/29/2023

According to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association for the week ending September 29, ethanol production was even with the prior week at 1.009 million b/d, equivalent to 42.38 million gallons daily. Output was 13.5% more than the same week last year and 5.3% above the five-year average for the week. The four-week average ethanol production rate ticked down 0.1% to 1.009 million b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate of 15.47 billion gallons (bg).

Ethanol stocks declined 0.7% to 21.9 million barrels. Yet, stocks were 0.9% more than the same week last year and 2.7% above the five-year average. Inventories thinned across all regions except the West Coast (PADD 5), including a 51-week low in the Midwest (PADD 2).

The volume of gasoline supplied to the U.S. market, a measure of implied demand, slumped 7.0% to 8.01 million b/d (122.85 bg annualized)—the smallest weekly volume since the start of 2023. Demand was 15.3% less than a year ago and 13.5% below the five-year average.

However, refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol again moved marginally higher to 893,000 b/d, equivalent to 13.69 bg annualized. Net inputs were 0.3% less than the same week last year and 0.1% above the five-year average.

Ethanol exports were estimated at 122,000 b/d (5.1 million gallons/day), a 58.4% increase over the prior week. There were zero imports of ethanol recorded for the second consecutive week.



Fertilizer Prices Moving in Two Different Directions

Retail fertilizer prices tracked by DTN for the fourth week of September 2023 are showing a more pronounced split as some prices rise and others fall. For the first time in many months, multiple fertilizers were higher in price. DTN designates a significant move as anything 5% or more.

Five of the eight major fertilizers were more expensive compared to last month. Of the five, three fertilizers had a considerable price increase. Anhydrous was 13% higher compared to last month with an average price of $767/ton. Both MAP and UAN32 were 6% more expensive looking back a month. MAP had an average price of $777/ton while UAN32 was at $413/ton.  The two remaining fertilizers had slightly higher prices compared to last month. Urea had an average price of $570/ton and 10-34-0 was at $610/ton.

Three fertilizers were lower compared to the prior month, albeit just slightly lower. DAP had an average price of $703/ton, potash $508/ton and UAN28 $353/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.62/lb.N, anhydrous $0.47/lb.N, UAN28 $0.63/lb.N, and UAN32 $0.65/lb.N.

All fertilizers are now lower by double digits compared to a year ago. DAP is 23% lower; MAP is 26% less expensive; 10-34-0 is 29% lower; urea is 30% less expensive; UAN32 is 38% lower; UAN28 is 39% less expensive; potash is 42% lower and anhydrous is 44% less expensive compared to a year prior.



USDA Continues the Cattle Contracts Library Pilot Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will continue the Cattle Contracts Library Pilot Program in its present form in order to continue reporting vital market information for farmers and ranchers while gathering additional information on the effectiveness of the pilot.

The current pilot supports market transparency by providing the cattle and beef sectors information about contract terms offered by packers to producers for the purchase of cattle. AMS established the pilot and outlined the requirements for covered packers in a final rule published Dec. 7, 2022, and the library was made available to the public on Jan. 31, 2023.

The pilot was authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022. Although funding provided by Congress for the pilot has ended, the final rule remains in effect and USDA will maintain the current version to the extent that limited existing resources allow. USDA appreciates the extensive stakeholder feedback received via listening sessions over the last year. Any enhancements or adjustments to the library will be made if and when additional funding resources are provided by Congress.

More information about the pilot is posted on the AMS Cattle Contract Library webpage https://www.ams.usda.gov/market-news/livestock-poultry-grain/cattle-contracts-library.



National Dairy FARM Program Launches Enhanced Biosecurity Initiative

The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program today announced the launch of FARM Biosecurity – Enhanced, a new aspect of the FARM Biosecurity Program that includes training and an online database.

FARM Biosecurity – Enhanced, includes an online database to develop and securely store dairy producers’ enhanced biosecurity plans (EBP) and an online training that helps users write those plans. FARM has also developed a FARM Biosecurity – Enhanced Biosecurity Prep Guide and Database User Guide to complement these tools.  

Stronger, or enhanced, levels of biosecurity will be needed to protect cattle against the highly contagious foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) found in two-thirds of the world. One FMD case in the United States could shut down movement across the nation of livestock and their products for at least 72 hours.

FARM Biosecurity – Enhanced incorporates the on-farm elements of the Secure Milk Supply Plan for Continuity of Business. The Secure Milk Supply (SMS) Plan for Continuity of Business was designed to help the dairy industry prepare for an FMD outbreak by providing producers with the tools to develop an enhanced biosecurity plan. The FARM Biosecurity – Enhanced database not only securely stores the EBP plans, but with producer permission will share the plans with state animal health officials for their approval to speed up issuing a movement permit in the event of an FMD outbreak.

FARM Biosecurity has two parts: Everyday Biosecurity for common disease threats and Enhanced Biosecurity for highly contagious foreign animal diseases. The FARM Biosecurity resources aim to protect dairy cattle, build resiliency, and future business continuity opportunities for the dairy industry.

NMPF and the National Dairy FARM Program would like to thank the United States Department of Agriculture National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (USDA NADPRP) for funding the FARM Biosecurity initiative through a cooperative agreement and Dr. Danelle Bickett-Weddle with Preventalytics who was instrumental in the development of the FARM Biosecurity resources.

To learn more about the FARM Program or access protocol templates and training aids, visit the FARM website: nationaldairyfarm.com.

To learn more about the Secure Milk Supply Plan, access templates, standard operating procedures, movement logs, and more, visit securemilk.org.



USDA Dairy Products August 2023 Production Highlights

Total cheese output (excluding cottage cheese) was 1.15 billion pounds, 0.2 percent below August 2022 and 0.1 percent below July 2023. Italian type cheese production totaled 484 million pounds, 0.6 percent below August 2022 but 0.2 percent above July 2023. American type cheese production totaled 459 million pounds, 0.3 percent above August 2022 but 2.0 percent below July 2023. Butter production was 140 million pounds, 2.1 percent below August 2022 and 12.1 percent below July 2023.

Dry milk products (comparisons in percentage with August 2022)
Nonfat dry milk, human - 113 million pounds, down 15.2 percent.
Skim milk powder - 57.2 million pounds, down 12.7 percent.

Whey products (comparisons in percentage with August 2022)
Dry whey, total - 83.4 million pounds, up 10.7 percent.
Lactose, human and animal - 92.2 million pounds, down 1.0 percent.
Whey protein concentrate, total - 40.3 million pounds, up 14.8 percent.

Frozen products (comparisons in percentage with August 2022)
Ice cream, regular (hard) - 66.2 million gallons, up 1.1 percent.
Ice cream, lowfat (total) - 40.5 million gallons, down 5.2 percent.
Sherbet (hard) - 2.15 million gallons, up 7.1 percent.
Frozen yogurt (total) - 4.21 million gallons, up 6.9 percent.



USDA Announces $27.6 Million to Support Underserved and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers through the 2501 Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced $27.6 million in grants to provide training, outreach and technical assistance to underserved and veteran farmers, ranchers, and foresters to help them own and operate successful farms, ranches, and forest lands. Funding is made through USDA’s 2501 Program. The 2501 program is administered by the USDA Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE).

“The 2501 Program demonstrates USDA’s commitment to improving the livelihoods of the country’s underserved and veteran farmers, ranchers and foresters by ensuring that they have access to and are equipped with the resources, knowledge and tools to be successful,” said OPPE Director Lisa Ramirez. “This program is part of USDA’s commitment to equity and inclusion for underserved communities and reducing barriers to USDA programs and resources.”

In 2023, USDA is investing $27.6 million in grants to 41 organizations in 27 states (PDF, 736 KB) for their efforts to provide outreach and technical assistance to underserved and veteran farmers and ranchers. This funding is made available through the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018.

Among the 2501 Program awardees is the Recirculating Farms Coalition’s Growing Local Veterans in Agriculture project. This project will teach veterans about vertical farming and other agricultural innovations for a more equitable food system providing fresh, local, accessible food and stable, green jobs in New Orleans, Louisiana. Another 2501 award will go to the Pueblo of Isleta for the Farmers Outreach and Assistance Program for Tribal Communities initiative in Isleta Pueblo, New Mexico.

The 2501 Program was created through the 1990 Farm Bill to help underserved farmers, ranchers and foresters who have historically experienced limited access to USDA loans, grants, training and technical assistance. The 2014 Farm Bill expanded the program to include veterans. Grants are awarded to higher education institutions and nonprofit and community-based organizations to extend USDA’s engagement efforts in underserved and veteran communities.

Projects funded under the 2501 Program include, but are not limited to, conferences, workshops, and demonstrations on various farming techniques, and connecting underserved farmers and ranchers to USDA resources and services. Since 2010, the 2501 Program has provided more than $221 million dollars to fund more than 657 projects.



Elimination of Advanced Pricing for Class I and II Milk Necessary to Modernize Marketing Orders

American Farm Bureau Federation Chief Economist Roger Cryan presented the testimony below on behalf of AFBF and its membership at the ongoing Federal Milk Marketing Order Pricing Formula hearing.

The testimony focuses on removing Class I and Class II milk from the advanced pricing formula used by dairy processors when calculating the price paid to farmers for their milk. Class I milk is used for beverages while Class II milk is used for foods like ice cream, cottage cheese and sour cream.

According to AFBF data presented at the hearing, advanced pricing has disrupted the orderly marketing of milk and led to unfair marketing conditions for dairy farmers. This disruption is caused when the price of other classes of milk rises above the announced advanced price of Class I and Class II milk. A full explanation of advanced pricing is available via Market Intel.

AFBF has previously testified on adding 640-pound cheddar cheese blocks and unsalted butter to the price survey used in Class price calculations, in support of member policy to include more products in the price calculations. AFBF also supports several proposals by the National Milk Producers Federation, which would increase Class I prices, drop barrel cheese from the Class III price formula, and return to the “higher-of” Class I formula.

Below are excerpts from the testimony...

A fundamental focus of AFBF’s proposals is the reduction or elimination of negative producer price differentials and the de-pooling they cause. We believe that an orderly pool is the key to orderly marketing and ensuring Federal Milk Marketing Orders continue to benefit farmers, cooperatives, processors, and consumers. The key to an orderly pool, in turn, is, above all, the proper alignment of the four Class prices.

This statement covers AFBF proposal 18 under category four.

Proposal 18:AFBF proposes to end the advanced pricing of Class II skim milk and components and Class I milk and components
In AFBF proposal 18, the Class II skim milk price would be equal to the Class IV skim milk price plus the Class II differential. The Class II nonfat solids price would be equal to the Class IV nonfat solids price plus one-hundredth of the Class II differential. The Class I skim milk price would be the higher of the Class III or Class IV skim milk price plus the Class I differential. And the Class I butterfat price would be equal to the butterfat price plus one-hundredth of the Class I differential.

Under classified dairy pricing, handlers participating in an order have an obligation to the pooling function of federal orders based on how the milk is used (the Class price). In seven of the 11 federal orders dairy farmers are paid based on the component content of their milk via multiple component pricing. In this process the producer value of milk is determined monthly based on the cheese milk (Class III) component levels of fat, protein, and other solids. The difference between the total pooled revenue from what handlers pay for their allocated Class price values and the component value worth of producer’s milk is denoted as the producer price differential. When the component value of milk in the pool is higher than revenue pooled from paid Class prices, deductions are applied to farmers’ checks in the form of a negative producer price differential to represent the gap in pool value. Dairy farmers became accustomed to negative PPDs during 2020 and 2021 with average all-market PPDs reaching over -$7 per hundredweight – showing up as a massive deduction on milk checks.

Furthermore, the testimony describes the issue of when milk prices are announced:
Currently, the classified prices for each month are announced at two different times. First, the advanced prices are announced by the 23rd day of the preceding month. For example, September’s advanced prices are announced on or before August 23. Advanced minimum prices are announced for Class I, Class I skim, Class I butterfat, and Class II skim. By the fifth day of the following month, the Class II, Class II butterfat, Class III, Class III skim, Class III butterfat, Class IV, Class IV skim, and Class IV butterfat prices are announced. These prices for September are announced on or before October 5. This arrangement creates a long lag between when the advanced prices and current prices are announced for that same month and means that the advanced prices (Class II skim milk and components and Class I skim milk and butterfat) can be based on weekly data that is 25 to 40 days older, on average, than the basis for the “current” prices (Class II butterfat and all Class III and IV prices).

This means when market prices rally, announced (final) prices can be much higher than advanced prices, leading to low and negative PPDs. This creates an incentive to de-pool milk from the order to benefit from the non-pooled value of the recently elevated prices (without sharing that value with the pool), which further depresses the PPD, and undermines the FMMO principle of uniform pricing.

… Dairy farmers have had to deal with wide and rapid spreads in prices that have contributed to income uncertainty and disruptions in their ability to manage risk. Over the past 20 years the percentage of de-pooled milk has increased. Based on data from USDA, between 2007 and 2012 the average monthly percent of eligible milk that was de-pooled across all orders was 5.7%; between 2013 and 2018 this percentage increased to 9.5%. Between 2018 and 2023, this figure nearly doubled to an average of 18.9% of eligible milk being de-pooled each month. Handlers are de-pooling milk at higher volumes more frequently.

The testimony concludes with a summary:
AFBF believes that disorderly marketing conditions are present when producers do not receive uniform prices because of frequent de-pooling. AFBF also believes the current system of advanced pricing contributes to the frequency and magnitude of de-pooling. Given the growing number of resources for data and market information, AFBF proposes a structure of announcing Class prices at the same time.