Friday November 03 Ag News

Nebraska Farm Bureau Calls for Legislative Fix to California’s Proposition 12

Nebraska Farm Bureau (NEFB) is urging Nebraska’s congressional delegation to support a legislative fix to California’s Proposition 12 before the end of 2023. Nebraska Farm Bureau’s Board of Directors recently sent a letter to all members of the delegation outlining the critical need to address Proposition 12.

“California’s Proposition 12 effectively lets voters in one state set the rules for the entire nation. American’s need to understand that the ill-conceived and non-scientific Proposition 12 moves us in a dangerous direction, creating uncertainty around our food system. With the implementation date of January 1, 2024, now is the time to address the issue with a legislative fix,” said Mark McHargue, NEFB President.

In May, the United States Supreme Court upheld Proposition 12 which California voters passed in 2018. That law prohibits the importation of pork, veal, and poultry products which do not meet California’s nonscientific animal welfare standards. In the letter, NEFB says the decision opens the door for a simple majority of voters in any state to determine food production practices for consumers across the country. It appears that only a federal legislative fix will prevent this law from moving forward.

“The health, safety, and welfare of animals in their care are a top priority for farmers and ranchers every day. But this law fails to advance that goal and will have serious consequences that will increase prices at the grocery store, drive small farms and ranches out of business, and will risk lowering animal welfare,” said McHargue.

In the letter, NEFB thanks the delegation for supporting the Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act while also encouraging continued exploration of any and all opportunities to legislatively address the potentially devastating issue.



Holiday Apparel Proceeds Supply Food Banks with Much-Needed Protein

The Nebraska Beef Council has launched a holiday apparel store with proceeds going to Food Bank for the Heartland and Food Bank of Lincoln to help increase the distribution of beef products to those in need across Nebraska.

The online store is open November 6 through November 26 at www.nebeef.org and offers a selection of “Good Life, Great Steaks” or “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner” branded t-shirts, tank tops, crewneck sweatshirts, and hoodies. All tops are available in red, black, or gray. Ballcaps embroidered, “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner” are also available.

“The beef apparel items have been very popular since we first offered them back in 2020,” said Adam Wegner, director of marketing for the Nebraska Beef Council. “With the holidays coming up, this is a great opportunity to find a gift for the beef-lover in your family while also helping to provide beef meals for families in need.”
 
According to the Food Bank for the Heartland, 1 in 11 Heartland neighbors—and 1 in 9 children are facing hunger, making proteins a highly desirable food source. Food banks typically receive nonperishable, shelf-stable foods, leaving out a crucial part of a balanced diet – protein. Unfortunately, because of the high cost and availability, proteins and other foods aren’t donated as frequently, which is why Food Bank officials say community support is critical.

 “Inflation has forced thousands of Nebraska families into a situation they never imagined, seeking food assistance for the very first time,” said Brian Barks, President & CEO of Food Bank for the Heartland. “Nebraska’s two food banks are projected to supply food to approximately 2.5 million duplicated individuals this fiscal year. That number has nearly tripled since 2018. The dollars raised through the Nebraska Beef Council’s campaign will greatly assist us in providing much-needed protein to struggling families across our state. We are grateful for the support of the Beef Council and their commitment to the fight against hunger.”

Food Bank for the Heartland and Food Bank of Lincoln serve all 93 counties in Nebraska. For every $1 in donations, the food banks can provide more than 3 meals to individuals in need.

For more information or to place an order through the online store, visit www.nebeef.org.  



USDA Appoints Members to National Dairy Promotion and Research Board

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the appointment of 16 members to serve on the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board. Thirteen of the 16 appointees will serve three-year terms, effective immediately, through October 31, 2026.  The remaining three appointees will serve the remaining term of a vacant position, effective immediately and expiring October 31, 2024.

Newly appointed members are:
    Warren Chamberlain, Oregon (Region 1) (partial term)
    Nora Doelman, Washington (Region 1)
    Pauline Tjaarda, California (Region 2) (partial term)
    Angela Meyer, Oklahoma (Region 4)
    Shelly Grosenick, Wisconsin (Region 6)
    Joyce Racicky, Nebraska (Region 7)
    Paxton Robinson, Idaho (Region 8) (partial term)
    Dr. Jennifer Glover, Georgia (Region 10)
    Kenneth Meyers, New Jersey (Importer)

Reappointed members are:
    Timothy (Tim) Bernhardt, Colorado (Region 3)
    Robert Brouwer, New Mexico (Region 4)
    Marvin (Marv) Post, South Dakota (Region 5)
    George Crave, Wisconsin (Region 6)
    Don Gaalswyk, Idaho (Region 8)
    Lois Douglass, Ohio (Region 9)
    Kathryn Fogler, Maine (Region 12)

The National Dairy Promotion and Research Board is composed of 36 dairy farmer members who represent 12 geographic regions within the United States and one importer member who represents dairy importers. The board was established by the Dairy Production Stabilization Act of 1983 to develop and administer a coordinated program of advertising and promotion to increase the demand for dairy products and ingredients.



UNL, Nebraska Company Collaborate on New Valve for Pivot Irrigation

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Panhandle Research Extension and Education Center has been working with KZValve of Greenwood, Nebraska. The two are working on a new valve for pivot irrigation. In 2021, KZValve presented to several UNL faculties a product that has self-power generating capabilities and was looking for applications.

Xin Qiao, Nebraska Extension water and irrigation management specialist, proposed to KZValve that “the innovative self-power generating feature could possibly be used in a partial variable rate irrigation (VRI) setup.” KZValve submitted the proposal to the Nebraska Department of Economic Development and received funding with UNL as a co-awardee.

While using the valve for VRI Qiao’s idea, KZValve’s mechanical engineer, Richard Faflak, spent a lot of time engineering the valve to make it work.

“At KZValve, there was always an idea to develop and test a valve solution for the irrigation industry,” said Richard Faflak, KZValve mechanical engineer. The company has done research and development with power generation and wireless technologies, and the partial variable rate irrigation or VRI project is a way to extend that development.

Qiao and Faflak presented the new valve with research and findings to growers at this summer’s annual Panhandle Agriculture Research and Technology Tour (PARTT). The project is still in the research and development phase.

“We anticipate at least another season of testing and data gathering, which may benefit from farmers willing to try the system on their own test plots,” Faflak said. “At that point, if we have decent feedback and support, we can consider commercial viability and continue to bring the hardware system up to our more rigorous standards.”

Xin Qiao, Nebraska Extension water and irrigation management specialist, shows off the KZvalve during June's annual Panhandle Agriculture Research and Technology Tour.

One of the main objectives of the product is to reduce or eliminate the need for cables, as each unit is designed to be self-maintaining and remotely controlled. In terms of flow rates and throw distances, it's meant to be a drop-in replacement for common current nozzles or sprinklers. There are technical aspects of the system that may require some changes.

“One thing we are concerned about and have not tested is the potential influence on pressure. Imagine when you shut off many valves all of a sudden and then turn them all back on,” Qiao said. “For pivots without variable frequency drive that could regulate flow and pressure, it could cause problems, and we are hoping to evaluate this during the next phase of the project.”

Qiao’s program has also developed a web-based app to control the valve and to implement variable rate irrigation without needing to set up additional hardware like a control panel. This allows farmers and producers to control the valves remotely, either from their home or a truck.



Crop Residue Exchange Available for Listing Your Corn Residue Acres
Daren Redfearn - Extension Forage Crop Residue Specialist
Jay Parsons - Farm and Ranch Management Specialist
Mary Drewnoski - Beef Systems Specialist

Many cattle producers rely on corn residue for a winter feed resource. Grazing is a great way to make use of corn residue rather than baling as it leaves the ground with more cover, doesn’t result in compaction and results in most of the nutrients being returned to the land.

The Crop Residue Exchange http://cropresidueexchange.unl.edu/ is designed to facilitate connections between livestock producers looking for forage and crop producers with available crop residues or other forage resources. This online exchange assists corn and other crop producers in marketing crop residue and other available forages to cattle producers for grazing.

Getting Started with the Crop Residue Exchange
After establishing a login account, farmers can list cropland available for grazing by drawing out the plot of land available using an interactive map and entering basic information about the type of residue or forage, fencing situation, water availability and dates available. The mapping tool enables listings for the entire state of Nebraska and much of neighboring states Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming and South Dakota.

Land available for grazing is described as “residue type” (corn, wheat, sorghum, pasture or other). Pricing can be listed as a “cost per acre” or a “cost per head per day”. Farmers provide their preferred contact information. Livestock producers can search the Crop Residue Exchange database for grazing available within a radius for the location of interest, but must be logged in to view the contact information attached to each listing. Livestock producers can also save their search and receive notifications when new listings are posted that meet their search criteria.

Crop producers are encouraged to consider utilizing the Exchange to connect with livestock producers to create a mutually beneficial relationship. Those who have previously listed crop residue available for grazing on the Exchange are encouraged to login and update their listings. For those who do make a connection, the Exchange also has a guide to assist when developing a rental agreement to help reduce miscommunication and misunderstandings.

The Crop Residue Exchange is made possible with funding support from Nebraska Extension, USDA NIFA Hatch/Multistate Project NC1181, the Northern Plains Climate Hub and the University of Nebraska Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources Beef Systems Initiative.



UNL's Frels Receives Heroes Award

Dr. Katherine Frels, a scientist and assistant professor in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture and a collaborator with the Nebraska Food for Health Center, received the inaugural Heroes Award from the Foundation for Innovation in Healthy Food. She received the award on October 29 at the ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meeting in St. Louis, MO, U.S.

Frels received the honor in recognition of her outstanding leadership in launching the foundation’s Coalition for Grain Fiber initiative.

The coalition seeks to improve the nutrition in staple foods without impacting their taste, feel or consumer price. It is simultaneously dedicated to establishing profit incentives for farmers and other food suppliers that deliver increased nutrient foods.

According to the coalition, improvements in the nutritional content of white and whole wheat flour may ultimately save thousands of lives and billions of healthcare dollars (U.S.) globally.

"My goal is that every citizen has a chance to eat a healthier diet without having to make major changes," says Frels. "We’ll not only increase dietary fiber consumption, we’ll also start the conversation around how plant breeders, food scientists and food companies can work together to focus on nutritional improvement."

Over 50 public and private-sector laboratory leaders in three countries and 23 U.S. states have engaged with the coalition, including University of Nebraska-Lincoln, CIMMYT, Rothamsted Research, Cornell University and Bayer Crop Science, and the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

The Nebraska Wheat Board provided support for the efforts of the foundation and the coalition.

"It’s really an honor to be considered," says Frels. "Plant breeders around the world are working hard to make sure that all people have access to enough healthy food. I hope my efforts thus far are just the beginning and we can continue working together to create a global push for consuming more dietary fiber."

"Through her research, Dr. Frels has demonstrated a commitment not just to improving the health benefits of wheat-based foods, but also to creating value-added products that will benefit Nebraska wheat growers," said Derek McLean, dean and director of the Agricultural Research Division at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. "Her work continues a long tradition of wheat research at UNL. This recognition is an incredible honor both for Dr. Frels and for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln."



Chandio Named New Extension Economist

Rabail Chandio has joined Iowa State University Extension and Outreach as an assistant professor and extension economist.

She will oversee popular land valuation programs, including the Iowa Land Value Survey, and the annual Soil Management and Land Valuation Conference held in May, as well as the Iowa Farmland Ownership and Tenure Survey, conducted every five years.

Rabail holds a doctorate from The Ohio State University, and earned her Bachelor of Science in economics and mathematics in her native country, Pakistan.

She is excited about the opportunity to research and represent Iowa land value information.

“I will get to apply the research work that I am doing for an audience that is very interested in this information,” she said. “The combination of extension and research that I will be doing will allow me to look at a problem from the research perspective and then also share my findings with the people.”

Chandio said her introduction to university research and extension happened when she was a child in Pakistan, following her father, a professor of Siraiki literature. Her father sometimes took her along to visit his colleagues, who were working on in-field research.

Chandio started Aug. 16 and fills a position previously held by extension economist Wendong Zhang.

Chad Hart, professor in economics and extension grain markets specialist at Iowa State, said Chandio possesses the skills to continue leading Iowa’s respected land value programs.

“We are glad that Rabail (Dr. Chandio) joined the ISU Extension and Outreach farm management team as the farmland values specialist,” said Hart. “Her background in agricultural finance, knowledge of USDA’s systems, and enthusiasm for the continuing evolution of extension programming on farmland values make her a valuable addition to our team.”

Chandio can be reached at 515-294-6181 or rchandio@iastate.edu.



Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Cases Confirmed on Four Additional Iowa Farms

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have confirmed four positive cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Iowa. Three of the farms are in Clay County and the fourth is in Hamilton County.

The three affected sites in Clay County are game bird duck farms, with one of the farms also containing a small backyard mixed species flock. The affected site in Hamilton County is a flock of commercial breeding chickens.

Commercial and backyard flock owners should prevent contact between their birds and wild birds. Sick birds or unusual deaths among birds should be immediately reported to state or federal officials. Biosecurity resources and best practices are available on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship website. If producers suspect signs of HPAI in their flocks, they should contact their veterinarian immediately. Possible cases must also be reported to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship at (515) 281-5305.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the recent HPAI detections in birds do not present a public health concern. It remains safe to eat poultry products. As a reminder, consumers should always utilize the proper handling and cooking of eggs and poultry products, including cooking to an internal temperature of 165˚F.

About HPAI
HPAI is a highly contagious viral disease affecting bird populations. HPAI can travel in wild birds without those birds appearing sick, but is often fatal to domestic bird populations, including chickens and turkeys. The virus can spread through the droppings or the nasal discharge of an infected bird, both of which can contaminate dust and soil.

Signs of HPAI may include:
•           Sudden increase in bird deaths without any clinical signs
•           Lethargy and/or lack of energy and appetite
•           Decrease in egg production
•           Soft, thin-shelled and/or misshapen eggs
•           Swelling of the head, eyelids, comb, wattles, and hocks
•           Purple/blue discoloration of the wattles, comb, and legs
•           Difficulty breathing
•           Coughing, sneezing, and/or nasal discharge (runny nose)
•           Stumbling and/or falling down
•           Diarrhea

For additional information on HPAI, please visit the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s website.



Ranking Member David Scott Calls for One-Year Extension of 2018 Farm Bill

House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member David Scott today called to extend the 2018 Farm Bill to offer certainty and support to farmers, ranchers, and foresters as extremism within the House Republican Conference hobbles legislative efforts.

“While we continue the bipartisan effort on the House Agriculture Committee to craft a new farm bill, the extremism and cynicism that has taken hold of the broader House Republican Conference makes a five-year farm bill reauthorization by the year's end increasingly unlikely. Therefore, I am calling on my colleagues to support a one-year extension of the 2018 Farm Bill.

“A one-year extension is the responsible thing to do. It allows our farmers, ranchers, and foresters to operate with an element of certainty while we continue working on a bipartisan five-year farm bill.

"Agriculture Committee Democrats remain committed to passing a strong, effective, and bipartisan farm bill as quickly as we can.

“However, we refuse to subject our Nation’s farmers, ranchers, foresters, and families to an artificially rushed and haphazard farm bill simply because House Republicans faced a leadership crisis and have created uncertainty regarding any bipartisan legislation being able to pass on the House Floor.”



SHIC Selects Lisa Becton as Next Associate Director

The Swine Health Information Center Board of Directors has selected Lisa Becton, DVM, MS, DACVPM as the organization’s next associate director. Becton will begin her tenure with SHIC in January 2024. Most recently, Becton served as the National Pork Board’s director of swine health. “I see this as a great opportunity to continue to serve pork producers in a little different role than in the past,” she remarked. “I really have enjoyed working with SHIC over the years in my position with Pork Board and am excited to accept this new opportunity to be a part of SHIC helping producers identify and manage emerging swine diseases.”

Becton succeeds Megan Niederwerder, DVM, PhD, who will become SHIC’s executive director in January 2024, following the December 31, 2023, retirement of founding executive director Paul Sundberg, DVM, PhD, DACVPM. “Lisa is an outstanding addition to the SHIC team who brings a wealth of knowledge from directing producer-led swine health initiatives during her tenure at the National Pork Board,” Niederwerder commented. “Her vast experience will enable her to hit the ground running as the new associate director and immediately start advancing mission-focused objectives to help lead SHIC into the future. The addition of Lisa underscores SHIC’s continued commitment to serve producer needs through mitigating emerging disease threats and maximizing the value of SHIC’s prevention, preparedness, and response activities.”

Becton received her bachelor's degree in biology from Lenoir-Rhyne College and went on to earn her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from North Carolina State University. She received a master's degree in food safety from Michigan State University as well as a public health certificate in field epidemiology from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Becton also completed the swine executive veterinary program, swine health management at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. She is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventative Medicine.  Earlier this year, Becton received the American Association of Swine Veterinarian’s Technical Services/Allied Industry Veterinarian of the Year honor.

"SHIC is extremely pleased to have someone of Lisa's caliber joining our team. Her depth of knowledge of swine health research past and present is nothing short of astounding," said Russ Nugent, PhD, chair of the SHIC Board of Directors.

Becton appreciates the passion and care pork producers have for their animals, noting the pride they take in providing a valuable food source to consumers. She values their enthusiasm for learning, adapting to new ideas, and overcoming challenges. Those qualities keep Becton motivated to continue serving the industry she was introduced to as a college student.

“I love science and identify myself as a life-long learner,” Becton explained. “I’m very interested in swine health research, the process of identifying researchable questions, and understand the need to convert research outcomes to usable information for producers.” Becton anticipates an exciting working relationship with Niederwerder as they guide SHIC into the future. “I look forward to learning from Dr. Niederwerder, understanding her perspective on SHIC priorities and projects, and know we work very well together. With our combined experiences in research and production, I know we will work together effectively to address challenges facing our industry and create workable solutions.”

Specifically, Becton will work with Niederwerder in directing overall expectations and accountability as well as ensuring quality programs and services at SHIC. This includes collaborating to provide oversight and implementation of the Center’s budget, long range planning, and strategic initiatives. Additionally, Becton will interact closely with the pork community, assisting efforts to build awareness of SHIC, establish and maintain working relationships in the pork industry, and successfully meet the Center’s mission.

“I’m really excited to be with SHIC and to maintain the close working relationships with the great teams at NPB, AASV, and National Pork Producers Council, while remaining in the industry I love,” Becton observed. “Having the opportunity as the new SHIC associate director fuels my passion to support producers as they manage herd health challenges by converting knowledge into action. We are blessed in the swine industry to work with the best people anywhere.”



The Big Pig Sandwich Thrives in Convenience Stores

Innovation drives market growth, and the Big Pig sandwich is just one example of how the National Pork Board is paving the way for new partnerships and exciting opportunities with retailers, fast-food chains and convenience stores. The Big Pig sandwich was a limited-time offer this summer, packing a flavorful punch with 6 ounces of pork served on a croissant with egg and cheese.

In just 90 days, an estimated 162,440 sandwiches were sold, averaging 1,804 sandwiches each day. In a world where fast food giants dominate, it's easy to underestimate the power of innovation in the convenience store arena. However, the Big Pig shows that innovative ideas and new products have the potential to thrive in different market landscapes.


 
Dairy Products September 2023 Production Highlights

Total cheese output (excluding cottage cheese) was 1.15 billion pounds, 0.1 percent above September 2022 but 0.3 percent below August 2023. Italian type cheese production totaled 480 million pounds, 3.4 percent below September 2022 and 0.9 percent below August 2023. American type cheese production totaled 466 million pounds, 4.2 percent above September 2022 and 1.6 percent above August 2023. Butter production was 145 million pounds, 2.9 percent above September 2022 and 3.3 percent above August 2023.

Dry milk products (comparisons in percentage with September 2022)
Nonfat dry milk, human - 101 million pounds, down 17.7 percent.
Skim milk powder - 55.7 million pounds, down 18.7 percent.

Whey products (comparisons in percentage with September 2022)
Dry whey, total - 76.2 million pounds, up 0.5 percent.
Lactose, human and animal - 95.7 million pounds, up 5.0 percent.
Whey protein concentrate, total - 41.0 million pounds, up 6.0 percent.

Frozen products (comparisons in percentage with September 2022)
Ice cream, regular (hard) - 61.9 million gallons, down 1.9 percent.
Ice cream, lowfat (total) - 34.3 million gallons, down 8.1 percent.
Sherbet (hard) - 1.64 million gallons, down 17.0 percent.
Frozen yogurt (total) - 2.95 million gallons, down 5.5 percent.



Pork Industry Immersion Program

The National Pork Board, National Pork Producers Council and state pork associations have partnered to provide a 2-year program designed to accelerate the development of early career talent. The Pork Industry Immersion Program provides in-depth hands-on training to individuals passionate about the pork industry.

How does the program work?
The program unfolds with 3, 8-month rotations, each with a unique focus:
-    National Pork Board: Concentrated on research, education and promotion.
-    National Pork Producers Council: Focused on policy development and grassroots engagement.
-    State Pork Association: Grounded in applying research, education, promotion, policy and grassroots efforts at the state and producer level.

How to Apply
Applications for the pork industry immersion program are due Nov. 10, 2023. Start dates are flexible from Jan. – May 2024.  Visit www.nppc.org to apply.



USDA Publishes Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment for the Local Meat Capacity Grants Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the publication of a draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) for the Local Meat Capacity (Local MCap) Grants program. The draft PEA analyzes and describes the potential environmental impacts associated with the establishment of the program.

Based on the analysis conducted by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) under the draft PEA, USDA has preliminarily determined there will not be a significant impact to the human environment. As a result, USDA has not begun preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). AMS intends for this PEA to establish a framework that will make any future assessments more efficient by placing project-specific actions that may need more analysis into priority tiers. As decisions on specific applications are made, if additional National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis is required, the agency will conduct an environmental review to supplement the analysis set forth in this PEA.

AMS is soliciting public comments on this draft PEA from now until November 30. A Notice of Availability of the draft PEA is available for viewing in the Federal Register. To submit public comments, email LocalMCap@usda.gov. For more information about the Local MCap or to view the draft PEA, visit https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/localmcap.

 AMS announced a Request for Applications for Local MCap on April 29, 2023, for up to $75 million in grant funding. Applications were due July 29, 2023. The Local MCap program supports independently owned meat and poultry processing businesses with funds to provide more and better processing options for local livestock producers by giving them the ability to increase their meat and poultry processing capacity and to modernize, diversify and decentralize their processing operations, including rendering.



USDA Announces Early Release of Select Commodity Tables for Agricultural Projections to 2033

On November 7, 2023, at 3 p.m. EST, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will release selected tables from the upcoming USDA Agricultural Projections to 2033 report prepared in support of the President’s annual budget process as defined in the Budget Control Act. These tables will include 10-year projections for major U.S. crops and livestock products and will be followed in February 2024 by USDA’s Agricultural Projections to 2033 report that will include a full discussion of the commodity supply and use projections, and projections for farm income and global commodity trade.

These projections, commonly referred to as the “USDA Baseline,” assume that current laws affecting federal spending and revenues remain in place throughout the projection period, and do not attempt to predict global policy or political outcomes, abnormal weather events, or other external shocks that could affect market outcomes. Instead, they reflect USDA’s assessment of how markets would evolve under current conditions, existing laws, and normal weather patterns. Rather than serving as a prediction of the future, they are intended to serve as a neutral benchmark for measuring the effects of proposed legislation or external developments that could have enduring effects on agricultural markets.

These projections use the October 12, 2023, World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report as the starting point, and macroeconomic forecasts developed in August 2023.

The data will be simultaneously posted in MS Excel tables to the Office of the Chief Economist’s (OCE) website at www.usda.gov/oce/commodity-markets/baseline and will be uploaded to the Economic Research Service’s (ERS) Baseline database at USDA ERS - Agricultural Baseline Database.