Monday November 13 Ag News

 NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

For the week ending November 12, 2023, there were 6.8 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Topsoil moisture supplies rated 29% very short, 32% short, 39% adequate, and 0% surplus.
Subsoil moisture supplies rated 35% very short, 37% short, 28% adequate, and 0% surplus.

Field Crops Report:
Corn harvested was 91%, near 94% last year, but ahead of 86% for the five-year average.

Winter wheat condition rated 5% very poor, 13% poor, 36% fair, 35% good, and 11% excellent.

Sorghum harvested was 90%, near 92% last year and 88% average.

Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 10% very poor, 15% poor, 36% fair, 35% good, and 4% excellent.



IOWA CROP PROGRESS & CONDITION REPORT

Warm, dry weather prevailed across a majority of Iowa resulting in 6.7 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending November 12, 2023, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Fieldwork included harvesting corn and soybeans, completing fall tillage, applying fall fertilizer, baling stalks, and hauling manure.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 17 percent very short, 41 percent short, 41 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 27 percent very short, 42 percent short, 30 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus.

Corn harvested for grain reached 94 percent statewide, on pace with last year but 10 days ahead of the 5-year average. Moisture content of field corn being harvested for grain remained steady at 16 percent.

Soybean harvest is nearly complete, on pace with last year and 9 days ahead of the average.

Cattle continued to graze on stalk fields this week, while livestock producers still had concerns about water supplies.



USDA Crop Progress Report: Corn 88% Harvested, Soybeans 95% Harvested as of Nov. 12

Fieldwork slowed last week, but harvest progress for both corn and soybeans managed to stay slightly ahead of the five-year averages and winter wheat planting matched the average pace, USDA NASS reported in its weekly Crop Progress report on Monday.

CORN
-- Harvest progress: Corn harvest moved ahead 7 percentage points to reach 88% complete as of Sunday, Nov. 12. That is 4 percentage points behind last year's pace of 92% but 2 percentage points ahead of 86% for the five-year average.

SOYBEANS
-- Harvest progress: Soybean harvest progressed just 4 percentage points last week to reach 95% complete as of Sunday. That is 1 point behind last year's 96% but 4 points ahead of the five-year average of 91%.

WINTER WHEAT
-- Planting progress: Winter wheat planting advanced 3 percentage points last week to reach 93% complete as of Sunday. That is 2 percentage points behind last year's 95% but equal to the five-year average.
-- Crop progress: 81% of the crop had emerged as of Sunday, 1 point ahead of both last year's pace and the five-year average of 80%.
-- Crop condition: Winter wheat condition was rated 47% good to excellent, down 3 percentage points from 50% the previous week but still well above 32% at this time a year ago.


-----


FARMER DIRECTS AMERICA’S FARMERS GROW COMMUNITIES DONATION TO CUMING COUNTY FAIR FOUNDATION

Local farmers Brian &Brenda Doernemann recently directed a $5,000 Bayer Fund America’s Farmers Grow Communities donation to the Cuming County Fair Foundation. The Cuming County Fair Foundation will use the funds to help with replacing the sheep-goat-&-swine barns on the Cuming County Fairgrounds.

“The Cuming County Fair Foundation is honored to accept this donation from Brian and Brenda Doernemann. The new facility will be a great addition to the fairgrounds and their donation towards purchasing a ‘big ass fan’ for the building will be appreciated by all fair-goers and exhibitors,” says Tim Rolf, Cuming County Fair Foundation board member and Cuming County Ag Society president.

Since 2010, the America’s Farmers programs have awarded nearly $65 million to nonprofits, aspiring ag students and public schools across rural American. Farmers are leaders in their communities, which is why America’s Farmers program rely on them to help identify the worthiest causes.

Dedicated to making a difference in rural farm communities, the Grow Communities program asks farmers across the country to participate by nominating nonprofit organizations with resources to strengthen their local communities. Last August, farmers entered for the chance to direct a $5,000 Grow Communities donation to a local eligible nonprofit of their choice. Farmers have directed donations to food banks, emergency response organizations, schools, youth agriculture programs and many others that reflect the spirit and support the vibrancy of rural America.

“Bayer Fund is proud to work side-by-side with farmers to identify local eligible nonprofit organizations that are able to provide their residents with solutions that leave a lasting impact,” said Al Mithcell, Bayer Fund president.



Platte Valley Cattlemen Cow/Calf meeting
Braden Wilke, Platte Valley Cattlemen President

We will be meeting Monday, November 20th, at Wunderlich’s Catering in Columbus.  Social hour beginning at 6:00 P.M. and the meal at 7:00 P.M.  We want to thank Rosendahl Farms Feed & Seed for sponsoring the social hour and Central Plains Milling for sponsoring the meal.

November is our annual cow/calf meeting and we will be having Keith Paitz from Kent Feeds presenting an update on the cow/calf industry, followed by Chad Settje from Agri-City Insurance on protecting your cow/calf herd using the LRP program.

Hope to see you all there.
 


HEFTY SEED ANNOUNCES AGRONOMY WORKSHOPS

Join us for discussion on topics like: best weed control programs, control of problematic diseases, and ways to mitigate yield-robbing pests.
 
Hefty Agronomy Workshop Meeting Information:
    November 28th @ 11am - Waterloo, NE - Farmer Brown's
    November 29th @ 10am - Onawa, IA - Community Center
    November 30th @ 10am - Madison, NE - Fairgrounds (McLeb Meeting Room)
    December 1st @ 10am - Rock Port, MO - Dusty Trail Cafe

Meetings will have lunch after!  Contact the office @ 402-372-9900 to RSVP.  



HPAI Cases Confirmed in Kossuth and Cerro Gordo Counties

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 positive cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Kossuth and Cerro Gordo Counties.

The affected site in Kossuth County is a hatchery with game bird pheasants, quail and chukars. The affected site in Cerro Gordo County is a mixed species backyard flock.

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.



USDA Researchers Confirm Six Unique Strains of African Swine Fever Virus

The U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) today announced that researchers have reclassified the number of African Swine Fever (ASF) virus strains from 25 to only six unique genotypes. This scientific innovation may help redefine how ASF researchers across the globe classify ASF virus (ASFV) isolates and may make it easier for scientists to develop vaccines that match the different strains circulating in ASF endemic areas across the globe.

"Previously, 25 different virus genotypes were identified across the globe," said senior ARS scientist Douglas Gladue. "Our research team recently re-evaluated all the publicly available virus DNA sequence and found that the majority of genotypes (genetic makeup) originally identified as novel were not correctly identified nor compared to already existing ASFV virus genotypes. Based on this analysis, there are actually fewer unique genotypes than the ASF research community believed, and that means that there is less diversity of ASFV affecting communities across the globe. This information is important as it may reduce the number of vaccines previously thought to be needed to protect against all ASFV genotypes."

Accurate classification of viruses is paramount for epidemiological investigations and the development of cost-effective countermeasures, including designing vaccines for unique strains of ASFV.

This large-scale effort involved ARS researchers re-analyzing over 12,000 historical and current virus isolates that were produced from ASFV labs worldwide. The effort was made possible using the computing power of SciNet, which is ARS’ super computer cluster for solving agricultural big data problems.

Although the ASFV virus is causing profound economic losses to the global swine industry, there have not been any outbreaks in the United States. The highly contagious ASF virus spread from Africa to the Republic of Georgia in 2007, and has since swept through Europe, the Dominican Republic, and Asia, before reaching South Africa in early 2023. The virus is unable to transmit from pigs to humans.

This research is highlighted in this month’s issue of Viruses and includes research and development input from the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, the Canadian Food and Inspection Agency, and Makerere University in Uganda.



Thompson, Stabenow, Boozman, Scott Statement on Farm Bill Extension

The four leaders of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees released the following statement on a Farm Bill extension:
 
“As negotiations on funding the government progress, we were able to come together to avoid a lapse in funding for critical agricultural programs and provide certainty to producers. This extension is in no way a substitute for passing a 5-year Farm Bill and we remain committed to working together to get it done next year.”



Continued Market Retreat
Stephen R. Koontz, Dept of Ag and Resource Economics, Colorado State University

Cattle markets continue the decline from September into November. Much of this movement lower could and should have been anticipated. The underlying supply and demand fundamentals did not support year-long and continuing higher movements in cattle prices. Supplies are tightening and demand has been strong but the movement to record high prices is well in advance of that which can reasonably be supported by fundamentals.

Packer margins have spent much of the year at levels that are unlikely to cover costs – or much of costs – there may have been only a single month with some positive return. Even with strong beef prices, fed cattle were relatively too strong. The cash market has as of yet not followed live cattle futures lower. But the underlying fundamentals make that likely. The boxed beef composite value has held at levels modestly above $3 per pound. It will also be interesting to watch the beef market react to holiday demands. For example, do ribs display the strength of last year’s holiday? Or is there some erosion of demand? Overall beef demand indices show persistent weakness quarter on quarter and year on year from the peak strength in 2020. Some of the beef demand is weakening. Not in a substantive manner but weakening nonetheless. This is not bullish news.

The import and export pictures are also not bullish news. Weekly imports – especially of feeder cattle – are strengthening. And weekly exports of beef muscle cuts are decreasing. Again, neither in substantive form but the impact of both on the overall marketplace is clear. An important assessment of market conditions will be revealed in the Cattle on Feed report at the end of this week. But weekly steer and heifer slaughter numbers offer a prelude to the monthly marketings from the report. Slaughter is reasonable but has softened for steers and has drifted lower for heifers for the first time in several years. It is not likely that current marketings have reduced inventories of longer-fed cattle – on feed over 120 and over 150 days. These inventories will likely weigh on the market through the end of the year. And this perspective is confirmed by changes in steer and heifer slaughter weights. Slaughter weights have climbed six of the last eight weeks – in the face of colder weather – but also following the normal seasonal pattern. However, the overall main thing we have not observed this year is tighter supplies due to herd rebuilding. The continued marketing of heifers through fall calf sales indicates herd liquidation continues.



NFU Releases 2023 Farmer’s Share of Thanksgiving Food Dollar

Today, National Farmers Union (NFU) released the updated Farmer's Share of the food dollar for items typically served during the Thanksgiving holiday. These figures reflect how much family farmers earn compared to the amount consumers pay at the grocery store.

As consumers empty their carts onto the checkout lines at their local grocery stores and supermarkets this year, they’re likely to see increased costs for certain goods. To make matters worse, little of that increase is being passed on to America’s family farmers and ranchers. Multiple waves of mergers and acquisitions during the last several decades have resulted in agriculture and food supply chains that are uncompetitive and fragile, but also underpay farmers.

Turkey and stuffing, the centerpieces of many Thanksgiving tables, have the lowest farmer’s share of the food dollar of the group with just $0.03 and $0.02 of each dollar spent at retail making it back to growers.

Included in the 2023 Thanksgiving Farmer’s Share numbers are:
·     Turkey, 11 lb frozen: Retail Price - $21.89, Farmer’s Share - $0.66
·     Mashed Potatoes, 5lb bag: Retail Price - $3.99, Farmer’s Share - $0.64
·     Sweet Corn, 16oz frozen: Retail Price - $2.99, Farmer’s Share - $0.41
·     Stuffing, 12oz box: Retail Price - $3.99, Farmer’s Share - $0.09
·     Boneless Ham, 2lb: Retail Price - $12.98, Farmer’s Share - $1.32
·     Pumpkin Pie Filling, 15oz can: Retail Price - $1.79, Farmer’s Share - $0.16
·     Cranberries, 12oz: Retail Price - $2.99, Farmer’s Share - $0.29

NFU's Fairness for Farmers campaign is working to solve the monopoly crisis in food and agriculture. Through stronger antitrust enforcement and greater transparency, we can increase the farmer’s share of the food dollar and bring fairness for farmers and consumers alike.

Data for this publication was sourced from USDA NASS, and other industry sources.



Save the Date: Corteva Agriscience Webinars Prepare Growers for Superior Weed Control in 2024

To help growers and retailers prepare for the 2024 growing season, Corteva Agriscience is offering several webinars focused on best practices for using the Enlist® weed control system — including a new series focused on Enlist corn.

Each A Step Ahead applicator training webinar is hosted by a Corteva Enlist field specialist and provides valuable insights on:
    How to achieve effective weed control
    Tank-mixing options and recommendations  
    Characteristics of 2,4-D choline in Enlist herbicides
    Field-planning scenarios
    Application best management practices and sprayer setup

Register today for a webinar that fits your schedule and plan to bring your most pressing weed control questions; each webinar includes a live question-and-answer session. Continuing education credits will be awarded to qualifying participants.

A Step Ahead Webinar Schedule
Applicator Training: Learn how to make successful, on-target applications of Enlist herbicides on Enlist E3® soybean acres.
    Nov. 14, 2023, at 8 a.m. CT
    Dec. 5, 2023, at 9 am CT
    Jan. 11, 2024, at 8 a.m. CT
    Feb. 13, 2024, at 9 a.m. CT
    March 14, 2024, at 8 a.m. CT

Training on Enlist Corn: See how Enlist corn can deliver ultimate weed management flexibility with multiple herbicide trait tolerances.
    Dec. 7, 2023, at 9 a.m. CT
    Jan. 9, 2024, at 8 a.m. CT
    Feb. 15, 2024, at 9 a.m. CT
    March 19, 2024, at 8 a.m. CT

Best Management Practices: Hear growers’ most frequently asked questions regarding the Enlist weed control system. Plus, get expert insights to improve weed management.  
    Dec. 12, 2023, at 8 a.m. CT
    Jan. 18, 2024, at 9 a.m. CT
    Feb. 20, 2024, at 8 a.m. CT
    March 21, 2024, at 9 a.m. CT

Click here to register for a webinar that fits in your schedule  https://www.enlist.com/en/enlist-360-training/a-step-ahead-webinar-series.html?cid=mkch:eml_mktp:elq_ctry:us_brnd:enl_agny:BR_mkdv:pr_objv:awe_prct:cp_cpid:CPN-1898_cpno:105602_cpds:WebinarMediaAlert_cpky:48001_#anchor_2.



How Can Dairy Farmers Minimize Their Feed Costs While Boosting Milk Fat Content?

In recent years, there has been a surge in demand for milk protein and butterfat in the U.S. While farmers can use fat supplements to increase milk fat, this option increases feed costs. Pioneer® brand Plenish® high oleic soybeans are proven to help provide both higher milk fat in dairy cows and lower feed costs to dairy farmers.

Linoleic acid, which is found in high amounts in common dairy feeds such as corn silage, corn grain and commodity soybeans, is the primary cause of milk fat depression in dairy cows. Plenish high oleic soybeans replace most of that linoleic acid with oleic fatty acid to maximize milk fat production.

“There is a three-prong effect from Plenish high oleic soybeans,” said Kevin Putnam, Pioneer Dairy Specialist. “They provide increased milk fat production, reduced ration cost and improvedfeed efficiency.”
    Increased milk fat production: The higher oleic fatty acid level compared to commodity soybeans not only increases milk fat concentration through less linoleic acid content, but also has no negative effects on intake, yield or milk protein production.
    Reduced ration cost: By growing Plenish high oleic soybeans on-farm, dairy farmers canminimize their off-farm feed costs. In some cases, growing Plenish high oleic soybeans has reduced ration costs by over $1 per head per day for dairy operations.
    Improved feed efficiency: Researchers at Michigan State University found dairy rations that contained high levels of roasted Plenish high oleic soybeans increased Energy Corrected Milk by 7.5 lb. with a decline of 1.6 lb. per day in dry matter intake, demonstrating a 10% improvement in feed efficiency.

Dairy farmers also need to consider whether to roast or not to roast. Soybean roasting is a common practice to prevent oil rancidity and improve palatability.

“Roasting Plenish high oleic soybeans doubles the amount of rumen bypass protein and helpsbreak down trypsin inhibitor and urease enzyme. With roasting, urea would not be available for dairy farmers to use in their rations,” Putnam said. “If roasting is not possible, it is recommended to feed dairy cattle quartered beans rather than whole.”

Plenish high oleic soybeans benefit dairy farmers from both sides of the equation. They mitigate the risk of milk fat depression and can increase milk fat by increasing preformed and de novo fatty acids in milk, which can lead to higher milk prices for dairy farmers and increased returned on investment.



FFA and 4-H Members Receive Free Admission to NCBA Trade Show at CattleCon24

The next generation of agricultural leaders are invited to attend the NCBA Trade Show at CattleCon24 for free on Friday, Feb. 2. FFA and 4-H members can receive free trade show admission on Next Gen Ag FFA & 4-H Day, which will include a variety of events and activities for youth and families.

Courtesy of Culver’s, the first 250 FFA members to register will receive complimentary Friday NCBA Trade Show admission. FFA members and alumni are also invited to the Culver’s Blue Jacket Custard Social.

Nationwide is providing complimentary Friday NCBA Trade Show admission to the first 250 4-H members who register. Nationwide is also sponsoring a special Learning Lounge session about careers in agriculture featuring Mary-Thomas Hart, chief counsel at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

“Youth engagement is critical to the future of America’s rural communities, and industry events like the NCBA Trade Show are great places to learn about career opportunities while building a national network of producers and industry experts,” said Hart. “As a 4-H alumnus, I look forward to meeting 4-H members from across the country who are excited about civic engagement and a future in cattle production.”

NCBA Trade Show attendees can explore more than eight acres of displays and exhibitors offering the latest advancements, from equipment and technology to pharmaceuticals and feed supplements. In addition to finding the right product or service to solve any problem, there are a variety of educational opportunities within the show.

Attendees can stop in the Learning Lounge to enjoy informal, face-to-face talks in an intimate setting right on the trade show floor. The popular Stockmanship & Stewardship Demonstration Arena also returns with stockmanship experts providing low-stress cattle handling demonstrations, Beef Quality Assurance educational sessions, industry updates and facility design sessions. Cattle Chats will feature beef industry educational sessions, and the Chutes and Scales Showdown will offer a side-by-side comparison of equipment where producers can watch cattle run through chutes then get hands-on experience.

Other activities include an appearance by the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile, the “Pups & Popsicles” reception featuring furry friends and refreshing treats, and entertainment throughout the trade show.

To receive free Friday NCBA Trade Show registration, FFA members must use the code FFACULVERS, and 4-H members, 4HNW. A variety of other registration options are also available. For more information and to register and reserve housing, visit convention.ncba.org.



AGCO Continues Technology Transformation to Become an Industry Leader in Smart Farming Solutions

Following the recently announced transformational Joint Venture (JV) with Trimble, which creates an industry leading global mixed-fleet precision ag platform, AGCO (NYSE: AGCO), a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of agricultural machinery and precision ag technology, continues its technology evolution with exciting announcements.

“Our JV with Trimble is the largest in our company’s history and the biggest ag tech deal ever, and we aren’t slowing down,” said Eric Hansotia AGCO’s Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. “In addition to having a full-line of autonomous solutions for every stage of the crop cycle by 2030, our transformation commitment continues via acquisitions and early-stage tech investments that keep farmers at the heart of all we do and providing them the latest in smart farming solutions.”

Acquisition of FarmFacts GmbH’s Digital Assets Strengthen Data Management Offerings
On November 11, 2023, AGCO signed an agreement to acquire digital assets from FarmFacts GmbH, a leader in Farm Management Information Software (FMIS) located in Pfarrkirchen, Germany and a subsidiary of BayWa AG group. FarmFacts specializes in software for farmers and service providers to generate field action plans from prescription maps to guidance line creation. FarmFacts’ products include the NEXT Farming AG Office application and the NEXT Farming Live data platform and offer customized solutions that include documentation, fertilizer requirements for site-specific management and connections to all the major farm equipment terminals. The acquisition increases AGCO’s FMIS offering and software development capabilities to serve farmers’ data management needs.

“The purchase of FarmFacts’ digital operations is a strategic addition to our precision agriculture capabilities,” stated Seth Crawford, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Precision Ag & Digital. “As a key provider of data management solutions driving productivity and efficiency, FarmFacts will help us to better serve our European farmers.”

“As we look to the future for what is best for the needs of our customers, BayWa made the decision that AGCO is the right owner to successfully develop the suite of FarmFacts applications to a next level,” said BayWa AG Board Member Dr. Marlen Wienert. “AGCO is acquiring NEXT Farming with the aim of offering a suitable cloud solution to improve the performance, productivity and security of these applications. We believe AGCO will do an exceptional job with this.”

AGCO Ventures Sharpens Focus on Early-Stage Technology Investments
Building on AGCO’s legacy of equity investments in early-stage technologies, the company is launching “AGCO Ventures.” This initiative formalizes AGCO’s approach to sourcing and funding new and early-stage technologies to deliver on the company’s strategic priorities and to drive innovation by investing in start-up companies, venture funds, incubators, accelerators, higher education and research institutions.