NSDA Commends Nebraska Delegation for Supporting the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act
The Nebraska State Dairy Association (NSDA) extends its heartfelt appreciation to the Nebraska delegation for their steadfast support of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, a landmark piece of legislation aimed at promoting the nutritional well-being of our nation's youth. The NSDA applauds the tireless efforts of Representative GT Thompson and numerous co-sponsors, including Nebraska’s own Congressman Don Bacon, for championing this crucial bill in the House of Representatives.
Yesterday marked a significant milestone as Congress overwhelmingly passed the bill with a bipartisan vote of 330-99, underscoring the collective commitment to prioritizing the health and nutrition of our children. The NSDA, alongside its dedicated members, has actively conveyed the voices and concerns of Nebraska's dairy farmers to Washington D.C., emphasizing the importance of sustaining our next generation through wholesome nutrition.
In response to this legislative triumph, Mike Guenther, President of NSDA, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "Yesterday, Congress passed one of the most important pieces of legislation in terms of nutrition for our youth. The NSDA has traveled to Washington D.C. to carry the message of Nebraska’s dairy farmers around fueling our next generation. The House passed the bill 330-99, an overwhelming bipartisan win."
Scientific studies consistently highlight the positive impact of full-fat milk consumption on children's health. When kids consume whole milk, they are less likely to be obese, experience lower rates of diabetes, and receive essential nutrients vital for brain, bone, and overall body development.
Guenther continued, "We look forward to this moving to the Senate and urge its swift passage so our kids can get the proper nutrition they need."
As the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act progresses to the Senate, the NSDA remains dedicated to advocating for the well-being of Nebraska's children and the vitality of the dairy industry. The association urges swift bipartisan support in the Senate, emphasizing the critical role that proper nutrition plays in shaping a healthy and thriving future for the youth of our nation.
Nebraska Extension Releases 2024 Nutrient Record-keeping Calendar
The 2024 nutrient management calendars are now available from Nebraska Extension. This easy-to-use record-keeping calendar tracks manure-related records for livestock and cropping operations. It serves as a guide for livestock operations that are required by the State of Nebraska to keep records.
The calendar was designed to be used by all sizes of livestock operations and includes all records required for operations permitted for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). Whether you have two head or 200,000, this calendar can help you keep records of your manure handling and the weather that affects its application on the land, as well as yield and fertility records for those fields.
Part of the calendar’s record-keeping tools includes tracking manure application rates, which is important for getting the maximum crop nutrient value from manure and documenting one’s environmental stewardship.
It has been approved by the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) and recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a valuable resource for livestock producers. It is available for free by contacting Leslie Johnson or NDEE.
Request a calendar here https://water.unl.edu/manure/RequestCalendar. If you have a previous calendar, you may also mail in the postcard found inside the calendar to get your 2024 calendar. An electronic sample of the calendar is available online https://uofnelincoln.sharepoint.com/:b:/s/UNL-IANRExtAdmin-Office/ERzZH7dnYoBLsiwe2jwZLIYBJZc0mPsQ3hYjBbNCBTAmPQ?e=rhLdFr.
If you have any questions about the calendar or suggestions for future calendars, contact Leslie Johnson, animal manure management extension educator here https://epd.unl.edu/profile/ljohnson13.
2024 Crop Production Clinics
The 2024 Nebraska Crop Production Clinics will feature live presentations and present research updates and information tailored to regional crop issues and grower interests. Sponsored by Nebraska Extension, the programs will be held on eight days throughout January, with the first one on Jan. 3, and the final clinic to be offered on Tuesday, Jan. 23. The clinic on Jan. 23 will be in partnership with the Nebraska Agribusiness Association Expo and will include free admission to the Expo tradeshow.
2024 Clinic Dates and Locations:
Jan. 3 — Gering Civic Center, Gering
Jan. 4 — West Central Research Extension and Education Center (WCREEC), North Platte
Jan. 9 — Northeast Community College, Norfolk
Jan. 10 — Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center (ENREEC), Mead
Jan. 11 — Holiday Inn Express, Beatrice
Jan. 17 — Lochland Country Club, Hastings
Jan. 19 — Holthus Convention Center, York
Jan. 23 — Crowne Plaza and Younes Conference Center, Kearney at the Nebraska Agribusiness Association Expo
Individual clinics will be customized to address topics specific to that area of the state, allowing attendees to engage with research-based information on the issues that may be faced locally.
Visit the Crop Production Clinics 2024 website for the most up-to-date information https://agronomy.unl.edu/cpc.
Registration is available online for each location. Pre-registration is required and costs $95.
Certified Crop Advisor credits will be available in crop production, nutrient management, integrated pest management, soil and water management.
Pesticide Applicator Recertification
The clinics will offer commercial and non-commercial pesticide applicators an opportunity to renew their licenses in the general standards, ag plant and demonstration/research categories.
The clinics are also a venue for private pesticide applicators to renew their licenses.
For more information, contact Chris Proctor, clinics coordinator and extension educator, via email or at 402-472-5411. Registration questions can be directed to Connie Hansen, 402-472-8747.
U.S. Treasury’s Announcement Allows GREET for Sustainable Aviation Fuel Credits
The Nebraska Ethanol Board (NEB) today welcomed the U.S. Treasury Department’s decision to allow the use of a modified version of the Argonne National Laboratory’s Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) model in determining sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act. GREET is the most accurate and comprehensive lifecycle emissions model. Ethanol is a premier, low-carbon feedstock for SAF production, and the decision proves critical to opening large-scale SAF opportunities for producers.
The NEB appreciates the collaborative efforts of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture Director Sherry Vinton and her advocacy to get this important guidance issued. “This guidance from the Treasury Department is a critical step for SAF produced from corn ethanol,” Director Vinton said. “The GREET model is the best and most current emissions model, and this decision means our farmers can continue to lead the way in feeding and fueling our planet.”
NEB Executive Director Reid Wagner also applauded the recognition of GREET. “The use of GREET represents a major opportunity for the future of SAF by leaving no feedstock, especially low-carbon ethanol, off the table,” Wagner said. “Using the GREET model maximizes the potential for producers to make SAF widespread in the years ahead, spurring innovation and creating greater opportunities for carbon emission reductions. We look forward to collaborating with the Treasury Department and other agencies as further guidance is issued next year.”
Statement by Mark McHargue, President, Regarding Use of GREET Model in Sustainable Aviation Fuel Tax Credits
"Today's announcement from the Biden administration concerning the extension of federal sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) tax credits to include agriculturally produced feedstocks including soy and ethanol is a big win for Nebraska. Our state's ethanol sector, the second largest in the nation and an industry that contributes over $3.8 billion annually to our state's economy, along with a substantially growing soy SAF sector, are now powerfully positioned to produce sustainable next generation aviation fuels that will benefit our environment as well as our state's economy."
Biden Administration Guidance on SAF Tax Credit a Huge Step in Right Direction
Today, the United States Treasury Department announced an updated carbon intensity model will be approved to determine eligibility for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) tax credits. The methodology, Argonne National Laboratory’s Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions and Energy Use in Technologies (GREET) model, is the model that uses the most current and accurate science.
“First, it’s important to note this is a huge victory for science over politics,” said Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw. “Anti-agriculture agitators both in the U.S. and Europe have been pushing the Biden Administration to only recognize models with outdated data and debunked penalties against farm feedstocks like corn and soybeans. IRFA appreciates the Treasury Department for standing with the best science available.”
The Treasury Department first provided SAF credit guidance in December 2022. Today’s announcement provides further guidance, in collaboration with additional federal agencies. It is anticipated that a modified version of the GREET model will be released in March of 2024.
“With the GREET model approved, there is now a path available for airlines to meet their carbon reduction targets as SAF from soybean oil and ethanol represents an enormous portion of all possible SAF feedstocks,” stated Shaw. “In turn, today’s news is incredible for biofuels producers and farmers because the SAF market represents the single biggest opportunity for a rural transformation since the introduction of corn hybrids a century ago. At the same time, we should not forget that the key to unlocking the SAF market for ethanol continues to be carbon capture and sequestration (CCS). Without CCS to reduce the carbon intensity score of ethanol, it is nearly impossible for our home-grown ethanol to qualify for SAF – even with the GREET model.”
In addition to ongoing efforts by the Argonne National Laboratory to continuously update and improve the GREET Model, under the direction of Secretary Tom Vilsack, the USDA has invested to ensure that the most up-to-date farming data was available to the modelers.
“Secretary Vilsack has been a constant force inside the administration in educating other departments, insisting on the best science, and pushing back against the anti-agriculture agitators,” said Shaw. “IRFA members owe a debt to Secretary Vilsack and the entire Iowa congressional delegation for using every opportunity to ensure farmers would not be unfairly barred from participating in the massive SAF market.”
NCGA Pleased to See Treasury Embrace GREET Model
The U.S. Department of Treasury announced today that it will use a modified version of the GREET model as a measurement for determining reductions in greenhouse gas emissions as the agency allocates tax credits for sustainable aviation fuels under the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act.
The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) said it is pleased that Treasury is embracing the model.
“Given that GREET was created by the U.S. government and is widely respected for its ability to measure reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from the farm to the plane, we are encouraged that Treasury will adopt some version of this model,” said Minnesota farmer and NCGA President Harold Wolle. “At the end of the day, we are eager to help the aviation sector lower its carbon footprint, and we look forward to working with the involved agencies over the coming months to ensure the final model helps us achieve that goal.”
The decision by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has been eagerly anticipated since the Inflation Reduction Act was passed in 2022. The law allocates tax credits for biofuels that can demonstrate that they cut greenhouse gas emissions by 50% or more.
GREET, which stands for the Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation, was developed by the U.S. Department of Energy to measure greenhouse emissions from the field to the car or plane.
Soy Positioned to Fly High Under New SAF Guidance
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has issued long-awaited guidance on the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Credit (40B) established by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and the news is positive for U.S. soybean farmers.
“America’s soybean farmers are always innovating in an effort to expand our markets and provide even more benefits to consumers,” said Josh Gackle, American Soybean Association president and North Dakota soybean farmer. “We are very pleased with this guidance and the opportunities it could bring for soy. Biofuels continue to be not only a viable market but a growing market when it comes to U.S. roadways and workforce fleets. There is legislation on the table that would expand biofuels’ great functionality and environmental benefits to ocean-going vessels. And now, with this guidance supporting soy and other plant-based feedstocks going into sustainable aviation fuel, the sky truly is the limit for soy.”
ASA and others in the biofuels industry have pushed for use of the Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)-GREET model, updated annually, to determine eligibility for the SAF Credit. However, the Environmental Protection Agency determined ANL-GREET was insufficient on its own to satisfy the parameters set forth by the Clean Air Act to determine lifecycle GHG emissions. Instead, EPA will work with other agencies to develop a new GREET methodology to be released March 1, 2024, that incorporates all aspects of a feedstock, including Climate-Smart Agriculture Practices.
Importantly, EPA did determine that the methodology it uses for the Renewable Fuel Standard Program (RFS) does satisfy these requirements. Given that, Treasury has determined SAF that currently qualifies as biomass-based diesel (D4) or advanced biofuel (D5) under the RFS will be considered as having a 50% GHG reduction for the purposes of this credit. This action is positive for soy-based SAF, which will be eligible for the SAF Credit at the $1.25/gallon rate.
The tax credit will be retroactive to January 1, 2023, and will run through December 31, 2024, before shifting to the Clean Fuel Production Credit (45Z), also established under the IRA.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel Decision Will Help Meet Sustainable Energy Goals
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on the Biden administration’s adoption of the Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) model for the sustainable aviation fuel tax credit, which will allow crop-based feedstocks, including ethanol, to be used for sustainable aviation fuel production.
“Today’s announcement to expand the types of crops that qualify for sustainable aviation fuel is good news for America’s families and farmers. It recognizes agriculture’s role in climate-smart production while addressing the public’s growing demand for sustainable energy sources.
“Farmers answered the call to grow the food and fuel America relies on, and they will continue working to fill the tanks of the engines that move the economy forward.”
Registration open for Iowa Farm Bureau's Young Farmer Conference
As a young farmer today, tackling challenges—from securing financing and navigating regulations to diversifying profitability and managing family schedules—can be overwhelming. Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) invites all young farmer members between 18 and 35 years old to register for the IFBF Young Farmer Conference, Feb. 2-3, 2024, at the Prairie Meadows Events & Conference Center in Altoona, to gain actionable insights and networking opportunities to learn how to better address those challenges.
The conference begins with ag industry tours followed by a keynote from Elaine Froese on how to “Discuss the Undiscussabull.” Froese, dubbed “Canada’s Farm Whisperer,” is passionate about helping family farms navigate conflict to secure a profitable farm legacy. She will advise attendees on how to tackle tough conversations and come out on the other side to improve family farm relationships.
On Feb. 3, educational sessions will cover sustainability, farm transition, direct-to-consumer markets, national policy updates, working with different farm personalities and more. The three Grow Your Future Award finalists will also pitch their ag-related businesses to a 500-person audience for a chance to win $7,500.
Attendees can participate in the Farm Bureau Discussion Meet, a competition focused on cooperative dialogue related to challenges impacting farming and rural America. Winners of the Farm Bureau Discussion Meet at the conference will advance to compete at the 2024 Iowa Farm Bureau annual meeting where one finalist will be selected to represent Iowa at the American Farm Bureau Convention Discussion Meet.
The conference will culminate with Tim Gabrielson, an entertainer who combines magic with comedy, and a networking event hosted by the Farm4Profit Podcast crew.
Register by Jan. 19 for this members-only event by contacting your local county Farm Bureau. Click here to view the conference agenda https://www.iowafarmbureau.com/Farmer-Resources/Farm-Bureau-Leaders/Young-Farmer-Program/Young-Farmer-Conference.
NGFA issues statement on Columbia-Snake River plan
The Biden administration on Dec. 14 announced a $1 billion plan with environmental groups, four tribal governments and the states of Washington and Oregon meant to address salmon declines in the Columbia and Snake River system. The settlement announcement proposes that the administration help fund and conduct studies on “how the transportation, irrigation, and recreation services provided by the four Lower Snake River dams could be replaced, to help inform Congress should it consider authorizing dam breach in the future.”
The National Grain and Feed Administration (NGFA) issued the following statement:
“The NGFA is opposed to any actions by federal or state governments that could result in breaching the Lower Snake River dams. The economic harm of breaching the dams would ripple throughout the U.S. agricultural value chain by effectively shutting down the world’s third-largest export corridor for grains and oilseeds.
“Barges are the most environmentally friendly mode of transportation for grains and oilseeds with one four-barge tow moving as much grain as 140 rail cars or 538 semi-trucks. Removing the Lower Snake River dams would hurt producers and negatively impact the operations and livelihoods of NGFA members and their employees who have made investment decisions based on the ability to utilize barge transportation. Studies have been completed that show the significant, negative impact that would occur in the Pacific Northwest. In addition to the impact on agriculture in the PNW and throughout much of the western and northern United States, reduced exports could also impact global food security.
“Agricultural stakeholders have been ready and willing to share these insights throughout the mediation process. As major stakeholders in this decision, NGFA members hope the agricultural industry is included in any study that is conducted or proposed as a result of this announcement.”
COP28 Proves the World Needs American Agriculture
Following the conclusion of COP28 in Dubai, House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson issued the following statement:
"Amid global concerns about climate change, there's a pressing need to recognize and commend the progress made by U.S. agricultural producers in addressing environmental challenges.
The U.S. agriculture industry makes up just 11% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and stands as the nation’s lowest-emitting economic sector, and along with the nation's forest lands, wood products, and trees, offsets a significant 13% of the country’s annual carbon emissions. Not to mention, Americans spend a smaller share of their disposable income on food than any other country on the planet. Still, anti-agriculture groups, including those gathered at COP28, continue to push alarmist rhetoric that our food system is broken and must be dismantled.
The world’s elites, after arriving in Dubai in private planes, believe Americans should eat less meat, cows should burp less, and our way of life should cease to exist. However, over the last seven decades, the U.S. agriculture sector has achieved remarkable milestones in reducing per-unit livestock emissions, and it has done so through voluntary incentive-based, and locally led conservation efforts—not prescriptive, top-down policies or government mandates.
The solution to global climate change is not producing less of certain foods or upending the food system as we know it, its using science, technology, and innovation to continue producing more with less in the U.S., increasing American agriculture production, exporting it overseas and displacing the production of higher emitting, less environmentally friendly countries.
American agriculture stands as a beacon of innovation and sustainability. Therefore, it is vital to recognize, support, and enhance American agriculture as an integral part of the solution to climate challenges on a global scale."
EPA Seeks Public Input on Proposal to Reduce Water Pollution from Meat and Poultry Processing Facilities
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a proposed regulation that would revise wastewater discharge standards for facilities that process meat and poultry products. Many of these facilities are located near communities with environmental justice concerns that have bodies of water impaired by nutrient pollution. The agency’s proposal would leverage the latest pollution control technologies to cut the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and other pollutants discharged to the nation’s waters by approximately 100 million pounds of pollutants per year, improving water quality for downstream communities and ecosystems.
“The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to following law and the best available science to safeguard communities from pollution,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Radhika Fox. “EPA’s proposal to reduce water pollution from meat and poultry processing facilities will prevent millions of pounds of pollutants from entering our nation’s waters.”
The Clean Water Act requires EPA to revise industry-wide wastewater treatment limits—called effluent limitation guidelines or ELGs—to keep pace with innovations in pollution control technology. The first ELGs for facilities that process meat and poultry products were issued in 1974 and the last revision was in 2004. ELGs are based on the performance of demonstrated wastewater treatment technologies, and they are intended to represent the greatest pollutant reductions that are economically achievable for an entire industry.
As EPA announced in its September 2021 Preliminary Effluent Guidelines Program Plan 15, the agency completed a detailed study of facilities that process meat and poultry products, leading to its decision to revise the existing effluent regulation for these facilities.
EPA’s proposed regulation would establish updated technology-based pollution limits that are affordable and achievable using existing demonstrated technologies. Additionally, implementation of these ELGs includes flexibilities to achieve the established limits using different technologies or operational strategies. This flexibility serves as an incentive for facilities and control technology vendors to develop even lower-cost compliance options.
The agency’s proposal also seeks comment on more stringent ELGs for these facilities. EPA will be accepting public comment on the proposed regulation for 60 days upon its publication in the Federal Register. Learn more about EPA’s proposed Meat and Poultry Products Effluent Guidelines.
USDA Requests Public Input on Reporting for Foreign Agriculture Land Holdings
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is requesting public input – due by Feb. 16, 2024 – on how foreign filers report agricultural land holdings in the United States. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is proposing to update the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act Report form so that reporting can include data on long-term lessees, data to assess the impacts of foreign investment on agricultural producers and rural communities, and to gather geospatial information. These updates to the form will help FSA in the collection of data as it administers the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 (AFIDA).
“USDA seeks to improve the information that we are collecting about foreign ownership and leasing of U.S. agricultural land,” said Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Robert Bonnie. “This process, which includes public input on changes to the form, will lead to more insightful reporting to Congress and the public.”
The public can submit input through the Federal eRulemaking portal, docket FSA-2023-0017. All comments will be posted without change and will be publicly available on www.regulations.gov. For more information contact Mary Estep at (202) 720-3217 or mary.estep@usda.gov.
The proposed revisions to the FSA-153 Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act Report form will:
Capture additional data on long-term lessees who are required to report their transactions to USDA.
Propose to collect data to assess the impacts of foreign investment on producers and rural communities, as required by AFIDA.
Ask filers to voluntarily provide data that will help identify their land locations geospatially.
The input collected from the public will assist in creating an electronic submission system for foreign filers and improve accuracy in data reporting.
FDA Move Points to Promise of Gene Editing in Food: Public Trust Imperative
Charlie Arnot, CEO of The Center for Food Integrity
The FDA recently approved a drug developed through gene editing to treat sickle cell disease. An independent review committee praised the results of clinical trials where 29 of 30 patients with at least 18 months of follow-up no longer experienced the severe pain crisis often associated with the disease. This is great news for those who suffer from the debilitating disease, and the tip of the iceberg for the applications of gene editing in human medicine – and agriculture.
Gene editing allows researchers to target specific DNA and make small precise changes to achieve a beneficial outcome. In the case of sickle cell disease, researchers were able to stop the production of the crescent-shaped blood cells that cause severe pain, make breathing difficult and cause strokes.
Gene editing applications are being developed by leading universities, government research institutes, pharmaceutical companies and biotech companies around the globe. The more than 3,500 gene therapies being developed for human medicine hold promise for treating a wide range of diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, heart disease, diabetes, hemophilia and AIDS. Nearly half of the therapies in development target cancer.
Innovations in Agriculture
In agriculture, more than 500 products are in development with the potential to prevent disease in plants and animals, reduce the food system’s impact on the environment, increase the nutritional value of food, improve shelf life and much more. Here are three examples.
Pivot Bio has developed a gene-edited microbe that allows corn plants to capture nitrogen from the atmosphere, reducing the need for supplemental petroleum-based fertilizer.
Genus/PIC has developed a pig resistant to a devastating virus that kills millions of pigs each year. Not only will this reduce suffering and premature death, but it also reduces the environmental impact of pork production.
GreenVenus is developing a wide range of vegetables, including a non-browning avocado, which will extend the shelf-life of this finicky fruit and reduce food waste.
This is a small sampling of the countless promising applications of gene editing making their way to market.
A Commitment to Trust
While the future of gene editing looks very bright, the potential of this life-changing technology will only be realized if it has broad public acceptance.
That’s why The Center for Food Integrity (CFI) created the Coalition for the Responsible Use of Gene Editing and the Framework for Responsible Use, and why we’ve conducted extensive consumer research on how to build trust in this promising technology.
While regulatory agencies assure safety, we know trust and public acceptance require more. CFI convened a group of NGOs, farmers, food companies, food retailers, academics and related associations to develop the framework. It includes commitments to transparency, stakeholder engagement and a review of social considerations and more that contribute to trust and acceptance.
Gene editing has incredible potential to improve our lives and the world around us through both medicine and agriculture. Those of us in the food system should be as committed to building trust in this game-changing technology as the developers are in finding solutions for some of the world’s most challenging problems. Here’s what you can do to help gene editing improve our world.
If you are a developer bringing products to market, join others who have been verified in the framework to demonstrate your commitment to practices that build trust.
If you are a food manufacturer or retailer, join those who require verification of developers who sell products into their supply chain.
Voluntary participation in this trust-building market assurance program is an opportunity for companies to demonstrate their commitment to building trust and assure consumers the technology is being used responsibly.
We encourage those interested to learn more and join us on the journey of building trust in gene editing so the world can realize the important benefits this technology offers to people, plants, animals and the planet.
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