Monday December 11 Ag News

 McClymont Receives Nebraska Cattlemen Hall of Fame Award

During the Nebraska Cattlemen Annual Awards Banquet, Pete McClymont received the 2023 Nebraska Cattlemen Hall of Fame award for his lifetime of service to Nebraska’s beef cattle industry.

The Hall of Fame Award is the highest honor that the Nebraska Cattlemen can give one of its members. The Nominations Committee selects members based on their contribution to the beef industry, contribution to the Nebraska Cattlemen organization, community and civic contributions, and their cattle business accomplishments.

Pete McClymont stated, “To be selected by the Nominations Committee for the Nebraska Cattlemen Hall of Fame is the honor of lifetime. Nebraska Cattlemen means a great deal to me. I am humbled and extremely proud to have served the NC membership in all my capacities. Thank you.”

Executive Vice President Laura Field said, “Pete McClymont has always lived and breathed Nebraska Cattlemen. His dedication to our membership, staff, and board of directors is second to none and his impact on our organization cannot be overstated.” She continued, “We are proud for Pete McClymont to receive the Nebraska Cattlemen Hall of Fame award and we are grateful for his leadership.”

Background
Pete McClymont is a native of Holdrege, Nebraska where his family owns a diversified farming operation including a feedlot, stocking operation, and cow/calf operation. In addition to producing beef cattle, the McClymonts also farm corn and soybeans. During his time working at the family farm, Pete primarily managed the feedlot.

Following his graduation from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Pete became an active member of the Phelps-Gosper Livestock Association, Nebraska Cattlemen, and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. Pete’s passion for beef cattle production and advocating for the interests of producers led him to serve on the Nebraska Cattlemen Board of Directors, where he became President of the Board in 2006.

Upon concluding his service on the Board of Directors, Pete became Vice President of Legislative Affairs for Nebraska Cattlemen in January 2007 and moved up the ranks to Executive Vice President in July 2013. Pete has spent over twenty-five years serving Nebraska Cattlemen members and working to keep Nebraska’s beef cattle industry prosperous. After more than two decades of service to Nebraska Cattlemen, Pete McClymont retired at the end of February 2023.



Nebraska Cattlemen Selects Ibach for 2023 Industry Service Award

The Nebraska Cattlemen Nominations Committee announced Under Secretary Greg Ibach as the winner of the 2023 Industry Service Award during the Nebraska Cattlemen Annual Awards Banquet.

The Nebraska Cattlemen Industry Service Award recognizes the contribution of individuals who work outside the cattle industry and go above and beyond to support agriculture.

Under Secretary Greg Ibach stated, "Being recognized by Nebraska Cattlemen for service to our industry means a lot to me and I am honored to be chosen as an awardee this year. With my granddaughters now representing the seventh generation of our family to be involved with farming and ranching in our local community, it’s even more important to continue giving back to our way of life."

“From serving in our nation’s capital to participating in countless international trade missions to tell the world about high-quality Nebraska beef, Under Secretary Greg Ibach continuously works to ensure cattlemen have a seat at the table where decisions are being made about the future of our industry,” stated Nebraska Cattlemen Executive Vice President Laura Field.

Background
Mr. Ibach served as the Director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture from 2005-2017, where he became the longest-serving state agriculture director in Nebraska history.

On October 30, 2017, Greg Ibach was confirmed by the U.S. Senate and sworn in by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Purdue to serve as the USDA’s Under Secretary for marketing and Regulatory Programs (MRP) where he remained until January 2021.

Ibach currently serves as the inaugural Under Secretary in Residence for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.



 Rep. Flood Introduces Resolution Condemning UN's Anti-Beef Food Strategy

Today, U.S. Congressman Mike Flood introduced a resolution pushing back on a new food systems strategy from the United Nations’ (UN) Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO). In a memo released at COP28 over the weekend, the FAO recommends reducing the amount of beef in diets, promotes recommendations that include non-meat alternatives, and suggests that meat production be “rebalanced,” threatening existing ranching and feeding producers.  

“The UN’s plans for your diet would be nothing short of a disaster for your health and food security worldwide,” said Rep. Flood. “Meat is one of the most efficient ways to deliver protein, and here in the Beef State, cattle are a critical part of the Golden Triangle that’s supplying clean ethanol fuel around the world. The resolution I’m introducing today makes it clear that the United States opposes any attempt to reduce or eliminate meat production. Doing so would shatter the world’s food security and end an age-old way of life for millions of farm and ranch families across the globe.”

“It's laughable that a U.N. agency spearheaded by a top CCP official is calling on Americans to eat less meat in the name of climate change when China is the world's worst polluter,” said Rep. Ashley Hinson. “This is a thinly veiled attempt by China to undermine U.S. agriculture as well as the Iowa farmers who produce high quality meat. The impact of the CCP infiltrating the UN is clear: they can strongly call for Americans to stop eating meat but can't strongly condemn Hamas for their human rights atrocities in Israel. I'm proud to lead the charge to condemn this nonsense from the UN alongside Representative Flood, stand up for U.S. agriculture, and set the record straight."  

Rep. Flood is a member of the Congressional Beef Caucus. The First Congressional District of Nebraska is home to multiple meat processing facilities and thousands of farm and ranch families.



Nebraska Cattlemen Applauds Rep. Flood’s Resolution Condemning the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UNs' Anti-Beef Strategy

Today, in response to U.S. Representative Mike Flood’s (NE-01) introduction of H.Res.920, which disapproves of recommendations by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations to reduce meat consumption in the United States, Nebraska Cattlemen (NC) released the following statement:

“The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations' attempt to persuade American consumers to eat overly processed fake meat products instead of the high quality and nutrient-rich animal protein produced by our hardworking farmers and ranchers is misguided and unrealistic,” said NC President Jerry Kuenning. He continued, “Nebraska’s beef cattle producers strongly value sustainability and there is no group who cares more than agriculturalists about leaving the land better than they found it for generations to come. We commend Rep. Flood for his leadership and for defending the Beef state on an international stage.”



Governor Pillen Statement in Response to the United Nations Food Strategy

Today, Governor Jim Pillen issued the following statement in response to Congressman Mike Flood’s introduction of a resolution condemning the United Nations (UN) Food Strategy released at the COP28:

“I appreciate Congressman Flood’s leadership on this very important issue. The United Nations’ radical attack on agriculture undermines the livelihoods of Nebraska farmers and ranchers, as well as those in other states where agriculture is an economic driver. Anti-agriculture activism damages the world’s food system and hurts the hungry. In Nebraska, our farmers and ranchers raise their products using sustainable methods, designed to protect the land and resources on which they rely. I urge the House of Representatives to pass Congressman Flood’s resolution, recognizing Nebraska’s collective role in feeding the world and saving the planet.”



New Web-Based "Nebraska By The Numbers" Quiz Game Provides Surprising Stats on Nebraska Agriculture

How much does a bushel of corn weigh?  How many baby pigs are in an average litter?  What is the elevation difference between the western and eastern borders of Nebraska?

The answers to these questions and dozens more are provided in a new web-based game developed as part of Raising Nebraska, the 25,000 square foot experience focused on food and agriculture located on the Nebraska State Fairgrounds in Grand Island, Neb.

"Nebraska By The Numbers" is an online educational quiz game that provides insight into a wide variety of interesting facts about Nebraska agriculture. The game consists of seven different categories including corn and soybeans, beef and pork, food processing, renewable biofuels, Nebraska exports, natural resources and mixed agriculture.  There are five statistics included in each category and players select which number is the right match for each descriptive statement provided.

"Nebraska By The Numbers" is part of the effort to expand the reach beyond the walls of the building in Grand Island," said Sarah Polak, experience coordinator at Raising Nebraska. "This game is a great way for students, families or any Nebraskan to discover more about the incredible impact agriculture has on our state. The statistics one learns while playing the game are pretty impressive and, in many cases, quite surprising."

At the end of the game, players are able to see how they performed in terms of the number of right answers on the first attempt, the time it took to successfully complete the game and other metrics that encourage competition between players.  

Anyone can play Nebraska By The Numbers by simply logging on to: http://raisingnebraska.unl.edu/beyond-the-walls/by-the-numbers or by clicking on the Nebraska By The Numbers icon at RaisingNebraska.net.



Scoular partners with Regrow for regenerative agriculture program

Scoular will have the ability to develop regenerative sourcing programs with its customers, thanks to a new partnership between the company and Regrow.

The companies announced today that they have signed an agreement for Regrow to be the MRV (measurement, reporting, verification) partner for Scoular’s regenerative agriculture sourcing program. Regrow enables companies in the agriculture supply chain to support net-zero objectives through science-based GHG measurement, impact reporting, and program verification to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Regenerative agriculture is the system of practices that can increase the carbon sequestered by soil, which enhances soil health and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. This decreases Scope 3 footprints for downstream customers, such as flour mills, livestock production and consumer packaged goods companies. Additionally, these practices encourage biodiversity and water conservation. Transitioning to regenerative agriculture requires a transparent, multifaceted approach, and both farmers and corporations are indispensable to its success in building resilient farming systems to protect the future food supply.

Using industry-leading remote sensing technology and their globally applied, calibrated and validated soil carbon model, Regrow’s Agriculture Resilience Platform aggregates field-level insights to generate credible and verifiable environmental outcomes data. Regrow’s “farmer-first” technology measures field-level resilient agriculture practice changes, tracks progress in real-time, and confirms regenerative practice adoption at scale.

Scoular will launch the program in spring 2024 with producers at select grain handling facilities. This program will generate climate smart wheat and corn for food production. Producers will be incentivized for new and continued adoption of regenerative ag practices, meeting growers where they are with a range of eligible practices.

“Scoular specializes in unique supply chain solutions, and I’m excited that regenerative sourcing is another offering we are delivering to our customers,” said Beth Stebbins, customer sustainability manager at Scoular.

“Transforming agriculture has the most profound impact on climate change. This collaboration demonstrates Scoular’s commitment to implementing regenerative practices through its supply chain in a farmer-focused, scalable, and measurable way,” said Regrow COO Manal Elarab. “We’re thrilled to partner with Scoular and support their program.”



Confinement Site Manure Applicator Workshops Scheduled for 2024

Confinement site manure applicators and anyone interested in learning about manure issues should plan to attend a two-hour workshop offered by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach in January or February. These workshops are offered in cooperation with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Registration is required. No walk-ins are allowed. There is no fee to attend, but applicators will need to pay certification fees and send the forms in to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to complete certification requirements.  

“Iowa law requires confinement site manure applicators to attend two hours of continuing education each year of their three-year certification period or take and pass an exam once every three years,” said Dan Andersen, associate professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering and extension agriculture engineering specialist at Iowa State University, and coordinator of the manure applicator certification program.

A total of 58 locations will participate in the confinement site manure applicator workshops. In addition, a series of five dry/solid manure applicator certification meetings will be held in February. These meetings are tailored toward dry/solid manure for either Commercial or Confinement Site manure applicators. ISU Extension and Outreach county offices have a complete list of workshop dates and locations, or view a list on the Iowa Manure Management Action Group website https://www.extension.iastate.edu/immag/confinement-site-applicators.

The workshops serve as initial certification for those applicators who are not currently certified, recertification for those renewing licenses and continuing education for those applicators in the second or third year of their license.

Due to uniform certification deadlines, applicators are encouraged to attend workshops prior to March 1 to avoid being assessed a late fee of $12.50 for those who are re-certifying. Those unable to attend one of the workshops need to schedule time with their ISU Extension and Outreach county office to watch the training video. Due to scheduling conflicts, extension offices will no longer accept walk-in appointments to watch these videos but do offer scheduled dates and times to provide this training.

If you can’t attend training during one of the scheduled reshow dates at your county extension office, you will be charged a $10 fee to view the training at your convenience. If attending the workshops or watching the two-hour training video is not convenient, confinement site manure applicators may contact their local Department of Natural Resources field office to schedule an appointment to take the certification exam to meet certification requirements.

Applicators also have another option, online certification, in which an applicator can take their training online at the DNR MAC eLearning site https://elearning-dnr.iowa.gov/. The applicator will need to sign in and get an A&A account.

Contact your ISU Extension and Outreach county office for more information about the Manure Applicator Certification Program.



CHS owners elect seven board members, pass bylaws amendments

CHS owners elected seven board members to three-year terms during the cooperative's 2023 annual meeting held Dec. 7-8 in Minneapolis.

Reelected to the CHS Board of Directors were:
    Scott Cordes, who raises corn and soybeans with his family near Wanamingo, Minn., representing Region 1 (Minnesota)
    Cortney Wagner, a first-generation cattle and hay producer based near Hardin, Mont., representing Region 2 (Montana and Wyoming)
    Jon Erickson, who raises small grains and oilseeds and has a cow-calf operation with his family near Minot, N.D., representing Region 3 (North Dakota)
    Tracy Jones, who raises corn, soybeans, wheat and cattle with his family near Kirkland, Ill., representing Region 5 (Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin)
    Dan Schurr, who raises corn and soybeans with his family near LeClaire, Iowa, representing Region 7 (Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee)
    C.J. Blew, who farms and ranches in a family partnership in south-central Kansas, representing Region 8 (Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas)

Newly elected CHS Board member
Anthony Rossman was elected to the CHS Board to represent CHS members in Region 1 (Minnesota), succeeding Perry Meyer, who retired from the Board at the conclusion of the annual meeting. Rossman operates a diversified crop and livestock operation near Rochester, Minn., and manages genetic alliances in the beef industry.

CHS Board officer elections
The following CHS Board members were elected to one-year officer terms:
    Dan Schurr, LeClaire, Iowa, reelected chair
    C.J. Blew, Castleton, Kan., elected first vice chair
    Scott Cordes, Wanamingo, Minn., elected second vice chair
    Russell Kehl, Quincy, Wash., reelected secretary treasurer
    Al Holm, reelected assistant secretary-treasurer

Bylaws amendments
At the Annual Meeting, CHS members also approved two amendments to the organization's bylaws. The first amendment decreases the number of representative directors in Region 1 from four to three directors and increases the number of representative directors in Region 7 from one to two directors. The second amendment modifies how dividends are treated when calculating the net income or net loss of an allocation unit from patronage business and provides the Board with increased authority to add an additional amount of patronage income, not to exceed 35%, to the capital reserve.



Lower Prices and Higher Volatility
Matthew Diersen, Risk & Business Management Specialist, South Dakota State University

Guiding principles for managing price risk are to act when prices are high or profitable, when volatility is low, and before it is too late. These will be addressed in reverse order based on recent conditions. Hedgers sometimes have little choice about when they ultimately market cattle. Pastures can run low on forage or water. The feed supply may be running low. The target weights may be getting close. Laying out a marketing plan, even if it is rough or scratched out some place, guides when to take actions to selectively hedge risk. Opportunities may not present themselves, meaning it can get too late.

For much of 2023 the volatility in the cattle markets was very low. For risk management, volatility is the implied volatility of options on futures. Typically, it will be 10-15% for live and feeder cattle. If volatility is low compared to that range, then options will look favorable to a buyer and Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) premiums will look low. When cash and futures prices began to fall in late October the volatility began to increase from 12% to 16% for live cattle and from 13% to 19% for feeder cattle. Recently, the implied volatility was above 19% for nearby live cattle contracts, with a little inversion or drop-off in the level for more deferred months. For feeder cattle, the volatility was above 21% for most months and strike prices. Thus, option and insurance premiums are higher for a given level of coverage. When coupled with lower price levels, the effective floor price from put options and LRP would be substantially lower than a month or two ago. The lack of any skew patterns suggests no obvious ways around the situation. If a floor must be bought, backing off the level is about the only recourse in the short run. Otherwise, one waits.

The lower prices have been discouraging hedgers from locking in prices using forward contracts or futures. For fed cattle, the AMS reports forward purchases by packers in LM_CT153. After a brief spike in new signings in late September the weekly volume of new contracts has fallen. However, for much of October and November the cumulative signings exceeded 1.0 million head. That was after a long stretch of below 1.0 million for the past year. Historically, the cumulative total tends to be around 1.5 million head. The recent lower prices have likely discouraged feedlots from locking in unprofitable levels. Packers seemed to have filled their needs and then backed off in the short run. This leaves them with relatively low levels committed for much of 2024. The forward volume possibly explains some of the decline in the Commitment of Traders volume for producers. Large feedlots locking in fewer head may also, possibly, explain some of that decline. There has been a little decline in recent months in the small (non-reportable) short open interest. That may indicate smaller feedlots are not excited to hedge at these levels. The decline in small (non-reportable) short open interest is more pronounced in the feeder cattle open interest. Hedgers there seem to be closing instead of opening positions.



ICASA Grants Seek to Address Liver Abscess Formation in Cattle

Liver abscesses are a significant problem in beef and dairy cattle. The condition occurs when bacteria cross from an animal’s gastrointestinal tract into the bloodstream and accumulate in the liver. Liver abscesses jeopardize animals’ health and cost producers approximately $30 million annually. The International Consortium for Antimicrobial Stewardship in Agriculture (ICASA) awarded four grants totaling roughly $1.15 million to identify why liver abscesses occur and develop diagnostic tools to enable informed decision-making to treat the condition.  

While difficult to know how many animals are affected, liver abscesses affect roughly 20% of United States beef cattle, reaching as high as 70% in some groups. Antibiotics are commonly used to prevent and control liver abscesses, but the condition is still highly prevalent. To prevent liver abscesses from forming, current control methods involve treating entire groups of animals with antibiotics at the same time. As a result, healthy animals are often administered antibiotics, as it is difficult to determine which animals are infected. This method is costly and can increase antibiotic resistance in cattle, making them susceptible to other lethal conditions.

Following a 2022 call for research, the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research’s (FFAR) ICASA Consortium awarded the following grants to better understand and prevent liver abscesses in cattle.  

Dr. Raghavendra Amachawadi, Kansas State University (K-State)
Dr. Amachawadi received a $300,000 grant to evaluate the associations between feeding and management practices of beef-on-dairy cattle, a beef production system that uses beef cattle semen to breed dairy cows. The practice increases the value of dairy calves, as beef-on-dairy calves have feedlot performance, carcass quality and meat quality attributes similar to conventional beef cattle. Although no published data currently exist, it is commonly believed that the rate of liver abscesses in beef-on-dairy cattle is two to three times greater than beef-on-beef cattle. The research team is planning to conduct a comprehensive analysis of feeding and management practices to determine their associations with and timing of liver abscess development. An understanding of the epidemiology of liver abscesses in beef-on-dairy cattle can identify opportunities and interventions to reduce antibiotic use.

Matching funds were provided by Syracuse Dairy, Animal Welfare Consulting and Research, Deer Creek Feeding, LLC and ICASA partners Tyson Foods, Veterinary Research & Consulting Services, LLC (VRCS), Hy-Plains Feedyard, LLC and Cargill for a total $600,000 investment.  

Dr. T. G. Nagaraja, K-State  
Dr. Nagaraia received a $248,641 grant to evaluate a comprehensive "biochemical fingerprinting" in blood plasma collected from beef cattle with and without abscesses in the liver. Unique biomolecules in the blood of cattle with liver abscesses can help detect the onset and progression of liver abscesses and can aid evaluating antibiotic alternatives for prevention.

Matching funds were provided by K-State and ICASA partners Tyson Foods, Cargill and United Animal Health for a total $497,282 investment.  

Dr. Kendall Samuelson, West Texas A&M University  
Dr. Samuelson received a $300,000 grant to evaluate liver abscess development in feedlot cattle reared in conventional beef versus dairy management systems. The research team is investigating the relationship between calf management, feedlot performance, liver abscess prevalence and cellular and molecular mechanisms. The results of this project will provide insight into liver abscess pathogenesis and identify biomarkers that assess the risk of the development of liver abscesses.

West Texas A&M University is providing matching funds for a $600,340 investment.

Dr. Dale Woerner, Texas Tech University
Dr. Woerner received a $300,000 grant to create a model for genomic, blood and microbiological markers for liver abscesses in beef cattle. He is leading a research team investigating genetic markers and biomarkers, including blood chemistry and individual microbial pathogen prevalence, which contribute to the formation of liver abscesses. Identifying markers in cattle predisposed to developing liver abscesses would allow producers to make more informed breeding and management decisions to reduce susceptibility in cattle and reduce reliance on antimicrobial treatments.

Matching funds were provided by Texas Tech University and ICASA partners Genus ABS, Hy-Plains Feedyard, LLC and VRCS for a $633,462 investment.

FFAR established ICASA in 2019 with an initial $7.5 million investment to fund research that promotes targeted antibiotic use, advances animal health and welfare and increases transparency in food production practices. The private sector is matching FFAR’s investment for a total $15 million investment in antibiotic stewardship research.



Planning for Future Pest and Disease Pressure

Pests and diseases are a given each growing season, but the degree of the pressure can vary drastically. After harvest, growers should be planning for the best course of action to deal with pests and disease pressure. Effective planning and decision-making go a long way and can significantly impact success next growing season.

“Growing seasons are always unpredictable,” said Crystal Williams, Pioneer Field Agronomist. “And while I can’t control how much moisture we’ll get in May or June, I can plan for pests and diseases.”

Knowing a field’s history is an important step to combatting pest and disease pressure. If a particular field has had issues with white mold in soybeans or tar spot in corn in the past, for example, growers should be prepared to select products that are resistant to those diseases.

Selecting a portfolio of products can also help spread risk. Growers should identify priorities for each field when choosing traits or disease tolerance levels in corn and soybeans and should have a plan to protect their seed investment.

Fungicides, herbicides and insecticides will help ward off pests and diseases during the season. However, they should not be deployed as a last-minute rescue attempt.

“I wouldn’t lean on only one method of control for a pest or disease,” Williams said. “Layering an insecticide or pesticide with a traited product can go a long way toward combatting field issues.”

During the early part of winter is a great time to lay the groundwork for a successful 2024 growing season. While there is no simple solution for each field, having a plan going into the season can help growers be better prepared for the pests and diseases that will inevitably pop up.