Tuesday February 27 Ag News

Melissa Temple Announces Candidacy for State Legislature

Melissa Temple of Norfolk, NE publicly announced today that she would seek election to Nebraska’s 19th Legislative District, which includes Madison County and Southern Pierce County. This district is currently represented by Rob Dover who was appointed in 2022 to fill the vacated seat of Congressman Mike Flood.

“I want to give voters an alternative choice outside the boxes of our two party system,” said Temple. “I believe leadership is first and foremost about service. I am running for the legislature as an independent candidate in order to make thoughtful decisions on behalf of my constituents, not tied to partisan politics. Being conservative and compassionate are not mutually exclusive, and my faith tradition compels me to work towards justice for the most vulnerable in our community and address social issues with empathetic solutions.”

A daughter of two veterans, Melissa’s family moved to Norfolk over twenty years ago. After college Melissa worked as a special education teacher for ESU #8’s Eastern Learning Center in Norfolk for five years and co-founded and served as the vice president of a local non-profit that worked to combat human trafficking and rehabilitate survivors in Nebraska. Melissa followed a call to seminary, and after graduating, she returned to Norfolk where she continues to serve her community today as a chaplain with St. Croix Hospice and as an educator for children on the autism spectrum.

“Nebraska’s children are our state’s most precious resource and wisest investment. We must prioritize their education, protect their physical and mental health, and carefully manage the natural resources they will inherit. By making this corner of our state a great place to grow up, we can encourage young folks who have left the region for education or career opportunities to return like I did and re-invest themselves back into our community.”

In November 2022, Melissa was elected to the board of directors for the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District where she has worked to address District 19’s high levels of nitrates. As a director, Melissa has advocated for good stewardship of the groundwater, regenerative ag practices, flood protection, and outdoor recreation opportunities for our region. As a leader, Melissa stands up for our constitutional freedoms. She has fought for increased government accountability, integrity, and transparency, and is a fierce defender of our First Amendment rights. She filed a federal lawsuit last year to help protect those civil liberties for others.

Melissa currently serves as the vice president of the Norfolk Parks and Recreation board and recently joined the board of The Connections Project, a peer-run non-profit for individuals with mental health and/or substance abuse challenges. Melissa is active with the Norfolk Community Theater, Norfolk Connect, the Nebraska Organizing Project, and was selected as one of Norfolk’s 2024 “Top 20 Under 40.” In her free time Melissa coaches gymnastics at the YMCA, enjoys walking the Cowboy Trail with her family, and recently completed the Norfolk 101: Citizens Academy.

These many community connections have shaped Melissa’s perception of life in the 19th District and the diverse challenges and needs of this area. “I have spent the past few years listening to and learning from citizens in our community who represent all walks of life. In the legislature I will work to promote rural healthcare access, keep our public schools and community colleges well funded, address our affordable housing and childcare crisis, be an advocate for folks with disabilities and mental health challenges, recommend responsible tax reform, and partner with producers to mitigate the rising nitrates in our groundwater. I hope to be an independent voice for the people of this district and help make it a place everyone wants to come back home to.”

A lifelong learner, Melissa first attended Northeast Community College before eventually transferring to Indiana Wesleyan University where she graduated with a B.S. in K-12 Special Education. She holds an M.A. in Social Justice and M.A. (ABT) in Innovation and Leadership from Kilns College in Bend, Oregon. She most recently attended Princeton Theological Seminary, where she earned an M.Div. with a focus on ethics and political theology and an M.A. in Christian Education with a focus on ecology. While at Princeton Melissa worked on a farm and took classes in political leadership and public policy at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs and was a fellow in Religion, Diplomacy, and International Affairs at Princeton University’s Liechtenstein Institute on Self-Determination. Melissa is an alumni fellow with the Fellowship at Auschwitz for the study of Professional Ethics (FASPE) and a candidate for ordination with the Presbyterian Church (USA).



NE Corn Board to Meet

The Nebraska Corn Board will hold its next meeting in the afternoon of Tuesday, March 12, 2024, on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s East Campus and Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at Embassy Suites in Lincoln (1040 P Street, Lincoln, Nebraska). The board will address regular board business on March 13.

The meeting is open to the public, providing the opportunity for public comment. A copy of the agenda is available by writing to the Nebraska Corn Board, 245 Fallbrook Blvd. Suite 204, Lincoln, NE 68521, sending an email to renee.tichota@nebraska.gov or by calling 402-471-2676.

The Nebraska Corn Board is funded through a producer checkoff investment of ½-cent-per-bushel checkoff on all corn marketed in the state and is managed by nine farmer directors. The mission of the Nebraska Corn Board to increase the value and sustainability of Nebraska corn through promotion, market development and research.

 

NEBRASKA CROP VALUES

The value of Nebraska’s 2023 field and miscellaneous crops is forecast at $13.5 billion, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. This is down 11% from 2022.

The value of corn production is expected to total $8.56 billion, down 13% from the previous marketing year. Nebraska’s corn price is projected to average $4.95 per bushel, down $1.82 from the last marketing year.

The value of soybean production is expected to total $3.36 billion, down 14% from the previous marketing year. Nebraska’s soybean price is projected to average $12.60 per bushel, down $1.60 from the last marketing year.

The value of winter wheat production is expected to total $255 million up 16% from the previous marketing year. Nebraska's winter wheat price is projected to average $6.90 per bushel, down $1.48 from the last marketing year.

The value of alfalfa production is expected to total $578 million, up 11% from the previous marketing year. Nebraska's alfalfa price is projected to average $200.00 per ton, down $7.00 from the last marketing year. The value of other hay production is expected to total $329 million, up 41% from the previous marketing year. Nebraska's other hay price is projected to average $135.00 per ton, up $7.00 from the last marketing year.

IOWA CROP VALUES
The production of Iowa's field and miscellaneous crops was valued at $20.0 billion in 2023, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Crop Values 2023 Summary. This was down 21 percent from 2022.

The value of corn for grain production totaled $12.2 billion, down 25 percent from the previous year. Iowa's corn price averaged $4.85 per bushel, $1.77 below the last marketing year.

The value of soybean production was $7.22 billion, down 13 percent from 2022. The average price decreased $1.60 from the previous year to $12.60 per bushel.



NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

For the week ending February 25, 2024, topsoil moisture supplies rated 7% very short, 30% short, 61% adequate, and 2% surplus, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 10% very short, 41% short, 48% adequate, and 1% surplus.

Field Crops Report:
Winter wheat condition rated 2% very poor, 5% poor, 33% fair, 48% good, and 12% excellent.

The next report will be issued March 25, 2024



NEBRASKA CHICKENS AND EGGS

All layers in Nebraska during January 2024 totaled 8.28 million, up from 6.25 million the previous year, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Nebraska egg production during January totaled 210 million eggs, up from 148 million in 2023. January egg production per 100 layers was 2,529 eggs, compared to 2,369 eggs in 2023

IOWA: Iowa egg production during January 2024 was 1.11 billion eggs, up 6 percent from the previous January, according to the latest Chickens and Eggs report from the USDA's National Agricultural
Statistics Service. The average number of all layers on hand during January 2024 was 42.7 million, up 2 percent from last year. Eggs per 100 layers for January was 2,602, up 4 percent from a year ago.

January Egg Production Up 2 Percent
United States egg production totaled 9.27 billion during January 2024, up 2 percent from last year. Production included 7.98 billion table eggs, and 1.29 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.19 billion were broiler-type and 98.3 million were egg-type. The total number of layers during January 2024 averaged 377 million, up slightly from last year. January egg production per 100 layers was 2,458 eggs, up 2 percent from January 2023.
                                    
All layers in the United States on February 1, 2024 totaled 376 million, up slightly from last year. The 376 million layers consisted of 309 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 62.9 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 3.79 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on February 1, 2024, averaged 79.0 eggs per 100 layers, up 2 percent from February 1, 2023.



JBS meat packing facility in Grand Island avoids major fire damage, no injuries

No injuries were reported following a fire inside two storage containers Friday night at JBS in Grand Island.

Grand Island Fire Department crews responded around 10 p.m. to the meat packing plant at 555 S. Stuhr Road for a report of two bulk storage containers outside the building that were smoking.

GIFD report the chemicals inside the containers heat up when exposed to air and that when crews put water on it to extinguish the blaze, it would heat up, leading crews to end up making a sprinkler system to continuously have water on it.

GIFD reports no damage to buildings at JBS was reported and operations were not impacted.



Consider These Factors When Writing a Pasture Lease

In Iowa, the same law that pertains to cropland leases also applies to pasture leases.

However, unlike crop leases that typically run from March 1 to the last day of February the following year, pasture leases may be written for a shorter period of time.

Charles Brown, a farm management specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, said this process still requires that all leases be terminated by serving a written termination notice at the end of the lease, or the tenant will have the lease for the following year under the same terms as the old lease.

“The termination notice must be a separate document and cannot be part of the lease agreement,” he said. “Also, verbal termination is not recognized in Iowa.”

Brown reminds farmers that it's always best to have a written lease as this can eliminate arguments later and improve landlord/tenant communications.

"In the written lease, it should spell out the responsibilities of the landlord and the tenant," he said. "Who is responsible for maintaining fences, weed control, providing water, paying for utilities, seed, fertilizer, lime, etc. Is mowing pasture for hay allowed? Who has the hunting rights? These should all be spelled out in the written lease."

Determining a fair lease amount for a pasture lease can be accomplished in several ways. Although the most popular lease is still a dollar amount per acre, other lease arrangements are possible.

Some other examples are based on a percentage (2-3%) of the fair market value of the farmland, an amount based on a per-head per-day, rental rate based on carrying capacity per AMU, and rental rate based on rate of gain. These and more are explained further in the Decision Tool C2-23, on the Ag Decision Maker website.

Each May, ISU Extension and Outreach publishes the results of an annual survey on cash rental rates (publication C2-10) with the pasture rental rates listed by crop reporting district.

Read more about the 2023 survey and download a pdf of the results.

"With the improvement in cow/calf profits, I believe these rates may increase for 2024," Brown said. "Again, it is always best to have a signed written lease agreement and list all things that landlord and tenant agree to."

Other rental arrangements can be found on the Ag Decision Maker website https://www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/wholefarm/html/c2-23.html, the Iowa Beef Center website https://store.extension.iastate.edu/Product/Pasture-and-Grazing-Arrangements-for-Beef-Cattle and Purdue University’s Center for Commercial Agriculture https://ag.purdue.edu/commercialag/home/resource/2011/12/pasture-rental-arrangements/.



Naig Praises Iowa House Passage of Small-Scale Poultry Processing Legislation

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig released the following statement today following the Iowa House of Representatives’ passage of House File 2257, his legislation to expand small-scale poultry processing in Iowa:

“Iowa poultry producers, especially those who sell directly to consumers, have long struggled to find poultry processing options within Iowa and have instead had to travel to neighboring states for this service. This legislation, combined with our request to USDA for additional flexibility for states, can be a step toward fixing this problem. I want to thank the Iowa House for its overwhelming bipartisan support of my legislation, and I am hopeful that the Iowa Senate will take action soon to send this bill to Governor Reynolds for her signature.”

Background on companion legislation House File 2257 and Senate File 2207

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship performs meat and poultry inspections through a cooperative agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS). Under the Federal Meat Inspection Act, red meat establishments are specifically allowed to perform both official and custom processing at the same facility through a provision that is commonly referred to as the Curtis Amendment. The Poultry Products Inspection Act, however, does not include such a provision, resulting in poultry processors having to choose between doing only official or only custom processing. There is no increased food safety risk associated with allowing the same facility to perform both activities.

If House File 2257 or its companion, Senate File 2207, is enacted, the Department’s Meat and Poultry Inspection Bureau could allow state poultry processing establishments to perform both official inspected and custom-exempt processing at the same facility. The change would not impact food safety and would treat poultry processing with the same standards already in place for establishments that perform red meat processing.

In addition to proposing and supporting House File 2257 and Senate File 2207, Secretary Naig will formally petition USDA-FSIS to ask them to reassess their interpretation of the federal law and grant states the flexibility to allow for additional poultry processing capacity. If this legislation is passed and signed into law, it would not go into effect until USDA specifically grants this additional flexibility to states.



Iowa Pork Honors Individuals as State's Top Pork Promoters

The men and women involved in Iowa’s pork industry are both enthusiastic and dedicated to the work they do to promote pork and pig production in the state, as well as providing leadership to their county organizations. That’s why the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) tips its hat each year to these local leaders.

The nominees and state winners were announced at the Iowa Pork Congress in late January.

Belle Ringer Award Winners
Three women from across Iowa were nominated for the state Belle Ringer award. Each was recognized for the key role she plays in her county pork producer organization.

Those county winners are:
    Buchanan — Kalynn Cavanaugh, Oelwein, has served on the Buchanan County Pork Producers board of directors for three years. She assists with many promotional activities, including at the pork producers food booth at the Buchanan County Fair; the Iowa Eats Food & Drink Festival in Waterloo; and pork grilling events.
    Delaware — Kelley Ries, Manchester, has served on the Delaware County Pork Producers board of directors for more than six years. She plays a vital role in the contests for county pork queen and other youth royalty; helps with annual pie-baking contests; assists with pork educational efforts; and serves pork meals to area residents.
    Washington — Jaelyn Hesseltine, Washington, has served on the Washington County Pork Producers (WCPP) board of directors for three years, including as vice president and president. She strives to keep all members better informed about activities. She led the effort to organize volunteers for the Iowa Pork Tent during the 2023 Iowa State Fair; opened a WCPP Instagram account and posts about the industry; grilled at local events; and helped with presenting pork facts to attendees at the annual Golf for Injured Veterans Everywhere Foundation outing in Riverside.

Hesseltine was named the winner of the state Belle Ringer award, presented by IPPA.

Hog Wild Award Winners
Four men from across Iowa were nominated for the top Hog Wild Award. Each of the nominees was recognized for the key role he plays in his county pork producer organization.

Those county winners are:
    Buchanan — Lucas Cavanaugh, Oelwein, is a three-year member of his county board of directors. Like his wife Kalynn, who was nominated for the Belle Ringer award, he is active with promotional activities, including at the Buchanan County Fair pork producers food stand; the Iowa Eats Food & Drink Festival in Waterloo; and pork grilling events.
    Cherokee — Rod Parker, Cherokee, has served for 19 years on his county’s board of directors, including as vice president and grilling chairman. Parker has helped coordinate many projects, and participated with activities like grilling at the Iowa Pork Tent during the Iowa State Fair.
    Delaware — Jim Shover, Hopkinton, has been on his county board of directors for many years, including three as president. Shover has served as pork superintendent of the Delaware County Fair, and represented pork producers on the fair livestock sale committee. He works with 4-H and FFA youth during the fair and throughout the year.
    Plymouth — Andy Schroeder, Le Mars, has served on his county’s board of directors for 10 years, including four as president. He has coordinated many projects, including donating hams to area food pantries during the holidays, as well as to local service members, police officers, medical professionals, and firefighters. He helps with promotions during October Pork Month, the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, and the Plymouth County Fair; educates college students about meat processing; and actively communicates industry voices to legislators.

Schroeder was selected as the state winner of the Hog Wild Award, presented by IPPA.

Awardees Share Qualities
The individuals nominated for both the Belle Ringer and Hog Wild awards show the highest qualities of leadership, dedication, and commitment to the activities that promote the Iowa pork industry. The IPPA promotion committee selects the nominees and winners of the state awards.

The county organizations that nominated the state winners each received $250; the county organizations nominating the others each earned $100.



USDA Cold Storage January 2024 Highlights

Total red meat supplies in freezers were up 4 percent from the previous month but down 11 percent from last year. Total pounds of beef in freezers were down 1 percent from the previous month and down 11 percent from last year. Frozen pork supplies were up 10 percent from the previous month but down 10 percent from last year. Stocks of pork bellies were up 14 percent from last month but down 8 percent from last year.

Total frozen poultry supplies on January 31, 2024 were up 1 percent from the previous month but down 4 percent from a year ago. Total stocks of chicken were down 5 percent from the previous month and down 7 percent from last year. Total pounds of turkey in freezers were up 24 percent from last month and up 4 percent from January 31, 2023.

Total natural cheese stocks in refrigerated warehouses on January 31, 2024 were up 1 percent from the previous month and up 1 percent from January 31, 2023. Butter stocks were up 25 percent from last month but down 6 percent from a year ago.

Total frozen fruit stocks were down 10 percent from last month but up 4 percent from a year ago. Total frozen vegetable stocks were down 8 percent from last month and down 3 percent from a year ago.



Northern Soy Marketing unveils revamped website

Northern Soy Marketing (NSM) has unlocked a new realm of increasing soybean farmer profitability with its recent rebranding and the launch of its new website. The refreshed logo features a lock and the tagline, “Unlocking knowledge of soy quality,” which supports NSM’s vision of shifting the soybean value paradigm from crude protein to nutritional value.

“The concept of the lock came to fruition as we brainstormed the true mission of NSM,” said Kristeena Thisius, director of marketing for Ag Management Solutions, which led the re-brand project. “NSM’s goal is to be an education hub for soy quality information, both through in-person visits and its digital presence.”

A farmer-led board formed by the soybean checkoff boards of Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Minnesota, NSM invests grower checkoff funds to conduct research on soybean quality in U.S. soybeans and soybean meal destined for export, especially those from the Pacific Northwest (PNW) ports. Additionally, NSM funds educational outreach sessions for international soybean buyers to consider critical amino acid value as a complete assessment of soybean feed quality rather than only crude protein levels.

“Education is at the heart of NSM’s mission,” said NSM Chair Patrick O’Leary, who farms in Benson, Minnesota. “We want to connect with buyers and end users to provide them with the knowledge to make the best nutritional decisions for their livestock. The new logo and website reflect that.”

The new website – soyquality.com – will act as the true education hub and resource center for international buyers, nutritionists and U.S. soybean farmers.

“We are excited for this next chapter for NSM,” O’Leary said. “The new website will be the premier spot for international buyers, feed nutritionists and farmers to gather the knowledge they need to make the best decisions for their companies and operations.”

About Northern Soy Marketing
Northern Soy Marketing, LLC is the farmer-leader board formed by the soybean checkoff boards of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The board invests grower checkoff funds to conduct research on soybean quality and Critical Amino Acid Value (CAAV) levels in northern-grown soybeans and funds outreach to buyers around the world.



USDA Deputy Secretary Torres Small Leads Trade Mission to Angola

The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced that Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small is leading USDA’s first agribusiness trade mission to Luanda, Angola, this week, accompanied by representatives from the Kansas and Wisconsin departments of agriculture, as well as 16 U.S. companies and organizations.

“I am proud to lead USDA’s first trade mission to Angola to help American agri-businesses build strong relationships in this exciting market and region” said Agriculture Deputy Secretary Torres Small. “USDA is invested in market access, whether new or expanded, across the globe. Angola provides ample opportunities to export high-quality, high-value U.S. agricultural products, and I’m excited to see the connections that are formed over the coming days.”

Members of the U.S. delegation will conduct business-to-business meetings with potential buyers from Angola, as well as from neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo and Republic of the Congo. They will also receive in-depth market briefings from USDA Foreign Agricultural Service staff and industry trade experts, gaining insights that will help inform their export strategies for Sub-Saharan Africa.

Trade mission participants represent a variety of American-made food and agricultural products, including beef, dairy, distilled spirits, dry beans and lentils, grains, oilseeds, poultry and more. Participating companies and organizations are:
    Agrisar, Inc., Broadway, Va.
    AMER-CON Corporation, Miami, Fla.
    Food Export Association of the Midwest USA and Food Export USA-Northeast, Chicago, Ill.
    Grove Services, Inc., Wellesley, Maine
    Health Enhanced Foods, Rockaway, N.J.
    J. Reiger & Co., Kansas City, Mo.
    JM Grain, Garrison, N.D.
    Montana Dakota Brands, Lodgepole, N.D.
    Mountaire Farms, Millsboro, Del.
    Schreiber Foods, Green Bay, Wis.
    U.S. Dairy Export Council, Arlington, Va.
    U.S. Livestock Genetics Export, Inc., Mount Horeb, Wis.
    U.S. Meat Export Federation, Denver, Colo.
    U.S. Soybean Export Council, Chesterfield, Mo.
    U.S. Wheat Associates, Arlington, Va.
    USA Poultry & Egg Export Council, Tucker, Ga.



Tester, Rounds Introduce CRA to Overturn Biden Administration Decision Allowing Beef Imports from Paraguay

As part of their continued efforts to support American ranchers and ensure the safety of consumers, U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today officially filed a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution that would overturn the Biden Administration’s recent decision to lift a long-standing ban on beef imports from Paraguay.  

A Congressional Review Act resolution, or CRA, is an oversight tool Congress may use to overturn final rules issued by federal agencies by a simple majority vote.

“My message to the Biden Administration is simple: cutting corners to resume beef imports from a country with a recent history of foot and mouth disease is bad news for both Montana consumers and producers, and I won’t let it stand,” said Tester. “Montana ranchers produce the best beef in the world, and it’s clear that the USDA doesn’t have the data to show that Paraguay meets the same animal health standards. That’s why I’m teaming up with Senator Rounds to overturn this decision from the Biden Administration that is giving a raw deal to American ranchers and could have dangerous impacts on our food supply.”

“South Dakota farmers and ranchers work tirelessly to produce the safest, highest quality and most affordable beef in the world,” said Rounds. “Paraguay, on the other hand, has historically struggled to contain outbreaks of foot and mouth disease. Consumers across America should be able to confidently feed their families beef that they know has met the rigorous standards required in the United States. I’m pleased to be filing this CRA with Senator Tester to overturn this rule that harms American producers and consumers.”

Tester and Rounds’ bipartisan resolution is supported by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), United States Cattlemen’s Association (USCA), R-CALF USA, Livestock Marketing Association, National Farmers Union, Montana Farmers Union, Montana Stockgrowers Association, and the Montana Farm Bureau Federation.

“USDA’s decision to allow Paraguayan beef imports into the U.S. creates an unnecessary risk to the health and safety of the U.S. cattle herd. U.S. cattle producers are held to the highest food safety and animal health standards in the world and any trade partner must be able to demonstrate they can meet those same standards,” said Kent Bacus, Executive Director of Government Affairs for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). “Given Paraguay’s long history of foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks, it is simply too risky to allow Paraguayan imports without recent site visits to confirm Paraguay’s safety claims. U.S. cattle producers are thankful for the leadership of Senators Jon Tester and Mike Rounds for applying the Congressional Review Act to hold USDA accountable and protect our nation’s cattle herd.”

“The last time U.S. government officials stepped foot in a Paraguayan meat processing facility was in 2014. That nearly ten-year gap since the last site visit does not inspire confidence in Paraguay’s animal health and food safety protocols,” said Justin Tupper, President of U.S. Cattlemen’s Association (USCA). “Further, in its regulatory impact analysis, USDA fully admits that there is a real possibility we could import beef from an animal infected by Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD). An outbreak of FMD in the United States would be devastating for both producers and consumers, causing lasting financial losses between $33 and $93 billion. We thank Senators Tester and Rounds.”

“We applaud Senator Tester and Senator Rounds for protecting the integrity of America’s beef supply,” said Bill Bullard, CEO of R-CALF USA. “The USDA’s reliance on outdated inspections of Paraguayan food safety protocols is unacceptable. We urge swift passage of this critical measure.”

“LMA greatly appreciates Senator Tester and Rounds standing up for the health of the U.S. cattle industry,” said Mark Barnett, President of Livestock Marketing Association. “The irresponsible decision to allow fresh Paraguay beef imports based on outdated site visits and inadequate data is an unacceptable risk for hardworking beef producers in this country.”

“Importing beef from Paraguay risks undermining consumer trust in the safety and quality of domestic beef,” said Rob Larew, President of National Farmers Union. “Given the unresolved concerns about Paraguay’s quality standards and regulatory system, Senators Tester and Rounds’ leadership in pushing to reinstate the ban is crucial.”

“Here in Montana we hold our beef to a higher standard, and Senator Tester will stand up to anyone that tries to jeopardize the hard work of our ranchers,” said Walter Schweitzer, President of the Montana Farmers Union. “With plenty of questions surrounding animal safety and standards in Paraguay, it’s clear that reversing a ban on Paraguayan beef is the wrong move for producers and consumers in Montana. Thank you Senator Tester for looking out for our ranchers and standing up for Montana.”

“American cattle ranchers work diligently to grow and deliver the most safe, healthy, sustainably produced beef to the world,” said John Grande, President of the Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA). “Montana Stockgrowers Association applauds Senators Tester and Rounds on their work to protect the American beef industry and for their effort to stop unscientific rulemaking on beef imports from Uruguay.”

“We appreciate Senator Tester and Senator Rounds’ efforts to protect the American beef supply and urge swift passage of this CRA,” said Cyndi Johnson, President of the Montana Farm Bureau Federation. “Until it can be absolutely proven that there is no risk of an infectious animal disease outbreak in the U.S. domestic animal population caused by these imports, they must be halted.”  

Tester and Rounds have led the charge to support American ranchers. In December, Tester and Rounds first announced their plan to file a CRA to overturn the Biden Administration’s decision. The senators also introduced bipartisan legislation to suspend beef imports from Paraguay in response to animal health concerns. Their bipartisan bill would also require the establishment of a working group to evaluate the threat to food safety and animal health posed by Paraguayan beef. Tester and Rounds have called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to collect more up to date data before resuming beef imports from a country like Paraguay with a recent history of foot and mouth disease. Paraguay last reported cases of foot and mouth disease in 2012. The USDA’s decision to resume Paraguayan imports relies on an analysis completed in 2018, and American inspectors have not conducted a site visit to Paraguay since 2014.

Last year, Tester and Rounds introduced bipartisan legislation to suspend Brazilian beef imports to the U.S. until experts can conduct a systemic review of the commodity’s impact on food safety and animal health.



Syngenta announces an upcoming addition to its seed treatment portfolio: Victrato

Syngenta announced today that it has a new seed treatment in development for soybeans and cotton, which will be called Victrato®. Upon approval by the Environmental Protection Agency for registration, which is anticipated by the 2025 growing season, the new seed treatment will introduce targeted technology to stop nematodes, Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) and Cotton Root Rot (CRR) without harming beneficial organisms.

“Victrato will protect against adults, juveniles and eggs from multiple nematode species, including Soybean Cyst (SCN), root knot, reniform, lance and lesion,” said Dale Ireland, Ph.D., Syngenta Seedcare technical product lead. “The high intrinsic activity will also help defend against Fusarium virguliforme, the causal organism of SDS, while providing early-season suppression of foliar diseases, such as frogeye leaf spot, target spot and Septoria brown spot.”

Featuring a novel SDHI active ingredient, TYMIRIUM® technology, Victrato will deliver targeted protection in the root zone. Upon registration, Victrato will be the newest edition to the Syngenta Seedcare portfolio and will help growers protect their crops from some of the most damaging early-season yield threats, while also offering crop safety.

“Victrato will be a true example of Syngenta’s continued commitment to Seedcare innovation,” Ireland says.