NEBRASKA 2024 PROSPECTIVE PLANTINGS
Nebraska corn growers intend to plant 9.85 million acres this year, down 1% from 2023, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Soybean planted acreage is expected to be 5.30 million acres, up 1% from last year.
All hay acreage to be harvested is expected to total 2.35 million acres, up 3% from 2023.
Winter wheat acres seeded in the fall of 2023 are estimated at 1.00 million acres, down 12% from last year.
Sorghum growers in Nebraska intend to plant 400,000 acres, up 18% from a year ago.
Oat intentions are estimated at 110,000 acres, down 29% from last year.
Dry edible bean acreage intentions are estimated at 115,000 acres, up 15% from 2023.
Sugarbeet growers expect to plant 49,000 acres, up 5% from last year.
Sunflower producers expect to plant a record low 30,000 acres, down 24% from 2023. Oil varieties account for 25,000 acres, down 19% from a year ago. Non-oil varieties made up the balance of 5,000 acres, down 41% from the previous year and a record low if realized.
Dry edible pea acreage intentions are estimated at 48,000 acres, up 129% from last year.
Estimates in this report are based on a survey conducted during the first two weeks of March.
Iowa Prospective Plantings
Iowa farmers intend to plant 12.8 million acres of corn for all purposes in 2024 according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Prospective Plantings report. This is down 300,000 acres from 2023.
Producers intend to plant 10.2 million acres of soybeans in Iowa this year. This is up 250,000 acres from 2023.
Iowa farmers intend to plant 145,000 acres of oats for all purposes. This is down 45,000 acres from last year.
Farmers in Iowa expect to harvest 1.0 million acres of all dry hay for the 2024 crop year. This is 10,000 acres below last year.
The Prospective Plantings report provides the first official, survey-based estimates of U.S. farmers' 2024 planting intentions. NASS's acreage estimates are based primarily on surveys conducted during the first two weeks of March from a sample of approximately 71,800 farm operators across the United States with more than 2,600 from Iowa. Actual plantings will depend upon weather, economic conditions and the availability of production inputs at the time producers make their final planting decisions.
US farmers expect to plant less corn and more soybean acres
Producers surveyed across the United States intend to plant 90.0 million acres of corn in 2024, down 5% from last year, according to the Prospective Plantings report released today by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).
Planted acreage intentions for corn are down or unchanged in 38 of the 48 estimating states. Acreage decreases of 300,000 acres or more from last year are expected in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, South Dakota, and Texas. If realized, the planted area of corn in Arizona and Oregon will be the largest on record.
Soybean growers intend to plant 86.5 million acres in 2024, up 3% from last year. Acreage increases from last year of 100,000 or more are expected in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, and South Dakota. Record high acreage is expected in Kentucky and New York.
Other key findings in the report are:
All wheat planted area for 2024 is estimated at 47.5 million acres, down 4% for comparable states from 2023.
Winter wheat planted area, at 34.1 million acres, is down 1% from the previous estimate and down 7% from last year for comparable states.
Area planted to other spring wheat for 2024 is expected to total 11.3 million acres, up 1% from 2023.
Durum wheat planted is expected to total 2.03 million acres for 2024, up 22% from last year for comparable states.
All cotton planted area for 2024 is expected to total 10.7 million acres, 4% above last year.
The Prospective Plantings report provides the first official, survey-based estimates of U.S. farmers’ 2024 planting intentions. NASS’s acreage estimates are based on surveys conducted during the first two weeks of March from a sample of nearly 72,000 farm operators across the nation.
NEBRASKA MARCH 1, 2024 GRAIN STOCKS
Nebraska corn stocks in all positions on March 1, 2024 totaled 814 million bushels, up 19% from 2023, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Of the total, 490 million bushels are stored on farms, up 27% from a year ago. Off-farm stocks, at 324 million bushels, are up 9% from last year.
Soybeans stored in all positions totaled 122 million bushels, up 17% from last year. On-farm stocks of 41.0 million bushels are up 41% from a year ago, and off-farm stocks, at 80.9 million bushels, are up 7% from 2023.
Wheat stored in all positions totaled 22.2 million bushels, up 63% from a year ago. On-farm stocks of 3.40 million bushels are up 183% from 2023, and off-farm stocks of 18.8 million bushels are up 51% from last year.
Sorghum stored in all positions totaled 4.01 million bushels, down 1% from 2023. On-farm stocks of 510,000 bushels are up 42% from a year ago but off-farm holdings of 3.50 million bushels are down 5% from last year.
On-farm oat stocks of 250,000 bushels are unchanged from 2023.
Iowa Grain Stocks
Corn stored in all positions in Iowa on March 1, 2024, totaled 1.42 billion bushels, up 8 percent from March 1, 2023, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Grain Stocks report. Of the total stocks, 63 percent were stored on-farm. The December 2023 - February 2024 indicated disappearance totaled 667 million bushels, 7 percent below the 719 million bushels from the same quarter the previous year.
Soybeans stored in all positions in Iowa on March 1, 2024, totaled 313 million bushels, up 4 percent from March 1, 2023. Of the total stocks, 46 percent were stored on-farm. Indicated disappearance for December 2023 - February 2024 was 147 million bushels, 18 percent below the 180 million bushels from the same quarter the previous year.
National Highlights
Thursday, NASS also released the quarterly Grain Stocks report to provide estimates of on-farm and off-farm stocks as of March 1. Key findings in that report include:
Corn stocks totaled 8.35 billion bushels, up 13% from the same time last year. On-farm corn stocks were up 24% from a year ago, while off-farm stocks were down 1%.
Soybeans stored totaled 1.85 billion bushels, up 9% from March 1, 2023. On-farm soybean stocks were up 24% from a year ago, while off-farm stocks were down 3%.
All wheat stored totaled 1.09 billion bushels, up 16% from a year ago. On-farm all wheat stocks were up 20% from last year, while off-farm stocks were up 14%.
Durum wheat stored totaled 36.6 million bushels, up 2% from March 1, 2023. On-farm Durum stocks were up 10% from a year ago, while off-farm stocks of Durum wheat were down 5%.
NEBRASKA HOG INVENTORY UP 4%
Nebraska inventory of all hogs and pigs on March 1, 2024, was 3.75 million head, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. This was up 4% from March 1, 2023, but down 1% from December 1, 2023.
Breeding hog inventory, at 410,000 head, was up 4% from March 1, 2023, and up 3% from last quarter. Market hog inventory, at 3.34 million head, was up 4% from last year, but down 2% from last quarter.
The December 2023 - February 2024 Nebraska pig crop, at 2.24 million head, was up 11% from 2023. Sows farrowed during the period totaled 185,000 head, up 3% from last year. The average pigs saved per litter was 12.10 for the December - February period, compared to 11.25 last year.
Nebraska hog producers intend to farrow 175,000 sows during the March - May 2024 quarter, down 3% from the actual farrowings during the same period a year ago. Intended farrowings for June - August 2024 are 185,000 sows, unchanged from the actual farrowings during the same period a year ago.
IOWA HOG INVENTORY UP 6%
On March 1, 2024, there were 25.2 million hogs and pigs on Iowa farms, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Hogs and Pigs report. Inventory was unchanged from the previous quarter but up 6 percent from the previous year.
The December 2023-February 2024 quarterly pig crop was 5.25 million head, down 3 percent from the previous quarter and down 4 percent from last year. A total of 445,000 sows farrowed during this quarter. The average pigs saved per litter was 11.80 for the quarter.
As of March 1, producers planned to farrow 465,000 sows and gilts in the March-May 2024 quarter and 470,000 head during the June-August 2024 quarter.
United States Hog Inventory Up 1 Percent
United States inventory of all hogs and pigs on March 1, 2024 was 74.6 million head. This was up 1 percent from March 1, 2023, but down 2 percent from December 1, 2023.
Breeding inventory, at 6.02 million head, was down 2 percent from last year, but up slightly from the previous quarter.
Market hog inventory, at 68.6 million head, was up 1 percent from last year, but down 2 percent from last quarter.
The December 2023-February 2024 pig crop, at 33.1 million head, was up 2 percent from last year. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 2.88 million head, down 3 percent from previous year. The sows farrowed during this quarter represented 48 percent of the breeding herd. The average pigs saved per litter was 11.53 for the December 2023-February 2024 period, compared to 11.02 last year.
United States hog producers intend to have 2.92 million sows farrow during the March-May 2024 quarter, down 1 percent from the actual farrowings during the same period one year earlier, and down 2 percent from the same period two years earlier. Intended farrowings for June-August 2024, at 2.99 million sows, are down 2 percent from the same period one year earlier, and down 3 percent from the same period two years earlier.
The total number of hogs under contract owned by operations with over 5,000 head, but raised by contractees, accounted for 52 percent of the total United States hog inventory, up 1 percent from the previous year.
Lindsay to Invest Over $50M to Expand, Modernize Manufacturing Facility
Lindsay Corporation (NYSE: LNN), a leading global manufacturer and distributor of irrigation and infrastructure equipment and technology, announced this week plans to invest more than $50 million over the next two years in its largest global manufacturing facility located in Lindsay, Neb.
"We offer a best-in-class customer experience. That includes well-designed products, built by the industry's top professionals, in facilities that lead the industry in safety, quality and efficiency," said Randy Wood, President and CEO of Lindsay. "This investment will accelerate Lindsay's ability to bring its latest innovations, including the Smart Pivot, to market, and it aligns with our strategic growth plan and commitment to leveraging state-of-the-art technology across our global operations."
"Lindsay has grown to become a worldwide force in irrigation and infrastructure, all from smalltown Nebraska," said Governor Jim Pillen. "This historic investment will continue to drive innovation, improve efficiencies, and enhance products that will benefit agriculture and infrastructure projects across the globe. I appreciate Lindsay's longstanding role and commitment to the state of Nebraska."
Plans for the modernization of the facility include implementing Industry 4.0 technologies, including data connectivity, analytics, artificial intelligence and the additions of automation and robotics. The facility will house new equipment and the latest advancements in galvanizing, a core process for manufacturing pivot irrigation systems and road safety products. Lindsay will also expand the facility footprint by 40,000 square feet to allow for increased capacity and capabilities in metal forming.
"As part of our operational excellence journey, we are designing and implementing the factory of the future," said Rich Harold, Senior Vice President, Global Operations of Lindsay. "This investment will create additional value for our customers, employees and other stakeholders by allowing us to improve efficiency, enhance product quality through better monitoring and adjustment of production systems, be more responsive to cyclical market needs, address labor availability challenges and achieve best-in-class performance and service."
This investment is the largest in Lindsay's history. The company expects to begin capital spending in the second quarter of fiscal 2024 and complete the facility modernization by the end of 2025.
Vilsack talks Energy, Fertilizer Production in Omaha Thursday
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack Thursday announced that USDA is investing $124 million in renewable energy and fertilizer production projects in 44 states to lower energy costs, generate new income and create jobs for U.S. farmers, ranchers, agricultural producers and rural small businesses.
The Secretary made the announcement during a visit to University of Nebraska Omaha, where he discussed USDA’s efforts under the Biden-Harris Administration to invest in rural communities nationwide. Most of the projects announced today are being funded by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the nation’s largest-ever investment in combating the climate crisis, through the Rural Energy for America Program. An additional project is funded by the Fertilizer Production Expansion Program. In total, this funding advances the President’s Investing in America agenda to grow the nation’s economy from the middle out and bottom up by increasing competition in agricultural markets, lowering costs and expanding clean energy.
“Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is committed to ensuring farmers, ranchers and small businesses are directly benefitting from both a clean energy economy and a strong U.S. supply chain,” Secretary Vilsack said. “The investments announced today will expand access to renewable energy systems and domestic fertilizer, all while creating good-paying jobs and saving people money that they can then invest back into their businesses and communities.”
This visit comes just weeks after USDA selected Midwest Electric Cooperative, located in Grant, NE, and the Village of Emerson, NE as two of its first applicants to move forward in the awards process through the Powering Affordable Clean Energy program. Midwest Electric Cooperative will build solar renewable energy resource facilities and energy storage systems for the communities in Wallace, Grant, Paxton and Lakeview. The Village of Emerson plans to use the funds to finance a solar facility that will distribute clean energy to the Winnebago Tribe.
Rural Clean Energy Production
Today’s announcement includes an investment of over $120 million in 541 Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) projects across 44 states.
Through the REAP program, USDA provides grants and loans to help ag producers and rural small business owners expand their use of wind, solar and other forms of clean energy and make energy efficiency improvements. These innovations help them increase their income, grow their businesses, address climate change and lower energy costs.
The REAP program is part of the President’s Justice40 Initiative, which set a goal to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
These investments will cut energy costs for farmers and ag producers that can instead be used to create jobs and new revenue streams for people in their communities. For example:
In Nebraska, Darr Grain will install three 15-kilowatt (kW) wind turbines at a grain storage facility. This project is expected to save the business $9,700 in electrical costs per year and generate more than 138,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per year. This represents 77% of the company’s energy use, which is enough to power nine homes.
In Maine, Moorit Hill Farm will install a 40.95 kW roof mount solar system. The system will save the farm more than 50,000 kWh per year, which is equivalent to approximately 100% of the farm’s energy use. This is enough clean energy to power nearly five homes, replace 50,000 pounds of burning coal, or replace approximately eight gasoline powered cars.
In Idaho, Boulder Creek Oz will purchase and install a biomass furnace to provide additional heat to their cabins and mountain lodging facilities in Boundary County. This project is expected to save more than $3,800 per year. It will replace more than 3,700 kWh, which is approximately 94% of the energy use per year.
USDA is making the REAP awards in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Since the start of the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA has invested more than $1.8 billion through REAP in over 6,000 renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements that will help rural business owners' lower energy costs, generate new income, and strengthen their resiliency of operations.
USDA continues to accept REAP applications and will hold funding competitions quarterly through September 30, 2024. The funding includes a dedicated portion for underutilized renewable energy technologies. For additional information on application deadlines and submission details, see page 19239 of the March 31 Federal Register.
Domestic Fertilizer Production
Since the start of the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA has invested more than $174 million through the Fertilizer Production Expansion Program (FPEP) to support 42 projects nationwide to boost domestic fertilizer production.
Today, USDA is providing nearly $4 million in FPEP funding to Bluestem Systems to build facilities and purchase equipment at three locations in Iowa and Nebraska. The facilities will help the company make advancements in its innovative process to remove water and pathogens to create a dry fertilizer mix. The project is expected to yield 3,800 tons of dry fertilizer per year and 11,400 tons annually across all three facilities, which will be made available to 1,500 producers.
Through FPEP, USDA provides grants to independent farmers and agricultural business owners to help them produce fertilizer. Funds can be used to modernize equipment, adopt new technologies, build fertilizer production plants and more. This program helps boost domestic fertilizer production while lowering costs and creating new income streams for U.S. farmers.
Nebraska’s NRDs Advocate for Conservation Funding in Washington, D.C.
Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) were represented by nearly 50 directors and staff in Washington, D.C., March 18-20, 2024.
Nebraska’s NRDs advocate for strengthening tools to preserve and fund natural resources projects, which includes engaging policymakers from the grassroots level with a unified voice.
This grassroots advocacy culminates with a visit to Washington, D.C., allowing NRD staff and directors to meet with congressional leaders and discuss local priorities with national partners on federal legislation and programs.
“Those who work and live among our natural resources are some of our most effective spokespeople,” said Dr. Orval Gigstad, Nebraska Association of Resources Districts past president. “Going to D.C. is an opportunity to advocate for Nebraska by sharing our personal stories, and also hear federal perspectives on issues that could impact us locally.”
While on Capitol Hill, conference attendees spent a day meeting with Nebraska senators and congressmen and participated in a two-day session with federal agencies and conservation partners. NRDs help deliver several federal programs locally, and these partnerships equate into real dollars for Nebraska agriculture and communities. Some of the federal topics and speakers included:
Watershed Programs, Regional Conservation Partnership Program, Soil Health Division, and Soil Science and Resource Assessment (SSRA) with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Nonpoint Source Branch
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Corps Water Infrastructure Financing Program (CWIFP)
Bureau of Reclamation WaterSMART Program
Farm Bill and Agriculture Innovation with Corteva Agriscience, American Farm Bureau Federation and the Irrigation Association.
“We are grateful to our Nebraska federal delegation for their unwavering support and collaborative spirit in championing the cause of conservation alongside the Natural Resources Districts,” Gigstad said. “Their dedication and partnership have been instrumental in securing vital funding and resources that enable us to protect and preserve Nebraska’s precious natural resources for generations to come.”
Gigstad, who has served on the Nemaha NRD board since 1993, also serves as chairman of the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) Northern Plains Region on behalf of Nebraska’s NRDs.
NACD provides a unified, national voice for the more than 3,000 conservation districts across the U.S. including Nebraska’s 23 NRDs. NACD’s member-driven board of directors selects conservation policy priorities, which are used to develop and review environmental and natural resources legislation and to secure adequate federal funding for natural resources conservation programs.
“NACD thanks Nebraska’s district leaders for taking the time and effort to advocate for locally led conservation on Capitol Hill,” said Chris Young, NACD director of government affairs. “As the Farm Bill and federal funding legislation are being developed, it’s a critical time for lawmakers to hear district priorities and understand how they can support conservation delivery in Nebraska and across the country.”
Back in Nebraska, advocacy efforts will continue by hosting elected officials in the Natural Resources Districts and engaging in public outreach.
“Locally, NRDs will continue to share our successes and concerns with our elected officials to ensure more informed decision making,” Gigstad said. “It is important that our elected officials know what the needs of locally led conservation are so that NRDs can receive adequate support to continue protecting lives, property and the future.”
Established in 1972, Nebraska’s 23 NRDs are local government units involved in a variety of projects and programs to conserve and protect the state’s natural resources. Today, the unique system of locally controlled, watershed-based conservation is widely admired throughout the nation.
Iowa Corn Growers Association Shows Strength in Numbers at Day on the Hill Event
Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) members filled the State Capitol rotunda yesterday for the “Iowa Corn Day on the Hill” lobbying event to share what matters most to them and their family farms. The delegation included ICGA board members, county leaders, grassroots members and FFA students from across the state. While in attendance, corn farmers took time to share their personal farm stories with state lawmakers and advocate for corn related policies.
“It is so important to show up and to engage with our legislators. That’s why our ‘Iowa Corn Day on the Hill’ event is such a remarkable indicator of what’s to come in ag policy. During the day we facilitate one-on-one interactions with state legislators where members can discuss and promote ICGA policy priorities and issues important to all of Iowa agriculture,” stated Iowa Corn Growers Association President Jolene Riessen, a farmer from Ida Grove, Iowa. “The dedication and engagement of our members allow ICGA to have a strong, unified voice at the State Capitol on issues impacting corn farmers in Iowa.”
As a long-standing, well-respected agricultural organization, the Iowa Corn Growers Association serves as a collective voice for Iowa’s corn farmers on agricultural issues at the state and federal level. Grassroots members from across the state are the backbone of our organization and the driving force behind our policy development and implementation efforts. We continue to work towards fair policy that protects the interest of our members and the Iowa corn industry.
If you missed this Day on the Hill event, we encourage you to contact your legislators by other means, including by participating in calls to action or attending local town halls. To see ICGA’s full list of state and federal priorities for 2024, visit iowacorn.org/policy.
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