Monday April 29 Ag News

 Nebraska On-Farm Research Network Releases 2023 Research Results Publication

The Nebraska On-Farm Research Network (NOFRN) is placing research results into producers’ hands through its 2023 Research Results book — a publication that highlights findings from approximately 80 on-farm research studies conducted in Nebraska during the 2023 growing season.

"The research results in this book equip producers with the tools to harness local insights, enabling them to make well-informed decisions that optimize both productivity and profitability on their own operation" said Taylor Lexow, NOFRN Project Coordinator.

Studies in the 2023 Research Results book cover various topics, including crop production, fertility and soil management, non-traditional products, cover crops, crop protection and equipment. The 2023 publication, along with publications from previous years, is now available on the NOFRN’s website.

With planting season upon us, now is the time to dig deeper into agricultural practices and determine what best fits the needs of every operation. Download a copy of the 2023 Research Results book today from the NOFRN site https://on-farm-research.unl.edu/result-publications.

For more information about the 2023 Research Results book or the NOFRN, please contact Taylor Lexow at 402-245-2222.

The Nebraska On-Farm Research Network (NOFRN) is a program of Nebraska Extension that partners with farmers to evaluate agricultural practices and provide innovative solutions that impact farm productivity, profitability and sustainability. It is supported by the Nebraska Corn Board, the Nebraska Corn Growers Association, the Nebraska Soybean Checkoff and the Nebraska Dry Bean Commission. To learn more about the NOFRN, visit its website https://on-farm-research.unl.edu/.



Dairy Producers in Nebraska Reminded to Enroll in 2024 Dairy Margin Coverage by April 29   

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is encouraging dairy producers to enroll by April 29, 2024, for 2024 Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC), an important safety net program that helps offset milk and feed price differences. This year’s DMC signup began Feb. 28, 2024, and payments, retroactive to January, began in March 2024. So far, DMC payments triggered in January and February of 2024 at margins of $8.48 and $9.44 respectively.

“We encourage producers to join the dairy operations in Nebraska that have already signed up for this important safety net program in advance of the deadline,” said USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Acting State Executive Director Tim Divis in Nebraska. “At $0.15 per hundredweight for $9.50 coverage, risk protection through Dairy Margin Coverage is a cost-effective tool to manage risk and provide security for your operations.”

Contact your local FSA office or USDA Service Center for more information.



Statement by Mark McHargue, President, Regarding the Naming of Dr. Jeffrey Gold as the NU President

“We offer our congratulations to Dr. Jeffrey Gold on his appointment as president of the University of Nebraska system. Considering that agriculture serves as the primary economic force in our state, supporting a quarter of all jobs in Nebraska, and given that Nebraska's agricultural complex ranks as the third largest in the nation, it is crucial that the individual leading our land grant institution is fully dedicated to making Nebraska ‘the’ top agriculture research and extension institution. We look forward to working with Dr. Gold to ensure the advancement of Nebraska's prominence as a global front-runner in the production of food, fiber, and energy.”



Free Farm and Ag Law Clinics Set for May

Free legal and financial clinics are being offered for farmers and ranchers across the state in May. The clinics are one-on-one in-person meetings with an agricultural law attorney and an agricultural financial counselor. These are not group sessions, and they are confidential.

The attorney and financial advisor specialize in legal and financial issues related to farming and ranching, including financial and business planning, transition planning, farm loan programs, debtor/creditor law, debt structure and cash flow, agricultural disaster programs, and other relevant matters. Here is an opportunity to obtain an independent, outside perspective on issues that may be affecting your farm or ranch.

Clinic Dates
    Thursday, May 2 — Fairbury
    Wednesday, May 15 — Norfolk
    Thursday, May 16 — Valentine

To sign up for a free clinic or to get more information, call the Nebraska Farm Hotline at 1-800-464-0258. Funding for this work is provided by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture and Legal Aid of Nebraska.



Foreign Investors Must Report U.S. Agricultural Land Holdings

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Acting State Executive Director for Nebraska Tim Divis reminds foreign investors with an interest in agricultural land in the United States that they are required to report their land holdings and transactions to USDA.

The Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA) requires foreign investors who buy, sell or hold an interest in U.S. agricultural land to report their holdings and transactions to the USDA. Foreign investors must file AFIDA Report Form FSA-153 with the FSA county office in the county where the land is located. Large or complex filings may be handled by AFIDA headquarters staff in Washington, D.C.

According to CFR Title 7 Part 781, any foreign person who holds an interest in U.S. agricultural land is required to report their holdings no later than 90 days after the date of the transaction.

“Failure to file a report or filing a late or inaccurate report can result in a penalty with fines up to 25% of the fair market value of the agricultural land,” said Divis.

Foreign investors should report holdings of agricultural land totaling 10 acres or more used for farming, ranching or timber production, and leaseholds on agricultural land of 10 or more years. Tracts totaling 10 acres or less in the aggregate, and which produce annual gross receipts in excess of $1,000 from the sale of farm, ranch, forestry or timber products, must also be reported. AFIDA reports are also required when there are changes in land use, such as from agricultural to nonagricultural use. Foreign investors must also file a report when there is a change in the status of ownership.

The information from AFIDA reports is used to prepare an annual report to Congress. These annual reports to Congress, as well as more information, are available on the FSA AFIDA webpage.

Assistance in completing the FSA-153 report may be obtained from the local FSA office. For more information regarding AFIDA or FSA programs, contact the county FSA office or visit fsa.usda.gov. To find contact information for county FSA offices, visit farmers.gov and scroll down to the Service Center locator tool.



CONVEY'24: Leading event for grain handling and processing professionals returns to Omaha, Neb.

The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA), Grain Elevator and Processing Society (GEAPS), and Grain Journal have announced that CONVEY’24 will be held again this year in Omaha, Neb., on July 23-25, 2024.

CONVEY‘24 is a unique opportunity for grain handling and processing employees and leaders to gain practical knowledge and training on real-world compliance issues, best practices, and emerging industry trends.

“We look forward to providing the same valuable education, access to world class vendors and networking opportunities in a user-friendly environment. We have upgraded our educational sessions since our last event in July of 2023 to give our attendees many new technical capabilities,” said Glen Gudino, president for GEAPS Media Group, publisher of the Grain Journal. “The Omaha area represents the heartland of U.S. grain handling and processing operations.”

One of the newest attractions to the 2024 CONVEY is DEGESCH America’s Recertification Program on Tuesday, July 23. Four CEU credits have been approved in Kansas, Colorado, Ohio, Michigan, Texas, Indiana, and Oklahoma.

"NGFA is proud to partner with Grain Journal and GEAPS for this year’s CONVEY, which includes expert-led sessions focused on a variety of safety, technology and operations topics as well as a robust trade show," said Jess McCluer, NGFA senior vice president, safety and regulatory. “In a new offering this year, DEGESCH will provide a pesticide re-certification opportunity in conjunction with the conference on July 23. Between the educational sessions, re-certification program, trade show and expanded networking opportunities, the offerings at CONVEY ‘24 are sure to provide a well-rounded and dynamic experience for your whole team.”

The annual conference and tradeshow will kick off on Wednesday, July 24. While he’s been to Omaha many times, GEAPS ExecutiveDirector John Caupert said he is looking forward to returning for his first CONVEY.

“I hope you’ll join me in the second largest ethanol-producing state in the country for CONVEY‘24.GEAPS is excited to work with Grain Journal and NGFA to present this conference focused on safety—with a new twist this year—as we pay specific attention to new and emerging technologies deployed in grain handling and processing,” Caupert said.

For the upcoming event, speakers have already been confirmed to share their industry knowledge and provide insight into actionable solutions for attendees to implement at their facilities. A complete list of presentations and presenters can be found online at Conveyconference.com.

Thousands of industry professionals have relied on CONVEY to stay current on developments in one of the fastest-growing segments of the industry.  

Registration for the event is now open at: https://www.conveyconference.com/attendees/.

GEAPS and NGFA members can register at the discounted rate of $325 for the conference and $450 for the conference and recertification workshop. Early-bird pricing ends May 31.

If you would like information about exhibiting or sponsoring CONVEY‘24, contact Mark Avery, EVP and event sales manager at Grain Journal, at mark@grainnet.com or 800.728.7511.

CONVEY is produced by Grain Elevator and Processing Society (GEAPS), National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) and Grain Journal on July23-25 in Omaha, Neb.


For additional information, please visit Conveyconference.com.



Reynolds to Lead Trade, Investment Mission to India

Gov. Kim Reynolds last week announced that she will lead a trade mission to India later this year to strengthen Iowa’s trade and investment relationship with one of the world’s fastest growing economies. The trade mission is planned for September 13-22, 2024, and will include Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig and a delegation of agricultural and business leaders.  

“India is the world’s largest democracy and, over the last two decades, it has transformed its economy, making it the fifth largest in the world,” said Gov. Reynolds. “With India’s tremendous growth and massive consumer market, this trade mission is an excellent opportunity to promote Iowa as an investment destination for Indian companies – particularly those in advanced manufacturing, biotech, finance, and insurance – and a strong trade partner in agricultural exports.”

The trade mission is being organized by the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) with support from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Commercial Service. While the itinerary is still being developed, Gov. Reynolds is expected to meet with business and government leaders in Mumbai and New Delhi. Iowa companies will participate in meetings specific to their market entry or expansion needs.

“Given that Iowa is a global agricultural powerhouse and India has the world’s largest population with a rapidly growing economy of consumers, the opportunity to build upon our existing partnership is a win-win for both India and Iowa,” said Secretary Naig. “India already has a growing appetite for ethanol and livestock feed, and recently opened the door for Iowa pork exports, so this connection offers a significant upside for Iowa. I am excited to embark on this trade mission with Gov. Reynolds and our delegation of Iowans to reinforce existing relationships and forge new friendships that will create larger and more diverse markets for Iowa products.”

The IEDA works to stimulate foreign direct investment in the state, offers export assistance for small and mid-sized Iowa companies and coordinates international trade and investment missions and trade show opportunities for Iowa companies.



Naig Encourages Iowans to Participate in Soil and Water Conservation Week

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig is encouraging all Iowans to participate in Soil and Water Conservation Week, which is being held from Sunday, April 28 to Sunday May 5. The annual weeklong event coincides with the 69th annual National Association of Conservation Districts Stewardship Week. Soil and Water Conservation Week is an opportunity to recognize the important conservation work that is happening across Iowa and bring attention to the ongoing work by farmers, landowners and urban residents to conserve and protect the state’s soil and water.

Many of Iowa’s 100 Soil and Water Conservation Districts, as well as other public and private partners, are holding events or providing programming throughout the week, including field days, poster contests and more. Iowans are also encouraged to nominate deserving individuals or families in their community for recognition, including the prestigious Conservation Farmer of the Year Award and the Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award, among several others.

“Iowa’s economy depends on agriculture and agriculture depends on our rich natural resources, including our soil and water,” said Secretary Naig. “Iowa is continuing to set records for conservation implementation across this state. However, there is much more to accomplish, and we need to continue accelerating the pace of this impactful work. During Soil and Water Conservation week from April 28 to May 5, I encourage all Iowans to participate in local events and implement conservation practices on your own property.”

Secretary Naig and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship are participating in several events and activities throughout the week, including the following:

Monday, April 29
    Secretary Naig and partners will participate in a kickoff event for Soil and Water Conservation Week. The event will highlight a wetlands project at Corteva in Johnston. The project is one of 14 urban conservation projects that Secretary Naig announced on April 23.
    Staff members from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will volunteer their assistance with the 2024 Iowa Envirothon, hosted by Conservation Districts of Iowa.

Thursday, May 2
    Secretary Naig and staff from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will participate in a Virtual Field Day with Iowa Learning Farms. The topic will be Iowa’s Ag Drainage Wells and the quarter-century effort to get them all properly closed.

Friday, May 3
    Secretary Naig will visit a construction site in Humboldt County that represents one of the last Ag Drainage Wells needing to be closed in the state.
    Staff members from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will participate in a service project to help clean up a stream in Des Moines.  

Iowans are invited to share the ways they are celebrating the week online by using #CleanWaterIowa. To learn more about Soil and Water Conservation Week, visit the Department’s webpage https://iowaagriculture.gov/soil-and-water-conservation-week.



NCBA Statement on USDA Final Traceability Rule

Friday, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) President Mark Eisele, a Wyoming rancher, issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) final traceability rule:  
 
“USDA’s final traceability rule updates the existing requirement for animal identification that has been in place since 2013, switching from solely visual tags to tags that are both electronically and visually readable for certain classes of cattle moving interstate. Many producers are already familiar with using these visual tags and under the new rule, they will instead use electronic tags. NCBA has worked hard to secure $15 million in funding for producers to reduce the cost of implementing this change. We also remain committed to safeguarding producers’ private data and continuing to reduce the cost of ear tags for farmers and ranchers. Our industry faces a tremendous threat from the risk of a future foreign animal disease on American soil. To avoid devastating financial losses during a potential outbreak and to help producers quickly return to commerce, we need an efficient animal disease traceability system.”  
 
The USDA final traceability rule amends a previous 2013 rule that requires sexually intact cattle 18 months of age or older, rodeo and exhibition cattle, and dairy cattle moving interstate to have an official form of animal identification. The 2013 rule, which cattle producers already comply with, instituted visual ID tags for interstate movement. The new final rule switches producers to electronic ID tags, which are easier to read and would yield a faster traceability response during a foreign animal disease outbreak. The cattle industry faces immense threats from foreign animal diseases, which can be carried into the country by individual travelers, on contraband products, or through regular commerce. It is estimated that a foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in the U.S. would lead to $221 billion in economic losses. Only 11% of the U.S. cattle herd is impacted by this final rule. The rule will not take effect for six months to provide time for producers to prepare.  



Coppa-Style Pork Steaks Debut at Walmart  
NPB

Select Walmart stores are selling a new pork cut, the Coppa-Style Steak. This cut, also known as the "ribeye of pork" is available at 151 locations across Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana and Kentucky.

The National Pork Board has partnered with Chicory, an online platform that places advertising within recipes on sites like Food Network , Taste of Home and the Kitchn, to serve ads to consumers near the select store locations. To date, more than 10,700 shoppers have added the Coppa-Style Pork Steak to their online carts!



Study Highlights Hog Pricing Trends, Importance of Livestock Mandatory Reporting
NPPC
 
In a policy brief published by Iowa State University Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, economists apply the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Livestock Mandatory Reporting (LMR) data to identify changes in how producers have priced hogs over time.
 
Ever.ag Chief Livestock Economist Dr. Steve Meyer and Iowa State University associate professor and extension economist Dr. Lee Schulz examined various pricing mechanisms across three time periods and found that, in all but one instance, average negotiated prices have been lower than other categories. For all time periods studied, negotiated prices have been the most variable. Additionally, the average negotiated price has the largest coefficient of variation, indicating greater relative price risk than other pricing categories.
 
Since wholesale pork volumes and prices became mandatory under LMR in 2013, producers and packers have been increasingly using USDA’s calculated pork cutout value as a pricing mechanism for hogs. Drs. Meyer and Schulz found that, for all three time periods, the cutout value was less variable than average negotiated price, which may help explain the declining share of hogs priced through negotiated sales and increased use of the pork cutout for hog pricing formulas.
 
The report also analyzes seasonal trends in hog slaughter, packer gross margins, and the relationship between hog prices and cutout values, which may serve as important considerations for producers interested in cutout-based pricing.
 
Methods for buying and selling livestock have evolved in recent decades. Since 2001, LMR reports have offered transparent information on price trends, as well as various purchase and sales methods. USDA publishes seven daily and two weekly reports for swine, as well as four daily and 12 weekly reports on wholesale pork, capturing approximately 96% of the hog and pork industry.
 
As pork industry participants continue adapting to changing market environments, it is critical that the values published in USDA reports and used for base price determination are accurate and representative of supply and demand conditions.



DOL Tops 3,000 Pages of Regulations in 18 Months

The U.S. Department of Labor Friday released yet another rule that mires farm families in excessive compliance costs while disregarding privacy concerns for farmers and their employees. With this addition, DOL sets itself apart as the agency most committed to burying farmers and other H-2A employers in a mountain of regulations. American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented on today’s rule and DOL’s track record.

“Farmers appreciate the men and women who work on their farms, and we don’t take lightly the responsibility to ensure their safety and protection. We wholeheartedly support clamping down on labor abuses, but this rule instead assumes all farmers are guilty until proven innocent and that’s not right.

“With this 600-page rule, the Department of Labor has issued a stunning 3,000 pages of new regulations in just 18 months, which farmers are somehow supposed to navigate. Impossible.

“In truth, the workers most supported by DOL are the lawyers needed to interpret the tsunami of new rules that keep moving the goalposts for farmers.”



USDA Dairy Products 2023 Production Summary

Total cheese production, excluding cottage cheeses, was 14.2 billion pounds, 0.9 percent above 2022 production. Wisconsin was the leading State with 24.7 percent of the production.

Italian varieties, with 5.85 billion pounds was 0.8 percent below 2022 production and accounted for 41.2 percent of total cheese in 2023. Mozzarella accounted for 78.7 percent of the Italian production followed by Parmesan with 8.3 percent and Provolone with 6.4 percent. Wisconsin was the leading State in Italian cheese production with 28.6 percent of the production.

American type cheese production was 5.84 billion pounds, 3.0 percent above 2022 and accounted for 41.1 percent of total cheese in 2023. Wisconsin was the leading State in American type cheese production with 18.8 percent of the production.

Butter production in the United States during 2023 totaled 2.12 billion pounds, 2.7 percent above 2022. California was the leading state in Butter production with 32.2 percent of the production.

Dry milk powders (2023 United States production, comparisons in percentage with 2022)
Nonfat dry milk, human - 1.87 billion pounds, down 4.4 percent.
Skim milk powders - 695 million pounds, up 5.6 percent.

Whey products (2023 United States production, comparisons in percentage with 2022)
Dry whey, total - 938 million pounds, up 2.5 percent.
Lactose, human and animal - 1.11 billion pounds, down 0.6 percent.
Whey protein concentrate, total - 502 million pounds, up 11.3 percent.

Frozen products (2023 United States production, comparisons in percentage with 2022)
Ice cream, Regular (total) - 849 million gallons, down 8.2 percent.
Ice cream, Lowfat (total) - 451 million gallons, up 1.2 percent.
Sherbet (total) - 27.9 million gallons, down 14.9 percent.
Frozen Yogurt (total) - 42.4 million gallons, up 11.1 percent.



2023/24 U.S. Sorghum Crop Graded At No. 1 Certification For Fifth Year In A Row

The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) released its 2023/24 Sorghum Quality Report Friday and for the fifth year in a row, U.S. sorghum was, on average, graded above the necessary requirements for U.S. No. 1 certification.

“The Council’s annual sorghum quality reports is an extremely important tool for defending our existing export markets and gaining market share in new ones because it shows exactly what to expect from U.S. product year-by-year,” said Brent Boydston, USGC chairman. “The report is always well-received by everyone along the sorghum value chain and the Council is proud to have offered it for the last half-decade and for many years in the future.”

The report, funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service Agricultural Trade Promotion (USDA-FAS) program and the United Sorghum Checkoff Program (USCP), provides international customers and other interested parties accurate, unbiased information about the 2023/24 U.S. sorghum crop.

Data was drawn from 104 samples collected from 15 participating elevators and one participating farmer in the central and southern regions of the U.S., which represents nearly 100 percent of all U.S. sorghum exports, between July 24, 2023, and Mar. 15, 2024.

The samples were analyzed by the Amarillo Grain Exchange and the Cereal Quality Lab at Texas A&M University, where scientists calculated averages and standard deviations for each quality factor tested and reported results for the U.S. aggregate.

Total sorghum damage came in at 0.0 percent in the aggregate. Kernel diameter and hardness, indicators of maturity and resiliency, were similar to last year.

Additionally, tannins were absent from the sorghum samples for the fifth year in a row and protein, starch and oil content all increased from last year’s crop.