Monday April 8 Ag News

2024-2025 Nebraska State FFA Officer Team Announced

Seven FFA members were announced to the 2024-2025 Nebraska State Officer Team at the final session of the 96th Nebraska FFA Convention. The 2024-2025 Nebraska State Officers are:

State President – Reagan Choat, Plainview
State Secretary – Brynn Almgren, Stuart
State Vice President – Peyton Hinrichs, Meridian
State Vice President – Alexa Tollman, Crawford
State Vice President – Claire Woeppel, Chambers
State Vice President – Calie Cockburn, Emerson-Hubbard
State Vice President – Trey Stewart, Wisner-Pilger

The State FFA Officer Team is selected through a multi-day application and interview process. The new state officer team will spend the next year traveling across Nebraska, different parts of the country, and even internationally to promote the agriculture industry, agriculture education, and FFA. They will host leadership workshops for FFA members, assist with FFA contests, visit FFA Chapters, go on agriculture industry tours, and much more.


 
April 30 Cover Crops Field Day Includes Tours and Research Updates

The focus of the Tuesday, April 30 Cover Crops Field Day at Haskell Ag Lab near Concord, Nebraska is on learning about fall-planted cover crops tailored to diverse management goals. The field day will feature guided tours through three research trials, showcasing the latest findings and practical insights into cover crop management and benefits.

The program kicks off at 1 p.m. with an in-depth look at the USDA NRCS-funded research plots dedicated to evaluating the fertilizer N equivalence values of cereal rye cover crops. This research is conducted in the 39-year long-term tillage, nitrogen rate, and crop rotation plots. The tour will highlight the differences cover crops make across various treatments, alongside a comprehensive demonstration of the data collection process aimed at determining the N equivalence of cover crops.

The second stop features another USDA NRCS-funded initiative with a review of cover crop varieties (rye, triticale, wheat, barley, oats, hairy vetch, brassicas and mixes). Attendees will learn to identify cover crop species and understand their growth stages. Discussion will focus on setting realistic goals and performance expectations for different species, accompanied by an overview of data collection efforts assessing cover crop performance.

The final stop will introduce participants to USDA NIFA-funded study plots concentrating on the integrated use of cover crop, mulch and manure management strategies to mitigate nitrate leaching in cornfields. This session will offer insights into the techniques employed for collecting water samples to gauge nitrate-leaching, as well as comprehensive efforts in gathering soil health data.

This field day provides an opportunity to learn about leading research and to engage with experts in the field. Refreshments provided; the field day concludes at 3 p.m. The University of Nebraska Haskell Ag Lab is located at 57905 866 Rd., Concord, Nebraska.

There is no fee to attend, but please pre-register by Monday, April 29.

The field day is sponsored by Nebraska Extension.

For more information contact Nebraska Extension Educator Katja Koehler-Cole, 402-504-1016, or Javed Iqbal, Nebraska Extension nutrient management and water quality specialist/extension specialist, 402-472-2811.



Morning webinar series focuses on annual forage systems for cattle producers

Annual forages offer cattle producers a way to increase the amount of feed their land produces. In this webinar participants will hear about the latest research and techniques for adding an annual forage rotation to their cattle business. Topics will start with the basics of developing a grazing system and understanding the technical aspects, choosing which species to plant, what to expect, options for harvesting and animal performance. The series will wrap up with a panel of cattle producers who have used an annual grazing system discussing their experiences. Participants can ask questions and interact directly with experts from Nebraska Extension, ensuring personalized insights and valuable takeaways tailored to their forage production needs.

Webinar Topics:
April 23: Overview of Annual Forage Systems
·     Crafting a grazing chain for cattle from mid-spring through fall
·     Understanding carrying capacity and stocking rates
April 25: Using Warm-Season Annuals for Summer Grazing
·     Maximizing productivity through effective grazing management
·     Expected animal performance
April 30: Key Considerations for Silage or Hay from Warm-Season Annuals
·     Species and trait selection
·     Agronomic management for optimal yield and quality
·     Harvest management principles for ensuring success
May 2: Winter-Hardy Small Cereal Silage Production
·     Harvest timing's effect on yield and quality
·     Key management principles for making quality silage
May 7: Grazing Winter-Hardy Small Cereals
·     Differences in species
·     Best practices for grazing management
·     Expected animal performance
May 9: Spring-Planted Small Cereals for Harvest or Grazing
·     Optimizing yields and quality through strategic harvest timing
·     The value of adding a legume
·     Species selection and grazing management
May 14: Stockpiled Forage for Fall Grazing
·     Selecting the right species for the goal
·     Unveiling the value of strip grazing
May 16: Producer Perspectives on Using Annual Forages
·     Lessons learned in the field

The webinar will be Tuesday and Thursday mornings from April 23 to May 16, starting at 6:30 a.m. (CDT). A Zoom link will be emailed to participants ahead of the webinars. Register at https://go.unl.edu/annualforagewebinar.



Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Dairy Team Webinar on May 15 to Focus on Fermenting Whey to Produce Spirits

The Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Dairy Team monthly webinar series continues Wednesday, May 15, from 12 noon to 1 p.m.

The program will feature Curt Basina from Copper Crow Distillery discussing the fermentation and distillation of lactose sugar found in whey to produce ethanol. Basina will also focus on some of the issues faced using whey in distillation, including legal requirements associated with distillation.

Basina and his wife Linda are the owners of Copper Crow Distillery in Bayfield, Wis. Copper Crow is located on the Red Cliff Indian Reservation and is the first Native American-owned distillery in the United States.

Copper Crow is well known in the industry for being on the cutting edge in the fermentation and distillation of whey, a byproduct of the cheese making industry, to produce award-winning spirits including vodka and gin produced from whey permeate. Whey spirits are also used in the production of their amaretto and aquavit.

Producers, dairy consultants, and industry reps are encouraged to attend the free webinar live from 12 noon to 1 p.m. on May 15. Registration must be completed at least one hour prior to the program. Register online at https://go.iastate.edu/WHEY.

For more information, contact the ISU Extension and Outreach Dairy Specialist in your area: in Northwest Iowa, Fred M. Hall, 712-737-4230 or fredhall@iastate.edu; in Northeast Iowa, Jennifer Bentley, 563-382-2949 or jbentley@iastate.edu; in East Central Iowa, Larry Tranel, 563-583-6496 or tranel@iastate.edu; in Ames, Dr. Gail Carpenter, 515-294-9085 or ajcarpen@iastate.edu.



February Pork Exports Remain Robust; Strong Month for Beef Export Value

Fueled by growth in the Western Hemisphere, South Korea and Australia, U.S. pork exports posted another excellent performance in February, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). Beef export volume was slightly lower year-over-year, but export value climbed by 10%.

Mexico still the pacesetter, but pork export growth widespread
February pork exports increased 14% from a year ago to 250,930 metric tons (mt), while value jumped 15% to $685.1 million. Through the first two months of 2024, exports increased 10% in both volume (502,354 mt) and value ($1.37 billion). Exports to leading market Mexico are well ahead of last year’s record pace, while shipments are also trending higher to Korea, Central and South America, Oceania and the Caribbean.

“Coming off a record value year, it’s great to see broad-based momentum for pork exports continue globally into 2024,” said USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom. “While Mexico is certainly at the forefront, we are seeing excellent growth in markets like Colombia, Chile, El Salvador and the Caribbean, and demand has rebounded impressively in Korea and Australia.”

Beef export value climbs in many key regions
Beef exports reached 103,883 mt in February, down 1% from a year ago, but export value increased 10% to $830.4 million. January-February exports were also down 1% to 203,647 mt, with export value climbing 9% to $1.59 billion.

February beef exports to the Caribbean were the largest on record, while demand from Mexico and Central and South America continued to trend higher. Exports also increased year-over-year to Taiwan, and Korea posted an increase in export value.

“Tight beef supplies are definitely a challenge for exporters, and that situation isn’t going to change anytime soon,” Halstrom said. “But on a positive note, we are seeing more opportunities for underutilized beef cuts, including the round, shoulder clod and variety meat, in the global marketplace. Demand is strong throughout the Western Hemisphere and the foodservice and hospitality sectors are finally gaining some momentum in key Asian markets such as Korea, where the post-COVID recovery has been slower than anticipated.”

February lamb exports well above year-ago totals
U.S. lamb exports followed a strong January with another robust performance in February, climbing 11% from a year ago to 270 mt. Export value increased 18% to $1.5 million. Through February, lamb exports increased 19% from a year ago to 573 mt, with value up 34% to $3.2 million, led by growth in the Bahamas, the Leeward-Windward Islands and Canada. Exports to Mexico trended lower in volume but still climbed 26% in value to just under $600,000.



NPPC Weighs In On Oversight of Emerging Biotechnology
 
The National Pork Producers Council submitted comments in an online survey to the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB) about the pork industry’s concerns over the current oversight system for livestock biotechnology products and gave its opinion on the ideal system. The NSCEB is gathering recommendations for setting up a system of oversight for products produced with biotechnology, including gene editing.
 
Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has regulatory authority over livestock biotechnology despite its lack of expertise with livestock. Other concerns with the agency’s oversight cited by NPPC were: the approval time for new biotechnologies, the narrow scope of the approval itself, and the cost. For example, it took one agricultural research company three years and $300,000 to gain approval for five genetically engineered swine.
 
NPPC suggested that the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which has oversight of genetic technologies in plants and oversees the livestock industry, could regulate biotechnology under the Animal Health Protection Act, the Federal Meat Inspection Act, and the Poultry Products Inspection Act.
 
NPPC supports giving regulatory authority over biotechnology in livestock to USDA. The current regulatory environment for decades has been a barrier to innovation, development, and adoption of biotechnology in food animal production.
 
U.S. pork producers see the potential of biotechnology to address animal health issues, such as porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), as well as to assist the industry in improving areas, such as animal well-being, responsible antibiotic use, and sustainability.



USDA Dairy Products February 2024 Prodiction Highlights

Total cheese output (excluding cottage cheese) was 1.13 billion pounds, 3.0 percent above February 2023 but 5.6 percent below January 2024. Italian type cheese production totaled 479 million pounds, 4.4 percent above February 2023 but 6.2 percent below January 2024. American type cheese production totaled 438 million pounds, 1.2 percent below February 2023 and 7.5 percent below January 2024. Butter production was 198 million pounds, 5.6 percent above February 2023 but 9.0 percent below January 2024.

Dry milk products (comparisons in percentage with February 2023)
Nonfat dry milk, human - 147 million pounds, down 19.3 percent.
Skim milk powder - 36.2 million pounds, down 2.6 percent.

Whey products (comparisons in percentage with February 2023)
Dry whey, total - 72.1 million pounds, up 7.9 percent.
Lactose, human and animal - 87.5 million pounds, up 5.8 percent.
Whey protein concentrate, total - 38.7 million pounds, up 4.2 percent.

Frozen products (comparisons in percentage with February 2023)
Ice cream, regular (hard) - 53.6 million gallons, down 8.3 percent.
Ice cream, lowfat (total) - 30.1 million gallons, down 5.7 percent.
Sherbet (hard) - 1.55 million gallons, down 32.7 percent.
Frozen yogurt (total) - 4.13 million gallons, down 4.8 percent.



National Farmers Union taking Applicatons for Beginning Farmer Institute

NFU’s Beginning Farmer Institute is a free, online, 10-week intensive program intended to improve the health of your farm or ranch business. The program is open to producers ages 18 and up and is inclusive of all operation types and scales of production.

Each cohort is selected through a competitive application process, and applications are now open at www.nfu.org/bfi.  

If accepted, you will attend online seminars, network with peers, pursue independent learning activities, and receive one-on-one technical assistance. Participants who complete all the necessary requirements will be considered for an additional in-person session, which will include additional trainings, farm tours, and networking with Farmers Union leadership.

The program is structured around weekly online trainings led by experts in business management. Over the course of 10 weeks, participants will be expected to watch 30-60 minutes of video trainings each week, followed by participation in weekly, 2 hour Q&As with subject-matter experts.

They encourage everyone to share the application link on social media, as well as posts we already have up on Facebook and Instagram!



NGFA, ag groups, urge EPA to deny ‘dangerous’ CARB freight rule

The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) and other members of the Agricultural Transportation Working Group urged U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan to deny the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) request to authorize zero emissions standards for freight locomotives in California. The proposed CARB regulations “pose a significant danger to U.S. agriculture and the broader U.S. supply chain,” the groups noted in the April 5 letter.

CARB’s “In-Use Locomotive Regulation” mandates that by 2030, only zero-emissions locomotives will be allowed to operate in California. Rail companies in the state also would be required to make annual contributions to a spending account based on emissions during the prior calendar year starting on July 1, 2026.  

“If the CARB regulations were authorized by EPA, we believe freight rail carriers and rail customers would be significantly hindered financially and operationally. The inevitable increases in transportation costs and introduction of operational inefficiencies for agricultural shippers and receivers would result in food price inflation,” NGFA and the other working group members stated.

CARB’s proposal requires railroads and rail customers to meet untenable regulatory requirements without any solutions available on the market, the ATWG added. “Specifically, zero emissions locomotives would have to be purchased…but such locomotives are not yet commercially viable and won’t be in the foreseeable future,” the letter stated. “While railroads have conducted limited demonstration projects on battery-powered locomotives, they are not presently commercially viable primarily due to a limited operating range and limitations on battery capacity.”

The proposed regulations would:
• levy annual fees on rail carriers for deposit in accounts that can only be used to comply with the regulations;
• require the decommission of locomotives 23 years or older beginning in 2030 and require that new switch, industrial (rail customer) and passenger locomotives operate in zero-emission configuration (2035 for new line haul locomotives);
• attempt to regulate locomotive emissions by requiring railroads to shut them down while in transit in certain circumstances; and
• impose significant reporting and “administrative payments.”  

The Association of American Railroads and the American Short Line and Regional Rail Association are challenging the rules in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California. In the lawsuit, they say the Interstate Commerce Commission Termination Act gives the Surface Transportation Board exclusive jurisdiction over the operations of freight rail in interstate commerce and preempts CARB’s regulations. The District Court affirmed the legitimacy of these preemption arguments in an order issued on Feb. 16.

EPA’s deadline for the public to submit comments on the proposal is April 22.