Nebraska Corn Farmers To Invest Nearly $3.1 Billion to Plant 9.85 Million Acres
Nebraska corn farmers will plant 9.85 million acres of corn in 2024 according to the March Prospective Plantings report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). If these planting estimates hold up, Nebraska corn farmers will invest nearly 3.1 billion dollars into the state’s economy over a two-month period as calculated by the University of Nebraska - Lincoln’s crop budgets. This total is a result of inputs, such as seed, fuel and fertilizer, but does not include land costs, labor or equipment. Despite the seemingly high investments now, the full economic impact will be realized over time.
“Farmers are preparing for a large investment during the 2024 planting season,” said Kelly Brunkhorst, executive director of the Nebraska Corn Board (NCB). “As farmers begin in the fields, the immense pressure of the past year’s drought still weighs heavily on them. A new year brings new possibilities, and producing the strongest quality crop shows an investment in both time and resources in the industry.”
Farmers in Nebraska historically begin to plant their corn in mid-April and try to finish by mid-May. However, weather often dictates when farmers can plant. The latest Crop Progress report issued by the USDA (released April 15, 2024), showed Nebraska farmers are just starting planting with 2% completed with corn planting, ahead of the five-year average (1%).
“The planting season is beginning slowly, as many farmers wait for some much-needed rain to coincide with the warm weather we’ve received,” said Jay Reiners, chairman of NCB and farmer from Juanita. “Be patient as you prepare and make decisions on when to plant; the season is only starting. As you move equipment both to the fields and to the next field, be cautious on rural roads. In the same way, drivers, be conscious of farmers who may be moving slowly. We want each farmer and driver to be safe this planting season.”
NDA AWARDS GRANTS TO 76 NEBRASKA MEAT PROCESSORS
The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) has selected 76 meat processing facilities to receive grants from the Independent Processor Assistance Program (IPAP) to support the growth of meat processing in Nebraska. In total, more than $5.19 million will be awarded from a portion of Nebraska’s share of American Rescue Plan Act federal funds to support projects designed to improve and/or expand Nebraska’s meat processing capabilities.
“When meat processing facilities increase capacity, that can lead to increases in product development and marketing opportunities, which are good for Nebraska’s economy,” said NDA Director Sherry Vinton. “Increased capacity adds value to Nebraska’s meat products today and strengthens the meat processing industry for tomorrow. We’re pleased to be able to use this funding to invest in Nebraska communities with a passion for meat processing.”
Of the 76 meat processing facilities to receive IPAP grants, 26 are receiving these grant funds for the first time. NDA awarded approximately $4.75 million of grants in the first round of IPAP funding in September 2022. The fifty remaining awardees received funding in the first round and are receiving additional funding now.
The meat processors who received the grant money had to meet certain criteria which included: being an existing meat processor facilitating improvements, enhancements, or expansions to increase harvest capacity and/or product throughput; operating as either a USDA-FSIS facility or a federally regulated custom-exempt slaughter and processing facility; being domiciled in the State of Nebraska and registered in good standing with the Secretary of State to conduct business in Nebraska; existing sales revenue of less than $2.5 million; and employing fewer than 25 people.
ROUND 2 IPAP RECIPIENTS |
ACE & IDA INC. ORD LOCKER |
AK MEATS LLC |
ALBION LOCKER, LLC |
AMERICAN BUTCHERS LLC |
ASC LOCKERS |
B&B LOCKER |
B&J MAIN ST. MARKET INC |
BELSCHNER CUSTOM MEATS INC. |
OFF THE RAIL BUTCHERY LLC |
BRAINARD MEATS LLC |
BUSY BONES |
C.R. PACKING, LLC |
CHUCKWAGON MEATS LLC |
CJ'S PROCESSING LLC |
CORNELIUS BUTCHERY |
CORNHUSKER BEEF COMPANY, LLC |
COUNTRY PRIDE PROCESSING INC |
DEN'S COUNTRY MEATS, INC |
EA THIES FAMILY LOCKER CORPORATION |
ELKHORN VALLEY MEAT PROCESSING LLC |
ELMWOOD MEAT PLANT |
FALTIN MEAT MARKET |
FLATWATER MEATS LLC DBA PRENZLOW MEATS |
FREMONT MEATS INC |
GENTERT PACKING CO. |
GRANT PACKING INC |
HD PROCESSING LLC DBA BLUE RIVER |
HERM'S CUSTOM PLANT |
HIGHWAY 50 SMOKEHOUSE & LIQUOR |
HOLT COUNTY LOCKER LLC |
HOMELAND PROCESSING LLC |
HUSKER MEATS LLC |
JACK’S PROCESSING |
JANSEN'S CUSTOM CUTS |
JORDAN'S PACK |
KELLEY'S CUSTOM PACK |
LITCHFIELD PACK LLC |
MCLEAN BEEF INC |
MEAT GARDEN BUTCHERY |
MELCHER'S LOCKER & PRODUCE |
MERNA PACK |
MIDWEST MEAT COMPANY |
MILLIGAN HOUSE OF MEATS |
MK MEATS |
NE FAMILY HOMESTEAD |
NELSON PROCESSING |
NELSON'S BUTCHER SHOP |
NIELSEN'S FOODS LLC |
NORTH BEND LOCKER |
OAKLAND MEAT PROCESSING |
PELICANS MEAT PROCESSING |
PICKRELL LOCKER & SMOKEHOUSE, INC |
PIERCE LOCKER |
PK MEAT CO. LLC |
POLK LOCKER LLC |
PRAIRIE PROCESSING |
R&M MEATS LLC |
RAKK LOCKERS LLC |
RAVENNA LOCKER INC |
RIVER'S EDGE MEAT LOCKER, LLC |
ROLLING T'S CUSTOM KITCHEN |
SMIDT FAMILY PROCESSING LLC |
STEAKMASTER, INC |
STRAIGHT FROM THE FARM |
T&R BUTCHER BLOCK/WHISKEY CREEK CRITTERS |
TABLE TOP MEATS |
TROYER MEAT LOCKER LLC |
TWIN CITIES PACK LLC |
TWIN LOUP QUALITY MEATS |
VALENTINE LOCKER |
WAUSA LOCKERS INC |
WILDCAT LOCKERS INC |
WILLOW CREEK MEATS |
AURORA MEAT BLOCK/WINFIELD FOODS, INC |
WYATT FAMILY MEATS, LLC |
BORCHARD CUSTOM CUT & PROCESSING |
UNL’S WITTICH AIMS TO STRENGTHEN GRAIN BINS AGAINST EARTHQUAKES, WIND STORMS
When people think of structural engineering perils, they tend to imagine big-city bridges, skyscrapers and the like, but rural America has key vulnerabilities that could cause major economic upheaval regionally and even nationally.
A University of Nebraska–Lincoln researcher is focusing on a specific piece of structural engineering so ubiquitous across rural America, they are barely noticed — the humble steel grain bin.
Christine Wittich, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, has received a five-year, $615,387 Faculty Early Career Development Program award grant from the National Science Foundation to conduct this research.
With her CAREER award, Wittich aims to improve the resilience of rural infrastructure and communities in the face of natural disasters such as wind storms and earthquakes. She’s also integrating an education component to encourage rural students, who are generally less likely to go into engineering as a career, to see opportunities in the field right at home.
The project is an outgrowth of Wittich’s earlier research in the wake of a derecho that hit parts of Iowa in 2020. That storm caused an estimated $11 billion in damage, making it the most damaging thunderstorm event in American history. Much of that damage came to steel grain bins, with some 57 million bushels of stored grain destroyed.
Wittich began her career in California, where earthquake damage to statues was her initial interest. When she came to Nebraska in 2017, she noticed grain bins and center pivot irrigation systems as rural vulnerabilities.
“I was pretty quickly introduced to wind storms … I got interested in rural damage. These structures seemed fairly vulnerable,” and not much research was being done, Wittich said.
There are an estimated 750,000 grain bins across the country; they are designed to hold up to internal pressures, not winds or earthquakes. The failure of a single bin can lead to losses exceeding $250,000, not including the bin itself. To make matters worse, crop insurance policies do not typically cover stored grain.
The bins are a key piece of infrastructure in America’s agricultural economy and the food security of people across the nation and the world, Wittich said. They are susceptible to a range of damage, from even fairly moderate winds or earthquakes, from wall or roof buckling, to complete collapse and destruction.
“There is a critical need to understand the response of these agricultural infrastructure systems under extreme loads and to evaluate the role of these systems within rural community resilience,” she said.
Wittich and her team are working to better understand how steel grain bins hold up under seismic and wind loads through numerical modeling, large-scale experimentation and other steps. That work will include research at the Wall of Wind research facility at Florida International University, where banks of fans can produce up to 150 mph winds. Researchers will build actual bins at the site to see how they hold up.
The team also will experiment with earthquake simulations, using a seismic shake table in the structures lab at the Scott Engineering Center, upon which scaled bins will be constructed and which mimics ground movement during earthquakes.
Ultimately, Wittich’s research could lead to different construction standards for bins.
Beyond that, though, Wittich wants to create outreach opportunities for middle and high school students, with the goal of encouraging more students from rural areas to pursue engineering.
“We’ll introduce them to structural engineering within their communities,” she said. “There’s a noted disparity with students from rural areas pursuing engineering. It’s significantly lower than students from more urban areas.”
A focus on agricultural regions can show students that engineering careers can be built in their home areas, not just urban settings.
“Traditionally in structural engineering classes, you do case studies,” she said. “You look at prominent, high-rise buildings or long-span bridges. That’s great, but that’s not everybody’s community.”
In her classes, Wittich will be incorporating examples from smaller towns, including farming communities.
“Let’s look at how wind will interact with some of these other structures, as well,” she said.
Wittich also wants to promote awareness in rural communities through educational modules and a citizen-science initiative for post-disaster reconnaissance reports. Since researchers can’t scramble to every storm-stricken area, her project will include an app that farmers or other community residents can access to look at past storm damage data and enter new information. This information can help drive further research.
That future research will include other types of agricultural infrastructure and other natural disasters. For example, Wittich said, a recent hurricane devastated poultry housing in Florida.
The National Science Foundation’s CAREER award supports pre-tenure faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research.
Growing the CHS grain supply chain
CHS has signed an intent to purchase agreement for eight grain assets in five states from Cargill. With this purchase, CHS aims to continue optimizing its enterprise supply chain while providing market access and end-to-end value to owners.
This purchase adds key grain facilities to the CHS enterprise supply chain, connecting CHS farmer-owners to the global marketplace. Assets included in the sale are in Pipestone and Maynard, Minn.; Morris and Seneca, Ill.; Holdrege, Neb.; Cheyenne Wells and Byers, Colo.; and Parker, SD.
“Our farmer-owners look to CHS to provide them with local assets that have the speed and space to serve their needs today and into the future,” says Rick Dusek, executive vice president of ag retail, distribution and transportation for CHS. “Purchasing these grain assets is part of a larger strategy to invest in our enterprise supply chain, efficiently connecting our owners to the global marketplace.”
In its media statement, Cargill said: “Cargill and CHS have a strong partnership today based on shared values, strategic alignment and an effective and efficient business model, making CHS the right partner for this sale.”
The purchase is tentatively planned to close in early June 2024.
Annual Search for Iowa's Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin Begins
The Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) invites Iowans to nominate their favorite restaurant for the 22nd annual Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin Contest. This highly anticipated event allows the public to help decide which establishment serves up the most delectable breaded pork tenderloin sandwich in the state.
Nominations opened on Wednesday, April 17, and will run through June 3. During this period, Iowans can submit their top choice for the best breaded pork tenderloin sandwich. Each person is limited to one nomination, and those who nominate the winning restaurant will have a chance to win a $100 prize.
“Iowans love their tenderloin sandwiches and there is no shortage of restaurants serving up these beloved Iowa staples,” said IPPA Marketing and Programs Director Kelsey Sutter. “The 2023 competition nearly broke 10,000 nominations, so we’re hoping to see great participation and support for Iowa’s restaurants again this year!”
Iowa is the national leader in pork production and the breaded pork tenderloin sandwich is a staple in restaurants, diners, and cafes across the state.
To qualify for the contest, hand-breaded tenderloins must be part of the regular menu at an Iowa establishment with consistent year-round hours. Food trucks, concession stands, seasonal eateries, and catering businesses are ineligible.
Following the nomination period, IPPA's Restaurant & Foodservice Committee will review the top 40 restaurants, which include the five establishments with the most nominations from each of IPPA's eight districts. These leading contenders will then be evaluated by a panel of undercover judges who will visit the locations and rank the tenderloins based on pork quality, taste, physical characteristics, and overall eating experience.
The top five picks will be unveiled during National Pork Month in October. The winning restaurant will receive a $500 cash prize, a plaque to proudly display in their business, and statewide publicity. The runner-up will be awarded $250 and a plaque from IPPA.
Iowans have shown tremendous enthusiasm for this contest, as evidenced by the more than 9,000 nominations for 774 different restaurants received in 2023. The winning restaurants from the past five years include:
· Cliff’s Place in Manning (2023)
· Lid's Bar & Grill in Waukon (2022)
· Victoria Station in Harlan (2021)
· PrairieMoon On Main in Prairieburg (2020)
· The Pub at the Pinicon in New Hampton (2019)
For a complete list of past winners dating back to 2003, please visit the IPPA website. The Iowa Pork Producers Association also invites food lovers to conquer the Iowa Tenderloin Trail and win a free t-shirt.
Secretary Naig Calls on Biden EPA to Allow Summer Sales of E15
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) urging Administrator Michael Regan to immediately sign an “emergency waiver” to allow summer sales of E15 in 2024. Also known as Unleaded 88, E15 is a homegrown fuel that saves drivers money, is renewable and cleaner burning, and makes our country more energy independent.
In February, the EPA approved a request by Governor Reynolds and seven other Midwest governors to allow the sale of E15 fuel year-round beginning in 2025. While the news was generally welcomed, the decision was more than a year late as required by law, Attorney General Brenna Bird had to file a lawsuit to force EPA to act, and the rule inexplicably did not apply to 2024.
Now, as the summer driving season quickly approaches, everyone from drivers to gas station owners are stuck in a state of limbo awaiting news if an “emergency waiver” will be put in place for this summer.
“With the summer driving season just weeks away, the Biden Administration must take immediate action to ensure that Iowa drivers do not lose access to lower cost E15,” said Secretary Naig. “At a time when inflation is running hot, oil prices are rising and global events are producing turmoil, year-round E15 would provide significant savings to consumers, help America be more energy independent and reduce emissions.”
In his letter, Secretary Naig shared some recent data and facts to support the need to allow year-round E15:
Year-round E15 would save Iowa drivers an estimated $38.4 million at the pump this year as compared to E10.
E15 is the cleanest burning fuel option for 96 percent of vehicles on the road today.
Consumers want E15, and demand is increasing as more stations upgrade their infrastructure to offer higher blends of ethanol.
In 2023, 178.5 million gallons of E15 were sold, a dramatic increase of 47.4 percent compared to 2022.
In 2023, 13.3 percent of all gasoline sales were E15, compared to 9.5 percent in 2022.
Secretary Naig also reminded the Biden Administration about the importance of the biofuels industry to Iowa. As the national leader in ethanol production, Iowa was the first state to adopt an E15 standard, and the biofuels industry continues to create markets for farmers and jobs for Iowans in rural communities.
Ethanol Industry Thanks Biden, Kishida For Recognizing Ethanol As Decarbonization Solution
The U.S. ethanol industry—including the Renewable Fuels Association, U.S. Grains Council (USGC) and Growth Energy—expressed gratitude for the recent joint statement from President Biden and Japan Prime Minister Kishida on the importance of ethanol as a decarbonization solution within the transportation sectors in their respective countries.
In an April 10 joint statement, Biden and Kishida said, “We intend to advance widespread adoption of innovative new clean energy technologies, and seek to increase the globally available supply of sustainable aviation fuel or feedstock, including those that are ethanol-based, that show promise in reducing emissions.”
The three ethanol entities offered in response:
“Our organizations appreciate the dedication and support of USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), the U.S. Trade Representative and other U.S. government agencies advocating for grain-based ethanol in their international discussions. These U.S. officials continue to highlight that ethanol is a readily available, low-carbon solution that can be used immediately as a carbon mitigation tool for the on-road, aviation, maritime and biochemical sectors.
“We thank the Biden Administration for its ongoing assistance in promoting U.S. ethanol abroad. Through our continued joint efforts to showcase U.S. ethanol benefits to the global community, we are collectively leading the transition to a low-carbon economy and supporting international climate commitments for a net-zero future.”
AFBF to USDA: Restore NASS Surveys
The American Farm Bureau Federation today urged USDA to reverse its decision to cancel livestock and crop surveys that are crucial to the success of America’s farmers and ranchers. The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) recently announced it would no longer provide a July cattle inventory survey, as well as county-level estimates for crops and livestock and the objective yield survey for cotton.
AFBF President Zippy Duvall sent a letter to USDA to emphasize the importance of the surveys, particularly the July cattle report. “NASS’ two reports regarding the total U.S. cattle inventory, published on Jan. 31 and in late July, give farmers, ranchers, researchers and other data users a full picture of supplies in the U.S. cattle sector at the beginning and in the middle of each year. This allows for a fair assessment of the cattle market for the next six months. Eliminating the mid-year report puts the market in the dark for the second half of the year, removes market transparency and increases market volatility. Data will only be available to those who can afford to collect it, further threatening competition in the packing sector.”
Farmers are price takers not price makers and have no control over the markets in which their livestock is sold. Market transparency is essential where four companies control 85% of the cattle market.
The loss of the Objective Yield Survey for cotton may also increase the level of uncertainty throughout the summer and early fall for cotton markets, and the elimination of county yield estimates will undercut the research upon which risk management programs, including crop insurance, are based.
“Eliminating county-level yield and production data for crops and livestock will also severely impact research from our land-grant institutions and only place the U.S. farther behind its trade competitors,” President Duvall wrote. “Recent research by USDA’s Economic Research Service showed that the U.S. trails its global competitors in public agricultural research.”
Farm Bureau is disappointed in NASS’ decision to discontinue these critical reporting tools and urges the department to reconsider its decision.
The Soil and Water Outcomes Fund and John Deere Launch Seamless Integration of Field Data to Drive Efficiency, Support Farmers in Conservation Efforts
The Soil and Water Outcomes Fund (SWOF) and John Deere are proud to announce a new collaboration, bringing an integrated digital experience to farmers participating in SWOF’s leading agricultural ecosystem services program. This digital integration with the John Deere Operations Center™ will streamline the enrollment process and field data management, empowering farmers to adopt sustainable practices more effectively.
The Soil and Water Outcomes Fund provides financial incentives to farmers for the environmental outcomes resulting from new or expanded conservation practices. The integration with John Deere Operations Center™ gives farmers the option to seamlessly share and record their field operational data with SWOF directly from John Deere’s precision ag technology, saving farmers time and increasing accuracy.
“Participating in programs like the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund is a great opportunity for farmers to unlock additional value in their operations,” said Dan Leibfried, Vice President for Corn & Soy Production Systems at John Deere. “At John Deere, we’re laser focused on delivering both the equipment and technology solutions that enable sustainable practices as well as the data management capabilities that allow farmers to document their success. Through this integrated digital experience with SWOF, we’re going a step further to make the customer experience more seamless and ultimately make it easier for farmers to be rewarded for their efforts.”
SWOF has built a robust user interface to manage farmer enrollment and contracting, quantify multiple environmental outcomes using a suite of industry recognized models, and facilitate data reporting and inset assignments for corporate and government outcome partners. Through the new integration with Operations Center, the need for manual field operation data entry is eliminated when farmers elect to share data between systems.
"By integrating with John Deere Operations Center™, it’s easier and faster for farmers to submit data for program enrollment,” said Adam Kiel, co-managing director of SWOF. "This collaboration represents our commitment to supporting farmers in their sustainability journey and our dedication to a data-driven, outcome-based approach.”
The integrated functionality is available to SWOF participants in 19 states, with plans for further growth in the coming years. Farmers enrolled in the program implement conservation practices such as reduced tillage, cover crops, extended crop rotations, and fertilization management to improve soil health and reduce erosion. Eligible acres must have a primary crop of corn, soy, wheat, or sugar beets.
SWOF opened its 2024 enrollment season to new farmer participants in March. Farmers or landowners interested in enrolling in the program can visit the Soil and Water Outcomes Fund website, www.theoutcomesfund.com, to sign up for a free estimate and enroll.
No comments:
Post a Comment