Wednesday April 24 Ag News

Time to start planning heat stress abatement strategies in the feedlot
Alfredo DiCostanzo, Nebraska Extension Beef Systems Educator

As we approach the end of April, it may be time to start thinking of the summer heat, particularly that first heat event that could potentially catch cattle and folks who manage them not fully prepared. Therefore, the following is a list, likely not inclusive, of strategies cattle feedlot managers and their crews could begin thinking about as nice weather today turns into heat-stressing weather later.

The list is divided into areas of focus: from cattle type, to feeding and watering considerations, and facilities management.

Cattle size and type
· Keeping cattle marketing current to avoid excessively heavy cattle.
· Consider extending show lists to include pens that are from 30 to 45 days of initially projected final weight.
· Place cattle with light-colored coats in pens with greater propensity to create heat stress.

Diet composition and intake
· Higher fiber concentrations in feedlot diets lower the peak of heat of fermentation.
· Afternoon/evening deliveries prevent excessive heat load.
· Avoid challenging cattle to eat more when hot weather is forecast.

Water supply, needs and access
· Threshold concentrations (concentrations beyond which water may pose health problems) of total dissolved solids, sulfate, nitrite, and nitrate are 3,000, 1,000, 33 and 45 mg/L, respectively.
· (Note: mg/L are also expressed as parts per million, ppm).
· Maintain water quality by regularly cleaning water troughs.
· Stray voltage may be the reason cattle in certain pens underperform. Check for stray voltage.
· Daily water intake may be approximated by multiplying dry matter intake by 0.75 to render a workable estimate in gallons per head. (Example: dry matter intake is 24 lb per head daily, projected summer water need is 18 gallons per head daily).
· Water flow to meet an 1,800-gallon demand for 100 head: 75 gallons per hour (18 times 100 divided by 24 hours) or flow of 1.25 gallons per minute.
· Plan for cattle daily water needs to be met in 6 rather than 24 hours (flow of 5 gallons per minute minimum required).
· Cattle access at the water tank should permit 48” of linear space per animal and for 5% of the pen population.
· Add temporary water tanks if necessary.

Shade, bedding, sprinklers, and windbreaks
· Deploy temporary shades.
· The minimum area to consider shading an individual animal should be 32 square feet.
· Bedding during hot, summer days keeps cooler surface temperatures and permits space management.
· Test and adjust or repair sprinkler heads.
· Bedding stacks and any other temporary windbreak structures should be removed from the vicinity of pens.
· Control weeds and grass growth within pen alleys and waterway berms.
· Deploy fly control programs that consider premises, habitat, and on-animal control.

The intention to release this list well ahead of any heat event was to aid in reminding feedlot managers and their crew to start preparing for heat events. However, some items listed above must be in place well ahead of the heat stress events.

These include placing more heat-tolerant cattle in pens prone to experiencing greater heat loads, evaluating water tanks or other areas for stray voltage, increasing water access, deploying sprinklers and shades, and controlling fly and weed populations. In some cases, cattle need to be accustomed to these strategies while in others, such as fly control, the target organism needs to be exposed to the intervention well ahead of the heat event.



Nebraska Farm Bureau Endorses Nine Candidates for Election to the Nebraska Legislature

Nebraska Farm Bureau, the state’s largest general agriculture organization, has announced a slate of endorsements for candidates seeking election to the Nebraska Legislature. Endorsements made by the Nebraska Farm Bureau Political Action Committee (NEFB-PAC) are based on the candidate’s positions on agriculture and rural issues and recommendations from district evaluation committees made up of farmer and rancher members.

“We are pleased to announce our support for several candidates seeking election to serve in the Nebraska Legislature. Given the important role farmers and ranchers play in helping produce our food and the prominent role agriculture plays in supporting our state’s broader economy, it’s important we elect leaders who have an appreciation for and understanding of both,” said Katie Olson of Atkinson, chair of NEFB-PAC and first vice president of Nebraska Farm Bureau.

NEFB-PAC endorsed candidates seeking election to the Legislature in open races:
    District 1 – Dennis Schaardt of Steinauer
    District 15 – Roxie Kracl of Fremont
    District 17 – Mike Albrecht of Thurston and Glen Meyer of Pender
    District 23 – Dennis Fujan of Prague
    District 33 – Paul Hamelink of Hastings
    District 37 – Stanley Clouse of Kearney
    District 43 – Tanya Storer of Whitman
    District 47 – Paul Strommen of Sidney

“We look forward to supporting this slate of candidates in their election efforts. Each of them possesses distinct leadership styles and will strive to address Nebraska's property tax burden, enhance rural broadband access, and promote rural economic development. We have confidence that the candidates vying for office in open races possess comparable abilities to guide our state towards a prosperous future,” said Olson.



CANADIAN CABINET MINISTER TO VISIT UNL TO DISCUSS TRADE, GEOPOLITICS

François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s minister of innovation, science and industry, will deliver a May 3 address at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, speaking on “U.S.-Canada Trade and Geopolitics.”

Champagne’s presentation, which is free and open to the public, is 1 to 2 p.m. in the Willa Cather Dining Complex, Red Cloud B-C, 530 N. 17th St. It will be livestreamed at https://yeutter-institute.unl.edu.

Event cosponsors are the Clayton Yeutter Institute of International Trade and Finance and the Association of Students of the University of Nebraska.

“Canada is Nebraska’s largest export market,” Champagne said. “With a talented workforce and a stable, competitive economy, Canada is also a top destination for American companies looking to invest abroad. Millions of jobs on both sides of the border depend on trade and investment between our two countries.”

Champagne said he looks forward “to meeting with Nebraskans to discuss our mutual interest in North American competitiveness by shoring up our agricultural supply chains, investing in life sciences and seizing the opportunities of the new digital economy.”

In his cabinet position, Champagne has been energetic in traveling internationally to promote business opportunities in Canada. A Quebec native, he has a law degree from Case Western Reserve University in Ohio and has worked in the private sector in Italy, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

He has held various ministerial roles in the Canadian government, including foreign affairs, infrastructure and trade.

Canada is the top export market for the United States and Nebraska, and a leading trade partner for both. Nebraska’s annual exports to Canada top $1.8 billion and recently included $247 million in agricultural machinery, $222 million in natural gas and other gases, $124 million in animal meats and $50 million in insurance services.

Nebraska’s top imports from Canada include $172 million in animal feed, $125 million in live animals, $108 million in plastics and $92 million in animal meats.

Omaha-based Werner Enterprises annually ships nearly 20,000 cross-border loads between the U.S. and Canada, according to the Consulate General of Canada in Minneapolis. More than 3,800 Nebraskans are employed by 63 Canadian-owned companies, the Consulate General reported.

The May 3 event is the latest in a series of trade-focused presentations sponsored or cosponsored by the Yeutter Institute, named after Eustis, Nebraska, native Clayton Yeutter (1930-2017). A University of Nebraska alumnus, Yeutter served as U.S. trade representative, U.S. secretary of agriculture and president and CEO of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.



Register Now for the 2024 Water and Natural Resources Tour

Registration is now open for the 2024 Water and Natural Resources Tour. Join the Nebraska Water Center and Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District as we visit Tecumseh, Nebraska City, and more.

$330 per person, single occupancy room
$260 per person, double occupancy room

Registration includes all meals, hotel, commercial transportation, on-board refreshments, and activities from Monday morning through Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. The tour will begin and end at UNL’s Innovation Campus in Lincoln.

The draft agenda and additional details are available at go.unl.edu/WaterTour.

Registration will be open until May 17. Spaces are limited, so act fast to secure your seat!  

To register online, visit go.unl.edu/WaterReg.

If you prefer to register by mail, print the PDF attached below, fill out the form, and mail with a check to the address listed.

If you have any questions, please contact Ann Briggs at annbriggs@nebraska.edu..

Don't miss your chance to be part of this enriching tour! Reserve your spot today to experience southeast Nebraska's water and natural resources.



Meat Animals Production, Disposition, and Income 2023 Summary

Total 2023 production of cattle and calves and hogs and pigs for the United States totaled 86.6 billion pounds, up slightly from 2022. Production decreased 4 percent for cattle and calves but increased 5 percent for hogs and pigs.

Total 2023 cash receipts from marketings of meat animals increased 10 percent to $128 billion. Cattle and calves accounted for 79 percent of this total and hogs and pigs accounted for 21 percent.

The 2023 gross income from cattle and calves and hogs and pigs for the United States totaled $129 billion, up 10 percent from 2022. Gross income increased 17 percent for cattle and calves but decreased 11 percent for hogs and pigs from previous year's gross income.

Cattle and Calves: Cash receipts from marketings of cattle and calves increased 17 percent, from $86.3 billion in 2022 to $101 billion in 2023. All cattle and calf marketings totaled 58.8 billion pounds in 2023, down 5 percent from 2022.

Cattle Marketings by State 2023
Nebraska ...:  $16,118,634,000     
Iowa ..........:  $5,157,790,000       

Hogs and Pigs: Cash receipts from hogs and pigs totaled $27.2 billion during 2023, down 11 percent from 2022. Marketings totaled 43.9 billion pounds in 2023, up 4 percent from 2022.

Hogs & Pigs Marketings by State 2023
Nebraska .......:    $941,988,000            
Iowa ..............:   $9,328,112,000            



Milk Production, Disposition, and Income 2023 Summary

Milk production decreased slightly in 2023 to 226 billion pounds. The rate per cow, at 24,117 pounds, was 30 pounds above 2022. The annual average number of milk cows on farms was 9.39 million head, down 14,000 head from 2022.

Cash receipts from marketings of milk during 2023 totaled $45.9 billion, down 19.8 percent from 2022. Producer returns averaged $20.38 per hundredweight, 19.7 percent below 2022. Marketings totaled 225.4 billion pounds, down slightly from 2022. Marketings include whole milk sold to plants and dealers and milk sold directly to consumers.

Cash Receipts from Milk Marketings - 2023
Nebraska ....:            $267,000,000          
Iowa ...........:            $1,116,045,000          



Nebraska Wheat Board Seeks Candidates for Board of Directors Vacancies

The directorship appointments for two of the Nebraska Wheat Board will expire June 30, 2024, and are seeking candidates to apply for those districts. The open positions are District 1 and District 6.

District 1 – Includes the counties of Sioux, Scotts Bluff, Dawes, Box Butte, Morrill, Sheridan, and Garden. Bob Delsing, the current District 1 director, has indicated that he will not seek reappointment.

District 6 – Includes the counties of Adams, Webster, Nuckolls, Thayer, Jefferson, Gage, Johnson, Nemaha, Pawnee, Richardson, Otoe, Cass, Lancaster, Seward, York, Hamilton, Hall, Sherman, Howard, Merrick, Nance, Polk, Butler, Saunders, Sarpy, Douglas, Washington, Dodge, Colfax, Platte, Burt, Cuming, Stanton, Madison, Boone, Valley, Greeley, Antelope, Pierce, Wayne, Thurston, Dakota, Dixon, Cedar, Knox, Wheeler, Garfield, Loup, Blaine, Brown, Rock, Holt, Boyd, Keya Paha, Clay, Filmore, and Saline. Mark Knobel, the current District 6 director, has indicated that he will not seek reappointment.

Qualified candidates include those who are citizens of Nebraska, are at least 21 years of age, have been actively engaged in growing wheat in Nebraska for a period of at least five years, reside in a county in the respective district for which the candidate is applying and derive a substantial portion of income from producing wheat.

Appointments to the board for these districts are made by the Governor of Nebraska. Interested producers can complete the application online at https://governor.nebraska.gov/board-comm-req or contact Pat Selk, Office of the Governor, at (402) 471-2256.

The Nebraska Wheat Board administers the excise tax of 0.5% of net value of wheat marketed in Nebraska at the point of first sale. The board invests the funds in programs of international and domestic market development and improvement, policy development, research, promotion, and education.



Central Valley Ag Delivers Value to Member-Owners in the Form of $2 Million in Equity Redemptions

Central Valley Ag (CVA) reinforces its commitment to its farmer-owners by returning nearly $2 million in age-based equity. This distribution exemplifies the cooperative spirit in which CVA operates for the benefit of its member-owners.

The CVA Board of Directors approved this distribution to eligible member-owners who reached retirement age (65 years old) by December 31, 2023.

"We deeply appreciate every member-owner who has helped build CVA's success," said Carl Dickinson, President/CEO. "Returning this equity demonstrates the cooperative's strength that puts it in a position to give back to its membership. We not only provide essential products and services, but are able to share profits with our members."

Formed in 2003 through the merger of three cooperatives, CVA has expanded its reach through strategic partnerships across Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska. Today, it stands as a leading Midwestern cooperative.

"CVA's business model prioritizes a balanced approach," said Dickinson. "We focus on delivering exceptional service, generating profits, rewarding patronage, and strategically reinvesting while returning equity to our members. True success lies in serving our members and sharing the benefits of our achievements."



Land O'Lakes donates 40,000 pounds of Macaroni & Cheese to Food Bank of Lincoln in Nebraska

Land O’Lakes, Inc. donated nearly 40,000 pounds of LAND O LAKES® Macaroni and Cheese to Food Bank of Lincoln through the Land O’Lakes First Run Program. This provides over 100,000 servings of food to the community.

The First Run Program has donated nearly 7 million pounds of product since it was established in 2010. The program is committed to donating truckloads of fresh product year-round, made specifically for food banks to help alleviate hunger across the United States.

"As a farmer-owned cooperative, Land O'Lakes, Inc. is deeply committed to hunger relief. This effort begins locally in the communities that our members and employees call home, many of them rural," said Sheilah Stewart, SVP & General Counsel, Land O’Lakes, Inc. "We are honored to help our Feeding America food bank partners get fresh, nutritious food directly to the families who need it most."

Leadership from three of Land O’Lakes ag retailer member-owners, Central Valley Ag, Frontier Cooperative, and Farmers Cooperative, were present to see the donation, which also included a $1,000 contribution from Frontier Cooperative that was matched by the Land O’Lakes Foundation.

“Here in Nebraska, we recognize the critical role our farmers and producers play when it comes to feeding the world,” said Suzanne Pillen, First Lady of Nebraska. “I commend Land O’Lakes for its donation to the Food Bank of Lincoln. I hope people take the time to learn what they can do in their own communities to meet the needs of those who are hungry.”

Through its bi-monthly drive-thru food distributions, the Food Bank of Lincoln will begin distributing this mac and cheese the afternoon of April 19th, when an estimated 800-1,000 households are expected to visit the food bank for food assistance.

“This Land O’Lakes, Inc. donation is not only generous but also sure to bring smiles to the faces of our neighbors in Southeast Nebraska who receive it,” said Michaella Kumke, President & CEO of Food Bank of Lincoln. “As a staple comfort food, mac and cheese is a significant expression of care. Members of the

Land O’Lakes farmer-and retailer-owned cooperative understand responsibility and sustainability. We’re honored to share in their commitment to serve and feed.”



Iowa Farm Bureau appreciates Iowa Legislature's passage of policy and budget priorities important to agriculture and rural Iowa

Following the conclusion of the 2024 Iowa legislative session, Farm Bureau members would like to thank the governor and legislators in both chambers for addressing policy and budget priorities that are important to agriculture and rural Iowa, including the reinstatement of capital gains tax deduction for the sale of breeding livestock.  This will prevent a direct tax increase for livestock farmers, many of whom are young and beginning farmers.

Farm Bureau members appreciate the Governor’s approach on foreign ownership of Iowa ag land, with the legislature passing her bill creating more transparency and enforcement of Iowa’s nation leading foreign ownership laws.  Additionally, members were pleased with the legislature’s property taxpayer protections, including maintaining funding levels for the Homestead Tax Credit and Ag Land and Family Farm Tax Credit, as well as continuing the property tax replacement payments for K-12 education.  

Members are also pleased by the legislature’s continued partnership in conservation progress.   Sustained funding for proven conservation efforts through the Conservation Cost-Share program and Water Quality Initiative (WQI) will allow Iowa to continue efforts for improved water quality as national leaders in several conservation practices.  



FDA Reaffirms that Pasteurization is Effective against HPAI, Commercial Milk Supply Safe

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed again today that pasteurization of milk consistent with the federal Grade “A” Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO) destroys harmful pathogenic bacteria and other microorganisms, including Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and other viruses. The data cited by FDA is consistent with many other studies demonstrating that the legally required temperature and time for milk pasteurization will readily inactivate HPAI. Viral fragments detected after pasteurization are nothing more than evidence that the virus is dead; they have zero impact on human health. Further, the federal PMO prohibits milk from sick cows from entering the food supply chain. Milk and milk products produced and processed in the United States are among the safest in the world.
 
The FDA has remained consistent in its vigilance against raw milk consumption, as well. Raw milk is a key vehicle in the transmission of human pathogens, including E. coli O157:H7, Campylobacter, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella, among others. As this situation continues to evolve, our dairy organizations strongly discourage the consumption of raw milk and recommend that all raw milk and raw milk components be heat treated to a temperature and duration that kills harmful pathogenic bacteria and other microorganisms, including HPAI, regardless of the product’s intended use for human or animal consumption. FDA also recommends out of an abundance of caution that milk from cows in an affected herd not be used to produce raw milk cheeses.
 
We encourage the FDA to continue to gather scientific data and information, consistent with its plans.



NAAA Urges Hobbyist and Professional Drone Operators to Operate Safely and Give Right-of-Way to Low-Altitude Manned Agricultural Aircraft This Growing Season

As the U.S. agriculture industry enters the upcoming growing season, the National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) is asking all uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) operators (or drones) to be mindful of low-altitude crewed (or manned) agricultural aircraft operations. Agricultural aviators treat 127 million acres of cropland in the United States each year in addition to pastureland, rangeland and forestry that help farmers increase productivity and protect their crops.

UAS are not allowed above 400 feet without a waiver from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and manned agricultural aircraft fly as low as 10 feet off the ground when making an application, meaning they share this low-altitude airspace with drones.

A pie chart with a blue triangle and a blue triangle Description automatically generated“With the growing number of uncrewed aircraft operations over the last few years, it is critical for their operators to be aware of low-flying, manned agricultural aircraft,” said Andrew Moore, chief executive officer of NAAA. “It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for manned aircraft to see a drone while conducting crop-enhancing and other aerial applications 10 feet off the ground at speeds as fast as 140 mph. We encourage professional and hobbyist UAS operators to keep this in mind, equip UAS with detect and avoid technology and give right-of-way to manned or crewed ag aircraft to ensure a safe 2024 growing season.”

While aerial applications are already underway in many parts of the country, operations nationwide will peak during the summer months. In a survey conducted by NAAA near the end of the 2023 agricultural aviation season, 11% of manned aerial application operators reported that either they or a pilot flying for them encountered a drone while operating an ag aircraft last year (see Fig. 1).

NAAA has and will continue to work to educate uncrewed aircraft users and the public about how to use drones safely, especially in agricultural areas. NAAA urges drone operators to do everything they can to avoid manned ag aircraft conducting important low-altitude work. NAAA recommends that uncrewed aircraft operators:
·      Give the right of way to a manned aircraft. It’s the law.
·       Equip drones with visible strobe lights, highly visible markings and tracking technology, like an ADS-B In system.
·      Be certified and well-trained in operating an uncrewed aircraft.
·       Contact local agricultural aviation operations before flying by consulting the Find An Aerial Applicator database at AgAviation.org.
·      Land your uncrewed aircraft immediately when a low-flying aircraft is nearby.
·      Carry uncrewed aircraft liability insurance.

The FAA also reminds UAS users to keep safety in mind during their annual Drone Safety Day on Saturday, April 27. According to the FAA, “Drones are the fastest-growing segment of aviation in the U.S. As of October, there are nearly 864,000 drones registered with the FAA, and over 330,000 certified Remote Pilots. These numbers are projected to continue to grow.”

Small UAS can be virtually invisible—and potentially lethal—to agricultural aviators, air ambulance helicopters, law enforcement and other low-flying manned aircraft operating in the same airspace. In a test conducted by the Colorado Agricultural Aviation Association and other stakeholders, including manned and uncrewed aircraft organizations, and the state of Colorado, no pilot operating a manned aircraft could continuously visually track a 28-inch-wide UAS when flying at regular speeds. While they might be spotted for a second, UAS are not constantly visible to pilots, meaning it is up to the drone operator to avoid a collision.

When birds hit an ag aircraft, they can break through its windshield, causing deadly accidents. A study conducted by the Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE) showed UAS collisions with aircraft cause more damage than a bird strike of comparable size would, due partially to uncrewed aircraft’s dense motors and batteries, as opposed to a bird made mostly of water, feathers, hollow bones and sinew.

The public depends on the continued safe, affordable and abundant supply of food, fiber and bioenergy and America’s agricultural aviators are busy working in the skies to help farmers produce their crops. Ag aircraft are also flying at low altitudes to combat fires and conduct public health applications to eradicate disease-carrying mosquitoes and other deadly pests. If you’re going to fly an uncrewed aircraft system, please be responsible and do everything you can to avoid crewed/manned agricultural aircraft. Learn more at AgAviation.org/uavsafetycampaign and Knowbeforeyoufly.org.