Tuesday June 04 Ag News

 NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

For the week ending June 2, 2024, there were 4.3 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 3% very short, 11% short, 74% adequate, and 12% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 4% very short, 17% short, 70% adequate, and 9% surplus.

Field Crops Report:
Corn condition rated 0% very poor, 2% poor, 18% fair, 59% good, and 21% excellent. Corn planted was 96%, near 97% last year, and equal to the five-year average. Emerged was 79%, behind 89% last year, and near 83% average.

Soybeans planted was 90%, near 94% last year and 88% average. Emerged was 64%, behind 80% last year, and near 67% average.

Winter wheat condition rated 1% very poor, 4% poor, 27% fair, 53% good, and 15% excellent. Winter wheat headed was 72%, ahead of 54% last year and 55% average.

Sorghum planted was 52%, ahead of 47% last year, but behind 58% average.

Oats condition rated 1% very poor, 3% poor, 33% fair, 56% good, and 7% excellent. Oats emerged was 95%, equal to last year, and near 94% average. Headed was 37%, well ahead of 14% last year, and ahead of 19% average.

Dry edible beans planted was 30%, ahead of 17% last year.

Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 1% very poor, 4% poor, 25% fair, 59% good, and 11% excellent.



Iowa Weekly Crop Progress and Condition Report

Scattered showers throughout the State allowed Iowa farmers 3.8 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending June 2, 2024, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Reports of standing water in fields were received from throughout the State. Planting and replanting of corn and soybeans were reported.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 0 percent very short, 3 percent short, 75 percent adequate and 22 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 1 percent very short, 7 percent short, 77 percent adequate and 15 percent surplus.

Ninety-three percent of the expected corn crop has been planted, almost 2 weeks behind last year and 5 days behind the 5-year average. Corn emerged reached 81 percent, 6 days behind last year. Corn condition rated 73 percent good to excellent.

Eighty-four percent of the expected soybean crop has been planted, 12 days behind last year but equal to the average. Sixty percent of the soybean crop has emerged, 1 week behind last year and 2 days behind the 5-year average. The first soybean condition rating of the season was 1 percent very poor, 4 percent poor, 22 percent fair, 59 percent good, and 14 percent excellent.

Ninety-seven percent of the oat crop has emerged with 40 percent headed, 6 days ahead of last year and almost 2 weeks ahead of the average. Oat condition rated 82 percent good to excellent.

Forty percent of the State’s first cutting of alfalfa hay has been completed, 6 days behind last year. Hay condition rated 79 percent good to excellent.

Pasture condition improved to 75 percent good to excellent. Wet conditions affecting livestock are now a concern.



USDA Weekly Crop Progress Report

The condition of the U.S. corn crop is starting off significantly better this year than it did last year, USDA NASS reported in its weekly Crop Progress on Monday. Planting progress and crop development also remain slightly ahead of the five-year averages for both corn and soybeans nationwide, NASS said.

CORN
-- Planting progress: Corn planting moved ahead 8 percentage points last week, slower than the previous week's progress of 13 percentage points. Planting reached 91% complete nationwide as of Sunday, June 2, 2 points ahead of the five-year average of 89%. This year's progress continued to lag last year by 4 percentage points.
-- Crop development: 74% of corn had emerged as of Sunday, 7 points behind last year's 81% and 1 point ahead of the five-year average of 73%.
-- Crop condition: In its first condition rating of the season for corn, NASS estimated that 75% of the crop was in good-to-excellent condition, 11 percentage points higher than 64% a year ago. Only 4% of the crop was rated very poor to poor compared to 6% last year.

SOYBEANS
-- Planting progress: Soybean planting moved ahead 10 points last week, slower than the previous week's pace of 16 percentage points, to reach 78% complete as of Sunday. That was 11 percentage points behind last year's pace of 89% but 5 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 73%.
-- Crop development: 55% of soybeans had emerged as of Sunday, 14 points behind last year's 69% but 3 points ahead of the five-year average of 52%.

WINTER WHEAT
-- Crop development: 83% of winter wheat was headed as of Sunday. That was 4 points ahead of 79% at this time last year and 5 points ahead of the five-year average of 78%.
-- Harvest progress: 6% of the nation's winter wheat crop was harvested as of Sunday, 3 points ahead of both last year and the five-year average pace of 3%.
-- Crop condition: 49% of the crop was rated in good-to-excellent condition, up 1 point from 48% the previous week and still up considerably from 36% a year ago. The percentage rated very poor to poor was down 1 point to 18% and is still well below last year's 34% at this time.

SPRING WHEAT
-- Planting progress: 94% of spring wheat was planted as of Sunday, 3 points ahead of 91% last year and 4 points ahead of the five-year average of 90%.
-- Crop development: 78% of spring wheat has emerged, 7 points ahead of 71% last year and 9 points ahead of the five-year average of 69%.
-- Crop condition: In its first condition rating of the season for spring wheat, NASS estimated that 74% of the crop was in good-to-excellent condition nationwide, 10 points higher than last year's good-to-excellent rating of 64%.



Tallgrass donates $50,000 to local FFA Chapters

Tallgrass has donated $50,000 to the Nebraska FFA Foundation to directly support local Chapter programming needs, including agricultural education, experiential learning, and leadership programming.

This donation is a part of the Foundation and Tallgrass multi-year partnership, which commenced with a broadcast television commercial where Tallgrass and 11 Nebraskan organizations joined together to raise awareness and support the Foundation’s fundraising.

“We are proud to partner with the Nebraska FFA Foundation to support the next generation of Nebraska farmers and ranchers who provide the food, fuel and fiber that powers our nation and enables our quality of life,” said Steven Davidson, vice president of government and public affairs at Tallgrass.

Jeff Moore, Nebraska FFA Foundation Board and Holdrege FFA Advisor, says, “We are grateful for this donation, which will support many FFA chapters, like the Holdrege FFA, by increasing financial resources available to support the development of career-ready skills and leadership through agriculture education and FFA.”

The Nebraska FFA Foundation’s mission is to financially invest in over 12,000 Nebraska FFA members and their advisors in Nebraska by supporting programming that grows leaders, builds community, and creates career connections.



I-29 Moo University webinar on June 13 to focus on dairy facility design in a changing climate

The I-29 Moo University Dairy Webinar Series continues Thursday, June 13 from 12 noon to 1 p.m. CDT.

In this webinar, Nesli Akdeniz, assistant professor and extension specialist in Biological Systems Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will discuss how increasing temperatures and extreme weather events affect the design and ventilation of dairy buildings. She will also cover ventilation techniques that enhance airflow rates and considerations for energy efficiency and reducing ventilation-related greenhouse gas emissions.

Dr. Akdeniz’s extension program focuses on livestock buildings, energy-efficient ventilation design, air quality, and greenhouse gas emissions. More information about her extension program is available on her website, https://controlledag.wisc.edu.

There is no fee to participate in the webinar; however, registration is required at least one hour before the webinar. Register online at https://go.iastate.edu/DESIGN24.

For more information, contact: in Iowa, Fred M. Hall, 712-737-4230; in Minnesota, Jim Salfer, 320-203-6093; or in South Dakota, Patricia Villamediana, 605-688-4116.



IBC to host fencing and grazing clinic at Western Research and Demonstration Farm

Closing out the calving season and getting crops in the ground are normal late spring/early summer activities for Iowa producers. Throw in a number of rainstorms and resulting weather conditions, and all good intentions of improving pasture infrastructure move quickly down their to-do list.

Because it's always advantageous to actively consider potential improvements and make plans to implement those improvements in slow seasons, Iowa Beef Center and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host a fencing and grazing clinic in western Iowa this summer.

IBC extension program specialist Beth Reynolds said the event, to be held June 26 at the Western Research and Demonstration Farm in Castana, will offer a wealth of practical knowledge for all attendees.

“This clinic is designed to help improve the infrastructure on your farm to execute an efficient grazing plan," she said. "Fencing, paddocks, weather and resiliency, all are part of the day's sessions."

ISU extension beef specialist Erika Lundy-Woolfolk said the program's five sessions provide education and opportunity to put learning into practice.

"Participants can expect a mix of hands-on, classroom style, and peer learning methods to keep the day interactive and informational," she said. "There are five sessions, including a tour of the farm, and each has a specific focus."

Clinic topics and presenters are:
    New tools in fencing: Brad Ketchum, Gallagher Animal Management Team Territory Manager
    Building your paddocks: Pat Corey, USDA-Crawford County
    Weather outlook: Madelynn Wuestenberg, ISU extension agricultural climatology specialist
    Planning for weather resilience: Shelby Gruss, ISU extension forage specialist
    Research farm tour: Lundy-Woolfolk and Reynolds, ISU extension specialists

The farm is located at 36515 Hwy E34 in Castana, the program runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and includes a noon lunch. There is no charge; however, preregistration is required and should be made by June 24. To register call 515-294-2333 or email beefcenter@iastate.edu and provide your name, email, and phone number.

Event sponsors Gallagher and Iowa Forage and Grassland Council make the program possible.



Grain Crushings and Co-Products Production

Total corn consumed for alcohol and other uses was 466 million bushels in April 2024. Total corn consumption was down 11 percent from March 2024 but up slightly from April 2023. April 2024 usage included 91.7 percent for alcohol and 8.3 percent for other purposes. Corn consumed for beverage alcohol totaled 4.16 million bushels, down 3 percent from March 2024 and down 35 percent from April 2023. Corn for fuel alcohol, at 417 million bushels, was down 12 percent from March 2024 but up 1 percent from April 2023. Corn consumed in April 2024 for dry milling fuel production and wet milling fuel production was 92.1 percent and 7.9 percent, respectively.

Dry mill co-product production of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) was 1.76 million tons during April 2024, down 9 percent from March 2024 but up 8 percent from April 2023. Distillers wet grains (DWG) 65 percent or more moisture was 1.25 million tons in April 2024, up 2 percent from March 2024 but down 4 percent from April 2023.

Wet mill corn gluten feed production was 238,119 tons during April 2024, down 12 percent from March 2024 and down 12 percent from April 2023. Wet corn gluten feed 40 to 60 percent moisture was 199,182 tons in April 2024, down 7 percent from March 2024 but up 2 percent from April 2023.

Fats and Oils: Oilseed Crushings, Production, Consumption and Stocks
Soybeans crushed for crude oil was 5.33 million tons (178 million bushels) in April 2024, compared with 6.11 million tons (204 million bushels) in March 2024 and 5.61 million tons (187 million bushels) in April 2023. Crude oil produced was 2.10 billion pounds, down 13 percent from March 2024 and down 6 percent from April 2023. Soybean once refined oil production at 1.72 billion pounds during April 2024 decreased 4 percent from March 2024 but increased 3 percent from April 2023.



Producers and Landowners Can Now Sign Up for USDA's Grassland Conservation Reserve Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that agricultural producers and private landowners can now sign up for the Grassland Conservation Reserve Program (Grassland CRP). The signup runs from today through June 28, 2024. Grassland CRP, offered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), is a voluntary working lands conservation program that enables participants to conserve grasslands and provide important conservation benefits for wildlife, soil health and carbon sequestration, all while continuing most grazing and haying practices.     

“Grassland CRP is a vital conservation tool that supports two of USDA’s top priorities: the wellbeing of American agriculture and the health of America's grasslands, which provide critical environmental benefits for wildlife and carbon sequestration,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “Over the past three years, we have seen historic interest in the Grassland Conservation Reserve Program with producers signing up to conserve over 6.8 million acres. This historic interest from agriculture has proven that agricultural productivity and conservation priorities are not exclusive from one another, but can coexist and, more importantly, complement and enhance one another.”  

More than 2.3 million acres from agricultural producers and private landowners were accepted through the 2023 Grassland CRP signup. That signup reflects the continued success and value of investments in voluntary, producer-led, working lands conservation programs. The current total participation in Grassland CRP is 8.64 million acres, which is part of the 24.8 million acres enrolled in CRP opportunities overall.    

On Nov. 16, 2023, President Biden signed into law H.R. 6363, the Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024 (Pub. L. 118-22), which generally extended the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-334), more commonly known as the 2018 Farm Bill, through Sept. 30, 2024. This extension allows authorized programs, including CRP, to continue operating.       

Landowners and producers interested in CRP should contact their local USDA Service Center to learn more or to apply for the program before the June 28 deadline.       

Other CRP Options  
FSA is also accepting applications for the Continuous CRP signup, which opened in January 2023. Under this enrollment, producers and landowners can enroll in CRP throughout the year. Offers are automatically accepted provided the producer and land meet the eligibility requirements and the enrollment levels do not exceed the statutory cap.     

Additionally, FSA also offers financial assistance to producers and landowners enrolled in CRP to improve the health of their forests through the Forest Management Incentive (FMI), which can help participants with forest management practices, such as brush management and prescribed burning.     

Producers with expiring CRP acres can use the Transition Incentives Program (TIP), which incentivizes producers who sell or enter a long-term lease with a beginning, veteran, or socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher who plans to sustainably farm or ranch the land.     



USDA Proposes Next Steps to Promote Fairer Poultry Markets, Protect Producers, and Enhance Transparency

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced next steps it is proposing to address the many, complex competition issues in agricultural markets and create a fairer playing field for poultry growers and farmers. USDA is proposing the rule Poultry Grower Payment Systems and Capital Improvement Systems, to address a range of abuses that have occurred in relation to grower ranking (commonly known as “tournament”) payment systems and additional capital investment requirements that poultry companies commonly ask of their contract growers for broiler chicken. This rule is the third in a suite of Packers and Stockyards Act rules that USDA has undertaken to create fairer markets, which ultimately can lead to lower grocery prices for hardworking families. USDA is also announcing new publicly available cattle market transparency tools. These and previous actions are intended to enhance transparency, stop retaliation and discrimination, reduce costs, and support market fairness in a range of circumstances, furthering the Department’s efforts as part of President Biden’s historic Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy.

“Under the direction of President Biden, USDA has sought to utilize every tool at its disposal to uphold fair competition, protect producers, lower costs for consumers, and combat unfair, deceptive, and discriminatory practices,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “As part of this effort, USDA committed to issuing new, stronger rules under the Packers and Stockyards Act, to provide greater clarity and strengthen enforcement under the Act. And, by continuing to provide more market transparency tools, we are also continuing to pull back the curtain to ensure every producer has access to the market information they need. With these actions, USDA is holding steadfast to this commitment, and is building ever more momentum towards delivering the fairer markets that those who raise America’s livestock and poultry deserve.”

“Poultry growers deserve a fair shake and consumers deserve fair prices,” said USDA Senior Advisor for Fair and Competitive Markets Andy Green. “This proposed rule is intended to provide growers with a clear base price in contracts, a contracting partner that designs and operates any comparisons fairly, and access to the information that growers—and USDA—need to identify and halt coercive investment demands before growers take on large debts. We look forward to taking comment from all interested parties.”

The proposed rule Poultry Grower Payment Systems and Capital Improvement Systems would, if finalized, prohibit deductions from the base price in contracts for broiler chicken growers, permitting only bonuses for performance. It would also provide critical tools to enable growers to better identify risks that may arise on capital improvement practices and enhance the ability for USDA to enforce existing prohibitions on unfair capital improvement practices. The rule would also establish a duty of fair comparison to ensure grower comparisons (tournaments) are conducted in a reasonable and equitable way that does not disadvantage specific growers.

The proposed rule is posted on the AMS website in advance of formal publication in the Federal Register when it will be available for public comment. Stakeholders and other interested parties have 60 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register to submit comments via the Regulations.gov web portal. All comments submitted will be considered as USDA develops a final rule. The final rule will be published in the Federal Register.

USDA is finalizing a series of rules under the Packers and Stockyards Act as part of President Biden’s historic Executive Order on Promoting Competition in America’s Economy, a key pillar of Bidenomics. These rules complement a series of other all-encompassing actions by USDA to increase competition in agricultural markets, create a fairer playing field for farmers, lower grocery costs for consumers, and strengthen local and regional food systems. Actions include enhancing independent meat and poultry and other diversified food processing capacity, expanding domestic, innovative fertilizer production, creating a fairer market for seeds and other agriculture inputs, investing in State Attorney General enforcement capacity and supporting more robust and resilient supply chains. These investments will create better economic opportunities, which will result in more affordable prices and choices for consumers at the grocery store, in addition to more opportunities and revenue for producers. These rules complement a series of other all-encompassing actions by USDA to increase competition in agricultural markets, create a fairer playing field for farmers, lower grocery costs for consumers, and strengthen local and regional food systems. Actions include enhancing independent meat and poultry and other diversified food processing capacity, expanding domestic, innovative fertilizer production, creating a fairer market for seeds and other agriculture inputs, investing in State Attorney General enforcement capacity to crack down on practices including unfair pricing, and supporting more robust and resilient supply chains. These investments will create better economic opportunities, which will result in more affordable prices and choices for consumers at the grocery store, in addition to more opportunities and revenue for producers.

Livestock Mandatory Reporting (LMR) Live Cattle Data Dashboard
To complement these regulatory actions, USDA is launching a new data visualization tool, the Livestock Mandatory Reporting (LMR) Live Cattle Data Dashboard, providing users the ability to view and access LMR live cattle market information in a manner that is easy to use and understand. AMS also will begin publishing additional information on the actual net premiums and discounts paid to cattle producers by packers under formula marketing arrangements and detailed quality grade price distribution information. In the last several years, AMS has offered this data in new and modern ways to ensure all stakeholders have access to the information they need to efficiently market their agricultural products. The enhanced insight gained from these powerful tools places producers on a more equal footing with large volume data users and fosters a fairer and more competitive marketplace. This dashboard is another new tool offered by USDA that aims to make access to AMS Market News information more user-friendly. AMS is conducting demos and testing with interested stakeholders. Public access to this dashboard will be available this summer.



NFU Welcomes Third Proposed Packers and Stockyards Act Rule to Promote Fair Markets

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) today issued the third proposed rule in a series of updates to the Packers and Stockyards Act (P&S Act).

The rule addresses abuse by the poultry industry of broiler chicken producers under the “tournament” ranking system as well as situations where poultry companies make coercive facility investment demands of growers. Today's announcement also includes greater openness in cattle contracts with new reports and tools through the Livestock Mandatory Reporting Live Cattle Data Dashboard.

“Family farmers and ranchers deserve to operate in a fair and transparent marketplace,” said NFU President Rob Larew. "This proposed rule aims to ensure poultry growers receive an honest price for their hard work and that they have access to adequate information before investing in major capital upgrades. NFU looks forward to reviewing the proposed rule to make sure it offers producers the protections they need.”

USDA finalized two P&S Act rules over the past year to improve transparency in poultry contracting and prevent discrimination, retaliation, and deception against livestock producers by meatpackers. Today’s proposed rule marks important additional progress toward strengthening enforcement of the P&S Act.

NFU’s Fairness for Farmers campaign has brought the devastating impact of monopolies on family agriculture into the national spotlight. Updating and strengthening enforcement of the P&S Act is a central priority of the campaign and NFU’s grassroots policy.



USDA Announces June 2024 Lending Rates for Agricultural Producers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for June 2024, which are effective June 3, 2024. USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans provide important access to capital to help agricultural producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment and storage structures or meet cash flow needs.         

“I encourage our lenders and borrowers alike to work with our local offices and our cooperators to capitalize fully on the existing flexibilities in these important programs,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux.        

Operating, Ownership and Emergency Loans     
FSA offers farm ownership, operating and emergency loans with favorable interest rates and terms to help eligible agricultural producers, whether multi-generational, long-time, or new to the industry, obtain financing needed to start, expand or maintain a family agricultural operation. For many loan options, FSA sets aside funding for underserved producers, including, beginning, women, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and Hispanic farmers and ranchers.     

Interest rates for Operating and Ownership loans for June 2024 are as follows:      
    Farm Operating Loans (Direct): 5.375%
    Farm Ownership Loans (Direct): 5.625%
    Farm Ownership Loans (Direct, Joint Financing): 3.625%
    Farm Ownership Loans (Down Payment): 1.625%
    Emergency Loan (Amount of Actual Loss): 3.750%   

FSA also offers guaranteed loans through commercial lenders at rates set by those lenders.  To access an interactive online, step-by-step guide through the farm loan process, visit the Loan Assistance Tool on farmers.gov.      

Commodity and Storage Facility Loans    
Additionally, FSA provides low-interest financing to producers to build or upgrade on-farm storage facilities and purchase handling equipment and loans that provide interim financing to help producers meet cash flow needs without having to sell their commodities when market prices are low.  Funds for these loans are provided through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and are administered by FSA.   
Commodity Loans (less than one year disbursed):6.125%.      
    Farm Storage Facility Loans:
        Three-year loan terms: 4.750%
        Five-year loan terms: 4.500%
        Seven-year loan terms: 4.500%
        Ten-year loan terms: 4.500%
        Twelve-year loan terms: 4.625%
    Sugar Storage Facility Loans (15 years): 4.750%        

Farm Loan Program Process Improvement 
FSA has a significant initiative underway to streamline and automate the Farm Loan Program customer-facing business process. For the over 26,000 producers who submit a direct loan application annually, FSA has made various improvements, including:             The Online Loan Application, an interactive, guided application that is paperless and provides helpful features, including an electronic signature option, the ability to attach supporting documents, such as tax returns, complete a balance sheet and build a farm operating plan.  
    The Loan Assistance Tool that provides customers with an interactive online, step-by-step guide to identifying the direct loan products that may be a fit for their business needs and to understanding the application process. 
    An online direct loan repayment feature that relieves borrowers from the necessity of calling, mailing, or visiting a local Service Center to pay a loan installment. 
    A simplified direct loan paper application, reduced from 29 pages to 13 pages. 

More Information
Since the Inflation Reduction Act was signed by President Biden in August 2022, USDA’s Farm Service Agency has provided approximately $2.3 billion in immediate assistance to more than 42,000 distressed borrowers. The deadline to request assistance through the Inflation Reduction Act Assistance for Distressed Borrowers and Discrimination Financial Assistance Program has passed. Any applications submitted before the program deadlines are currently under review. Visit the related program webpages for more information.    

To learn more about FSA programs, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center. Producers can also prepare maps for acreage reporting as well as manage farm loans and view other farm records data and customer information by logging into their farmers.gov account. If producers don’t have an account, they sign up today.



Feeding Quality Forum Registration Now Open

As we approach a herd rebuild, you need confidence to navigate today’s cattle market dynamics. This year’s Feeding Quality Forum (FQF) theme is just that, so attendees can leave ready to make more informed decisions at the ranch and feedyard to get more value for their cattle.

FQF will be hosted at the Boot Hill Casino and Resort Conference Center in Dodge City, Kan., Aug. 20 and 21, 2024. Half-price registration is available now until June 30 for $125. From July 1 to Aug. 2, registration costs $250. Student registration is $50. Save your seat online at FeedingQualityForum.com.

“Each year Feeding Quality Forum is designed to bring attendees timely and relevant information,” says Kara Lee, director of producer engagement at Certified Angus Beef (CAB). “We are excited to host some of the industry’s most qualified experts to talk through topics that matter at the ranch, the feedyard and on the rail.”

What to expect
Returning for the 15th time, Dan Basse, AgResource Company, will kick off the event with a Global Market Update. Then Paul Dykstra, CAB, will discuss why Choice is an outdated quality goal for fed cattle and examine data from packing plants, followed by CAB Meat Scientist Daniel Clark talking about what carcass specifications are the most at-risk for disqualifying cattle from earning premiums. Tuesday’s sessions will wrap up with Insight from the Packer on procurement strategies.

The evening program will celebrate the 2024 Industry Achievement Award recipient, Glen Dolezal, from Cargill Protein. Called the “father of instrument grading,” Dolezal oversaw the implementation of Cargill’s tenderness claim and adoption of camera grading. His career tenure includes more than 20 years in the packing sector — focusing on quality beef production, sustainable practices at the plant and sales — following 16 years in academia.

“Today’s market of tight supplies and the long-term prospect of a herd rebuild brings new challenges for producers and opportunities they can capitalize on,” Lee says. “At Feeding Quality Forum, attendees will gain top-notch insight into both details.”

Wednesday morning is dedicated to practical management topics aimed at enhancing profitability and efficiency in the cattle industry. Beginning with Pete Anderson of Midwest PMS, attendees will learn about the importance of strategic management and marketing strategies. Following this, a panel of industry professionals will delve into the crucial role genetics play in maximizing profits. Then, Randall Spare, veterinarian with Ashland Veterinary Service, will discuss forward-thinking strategies for rebuilding cow herds.

As the morning progresses, A.J. Tarpoff, Kansas State University, and Justin Gleghorn, Cactus Feeders, will talk about the power of current technologies for optimal management. The sessions will conclude with Bob Smith, Veterinary Research and Consulting Services, highlighting the significance of Beef Quality Assurance, offering a comprehensive overview of industry standards.

New this year is a post-event session at Hy-Plains Feedyard. Attendees can see inside the research facility while participating in Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) training. The BQA training is sponsored by Sysco and CAB, as part of the Raised with Respect™ cattle care initiative. This training will also be offered in Spanish.

Find the full agenda, speaker list and register for the event at FeedingQualityForum.com.



Spot and Forward Markets
Matthew Diersen, Risk & Business Management Specialist, South Dakota State University

Conventional wisdom says that nobody is expanding cattle herds. Usually, that means there is not enough expansion in aggregate to see any difference. Local or individual situations can differ, and contraction or expansion is normal to observe. For example, at South Dakota AMS-reported auctions, there have been several weeks with notable volumes of heifers traded as replacements. The volume, while interesting, does not defy conventional wisdom – the total for the month of May was smaller than the total from 2023. Expansion is not rampant. The heifers weighed 700-1,000 pounds and traded on both a per cwt and per head basis in both years. Replacements weighing close to 800 pounds traded at $249.00-291.00 per cwt. This reflects a premium compared to heifers not deemed as replacements that traded at $222.50-263.00 per cwt. The replacement prices also reflect a premium to the CME Feeder Cattle Index, which was averaging about $249.00 per cwt for the same period. Last year the replacements only traded at a few dollars above the index of $207.00 per cwt.

The spot price for steer calves locally, using a weighted average of 5-600 pound animals from South Dakota AMS-reported auctions, topped $350.00 per cwt last week. That is an all-time high for that series and exceeds the 2023 level by $50.00 per cwt (or $275 per head). For the month of May the average price reflected a basis of $95.00 over the average of May feeder cattle futures prices. The basis was $56.60 in May of 2023. June is generally the time of year when forward sales begin. Video auctions often have runs with forward trades this time of year. Given the recent spot basis levels, one would expect high basis levels to be reflected in forward prices. Sharply lower corn and hay prices are factors strengthening basis on the cost side, while higher feeder cattle futures are strengthening basis on the returns side. There can be some direct trades with forward prices, but those are more common in southern states.

The price differentials of steers and heifers fade at higher weights. The spot prices for heifers from the 5-Area series were within $1.00 per cwt for live and dressed steers last week. The slaughter weights differ as live heifers weighed 1,326 pounds last week while live steers weighed 1,459 pounds. Forward market prices for fed cattle do not discern between steers and heifers. The prices from AMS reports are given as basis levels for the prior week relative to the corresponding futures prices. Thus, forward prices for delivery this June have been quoted as a basis relative to the June Live Cattle futures price. The AMS uses parentheses for negative numbers, thus a basis of “($2.60)” means one must subtract $2.60 from the futures price to arrive at the forward price. New signings levels have been running at a higher pace than during the past two years. The result is the cumulative signings have been back above 1,000,000 head for much of 2024 after being below that level from late 2022 through much of 2023. The volumes are higher across the upcoming delivery months and are at relatively high levels for November and December delivery.



Kemin Industries Introduces FORMYL, an Advanced Feed Acidifier for Swine Health, in the U.S.

Kemin Industries, a global ingredient manufacturer that strives to sustainably transform the quality of life every day for 80 percent of the world with its products and services, has launched of FORMYL™, an innovative feed additive designed to enhance swine health and productivity, in the United States. The cutting-edge solution from the Kemin Animal Nutrition and Health – North America business unit uses a proprietary blend of encapsulated calcium formate and citric acid, ensuring optimal delivery and efficacy.

FORMYL offers numerous benefits and features, including:
    Effective feed acidifier to address pathogens and promote a healthy gut environment
    Non-antibiotic solution of formic acid contributes to minimizing the presence of Enterobacteriaceae challenges and Escherichia coli
    Encapsulation technology that ensures safer handling and maximum impact in the animal

Calcium formate was recently approved in the U.S. for use as a feed acidifying agent in complete swine and poultry feeds. Research has shown calcium formate is a highly effective feed acidifier and antimicrobial agent that can combat pathogens by damaging their cell membranes.

"We are thrilled to grow our offering of innovative products for the swine market," said Daryl Schraad, President, Kemin Animal Nutrition and Health – North America. "Our team is constantly working to bring new solutions to the marketplace, and we believe that FORMYL will have a positive impact on the swine industry from a performance and profitability standpoint."

Calcium formate is widely recognized for its ability to reduce the pH of the gastrointestinal tract, which can help to improve the barrier of microbial passage to the intestinal tract. This, in turn, can improve the activity of gastric enzymes post-weaning, enhancing digestion and reducing the incidence of diarrhea. With targeted release in the gastrointestinal tract, FORMYL provides acidification to enhance pathogen control efforts and support overall intestinal health, leading to improved performance and profitability in swine production.



John Deere Introduces New T6 800 Walker Combine

John Deere (NYSE: DE) introduces the new T6 800 walker combine. In addition to the S7 Series of combines introduced earlier this year, the T6 800 combine offers operators outstanding harvesting performance and the ultimate operator experience.

The new T6 800 walker combine includes many features from the X9 and S7 Series combines with the latest integrated precision ag technology; larger, quieter cab; increased unloading rate and improved efficiency.

“The T6 800 combine provides farmers a significant step forward in harvesting technology,” said Bergen Nelson, John Deere go-to-market manager for harvesters. “With these combines, farmers will have the tools they need to enhance productivity and efficiency in the field.”

High-performance harvesting
The feeder house, engineered to the same width as the rest of the crop channel, eliminates flow restrictions throughout the combine. Together with the large threshing and separation area, it delivers outstanding harvesting performance. The T6 800 walker combine delivers the following:
    Larger grain tank size (+23%)
    Faster Unloading reate (+20%)
    Efficiency gains (+6%)

Additionally, operators can benefit from the adjustable spout, enabling more control over unloading into grain carts and trailers. The unloading speed at peak performance reaches up to 150L/sec, allowing for fast unloading of 10 tons of grain in just 90 seconds. Moreover, HillMaster™ leveling technology with a compensation of up to 22% incline is available; providing more confidence on steep slopes with better harvesting results.

Improved productivity with precision harvesting
The new T6 800 combine is fitted with advanced John Deere Precision Ag technology, including the StarFire 7500 integrated receiver, the G5Plus CommandCenter™ display and JDLink modem. The G5Plus CommandCenter provides operators with a large high-definition 12.8” display, featuring intuitive menu functionalities, offering ultimate control and visibility during harvesting. Additionally, operators have the option to equip the combine with the G5Plus extended monitor, allowing operators to control more functions simultaneously, such as viewing vehicle control functions on the primary display and the precision farming application such as AutoPath™, Machine Sync or Grain Sensing on the extended monitor. In addition to the new G5Plus CommandCenter, there’s a new corner post display allowing customers to change the interface by adding or removing information and new features to the screen.

Available automation options allow operators to concentrate on the task at hand, with less worry over settings and ground speed. Options include:
    Ground speed automation continuously evaluates inputs and helps maintain a consistent feed rate by automatically adjusting the combine’s ground speed based on operator inputs and operator-defined limits on variables such as grain loss, engine power and rotor pressure.
    Terrain settings automation provides stable cleaning shoe performance in varying terrain by automatically adjusting cleaning fan speed, and chaffer and sieve openings based on combine fore/aft pitch. This helps reduce losses and increases machine performance in hilly terrain when driving up and downhill, maintaining combine performance and reducing operator stress.

“The technology added to this combine gives the farmer the power to execute, monitor and analyze every stage of their harvesting operation,” Nelson said. “In addition, the technology solutions pave the way for the new automation features and functionality.”

The T6 Series combine: corner-office comfort
Because a comfortable operator is a more productive operator, John Deere designed these combines to be among the most comfortable ever produced. The new operator’s station offers more storage space, more cupholders, more heat for the feet, a more comfortable seat and more glass for better visibility – all designed for the operator to remain alert and focused through even the longest days of harvest.

“The new cab with the improved creature comforts serve an important purpose,” Nelson said. “The comfort and convenience updates help reduce distractions that can take the operator’s attention away from the task at hand. This is a win for farmers, custom harvesters and their operators. Combined with the X9 and S7 Series combines, we now have a combine for any harvesting need for farmers of all scales.”