Tuesday August 27 Ag News - Crop Progress

 NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

For the week ending August 25, 2024, there were 6.1 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the  SDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 13% very short, 30% short, 54% adequate, and 3% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 12% very short, 33% short, 52% adequate, and 3% surplus.

Field Crops Report:
Corn condition rated 5% very poor, 7% poor, 20% fair, 43% good, and 25% excellent. Corn dough was 87%, near 91% last year and 88% for the five-year average. Dented was 58%, near 54% last year, and ahead of 51% average. Mature was 17%, ahead of 8% last year and 5% average.

Soybean condition rated 2% very poor, 6% poor, 21% fair, 52% good, and 19% excellent. Soybeans setting pods was 96%, ahead of 89% last year, and near 92% average. Dropping leaves was 8%, near 7% last year and 6% average.

Sorghum condition rated 0% very poor, 4% poor, 19% fair, 49% good, and 28% excellent. Sorghum headed was 98%, near 94% last year, and ahead of 93% average. Coloring was 35%, near 39% last year and 36% average. Mature was 1%, equal to both last year and average.

Dry edible bean condition rated 4% very poor, 6% poor, 27% fair, 46% good, and 17% excellent. Dry edible beans blooming was 96%, near 95% last year and 97% average. Setting pods was 89%, ahead of 81% last year, and near 87% average. Dropping leaves was 10%, ahead of 4% last year, and near 9% average.

Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 10% very poor, 19% poor, 31% fair, 29% good, and 11% excellent.



Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report

The State experienced mostly dry weather this week. These conditions allowed Iowa farmers 6.4 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending August 25, 2024, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Primary field activities continued to be cutting and baling hay and preparing for the fall harvest.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 3 percent very short, 23 percent short, 72 percent adequate and 2 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 3 percent very short, 20 percent short, 75 percent adequate and 2 percent surplus.

Corn in the dough stage or beyond reached 90 percent this week, 6 days behind last year but 1 day ahead of the five-year average. Forty-five percent of the corn crop reached the dent stage or beyond, 3 days behind last year. Corn mature reached 4 percent. Corn condition rated 77 percent good to excellent.

Soybeans setting pods reached 90 percent, 9 days behind last year and 3 days behind the five-year average. Soybeans coloring reached 5 percent, 4 days behind last year and 2 days behind the average. Soybean condition was 77 percent good to excellent.  

The State’s third cutting of alfalfa hay reached 79 percent, 6 days behind last year but 6 days ahead of the five-year average. Hay condition rated 77 percent good to excellent.

Pasture condition rated 65 percent good to excellent. As temperatures rose at the end of the week, stress became a concern for livestock.



USDA Weekly Crop Progress Report

Corn and soybean good-to-excellent condition ratings fell at the national level last week following two weeks in a row of holding steady, USDA NASS reported in its weekly Crop Progress report on Monday. Both crops also appear to be reaching maturity slightly ahead of their five-year averages, NASS reported.

CORN
-- Crop development: Corn in the dough stage was estimated at 84%, 1 percentage point behind last year's 85% but 1 point ahead of the five-year average of 83%. Corn dented was estimated at 46%, equal to last year but 4 points ahead of the five-year average of 42%. Corn mature was pegged at 11%, 3 points ahead of last year's 8% and 5 points ahead of the five-year average of 6%.
-- Crop condition: NASS estimated that 65% of the crop was in good-to-excellent condition, down 2 percentage points from 67% the previous week but still above last year's 56%. Thirteen percent of the crop was rated very poor to poor, up from 11% the previous week but below 17% last year.

SOYBEANS
-- Crop development: Soybeans setting pods were estimated at 89%, 1 point behind last year's 90% but 1 point ahead of the five-year average of 88%. Soybeans dropping leaves were pegged at 6%, 2 points ahead of both last year and the five-year average of 4%.
-- Crop condition: NASS estimated that 67% of soybeans were in good-to-excellent condition, down 1 point from 68% the previous week but still above last year's rating of 58% good to excellent.

SPRING WHEAT
-- Harvest progress: Spring wheat harvest picked up speed last week, jumping ahead 20 percentage points to reach 51% complete as of Sunday. That brought this year's harvest progress to within 1 point of last year's 50% and 2 points of the five-year average of 53%.
-- Crop condition: NASS estimated that 69% of the crop remaining in fields was in good-to-excellent condition nationwide, down 4 points from 73% the previous week. That remains well ahead of last year's rating of 37% good to excellent.



Pillen and University Leaders Recognize Inaugural Elite 11 Scholarship Recipients
 
Today, Governor Jim Pillen joined leaders from the University of Nebraska in recognizing the first cohort of students to qualify for a uniquely designed program aimed at increasing the number production animal veterinarians in Nebraska. Those veterinarians specialize in working with farmers and ranchers who raise cattle, swine, sheep and other forms of livestock and poultry.
 
Gov. Pillen and university leadership announced the creation of the Nebraska Elite 11 Veterinarian Program in February, and the first applications were accepted in March. Nineteen students are currently enrolled. Each one receives the Nebraska Production Animal Health Scholarship, which covers 50% of their tuition for the first two years of study in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln (UNL).  
 
“These students are embarking on a challenging, yet hugely rewarding career path,” said Gov. Pillen, who also received his doctorate in veterinary medicine. “The demand for production animal veterinarians is high. This program is a leader in the United States. It will provide students the top-level training they need, and it will set them on a career path that will allow them to continue practicing, right here in Nebraska.”
 
Up to 25 students can take advantage of the initial scholarship. Following their second year of study, 13 are chosen for a continuation scholarship that covers 100% of their tuition during their third and fourth years. From there, the Elite 11 are selected from UNL’s Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine (PPVM) to have all tuition and fees paid for while they attend UNL’s dual Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program with Iowa State University (ISU).
 
"The Elite 11 program is creating exactly the kind of impact we hoped it would,” said Dr. Jeffrey Gold, president, University of Nebraska. “I'm so pleased to welcome this group of talented young women and men to the University of Nebraska, and I know they will achieve great things for Nebraska agriculture and the veterinary industry in the years to come. I want to thank Dean Tiffany Heng-Moss for her vision on this important effort and Governor Pillen for his leadership and support every step of the way."
 
One of the key requirements for consideration and participation in the Elite 11 program is that applicants must be residents of Nebraska. They must also demonstrate a strong interest in production animal health and a commitment to major in animal or veterinary science.
 
“I am thrilled to welcome these 19 scholarship recipients to the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at UNL,” said Dean Tiffany Heng-Moss of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. “These outstanding students had their choice of colleges, but I’m delighted to be able to say that all have committed to staying in our state both during college and after. This is a big win for Nebraska, our veterinary workforce, and the future of agriculture in our state.”
 
Mike Boehm, NU vice president and Harlan vice chancellor for UNL’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, also offered his congratulations to the inaugural students.
 
“It’s always a joy to be in room filled with so much passion for our state and its agriculture industry, its natural resources and the hardworking people that contribute to our state’s success,” said Boehm. “I’m grateful to these students for their commitment to Nebraska, to their families and communities for instilling in them the values that got them here today, and to state leaders, including Gov. Pillen, for championing this critical program.”
 
UNL Chancellor, Dr. Rodney Bennett, pointed to the program’s goal of meeting critical needs in a state for which the livestock industry contributes more than $6 billion annually to the economy.  
 
"The Elite 11 program exemplifies the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s dedication to academic excellence and community impact. By developing these exceptional students into future veterinarians, we are addressing a crucial need in the agricultural sector and ensuring that our university remains a leader in nurturing talent that supports Nebraska communities. This program is a reflection of our commitment to empowering students and advancing the welfare of our state."
 
Listed alphabetically by hometown, the 19 students recognized in today’s program include:
Dix: Hannah, Keilian
Dodge: Meg Anderson
Hastings: Lynsie Lancaster
Hershey: Peyton Fisher
Hooper: Klayton Hilbers
Keystone: Presley Nowak
Lincoln: Alannah Crabtree
Maywood: Haydn Farr
Naponee: Addison Pool
North Platte: Haylie Hoatson
O’Neill: Claire Stauth
Oakland: Bailey Denton
Palmyra: Jacob Wood
Phillips: Jack Steenson
St. Libory: Chloe Scheer
Weeping Water: Brooklyn Ahrens
Wellfleet: Chase Martin
West Point: Sydney Hutchinson
York: Emma Snider

As part of their participation in the Elite 11 program and upon graduation, students agree to stay in Nebraska for eight years as practicing production animal veterinarians or they must pay back their school scholarship. The application period for the next cohort of students will be announced this fall.
 


New Leadership Elected for the Nebraska Corn Board

The Nebraska Corn Board (NCB) elected four farmers to serve in leadership roles at the recent board meeting on August 20. The leadership roles are effective immediately and are yearlong in duration, with the possibility of being reelected.

Brandon Hunnicutt, District 3 director, was elected as chair of NCB. Hunnicutt farms near Giltner with his father and brother. On his farm, Hunnicutt grows corn, white corn, non-GMO corn, popcorn and soybeans. He earned his bachelor’s degree in agricultural business from UNL and has served on the board since 2014. Hunnicutt has also served on the National Corn Growers Association board of directors, Field to Market and in various national leadership roles.

Andy Groskopf, District 8 director, was elected vice chair of the board. Groskopf farms near Scottsbluff, where he farms irrigated corn and dry edible beans. He has been farming for over 20 years and is the fourth generation managing the family farm. He attended Western Nebraska Community College for automotive technologies. Groskopf has been with NCB since 2018.

Ted Schrock, District 5 director, was elected secretary/treasurer of the board. Schrock farms near Elm Creek where he farms with his father, brother, uncles, cousins and son where they grow corn, soybeans, alfalfa, wheat and run a cow-calf operation. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Schrock has served on NCB since 2018.

Jay Reiners, At Large director, assumes the role of past chairman of the board after serving three consecutive terms as chairman. Reiners farms near Juniata, where he grows field corn, seed corn and soybeans. He has been farming for over 30 years and is the fourth generation managing the family farm. He graduated with an associate’s degree in general agriculture from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). Reiners has been with NCB since 2017.

“I congratulate the board members elected to leadership positions this year,” said Kelly Brunkhorst, executive director of NCB. “Looking to the past, our leadership has been top tier, and this year is no exception. This year’s executive team will be leading the third largest corn-producing state in the nation and new programs that will benefit Nebraska’s corn producers. I’m looking forward to the year ahead with leadership.”

The full board is comprised of nine corn farmers from across the state. Eight members represent specific Nebraska districts and are appointed by the Governor of Nebraska. The Board elects a ninth at large member. Board members serve three-year terms with the possibility to be reappointed.  



Farm Bankruptcies on the Rise in Nebraska
NeFB Newsletter

The weakening farm economy is showing up in Chapter 12 farm bankruptcies. Bankruptcy court statistics show 11 bankruptcies were filed in Nebraska during the first half of the year, already more than the 7 filed in all last year. Last year had the third-lowest number of bankruptcies filed since 2000 and was the fourth consecutive year filings had declined. So, filings were bound to increase at some point. Still, the uptick does indicate growing financial stress on farms. The increase in bankruptcy filings was not limited to Nebraska. Nationally, 116 bankruptcies were filed during the first six months compared to a total of 139 filed all last year. Filings last year were off 18% from 2022, a record low.

High commodity prices and farm incomes in 2022 led to the record low bankruptcy filings last year. This year, low prices, slow exports, higher interest rates, and higher costs are putting the squeeze on farm finances. Other signals also point to growing financial concerns in agriculture. The latest agricultural credit survey by the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank found farm loan repayment rates declined and repayment problems on farm loans rose slightly. The Bank also reported farm income in Nebraska showed the largest decline in the Tenth District. Given current market conditions, the deterioration in farm finances is likely to continue.



ACE 2024 Awards Honor Ethanol Industry Contributors

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) honored a select group of advocates for their contributions to the ethanol industry during its 37th annual conference this month in Omaha.

The Merle Anderson Award, named after the organization’s founder, went to John Christianson of Christianson PLLP this year. ACE CEO Brian Jennings, along with ACE board president Dave Sovereign, representing Golden Grain Energy, and ACE board member Ron Alverson, 2023 recipient of the Merle Anderson Award, representing Dakota Ethanol, presented the award to John.

As a young, certified public accountant in the early 1980s, John gained experience and made meaningful connections during the challenging farm crisis years. In the 1990s, he was approached by a group of local farmers wanting financial consulting to start an ethanol plant, one of the first in Minnesota, Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company. The launch was a success. Soon Christianson & Associates was known as part of the ‘Minnesota Model’ and was supporting ethanol start-ups and clients across the nation. His company was instrumental in developing dozens of ethanol plants during the construction boom of the 2000s. John was influential in developing and delivering Biofuels Benchmarking™ for ethanol plants to access industry data, insights and reports.

“Receiving the American Coalition for Ethanol Merle Anderson Award is true honor,” Christianson said. “The majority of my career has been dedicated to supporting renewable energy and the future of farming. This award is a testament to the team I work with every day who are dedicated to making a difference. In the ethanol industry, where every drop represents a step towards a cleaner, greener planet, this honor is a reminder that the work we do today lays the foundation for a better tomorrow.”

John left his managing partner role at the firm to become a director in 2021. He is also the President at Beyond, A Christianson Company. Beyond offers software solutions connecting plant operations and accounting. Additionally, he is a member of the Minnesota Governor’s Biofuels Council and a current board member and Treasurer of ACE.

Prior to the retailer panel during the conference, Ron Lamberty, ACE Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), presented the Paul Dana Marketing Vision Award to Jeff Carpenter, U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Program Manager of the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP). Carpenter’s work providing convenience store owners and operators of all sizes with hands-on assistance navigating the HBIIP application process has helped many of the small retailers ACE typically works with apply for grants to begin offering higher ethanol blends to their customers. In addition, Carpenter’s efforts promoting HBIIP and gathering feedback from prospective retailers at fuel industry events, along with ongoing conversations with ACE and other ethanol stakeholders about HBIIP challenges and opportunities, help him keep USDA updated on ways to make the program more accessible, particularly for single stores and small chains that own and operate 60% of the fuel retail sites in the U.S.

“As a federal employee we usually stay behind the scenes, so receiving this award is certainly unexpected and I’m honored,” Carpenter said. “There’s a lot of strong, bipartisan support for HBIIP, and I’m proud of the work USDA has done so far as a result of the historic Inflation Reduction Act. There is significant need for and interest in this program. USDA currently has nearly 900 applications requesting about 800 million in funding, and that’s just what has been submitted.”

ACE CMO Ron Lamberty presented the Grassroots Award to Randy Gard (COO, Bosselman Enterprises) during the same retailer panel. The strength of ACE is in our collective grassroots members and ACE provides this award to devoted individuals who work behind the scenes to advance the cause of ethanol. In addition to behind-the-scenes work with USDA on the HBIIP program and being involved in state legislation affecting ethanol and fuel marketers in Nebraska, Gard recently helped shape and pass legislation to incentivize Nebraska retailers who offer ethanol blends of 15% or higher.

“ACE and other organizations have been instrumental for a retailer like Bosselman to understand HBIIP and the benefits of offering higher ethanol blends,” Gard said. “At the end of the day, we’re in the business of making money. The cornerstone of any convenience store is fuel, and we chase pennies. Higher blends help us offer lower prices, attract new customers, sell more gallons, make more money on those gallons and we’re better off for it. Without HBIIP and Nebraska’s higher blend tax credit legislation that passed a few years ago, we probably wouldn’t be offering ethanol to the extent we do today.”

ACE also presented the 2024 Policy and Legislative Leadership Award to U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (NE), for her strong leadership on biofuel issues, from her ongoing commitment to ensuring consumer access to E15 through the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act (S. 2707) to her staunch advocacy for farmers, keeping the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) on track and recognizing the role ethanol plays in uplifting rural communities and decarbonizing our transportation sector.



'Purchase Moore Hamann Bacon' Promotion Returns for 2024 Season
    
The viral “Purchase Moore Hamann Bacon” promotion by the Iowa Pork Producers Association involving Iowa State Cyclone football players is back for the 2024 season, with more students joining the cast. The first in a series of episodic videos featuring Myles Purchase, Tyler Moore, Tommy Hamann and Caleb Bacon launched Monday, August 26. The players have renewed a NIL (name, image, likeness) agreement with the Iowa Pork Producers Association to encourage people to, well, purchase more ham and bacon.

The campaign debuted in September 2023 and quickly went viral across social media, earning millions of views and gaining widespread national attention. The Sports Business Journal named the partnership between Iowa Pork and Iowa State players the “Best NIL Deal of 2023”. Cyclones Alec Cook and Zach Lovett were later added to the campaign and return this year.

“The Purchase Moore Hamann Bacon promotion exceeded beyond our wildest dreams last year and we’re thrilled to partner with these student-athletes once again,” said Matt Gent, a pig farmer from Wellman, Iowa who also serves as president of the Iowa Pork Producers Association. “This campaign is such a fun way to encourage people to buy pork, bring some more recognition to these players, and to provide meals to families in need.”

One change to this year’s promotion is Tommy Hamann’s decision to leave the Iowa State football program and focus on his engineering degree. The video episode released today, “Goodbye, Tommy” shows Hamann bidding farewell to the group, leaving Purchase, Moore, Bacon, Cook and Lovett wondering what happens next.

In a series of videos to be released every Monday at 10 a.m. for the next seven weeks, several other Cyclone students will participate in tryouts for the campaign to see if they fit into the ‘Purchase Moore Hamann Bacon’ mantra. The episodic series will conclude on Monday, October 7, just in time to celebrate National Pork Month, aka “Porktober”.

In conjunction with the NIL partnership, the Iowa Pork Producers Association will donate $1,000 worth of pork to a food pantry chosen by every student that appears in the ‘Purchase Moore Hamann Bacon’ videos. The donations from the “Goodbye, Tommy” video will go to:  
    Food Bank of the Rockies in Denver, Colo., in the name of Myles Purchase
    DMARC in Des Moines, Iowa, in the name of Tyler Moore
    Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners in Plymouth, Minn., in the name of Tommy Hamann
    Lake Mills Food Shelf in Lake Mills, Iowa, in the name of Caleb Bacon
    Food Bank for the Heartland in Omaha, Neb., in the name of Alec Cook
    Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, in the name of Zach Lovett

The Iowa Pork Producers Association donated a total of $13,000 worth of pork to those students’ food pantries of choice last year.

Although none of the players in the initial photo were widely known a year ago, that quickly changed as ‘Purchase Moore Hamann Bacon’ skyrocketed across social media, local news, sports talk radio, and prominent national outlets like USA Today and ESPN.

“Since we did the first ‘Purchase Moore Hamann Bacon’ photo almost a year ago, there’s a lot more publicity to all our names and I feel like we’re mainly known for that moment,” Caleb Bacon said. “Anytime that I mention my last name to someone, that’s the first thing they bring up.”

However, Caleb Bacon’s on-field performances also speak volumes. The Lake Mills, Iowa native is a former walk-on to the Cyclone football team who earned a scholarship following a strong sophomore season and is now one of the team’s leaders.

Bacon will wear jersey number 26 this football season in honor of former Cyclone wide receiver Jack Whitver who is battling brain cancer. The ‘Purchase Moore Hamann Bacon’ photos and videos were shot prior to the jersey switch.

The Iowa Pork Producers Association worked with We Will Collective to arrange the NIL deals with Cyclone students.

"We are thrilled to continue to partner with Iowa Pork on this campaign,” said Brent Blum, executive director of We Will Collective. “The feedback this has received for our entire state and the work of the pork producers has been incredible and we are grateful to show the positive impact of NIL through this effort."

The ‘Purchase Moore Hamann Bacon’ videos can be found on the Iowa Pork Producers Association’s Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube channels.



Grants Announced for 137 Iowa Schools to Purchase Local Food

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will provide $2,000 grants to 137 participating school districts or schools to purchase meat, eggs, produce, dairy and other local foods from area farmers. Launched in 2022, Local Food for Schools (LFS) pairs school lunch programs with a local food hub to connect to area farmers.

This latest and final round of Iowa LFS will run from August through December of 2024. The 137 public school districts or private schools are all participants in the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs. 17 schools are new to LFS for this round of funding. Through the first two rounds, more than $1.7 million has been awarded to 162 Iowa schools, and more than 110 farms and food businesses have sold products to schools through the program.

“With another school year off and running, I’m excited to see more connections being made between school lunch programs and local farmers,” said Secretary Naig. “These grants provide yet another way that we can assist our schools with providing fresh and nutritious meals while also fortifying supply chains and building market demand for Iowa farmers. Because of Choose Iowa and programs like Local Food for Schools, many Iowa farmers are building long-term capacity to serve larger buyers like schools. As a result, these established connections between schools, food hubs and farmers can continue on well into the future.”

Through strategic partnerships and collaborative efforts, the program facilitates direct relationships between schools, food hubs and farmers. To find out more information about LFS or how to participate as a vendor, visit the Farm to School and Early Care Network website.

The Iowa LFS program is managed by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship with strategic contributions from the Iowa Department of Education, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, and Iowa Valley Resource Conservation & Development. It is funded in partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture – Agriculture Marketing Service.



NPPC Announces New Strategic Investment Program for Young Pork Advocates
 
The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) unveiled a new Strategic Investment Program, “Young Pork Advocates,” for young individuals ages 18-22. This initiative expands on NPPC’s Strategic Investment Program and aims to empower young advocates within the pork industry.
 
At the 2024 World Pork Expo, NPPC hosted the inaugural Young Pork Advocates Issues Meet contest, which fostered lively discussions on key industry topics. Emma Kuhns of Illinois emerged as the winner of the meet, underscoring the program’s role in promoting active participation among young advocates.
 
“The top reason students should get involved is because of the invaluable network connections being made that are a launch pad for a successful career,” Kuhns said. “I’ve had the opportunity to meet with fellow students and industry professionals who share my passion for the pork industry and for making a difference.”
 
For an annual investment of $50, member benefits include:
    Regular communications on critical pork industry policy and regulatory issues
    Investor alerts, updates, webinars, and opportunities to apply for scholarships
    Communications and advocacy training
    Eligibility to attend NPPC Legislative Action Conferences in Washington, DC
    Complimentary registration and parking at the World Pork Expo
    NPPC-branded gear

“Leveraging the passion and potential of our youth is crucial for the future of the pork industry,” said Lori Stevermer, President of NPPC and pork producer from Easton, MN. "The Young Pork Advocates Strategic Investment Program underscores NPPC’s dedication to equipping young leaders with the skills and connections needed to drive positive change within our industry.”
 
NPPC’s commitment to shaping the future leaders of the U.S. pork industry is by investing in young advocates, equipping them with knowledge of current issues, career readiness skills, and expanding professional networks with peers, industry experts and policymakers. Young individuals interested in joining the Young Pork Advocates Strategic Investment Program can visit nppc.org/youngporkadvocates to sign up.



August USDA Cattle on Feed Report Assessment
Stephen R. Koontz, Ph.D., Professor, Colorado State University

The USDA Cattle on Feed Report was released on Friday, August 23 and contains information on inventories at the beginning of the month and flows of animals into and out of feedlots for the prior month. Placements, marketings, and on-feed numbers were within the ranges of the pre-report expectations but the report does have a bullish tone. Placements are the most important piece of information in the Cattle on Feed report. Marketings can be assessed through daily and weekly slaughter information, and on-feed inventories are largely the net changes due to these marketings and placements.

Placements were very strong and 105.8% of the prior year. Pre-report expectations suggested that placements would be 104.1% of the prior year with a range of 101.9% to 105.9%. Actual placements during the month of July were at 1.702 million head. This is at the top end of the range but the majority of those participating in the trade survey were also towards the top end of the range. Regardless these are heavy placements compared to the prior year and suggest early placement of animals from regions with drought pressure forage. This also suggests early placement and perhaps tighter numbers later into the fall. Thus, the heavy placements are actually a bit bullish. The futures for feeder cattle reacted strongly with up moves on the fall run contracts.

Fed cattle marketings were slower than anticipated. Pre-report expectations anticipated that marketings would be 108.3% of the prior year with a range of 107.8% to 109.0%. Actual marketings during the month of July were at 1.855 million head. These were strong marketings into the summer and likely some of the cause of the downward pressure on fed cattle prices. Likewise, better packer margins and reasonably strong beef product prices have not incentivized packers to run hours and shifts.

The weakening feed grain market through this spring and summer incentivized feedlots to grow larger animals – costs of gain were dropping, and prices remained strong. And feedlots responded. I do not recall observing counter-seasonal changes in slaughter weights to that degree. And on-fed numbers persist when weights are increased.

The beginning of August saw an inventory of 11.095 million and modestly smaller than beginning of July inventory of 11.304 million head. This was modestly larger than the inventory for the beginning of August the prior year. The pre-report survey suggested that the on-feed inventory would be 100.1% of last year with a range of 99.8% to 100.5%. Actual inventories were 100.3% of the prior year.

However, market-ready inventories are the main driver of price in the coming month. The inventory of cattle on feed over 150 days was down in the month of July but only modestly and remained larger than that of the prior four years. This long-feed inventory of animals will impact the fed cattle through the third quarter. However, cattle on feed over 120 days was sharply lower. All of these on feed over days are calculated and not in the report. However the inventory-based outlook appears rather bearish in the third quarter and bullish after that.



Formidable Yeasts Stop Bacterial Bullying in Ethanol Plants

Ever on the lookout for new ways to improve the fermentation of corn sugars into ethanol fuel, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists have devised an approach for using genetically modified baker’s yeast to prevent a top cause of costly ethanol plant shutdowns—namely, contamination by unwelcome bacteria.

Scientists modified the yeast’s genetic makeup with “coding” to make an enzyme on its outer surface that kills or inhibits the growth of the bacteria—microbial rivals whose release of acetic and lactic acids can keep the fermentation process from achieving its peak ethanol production capacity.

“These bacteria are found everywhere in the environment, especially on plant material. They are actually responsible for the fermentation of vegetables to make products like sauerkraut and pickles,” explained Shao-Yeh Lu, a research microbiologist with ARS’ National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research in Peoria, Illinois. “Unfortunately, the acetic acid and lactic acid produced by these same bacteria in a bioethanol fermentation facility will cause stress and inhibit the growth of the baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), which is responsible for the production of ethanol.”

Ethanol is considered a cleaner-burning alternative to fossil fuels such as gasoline because its greenhouse gas emissions are 40 percent lower, by some estimates. Unlike fossil fuels, ethanol can be derived from renewable resources, namely, plant-based sources of sugar (e.g., corn) and cellulosic fiber (e.g., miscanthus grass). Estimates vary, but there are between 187 and 198 ethanol biorefinery plants nationwide with a total production capacity of more than 17 billion gallons annually. However, meeting the demand for renewable fuels such as ethanol necessitates that the systems in place for producing them be as efficient as possible.

Bacteria that infiltrate these fermentation systems primarily feed on glucose sugars in the corn mash—the same ones the yeast helps convert into ethanol. However, this bacterial “bullying” can diminish the yeast’s conversion of glucose into ethanol by an estimated 16 to 42 percent. In biorefinery plants, this can necessitate a shutdown for cleaning and the use of antibiotics to kill the bacteria at an approximate cost of $4.5 million annually in lost revenues for a facility with a 100-million-gallons-per-year capacity.

“Current methods for eliminating bacterial contaminants in bioethanol production heavily rely on the prophylactic use of antibiotics,” Lu said. “However, this approach is not sustainable in the long term, as prolonged antibiotic use can lead to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.”

So, Lu and colleagues decided to even the microbial playing field.

They did this by modifying a baker’s yeast strain with a gene they discovered for making endolysin, a specialized enzyme that kills the bacteria on contact.

In lab-scale trials, use of the endolysin-making yeasts reduced the presence of the bacteria by 85 percent compared to a control group of the yeasts that hadn’t been genetically modified. On average, this reduced acetic and lactic acid levels in the mash by as much as 40 percent and 71 percent, respectively. Ethanol production increased by as much as 40 percent.

According to Lu, modifying yeast to produce endolysin—either on their surface or secreted—is likely to be more cost-effective than adding bulk amounts of the enzyme to contaminated corn mash. Additional research is needed to fully ascertain its potential commercial use, but if validated through larger-scale trials, the endolysin-wielding yeasts could offer an alternative to antibiotics or other costly chemical cleansers.

Lu published a paper detailing the advance in Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology together with co-authors Siqing Liu, Kristina Glenzinski and Christopher Skory—all with the ARS Center in Peoria—and Maulik Patel, with the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific in-house research agency. Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America. Each dollar invested in U.S. agricultural research results in $20 of economic impact.



USDA Announces Almost $10 million in Organic Market Development Grants, Resulting in $85 million Invested to Expand Markets for U.S. Organic Products

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today awarded an additional $9.7 million for 13 grant projects through the Organic Market Development Grant (OMDG) program, bringing the total amount awarded through the program to $85 million. These projects will support the development of new and existing organic markets to increase the consumption of domestic organic agricultural products. The projects funded through this program, are anticipated to benefit over 119 million producers, buyers, and consumers.

“This final round of awards through the Organic Market Development Grant program marks an unprecedented investment into our nation’s organic industry and we will see the impacts of this funding for years to come,” said USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt. “The projects awarded through this program are making great strides in expanding market opportunities for organic businesses and ensuring producers and processors have the infrastructure to meet the growing consumer demand for organic products.”

Consumer demand for organically produced goods surpassed $69 billion in the U.S. in 2023, accounting for about 4% of total U.S. food sales. The Biden-Harris Administration recognizes how crucial the organic agricultural industry is to the nation’s economy and the investments needed to meet this incredible consumer demand. There are more than 27,800 organic farms and businesses across the nation producing and handling delicious organic food and products of all kinds. There are more than 47,000 such businesses around the world, providing vital ingredients and fresh foods not produced in the U.S. With this final award announcement, AMS has now awarded nearly $85 million to 106 projects in 36 states across the nation and the District of Columbia through the Organic Market Development Grant program, supporting these organic farmers and investing in the capacity of this growing sector. AMS previously announced awards through this program in January, March,  and May 2024. This final round of awards and all OMDG grants, which are supporting development of new and existing organic markets, is made available through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC).

This round of awards includes projects for the market development and promotion, simplified equipment-only, and processing capacity expansion project types. The funded projects will increase the availability and demand for domestically produced organic agricultural products and address the need for additional market paths.

AMS gave priority consideration to projects addressing specific pinpointed market needs for organic grains and livestock feed, organic dairy, organic fibers, organic legumes and other rotational crops, and organic ingredients currently unavailable in organic form.