Monday September 16 Ag News

 UNL Heifer Development Center First Year Wrap-Up

With the U.S. cowherd at historic lows, the University of Nebraska—Lincoln is focusing on how to grow the cowherd while advancing the quality of female genetics that are the foundation of the U.S. beef industry.

The Great Plains Heifer Development Center at UNL’s Haskell Ag Lab near Concord was launched in the winter of 2023 as part of that effort and is wrapping up its first year. Anyone interested is welcome to join a meeting Wednesday, Oct. 2 at the Haskell Ag Lab to review what researchers and enrolled producers learned and to discuss the program and related topics.

The heifer development program gives producers game-changing genomic, performance, and reproductive data about their replacement females years ahead of traditional on-the-ranch data tracking. It is a platform for testing cutting-edge technologies while aligning with Beef Improvement Federation genetic goals to advance industry standards.

The Heifer Development Center had a great impact in its first year and Biehler and others at UNL are excited to continue working with producers to focus on female genetic improvement in the U.S. cowherd.

The enrollment period for 2025 opens Tuesday, Oct. 1. More information and enrollment criteria are available online at https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/hal/unl-heifer-development-center-first-year-wrap-up/. Register for the meeting or request more information by contacting Connor Biehler at 402-624-8030 or cbiehler2@unl.edu. Please RSVP by Friday, Sept. 27.



Northeast Nebraska Fifth Graders Discover Agriculture Hands-On

Two hundred twenty-two fifth graders from six schools in Northeast Nebraska explored the many aspects of agriculture during the ninth annual Growing Potential Agriculture Festival in Randolph, Neb. on Sept 5.

From corn to cows and everything in between, students interacted with producers to learn about where their food, fiber, and energy come from. The annual festival is hosted by the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation and the Northeast Nebraska Corn Growers to promote agricultural literacy.

Taylor Nelson, vice president of the Northeast Nebraska Corn Growers, helped lead the charge to organize the event, stressing the importance of exposing kids to agriculture.

“The Northeast Nebraska Corn Growers and the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation partnered together to give kids a hands-on experience in all different facets of agriculture. We want to give students a new perspective on agriculture that they might not otherwise get not being from a family farm themselves,” said Nelson.

Students rotated through nine stations throughout the day, exploring multiple facets of agriculture and various opportunities within the industry. Teachers were excited to have their students learn as they experienced agriculture hands-on.

Schools from across Northeast Nebraska attended the event including Randolph Elementary, Laurel-Concord-Coleridge Middle School, Wayne Elementary, Holy Trinity Elementary ­(Hartington), Wisner-Pilger Elementary, and Wakefield Community Schools.

The surrounding community sees great value in students engaging with agriculture. In addition to the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation and Northeast Nebraska Corn Growers hosting the event, several companies also sponsored the festival. Axis, Dekalb, Allegiant, Pioneer, Channel, Hoegemeyer, Hefty, Golden Harvest, Dynagro, Brevant, Croplan, Michael Wagner Implement, Siouxland Ethanol, Keiser Ag, Grossenburg Implement, Rastede Drone Service, Hokamp Farms, and Logan Owens served as sponsors for the event, ensuring it was free for all students to attend.



A Trade Deficit as Far as the Eye Can See
Nebraska Farm Bureau Newsletter

The USDA Economic Research Service made headlines recently forecasting the U.S. trade deficit in agricultural goods would exceed $42 billion for fiscal year 2025 which begins October 1. Somewhat overlooked was the forecast deficit for this fiscal year of $30.5 billion. In calendar year terms (for those who don’t think in terms of government fiscal years), the trade deficit was $20.7 billion in 2023 and stood at $18.2 billion through the first six months of this year. This year’s deficit will no doubt exceed last year’s, marking the third consecutive calendar year the U.S. has experienced a deficit in agricultural trade. The deficit in 2022, $2.0 billion, was the first deficit in 63 years.

Prior to 2022 growth in agricultural exports always outpaced growth in imports resulting in a trade surplus. Since then, the value of U.S. agricultural exports has dropped while imports have continued to grow. The trend has continued this year. Through the end of June, the value of U.S. agricultural exports was off 2% compared to the same period last year. At the same time, imports were up 6%. Top agricultural imports are coffee, fruit, vegetables, spirits, and wine.

Figure 4 shows the annual percentage changes in the value of various U.S. agricultural exports for 2020-2023 along with year-to-date figures for this year. Among key Nebraska exports, only red meat saw growth in the first half of the year compared to the same period last year, up 5%. Sales of both beef and pork were up 5%, mostly due to higher prices. Otherwise, the value of soybean exports was down 26%, wheat was off 13%, animal feeds and oil meal exports were off 9%, and corn exports were down 7%.

A positive for the first half of the year was the total volume of U.S. bulk commodities exported were up 13%. The volumes of red meats (4%), wheat (14%), and corn (27%) were all greater. Lower prices for corn and wheat may have stimulated foreign purchases, but not enough to increase revenues. On the other hand, shipments of soybeans were off 12%.

A strong dollar, slowing economies, fierce competition, lack of Chinese buying, and uncertainty over U.S. trade policy are all factors in slowing export sales. And it doesn’t look like any improvement is forthcoming. Chinese purchases of new crop soybeans are among the lowest in two decades and total new crop sales are the lowest since 2008 aside from the trade war in 2019.  



Growers Sought for Potassium Study
Bruno Lena - NE Extension Educator, Platte County

Nebraska Extension Water and Cropping System team and the Nebraska Soybean Board, and the team led by Assistant Professor Nicolas Cafaro La Menza and Professor Patricio Grassini at the UNL Department of Agronomy and Horticulture are seeking farmers to participate in a study that will evaluate the impact of potassium (K) fertilization on crop yield.

This study will look at three treatments: the “baseline” without K application plus two K application rates. The goal is to identify environments where yield is constrained by K and help to refine the current K recommendations in Nebraska.

Fields of Interest
    Sandy soils and/or low soil K levels (<200 ppm).
    Preferably, irrigated fields, but rainfed fields may also be eligible.
    Fields following corn/soybean rotation without history of manure application in previous three years.
    Fields with history of silage corn, alfalfa or straw removal are desirable (but no problem if it is not the case).

What We Need from You
    Share yield maps and/or soil tests from previous years (if available).
    Grant us access to the field(s) selected.
    Plant these fields as you usually do but, if already applying K, leave a small portion of your field (100 feet wide x 200 feet long) without K fertilizer application.
    Share management information of the field (variety, planting date, etc.).
    Once we flag the K fertilization plots, avoid wheel tracks within the flagged area, but make sure the flagged area is sprayed as the rest of the field.

What We Will Do for You
    After you plant the whole field, we will do everything: flag the area, collect soil and plant samples, apply the potassium fertilizer treatments and hand-harvest the flagged areas before you harvest the whole field.
    We will provide you a detailed analysis and report of the data from your farm.
    We will provide you soil test and grain/seed quality results from the samples taken from your field.
    We will publish the results through the On-Farm Research Network if you agree with that.

If you are interested to participate, please reach out UNL Assistant Professor Dr. Nicolas Cafaro La Menza, (308) 696-6712 or your local extension educator.



Papio NRD Board Approves Proposed 2025 Budget

At its September 12th meeting, the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District (Papio NRD) Board of Directors voted to approve the Fiscal Year 2025 general operating budget that includes a significant decrease in the Papio NRD property tax levy.

"Again, the District has prepared a budget that reduces the tax levy to its lowest in 25 years while funding the increasing need for additional flood mitigation, water quality, recreation opportunities, maintenance of aging infrastructure, and erosion control,” said Tim McCormick, chairman of the Papio NRD Board of Directors. “The system was tested by this past year's record storms and worked as designed but is at its capacity. As our region develops, additional capacity is required to provide adequate flood mitigation. I commend the District’s ability to do so much while holding tax requests in check,” said McCormick.

For 19 out of 20 years, the Papio NRD has either decreased or kept the property tax levy the same. This fiscal year’s total tax request is 2.5% above last year’s budget. The District will drop its property tax mill levy by 5.61% this fiscal year.

“The Papio NRD clearly understands that high property valuation assessments and taxes are negatively impacting many of our constituents’ finances,” said John Winkler, general manager of the Papio NRD.

“Through consistent, methodical and conservative financial and operational management, as well as, securing hundreds of millions of dollars in grant funding and cost shares over the last

twenty years, this budget allows the Papio NRD to once again lower its property tax levy while simultaneously funding critical public safety projects and programs,” said Winkler.

Winkler says over the last five years the Papio NRD’s actual tax request increase has been below inflation and averaged five to ten percent below the average assessed valuation increase.

The Papio NRD’s FY25 property tax levy would drop to 0.029568 per $100 of assessed valuation from the District’s FY24 property tax levy of 0.031324 per $100 of assessed valuation. Under this budget, a homeowner in the District with property valued at $150,000 would pay $44.36 a year or $3.70 a month in property taxes next year to support Papio NRD projects, programs, and services. The budget calls for an estimated $31.5 million in revenue from the Papio NRD’s property tax levy. The total operating budget is estimated at $118.3 million.

The property tax levy is based on an estimated 8.6% increase in valuations across the District, which includes all of Sarpy, Douglas, Washington, and Dakota counties, plus the eastern 60% of Burt and Thurston counties.

The Papio NRD receives less than 2% of all property taxes collected within the District’s six-county area. The remaining 98% goes to schools, cities, counties, and other taxing entities.



NRD Hall of Fame Inductees Announced at Husker Harvest Days

During Husker Harvest Days Wednesday, Sept. 11, Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) recognized three individuals, who will be inducted into the NRD Hall of Fame later this month.

“Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts involve many dedicated individuals working to protect our natural resources,” said Martin Graff, president of the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts (NARD). “We’re proud to recognize these outstanding individuals for the significant improvements they’ve made to our natural resources, and the NRD Hall of Fame is one small way to thank them.”

Annually, Nebraska’s NRDs nominate and vote for individuals who have made significant contributions to improving the state’s natural resources. Hall of Fame categories include an NRD Director, NRD Employee and NRD Supporter. The NRD Supporter includes an individual outside the NRD system who has shown tremendous care and leadership in Nebraska’s ongoing conservation efforts.

2024 NRD Hall of Fame inductees:
    NRD Director – Larry Moore, Ulysses, Nebraska
    NRD Employee – Stanley Staab (posthumously), Kearney, Nebraska
    NRD Supporter – Sen. Dan Hughes, Venango, Nebraska

Larry Moore – NRD Director
Larry Moore served nearly five decades on the Upper Big Blue NRD board, from 1975 to 2022. As a past board member, Moore continues to be involved by attending NRD board meetings and speaking out on topics of concern, lending his insight as a farmer as well as his vast institutional knowledge regarding NRD matters.

Dedicated to conservation, Moore has led by example in soil and water management, transitioning his family farm to no-till and incorporating cover crops. He has continuously invested in water conservation since the 1970s, moving from gravity irrigation to center pivots, and more recently installing soil moisture sensors and irrigation scheduling technology to improve efficiency and reduce the likelihood of nitrogen leaching.

His leadership extended beyond his farm, actively participating in public meetings and representing the area in the Big Blue River Compact. Moore’s enduring commitment to conservation and public service has significantly impacted the community and the environment.

Stanley Staab – NRD Employee (posthumously)
Stanley Staab served as the Lower Elkhorn NRD general manager for 29 years. He began his career with Nebraska’s NRDs in 1979 as the information & education coordinator at the Upper Big Blue NRD. He became the general manager of the Lower Elkhorn NRD in 1986 and retired in 2015.

During his nearly 36-year career, Staab was instrumental in numerous flood control projects, the construction of recreation areas, and the development of rural water systems. He also championed the establishment of new trails, including the Cowboy Trail Connector in Norfolk.

Staab passed away on March 5, 2024, at age 77. His leadership and commitment to protecting natural resources leave a lasting legacy.

Sen. Dan Hughes – NRD Supporter
As a third-generation farmer and Nebraska’s 44th District senator from 2015 to 2022, Dan Hughes championed natural resources, particularly water rights during his time in the Nebraska Unicameral.

Serving on and chairing the Natural Resources Committee, he was instrumental in passing legislation to protect groundwater and land rights for irrigators and balancing the interests of agriculture and the environment. His knowledge of business and farming gave him the ability to see both sides of the issue and create a resolution that pleased both parties while also protecting the natural resources being disputed. Now, as District 5 commissioner for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Hughes continues to advocate for Nebraska’s natural resources.

He also continues to be a good steward of the land and water on his farm that he shares with his two children in Venango, passing his knowledge and passion of natural resources onto the next generation.

Natural Resources Districts Hall of Fame inductees will be recognized at the NRD annual conference dinner banquet in Kearney, Nebraska, Monday, Sept. 23.



2024 Cover Crop and Soil Health Field Day Kicks Off Sept. 17

Join Nebraska Extension on Sept. 17 in Lincoln for a day of hands-on demonstrations and expert-led discussions on innovative farming practices that will enhance your soil health knowledge and help you build connections with fellow growers.

Producers are invited to attend the annual University of Nebraska Rogers Memorial Farm Cover Crop and Soil Health Field Day will be from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17, with a free lunch.

A soil pit will be dug on the long-term tillage study, now in its 44th year of comparing no-till to other tillage systems. Also featured will be a statewide study to evaluate cover crop variety selection and performance.

In addition, attendees will see a new study exploring double crop options after wheat harvest, a nitrogen production from legumes study, and how cover crops suppress weeds in wheat stubble.

Field Day Presentations
    Learn about soil structure and soil health as Ray Ward, founder of Ward Laboratories, Inc., and Candy Thomas, Natural Resources Conservation Service regional soil health specialist, explore the soil pit.
    Observe various cover crops and cultivars in a study by Andrea Basche, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture associate professor.
    See some double crop options after wheat harvest in a pilot study by John Nelson, Nebraska Extension educator.
    Gain an understanding about carbon and nitrogen dynamics from Javed Iqbal, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture assistant professor.
    Learn about growing and managing cover crops for improving soil health from Katja Koehler-Cole, Nebraska soil health management extension educator.
    Get an overview of seeding cover crops from Paul Jasa, UNL Nebraska Extension engineer.

Registration for the free field day is required for the lunch count. Please email Paul Jasa before Sunday, Sept. 15 to be included in the lunch count and ensure enough handouts are available.

The farm is located at 18630 Adams St., Lincoln, Nebraska, about seven miles east of the city.



CAP Webinar: 2024 Income Tax Updates for Farmers and Ranchers
Sep 19, 2024 12:00 PM
Tina Barrett, Director, Nebraska Farm Business, Inc.

Nebraska Farm Business, Inc., Director Tina Barrett will cover tax considerations that farmers and ranchers should be thinking about this year as we get closer to closing out another year. Topics covered will include crop insurance, deferral options for livestock sales, changes to the State of Nebraska Property Tax Credit, the pass-through entity tax and more.

Register and get more information at https://cap.unl.edu/webinars.  



Shreve leaves a lasting impact on NeFB Foundation
Nebraska Farm Bureau

Courtney Shreve, senior director of outreach education for the NE Farm Bureau Foundation, departed from the foundation in August. For 10 years, Shreve was a cornerstone member of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation team. As a new college graduate, Shreve started as a program assistant and then grew to include the responsibilities of manager, director, and senior director.

“Under Courtney’s vision and leadership, the Classroom Visit program grew from a few lessons presented to 150 classrooms each year to 24 grade specific, standard aligned lessons most recently taught to 901 classrooms in a school year. She created the education specialist position and grew a team that brings Agriculture in the Classroom to communities across Nebraska,” said Megahn Schafer, NeFB Foundation Executive Director. Courtney Shreve is an incredible facilitator for prospective teachers to learn about agriculture.

Shreve also provided teacher training in many colleges, universities, ESUs, and school districts, equipping teachers with the tools they need to incorporate agriculture into their classrooms. A skilled curriculum writer, Shreve most recently brought to life AgMag, Cafeteria Chronicles, Discover Nebraska, and a brand-new Apple Reader. She created partner programs including Connecting Chapters with FFA and Bushels of Stories with First Lady Suzanne Pillen.

“Courtney has been instrumental to the success of the Foundation over the last decade. Her commitment to connecting all Nebraskans to agriculture and her passion to help others understand where their food, fiber, and energy comes from has made a difference. The foundation’s impact has grown each year thanks to Courtney’s drive to advance our mission,” Schafer said.

Shreve is stepping away from her role to focus on her health. In June, she suffered cardiac arrest caused by a large blood clot in her lungs. While her long-term prognosis is very good, doctors have recommended a period of rest to support a full recovery.

“We are so thankful for Courtney’s service to the Foundation. She has set a high standard for success, and we look forward to building on her work to benefit students and families. We wish Courtney all the best in her future endeavors,” Schafer said.



Don’t Let Tax Provisions Expire, Say NPPC, U.S. Chamber
 
The National Pork Producers Council recently joined the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in a letter to Congress urging lawmakers and the next administration to prevent tax increases that will take effect at the end of 2025, absent legislative intervention. Several tax provisions in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) critical to pork producers are slated to expire next year.
 
Among those provisions are the:
    Bonus depreciation, which allows the cost of qualified property to be deducted in the year it is placed into service rather than depreciated over several years. The TCJA increased the amount that can be deducted to 100% of the cost but that is set to phase out to zero by 2027.
    Estate tax exemption, which was increased to $11.2 million per individual (indexed for inflation) under TCJA. The value of estates that exceed that amount is subject to a 40% tax when passed to an heir. The amount is set to revert to pre-TCJA levels at the end of 2025.
    Qualified business income deduction (Section 199A), which allows a 20% reduction in certain business income for determining federal tax liability. It will expire at the end of 2025.

Additionally, several agricultural groups, including NPPC, briefed House Ways and Means Committee staff on the effects of the expiring TCJA tax provisions. NPPC’s Christina Banoub, manager of competition, labor, and tax issues, discussed the estate tax exemption, Section 199A, bonus depreciation, capital gains taxes, and the step-up in basis. Under the current tax code, the step-up in basis allows the value of an inherited asset to be “stepped up” to its current market value, if it has appreciated over time. That step-up in basis minimizes the capital gains tax owed when the asset is later sold.



Proposed Changes Threaten Fairness in Dairy Policy

Changes to Federal Milk Marketing Orders being considered by USDA could hurt farmers the FMMO system is designed to protect. The American Farm Bureau Federation delivered that message in comments sent today to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall emphasized the analysis in a follow-up letter to Mr. Vilsack as well.

“The FMMO system relies on fairness and transparency, and we fear some of these changes could disrupt the balance that ensures producers and processors both benefit from the system,” wrote President Duvall. “Producer trust in this system depends on its fairness and the help it provides in balancing the terms of trade between farmers and processors. If the system does not reward that trust, it is at risk.”

Proposed changes that present serious concerns include the lack of an adjustment to the Class II differential, the introduction of a new milk class for extended shelf life (ESL) milk, and the delayed implementation of updated milk composition factors, which would undermine the economic viability of dairy farmers nationwide.

Of most concern are the large recommended increases in make allowances. “We understand that price formulas should allow for the true costs of dairy manufacturing, but the current proposals are based on biased, voluntary and incomplete survey data. They do not provide a reliable foundation for such significant changes,” Duvall wrote.

AFBF is encouraged by several of the proposed recommendations including the return to the “higher-of” Class I base price, increases in Class I differentials, updates to milk composition factors, and the removal of 500-pound barrels from the National Dairy Products Sales Report.