Black Friday November 29 Ag News

 Lower Elkhorn NRD Board Approves Maple Creek Watershed Plan Watershed Agreement at November Meeting

The Lower Elkhorn NRD (LENRD) Board of Directors gave their final nod of approval to the Maple Creek Watershed Plan Watershed Agreement with Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS). The main objective of this Watershed Agreement is to reduce flood damage in the City of Clarkson and Village of Nickerson.

The preferred alternative is an option that best accomplishes the purpose and need of the proposed action while also considering economic, environmental, technical, and other factors. In this case, the two preferred alternatives are:
    Improvements to the Clarkson Levee
    Construction of a dike near Nickerson

In early October, two open houses were held in Nickerson and Clarkson, the focus areas of the Plan, to collect public input. By approving the Maple Creek Watershed Plan Watershed Agreement, Directors will have the option to work with NRCS to implement preferred alternatives should they choose to do so. The LENRD worked with Houston Engineering to put the plan together.

Bid Approved for Logan Creek Waterline Replacement Project
The Board also voted to approve a bid for the Logan Creek Waterline Replacement Project. Logan East Rural Water System of the LENRD opened bids for the Project on November 18, 2024. Four bids were received for the contract, which includes the replacement of approximately 3,600 linear feet of 8-inch waterline, valves, and cleanouts. Rutjens Construction, Inc. of Tilden, Ne, submitted the lowest bid at $105,295.00.

2025 LENRD Meeting Schedule
The LENRD Board has set the following dates for their 2025 meetings:

Subcommittee: January 9th, February 13th, March 13th, April 10th, May 8th, June 12th, July 10th, August 14th, September 11th, October 9th, November 13th, December 11th.

Board: January 23rd, February 27th, March 27th, April 24th, May 22nd, June 26th, July 24th, August 28th, September 25th, October 23rd, November 25th, December 18th.

The Board meets on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month, unless there is a conflicting holiday or inclement weather. Updates and reminders are posted to the LENRD website, Facebook, X, and Instagram pages.

To learn more about the 12 responsibilities of Nebraska’s NRDs and how your local district can work with you and your community to protect your natural resources, visit www.lenrd.org and sign up for our monthly emails. The next board of directors meeting will be Thursday, December 19th at the LENRD office in Norfolk at 7:30 p.m. and on Facebook Live.



Animal Imports Restricted by New World Screwworm

Effective Nov. 22 and until further notice, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services is temporarily suspending the importation of live animals originating from or transiting Mexico based on the confirmation of New World screwworm in cattle.

APHIS is temporarily suspending the importation of ruminants, including live cattle and bison, from Mexico. An updated import alert will be issued with additional guidance once APHIS has implemented mitigations that would allow resumption of imports. Importation of bovine germplasm, sheep and goats and their germplasm, and swine and their germplasm from Mexico are already prohibited.  

Specific information about live animal import requirements for all species regulated by APHIS VS can be found at: www.aphis.usda.gov/live-animal-import.

A list of regions APHIS recognizes as affected by screwworm can be found on the USDA APHIS Animal Health Status of Regions website.

For additional information about live animal imports regulated by other agencies, please check with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, and/or USDA APHIS Animal Care to ensure import requirements of those agencies are met, when applicable.



Weekly Ethanol Production for 11/22/2024

According to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association for the week ending November 22, ethanol production scaled up 0.8% to 1.12 million b/d, equivalent to 47.00 million gallons daily and a record high. Output was 10.7% more than the same week last year and 9.7% above the five-year average for the week. The four-week average ethanol production rate increased 0.9% to 1.11 million b/d, also a record high, which is equivalent to an annualized rate of 17.09 billion gallons (bg).

Ethanol stocks climbed 1.4% to an 8-week high of 22.9 million barrels. Stocks were 7.0% more than the same week last year and 7.4% above the five-year average. Inventories built across all regions except the East Coast (PADD 1) and Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

The volume of gasoline supplied to the U.S. market, a measure of implied demand, improved 1.0% to 8.51 million b/d (130.75 bg annualized). Demand was 3.7% more than a year ago and 0.5% above the five-year average.

However, refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol edged 0.2% lower to 890,000 b/d, equivalent to 13.68 bg annualized and the lowest volume since mid-July. Yet, net inputs were 2.2% more than year-ago levels and 2.6% above the five-year average.

Ethanol exports increased 9.7% to an estimated 158,000 b/d (6.6 million gallons/day), which is an 11-week high. It has been 62 weeks since imports of ethanol were recorded.



Once Again, Most Retail Fertilizer Prices Higher

Retail fertilizer prices tracked by DTN for the third week of November 2024 continued to show mostly slight moves higher compared to last month. Six of the eight major fertilizers were higher in price compared to last month. Once again, no fertilizer had a sizeable price increase or decline. DTN designates a significant move as anything 5% or more.

The six slightly higher fertilizers are DAP which had an average price of $740/ton, MAP $811/ton, 10-34-0 $611/ton, anhydrous $718/ton, UAN28 $323/ton and UAN32 $364/ton.

Two fertilizers were slightly less expensive than a month ago. Potash had an average price of $443/ton while urea was at $498/ton looking back to the prior month.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was $0.54/lb.N, anhydrous $0.44/lb.N, UAN28 $0.58/lb.N and UAN32 $0.57/lb.N.

Three fertilizers are now higher in price compared to one year ago. MAP is 1% higher, DAP is 4% more expensive and 10-34-0 is 5% higher looking back to last year. The remaining five fertilizers are lower. UAN28 is 5% less expensive, UAN32 is 10% lower, urea is 13% less expensive, and both potash and anhydrous are 14% lower compared to last year.



American Soybean Association Congratulates Greer on USTR Nomination

President-elect Donald Trump has selected Jamieson Greer as nominee for the position of United States Trade Representative.

Josh Gackle, American Soybean Association president and soy farmer from North Dakota said, “ASA congratulates Jamieson Greer for his nomination to serve as United States Trade Representative. Soybeans are the United States’ largest agricultural export, and USTR’s work at addressing market access and non-tariff issues is critical for continued market growth. ASA looks forward to working with Ambassador-Designate Greer on issues of importance to U.S. soybean farmers.”

Both soy farmers and staff at ASA look forward to working with Greer and other members of the incoming administration as the industry continues to advance U.S. soy in the global marketplace.



U.S. Wheat Organization Statement on USTR Pick

Following is a statement from U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) and National Association of Wheat Growers:

"Trade deals with Japan and Mexico won by the previous Trump Administration protected crucial U.S. wheat export markets. U.S. Wheat Associates and the National Association of Wheat Growers strongly support an Office of the U.S. Trade Representative actively focused on enforcement of trade rules and opening markets under Jamieson Greer. The organizations look forward to working with him and the next Agricultural Trade Negotiator on behalf of American wheat growers."



Growth Energy Files Amicus Brief in CAFE Standards Case

Growth Energy, the nation’s largest biofuel trade association, filed an amicus brief in a consolidated set of court challenges to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA’s) Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards for Passenger Cars and Light Trucks for Model Years 2027-2032, which is being litigated in the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

In its brief, Growth Energy argues that the CAFE standards violate the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA), in particular the EPCA’s prohibition on using electric vehicles (EVs) as a “baseline” to set fuel-economy standards. Growth also notes that the standards functionally serve as an EV mandate and unlawfully fail to take the benefits of biofuels into consideration. NHTSA’s “one-track focus on EVs leads to rules that are arbitrary, inconsistent with law,” including the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), “and miss important benefits of other technologies while also failing to minimize costs,” Growth writes in the brief.   
“NHTSA has continually failed to properly consider the important role that biofuels like bioethanol play in advancing the fuel economy goals of EPCA and the energy security, environmental, and rural economic development goals of the RFS,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “The CAFE standards should recognize and embrace the benefits of biofuels, a uniquely-American resource that can help NHTSA accomplish its goals without pushing one vehicle technology over all others.”