Monday January 27 Ag News

2024 Was the Second Warmest Year on Record in Nebraska
Eric Hunt - Agricultural Meteorology and Climate Resilience Extension Educator

Official statewide average temperature for the year comes in at 52.7°F. This puts 2024 as the second warmest all-time in Nebraska, behind only 54.0°F in 2012. If mid-January had not been near-record cold for much of the state, it is probable that 2024 would have beat the record set in 2012.

No individual months in 2024 were the warmest on record statewide. However, only January and July had temperatures below 20th Century averages, and several months were in the top five warmest in 2024: February (second warmest), September (fourth warmest), and December (fourth warmest).

The near-record warm temperatures in September were a catalyst in flash drought development that much of the state experienced this fall. All climate divisions in the state were top five warmest in 2024, though February was more exceptionally warm in eastern Nebraska, and September and December were more exceptionally warm in western Nebraska.

It was the warmest year on record for several U.S. states and for the globe.

Near-average Precipitation
Precipitation averaged 22.41 inches in Nebraska last year, just slightly below the 20th Century average. Precipitation was not equally distributed spatially or throughout the year, however. Parts of the northern Panhandle were top five driest, and the state had its driest September on record in 2024. But wetter conditions in much of central and eastern Nebraska in the late spring and a very wet November in south-central and most of eastern Nebraska pushed three of the climate divisions (east-central, central, south-central) into the top quartile for annual precipitation in 2024.



Statement by Mark McHargue, President, Regarding Jim Macy Selection at Administrator of EPA Region 7

“Nebraska Farm Bureau and Nebraska's farm and ranch families will be well served by Jim Macy as the new administrator of EPA Region 7 which comprises of Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri. Jim served Nebraska well during his time at the Department of Environment and Energy, and we look forward to working with him at Region 7. Jim knows and regularly proved that the best way to work with farmers and ranchers is to maintain regular communication, and work as partners to help protect the environment. We congratulate Jim on his appointment, and we're excited to get to work on the many regulatory issues that impact Nebraska's farmers and ranchers."



NDA OPENS APPLICATION PROCESS FOR 2025 NEBRASKA AG YOUTH INSTITUTE

The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) has opened the application process for high school juniors and seniors interested in attending the Nebraska Agricultural Youth Institute (NAYI). NAYI is one of Nebraska’s biggest agriculture youth outreach events. The five-day program brings together students to network with ag leaders, learn more about the industry, and discover careers available in agriculture. NDA helps sponsor and coordinate NAYI every year. This year’s theme is “Agriculture: It's in our Genes.”

NAYI will be held at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s East Campus July 7–11, 2025. Current high school juniors and seniors interested in attending must apply online at: nda.nebraska.gov/nayi/ All applications must be submitted by the April 15, 2025, deadline.  NDA selects students to attend NAYI based on their interest in agriculture, leadership skills and involvement.  

“NAYI is the best event for high school juniors and seniors wanting to learn more about agriculture and discover career opportunities in the industry,” said NDA Director Sherry Vinton. “NAYI is a great way for the next generation of ag leaders to connect with today’s ag industry. It’s a remarkable experience.”

NAYI features motivational speakers, discussions on agricultural issues, career development, networking opportunities, leadership activities, a farm management game, a formal banquet and awards presentation, and a dance. In its 54th year, NAYI is the longest running agricultural youth program of its kind in the nation. More than 225 students attended NAYI last year.

Students attend NAYI free of charge due to generous donations from agricultural businesses, commodity groups and industry organizations. If you or someone you know is interested in sponsoring NAYI, visit nda.nebraska.gov/NAYIsponsors/ for more information.

NAYI is coordinated by the Nebraska Agricultural Youth Council, which is comprised of 23 college-aged students selected by NDA for their passion and interest in the ag industry. The Council’s purpose is to provide young Nebraskans with a better understanding of agriculture, including agricultural opportunities available to today’s youth.




FSA, UNL to Host Commodity Crop Safety Net Informational Webinar Jan. 30

The extended 2018 Farm Bill and changing economic conditions for 2025 highlight the need for careful decisions in ARC vs. PLC enrollment, which will be discussed alongside farm program updates and future policy prospects in this upcoming webinar.

Nebraska USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) is partnering with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Center for Agricultural Profitability (CAP) on a webinar designed to educate commodity crop producers on the 2025 Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs election and enrollment process. The ARC/PLC signup period is open through April 15, 2025, and producers are encouraged to begin working with their USDA county Farm Service Agency (FSA) office to complete the election and enrollment process.

Producers can learn about the ARC and PLC options for 2025 during the FSA/CAP webinar scheduled for 12 p.m. CT on Thursday, Jan. 30. Dillon Breinig, production and compliance programs specialist for the Nebraska Farm Service Agency, and Brad Lubben, Nebraska Extension policy specialist in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Department of Agricultural Economics, will present and share information relevant for producers, ag professionals and ag stakeholders. Registration for the webinar is free https://cap.unl.edu/webinars.

ARC and PLC are key USDA safety-net programs that help producers weather fluctuations in either revenue or price for certain crops. These programs were extended for the 2025 production season through The American Relief Act, 2025, which renewed many Farm Bill-authorized programs for another year.

“Safety-net programs like ARC and PLC are designed to help producers mitigate some of the financial stressors associated with crop production. I encourage farmers to evaluate their program elections and enroll for the 2025 crop year,” Nebraska FSA Acting State Executive Director Tim Divis said.

Brad Lubben, extension policy specialist with CAP, said changes in commodity crop prices over the past several years may influence producers’ ARC/PLC decision-making process for 2025.

“Following another extension of the 2018 Farm Bill, producers face a familiar choice between ARC and PLC for 2025, but under different circumstances now as compared to the past several years,” Lubben said. “Understanding the program mechanics and analysis will help producers make sound enrollment decisions with FSA.”

ARC provides income support payments on historical base acres when actual crop revenue declines below a specified guaranteed level. PLC provides income support payments on historical base acres when the effective price for a covered commodity falls below its effective reference price. Producers can elect coverage and enroll in ARC-County or PLC on a crop-by-crop basis, or ARC-Individual for the entire farm, for the 2025 crop year.

Although election changes for 2025 are optional, enrollment (signed contract) is required.

If an election is not submitted by the April 15, 2025, deadline, the election defaults to the current election for crops on the farm from the prior crop year.

All program participants are encouraged to review their previous program elections, Divis said.



Rebuking Late-night Purge of Inspectors General, House Democratic Ranking Members Demand President Trump Comply with the Law

Saturday, House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig joined House Committee Ranking Members in a letter to President Donald Trump condemning his attempted late-night purge of at least 12 independent inspectors general, which appears to have violated federal law designed to protect their work from political interference and intimidation.

The Ranking Members wrote: “We write to express our grave concern about your recent attempt to unlawfully and arbitrarily remove more than a dozen independent, nonpartisan inspectors general without notice to Congress or the public and in the dead of night. Your actions violate the law, attack our democracy, and undermine the safety of the American people.”

Late on Friday night, President Trump tried to brazenly terminate more than a dozen inspectors general via an email citing “changing priorities,” without sending notice to lawmakers or the public. The sweeping purge violates the legal requirements for lawful removal, which requires the president to notify Congress 30 days prior to removal of an inspector general and provide “substantive rationale, including detailed and case-specific reasons” for such removal. The email terminating at least a dozen government watchdogs failed to provide any legitimate rationale for their firing, as required by law.

Inspectors general play a critical role as nonpartisan federal watchdogs that serve as a check on federal government power and work to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in the government. President Trump’s illegal actions will raise the cost of government and make the United States less safe.

Inspectors General are designed to operate free from political interference and be shielded from partisan pressures, and therefore be empowered to protect taxpayers’ interests and hold federal agencies accountable to the people. If Republicans were truly committed to a government free of waste, fraud, and abuse they would hold President Trump accountable and demand that he recants his unlawful action.

“Firing inspectors general without due cause is antithetical to good government, undermines the proper stewardship of taxpayer dollars, and degrades the federal government’s ability to function effectively and efficiently. We urge you to withdraw your unlawful action and comply with your obligations to the American people,” concluded the Ranking Members.

In addition to Ranking Member Craig, the letter is signed by: Rep. Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs; Rep. Nydia Velazquez, Ranking Member of the Committee on Small Business; Rep. Mark Takano, Ranking Member of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs; Rep. Bobby Scott, Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and Workforce; Rep. Joe Morelle, Ranking Member of the Committee on House Administration; Rep. Jim McGovern, Ranking Member of the Committee on Rules; Rep. Adam Smith, Ranking Member of the Committee on Armed Services; Rep. Jared Huffman, Ranking Member of the Committee on Natural Resources; Rep. Rosa DeLauro, Ranking Member of the Committee on Appropriations; Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the Committee on the Judiciary; Rep. Brendan Boyle, Ranking Member of the Committee on the Budget; Rep. Frank Pallone, Ranking Member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce; Rep. Jim Himes, Ranking Member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence; Rep. Zoe Lofgren, Ranking Member of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology; Rep. Richard Neal, Ranking Member of the Committee on Ways and Means, and Rep. Rick Larson, Ranking Member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.



NCBA Statement on Supreme Court Decision to Reinstate Dreaded Corporate Transparency Act Mandate

Friday, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Executive Director of Government Affairs Kent Bacus issued a statement following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to lift the injunction that temporarily halted enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act’s reporting requirements. The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision will allow enforcement of the act to move forward:
 
“Cattle producers across the country are disappointed in the Supreme Court’s ruling, which will allow the federal government to blanket family-owned farms and ranches in fresh red tape while subjecting millions of law-abiding small business owners to potential legal jeopardy. We urge President Trump, and his nominee for Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, to rescue millions of American small business owners from these burdensome reporting requirements and delay enforcement until a meaningful solution is found.”
 
Background
On Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked a nationwide injunction that was previously in place since December. The injunction had prevented the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a division of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, from enforcing the Corporate Transparency Act and requiring small business owners to file beneficial ownership reports. This latest action from the U.S. Supreme Court allows enforcement of the beneficial ownership reporting requirements to move forward while federal court cases over the legality of the Corporate Transparency Act continue. Due to the fluid legal situation, NCBA advises cattle producers to consult an attorney and/or tax professional regarding personal impacts from the Corporate Transparency Act.



Dairy Market Report: Cheese, Butter and Yogurt Sales Shine as Milk Production Slips

Fluid milk sales in 2024 are on track to exceed 2023’s; which would be the first time fluid would see a year-over-year gain since 2009. Year to date through November, total commercial use last year was above the same period in 2023 for all cheese, butter and yogurt but lower for the main dairy ingredient products.

U.S. dairy exports were lower in November, with cheese exports a bright spot on the strength of volume going to Mexico, South Korea and Japan. Growing butter imports from Ireland are raising total U.S. dairy import volumes.

Meanwhile, on production, following three months of levels above a year ago, U.S. milk production dropped in November by 1% due to an unusually large drop in milk production per cow.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for All Items, the benchmark for measuring overall retail price inflation, was relatively stable during the fourth quarter of 2024, as were the CPIs for all Food and Beverages and for all Dairy and Related Products, with the former averaging almost 5% higher than that for All Items and the latter averaging 14% lower.

The November monthly margin under the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program was $14.29/cwt, the third highest since margin protection became the basic safety net program for dairy in 2015.

View Full Report: https://www.nmpf.org/cheese-butter-and-yogurt-sales-shine-as-milk-production-slips/.  



Nutrien Ag Solutions Introduces N-FINITY™ to the US Crop Market

Nutrien Ag Solutions Inc. announces the launch of N-FINITY, an innovative nitrogen management solution that combines three modes of action that aims to increase the efficiency and availability of nitrogen for improved plant health and crop yields.

New to the Loveland Products® shelf, N-FINITY leverages advanced biological technology to optimize nitrogen availability, assisting crops’ ability to receive the essential nutrients required for optimal growth and yield.

N-FINITY's proprietary science is designed to improve nitrogen use efficiency in comparison to current marketplace offerings by:
    Enhancing the soil's ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen.
    Recruiting nitrogen-fixing bacteria into the root zone.
    Facilitating the liberation of nitrogen from soil organic pools.

N-FINITY has the potential to more efficiently manage plant available nitrogen and support farming practices by enhancing the effectiveness of nitrogen fertilizers traditionally used to boost annual crop productivity.

"We are excited to introduce N-FINITY to the US market for use in the 2025 growing season," says Casey McDaniel, Vice President of Loveland Products, Inc. "This product represents an advancement for the industry, providing growers with a new tool to enhance on-farm nitrogen management and yield potential.”

Ron Calhoun, Plant Nutrition Senior Manager of Loveland Products, says, " N-FINITY has been extensively researched and field tested over the last several years, consistently demonstrating yield benefits resulting in a positive return for most growers. Designed to enhance the soil’s ability to fix, recruit, and liberate nitrogen in the root zone, N-FINITY can help make every unit of nitrogen go farther.”

N-FINITY will be available for purchase through Nutrien Ag Solutions retail locations in spring of 2025.



ASI Annual Convention Shines Light on Flock’s Future

Most homes were still illuminated by lanterns and candlelight when the National Wool Growers Association – the predecessor to the American Sheep Industry Association – held its first convention in 1865. But 160 years later, sheep producers from across the country shared a renewed excitement for the industry’s future as a panel of solar grazers pointed toward new heights for the American flock and its role in developing clean energy for the United States.

Ryan Indart of California, Reid Redden of Texas and Daniel Dotterer of Pennsylvania shared stories of getting their feet in the door of solar grazing in recent years during the 2025 ASI Annual Convention Opening Session on Jan. 16 in Scottsdale, Ariz. They were joined in the panel discussion by Silicon Ranch Corporation’s Loran Shallenberger and David Wen of AES Corporation. Both companies are developing solar assets, while Silicon Ranch has taken the unprecedented step of assembling its own sheep flock, as well. The panel was moderated by Lexie Hain of New York, a solar grazer who founded the American Solar Grazing Association and is now the director of agrivoltaics and land management at Lightsource bp.

Agrivoltaics is the practice of using land for both agriculture and solar energy production, and more often than not at this point that agricultural use is the grazing of sheep. The explosion of solar fields throughout the country has created a whole new job for America’s sheep, and producers like those on the panel welcomed the opportunity to supplement their livestock incomes (from lamb and, in some cases, wool) with grazing fees. While solar grazing has allowed producers to expand their flocks, it has also welcomed newcomers who often found the lack of land an expensive barrier to getting into the industry.

The Western wildfires that dominated the news in recent weeks have also put a spotlight on grazing, and the role it can play in a changing climate. Targeted grazing is a booming industry, as well, and has long been used in states such as California to reduce fire loads.

“The American sheep industry has definitely seen a resurgence in recent years thanks to these grazing opportunities,” said newly elected ASI President Ben Lehfeldt of Montana. “We wanted to further highlight that opportunity at this year’s convention. But sheep producers have always known the value that sheep bring to the lands they graze, whether that’s a solar field, national forest or private land.”

In addition to the discussion on solar grazing at the opening session, ASI introduced a book – Targeted Grazing 101: Starting and Sustaining a Grazing Service Enterprise – focused on paid grazing opportunities and how to get started during the convention. The book will be available this spring.

As mentioned, the association elected new officers during the 2025 ASI Annual Convention at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort. Lehfeldt was elected to serve as president, while California’s Joe Pozzi moved into the vice president slot and Tammy Fisher of Texas was elected secretary/treasurer. Brad Boner of Wyoming will serve as past president after two years at the helm of the association.

Lehfeldt is a fifth-generation rancher, and his family has been involved in the industry for more than 135 years. He previously served as vice president (2023-2025) and secretary/treasurer (2021-2023), and is a past member of the ASI Wool Council. He’s also served as a director of the Montana Wool Growers Association, and on the board of directors for the American Lamb Board and the National Grazing Lands Coalition.

 

ALB Releases Annual Report

The American Lamb Board’s 2024 Annual Report highlights efforts to grow consumer demand for American lamb, enhance product quality, increase productivity and broaden engagement in the checkoff program.

ALB is committed to sharing the story of American lamb with consumers through targeted marketing initiatives and strategic partnerships. In 2024, ALB launched a series of successful marketing campaigns that reached a larger audience, showcasing the versatility, health benefits, environmental sustainability and exceptional flavor profile of American lamb.

“2024 was an innovative year for promoting American lamb. New sponsorships and partnerships enabled us to reach more consumers with recipes, cooking tips and information about American lamb,” said ALB Chair Jeff Ebert.

Here are a few highlights from the report.

Marketing and Promotion
    Lambassadors – a talented group of chefs, influencers, and recipe developers – showcased American lamb on their websites and social media channels, reaching more than 700,000 consumers.
    Online cooking classes assisted consumers in preparing American lamb at home.
    Consumer events offered a face-to-face opportunity to highlight American lamb.
     Foodservice promotions and conferences allowed ALB to reach chefs to increase American lamb on menus.

Industry Services
    With the support of a U.S. Department of Agriculture Climate-Smart Commodities Grant, ALB is striving to enhance the sheep industry’s commitment to sustainability.
    Targeted grazing presents new grazing contract opportunities for American sheep producers. In 2024, Targeted Grazing Workshops were conducted in Texas, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

Click Here https://lambboard.com/reports for the complete report to learn more about these programs, research and innovation initiatives, and upcoming offerings planned for 2025.