Wednesday January 29 Ag News

Ag land management webinar to offer updates on cash rents, leasing for 2025

The Center for Agricultural Profitability at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will cover the latest trends in Nebraska cash rental rates, new leasing considerations and more during its next Land Management Quarterly webinar at noon Central on Feb. 17.

Each quarter, the webinars address common management issues for Nebraska landowners, agricultural operators and related stakeholders interested in the latest insight on trends in real estate, managing agricultural land and solutions for addressing challenges in the upcoming growing season.

The February webinar will examine methods for setting cash rents, flex lease alternatives and considerations for updating agricultural rental arrangements for 2025. It will include an “Ask the Experts” session, allowing participants to get answers to their land or lease questions.

The webinar will be led by Jim Jansen and Anastasia Meyer, both in the Department of Agricultural Economics. Jansen focuses on agricultural finance, land economics and the direction of the annual Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Survey and Report. Meyer is an agricultural economist focusing on rental negotiations and leasing arrangements.

“This webinar will help anyone with a vested interest in land to better understand the financial and human forces reshaping the rural agricultural landscape,” Jansen said.

The webinar is free and will be recorded. Past recordings can be viewed the day after each session, along with recordings from the entire series.

Registration is free at https://cap.unl.edu/landmanagement.



Nebraska’s Master Irrigator Program to Equip Growers to Lead Irrigation Innovation

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is set to launch a new Master Irrigator program, providing Nebraska growers with a platform to connect with the latest agricultural innovations and conservation practices.

The program will begin in February with design summits offering an introduction to the initiative and allowing Nebraska growers to shape its future direction.

The goal of the Nebraska Master Irrigator program is to provide farmers with locally relevant insights into innovations from industry, policy, and research. Each session will highlight resources from UNL’s Testing Ag Performance Solutions (TAPS) program, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts, and other industry leaders. These highlights will be followed by discussions among growers to refine program development, said Crystal Powers, UNL Extension educator and program coordinator.

“We want growers to drive the creation of Nebraska Master Irrigator so it meets their needs,” Powers said.

Nebraska is the epicenter of modern irrigated crop production, with deep roots in the practice’s history and development. Today, Nebraska has more irrigated cropland acres than any other state. UNL has long been a leader in research, teaching, and extension programs focused on irrigation cropping systems. Combined with USDA NRCS and Nebraska Natural Resources Districts programs, Nebraska growers are already some of the most skilled in the world.

The goal of the program is to meet the needs of the state’s top irrigators, said Derek McLean, dean and director of UNL’s Agricultural Research Division. Nebraska’s Master Irrigator program will cater to those seeking to elevate their fields to the next level. Topics will include leveraging new technologies, implementing conservation and regenerative practices, navigating current events, and managing the complexities of modern farming.

“Nebraska producers are extremely knowledgeable about irrigation and nutrient management,” McLean said. “What we’re hearing is a desire for more opportunities to interact with peers and industry leaders on the latest advances in water management and irrigation technology. In a state like Nebraska, the futures of irrigation management and precision agriculture are inextricably linked, and we have a role to play in shaping what that looks like.”

The need for a high-level program like Master Irrigator was underscored by farmers across the state. The program will also highlight the work of Nebraska’s most innovative producers.

“We are armed with so much intelligence, science, and research that building a trust model is what comes next, and I think that’s where Master Irrigator will reside,” said Roric Paulman, a grower from western Nebraska.

The program will align with UNL’s TAPS program, based at the West Central Research, Extension, and Education Center in North Platte. TAPS allows farmers to experiment with new technologies and crop-growing approaches in a fun, risk-free environment.

Nebraska Master Irrigator will also support Gov. Jim Pillen’s initiative to expand the state’s bioeconomy, encouraging producers to be efficient stewards of natural resources while maintaining Nebraska’s leadership in livestock, crops, and biofuels production.

“The goal is to prepare producers for success in all areas of their operations,” Powers said. “From precision agriculture tools to regenerative management practices, all with an eye on return on investment. Long-term, Master Irrigator aims to position Nebraska as a global leader in water and irrigation management while fostering the state’s agricultural and natural resource future.”

Meetings, which are open to the public, are scheduled as follows:
    Feb. 12: North Platte
    Feb. 13: Central City
    Feb. 26: Beatrice
    March 4: O’Neill
    March 6: Scottsbluff

For more information or to register, visit go.unl.edu/master_irrigator.



Monthly Dairy Webinar Feb. 5 to Focus on Cyber Security and AI on the Farm

The Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Dairy Team monthly webinar series continues on Wednesday, February 5 from 12 noon to 1 p.m. This program will be presented by Alexis Stevens and focus on Cyber Security and AI on the Farm

Alexis Stevens, Iowa State University and Outreach Extension farm management specialist for 11 counties in west central Iowa will present on cyber security and AI on the farm. Her presentation will help to strengthen the digital protections in place for farm businesses and families.

Producers, dairy consultants and industry reps are encouraged to attend the free webinar live from noon to 1:00 p.m. on February 5 by registering at least one hour before the webinar at: https://go.iastate.edu/FARMCYBERSECURITY.

For more information contact the ISU Extension and Outreach Dairy Field Specialist in your area: in Northwest Iowa, Fred M. Hall, 712-737-4230 or fredhall@iastate.edu; in Northeast Iowa, Jennifer Bentley, 563-382-2949 or jbentley@iastate.edu; in East Central Iowa, Larry Tranel, 563-583-6496 or tranel@iastate.edu.



EVs or Liquid Fuels? Find Out Where Consumers Are Headed at the 2025 Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit

Insight into the ever-changing vehicle market is always a hot topic for the biofuels community. Jeff Meyer, Director at S&P Global Commodity Insights, will explore trends in electric vehicles, automotive purchase trends and liquid fuel use at the 2025 Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit on February 4.

Meyer’s research in his current capacity focuses on automotive market and policy trends and their implications for energy demand. He has authored several strategic reports on mobility developments.

“It is easy to speculate about why consumers purchase specific vehicles over others and how buying trends ebb and flow through the years,” said Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Marketing Director Lisa Coffelt. “Jeff will be able to narrow in on recent trends with market data on electric, flex fuel and hybrid vehicle use. We are looking forward to his view on where liquid fuel and automotive markets are headed.”

In addition to Meyer’s presentation, a separate Future of Fuels Freeway panel will explore new opportunities for biofuels in heavy duty engines, sustainable aviation fuel, and low carbon markets. The experts will answer the question: have biofuels plateaued or are they just getting started?

Join us on America’s road trip to prosperity at the 2025 Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit as we explore our “Fuels of Opportunity.” The Summit, held on February 4, 2025, will be at the Prairie Meadows Event Center in Altoona, Iowa. Attendance is free and open to the public, but registration is required. For more information and to register, visit IowaRenewableFuelsSummit.org.



IOWA IS THE BEST PLACE FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE INNOVATION, BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE, SURVEY SHOWS

America’s Cultivation Corridor® today released the results from a new survey commissioned to identify perceptions of Iowa’s food and agriculture industry. The survey captured responses from a variety of professionals with different levels of experience in the sector in Iowa, across 27 U.S. states and in 13 countries. The results show Iowa is recognized for its food and agriculture leadership and momentum – as well as, or even more so, by those living outside the state.

“We realized we had the opportunity with this survey to better understand how Iowa’s food and agriculture industry is perceived, both inside and outside the state,” said Billi Hunt, executive director for America’s Cultivation Corridor. “The findings reinforce what we already know to be true about the excellence of Iowa’s industry, but also offer a few surprises, like the fact respondents from outside the state rate us higher for innovation and business opportunity than those inside the state.”

The survey asked for perspectives related to innovation, business opportunity, workforce and quality of life. Key results in each category include:

    Innovation – 70% say Iowa’s food and agriculture innovation is good or excellent and another nearly 70% say innovation is increasing. Respondents rank “visionary leadership” as the most critical driver of innovation; and 57% give Iowa a good or excellent rating for this driver.

    Business opportunity – Two-thirds (64%) say food and agriculture in the state is good or excellent, and about half say the opportunities here are stronger than elsewhere. Young professionals (ages 18-34) were 62% more likely to say Iowa’s food and agriculture business opportunities are increasing.

    Workforce – Perceptions of Iowa’s food and agriculture workforce are holding steady, despite headwinds. 44% say employment in the state is stronger than elsewhere in the U.S. and 77% say they are likely to recommend working in Iowa’s food and agriculture industry to a friend.

    Quality of life – Nearly three-quarters (73%) of Iowans rate their quality of life as good or excellent and 61% perceive it to be better than the rest of the U.S. Additionally, about half of Iowa respondents say their quality of life is improving and 74% would recommend Iowa as a place to live.

“The fact that so many people rated Iowa’s food and agriculture sector highly, despite the challenges of the last year, says a lot about the resilience of our industry and our state,” said Kevin Rassmussen, Iowa pork producer and chair of the Corridor’s Board of Investors. “As an organization, we are excited to use this data to focus our work on strengthening the leadership position we hold as the place to be as a professional or organization in this industry.”

The survey was conducted by Baton Global and fielded during July-August 2024. A total of 389 professionals who have familiarity with Iowa’s food and agriculture industry responded to the survey. See a summary of the results here: https://www.cultivationcorridor.org/filesimages/news-events/corridor-news/25-002%20ACC%20Survey%20Results_Exec%20Summary_FNL.pdf.



Iowa Central Fuel Testing Laboratory Announces Grand Opening February 7, 2025

Iowa Central Community College is thrilled to announce the grand opening of the new, state-of-the-art Fuel Testing Laboratory. The grand opening will take place on Friday, February 7, 2025, from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. at 1310 A Street West, Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501.

Governor Kim Reynolds will be the featured speaker for the occasion. Joining her as distinguished guests are Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig and Congressman Randy Feenstra.

This facility represents a major step forward in our commitment to meeting the needs of our region and advancing leadership in the sustainable fuel industry. It will serve as a hub for innovation reflecting the longstanding dedication of the Iowa Central Fuel Testing Laboratory to fostering progress in sustainable fuels.

Dr. Jesse Ulrich, President of Iowa Central Community College, expressed excitement about the unveiling: "On behalf of Iowa Central Community College, we extend our greatest congratulations to the teams that have contributed to the opening of the expanded, state-of-the-art Iowa Central Fuel Testing Laboratory. It is an honor for the college and the Fort Dodge community to be partners in supporting the Fuel Testing Laboratory as they continue to innovate the industry and contribute to the sustainability and economic strength of our region."

The grand opening will include remarks from our esteemed guests and tours of the new laboratory. They invite the Fort Dodge community and folks from the surrounding region to celebrate this milestone with them and learn more about how this facility will contribute to a sustainable future for the region.



American Farm Bureau Establishes 2025 Policies,  Elects New Grassroots Leaders

Farmer and rancher delegates to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 106th Convention today adopted policies to guide the organization’s work in 2025. Key topics ranged from labor to rural broadband to trade.

For the third year, delegates were polled at the beginning of the voting session regarding their farms. The results show 97% of those who cast votes operate family farms and nearly two-thirds represent small- to mid-size farms as defined by USDA.

“Today, Farm Bureau demonstrated what truly makes it the voice of American agriculture,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “Delegates from each state Farm Bureau and Puerto Rico directly addressed the challenges and opportunities facing farmers and ranchers. The policies they set today give us a roadmap to work with the new administration and Congress to address the needs of rural America. It includes the passage of a new farm bill, enacting regulatory reform, and creating new markets for the men and women who are dedicated to keeping America’s pantries stocked.”

Delegates also adopted policy supporting the development and sale of domestically sourced sustainable aviation fuel, including expanding the list of acceptable conservation practices for feedstock eligibility.

They strengthened policy on alternative energy production, including increasing the responsibility of energy companies to manage land used for development, and prioritizing energy production on land not suitable for agriculture.

Recognizing the challenges of maintaining a strong agriculture workforce, delegates voted to stabilize labor costs to avoid drastic swings that put the economic sustainability of farms at risk. They also recommended the AFBF board study potential alternatives to the current Adverse Effect Wage Rate methodology used for the H-2A program.

On trade, delegates added policy in support of a United States—Mexico—Canada Agreement review process to encourage new opportunities while protecting U.S. agriculture from unfair competition.

Policy on rural broadband was revised to support requiring companies that win broadband loans or grants to quickly complete projects in underserved rural areas. Delegates also directed AFBF to press more forcefully for reform of the current requirements for small-scale meat, dairy and value-added processing facilities.

Board of Directors
Delegates also elected members to serve on the AFBF board of directors and national program committees.

Brad Olson, Wisconsin (Midwest Region); Scott Sink, Virginia (Southern Region); and Rosella Mosby, Washington (Western Region) were elected to fill one-year terms on the AFBF board of directors. Ben LaCross, Michigan (Midwest Region) was elected to a two-year term.

Fifteen other state Farm Bureau presidents were re-elected to two-year terms to represent their regions on the board. From the Midwest Region—Dan Glessing, Minnesota; Brent Johnson, Iowa; Randy Kron, Indiana; and Joe Newland, Kansas. From the Northeast Region—Allen Carter, Jr., New Jersey; and David Fisher, New York. From the Western Region—Angela Bailey, Oregon; and Scott Mugrage, Alaska. From the Southern Region—Russell Boening, Texas; Shawn Harding, North Carolina; Richard Fontenot, Louisiana; Eric Mayberry, Tennessee; Tom McCall, Georgia; Mike McCormick, Mississippi; and Rodd Moesel, Oklahoma.

National Program Committees
Amy Jo Estes of Missouri and Heidi Cooper of Massachusetts were elected chair and vice chair, respectively, of the Promotion & Education Committee. Both will serve one-year terms.

Ryan MacKay of Massachusetts was elected chair of the Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee for a one-year term. Daniel Jones of California was elected vice chair and Allison Whiten of South Carolina was elected secretary. They will each serve one-year terms. The new YF&R officers begin serving in March at the end of the FUSION Conference.

Megan Floyd of South Carolina (Southern Region) was elected to a two-year term on the Women’s Leadership Committee. Marieta Hauser of Kansas (Midwest Region); Lisa Wherry of Pennsylvania (Northeast Region) and Shawn Wood of Arizona (Western Region) were re-elected to two-year terms. Isabella Chism of Indiana and Lorenda Overman of North Carolina were re-elected to two-year terms as committee chair and vice chair, respectively.

AFBF appreciates the more than 80 speakers and nearly 5,000 registered attendees who helped make the 2025 Convention such a success.

Planning for the American Farm Bureau’s 2026 Convention has already begun. Mark your calendar to meet us Jan. 9-14, 2026, in Anaheim, California.



Ranking Member Angie Craig Statement on Order to Freeze Federal Loan and Grant Programs

Tuesday, House Agriculture Ranking Member Angie Craig released the following statement in response to a poorly written and vague memo from the Office of Management and Budget declaring that federal loan and grant programs must cease operations by 5 PM EST on January 28, 2025.

“I am hearing questions and concerns from across the farm bill coalition. People want to know if farm loans will be disrupted, nutrition programs will be shortchanged or loans for renewable energy projects in rural communities will dry up. At best, this memo has caused unnecessary panic among farm families and the communities they feed. At worst, its directives may destroy jobs throughout farm country and worsen food insecurity in homes across America. House Agriculture Democrats will exercise our oversight duty to find answers. In the meantime, I call on the Administration to avoid further recklessness and work with Congress to ensure federal programs are implemented in accordance with the law.”