Friday April 25 Ag News

Nebraska Delegation Echoes Governor’s Request for Major Disaster Declaration Following Spring Storms

U.S. Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) and U.S. Representatives Mike Flood (NE-01), Don Bacon (NE-02), and Adrian Smith (NE-03) sent a letter to President Donald Trump in support of Governor Jim Pillen’s (R-Neb.) request for a major disaster declaration for areas impacted by severe storms occurring on March 18th and 19th.

During that time period, severe thunderstorms, blizzards, and straight-line winds caused extensive damage across the state. Overall, the storms inflicted over $64.8 million in damages to electrical distribution infrastructure and facilities in impacted counties.

Specifically, Governor Pillen’s request follows storms that affected Boone, Burt, Butler, Cass, Clay, Colfax, Cuming, Dodge, Douglas, Fillmore, Hamilton, Jefferson, Johnson, Lancaster, Nuckolls, Otoe, Platte, Polk, Saline, Sarpy, Saunders, Seward, Thayer, Thurston, Washington, Webster, and York counties.



Registration Opens for 2025 Nebraska Cattlemen Midyear Meeting

Nebraska Cattlemen (NC) Thursday announced registration is now available for the 2025 Nebraska Cattlemen Annual Midyear Meeting in Kearney. This year's meeting will take place on Wednesday, June 11 and Thursday, June 12.

Nebraska Cattlemen President Dick Pierce stated, "NC offers cattle producers the opportunity to make a difference and better our industry for future generations, no matter what sector you work in." He continued, "Even when the days are long and the work is hard, we know how vital the beef cattle industry is to our state, nation, and world. We look forward to having our fellow cattlemen join us in Kearney for fellowship and important discussions about the issues impacting our operations."

The full schedule and registration is now available online at www.nebraskacattlemen.org/midyear-meeting. As more details become available they will be added to Nebraska Cattlemen’s website. For questions or inquiries, please contact the Nebraska Cattlemen office at (402) 475-2333.



Nebraska Extension Introductory Level Field Crop Scout Training Offered May 20th at ENREEC

Nebraska Extension brings you hands-on training for crop scouting with 7.5 CCA credits available, and a great line up of speakers/topics.

The training is ideal for new employees or summer interns as well as those needing a refresher.  

Nebraska Extension Introductory Level Field Crop Scout Training
    For summer employees working in the ag industry and corn and soybean growers wanting to learn how to better identify corn and soybean pests
    Ideal for new employees preparing to take the CCA exam.
    Also an excellent refresher course for experienced personnel.
    Provides current, detailed instruction and is specifically designed to furnish employees with the necessary knowledge, expertise and confidence to fulfill the requirements of their employment.
    Taught by University experts.
    7.5 CCA CREDITS applied for and pending (6 Pest Mgmt., 1 Crop Mgmt.,  .5 Fertility/ Nutrient Mgmt.)

Topics
Scouting Tips and Techniques – Where to Start and What Samples to Collect
Understanding Corn & Soybean Growth & Development
Crop Diseases & Quiz
Identifying Weeds - Plant Morphology, Using a Key to Identify Weed Seedlings  
Corn & Soybean Insect Scouting, Identification, Management
Nutrient Deficiencies in Corn & Soybeans
Hands on Practice (Weather permitting)

Cost for the program is $115, which includes lunch, refreshment breaks, workshop materials and a 3-ring binder instruction manual. The take-home instruction manual includes a variety of reference materials that provide resources for crop scouting. For those attending the daylong training that don’t want a copy of the instruction manual, the fee is $75. Registration can be done online at the below link with payment made via credit card online or via check.

Learn about other Nebraska Extension Crop Management Training opportunities:  https://enreec.unl.edu/extension-education-engagement/crop-management-education/
    May 22 – Roller Crimper Field Day @ ENREEC, near Mead
    Jun 25 - Weed Management Field Day @ SCAL, Clay Center – For more details and to register go to https://agronomy.unl.edu/fieldday
    July 9 – 4R’s Field Day @ ENREEC, near Mead
    August 21 and 22 – 3rd Annual Nebraska Agriculture and Spray Drone Conference @Norfolk
    August 28 – Cropping Systems and Soil Health Field Day @ ENREEC, near Mead

For more information, contact Nebraska Extension at anygren2@unl.edu or call (402) 624-8030.



Ritchie selected as Iowa State’s next agronomy department chair

After 14 years working in Texas, Glen Ritchie is heading north to Iowa, where he’ll assume the professor and chair role for Iowa State University’s Department of Agronomy, effective July 15.

Ritchie will take over for Mary Wiedenhoeft, who has been interim department chair since May 2023. Wiedenhoeft will remain with the department as a Morrill Professor of Agronomy.

“We are delighted Dr. Ritchie has agreed to join our great Department of Agronomy. His excellent leadership experience, and background in the study of crops, soils and water, position him to ensure the department continues with excellence preparing students for future careers, making impactful research discoveries, and being highly engaged in production agriculture and its many facets across the college, Iowa and globally,” said Daniel J. Robison, endowed dean’s chair in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. “We thank Dr. Wiedenhoeft for stepping up and providing extraordinary leadership these past two years as interim department chair.”

Ritchie is a professor of crop physiology and has served for five years as chair of the Department of Plant and Soil Science at Texas Tech University. During his career, he has focused on plant water relations, resource partitioning and plant sensing techniques in cotton and other crops. He currently serves as editor of Crop Science and is a member of the American Society of Agronomy, the Crop Science Society of America and the Soil Science Society of America.

"The Department of Agronomy at Iowa State University is a world leader in agriculture, unique in its close relationship with Iowa agriculture, world-class research and quality of academic programs and students,” Ritchie said. “My goal is to maintain these attributes while helping our faculty, staff and students expand our state and global footprint."

Ritchie has a doctoral degree in crop physiology from the University of Georgia. His master’s and bachelor’s degrees in crop physiology and crop science, respectively, are from Utah State University. He also has an associate of applied science degree in crop science from Ricks College (now Brigham Young University-Idaho).



Commercial Red Meat Production Up 1 Percent from Last Year

Commercial red meat production for the United States totaled 4.42 billion pounds in March, up 1 percent from the 4.38 billion pounds produced in March 2024.

Beef production, at 2.15 billion pounds, was 2 percent above the previous year. Cattle slaughter totaled 2.48 million head, down 1 percent from March 2024. The average live weight was up 34 pounds from the previous year, at 1,426 pounds.

Veal production totaled 2.1 million pounds, 42 percent below March a year ago. Calf slaughter totaled 10,900 head, down 43 percent from March 2024. The average live weight was up 5 pounds from last year, at 327 pounds.

Pork production totaled 2.25 billion pounds, up slightly from the previous year. Hog slaughter totaled 10.4 million head, down slightly from March 2024. The average live weight was up 2 pounds from the previous year, at 291 pounds.

Lamb and mutton production, at 12.8 million pounds, was up 4 percent from March 2024. Sheep slaughter totaled 199,200 head, slightly below last year. The average live weight was 127 pounds, up 5 pounds from March a year ago.

by State              (million lbs.  -  % March '24)
Nebraska .......:               626.0            101       
Iowa .............:               725.0             95       
Kansas ..........:               454.4            104       
Texas ............:               361.0            106       

January to March 2025 commercial red meat production was 13.5 billion pounds, down 1 percent from 2024. Accumulated beef production was down slightly from last year, veal was down 40 percent, pork was down 2 percent from last year, and lamb and mutton production was up 1 percent.



USDA Cold Storage March 2025 Highlights

Total red meat supplies in freezers on March 31, 2025 were down 1 percent from the previous month and down 4 percent from last year. Total pounds of beef in freezers were down 2 percent from the previous month but up 1 percent from last year. Frozen pork supplies were down slightly from the previous month and down 9 percent from last year. Stocks of pork bellies were up 14 percent from last month but down 26 percent from last year.

Total frozen poultry supplies on March 31, 2025 were up 1 percent from the previous month but down 3 percent from a year ago. Total stocks of chicken were down 1 percent from the previous month but up 3 percent from last year. Total pounds of turkey in freezers were up 4 percent from last month but down 15 percent from March 31, 2024.

Total natural cheese stocks in refrigerated warehouses on March 31, 2025 were up 1 percent from the previous month but down 4 percent from March 31, 2024. Butter stocks were up 6 percent from last month and up 4 percent from a year ago.

Total frozen fruit stocks on March 31, 2025 were down 10 percent from last month but up 3 percent from a year ago. Total frozen vegetable stocks were down 8 percent from last month and down 4 percent from a year ago.



NCGA Calls on Farmers to Contact Congress Over Tax Policy Priorities

As Congress prepares for the next steps in the budget reconciliation legislative process, corn grower leaders are highlighting federal tax priorities for the legislation. The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is calling on farmers from across the country to contact their policymakers to voice support for several key tax provisions.

“Congress will soon act on important provisions in the federal tax code that must be extended this year,” said Illinois farmer and National Corn Growers Association President Kenneth Hartman Jr. “We are working closely with our agriculture and small business allies in Washington to advance our tax priorities, but these policymakers also need to hear from corn farmers they represent.”

As committee legislative markups are on the horizon, NCGA is working to advance the following tax priorities:
    Extending key provisions from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, including the expanded estate and gift tax exemptions, the qualified business income deduction, and renewing the 100% bonus depreciation. NCGA is also working to protect the stepped-up-basis tax provision, which protects family farms that are transferred from generation to generation.
    Supporting tax incentives that boost domestic production and use of biobased products using American feedstocks. NCGA is working with stakeholders to formulate a potential tax credit that would help move renewable chemical and material technologies from research to commercialization.
    Ensuring the sustainable aviation fuel tax credit, referred to as 45Z, will increase domestic demand for corn by helping the biofuels industry make inroads into the aviation sector. Extending the tax credit would help create high-paying jobs and boost farm income across the country.

The budget reconciliation process is a vehicle for expediting legislation on budget issues. If leaders in the Senate and House are in agreement about the budget provisions in the process, the legislation only requires 51 votes in the upper chamber and is veto-proof.



Estate Tax Cliff Threatens Family Farms

The cost of inheriting the family farm will increase dramatically at the end of the year if Congress doesn’t take steps to extend the elevated estate tax exemption. American Farm Bureau economists analyzed the estate tax cliff in a Market Intel this week.

“Just last year, USDA estimated that if the estate tax exemption reverts to its pre-Tax Cuts and Jobs Act level, nearly twice as many farms in every sales class would have to pay estate taxes,” the Market Intel states. “The average net worth of farms subject to the estate tax would be lower under the permanent exemption level—falling from $32.5 million at the higher exemption to just under $20 million, meaning more smaller farms would be impacted. Low sales farms—that have a farmer whose primary job is farming but have an average loss of more than $5,700 a year—would see the sharpest fall in net worth, going from $42.5 million to only $19.5 million.”

While these may seem like big numbers, most of the value of a farm is tied up in land and expensive machinery, which are needed to grow food and raise animals. In fact, more than 80% of an average farm’s assets are in real estate alone. Actual cash on hand is much lower, making payment of such taxes extremely difficult or even impossible.

AFBF President Zippy Duvall said, “For many people, their farms are not just their businesses, but they are a family tradition passed down from generation to generation. If a family is forced to sell off its farm piece by piece just to pay estate taxes, they run the risk of eventually losing the farm altogether. We urge Congress to make the estate tax exemption permanent, to enable farm families to continue growing the food and fiber America’s families rely on.”

U.S. farms are closing and consolidating at an alarming rate. The latest Census of Agriculture shows more than 140,000 farms went out of business between 2017 and 2022. Another 20,000 farms have been lost in the past two years, according to USDA.



USDA Ensures Illegal Aliens Do Not Receive Federal Benefits

At the direction of U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins, Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services John Walk Thursday issued guidance to all State agencies directing them to enhance identity and immigration verification practices when determining eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This guidance is one of many steps toward fulfilling President Trump’s Executive Order 14218, which directs USDA and other federal agencies to “enhance eligibility verification systems, to the maximum extent possible, to ensure that taxpayer funded benefits exclude any ineligible alien.”

“President Trump has made it clear that American taxpayers will no longer subsidize illegal aliens,” said Secretary Rollins. “We are stewards of taxpayer dollars, and it is our duty to ensure states confirm the identity and verify the immigration status of SNAP applicants. USDA’s nutrition programs are intended to support the most vulnerable Americans. To allow those who broke our laws by entering the United States illegally to receive these benefits is outrageous.”

On February 25, 2025, Secretary Rollins directed USDA-FNS to review the administration of SNAP benefits to make necessary changes to align with Executive Order 14128. As discussed in a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, a staggering $10.5 billion in improper SNAP payments were made in FY 2023 alone—about 12% of total SNAP payments that year. The inadequate verification of an applicant’s identity and citizenship by states is specifically highlighted as contributing to the improper payments of SNAP funds.

Today’s guidance requires states to obtain more reliable documents to prove identity, take additional measures to deter fraudulent use of social security numbers, and better use the Department of Homeland Security’s Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system. Important to note that last week, Secretary Noem advised Governors that SAVE is now available to States for free, making it easier to verify immigration status. The guidance also encourages best practices including adoption of an identification proofing process and requiring more in-person interviews.