Monday August 25 Ag News - Pro Farmer '25 yield estimates - Keeping manure "clean" - Cold Storage highlights - Groups react to EPA's Small Refinery Exemptions decisions - and more!

Pro Farmer national corn and soybean crop estimates

Corn: 16.204 billion bu.; Average yield of 182.7 bu. per acre
Corn +-1% = 16.366 billion bu. to 16.042 billion bu.; 184.5 bu. to 180.9 bu. per acre

Corn
Profound discoveries were made across the Tour states, with drier-than-expected conditions in Ohio. The Indiana and Illinois corn crops were decent but lacked luster. Early-season stresses and intense summer heat have bolstered crop stress across the eastern Corn Belt. 

Corn in South Dakota and Nebraska showed strong potential, but are not free of disease risk. There was no shortage of moisture in either state. 

Reports of disease increased drastically in Iowa, but yield potential is strong. The crop is far from finished, which spurs concern of how the crop final crop will look. 

Minnesota is the obvious bright spot. A record Tour yield was carved with minimal disease pressure likely allowing for a solid finish.

Soybeans: 4.246 billion bu.; Average yield of 53 bu. per acre
Soybeans +- 2% = 4.33 billion bu. to 4.16 billion bu.; 54.1 bu. to 51.9 bu. per acre

Soybeans
Ohio has potential for an impressive crop, with pod counts second only to 2014. Late-season heat and dryness may ding top-end.

Indiana pod counts were strong, but down 2.3% from last year. The crop was more mature than year’s past, indicating stress could be pushing the crop toward the finish line.

Illinois had stellar pod counts, but moisture was light and the crop was the most mature in Tour history.

Iowa beans measured a record and are on pace for matuity, but disease presence could ultimately hinder potential.

Soil moisture in South Dakota should allow the crop to end on a high note with maturity a touch ahead of schedule.

Mighty Minnesota eclipsed the 2010 record and has the strongest moisture profile since 2007.

The national estimates above reflect Pro Farmer’s view on production and yields. They take into account data gathered during Crop Tour and other factors such as weather during Crop Tour, crop maturity, historical differences in Tour data versus USDA’s final yields,m areas outside those sampled on Tour, etc. With USDA incorporating FSA certified acreage into its August crop estimates this year and our analysis showing it was a reasonable estimate, we made no acreage adjustments from USDA’s August Crop Production Report.



NeFU Submits Letter to EPA on 2026 and 2027 RFS Volumes

On August 8th, Nebraska Farmers Union (NeFU), Nebraska’s longest ethanol advocate submitted their formal comments to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the agency’s proposed rule establishing volume requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for 2026 and 2027. NeFU comments expressed support for the volume increases and urged EPA to finalize and adopt without delay.

The proposed rule recommends an increase of roughly 2 billion gallons in the U.S. total renewable fuel volume by 2027 while keeping the conventional corn ethanol volumes at 15 billion gallons, and partially waiving the 2025 cellulosic biofuel volume requirements.

NeFU’s comments also supported biomass-based diesel volume requirements and the use of higher blend ethanol utilization. In part, the letter said:

“We write this letter in strong support of the proposed increases from 2025 in the biomass-based diesel volume requirements for compliance years 2026 and 2027. NeFU also strongly supports maintaining the “implied” conventional biofuel volume requirement at 15 billion gallons for these years. The 15 billion gallon requirement provides incentives for using higher ethanol blends. Although EPA continues to focus on E15 and E85, there are numerous offerings of mid-level ethanol blends for use in flexible fuel vehicles that it does not appear that EPA includes in its analysis. Further, mid-level ethanol blends can be utilized in non-flexible fuel vehicles, and we urge EPA to take action to allow their use under the Clean Air Act.”

NeFU pointed out Nebraska is the nation’s second largest ethanol producing state, and ranked third in corn production. 



What’s in Your Manure? Keeping Plastic and Other Junk Out of Your Fields
Leslie Johnson - Animal Manure Management Educator, Nebraska Extension

If you've ever looked out over a freshly fertilized field and noticed a tangle of net wrap or a bit of old plastic poking out of the soil, you're not alone. Recent work on my own farm reminded me of something that might be bugging you too: finding plastic and other junk in livestock manure and worse, seeing it show up in the field.

We all know that a good, clean manure application is important for soil health, crop performance, and even how our operation looks to others. But getting there takes more than just spreading what’s in the pit or pile. It starts all the way back at the feed source and it follows through every step from pen to crop harvest...using preventative common sense.

One of the biggest culprits I see is net wrap and twine (see photo). Look, I get it, it’s tempting to just toss a whole bale into the feeder or tub grinder and keep moving. We're all busy. But that plastic wrap doesn’t just disappear. If animals don’t eat it (which can cause serious health issues), it gets collected with the manure and ends up in the spreader. From there, it makes its way to your field or worse, into your equipment.

Let’s not forget about wildlife either. They can ingest plastic or get tangled in it, leading to injuries or death. So, take an extra minute to remove that wrap and twine properly. It’s a small step with big impact.

Whether your animals are housed inside or out, stuff happens. Tools break. Gloves and tags fall in. The wind blows in plastic grocery bags or feed sacks. Bits of wood rot and fall apart. And sometimes, concrete chips away during pen cleaning.

All of that can end up in manure. So regular pen inspections and quick cleanups are key. The more junk you pull out early, the less ends up in the pit, pile or field.

This is also a good time to talk about mortality management. If an animal dies in the pen and isn’t removed quickly, it can spread disease and breed flies.  Also, over time, bones and tissue decomposing in pits clog up pumps and spreaders. A quick daily walkthrough can catch these issues early and keep your system flowing the way it should.

When manure is clean, equipment runs smoother; spreader beaters are less likely to jam, and hoses don’t plug as often. And when it’s time to apply manure and let’s be honest, we’re usually racing against weather, that reliability is priceless.

But it’s not just about avoiding breakdowns during application. Foreign materials left in the manure can cause problems later. I’ve personally pulled net wrap off closing wheel bearings on our planter more times than I’d like to admit. I’ve heard horror stories of twine messing up tillage tools and concrete chunks being sucked into windrowers, balers, and combines. None of that is cheap or quick to repair.

A little bit of maintenance up front saves a lot of frustration down the road. Whether it’s removing twine from bales, picking up fallen tools, or walking pens to check for debris, every step you take keeps manure and fields cleaner and safer. Let’s keep plastic and other junk out of manure and off fields. Crops will grow well and uniformly, equipment will run smoothly, and you will have peace of mind.



CAP Webinar: Succession Planning Beyond Family: Gifting Land and Legacy
Aug 28, 2025 12:00 PM 
With Jessica Groskopf, Extension Educator and CAP Agricultural Economist 

What happens to the farm or ranch when no one in the family is coming back to run it? It’s a hard question and one that more and more landowners are facing. But with some planning and the right support, it’s possible to create a clear path forward that honors your wishes. This webinar is a continuation of the July 17 session on succession planning without a family heir. In this session, we’ll focus specifically on strategies for gifting land or assets to non-family members and charitable organizations.

Miss the live webinar or want to review it again? Recordings are available — typically within 24 hours of the live webinar — in the archive section of the Center for Agricultural Profitability's webinar page, https://cap.unl.edu/webinars. Also use this link to register. 



Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Joins Nebraska Farm Bureau for SAF Conference, Farm Tour, and Ag Industry Events 

Nebraska Farm Bureau welcomed U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen Alexander Vaden to Nebraska on Aug. 15 for a day of connecting with producers, touring agricultural facilities, and engaging with industry leaders. 

During his visit to Nebraska Sec. Vaden spoke at the Sustainable Aviation Fuels Conference at SAC Air Museum near Omaha. Nebraska Farm Bureau joined the Nebraska Corn Board and Renewable Fuels Nebraska in hosting the event, bringing together leaders from agriculture, energy, aviation, and government to chart a cleaner future for air travel. 

U.S. Rep. Mike Flood opened the event with a call to harness Nebraska’s agricultural strength to fuel innovation. Sessions throughout the day explored the potential of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) to reduce emissions while creating new markets for corn, soybeans, and other biofuel feedstocks grown in the state. Sec. Vaden was the keynote speaker. 

Next on the agenda was a farm tour of Douglas County President Ryan Ueberrhein, who farms near Valley. There several local farmers attended the session with Sec. Vaden discussing current crop conditions, market outlooks, trade and the innovations driving Nebraska agriculture.  

The next stop was a group tour of the Greater Omaha Packing Co., a beef processing plant. Although production lines were not running, Deputy Secretary Vaden and Nebraska Farm Bureau leaders met with CEO Henry Davis and President Mike Drury to learn about the company’s operations, Nebraska beef’s competitive advantages, and current challenges facing processors. 

The day ended with dinner, where Deputy Secretary Vaden joined leaders from Nebraska’s top agricultural organizations for a discussion on policy priorities, industry trends, and opportunities to strengthen Nebraska’s role in feeding the world. 

Hosting Deputy Secretary Vaden allowed Nebraska Farm Bureau to showcase the strength and diversity of Nebraska agriculture. It’s essential that national leaders experience firsthand the people, values, and operations that power our state’s economy and feed the nation.  



Soil and Water Conservation Society Honors Nebraska Award Winners

The Nebraska Chapter of the Soil & Water Conservation Society (SWCS) honored 5 individuals recently at the state chapter meeting in Wahoo, NE. The Nebraska Chapter was also honored at the 80th SWCS International Conference in Costa Mesa, CA. SWCS is a nonprofit scientific and educational association dedicated to advancing the science and art of good land use and improvement of natural resources.

State SWCS Chapter Award Winners
Each year, the Nebraska SWCS Chapter recognizes and honors work from people who promote its goals in the state.

Outstanding Service Award
The Outstanding Service Award is given to Society members in recognition of unusual efforts in helping the Society develop and carry out its program over a long and sustained period.

Craig Derickson, Lincoln, has been a member of Nebraska SWCS since 1981. He served as an officer many years ago in the Panhandle region and has served on various SWCS committees, including the Water Quality Committee and the Science and Policy Committee. He is a former Berg Fellow and SWCS Fellow. Craig is currently an At-large Director of the Nebraska Chapter.

Craig worked for more than 40 years with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Conservation and Survey Division of the University of Nebraska to carry out soil and water conservation activities. Craig worked at the field level to gather scientific data on soils and plants for developing conservation practice standards used by farmers and ranchers to apply conservation practices. Craig served in local NRCS field offices as a conservationist and later as Supervisory District Conservationist to direct operations for delivering science-based conservationist assistance. Craig served at the Regional and National level to manage conservation programs that provide funding for NRCS staff to deliver technical and financial assistance to help producers implement conservation practices that improve the environment and on-farm productivity and economic viability. Craig also served on many committees and task forces focused on conservation needs, professional development of employees, civil rights and diversity, and special alliances with conservation partners. These experiences with senior leaders in NRCS and conservation partners across the nation prepared Craig to be a leader in conservation initiatives after his retirement in 2020.

In May of 2023, Craig and eight other motivated conservationists established an independent, non-profit, the Nebraska Soil Health Coalition. The purpose of the Coalition is to advance producer-centered education, outreach, and adoption of soil health management systems to build resilient farms, ranches, and communities across Nebraska. In less than two years, the Coalition has progressed from a start-up to now a fully functioning non-profit. The Coalition has received grant funding to allow it to hire a Network Director and has launched a pilot project with about 20 participating producers and community leaders in south central Nebraska in the Hastings area.

In addition to the work above, Craig has been assisting the Nebraska Soil & Water Conservation Foundation (NSWCF) to develop strategies for more effective fundraising and philanthropy activities. Craig is working with the NSWCF to get fresh ideas and potential training on fund raising and development activities. One purpose of the NSWCF is to provide scholarship funding to students enrolled in natural resources and related science-based college programs. Craig and the Foundation Board would like to increase the Foundation financial status to a level that exceeds $100,000.

Honor Award
The Honor Award recognizes non-members for outstanding accomplishments reflecting the society's objectives.

Thomas Hoegemeyer, Lincoln, is a plant breeder and scientist with his own independent company, the Hoegemeyer Hybrid company. After retiring from his family business, Tom served as professor of practice at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Agronomy & Horticulture where he wrote and co-authored many scientific papers on crop production. Tom also taught Agriculture classes at Midland College in Fremont NE.

Throughout his professional career Thomas has concerned himself and his private business activities with the proper use of land, water and natural resources. Thomas has been involved in plant genetics and related agricultural sciences over the past five decades.

Thomas promoted findings from the Nebraska Healthy Soils Task Force report and its conclusion that two significant barriers to adoption of healthy soil management practices by agricultural producers are uncertainty of the positive economic return on investment in healthy soil management practices and the lack of education and information available to a broader audience.

Thomas is a founding member and current President of the Nebraska Soil Health Coalition. The purpose of the Coalition is to advance producer-centered education, outreach, and adoption of soil health principles to build resilient farms, ranches, and communities across Nebraska.

Thomas helped create several important goals and strategies for the Coalition to advance the conservation of natural resources in Nebraska, including:
● Building a shared vision across all Nebraskans for increasing the economic, environmental, and societal resilience of Nebraska’s agricultural land resources;
● Enhancing agricultural landowners’ and farm managers’ understanding of and willingness to embrace with their producer operators soil health practices for greater profitability based on ecologically sound principles;
● Advocating for sound policy decisions through the lens of resilient soils while always promoting voluntary actions and respect for property rights; and
● Building public awareness of and appreciation for the multiple ecosystem services provided by enhancing soil resilience of the State’s agricultural lands.

Thomas was instrumental in working with leadership at the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (NDNR) in securing funding for the Coalition to establish its first pilot project and to bring on staff to carry out the plans of the Coalition. Thomas is well respected by many Nebraska conservation partners and brings strong credibility and technical knowledge to the work of the Coalition.

David Meyer, Aurora, is a retired plant scientist with Corteva Agriscience specializing in regenerative agriculture and plant breeding. Throughout his career David worked to promote the adoption of sustainable agriculture practices and the integration of human health and viable communities into project planning. David has worked on international projects funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID and recently completed a trip to Tanzania to assist with a church project.

David serves as the President of The Grain Place, an organic farming operation in the Aurora area. Throughout his career spanning more than four decades David has worked to promote the sustainable use of our natural resources and the proper use of land, water and related natural resources.

David is a founding member and current Board members of the Nebraska Soil Health Coalition.

Merit Award

The Merit Award is given in recognition of an outstanding effort or activity by a group, business firm, corporation, or organization that promotes wise land use. There are two recipients this year:

Kay Walter and Tim Rinne, Lincoln, are among the founders of the Hawley Hamlet Neighborhood Garden, a nationally recognized urban agriculture and neighborhood-building effort, containing many native plants, vegetable beds and over 60 fruit and nut trees. Each year, over 20 families from within the block or across the street garden in their own plots to raise food for their households. Greenhouses extend the growing season for salad greens. In 2023, the Hamlet was officially recognized as a farm by USDA. They received the Nebraska Farmers Union Presidents Award in 2024 in large part for their work with the Hawley Hamlet. As a nonprofit public charity, the Hawley Hamlet's mission is to sustain the garden and to offer or to partner with organizations that provide educational programming on such topics as permaculture, ecology, soil management, native prairie plants, pollinators, organic gardening, etc. They offer tours to groups and to the public. Among many groups touring in 2024 were the Natural Resources Conservation Services leadership and new staff from around the country who were in Lincoln for training. The garden was selected for the 2024 Lincoln Tour for Rewilding Urban Environments. Recently, Kay and Tim were featured in The Seed, a publication of the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum, and the Hawley Hamlet has been named as a Land Steward affiliate of the NSA. The Hamlet has been featured in national publications including Yes! Magazine and Mother Earth News; in many newspaper and state articles, in Backyard Farmer episodes and TedX Lincoln YouTube episodes. 



USDA Cold Storage July 2025 Highlights

Total red meat supplies in freezers on July 31, 2025 were down 2 percent from the previous month and down 5 percent from last year. Total pounds of beef in freezers were down 1 percent from the previous month but up 1 percent from last year. Frozen pork supplies were down 3 percent from the previous month and down 11 percent from last year. Stocks of pork bellies were down 28 percent from last month and down 25 percent from last year.

Total frozen poultry supplies on July 31, 2025 were up 4 percent from the previous month but down 2 percent from a year ago. Total stocks of chicken were up 2 percent from the previous month and up 3 percent from last year. Total pounds of turkey in freezers were up 9 percent from last month but down 11 percent from July 31, 2024.

Total natural cheese stocks in refrigerated warehouses on July 31, 2025 were down slightly from the previous month but up 1 percent from July 31, 2024. Butter stocks were down 7 percent from last month and down 6 percent from a year ago.

Total frozen fruit stocks on July 31, 2025 were up 22 percent from last month but down 5 percent from a year ago. Total frozen vegetable stocks were up 8 percent from last month but down 5 percent from a year ago.



NCGA Comments on EPA’s Small Refinery Biofuel Exemptions

The president of the National Corn Growers Association released a statement today after the Environmental Protection Agency announced its decision to exempt some small refineries from blending biofuels in their supplies at levels required under the Renewable Fuel Standard.

With today’s announcement EPA has taken an important step toward resolving a stubborn issue that has lingered without resolution for too many years, according to Illinois farmer and NCGA President Kenneth Hartman Jr.

“With government reports projecting record high corn yields this year, we continue to focus on corn demand, including increasing ethanol sales,” Hartman said. “We want to see the Renewable Fuel Standard continue to be implemented as it was intended, and we want to extend year-round, nationwide consumer access to 15% ethanol fuel blends through the summer months. Both will ensure greater energy security and lower gas prices for consumers.”

Out of the 175 outstanding petitions, EPA indicated it is granting full exemptions to 63, granting partial exemptions to 77, denying 28 petitions and determining seven to be ineligible.

Small refineries are allowed to submit petitions to EPA each year, requesting hardship exemptions from requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard. The standard, originally passed and signed into law in 2005, requires refiners to include ten percent biofuel blends in their fuel production.



Smith Statement on EPA SRE Action

Representative Adrian Smith (R-NE), co-chair of the Congressional Biofuels Caucus, released the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency announced action on Small Refinery Exemption petitions.

"Renewable fuels provide homegrown, reliable, and affordable energy to power American energy security. As we celebrate 20 years of the RFS, small refinery exemptions should be an extraordinary exception rather than a part of the business plan. I appreciate Administrator Zeldin’s commitment to upholding the integrity of the RFS and look forward to hearing more details about how today’s announcement will be incorporated into the overall volumes for future obligation years."



IRFA Responds to EPA's Refinery Exemption Warning

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a long-awaiting decision on 175 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) refinery exemption (SRE) requests dating from 2016 to 2024. In total, the EPA granted 63 full exemptions and 77 partial exemptions totaling 5.34 billion gallons. EPA denied 28 claims and found another 7 ineligible. 

“We must get RFS refinery waiver uncertainty out of the market and today’s action by EPA takes a big step forward,” said Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) Executive Director Monte Shaw. “While we can quibble with the justification of the SREs granted, the EPA was spot-on in reissuing the same retired RFS credits back to the refiners who received an exemption. This is consistent with past actions when the shoe was on the other foot and is in line with the overall goals of the RFS. One absolutely vital question remains: how or if the SREs from 2023 to 2025 will be reallocated. That is a two-billion-gallon uncertainty hanging over the market and the pending RFS blending rule for 2026 and 2027.” 

Also today, EPA announced that in the near future it will release a proposed rule to outline how the exempted RFS volumes of the 2023 and later compliance years, expected to be over two billion gallons, could be reallocated. EPA has previously stated that it will account for projected SREs for 2026 and 2027 when finalizing the RFS blending levels for those years. EPA stated: “The supplemental proposal will seek to balance the goals of the RFS in supporting the production and use of renewable fuels while taking into account economic impacts, following the law, and ensuring opportunity for stakeholder comment.” 

“Full and complete reallocation of the 2023 and newer SREs is the vital point,” stated Shaw. “In the end, that will determine whether the EPA upholds President Trump’s commitment to the RFS and to American farmers. If true reallocation does not occur, then EPA is effectively reducing the already low RFS blending levels for 2025. IRFA was heartened by EPA’s announcement today that it will propose reallocating the exempted volumes. We now anxiously await EPA’s reallocation proposal, at which time we will be commenting in the strongest possible terms that reallocation of every SRE gallon must occur, and we will implore the EPA to end the SRE uncertainty before finalizing the 2026-2027 RFS rule.” 

When granted, SREs allow a refinery out of their blending obligation under the landmark RFS program, which is the bedrock renewable fuels policy in the U.S. The EPA sets an RFS blending level for each year. As a result, any SRE effectively reduces the RFS blending level. To avoid this, the RFS law called on EPA to estimate the amount of SREs likely to be granted and to factor this into the RFS blending level formula each year, a process commonly referred to as “reallocation” because it essentially upholds the RFS blending level while shifting any exempted obligation from those parties to the obligated parties that did not receive exemptions. 

“IRFA has loudly applauded the Trump administration and the EPA for the proposing record-high RFS blend levels for 2026 and 2027,” stated Shaw. “We would hate to see these volumes rendered meaningless due to billions of gallons of un-reallocated SREs. So while we greatly appreciate that the Trump Administration has signaled they will reallocate 2023 and newer refinery waivers, we must examine those details. At the end of the day, the penalty for the failure of the previous RFS rules under the prior administration to include SRE forecasts should not be paid solely by renewable fuels producers. The integrity of the RFS depends on it.” 



ASA Statement on EPA Small Refinery Exemption Actions

The American Soybean Association thanked the Environmental Protection Agency last week for its work to address the significant backlog of small refinery exemptions the agency inherited. EPA’s actions will create greater certainty for the biofuel value chain and support the largest biomass-based diesel feedstock provider—U.S. soybean farmers.

“EPA’s swift actions to address its inherited backlog of small refinery exemptions will restore certainty to the Renewable Fuel Standard, which supports a key domestic market for U.S. soybeans,” said Caleb Ragland, ASA President and farmer from Magnolia, KY. “U.S. soybean farmers are facing dire economic impacts this year, and the work of EPA to clear the backlog of pending SREs will help ensure stability for biofuel production moving forward. Paired with the robust proposed renewable volume obligations for 2026-2027 and provisions to bolster the use of domestic feedstocks like U.S. soy, the future of the domestic biofuel value chain is bright.”

ASA strongly supports EPA’s proposed rule for 2026-2027 Renewable Volume Obligations, specifically the significant increase in overall volumes for biomass-based diesel and discounting of credit generation for fuels made from imported feedstocks. Soybean farmers applaud the continued work of the EPA to ensure U.S. agriculture remains a key player in domestic biofuel production. 



Farm Bureau Comments on EPA Small Refinery Action

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on the Environmental Protection Agency’s announcement regarding small refinery exemptions, which impact renewable fuel production.

“Renewable fuels have been a tremendous success story for the country and the rural economy. The Renewable Fuel Standard has reduced our country’s dependence on foreign oil, reduced air pollution, increased farm income, and provided good-paying jobs in rural America.

“Farmers rely on a robust renewable fuel standard with strong renewable volume obligations that further build the biofuels market. EPA’s measured approach will prevent overuse of small refinery exemptions that would risk undermining the RFS and the biofuels market for farmers.

“With the proposed RFS rule increasing domestic fuel production and prioritizing home-grown crops, we urge EPA to build on this momentum in its reallocation guidance by ensuring the volume lost to exemptions is replaced. Supporting a robust biofuels market allows our country to reduce fuel prices and move closer to energy independence.”