Tuesday August 12 Ag News - Weekly Crop Progress - UNL Researchers crack more of Corn's DNA - Beef on Dairy impact to Beef Cow Herd Rebuild - CERCLA/EPCRA exemptions upheld - and more!

NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS REPORT 

Corn development is moving ahead quickly across the country, while here in Nebraska, 93% of corn is silking, a bit behind last year but close to average. Fifty-nine percent is in the dough stage, right in line with normal. Fifteen percent has dented, just above the five-year mark. Condition scores remain strong at 76% good to excellent.

In Nebraska, 88% of soybeans are blooming and 71% are setting pods, both just under the five-year norms but advancing quickly. Condition ratings are solid — 73% good to excellent.

In Nebraska, topsoil moisture is 76% adequate to surplus, up sharply from earlier this summer. Subsoil moisture is 71% adequate to surplus. 

Pasture and range ratings improved as well — now 46% good to excellent, though still with nearly a quarter rated poor or very poor. 



IOWA CROP PROGRESS REPORT

Precipitation, heaviest in the western third of the State, limited producers to 4.7 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending August 10, 2025, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Some fields started to dry out while low spots still had ponding. Field activities included harvesting oats and hay as conditions allowed.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 0 percent very short, 2 percent short, 68 percent adequate and 30 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 0 percent very short, 3 percent short, 71 percent adequate and 26 percent surplus.

Ninety-six percent of Iowa’s corn has reached the silking stage. Corn in the dough stage was 68 percent, 1 day ahead of both last year’s pace and the 5-year average. Fifteen percent of the corn crop was dented. Corn condition rated 1 percent very poor, 2 percent poor, 11 percent fair, 57 percent good and 29 percent excellent.

Soybeans blooming reached 93 percent. Seventy-five percent of soybeans were setting pods, 2 days ahead of last year, but 3 days behind normal. Soybean condition rated 1 percent very poor, 2 percent poor, 16 percent fair, 60 percent good and 21 percent excellent. 

Eighty-three percent of the oat crop has been harvested for grain, 1 week behind last year and 5 days behind average. 

The second cutting of alfalfa hay neared completion while 50 percent of the third cutting has been completed. Hay condition rated 85 percent good to excellent. 

Pasture condition rated 81 percent good to excellent. Overall, livestock were reported to be in good condition.



USDA Weekly Crop Progress Report

Corn and soybean good-to-excellent condition ratings slightly declined at the national level last week, according to USDA NASS's weekly Crop Progress report released on Monday.

CORN
-- Crop development: Corn silking was pegged at 94%, 1 percentage point ahead of last year's 93% and 1 percentage point below the five-year average of 95%. Corn in the dough stage was estimated at 58%, equal to last year and the five-year average. Corn dented was estimated at 14%, 2 percentage points behind last year's 16% and 1 percentage point ahead of the five-year average of 13%.
-- Crop condition: NASS estimated that 72% of the crop was in good-to-excellent condition, 1 point behind from the previous week and 5 points ahead of last year's 67%. 

SOYBEANS
-- Crop development: Soybeans blooming were pegged at 91%, 1 point ahead of last year's 90% and 1 point below the five-year average of 92%. Soybeans setting pods were estimated at 71%, 1 point ahead of last year's 70% and 1 point behind the five-year average of 72%.
-- Crop condition: NASS estimated that 68% of soybeans were in good-to-excellent condition, down 1 percentage point from 69% the previous week and consistent with last year. Seven percent of soybeans were rated very poor to poor, unchanged from the previous week and 1 percentage point below last year's 8%. 

WINTER WHEAT
-- Harvest progress: Harvest moved ahead another 4 percentage points last week to reach 90% complete nationwide as of Sunday. That was 2 points behind last year's 92% and 1 point behind the five-year average of 91%. 

SPRING WHEAT
-- Harvest progress: Spring wheat harvest jumped ahead 11 percentage points last week to reach 16% complete as of Sunday. That was equal to last year's pace and 6 points behind the five-year average of 22%.
-- Crop condition: NASS estimated that 49% of the crop was in good-to-excellent condition nationwide, up 1 percentage point from 48% the previous week and 23 points below last year's 72% good-to-excellent rating. 



NEBRASKA’S CORN EXPERTISE HELPS CRACK CODE IN JOURNEY TO REVOLUTIONIZE AGRICULTURE

Experts in the heart of Husker Nation are once again helping the world unravel the genetic secrets of corn — a crop that plays a pivotal role in global agriculture.

In the latest published work from the lab of Nebraska’s James Schnable, Vladimir Torres-Rodriguez and Guangchao Sun helped an international team identify a hidden layer of genetic control within the DNA of corn. The findings reveal how small variations in DNA can influence important traits such as drought resistance, plant height and flower time, ultimately leading to more resilient crops. The study is to be published in Nature Genetics.

“The breakthrough we’re working toward is being able to look at maize (corn) DNA and say, ‘These are the parts that determine how genes are expressed — and this is how they shape the plant in the field,’” said Schnable, the Nebraska Corn Checkoff Presidential Chair and professor of agronomy and horticulture. “We’re not quite there yet — we can’t take a gene and just dial it up or down on command. But we’re getting closer.”

Nebraska database unlocks puzzle
The study, led by researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research in Cologne, Germany, and Heinrich-Heine University in Düsseldorf, Germany, identified a series of genetic switches that determine plant traits. The switches — regions of DNA called transcription factor binding sites — act like molecular “dimmer knobs,” turning individual genes in plant genomes up or down in response to environmental and genetic cues.

Overall, the study identified more than 200,000 variations — known as binding-QTLs — that influence how corn genes are expressed.

To verify the findings, the research team turned to Schnable’s group and the world’s largest public datasets of gene expression in corn, which is available through UNL and built on generations of Husker-led research.

Torres-Rodriguez, a research assistant professor in agronomy and horticulture, primarily used a dataset developed by Schnable and Sun, now a professor of corn genetics at Sichuan Agricultural University, in an earlier study that connected genetic differences in maize to the way genes are turned on and off — a type of analysis known as expression QTL, or eQTL, mapping.

By applying that dataset to the new study’s discoveries, Torres-Rodriguez confirmed that many of the genetic variants identified by the German-led team were located near genes and within known regulatory regions — the DNA elements that serve as on-off switches for gene expression. In fact, Torres-Rodriguez found that roughly 27% of these variants were located in such regulatory zones, far more than would be expected by chance.

“I remember running to (Schnable’s) office after seeing the enrichment,” Torres-Rodriguez said. “We had found the signal. He was so happy — it was a breakthrough moment.”

To dig deeper, the team analyzed the genetic variants based on how far they were from the genes they influence, revealing a sharp decline in regulatory power with distance. The closer a variant was to a gene, the more likely it was to affect expression — and ultimately, traits like drought tolerance or yield.

“We’re not in this study by chance — we’re in it because we are experts here at Nebraska,” Torres-Rodriguez said. “We have one of the strongest infrastructures for maize gene expression in the world, right here in Nebraska.”

New method maps regulatory DNA faster than ever
The larger study introduced a new high-throughput method to identify and analyze these elusive regulatory elements. By using hybrids — the result of crossing genetically different varieties of corn — scientists could directly compare how transcription factors bind to maternal and paternal DNA within the same plant.

That innovation enabled the team to pinpoint the more than 200,000 cis-regulatory elements in just 25 hybrid maize lines — a process that would have taken much longer using older techniques. When they focused the method on drought stress, they identified more than 2,000 cis-elements and related genes that specifically respond to dry conditions.

The resulting database confirms a long-held theory: that variation in regulatory regions — more so than in genes themselves — is a major driver of important agricultural traits.

By providing a faster, more precise way to map the genomic “switchboard” that governs plant behavior, the study offers a powerful tool for breeders seeking to develop maize that can thrive in a changing climate, with higher yields and better resistance to stress.

“This discovery doesn’t just push maize genetics forward — it lays the groundwork for developing crops that can better withstand environmental stresses, ensuring food security in a changing climate,” Schnable said. “Nebraska’s position as a leader in maize research means we’re uniquely poised to turn these insights into real-world solutions for farmers here and around the globe.”



Nebraska Farmers Union Announces Dates for Fall District Meetings

At the District Meeting:
    Hear NFU Fly-In reports.
    Elect District President, Vice President, Secretary for one year
    Select one or two candidates to be delegates to NFU Convention, March 7-9, 2026 in New Orleans, LA
    Nominate District Director Candidates in Districts 3 (Darrel Buschkoetter) & District 7 (Art Tanderup)

NeFU District 7 Fall Meeting
Wednesday, September 17, 2025
6:30 pm Supper with Meeting to Follow
Perkins Restaurant
1229 Omaha Avenue, Norfolk, NE 68701
President: Keith Dittrich: (402) 990-7570
Director: Art Tanderup: (402) 278-0942

NeFU District 5 Fall Meeting
Tuesday, September 23, 2025
6:00 Supper with Meeting to Follow
Lee’s Chicken Restaurant
1940 W Van Dorn St
Lincoln, NE 68522
President: Amy Svoboda: (402) 817-9647
Director: Ron Todd Meyer (402) 879-5800

NeFU District 6 Fall Meeting
Wednesday, September 24, 2025
5:30 Supper with Meeting to Follow
Office Bar & Grill Restaurant
121 N Main St, Hooper, NE 68031
President: Paul Poppe (402) 380-4508
Director: Andrew Tonnies (402) 590-7096




New Course “LLCs for Nebraska Farms and Ranches” Launches 

The Nebraska Women in Agriculture program is proud to announce the launch of a new online course, LLCs for Nebraska Farms and Ranches, available from July 1, 2025 to August 31, 2025. This self-paced course will be housed within the program’s online learning community, Agri-Essentials, and is designed specifically for agricultural producers interested in forming or better managing a Limited Liability Company (LLC). 

Whether you're exploring LLCs as a new business structure for your farm or ranch or looking to better manage your existing LLC, this course offers practical guidance tailored to the unique needs of Nebraska producers. 

Course participants will learn how to: 
    Decide whether an LLC is the right entity structure for their operation 
    Navigate the steps and costs of forming an LLC in Nebraska 
    Identify and avoid frequent legal and tax missteps through better business management 

The course includes short video interviews with attorneys, accountants, and ag professionals, as well as checklists, worksheets, and links to podcasts and articles that address specialized topics. 

Enrollment in Agri-Essentials is $175 per person and provides access to LLCs for Nebraska Farms and Ranches along with all other content and courses released in the community through February 28, 2026. 

“Agri-Essentials was created to meet producers where they are,” said Jessica Groskopf, Director of the Nebraska Women in Agriculture program. “By offering this LLC course online, we’re making critical business knowledge available across Nebraska.”  

Agri-Essentials is supported by USDA/NIFA under Award Number 2024-70027-42470. All attendees are welcome to participate regardless of race, gender, or any other protected status.  

To enroll, visit: https://go.unl.edu/ae.  



I-29 Moo University Beef On Dairy Dialogue Webinar On August 28 To Focus on BXD Market Outlook: Implications of Herd Rebuilding

The I-29 Moo University Beef On Dairy Dialogue Webinar Series continues Thursday, August 28 from 12 noon to 1 p.m. CDT. Dr. Peel, with Oklahoma State University, will cover the current cattle supply and demand fundamentals and expectations for prices, production and cattle inventories for 2025 and beyond. 

Derrell Peel is the Charles Breedlove Professor of Agribusiness in the Department of Agricultural Economics.  He has served as the Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist since he came to Oklahoma State University in 1989.  He has B.S. and M.S. degrees from Montana State University and a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois. He previously served as the Superintendent of the Southeastern Colorado Range Research Station in Springfield Colorado.   His main program areas at Oklahoma State University include livestock market outlook and marketing/risk management education for livestock producers. 

Derrell also works in the area of international livestock and meat trade with particular focus on Mexico and Canada and the North American livestock and meat industry.  He lived in Mexico on sabbatical in 2001 and has developed an extensive knowledge of the Mexican cattle and beef industry and the economics of cattle and beef trade between the U.S. and Mexico.

There is no fee to participate in the webinar; however, registration is required at least one hour prior to the webinar. Register online at: https://go.iastate.edu/HERDREBUILDING

For more information; in Iowa contact, Fred M. Hall, 712-737-4230; in Minnesota contact, Jim Salfer, 320-203-6093; or in South Dakota contact, Madison Kovarna, 605-688-4116.



NCBA Notches Legal Victory Protecting Cattle Producers from Overreaching Emissions Regulations

Last week, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) notched a legal victory in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia affirming protections for cattle farmers and ranchers from onerous and unnecessary air emissions reporting requirements. NCBA, along with a coalition of other livestock and farm groups, has engaged in this litigation for years to ensure that family farmers and ranchers were not forced to file complex, overreaching reports with the federal government about emissions under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). 

“CERCLA and EPCRA were intended to address the worst industrial and toxic chemicals, not govern family farms and ranches. This decision affirms that family cattle producers should not have to file reports for a natural, biological process under a law meant for significant chemical contaminants,” said NCBA Executive Director of Natural Resources Kaitlynn Glover. “NCBA stepped up to protect family farms and ranches through this litigation and we are pleased that the federal district court has brought clarity to this decades-long discussion." 

CERCLA and EPCRA are laws intended to address massive, severe chemical spills and environmental contaminants. Unfortunately, these laws have been weaponized by animal rights activists seeking to target family farms and ranches. The ruling in this case upholds a reporting exemption issued by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2019 that exempted cattle producers from reporting emissions under EPCRA, an exemption that was affirmed through the 2018 Farm Bill. 



U.S. Soy and Vietnam Celebrate 30 Years of Collaboration with Memorandum of Understanding to Strengthen Trade

The U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) commemorated three decades of partnership between U.S. Soy and Vietnam with milestones including a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and a keystone conference. The events highlighted the strength of the countries’ enduring relationship and its role in supporting Vietnam’s food, feed, and livestock sectors.

The agreement aims to strengthen trade ties, foster industry collaboration, and enhance awareness of U.S. Soy sustainability programs such as the U.S. Soy Sustainability Assurance Protocol (SSAP).

The MoU was signed by USSEC and the Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture Development in Vietnam, a unit under Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Environment. U.S. Soy farmers Tim Bardole, USSEC Director from Iowa, and Jim Martin, American Soybean Association Director from Illinois, joined the delegation supporting it.

“Vietnam’s agricultural sector is committed to sustainable development and enhancing the competitiveness of our domestic industries,” said Hoang Trung, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Agriculture and Environment in Vietnam. “This MoU with USSEC underscores our shared determination to build a reliable, transparent, and forward-looking supply chain — one that supports our economic and environmental goals while meeting growing demand for high-quality food and feed ingredients.”

Timothy Loh, USSEC Regional Director – S.E. Asia & Oceania, added, “The MoU marks a pivotal moment in the long-standing relationship between U.S. Soy and Vietnam. Through this collaboration, we look forward to strengthening supply chain connectivity and reinforcing our shared commitment to sustainability.”

This MoU is the latest in a series reaffirming the two countries’ shared commitment to mutually beneficial trade. During a trade mission co-sponsored by USSEC in June, Vietnam’s Minister of Agriculture and Environment, signed MoUs with USSEC members and other companies to purchase more than $1.4 billion in U.S. agricultural products, including soybeans, corn, wheat, meat, distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and timber. 

During the conference, “USSEC 30th Anniversary in Vietnam: Sustainable Solutions with U.S. Soy,” agribusiness leaders, government officials, and sustainability advocates from across Southeast Asia emphasized shared goals in climate-smart agriculture, responsible sourcing, and supply chain resilience.

As Southeast Asia’s third-largest U.S. Soy market, Vietnam imported an estimated 2.2 million metric tons (MMT) of whole soybeans and 5.9 MMT of soybean meal in marketing year 2023/24. U.S. Soy plays a critical role in supporting Vietnam’s pork, poultry, aquaculture, and soybean oil industries, which are modernizing rapidly to meet growing demand from a rising middle class.

The anniversary of U.S. Soy’s partnership with Vietnam aligns with the 30th anniversary of bilateral relations between the two nations. Agricultural trade has been a cornerstone of this broader relationship, advancing food security, sustainability, and economic resilience on both sides.

USSEC remains committed to strengthening supply chain connectivity and delivering sustainable solutions across Vietnam’s agri-food system.



Beef Demand – Key Producer Vitality Driver in 2025
Glynn T. Tonsor, Department of Agricultural Economics, Kansas State University
    
Calendar year 2025 continues to develop as one we are likely to remember for some time. Cattle prices are up substantially, many areas are greener and wetter than in recent years, and yes, we are on the cusp of college football starting (fingers crossed the KC Royals can make a playoff push also!). While good times indeed should be enjoyed, it is prudent to pause and take stock of key fundamentals at play. Here, the outsized role of beef demand is again worth highlighting.

As recently outlined in CBB’s The Drive series (“What’s Demand Got to Do with It?”), producer cattle receipts growing in 2024 were directly the result of higher beef demand. Anytime you can increase volume (carcass weight growth led to small increase in beef production from 2023) AND increase prices per unit we know demand increased – that was precisely the case for beef in 2024.

The Meat Demand Monitor project, beef and pork checkoff supported and based at Kansas State University, since February 2020 has provided timely and novel insights on domestic meat demand that are fully available to all interested parties. Most 2025 base MDM monthly reports have highlighted the direct role of macroeconomics and consumer financial sentiment. Narrowly, households reporting improving finances are much more likely to include meat protein in prior day meals and spend much more on food away-from-home as compared to those reporting stable or deteriorating finances. 

Given ongoing developments in measures of the U.S. macroeconomic situation, using the MDM to connect changes to meat demand relevance and ultimately producer bottom-lines is highly encouraged. Yes, there are many reasons for cattle producers to smile today but astute management starts with taking stock and accurately assessing one’s situation. As summer wraps up, I hope readers can enjoy a beverage of choice, enjoy a beautiful sunset one evening, and meanwhile take note of the clear and critical role consumer demand has in producer economic vitality.



Aerial Applicators Seeding Cover Crops, Nourishing Soil This Late Summer and Early Fall

While farm fields will soon be harvested and the farm season begins to wind down, aerial applicators are still working by seeding cover crops via aircraft. You may continue to hear the hum of an aircraft’s engine this fall. One of the most promising conservation practices aerial applicators can assist farmers with is aerially applying cover crop seeds, which are grasses, legumes, small grains, and other low-maintenance crops planted specifically to improve soil health and biodiversity.

Growing cover crops increases soil carbon sequestration, which involves removing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Aerial applicators seed 3.8 million acres of cover crops annually, which means they are responsible for helping to sequester 1.9 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent annually. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this would be the equivalent of removing approximately 412,000 cars with carbon-combustion engines from the roads each year.

“Fast-growing cover crops help anchor the soil, shielding it from erosion caused by wind, rain and melting snow,” said Andrew D. Moore, chief executive officer of NAAA. “By reducing soil loss and runoff, they contribute to cleaner water by limiting sediment in waterways.”

Cover crops are important to farmlands because they control erosion; nourish, retain and recycle soil nutrients; build organic matter and add hydration to improve soil health; improve water quality; and break disease and insect cycles. The roots of the cover crops improve soil structure by creating passages that allow for increased moisture and aeration. Soil compaction is essentially eliminated when seeding is done aerially due to the application being made above the crop, not in the crop.

In addition, aerial applications enable the spread of cover crop seeds over the existing cash crop without disrupting the standing crop, allowing the cover crop to start growing before the cash crop is harvested. Using a terrestrial vehicle delays the grower from planting until their cash crop is out of the field. Ground seeding may not offer the best timing for establishing a larger, healthy cover crop, which can be less than ideal, especially in the northern regions of the U.S., where early frost can hinder cover crop growth if seeding is delayed. Aerial application can also be used when the soil is wet, allowing for the quick seeding of many acres. Farmers using climate-smart agricultural conservation practices, such as no-till and cover cropping, may be eligible for the USDA’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Conservation Stewardship Program, and Conservation Technical Assistance producer-led grants and cost-share programs.