Monday September 22 Ag News - Soybean Tentiform Leafminer in 14 NE Counties - NE Nitrogen Reduction Incentive Program opens for '26 - New World Screwworm with 70 miles of US border - and more!

 Soybean Tentiform Leafminer Detected in Several New Nebraska Counties
Justin McMechan - NE Extension Crop Protection and Cropping Systems Specialist
Nikki Luhr and Wayne Ohnesorg - NE Extension Educators

A native insect called soybean tentiform leafminer has been confirmed in 17 Nebraska counties during our 2025 survey. Most fields had very low levels, with just a few mined leaves per plant. One hot spot in Dixon County showed heavy edge infestations, but that was the exception.

Should We Be Concerned?
Leafminer feeding makes white, irregular blotches (“mines”) on the underside of leaves, usually mid- to lower canopy (Figure 1). Research and past experience show these leafminers rarely reduce yield and are similar or less damaging than other defoliators (e.g., Japanese beetle). No insecticide treatments are recommended at this time.

Where It Came From
This species is native to North America and commonly found on wild legumes, like American hogpeanut and slickseed fuzzybean. It was first documented on soybean in Minnesota in 2021. Subsequent state detections were South Dakota in 2022, North Dakota in 2023 and a single Nebraska field (Madison County) in 2024. Our Nebraska survey began in 2025 with support from NCSRP.

Positive Counties in 2025
Madison, Pierce, Cedar, Wayne, Dixon, Dakota, Thurston, Burt, Dodge, Washington, Saunders, Douglas, Sarpy, Cass, Otoe, Landcaster, & Adams counties.

How to Scout
    Focus on field edges, especially next to dense vegetation such as tree lines.
    Lift a plant and look at the underside of leaves while slowly rotating the plant.
    Look for white, blotchy mines — irregular shapes limited to the underside of the leaf surface.
    Most mines, if present, are typically at or below the mid-canopy.

What to Do If You Find It
    No insecticide applications are needed based on current levels, time of season, and expected impact.
    If you suspect leafminer, email a photo and the county in which it was found to Nebraska Extension Entomologist Justin McMechan so we can keep the Nebraska map up to date.

Bottom Line
We’re monitoring it in the state, but don’t change your management. Keep scouting edges and let us know if you see unusual levels.



Northeast Nebraska Fifth Graders Discover Agriculture Hands-On

Two hundred fifty-three fifth graders from six schools in Northeast Nebraska explored the many aspects of agriculture during the tenth annual Growing Potential Agriculture Festival in Wisner, Neb. on Sept 4.

From corn to cows and everything in between, students interacted with producers to learn about where their food, fiber, and energy come from. The annual festival is hosted by the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation and the Northeast Nebraska Corn Growers to promote agricultural literacy.

Taylor Nelson, vice president of the Northeast Nebraska Corn Growers, helped lead the charge to organize the event, stressing the importance of exposing kids to agriculture.

“The Northeast Nebraska Corn Growers and the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation partnered together to give kids a hands-on experience in all different facets of agriculture,” said Nelson. “When kids understand where their food comes from, it informs lots of the decisions that get made as they grow up and pick their own careers, which is important for small community vitality.”

Students rotated through nine stations throughout the day, exploring multiple facets of agriculture and various opportunities within the industry. Teachers were excited to have their students learn as they experienced agriculture hands-on.

Schools from across Northeast Nebraska attended the event including Randolph Elementary, Wayne Elementary, Holy Trinity Elementary ­(Hartington), Wisner-Pilger Elementary, West Point- Beemer, and Wakefield Community Schools.

The surrounding community sees great value in students engaging with agriculture. In addition to the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation and Northeast Nebraska Corn Growers hosting the event, several companies also sponsored the festival. Siouxland Ethanol, Agronomic Consulting Group, Agrivision Equipment, Michael Foods, A&L Aerial, Keiser Irrigation, the Hansen Family, and many area seed companies served as sponsors for the event, ensuring it was free for all students to attend.



Rogers Memorial Farm Field Day
Sep. 25, 2025, 8:30 am

NE Extension invites you to our upcoming Rogers Memorial Farm Field Day on September 25. Rogers Memorial Farm’s legacy of no-till, cover cropping and diverse crop rotations and its proximity to the city of Lincoln makes this a must-see event for everyone interested in regenerative farming and soil health in the area!

This event will feature cover crop mixture demonstrations, strategies for double cropping and managing water use, insights into the effects of cover crops on soil health, and a hands-on soil health assessment. Participants will also enjoy a tour highlighting the farm’s history and long-term research plots. There is no cost to attend and lunch is included thanks to generous support from USDA-NRCS and Nebraska Extension.

Please register by clicking on this link: https://go.unl.edu/rmf2025



CAP Webinar: Pasture, Rangeland, Forage Insurance: Strategies and Performance for Nebraska Producers
Oct. 2, 2025
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
With Jay Parsons, Professor and Director, UNL Center for Agricultural Profitability

With coverage on over eight million acres in Nebraska, Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (PRF) insurance has become a part of doing business for many livestock producers in Nebraska. The signup deadline for 2026 PRF insurance coverage is December 1. In this webinar, we will discuss several PRF coverage strategies, associated implications, and historical performance of PRF using examples for Nebraska grids. An overview of the PRF insurance product and performance will be provided to help producers decide if and how they may want to incorporate PRF insurance into their risk management plans.  

CAP Webinar: Rural Nebraska's Perspective on Trade Policy: 2025 Nebraska Rural Poll Webinar
Oct. 9 - Noon CT
Brad Lubben, Extension Policy Specialist, UNL Center for Agricultural Profitability
Jill O'Donnell, Haggart-Work Director, Clayton Yeutter Institute of International Trade and Finance

Trade policy decisions made in Washington, D.C., often have direct effects on Nebraska’s rural communities. The 2025 Nebraska Rural Poll asked participants what factors they believe should carry the most weight in shaping U.S. trade policy.

This webinar will offer an overview of the poll data and analysis of the sentiments of rural Nebarskans about trade policy, with discussion of possible implications. The session will end with time for questions from the audience.

The webinar is a presentation of Rural Prosperity Nebraska, the Center for Agricultural Profitability, and the Yeutter Institute.

Register for these webinars at https://cap.unl.edu/webinars/.  



Free Financial, Legal Consultations for Nebraska Producers in October

Free, confidential one-on-one clinics return in October — meet with an ag attorney and financial counselor to tackle cash flow, loans and transition plans.

Free legal and financial clinics are being offered for farmers and ranchers across the state in July. The clinics are one-on-one in-person meetings with an agricultural law attorney and an agricultural financial counselor. These are not group sessions, and they are confidential.

The attorney and financial advisor specialize in legal and financial issues related to farming and ranching, including financial and business planning, transition planning, farm loan programs, debtor/creditor law, debt structure and cash flow, agricultural disaster programs, and other relevant matters. Here is an opportunity to obtain an independent, outside perspective on issues that may be affecting your farm or ranch.

Clinic Dates
    Thursday, Oct. 2 — Fairbury
    Thursday, Oct. 9 — Norfolk

To sign up for a free clinic or to get more information, call the Nebraska Farm Hotline at 1-800-464-0258.

Funding for this work is provided by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture and Legal Aid of Nebraska.



Nebraska’s Nitrogen Reduction Incentive Act (NiRIA) Program Opens for 2026 Applications

Established under LB 1368 (2024), NiRIA is a state program that offers payments to producers who reduce their nitrogen fertilizer application rates by the lesser of 40 pounds per acre or 15% of their baseline rate. The program is available to corn, sugarbeet, wheat and potato producers statewide, with total funding for 2026 capped at $1 million. 

Producers who successfully participated in the 2025 program may enroll again if reductions are on different fields. 

Administration and funding of NiRIA are done through the partnerships of the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment (DWEE), local Natural Resources Districts (NRDs), and the Nebraska Corn Board.

List of Practices Suggested by NiRIA Program
Each participant will need to identify the practice(s)/product(s) they plan to implement to achieve the 40 lb N or 15% reduction of N per acre. Practices/products are subjected to individual NRD approval: 
    Reduction in nitrogen application.
    Implementation of in-season sensor-based technology.
    Implementation of a nitrogen stabilizer.
    Implementation of a biological product.
    Implementation of other technology utilizing nitrogen timing and/or rate.

Incentive Payments
Payments vary by priority area:
    Priority A Areas: $15 per acre (wellhead protection and NRD phase II or higher areas).
    Priority B Areas: $12 per acre (certified irrigated acres outside Priority A).
    Priority C Areas: $10 per acre (all other acres, including dryland).

How to Apply
File one application per field (limit 160 acres per application). Establish a nitrogen baseline using NRD or producer crop reports, prior phase reports, or soil sampling, depending on your Priority Area. Identify the practice(s) or product(s) you will use to achieve reductions. Submit your application to your local NRD by Nov. 15, 2025,  or by utilizing the online submission form. 

Documentation and Payment
To receive payment, participants must provide documentation demonstrating the nitrogen reduction by Nov. 15 of the following program year. If documentation is not submitted, incentive payments are forfeited.

Important Links
    NiRIA program information, application form, and NRD’s point of contact can be found on the NDEE website https://dnr.nebraska.gov/lb-1368-nitrogen-reduction-incentive-program.
Each NRD manages application approval and prioritization based on available funding. Contact your local NRD for assistance in determining your priority area and for submission details. 



ICGA Celebrates Harvest Weight Proclamation, Effective Immediately

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds granted Iowa Corn’s request and signed a proclamation today granting a temporary weight limit exemption for trucks operating on Iowa roads to support the haul of this year’s crop during harvest.   

The proclamation allows vehicles transporting corn, soybeans, hay, straw, silage, stover, fertilizer (dry, liquid, and gas) and manure (dry and liquid) to be overweight (not exceeding 90,000 pounds gross weight) without a permit for the duration of this proclamation.   

“The Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) sincerely thanks Governor Reynolds for granting the harvest weight proclamation as it is a tremendous help for Iowa’s corn farmers,” said Mark Mueller, ICGA President and farmer from Waverly, Iowa. “With the large corn crop coming out of the fields the extended weight allocation for a 500-acre Iowa corn farmer would require 13 fewer truckloads and a 1000-acre Iowa Corn farmer would require 26 fewer truckloads. This saving is felt at the farm level bottom line as both a time saver and a fuel saver.” 

The proclamation directs the Iowa Department of Transportation to monitor the operation of the proclamation and assure the public’s safety by facilitating the movement of the trucks involved. Farmers who are transporting grain are also required to follow their vehicle safety standards on axle weights. 

The proclamation is effective immediately and continues through October 18, 2025. 



Mexico Confirms Case of New World Screwworm in Nuevo Leon

Sunday, Mexico’s National Service of Agro-Alimentary Health, Safety, and Quality (SENASICA) confirmed a new case of New World screwworm (NWS) in Sabinas Hidalgo, located in the state of Nuevo León, less than 70 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border.

This is now the northernmost detection of NWS during this outbreak, and the one most threatening to the American cattle and livestock industry. Sabinas Hidalgo is located near the major highway from Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, to Laredo, Texas, which is one of the most heavily trafficked commercial thoroughfares in the world.

"Protecting the United States from NWS is non-negotiable and a top priority of the Trump Administration,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins. “This is a national security priority. We have given Mexico every opportunity and every resource necessary to counter NWS since announcing the NWS Bold Plan in June 2025. Nevertheless, American ranchers and families should know that we will not rely on Mexico to defend our industry, our food supply, or our way of life. We are firmly executing our five-pronged plan and will take decisive action to protect our borders, even in the absence of cooperation. Furthermore, we will pursue aggressive measures against anyone who harms American livestock.”

The previous northernmost detection was reported on July 9, 2025, in Veracruz, approximately 370 miles farther south. Preliminary reports from SENASICA indicate that the affected animal—an 8-month-old cow—had recently been moved to a certified feedlot in Nuevo León from a region in southern Mexico with known active NWS cases. The potential link to animal movement underscores the non-negotiable need for Mexico to fully implement and comply with the U.S.–Mexico Joint Action Plan for NWS in Mexico.

Currently, U.S. ports remain closed to imports of cattle, bison, and horses from Mexico.

Since July, USDA alongside Mexico, has been actively monitoring nearly 8,000 traps across Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico. To date, more than 13,000 screening samples have been submitted, with no NWS flies detected. USDA is analyzing all new information related to the recent case in Nuevo León and will pursue all options to release sterile flies in this region as necessary.

In addition, USDA will soon release a significant plan to help rebuild the American cattle supply, incentivizing our great ranchers, and driving a full-scale revitalization of the American beef industry. This is only the beginning with many more announcements coming this week as USDA restores American strength, protects food security, and supports America’s ranchers and farmers.

USDA Leads An Aggressive National Response
Under the decisive leadership of Secretary Rollins, USDA has made substantial progress in implementing its sweeping, five-prong plan to protect the nation’s livestock, wildlife, and public health from the growing threat of NWS. This effort reflects the Trump administration’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding America’s agricultural economy and food security through a unified, whole-of-government response.

USDA serves as the lead coordinating agency, deploying advanced surveillance systems; ramping up domestic preparedness; investing in innovative detection, control, and response tools and strategies; and supporting robust cross-border response efforts in Mexico and Central America to combat the pest and push it away from the United States. USDA’s comprehensive strategy includes the following immediate actions:

    Innovating Our Way to Eradication
    USDA is investing $100 million in breakthrough technologies through the NWS Grand Challenge, which will solicit ideas to enhance sterile fly production and develop new tools such as advanced traps, lures, and therapeutics.
    USDA is also exploring and validating technologies like e-beam and x-ray sterilization, genetically engineered flies, and modular sterilization facilities through public listening sessions and ongoing evaluations.

    Protecting the U.S. Border
    USDA has begun construction on a domestic sterile fly dispersal facility at Moore Air Force Base in Edinburg, Texas. This $8.5 million facility, expected to be substantially complete by the end of 2025, will be capable of dispersing up to 100 million sterile flies per week.
    Planning is also underway with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for construction of a domestic sterile fly production facility in Southern Texas, with a projected capacity of 300 million sterile flies per week.

    Strengthening Surveillance and Detection
    Since July, USDA alongside Mexico, has been actively monitoring nearly 8,000 traps across Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico. To date, more than 13,000 screening samples have been submitted, with no NWS flies detected.
    USDA continues to disperse 100 million sterile flies per week in Mexico, sourced from the COPEG facility in Panama. USDA is providing support to Mexico to renovate a production facility in Metapa, which is expected to produce an additional 60–100 million sterile flies.

    Enhancing Public Awareness and Education
    APHIS has published an updated national disease response strategy and is providing training and webinars for federal, state, Tribal, and veterinary partners.
    Outreach materials, including pest ID cards and alerts, are being distributed along the U.S.–Mexico border. APHIS has held over 50 stakeholder meetings and continues to expand outreach efforts.

    Coordinating with Mexico and International Partners
    Following detections in Oaxaca and Veracruz, USDA closed southern ports of entry to livestock trade after a case was reported 370 miles from the U.S. border.
    USDA is conducting monthly audits of Mexico’s NWS response and is helping Mexico develop a more risk-based trapping plan, especially in Veracruz and along the border. Mexico currently deploys traps in high-risk areas, with USDA support.
    USDA is supporting hiring of over 200 surge staff for trapping and animal movement control in Mexico.
    SENASICA has launched a dashboard that tracks NWS cases across Mexico. This tool significantly enhances USDA’s ability to monitor the situation south of the border, better assess risk, and deliver more effective operational responses in coordination with Mexican authorities.

Unprecedented Interagency Collaboration
USDA is working in close partnership with the following federal agencies to ensure a unified national response.
    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is leading human health surveillance and response, providing diagnostic support, educating healthcare providers, and coordinating One Health efforts across federal, state, and international partners.
    Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is working to ensure veterinarians, farmers, and animal health officials have timely access to the tools they need to protect pets, livestock, and the nation’s food supply by authorizing the emergency use of certain animal drugs to treat or prevent infestations caused by the New World Screwworm (NWS). In addition, on August 19, FDA issued a declaration that enables Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) for animal drugs to treat or prevent infestations caused by the New World Screwworm (NWS).
    Department of the Interior (DOI) is ensuring wildlife surveillance and environmental compliance, particularly on federal lands.
    Department of Energy (DoE) is exploring and validating new sterilization technologies to enhance our ability to combat NWS.
    Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is supporting surveillance, intelligence sharing, and emergency planning, including training Customs and Border Protection and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement personnel to identify and respond to NWS cases.
    Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expediting pesticide approvals and supporting emergency exemptions.
    Department of State (DoS) is leading diplomatic engagement to combat NWS by coordinating with host governments and interagency partners to share information, align technical assistance, and deliver consistent messaging.

This collaboration is guided by the U.S. One Health Coordination Unit for NWS (U.S. OHCU–NWS), co-led by USDA, CDC, and DOI. Together, these agencies are executing a phased response strategy that includes early detection, rapid containment, and long-term eradication efforts.

What You Can Do
NWS maggots can infest livestock and other warm-blooded animals, including people. They most often enter an animal through an open wound and feed on the animal’s living flesh. 

USDA urges residents on the southern border to check their pets and livestock for signs of NWS. Look for draining or enlarging wounds and signs of discomfort. Also look for screwworm larvae (maggots) and eggs in or around body openings, such as the nose, ears, and genitalia or the navel of newborn animals. If you suspect your animal is infected with screwworm, contact your state animal health official or USDA area veterinarian immediately.

While not common in people, if you notice a suspicious lesion on your body or suspect you may have contracted screwworm, seek immediate medical attention.



Nobody Wins with a State Patchwork of Sow Housing Laws
 
Whether a large or small-scale pig farmer, all stand to lose when faced with a patchwork of differing—and ever-changing—state sow housing laws spurred by California Proposition 12. The issue goes well beyond animal welfare and safety—farmers’ top priority—and rather to the root of the Constitution’s interstate commerce regulations and how bending them can break a farmer. 
 
In testimony before the House Agriculture Committee in July, Ohio pig farmer and National Pork Producers Council Vice President Pat Hord spoke to the need for patchwork prevention—even for those who, like him, have chosen to retrofit barns to be Prop. 12-compliant: “Pork producers throughout the country have already collectively spent hundreds of millions of dollars converting existing structures or building new barns to continue selling pork in California,” he testified. 
 
That compliance does not future-proof farmers from more financial burdens if patchwork laws are not addressed. Hord explained, “Whatever I do today could need to be changed when a new state decides they want a different housing standard. These are expensive changes, and some farmers may exit the business amid this uncertainty, which increases consolidation.”
 
NPPC recently submitted comments on the adverse effects of extraterritoriality—the legal concept that a state’s laws can apply to people or actions outside its borders—to the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division and the National Economic Council in response to a request from the DOJ’s Office of Legal Policy. Extraterritoriality was specifically addressed by our country’s founders in the U.S. Constitution: A state law that has the practical effect of regulating wholly out-of-state commerce is invalid, regardless of whether it also regulates in-state commerce.
 
California imposed housing restrictions on its few pig farmers well before it passed Prop. 12, meaning Prop. 12 wholly regulates out-of-state pork production. For perspective, 99.9% of America’s sows are raised outside California, despite the state’s large appetite for the power protein. In other words, the practical effect of Prop. 12 is that commercial pork activity outside of California must comply with that state’s regulations, making the initiative an extraterritorial regulation of the $27 billion interstate pork market—and driving up costs for farmers and prices for consumers.
 
Prop. 12 has set a costly precedent for other states to pass similar but conflicting laws, imposing substantial burdens on our nation’s pig farmers in their wake. They must either continue to comply with the various state laws or lose business in critical markets.
 
NPPC President Duane Stateler, a fellow pig farmer from Ohio, complied with the Ohio standard for pork housing and knows personally what having to then comply with another state, and potentially others, means. 
 
Stateler draws an analogy, explaining, “What if you built a brand-new house—one you and your family had saved for, waited for and are proud and excited about—and you followed all the regulations to ensure it was built to code. Then, six months later, a state outside your own says your electrical work is unacceptable and you need to fix it for your family to be able to stay in your home. And then, 10 months later, another state comes back and says you need to redo your driveway to adhere to their egress laws—and your HVAC is not, in their eyes, energy efficient enough? This is what pig farmers face every time a state passes an arbitrary law and we have to rebuild our barns or lose business into those states.” 
 
NPPC represents these real pig farmers across the country and reminds our leaders that all farms—small, large, Prop. 12-compliant or not—lose when conflicting state regulations keep America’s farmers jumping through regulatory hoops without cause. The Supreme Court was clear that the ball is in Congress’ court, and we need their help in keeping these farms in business and pork prices reasonable for consumers.