Wednesday September 17 Ag News - Pillen signs Prop Tax Relief - Small NE meat processor gets national recognition - Next week is Farm Safety and Health week - and more!

 Pillen Signs $20 Million Property Tax Relief Executive Order

Governor Jim Pillen has signed Executive Order 25-13, the latest action in his Administration’s ongoing efforts to provide meaningful property tax relief to Nebraska families. 

Due to an increase in casino gambling revenue and unused money remaining in the Property Tax Credit Cash Fund and the School District Property Tax Credit Fund, these funds grew by more than the amount originally appropriated by the Nebraska Legislature. Executive Order 25-13 directs Nebraska’s Property Tax Administrator to certify and distribute the full amount in the funds to taxpayers, which will result in an additional $20 million in property tax relief.

“As Governor, fixing our broken property tax system is my top priority,” said Gov. Pillen. “Whenever possible, we must get bureaucracy out of the way and ensure that Nebraskans receive the full amount of property tax relief possible. By signing this executive order, we are ensuring that all money in these funds is fully given to taxpayers. This is a common-sense, good government measure that will help Nebraska families across the state,” said Gov. Pillen.

This executive order follows a number of initiatives led by Gov. Pillen to reduce property taxes, which has resulted in:
    Increasing direct relief to property taxpayers to $1.26 billion
    Removing community colleges from property tax rolls
    Placing revenue caps on school districts, cities, and counties

“We still have work to do with our senators,” said Gov. Pillen. “Due to ideological beliefs and special interest groups, the Legislature has unfortunately failed to deliver true and meaningful property tax relief. The state should never sit on funds that can be distributed to taxpayers. We will continue to put all our efforts into getting the crippling property tax crisis fixed for Nebraskans. We are fighting hard for Nebraskans to solve the problem.”



Nebraska Meat Processor Receives National Award

Den’s Country Meats, a family-owned business in Table Rock, Nebraska, has been named the 2025 Independent Processor of the Year by The National Provisioner, a leading trade publication for the meat and poultry industry. 

Founded in 1985 by Dennis Schaardt, Den’s Country Meats began as a small custom processing operation on the family farm. Over the years, the business has expanded significantly, now offering USDA-inspected beef and pork processing, wild game services, private labeling for other businesses, and a bustling retail market with more than 80 varieties of homemade sausages. 

Today, the operation is run by Dennis, his wife Kim, their daughter Courtney Shreve, and her husband Seth, making it a true multigenerational enterprise. Courtney, who returned full-time to the business last year, says the recognition is a meaningful honor for the family. 

“To be recognized nationally by our peers for being innovative and committed to the industry means a lot,” she said. “It’s just exciting to know the work we’re doing here in southeast Nebraska is making an impact.” 

In addition to this prestigious award, Den’s Country Meats has had a standout year, earning international recognition for its products and participating in the Nebraska Beef Passport program, which has drawn new customers from across the state. 

“We’ve had people drive hours to visit us after hearing about our story or tasting our products,” Shreve said. “We’re just grateful for the recognition and for everyone who walks through our doors.” 



“Safety First – Avoid the Worst” Theme for National Farm Safety and Health Week September 21-
27, 2025

National Farm Safety and Health Week (NFSHW) is taking place this year from September 21-27, 2025. NFSHW is a time to increase awareness of the high risk of accidents and injuries in agriculture and to promote the adoption of life-saving health and safety practices. Despite a slight decrease in total fatal occupational injuries in 2023, the Census of Fatal Occupational Injury shows that from 2022 to 2023, there was a 5.38% increase in fatal work injuries amongst the farming, forestry, and fishing industries (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023). The 2025 NFSHW theme chosen by the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS), “Safety First – Avoid the Worst,” reminds us that taking time to follow safety practices can save a life.

AgriSafe is proud to host 10 free educational webinars for NFSHW from Monday the 22 nd through Friday the 26th. Each weekday has a specific topic: Monday is Equipment and Rural Roadway Safety; Tuesday is Health and Wellness; Wednesday is Generations of Farming; Thursday is Confined Spaces; and Friday is ATV/UTV Safety. All webinars will take place in the AgriSafe Learning Lab (you just need a free account to access them!) from 11am-12pm CT and 1-2pm CT and will have live Spanish interpretation. Continuing education for a variety of professionals will be available for all webinars. Individuals who attend three or more webinars will be eligible for a 2025 National Farm Safety and Health Week Champion digital badge. For more information or to register for these free webinars please visit: https://learning.agrisafe.org/national-farm-safety-training-topics.

AgriSafe is grateful for the sponsors and partners that make National Farm Safety and Health Week successful: the National Corn Growers Association; Pork Checkoff; the Central States Center for Agricultural Health and Safety (CS-CASH); CHS; Agrellus; the UC Davis Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety; GreenPoint Ag; the Agri-Services Agency (ASA); the Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety; Farmers for Soil Health; Country Folks; Successful Farming; and the University of Cincinnati Education and Research Center. If you are interested in sponsoring this initiative, fill out AgriSafe’s Sponsor Commitment Form.

AgriSafe Network is a national 501©3 non-profit that educates health care professionals and agricultural communities about important health and safety information for those working in agriculture, fishing, and forestry. They bring together national experts to develop educational materials that can be delivered both digitally and in-person. Their mission is to protect the people who feed the world – and in addition to education, they are cultivating a network of trained agricultural health and safety professionals that understand and support Total Farmer Health®. 



NeFU Asks Congress to Update and Pass an Improved Farm Bill

Ten Nebraska Farmers Union (NeFU) members were part of the over 250 National Farmers Union (NFU) Fall Fly-In participants that walked the halls of Congress September 7-10.  The annual NFU Fall Fly-In focused on the need for Congress to pass an improved and updated Farm Bill that is due to expire September 30.  Both NeFU teams met with the Nebraska Congressional Delegation as well as Congressional members from five other states.  In addition, Bill Armbrust of Elkhorn participated in a White House briefing and a listening session with the Antitrust Division of the Justice Department.  

NeFU President John Hansen of Lincoln said “Our participants did a good job of sharing their concerns about the sagging farm economy and the need for Congress to not kick the Farm Bill down the road a record fourth time. We thought our meetings with members of the Nebraska delegation were very productive, and our messages were well received. We pointed out that only four of the twelve Titles of the 2018 Farm Bill were touched by Budget Reconciliation, and agriculture needs all twelve titles to be updated and improved.”

In a discussion with USDA Chief Economist Seth Miller, Keith Dittrich of Tilden pictured to the left, established that USDA’s predicted season average market prices for both corn and soybeans were well below USDA’s estimated costs of production. USDA estimated costs of production for corn was $4.80 per bushel and soybeans at $11.80 per bushel.  USDA estimated season average market prices for corn is $3.90 per bushel and soybeans $10.10 per bushel. Keith pointed out that farmers were losing 90 cents per bushel on their corn and $1.70 per bushel on their soybeans.

John Hansen pointed out that China is the largest soybean importer in the world, imports more soybeans than the rest of the world combined, and was the largest buyer of U.S soybeans. Hansen said “After the previous trade dispute over soybeans, China made massive infrastructure investments in South America.  Looking forward, it is likely China will buy corn and soybeans from South America first and from the U.S. last. Because U.S. ag producers are so susceptible to trade retaliation, when there is a trade dispute, U.S. ag producers’ noses bleed first, worst, and longest.” 

Hansen said “The U.S. agricultural trade balance has shifted from $20 to $30 billion positive annual ag trade surpluses in the past to historically high ag trade deficits. Fiscal year (FY) 2025 is projected to be a record setting $49.5 billion deficit. Those numbers are alarming. The 2018 Farm Bill income safety net that is supposed to help farmers survive periods of low commodity prices is in dire need of updates and improvements.” 

“Family farmers and ranchers can’t wait. Farmers Union members from across the country have made it clear that they need Congress to provide support immediately to reverse the building crisis in farm country,” said NFU President Rob Larew.”

In addition to President John Hansen, participants included Farmers Union Midwest Agency (FUMA) General Manager Jeff Downing of Ashland, FUMA agent Tye Johnson of Holdrege and his wife Becky, NeFU District 6 Director Andrew Tonnies of North Bend; Bill Armbrust of Elkhorn, NeFU District 7 President Keith Dittrich of Tilden, Stephanie Finklea of Omaha, Scott Thomsen of Kennard, and NeFU District 2 President Tom Knopik of Fullerton.  For five of the ten participants, this was their first trip to Washington, D.C.



NCGA Honors Three Winners Driving Innovation in Consider Corn Challenge V

At the Bio Innovations Midwest Event in Omaha, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) announced the winners of the Consider Corn Challenge V and the $300,000 prize pool. Three winners were chosen, each with a unique way to improve a product or process using corn to produce biobased materials. 

The three winners for the Consider Corn Challenge V are Aerterra, Terragia, and Arizona State University. Aerterra is redefining indoor air quality with the first bio-based, renewable air filters made from U.S.-grown corn. Engineered to replace petroleum-based filters, Aerterra delivers high-performance filtration with a fraction of the environmental impact. By turning a traditionally disposable product into a sustainable solution, Aerterra helps homes, businesses, and communities improve air quality while reducing their carbon footprint. 

Terragia is developing technology to enable cost-effective biological conversion of cellulosic biomass to fuels and products -- with great potential for value creation for corn farmers across the United States. The first application of this technology is fermentation of stillage from corn ethanol production. For ethanol producers, that means potential for a 10% increase in ethanol production, higher-protein DDGS, more corn oil, and $80 million in added annual revenue for a 105 million gallon per year plant. 

Arizona State University’s winning technology is a corrosion mitigation for crude oil pipelines that employs corn-derived inhibitors. About 25% of all crude oil pipeline accidents reported in the year 2024 were due to corrosion, according to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration statistics. The United States has a quarter-million-mile-long crude oil pipeline network and produced 13.5 million barrels of crude oil per day in May of 2025. ASU’s technology is a new corn-derived corrosion inhibitor suitable for use in crude oil pipelines to mitigate internal corrosion. This product has the potential to create a new market for corn farmers and contribute positively to the U.S. pipeline infrastructure resilience. 

“A top priority for the Iowa Corn Promotion Board (ICPB) is developing new uses and additional markets for corn,” said ICPB President and Belmond, Iowa, farmer Joe Roberts. “The Consider Corn Challenge highlights the versatility of corn and its many uses, while building new relationships between industry and corn producers, cultivating innovative, market-driven solutions.” 

The total prize pool for the fourth iteration of the contest was U.S. $300,000. Each of the three winners received $100,000 to utilize to get their technologies and products closer to commercialization.  



EPA Draft Rule on Reallocation of RFS Refinery Exemptions Creates Possible Good, Bad, & Ugly Outcomes

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today issued a draft rule regarding the potential reallocation of recently granted Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) refinery exemptions (SREs) from years 2023 and 2024 as well as for the estimated amount SREs expected for 2025. Combined, this rule will impact over two billion gallons of renewable fuels demand. In the draft rule, EPA proposed reallocating 100% of the RFS exemptions or only 50%, while also soliciting comment on doing no reallocation at all. Any reallocated volumes would be added to the 2026-2027 RFS blending volumes under the proposal. 

“Just a few weeks ago IRFA praised the EPA for committing to full reallocation in the 2026-2027 RFS rule, but that commitment should start now with 2023-2025 exemptions – not in 2026,” stated Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw. “IRFA strongly supports the EPA proposal for full reallocation. The co-proposal that would reallocate only 50% of the SREs would be bad news for farmers. Make no mistake, not reallocating any RFS exemption is a direct cut to renewable fuels demand. With farmers already struggling due to low RFS levels set by the previous administration, the last thing we want to see is more cuts. We also cannot ignore that the draft rule asks for comments on doing absolutely no reallocation. That approach would be a gut punch to farmers.” 

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 believes most of the RFS exemptions granted for 2023-2024 were not actually justified under sound economic analysis,” stated Shaw. “But if EPA grants them, it must reallocate them. IRFA has loudly applauded the Trump administration and the EPA for the proposing record-high RFS blend levels for 2026 and 2027. We would hate to see these volumes effectively cut by two billion gallons of un-reallocated SREs. The penalty for the failure of previous RFS rules to include SRE forecasts should not be paid by farmers and renewable fuels producers.” 



Renewable Fuel Proposal Would Benefit Drivers and Farmers

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on an EPA proposal to reallocate renewable fuel production that will be lost to small refinery exemptions.

“Renewable fuels are an important tool in meeting America’s domestic energy needs. EPA’s proposal takes a positive step toward strengthening the Renewable Fuel Standard and reinforcing the role farmers play in growing crops for biofuels. By addressing small refinery exemptions through reallocation, the agency is pursuing policies that promote energy independence through American-grown fuels.

“Farm Bureau urges EPA to adopt a full, 100 percent reallocation approach, which will help lower fuel costs for drivers while expanding economic opportunities in rural America.”



Clean Fuels Welcomes EPA Proposal to Reallocate Exempted RFS Gallons
 
Clean Fuels Alliance America welcomed EPA’s Supplemental Notice on Renewable Fuel Standards for 2026 and 2027. Clean Fuels commended EPA for proposing to add a supplemental “SRE reallocation volume” to the 2026 and 2027 RFS volumes to account for the impact of small refinery exemptions granted on August 22 this year. Additionally, EPA is updating its estimate of 2026 and 2027 exempted volumes of gasoline and diesel, which will be included in calculating the RFS percentage obligations for those years.

Kurt Kovarik, Clean Fuels’ Vice President of Federal Affairs, stated, “Clean Fuels commends EPA for proposing to ensure that the RFS volumes it finalizes for upcoming years are not eroded by small refinery exemptions. U.S. biodiesel and renewable diesel production supports ten percent of the value of every bushel of soybeans grown here. It is one bright spot in the agricultural economy this year. Clean Fuels and its members will work to ensure that the final RFS volumes for 2026 and 2027 fully support continued growth in biomass-based diesel production and provide real value for farmers.”

Specifically, EPA is co-proposing a supplemental “SRE reallocation volume” of either 2.18 billion gallons (100% of the 2023-25 exemptions) or 1.09 billion gallons (50%). The agency is taking comment on other volumes. EPA is also proposing an estimated 5.95 billion gallons of exempted gasoline and diesel for both 2026 and 2027 to be included in the RVO calculation. In its June Proposed Renewable Fuel Standards for 2026 and 2027, EPA estimated a range between 0 and 18 billion gallons.

Kovarik continued, “Farmers, biodiesel and renewable diesel producers still need to fight to secure robust RFS volumes for next year. We look forward to working with EPA to finalize today’s proposal before the start of the 2026 compliance year to ensure market certainty for farmers and producers.” 



Growth Energy Statement on EPA Reallocation Proposal

Growth Energy, the nation’s largest biofuel trade association, issued the following statement after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a rule regarding how it will reallocate gallons lost due to small refinery exemptions (SREs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). 

“With this proposal, EPA acknowledges how important biofuels like ethanol are to the rural economy,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “We commend the Trump EPA for being the first-ever EPA to propose a way to ensure past-year SRE gallons don’t compromise renewable fuel demand. Full reallocation of exempt gallons is a surefire way to drive income to America’s rural communities. We look forward to providing detailed comments on how EPA can align the final rulemaking with the President’s energy dominance agenda while maintaining the integrity of the RFS and delivering the greatest possible benefit to American agriculture.”   



RFA Cautiously Optimistic About EPA’s Renewable Volume Reallocation Proposal 

The Renewable Fuels Association Tueday said it is encouraged by the Environmental Protection Agency’s new proposal to ensure that renewable fuel volumes lost to small refinery exemptions in 2023-2025 will be reallocated to future RFS standards. EPA is co-proposing two options to account for renewable fuel blending volumes lost to SREs: Reallocate all of the exempted volume and add it to 2026 and 2027 RFS requirements, or reallocate half of the exempted volume.

“While we continue to question whether any SREs for 2023-2025 are truly justified in the first place, we are encouraged that EPA is proposing to add the exempted volumes back to future RFS requirements for 2026 and 2027,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “We support EPA’s proposed option to fully reallocate 2023-2025 SREs and believe such an approach will ensure intended levels of renewable fuel consumption are maintained over the long-term. We appreciate that EPA continues to focus on SRE approaches that minimize marketplace disruptions, while honoring the congressional purpose and intent of the RFS program. EPA clearly recognizes that an unmitigated influx of RIN credits from SREs could devastate markets and undermine renewable fuel production and consumption. As this is only a proposal, we look forward to working with EPA to ensure its final rule appropriately upholds the integrity of the RFS program, supports America’s farmers, and strengthens our nation’s energy and economic security.”

Once the supplemental proposal is published in the Federal Register, stakeholders will have 45 days to provide comments to EPA.



Corn Grower Leaders Call on Congressional Leadership to Pass Ethanol Legislation

Highlighting the downturn in the farm economy, the president of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and leaders from 17 state corn grower groups sent an open letter to Democratic and Republican = Congressional leaders today, calling on them to pass legislation, yet this year, that would extend nationwide, consumer access to fuels with 15% ethanol blends as a way to begin to address the economic decline.

“The most durable way to help farmers through these troubling times is by creating more demand for corn and corn products,” the letter said. “The most immediate path to begin to address this issue is by increasing consumer access to higher blends of corn ethanol.”

The letter, which was sent to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), comes as corn growers across the country have been dealt a very difficult hand with input costs near record highs as corn prices fall to unsustainable lows.

To make matters worse for growers, a recent report released by the Department of Agriculture suggests that farmers are on course to produce a massive corn yield that is expected to be the largest on record, an outgrowth of exceptionally efficient and continually improving management practices. But additional corn on the market will only drive prices even lower.  
 
Corn grower leaders have said one of the quickest ways to create demand for corn is by passing the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025, which would remove an outdated regulation under the Clean Air Act that bans the sale of fuel with 15% ethanol blends during the summer months.

“Ethanol sales are the lifeblood of corn growers and play an important role in the lives of millions of Americans,” the letter noted. “Higher blends of ethanol in gasoline can save consumers money at the gas pump reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prevent an over-dependence on foreign oil.”

Growers have fought for years to eliminate the summer ban, coming close only to be thwarted as deals on legislation have been made. Language was included in the 2024 year-end continuing resolution, but was removed at the eleventh hour during intricate negotiations.

Corn growers are visiting Capitol Hill this week to convey to members of Congress the importance of this legislation and the need to act as soon as possible.