Tuesday December 02 Ag News - UNL @ AFA Conf - NeExt Calving College Retuns - INEDA's Startup Showcase - Commercial Red Meat Production Drops - Forage Webinars - Hefty Seed Co Mtgs - and more!

UNL ranks in top five nationally at 2025 AFA Leaders Conference
 
Thirty-seven students from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources attended the 2025 Agriculture Future of America Leaders Conference in Kansas City, Missouri. UNL ranked fifth out of 108 institutions represented at the national event.

Thirty-seven students from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources were selected to participate in the 2025 Agriculture Future of America (AFA) Leaders Conference, held Nov. 6–8 in Kansas City, Missouri. UNL ranked among the top five universities represented at the event, placing fifth out of 108 participating institutions.

The AFA Leaders Conference is a four-day professional development experience designed to help college students in agriculture build leadership and career skills. Delegates participated in workshops focused on six core competency areas: relationship development, collaboration, career management, cultural emotional intelligence, interpersonal intelligence and systems thinking. Attendees also explored internships and job opportunities, learned about graduate programs and networked with industry professionals.

Two CASNR students served in national leadership roles at this year’s conference:
    Lexi Bodlak, a senior Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Communication major from Thurston, served on the 2025 AFA Student Advisory Team.
    Caleb Burnside, a junior Agribusiness major from Stapleton, was selected as a 2025 AFA Ambassador.

Supporting the UNL contingent was CASNR’s AFA Champion, Meg Klosterman Kester, strategic initiatives and alumni engagement, who assists students with the application process and promotes the conference experience within the college.

“The AFA Leaders Conference provides an unmatched opportunity for students to develop leadership capabilities and connect with peers and industry professionals,” Klosterman Kester said. “It’s exciting to see 37 of our students earn a spot through this competitive process.”

Students accepted into the conference applied through AFA’s national review process. The high number of UNL participants and the university’s top-five ranking reflect strong student engagement and the institution’s commitment to cultivating leadership in agriculture.

More information about the AFA Leaders Conference is available at agfuture.org/experiences/leaders-conference/overview.



Calving College Series Returns in 2026 With Expanded Webinar and Hands-On Learning Opportunities

Following an overwhelmingly positive response last year, Nebraska Extension is bringing back its Calving College series for 2026. The three-part webinar series, Fundamental Knowledge for Successful Calving Season, will run Jan. 19, Jan. 26 and Feb. 2 from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. CT, and will again be paired with hands-on, in-person workshops offered at four locations across Nebraska and South Dakota, Feb. 9–12.

Designed for farmers, ranchers and veterinary professionals, Calving College provides practical, research-based guidance to support successful calving outcomes. Each session is co-led by Dr. Becky Funk, DVM, Animal Health Teaching and Nebraska Extension Specialist, and Dr. Lindsay Waechter-Mead, DVM, Nebraska Extension Livestock Educator, giving participants the chance to learn directly from experts and ask questions in real time.

Webinar Series Topics
    Jan. 19 — Understanding Normal: Stages of labor; what happens to the cow and calf during delivery; recognizing and managing abnormal presentations; when and how to assist.
    Jan. 26 — First 24 Hours: Post-calving care; normal vitals for cows and newborn calves; recognizing complications; colostrum management; neonatal resuscitation techniques.
    Feb. 2 — 48 Hours and Beyond: Nutrition requirements; common calf health concerns; managing environmental stress during the first two months; managing orphan calves.

New for 2026: Participants will now be eligible for Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) continuing education credits.

In-Person Workshops
The series culminates in a hands-on workshop that allows participants to practice calving skills using a life-sized cow and calf model. Workshops will be held at 6 p.m. CST/CT at the following locations:
    Feb. 9: Cherry County Extension, Valentine, Neb.
    Feb. 10: Tripp County 4-H Center, Winner, S.D.
    Feb. 11: West Holt FFA Shop, Atkinson, Neb.
    Feb. 12: Northeast Community College, Norfolk, Neb.

Registration Details
    Fee: $80 includes the three-part webinar series and one in-person workshop
    Register: https://cvent.me/GOYAra
    Registration deadline: Jan. 12, 2026, to ensure participants receive materials on time
    Resources: Webinar participants receive a notebook of Nebraska Extension materials and access to recorded sessions for later viewing
    Technology needed: Computer and internet connection for webinar participation

For additional information, contact Dr. Lindsay Waechter-Mead at 402-746-3417 or lindsay.waechter-mead@unl.edu.



INEDA Hosts Startup Showcase During NE Ag Expo

The Nebraska Ag Expo, a trailblazer in advancing agricultural innovation and host of Innovation Hub – a dynamic center for groundbreaking technologies and forward-thinking ag solutions – has invited 6 companies to compete for cash prizes during the Startup Showcase at Innovation After Hours.

Innovation After Hours is an exclusive event showcasing an evening of innovation, and technology entrepreneurs with venture capitalists. Attendees will connect with start-ups, investors, and executives from innovative ag companies and partners from across the country and beyond.

Company (Headquarters) – Description (website)
    AgZen (MA) – Revolutionize farming practices by providing real-time insights into droplet behavior. (com)
    ALA Engineering (NE) – Cutting-edge intelligence behind feedlot operations, combining advanced software, sensors, and computing power to autonomously feed cattle with precision and efficiency. (engineering)
    Bio-Agtive Emissions Farming (CAN) – Rapidly builds soil organic matter, but it also empowers you to gain free nitrogen for your farm to eliminate costly inputs, notably synthetic nitrogen. (com)
    Grain Weevil (NE) – Grain bin safety and management robot that directly engages the surface of the grain. Grain bins are dirty, dangerous workplaces. (com)
    PathoScan (CAN) – Enables farmers to perform pathogen test for any crop, anywhere, without any technical background. (com)
    RhizeBio (NC) – Creators of a unique metagenomic method, coupled with machine learning and biostatistics, to test raw soil DNA sequencing data into user-friendly and informative soil health reports. (com)

Innovation After Hours is presented by Farm Credit Services of America, Iowa Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association, Invest Nebraska, The Combine, and Nebraska Innovation Campus.

The Nebraska Ag Expo is December 09-11, 2025, at the Sandhills Global Event Center in Lincoln, NE. Hours are 9:00am-4:00pm Tuesday and Wednesday and 9:00am-3:00pm Thursday. Regular admission is $10 at the door, and visitors can purchase tickets in advance online to save $5 per ticket. Children under 14 years old, as well as students with a valid student ID (high school or college) are free.

In addition to the hundreds of companies and exhibitors with cutting edge solutions at the Nebraska Ag Expo, the Innovation Hub hosts transformative ideas from 70+ ag start-ups and pioneering companies who demonstrate their exceptional ingenuity. This dedicated space offers an immersive experience where the latest innovations converge, spotlighting trailblazers redefining agriculture. The Hub is a combined vision of the Nebraska Ag Expo, Visit Lincoln, the University of Nebraska, and various venture capitalists, and is a catalyst for ag start-ups and entrepreneurs.

The Nebraska Ag Expo, owned and managed by the Iowa Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association (INEDA), recognizes that innovation knows no boundaries.

For more details about the Nebraska Ag Expo visit: https://nebraskaagexpo.com. 



October Commercial Red Meat Production Down 3 Percent from Last Year

Commercial red meat production for the United States totaled 4.89 billion pounds in October, down 3 percent from the 5.02 billion pounds produced in October 2024.

Beef production, at 2.33 billion pounds, was 6 percent below the previous year. Cattle slaughter totaled 2.63 million head, down 8 percent from October 2024. The average live weight was up 30 pounds from the previous year, at 1,448 pounds.

Veal production totaled 2.0 million pounds, 39 percent below October a year ago. Calf slaughter totaled 9,600 head, down 44 percent from October 2024. The average live weight was up 29 pounds from last year, at 358 pounds.

Pork production totaled 2.55 billion pounds, up slightly from the previous year. Hog slaughter totaled 11.8 million head, down 1 percent from October 2024. The average live weight was up 3 pounds from the previous year, at 290 pounds.

Lamb and mutton production, at 10.7 million pounds, was down 8 percent from October 2024. Sheep slaughter totaled 193,500 head, 1 percent below last year. The average live weight was 109 pounds, down 9 pounds from October a year ago.

By State                 (million lbs.  -  % Oct '24)
Nebraska .........:        727.0             95       
Iowa ...............:          837.6            102       
Kansas ............:          497.0             96       

January to October 2025 commercial red meat production was 44.6 billion pounds, down 3 percent from 2024. Accumulated beef production was down 4 percent from last year, veal was down 38 percent, pork was down 1 percent from last year, and lamb and mutton production was up 1 percent. 



Forage Webinar Series Continues December 4

The I-29 Moo University and the Northern Plains Forage Association Forage Webinar Series continue on Thursday, December 4 from 7 to 8:30 pm CST with a variety of forage topics including an overview methods to determine hay supply needs, the decision process to decide if you should quit making hay and a market outlook.

Presenters this month include:
Denise Schwab has spent the past 42 years working for Iowa State University Extension, most of that as a beef specialist based in eastern Iowa. She earned her Bachelors degree in Animals Science at Iowa State University as well as her Masters. She will discuss calculating your forage needs considering intake factors, species and body weights.

Carson Roberts is an Assistant Professor and State Extension Specialist for Forage Agronomy at the University of Missouri. Roberts holds a Ph.D. in Plant and Soil Science from Mississippi State University. He leads an applied research program on forage-livestock systems to support one of the largest beef herds in the U.S. He has a particular interest in regenerative systems that improve drought resiliency. His presentation will suggest four alternatives that could be more economical than growing hay for your animals.

Josh Bendorf is a Climate Outreach Specialist with the Wisconsin State Climatology Office, based at UW-Madison. He has held this position since March 2025. Prior to his time at the SCO, Josh worked for Pheasants Forever and the USDA Midwest Climate Hub. Josh holds a BS degree from UW-Madison and MS degree from Iowa State University. Josh's interest in weather and climate comes from his upbringing on a small dairy and cash crop farm in southwestern Wisconsin. He will offer his insights on the 2025 growing season with an early look at 2026 weather.

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/FORAGEDEC2025. 

 For more information contact: in Iowa, Fred M. Hall, 712-737-4230; in Minnesota, Jim Salfer, 320-203-6093; or in South Dakota, Sara Bauder, 605-995-7378; or in Nebraska Ben Beckman, 402-254-6821.



Hefty Seed - West Point Winter Meeting

Tuesday, December 16th
Nielsen Community Center
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Join Hefty Seed Co. on Tuesday, December 16th for a value-packed meeting designed to help boost performance and profitability heading into the 2026 season.  They will cover things like...
    Cutting input costs without hurting yield
    Optimized fertility recommendations
    Strategies for controlling resistant weeds
    0% financing opportuinites
    Achieving great success with early planting
    Effective disease & insect control approaches

Click the RSVP button here https://heftyseed.com/storemeetings or call the office at 402-372-9900



Ethanol to Sustainable Aviation Fuel: Advances in Renewable Fuels Innovation

Iowa-based America’s Cultivation Corridor will host a webinar on Thursday Dec 4th featuring leading experts on future of renewable fuels.
 
Nearly 50 years ago, Iowa’s farmers, researchers, business leaders and policymakers were pioneers in developing ethanol and biodiesel industries. Today, Iowa continues to be the leading producer of both fuels and is breaking new ground to develop the next generation of technologies, markets, and diverse feedstocks to meet global demand for renewable fuels in a sustainable way. 
 
A panel of experts will discuss:
    Cutting-edge technologies to produce next generation lower-carbon fuels from renewable feedstocks
    Opportunities to produce ethanol and biodiesel more efficiently while also developing the new generation of products including sustainable aviation fuels 
    Research and development of new genetics and cropping systems to sustainably meet growing demand for renewable fuels
    World class bioprocessing research and scaleup resources at Iowa State University
When: Thursday, December 4, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. central standard time
Where: Webinar. Click here to register https://www.cultivationcorridor.org/news-events/events/detail/registration.
 
Featured speakers:
    Secretary Mike Naig, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
    Paul Nees, Global Book Lead, Renewables & Carbon, Chevron Supply & Trading
    Kendall Palmer, Senior Director, Biofuels, Corteva Agriscience
    Ryan Sauer, Vice President – Market Development, Iowa Corn Growers Association
    Lisa Schulte Moore, Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor in Agriculture and Life Sciences and Co-Director, Bioeconomy Institute, Iowa State University
 
More information is available at www.cultivationcorridor.org, 



I-29 Moo University webinar On December 15 To Focus On Positioning 2025 Feed for Success

The I-29 Moo University Dairy Webinar Series continues Monday, December 15 from 12 noon to 1 p.m. CST, focusing on Positioning 2025 feed for Success with Rock River Laboratory Animal Nutrition Technica Services Director Katie Raver.

Want to see how this year's crop stacked up? Join in for a discussion reviewing the 2025 central plains spring and fall forage crops. We know that many factors impact nutrient content and digestibility. This ultimately affects how this crop will feed and its milk production potential. Take a closer look at how this year compared to years previous and what to be on the lookout for as we begin to feed out the 2025 forage crops.

Growing up in rural Illinois, Katie Raver developed a passion for agriculture at a very young age. While attaining her undergraduate degree in animal science at University of Illinois she immersed herself in the dairy industry. After completing her undergraduate degree, she completed a summer internship at Rock River Laboratory and further developed her passion for forage and feed quality. Upon returning to the University of Illinois for her Masters degree in Ruminant Nutrition with Dr. Phil Cardoso, she was able to further explore these interests as her graduate work focused on forage quality and fungal disease. She then moved to Texas after finishing her degree. She has been at Rock River Laboratory for 5 years and in her current role as animal nutrition technical services director she oversees technical support and development. Her interests include forage quality assessment and understanding how environmental and management conditions impact forage quality. She also has a deep seeded interest in exploring ways to improve feed efficiency on farms and how data can be used to maximize the value of feeds on farms.

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/2025FEEDFORSUCCESS.  

For more information, contact: in Iowa, Fred M. Hall, 712-737-4230; in Minnesota, Jim Salfer, 320-203-6093; in Nebraska, Kortney Harpestad, 402-472-3571; or in South Dakota, Maristela Rovai, 605-688-5488. 

I-29 Moo University is a consortium of Extension dairy specialists from the land-grant universities in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, and South Dakota. The I-29 Moo University is a multi-state learning collaboration and connects extension dairy staff with the dairy community to share research, information and management practices through workshops, webinars, e-newsletters, podcasts, and on-farm tours. For more information about the I-29 Moo University Collaboration and programs visit www.i-29moou.com.



Secretary Naig Opens Sign-Up Window for Iowa’s Crop Insurance Discount Program

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the sign-up is now open for the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s (IDALS) annual Crop Insurance Discount Program. The innovative program offers farmers a $5 per acre premium reduction for fall-planted cover crops.

“This program continues to showcase Iowa's focus and leadership in conservation, and we've made it easy to enroll online,” said Secretary Naig. “If you planted cover crops this fall, get those acres signed up to save money on your 2026 crop insurance premiums. Even in a tough economy, cover crops can be a smart business and environmental decision. It’s a simple way for farmers to keep building momentum with cover crops while saving money.”

The online sign-up is open Dec. 1, 2025, through Jan. 23, 2026. Participants should enroll at apply.cleanwateriowa.org by contacting their crop insurance agent.

The Crop Insurance Discount Program, part of the implementation of Iowa’s Nutrient Reduction Strategy, provides a $5 per acre premium reduction for fall-planted cover crops. There is no acreage cap for eligible acres. To qualify, cover crop acres cannot be enrolled in other IDALS or USDA-NRCS cost-share programs. Certain insurance policies, including Whole-Farm Revenue Protection or those covered through written agreements, may be excluded. Farmers should work directly with their crop insurance agencies to maintain eligibility.

The program is jointly administered by IDALS and the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA). Now in its ninth year, the initiative has become a model adopted by several other states and by federal partners. Nearly 2,000 farmers have enrolled more than 1.4 million acres in the program to date.

To learn more about conservation and water quality practices in Iowa, visit CleanWaterIowa.org.



Mixed Pricing Signals
Matthew Diersen, Risk & Business Management Specialist, South Dakota State University

Cattle prices have been quite volatile for several months. Several times this fall, there were anecdotes about large margin calls. From a risk management perspective, that generally meant that producers were hedged, and then prices increased. It also brought a few hints at missing out on higher prices. Here are a few aspects that warrant attention going forward.

The cash market has not been quite as volatile day-to-day as the futures market. A lot of calves have traded at very high prices and thus present a lot of risk to the buyers. The feeder cattle futures board has seen gaps and limit moves during this stretch. Remember that the feeder contracts are cash-settled. The feeder cattle index peaked on October 16, 2025, at 376.61, a couple of weeks ahead of the October contract expiring. The new nearby is the January 2026 contract, which will not expire until the end of January. Last week, that contract briefly traded below $300.00 per cwt. For those trying to hedge feeders in the short run, convergence will need to be considered.
 
Replacements were not immune to high prices. Heifers generally trade at a sharp discount to steers of the same weight in feeder cattle markets, reflecting slower rates of gain and lighter eventual finishing weights. Replacement heifers, however, can break that pattern and be priced at a premium to steers, especially late in a cattle cycle. From late October through much of November of 2025, heifers described as replacements traded at a slight premium to steers across AMS-reported sale locations in South Dakota. The comparison was made when looking at Medium and Large 1 animals weighing 500-600 pounds. Such heifers will not have a marketable calf until 2027, thus reflecting substantial risk as an investment and widespread optimism about continued profitable calf prices. Other heifers traded at a $50.00 per cwt discount to steers during the same span.

Volatility in the market was slow to show up in options, where the implied volatility remained low or quiet until the sharp declines in live and feeder cattle futures prices. The CME Group’s CVOL, which measures the implied volatility of nearby contracts, had a small jump in early September, and then declined until moving sharply higher in November. Now there are lower prices and higher volatility levels, making good floor prices much more difficult to achieve. Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) would be seeing similar effects.

While the federal shutdown has ended, the effects continue to linger. A comparison of beef to other retail prices will have to wait until the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides an update in late December. NASS won’t be releasing cold storage figures until late December. Some agricultural prices are delayed until December 15. There is not a timeline for the USDA baseline estimates nor many of the valuable Economic Research Service publications. Finally, the Commitment of Traders is not slated to be current until late January of 2026.



NMPF Dairy Market Report - NOVEMBER 2025

U.S. fluid milk sales in September were 2.5% higher than a year earlier. Exports during June-August were significantly higher than during the same period a year earlier. 

The recent expansion of U.S. milk production may be cresting; USDA reported October production and dairy cow numbers were up over a year earlier by slightly smaller percentages than during September.

The NDPSR-reported dairy product prices were almost all lower in October than a month earlier, as were all the federal order class prices.

Click here to read the entire report... https://www.nmpf.org/dmr-november-2025/.  



With Key Trade Agreement Ignored, RFA Calls for Reciprocal Duties on Chinese Ag Imports

The Renewable Fuels Association Monday thanked the Trump administration for its efforts to enforce an important 2019 trade agreement with China, noting in comments to the U.S. Trade Representative that China has failed to satisfy commitments to increase trade in ethanol and distillers grains. Accordingly, RFA calls on the United States to implement reciprocal duties on U.S. imports of Chinese ag products.

“On behalf of RFA’s membership, and the U.S. ethanol industry as a whole, we are extremely grateful to President Trump and his Administration for its steadfast commitment to fair and reciprocal trade with China,” wrote RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “We applaud USTR for taking a closer look at China’s failure to deliver on its Phase One commitments, which has resulted in a lost market opportunity for U.S. ethanol producers and farmers and caused significant financial losses.”

Cooper noted that China purchased only 58 percent of the total U.S. goods and services exports in 2020 and 2021 that it had committed to buy under the Phase One Agreement signed in 2019. In fact, China ultimately failed to buy any of the additional $200 billion in goods in 2020-21, instead falling $11.6 billion short of even reaching the baseline level of purchases. 

Specifically, with respect to ethanol, after the signing of the Phase One Agreement, in 2020, China purchased just 31.7 million gallons of ethanol from the U.S. valued at just under $51 million.  Thereafter, in 2021, China purchased just over 100 million gallons of ethanol from the U.S. valued at $162 million. Since 2021, U.S. ethanol imports by China have essentially fallen to near zero and flatlined. A similar trade pattern occurred with respect to distillers grains.

“Today, as our nation’s farmers and rural communities face serious economic challenges, it is critical that our trading partners live up to their commitments and be held accountable for failing to comply with key terms and provisions negotiated in the process,” Cooper concluded. “Moreover, trading partners must act in good faith as we work to negotiate longer-lasting, more resilient trade agreements. It is critical that China work to restore its commitment to agriculture purchases under the Phase One Agreement or otherwise face reciprocal action for its failure and/or refusal to do so.”



Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame Inductees to be Recognized During CattleCon 2026

Kent Bamford with Bamford Feedyard in Haxtun, Colorado, and Bob Foote with Foote Cattle Company in Bucyrus, Kansas, are the 2026 inductees in the Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame. Honorees will be recognized at the 17th annual banquet on Feb. 4 during CattleCon 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee.

“The cattle-feeding industry has been built by leaders such as Bob Foote and Kent Bamford,” said Dustin Johansen, senior vice president at Farm Journal and Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame board member. “Their legacy is the ongoing success of our industry.”

Bamford Feedyard started as a small yard, growing to 15,000 head capacity and further diversifying into a farming and trucking operation as well as a feed additive company. Foote, who is being inducted posthumously, developed a multi-location family-owned cattle operation with 285,000 head feeding capacity among other businesses across Kansas and Nebraska.

Additional honorees include Greg Henderson of Kansas, who will be recognized posthumously with the Industry Leadership Award for his award-winning journalism and being a revered voice of the beef industry. Rick Hibler with Irsik & Doll Beefland Feedyard in Garden City, Kansas, will receive the Arturo Armendariz Distinguished Service Award for his contributions to improving the cattle-feeding industry. 

Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame banquet attendees are invited to participate in CattleCon 2026, the largest cattle and beef industry event of the year. The annual convention features industry meetings, inspirational speakers, valuable education, entertainment, a massive trade show, producer recognition and much more. 

Established in 2009, the Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame honors the exceptional visionary men and women who have made lasting contributions to the cattle-feeding industry. For more information about the Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame and 2026 inductees, visit www.cattlefeeders.org. For more information about CattleCon 2026 and to register, visit convention.ncba.org.