Monday August 5 Ag News

GRAND MARSHALS NAMED FOR 2019 NEBRASKA STATE FAIR

Nebraska State Fair is honored to announce this year's Celebration Parade Grand Marshals. The Grand Marshal Program honors individuals who have made significant contributions within their county fair communities. As a salute to those who serve our country, an active member of the military has been chosen to help salute our veterans on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 2.

"Each year, we select individuals who represent what it means to be dedicated to agriculture and their community," said Chelsey Jungck, State Fair Chief of Events and Entertainment. "These individuals continually go above and beyond and are worthy of our appreciation and distinction."

Grand Marshals are selected through a nomination process and are honored one day at the Fair.

Following is a list of the grand marshals:

Aug. 24: Jerry Fitzgerald, Gering, Neb.
Jerry served on the State Fair Board for many years and was a key player in moving the State Fair from Lincoln to Grand Island. As the Chairman of the State Fair in 2009, Jerry was instrumental in the construction of five buildings for Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island. In 2013, Jerry was recognized as the Friend of 4-H for his years of volunteering at the 4-H Livestock Sale and his crucial contributions in the design and building of the Scotts Bluff County Fairgrounds livestock pavilion.

Aug. 25: Jimmy Marak, Osceola, Neb.
Jimmy served on the Polk County Agricultural Society for more than 45 years. He was instrumental in building Ag Hall, Pinnacle Show Arena as well as the replacement of the grandstand bleachers at Nebraska State Fair. He has been a 4-H leader and the leader of the local Saddle Club. The Saddle Club was active in organizing and competing in local horse shows and rodeos, as well as providing entertainment for area parades.

Aug. 26: Brian and Ann Marie Bosshamer, Amherst, Neb.
Brian was an extension educator for Buffalo County and the leader of the 4-H program in Amherst, Neb. for more than 20 years. He was instrumental in implementing Lamb Camp, Life on the Farm and the Lottery Pig Show. Ann Marie volunteered countless hours coordinating and announcing at the Market and Class Shows for the Buffalo County Fair. The Bosshamers are involved with the 4-H sale committee at Nebraska State Fair as well as the Cattlemen’s Classic and Gateway Farm Expo.

Aug. 27: Jon and DeAnn Epley, Fullerton, Neb.
DeAnn was the office manager for the Nance County Extension for more than 35 years. Jon was instrumental in the development of the Shooting Sports Program for the Nance County community. Over the years, Jon and DeAnn have volunteered numerous hours helping with 4-H and the food stand at the Nance County Fair. In addition to their work with 4-H, the Epleys were founding members of the Nance County Veterans Memorial and Museum.

Aug. 28: Jess and Marilyn Johnson, Lincoln, Neb.
For the past 39 years, Jess and Marilyn Johnson have coordinated all supply requirements for the many competitive and livestock disciplines at Nebraska State Fair. Also, Marilyn has volunteered to help at the Lancaster County Fair for at least one day each year and continues to volunteer wherever help is needed to promote educational and agricultural programs in Lancaster County.

Aug 29: Oliver and Marjorie Johnson, Clarkson, Neb.
Oliver has served on the Colfax County Ag Society for more than 20 years. He is a former 4-H leader and fair superintendent. Marjorie assists in the Open Class areas of the Colfax County Fair. The Johnsons are past Pioneer Farm Family Award recipients. They were members of the Clarkson Czech Dancers for almost 50 years, performing at the annual Clarkson Czech Day and other Czech celebrations. 

Aug. 30: Richard and Marlene Hermelbracht, Bancroft, Neb. and Art and Arlene Rolf, West Point, Neb.
Richard Hermelbracht has been involved with the county fair throughout his life. He has served on the Cuming County Ag Society for the past 41 years. For the past 41 years, Richard has been the person to open the gates of the Cuming County Fair at 6 a.m. He and Marlene hire and oversee the gate personnel for the fair. Richard is a veteran and Marlene is active in the American Legion Auxiliary.

Arlene Rolf served as the secretary of the Cuming County Ag Society for 40 years. Arlene was instrumental in the development of the Cuming County Fair Sponsorship Program which has grown from five sponsors to over 100. Arlene is a member of the Cuming County Fair Foundation Board, which helps promote and raise monies for capital improvements.

Art Rolf is an integral part of the daily operations of the Cuming County Fair and helps coordinate the setup and cleanup of the fair. During the fair, Art can be found from open to close at the front gate taking admission and greeting everyone with a smile.

Aug. 31: Steve and Jana Kruger, Arlington, Neb.
Steve and Jana have served as horticulture superintendents at the Washington County Fair and Nebraska State Fair for 28 years. Steve has served on the State Fair board for 22 years, 14 of which were as president, and served more than 22 years on the State Fair Board. Jana served nine years on the State Fair Board, four of them as president. They originated the concept of the Grand Marshal Program at Nebraska State Fair.

Sept. 1: Jim and Sharon Specht, Hartington, Neb.
Jim has served on the Cedar County Fair Board for more than 24 years and is currently the vice president of the Cedar County Ag Society. For the past 6 years, Sharon has been chairman of the Cedar County Open Class Division and the county fair pie contest. Both Jim and Sharon spend countless hours before the opening of the fair cleaning the barns, setting up rodeo equipment and printing premium books for the open class exhibits. In 2017 Jim was selected for the NAFM’s Fair Person of the Year award. This past year, Sharon was selected as Cedar County Ag Society’s Outstanding Volunteer.

Sept. 2: Major General Daryl Bohac, Lincoln, Neb.
Major General Daryl L. Bohac serves as the Adjutant General, Nebraska National Guard in Lincoln, Neb. He is the senior uniformed National Guard officer responsible for formulating, developing and coordinating policies, programs, and plans impacting nearly 5,000 Army and Air National Guard personnel. He serves on the Governor's staff and is the Director of the Nebraska Military Department and the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency, respectively and serves as the state's official channel of communication with the National Guard Bureau to the Departments of the Army and Air Force.

"The grand marshal program is a long tradition for Nebraska State Fair, and we are proud of the outstanding individuals and families to honor each year," Jungck said.



There is Still Time to Donate to the Nebraska Farm Bureau Disaster Relief Fund

While there is still time to donate to the Nebraska Farm Bureau Disaster Relief Fund, we will be closing the fund on Aug. 15. Nearly $3.3 million has been raised, and 90 percent of the funds have been distributed to Nebraska farmers, ranchers, and rural communities suffering from the natural disasters that impacted the state in March, Steve Nelson, Nebraska Farm Bureau president said Aug. 5.

“As conditions slowly return to a new normal for Nebraska agriculture, it is our hope that the Nebraska Farm Bureau Disaster Relief fund has helped get farmers, ranchers, and rural communities back on their feet sooner. Nebraska Farm Bureau is equipped and ready to help if other disasters strike affecting farmers and ranchers,” Nelson said.

The Disaster Relief fund was established at the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit, so donations meet the criteria for qualified charitable contributions for tax purposes.

“With 90 percent of the funds distributed, the remaining amount will be dispensed by the Foundation’s 2019 fiscal year end, Sept. 30. It will be distributed on a rolling basis until 100 percent of donated funds have been expended,” said Megahn Schafer, executive director of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation.

Nebraska Farm Bureau continues to work to ensure that government programs are accessible and working for those who need them the most.

“We continue to work with state and national leaders to do everything possible in dealing with disasters across the state. The floods and blizzards in March complicated life in Nebraska, and while the effects will likely be felt for months and in some case years, Nebraskans are resilient and will move positively forward,” Nelson said.

While donations to the Nebraska Farm Bureau Disaster Relief Fund will end Aug. 15, there are other ways to support continued disaster relief efforts. Donors interested in helping those affected by recent flooding in Central Nebraska or farmers in Western Nebraska who are without water for their crops because of a canal breach in Wyoming can learn more and make donations to the Kearney Area Community Foundation at www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr or the Oregon Trail Community Foundation at www.otcf.org.



SHOULD YOU BE CONSIDERING SILAGE BAGS? Bagged Silage vs. Silage Bunkers & Piles
Steve Niemeyer – NE Extension Educator

Making silage is an effective way for many producers to best use the resources available to their operation. However, for some, spoilage and shrink can result in significant loss that can greatly increase the cost of silage fed and impact animal performance. Bagging of silage offers flexibility for operations of all sizes to produce silage while potentially reducing spoilage and shrink loss. The intent of this article is to create familiarity with the concept of bagging silage, describe the process, and outline some of the key advantages and disadvantages to this method of silage production.

How Does Silage Bagging Work?
In the bagging system, silage is packed into oxygen and light impermeable plastic sleeves for the ensiling process and long-term storage. The target moisture content for forage going into a bag is 30-40% DM, which is the same range for making silage in a bunker or pile. Silage bags come in many diameters and lengths to suit the needs of different operations; 8 ft in diameter and 150 ft long is a common small bag size. While density of silage impacts the capacity of a bag, this size will hold between 100-150 tons (as-fed).   Bags that are 10 ft diameter and 300 ft long are also commonly used and will hold between 350 to 450 tons (as-fed). The Silage Bag Capacity Guide from the University of Wisconsin can help you determine potential capacity of various sizes (bag diameter and length) and packing densities. 

Packing silage into the bags may be accomplished via pull-type or self-propelled baggers. For operations that plan to bag silage themselves, the pull-type is more affordable. Used models can be found for $20,000 to $40,000. Self-propelled silage baggers are typically owned by custom silage bagging operations or operations that make a lot of silage, since they are often 10 times the cost of pull-type baggers.

In the bagging process, silage is unloaded from a standard silage trailer onto a belt conveyor that carries it into the rotor of the bagger. From there, it is mechanically packed into the bag. Cables along each side of the bag run from the bagger to a backstop to allow for control of packing density. The bagger is moved forward by the operator as the bag fills and the desired density is achieved. Many video examples are available on the internet. When ready for use, silage is fed out of the bag in the same way it is fed from a traditional bunker silo.

What are the Advantages?
The primary advantage of bagging silage is that it reduces exposure to oxygen. This effectively eliminates the uncovered period between packing and covering the pile/bunker with plastic that occurs in a traditional system. In general, this period can result in about 5 to 7% loss (of the total amount of silage produced). For those who don’t have the labor to cover a bunker or pile, this can be an even bigger saving, with losses from surface spoilage ranging from 10 to 20% of the total silage. Those that use piles will see the biggest losses because they have more surface area exposed, and thus a greater advantage in switching to bagging. Beyond the shrink loss (disappearance of silage DM), the spoiled silage layer that remains when silage is not covered is about 22% lower in digestibility than unspoiled silage and appears to negatively affect the rumen environment. The Kansas State University study Effect of Level of Surface Spoiled Silage on the Nutritive Value of Corn Silage-Based Rations (2000) and UNL Beef Systems Specialist Dr. Mary Drewnoski’s Silage Guidelines Market Journal interview (2017) explain that feeding spoiled silage impacts rumen environment and digestibility of other feeds. Proper use of silage bags can help prevent feeding spoiled silage and the resulting disruption of rumen function. 

The other major advantage of bags is the small feed-out face, which minimizes feed-out spoilage. For many cow-calf operations and smaller backgrounding operations, the reduction in feed-out losses can be quite large upon converting their systems from silage bunker/piles to silage bags. When well-managed, feed-out losses in bunkers can be 3% or less. To achieve this, however, at least 5 inches need to be removed from the entire face each day in the winter and 8 inches in the summer. If removal rates are less, even with proper removal technique (keeping the face tight), a loss of 10% of the silage or more, depending on outside temperature, can occur.   These estimates don’t account for the loss of feeding value for the silage that remains.

What are the Disadvantages?
One of the chief concerns of silage bags is that, while they are impervious to oxygen and light, bags can be damaged. Holes and punctures must be sealed quickly and properly to avoid spoilage. Many bags come with repair kits, and specially designed vinyl repair tapes are widely available-- duct tape is unfortunately not acceptable for repairs since it is oxygen permeable. It takes skill and practice to successfully pack a smooth, dense bag, which places significant responsibility on the silage bagger operator to carefully monitor rate of filling. Some companies have created bags with lines that appear when stretched which allow for a quick visual estimate of fill to make this task easier.

Another less obvious complication is the disposal of used silage bags. You can check with your local waste disposal service, landfill, or Natural Resources District to inquire about recycling opportunities like this one in the Lower Republican District. Additionally, in Nebraska, Delta Plastics offers free pickup of used bags provided they are rolled tightly and surpass 40,000 lb. (20 tons) of plastic. It is preferred that the bags are loaded in a box van. Delta Plastics designated pickup locations in the state include Scottsbluff, Bridgeport, Minden, Gibbon, Chapman, and York. Contact Delta Plastics at (800) 277-9172 or recycling@deltaplastics.com for more information.

Summary
·    Bagging silage can reduce spoilage/shrink loss, especially for those that do not cover their silage bunkers or piles with plastic.
·    Switching to bags can reduce feed-out losses and improve the feed value of silage. This is especially true for those that do not remove 5 to 8 inches of silage off the face of the bunker or pile each day when feeding.




NEW THIRD-PARTY, INDEPENDENT STUDY MEASURES THE IMPACT OF CATTLEMEN’S BEEF BOARD ACTIVITIES ON BEEF DEMAND

The combined benefit of all Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB) programs is 11.91 times more valuable than their costs. That is one major finding from a recent third-party, return-on-investment (ROI) study commissioned by the national Beef Checkoff program and conducted by Dr. Harry M. Kaiser of Cornell University.

Completed in June 2019, the study is based upon an econometric model which quantifies the relationship between the CBB’s various marketing activities and domestic and international demand for U.S. beef. It also compared the costs and benefits of those activities relative to producer and importer investments in the national portion of the Beef Checkoff program.* Under existing agricultural legislation, the CBB is required to have an independent analysis of the program’s economic effectiveness conducted at least once every five years. 

“We’re extremely pleased with the results of this latest ROI study,” said Chuck Coffey, a cow/calf producer from Springer, OK who currently serves as CBB chairman. “Our primary goal is to increase beef demand worldwide. The statistics uncovered by this study tell us that we’re achieving that goal and providing producers with an excellent return on their national checkoff investments.”  

The study’s other key findings include:
-    CBB activities have a substantial impact on beef demand in the U.S. and in foreign markets.
-    CBB activities increased beef demand by 2.6 billion pounds per year between 2014-2018.
-    Without a national checkoff, U.S. beef demand would have been 14.3% lower than it actually was by the end of 2018
-    CBB’s investment in export marketing programs increased U.S. beef exports by 5.5%
-    CBB-funded activities generated $11.91 in additional net revenue for beef producers and importers.
-    All nine demand-enhancing CBB activities – beef advertising, public relations, beef safety research, channels marketing, nutritional research, industry information, new-product development, product-enhancement research and foreign-market development – had a positive and statistically significant impact on increasing beef demand.

The study estimated three econometric questions: (1) retail domestic beef demand, (2) retail domestic beef supply and (3) U.S. beef import demand. The study’s domestic model also factored in consumer income, while the foreign-demand model factored in exchange rates and gross domestic product (GDP). It also evaluated the CBB’s expenditures in each of its demand-enhancing activities.

The previous ROI study, which Dr. Kaiser conducted in 2014, found that CBB programs were 11.20 times more valuable than their costs. The 2019 study’s ROI calculation of 11.91 shows that CBB programs have continued to provide significant value over the past five years by steadily building beef demand.

“While we are happy that CBB programs are successfully promoting beef, we know that there’s always room for improvement,” Coffey said. “Our board members are dedicated to making the best possible decisions on behalf of American beef producers and importers. As we head into our next fiscal year, we hope to take what we’ve learned in 2019 and continue moving the needle forward.”

To view the complete ROI study, a summary of the study or get more information about the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, as well as the Beef Checkoff and its programs – promotion, research, foreign marketing, industry information, consumer information and producer communications – visit beefboard.org.



Strong Finish to First Half for U.S. Pork, Beef Exports

U.S. pork and beef exports were above year-ago levels in both volume and value in June, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). Led by a rebound in Mexico and China, pork export value was the highest in 14 months, while strong results in South Korea and Taiwan pushed beef export value to the fourth-highest total on record.

June pork exports posted double-digit gains in both volume and value, reaching 212,887 metric tons (mt), up 11% year-over-year, valued at $569.2 million (up 12%). For the first half of 2019, pork exports remained 2% below last year in volume (1.25 million mt) and were down 6% in value to $3.14 billion.

Pork export value averaged $56.99 per head slaughtered in June, up 7% from a year ago and the highest monthly average since April 2018. First-half export value averaged $50.05 per head, down 9% from the same period last year. June exports accounted for 27.8% of total U.S. pork production and 24% for muscle cuts only, up from 25.8% and 22.4%, respectively, a year ago. For January through June, exports accounted for 25.8% of total pork production (down from 27.3%) and 22.4% for muscle cuts (down from 23.6%).

Beef exports were up 3% year-over-year in June to 118,677 mt. Export value ($724.8 million) increased just 1% from a year ago but trailed only August 2018, May 2019, and October 2018 for the highest monthly value total on record. First-half beef exports were down 2% from a year ago in volume (648,765 mt) but held steady with last year's record value pace at $4.03 billion.

Beef export value per head of fed slaughter averaged $325.10 in June, up 4% from a year ago, while first-half export value averaged $312.06 per head, down 2%. June exports accounted for 15.4% of total U.S. beef production, up nearly a full percentage point from last year. For muscle cuts only, exports accounted for 12.7% of production — up from 12.3% last year and the highest ratio since July 2018. For the first half of the year, exports accounted for 14.2% of total production and 11.6% for muscle cuts — down from 14.6% and 11.9%, respectively, a year ago.

Duty-free access bolsters pork exports to Mexico; China's volume highest in three years
On May 20, the 20% retaliatory duty on most U.S. pork exports to Mexico was removed as the U.S., Mexico and Canada reached an agreement on steel and aluminum tariffs. Entering Mexico duty-free for the first time in nearly a year, June exports to Mexico were the largest since January at 59,837 mt (steady year-over-year), while value climbed 13% to $119 million — the highest since April 2018.

"It's a tremendous relief to have Mexico's retaliatory duties on U.S. pork behind us, as the June bump in export value clearly illustrates," noted USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom. "Now the goal is to get back to the record-setting trend the U.S. industry established in Mexico from 2012 through 2017, prior to the metal tariff dispute. USMEF's marketing programs have ramped up in Mexico so that we can recapture lost market share and regain momentum in this critical market for U.S. pork."

Despite retaliatory duties remaining in place, June also brought an encouraging rise in pork exports to China, which were the largest in more than three years at 41,704 mt (up 123% year-over-year), valued at $88.5 million (up 77%). This pushed first-half exports to China 23% ahead of last year in volume (177,060 mt) and 3% higher in value ($353.1 million). For the China/Hong Kong region, first-half exports were up 4% to 224,009 mt but value declined 16% to $427.8 million. The European Union remains the primary pork supplier to China/Hong Kong. Through May, EU exports to the region were 859,030 mt, up 27% year-over-year, valued at $1.57 billion (up 34%). China/Hong Kong has accounted for 52% of EU export volume in 2019, compared to 18% of U.S. exports.

All of U.S. pork and beef's major competitors gained tariff relief in Japan this year through the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the economic partnership agreement between Japan and the European Union, making red meat trade a major focus of the U.S.-Japan trade agreement negotiations that continued last week. Japan is the leading value destination for U.S. pork, and June exports were steady with last year in both volume (31,742 mt) and value ($131.5 million). For the first half of the year, exports to Japan were 4% below last year's pace in volume (191,281 mt) and down 6% in value ($773.5 million). Japan's imports of chilled U.S. pork were down just 1% in volume (100,869 mt) and 2.5% in value ($481 million), but imports of U.S. ground seasoned pork (GSP) fell 24% to 41,769 mt, with value down 33% at $109.5 million. U.S. share of Japan's GSP imports was 58%, down from 67% last year and nearly 75% in 2017.

Other first-half highlights for U.S. pork include:
-    Despite a June slowdown, first-half exports to Colombia were still up 20% from a year ago in volume (55,148 mt) and 13% in value ($118.8 million). Combined with excellent growth in Chile and Peru, exports to South America climbed 35% above last year's record pace in volume (84,032 mt) and 34% higher in value ($205.4 million).
-    Australia is one of U.S. pork's top-performing markets in 2019, with first-half volume up 44% to 56,338 mt and value increasing 32% to $150.1 million. With exports to New Zealand also increasing significantly this year, exports to Oceania climbed 43% from a year ago in volume (61,597 mt) and 32% in value ($166.4 million).
-    In Central America, where pork exports also set new records in 2018, first-half volume was up 11% to 44,614 mt while value increased 12% to $106.8 million. Exports to leading market Honduras were up slightly from a year ago, while strong growth was achieved in Guatemala, Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua.

Korea, Taiwan lead beef export growth; variety meat exports rebound
Last year South Korea surpassed Mexico as the second-largest destination for U.S. beef exports, and in 2019 it continues to close the gap on leading market Japan. Exports to Korea remained on a record pace in June, increasing 2% from a year ago to 25,118 mt (a post-BSE high), while value climbed 15% to a record $178.3 million. These results pushed first-half exports to Korea 12% above last year in volume (126,879 mt) and 15% higher in value ($921.8 million). U.S. beef now accounts for 61% of Korea's chilled beef imports, up from 57% in the first half of last year, with chilled volume increasing 7% to 26,537 mt.

Beef exports to Taiwan finished a very strong second quarter with June shipments reaching a new monthly high of 6,654 mt, up 40% from a year ago, valued at $58 million (up 46% and the second-highest on record). First-half exports to Taiwan were 16% above last year's record pace in volume (31,132 mt) and 11% higher in value ($276.2 million).

As noted above, U.S. beef faces a significant tariff rate disadvantage in leading market Japan, where June exports totaled 29,794 mt, down 4% year-over-year, while value was down 7% to $179 million. For the first half of the year, exports to Japan were 1% below last year's pace in both volume (157,839 mt) and value (just over $1 billion). Japan's imports of Australian beef have also slowed this year, but first-half imports from Canada, New Zealand and Mexico were up 83%, 37% and 28%, respectively, offering a glimpse of the upside opportunities in the market when tariff rates are lowered.

"It is very gratifying to see U.S. beef posting such remarkable gains in Korea and Taiwan, and the $2 billion milestone could even be in play this year for Korea," Halstrom said. "Exports to Japan can definitely achieve a similar trajectory if the U.S. can get back on a level playing field with our competitors, so we are encouraged by the progress in the U.S.-Japan trade negotiations."

Other first-half highlights for U.S. beef include:
-    June exports of beef variety meat were the largest in two years at 28,195 mt, up 13% from a year ago, while value also climbed 13% to $79.7 million. This pushed first-half export volume even with last year at 158,466 mt while value increased 8% to $472.9 million. The large June increase was primarily driven by growth in Japan and Indonesia, while exports to Egypt rebounded from last year's low levels.
-    Though first-half export volume to Mexico was down 3% year-over-year to 114,541 mt, export value increased 6% to $539.1 million. Beef muscle cut exports to Mexico slowed in June but still finished the first half up 4% from a year ago in volume (70,333 mt) and 8% in value ($422 million).
-    U.S. beef muscle cuts also have a rapidly growing presence in Colombia, where first-half muscle cut exports increased 29% from a year ago in volume (1,919 mt) and 36% in value ($11.2 million). Combined beef and beef variety meat exports to Colombia were up 1% from a year ago to 2,991 mt while value climbed 27% to $12.4 million. First-half exports to Chile, the top South American market for U.S. beef, increased 5% to 6,144 mt, with value up 7% to $34.3 million.
-    The Dominican Republic has emerged as a strong growth market for U.S. beef, with first-half exports soaring 57% above last year's record pace in volume (4,524 mt) and gaining 47% in value to $36.2 million.
-    Fueled by strong growth in the Philippines and Indonesia, first-half exports to the ASEAN region increased 23% from a year ago in volume (26,711 mt) and 8% in value ($132.4 million).

U.S. lamb exports remain well ahead of 2018 pace
June exports of U.S. lamb totaled 1,073 mt, up 6% from a year ago, but value fell 21% to $1.73 million. For the first half of 2019, lamb exports were up 42% year-over-year in volume (7,783 mt) and 17% in value ($13.2 million). Mexico has been the primary growth driver for U.S. lamb, with first-half exports to Mexico climbing 52% from a year ago in volume (6,762 mt) and 33% in value ($6.7 million). Exports also showed promising growth in the Dominican Republic, Bermuda, Panama and Guatemala.



NCGA VOICES SUPPORT FOR USDA PROPOSED RULE ON BIOTECH REGULATION, OFFERS SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT

The National Corn Growers Association today submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Agriculture on the Proposed Rule regarding Movement of Certain Genetically Engineered Organisms. The submission voiced support for the proposed rule while also offering several suggestions that would strengthen the final rule. The proposed rule marks the first comprehensive revision of USDA’s regulations since they were established in 1987.

Corn farmers have a strong interest in the availability of new technologies to enhance the sustainability, productivity and competitiveness of U.S. agriculture. Agriculture biotechnology and next generation breeding techniques allow growers to increase yields while decreasing inputs. Meeting demand, improving processes and minimizing environmental impacts are what make modern corn production a dynamic industry. The proposed rule, in large part, demonstrates an underlying agreement with the basis of NCGA’s stance and strives to create a more efficient regulatory process allowing growers greater access to new products.

NCGA praised USDA’s intention to focus on the plant pest risk of each product, instead of the method used to create it.  NCGA also thanked USDA for its proposal to only review plant-trait-mechanisms of action (MOA) requiring oversight once, instead of each time that MOA is used in combination with other traits, as is the requirement now. The proposed rule indicates a path moving forward appropriate for the advancements in plant breeding innovation while ensuring a responsible degree of oversight. To further build upon this foundation in the rule, NCGA requested explicit and formal language be added to ensure this system functions in a timely and reliable manner that adds no additional barriers for previously approved plant-trait mechanisms.

The comments submitted urged the USDA to coordinate with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration broadly on the regulation of ag biotechnology to continue streamlining the process and avoiding unnecessary duplications that delayed the tools farmers need to meet today’s needs. NCGA referenced the June 11, 2019 Executive Order, Modernizing the Regulatory Framework for Agricultural Biotechnology Products, which asks the three regulatory agencies to identify ways to streamline regulatory processes, when making this request.



ACE conference holding timely discussions on strategies for ethanol producers to overcome the margin squeeze

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) annual conference, August 14-16, will host a timely general session discussion on ways for ethanol producers to diversify their revenue stream through coproducts, considering the margin squeeze many ethanol plants are facing today. Join ACE at the Omaha Marriott Downtown at the Capitol District next week to hear from leading technology providers and producers on strategies available for ethanol plants to become more efficient and remain profitable.

Several articles published recently about poor profit margins at ethanol plants, one citing a CoBank report, noted how low margins drive plants to diversify revenue through coproducts, “The ethanol plant of today could turn into the corn biorefinery of tomorrow.” This important topic will be covered during several conference breakout sessions, as well as the general session panel “Steps to a Biorefinery,” with speakers from Fluid Quip Technologies (FQT), ICM Inc., and ACE member plant Golden Grain Energy (GGE), moderated by consulting firm Ascendant Partners Inc.

“In the current environment, producers must make critical decisions related to maximizing short- and long-term profitability,” said Steve Hartig, ICM Inc. Vice President of Technology Development. “Producers should view ethanol plants as true biorefineries and implement processes to capture the most value possible from the ethanol, animal feed and corn oil streams. Reducing costs and maximizing plant efficiency, while important, will not be enough long-term. Other options must be considered, including the addition of value-added product offerings by the plant.”

“Diversification of revenue is paramount for the industry today and to be truly sustainable now and well into the future,” said Neal Jakel, Vice President of Strategy and Technology Development at FQT. “Our partners operating our MSC™ protein systems are averaging 10 to 17 cents per gallon EBITDA which is critical when ethanol margins are tight. MSC is a robust technology, producing an established consistent product that plants can look to for proven revenue and risk diversification today,” Jakel added.

“The world has seen an increased demand for plant-based protein in recent years,” said Chad Kuhlers, GGE COO. “By 2050, global demand is expected to increase 80 percent over current levels due to population growth in African countries and increased wealth in Asia. It is important for ethanol producers to recognize this trend and help to supply the world’s protein demands by further refining and processing their coproducts to not only meet world demand, but also add value to their coproducts,” Kuhlers added. “These facilities need to be viewed as a biorefinery and every aspect of the facility needs to be optimized to capture as much value as possible.”

Visit ethanol.org/events/conference to view the full agenda and register.



Forward Contracting Activity
Matthew Diersen, Risk & Business Management Sp., South Dakota State University

Seasonally, mid-summer is a relatively quiet time at most feeder cattle auctions. An exception are video and satellite sales, which often include feeder cattle for later delivery. In recent years sales volumes during July and August have been similar across fixed and video auction sites. For perspective, annual volume in 2018 was 10.7 million head at regular auctions and 2.0 million head at video auctions. An examination of recent prices of forward sales may give an indication of eventual cash prices and basis levels. Note that forward sales would be excluded from the CME Feeder Cattle Index.

Consider the recent sale at Northern Livestock Video Auction from July 22-24, 2019, which included a large volume of cattle from Northcentral states. There was just over 1,000 head of steers for current delivery. The rest of the volume was for delivery from August through January. Sales with November delivery dates are predominantly of calves and thus the expected weights are lower than the standard feeder cattle contract weight span, which is 700-899 pounds. There were 2,244 head averaging 531 pounds that sold for $171.75 per cwt and 1,327 head averaging 571 pounds that sold for $160.88 per cwt.

Rounding the difference suggests 500-599 pound calves may sell for $166 per cwt in November. Because November feeder futures traded around $142 per cwt during the auction period, the implied basis or price difference is $24 per cwt. A year earlier, the same auction had sales of 500-599 pound steers with an average price of $186 per cwt and an implied basis versus November of $32 per cwt. The basis calculation disguises the fact that the implied spread between calf and feeder values is currently wider per head compared to 2018, likely reflecting higher expected corn prices and stable hay prices. August auctions could be monitored to see if the patterns of lower prices and narrower basis levels hold.

Forward contract volumes for fed cattle are less seasonal, but the total volume fluctuates through time. July is seasonally a low period for forward contract cattle being delivered. The longer trend for total volume contracted has been relatively low for much of the past year, but has started to shift higher. Currently there are 1,523,309 head of fed cattle contracted through November of 2020. The volume is higher than a year ago at this time with most of the increase in the front six months. However, there was very little volume in front months last week. In other words, feedlots and packers have priced more cattle for delivery by year-end than they had at this point last year. Basis levels vary by month. Basis for December delivery averaged -$4.32 last week, while a year ago it averaged -$5.35. Without knowing the source locations, the basis should be used a rough indicator of price trends. The basis distribution bears this out, the contracts for January 2020 delivery signed last week ranged from -$20.00 to $3.50, with most of the volume trading at -$0.50 basis the February contract.



Elanco Acquires Canadian Vaccine Maker

Elanco Animal Health Inc. has acquired a Canadian biotech startup that specializes in vaccines for food animals. Elanco announced last week it acquired Montreal-based Prevtech Microbia Inc. in an all-cash deal of nearly $60 million.

The two companies already had a relationship as Elanco has exclusive rights to distribute a product line of swine vaccines called Coliprotec in Canada and Europe.

Coliprotec vaccine products are designed to protect pigs against post-weaning diarrhea (PWD) and associated clinical signs caused by E. coli. E. coli is a highly prevalent pathogen causing disease in swine production without effective non-antibiotic control options. It affects up to 50 percent of all weaned pigs, leading to diarrhea, suppressed appetite, weight loss and mortality. The disease has a considerable effect on animal well-being and is a major cause of economic loss for swine operations. In Europe, mortality due to PWD has an estimated cost of 15,000 € per year for a 500-sow herd.1

"Elanco's partnership with Prevtec has been very successful and has resulted in delivery of an important non-antibiotic solution for swine producers," said Ramiro Cabral, executive vice president of International for Elanco. "This acquisition is another example of our approach to partner with companies to introduce novel innovation and further demonstrates our commitment to introduce antibiotic alternatives through internal or external innovation pathways."

"We are very pleased to come up with this agreement which sums up our combined efforts and early commitment to bring biological products to our industry," said Michel Fortin, president and CEO of Prevtec Microbia. "Our distribution agreement thus culminates in this exciting opportunity to provide actual and future vaccines to the animal health industry."

Elanco was the exclusive distributor for Coliprotec in Canada and Europe. These vaccine products are particularly important in Europe given the EU's direction to phase out the use of the antibiotic colistin and zinc oxide, both among the ways producers' protect against E.coli today. The transaction also brings Prevtec's research and development programs to Elanco's pipeline.

By acquiring Prevtec and bringing the Coliprotec line into Elanco's swine portfolio, Elanco will look to expand registration to other key geographies. Offering a full range of alternative solutions is particularly important given alternatives do not typically have the same broad spectrum of activity antibiotics deliver. With more than 1 billion pigs marketed globally each year, pork is the most widely consumed protein and a significant market opportunity.

Under the terms of the agreement, Elanco acquired the company, including inventory and pipeline assets in an all-cash deal for CAD $78.5 million (approx. $59.9 million USD). The agreement also includes a contingent payment of up to CAD $21.5 million (approx. $16.4 million USD) to the former Prevtec shareholders in Q1 2022, if certain sales milestones are achieved in 2021.



The New York Times: All the News That's Fit to Print...and Left on the Cutting Room Floor

On Sunday, Aug. 4, 2019, New York Times readers were treated to a wildly inaccurate and one-sided news story, commonly called a hit piece, about a 2015 salmonella outbreak in Washington State from tainted pork. The reporter misrepresented our industry, twisting comments to paint an essentially pre-determined narrative without regard for the truth.

The U.S. pork industry prides itself on having strict on-farm biosecurity protocols, demonstrated progress in responsible antibiotics use and a strong food safety record. Excellent animal care is imperative to produce healthy food for consumers. It's a shame the reporter presented none of this in the story.

The U.S. pork industry takes animal care and food safety very seriously and has demonstrated its commitment to responsible antibiotic use. Salmonella and other food safety cases are extremely rare.

Here are key facts omitted from the story:

Responsible Use of Antibiotics
-    U.S. pork producers supports and complies with U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations on the use of medically important antibiotics only to treat sick animals or those at risk of becoming sick and with veterinary oversight. This FDA report reflects declining use of antibiotics in pork production.
-    When antibiotics are used, farmers follow withdrawal periods set by FDA before marketing their animals.
-    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) tests for residues to confirm that meat is free of any harmful level of antibiotics. In March 2019, USDA's Agricultural Research Service reported that a survey of more than a thousand pork kidney samples found almost no veterinary drug residues and none at levels that even approached U.S. regulatory limits.
-    U.S. pork producers support veterinary oversight of antibiotic uses and objectives, scientifically rigorous studies and risk assessments to help farmers make informed decisions about the use of antibiotics in food animals.
-    The article also incorrectly mentions there is no information on antibiotic use on farms. In fact, the FDA is releasing such a report on Monday. The information will be based on a large sample population and highlights that the U.S. pork industry has farmers who produce a large proportion of pigs marketed in the U.S. that are voluntarily providing information to a government agency.
-    The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) is working with the USDA and the FDA to develop plans to continue to collect more detailed data on how antibiotics are used in food-animal production and to better understand the epidemiology of antibiotic resistance.

On-Farm Testing
-    NPPC and other agriculture groups have created a working group with USDA and state animal health inspectors and salmonella experts to determine investigation goals and effective protocols for visiting farms during a salmonella or other antibiotic resistant pathogen outbreak investigation. USDA has a memorandum of understanding with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to work on these issues. There is ongoing communication between CDC and agricultural groups discussing antibiotic resistance issues.
-    In September 2018, NPPC made commitments to the "AMR Challenge," an initiative led by CDC and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to bring together pharmaceutical and health insurance companies, food animal producers and purchasers, medical professionals, government health officials and leaders from around the world to collaborate on efforts to address antibiotic resistance. This global initiative will create international standards and codes of practices to prevent unsafe residues of veterinary drugs in food, develop integrated surveillance that can help mitigate risks associated with antibiotic use and minimize the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance in humans and animals.

Industry Input Ignored
-    The New York Times reporter spoke with NPPC Chief Veterinarian Liz Wagstrom approximately a year go for this story. He cites her as saying that visiting hog farms wouldn't yield valuable information in cases like the salmonella case profiled. He failed to include key comments made by Dr. Wagstrom. Specifically, she noted that the salmonella case profiled in the story began in April of 2015 and CDC wanted to start the investigation in August of that year—four months later. After that amount of time, it would be impossible to gather data to draw any reliable conclusions in the case.
-    When contacting NPPC on Friday, the New York Times reporter acknowledged he had lost notes reflecting pork industry input for this story from interviews he conducted approximately a year ago. Perhaps that explains the one-sided nature of this story.

The U.S. pork industry provides the highest quality, safest pork in the world. It's a shame The New York Times didn't provide the full picture to its readers.

Friday August 2 Ag News

Nebraska Soybean Management Field Days at four locations Aug. 13 - 16

Soybean Management Field Days help growers stay competitive in the global marketplace and increase profits while meeting the world's growing food and energy needs right here in Nebraska. The field days scheduled for Aug. 13-16 will offer producers research-based information to improve their soybean profitability.

The field days are sponsored by the Nebraska Soybean Checkoff in partnership with Nebraska Extension in the University of Nebraska–Lincoln's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and are funded through soybean checkoff dollars. The efforts of the checkoff are directed by the United Soybean Board promoting progress powered by U.S. farmers.

“Our goal is to help soybean growers maximize productivity and profitability through smart decisions and efficient use of resources. Meeting the world's growing food and energy needs starts right here in Nebraska – at the 2019 Soybean Management Field Days,” says Victor Bohuslavsky, Nebraska Soybean Board Executive Director.

According to Nebraska Extension Educator Keith Glewen, Soybean Management Field Days provides an opportunity to learn about research-based information. “Producers will see their checkoff dollars at work as they learn about leading technology and ideas.”

The event consists of four stops across the state, each with replicated research, demonstration plots, lunch, and time for questions. Producers can obtain ideas and insight about the challenges they face in producing a quality crop at a profitable price in today's global economy.

Presenters include university specialists, educators, and industry consultants. Topics include:
-    Making Sense of Production Costs and Policy Changes
-    Insects, Cover Crops, and Hail: Making Good Management Decisions
-    Soybean Weed Control and Cover Crops - What's Doing All the Work? Rethinking Your Weed Management Program and Cover Crops and Soil Microbial Communities - Possible Effects on Soybean Nutrition and Nutrient Cycling
-    Soybean Production and Cover Crops - Seed, Planting, and Irrigation Management Decisions

Agronomists and plant disease and insect specialists will be available to address production-related questions. Participants can bring unknown crop problems for free identification.

The field days will begin with free registration at 9 a.m. and end at 2:30 p.m.

Dates and Locations
The field days begin with 9 a.m. registration and conclude at 2:30 p.m.
-    Aug. 13 ― Sargent, Don Fellows Farm From Sargent: Go 2 miles north on Hwy. 183 then turn west on Road 817 and go 1/4 mile. The field day is on the south side of the road. GPS coordinates: 41.669138, -99.370768
-    Aug. 14 ― Pilger, Tim and Angie Labenz Farm From Pilger:  Go 2 miles south onto Hwy. 15, then 1 mile west on 837 Ave., and 1/4 mile north on 573 Rd. The field day is on the east side of the road. GPS coordinates: 41.967281, -97.078066
-    Aug. 15 ― Plymouth, Ross and Judd Boekner Farm From Plymouth: Go 2 miles west on Hwy. 4 and 1/4 mile north on 576th Ave. The field day is on the west side of the road. GPS coordinates: 40.308921,-97.029196
-    Aug. 16 ― Waverly, Lynn Neujahr Farm From Waverly: From the intersection of Hwy. 6 and 148th St. go south 2.5 miles on 148th St., then 3/4 mile west on Alvo Rd. The field day is on south side of the road. GPS Coordinates: 40.885317, -96.535462

For more information about the field days and maps to sites, visit http://enrec.unl.edu/soydays, or contact the Nebraska Soybean Board at 800-852-BEAN or Nebraska Extension at 800-529-8030.



NEBRASKA EXTENSION PROVIDES IN-FIELD TRAINING IN AUGUST ON SOIL HEALTH, CORN AND SOYBEAN PRODUCTION

Nebraska Extension is offering in-field training opportunities at three Crop Management Diagnostic Clinics in late August. They include the Soil Health Clinic Aug. 22, the Midwest Soybean Production Clinic Aug. 27, and the Midwest Corn Production Clinic Aug. 28.

The clinics feature:
-    hands-on, in-field training with CCA credits;
-    the unbiased expertise of university specialists;
-    up-to-date research-based information; and
-    one-on-one attention, on-site plot demonstrations, and beneficial interaction with other participants. The small manageable groups promote interaction between presenters and participants.

The training sessions consistently receive excellent reviews. Last year, participants estimated the value of the knowledge gained and/or anticipated practice changes would increase income by $9.16 per acre.

The clinics are held at a site specifically developed for the training at the University of Nebraska Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center (ENREC) near Mead. The corn and soybean clinics will feature plots with crop growth and development at a range of vegetative/reproductive growth stages, allowing participants to see a whole growing season in one place.

Early registration is recommended to reserve a seat and resource materials. If registering for one clinic, the cost is $115 if registering one week in advance and $140 after.  A two-day discount is provided for those registering for both corn and soybean clinics; cost is $170 one week in advance and $220 after.

The clinics are backed by a money-back guarantee if a participant is not completely satisfied with the training.

Participants will meet at the August N. Christenson Research and Education Building at the University’s Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center near Mead.

Aug. 22 - Midwest Soil Health Clinic
A hands-on experience to learn more about the components of soil health

This outdoor training experience will be of value to home and acreage owners, farm operators, and industry consultants, said Nebraska Extension Educator Keith Glewen.  “One of our objectives of this training is to demonstrate the dynamics of the soil which includes physical, chemical and biological properties. Hopefully, this information will aid urban and rural stewards of the soil to implement practices to improve soil health.”

Trainers include University of Nebraska-Lincoln faculty and resource personnel from the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service. In addition to the hands-on experience, attendees will receive a resource notebook.

Time: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. with registration at 8 a.m.

Topics:  Management considerations to improve soil health; measuring bulk density,  porosity, and infiltration and the impact on soil health; physical soil properties – the foundation for soil health; cover crops for improving soil health; what is soil biology – active carbon test; soil characteristics, productivity and landscape position; and chemical soil properties.

CCA Credits: 6.5 credits in soil and water management have been applied for and are pending
   
Aug. 27 – Midwest Soybean Production Clinic
Time: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. with registration at 8 a.m.

Topics: Cultural practices; genetics/agronomics; insect management in soybeans; plant pathology; soil fertility;  IPM for successful weed management in soybean; and irrigation

CCA Credits:  Eight credits have been approved (2.5 – crop management; 1 – nutrition management; 1 - soil and water management; and 3.5 in pest management)

Aug. 28 – Midwest Corn Production Clinic
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 5 p.m. with registration at 7:30 a.m.

Topics: Cultural practices; genetics/production: How much of the yield potential can be fulfilled?; insect damage on corn; plant pathology; soil fertility; and IPM for successful weed management in corn

CCA Credits:  Eight credits have been approved. (1 – crop management; 2 – nutrition management; 4 – pest management, and 1 – soil and water management)

Visit the program website for more information or to register or contact Nebraska Extension CMDC Programs, 1071 County Road G, Ithaca, NE 68033, 800-529-8030, email cdunbar2@unl.edu, or fax 402-624-8010.



Iowa’s Best Burger at Iowa State Fair
The 2019 Iowa’s Best Burger will be featured during the upcoming Iowa State Fair at the Cattlemen’s Beef Quarters on Friday, August 9. This year, Iowa’s Best Burger comes from Wood Iron Grille in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

Wood Iron Grille will feature their signature burger, the Wood Iron Original Burger. This award-winning burger includes a hand-pattied beef burger consisting of a mixture of ground chuck and beef short ribs and features applewood smoked bacon, a sweet and tangy onion jalapeno jam and smoked cheddar cheese.

The Wood Iron Original Burger will be sold for $9 at the Cattlemen’s Beef Quarters and will be available to fair-goers for one-day-only starting at 10 a.m. on August 9 while supplies last.

“The Wood Iron Grille burger is very delicious and I think our customers will enjoy it,” states John Mortimer, Manager of the Cattlemen’s Beef Quarters. “This will give fair-goers the chance to try the award-winning burger if they are unable to travel to the restaurant in Oskaloosa.”

The Iowa’s Best Burger Contest is hosted annually by the Iowa Beef Industry Council and Iowa Cattlemen’s Association. Nearly 6,000 nominations for 500 restaurants were received between February 11 and March 11 this year. The winner was announced on May 1.

The Cattlemen’s Beef Quarters is open daily during the Iowa State Fair, August 8-18, 2019. Breakfast is served from 6:30 a.m. – 10 a.m., lunch and dinner is served from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. More information can be found daily at www.cattlemensbeefquarters.com and on their Facebook page.



Iowa Corn Farmer-Leader Wayne Humphreys Elected to U.S. Grains Council Board

Delegates of the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) elected Wayne Humphreys, a farmer from Columbus Junction, as a Corn Sector Director during their 59th Annual Board of Delegates meeting in Cincinnati, Ohio on Wednesday. Humphreys currently serves as the president of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board® (ICPB).

“As I take my place on the USGC Board, I am eager to learn and provide insights that will help build our global trade markets,” said Humphreys. “It is vital corn farmers have secure markets for corn in every form, especially during these trying times, and my goal is to help secure international markets. The fastest-growing segment for corn demand is the export of ethanol to international markets, and USGC has boots on the ground working towards making that happen.”

ICPB Director Duane Aistrope also sits on the USGC Board as an At-Large Director. Deb Keller has finished her position as Past-Chair for 2018-2019, and she will now retire from the board after serving for many years. “As a corn farmer, I always knew how important markets were, but until I became active with USGC I wasn’t aware of all the intricacies involved in enabling trade,” said Keller. “I’ve come to appreciate how much the Council does for me as a farmer, not only developing markets but also enabling trade for us as farmers. It truly has been an honor to represent other corn farmers by serving on the USGC Board,” she said. Keller is a past director of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board and has served on Iowa Corn’s Exports & Grain Trade Committee.

During these difficult agricultural trade environments, USGC put new insight into emerging markets in India and Africa and focused on new opportunities for ethanol sales during the meeting. The Council’s delegate body heard from multiple speakers including the CEO of Edgewise Trade Advisers and a former USDA Foreign Agricultural Services (FAS) official Scott Sindelar. “There is a significant role the USGC can play in India. India’s leaders are intent to have the country be a leader on the global stage, and changes within the Indian government could help USGC programs build demand and enable change from within,” stated Sindelar at the meeting on Tuesday.



United States and European Union Sign Breakthrough Agreement on U.S. Beef Access to EU

The United States will be able to nearly triple its annual duty-free exports of beef to the European Union (EU) over the next seven years under a new agreement signed today at the White House.

American ranchers will be guaranteed a bigger share of Europe’s beef market, with annual duty-free exports expected to grow from $150 million to $420 million when the agreement is fully implemented.

“American ranchers produce the best beef in the world. Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, this new agreement ensures that American ranchers can sell more of that beef to Europe,” said U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, who signed the agreement with the Honorable Jani Raappana of Finland, representing the Presidency of the EU, and Ambassador Stavros Lambrinidis of the Delegation of the EU.

The new agreement negotiated by the Trump Administration establishes a duty-free tariff rate quota (TRQ) exclusively for the United States. Under the agreement, American ranchers will have an initial TRQ of 18,500 metric tons annually, valued at approximately $220 million.  Over seven years, the TRQ will grow to 35,000 metric tons annually, valued at approximately $420 million.

Under the current agreement, U.S. duty-free beef exports to the EU are only approximately 13,000 metric tons annually, valued at approximately $150 million, and risked declines going forward.

Background
In 2016, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, U.S. Meat Export Federation, and the North American Meat Institute requested the U.S. Trade Representative to take tariff action under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to enforce the World Trade Organization dispute finding in favor of the United States against the EU’s ban on the use of hormones in cattle production. USTR held a public hearing on February 15, 2017. 

Negotiations resulted in a new agreement, which was approved by the European Council on July 15, 2019. It will go into effect following the European Parliament’s approval, which is expected this fall. With the EU providing a country specific duty-free quota for U.S. beef, the United States has agreed as a part of the agreement signed today to conclude the proceedings under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 initiated in December 2016.



NCBA Hails Increased Access to European Markets for U.S. Beef

Jennifer Houston, President of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), today joined President Trump and other NCBA officers at a White House signing ceremony for an agreement that will establish a duty-free quota for high-quality American beef in the European Union (EU).

Houston released the following statement after the event:
 “Today is a good day for America’s cattlemen and cattlewomen. President Trump and his trade team deserve a lot of credit for standing up for America’s cattle industry and securing this important market access to Europe. For many years it has been difficult for us to sell our high-quality U.S. beef to European consumers because of the restrictive tariff and non-tariff barriers, but the establishment of this 35,000 metric ton duty-free quota sends the signal to America’s cattle industry that Europe is ready for U.S. beef. All across America, our beef producers go to great lengths to raise safe and delicious beef products that are enjoyed by consumers around the world. It is exciting to know that European families will enjoy more of the delicious U.S. beef that we feed our families. And this would not have happened if it were not for the effort of President Trump and his trade team.”
 
BACKGROUND:
The Office of the United States Trade Representative announced the signing of an agreement with the European Union to establish a duty-free quota for high-quality U.S. beef from non-hormone treated cattle. Once implemented, the annual quota will increase from 18,500 metric tons in year one to 35,000 metric tons in year seven. The country-specific quota will benefit U.S. beef producers who participate in USDA’s non-hormone treated cattle program that was established in 1999. USTR estimates that this quota will increase annual U.S. beef sales in Europe from $150 million to $420 million in year seven.



Fischer Statement on U.S.-EU Beef Trade Agreement

U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a cattle-rancher and a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, released the following statement after President Donald Trump announced a beef trade deal between the U.S. and the European Union (EU):

“The Beef State welcomes the news of this new trade agreement between the U.S. and the EU. Nebraskans produce some of the most high-quality and delicious beef there is and this deal marks another opportunity for our families, communities, and businesses. I look forward to continuing to work with this administration on opening more markets for our state’s hardworking ag producers.”

The trade deal announced today will allow the U.S. to export 35,000 tons of hormone-free beef to the EU per year.



Ricketts Praises President Trump’s EU Agreement to Increase Beef Exports

Today, Governor Pete Ricketts issued a statement following news that President Donald J. Trump signed a new deal with the European Union (EU), which will increase beef exports from the United States to the EU.

“For years, we have been working to increase the amount of beef Nebraska exports to the European Union,” said Governor Ricketts.  “This agreement from President Trump presents a major growth opportunity for our state, and will help Nebraska build on our successes from the last 15 years.  As we seize this great opportunity, I look forward to taking our message about Nebraska beef on the road during my trade mission to Germany this November.”

In 2005, only five percent of the U.S. beef entering the EU came from Nebraska.  By, 2018, Nebraska’s share rose to 53%, and was valued at $124.3 million.  

President Trump’s new deal will allow the U.S. to almost triple the amount of beef it is currently exporting.  As the nation’s leader in commercial red meat production and a top three exporter of US beef, Nebraska agriculture stands to benefit greatly from the expansion of this marketplace.

In 2015, Governor Ricketts led a trade mission to the EU to promote Nebraska products.



Statement by Steve Nelson, President, Regarding European Union Deal on U.S. Beef

“President Trump’s announcement that the European Union will grant increased access to the European markets for U.S. beef is great news for Nebraska beef producers. Quality beef is in high demand in the European Union, particularly in countries like Germany and Italy. Today’s action will only boost opportunities for Nebraska beef producers to fill these markets moving forward.”

“Under the deal, U.S. farmers will ultimately be entitled to nearly 80 percent of the European Union’s quota on hormone-free beef over the next seven years. The quota is the result of a long-standing dispute between the two countries that led to several dispute settlement proceedings with the World Trade Organization that stem back to the European Union’s decades old decision to ban hormone-treated meat, despite overwhelming scientific evidence the product is safe for consumers.”

“Hopefully, today’s deal is a positive step in building relations to secure a bilateral trade deal with the European Union to open even greater access for U.S. agriculture products. Nebraska shipments of beef and beef products to the European Union ranged from $120-$143 million over the last five years. That’s between 40-50 percent of total U.S. shipments. With the agriculture economy struggling and the recent difficulties in trade negotiations with China, it’s critical we continue to grow agriculture market opportunities where we can.”



Secretary Perdue Statement on U.S. and E.U. Beef Agreement

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement after an agreement was signed between the United States and the European Union regarding beef trade between the two nations:

“Getting more US beef into the EU market is yet another example of President Trump expanding markets around the globe for our agriculture producers. EU consumers desire high quality products, and I have no doubt that when given the opportunity to purchase U.S. products we will see more Europeans choose to buy American. America’s farmers and ranchers are the most productive on earth and I thank President Trump and Ambassador Lighthizer for their continued work to promote the bounty of the American harvest across the world.”



USMEF Statement on Signing of U.S.-EU Agreement on Access for U.S. Beef

Today at the White House, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer signed an agreement granting the United States a country-specific share of the European Union's duty-free high-quality beef quota. U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Dan Halstrom, who participated in the White House ceremony, issued the following statement:

This agreement provides more reliable and consistent access to the EU market and will be a tremendous boost for the U.S. beef industry. The agreement sends a very positive signal to customers in Europe who see a bright future for U.S. beef and to producers who are interested in expanding their non-hormone treated cattle (NHTC) business but have grown frustrated as they struggled to recover the additional production costs. USMEF greatly appreciates the tireless efforts of USTR and USDA to secure better access to this very high-value beef market.



2018 FARM PRODUCTION EXPENDITURES UP 7 PERCENT

Farm and ranch production expenditures for Nebraska totaled $24.2 billion in 2018, up 7 percent from a year earlier, according to USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Livestock expenses, the largest expenditure category, at $8.09 billion, increased 28 percent from 2017. Feed, the next largest expense category at $3.10 billion, increased 3 percent from 2017. Rent, the third largest total expense category, at $2.44 billion, increased 2 percent from 2017.

Livestock expenses accounted for 33 percent of Nebraska's total production expenditures. Feed accounted for 13, rent 10, and farm services 8 percent.

The total expenditures per farm or ranch in Nebraska averaged $528,105 in 2018, up 8 percent from 2017. The Livestock expense category was the leading expenditure, at $176,253 per operation, 7.69 times the national average. Rent expenditures, at $53,159 per operation, were 3.73 times the national average. The average feed expenditure, at $67,538, was 2.54 times the national average. Farm services expenditures per operation, at $43,791, were 2.01 times the national average.

These results are based on data from Nebraska farmers and ranchers who participated in the Agricultural Resource Management Study conducted by USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Producers were contacted in January through April to collect 2018 farm and ranch expenses.



2018 United States Total Farm Production Expenditure Highlights

Farm production expenditures in the United States are estimated at $354.0 billion for 2018, down from $357.8 billion in 2017. The 2018 total farm production expenditures are down 1.1 percent compared with 2017 total farm production expenditures. For the 17 line items, 7 showed an increase from previous year, while the rest showed a decrease.

The four largest expenditures at the United States level total $178.1 billion and account for 50.3 percent of total expenditures in 2018. These include feed, 15.2 percent, farm services, 12.5 percent, livestock, poultry and related expenses, 13.1 percent, and labor, 9.6 percent.

In 2018, the United States total farm expenditure average per farm is $175,169, down 0.4 percent from $175,935 in 2017. On average, United States farm operations spent $26,622 on feed, $22,911 on livestock, poultry and related expenses, $21,822 on farm services, and $16,775 on labor. For 2017, United States farms spent an average of $26,798 on feed, $21,193 on farm services, $20,455 on livestock, poultry, and related expenses, and $17,702 on labor.

Total fuel expense is $12.3 billion. Diesel, the largest sub component, is $8.1 billion, accounting for 65.9 percent. Diesel expenditures are up 8.0 percent from the previous year. Gasoline is $2.13 billion, down 3.2 percent. LP gas is $1.41 billion, up 0.7 percent. Other fuel is $660 million, down 17.5 percent.

The United States economic sales class contributing most to the 2018 United States total expenditures is the $1,000,000 - $4,999,999 class, with expenses of $113.3 billion, 32.0 percent of the United States total, down 2.2 percent from the 2017 level of $115.9 billion. The next highest is the $5,000,000 and Over class with $92.5 billion, up from $91.2 billion in 2017.

In 2018, crop farms expenditures decreased to $181.9 billion, down 1.5 percent, while livestock farms expenditures decreased to $172.1 billion, down 0.6 percent. The largest expenditures for crop farms are rent at $24.1 billion (13.2 percent of total), labor at $24.5 billon (13.5 percent), and farm services at $24.8 billion (13.6 percent). Combined crop inputs (chemicals, fertilizers, and seeds) are $53.2 billion, accounting for 29.2 percent of crop farms total expenses. The largest expenditures for livestock farms are feed at $52.3 billion (30.4 percent of total), livestock, poultry and related expenses at $44.2 billion (25.7 percent), and farm services at $19.3 billion (11.2 percent). Together, these line items account for 67.3 percent of livestock farms total expenses. The average total expenditure for a crop farm is $208,026 compared to $150,108 per livestock farm.

The Midwest region contributed the most to United States total expenditures with expenses of $104.7 billion (29.6 percent), down from $107.8 billion in 2017. Other regions, ranked by total expenditures, are the Plains at $91.7 billion (25.9 percent), West at $76.2 billion (21.5 percent), Atlantic at $45.0 billion (12.7 percent), and South at $36.3 billion (10.3 percent). The Midwest decreased $3.1 billion from 2017, which is the largest regional decrease.

Combined total expenditures for the 15 estimate states is $232.8 billion in 2018 (65.8 percent of the United States total expenditures) and $236.0 billion in 2017 (65.9 percent). California contributed most to the 2018 United States total expenditures, with expenses of $36.8 billion, (10.4 percent). California expenditures are down 2.7 percent from the 2017 estimate of $37.8 billion. Iowa, the next leading state, has $25.3 billion in expenses, (7.2 percent). Other states with more than $20 billion in total expenditures are Texas with $25.1 billion and Nebraska with $24.2 billion.



Ernst Calls for Rollback of Obama-era WOTUS Rule to Be Codified Into Law

U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) introduced legislation to codify into law the Trump Administration’s rollback of the Obama-era “Waters of the United States,” or “WOTUS,” rule.

“The Obama-era WOTUS rule threatened Iowa’s farmers, manufacturers, and small businesses by giving the federal government authority to regulate water on 97 percent of land in our state,” said Senator Joni Ernst. “President Trump and his administration have taken tremendous steps to roll back this overreaching regulation and provide for more certainty with a new, clearer definition of WOTUS. But it’s the job of Congress to make a new, reasonable definition permanent, and that’s what this bill does—it ensures more predictability and workability for Iowans for years to come.”

In late 2018, the Trump Administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a proposed rule to replace the Obama Administration’s 2015 WOTUS rule. The Define WOTUS Act would codify a definition of “Waters of the United States” and reassert Congressional responsibility to define this important term. The definition in the Define WOTUS Act also makes substantial improvements over various administrative attempts to define the term by clearly outlining what is, and is not, a federally regulated waterway.

Senator Ernst introduced the bill with Senator Mike Braun (R-IN).

Background
Like EPA’s rule, the Define WOTUS Act provides much greater certainty to American farmers, workers, businesses and landowners. It gives landowners clear guidelines by which they can go out on their land and clearly determine what is regulated by the EPA and what is not. Because Congress is not restricted by various rulemaking statutes, the Define WOTUS Act provides a clearer definition with more obvious safeguards to protect against a runaway bureaucracy.



NCBA Applauds Introduction of the Define WOTUS Act

National Cattlemen's Beef Association Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, Colin Woodall today released the following statement in response to the introduction of the Define WOTUS Act by U.S. Sens. Mike Braun of Indiana and Joni Ernst of Iowa:

"America’s cattle producers welcome the introduction of the Define WOTUS Act. The Trump Administration is working hard to repeal and replace the illegally broad 2015 WOTUS Rule, but finalization of a practical WOTUS definition is only the beginning. EPA will spend years proving what the Senate made clear today: Congress intends the management of America’s waters to be accomplished through cooperative federalism. NCBA appreciates the leadership or Senators Ernst and Braun, and additionally appreciates the Define WOTUS Act’s inclusion of NCBA’s science-based proposal of 185 flow days per year for determining federal jurisdiction."



ASA Now Accepting Applications for the Conservation Legacy Awards

Share the story of how conservation is part of your farm operation and you could be recognized with a Conservation Legacy Award. The awards recognize farm management practices of U.S. soybean farmers that are both environmentally friendly and profitable.

Are you using a reduced tillage practice on your farm? Do you grow cover crops? Have you taken steps to improve energy efficiency or water quality? These are just a few conservation practices used on some farms today that can help produce sustainable U.S. soybeans. Different regions of the country have their own unique challenges and ways to approach conservation and sustainability. We want to hear your farm’s conservation story!

All U.S. soybean farmers are eligible to enter to win a Conservation Legacy Award. Entries are judged on soil management, water management, input management, conservation, environmental management and sustainability.

The selection process for these awards is divided into four regions – the Midwest, Upper Midwest, the Northeast and the South. One farmer from each of these regions will be recognized at the 2020 Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Texas, and one of these farmers will be named the National Conservation Legacy Award recipient.

Award Winners Receive:
-    An expense paid trip for two to Commodity Classic, Feb. 27-29, 2020, in San Antonio, Texas.
-    A feature story and video featuring the award winner’s farm and conservation practices.
-    Potential opportunity for the national winner to join other farmer-leaders on an international trip to visit U.S. soy customers overseas.

The Conservation Legacy Awards are sponsored by the American Soybean Association (ASA), BASF, Bayer, the United Soybean Board/soybean checkoff and Valent U.S.A.

More information on past winners of the award and how to submit your application is available in the “About” section under “Awards” on the ASA website https://soygrowers.com/about/awards/conservation-legacy/. All applications must be submitted by Friday, Sept. 13, 2019.



U.S. Ethanol Exports Surge in June while Imports Return; Distillers Grains Exports Remain RobustAnn Lewis, Renewable Fuels Assoc. Research Analyst
   
U.S. ethanol exports increased to 128.4 million gallons (mg) in June, according to data issued by the government and analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). This was a 29% jump from May.

Canada was the top destination for the second consecutive month, with a 28% increase in sales at 29.5 mg of ethanol. Shipments to Brazil nearly tripled in June to 28.0 mg, up 164% after sales plummeted 74% in May. India was the third-largest destination at 21.9 mg, a 52% gain over the prior month. Other top importers of American ethanol included South Korea (6.8 mg, down 24%), Colombia (6.8 mg, down 25%), Oman (6.3 mg), and Peru (6.1 mg). Total exports for the first half of the year stand at 759.9 mg—19% lower than the first six months of 2018. This implies an annualized export volume of 1.52 billion gallons which, if realized, would be the second-largest volume on record.

June shipments of U.S. undenatured fuel ethanol were 64.0 mg, a gain of 31% following a drop in May. Sales to our two largest customers, Brazil (25.6 mg, up 15 mg) and India (18.9 mg, up 4.5 mg), improved by an average of 78% in June and accounted for 70% of our global market for undenatured fuel. Other key destinations were Spain (5.8 mg) and Mexico (3.5 mg).

U.S. exports of denatured fuel ethanol experienced a 16% upturn in June at 53.5 mg. This includes a 30% bump in sales to Canada at 28.1 mg, which accounted for half of American product exported. Oman (6.3 mg), Peru (6.1 mg), and Colombia (6.0 mg) were other major markets.

U.S. sales of ethanol for non-fuel, non-beverage purposes rallied in June as 10.9 mg entered the global marketplace, over 6 mg above May volumes. U.S. shippers exported 7.1 mg of undenatured product, with the bulk distributed to Brazil (2.4 mg), Saudi Arabia (2.1 mg), South Korea, Colombia, and Canada. India (3.0 mg) sourced most exported denatured product for non-fuel, non-beverage purposes.

The U.S. imported 24.0 mg of undenatured fuel ethanol from Brazil in June. This was the largest monthly volume of foreign ethanol to enter the U.S. since Aug. 2018. Total imports for the first half of the year stand at 47.9 mg, compared to 1.6 mg the first six months of 2018. This implies an annualized import volume of 95.7 mg for 2019 which, if realized, would represent the largest volume in six years.

U.S. exports of dried distillers grains (DDGS), the animal feed co-product generated by dry-mill ethanol plants, pared back 6% to 962,592 metric tons (mt) in June after experiencing a jump the prior month. Mexico was again the top customer despite a 29% decline in sales, purchasing 162,887 mt. DDGS exports to Vietnam shot 37% higher to a seven-month high of 125,523 mt. Other key customers were South Korea (114,564 mt, up 4%), Indonesia (82,334 mt, up 10%), Canada (71,384 mt, up 20%), and Turkey (71,326 mt, down 39%). Shipments to these six top markets represented two-thirds of all global sales, with remaining volumes distributed among another 30 countries. U.S. distillers grains exports for the first half of 2019 stand at 5.35 million mt—5% lower than the first six months of 2018. This implies an annualized export volume of 10.70 million mt.



VanderGriend Elected to Growth Energy Board of Directors

Growth Energy today announced that Nathan VanderGriend has been elected to the organization’s board of directors. Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor issued the following statement, welcoming VanderGriend to the board:

“We welcome Nathan as the newest member of our board of directors,” Skor said. “Nathan brings a unique perspective to the table, with years of industry experience and dedication that will prove to be invaluable as we continue to build a brighter future for American biofuels. I look forward to working with Nathan as he joins this esteemed group of leaders for Growth Energy.”

“In the eight years I’ve been a member of Growth Energy, I have seen first-hand the level of commitment, desire, and unwavering determination Growth Energy embodies as it leads this industry into the future,” said VanderGriend. “From pushing our industry’s legislative priorities and protecting the RFS in Congress, to securing market growth through year-round E15 and Prime the Pump, Growth Energy has led the charge. I am proud to be joining the Growth Energy Board and look forward to championing the strategies that create better markets and more opportunities for my customers.”

Nathan VanderGriend is the President and CEO of ERI Solutions Inc., which provides environmental, health and safety (EH&S), non-destructive testing (NDT), sustainability, and risk control solutions for a range of industries, including the biofuels industry.  In addition to this role, VanderGriend oversees Paragon NDT, LLC, a full-service non-destructive testing and inspection company, manages and serves on the board of ERM SPC, Ltd., a captive reinsurance company, and serves on the board of Mission Haiti, a non-profit service organization focused on improving the lives of the people of Haiti. Prior to assuming his current position, VanderGriend served as ERI Solutions Inc.’s Vice President of Client Relations.

Growth Energy’s board of directors represents the most diverse set of leaders in the biofuels industry and includes producers large and small, advocacy experts, agricultural leaders, and a NASCAR team owner.



Bankruptcy Bill Will Help More Family Farmers Access Relief

The U.S. Senate yesterday passed the Family Farmer Relief Act of 2019, a bill that will expand family farmers' access to relief under Chapter 12 farm bankruptcy rules by increasing the debt limit from $4.2 million to $10 million. The bill, which was approved by the House of Representatives last week, now awaits President Donald Trump’s signature.

National Farmers Union (NFU) endorsed the legislation when it was first introduced in April, as it would help more family farmers avoid liquidation or foreclosure. NFU President Roger Johnson released the following statement in response to its passage:

“Chronic overproduction, an ongoing international trade war, and a series of extreme weather events have created a perfect storm for the farm economy. Farm debt is at a record high, and too many operations have been pushed to the brink financially. The Family Farmer Relief Act will help more family farmers access Chapter 12 relief, giving them a fighting chance to stay in business. We applaud Congress for passing this important legislation, and we urge President Trump to swiftly enact it into law.”

Thursday August 1 Ag News

UNL Student from Bassett Receives Keith R. Olsen Ag Policy Internship Award

Katie Nolles of Bassett, Neb., recently wrapped up a summer in Washington D.C. as the most recent recipient of the Keith R. Olsen Agricultural Policy Internship Award.

Nolles is a member of the Rock County Farm Bureau and is a senior at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln majoring in Agricultural Education. The Olsen Internship Award enabled her to intern in Congressman Adrian Smith’s office in Washington, D.C., this summer. The monetary award helped cover Nolles’ living and housing expenses.

“I was truly able to observe and be involved with all aspects of working on Capitol Hill. I loved learning about all of the moving pieces that go into making policy happen, applying what I learned in all of my coursework, and connecting with fellow constituents,” Nolles said Aug. 5.

Noells described her experience in Washington D.C. as a dream internship since her early teenage years. Admittedly, life in D.C. and working on Capitol Hill was an adjustment since she comes from a town of 600 people. But everyone was so helpful.

“Visiting with interns from offices across the country, I quickly found out how fortunate I was to have interned in an office where I got to visit with Congressman Smith regularly, where the staff trusted me with projects, and where my values aligned,” Nolles said.

Nolles said her internship has given her valuable insight and understanding of the federal legislative process that she will utilize in her future teaching career. She is minoring in Leadership-Entrepreneurship through the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program and Nebraska Beef Industry Scholars.

“A question that I have been asked frequently since accepting the internship is, ‘Wait, if you want to be a teacher, why are you working in politics?’  I am fortunate that global awareness and understanding of government and democracy was instilled in me from a young age, but many youth don’t understand these concepts.  As a future teacher, I am excited to share my experiences with students while teaching them to analyze issues and how policy affects agriculture,” she said.

She is thankful for the Nebraska Farm Bureau’s support and recommends that any student members who are interested in agriculture policy to apply for the Keith R. Olsen Agricultural Policy Internship Award and experience Capitol Hill first-hand.

“Last fall, when I took AECN 345, an agriculture policy course, with Dr. Brad Lubben.  I enthusiastically absorbed any information that was shared in his class, and met all of the guest speakers who shared their careers relating to ag policy. When Jordan Dux spoke to our class, I knew that I wanted to receive the Olsen Award. Finding a paid internship in D.C. is a challenge in itself. While I did receive payment for my internship, it was incredibly helpful to receive this award to help fund housing and living expenses. Especially as I student teach this semester and cannot work, I am so grateful to have Nebraska Farm Bureau supporting my growth and alleviating some financial burden, so that I can focus on doing my best work.” Nolles said.

The Keith R. Olsen Agricultural Policy Internship Award was established in 2011 by the Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation to honor Olsen, who served as Farm Bureau president from 2002-2011 and on the board of directors for nearly 20 years. Olsen had emphasized creating opportunities in agriculture for young people during his years with the organization.

The award provides up to $3,000 to a UNL College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources junior or senior to work as an intern in a Nebraska Congressional office, a Congressional Committee or approved agricultural organization.



2019 NEBRASKA HONEY BEE COLONIES

Data collection for July 2019 quarterly honey bee colonies has been suspended. Before deciding to suspend data collection, NASS reviewed its estimating programs against mission- and user-based criteria as well as the amount of time remaining in the fiscal year to meet its budget and program requirements while maintaining the strongest data in service to U.S. agriculture. Information about all NASS surveys and reports is available online at www.nass.usda.gov.

Honey bee colonies for operations with five or more colonies in Nebraska as of January 1, 2019 totaled 13,500 according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. During 2018, honey bee colonies on January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1 were 6,500, 10,500, 52,000, and 45,000, respectively.

Honey bee colonies lost for operations with five or more colonies during the quarter of January-March 2019, was 2,500 colonies or 15 percent lost. The quarter of July-September 2018, at 6,500 or 12 percent, showed the highest number of lost honey bee colonies of any quarter in 2018. The quarter of January-March 2018 had a loss of 430 colonies or 3 percent, the lowest number of honey bee colonies lost in 2018.

Honey bee colonies added for operations with five or more colonies during the quarter of January-March 2019, was 0 colonies. The quarter of July-September 2018, added 8,500 colonies, the highest number of honey bee colonies added for any quarter in 2018. The quarter of January- March 2018, at 0 added, showed the lowest number of honey bee colonies added during 2018.

Honey bee colonies renovated for operations with five or more colonies during the quarter of January-March 2019, was 0 colonies. During July-September 2018, 5,000 colonies were renovated, the highest number of colonies renovated during 2018. The lowest number of honey bee colonies renovated for any quarter of 2018, at 0, occurred during January-March 2018. Renovated colonies are those that were requeened or received new honey bees through a nuc or package.

Varroa mites were the number one stressor for operations with five or more colonies during three of the four quarters of 2018. The quarter of July-September 2018 showed the highest percentage of varroa mites during 2018, at 24.1 percent. The percent of colonies reported to be affected by varroa mites during January-March 2019 was 32.3 percent.



2019 IOWA HONEY BEE COLONIES

Honey bee colonies for operations with 5 or more colonies in Iowa as of January 1, 2019, totaled 7,500 colonies. This is 82 percent below the 41,000 colonies on January 1 last year, and 64 percent below the 21,000 colonies during the October-December 2018 quarter. Producers boosted their January 1 inventory by moving colonies into Iowa and adding colonies to a maximum of 11,500 during the January-March 2019 quarter. Since January 2018 the July-September 2018 quarter had the largest maximum number of colonies, with 57,000, while January-March 2019 quarter had the smallest maximum number of colonies with 11,500.

Honey bee colonies lost for operations with 5 or more colonies for the January-March 2019 quarter was 1,600 or 14 percent. This was 9 percentage points above the same period last year but 6 percentage points below losses reported during the October-December 2018 quarter. Since January 2018 the largest percentage of the colonies lost, at 20 percent, or 4,200 colonies, occurred in the October-December 2018 quarter. The January-March 2019 quarter had the fewest number of colonies lost, at 1,600 colonies.

Varroa mites were the number one stressor for operations with 5 or more colonies since January 2018.  The January-March 2019 quarter showed varroa mites affected 34.8 percent of Iowa’s honey bee colonies, which is the second highest level since January 2018. Other Pests and Parasites, Diseases, Pesticides, and Other Causes categories all saw sharp declines in percent stressed in the January-March 2019 quarter from the October-December 2018 quarter.



January 1 Honey Bee Colonies Up 1 Percent

Honey bee colonies for operations with five or more colonies in the United States on January 1, 2019 totaled 2.67 million colonies, up 1 percent from January 1, 2018. During 2018, honey bee colonies on January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1 were 2.64 million, 2.67 million, 2.96 million, and 2.87 million colonies, respectively.

Honey bee colonies lost for operations with five or more colonies from January through March 2019, was 408 thousand colonies, or 15 percent. During the quarter of October through December 2018, colonies lost totaled 445 thousand colonies, or 16 percent, the highest number lost of any quarter in 2018. The quarter in 2018 with the lowest number of colonies lost was April through June, with 355 thousand colonies lost, or 13 percent.

Honey bee colonies added for operations with five or more colonies from January through March 2019 was 248 thousand colonies. During the quarter of April through June 2018, 676 thousand colonies were added, the highest number of honey bee colonies added for any quarter of 2018. The quarter of October through December 2018 added 220 thousand colonies, the least number of honey bee colonies added for any quarter of 2018.

Honey bee colonies renovated for operations with five or more colonies from January through March 2019 was 180 thousand colonies, or 7 percent. The quarter in 2018 with the highest number of colonies renovated was April through June with 740 thousand colonies renovated, or 28 percent. The quarter in 2018 with the lowest number of colonies renovated was October through December 2018, with 155 thousand, or 5 percent. Renovated colonies are those that were requeened or received new honey bees through a nuc or package.

Varroa Mites Top Colony Stressor
Varroa mites were the number one stressor for operations with five or more colonies during all quarters of 2018. The quarter of April through June 2018 had the highest percentage of colonies reported to be affected by varroa mites at 56.4 percent. The percent of colonies reported to be affected by varroa mites during January through March 2019 were 45.6 percent.

Colonies Lost with Colony Collapse Disorder Symptoms Down 26 Percent
Honey bee colonies lost with Colony Collapse Disorder symptoms on operations with five or more colonies was 59.9 thousand colonies from January through March 2019. This is a 26 percent decrease from the same quarter of 2018.



Soil Health Partnership Celebrates 5 Years of Growth and Collaboration

The Soil Health Partnership (SHP) has been fostering transformation in agriculture through improved soil health since 2014. This year, SHP celebrates its fifth anniversary and the foundational collaborations that developed the program.

SHP was founded by a diverse group of organizations with a shared vision of developing a farmer-led research network to measure the impacts of implementing soil health practices on working farms. The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Bayer, the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), alongside the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), came together to see this vision through. This program was based upon work supported by the National Resources Conservation Service, U.S Department of Agriculture. 

“We are proud of the collaboration led to SHP’s establishment. That collaboration has continued to grow and evolve with many partners, bringing dynamic perspectives to the table. We would not be where we are today without our founding partners sharing the vision, then seeing it through,” said SHP Executive Director Dr. Shefali Mehta.

“Engaging with pragmatic, goal-focused groups like the Environmental Defense Fund and The Nature Conservancy, and bringing in agronomic expertise from Bayer, SHP was founded amongst a well-rounded, diverse group of organizations. We have accomplished a lot in five years thanks in large part to the support from our founding members and partner farmers,” said NCGA Vice President, Production and Sustainability, Nathan Fields. “The program is only just beginning. SHP is a priority to the NCGA board, and we can’t wait to see where we are in another five years and beyond.”

The SHP network now spans across 16 states and includes over 100 partner organizations at the federal, state and county levels. SHP has grown from 17 active farms in 2014 to 220 active farms in 2019 and represents over 7,000 acres.

SHP currently has a team of eight field managers that work alongside farmers in their region to design and implement experiments in fields across North America.

“It is encouraging to see the vast number of farmers interested in investing in their land that they are proactively inviting SHP into their operations. We continue seeking new ways to diversify our offerings to enable farmers from a broad range of geographies and operations can be part of our program,” stated SHP Lead Scientist, Maria Bowman. “We credit our growth in large part to the energy and investment by the farmers in the SHP network. Our farmers believe and trust the work that we do, owning the data and the outcomes that are collected.”

Mehta concludes, “We look forward to the future of continued collaboration, opportunities to learn and grow with other organizations, and working alongside a broad group of farmers as they ensure the sustainability of their farm operations. The foundation has been laid, and we are eager to see where the future takes SHP and soil health management for American farmers.”



Successful 2019 Cattle Industry Summer Business Meeting Wraps Up in Colorado

The 2019 Cattle Industry Summer Business Meeting wrapped up today with a meeting of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Board of Directors. The meeting kicked off on Monday at the Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center just outside Denver.

“I want to thank the hundreds of producers, state affiliates, and partners who took valuable time out of their busy schedules to help chart a better future for our entire industry,” said NCBA President Jennifer Houston. “The decisions made this week will affect our industry’s marketing and policy priorities for years to come.”

NCBA’s policy committees met throughout the week to refine positions on public policy issues like international trade, access to public lands, dietary guidelines, and the marketing of fake meat. Producers also received updates on how their checkoff dollars are being invested to fund vital research and marketing efforts.

Attendees also heard from Randy Blach of Cattlefax in a standing-room-only General Session keynote address about what lies ahead for cattle markets. Seven cattle operations were also named regional finalists for the Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP). This year’s regional winners will compete for the national award, which will be announced during the Annual Cattle Industry Convention in San Antonio, Texas, in February 2020.

This year’s meeting also saw the rollout of a new NCBA podcast, Cattlemen’s Call, which focuses on the people who make up the beef industry. The podcast is hosted by ag broadcaster Lane Nordlund and can be accessed at https://www.ncba.org/CattlemensCall.aspx.



Grain Crushings and Co-Products Production

Total corn consumed for alcohol and other uses was 509 million bushels in June 2019. Total corn consumption was down 1 percent from May 2019 and down 2 percent from June 2018. June 2019 usage included 91.5 percent for alcohol and 8.5 percent for other purposes. Corn consumed for beverage alcohol totaled 3.44 million bushels, up 3 percent from May 2019 and up 10 percent from June 2018. Corn for fuel alcohol, at 457 million bushels, was down 1 percent from May 2019 and down 1 percent from June 2018. Corn consumed in June 2019 for dry milling fuel production and wet milling fuel production was 91.1 percent and 8.9 percent, respectively.

Dry mill co-product production of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) was 1.96 million tons during June 2019, up 1 percent from May 2019 but down 3 percent from June 2018. Distillers wet grains (DWG) 65 percent or more moisture was 1.29 million tons in June 2019, down 4 percent from May 2019 and down 1 percent from June 2018.

Wet mill corn gluten feed production was 286,101 tons during June 2019, down 4 percent from May 2019 and down 5 percent from June 2018. Wet corn gluten feed 40 to 60 percent moisture was 250,826 tons in June 2019, down 7 percent from May 2019 and down 4 percent from June 2018.



Fats and Oils: Oilseed Crushings, Production, Consumption and Stocks

Soybeans crushed for crude oil was 4.73 million tons (158 million bushels) in June 2019, compared with 4.96 million tons (165 million bushels) in May 2019 and 5.09 million tons (170 million bushels) in June 2018. Crude oil produced was 1.81 billion pounds down 5 percent from May 2019 and down 6 percent from June 2018. Soybean once refined oil production at 1.41 billion pounds during June 2019 decreased 6 percent from May 2019 and decreased 2 percent from June 2018.

Canola seeds crushed for crude oil was 125,124 tons in June 2019, compared with 133,790 tons in May 2019 and 147,432 tons in June 2018. Canola crude oil produced was 108 million pounds, down 4 percent from May 2019 and down 16 percent from June 2018. Canola once refined oil production, at 110 million pounds during June 2019, was down 5 percent from May 2019 and down 12 percent from June 2018.

Cottonseed once refined oil production, at 40.3 million pounds during June 2019, was up 5 percent from May 2019 but down 15 percent from June 2018.

Edible tallow production was 87.7 million pounds during June 2019, up 2 percent from May 2019 and up 7 percent from June 2018. Inedible tallow production was 340 million pounds during June 2019, up 2 percent from May 2019 and up 9 percent from June 2018. Technical tallow production was 82.0 million pounds during June 2019, down 28 percent from May 2019 and down 22 percent from June 2018. Choice white grease production, at 110 million pounds during June 2019, decreased 4 percent from May 2019 but increased 11 percent from June 2018.



Flour Milling Products

All wheat ground for flour during the second quarter 2019 was 225 million bushels, up 1 percent from the first quarter 2019 grind of 223 million bushels but down 1 percent from the second quarter 2018 grind of 227 million bushels. Second quarter 2019 total flour production was 104 million hundredweight, up slightly from the first quarter 2019 but down 1 percent from the second quarter 2018. Whole wheat flour production at 5.27 million hundredweight during the second quarter 2019 accounted for 5 percent of the total flour production. Millfeed production from wheat in the second quarter 2019 was 1.62 million tons. The daily 24-hour milling capacity of wheat flour during the second quarter 2019 was 1.65 million hundredweight.

Durum wheat ground for flour and semolina production during the second quarter of 2019 totaled 16.0 million bushels, down 3 percent from the first quarter 2019 but up 2 percent from the second quarter 2018. Second quarter 2019 durum flour and semolina production was 7.62 million hundredweight, down 4 percent from the first quarter 2019 but up slightly from the second quarter 2018. Whole wheat durum flour and semolina production was 134 thousand hundredweight, down 11 percent from 150 thousand hundredweight in the first quarter 2019 but up 3 percent from 130 thousand hundredweight from the second quarter 2018. Second quarter durum wheat millfeed production was 111 thousand tons and the daily 24-hour milling capacity for durum and semolina production was 131 thousand hundredweight.

Rye ground for flour during the second quarter of 2019 was 414 thousand bushels, down 3 percent from the first quarter 2019 and down 12 percent from the second quarter 2018. Rye flour production during the second quarter of 2019 was 204 thousand hundredweight, compared to 210 thousand hundredweight in the previous quarter and 225 thousand hundredweight in the same quarter for the previous year. The daily 24-hour milling capacity for rye milling was 9.79 thousand hundredweight for the second quarter 2019.



Perdue Statement on Labor Agreement with Guatemala

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today applauded the Department of Labor and Guatemala on the signing of an agreement to improve H-2A visa program operations. Secretary Perdue issued the following statement:

“Our farmers and ranchers are the most productive in the world, and they want to obey immigration law. This move by the United States and Guatemala will allow for greater cooperation and will safeguard against disturbances in the H-2A visa program by protecting workers from illegal recruitment activity, providing our farmers with a stable, legal workforce. President Trump is dedicated to securing our borders while continuing to support America’s farmers and ranchers. The signing of this agreement with Guatemala further solidifies our partnership and engagement with our neighbors and commitment to solving the humanitarian crisis at our southern border.”



Trump Adds Tariffs on China

The U.S. will impose an additional 10% tariff on $300 billion in Chinese goods because China has not moved to buy large amounts of agricultural goods, President Donald Trump tweeted Thursday.

The president increased the stakes of his trade war with China with a tweet at 11:26 a.m. CDT that his trade representatives "have just returned from China where they had constructive talks having to do with a future trade deal."

The president then added, "More recently, China agreed to ... buy agricultural product from the U.S. in large quantities, but did not do so." The president added China President Xi Jinping also had said he would stop the sale of the opioid drug Fentanyl to the U.S., but Trump stated that has not happened "and many Americans continue to die!"

Returning to the topic of trade, the president's third tweet stated the U.S. would put a 10% tariff on $300 billion more in goods and products from China. The tariff follows a 25% tariff now on $250 billion in other Chinese exports to the U.S.

The president then added, "We look forward to continuing our positive dialogue with China on a comprehensive Trade Deal, and feel that the future between our two countries will be a very bright one!"

The president increased the tariffs just a day after the Federal Reserve lowered interest rates for the first time in 11 years. Among the reasons the Fed stated for the increase were uncertainty surrounding global growth and trade tensions.



Statement on New Tariffs on $300 Billion in Goods

Today, following the Trump administration's announcement to impose a 10% tariff on an additional $300 billion in Chinese goods, Tariffs Hurt the Heartland spokesman Jonathan Gold released the following statement. Tariffs Hurt the Heartland is a nationwide campaign against tariffs supported by over 150 of America’s largest trade organizations representing retail, tech, manufacturing and agriculture.

“The administration is doubling down on a failing strategy. Nobody wins in a trade war, and raising tariffs further on American businesses and consumers will only result in slower economic growth, more farm bankruptcies, fewer jobs and higher prices. These new tariffs will target the products American families buy every day, ranging from shoes and apparel to toys and electronics.
"We all agree China is a bad actor, but an unprecedented tax hike on hardworking Americans is not the answer. It's time for the administration to come up with a real strategy, put a stop to harmful tariffs and finally deliver the trade deal Americans were promised."



USDA Dairy Products June 2019 Production Highlights

Total cheese output (excluding cottage cheese) was 1.07 billion pounds, 0.6 percent above June 2018 but 3.3 percent below May 2019. Italian type cheese production totaled 469 million pounds, 4.0 percent above June 2018 but 1.3 percent below May 2019. American type cheese production totaled 427 million pounds, 0.6 percent below June 2018 and 3.9 percent below May 2019.  Butter production was 146 million pounds, 3.1 percent above June 2018 but 9.0 percent below May 2019.

Dry milk products (comparisons in percentage with June 2018)
Nonfat dry milk, human - 156 million pounds, up 2.2 percent.
Skim milk powder - 44.4 million pounds, down 25.3 percent.

Whey products (comparisons in percentage with June 2018)
Dry whey, total - 81.1 million pounds, down 6.3 percent.
Lactose, human and animal - 108 million pounds, up 13.1 percent.
Whey protein concentrate, total - 41.1 million pounds, up 0.3 percent.

Frozen products (comparisons in percentage with June 2018)
Ice cream, regular (hard) - 65.5 million gallons, down 6.8 percent.
Ice cream, lowfat (total) - 47.2 million gallons, up 3.8 percent.
Sherbet (hard) - 3.39 million gallons, down 4.7 percent.
Frozen yogurt (total) - 4.73 million gallons, down 7.1 percent.



CLAAS Introduces Next-Generation LEXION Combine

CLAAS of America today announces the launch of the all-new LEXION 8000-7000 series combine harvester, designed for farm business operators who want more from their combine, with no compromises. The new LEXION combine is more powerful and features the highest capacity in the industry, designed with a host of features to outperform in and between fields, streamlining harvest and saving the operator time and money.

"For the past 20-plus years, LEXION combines have built a reputation for delivering increased harvest efficiency and productivity, saving fuel and grain, driving down the cost of harvest," says Blake McOllough, Product Manager – Combines, CLAAS of America. "The redesign brings together significant engineering advancements from CLAAS that deliver on the superior productivity that today's ag business demands, offering the best return on investment and allowing the operator to get more done in less time."

Enhanced efficiency for greater productivity
The new LEXION combine has exceptional capacity to harvest all types of crops in all types of conditions, covering more acres per hour and achieving even better grain quality while protecting against overloading.

The APS SYNFLOW HYBRID system, an upgrade of the well-known APS HYBRID SYSTEM, is the industry's highest-capacity combine processor, meaning the new LEXION combine delivers 10 percent more capacity than the previous series. Grain handling is also improved, with unloading speeds as fast as 5.1 bushels per second and the industry's largest grain tank that features a whopping 510-bushel capacity.

"Operators can cover significantly more ground with a 25-mph transport speed, which all models — wheeled and TERRA TRAC — are now capable of,” McOllough says. "The operator also saves time with crop changeover capabilities that can be done from the cab, with just the touch of a button."

Maintenance time is also more streamlined with a central lubrication system and DYNAMIC COOLING, cutting maintenance time by more than half. The DYNAMIC COOLING feature also serves as a barrier from dust and debris while enhancing cooling for larger engines with larger horsepower demands.

Precise machine adjustments for optimal results
The new generation of LEXION combine allows for more precise adjustments. Its unique ability to independently adjust threshing and separation enables the operator to precisely adjust the machine to meet changing crop conditions and increase grain retention. Operators can engage the intensive threshing segment and adjust rotor cover plates with new push-button controls, increasing their control.

Additionally, CLAAS continues to be a leading innovator in autonomous machine adjustment. With its release in 2013, CEMOS AUTOMATIC technology has revolutionized the combine industry, improving operator performance by making automated machine adjustments. By using existing machine components and sensors, CEMOS AUTOMATIC is able to gain the operator 10 percent more capacity, 32 percent less foreign matter in the grain sample, and an increase of 58 percent in grain retention by continuously and autonomously adjusting and optimizing machine performance.

The new LEXION is the most precise combine built by CLAAS to date. With new adjustment options and CEMOS AUTOMATIC to precisely automate combine adjustments, operators are able to improve grain retention, maximize throughput, and get more return on investment.

"At CLAAS, we know that time is money, and achieving the highest possible productivity is paramount," McOllough says. "The newest LEXION combine was designed with those requirements in mind, delivering highly advanced engineering that streamlines the harvest and makes more money for our customers' farm businesses."



CLAAS of America Launches New AXION 900-800 Series Tractors

CLAAS of America announces the full commercial launch of the AXION 900 and 800 series high-efficiency tractors into the United States and Canadian markets. The new tractor lines provide a range of power options — from 200 to 440 horsepower — and other available technology options to match a wide range of applications.

The AXION series provides the comfort and flexibility needed to work faster and more efficiently. With the most fuel-efficient PTO horsepower in its class, excellent cab comfort and superior cab visibility, this tractor is ideal for the livestock and livestock input producer, and also has applications in other markets.

In the CLAAS product lineup, the AXION joins the XERION tractor, a larger and higher-horsepower rigid frame tractor that can also be used in multiple applications. The XERION features multiple steering modes for tighter turns, better flotation and rock-solid handling — even under the heaviest loads.

"We're extremely excited to introduce the AXION tractors into the North American market," said Drew Fletcher, Product Manager – Tractors, CLAAS of America. “This series is uniquely designed to help producers cover more ground faster and more efficiently.”

The AXION 800 series is being commercially launched after months of testing on real farms across the United States and Canada. CLAAS partnered with a select group of dealers in diverse areas to ensure all parts, service and training support mechanisms were in place to facilitate the best customer and operator experience.

Now available in the North America market, the AXION 900 series has been trusted by growers around the world and has proven to be a strong performer in multiple on-farm applications.

“Whether it's big square baling, round baling, manure handling, loading, tilling or any other function, AXION tractors are flexible enough to meet the needs of the operator and adapt to the situation,” Fletcher says.

Productivity, efficiency and comfort
The AXION 900 and 800 series tractors are enhanced by industry-leading fuel efficiency per PTO horsepower. While providing the same PTO horsepower as competitors, the AXION tractor can provide up to 20 more useable PTO horsepower while using up to one gallon per hour less fuel.

With a standard four-point suspended cab, PROACTIV front axle, shock-absorbing front and rear three-point hitches, a semi-active seat and a list of other cab conveniences, the AXION delivers premium comfort for long days and nights in all conditions. Not to be forgotten is the superior visibility, enhanced by rear curved glass and forward B-pillar posts.

The AXION 800 series features a powerful 6.7L Tier 4F engine with deep torque reserves to power through tough spots in the field and steep grades. Horsepower ranges from 200 to 280. The AXION 900 features an 8.7L Tier 4F engine with horsepower ratings of 320 to 440, depending on the model.

The 800 series is offered in a HEXASHIFT or CMATIC (CVT) transmission to fit the specific needs of the operator. The 900 series is available exclusively with the CMATIC transmission.

“The AXION is simply more efficient, which adds up to fewer gallons per acre, fewer hours per job and a lower cost per hour,” Fletcher says. “It was also designed with the comfort of the operator in mind, featuring a better ride quality and ease of use for less operator fatigue at the end of the day.”



CLAAS of America Announces Additions to Their Line of Balers and Hay Tools

CLAAS of America today announced additions to its range of balers and hay tools. New offerings include the DISCO 4000 TRC mower/conditioner, ROLLANT 520 round baler and VOLTO 55 TH tedder.

“We’re extremely pleased to introduce these new innovations to our full line of grain, hay and forage harvesting products,” said Matt Jaynes, Product Manager for Balers and Hay Tools, CLAAS of America. “The DISCO 4000 TRC, ROLLANT 520 and VOLTO 55 TH provide farmers with reliable and integrated systems featuring better feed quality, strength, durability and speed for when the going gets tough.”

DISCO 4000 TRC
Engineering advancements featured in the new DISCO 4000 TRC help deliver higher-quality feed, leading to improved milk production in dairy cattle. The MAX CUT cutterbar and ACTIVE FLOAT suspension result in a more evenly cut crop with less ash content. Also, new adjustable swath plates allow the operator to make any perfectly sized windrow.

Additional features of the DISCO 4000 TRC include:
– 12' 6" (3.8 m) working width
– Chevron rubber roller conditioner with double belt drive for less maintenance and more durability
– Spring-loaded pivoting cutterbar to keep the knives out of the soil for less ash and more protection of the stubble
– New windrow spreader plates make for a uniform density windrow

ROLLANT 520
CLAAS is also extending its range of round balers with the ROLLANT 520. The new ROLLANT 520 4 x 4 fixed-chamber round baler features an updated design and upgrades for better fermentation in properly formed bales. The result for the operator is reduced spoilage, improved milk production and reduced labor and materials loss. More efficiently packed bales mean fewer bales to handle and more feed per bale.

The ROLLANT 520 includes eight newly designed heavy-duty rollers that have 4 mm wall thickness and shafts bolted to 15 mm-thick flanges for improved strength and durability when baling tough crops.

Additional features of the ROLLANT 520 include:
– Updated drive concept for longer heavy-duty use
– Reinforced frame that's 20 percent thicker than the 300 Series
– 14-knife ROTO CUT chopping system for maximum throughput
– Hydraulic drop floor for blockage clearing
– 15 mm-thick flanges for improved durability

VOLTO 55 TH
The new VOLTO 55 TH helps operators spread the crop more evenly and faster for uniform dry down and preserved nutritional value of the crop. The tedder offers a faster ground speed and a more even spread pattern with the MAX SPREAD tine system. The very strong tube tine arms and PERMALINK drive system allow for high workloads for heavy windrow conditions. The innovative folding and tilt make it fast to move from field to field.

Additional features of the VOLTO 55 TH include:
– Reinforced tine arms and supports for longer life
– Equal length tines for less contact to reduce ash in the crop
– Hydraulic folding and tilt
– Adjustable tine angle for slower PTO speed to save leaves in alfalfa or clover

"For daily hay-based operations, growers need more than just robust machinery. They need harvesting systems that piece together seamlessly," Jaynes says. "Our coordinated machines support day-to-day operations and help customers achieve optimal results in forage harvesting."




ADM Reports Second Quarter Earnings of $0.42 per Share, $0.60 per Share on an Adjusted Basis

Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) today reported financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2019.

•  Net earnings of $235 million
•  Executed aggressive interventions amid challenging industry conditions; unfavorable weather impacts of approximately $65 million to segment OP
•  Strategic actions and long-term market opportunities point to stronger back half, and earnings and returns growth in 2020 and beyond

“We took aggressive action in the face of challenging external conditions, and we are confident that our work over the first half of the year will help deliver a stronger back half,” said Chairman and CEO Juan Luciano. “Just as important, our transformative changes are positioning ADM to capitalize on significant market opportunities, and grow earnings and returns in 2020 and beyond.

“Although the timing is uncertain, we remain confident in the resumption of significant food and agricultural trade flows between the U.S. and China, which will help bolster margins in the U.S. grain export and ethanol industries,” Luciano continued. “We are also seeing early signs of how African Swine Fever might impact global animal protein markets, and eventually support incremental soybean meal demand in key meat-producing regions outside of China. And, of course, fast-growing consumer trends such as plant-based proteins are creating long-term growth opportunities for our comprehensive portfolio of food and beverage solutions.

“We are focused on executing our strategic plan to ensure that ADM is poised to capitalize on these market opportunities and create value for our shareholders. We’re seeing the results of our efforts to turn around underperforming businesses. We continue to enhance our efficiency, customer service and competitiveness through Readiness. And we’re harvesting the benefits of Neovia and other growth investments. We are excited about our future. We are creating a company that is uniquely positioned to seize the opportunities ahead of us and deliver strong results for customers and shareholders alike.”

During the quarter, ADM advanced its strategic initiatives to enhance agility, accelerate growth and strengthen customer service, and took aggressive actions on a variety of fronts. These actions, which will also help offset the significant weather impacts of the last six months, include:
-    Combining the company’s Origination and Oilseeds business units into a single business, Ag Services & Oilseeds, which will report as a new segment beginning in the third quarter;
-    Completing significant organizational changes announced last quarter, including early retirement offers for colleagues in the U.S. and Canada;
-    Centralizing and standardizing business activities, including appointing a senior vice president, Global Operations, to lead a new operations structure; and
-    Aggressively harvesting the benefits of recent acquisitions, including planned synergies.