2018 Nebraska Cattlemen Foundation Retail Value Steer Challenge
The Nebraska Cattlemen Foundation (NCF) is seeking donations of steers for its 19th Annual Retail Value Steer Challenge (RVSC) feeding competition. This is the primary fund raiser for the Foundation and by participating in the RVSC you join other Nebraska cattle producers to support NCF projects. Funds from this event support:
- Youth and Adult Leadership Programs
- NCF Education Programs – Scholarships
- NCF Research Programs and Infrastructure Projects
- History Preservation
- Judging Teams at University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Northeast Community College, Norfolk and Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture, Curtis
Your involvement ensures these programs succeed. You also receive complete carcass data on your steer or steers and the chance to win prize money. And, you are helping the state’s leading industry sponsor programs that benefit our industry. Contributors should contact their tax professional as to the tax deductible status of this contribution. NCF is a 501 (3) C entity.
NCF welcomes steer donations by individuals, businesses, groups of individuals or businesses and NC affiliates. Participants can donate their own steer or purchase a steer from the Foundation for $1,100. Steers need to be delivered to Darr Feedlot at Cozad prior to November 1.
Winners will be announced at the Nebraska Cattlemen Midyear Conference in June, 2018.
For more information or to enter a steer contact Lee Weide at 402.475.2333, lweide@necattlemen.org or Jana Jensen, NC Foundation Fundraising Coordinator, at 308.588.6299 janajensen@nebcommfound.org.
TOXICITY FROM BLACK NIGHTSHADE
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist
Plan to graze corn stalks or bean stubble? If these fields have much black nightshade, be careful, it might be toxic.
Black nightshade is common in many corn and bean fields this fall, especially those with hail damage. It usually isn’t a problem, but if the population gets high it can poison livestock that graze many of the plants. Almost all livestock, including cattle, sheep, swine, horses, and poultry are susceptible.
All plant parts contain some of the toxin and the concentration increases as plants mature, except in the berries. Drying as hay or after a freeze will not reduce the toxicity.
It is very difficult to determine how much black nightshade is risky. Guidelines say that a 1000 pound animal that eats one to three pounds of fresh black nightshade is at risk of being poisoned. These guidelines, though, are considered conservative since there is little data on the actual toxicity of nightshade plants. Also encouraging is that reports of nightshade poisoning have been very scarce in the past.
How will you know how much nightshade your animals will eat? In a corn stalk or bean stubble field, cattle usually don’t appear to seek out nightshade plants to graze. However, green plants of nightshade might become tempting to a grazing animal, especially if there is little grain, husks, or leaves to select.
So common sense and good observation must be your guide. If you see animals selectively grazing green plants in stalk or stubble fields, pull them out and wait for a hard freeze before trying again. Check again every couple days since diet selection may change as more desired residue parts are removed. If still unsure, expose only a few animals at a time to risky feed.
Just remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
SHIC’s US Swine Disease Monitoring System Underway
The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC) is supporting a near real-time domestic swine disease monitoring system. The project will generate information useful for economic and animal health decision-making. Data will be analyzed to describe disease activity by major pathogen and/or by clinical syndrome, documenting disease activity (presence, incidence) with respect to geography while maintaining appropriate producer confidentiality.
A joint project between Iowa State University and the University of Minnesota, this new near real-time domestic monitoring system will allow:
- Identifying and characterizing domestic emerging or endemic disease trends
- Assisting in quantification of the economic impact of disease in specific regions
- Aiding the progress of regional disease control programs
Field veterinarians and producers will benefit from the outcomes of this system. Information in the system will be based on existing veterinary diagnostic laboratory (VDL) data and will flow through SHIC on a regular schedule to the industry, beginning late in 2017.
Aggregating data while respecting confidentiality and producer anonymity, the system will ensure data quality and integrity for optimum reporting. Frequency of major detection of major pathogens will be reported by age group, sample type, and region. Other pathogens will be grouped into pre-defined categories and also reported by age group, sample type, and region.
To implement large-scale infectious disease control and management projects, precise, science-based information is required. By funding this project, SHIC leads the industry toward better swine health information and positively impacts the long-term sustainability of pork production. The near real-time information on swine disease made available by this system will enable better, faster, and more effective response to endemic or foreign infectious diseases. The result is a stronger, more vibrant U.S. pork industry.
Iowa 5th in Nation for Number of Certified Organic Farms
The 2016 Certified Organic Survey was conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) in conjunction with USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA). The 2016 Certified Organic Survey is an inventory of all known organic producers in the United States that are certified. This is the fifth organic production and practices survey NASS has conducted on the national level; the previous surveys were the 2015 Certified Organic Production Survey, 2014 Organic Production Survey, 2 011 Certified Organic Production Survey and the 2008 Organic Production Survey.
In 2016, the average organic farm in Iowa was 141 acres compared to 353 acres for the United States.
In 2016, Iowa ranked fifth in the nation for the total number of certified organic farms with 732 farms. That is about five percent of the nation's total number of certified organic farms. There were 103,136 acres of certified organic farmland in Iowa. This was an increase of 9,429 acres from 2015.
Eggs had the highest total value of sales of organically produced commodities in Iowa with $32.5 million in sales.
Corn for grain had the second highest total value of sales of organically produced commodities in Iowa with $27.1 million in sales. Iowa produced more certified organic corn of grain and soybeans than any other state, and comprised 16 and 19 percent of national production, respectively. The area harvested for organic corn for grain increased 21 percent from 2015. Organic soybeans came in with just over $15.0 million in sales.
Iowa produced 22% of the Nation's organic oats with sales totaling $3,480,529 in 2016.
On December 31, Iowa producers had 2,736 certified organic hogs on hand, and comprised 19 percent of the national inventory. Iowa's organic hog inventory ranked second, only behind Wisconsin.
Agriculture Fun in the Classroom
How are indoor barns impacting animal care? What is sustainable agriculture? How are new technologies improving water efficiency? These are the questions that are answered for high school students through U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance’s (USFRA) Discovering Farmland curriculum. With food production’s connection to science, economics, technology and sustainability, these topics make agriculture relatable to students highlighting how farming and ranching has evolved over several decades.
The Discovering Farmland curriculum uses the award-winning documentary, “FARMLAND,” a film by James Moll, as a foundation. It gives teachers and high school students a first-hand glimpse into agriculture through the eyes of six young farmers and ranchers. Through standards-aligned companion activities, 360-degree farm animal videos, and a Digital Exploration (exploring food product labels), these engaging resources bring the film and the agriculture industry directly into the classroom.
“New technologies continually improve animal welfare and environmental sustainability, and we’re excited to share our accomplishments in agriculture with others,” said Brad Greenway, USFRA Chairman and South Dakota diversified crop and animal farmer. “The Discovering Farmland curriculum sparks conversations with students about innovations enhancing our food supply, and these unique activities keep them intrigued.”
Launched in September, Discovering Farmland’s newest activities include:
- 360-Degree Videos: Animal safety, health, comfort and environmental sustainability are common concerns expressed in regards to raising animals for food. The 360-degree videos are one-of-a-kind immersion experiences of life inside a modern pig farm.
- Interactive Lesson Plans and Activities: With 12 different videos supporting PowerPoint-based lessons plans and activities, engaging topics include: How to Use Trash to Help Crops Grow, Breaking Down Stereotypes, and Sustainability Practices in Modern Farming, among several others.
- Digital Exploration: Students can investigate food product labels by choosing a specific product from virtual grocery store shelves featuring produce, meat, and cereal. It also includes an educator guide and Get to Know GMOs activity.
To promote these lesson plans more broadly, USFRA partnered with Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital content and professional development for K-12 classrooms, who created lessons that are flexible and easy to integrate for teachers. By aligning the lessons plans to the Next Generation Science Standards and agribusiness standards, in addition to C3 Framework Standards for Social Studies, the content can be integrated into a variety of settings. Serving 4.5 million educators and over 50 million students, Discovery Education’s services are in half of U.S. classrooms and more than 50 countries.
“This initiative has inspired students with an innovative curriculum that brings to life critical issues impacting the agriculture industry, such as sustainability, the new science and technology behind farming, and entrepreneurship,” said Randy Krotz, U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance CEO. “With the Discovering Farmland project reaching more than one million students, we want to continue that momentum and help inform the next generation of consumers.”
These resources are available to all high school students across the country at discoveringfarmland.com and will become available through Discovery Education Streaming. For more information about Discovery Education’s digital content and professional development services, visit discoveryeducation.com. Stay connected with Discovery Education on social media through Facebook, Twitter at @DiscoveryEd, or on Instagram and Pinterest.
EPA Wants Steeper RFS Cut
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wants to further reduce the renewable volume blend requirements for advanced biofuels, biomass-based diesel volumes for 2018 and 2019, and the total renewable fuel volumes in the Renewable Fuel Standard, the agency announced in a notice on Tuesday.
The proposed reductions are in addition to the agency's proposal to cut those volumes already. The deadline for the final RFS is Nov. 30. The latest change will be subject to an additional 15-day public comment period.
In the EPA notice for data availability, the agency is seeking comment on a proposal to reduce the 2018 advanced biofuel volume requirement from the proposed level of 4.24 billion gallons to 3.77 billion gallons and also to reduce the 2018 total renewable fuel volume requirement from the proposed level of 19.24 billion gallons to 18.77 billion gallons. The EPA said in the notice the new proposal is based on concerns about biofuel imports.
NAWG Submits Comments in Support of the EPA’s Withdrawal of WOTUS
On September 25, 2017, the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) submitted comments on the withdrawal of the Waters of the U.S Regulation, Docket Number: EPA-HQ-OW-2017-0203. NAWG supports the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s action to withdraw and revise the regulation.
NAWG President and Sharon Springs, KS farmer David Schemm made the following statement:
"In our comments, NAWG reiterated our concerns about the broad reach of WOTUS and areas of land that would come under jurisdiction outlined in the regulation. Further, NAWG is alarmed with the activities EPA engaged in to promote the regulation and actions that the General Accounting Office determined were illegal.
“Our growers are seeking clarity in understanding which waters come under the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act and the regulation finalized in 2015 does not provide that clarification.
“The 2015 regulation also oversteps the federal role and should allow for state actions and respect the roles of cooperative federalism. EPA should not attempt to regulate in areas that are within the jurisdiction of state authority.
“NAWG supports the efforts of the administration to withdraw this regulation and take steps to developing a new regulation. We look forward to continue engaging with the EPA as they seek stakeholder input.”
NMPF Supports Effort to Bring Clarity to EPA’s Waters of the U.S. Regulation
The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) told the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today that the dairy industry supports a two-step process to roll back the existing Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) regulation and generate a new policy that provides farmers greater certainty in the future.
NMPF has supported efforts by the Trump Administration since January to restart the regulatory process behind the controversial 2015 Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule. NMPF provided comments today to EPA in support of rescinding the 2015 rule so the agency can initiate a new regulatory process defining and regulating groundwater sources. The agency has been soliciting comments on the WOTUS revision process during the past two months.
“A fresh start and a more reasonable approach that complies with past Supreme Court rulings will be in the best interests of the environment and dairy farmers,” said Jamie Jonker, NMPF vice president for sustainability and scientific affairs, in comments to EPA. “We are committed to working with the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers to find effective ways to protect America’s water supplies.”
Rescinding the 2015 policy – which is currently not being enforced because an appeals court suspended it last year, pending the outcome of several lawsuits – is the first step in a two-part process. In the forthcoming second step, EPA will need to propose a new rule that conforms to the various Supreme Court cases impacting definitions for what is considered a water of the U.S. In NMPF’s letter to EPA, Jonker said that EPA and the Army Corps will need to correct the ambiguity resulting from the 2015 rule’s lack of clarity on key terms and definitions, such as “adjacent,” “floodplain” and “significant nexus.”
“The agencies’ new notice-and-comment rulemaking needs to provide dairy farmers with certainty as to what constitutes navigable waters of the United States by clearly complying with the Supreme Court decisions,” NMPF wrote. “We look forward to working with you in the future for the proper clarity that dairy farmers need on WOTUS to continue to meet our shared commitment to clean water,” NMPF wrote.
U.S. Packing Capacity Well Prepared for Expanding Beef Production
As the U.S. beef cattle herd expands over the next two years, beef production is projected to keep pace and increase another three to five percent in 2018 and 2019, according to a new report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange Division. Strong profitability and years of excellent pasture conditions provided the strong footing that has spurred the expansion.
“The beef herd expansion we’ve seen from 2014 to 2017 has been the most aggressive three-year start to any expansion on record,” said Trevor Amen, animal protein economist at CoBank. “Recent slaughter numbers and the cattle on feed mix indicate the expansion rate is slowing, but barring any significant export market disruptions or weather events, expansion will continue through the end of the decade.”
USDA estimates the 2017 calf crop will top 36 million head, an increase of 2.9 percent over 2016 and an 8.3 percent increase compared to the cyclical low calf crop in 2014.
“Profitability for cow-calf producers was at record levels in 2014 and 2015,” said Amen. “Historically, average profitability at the cow-calf level has to dip below breakeven to trigger a transition from herd expansion to contraction.”
Demand Will Remain a Critical Factor
Beef demand has exceeded expectations so far in 2017. A price rally and favorable margins for feeders and packers have bolstered overall industry profitability. Strong beef exports are critical to keep supplies in check and support prices. Exports are currently on pace to increase seven to nine percent in 2017 and five to seven percent in 2018.
“Export demand has been strong,” said Amen. “Momentum has been building since July 2016 and forecasts continue to adjust upward for the remainder of this year. Combined with decreased imports, we’re experiencing a more favorable net trade balance and keeping domestic per capita supplies in check while supporting prices levels.”
Amen suggests the industry will be squarely focused on maintaining export growth and strong domestic consumption in the face of growing supplies. Increasing dependence on export markets offers significant growth opportunities for the industry, but also increases the uncertainty and risk of domestic oversupply.
Packing Capacity Not a Concern
While the number of market-ready cattle will continue to increase over the next two years, currently available slaughter capacity at U.S packing plants will be sufficient to handle the increase. Saturday slaughter hours have been steadily increasing since the middle of 2016. However, it is unlikely that packers will need to reopen shuttered plants or build additional facilities.
“Plants will add additional slaughter hours to manage the extra supply through 2019,” said Amen. “The biggest potential concerns as the industry drifts closer to maximum packing capacity are labor availability and temporary plant closures for unforeseen maintenance issues.”
Processors are expected to increase investments in automation and robotics to reduce the risk of skilled labor shortages. Ongoing modernization of plants for greater efficiency and productivity will simultaneously equip the industry to meet the most advanced food safety protocols, an imperative to keep the U.S competitive in the global beef market.
A brief synopsis of the report, “U.S. Packing Capacity Sufficient for Expanding Cattle Herd” is available on the CoBank YouTube channel.
Welcome to the KTIC Agriculture Information blog!!! Check back here for the latest in ag news and information, from local events to international happenings and government reports that affect your operation. Please email with suggestions! -Chad Moyer, Farm Director, KTIC Radio
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Monday, September 25, 2017
September 25 Crop Progress & Condition Report - NE - IA - US
NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION
For the week ending September 24, 2017, temperatures averaged near normal across western Nebraska, but six to ten degrees above normal in the east, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Rainfall of an inch or more was received across most of the State, with some central counties recording up to four inches. Harvest activities were slowed due to the moisture. There were 5.7 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 4 percent very short, 26 short, 69 adequate, and 1 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 7 percent very short, 34 short, 58 adequate, and 1 surplus.
Field Crops Report:
Corn condition rated 3 percent very poor, 8 poor, 22 fair, 50 good, and 17 excellent. Corn dented was 96 percent, near 98 last year and 97 for the five-year average. Mature was 55 percent, behind 66 last year and 62 average. Harvested was 7 percent, near 6 last year, but behind 13 average.
Soybean condition rated 2 percent very poor, 8 poor, 26 fair, 52 good, and 12 excellent. Soybeans dropping leaves was 80 percent, ahead of 72 last year and 70 average. Harvested was 10 percent, near 8 last year, and equal to average.
Winter wheat planted was 47 percent, well behind 68 last year, and behind 59 average. Emerged was 15 percent, well behind 37 last year, and behind 21 average.
Sorghum condition rated 1 percent very poor, 2 poor, 21 fair, 56 good, and 20 excellent. Sorghum coloring was 98 percent, near 100 last year and 94 average. Mature was 50 percent, behind 60 last year, but ahead of 42 average. Harvested was 13 percent, near 9 last year, and ahead of 4 average.
Alfalfa condition rated 2 percent very poor, 8 poor, 27 fair, 47 good, and 16 excellent. Alfalfa fourth cutting was 83 percent complete, ahead of 69 last year and 74 average.
Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 4 percent very poor, 20 poor, 44 fair, 27 good, and 5 excellent. Stock water supplies rated 2 percent very short, 9 short, 89 adequate, and 0 surplus.
IOWA CROP PROGRESS & CONDITION REPORT
There were above average temperatures and scattered rains throughout the state for the week ending September 24, 2017, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Statewide there were 5.8 days suitable for fieldwork. Activities for the week included starting to harvest corn for grain and soybeans, planting cover crops, spreading manure, hauling grain, and finishing up chopping corn silage, harvesting seed corn, and cutting hay.
Topsoil moisture levels rated 22 percent very short, 27 percent short, 50 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 21 percent very short, 33 percent short, 46 percent adequate and 0 percent surplus.
Ninety-four percent of the corn crop has reached the dent stage or beyond, one week behind last year and three days behind the 5-year average. Fifty-two percent of corn had reached maturity, five days behind average. Corn condition remained the same as last week at 59 percent good to excellent.
Ninety-one percent of soybeans were turning color or beyond, equal to last year and three days ahead of average. Sixty percent of soybeans were dropping leaves, two days behind last year but one day ahead of average. Five percent of the soybean crop has been harvested, two days behind average. Soybean condition improved slightly to 60 percent good to excellent.
There were multiple reports of a fourth cutting of alfalfa hay being cut, and scattered reports of possibly being a fifth cutting in parts of Iowa.
Pasture conditions declined to 48 percent poor to very poor. Livestock conditions were normal, although there were reports of water for cattle being an issue in parts of the state due to dry conditions.
USDA Weekly Crop Progress
Corn and soybean harvest and winter wheat planting all lagged the five-year average pace during the week ended Sept. 24, according to USDA's latest Crop Progress and Condition report issued Monday.
USDA estimated that 51% of corn was mature as of Sunday, well behind the average of 64%. Eleven percent of corn was harvested, also behind the five-year average of 17%. Corn condition held steady at 61% good to excellent.
While soybeans dropping leaves matched the average pace of 63%, soybean harvest continued to run slightly behind normal at 10% complete as of Sept. 24 compared to the five-year average of 12%. USDA estimated soybean condition at 60% good to excellent, up 1 percentage point from the previous week.
USDA guessed winter wheat planting to be 24% completed as of Sunday, even though no firm estimate on 2018 acreage has been established yet. That was 4 percentage points behind the five-year average of 28% planted. The key growing state of Kansas was estimated to be 14% completed as compared to the five-year average of 20%.
Sorghum was 32% harvested, slightly behind the five-year average of 33%.
Cotton was 57% bolls opening and the crop was 14% harvested nationwide, ahead of the average of 9% harvested. Cotton condition worsened from 61% good to excellent the previous week to 60% last week. Rice was 69% harvested, compared to a 61% average.
For the week ending September 24, 2017, temperatures averaged near normal across western Nebraska, but six to ten degrees above normal in the east, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Rainfall of an inch or more was received across most of the State, with some central counties recording up to four inches. Harvest activities were slowed due to the moisture. There were 5.7 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 4 percent very short, 26 short, 69 adequate, and 1 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 7 percent very short, 34 short, 58 adequate, and 1 surplus.
Field Crops Report:
Corn condition rated 3 percent very poor, 8 poor, 22 fair, 50 good, and 17 excellent. Corn dented was 96 percent, near 98 last year and 97 for the five-year average. Mature was 55 percent, behind 66 last year and 62 average. Harvested was 7 percent, near 6 last year, but behind 13 average.
Soybean condition rated 2 percent very poor, 8 poor, 26 fair, 52 good, and 12 excellent. Soybeans dropping leaves was 80 percent, ahead of 72 last year and 70 average. Harvested was 10 percent, near 8 last year, and equal to average.
Winter wheat planted was 47 percent, well behind 68 last year, and behind 59 average. Emerged was 15 percent, well behind 37 last year, and behind 21 average.
Sorghum condition rated 1 percent very poor, 2 poor, 21 fair, 56 good, and 20 excellent. Sorghum coloring was 98 percent, near 100 last year and 94 average. Mature was 50 percent, behind 60 last year, but ahead of 42 average. Harvested was 13 percent, near 9 last year, and ahead of 4 average.
Alfalfa condition rated 2 percent very poor, 8 poor, 27 fair, 47 good, and 16 excellent. Alfalfa fourth cutting was 83 percent complete, ahead of 69 last year and 74 average.
Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 4 percent very poor, 20 poor, 44 fair, 27 good, and 5 excellent. Stock water supplies rated 2 percent very short, 9 short, 89 adequate, and 0 surplus.
IOWA CROP PROGRESS & CONDITION REPORT
There were above average temperatures and scattered rains throughout the state for the week ending September 24, 2017, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Statewide there were 5.8 days suitable for fieldwork. Activities for the week included starting to harvest corn for grain and soybeans, planting cover crops, spreading manure, hauling grain, and finishing up chopping corn silage, harvesting seed corn, and cutting hay.
Topsoil moisture levels rated 22 percent very short, 27 percent short, 50 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 21 percent very short, 33 percent short, 46 percent adequate and 0 percent surplus.
Ninety-four percent of the corn crop has reached the dent stage or beyond, one week behind last year and three days behind the 5-year average. Fifty-two percent of corn had reached maturity, five days behind average. Corn condition remained the same as last week at 59 percent good to excellent.
Ninety-one percent of soybeans were turning color or beyond, equal to last year and three days ahead of average. Sixty percent of soybeans were dropping leaves, two days behind last year but one day ahead of average. Five percent of the soybean crop has been harvested, two days behind average. Soybean condition improved slightly to 60 percent good to excellent.
There were multiple reports of a fourth cutting of alfalfa hay being cut, and scattered reports of possibly being a fifth cutting in parts of Iowa.
Pasture conditions declined to 48 percent poor to very poor. Livestock conditions were normal, although there were reports of water for cattle being an issue in parts of the state due to dry conditions.
USDA Weekly Crop Progress
Corn and soybean harvest and winter wheat planting all lagged the five-year average pace during the week ended Sept. 24, according to USDA's latest Crop Progress and Condition report issued Monday.
USDA estimated that 51% of corn was mature as of Sunday, well behind the average of 64%. Eleven percent of corn was harvested, also behind the five-year average of 17%. Corn condition held steady at 61% good to excellent.
While soybeans dropping leaves matched the average pace of 63%, soybean harvest continued to run slightly behind normal at 10% complete as of Sept. 24 compared to the five-year average of 12%. USDA estimated soybean condition at 60% good to excellent, up 1 percentage point from the previous week.
USDA guessed winter wheat planting to be 24% completed as of Sunday, even though no firm estimate on 2018 acreage has been established yet. That was 4 percentage points behind the five-year average of 28% planted. The key growing state of Kansas was estimated to be 14% completed as compared to the five-year average of 20%.
Sorghum was 32% harvested, slightly behind the five-year average of 33%.
Cotton was 57% bolls opening and the crop was 14% harvested nationwide, ahead of the average of 9% harvested. Cotton condition worsened from 61% good to excellent the previous week to 60% last week. Rice was 69% harvested, compared to a 61% average.
Monday September 25 Ag News
Stalk Rot Diseases in Nebraska Corn Fields
Tamra Jackson-Ziems, Extension Plant Pathologist
Various stalk rot diseases have been confirmed in samples from corn fields across Nebraska. Stalk rot diseases and the pathogens that cause them are common in corn. They can weaken corn stalks, leading to stalk lodging and harvest difficulties for producers. These diseases also can impact yield if corn plants are killed prematurely. It’s important to be aware of their incidence in fields to better understand the risk of harvest difficulties if plants lodge. In addition, knowing which diseases are present in individual fields can help producers anticipate, manage and prevent them in subsequent growing years.
Unfortunately, the symptoms that stalk rotting pathogens cause can be misleading and make it difficult to diagnose. For example, some of the earliest symptoms of stalk rot disease may be the discoloration of leaves and rapid plant wilting and/or premature death. In recent weeks, several samples of dead leaves have been submitted to the UNL Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic. Microscopic observation and testing of these samples has failed to identify any pathogens or provide a diagnosis we can be confident of, leading us to suspect stalk rot diseases.
Crown and Stalk Rot Sampling Tips
As you continue to scout fields late in the season, it is important to collect the right kind of sample to ensure proper diagnosis. Over the course of several days, the leaves can become necrotic with symptoms resembling sunscald. However, splitting the stalk and crown can reveal the real cause of leaf dieback. Certain stalk rots, such as Anthracnose, are managed through resistant varieties. Others, like Fusarium spp., are controlled through cultural practices that lessen plant stress – balanced fertility, proper planting populations, and insect control.
Even though the noticeable symptoms appear on the leaves, the pathogen is not present in the leaves. Additionally, it may be easier to cut the plant a few inches above ground level and leave the crown and roots, but the main difference between crown and stalk rots is where the pathogen is infected. If the crown and roots are left and the disease has not progressed up the stalk, it is difficult to get an accurate diagnosis. Submitting entire plants is the best way to get an accurate diagnosis. Proper management starts with a proper diagnosis.
Please do not send dead plants. It is difficult to ID the exact cause of death on a plant once other, opportunistic pathogens and microorganisms have had a chance to infect the weakened plant. Ideal samples are ones that are just starting to show symptoms. Keeping soil on the root ball is helpful in keeping the plant alive a little longer as we work through our diagnosis. Please enclose the root ball in a separate plastic bag to prevent soil from spreading to the rest of the plant. In order to fit the entire plant into a bag or shipping container it is fine to cut, or bend them to fit into a trash bag or large zip lock bag.
As always, please fill out the sample ID form with as much information as possible.
Numerous stalk rot diseases occur in Nebraska and other states and your sample analysis results can identify one or more common pathogens in samples submitted to the UNL Plant & Pest Diagnostic Clinic.
Risk Factors for Stalk Rot
Crop stress during the growing season contributes to the development of some stalk rot diseases. Pay special attention to fields that have one or more of the following risk factors for stalk rot diseases and lodging:
- Higher yielding hybrids
- Lost leaf area (due to leaf diseases, hail, etc.)
- Excessive rainfall/ponding
- Stalk wounding, usually by hail or insect feeding
- High planting populations
- Thin stalks
Evaluating Stalk Strength Prior to Harvest
Walking through a field, randomly select a minimum of 100 plants representing a large portion of the field. To test for stalk rot you can PUSH the plant tops away from you approximately 30 degrees from vertical. If plants don’t snap back to vertical, the stalk may have been compromised by stalk rot disease. An alternative method is to PINCH the internodes of the lower stalk. If the stalks crush easily by hand, their integrity is reduced by stalk rot and they are prone to lodging. If more than 10% of plants exhibit stalk rot symptoms, harvesting that field first should be a priority over others at less risk in order to reduce the chance of plant lodging prior to harvest.
Several fungi are common in our production fields and can opportunistically cause stalk rot diseases in stressed plants. Some of the most common stalk rot diseases this year are listed below:
Charcoal rot is one of the few diseases that is more common during drought conditions, and so, is more likely to affect corn in non-irrigated fields or pivot corners. The disease is characterized by the presence of many minute black round structures inside the stalk that can give it a gray to black appearance (Figure 3a). In addition, the fungus that causes charcoal rot, Macrophomina phaseolina, has a wide host range and can cause the same disease in several crops, including corn, soybean, sorghum, and alfalfa.
Fusarium stalk rot is especially common during damp conditions, but may occur anywhere. One of the most common symptoms is the development of crown rot inside the lower stalk, below the soil line, near where roots attach to the stalk. The pathogen, Fusarium verticillioides, can sometimes be visible as white fungal growth on the outside of stalk nodes. Eventually, the disease may cause a pink or salmon discoloration to the inside of stalks.
Anthracnose stalk rot can also cause a leaf disease and is a common cause of top rots in corn. In more advanced stages the disease can cause the development of black lesions visible on the outside of the stalk and is caused by the fungus Colletotrichum graminicola.
Managing for Stalk Rots in Corn
There is nothing to be done at this point in the season to stop stalk rots as affected stalks will continue to degrade over time, further weakening them. Growers can minimize losses by identifying which fields have the worst stalk rot diseases and adjust the harvest order of those fields. Consider harvesting or chopping fields heavily impacted by stalk rots first or earlier than others to minimize losses that can occur after lodging. Some seed companies provide ratings for their hybrids’ reactions for a few stalk rot diseases that may be helpful in selecting hybrids for fields with chronic stalk rot disease.
Natural Air Drying of Binned Soybeans
Paul Jasa, NE Extension Engineer
If you're looking at storing soybeans harvested at over 13% moisture, you'll want to dry them to 13%, the recommended level for longer term storage.
The time to dry soybeans, or any grain, depends on a number of variables:
The initial moisture content, %
The desired moisture content, %
The average ambient air properties — temperature and relative humidity
Airflow through the bin — cubic feet per minute per bushel
Whether the incoming air is heated
A grain drying program was used to estimate the time it would take to dry soybeans (see Table 1). It estimated the days to dry soybeans in a grain bin using natural air and 1 cubic foot per minute per bushel of grain in the bin. When drying in the bin, avoid using the stirator as it can damage soybeans.
Weather conditions are a huge factor in how long it takes to dry grain. Click here to read more.... https://cropwatch.unl.edu/2017/drying-soybeans-bin.
NEBRASKA ORGANIC AGRICULTURE
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service has released the results of its 2016 Certified Organic Survey. Certified organic operations in Nebraska sold a total of $96 million in organic products in 2016, up 33 percent compared to 2015. The number of certified organic operations in Nebraska totaled 162, up 1 percent from last year.
The 2016 Certified Organic Survey is a census of all known U.S. farmers and ranchers with certified organic production in 2016. The survey collected acreage, production, and sales data for a variety of certified organic crop and livestock commodities.
Heuermann Lecture: Nebraska: If Not Immigrants, Who?
Nebraska Innovation Campus Conference Center
2021 Transformation Drive, Lincoln, NE
October 3, 2017 - 3:30 p.m. CST
Reception preceding lecture at 3:00 p.m.
Lourdes Gouveia, professor emerita of sociology and co-founder of the Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS) at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, will speak at the first Heuermann Lecture of the season Oct. 3. Gouveia will examine the role that immigrants have played, and continue to play, in the social, economic and cultural development of Nebraska and its diverse communities.
Gouveia has authored and co-authored a number of articles aimed at documenting the profound sociodemographic changes and processes of immigrant incorporation occurring in new destination states such as Nebraska. As OLLAS director, she was charged with the task of producing a number of policy-relevant reports, which have been offered as key evidence by Nebraska state senators opposing the passage of draconian bills seeking to restrict immigrant rights.
Gouveia’s current work focuses on the growing exodus of middle-class, highly educated Venezuelans. The work is situated within the contest of increasing global precarity of unskilled and skilled labor alike, and the compounded impacts of Latin America’s failed development and governance modes. The theme for the seventh year of Heuermann Lectures is “Think Globally, Act Locally.” The lectures are funded by a gift from B. Keith and Norma Heuermann of Phillips.
Heuermann Lectures are free and open to the public. Lectures are streamed live online at http://heuermannlectures.unl.edu.
Pork Checkoff’s Asian Trade Mission Offers Insight
With a clearer vision on how to elevate U.S. pork as the global protein of choice, three National Pork Board officers and two members of the senior leadership team have returned from an Asian trade mission. The team representing the Pork Checkoff toured Japan and China from Sept. 5–16, visiting with pork processors, distributors and retailers, as well as importers and traders. Asian team members of the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) also accompanied the Pork Checkoff crew.
“Pork is the No. 1 most consumed protein in the world, and that was certainly obvious as we toured parts of Japan and China,” said National Pork Board CEO Bill Even. “It is important for us to see firsthand how pork is raised, processed and promoted in Asia. The Asian customer and consumer culture is unique, and we need to understand the global motivation to purchase U.S. pork.”
The U.S. is facing record-breaking pork production in 2017. The Pork Checkoff is committed to growing demand, not only in the U.S., but also among top customers in Asia. In terms of pork volume (pounds), China/Hong Kong and Japan are currently the No. 2 and 3 export customers of the U.S. Combined volume in these areas is 534,953 metric tons (or about 1.18 billion pounds). In terms of pork value (U.S. dollars), Japan is No. 1 and China/Hong Kong is No. 3, with a combined value of nearly $1.6 billion of exports, both according to the most recent (through July) USMEF data.
“Marketing pork comes down to building long-term relationships and having a safe, dependable, high-quality product that is presented well to the buyer,” said Pork Board President Terry O’Neel, a producer from Friend, Nebraska. “Consumers are encouraged to experience U.S. pork through fun events and social activities.”
While in Japan, the trade team were able to see specifically how U.S. pork is marketed, including through USMEF’s current Gochipo (sumptuous pork) campaign. That marketing campaign extols the virtues of high-quality, delicious U.S. pork and the rising value of U.S. pork products.
“My most distinct takeaway as a producer is the vital and versatile role that U.S. pork plays in the Asian diet,” said Pork Board Treasurer Brett Kaysen, a producer from Nunn, Colorado. “No matter the level of retail outlet in Japan – from discount to high-end – U.S. pork is present.”
After spending five days on the ground in Japan, Checkoff leadership traveled to China. While in China, O’Neel and Even presented the U.S. pork production perspective at the annual China Swine Industry Symposium. O’Neel spoke on managing financial, environmental and labor risk in U.S. pork production.
“China is a huge market in terms of volume and opportunity,” said Pork Board Vice President Steve Rommereim, a producer from Alcester, South Dakota. “While China is 98 percent self-sufficient in pork production, we need to further our outreach efforts here. The economic growth and infrastructure development we saw in China is intimidating, to say the least. This level of growth points to a greater dependence on foreign market imports, with price a key buying criteria.”
Kaysen added, “In China, I envision cold pork storage experiencing dramatic growth as the population grows and as the country continues to consume more meat. Our job is to make U.S. pork truly recognized in the meatcase at the retail level in China as much as it is in Japan.”
O’Neel called the Board’s Asia trade mission a great success.
“Our leadership gained a greater understanding of the Asian market by visiting with people in the Japanese and Chinese meat trade,” O’Neel said. “U.S. pork is doing well in Asia, but we can do more to improve. Free trade issues remain both a barrier and a pathway to future U.S. pork export growth.”
Rommereim agreed, saying, “This was an important trip for the officers to make. As the U.S. pork industry expands, our dependence on these markets becomes even more important and valued. Through increasing our level of knowledge, we are better qualified to spend Checkoff dollars wisely to expand exports.”
Including both muscle cuts and variety meat, exports have increased to 27.5 percent of total production in 2017 (up from 25.6 percent last year). Growing that amount is the result of developing Asian customer relationships and working with USMEF and the National Pork Producers Council.
Producing safe food is chief goal for Iowa pig farmers
The men and women who raise hogs in Iowa are celebrating National Pork Month in October and want consumers to know they are firmly committed to the We Care ethical principles of pork production.
This means protecting and promoting animal well-being, humanely producing safe food, safeguarding natural resources, ensuring all production practices protect public health, contributing to a better quality of life in their communities, and providing a safe work environment on the farm.
These six ethical principles were adopted in 2008 and help guide each person who raises hogs in Iowa and across the nation. The purpose of the We Care initiative is to maintain a safe, high-quality pork supply.
"The ethical principles define our values and who we are," says Iowa Pork Producers Association President Curtis Meier of Clarinda. "Consumers can be confident that the pork they eat was raised using the ethical principles."
Pork Month is a celebration of all things pork and farmers want to make sure that today's consumers, many of whom are generations removed from the farm, know how pork is raised today.
"If you eat, you have a connection to a farmer," said Meier. "October Pork Month is an opportunity to reestablish that producer-to-consumer relationship. Our mission is to produce safe, nutritious food in a responsible manner, and we need to share how we do that with consumers."
Pork is the world's most widely eaten meat, representing 42 percent of all meat consumed, according to the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service.
The top five most popular cuts sold in the United States are center-cut chops, assorted chops, back ribs, blade roasts and center-cut loin roasts, according to Nielsen Perishable Group retail sales data for the 52 weeks ending July 1, 2017. In terms of value, center-cut chops accounted for more than $980 million in sales, assorted chops for $484 million, back ribs for $422 million, blade roasts for $289 million and center-cut loin roasts for $275 million.
"Consumers are putting more pork on their fork," said Meier. "To ensure a flavorful eating experience, we remind consumers to cook pork until the internal temperature reaches between 145 degrees and 160 degrees Fahrenheit, followed by a three-minute rest."
Yes, Larger Placements, But Let's Dig Deeper in the Report
David P. Anderson, Professor and Extension Economist
Department of Agricultural Economics, Texas A&M University
Feedlot placements bucked seasonal trends in July by declining, but rebounded in August according to USDA's Cattle on Feed Report. Placements were reported up 2.6 percent over a year ago. The 1.928 million head placed were the most for an August since 2012. While the average pre-report estimates were for placements to be below a year ago, a 2.6 percent increase was within the range of estimates. It's also interesting to note that the range of pre-report placement estimates was large, about 16 percentage points, reflecting a lot of uncertainty prior to this report. That uncertainty reflected regional placement patterns, red ink in recent closeouts, drought in the Northern Plains, but abundant grass likely holding calves in other regions. All in all, this report was likely a surprise for some market participants.
The distribution of placements by weight was, perhaps, the most interesting part of the report. All of the increase in placements was in the 800-899 (up 50,000 head) and the 900-999 pound category (up 15,000 head). That 65,000 head increase in placements was slightly offset by lower placements in the 600-699, 700-799, and 1,000 pound plus categories.
Digging in a little deeper suggests more evidence of cattle numbers pushing on-feed inventories to reflect older seasonal patterns. It is normal for August placements to exceed those in July. Most years during this decade that month to month increase has been around 100,000 head. This year's increase from July was 313,000 head, slightly larger than last year's 307,000 head and the largest July to August increase since 2010. In the decade of the 2000's it was not uncommon to have over a 400,000 head increase in placements over the July to August period.
Before we all freak out about placements being above the average expectation, a little perspective is in order. Total placements were 49,000 head above August 2016. That's not a large number compared to total placements of 1.9 million. The 65,000 head increase in the heavier categories marketed over a likely 2 month period is about 1,500 head per day, likely early in 2018, with maybe a few in late 2017. And remember, marketings exceeded placements in August for the first time since 2013, pulling down on-feed inventories. Feedlot marketings continued at their rapid pace, up 6 percent, which is preventing backed up supplies.
Cattle on feed were reported up 3.6 percent. It's likely that if a year ago we would have said that cattle on feed would be up about 3.6 percent in mid-late 2017 most would have said "that seems about right." The on-feed number is not really out of line with longer term trends in cow herd and calf crop estimates. I think it's also fair to say that USDA's rounding of the placement and on-feed numbers in the report makes the headline numbers seem more alarming. On-feed up 4 percent seems a lot worse than 3.6 percent.
Fed cattle sold at about $108 this week, up $2 from last week. It's worth remembering also that current prices reflect the current market. The cattle on feed report contains information about market affecting supplies that will affect prices some months down the road. If anything, there is some fundamental market information that would suggest $108 fed cattle might be underpriced.
ASA Steps up Urgency in Search for Answers on Dicamba Damage
As nationwide reports of dicamba-related damage to soybeans and other crops continue to climb, American Soybean Association (ASA) President and Illinois farmer Ron Moore reiterated the association’s commitment to find a solution to the issue:
“This issue isn’t going away—in fact, it’s only getting worse. There are now a reported 2,242 complaints affecting 3.1 million acres of soybeans in 21 of our 30 soybean-growing states, and we expect that number to continue to rise. This is unacceptable, and we are committed to establishing both a cause and a path forward on the dicamba issue, including what actions need to be taken to assure that soybean farmers can use the product safely without damaging their own or their neighbors’ crops.
“We continue to strongly support independent research underway at several land grant universities and coordinated by the national soybean checkoff to find answers. This includes research at the University of Arkansas, University of Illinois, Iowa State University, Kansas State University, the University of Kentucky, University of Missouri, Mississippi State University, the University of Nebraska, North Dakota State University, The Ohio State University, Purdue University, Southern Illinois University, the University of Tennessee, and University of Wisconsin.
“We need this independent university research as well as other efforts by the national and state soybean checkoffs to determine the root causes of this widespread problem and how to address them, whether that be additional education, application restrictions, or other actions to ensure that low-volatility formulations of dicamba stay on target and don’t damage neighboring crops.
“There is an important good neighbor aspect to consider here as well. While damage may be related to product sprayed over soybeans, the effects have reportedly impacted other adjacent crops, including tree fruit and other specialty crops. As the policy representative for soybean farmers, ASA has a duty to ensure that we are successfully coexisting with other crops, so we take these reports very seriously.
“And, we continue to engage the relevant technology providers to determine what went wrong and how we can move forward. Their cooperation will be key as we try to find answers to questions regarding product performance or volatility, environmental conditions, off-label application or use of older formulations, tank mixing and clean-out, or other causes. It is very important to recognize that we do not yet have all of the data we need to clearly determine the causes of this problem, or the next steps we’ll need to take.
“It is absolutely true that farmers need and want new technologies to help fight resistant weeds, and we are going to support the marketing of those new technologies and new formulations. That need is not blind, however, and we need to ensure that these products can be used by farmers in varied climates and growing regions safely.”
CWT Assists with 1.7 Million Pounds of Cheese and Butter Export Sales
Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted 9 requests for export assistance from Dairy Farmers of America, Foremost Farms and Northwest Dairy Association (Darigold) that have contracts to sell 1.296 million pounds (588 metric tons) of Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, and 385,809 pounds (175 metric tons) of butter to customers in Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Oceania. The product has been contracted for delivery in the period from September through December 2017.
So far this year, CWT has assisted member cooperatives who have contracts to sell 55.148 million pounds of American-type cheeses and 4.115 million pounds of butter (82% milkfat) to 21 countries on five continents. The sales are the equivalent of 601.598 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis
Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program in the long term helps member cooperatives gain and maintain market share, thus expanding the demand for U.S. dairy products and the U.S. farm milk that produces them. This, in turn, positively affects all U.S. dairy farmers by strengthening and maintaining the value of dairy products that directly impact their milk price.
CHS Foundation Strengthens Partnership with the National FFA Organization
The CHS Foundation, funded by charitable contributions from CHS Inc., and a key National FFA supporter for more than 40 years, recently announced a $3.8 million commitment to the National FFA Organization, growing its support to a platinum sponsorship level.
This investment helps ensure that the National FFA Organization continues to support members as they strive to become a workforce that understands the food and agriculture industry, and develop the leadership skills necessary to pursue careers in agriculture.
“Generous, broad and continued support from the CHS Foundation has an impact on our members and agriculture education teachers at the local, state and national levels,” said Molly Ball, president of the National FFA Foundation. “With an estimated 60,000 jobs opening every year and with 27 percent of those being in agriculture, FFA is working to ensure that our career development events and proficiency award areas align with our students’ evolving interests and emerging challenge areas in food, fiber and natural resources. The continued contributions of the CHS Foundation help us achieve the FFA vision of growing leaders, building communities and strengthening agriculture, and supplying the talent pipeline to fill those needs.”
This new commitment provides ongoing support to the diversified crop, environmental and natural resources management proficiencies, the environmental and natural resources management CDE, increased support of teacher education and retention programs through National Teach Ag and CASE institute teacher scholarships. New funding is dedicated to developing cooperative education curriculum and sponsorship of the New Century Farmer program.
“The CHS Foundation is proud to continue our long standing relationship with National FFA that began more than four decades ago,” says Nanci Lilja, CHS Foundation president. “Through our continued support of National FFA and Teach Ag, we are building on our commitment to develop the next generation of ag leaders and ensure ag education teachers have the resources they need to be successful teaching agricultural concepts in the classroom.”
FB: Bacon and Chicken Up, OJ Too
Higher retail prices for several foods, including bacon, chicken breast, orange juice, sliced deli ham and flour resulted in a slight increase in the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Fall Harvest Marketbasket Survey.
The informal survey shows the total cost of 16 food items that can be used to prepare one or more meals was $51.13, up $1.43, or about 3 percent, compared to a survey conducted a year ago. Of the 16 items surveyed, 12 increased and four decreased in average price.
Several foods showed significant retail price increases from a year ago, including bacon, chicken breast and orange juice, according to Dr. John Newton, AFBF’s director of market intelligence.
“Bacon was up significantly because of the lower inventory and higher prices of pork bellies. We saw a rally in wholesale bacon prices this summer and fall which is being reflected at the retail level,” Newton said. “Bacon is a sexy food item in restaurants and everywhere else, creating an inventory decline and thus a price increase.”
The following items showed retail price increases from a year ago:
- bacon, up 19 percent to $5.24 per pound
- chicken breast, up 9 percent to $3.13 per pound
- flour, up 7 percent to $2.37 per 5-pound bag
- orange juice, up 6 percent to $3.46 per half-gallon
- vegetable oil, up 5 percent to $2.52 for a 32-ounce bottle
- sliced deli ham, up 3 percent to $5.62 per pound
- sirloin tip roast, up 3 percent to $5.17 per pound
- whole milk, up 3 percent to $2.93 per gallon
- white bread, up 2 percent to $1.61 for a 20-ounce loaf
- toasted oat cereal, up 1 percent to $2.84 for a 9-ounce box
- shredded cheddar, up 1 percent to $4.11 per pound
- apples, up 1 percent to $1.61 per pound
These items showed moderate retail price decreases compared to a year ago:
- bagged salad, down 16 percent to $2.41 per pound
- ground chuck, down 3 percent to $3.99 per pound
- eggs, down 3 percent to $1.44 dozen per dozen
- potatoes, down 2 percent to $2.68 for a 5-pound bag
“Supply and demand for chicken breasts is tight, which is why retail prices are higher,” Newton said. In addition, he said the price increase for orange juice is related to the lower supply of oranges, which could worsen due to the impact of Hurricane Harvey.
Consumers saw a slight decline in egg prices. “Egg supplies are fully rebuilt from what we saw a few years ago and we are seeing egg prices continue to come back to where they were prior to the bird flu a few years ago,” Newton said.
Price checks of alternative milk choices not included in the overall marketbasket survey average revealed the following: 1/2 gallon regular milk, $2.07 and 1/2 gallon organic milk, $4.27.
For many food items, the year-to-year direction of the marketbasket survey tracks with the federal government’s Consumer Price Index report for food at home. As retail grocery prices have increased gradually over time, the share of the average food dollar that America’s farm and ranch families receive has dropped.
“Through the mid-1970s, farmers received about one-third of consumer retail food expenditures for food eaten at home and away from home, on average. Since then, that figure has decreased steadily and is now about 15.6 percent, according to the Agriculture Department’s revised Food Dollar Series,” Newton said.
Using the “food at home and away from home” percentage across-the-board, the farmer’s share of this $51.13 marketbasket would be approximately $8.00.
AFBF, the nation’s largest general farm organization, began conducting informal quarterly marketbasket surveys of retail food price trends in 1989. The series includes a Spring Picnic survey, Summer Cookout survey, Fall Harvest survey and Thanksgiving survey.
According to USDA, Americans spend just under 10 percent of their disposable annual income on food, the lowest average of any country in the world. A total of 81 shoppers in 25 states participated in the latest survey, conducted in September.
New Corn Product Could Open Door to Multiple Future Uses
In a continuing effort to discover new uses for corn, the National Corn Growers Association is proud to announce an investment with QMaxx Products Group to develop a bio-renewable gun oil for use in both the civilian market and potential military applications.
"The National Corn Growers Association recently completed negotiations with QMaxx to provide financial support for military specifications testing of their bio-renewable based cleaning, lubricating, and protecting (CLP) gun oil," said Larry Hoffmann, chairman of NCGA's Corn Productivity and Quality Action Team. "With our support QMaxx will submit a formulation derived from corn sweeteners to the Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC)."
The QMaxx formulation is designed to meet the high-performance standards required by our military. In addition, it will meet federal bio-renewable standards and reduce soldiers' exposure to some harmful components.
Hoffmann, a former U.S. Army officer, said "It's exciting to think CLP, a product I used almost daily in the Army, soon may contain the corn I produce every year on the farm." Hoffmann further noted "while we project only a modest increase in additional corn demand from QMaxx's CLP product there are other potential applications of this same corn-derived chemical that have significant market potential."
"QMaxx is pleased to have this opportunity to work with the National Corn Growers Association," said President and CFO Craig Hiddleston. "QMaxx has other initiatives in the works that will utilize similar corn-derived chemicals - we hope to work with the National Corn Growers Association on these initiatives also."
Since 2010, QMaxx Products Group, a Fenton, Missouri-based company, has been developing, manufacturing and distributing anti-corrosion, water-displacing products for industrial and consumer markets. QMaxx uses state-of-the-art technology to interrupt the rust and corrosion cycle-creating a durable, long-lasting solution for rust prevention. It also has the benefit of being an all-in-one solution that cleans, lubricates, prevents rust and corrosion and protects all metal surfaces. QMaxx gun cleaning oils are popular with gunsmiths, hunters and competitive shooters. For more information on their line of products, please visit: https://www.qmaxxproducts.com/.
States Will Lose Billions in Tax Revenue to Internet-only Sellers
Unless Congress acts on legislation to promote fair competition between Main Street retailers and internet-only sellers, states will lose more than $211 billion in tax revenue over the next five years, according to new analysis released by the Marketplace Fairness Coalition.
Currently, a legal loophole allows some online retailers to avoid collecting the sales tax due during a transaction. While consumers are still liable for paying what’s owed, few do, which gives online stores a strong advantage over their Main Street competitors.
One of farmers and ranchers’ biggest concerns about the lack of fair competition between brick-and-mortar stores and internet-only sellers is that local governments and schools often try to make up for the lost sales tax revenue by increasing property taxes, a burden that falls heavily on land-based business owners.
The American Farm Bureau Federation is backing two bills, the Remote Transactions Parity Act of 2017 (H.R. 2193) and the Marketplace Fairness Act of 2017 (S. 976), that would allow states to apply sales tax laws uniformly.
“The businesses that line the streets of our nation’s small and rural towns provide essential goods and services to the farmers and ranchers who work the fields that surround them. But hometown businesses are at a disadvantage when they compete with online-only retailers who don’t have to collect sales taxes. When this disadvantage causes a ‘Main Street’ business to close or scale back, the impact is especially hurtful to already struggling small and rural towns,” AFBF President Zippy Duvall said in a letter to House and Senate lawmakers encouraging them to support the bills.
Tamra Jackson-Ziems, Extension Plant Pathologist
Various stalk rot diseases have been confirmed in samples from corn fields across Nebraska. Stalk rot diseases and the pathogens that cause them are common in corn. They can weaken corn stalks, leading to stalk lodging and harvest difficulties for producers. These diseases also can impact yield if corn plants are killed prematurely. It’s important to be aware of their incidence in fields to better understand the risk of harvest difficulties if plants lodge. In addition, knowing which diseases are present in individual fields can help producers anticipate, manage and prevent them in subsequent growing years.
Unfortunately, the symptoms that stalk rotting pathogens cause can be misleading and make it difficult to diagnose. For example, some of the earliest symptoms of stalk rot disease may be the discoloration of leaves and rapid plant wilting and/or premature death. In recent weeks, several samples of dead leaves have been submitted to the UNL Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic. Microscopic observation and testing of these samples has failed to identify any pathogens or provide a diagnosis we can be confident of, leading us to suspect stalk rot diseases.
Crown and Stalk Rot Sampling Tips
As you continue to scout fields late in the season, it is important to collect the right kind of sample to ensure proper diagnosis. Over the course of several days, the leaves can become necrotic with symptoms resembling sunscald. However, splitting the stalk and crown can reveal the real cause of leaf dieback. Certain stalk rots, such as Anthracnose, are managed through resistant varieties. Others, like Fusarium spp., are controlled through cultural practices that lessen plant stress – balanced fertility, proper planting populations, and insect control.
Even though the noticeable symptoms appear on the leaves, the pathogen is not present in the leaves. Additionally, it may be easier to cut the plant a few inches above ground level and leave the crown and roots, but the main difference between crown and stalk rots is where the pathogen is infected. If the crown and roots are left and the disease has not progressed up the stalk, it is difficult to get an accurate diagnosis. Submitting entire plants is the best way to get an accurate diagnosis. Proper management starts with a proper diagnosis.
Please do not send dead plants. It is difficult to ID the exact cause of death on a plant once other, opportunistic pathogens and microorganisms have had a chance to infect the weakened plant. Ideal samples are ones that are just starting to show symptoms. Keeping soil on the root ball is helpful in keeping the plant alive a little longer as we work through our diagnosis. Please enclose the root ball in a separate plastic bag to prevent soil from spreading to the rest of the plant. In order to fit the entire plant into a bag or shipping container it is fine to cut, or bend them to fit into a trash bag or large zip lock bag.
As always, please fill out the sample ID form with as much information as possible.
Numerous stalk rot diseases occur in Nebraska and other states and your sample analysis results can identify one or more common pathogens in samples submitted to the UNL Plant & Pest Diagnostic Clinic.
Risk Factors for Stalk Rot
Crop stress during the growing season contributes to the development of some stalk rot diseases. Pay special attention to fields that have one or more of the following risk factors for stalk rot diseases and lodging:
- Higher yielding hybrids
- Lost leaf area (due to leaf diseases, hail, etc.)
- Excessive rainfall/ponding
- Stalk wounding, usually by hail or insect feeding
- High planting populations
- Thin stalks
Evaluating Stalk Strength Prior to Harvest
Walking through a field, randomly select a minimum of 100 plants representing a large portion of the field. To test for stalk rot you can PUSH the plant tops away from you approximately 30 degrees from vertical. If plants don’t snap back to vertical, the stalk may have been compromised by stalk rot disease. An alternative method is to PINCH the internodes of the lower stalk. If the stalks crush easily by hand, their integrity is reduced by stalk rot and they are prone to lodging. If more than 10% of plants exhibit stalk rot symptoms, harvesting that field first should be a priority over others at less risk in order to reduce the chance of plant lodging prior to harvest.
Several fungi are common in our production fields and can opportunistically cause stalk rot diseases in stressed plants. Some of the most common stalk rot diseases this year are listed below:
Charcoal rot is one of the few diseases that is more common during drought conditions, and so, is more likely to affect corn in non-irrigated fields or pivot corners. The disease is characterized by the presence of many minute black round structures inside the stalk that can give it a gray to black appearance (Figure 3a). In addition, the fungus that causes charcoal rot, Macrophomina phaseolina, has a wide host range and can cause the same disease in several crops, including corn, soybean, sorghum, and alfalfa.
Fusarium stalk rot is especially common during damp conditions, but may occur anywhere. One of the most common symptoms is the development of crown rot inside the lower stalk, below the soil line, near where roots attach to the stalk. The pathogen, Fusarium verticillioides, can sometimes be visible as white fungal growth on the outside of stalk nodes. Eventually, the disease may cause a pink or salmon discoloration to the inside of stalks.
Anthracnose stalk rot can also cause a leaf disease and is a common cause of top rots in corn. In more advanced stages the disease can cause the development of black lesions visible on the outside of the stalk and is caused by the fungus Colletotrichum graminicola.
Managing for Stalk Rots in Corn
There is nothing to be done at this point in the season to stop stalk rots as affected stalks will continue to degrade over time, further weakening them. Growers can minimize losses by identifying which fields have the worst stalk rot diseases and adjust the harvest order of those fields. Consider harvesting or chopping fields heavily impacted by stalk rots first or earlier than others to minimize losses that can occur after lodging. Some seed companies provide ratings for their hybrids’ reactions for a few stalk rot diseases that may be helpful in selecting hybrids for fields with chronic stalk rot disease.
Natural Air Drying of Binned Soybeans
Paul Jasa, NE Extension Engineer
If you're looking at storing soybeans harvested at over 13% moisture, you'll want to dry them to 13%, the recommended level for longer term storage.
The time to dry soybeans, or any grain, depends on a number of variables:
The initial moisture content, %
The desired moisture content, %
The average ambient air properties — temperature and relative humidity
Airflow through the bin — cubic feet per minute per bushel
Whether the incoming air is heated
A grain drying program was used to estimate the time it would take to dry soybeans (see Table 1). It estimated the days to dry soybeans in a grain bin using natural air and 1 cubic foot per minute per bushel of grain in the bin. When drying in the bin, avoid using the stirator as it can damage soybeans.
Weather conditions are a huge factor in how long it takes to dry grain. Click here to read more.... https://cropwatch.unl.edu/2017/drying-soybeans-bin.
NEBRASKA ORGANIC AGRICULTURE
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service has released the results of its 2016 Certified Organic Survey. Certified organic operations in Nebraska sold a total of $96 million in organic products in 2016, up 33 percent compared to 2015. The number of certified organic operations in Nebraska totaled 162, up 1 percent from last year.
The 2016 Certified Organic Survey is a census of all known U.S. farmers and ranchers with certified organic production in 2016. The survey collected acreage, production, and sales data for a variety of certified organic crop and livestock commodities.
Heuermann Lecture: Nebraska: If Not Immigrants, Who?
Nebraska Innovation Campus Conference Center
2021 Transformation Drive, Lincoln, NE
October 3, 2017 - 3:30 p.m. CST
Reception preceding lecture at 3:00 p.m.
Lourdes Gouveia, professor emerita of sociology and co-founder of the Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS) at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, will speak at the first Heuermann Lecture of the season Oct. 3. Gouveia will examine the role that immigrants have played, and continue to play, in the social, economic and cultural development of Nebraska and its diverse communities.
Gouveia has authored and co-authored a number of articles aimed at documenting the profound sociodemographic changes and processes of immigrant incorporation occurring in new destination states such as Nebraska. As OLLAS director, she was charged with the task of producing a number of policy-relevant reports, which have been offered as key evidence by Nebraska state senators opposing the passage of draconian bills seeking to restrict immigrant rights.
Gouveia’s current work focuses on the growing exodus of middle-class, highly educated Venezuelans. The work is situated within the contest of increasing global precarity of unskilled and skilled labor alike, and the compounded impacts of Latin America’s failed development and governance modes. The theme for the seventh year of Heuermann Lectures is “Think Globally, Act Locally.” The lectures are funded by a gift from B. Keith and Norma Heuermann of Phillips.
Heuermann Lectures are free and open to the public. Lectures are streamed live online at http://heuermannlectures.unl.edu.
Pork Checkoff’s Asian Trade Mission Offers Insight
With a clearer vision on how to elevate U.S. pork as the global protein of choice, three National Pork Board officers and two members of the senior leadership team have returned from an Asian trade mission. The team representing the Pork Checkoff toured Japan and China from Sept. 5–16, visiting with pork processors, distributors and retailers, as well as importers and traders. Asian team members of the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) also accompanied the Pork Checkoff crew.
“Pork is the No. 1 most consumed protein in the world, and that was certainly obvious as we toured parts of Japan and China,” said National Pork Board CEO Bill Even. “It is important for us to see firsthand how pork is raised, processed and promoted in Asia. The Asian customer and consumer culture is unique, and we need to understand the global motivation to purchase U.S. pork.”
The U.S. is facing record-breaking pork production in 2017. The Pork Checkoff is committed to growing demand, not only in the U.S., but also among top customers in Asia. In terms of pork volume (pounds), China/Hong Kong and Japan are currently the No. 2 and 3 export customers of the U.S. Combined volume in these areas is 534,953 metric tons (or about 1.18 billion pounds). In terms of pork value (U.S. dollars), Japan is No. 1 and China/Hong Kong is No. 3, with a combined value of nearly $1.6 billion of exports, both according to the most recent (through July) USMEF data.
“Marketing pork comes down to building long-term relationships and having a safe, dependable, high-quality product that is presented well to the buyer,” said Pork Board President Terry O’Neel, a producer from Friend, Nebraska. “Consumers are encouraged to experience U.S. pork through fun events and social activities.”
While in Japan, the trade team were able to see specifically how U.S. pork is marketed, including through USMEF’s current Gochipo (sumptuous pork) campaign. That marketing campaign extols the virtues of high-quality, delicious U.S. pork and the rising value of U.S. pork products.
“My most distinct takeaway as a producer is the vital and versatile role that U.S. pork plays in the Asian diet,” said Pork Board Treasurer Brett Kaysen, a producer from Nunn, Colorado. “No matter the level of retail outlet in Japan – from discount to high-end – U.S. pork is present.”
After spending five days on the ground in Japan, Checkoff leadership traveled to China. While in China, O’Neel and Even presented the U.S. pork production perspective at the annual China Swine Industry Symposium. O’Neel spoke on managing financial, environmental and labor risk in U.S. pork production.
“China is a huge market in terms of volume and opportunity,” said Pork Board Vice President Steve Rommereim, a producer from Alcester, South Dakota. “While China is 98 percent self-sufficient in pork production, we need to further our outreach efforts here. The economic growth and infrastructure development we saw in China is intimidating, to say the least. This level of growth points to a greater dependence on foreign market imports, with price a key buying criteria.”
Kaysen added, “In China, I envision cold pork storage experiencing dramatic growth as the population grows and as the country continues to consume more meat. Our job is to make U.S. pork truly recognized in the meatcase at the retail level in China as much as it is in Japan.”
O’Neel called the Board’s Asia trade mission a great success.
“Our leadership gained a greater understanding of the Asian market by visiting with people in the Japanese and Chinese meat trade,” O’Neel said. “U.S. pork is doing well in Asia, but we can do more to improve. Free trade issues remain both a barrier and a pathway to future U.S. pork export growth.”
Rommereim agreed, saying, “This was an important trip for the officers to make. As the U.S. pork industry expands, our dependence on these markets becomes even more important and valued. Through increasing our level of knowledge, we are better qualified to spend Checkoff dollars wisely to expand exports.”
Including both muscle cuts and variety meat, exports have increased to 27.5 percent of total production in 2017 (up from 25.6 percent last year). Growing that amount is the result of developing Asian customer relationships and working with USMEF and the National Pork Producers Council.
Producing safe food is chief goal for Iowa pig farmers
The men and women who raise hogs in Iowa are celebrating National Pork Month in October and want consumers to know they are firmly committed to the We Care ethical principles of pork production.
This means protecting and promoting animal well-being, humanely producing safe food, safeguarding natural resources, ensuring all production practices protect public health, contributing to a better quality of life in their communities, and providing a safe work environment on the farm.
These six ethical principles were adopted in 2008 and help guide each person who raises hogs in Iowa and across the nation. The purpose of the We Care initiative is to maintain a safe, high-quality pork supply.
"The ethical principles define our values and who we are," says Iowa Pork Producers Association President Curtis Meier of Clarinda. "Consumers can be confident that the pork they eat was raised using the ethical principles."
Pork Month is a celebration of all things pork and farmers want to make sure that today's consumers, many of whom are generations removed from the farm, know how pork is raised today.
"If you eat, you have a connection to a farmer," said Meier. "October Pork Month is an opportunity to reestablish that producer-to-consumer relationship. Our mission is to produce safe, nutritious food in a responsible manner, and we need to share how we do that with consumers."
Pork is the world's most widely eaten meat, representing 42 percent of all meat consumed, according to the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service.
The top five most popular cuts sold in the United States are center-cut chops, assorted chops, back ribs, blade roasts and center-cut loin roasts, according to Nielsen Perishable Group retail sales data for the 52 weeks ending July 1, 2017. In terms of value, center-cut chops accounted for more than $980 million in sales, assorted chops for $484 million, back ribs for $422 million, blade roasts for $289 million and center-cut loin roasts for $275 million.
"Consumers are putting more pork on their fork," said Meier. "To ensure a flavorful eating experience, we remind consumers to cook pork until the internal temperature reaches between 145 degrees and 160 degrees Fahrenheit, followed by a three-minute rest."
Yes, Larger Placements, But Let's Dig Deeper in the Report
David P. Anderson, Professor and Extension Economist
Department of Agricultural Economics, Texas A&M University
Feedlot placements bucked seasonal trends in July by declining, but rebounded in August according to USDA's Cattle on Feed Report. Placements were reported up 2.6 percent over a year ago. The 1.928 million head placed were the most for an August since 2012. While the average pre-report estimates were for placements to be below a year ago, a 2.6 percent increase was within the range of estimates. It's also interesting to note that the range of pre-report placement estimates was large, about 16 percentage points, reflecting a lot of uncertainty prior to this report. That uncertainty reflected regional placement patterns, red ink in recent closeouts, drought in the Northern Plains, but abundant grass likely holding calves in other regions. All in all, this report was likely a surprise for some market participants.
The distribution of placements by weight was, perhaps, the most interesting part of the report. All of the increase in placements was in the 800-899 (up 50,000 head) and the 900-999 pound category (up 15,000 head). That 65,000 head increase in placements was slightly offset by lower placements in the 600-699, 700-799, and 1,000 pound plus categories.
Digging in a little deeper suggests more evidence of cattle numbers pushing on-feed inventories to reflect older seasonal patterns. It is normal for August placements to exceed those in July. Most years during this decade that month to month increase has been around 100,000 head. This year's increase from July was 313,000 head, slightly larger than last year's 307,000 head and the largest July to August increase since 2010. In the decade of the 2000's it was not uncommon to have over a 400,000 head increase in placements over the July to August period.
Before we all freak out about placements being above the average expectation, a little perspective is in order. Total placements were 49,000 head above August 2016. That's not a large number compared to total placements of 1.9 million. The 65,000 head increase in the heavier categories marketed over a likely 2 month period is about 1,500 head per day, likely early in 2018, with maybe a few in late 2017. And remember, marketings exceeded placements in August for the first time since 2013, pulling down on-feed inventories. Feedlot marketings continued at their rapid pace, up 6 percent, which is preventing backed up supplies.
Cattle on feed were reported up 3.6 percent. It's likely that if a year ago we would have said that cattle on feed would be up about 3.6 percent in mid-late 2017 most would have said "that seems about right." The on-feed number is not really out of line with longer term trends in cow herd and calf crop estimates. I think it's also fair to say that USDA's rounding of the placement and on-feed numbers in the report makes the headline numbers seem more alarming. On-feed up 4 percent seems a lot worse than 3.6 percent.
Fed cattle sold at about $108 this week, up $2 from last week. It's worth remembering also that current prices reflect the current market. The cattle on feed report contains information about market affecting supplies that will affect prices some months down the road. If anything, there is some fundamental market information that would suggest $108 fed cattle might be underpriced.
ASA Steps up Urgency in Search for Answers on Dicamba Damage
As nationwide reports of dicamba-related damage to soybeans and other crops continue to climb, American Soybean Association (ASA) President and Illinois farmer Ron Moore reiterated the association’s commitment to find a solution to the issue:
“This issue isn’t going away—in fact, it’s only getting worse. There are now a reported 2,242 complaints affecting 3.1 million acres of soybeans in 21 of our 30 soybean-growing states, and we expect that number to continue to rise. This is unacceptable, and we are committed to establishing both a cause and a path forward on the dicamba issue, including what actions need to be taken to assure that soybean farmers can use the product safely without damaging their own or their neighbors’ crops.
“We continue to strongly support independent research underway at several land grant universities and coordinated by the national soybean checkoff to find answers. This includes research at the University of Arkansas, University of Illinois, Iowa State University, Kansas State University, the University of Kentucky, University of Missouri, Mississippi State University, the University of Nebraska, North Dakota State University, The Ohio State University, Purdue University, Southern Illinois University, the University of Tennessee, and University of Wisconsin.
“We need this independent university research as well as other efforts by the national and state soybean checkoffs to determine the root causes of this widespread problem and how to address them, whether that be additional education, application restrictions, or other actions to ensure that low-volatility formulations of dicamba stay on target and don’t damage neighboring crops.
“There is an important good neighbor aspect to consider here as well. While damage may be related to product sprayed over soybeans, the effects have reportedly impacted other adjacent crops, including tree fruit and other specialty crops. As the policy representative for soybean farmers, ASA has a duty to ensure that we are successfully coexisting with other crops, so we take these reports very seriously.
“And, we continue to engage the relevant technology providers to determine what went wrong and how we can move forward. Their cooperation will be key as we try to find answers to questions regarding product performance or volatility, environmental conditions, off-label application or use of older formulations, tank mixing and clean-out, or other causes. It is very important to recognize that we do not yet have all of the data we need to clearly determine the causes of this problem, or the next steps we’ll need to take.
“It is absolutely true that farmers need and want new technologies to help fight resistant weeds, and we are going to support the marketing of those new technologies and new formulations. That need is not blind, however, and we need to ensure that these products can be used by farmers in varied climates and growing regions safely.”
CWT Assists with 1.7 Million Pounds of Cheese and Butter Export Sales
Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted 9 requests for export assistance from Dairy Farmers of America, Foremost Farms and Northwest Dairy Association (Darigold) that have contracts to sell 1.296 million pounds (588 metric tons) of Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, and 385,809 pounds (175 metric tons) of butter to customers in Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Oceania. The product has been contracted for delivery in the period from September through December 2017.
So far this year, CWT has assisted member cooperatives who have contracts to sell 55.148 million pounds of American-type cheeses and 4.115 million pounds of butter (82% milkfat) to 21 countries on five continents. The sales are the equivalent of 601.598 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis
Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program in the long term helps member cooperatives gain and maintain market share, thus expanding the demand for U.S. dairy products and the U.S. farm milk that produces them. This, in turn, positively affects all U.S. dairy farmers by strengthening and maintaining the value of dairy products that directly impact their milk price.
CHS Foundation Strengthens Partnership with the National FFA Organization
The CHS Foundation, funded by charitable contributions from CHS Inc., and a key National FFA supporter for more than 40 years, recently announced a $3.8 million commitment to the National FFA Organization, growing its support to a platinum sponsorship level.
This investment helps ensure that the National FFA Organization continues to support members as they strive to become a workforce that understands the food and agriculture industry, and develop the leadership skills necessary to pursue careers in agriculture.
“Generous, broad and continued support from the CHS Foundation has an impact on our members and agriculture education teachers at the local, state and national levels,” said Molly Ball, president of the National FFA Foundation. “With an estimated 60,000 jobs opening every year and with 27 percent of those being in agriculture, FFA is working to ensure that our career development events and proficiency award areas align with our students’ evolving interests and emerging challenge areas in food, fiber and natural resources. The continued contributions of the CHS Foundation help us achieve the FFA vision of growing leaders, building communities and strengthening agriculture, and supplying the talent pipeline to fill those needs.”
This new commitment provides ongoing support to the diversified crop, environmental and natural resources management proficiencies, the environmental and natural resources management CDE, increased support of teacher education and retention programs through National Teach Ag and CASE institute teacher scholarships. New funding is dedicated to developing cooperative education curriculum and sponsorship of the New Century Farmer program.
“The CHS Foundation is proud to continue our long standing relationship with National FFA that began more than four decades ago,” says Nanci Lilja, CHS Foundation president. “Through our continued support of National FFA and Teach Ag, we are building on our commitment to develop the next generation of ag leaders and ensure ag education teachers have the resources they need to be successful teaching agricultural concepts in the classroom.”
FB: Bacon and Chicken Up, OJ Too
Higher retail prices for several foods, including bacon, chicken breast, orange juice, sliced deli ham and flour resulted in a slight increase in the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Fall Harvest Marketbasket Survey.
The informal survey shows the total cost of 16 food items that can be used to prepare one or more meals was $51.13, up $1.43, or about 3 percent, compared to a survey conducted a year ago. Of the 16 items surveyed, 12 increased and four decreased in average price.
Several foods showed significant retail price increases from a year ago, including bacon, chicken breast and orange juice, according to Dr. John Newton, AFBF’s director of market intelligence.
“Bacon was up significantly because of the lower inventory and higher prices of pork bellies. We saw a rally in wholesale bacon prices this summer and fall which is being reflected at the retail level,” Newton said. “Bacon is a sexy food item in restaurants and everywhere else, creating an inventory decline and thus a price increase.”
The following items showed retail price increases from a year ago:
- bacon, up 19 percent to $5.24 per pound
- chicken breast, up 9 percent to $3.13 per pound
- flour, up 7 percent to $2.37 per 5-pound bag
- orange juice, up 6 percent to $3.46 per half-gallon
- vegetable oil, up 5 percent to $2.52 for a 32-ounce bottle
- sliced deli ham, up 3 percent to $5.62 per pound
- sirloin tip roast, up 3 percent to $5.17 per pound
- whole milk, up 3 percent to $2.93 per gallon
- white bread, up 2 percent to $1.61 for a 20-ounce loaf
- toasted oat cereal, up 1 percent to $2.84 for a 9-ounce box
- shredded cheddar, up 1 percent to $4.11 per pound
- apples, up 1 percent to $1.61 per pound
These items showed moderate retail price decreases compared to a year ago:
- bagged salad, down 16 percent to $2.41 per pound
- ground chuck, down 3 percent to $3.99 per pound
- eggs, down 3 percent to $1.44 dozen per dozen
- potatoes, down 2 percent to $2.68 for a 5-pound bag
“Supply and demand for chicken breasts is tight, which is why retail prices are higher,” Newton said. In addition, he said the price increase for orange juice is related to the lower supply of oranges, which could worsen due to the impact of Hurricane Harvey.
Consumers saw a slight decline in egg prices. “Egg supplies are fully rebuilt from what we saw a few years ago and we are seeing egg prices continue to come back to where they were prior to the bird flu a few years ago,” Newton said.
Price checks of alternative milk choices not included in the overall marketbasket survey average revealed the following: 1/2 gallon regular milk, $2.07 and 1/2 gallon organic milk, $4.27.
For many food items, the year-to-year direction of the marketbasket survey tracks with the federal government’s Consumer Price Index report for food at home. As retail grocery prices have increased gradually over time, the share of the average food dollar that America’s farm and ranch families receive has dropped.
“Through the mid-1970s, farmers received about one-third of consumer retail food expenditures for food eaten at home and away from home, on average. Since then, that figure has decreased steadily and is now about 15.6 percent, according to the Agriculture Department’s revised Food Dollar Series,” Newton said.
Using the “food at home and away from home” percentage across-the-board, the farmer’s share of this $51.13 marketbasket would be approximately $8.00.
AFBF, the nation’s largest general farm organization, began conducting informal quarterly marketbasket surveys of retail food price trends in 1989. The series includes a Spring Picnic survey, Summer Cookout survey, Fall Harvest survey and Thanksgiving survey.
According to USDA, Americans spend just under 10 percent of their disposable annual income on food, the lowest average of any country in the world. A total of 81 shoppers in 25 states participated in the latest survey, conducted in September.
New Corn Product Could Open Door to Multiple Future Uses
In a continuing effort to discover new uses for corn, the National Corn Growers Association is proud to announce an investment with QMaxx Products Group to develop a bio-renewable gun oil for use in both the civilian market and potential military applications.
"The National Corn Growers Association recently completed negotiations with QMaxx to provide financial support for military specifications testing of their bio-renewable based cleaning, lubricating, and protecting (CLP) gun oil," said Larry Hoffmann, chairman of NCGA's Corn Productivity and Quality Action Team. "With our support QMaxx will submit a formulation derived from corn sweeteners to the Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC)."
The QMaxx formulation is designed to meet the high-performance standards required by our military. In addition, it will meet federal bio-renewable standards and reduce soldiers' exposure to some harmful components.
Hoffmann, a former U.S. Army officer, said "It's exciting to think CLP, a product I used almost daily in the Army, soon may contain the corn I produce every year on the farm." Hoffmann further noted "while we project only a modest increase in additional corn demand from QMaxx's CLP product there are other potential applications of this same corn-derived chemical that have significant market potential."
"QMaxx is pleased to have this opportunity to work with the National Corn Growers Association," said President and CFO Craig Hiddleston. "QMaxx has other initiatives in the works that will utilize similar corn-derived chemicals - we hope to work with the National Corn Growers Association on these initiatives also."
Since 2010, QMaxx Products Group, a Fenton, Missouri-based company, has been developing, manufacturing and distributing anti-corrosion, water-displacing products for industrial and consumer markets. QMaxx uses state-of-the-art technology to interrupt the rust and corrosion cycle-creating a durable, long-lasting solution for rust prevention. It also has the benefit of being an all-in-one solution that cleans, lubricates, prevents rust and corrosion and protects all metal surfaces. QMaxx gun cleaning oils are popular with gunsmiths, hunters and competitive shooters. For more information on their line of products, please visit: https://www.qmaxxproducts.com/.
States Will Lose Billions in Tax Revenue to Internet-only Sellers
Unless Congress acts on legislation to promote fair competition between Main Street retailers and internet-only sellers, states will lose more than $211 billion in tax revenue over the next five years, according to new analysis released by the Marketplace Fairness Coalition.
Currently, a legal loophole allows some online retailers to avoid collecting the sales tax due during a transaction. While consumers are still liable for paying what’s owed, few do, which gives online stores a strong advantage over their Main Street competitors.
One of farmers and ranchers’ biggest concerns about the lack of fair competition between brick-and-mortar stores and internet-only sellers is that local governments and schools often try to make up for the lost sales tax revenue by increasing property taxes, a burden that falls heavily on land-based business owners.
The American Farm Bureau Federation is backing two bills, the Remote Transactions Parity Act of 2017 (H.R. 2193) and the Marketplace Fairness Act of 2017 (S. 976), that would allow states to apply sales tax laws uniformly.
“The businesses that line the streets of our nation’s small and rural towns provide essential goods and services to the farmers and ranchers who work the fields that surround them. But hometown businesses are at a disadvantage when they compete with online-only retailers who don’t have to collect sales taxes. When this disadvantage causes a ‘Main Street’ business to close or scale back, the impact is especially hurtful to already struggling small and rural towns,” AFBF President Zippy Duvall said in a letter to House and Senate lawmakers encouraging them to support the bills.
Saturday, September 23, 2017
Friday September 22 Cattle on Feed + Ag News
NEBRASKA CATTLE ON FEED UP 2 PERCENT
Nebraska feedlots, with capacities of 1,000 or more head, contained 2.15 million cattle on feed on September 1, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. This inventory was up 2 percent from last year. Placements during August totaled 470,000 head, up 1 percent from 2016. Fed cattle marketings for the month of August totaled 470,000 head, up 4 percent from last year. Other disappearance during August totaled 10,000 head, up 5,000 head from last year.
IOWA CATTLE ON FEED REPORT
Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 640,000 head on September 1, 2017, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Cattle on Feed report. This was down 2 percent from August 1, 2017, but up 10 percent from September 1, 2016. Iowa feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head had 440,000 head on feed, down 4 percent from last month and down 11 percent from last year. Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in all Iowa feedlots totaled 1,080,000 head, down 3 percent from last month but up 5,000 head from last year.
Placements of cattle and calves in Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during August totaled 92,000 head, an increase of 53 percent from last month and up 30 percent from last year. Feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head placed 41,000 head, up 3 percent from last month and up 14 percent from last year. Placements for all feedlots in Iowa totaled 133,000 head, up 33 percent from last month and up 24 percent from last year.
Marketings of fed cattle from Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during August totaled 101,000 head, up 28 percent from last month and up 12 percent from last year. Feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head marketed 60,000 head, down 22 percent from last month and down 6 percent from last year. Marketings for all feedlots in Iowa were 161,000 head, up 3 percent from last month and up 5 percent from last year. Other disappearance from all feedlots in Iowa totaled 2,000 head.
United States Cattle on Feed Up 4 Percent
Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 10.5 million head on September 1, 2017. The inventory was 4 percent above September 1, 2016.
On Feed by State (1,000hd, - % Sept 1 '16)
Colorado .......: 860 - 108
Iowa .............: 640 - 110
Kansas ..........: 2,220 - 102
Nebraska ......: 2,150 - 102
Texas ............: 2,590 - 104
Placements in feedlots during August totaled 1.93 million head, 3 percent above 2016. Net placements were 1.88 million head. During August, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 360,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 285,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 418,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 485,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 270,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 110,000 head.
Placements by State (1,000 hd - % Aug '16)
Colorado .......: 175 - 103
Iowa .............: 92 - 130
Kansas ..........: 495 - 102
Nebraska ......: 470 - 101
Texas ............: 385 - 97
Marketings of fed cattle during August totaled 1.98 million head, 6 percent above 2016. Other disappearance totaled 49,000 head during August, 20 percent above 2016.
Marketings by State (1,000 hd - % Aug '16)
Colorado .......: 190 - 109
Iowa .............: 101 - 112
Kansas ..........: 445 - 107
Nebraska ......: 470 - 104
Texas ............: 435 - 105
THISTLE CONTROL DURING OCTOBER
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist
As October starts to arrive, our thoughts naturally turn towards crop harvest. But don’t forget, it’s also thistle time again. Even if they are hard to see, this is the time to control them.
Timing is everything. That's particularly true with thistle control. And October to early November is one of the best times to use herbicides.
Did you have thistles this year? If so, walk out in those infected areas this week. Look close. I'll bet you find many thistle seedlings. Most thistle seedlings this fall will be small, in a flat, rosette growth form, and they are very sensitive now to certain herbicides. So spray this fall and thistles will not be a big problem next year.
Several herbicides are effective and recommended for thistle control. Several newer herbicides like ForeFront, Milestone, and Chaparral work very well. Two other very effective herbicides are Tordon 22K and Grazon. Be careful with all these herbicides, but especially Tordon and Grazon, since they also can kill woody plants, including trees you might want to keep. 2,4-D also works well while it’s warm, but you will get better thistle control by using a little less 2,4-D and adding a small amount of Banvel or dicamba to the mix.
Other herbicides also can control thistles in pastures – like Redeem, Cimarron, and Curtail. No matter which weed killer you use, though, be sure to read and follow label instructions, and be sure to spray on time.
Next year, avoid overgrazing your pastures so your grass stands get thicker and compete with any new weeds or thistle seedlings.
Give some thought now to thistle control during October and November. Your pastures can be cleaner next spring.
Nebraska Corn Board offers new flex fuel pump grant incentive for fuel retailers
The Nebraska Corn Board recently allocated funds in its 2017-18 fiscal year budget to further develop the renewable fuel infrastructure in Nebraska.
Through a grant program, the Nebraska Corn Board will award qualifying retailers up to $50,000 for installation of flex fuel pumps, other necessary equipment and hardware to offer higher blends of ethanol fuel. Blender pumps make it easier for retailers to offer additional ethanol blended fuels. This expands their fuel offerings and provides a point of distinction in the marketplace while serving the growing number of motorists driving flex fuel vehicles.
Such pumps also provide opportunities for stations to more easily offer E15, which is approved for use in all vehicles model year 2001 and newer. This includes cars, light-duty trucks and SUVs.
Grants are available on a first come, first served basis. Once funding is exhausted, retailers will be placed on a waiting list and awarded grant money in the order applications were received, if additional funding becomes available.
“In the last several years we have partnered with many fuel retailers and currently have close to 100 stations across the state of Nebraska offering mid and higher level ethanol blends,” said Tim Scheer, Nebraska Corn Board director and farmer from St. Paul, Nebraska. “This has provided good coverage across the state, and with this grant program we can continue to expand that coverage for every Nebraskan to have a choice at the fuel pump.”
“There are currently around 235,000 flex fuel vehicles in Nebraska and that number is increasing every day,” said Roger Berry, director of market development with the Nebraska Corn Board. “Nebraska is the second largest producer of ethanol in the country and many of those ethanol plants partner with retailers to make E15 and flex fuels an even better value for consumers.”
Station owners who install blender pumps benefit from the blending economics and a higher volume of ethanol sales, while their customers enjoy a new array of fuel choices at the pump. “Flex fuel vehicle owners of today and tomorrow will appreciate the ability to pull up to a pump and find higher blends of ethanol fuel such as E30 or E85,” Scheer said. “Additionally, drivers of vehicles 2001 and newer can save at the pump and help clean the air with E15.”
“We are encouraging every fuel retailer to take a look at this new grant program,” said Berry. For more information about the grant program or to request an application, email Berry at roger.berry@nebraska.gov or call him at 402-471-2676.
Drop the Most Deadly Industry Title by Improving Tractor Safety
Agriculture continues to be the most deadly industry in the United States based on the number of deaths per 100,000 workers. The leading causes of these agricultural fatalities are tractor overturns, runovers and collisions. The tragedy is that the majority of these agricultural tractor fatalities are preventable with the addition of rollover protective structures, using safe tractor practices and adequate marking.
Charles Schwab, farm safety specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, and other safety professionals maintain that many tractor-related deaths can be prevented. Rollover protection structures keep the tractor operator in a safe area when the tractor overturns. Without ROPS, the entire weight of the tractor can crush the operator during an overturn.
The good news is modern tractors built since 1985 are required to have ROPS. The bad news is there are a significant number of older tractors without ROPS in Iowa. Choosing to operate a tractor without ROPS could cost you your life.
“Using only tractors with ROPS is a smart and safe decision,” said Schwab “Tractor rides for kids are risky and potentially a deadly activity.”
Many of the tractor runovers fatalities occur when an innocent tractor ride turns tragic. Other tractor runovers occur when young children are not seen by operators as the tractor approaches high traffic area of the farmstead.
“Have firm rules about permitting extra riders and when it is safe for young children to approach a tractor around the farmstead” Schwab said.
If taking a tractor on a public road, make sure your Slow Moving Vehicle emblem is not faded or covered with mud. This is an important visible indicator to other motorists that your vehicle is traveling slower than other traffic and needs their full attention. The rapid closure speed between approaching vehicles and your tractor need the advance warning an SMV emblem provides.
Do your part putting farm safety into practice this fall by improving tractor safety. If Iowa could reduce the number of tractor injuries and fatalities this year, it could be the year when agriculture loses the title of the most deadly industry in the United States.
Corn Farmers Commend Senator Ernst for Supporting USDA’s MAP & FMD Funding
Iowa Corn Growers Association President Mark Recker
We would like to thank Senator Ernst for introducing the CREAATE ACT, a bill to increase investment in two federal U.S. Department of Agriculture programs vital to U.S. agricultural exports, the Market Access Program (MAP) and the Foreign Market Development (FMD) Program. These initiatives support the promotion of corn in all forms in international markets.
The bipartisan legislation, introduced by Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Joe Donnelly (D-Indiana), would increase investment in MAP and FMD programs. A companion bill was introduced in the House earlier this year. We need Congress to pass this legislation quickly.
MAP and FMD form public-private partnerships that promote U.S. agriculture. Cooperators in the initiatives, like the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) and U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), employ staff around the world, to build and defend U.S. market share of corn in all forms, including meat, distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and ethanol. The Iowa Corn Promotion Board (ICPB) each year designates Iowa corn checkoff dollars to match and support international market development programs through these partner organizations. They deliver a strong return-on-investment, every $1 invested creates $28 in exports.
These initiatives not only support our agricultural economy but the nation’s economy overall. For instance, exports of Iowa’s corn, ethanol, DDGS, corn gluten feed, corn gluten meal and corn-fed meat products generated an estimated $5.2 billion in economic output in 2015 creating 15,665 full-time jobs, according to an Informa Economics study. At a time when the farm economy continues to struggle, we should be investing more in these programs, not less.
Funding for MAP and FMD have not kept pace with inflation, administrative costs, global marketplace growth nor the investments made by competing countries. The CREAATE Act would gradually increase MAP funding from $200 million to $400 million per year and FMD funding from $34.5 million to $69 million per year, over the course of the next five years.
The protection of MAP and FMD funding continues to be one of the top priority issues of the Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA). We call on our farmer-members and those in agriculture to urge Congress to pass the CREAATE Act.
Iowa Farmers Union to Host Food Safety Field Day
The Iowa Farmers Union (IFU), along with Iowa State University Extension & Outreach, and the Center for Rural Affairs, will be hosting an on-farm food safety field day for fruit and vegetable growers on Sept. 28 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Buske farm near Fort Dodge. The field day will focus on new requirements for fruit and vegetable growers under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule. Guests will learn more about FSMA regulations and trainings, Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) training, and food safety record-keeping. Guests also will have a chance to observe an on-farm food safety inspection. An evening meal will be provided for field day participants.
"Any Iowa farmer who grows or handles produce should be up to speed on FSMA and how these new rules will impact their farming operation," said IFU Food Safety Coordinator Ronald Tigner. "Even if they think their farm may be exempt from the new rules, many produce buyers will be using FSMA as the new food safety standard for their growers. This field day will provide a good overview about what FSMA will mean for your farm and what practical steps farmers will need to take to get trained and implement good on-farm food safety practices."
Field day presenters include:
- Shannon Coleman, extension specialist with the ISU Department of Food Sciences and Human Nutrition.
- Joe Hannan, horticulture specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach. Joe will lead discussions on produce safety, demonstrate an on-farm food safety inspection, and share information on the latest trends for hoop house production.
- Anna Johnson, policy program associate with the Center for Rural Affairs. Anna will give a presentation on the upcoming 2018 Farm Bill and its relevance for fruit and vegetable growers.
The Buske Farm is located at 1550 Madison Ave., Fort Dodge. Directions from Fort Dodge: From the junction of US Hwy 169 and IA Hwy 7 on the northwest side of Fort Dodge, proceed north on Hwy 169 for 2 miles. Turn east (right) onto 170th Street (County Rd D14). Travel east 0.4 mile to Madison Avenue. Turn north (left) onto Madison Avenue. Go 1.5 miles, then turn east (right) into the farm lane for the Buske Farm at 1550 Madison Avenue.
The field day is free and open to the public. An evening meal will be provided to guests.
Please RSVP by Sept. 26 to Ronald Tigner, rtigner@iowafarmersunion.org, (515) 357-0503.
For more information on FSMA and food safety rules and trainings, please visit the food safety resource page on the IFU website: iowafarmersunion.org/food-safety.
Veterinary researcher receives grants worth more than $700,000 to investigate swine diseases and influenza B virus
A Kansas State University veterinary researcher is taking aim at swine diseases with the help of two major grants.
Wenjun Ma, associate professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine has received a National Institutes of Health R21 grant of $411,664. His second award of $303,865 is a contract grant from Merck Animal Health.
The NIH grant will be used to investigate the connections between respiratory swine disease and influenza B virus.
"Unlike influenza A virus that infects a wide range of species, influenza B virus infections are almost exclusively restricted to humans, despite sporadic infections reported in seals," Ma said. "It is unclear whether other animal species can support the replication of influenza B virus and serve as a reservoir."
One of Ma's previous studies provided evidence that domestic pigs are susceptible to influenza B virus infection. Swine herds previously exposed to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus, or PRRSV, had a higher prevalence of influenza B virus antibodies.
"Studying the differences between human and swine influenza B virus isolates might improve our understanding of how influenza B viruses are maintained when they are not circulating in humans," Ma said. "The results of these experiments would likely reveal new information about the molecular mechanisms of influenza B virus replication and its evolution in nonhuman species, which is an important issue in the influenza research community."
The Merck grant will be used to study the molecular epidemiology and pathogenicity of porcine circovirus 3, or PCV3, in pigs.
"While unproven, we suspect that PCV3 plays an etiologic role in porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome, and may be responsible for reproductive failure," Ma said. "To date, no viruses have been successfully isolated and cultured. In this proposal, we try to address critical questions regarding epidemiology and pathogenicity of PCV3 in pigs by collaborating with Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory."
USDA Cold Storage August 2017 Highlights
Total red meat supplies in freezers on August 31, 2017 were up 7 percent from the previous month but down 3 percent from last year. Total pounds of beef in freezers were up 10 percent from the previous month but down slightly from last year. Frozen pork supplies were up 4 percent from the previous month but down 5 percent from last year. Stocks of pork bellies were up 8 percent from last month but down 40 percent from last year.
Total frozen poultry supplies on August 31, 2017 were down slightly from the previous month but up 6 percent from a year ago. Total stocks of chicken were down 2 percent from the previous month but up 1 percent from last year. Total pounds of turkey in freezers were up 2 percent from last month and up 14 percent from August 31, 2016.
Total natural cheese stocks in refrigerated warehouses on August 31, 2017 were down 3 percent from the previous month but up 7 percent from August 31, 2016. Butter stocks were down 9 percent from last month and down 12 percent from a year ago.
Total frozen fruit stocks were up 7 percent from last month but down 2 percent from a year ago. Total frozen vegetable stocks were up 22 percent from last month but down 2 percent from a year ago.
NPPC ADVOCATES FOR PORT REGULATORY REFORM
As a member of the Fair Port Practices Coalition, the National Pork Producers Council joined 69 other U.S. trade organizations on a letter to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, expressing concerns about their 2017 Clean Air Action Plan. The CAAP, which is required by California law, outlines strategies for reducing air pollution from all port-related sources, for meeting greenhouse gas reduction goals and achieving zero emissions for trucks and terminal equipment. The groups were critical of the draft CAAP’s “lack of information with respect to the commercial availability of specified technologies, the uncertainty of the draft plan’s cost, the absence of any analysis regarding the ports’ future competitiveness, the exclusion of certain technologies and fuels, and the lack of a cost-benefit analysis on the air quality benefits that would result from this program.”
NPPC also joined the Ports Coalition in petitioning the Federal Maritime Commission regarding unfair daily charges and other business practices being levied against shippers due to inefficient port operations. As a member of the Ports Coalition, NPPC remains focused on the efficient and competitive operation of U.S. ports to globally distribute U.S. pork products and support international trade.
USDA: August Egg Production Up 1 Percent
United States egg production totaled 8.85 billion during August 2017, up 1 percent from last year. Production included 7.69 billion table eggs, and 1.17 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.09 billion were broiler-type and 77.3 million were egg-type. The total number of layers during August 2017 averaged 371 million, up 1 percent from last year. August egg production per 100 layers was 2,384 eggs, down slightly from August 2016.
All layers in the United States on September 1, 2017 totaled 372 million, up 1 percent from last year. The 372 million layers consisted of 312 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 56.7 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 3.19 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on September 1, 2017, averaged 76.2 eggs per 100 layers, down 1 percent from September 1, 2016.
Egg-Type Chicks Hatched Up 5 Percent
Egg-type chicks hatched during August 2017 totaled 45.6 million, up 5 percent from August 2016. Eggs in incubators totaled 40.2 million on September 1, 2017, down 6 percent from a year ago.
Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 254 thousand during August 2017, down 22 percent from August 2016.
Broiler-Type Chicks Hatched Up 3 Percent
Broiler-type chicks hatched during August 2017 totaled 833 million, up 3 percent from August 2016. Eggs in incubators totaled 674 million on September 1, 2017, up 4 percent from a year ago.
Leading breeders placed 8.16 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during August 2017, up 6 percent from August 2016.
IOWA: Iowa egg production during August 2017 was 1.34 billion eggs, down 1 percent from last month, but up 4 percent from last year, according to the latest Chickens and Eggs report from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
The average number of all layers on hand during August 2017 was 55.1 million, a slight increase from last month and up 5 percent from last year. Eggs per 100 layers for August were 2,432, down 1 percent from both last month and last year.
Looking beyond color for next season’s soybean seed treatment
As growers navigate this year’s harvest, decisions for next season are already underway. Increasing those numbers on the yield monitor next year means creating the optimal management plan. Between choosing the right herbicides, soybean varieties, fungicides and more, seed treatments often get overlooked. But in an age where more than 85 percent of soybean seed is treated, this decision merits full attention.
According to the University of Minnesota Extension, seedling infections can cause damage that will persist throughout the growing season. However, when seed treatment decisions are made, it is impossible to know if next season’s weather conditions will be conducive for disease or other pressures.
“Growers need to be prepared for anything,” said Dale Ireland, Ph.D., Seedcare technical product lead at Syngenta. “And seed treatments are the first line of defense against early-season diseases and pests.”
Choosing the right seed treatment is critical to starting the season off strong. According to experts, a robust seed treatment should provide the following:
Resistance to seedborne and soilborne disease
Broad-spectrum protection against damaging early-season insects
Fast emergence and speed-to-canopy
High stand count
Improved root mass and health
Minimal issues with dust off, seed flow and equipment build-up
Product stability, which allows for consistent doses of active ingredients on each seed
Growers who opt for generic and custom blend seed treatments should ask their seed treaters or retailers if their seed treatments fulfil the needs above. On the surface, they may seem similar to a seed treatment like CruiserMaxx® Vibrance® Beans seed treatment, a combination of separately registered products, but they may fall short in performance.
“Generic and custom blend seed treatment ingredients are at risk of separating in the tank prior to application – forming a solution visually similar to adding oil and water together – which leads to inconsistent doses of active ingredients across seeds,” Ireland said. “This means that some seeds do not receive proper protection from insects and diseases. Product separation can also lead to on-farm equipment clogging, making the planting process less efficient.”
Another example of varying performance across seed treatments is stand count. Syngenta trials compared plant-stand performance of different seed treatments under disease pressure. The following percentages represent the average plant stand per acre*:
· Untreated soybean seeds – 41 percent
· Generic blend – 56 percent
· Valent Intego® Suite – 61 percent
· Pioneer Premium Seed Treatment® – 63 percent
· CruiserMaxx Vibrance Beans – 95 percent
Ireland attributes the superior performance of CruiserMaxx Vibrance Beans in these trials to its four active ingredients that help soybeans establish a strong defense system to cope with various disease and insect pressures. The Cruiser® Vigor Effect is scientifically proven to help produce more robust, vigorous plants, even in the absence of insects. This boost also helps increase speed-to-canopy and as a result, aids in weed control. In contrast, generic treatments often use older technologies that have been replaced in the market with newer, higher performing active ingredients.
“Though they may look similar, not all seed treatments are created equal,” Ireland said. “Growers working to start the season strong need to know what’s on their seed. CruiserMaxx Vibrance Beans is proven to be a stable formulation that not only provides the benefits growers expect from their seed treatment, but additional physiological advantages for the soybean roots and seedlings.”
CruiserMaxx Vibrance Beans also contains the RootingPower of Vibrance® fungicide, which protects the entire root system through soil mobility and long-lasting systemic activity for an added level of Rhizoctonia protection.
“The color of different seed treatments may be the same, but the performance isn’t,” Ireland said. “Make sure you know what’s on your seed. Talk to your retailer or seed treater to ensure you start the 2018 season strong with a proven seed treatment.”
Nebraska feedlots, with capacities of 1,000 or more head, contained 2.15 million cattle on feed on September 1, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. This inventory was up 2 percent from last year. Placements during August totaled 470,000 head, up 1 percent from 2016. Fed cattle marketings for the month of August totaled 470,000 head, up 4 percent from last year. Other disappearance during August totaled 10,000 head, up 5,000 head from last year.
IOWA CATTLE ON FEED REPORT
Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 640,000 head on September 1, 2017, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Cattle on Feed report. This was down 2 percent from August 1, 2017, but up 10 percent from September 1, 2016. Iowa feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head had 440,000 head on feed, down 4 percent from last month and down 11 percent from last year. Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in all Iowa feedlots totaled 1,080,000 head, down 3 percent from last month but up 5,000 head from last year.
Placements of cattle and calves in Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during August totaled 92,000 head, an increase of 53 percent from last month and up 30 percent from last year. Feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head placed 41,000 head, up 3 percent from last month and up 14 percent from last year. Placements for all feedlots in Iowa totaled 133,000 head, up 33 percent from last month and up 24 percent from last year.
Marketings of fed cattle from Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during August totaled 101,000 head, up 28 percent from last month and up 12 percent from last year. Feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head marketed 60,000 head, down 22 percent from last month and down 6 percent from last year. Marketings for all feedlots in Iowa were 161,000 head, up 3 percent from last month and up 5 percent from last year. Other disappearance from all feedlots in Iowa totaled 2,000 head.
United States Cattle on Feed Up 4 Percent
Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 10.5 million head on September 1, 2017. The inventory was 4 percent above September 1, 2016.
On Feed by State (1,000hd, - % Sept 1 '16)
Colorado .......: 860 - 108
Iowa .............: 640 - 110
Kansas ..........: 2,220 - 102
Nebraska ......: 2,150 - 102
Texas ............: 2,590 - 104
Placements in feedlots during August totaled 1.93 million head, 3 percent above 2016. Net placements were 1.88 million head. During August, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 360,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 285,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 418,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 485,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 270,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 110,000 head.
Placements by State (1,000 hd - % Aug '16)
Colorado .......: 175 - 103
Iowa .............: 92 - 130
Kansas ..........: 495 - 102
Nebraska ......: 470 - 101
Texas ............: 385 - 97
Marketings of fed cattle during August totaled 1.98 million head, 6 percent above 2016. Other disappearance totaled 49,000 head during August, 20 percent above 2016.
Marketings by State (1,000 hd - % Aug '16)
Colorado .......: 190 - 109
Iowa .............: 101 - 112
Kansas ..........: 445 - 107
Nebraska ......: 470 - 104
Texas ............: 435 - 105
THISTLE CONTROL DURING OCTOBER
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist
As October starts to arrive, our thoughts naturally turn towards crop harvest. But don’t forget, it’s also thistle time again. Even if they are hard to see, this is the time to control them.
Timing is everything. That's particularly true with thistle control. And October to early November is one of the best times to use herbicides.
Did you have thistles this year? If so, walk out in those infected areas this week. Look close. I'll bet you find many thistle seedlings. Most thistle seedlings this fall will be small, in a flat, rosette growth form, and they are very sensitive now to certain herbicides. So spray this fall and thistles will not be a big problem next year.
Several herbicides are effective and recommended for thistle control. Several newer herbicides like ForeFront, Milestone, and Chaparral work very well. Two other very effective herbicides are Tordon 22K and Grazon. Be careful with all these herbicides, but especially Tordon and Grazon, since they also can kill woody plants, including trees you might want to keep. 2,4-D also works well while it’s warm, but you will get better thistle control by using a little less 2,4-D and adding a small amount of Banvel or dicamba to the mix.
Other herbicides also can control thistles in pastures – like Redeem, Cimarron, and Curtail. No matter which weed killer you use, though, be sure to read and follow label instructions, and be sure to spray on time.
Next year, avoid overgrazing your pastures so your grass stands get thicker and compete with any new weeds or thistle seedlings.
Give some thought now to thistle control during October and November. Your pastures can be cleaner next spring.
Nebraska Corn Board offers new flex fuel pump grant incentive for fuel retailers
The Nebraska Corn Board recently allocated funds in its 2017-18 fiscal year budget to further develop the renewable fuel infrastructure in Nebraska.
Through a grant program, the Nebraska Corn Board will award qualifying retailers up to $50,000 for installation of flex fuel pumps, other necessary equipment and hardware to offer higher blends of ethanol fuel. Blender pumps make it easier for retailers to offer additional ethanol blended fuels. This expands their fuel offerings and provides a point of distinction in the marketplace while serving the growing number of motorists driving flex fuel vehicles.
Such pumps also provide opportunities for stations to more easily offer E15, which is approved for use in all vehicles model year 2001 and newer. This includes cars, light-duty trucks and SUVs.
Grants are available on a first come, first served basis. Once funding is exhausted, retailers will be placed on a waiting list and awarded grant money in the order applications were received, if additional funding becomes available.
“In the last several years we have partnered with many fuel retailers and currently have close to 100 stations across the state of Nebraska offering mid and higher level ethanol blends,” said Tim Scheer, Nebraska Corn Board director and farmer from St. Paul, Nebraska. “This has provided good coverage across the state, and with this grant program we can continue to expand that coverage for every Nebraskan to have a choice at the fuel pump.”
“There are currently around 235,000 flex fuel vehicles in Nebraska and that number is increasing every day,” said Roger Berry, director of market development with the Nebraska Corn Board. “Nebraska is the second largest producer of ethanol in the country and many of those ethanol plants partner with retailers to make E15 and flex fuels an even better value for consumers.”
Station owners who install blender pumps benefit from the blending economics and a higher volume of ethanol sales, while their customers enjoy a new array of fuel choices at the pump. “Flex fuel vehicle owners of today and tomorrow will appreciate the ability to pull up to a pump and find higher blends of ethanol fuel such as E30 or E85,” Scheer said. “Additionally, drivers of vehicles 2001 and newer can save at the pump and help clean the air with E15.”
“We are encouraging every fuel retailer to take a look at this new grant program,” said Berry. For more information about the grant program or to request an application, email Berry at roger.berry@nebraska.gov or call him at 402-471-2676.
Drop the Most Deadly Industry Title by Improving Tractor Safety
Agriculture continues to be the most deadly industry in the United States based on the number of deaths per 100,000 workers. The leading causes of these agricultural fatalities are tractor overturns, runovers and collisions. The tragedy is that the majority of these agricultural tractor fatalities are preventable with the addition of rollover protective structures, using safe tractor practices and adequate marking.
Charles Schwab, farm safety specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, and other safety professionals maintain that many tractor-related deaths can be prevented. Rollover protection structures keep the tractor operator in a safe area when the tractor overturns. Without ROPS, the entire weight of the tractor can crush the operator during an overturn.
The good news is modern tractors built since 1985 are required to have ROPS. The bad news is there are a significant number of older tractors without ROPS in Iowa. Choosing to operate a tractor without ROPS could cost you your life.
“Using only tractors with ROPS is a smart and safe decision,” said Schwab “Tractor rides for kids are risky and potentially a deadly activity.”
Many of the tractor runovers fatalities occur when an innocent tractor ride turns tragic. Other tractor runovers occur when young children are not seen by operators as the tractor approaches high traffic area of the farmstead.
“Have firm rules about permitting extra riders and when it is safe for young children to approach a tractor around the farmstead” Schwab said.
If taking a tractor on a public road, make sure your Slow Moving Vehicle emblem is not faded or covered with mud. This is an important visible indicator to other motorists that your vehicle is traveling slower than other traffic and needs their full attention. The rapid closure speed between approaching vehicles and your tractor need the advance warning an SMV emblem provides.
Do your part putting farm safety into practice this fall by improving tractor safety. If Iowa could reduce the number of tractor injuries and fatalities this year, it could be the year when agriculture loses the title of the most deadly industry in the United States.
Corn Farmers Commend Senator Ernst for Supporting USDA’s MAP & FMD Funding
Iowa Corn Growers Association President Mark Recker
We would like to thank Senator Ernst for introducing the CREAATE ACT, a bill to increase investment in two federal U.S. Department of Agriculture programs vital to U.S. agricultural exports, the Market Access Program (MAP) and the Foreign Market Development (FMD) Program. These initiatives support the promotion of corn in all forms in international markets.
The bipartisan legislation, introduced by Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Joe Donnelly (D-Indiana), would increase investment in MAP and FMD programs. A companion bill was introduced in the House earlier this year. We need Congress to pass this legislation quickly.
MAP and FMD form public-private partnerships that promote U.S. agriculture. Cooperators in the initiatives, like the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) and U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), employ staff around the world, to build and defend U.S. market share of corn in all forms, including meat, distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and ethanol. The Iowa Corn Promotion Board (ICPB) each year designates Iowa corn checkoff dollars to match and support international market development programs through these partner organizations. They deliver a strong return-on-investment, every $1 invested creates $28 in exports.
These initiatives not only support our agricultural economy but the nation’s economy overall. For instance, exports of Iowa’s corn, ethanol, DDGS, corn gluten feed, corn gluten meal and corn-fed meat products generated an estimated $5.2 billion in economic output in 2015 creating 15,665 full-time jobs, according to an Informa Economics study. At a time when the farm economy continues to struggle, we should be investing more in these programs, not less.
Funding for MAP and FMD have not kept pace with inflation, administrative costs, global marketplace growth nor the investments made by competing countries. The CREAATE Act would gradually increase MAP funding from $200 million to $400 million per year and FMD funding from $34.5 million to $69 million per year, over the course of the next five years.
The protection of MAP and FMD funding continues to be one of the top priority issues of the Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA). We call on our farmer-members and those in agriculture to urge Congress to pass the CREAATE Act.
Iowa Farmers Union to Host Food Safety Field Day
The Iowa Farmers Union (IFU), along with Iowa State University Extension & Outreach, and the Center for Rural Affairs, will be hosting an on-farm food safety field day for fruit and vegetable growers on Sept. 28 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Buske farm near Fort Dodge. The field day will focus on new requirements for fruit and vegetable growers under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule. Guests will learn more about FSMA regulations and trainings, Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) training, and food safety record-keeping. Guests also will have a chance to observe an on-farm food safety inspection. An evening meal will be provided for field day participants.
"Any Iowa farmer who grows or handles produce should be up to speed on FSMA and how these new rules will impact their farming operation," said IFU Food Safety Coordinator Ronald Tigner. "Even if they think their farm may be exempt from the new rules, many produce buyers will be using FSMA as the new food safety standard for their growers. This field day will provide a good overview about what FSMA will mean for your farm and what practical steps farmers will need to take to get trained and implement good on-farm food safety practices."
Field day presenters include:
- Shannon Coleman, extension specialist with the ISU Department of Food Sciences and Human Nutrition.
- Joe Hannan, horticulture specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach. Joe will lead discussions on produce safety, demonstrate an on-farm food safety inspection, and share information on the latest trends for hoop house production.
- Anna Johnson, policy program associate with the Center for Rural Affairs. Anna will give a presentation on the upcoming 2018 Farm Bill and its relevance for fruit and vegetable growers.
The Buske Farm is located at 1550 Madison Ave., Fort Dodge. Directions from Fort Dodge: From the junction of US Hwy 169 and IA Hwy 7 on the northwest side of Fort Dodge, proceed north on Hwy 169 for 2 miles. Turn east (right) onto 170th Street (County Rd D14). Travel east 0.4 mile to Madison Avenue. Turn north (left) onto Madison Avenue. Go 1.5 miles, then turn east (right) into the farm lane for the Buske Farm at 1550 Madison Avenue.
The field day is free and open to the public. An evening meal will be provided to guests.
Please RSVP by Sept. 26 to Ronald Tigner, rtigner@iowafarmersunion.org, (515) 357-0503.
For more information on FSMA and food safety rules and trainings, please visit the food safety resource page on the IFU website: iowafarmersunion.org/food-safety.
Veterinary researcher receives grants worth more than $700,000 to investigate swine diseases and influenza B virus
A Kansas State University veterinary researcher is taking aim at swine diseases with the help of two major grants.
Wenjun Ma, associate professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine has received a National Institutes of Health R21 grant of $411,664. His second award of $303,865 is a contract grant from Merck Animal Health.
The NIH grant will be used to investigate the connections between respiratory swine disease and influenza B virus.
"Unlike influenza A virus that infects a wide range of species, influenza B virus infections are almost exclusively restricted to humans, despite sporadic infections reported in seals," Ma said. "It is unclear whether other animal species can support the replication of influenza B virus and serve as a reservoir."
One of Ma's previous studies provided evidence that domestic pigs are susceptible to influenza B virus infection. Swine herds previously exposed to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus, or PRRSV, had a higher prevalence of influenza B virus antibodies.
"Studying the differences between human and swine influenza B virus isolates might improve our understanding of how influenza B viruses are maintained when they are not circulating in humans," Ma said. "The results of these experiments would likely reveal new information about the molecular mechanisms of influenza B virus replication and its evolution in nonhuman species, which is an important issue in the influenza research community."
The Merck grant will be used to study the molecular epidemiology and pathogenicity of porcine circovirus 3, or PCV3, in pigs.
"While unproven, we suspect that PCV3 plays an etiologic role in porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome, and may be responsible for reproductive failure," Ma said. "To date, no viruses have been successfully isolated and cultured. In this proposal, we try to address critical questions regarding epidemiology and pathogenicity of PCV3 in pigs by collaborating with Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory."
USDA Cold Storage August 2017 Highlights
Total red meat supplies in freezers on August 31, 2017 were up 7 percent from the previous month but down 3 percent from last year. Total pounds of beef in freezers were up 10 percent from the previous month but down slightly from last year. Frozen pork supplies were up 4 percent from the previous month but down 5 percent from last year. Stocks of pork bellies were up 8 percent from last month but down 40 percent from last year.
Total frozen poultry supplies on August 31, 2017 were down slightly from the previous month but up 6 percent from a year ago. Total stocks of chicken were down 2 percent from the previous month but up 1 percent from last year. Total pounds of turkey in freezers were up 2 percent from last month and up 14 percent from August 31, 2016.
Total natural cheese stocks in refrigerated warehouses on August 31, 2017 were down 3 percent from the previous month but up 7 percent from August 31, 2016. Butter stocks were down 9 percent from last month and down 12 percent from a year ago.
Total frozen fruit stocks were up 7 percent from last month but down 2 percent from a year ago. Total frozen vegetable stocks were up 22 percent from last month but down 2 percent from a year ago.
NPPC ADVOCATES FOR PORT REGULATORY REFORM
As a member of the Fair Port Practices Coalition, the National Pork Producers Council joined 69 other U.S. trade organizations on a letter to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, expressing concerns about their 2017 Clean Air Action Plan. The CAAP, which is required by California law, outlines strategies for reducing air pollution from all port-related sources, for meeting greenhouse gas reduction goals and achieving zero emissions for trucks and terminal equipment. The groups were critical of the draft CAAP’s “lack of information with respect to the commercial availability of specified technologies, the uncertainty of the draft plan’s cost, the absence of any analysis regarding the ports’ future competitiveness, the exclusion of certain technologies and fuels, and the lack of a cost-benefit analysis on the air quality benefits that would result from this program.”
NPPC also joined the Ports Coalition in petitioning the Federal Maritime Commission regarding unfair daily charges and other business practices being levied against shippers due to inefficient port operations. As a member of the Ports Coalition, NPPC remains focused on the efficient and competitive operation of U.S. ports to globally distribute U.S. pork products and support international trade.
USDA: August Egg Production Up 1 Percent
United States egg production totaled 8.85 billion during August 2017, up 1 percent from last year. Production included 7.69 billion table eggs, and 1.17 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.09 billion were broiler-type and 77.3 million were egg-type. The total number of layers during August 2017 averaged 371 million, up 1 percent from last year. August egg production per 100 layers was 2,384 eggs, down slightly from August 2016.
All layers in the United States on September 1, 2017 totaled 372 million, up 1 percent from last year. The 372 million layers consisted of 312 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 56.7 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 3.19 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on September 1, 2017, averaged 76.2 eggs per 100 layers, down 1 percent from September 1, 2016.
Egg-Type Chicks Hatched Up 5 Percent
Egg-type chicks hatched during August 2017 totaled 45.6 million, up 5 percent from August 2016. Eggs in incubators totaled 40.2 million on September 1, 2017, down 6 percent from a year ago.
Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 254 thousand during August 2017, down 22 percent from August 2016.
Broiler-Type Chicks Hatched Up 3 Percent
Broiler-type chicks hatched during August 2017 totaled 833 million, up 3 percent from August 2016. Eggs in incubators totaled 674 million on September 1, 2017, up 4 percent from a year ago.
Leading breeders placed 8.16 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during August 2017, up 6 percent from August 2016.
IOWA: Iowa egg production during August 2017 was 1.34 billion eggs, down 1 percent from last month, but up 4 percent from last year, according to the latest Chickens and Eggs report from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
The average number of all layers on hand during August 2017 was 55.1 million, a slight increase from last month and up 5 percent from last year. Eggs per 100 layers for August were 2,432, down 1 percent from both last month and last year.
Looking beyond color for next season’s soybean seed treatment
As growers navigate this year’s harvest, decisions for next season are already underway. Increasing those numbers on the yield monitor next year means creating the optimal management plan. Between choosing the right herbicides, soybean varieties, fungicides and more, seed treatments often get overlooked. But in an age where more than 85 percent of soybean seed is treated, this decision merits full attention.
According to the University of Minnesota Extension, seedling infections can cause damage that will persist throughout the growing season. However, when seed treatment decisions are made, it is impossible to know if next season’s weather conditions will be conducive for disease or other pressures.
“Growers need to be prepared for anything,” said Dale Ireland, Ph.D., Seedcare technical product lead at Syngenta. “And seed treatments are the first line of defense against early-season diseases and pests.”
Choosing the right seed treatment is critical to starting the season off strong. According to experts, a robust seed treatment should provide the following:
Resistance to seedborne and soilborne disease
Broad-spectrum protection against damaging early-season insects
Fast emergence and speed-to-canopy
High stand count
Improved root mass and health
Minimal issues with dust off, seed flow and equipment build-up
Product stability, which allows for consistent doses of active ingredients on each seed
Growers who opt for generic and custom blend seed treatments should ask their seed treaters or retailers if their seed treatments fulfil the needs above. On the surface, they may seem similar to a seed treatment like CruiserMaxx® Vibrance® Beans seed treatment, a combination of separately registered products, but they may fall short in performance.
“Generic and custom blend seed treatment ingredients are at risk of separating in the tank prior to application – forming a solution visually similar to adding oil and water together – which leads to inconsistent doses of active ingredients across seeds,” Ireland said. “This means that some seeds do not receive proper protection from insects and diseases. Product separation can also lead to on-farm equipment clogging, making the planting process less efficient.”
Another example of varying performance across seed treatments is stand count. Syngenta trials compared plant-stand performance of different seed treatments under disease pressure. The following percentages represent the average plant stand per acre*:
· Untreated soybean seeds – 41 percent
· Generic blend – 56 percent
· Valent Intego® Suite – 61 percent
· Pioneer Premium Seed Treatment® – 63 percent
· CruiserMaxx Vibrance Beans – 95 percent
Ireland attributes the superior performance of CruiserMaxx Vibrance Beans in these trials to its four active ingredients that help soybeans establish a strong defense system to cope with various disease and insect pressures. The Cruiser® Vigor Effect is scientifically proven to help produce more robust, vigorous plants, even in the absence of insects. This boost also helps increase speed-to-canopy and as a result, aids in weed control. In contrast, generic treatments often use older technologies that have been replaced in the market with newer, higher performing active ingredients.
“Though they may look similar, not all seed treatments are created equal,” Ireland said. “Growers working to start the season strong need to know what’s on their seed. CruiserMaxx Vibrance Beans is proven to be a stable formulation that not only provides the benefits growers expect from their seed treatment, but additional physiological advantages for the soybean roots and seedlings.”
CruiserMaxx Vibrance Beans also contains the RootingPower of Vibrance® fungicide, which protects the entire root system through soil mobility and long-lasting systemic activity for an added level of Rhizoctonia protection.
“The color of different seed treatments may be the same, but the performance isn’t,” Ireland said. “Make sure you know what’s on your seed. Talk to your retailer or seed treater to ensure you start the 2018 season strong with a proven seed treatment.”
Friday, September 22, 2017
Thursday September 21 Ag News
Nebraska Extension to launch beef webinar series targeting feedyards
Nebraska Extension is offering a new way to get information on timely beef topics in a series of hosted webinars. The webinars will be on select Wednesdays for one hour, and will feature discussions from participants to determine educational needs on new topics, presentations by experts and updates on current activities.
The educational presentations will be recorded and posted at beef.unl.edu for use and viewing at later times.
The initial series will contain three webinars starting on Sept. 27 from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Other webinars will be held on Nov. 1 and Nov. 29.
The first webinar will cover vaccination timing for newly received calves with speaker Brian Vander Ley from the Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center. There will also be a discussion concerning animal health as higher risk cattle are in feedyards in the fall. The Nov. 1 webinar will feature Rick Koelsch, livestock environmental engineer at Nebraska, speaking on the value of manure and the positive attributes of using it as a soil amendment. During the Nov. 29 webinar, Galen Erickson, Nebraska Extension beef feedlot specialist, will review nutrition highlights from the 2018 Nebraska Beef Report.
To view the webinars online visit, https://nebraskaextension.zoom.us/s/751919398. To access the webinars using a telephone dial 408-638-0968 or 646-876-9923. The meeting id is 751-919-398.
For more information, contact Galen Erickson at 402-472-6402 or gerickson4@unl.edu.
Nebraska BQA: Preconditioning and Weaning Preparation
Amy Timmerman – NE Extension Educator
Cow-calf producers are nearing weaning time of their 2017 calf crop, with current market and industry trends, producers should be considering and preparing for preconditioning or weaning programs. It is important to consider the best programs for the health of calves during these stressful periods and into the feeding phases.
Preconditioning is designed to mitigate stress that occurs during the transitional period between weaning and going on feed or moving into the next production cycle. The typical preconditioning program involves a health protocol of vaccinations administered 21-30 days prior to weaning. The basic concept of preconditioning programs is to boost the calf’s health status or immune system prior to exposure to stressors and pathogens as the calves enter that next production cycle. Preconditioning has also been shown to improve efficiency, as well as, reduce the risk and cost of treatment for health diagnosis after weaning. Nebraska Extension NebGuide G2248, “Economic Considerations for Preconditioning Calves for Feedlots” (http://extensionpublications.unl.edu/assets/pdf/g2248.pdf), can assist producers that are considering preconditioning for their operations.
The first step in developing a preconditioning or weaning program should be to consult with your veterinarian under a Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship (VCPR). Working with your veterinarian will ensure a program designed specifically for your operation goals, and addressing the potential pathogens or parasites the animals might encounter. The recommended preconditioning or weaning protocol from the University of Nebraska Great Plains Veterinary Education Center includes a four-way BRD viral (IBR, BVD, PI3, and BRSV), BRD bacterial (at least Mannheimia Hemolytica), and clostridial (Blackleg) vaccinations. It is also important to follow Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) guidelines by reading product labels to ensure proper handling, storage, and administration of these products.
With the changes in feeding medicated feeds through the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD), preparation before weaning is important. Producers should consult with their veterinarian to review not only vaccination protocols but also treatment protocols for health issues that may have a high risk of occurring in the coming months. Documented treatment protocols can ensure proper treatment of illness or lameness diagnosis. If the protocol calls for treatment with a feed grade antibiotic, producers must have a written order or VFD signed by their veterinarian with appropriate copies for the feed supplier and themselves, prior to administering these type of products. Some of these VFDs can be in place prior to actual health risk occurring for prevention or control, in addition to treatment. VFD information can be found online at: http://bqa.unl.edu/veterinary-feed-directive .
Weaning is a major stress in a calf’s life and on their immune system. As producers, it is our responsibility to develop the best vaccination and treatment programs to ensure the health, care and wellbeing of these calves. Preparation can help in making this transition less stressful on livestock and producers.
Nebraska Farm Bureau Board Offers Support to Ibach
Nebraska Farm Bureau Board of Directors voted to send a letter of support for Nebraska Department of Agriculture Director Greg Ibach as the next Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Sept. 21.
The letter, sent to Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), emphasized Ibach’s service to Nebraska Agriculture as the Nebraska Director of Agriculture since 2005 and his service as the immediate past President of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture.
“Throughout his tenure, Greg has been a strong leader in promoting Nebraska agriculture products both domestically and internationally, taking an active role in trade missions and on trade policy issues. He has also directed the many regulatory functions of the department impartially and with professionalism,” Nebraska Farm Bureau President Steve Nelson said.
While Ibach has been a tireless leader for the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, he also continues to maintain a farm and ranch operation near Sumner, Nebraska.
“I have no doubt that Greg would be an excellent addition to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue’s staff at the USDA, and we hope the Senate Agriculture Committee gives him due consideration. We look forward to a speedy confirmation process,” Nelson said.
Natural Resources Experts Gather at NRD Conference to Encourage and Inform Public About Conservation Efforts in Nebraska
Nebraska’s 23 Natural Resources Districts’ top priority is to help protect the state’s water and soil for all to use now and in the future. Natural resources experts will be center stage at the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts (NARD) Annual Conference on Monday, September 25th and Tuesday, September 26th of 2017 focusing on the latest research, innovative technology, programs and coalition building that help protect natural resources and the economy. An agenda is attached.
The Annual Conference is being held at the Younes Conference Center at 416 W. Talmadge Road in Kearney, NE. Several local, state and federal leaders are planning to speak at the conference on Monday, September 25th at 8:30 a.m. in Room: Diamond 3-4 about the current successful natural resources programs and new technologies and research for future programs.
There are several important topics that affect all Nebraskans. Six sessions are highlighted below. Here are a few key topics:
NCORPE (Nebraska Cooperative Republican Platte Enhancement Project) operations are being enhanced after new agreements with Kansas. Plus, an expert attorney will speak on legal problems created for all irrigators if NCORPE is forced to be sold as proposed in the Nebraska Legislature. (Monday, 9:30 am – 10:30 am, Room: Diamond 3)
Updates on Project SENSE, a collaboration between UNL and several NRDs, to improve fertilizer applications that increase farm profitability and protect water quality. (Tuesday, 9:30 am – 10:30 am, Room: Diamond 1)
An update from a coalition of seven (7) NRDs that are working on a basin-wide water management plan to protect all existing and future uses of water as well as the economy in the Loup, Elkhorn and Lower Platte Basins. (Tuesday, 9:30 am – 10:30 am, Room: Diamond 2)
Dawson County farmers and ranchers have worked with NRDs and other agencies to implement prescribed burns on about 20,000 acres in the past three years to restore and protect native pastures and grasslands. Find out about successes and challenges that lie ahead. (Tuesday, 9:30 am – 10:30 am, Room: Diamond 6)
Seeing is believing. An update from the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) 14 demonstration farms in Nebraska that showcase beneficial soil health practices that improve soil health and profitability. (Tuesday, 10:45 am – 11:45 am, Room: Diamond 2)
National security is a hot-button issue right now and water is one of the biggest concerns. How will worldwide natural resource challenges impact immigration, migration, food security and future wars along with international relations between the U.S., Russia, China and the Middle East? (Tuesday, 10:45 am – 11:45 am, Room: Crystal 1)
Three Hall of Fame inductees and six Conservation Award winners will be available for interviews, including our newest Soil Stewardship Conservation Award. Tree Planter of the Year, Grassland Conservation Award, Community Conservation Award, Director of the Year and Educator of the Year awards will also be handed out at the Luncheon at Noon on Monday. Hall of Fame inductees will be recognized at the Banquet at 6:30 pm on Monday. Both will be in Room: Diamond 3-4.
A live and silent auction will begin around 5:30 pm on Monday to help raise money for the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts (NARD) Foundation. The NARD Foundation assists youth programs involved in natural resources and agriculture. It helps encourage our youth to learn about our environment and care about our land.
Follow Fire Prevention and Management Tips during Harvest
It’s always difficult to forecast weather, but if dry field conditions persist, the potential for combine and field fires this fall could be a problem. All it takes is a single high-temperature source in the engine area or an overheated bearing to ignite dry plant material.
During harvest periods with increased fire potential, fires cause millions of dollars in property damage in Iowa, including loss of machinery, crops and time. Injuries to farm workers and firefighters also are an unfortunate outcome in some instances.
Modern, high-productivity combines are powerful machines; and power means heat. Fire cannot start without heat and fuel. Heat cannot be removed from the engine, hydraulics and other hard-working systems, but it can be removed from the fuel source by keeping a combine clean.
Field Agronomist Clarke McGrath and Agricultural Engineering Specialist Mark Hanna with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach offer these prevention and management tips.
Prevention tips
Keep the machine clean, particularly around the engine and engine compartment. Use a high pressure washer or compressed air to remove caked-on oil, grease and crop residue.
Check coolant and oil levels daily.
Check the pressurized oil supply line to the turbocharger for wear areas that rub and may start an oil leak.
Frequently blow leaves, chaff and plant material from the engine area with compressed air or a portable leaf blower. Doing this at night is better than in the morning when dew may make it harder to blow residues off.
Remove plant materials wrapped on or near bearings, belts or other moving parts.
Examine exhaust or hot bearing surfaces. Repair leaking fuel or oil hoses, fittings or metal lines immediately.
Inspect and clean ledges or recessed areas near fuel tanks and lines.
Prior to fueling, wait 15 minutes to reduce the risk of a spill volatilizing and igniting.
Delay harvest when wind speeds exceed 30 mph and conditions are dry.
Management tips
In case of fire, call 911 first and then attack with fire extinguishers if it is safe to do so. Try to fight from the “black," the area already burned; attacking fire from areas with combustibles (stalks for example) is much riskier.
Create lists of the 911 addresses for each of your field locations prior to harvest and have them easily accessible to family and farm employees. Many fire departments have GPS equipment onboard their apparatus to assist directing them to incidents. When an incident is called in with a 911 address, dispatch can more readily identify the incident location and relay this information to apparatus drivers. Precious time can be saved when apparatus are able to dispatch immediately with GPS guidance rather than having to double check maps and directions.
A fire can double in size in less than a minute. Burning embers blown downwind can spread a fire well beyond the control of a fire extinguisher in just seconds. Two ABC-type fire extinguishers are recommended: a smaller 10-pound unit in the cab and a larger 20-pound extinguisher at ground level on the combine.
Invert and shake the extinguishers once or twice a season to ensure machine vibrations don’t compact the powder inside. A shovel to throw dirt can also help.
Create an emergency plan
Fires may start from plant materials that have smoldered unnoticed for 15-30 minutes or more. The ignition source for field fires may have been the earlier passing of a truck, tractor or combine. Flames aren’t apparent until additional oxygen is supplied, perhaps by a gust of wind. Harvest crews and neighbors may want to discuss a plan for emergency tillage of a fire break should that option become advisable. Keep in mind that personal safety is more important than property loss.
Another Year Yields Another Message about Grain Safety
Nearly every year, Iowa experiences at least one grain suffocation. So it should not be a surprise that one of the Farm Safety and Health Week messages has a focus on grain safety.
“Most people don’t truly understand the tremendous force grain has unless they’ve experienced it,” said Charles Schwab, farm safety specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. “The misconception for most people is that they can easily be rescued once they are entrapped in flowing grain."
The reality of the situation is as a victim sinks deeper and the grain exerts more force, the magnitude of force holding the victim in grain can easily exceed 2,000 pounds.
Even when the grain has stopped flowing, it is difficult to help a submerged victim escape. Those with great upper body strength can't pull themselves out if they are buried to the chest. The force holding the submerged victim in the grain is too much. Trained first responders don’t pull victims out of flowing grain. They labor with great effort digging each one out as the hours tick by.
Flowing grain suffocations are preventable and that is why each one is a tragic event.
There are several ways to prevent flowing grain entrapment. Always lock all access doors to grain storage structures. Never allow anyone to play or ride on grain wagons or grain semi-trucks. Lock out power to all types of grain-handling equipment when entering storage bins. Notify a second person of where you are at all times when loading or unloading grain.
Helping others understand the dangers associated with flowing grain and entrapment hazards that often lead to suffocations is the first step. Do your part putting farm safety into practice this fall by sharing your rules for handling flowing grain hazard and seeing that everyone follows those rules.
Bankers: Rural Economy Continues to Struggle in 10 States
(AP) _ A new report says low commodity prices and weak farm incomes are continuing to hamper the rural economy in parts of 10 Plains and Midwestern states.
The Rural Mainstreet Index for the region fell to from 42.2 in August to 39.6 in September, its lowest level in 2017. The index released Thursday ranges between 0 and 100, with any number under 50 indicating a shrinking economy.
Creighton University economist Ernie Goss, who oversees the survey of bankers, says more than half of the bankers reported that they have restructured farm loans. Nearly 20 percent have increased their collateral requirements.
Bankers reported a 2.1 percent increase in farm loan defaults over the past year.
Bankers from Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming were surveyed.
USDA: All-Time Monthly Record High for Red Meat Production
Commercial red meat production for the United States totaled 4.63 billion pounds in August, up 4 percent from the 4.43 billion pounds produced in August 2016.
Beef production, at 2.40 billion pounds, was 6 percent above the previous year. Cattle slaughter totaled 2.94 million head, up 7 percent from August 2016. The average live weight was down 7 pounds from the previous year, at 1,345 pounds.
Veal production totaled 6.4 million pounds, 5 percent above August a year ago. Calf slaughter totaled 46,200 head, up 13 percent from August 2016. The average live weight was down 17 pounds from last year, at 238 pounds.
Pork production totaled 2.21 billion pounds, up 3 percent from the previous year. Hog slaughter totaled 10.7 million head, up 3 percent from August 2016. The average live weight was up 2 pounds from the previous year, at 278 pounds.
Lamb and mutton production, at 12.8 million pounds, was up 2 percent from August 2016. Sheep slaughter totaled 194,100 head, slightly above last year. The average live weight was 132 pounds, up 2 pounds from August a year ago.
Red Meat Production by State
(million lbs. - % Aug '16)
Nebraska ...........: 745.7 102
Iowa ..................: 618.9 101
Kansas ...............: 525.6 110
January to August 2017 commercial red meat production was 34.0 billion pounds, up 4 percent from 2016. Accumulated beef production was up 5 percent from last year, veal was down 1 percent, pork was up 3 percent from last year, and lamb and mutton production was down 4 percent.
Cargill to build state-of-the-art biodiesel plant in Wichita, Kansas
Cargill has announced today plans to build a state-of-the-art $90 million biodiesel plant in Wichita, Kansas. Set to open January 2019, it will produce 60 million gallons of biodiesel annually.
“This new facility will enable Wichita to be a competitive supplier in the biofuels market, bringing value to the suppliers and customers we work with, and connecting farmers with industrial customers by supplying quality biomass-based diesel,” said Pat Woerner, biodiesel commercial leader for Cargill’s Agricultural Supply Chain business. “Biofuels are good for the U.S. farm economy and can bring capital investment to agriculture while boosting economic development in farm communities.”
Opening the facility in Wichita will strengthen Cargill’s biodiesel operations in the heart of the Midwest where it already has biodiesel plants in Iowa Falls, Iowa, and Kansas City, Missouri. Unlike other traders of biodiesel, Cargill is an integrated producer managing the entire supply chain from origination to production to delivery.
“We are excited to bring this new facility to our farmers and customers in Wichita,” said Warren Feather, oilseed managing director for Cargill’s Agricultural Supply Chain business. “At Cargill, we’re prepared to handle demand for biofuels while balancing it against the need to nourish a growing global population.”
Construction of the new 42,000 square foot facility begins December 2017. Located at 1401 N. Mosley, Wichita, Kansas, it will employ approximately 35 full-time employees. The plant will be located next to its oilseed processing plant and replaces an existing oil refinery managed by Cargill’s Global Edible Oil business. Cargill has invested significantly in oil and shortenings products and remains committed to the food industry. Cargill’s Global Edible Oils business will transfer existing edible oils production to alternate Cargill facilities.
Cargill offers biofuels from a variety of renewable resources, including corn, soybeans, sugar cane, palm oil, and biogas. It produces ethanol and biodiesel in the U.S. and the EU, ethanol in Brazil, and biodiesel in Argentina.
New Project to Increase Soybean Yields by Harnessing Photosynthesis
A new project aims to more efficiently turn the sun’s energy into food and sustainably increase worldwide food productivity.
The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR), a nonprofit organization established through bipartisan congressional support in the 2014 Farm Bill, is contributing $15 million to a five-year, $45-million research project at the University of Illinois that has boosted crop yields 20 percent by improving photosynthetic efficiency. The American Soybean Association (ASA) supported the creation of FFAR, because of projects like this one, and FFAR’s commitment to increase the scientific and technological research, innovation and partnerships that are so critical to keeping America’s agricultural economy moving forward.
FFAR joined co-funders the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID), and government and agricultural leaders at the University of Illinois in Champaign to announce the investment and see the transformative research firsthand.
The project, Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency, or RIPE, will harness a plant’s photosynthesis process to increase output, or yield, in food crops including soybeans, cassava and cowpeas. Photosynthesis is how plants use sunlight and carbon dioxide to grow. The $45 million reinvestment in RIPE supports this critical, ongoing research meant to break through the stagnant yield ceilings for several staple food crops, providing farmers around the world with another tool to enhance global food security and their own livelihoods.
“The RIPE project has proven that photosynthesis can be redesigned to increase crop yields by at least 20 percent without additional resources,” said FFAR Executive Director Sally Rockey, Ph.D. “FFAR is proud to support this innovative leap toward reducing global hunger, an issue that often seems intractable in the face of a growing population, changing climate, and limited natural resources.”
Researchers anticipate commercial seeds benefiting from this research will be available to farmers within approximately 15 years. RIPE and its funders will ensure their high-yielding food crops are globally available, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, and affordable for smallholder farmers to help feed the world’s hungriest and reduce poverty. Agriculture has been shown to reduce poverty four times more effectively than growth in other sectors.
Growth Energy Congratulates Magellan Midstream Partners on Expanding E15 Choice
Magellan Midstream Partners, the Tulsa, Okla.-based transportation, storage, and distribution company, is now offering blending services for E15—a fuel with 15 percent ethanol—throughout their midcontinent terminal system. Magellan owns the longest refined petroleum product pipeline system in the country.
Following reports of this development from our fuel marketing partners, Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor released the following statement:
“We applaud Magellan on making E15 available at their terminals. This will allow forward-thinking retailers a more efficient distribution of this fuel into the marketplace by automating the process and generating an E15 bill of lading.
“This is a major win for consumer choice and a testament to the momentum behind E15, which is a high-octane, cleaner burning fuel that gives American drivers a more earth-friendly, economical, and engine safe option at the pump.
“Now that the infrastructure is prepared for year-round blending of E15, we will continue to push to get Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) relief applied to E15 to finally give American drivers a choice at the pump all year.”
Leading retailers including Casey’s, Cenex, Family Express, Kum & Go, Kwik Trip, MAPCO, Minnoco, Murphy USA, Protec Fuel, QuikTrip, RaceTrac, Sheetz, and Thorntons offer E15 currently at more than 900 locations in 29 states.
Magellan is offering blending services for E15 on a seasonal basis, which will comply with all laws and regulations.
Biotech Working Group Meets in Minnesota
The American Soybean Association (ASA) Biotech Working Group met earlier this month in the Minneapolis area to discuss the most pressing issues facing biotechnology and how these challenges impact farming and the soybean industry.
Immediately following the meeting, Syngenta representatives hosted the group for dinner and a tour of the Syngenta Seedcare Institute the next morning in Stanton, Minn. Biotech Working Group members who attended the meeting included several farmer-leaders and staff members from ASA, the United Soybean Board (USB) and U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC), as well as industry executives from several companies representing the leading technology providers in agriculture.
The meeting began with a presentation offering a current overview of world soybean markets, growth markets and projections by Thomas Mielke, editor and chief executive officer with Oil World and Jim Sutter, chief executive officer of USSEC. Following this presentation, Paul Spencer, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), provided an update on the Global Low Level Presence Initiative and China 100-days plan. ASA Washington representative Renee Munasifi updated the group on ASA’s responses to USDA questions regarding the Biotech Disclosure Law.
A significant amount of time at the meeting was also spent discussing recent concerns over dicamba-related damage to crops. ASA remains committed to bringing the industry together to find answers and solutions. The Biotech Working Group meeting provided another opportunity for farmers to continue ongoing discussions with companies selling dicamba-based products. ASA is also coordinating with USB and checkoffs at the state level to draw on the data generated by their research into crop damage, as well as working alongside state departments of agriculture and land-grant universities as they investigate to understand what has happened in each specific incident and why.
The Biotech Working Group provides a consultative forum for the soy biotech industry to meet with key soybean industry and grower leadership on a consistent basis. The forum provides grower leaders the opportunity to review the progress of individual company traits, engage in dialogue and provide feedback along with the needed support and advocacy to advance approvals for new technologies.
Certified Organic Agricultural Production Up 23 Percent
Sales of organic agricultural production continued to increase in 2016, when U.S. farms produced and sold $7.6 billion in certified organic commodities, according to data released by the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Results of the 2016 Certified Organic Survey show that 2016 sales were up 23 percent from $6.2 billion in 2015. During the same year, the number of certified organic farms in the country increased 11 percent to 14,217, and the number of certified acres increased 15 percent to 5.0 million.
California, with $2.9 billion in certified organic sales, continued to lead the nation in certified sales, accounting for 38 percent of the U.S. total. It also had the largest share of certified organic acres and farms. Three states had more than 1,000 certified farms: California (2,713), Wisconsin (1,276), and New York (1,059).
"The results of the 2016 Certified Organic Survey show the continued interest and growth in organic foods," according to Hubert Hamer, NASS Administrator. "The survey provides the only comprehensive source of national and state data on certified organic production. It was expanded in 2016 from previous years to include fresh and processed information separately for all fruit and berry crops, as well as to include grape data by variety."
Ten states accounted for 77 percent of U.S. certified organic sales, virtually the same share as in 2015 and 2014.
Crops accounted for 56 percent of the sale of certified organic production; livestock, poultry, and their products accounted for 44 percent. Organic production encompasses a wide range of commodities, including livestock and poultry products (primarily milk and eggs), with 2016 sales of $2.2 billion; vegetables, $1.6 billion; fruits, tree nuts, and berries, $1.4 billion; livestock and poultry, $1.2 billion; and field crops, $763 million.
Other top organic crops were strawberries, grapes, tomatoes, corn, potatoes, hay, spinach, and mushrooms.
Syngenta and Coalition for Urban/Rural Environmental Stewardship produce pollinator stewardship film
The Coalition for Urban/Rural Environmental Stewardship (CURES), with support from Syngenta, today released an educational film showcasing best-management practices (BMPs) for protecting pollinators on farms and urban landscapes.
“Because farmland treated for pests is often shared by pollinators, it is important to help farmers and pesticide applicators understand how best to control damaging crop pests, while minimizing the impact on pollinators,” said Parry Klassen, executive director, CURES, and the film’s producer and narrator. “Additionally, proper pesticide use should protect pollinators’ forage and habitat.”
In the film, “Pollinators and Pesticide Stewardship,” Klassen shares BMPs set forth in the brochure of the same name. These guidelines include reading and following pesticide label directions and precautions—and using integrated pest management (IPM), an approach that takes into account the unique chemical, cultural, mechanical and biological aspects of a farmer’s operation to inform a customized pest-management program.
“Many crops are dependent upon the pollination role provided by bees and other pollinators, and it is incumbent on farmers and crop input providers to protect pollinators, while managing crop pests and improving crop yields,” said Caydee Savinelli, pollinator and IPM stewardship lead, Syngenta. “Delivering crop protection products brings the responsibility to educate farmers and applicators on BMPs for using these important inputs in a safe and environmentally sustainable way.”
This film reflects the latest project resulting from a long-standing collaboration between Syngenta and CURES—a relationship built on the common goal of proactive pesticide stewardship. Since CURES’ inception 20 years ago, Syngenta has worked with the organization to sponsor educational outreach efforts on a wide range of topics relating to health, safety and the environment.
Nebraska Extension is offering a new way to get information on timely beef topics in a series of hosted webinars. The webinars will be on select Wednesdays for one hour, and will feature discussions from participants to determine educational needs on new topics, presentations by experts and updates on current activities.
The educational presentations will be recorded and posted at beef.unl.edu for use and viewing at later times.
The initial series will contain three webinars starting on Sept. 27 from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Other webinars will be held on Nov. 1 and Nov. 29.
The first webinar will cover vaccination timing for newly received calves with speaker Brian Vander Ley from the Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center. There will also be a discussion concerning animal health as higher risk cattle are in feedyards in the fall. The Nov. 1 webinar will feature Rick Koelsch, livestock environmental engineer at Nebraska, speaking on the value of manure and the positive attributes of using it as a soil amendment. During the Nov. 29 webinar, Galen Erickson, Nebraska Extension beef feedlot specialist, will review nutrition highlights from the 2018 Nebraska Beef Report.
To view the webinars online visit, https://nebraskaextension.zoom.us/s/751919398. To access the webinars using a telephone dial 408-638-0968 or 646-876-9923. The meeting id is 751-919-398.
For more information, contact Galen Erickson at 402-472-6402 or gerickson4@unl.edu.
Nebraska BQA: Preconditioning and Weaning Preparation
Amy Timmerman – NE Extension Educator
Cow-calf producers are nearing weaning time of their 2017 calf crop, with current market and industry trends, producers should be considering and preparing for preconditioning or weaning programs. It is important to consider the best programs for the health of calves during these stressful periods and into the feeding phases.
Preconditioning is designed to mitigate stress that occurs during the transitional period between weaning and going on feed or moving into the next production cycle. The typical preconditioning program involves a health protocol of vaccinations administered 21-30 days prior to weaning. The basic concept of preconditioning programs is to boost the calf’s health status or immune system prior to exposure to stressors and pathogens as the calves enter that next production cycle. Preconditioning has also been shown to improve efficiency, as well as, reduce the risk and cost of treatment for health diagnosis after weaning. Nebraska Extension NebGuide G2248, “Economic Considerations for Preconditioning Calves for Feedlots” (http://extensionpublications.unl.edu/assets/pdf/g2248.pdf), can assist producers that are considering preconditioning for their operations.
The first step in developing a preconditioning or weaning program should be to consult with your veterinarian under a Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship (VCPR). Working with your veterinarian will ensure a program designed specifically for your operation goals, and addressing the potential pathogens or parasites the animals might encounter. The recommended preconditioning or weaning protocol from the University of Nebraska Great Plains Veterinary Education Center includes a four-way BRD viral (IBR, BVD, PI3, and BRSV), BRD bacterial (at least Mannheimia Hemolytica), and clostridial (Blackleg) vaccinations. It is also important to follow Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) guidelines by reading product labels to ensure proper handling, storage, and administration of these products.
With the changes in feeding medicated feeds through the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD), preparation before weaning is important. Producers should consult with their veterinarian to review not only vaccination protocols but also treatment protocols for health issues that may have a high risk of occurring in the coming months. Documented treatment protocols can ensure proper treatment of illness or lameness diagnosis. If the protocol calls for treatment with a feed grade antibiotic, producers must have a written order or VFD signed by their veterinarian with appropriate copies for the feed supplier and themselves, prior to administering these type of products. Some of these VFDs can be in place prior to actual health risk occurring for prevention or control, in addition to treatment. VFD information can be found online at: http://bqa.unl.edu/veterinary-feed-directive .
Weaning is a major stress in a calf’s life and on their immune system. As producers, it is our responsibility to develop the best vaccination and treatment programs to ensure the health, care and wellbeing of these calves. Preparation can help in making this transition less stressful on livestock and producers.
Nebraska Farm Bureau Board Offers Support to Ibach
Nebraska Farm Bureau Board of Directors voted to send a letter of support for Nebraska Department of Agriculture Director Greg Ibach as the next Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Sept. 21.
The letter, sent to Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), emphasized Ibach’s service to Nebraska Agriculture as the Nebraska Director of Agriculture since 2005 and his service as the immediate past President of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture.
“Throughout his tenure, Greg has been a strong leader in promoting Nebraska agriculture products both domestically and internationally, taking an active role in trade missions and on trade policy issues. He has also directed the many regulatory functions of the department impartially and with professionalism,” Nebraska Farm Bureau President Steve Nelson said.
While Ibach has been a tireless leader for the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, he also continues to maintain a farm and ranch operation near Sumner, Nebraska.
“I have no doubt that Greg would be an excellent addition to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue’s staff at the USDA, and we hope the Senate Agriculture Committee gives him due consideration. We look forward to a speedy confirmation process,” Nelson said.
Natural Resources Experts Gather at NRD Conference to Encourage and Inform Public About Conservation Efforts in Nebraska
Nebraska’s 23 Natural Resources Districts’ top priority is to help protect the state’s water and soil for all to use now and in the future. Natural resources experts will be center stage at the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts (NARD) Annual Conference on Monday, September 25th and Tuesday, September 26th of 2017 focusing on the latest research, innovative technology, programs and coalition building that help protect natural resources and the economy. An agenda is attached.
The Annual Conference is being held at the Younes Conference Center at 416 W. Talmadge Road in Kearney, NE. Several local, state and federal leaders are planning to speak at the conference on Monday, September 25th at 8:30 a.m. in Room: Diamond 3-4 about the current successful natural resources programs and new technologies and research for future programs.
There are several important topics that affect all Nebraskans. Six sessions are highlighted below. Here are a few key topics:
NCORPE (Nebraska Cooperative Republican Platte Enhancement Project) operations are being enhanced after new agreements with Kansas. Plus, an expert attorney will speak on legal problems created for all irrigators if NCORPE is forced to be sold as proposed in the Nebraska Legislature. (Monday, 9:30 am – 10:30 am, Room: Diamond 3)
Updates on Project SENSE, a collaboration between UNL and several NRDs, to improve fertilizer applications that increase farm profitability and protect water quality. (Tuesday, 9:30 am – 10:30 am, Room: Diamond 1)
An update from a coalition of seven (7) NRDs that are working on a basin-wide water management plan to protect all existing and future uses of water as well as the economy in the Loup, Elkhorn and Lower Platte Basins. (Tuesday, 9:30 am – 10:30 am, Room: Diamond 2)
Dawson County farmers and ranchers have worked with NRDs and other agencies to implement prescribed burns on about 20,000 acres in the past three years to restore and protect native pastures and grasslands. Find out about successes and challenges that lie ahead. (Tuesday, 9:30 am – 10:30 am, Room: Diamond 6)
Seeing is believing. An update from the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) 14 demonstration farms in Nebraska that showcase beneficial soil health practices that improve soil health and profitability. (Tuesday, 10:45 am – 11:45 am, Room: Diamond 2)
National security is a hot-button issue right now and water is one of the biggest concerns. How will worldwide natural resource challenges impact immigration, migration, food security and future wars along with international relations between the U.S., Russia, China and the Middle East? (Tuesday, 10:45 am – 11:45 am, Room: Crystal 1)
Three Hall of Fame inductees and six Conservation Award winners will be available for interviews, including our newest Soil Stewardship Conservation Award. Tree Planter of the Year, Grassland Conservation Award, Community Conservation Award, Director of the Year and Educator of the Year awards will also be handed out at the Luncheon at Noon on Monday. Hall of Fame inductees will be recognized at the Banquet at 6:30 pm on Monday. Both will be in Room: Diamond 3-4.
A live and silent auction will begin around 5:30 pm on Monday to help raise money for the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts (NARD) Foundation. The NARD Foundation assists youth programs involved in natural resources and agriculture. It helps encourage our youth to learn about our environment and care about our land.
Follow Fire Prevention and Management Tips during Harvest
It’s always difficult to forecast weather, but if dry field conditions persist, the potential for combine and field fires this fall could be a problem. All it takes is a single high-temperature source in the engine area or an overheated bearing to ignite dry plant material.
During harvest periods with increased fire potential, fires cause millions of dollars in property damage in Iowa, including loss of machinery, crops and time. Injuries to farm workers and firefighters also are an unfortunate outcome in some instances.
Modern, high-productivity combines are powerful machines; and power means heat. Fire cannot start without heat and fuel. Heat cannot be removed from the engine, hydraulics and other hard-working systems, but it can be removed from the fuel source by keeping a combine clean.
Field Agronomist Clarke McGrath and Agricultural Engineering Specialist Mark Hanna with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach offer these prevention and management tips.
Prevention tips
Keep the machine clean, particularly around the engine and engine compartment. Use a high pressure washer or compressed air to remove caked-on oil, grease and crop residue.
Check coolant and oil levels daily.
Check the pressurized oil supply line to the turbocharger for wear areas that rub and may start an oil leak.
Frequently blow leaves, chaff and plant material from the engine area with compressed air or a portable leaf blower. Doing this at night is better than in the morning when dew may make it harder to blow residues off.
Remove plant materials wrapped on or near bearings, belts or other moving parts.
Examine exhaust or hot bearing surfaces. Repair leaking fuel or oil hoses, fittings or metal lines immediately.
Inspect and clean ledges or recessed areas near fuel tanks and lines.
Prior to fueling, wait 15 minutes to reduce the risk of a spill volatilizing and igniting.
Delay harvest when wind speeds exceed 30 mph and conditions are dry.
Management tips
In case of fire, call 911 first and then attack with fire extinguishers if it is safe to do so. Try to fight from the “black," the area already burned; attacking fire from areas with combustibles (stalks for example) is much riskier.
Create lists of the 911 addresses for each of your field locations prior to harvest and have them easily accessible to family and farm employees. Many fire departments have GPS equipment onboard their apparatus to assist directing them to incidents. When an incident is called in with a 911 address, dispatch can more readily identify the incident location and relay this information to apparatus drivers. Precious time can be saved when apparatus are able to dispatch immediately with GPS guidance rather than having to double check maps and directions.
A fire can double in size in less than a minute. Burning embers blown downwind can spread a fire well beyond the control of a fire extinguisher in just seconds. Two ABC-type fire extinguishers are recommended: a smaller 10-pound unit in the cab and a larger 20-pound extinguisher at ground level on the combine.
Invert and shake the extinguishers once or twice a season to ensure machine vibrations don’t compact the powder inside. A shovel to throw dirt can also help.
Create an emergency plan
Fires may start from plant materials that have smoldered unnoticed for 15-30 minutes or more. The ignition source for field fires may have been the earlier passing of a truck, tractor or combine. Flames aren’t apparent until additional oxygen is supplied, perhaps by a gust of wind. Harvest crews and neighbors may want to discuss a plan for emergency tillage of a fire break should that option become advisable. Keep in mind that personal safety is more important than property loss.
Another Year Yields Another Message about Grain Safety
Nearly every year, Iowa experiences at least one grain suffocation. So it should not be a surprise that one of the Farm Safety and Health Week messages has a focus on grain safety.
“Most people don’t truly understand the tremendous force grain has unless they’ve experienced it,” said Charles Schwab, farm safety specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. “The misconception for most people is that they can easily be rescued once they are entrapped in flowing grain."
The reality of the situation is as a victim sinks deeper and the grain exerts more force, the magnitude of force holding the victim in grain can easily exceed 2,000 pounds.
Even when the grain has stopped flowing, it is difficult to help a submerged victim escape. Those with great upper body strength can't pull themselves out if they are buried to the chest. The force holding the submerged victim in the grain is too much. Trained first responders don’t pull victims out of flowing grain. They labor with great effort digging each one out as the hours tick by.
Flowing grain suffocations are preventable and that is why each one is a tragic event.
There are several ways to prevent flowing grain entrapment. Always lock all access doors to grain storage structures. Never allow anyone to play or ride on grain wagons or grain semi-trucks. Lock out power to all types of grain-handling equipment when entering storage bins. Notify a second person of where you are at all times when loading or unloading grain.
Helping others understand the dangers associated with flowing grain and entrapment hazards that often lead to suffocations is the first step. Do your part putting farm safety into practice this fall by sharing your rules for handling flowing grain hazard and seeing that everyone follows those rules.
Bankers: Rural Economy Continues to Struggle in 10 States
(AP) _ A new report says low commodity prices and weak farm incomes are continuing to hamper the rural economy in parts of 10 Plains and Midwestern states.
The Rural Mainstreet Index for the region fell to from 42.2 in August to 39.6 in September, its lowest level in 2017. The index released Thursday ranges between 0 and 100, with any number under 50 indicating a shrinking economy.
Creighton University economist Ernie Goss, who oversees the survey of bankers, says more than half of the bankers reported that they have restructured farm loans. Nearly 20 percent have increased their collateral requirements.
Bankers reported a 2.1 percent increase in farm loan defaults over the past year.
Bankers from Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming were surveyed.
USDA: All-Time Monthly Record High for Red Meat Production
Commercial red meat production for the United States totaled 4.63 billion pounds in August, up 4 percent from the 4.43 billion pounds produced in August 2016.
Beef production, at 2.40 billion pounds, was 6 percent above the previous year. Cattle slaughter totaled 2.94 million head, up 7 percent from August 2016. The average live weight was down 7 pounds from the previous year, at 1,345 pounds.
Veal production totaled 6.4 million pounds, 5 percent above August a year ago. Calf slaughter totaled 46,200 head, up 13 percent from August 2016. The average live weight was down 17 pounds from last year, at 238 pounds.
Pork production totaled 2.21 billion pounds, up 3 percent from the previous year. Hog slaughter totaled 10.7 million head, up 3 percent from August 2016. The average live weight was up 2 pounds from the previous year, at 278 pounds.
Lamb and mutton production, at 12.8 million pounds, was up 2 percent from August 2016. Sheep slaughter totaled 194,100 head, slightly above last year. The average live weight was 132 pounds, up 2 pounds from August a year ago.
Red Meat Production by State
(million lbs. - % Aug '16)
Nebraska ...........: 745.7 102
Iowa ..................: 618.9 101
Kansas ...............: 525.6 110
January to August 2017 commercial red meat production was 34.0 billion pounds, up 4 percent from 2016. Accumulated beef production was up 5 percent from last year, veal was down 1 percent, pork was up 3 percent from last year, and lamb and mutton production was down 4 percent.
Cargill to build state-of-the-art biodiesel plant in Wichita, Kansas
Cargill has announced today plans to build a state-of-the-art $90 million biodiesel plant in Wichita, Kansas. Set to open January 2019, it will produce 60 million gallons of biodiesel annually.
“This new facility will enable Wichita to be a competitive supplier in the biofuels market, bringing value to the suppliers and customers we work with, and connecting farmers with industrial customers by supplying quality biomass-based diesel,” said Pat Woerner, biodiesel commercial leader for Cargill’s Agricultural Supply Chain business. “Biofuels are good for the U.S. farm economy and can bring capital investment to agriculture while boosting economic development in farm communities.”
Opening the facility in Wichita will strengthen Cargill’s biodiesel operations in the heart of the Midwest where it already has biodiesel plants in Iowa Falls, Iowa, and Kansas City, Missouri. Unlike other traders of biodiesel, Cargill is an integrated producer managing the entire supply chain from origination to production to delivery.
“We are excited to bring this new facility to our farmers and customers in Wichita,” said Warren Feather, oilseed managing director for Cargill’s Agricultural Supply Chain business. “At Cargill, we’re prepared to handle demand for biofuels while balancing it against the need to nourish a growing global population.”
Construction of the new 42,000 square foot facility begins December 2017. Located at 1401 N. Mosley, Wichita, Kansas, it will employ approximately 35 full-time employees. The plant will be located next to its oilseed processing plant and replaces an existing oil refinery managed by Cargill’s Global Edible Oil business. Cargill has invested significantly in oil and shortenings products and remains committed to the food industry. Cargill’s Global Edible Oils business will transfer existing edible oils production to alternate Cargill facilities.
Cargill offers biofuels from a variety of renewable resources, including corn, soybeans, sugar cane, palm oil, and biogas. It produces ethanol and biodiesel in the U.S. and the EU, ethanol in Brazil, and biodiesel in Argentina.
New Project to Increase Soybean Yields by Harnessing Photosynthesis
A new project aims to more efficiently turn the sun’s energy into food and sustainably increase worldwide food productivity.
The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR), a nonprofit organization established through bipartisan congressional support in the 2014 Farm Bill, is contributing $15 million to a five-year, $45-million research project at the University of Illinois that has boosted crop yields 20 percent by improving photosynthetic efficiency. The American Soybean Association (ASA) supported the creation of FFAR, because of projects like this one, and FFAR’s commitment to increase the scientific and technological research, innovation and partnerships that are so critical to keeping America’s agricultural economy moving forward.
FFAR joined co-funders the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID), and government and agricultural leaders at the University of Illinois in Champaign to announce the investment and see the transformative research firsthand.
The project, Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency, or RIPE, will harness a plant’s photosynthesis process to increase output, or yield, in food crops including soybeans, cassava and cowpeas. Photosynthesis is how plants use sunlight and carbon dioxide to grow. The $45 million reinvestment in RIPE supports this critical, ongoing research meant to break through the stagnant yield ceilings for several staple food crops, providing farmers around the world with another tool to enhance global food security and their own livelihoods.
“The RIPE project has proven that photosynthesis can be redesigned to increase crop yields by at least 20 percent without additional resources,” said FFAR Executive Director Sally Rockey, Ph.D. “FFAR is proud to support this innovative leap toward reducing global hunger, an issue that often seems intractable in the face of a growing population, changing climate, and limited natural resources.”
Researchers anticipate commercial seeds benefiting from this research will be available to farmers within approximately 15 years. RIPE and its funders will ensure their high-yielding food crops are globally available, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, and affordable for smallholder farmers to help feed the world’s hungriest and reduce poverty. Agriculture has been shown to reduce poverty four times more effectively than growth in other sectors.
Growth Energy Congratulates Magellan Midstream Partners on Expanding E15 Choice
Magellan Midstream Partners, the Tulsa, Okla.-based transportation, storage, and distribution company, is now offering blending services for E15—a fuel with 15 percent ethanol—throughout their midcontinent terminal system. Magellan owns the longest refined petroleum product pipeline system in the country.
Following reports of this development from our fuel marketing partners, Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor released the following statement:
“We applaud Magellan on making E15 available at their terminals. This will allow forward-thinking retailers a more efficient distribution of this fuel into the marketplace by automating the process and generating an E15 bill of lading.
“This is a major win for consumer choice and a testament to the momentum behind E15, which is a high-octane, cleaner burning fuel that gives American drivers a more earth-friendly, economical, and engine safe option at the pump.
“Now that the infrastructure is prepared for year-round blending of E15, we will continue to push to get Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) relief applied to E15 to finally give American drivers a choice at the pump all year.”
Leading retailers including Casey’s, Cenex, Family Express, Kum & Go, Kwik Trip, MAPCO, Minnoco, Murphy USA, Protec Fuel, QuikTrip, RaceTrac, Sheetz, and Thorntons offer E15 currently at more than 900 locations in 29 states.
Magellan is offering blending services for E15 on a seasonal basis, which will comply with all laws and regulations.
Biotech Working Group Meets in Minnesota
The American Soybean Association (ASA) Biotech Working Group met earlier this month in the Minneapolis area to discuss the most pressing issues facing biotechnology and how these challenges impact farming and the soybean industry.
Immediately following the meeting, Syngenta representatives hosted the group for dinner and a tour of the Syngenta Seedcare Institute the next morning in Stanton, Minn. Biotech Working Group members who attended the meeting included several farmer-leaders and staff members from ASA, the United Soybean Board (USB) and U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC), as well as industry executives from several companies representing the leading technology providers in agriculture.
The meeting began with a presentation offering a current overview of world soybean markets, growth markets and projections by Thomas Mielke, editor and chief executive officer with Oil World and Jim Sutter, chief executive officer of USSEC. Following this presentation, Paul Spencer, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), provided an update on the Global Low Level Presence Initiative and China 100-days plan. ASA Washington representative Renee Munasifi updated the group on ASA’s responses to USDA questions regarding the Biotech Disclosure Law.
A significant amount of time at the meeting was also spent discussing recent concerns over dicamba-related damage to crops. ASA remains committed to bringing the industry together to find answers and solutions. The Biotech Working Group meeting provided another opportunity for farmers to continue ongoing discussions with companies selling dicamba-based products. ASA is also coordinating with USB and checkoffs at the state level to draw on the data generated by their research into crop damage, as well as working alongside state departments of agriculture and land-grant universities as they investigate to understand what has happened in each specific incident and why.
The Biotech Working Group provides a consultative forum for the soy biotech industry to meet with key soybean industry and grower leadership on a consistent basis. The forum provides grower leaders the opportunity to review the progress of individual company traits, engage in dialogue and provide feedback along with the needed support and advocacy to advance approvals for new technologies.
Certified Organic Agricultural Production Up 23 Percent
Sales of organic agricultural production continued to increase in 2016, when U.S. farms produced and sold $7.6 billion in certified organic commodities, according to data released by the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Results of the 2016 Certified Organic Survey show that 2016 sales were up 23 percent from $6.2 billion in 2015. During the same year, the number of certified organic farms in the country increased 11 percent to 14,217, and the number of certified acres increased 15 percent to 5.0 million.
California, with $2.9 billion in certified organic sales, continued to lead the nation in certified sales, accounting for 38 percent of the U.S. total. It also had the largest share of certified organic acres and farms. Three states had more than 1,000 certified farms: California (2,713), Wisconsin (1,276), and New York (1,059).
"The results of the 2016 Certified Organic Survey show the continued interest and growth in organic foods," according to Hubert Hamer, NASS Administrator. "The survey provides the only comprehensive source of national and state data on certified organic production. It was expanded in 2016 from previous years to include fresh and processed information separately for all fruit and berry crops, as well as to include grape data by variety."
Ten states accounted for 77 percent of U.S. certified organic sales, virtually the same share as in 2015 and 2014.
Crops accounted for 56 percent of the sale of certified organic production; livestock, poultry, and their products accounted for 44 percent. Organic production encompasses a wide range of commodities, including livestock and poultry products (primarily milk and eggs), with 2016 sales of $2.2 billion; vegetables, $1.6 billion; fruits, tree nuts, and berries, $1.4 billion; livestock and poultry, $1.2 billion; and field crops, $763 million.
Other top organic crops were strawberries, grapes, tomatoes, corn, potatoes, hay, spinach, and mushrooms.
Syngenta and Coalition for Urban/Rural Environmental Stewardship produce pollinator stewardship film
The Coalition for Urban/Rural Environmental Stewardship (CURES), with support from Syngenta, today released an educational film showcasing best-management practices (BMPs) for protecting pollinators on farms and urban landscapes.
“Because farmland treated for pests is often shared by pollinators, it is important to help farmers and pesticide applicators understand how best to control damaging crop pests, while minimizing the impact on pollinators,” said Parry Klassen, executive director, CURES, and the film’s producer and narrator. “Additionally, proper pesticide use should protect pollinators’ forage and habitat.”
In the film, “Pollinators and Pesticide Stewardship,” Klassen shares BMPs set forth in the brochure of the same name. These guidelines include reading and following pesticide label directions and precautions—and using integrated pest management (IPM), an approach that takes into account the unique chemical, cultural, mechanical and biological aspects of a farmer’s operation to inform a customized pest-management program.
“Many crops are dependent upon the pollination role provided by bees and other pollinators, and it is incumbent on farmers and crop input providers to protect pollinators, while managing crop pests and improving crop yields,” said Caydee Savinelli, pollinator and IPM stewardship lead, Syngenta. “Delivering crop protection products brings the responsibility to educate farmers and applicators on BMPs for using these important inputs in a safe and environmentally sustainable way.”
This film reflects the latest project resulting from a long-standing collaboration between Syngenta and CURES—a relationship built on the common goal of proactive pesticide stewardship. Since CURES’ inception 20 years ago, Syngenta has worked with the organization to sponsor educational outreach efforts on a wide range of topics relating to health, safety and the environment.
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