Friday August 17 Cattle on Feed and Ag News

NEBRASKA CATTLE ON FEED UP 13 PERCENT

Nebraska feedlots, with capacities of 1,000 or more head, contained 2.23 million cattle on feed on August 1, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Nebraska Field Office.  This inventory was up 13 percent from last year.  This is the highest August inventory since the data series began in 1994.    Placements in feedlots during July totaled 410,000 head, up 5 percent from 2011.  This ties 2009 for the highest July placements since the data series began in 1994.    Marketings of fed cattle during July totaled 440,000 head, up 6 percent from last year.  Other disappearance during July totaled 10,000 head, compared with 15,000 head  during 2011.



United States Cattle on Feed Up 1 Percent
   
Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 10.7 million head on August 1, 2012. The inventory was 1 percent above August 1, 2011.

Placements in feedlots during July totaled 1.92 million, 10 percent below 2011. Net placements were 1.86 million head. During July, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 500,000, 600-699 pounds were 325,000, 700-799 pounds were 470,000, and 800 pounds and greater were 627,000.

Marketings of fed cattle during July totaled 1.91 million, slightly below 2011.  Other disappearance totaled 63,000 during July, 11 percent below 2011.



Grant Funds Available for Ag Producers, Groups With Value-Added Ideas

Agricultural producers and producer groups with an idea for adding value to their crop or product can apply for grant funds now available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Funds can be used to help producers enter into value-added activities related to the processing and/or marketing of bio-based value-added products.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln Food Processing Center is offering producers help in writing applications for the USDA's Value-Added Producer Grant program.

"We work with producers from around the U.S. to submit grant applications," said Suzanne Weeder Einspahr, food industry consultant with The FPC. "This grant targets ag producers that are looking to generate new products, create and expand marketing opportunities and increase income."

Einspahr said The FPC has helped producers with applications for this grant since 2002, realizing a 100 percent success rate since 2007.

The grant has two phases. First is a planning grant with seed money that allows producers to explore the feasibility of their idea and create a business plan to demonstrate how the idea can be implemented. The program requires that a third party help carry out the feasibility study, a role The FPC can play.

"While producers excel at producing raw materials the move to value-added requires additional considerations. They must carefully look at market opportunities, processing options, staffing requirements, and, most importantly, costs and overall financial feasibility," Einspahr said.

The second phase of the VAPG program allows eligible parties to apply for working capital to assist in launching or expanding their value-added venture. Among other things, funds can be used to pay for eligible inventory supplies, salaries, and a marketing campaign directly related to the processing and marketing of the value-added product.

Applicants can seek up to $100,000 in the first phase and $300,000 in the second. The grant does require a one-for-one match.

In 2011 USDA awarded $40.2 million to 298 recipients in 44 states and Puerto Rico. A total of $14 million in grant funds is available this funding cycle.

Grant applications are due Oct. 15. Contact Suzanne Weeder Einspahr at The FPC for further information, 402-472-5806 or sweeder1@unl.edu.  Assistance is provided to a limited number of producers.



2012-13 Leadership At Its Best Class Completes Phase I of Training

Part I of the ASA Leadership At Its Best Program, sponsored by Syngenta, was held last week in Greensboro, N.C. Soybean leaders representing 13 state affiliates participated in advanced leadership training. This leadership development program provides the skills necessary to be an effective voice for the U.S. soybean farmer. Participants were trained in media relations, communication skills development, soybean industry policy issues, future trends, and organizational leadership. ASA President Steve Wellman and Vice President Ray Gaesser participated in the program throughout the week. Participants also networked with fellow producers representing the National Corn Growers Association.

"The goal of Leadership At Its Best is to help soybean growers become more dynamic leaders and spokespeople for the agriculture industry," said Wellman. "In the face of challenging times, strong leadership is critical to defining agriculture’s future."

Part II of Leadership At Its Best will be held in Washington, D.C. in conjunction with the ASA Board meeting, March 11-13, 2013. During that time, participants will discuss key policy issues affecting the soybean industry and U.S. soybean producers with members of Congress from their state.

The 2012-13 Class of Leadership At Its Best is represented by:
Nathan Dorn (Neb.)
Jeff Jorgenson (Iowa)
Brice Bunck (Kan.)
Colt Clemmons (Ala.)
Bill Raben (Ill.)
Tom Griffiths (Ind.)
Jed Clark (Ky.)
Dan Keenan (Mich.)
Belinda Burrier (Mid-Atl.)
Paul Freeman (Minn.)
Ryan Richard (N.D.)
Mark Klepper (Tenn.)
John Simon (Wis.)



ASA Thanks Kentucky Soybean Association for Hosting Memorable REAP Tour

Participants from northern states attended the 2012 Regional Exchange and Awareness Program (REAP), hosted by the Kentucky Soybean Association (KSA) Aug. 6-10. ASA and the United Soybean Board (USB) partnered to sponsor this program, along with support and sponsorship from Bayer CropScience.

The REAP tour is a unique and educational opportunity for ASA members to learn about the regional differences and similarities in agriculture, share ideas between growers and industry, and help soybean producers build strong relationships that will benefit them down the road.

Participants in this year’s program marveled over the wide variety of tour stops included.

The itinerary highlighted Western Kentucky and included customized tours of Vulcan Construction Material’s Grand Rivers Quarry, Kentucky Lake Lock and Dam addition, Siemers Mill, Cundiff Farms tobacco operation, Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese operation, and CPC Commodities. The group also met with staff at Mammoth Cave National Park to learn about how the park uses biodiesel and alternative fuels, and attended a presentation at the University of Kentucky Research & Education Center to learn about pests and threats to Kentucky’s soybean crops.

Participants on the Kentucky REAP tour were:
Dennis Fujan (Neb.);
Kermit Allard (Iowa);
Dave Slead (Kan.);
Don Lutz (Wis.);
Tom Price (Ohio);
Kurt Krueger (Minn.);
John Ortiz (Mo.);
Ron Gorder (S.D.);
Darrel McGriff (Ind.); and
Steve Launius (Ill.).



EPA Schedules Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations Meeting, Aug. 30 in Arcadia, Iowa

EPA Region 7 representatives will meet with livestock producers on Thursday, August 30, at the American Legion Hall, 210 W. Head Street, Arcadia, Iowa.

EPA’s inspection program for concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), winter feeding areas, aerial overflights, medium-sized CAFOs, nutrient management plans and manure stockpiles will be discussed. EPA staff will also review the selection of CAFOs for inspection, flyover practices and details about CAFO on-the-ground inspections.

“It is important for our regional staff to be out in the countryside so we can talk with livestock producers about EPA’s role in protecting water quality," Karl Brooks, regional administrator said. “EPA works with farmers to protect Iowa’s streams and rivers and this meeting helps us meet our water quality goals.”

There will be an opportunity for attendees to interact with EPA officials during a question-and-answer session led by Shawn Shouse, of Iowa State University Extension.

EPA is working with the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association, Iowa State University Extension, and Iowa Department of Natural Resources to encourage livestock producers’ attendance.



Iowa Soybean Association announces newly elected directors

The Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) announces its new district directors, elected by soybean growers of Iowa.

The newest district director is Dennis Lindsay representing District 3. Lindsay and his wife, Barb, farm near Masonville, where they raise corn and soybeans. He has served for 10 years on ISA’s On-Farm Network® advisory council.  In addition to serving in numerous capacities in his local parish and as chair of the Blessed Trinity cluster council, he has also been a councilman of the Buchanan County Extension Council, vice president and secretary/treasurer of the Buchanan County Pork Producers, and has helped with Buchanan County Fair livestock entries. He replaces Kermit Allard of Cedar Falls.

Others reelected to three-year terms include Brian Kemp of Sibley, representing District 1; Dean Coleman of Humboldt (District 2); Benjamin Schmidt of Iowa City (District 6); Jeff Jorgenson of Sidney (District 7); John Heisdorffer of Keota (District 9); and Ron Heck (at large).

Mark Jackson, ISA president-elect and director for District 9 from Rose Hill, was pleased with voter turnout and with the candidates running for positions.

“We had a group of very excellent candidates running for positions this year,” Jackson says. “Voter turnout was great. I look forward to the new fiscal year and to working with Dennis Lindsay as well as returning board members. I also want to thank Kermit Allard for his conscientious service and look forward to him continuing his long-time involvement with ISA. ”

Other district directors include Curt Sindergard of Rolfe, representing District 1; Wayne Fredericks of Osage (District 2); Scott McGregor of Nashua (District 3); Sheila Hebenstreit of Jefferson and Delbert Christensen of Audubon (District 4); Randy VanKooten of Lynnville and Rolland Schnell of Newton (District 5); Ed Ulch of Solon (District 6); Delbert Westphalen of Atlantic (District 7); Cliff Mulder of Pella (District 8); Mark Jackson of Rose Hill (District 9); Jim Andrew of Jefferson, Roy Arends of Alexander and Tom Oswald of Cleghorn (at large).

The new slate of directors will assume their seats on the ISA board in September.



Researchers Confirm Rootworm Resistance to Genetically Modified Trait

New tests confirm that damage last year to some corn fields in western Illinois was caused by rootworms that have developed resistance to a Monsanto Co. genetically modified trait, a University of Illinois researcher said.

Illinois becomes the second state where researchers say they have confirmed rootworm resistance to the gene, which makes a protein that kills the voracious bug. Last year an Iowa State researcher announced resistance in that state, a finding that fueled concern among farmers and agronomists about overuse of genetically modified crops causing the development of superbugs.

University of Illinois entomologist Mike Gray, who announced the findings at a Thursday presentation, said they reinforce what Iowa State entomologist Aaron Gassmann reported last year in nearby counties in northeast Iowa. Gray had reported the Illinois rootworm damage last year, leading to the tests.

"The results are very similar to what came out of [Dr. Gassmann's] labs," Dr. Gray said.

In both cases, Dr. Gray said, the damage resulted in fields where corn was grown continuously for multiple years, which increases the opportunities for the rootworm to develop resistance to the trait. Farmers typically rotate a field from corn to soybeans the following year, but recently more have planted corn year-after-year, spurred by the high price of the crop.

Corn plants that fall prey to the rootworm are weakened by the pest and can ultimately fall over during high winds.

The widespread prevalence of rootworm resistant corn, he added, left farmers without access to corn that doesn't include the gene. A Monsanto official disputed that assertion.

Monsanto is not conceding that rootworm resistance has been confirmed, but Ty Vaughn, the company's corn product management lead, said the company is treating all the reported cases as "suspected resistance."

The company has added a program of recommendations for farmers who unexpectedly suffered rootworm damage last year, and that the results show farmers can easily manage the problem.

The top recommendations, Vaughn said in an interview, are for farmers to include soybeans in their crop rotation instead of planting corn every year, and to plant SmartStax, another Monsanto corn seed that includes two different traits that give the plant rootworm resistance. Soil insecticide use is the "distant third" recommendation, he said.

"They get hooked on the corn-on-corn train, and it's really hard to break free from that," Vaughn said.

In addition to university researchers, rootworm resistance has also drawn the attention of the Environmental Protection Agency, which last fall told Monsanto in a memo that its existing monitoring program was "ineffective" and said it wanted Monsanto to begin surveying fields at earlier signs of insect damage than it does now.



RFA Applauds U.S. Appeals Court on E15 Decision

This morning the U.S. Appeals Court for the District of Columbia Circuit sided with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its partial waiver approval for E15 ethanol fuel for model year 2001 and newer light duty vehicles and all flex fuel vehicles. This represents nearly two-thirds of all vehicles on the road and almost 75% of vehicle miles driven.

Since the initial waiver filing in March 2009, vehicles were tested using E15 for a combined six million miles, health effects data on E15 was collected and approved, and a first of its kind misfueling mitigation plan was required and approved in order for retailer to offer E15.  Today, at least one station in Lawrence, KS, is selling E15 under the conditions set by the partial waiver.

“Today’s decision is an important step forward in the nation’s quest to diversify our nation’s fuel supply,” said Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen.  “Adding an E15 option along side E10 and higher ethanol blends allows consumers to make the fuel decisions that work best for them and their vehicle.  Ethanol has a thirty year track record of safe and effective use in the market place and that record will continue.  Allowing for additional ethanol use will help lower prices at the pump, create domestic jobs, and accelerate the commercialization of new biofuel technologies.”

Currently, the market for ethanol confined to E10 blends has been saturated.  Allowing ethanol blends of up to E15 for 2001 and new vehicles, as well as increasing the availability of higher level ethanol blends up to E85, will provide much-needed market access to help ensure the growth and evolution of the domestic renewable fuels industry continues.



ACE applauds U.S. Court of Appeals Decision on E15

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) today praised a ruling from the United States Court of Appeals in Washington DC on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) approval of E15 blends. (A blend of gasoline mixed with 15 percent ethanol).

The court ruled that the petroleum, engine, and grocery trade associations who were hoping to appeal the EPA’s approval had no proof that any engine has been or would be damaged by E15, and therefore had no legal standing to bring forward an appeal in court. The legal petition was dismissed for a lack of jurisdiction.

ACE Executive Director Brian Jennings says the court’s decision is a huge win for consumers.

“This is great news for consumers looking for more affordable options when filling up at the pump. This ruling tells the public that EPA’s decision to permit E15 as an option wasn’t a rush to judgment and that this fuel is safe,” Jennings said.

“We’ve been saying for years that the ethanol industry did everything the right way when we worked on getting E15 legally approved. The EPA underwent an exhaustive process in testing the fuel and making sure it would be compatible in vehicles with a model year of 2001 and newer before it was legal for public sale. Simply put, E15 has been the most tested fuel in history and that it is safe and can be used in the vehicles it is intended for,” Jennings said.



CFC Brings Story of Modern Corn Farming Back to Washington

The Corn Farmers Coalition is back in Washington to continue its mission of telling the story of the revolution going on in modern farming and the significant role family farmers have in this success.

After a brief absence, large format ads featuring real farm families and fact-based messages about America’s largest crop will return to the nation’s capital. The ads will be seen in ten metro stations throughout the city starting Monday.

“The focus of the CFC campaign is to educate decision makers and those who influence them by assuring a better awareness of agriculture and the positive changes being embraced by farmers,” said Lou Lamoreux, a Lanark, Ill., farmer whose family is featured in the campaign. “The idea is to build a foundation of knowledge related to growing productivity trends and environmental improvements and that’s still relevant even in light of the current drought.”

The lighted dioramas will be located on the passenger boarding areas in Forest Glenn, Cleveland Park, Eisenhower, Glenmont, Ballston, Van Ness, Princes Georges Plaza, Shady Grove, Pentagon City and Gallery Place metro stations.

“I think there is a growing awareness that family farmers do exist, and that the generations of knowledge we represent are a valuable national resource.” said Ken McCauley, a farmers from White Cloud, Kan. ”Just in the last ten years, we’ve grown nine of the largest crops in history. Even this year, when farmers are suffering from widespread drought, we are on track to harvest the 8th largest crop in history.”

Through innovation, technology and hard work, American family farmers like the Lamoreuxs and McCauleys have become the most productive farmers the world has ever seen. They are achieving this remarkable productivity with fewer resources and while making great progress in protecting the environment.

 The Corn Farmers Coalition helps to amplify this message and put a face on family farmers with images that are easy to consume and understand. The messages ring true and come from such relevant and trusted sources as the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency.

The Corn Farmers Coalition is a unique alliance that is education focused and steers clear of specific policy issues. It is also funded exclusively by farmers with corn checkoff dollars. For more information, please visit www.cornfarmerscoalition.org.



MF Global Execs Likely Won’t Face Criminal Charges
(from NAWG newsletter)

Executives from MF Global will likely not face criminal charges stemming from the investigation into the company’s bankruptcy, despite having lost more than $1 billion in customer funds. News reports out this week indicate that after 10 months of investigations, authorities are convinced that it was chaos and poor risk controls that caused the loss of protected funds, not fraud. However, MF Global is still facing legal action as bankruptcy trustee James Giddens has agreed to assist lawyers in suits against former chief executive Jon Corzine for failure to take proper care of customer’s money. In addition, regulators may still file civil enforcement actions, which could potentially cost Corzine millions of dollars and ban him from working on Wall Street in the future.



July Milk Production Up 0.8 Percent
                       
Milk production in the 23 major States during July totaled 15.5 billion pounds, up 0.8 percent from July 2011. June revised production at 15.5 billion pounds, was up 1.1 percent from June 2011. The June revision represented an increase of 2 million pounds or less than 0.1 percent from last month's preliminary production estimate.

Production per cow in the 23 major States averaged 1,826 pounds for July, 6 pounds above July 2011.   

The number of milk cows on farms in the 23 major States was 8.50 million head, 41,000 head more than July 2011, but 7,000 head less than June 2012.



University Economic Studies Show Waiving RFS Would Have Negligible Impact on Corn Price

Two separate studies released this week by leading university agricultural economists concluded that waiving the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) would not result in meaningfully lower corn prices. The analyses, released by Iowa State University and Purdue University, directly refute the suggestion from livestock and poultry groups that waiving the RFS would dramatically reduce corn prices and increase availability.

The Purdue University analysis showed that the flexibility built into the RFS—namely the ability of refiners to use excess RIN credits accumulated in past years—serves to reduce corn price without a waiver being necessary. However, the Purdue economists found, if Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) did waive the RFS, corn prices might decrease further by approximately 5.6% in 2013.

Meanwhile, the Iowa State University analysis, an update to an earlier report, found that fully waiving the RFS would result in just a 7.4% reduction in corn price in the 2012/13 marketing year. As with the Purdue report, the flexibility enabled by surplus RIN credits was a significant factor in the ISU analysis.

“The desire by livestock groups to see additional flexibility on ethanol mandates may not result in as large a drop in feed costs as they hope,” wrote Iowa State Professor Bruce Babcock. “…the flexibility built into the Renewable Fuels Standard allowing obligated parties to carry over blending credits (RINs) from previous years significantly lowers the economic impacts of a short crop, because it introduces flexibility into the mandate.”

Similar comments came from the authors of the Purdue study. “A partial waiver certainly is not a ‘stroke of the pen’ solution…” to record high corn prices, they wrote. “Corn prices pushed higher by the worst U.S. drought in half a century would not necessarily moderate if the federal government's corn ethanol mandate were temporarily suspended,” according to a Purdue University press release announcing the release of the study.

The new reports from Iowa State and Purdue reinforce the findings of a recent analysis by economists at the University of Illinois, who concluded, “The EPA does not necessarily have the ability to substantially ease the plight of livestock producers in 2012-13 at the stroke of a pen. Waiving the RFS mandate for ethanol may have a smaller impact on the price of corn or the quantity of corn available for feed than many expect.”

RFA President and CEO Bob Dinneen said EPA is likely to rely on the type of information contained in these university studies as it considers a recent waiver request from the governors of North Carolina and Arkansas.

“These economic analyses compellingly show that waiving the RFS is unnecessary and would be ineffective in meaningfully reducing corn prices,” Dinneen said. “Congress and EPA built sufficient flexibilities into the RFS to ensure compliance is achievable even under the most abnormal and extreme circumstances, such as this summer’s drought. These studies recognize the impact of that built-in flexibility and show that a waiver would not significantly contribute any additional further relief from drought-induced high corn prices.”

Dinneen also noted that EPA’s analysis in response to a 2008 RFS waiver request found that a 5% reduction in corn price—similar to impacts found in the Purdue and Iowa State studies—resulted in just a 0.28% change in food prices, leading EPA to conclude that “…the most likely result is that the RFS would have no impact on ethanol production volumes in the relevant time frame, and therefore no impact on corn, food, or fuel prices.”



Soy Checkoff Leaders Commit to Maintaining Soy Sustainability

When it comes to buzzwords, sustainability is one that U.S. soybean farmers believe has staying power. It's so important, in fact, that the United Soybean Board (USB) and soy checkoff recently joined other U.S. soybean organizations in supporting a pledge and set of data that demonstrate U.S. soybean farmers continue to improve their sustainability performance. These organizations will use this pledge and data to help increase sales of U.S. soy among customers that demand sustainably sourced ingredients.

"Instead of a certification process for individual U.S. soybean farmers, we are recommending an aggregate approach, in which the data show the environmental, economic and societal benefits of U.S. soybean production," says Jim Call, soybean farmer from Madison, Minn. and USB secretary. "This pledge will be the commitment by the entire U.S. soy industry that we, as farmers, are sustainable."

At their most recent meeting, the soy checkoff recently joined the American Soybean Association and state checkoff boards in further committing the U.S. soy industry to sustainability. The United Soybean Export Council Board is expected to take similar formal action in the next few weeks.

"Our customers, the end-users, want to use products that are sustainable, and it is our responsibility to provide them," adds Call. "Within the pledge, we share data that shows our decreasing use of inputs and the increasing use of conservation practices by U.S. soybean farmers."

Also during the meeting, checkoff farmer-leaders adopted a series of recommendations to finish implementing USB's new operating structure. As part of one of these recommendations, USB Chair Vanessa Kummer appointed a Strategic Management Committee, which will ensure all checkoff-funded projects contribute toward meeting the checkoff's long-range strategic plan.

Kummer appointed farmer-leaders Dwain Ford, Kinmundy, Ill.; Richard Fordyce, Bethany, Mo.; and Nancy Kavazanjian, Beaver Dam, Wis., to join USB Vice Chair Jim Stillman, Emmetsburg, Iowa; and immediate past chair Marc Curtis, Leland, Miss., to the committee.



The Andersons Announces Cash Dividend for Fourth Quarter

The Andersons, Inc., Maumee, Ohio, announced a fourth quarter 2012 cash dividend of 15 cents ($0.15) per share payable October 22, 2012, to shareholders of record on October 1, 2012.  This is The Andersons' 64th consecutive quarterly cash dividend since its listing on the Nasdaq on February 20, 1996. There are approximately 18.6 million common shares outstanding.

The Andersons, Inc. is a diversified company rooted in agriculture. Founded in 1947, the company conducts business across North America in the grain, ethanol, and plant nutrient sectors, railcar leasing, turf and cob products, and consumer retailing.



SW Iowa Renewable Energy Announces Third Quarter Results

Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy, LLC (SIRE), Council Bluffs, Iowa, announced its unaudited financial results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2012 (Fiscal 2012) which ended June 30, 2012. SIRE reported a net loss of $4,153,049, or $316.09 per unit, compared to a net loss of $1,287,162, or $97.96 per unit, for the same period during the year ended September 30, 2011 (Fiscal 2011). For Fiscal 2012 through June 30, 2012, SIRE reported a net income of $855,593 or $65.12 compared to a net loss of $2,357,512 or $179.43 per unit for the same period in Fiscal 2011. The cash flow provided by operations for the first three quarters of Fiscal 2012 was $12,346,881, compared to $12,427,088 for the same period in Fiscal 2011.

Adjusted EBITDA, which is defined as earnings before interest, income taxes, and depreciation and/or amortization ("EBITDA"), as adjusted for unrealized hedging losses (gains), was $787,024 for the third quarter in Fiscal 2012 and $4,577,670 for the same period in Fiscal 2011. Adjusted EBITDA for Fiscal 2012 through June 30, 2012 was $11,720,646 and $16,477,891 for the same period in Fiscal 2011. At June 30, 2012, SIRE had $8,237,313 million in cash and equivalents and $14,625,000 available under committed loan agreements (subject to satisfaction of specified lending conditions and covenants), as well as an additional $6,250,000 available under uncommitted loan agreements. For reconciliations of Adjusted EBITDA to net income attributable to SIRE, see "Adjusted EBITDA" below.

Brian Cahill, SIRE's general manager and CEO, stated, "Our third quarter in Fiscal 2012, reflects less than favorable margins resulting from the relative prices of our primary inputs and products during the quarter. In particular, the key factors during the quarter were increases in the price of our primary input, corn, resulting in part from the current drought conditions in the United States. Notwithstanding these margins, with our positive cash flow we have continued to make scheduled and excess cash flow payments to our banks, resulting in further principal reduction in overall debt and reduced interest costs. We have also continued to make modest capital investments that are resulting in incremental productivity improvements in our plant."

SIRE is an Iowa limited liability company, located in Council Bluffs, Iowa, formed in March, 2005 to construct and operate a 110 million gallon name plate capacity ethanol plant. SIRE began producing ethanol in February, 2009 and sells its ethanol, modified wet distillers grains with solubles, corn syrup, and corn oil in the continental United States. SIRE also sells its dried distillers grains with solubles in the continental United States, Mexico and the Pacific Rim.



Potash Corp Idles Lanigan Mine

Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan (POT) said Thursday it will shut down production from its Lanigan mine in Saskatchewan for about a month due to weak demand for the fertilizer ingredient.

The Lanigan mine, which can produce up to 3.4 million tons of potash a year, will be shut down from Sept. 15 to Oct. 13, the company said on a posting on its website.

The Saskatoon-based company said the shutdown is "consistent with PotashCorp's practice of matching supply with market demand."

The shutdown comes as the outlook for potash demand is uncertain due to a drought in the U.S. A poor growing season may mean that potash that farmers applied to fields in the spring won't be fully taken up by crops and will remain in the ground, meaning less may need to be re-applied next season.

Potash Corp. also shut down production from several mines, including Lanigan, earlier this year due to slow demand.

The company is the world's largest producer of potash, which is used to improve farming yields and to make crops more resistant to disease.



2012 Nebraska State Fair
Governor Dave Heineman

With the 143rd Nebraska State Fair set to kick off next week, I would like to invite all Nebraskans to join in the tradition and fun of the State Fair.  The staff has worked very hard to prepare for the State Fair that will run from August 24 through September 3.

This year’s fair will offer up “High Flying Fun” with the addition of the new 40-foot high Sky Tram that will give fairgoers a bird’s eye view of all the fun.  The fair has also acquired 36 additional acres of parking for the growing number of fairgoers.

Last year’s State Fair attendance exceeded 333,000 people.  In fact, on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend there were 68,000 visitors, making it the third highest daily attendance in State Fair history.  I enjoy visiting the attractions and seeing the sights.  The fairgrounds truly are state-of-the-art and allow visitors the opportunity to view livestock and commercial exhibits alike.

One area that I enjoy visiting is the 4-H and FFA exhibits.  These students are our future agriculturalists and I am always impressed by the hard work, quality and ingenuity of their projects.

Some of the new and exciting events taking place at this year’s fair include a partnership with the State Fair and RFD-TV as they attempt to break the Guinness Book of World Records for a Classic Tractor Parade.  The attempt will be on Saturday, August 25 at 1:00 p.m. at the Fonner Park Grandstand.  There will be hundreds of tractors participating.

New this year is a free smartphone app that will assist fairgoers in finding their favorite food and entertainment with its GPS navigation tools. This app will even help fairgoers find their car at the end of their visit.

Union Pacific will be celebrating their 150th anniversary at the fair this year with a steam engine and passenger train on display during Labor Day weekend.  Additionally, the first Wine and Grape Festival will be held on September 2nd.

Some annual favorites are back as well. Nebraska's Largest Classroom will be in session with State Fair exhibits providing a field trip opportunity for K-6th graders and teachers from public, private and home schools across the state. Our State Fair is an excellent example of a modern fair experience, featuring Interactive Education.

In addition to concerts, midway rides, games, and food vendors, the Nebraska State Fair celebrates the business and educational accomplishments of major industries in the state, with displays featuring the latest farm equipment, new technologies and agricultural products.

This year’s State Fair is sure to offer something for everyone, and I’m excited to take in the sights and sounds.  See you at the fair!