Monday October 29 Ag News

NASS Delays October 29, 2012, Reports

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has delayed the October 29, 2012 releases of Rice Stocks, Peanut Stocks and Processing and Crop Progress due to the hurricane-related closures of Washington, D.C. federal government offices. The rescheduled release times will be announced as soon as offices reopen.



Storm to Keep Fin. Markets Closed Tues.

(AP) -- Stock trading will be closed in the U.S. for a second day Tuesday as Hurricane Sandy bears down on the East Coast. Bond trading will also be closed.

The last time the New York Stock Exchange was closed for weather was in 1985 because of Hurricane Gloria, and it will be the first time since 1888 that the exchange will have been closed for two consecutive days because of weather. The cause then was a blizzard that left drifts as high as 40 feet in the streets of New York City.

The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq said they intend to reopen on Wednesday and would keep investors updated.

Much of the East Coast was at a standstill Monday as the storm approached. Mass transit and schools were closed across the region ahead of the storm hitting land, which was expected to happen later Monday.  Areas around New York's Financial District were part of a mandatory evacuation zone. The storm surge is already pushing water over seawalls in the southern tip of Manhattan.

CME Group's New York trading floor was closed, but electronic markets were functioning. Crude oil fell 80 cents to $85.48 in electronic trading.



Training Offered for Ag Co-op Boards of Directors

The Nebraska Cooperative Development Center offers board of directors training sessions, which can help start-up cooperatives learn more about a board’s responsibilities.  The training program has three levels, each exploring a different, increasingly in-depth aspect of establishing a cooperative.

“We talk about what they have to do, what they should do, and sometimes what they should not do, and then just good business practices,” said Jim Crandall, the Outreach Program Coordinator for the center.  The center works with different types of co-ops, including alternative agriculture co-ops.  “It’s important for them to fulfill requirements and stay in compliance,” Crandall said.

On November 29, the center will host a Level II training session at the Nebraska East Union. Check-in begins at 8:30 a.m. with the program continuing until 3:30 p.m. Sessions will cover the roles and responsibilities of a board, the legal foundations of LLCs and cooperatives, and a small business case study.

Presenters will include
-    Mike Turner, UNL professor emeritus in the Department of Agricultural Economics;
-    Ed Woeppel, education and program director for the Nebraska Cooperative Council;
-    Rocky Weber, an attorney who has represented several new cooperatives; and
-    Mike Hilderbrand, who frequently works with small businesses at Gothenburg State Bank.

Register by noon on November 19 at http://go.unl.edu/directortraining. Completion of Level I training is not required to take Level II.



UNL Extension Offers Mid-Plains BEEF Session on Winter Drought Management Tips for Cow Herds

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension's Mid-Plains BEEF Educational Series will conduct a special session on winter drought management tips for cow herds Nov. 29 at UNL's Agricultural Research and Development Center near Mead.

The session will draw on the expertise of Rick Rasby, UNL Extension beef specialist, Richard Randle, DVM and UNL extension beef veterinarian, and Lindsay Chichester, Jessica Jones, Sara Ellicott, Monte Stauffer and Steve Tonn, extension educators, to share their beef cattle expertise with participants.

The program is designed for producers, veterinarians or others involved in the beef industry. This special session will deal with tips on managing the cow herd during the winter to reduce the effects of the drought. Participants will learn more about tips to manage and feed drought affected forages, stretching short forage supplies, using alternative feedstuffs, hay feeding methods and reducing feeding losses, nitrate poisoning symptoms and managing respiratory problems with drylotting cows and calves.  Time will also be allotted to visit with the speakers on an individual or small group basis.

The session will begin at 9 a.m. and end at 4 p.m.

Registration of $60 is requested by Nov. 21 and includes educational materials, noon meals and breaks.

The Mid-Plains BEEF Educational Series is an effort by a team of southeastern Nebraska Extension educators. 

To register or obtain more information, contact them at: Lindsay Chichester, Richardson County, 402-245-4324; Sara Ellicott, Saunders County, 402-624-8030; Jessica Jones, Johnson County, 402-335-3669; Darci McGee, Nuckolls/Thayer Counties, 402-768-7212 or 402-225-2381; Monte Stauffer, Douglas/Sarpy Counties, 402-444-7804; or Steve Tonn, Washington County, 402-426-9455.

UNL Extension is in the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.


 
PorkBridge Educational Series Returns in December

The seventh year of the successful distance education series, PorkBridge, begins Dec. 6.

The 2012-2013 program lineup includes a variety of intriguing topics presented by recognized industry experts. Operating through the collaboration of 11 land-grant universities, PorkBridge reaches producers and industry professionals across the country and around the world in an every other month series of six sessions.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension swine specialist Duane Reese is the Nebraska contact for PorkBridge. He said the distance education series provides relevant and accurate information for those who own, manage or work in swine grow-finish facilities.

"Producers and others in the industry can get the information they need without the hassle of traveling or giving up a whole day to attend a meeting," Reese said. "PorkBridge participants can take part where it works best for them whether at home, in an office or in the swine unit. And all of them can download audio files from each session for later use."

The Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources specialist said PorkBridge combines electronic information viewed on a computer with live presentations by topic experts via phone. About a week before each session, subscribers receive a CD or web link (depending on their location) that contains that topic's specific presentation and additional information provided by the presenter. Participants call in for the audio portion of each session and follow along with the presentation on their computer. All sessions begin at noon Central time and last approximately 90 minutes.  Each session includes time for questions of the presenter.

"The amount has not changed since the program began in 2005, and is a great deal at $125 for the entire year," Reese said.

The subscription form and payment must be received by Nov. 12 to assure receipt of program materials in time for the first session on Dec. 6. An informational brochure with subscription information is available on the Iowa Pork Industry Center's website at www.ipic.iastate.edu/PorkBridge/IPIC2012PB.pdf. Nebraska residents who want more information can call Reese at 402-472-6425.

Session dates, speakers, their industry affiliations and topics are as follows.
Dec. 6 – John Patience, Iowa State University, "Strategies to Reduce Feed Costs"
Feb. 7 – Mike Ellis, University of Illinois, "Optimizing Stocking Density in Wean-Finish Barns"
April 4 – Aaron Gaines, The Maschhoffs, "Managing Finishing Pigs to Improve Production Efficiency"
June 6 – Mark Whitney, University of Minnesota, "Managing Heat Stress"
Aug. 1 – Mike Tokach and Hyatt Frobose, Kansas State University, "Effect of Optimizing Feed Withdrawal Length and Fiber Levels Prior to Marketing on Net Return"
Oct. 3 – Andrew Bowman, The Ohio State University, "Pigs, Flu, and You"

IPIC coordinates all program details, including registration and subscriber mailings. Mark Whitney and Lee Johnston of the University of Minnesota coordinate the PorkBridge program.  UNL Extension is in the university's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.



Farm Beginnings Helps Farmers with Sustainable, Value-Added Enterprises

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension and the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society will begin its fifth Farm Beginnings Program Dec. 8 at UNL's Agriculture Research and Development Center near Mead.

The Farm Beginnings Program is an educational training and support program designed to help people who want to evaluate and plan their farm enterprise.

Farm Beginnings participants engage in a mentorship experience and network with a variety of successful, innovative farmers and attend practical, high quality seminars, field days and conferences.

The program is unique in that several successful farmers participate in the program as presenters, explaining first-hand the nuts and bolts of their farming operation.

While any beginning farmer would benefit from attending these training sessions, most of the farmers that present come from small to medium sized farming operations that produce and market many different diversified and value-added products.  Many of these farmers direct market their products.

The Farm Beginnings Program consists of a series of 10 sessions from December to April that cover a variety of topics including: building networks, goal setting, whole farm planning, building your business plan, marketing, business and farm management and financial management.

While the class participants will learn first-hand from the farmers, they also will work on developing their own business plan as they progress through the course.

As part of the class tuition, participants also will have the opportunity to attend the Healthy Farms Conference at Mahoney State Park near Ashland Feb. 15-16.

This annual conference focuses on topics such as vegetable production, grass-fed beef, cover crops, organic farming, bee keeping, farm transitioning and agri-tourism.

There also will be a farm tour in December and several farm tours in the summer to see how the farmers are operating.

If interested, participants also have the opportunity to have a farmer mentor.

Cost of the total program is $500, but you may qualify for a partial scholarship.  For a brochure and an application for the Farm Beginnings Program or for more information about the program contact Gary Lesoing, Extension Educator at glesoing2@unl.edu or at (402) 274-4755, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension in Nemaha County.

The Farm Beginnings Program is as part of a U.S. Department of Agriculture Farmer and Rancher Grant which was received by the Center for Rural Affairs with UNL Extension and the Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society as cooperators. UNL Extension is in the university's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.



Irrigating Alfalfa in Late Fall May be Warranted This Year
Bruce Anderson, UNL Extension Forage Specialist

Given this fall's dry soil conditions, late season irrigation may be just what your alfalfa needs to survive the winter.

Alfalfa in many areas may need more surface soil moisture to prevent alfalfa roots from drying out and dying over winter. Soil moisture also helps keep soil temperatures from dropping too low for alfalfa plants to survive.

Subsoil moisture also will be needed for top yields next year. During peak water use next summer, it can be impossible to keep up with alfalfa's water needs without a water reserve in the deeper root and soil profile. Irrigating now and until soils freeze can protect plants and improve yields.

One advantage to irrigating now is that evaporation is lower than in summer, permitting very high irrigation efficiency. Another advantage is in the alfalfa plant itself. Most irrigated alfalfa fields never get much water below 4 feet deep, but alfalfa can develop roots down 8 feet or more. You waste some of the water collection ability of alfalfa by not building water reserves below 4 feet. Don't waste this ability. That water reserve will keep your alfalfa growing rapidly during next summer's heat and allow you to irrigate on a more timely basis.

Since many alfalfa soils have low water infiltration rates, irrigating now may be the only time you can build that water reserve.



Factors to Consider with Fall Fertilization in a Dry Year
Charles Shapiro, Extension Soils Specialist, Haskell Ag Lab
Charles Wortmann, Extension Soils Specialist

With harvest finishing early and the potential for some nice fall weather ahead, producers may be tempted to get a jump on spring field work by doing tillage and fertilization this fall. There also may be financial incentives such as product discounts or moving expenses from one year to another.

The following agronomic concerns, briefly described here, also should be considered:

-    Soil nitrates may be higher than normal this fall, especially in rainfed fields. Take soil samples and determine residual soil nitrate levels before deciding on fertilizer N application rates.
    
-    Dry soils are difficult to sample and may affect results. Soil organic matter and soil nitrate results should be fine, but some soil pH and potassium may be affected by the dry conditions.
    
-    Dry soil conditions may make tillage difficult.
    
-    Knife applications, including sealing of anhydrous ammonia injection tracks, also may be more difficult in dry soil conditions.
    
-    Wait to apply nitrogen until soil temperatures drop below 50°F since the conversion of anhydrous to nitrate is much slower below 50°F. Leaching is more likely on sandy ground.  (See the CropWatch Soil Temperature page for daily updates of soil temperatures.)  Currently, average soil temperatures across the state range from 50.8°F to 57.0°F.
    
-    Fall application of other forms of nitrogen is discouraged due to potential nitrogen loss between application and when the crop needs the nitrogen.
    
-    If soil conditions are not conducive to soil sampling, use historical trends and make adjustments based on recent fertilizer application and yield history. Corn removes about 70 lb N, 35 lb P2O5, and 30 lb K2O for every 100 bushels. Soybeans remove about 37 lb P2O5 and 60 lb K2O for every 50 bushels.
    
-    Monitor rain and snow infiltration between now and the next growing season and make fertilizer adjustments next spring if excessive rain may have caused leaching.



The Andersons Signs Agreement to Purchase 12 Grain Elevators and Two Farm Agronomy Centers from Green Plains Grain Company

The Andersons, Inc. announces today it has signed an agreement to purchase a majority of the grain and agronomy assets of Green Plains Grain Company, LLC, a subsidiary of Green Plains Renewable Energy, Inc.  The transaction, which remains subject to certain customary closing conditions, is expected to close in the fourth quarter.

“This will be the largest acquisition in our company’s 65 year history, and will increase the storage capacity of our Grain Group by nearly 30 percent,” says CEO Mike Anderson. “This acquisition aligns with our geographic growth strategy for both our grain and plant nutrient businesses and we expect it will be accretive on a full-year basis in 2013.”

The agreement involves the purchase of seven facilities in Iowa and five in Tennessee, with a combined grain storage capacity of about 32 million bushels, 12,000 tons of nutrient storage and more than 130 employees and working capital. 

“This acquisition is consistent with our strategy of expanding our footprint into high grain production geographies where we can leverage our core capabilities to serve more customers in diverse trade areas. It enables us to push further to the west and south, increasing our presence in Iowa and entering Tennessee,” says Denny Addis, President, Grain Group. “An additional benefit is our ability to now offer agronomy services in a combined manner with our grain business.”



Farmland at $21,900/Acre... and IFBF Sees Values Climbing

"While the new record $21,900 per acre sale in Sioux County is not typical, it is a reflection of optimism in the economic strength of farming in Iowa," says Iowa Farm Bureau economist, David Miller. At a time when many parts of the country are struggling to climb out of a recession, Iowa's continued strong agricultural sector has provided a 'buffer' which has helped much of the state keep a lower unemployment rate than the national average and provided financial sector vigor.

Despite drought-squeezed yields in many parts of the state, the price of farmland may continue its climb because multi-generational farm families are working together, pooling their resources and betting on a strong future for the next generation. "It's about the continuation of relatively-low interest rates which translate into high capitalization rates for farmland," says Miller, IFBF Director of Research and Commodity Services. "Seven dollar corn, $15 soybeans and 2% or less 10-year interest rates, all work together to push up the value of Iowa farmland."

While Iowa is unlikely to see many repeats of $21,000 per acre pricing, the state's farmers are likely to see farmland values continue to rise. "In general, there's no indication that Iowa land has topped out yet. We're likely to see good farmland, and I'm talking about the $8,000 to $11,000 per acre range, go up another 5 to 7 percent in Iowa on a year-to-year basis," says Miller.

There are many factors that influence farmland values, and sometimes those factors are thousands of miles away. "Weather problems are creeping into Argentina and Brazilian crops, so if crop prospects in South America deteriorate again like they did last year, that's another element that would support these higher-than-normal prices for another six months to a year. Out-of-state investors who show up at these farm auctions will also drive up prices for Iowa farmers, who have been saving and working for generations to buy land and bring their children into farming. But, capital asset pricing is all about pricing future expectations; $21,000 an acre at an auction means that at least two bidders were pretty optimistic about the future."



2012-13 National FFA Officer team announced at conclusion of 85th National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis

Six students from across the U.S. have been chosen by their peers to help lead and shape the National FFA Organization as national FFA officers in 2012-13.

Today at the conclusion of the 2012 National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis, University of Florida at Gainesville student Clay Sapp was elected to serve as National FFA president.

“It will be my mission to activate change and growth in the National FFA Organization,” he said. “I plan to develop strong relationships, be a champion of FFA and agricultural education and seek new ways to strengthen student experiences within FFA.”

Joining Sapp on the 2012-13 National FFA Officer team are Kalie Hall of Georgia as national secretary, Joenelle Futrell of Kentucky as Eastern Region vice president, Lindsey Anderson of California as Western Region vice president, Brennan Costello of Nebraska as Central Region vice president and Wiley Bailey as Southern Region vice president.

For the next year, the group will travel more than 100,000 miles across the country to engage top leaders in business, government and education. The national officers will lead personal growth and leadership training seminars for FFA members. The team will help set policies that will guide the future of FFA and promote agricultural literacy.

“It takes a highly motivated person to become a successful national FFA officer,” said National FFA Organization CEO Dr. Dwight Armstrong. “It is an opportunity afforded to just a few of our members. As a national officer, the lives of these six individuals will be non-stop hard work with never-ending commitments where every moment counts.”

FFA exceeds 1 million meal goal during 3-day Rally to Fight Hunger
Ten thousand FFA members, advisors and volunteers packed 1,005,048 meals  between Wednesday and Friday in an effort to alleviate hunger both locally and abroad.

The packaged meals are nutritionally balanced, containing protein, carbohydrates and vitamins essential to complete nutrition and require only boiling water to prepare. Half of the meals will stay in the central Indiana area to be distributed by Gleaners Food Bank, while the other half will go to Haiti in coordination with Kids Against Hunger, a humanitarian food-aid organization.

"It was very exciting to be able to work with FFA members and volunteers during this extraordinary event,” said Larry Moore, executive director of the local Kids Against Hunger affiliate. “I enjoyed meeting folks from all over the country; from the northern part of Maine out to California. We knew we would have an energetic group, and they were able to get it done."

In addition to feeding the hungry, the rally kicked off the National FFA Organization’s Feeding the World-Starting at Home initiative, which helps FFA members across the nation understand the issues and effects of hunger in their own communities and around the world.

“There are so many hungry children out there that need help,” said Jansen Applegate of Rusk FFA in Texas. “It’s also part of our creed. We’re not in need, so we should help them.”

Longtime FFA sponsors Tyson and Hormel also helped to support local hunger relief with donations to Gleaners Food Bank on Thursday. Tyson donated more than 30,000 pounds of fresh chicken and Hormel donated 35,640 pounds of chili with beans.

2012 National FFA Convention & Expo sets all-time attendance record
A record number of FFA members from throughout the country attended the 2012 National FFA Convention & Expo this week in Indianapolis.  The convention and expo had 56,176 attendees.  The new record is an almost 3,000-member jump in convention attendance from last year, when 53,358 attended the event.

During the 2011-12 school year, 16,939 students joined FFA and raised the organization’s total membership to 557,318 students in grades seven through 12 in the U.S., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Next year, the convention and expo heads to Louisville for a three-year run before coming back to Indianapolis in 2016.



NCGA Past President, Current Staff Named to Corn Rootworm Knowledge Research Project Advisory Committee

National Corn Growers Association Past President Leon Corzine and Director of Research and Development Dr. Rick Vierling have been appointed to the Corn Rootworm Knowledge Research Program Advisory Committee.  This program was designed by Monsanto to develop new collaborative research projects with researchers who have expertise and interests in areas that will enhance our fundamental understanding of corn rootworm that could lead to economical, practical and sustainable solutions for farmers.

"This is important to further research on corn rootworms, a pest that costs the industry roughly a billion dollars per year," said Dr. Vierling.

As members of the advisory committee, Corzine and Vierling will guide the project, providing insight unique to their expertise. As a member of the Grant Review Panel, Dr. Vierling will also be directly reviewing the proposals submitted.

A current member of the Illinois Corn Marketing Board and past NCGA president, Corzine not only farms but also serves his industry on many committees dealing wish biotech, rural and renewable energy issues. Dr. Vierling, who joined NCGA in 2010, has expertise in plant disease and pest resistance technology development and in functional genomics.

Inclusion of growers in the process will ensure that the research is focused on discovering information that could lead to future corn rootworm management solutions.

Involvement of the academic community as advisors and stakeholders, in addition to expert reviewers, will enrich understanding of corn rootworm resistance.

The Corn Rootworm  Knowledge Research Program is currently soliciting applications from researchers in the areas of corn crop rootworm management; economic impacts of agronomic practices, including control of corn rootworm; corn rootworm biology, physiology, biochemistry, and genomics; and corn rootworm education development.



Beta Renewables and Novozymes to form strategic partnership in the cellulosic biofuel market

Novozymes, the world’s largest producer of industrial enzymes, and Beta Renewables, a global leader in cellulosic biofuels and part of Gruppo Mossi & Ghisolfi, today announce an agreement to jointly market, demonstrate and guarantee cellulosic biofuel solutions. As part of the agreement, Novozymes will acquire a 10% share in Beta Renewables, paying approximately $115 million cash for the equity, marketing fees, other intellectual property rights and milestone payments.

The partners will offer customers looking to produce biofuels from agricultural residues, energy crops and other cellulosic feedstocks a combination of Novozymes’ Cellic® enzymes and Beta Renewables’ PROESA™ engineering and production technology. Beta Renewables will embed Novozymes’ enzymes in the PROESA technology and guarantee biofuel production costs upon start-up of customers’ cellulosic facilities. The deal is unique in offering a combined solution that reduces the risk in customers’ projects while providing competitive commercial terms.

“This type of complete offering will significantly de-risk cellulosic biofuel projects financially as well as technologically for our customers,” says Beta Renewables’ Chairman and CEO, Guido Ghisolfi. “It will make cellulosic biofuel projects bankable and accelerate large-scale commercialization of the industry.”

“Large-scale commercialization of cellulosic biofuels is taking off, and this is a fantastic opportunity for Novozymes,” says Peder Holk Nielsen, Executive Vice President at Novozymes. “Beta Renewables is an extremely committed industry front-runner. They are building advanced biofuel facilities all over the world and, by being their preferred enzyme supplier, Novozymes will gain access to significant new business opportunities. We expect Beta Renewables to be able to contract 15-25 new facilities within the next three to five years. The sales potential for Novozymes from these plants could be up to $175 million.”
 
World’s largest advanced biofuel plant
In the last five years, Beta Renewables has invested over $200 million (€140 million) in development of the cost-competitive PROESA process. PROESA is the same technology that will be used at the world’s largest cellulosic ethanol plant in Crescentino, Italy, where operations are expected to start by the end of 2012. The plant will initially produce 13 million gallons (50 million liters) of ethanol per year from wheat straw, energy crops and other locally available feedstocks. It has a design capacity of 20 million gallons (76 million liters) per year.

“Just one year after it was established, Beta Renewables has become a global leader in the production of non-food biofuels and biochemicals,” says Guido Ghisolfi. “This agreement has double value: It demonstrates the full integration of the PROESA process with the enzyme technology and allows Beta Renewables to guarantee a full lignocellulosic cost.”

Beta Renewables has also secured a deal to build at least one manufacturing plant in Brazil with GraalBio, and, recently, Gruppo Mossi & Ghisolfi received a $99 million loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to construct Project Alpha, a cellulosic biofuel plant in North Carolina.

Novozymes is the world’s leading supplier of enzymes to the biofuel industry. The Denmark-based biotech company’s Cellic enzymes enable cost-efficient conversion of biomass to ethanol and are broadly regarded as the industry benchmark.