Monday October 7 Ag News

Palmer Amaranth Resistant to Atrazine and HPPD inhibitors Confirmed in Nebraska
Lowell Sandell, Weed Science Extension Educator
Stevan Knezevic, Integrated Weed Management Specialist
Greg Kruger, Cropping Systems Specialist
Amit Jhala, Extension Weed Management Specialist

University of Nebraska-Lincoln greenhouse studies have confirmed a Palmer amaranth population resistant to postemergence application of atrazine and HPPD-inhibiting herbicides (Callisto, Laudis, Armezon/Impact). This is the second report (after Kansas) of a Palmer amaranth population resistant to atrazine and the HPPD group of herbicides.

Palmer amaranth, a member of the pigweed family, is a difficult-to-control broadleaf weed that infests corn and soybean fields in south central and southwestern Nebraska. In the last few years it has spread from southern states into Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin, which raises concern about the spread of this species into areas not previously reported.

Research on Nebraska Palmer Amaranth
Because of its rapid growth, ability for prolific seed production, and ability to evolve herbicide-resistance, Palmer amaranth can be of significant concern in corn and soybean fields in Nebraska. Glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth has been reported in several states in the southern U.S. and can disseminate through the movement of seed and pollen.

A Palmer amaranth population in a corn seed production field in Fillmore County had a control failure despite the application of atrazine and HPPD-inhibiting herbicides. The management history at this site was more than five years of continuous non-traited, white corn with heavy reliance on atrazine and HPPD inhibitors for weed control. Palmer amaranth seeds were collected from this field and dose response studies were conducted in the UNL greenhouse. Atrazine (Aatrex), mesotrione (Callisto), tembotrione (Laudis), and topramezone (Armezon/Impact) were applied at 12 rates (0, 0.1x, 0.25x, 0.5x, 0.75x, 1x, 1.5x, 2x, 3x, 4x, 6x, and 12x; where x is the recommended rate of herbicide such as Aatrex at 1 lb ai/acre, Callisto at 3 oz/acre, Laudis at 3 oz/acre, and Impact at 1 oz/acre).

Based on visual injury ratings at the ED90 level, the dose response curve showed a 4- to 23-fold level of resistance, depending upon the type of HPPD-inhibiting herbicide. At the recommended labeled use rates Callisto, Laudis, and Impact provided approximately 55%, 80% and 65% control, respectively. This population also has at least a 14-fold level of resistance to POST-applied atrazine. The level of atrazine resistance is likely much higher, but difficult to determine, since the highest rate only provided 20% visual injury.

Implications and Management
Palmer amaranth populations resistant to atrazine and HPPD inhibitors in this part of Nebraska are of particular concern due to the proximity to intense seed corn production, which is heavily reliant on POST atrazine and HPPD herbicides for weed control. Weed management in seed corn production will be complicated with the evolution of atrazine and HPPD-resistant Palmer amaranth biotypes. Integrated weed management strategies including crop rotation, tillage, and a systems approach using residual herbicides followed by POST herbicides with different modes of action will be required for control of atrazine and HPPD-inhibiting herbicide-resistant Palmer amaranth biotypes for sustainable seed corn production in Nebraska.



Practical Tips for Storm-Damaged Fields
Tom Hoegemeyer, UNL Professor of Practice, Department of Agronomy

Over the past two weeks, and again in the last two days, several areas in Nebraska have been hit with severe thunderstorms, including hail and high winds. While it is impossible to assess the damage and make harvest recommendations without evaluating individual fields, we can think about some general issues.

After corn grain reaches the dough stage, there is little yield impact other than harvest loss. Harvest loss will vary greatly depending upon damage level, stalk strength of hybrids, ear/kernel damage (mostly due to hail), root lodging, and stalk health. In fields that were already stressed during grain filling, stalks have been “cannibalized” to fill grain, leaving them hollowed out and much more susceptible to wind and hail. In addition, with many ears still upright and abundant moisture from the rains, sprouting has been reported in both storm-damaged and non-damaged corn. 

Soybeans are even more susceptible to harvest loss, and even areas where wind and hail didn’t do damage, rain can cause problems. Where the bean pods were dry, re-wetting and then re-drying often weakens the pods to the point where they “pop” open and seed scatters. Some varieties are more problematic than others, and fields should be scouted to schedule harvest on remaining soybean fields.

Harvesting damaged corn fields first, providing the grain is at realistic moistures, makes good sense. On many damaged fields it will pay to dry corn from the mid 20% moisture range, rather than risk increased harvest losses by waiting until grain is dry enough “to bin.” In extreme situations, harvest direction can make a difference in how stalks “feed” into the combine head. Often, harvest loss is reduced by slowing down to allow the machine to work its magic. Stalk quality will continue to deteriorate, leaving the crop exposed to increasing damage from more weather as well as corn stalk and ear rot diseases due to increased moisture. 

Grain from storm-damaged fields is almost always variable in quality, moisture, and physical damage. This makes it advisable to NOT use minimum drying standards, but think carefully about how wet the wettest kernels are, rather than the average. Good continued aeration, and care not to do further damage in handling is critical. And, it would be the first grain to consider using or selling, as the storability may be compromised as well.

Thinking about next year, storm-damaged fields often have the highest harvest loss. Especially given the corn/soy price relationship, it would be a great year to consider crop rotation. It allows many more timing, management, and chemical opportunities to prevent problems with volunteer in next year’s crops, especially if we have a dry winter and spring.



Storm-Damaged Corn: Tips for Testing and Feeding
Dee Griffin, DVM, UNL Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center, Clay Center

Any time a growing grain-producing plant is damaged, there is a potential for changes in the plant or grain on the plant contaminated with fungus/molds to grow. The most common change in stressed plants is the accumulation of nitrates.

It is really important to know that most molds are not toxic. Therefore just because mold growth is observed doesn’t mean the feedstuff will harm livestock. Even though a mold may not be toxic it can still cause feed refusal. Not all livestock species are equally sensitive to mold contamination and not all production groups are equally sensitive. For instance pregnant and young animals are more sensitive than mature non-pregnant animals.

Nitrate accumulation in stressed plants can be harmless or cause serious harm depending on:
-    the level of nitrate in the feed harvested from stressed plants,
-    the life stage of the animal, and
-    the species of animal.

Nitrates accumulate in the forage portion of the plant, so nitrates are not a concern in grain harvested from stressed plants. Additionally, it is important to know nitrate levels will always be highest in the bottom part of the plant and lowest in the top foliage. Nitrate testing is simple and reasonably quick. Your local UNL Extension Educator can help you locate the nearest facility that does forage nitrate testing.

Feed containing a nitrate level less than 1000 parts per million (ppm) seldom is associated with an animal health concern. Feed containing a nitrate level greater than 1000 ppm may be a concern in younger animals and levels over 2000 ppm should not be fed to pregnant cattle. Feeder cattle are reasonably resistant to nitrates but feeds containing more than 4000 ppm should not be fed to any animals.

Molds in corn grain of concern could be either Aspergillus or Fusarium. Your UNL Extension Educator can be a great help in identifying mold growing on ears of your storm-damaged corn before the grain is harvested. Both of these fungi are potentially dangerous when found in livestock feed. Toxins produced by molds are extremely stable, therefore if a significant level is found, the level will not decrease over time. Silage produced from damaged plants and grain harvested from mold-infested plants is potentially a problem.

Good silage management is critical to reducing the risk of continued mold growth after ensiling. Proper packing to remove oxygen and improve fermentation is critical to ensuring that the pH stays below 4.5.

You can’t look at harvested grains from storm-damaged fields and visually identify mycotoxins. Corn grain from storm-damaged fields can — and mostly likely should — be tested for mycotoxins before feeding to livestock. Your local UNL Extension Educator, nutritionist or veterinarian can help with mycotoxin testing.

Recommendations on Sampling
Proper sampling is crucial to getting reliable results back from the laboratory. A “grab sample” is not adequate. The sample submitted to the lab should be representative of the entire load, bin, pit or pile of feedstuff being evaluated.

The steps are simple
-    If sampling a field before harvest, sample at least two dozen ears that appear to have mold growth and submit all the ears to the laboratory for mycotoxin evaluation.
-    If sampling after harvest, take multiple samples uniformly from throughout the silage or grain in question.
-    Take the sample from what would be used in a single load of feed. That means, if five loads of feed could be made from a 50,000 lb semi-load of corn, collect at least five samples from the semi-load of corn.
-    The sample should be based on sample volume not weight. For instance, collect “coffee can” size samples.
-    Mix all the all samples together that were collected from the feed in question. For example, if 10 coffee can size samples were collected from across the face of a silage pit, pour all 10 samples onto a plastic sheet and thoroughly mix them together. Then, collect a single sample from within the 10 mixed samples.
-    Submit the single sample to the laboratory

The laboratory results usually will provide some recommendations for how the feedstuff can be used. There is an old saying, “Dilution is the solution …” meaning in this consideration, that many feedstuffs that contain higher levels of mycotoxin than would be acceptable, might be usable if a sufficient amount of non-mycotoxin contaminated feedstuff is used to dilute the mycotoxin. Your UNL Extension Educator, nutritionist, or veterinarian can help evaluate the possible uses of a damaged feedstuff containing unacceptable levels of a mycotoxin.



Pulling Soil Moisture Sensors, Wrapping up NAWMN Season
Aaron Nygren, Extension Educator, Colfax County

With irrigation wrapped up and harvest starting across the state, those involved with the Nebraska Ag Water Management Network (NAWMN) should remember to pull their Watermark sensors and store their ET Gage for the winter. Taking time to do this now is easier than rushing to pull them in front of the combine and ensures that your sensors and ET Gage are in good working order next spring.

When pulling Watermark sensors, be sure to take your time if they don’t pull easily. Most of the time, problems arise with sensors in the third foot or deeper, especially in soil textures with high clay content. Removing sensors shortly after a rain, digging down beside the sensor, or using a manufactured puller are all steps that aid in removal. Once sensors are removed, wash them off, and store them somewhere that you will remember next spring. The sensors will not be damaged by freezing so heated storage is not necessary.

When pulling sensors:
-    Mark any that have been giving strange readings and need to be replaced.
-    Take note of the location of the sensors. If the area represented the rest of the field well during the year, make plans to install sensors in the same location next spring. If the numbers didn’t match well with moisture conditions over the rest of the field, make a note to try a different location next year.

If you used a data logger, be sure to download the data to your computer so you can analyze it this winter. One challenge when downloading data is that most computers don’t have a serial port, so you will need a USB to serial port adapter to connect to the data logger. If you don’t already have one, they are readily available at computer stores or online.

If you used an ET Gage to help schedule your irrigations, remember to put it away before the first frost to avoid breaking the ceramic top. Simply drain any remaining water and store until next spring. As with the Watermark sensors, when pulling take note of whether the location gave good readings over the season. If not, make plans to try a different location, possibly farther away from trees or corn fields.



TOXICITY FROM BLACK NIGHTSHADE
Bruce Anderson, UNL Extension Forage Specialist

Plan to graze corn stalks or bean stubble?  How about feeding some weedy seedling alfalfa hay?  If these feeds have black nightshade, be careful, it might be toxic.

Black nightshade is common in many corn and bean fields as well as in new alfalfa.  It usually isn’t a problem, but if the population gets high it can poison livestock grazing the plant or consuming hay with nightshade in it.  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; neither will fermenting as silage.

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.

But, how will you know if your animals will eat that much?  In a corn stalk or bean stubble field, a few green plants of nightshade might be very tempting to a grazing animal, especially if there is little grain to select.  In hay, the nightshade may be sparse through most of the field but in a few flakes it could be quite heavy.  Animals offered those heavy flakes could be at risk.

So common sense and good observation must be your guide.  If animals selectively graze green plants in stalk or stubble fields, pull them out and wait for a hard freeze before trying again.  Keep track of bales from heavily infested areas.  Either don’t feed these bales or grind and mix them with other feeds to dilute the problem.  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.



Free Farm Finance Clinics in October

One-on-one, confidential Farm Finance Clinics are held across the state each month. An experienced ag law attorney and ag financial counselor will be available to address farm and ranch issues related to financial planning, estate and transition planning, farm loan programs, debtor/creditor law, water rights, and other relevant matters.

Clinic Sites and Dates
    Grand Island – Thursday, October 3
    Fairbury – Wednesday, October 9
    North Platte – Thursday, October 10
    Norfolk – Wednesday, Septemer 16
    Valentine – Thursday, October 17
    Lexington – Thursday, October 17
    Norfolk – Thursday, October 31

To sign up for a clinic or to get more information, call Michelle at the Nebraska Farm Hotline at 1-800-464-0258.

The Nebraska Department of Agriculture and Legal Aid of Nebraska sponsor these clinics.



One Step Closer to a New Farm Bill
Senator Mike Johanns
Despite a government shutdown and ongoing partisan gridlock, a glimmer of good news emerged in Washington for America’s farmers and ranchers last week. The Senate appointed members to work with the House of Representatives in sorting out differences in the two chambers’ versions of legislation to update farm policy. As you know, the current farm bill expired at the first of the month. While the majority of farmers and consumers will not feel an immediate impact, time is running short.

The House and Senate both passed different farm bills earlier this year, and those differences have to be worked out before anything is signed into law by the President.  The first step in working through our differences is coming together in a conference committee—something that hasn’t been done on the farm bill since 2007, when a long-term bill was last passed. Some of these differences are significant, but they are certainly solvable, and I am optimistic that an agreement can be reached for our ag producers.

As Congress works to sort out our federal budget, it is clear that fiscal responsibility must be at the heart of any legislation before Congress and the programs they affect. Just as farmers and ranchers are taking on the task of feeding a growing population with fewer resources, lawmakers must find a way to serve the American people in the face of a sluggish economy. The House bill saves $52 billion, and the Senate bill saves $18 billion. Thus, any final bill ought to save taxpayer dollars and contribute to deficit reduction. An efficient, market-oriented farm bill should be the goal.

One of the key differences that must be worked out in committee includes funding levels for some of the bill’s nutrition programs. We must carefully work to ensure limited resources are targeted to help those truly in need. During the Senate’s debate on its farm bill, I proposed an amendment to prevent valuable Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) dollars from going to those who don’t need the assistance. Currently, a loophole exists that allows states to automatically enroll folks in SNAP based on their eligibility for other state or federal programs even though those programs use different eligibility criteria. As a result, SNAP benefits may be available to individuals who don’t actually qualify to receive them, diverting attention from families who really do. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that only providing SNAP benefits to those families who qualify under the program’s rules would save $11.6 billion over the next ten years, freeing up needed resources.

My amendment didn’t pass, but a similar provision was included in the House-passed nutrition bill. I believe it is something worthy of consideration as the House and Senate work to square their separate versions of the farm bill’s nutrition titles.

Without passage of a new farm bill, no reforms will be made to the SNAP program and the return of outdated 1949 farm policy would cause a spike in prices for essential products such as milk at the start of next year and other crops within subsequent months. The full range of fallout is something I am confident lawmakers on both sides of the aisle want to avoid. So it is important that Congress takes this opportunity to work together for a fiscally responsible, market-based farm bill as soon as possible.

I’m confident that we will be able to proceed with the necessary work to bring these two proposals together.  I will continue to push for progress on a new long-term farm bill before the end of the year.  I truly believe it is in the best interest of ag producers and consumers, and I look forward to Congressional action on this needed update to our ag policy.



Pork industry’s PQA Plus® certifications hit record highs

Participation in the Pork Checkoff-funded Pork Quality Assurance Plus (PQA Plus) program has reached record highs since its inception in 1989. Nationwide, more than 59,000 pork producers have achieved PQA Plus-certification with an additional 28,000 young people certified through the Youth PQA Plus program.

In Iowa, nearly 16,000 hog farmers are certified in PQA Plus and just under 700 young people are certified in the youth program.

“The rising participation in the PQA Plus program shows pork producers’ commitment to doing the right thing on their farms and to providing consumers with high-quality, responsibly raised pork,” said Karen Richter, National Pork Board president and pork producer from Montgomery, Minn.

The PQA Plus program sets industry standards for food safety and animal well-being. It provides information to ensure producers can measure, track and continuously improve animal well-being. Revisions are made to the program every three years to increase its effectiveness by updating industry practices based on new research.

The revised PQA Plus program rolled out this year, enhanced with an online recertification option for producers and a written test portion.

“While PQA Plus remains an education program, producers wanted to take it to the next level,” said Bill Winkelman, Pork Checkoff’s vice president of producer and industry relations. “Adding a testing component reinforces the learning objectives, similar to the Pork Checkoff’s successful Transport Quality Assurance® (TQA) program.”

To support continual improvement, the site assessment portion of the program encourages producers to work with their PQA Plus advisor in developing and submitting a corrective action plan in the event that a farm-site assessment identifies an area of the operation that needs an improvement to bring it into compliance.

“While the focus remains on animal care and producing safe food, the new PQA Plus program also highlights the importance of protecting public health, safeguarding natural resources and providing a safe work environment,” Winkelman said.



Government Shutdown Impacts CME Livestock Contracts
CME Group told its customers that the federal government shutdown could negatively impact the settlement of some dairy and livestock contracts.

Tim Andriesen, managing director of agricultural commodities and alternative investments at the exchange, said in a letter to CME customers that a prolonged shutdown and furloughs of U.S. Department of Agriculture staff could result in interruptions or gaps in reporting key agricultural pricing information from the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service, reports Meat & Poultry.

"As a result, we wanted you to be aware that settlement prices for certain CME dairy and livestock contracts, which are cash settled based on USDA data, could be impacted in the event of a prolonged shutdown of the agency and may require the exchange to modify the current settlement procedures of the following products," Andriesen wrote.

CME contracts that could be impacted by the shutdown include September 2013 Class III Milk, Class IV Milk, Butter, Whey, Cheese and Non-Fat Dry Milk futures and options. October 2013 Lean Hogs, Live Cattle and Feeder Cattle futures and options may also be affected.



Meatpackers Changing Ways They Buy Livestock From Farmers Due to Gov't Shutdown
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Monday it won't publish a key monthly crop report due Friday, adding to a growing list of disruptions to agriculture markets prompted by the partial government shutdown.

The confirmation by the USDA that it won't publish the closely watched Crop Production and Supply and Demand reports -- a decision many analysts had expected -- came as Tyson Foods Inc. and other meatpackers began Monday changing the ways they buy livestock from farmers due to the government shutdown.

Tyson, Cargill Inc. and other meat processors said they had begun turning to data from private market researchers to help determine the prices they pay for hogs because the USDA last week stopped providing pricing data that long has served as a benchmark for trading in cash and futures markets. Tyson and Cargill said they would begin relying in part on information from Urner Barry, a Bayville, N.J., market-research firm, as they negotiate with hog producers.

The shifts show how the agriculture industry is increasingly being roiled by the furlough of hundreds of USDA employees since the shutdown began a week ago. USDA staffers furnish numerous daily and weekly reports on livestock, poultry, grains, milk and other commodities.

Trading volumes in lean-hog futures at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange were 40% lower on Friday than they were on Sept. 30, the day before the U.S. shutdown began, according to CME data. Volumes fell because traders had too little insight into supply and demand, analysts said.

In the meat industry, Tyson, Cargill, Smithfield Foods Inc. and other processors have relied increasingly in recent years on daily price quotes from the USDA to determine the prices they pay for hogs. For farmers, the USDA information has provided transparency so they feel more confident they are being offered a fair price for their animals.

In the absence of USDA data, Tyson Foods is offering hog farmers the option of either negotiating prices directly with the company or agreeing to a price based on a formula that includes Urner Barry data, a Tyson spokesman said.

Cargill also is offering those options to hog farmers, according to a letter it sent to producers on Friday. The company said in the letter that it can't guarantee the timeliness or accuracy of Urner Barry's numbers and can't be held responsible for any errors by the data provider.



USMEF Announces Distinguished Service Award Winner

P. Scott Shearer, one of the leading advocates for American agriculture and agricultural exports, has been named the 2013 recipient of the U.S. Meat Export Federation’s Distinguished Service Award.

Shearer has extensive trade and agricultural policy expertise. As co-chairman of the Agricultural Coalition for U.S.-China Trade and co-chairman of the Agricultural Coalition for Trade Promotion Authority, he was instrumental in the successful passage of China permanent normal trade relations, TPA and the U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement.

In his more than 30 years of government relations at the state and national levels, Shearer has served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Agriculture directing the agency’s legislative efforts including the 1996 Farm Bill, trade policy, USDA reorganization, crop insurance reform, food safety and nutrition. In 1999, he was named a private sector member of the U.S. delegation to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference in Seattle. He also is a past chairman of the USDA-USTR Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade in Animals and Animal Products

In the mid-1980s, he was executive director of the National Corn Growers Association after serving as a legislative assistant to Illinois Sen. Alan J. Dixon. Currently he is a principal of the Bockorny Group, Inc., a leading bipartisan government affairs consulting firm located in Washington, D.C.

A graduate of the University of Illinois, Shearer was awarded in 2009 the University of Illinois College of Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) Alumni Association’s Award of Merit. This is the association’s highest honor given to an alum.

“Scott has made numerous significant contributions to our industry over the course of his career,” said Philip Seng, USMEF president and CEO. “He has been an effective and outspoken advocate for American agriculture in general and agricultural exports in particular. We are proud to have worked with Scott over the years, and are pleased to have the opportunity to present him with this honor.”

Established in 1991, USMEF’s Distinguished Service Award is given to an individual in the red meat industry who exemplifies the exceptional dedication and outstanding capability responsible for the federation’s success.



2014 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show Registration Underway
Nashville, Tenn., Welcomes Cattlemen Feb. 4-7, 2014

Registration for the 2014 Cattle Industry Convention and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Trade Show is underway. The 116th Annual Convention will be held in Nashville, Tenn., Feb. 4-7, 2014 and advanced registration is open until Jan. 10, 2014.

2014 convention participants will hear from industry leaders, gather insight on industry trends, enjoy a Cowboy’s Night at the Grand Ole Opry II and party with Elvis at Viva NashVegas! NCBA President and Wyoming rancher Scott George said the convention is a must for all cattlemen.

“The Cattle Industry Convention is the oldest and largest, national convention for everyone that is in the cattle business,” George said. “The convention and trade show is the time for cattle industry members to come together and work toward the future of the industry while having some fun.”

In addition to access to all of the 2014 convention events, registrants for the full convention will receive a 50 percent off coupon for Roper and Stetson apparel and footwear at the NCBA Trade Show.

To register for the 2014 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show, visit www.beefusa.org or e-mail meetings@beef.org.



NCBA Accepting Applications for 2014 Cattle Industry Convention Internships

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s (NCBA) government affairs office in Washington, D.C., is accepting applications for internships during the 2014 Cattle Industry Convention in Nashville, Tenn., Feb. 3-7, 2014. The deadline to submit an application for this opportunity is Oct. 27, 2013.

The Cattle Industry Convention is the oldest and largest convention for the cattle business. The 2014 event will be the 116th annual convention. The convention and trade show create a unique, fun environment for cattle industry members to come together to network and create policy for the industry.

“Our internship positions provide a unique opportunity for students to gain first-hand experience and to interact with leaders from every segment of the cattle and beef industry,” said NCBA Public Policy Analyst Mallory Gaines. “The convention internship program provides an excellent opportunity to network with people throughout the beef industry. NCBA strives to provide time for students to maximize their opportunities to network and learn during the upcoming convention in Nashville.”

The annual Cattle Industry Convention boasts over 5,500 attendees and a trade show with more than 250 booths. Interns are offered a unique, behind-the-scenes experience of setting up the trade show, manning the NCBA Political Action Committee (NCBA-PAC) booth, assisting with the NCBA-PAC auction, helping members vote on NCBA policy, working with the media and helping to guide cattlemen and cattlewomen to convention events.

To apply, interested college juniors, seniors or graduate students should submit the convention internship application, a college transcript, two letters of recommendation and a resume to internship@beef.org. More information and the internship application are available on NCBA’s website.



Farmers Invited to Apply for Communications Program

Space remains available for farmers in some states to become involved in the National Corn Growers Association/DuPont New Leader Program, kicking off next month in Des Moines,  which was created to empower growers to share the story of their farms and the benefits of a robust agriculture system with key audiences, including consumers, media and decision-makers. The National Corn Growers Association and DuPont first announced this program in July, designed for farming couples.

"This is the first year of an entirely new program for us, and we've got an exciting agenda planned to help turn our farmers into capable spokespersons for American agriculture and provide them with support they need for considering a leadership role in their corn association," said Tom Haag, chairman of NCGA's Grower Services Action Team. "I encourage farmers to consider participating and to get involved as we face some very exciting and important times for corn growers."

The NCGA/DuPont New Leader Program will bring farmers from each affiliated state to two sessions to develop and hone their communications and leadership skills. The first session will be held Nov. 18-21 at the DuPont Pioneer facilities in Johnston, Iowa. The second session will take place in July 2014, in Washington, D.C, and Wilmington, Del. In between the two sessions, those farm couples involved will be encouraged to be actively participating and honing their skills in state and national programs. Individuals also will be considered for the program.

"These next generations of family farmers are critical to feeding a growing world population," said Susan Bunz, leader of Policy and Outreach for the advanced seed business of DuPont Pioneer. "We are excited for the opportunity to work with NCGA to prepare these new farmers to be advocates for agriculture and leaders in agriculture policy at the state and national levels."

Couples or individuals interested in participating are urged to contact their state corn association before the Oct. 15 deadline.



Date Set for Mandatory Traceability in Canada

The Government of Canada and the Canadian Pork Council have agreed that mandatory requirements for the PigTrace Canada programme will take effect on July 1, 2014.

Federal regulation of PigTrace Canada, the national swine traceability system, is an important step towards building an effective programme that responds to disease outbreaks and food safety emergencies.

Since proposed amendments to the Health of Animals Regulations were published by the Government of Canada during the summer of 2012, the CPC and its provincial partners have worked with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency on an appropriate timeline to implement the traceability programme and make it mandatory under federal law.

July 1, 2014 sets a reasonable timeframe to allow the CPC and its provincial member organizations to continue to grow the program.



Ukraine Exports More Grain

Ukraine has picked up the pace of its grain exports, taking advantage of this year's larger harvest.  The country exported 6.3 million metric tons of grain in the three months from July to October, 11.4% more than in the same period last year, the agriculture ministry said Oct. 7.  Wheat accounts for 3.87 MMT of those exports, including 2.9 MMT of milling wheat. Barley and corn represent 1.7 MMT and 0.75 MMT respectively.

The ministry expects Ukraine grain exports in the 2013-14 marketing year, which starts in July, to rise to 26 million tons from about 23 MMT last year.  The government forecasts a grain harvest this year of between 53 MMT and 54 MMT, up from 46.2 MMT last year, when crops were damaged by drought.

Russia Cuts Winter Grains Planting On Rains
Russia's winter grains planted area for the 2014 harvest is likely to be 13 million hectares and not 16 million hectares as originally planned, because of the current heavy rains, the agriculture ministry said Oct. 7.  The ministry said heavy rains were preventing farmers from planting winter grains on time, so that by Oct. 4 only just over 8 million hectares had been planted, 52% of the originally planned total area.

A year ago Russia planted winter grains for this year's harvest on 15.8 million hectares, but crops were damaged by frosts and winter grains survived on only 14.7 million hectares.  The ministry said farmers would plant spring grains on a greater area than planned originally to make up for the shortfall in winter grains planting.



Mosaic Announces Quarterly Dividend

The Mosaic Company announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.25 per share on the Company's common stock. The dividend will be paid on December 19, 2013, to stockholders of record as of the close of business on December 5, 2013.

The declaration and payment of any future dividends is subject to approval by Mosaic's Board of Directors. There can be no assurance that the Company's Board of Directors will declare future dividends.

The Mosaic Company is one of the world's leading producers and marketers of concentrated phosphate and potash crop nutrients. Mosaic is a single source provider of phosphate and potash fertilizers and feed ingredients for the global agriculture industry.