Friday January 22 Ag News - Cattle on Feed - Milk Prod - Cold Storage, and more!

NEBRASKA CATTLE ON FEED DOWN 2 PERCENT

Nebraska feedlots, with capacities of 1,000 or more head, contained 2.42 million cattle on feed on January 1, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. This inventory was down 2 percent from last year. Placements during December totaled 390,000 head, up 1 percent from 2014.  Fed cattle marketings for the month of December totaled 440,000 head, unchanged from last year. Other disappearance during December totaled 20,000 head, up 5,000 head from last year.



Iowa Cattle on Feed Report

Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in Iowa for all feedlots totaled 1,220,000 on January 1, 2016, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service - Cattle on Feed report. The inventory is up 3 percent from December 1, 2015, but unchanged from January 1, 2015. Feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head had 620,000 on feed, down 2 percent from last month and down 3 percent from last year. Feedlots with a capacity less than 1,000 head had 600,000 on feed, up 8 percent from last month and up 3 percent from last year.

Placements during December totaled 185,000 head, a decrease of 16 percent from last month and down 8 percent from last year. Feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head placed 90,000, down 11 percent from last month and last year. Feedlots with a capacity less than 1,000 head placed 95,000. This is down 19 percent from last month and down 5 percent from last year.

Marketings for December were 142,000 head, down 18 percent from last month but up 14 percent from last year. Feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head marketed 97,000, down 9 percent from last month but up 21 percent from last year. Feedlots with a capacity less than 1,000 head marketed 45,000, down 32 percent from last month but unchanged from last year. Other disappearance for all feedlots totaled 8,000 head.



United States Cattle on Feed Down Slightly
   
Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 10.6 million head on January 1, 2016. The inventory was slightly below January 1, 2015. The inventory included 7.16 million steers and steer calves, up 3 percent from the previous year. This group accounted for 68 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 3.41 million head, down 7 percent from 2015. January 1, 2016 heifers and heifer calves inventory is the lowest percent of total January inventory since the series began in 1996.

Placements in feedlots during December totaled 1.53 million head, 1 percent below 2014. Net placements were 1.45 million head. During December, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 375,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 355,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 355,000 head, and 800 pounds and greater were 440,000 head.

Marketings of fed cattle during December totaled 1.67 million head, 1 percent above 2014. Other disappearance totaled 78,000 head during December, 8 percent above 2014.



NEBRASKA MILK PRODUCTION

Milk production in Nebraska during the October-December 2015 quarter totaled 340 million pounds, up 12 percent from the October-December quarter 2014, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. The average number of milk cows was 58,000 head.



Iowa Milk Production

Milk production in Iowa during December 2015 totaled 411 million pounds, up 2 percent from the previous December according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Milk Production report. The average number of milk cows during December, at 210,000 head, was the same as last month but 1,000 more than a year ago. Monthly production per cow averaged 1,955 pounds, up 25 pounds from last December.



December Milk Production up 0.7 Percent in US
                       
Milk production in the 23 major States during December totaled 16.4 billion pounds, up 0.7 percent from December 2014.  November revised production at 15.6 billion pounds, was up 0.7 percent from November 2014.  The November revision represented an increase of 26 million pounds or 0.2 percent from last month's preliminary production estimate.

Production per cow in the 23 major States averaged 1,894 pounds for December, 6 pounds above December 2014.  This is the highest production per cow for the month of December since the 23 State series began in 2003.

The number of milk cows on farms in the 23 major States was 8.64 million head, 29,000 head more than December 2014, and 1,000 head more than November 2015.

October-December Milk Production up 0.6 Percent
Milk production in the United States during the October - December quarter totaled 51.2 billion pounds, up 0.6 percent from the October - December quarter last year.

The average number of milk cows in the United States during the quarter was 9.32 million head, 6,000 head more than the July - September quarter, and 33,000 head more than the same period last year.



NEBRASKA CHICKEN AND EGGS

All layers in Nebraska during December 2015 totaled 7.54 million, down from 9.57 million the previous year, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.  Nebraska egg production during December totaled 164 million eggs, down from 244 million in 2014. December egg production per 100 layers was 2,175 eggs, compared to 2,549 eggs in 2014.



Iowa Chicken and Eggs

 Iowa Egg production during December 2015 was 812 million eggs, up 11 percent from last month, but down 44 percent from last year, according to the latest Chickens and Eggs report from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

The average number of all layers on hand during December 2015 was 37.9 million, up 6 percent from last month, but down 37 percent from last year. Eggs per 100 layers for December were 2,140, up 2 percent from last month, but down 12 percent from last year.



December Egg Production Down 8 Percent in US

United States egg production totaled 8.05 billion during December 2015, down 8 percent from last year. Production included 6.91 billion table eggs, and 1.14 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.05 billion were broiler-type and 91 million were egg-type. The total number of layers during December 2015 averaged 345 million, down 6 percent from last year. December egg production per 100 layers was 2,333 eggs, down 2 percent from December 2014.
                                   
All layers in the United States on January 1, 2016 totaled 347 million, down 5 percent from last year. The 347 million layers consisted of 288 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 54.9 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 3.63 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on January 1, 2016, averaged 74.8 eggs per 100 layers, down 2 percent from January 1, 2015.

Egg-Type Chicks Hatched Up 10 Percent
Egg-type chicks hatched during December 2015 totaled 47.3 million, up 10 percent from December 2014. Eggs in incubators totaled 48.0 million on January 1, 2016, up 14 percent from a year ago.

Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 215 thousand during December 2015, down 13 percent from December 2014.

Broiler-Type Chicks Hatched Up Slightly
Broiler-type chicks hatched during December 2015 totaled 798 million, up slightly from December 2014. Eggs in incubators totaled 645 million on January 1, 2016, up slightly from a year ago.

Leading breeders placed 7.54 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during December 2015, up 11 percent from December 2014.



USDA Cold Storage Highlights

Total red meat supplies in freezers on December 31, 2015 were down 1 percent from the previous month but up 12 percent from last year. Total pounds of beef in freezers were up 1 percent from the previous month and up 16 percent from last year. Frozen pork supplies were down 3 percent from the previous month but up 8 percent from last year. Stocks of pork bellies were up 30 percent from last month and up 13 percent from last year.

Total frozen poultry supplies on December 31, 2015 were down 1 percent from the previous month but up 18 percent from a year ago. Total stocks of chicken were down 2 percent from the previous month but up 21 percent from last year. Total pounds of turkey in freezers were up 5 percent from last month and up 3 percent from December 31, 2014.

Total natural cheese stocks in refrigerated warehouses on December 31, 2015 were down slightly from the previous month but up 13 percent from December 31, 2014.  Butter stocks were up 15 percent from last month and up 46 percent from a year ago.

Total frozen fruit stocks were down 8 percent from last month but up 7 percent from a year ago.  Total frozen vegetable stocks were down 6 percent from last month but up 3 percent from a year ago.

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Washington County Cattlemen annual Membership meeting
Mon Feb 8th - 6pm Social, meal to follow
Blair Marina, Blair, NE



Dodge County Cattlemen Monthly Meeting
Tue Feb 9th - Z's Bar & Grill, Scribner, NE
Social at 6:30 Dinner at 7:30. NC President Barb Cooksley will be the speaker



Boone Nance County Cattlemen's Banquet
Sat Apr 9th - 6.00pm
Boone County Event Center, Albion,NE



Beef Profit Tips Workshop to be Held in Oakland

Area Cow/Calf producers will want to make plans to attend the Beef Profit Tips Workshop.  According to Nebraska Extension Educator in Cuming County, Larry Howard, the workshop will be held on Monday, February 22 at 1:00 p.m. in the Rosen Room at the Oakland Auditorium in Oakland, NE.

Topics on this year program are Composting Livestock Mortality, Management of Young Cows for Reproductive Efficiency and Beef Economics/Industry Outlook.  The registration fee is only $15 per person payable at the meeting.  Pre-registration is encouraged by February 19 by contacting the Cuming County Extension Office in West Point.



Other Beef Profit Tips Workshops

A team of UNL Extension Educators, including Steve Pritchard, Larry Howard, Dennis Bauer, Gary Stauffer, Jim Jansen, Steve Tonn, and Steve Niemeyer will present information as well as practical approaches for the beef producer.  These workshops have been held across Nebraska for the past Twelve Years.  Workshops are sponsored by Nebraska Extension. The cost is $15.00 but may vary from location depending on local sponsorship. Pre-Register by calling the local Extension office in the host county at least three days before the workshop to ensure there are enough handouts and refreshments.  For more information or assistance, please call Steve Niemeyer, UNL Extension Educator in Garfield, Loup and Wheeler Counties at 308-346-4200 in Burwell. 

Thu Feb 11th 1.00pm - 4.00pm
Courthouse meeting rooms Knox County

Thu Feb 11th 7.00pm - 10.00pm
O’Neill Extension Office

Mon Feb 22nd 7.00pm - 10.00pm
Fire Hall in Wayne

Tue Feb 23rd 1.00pm - 3.00pm
Veterans Club, Albion

Thu Mar 3rd 1.00pm - 3.00pm
Extension Office at Weeping Water

Thu Mar 3rd 7.00pm - 10.00pm
ARDC Extension Office at Ithica

Mon Mar 28th 1.00pm - 3.00pm
Leigh - Colfax County Fairgrounds

Tue Apr 12th 9.30am - 12.00pm
David City Library, 399 N 5th Street



Managing Market Risk workshops

NE Extension, the North Central Risk Mgt Education Center, and USDA/NIFA are presenting workshops on information and tools designed to help manage market risk with an emphasis on cattle production, and develop a marketing plan to achieve your market risk management goals.  Topics include determining cost of production, understanding the market environment, market tools including futures, options, contracts, cash sales, and basis contracts, and LRP Insurance review and outlook.  Presenters include Ag Economists with NE Extension - Jay Parsons, Kate Brooks, and Jim Jansen.  Please call the local Extension office at least 2 days in advance to reserve a spot.  There is no cost to attend. 

Thu Feb 18th 12.00pm - 4.00pm
Bloomfield Community Center, 101 S Broadway, Bloomfield, NE
Call 402-254-6821

Fri Feb 19th 10.00am - 2.00pm
Holt County Extension, 125 N 6th Street, O'Neill, NE
Call 402-336-2760

Wed Feb 24th 10.00am - 2.00pm
Farm Credit Servises, 4865 Old Manastery Rd, Columbus, NE
Call 402-563-4901



NE Pork Producers Association's Regional Producer Workshops
Common Swine Industry Audit and Veterinary Feed Directive

February 23 @ 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm   
Holiday Inn Express, 524 East 23rd Street, Columbus, NE

Cuming County Courthouse, 200 S Lincoln St, West Point, NE
Date:  February 25
Time:  1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Also PQA+ and TQA re-certification will be available in the morning at each location



Nebraska Ag Technology Conference Feb. 3-4 in Lincoln

Tune up your precision ag skills and network with other growers and industry professionals at the 2016 Nebraska Ag Technology Association Conference Feb. 3-4 in Lincoln.

Sponsored by the Nebraska Agricultural Technology Association (NeATA), this year’s event will be held at the Nebraska Innovation Campus Conference Center in Lincoln. (See directions and map.)

On Wednesday, Feb. 3 there will be two symposiums:
-    the Basics of Precision Agriculture (for machinery and irrigation) and
-    Nitrogen Management Systems (Encirca, Climate FieldView, and Adapt-N).

On Thursday Feb. 4, 16 breakout sessions will focus on variable rate technology, sensors, data management, and site-specific soil management.

Keynote speakers on Thursday will be
-    Scott Shearer, professor and chair of the Ohio State University Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering on the fourth revolution in agriculture,
-    Governor Pete Ricketts on agricultural advancement in Nebraska, and
-    Shannon Ferrell, professor in the Oklahoma State University Department of Agricultural Economics, on “Who Owns Your Data.”

To register for the conference, visit http://neata.org/.

NeATA is a grassroots non-profit organization founded by Nebraska farmers and agribusiness to facilitate educational programs to keep members current on new and evolving technologies.



Packer Ownership of Hogs in Nebraska Debated in the Legislature

Nebraska is one step closer to lifting its ban on hogs owned by meatpackers.

Supporters overcame a filibuster on Friday and gave the measure second-round approval with a 32-12 vote. They tout the measure as a way to help Nebraska’s hog industry, which has grown slower than in several nearby states.

But critics say the bill would give large packers too much leverage over small farms by allowing them to control the entire supply chain.
Supporters said Thursday that the measure would help preserve Nebraska’s hog industry.

Senator Ken Schilz of Ogallala says he introduced the bill to keep Nebraska’s hog industry growing on pace with nearby states and to prevent meatpackers from leaving.

Opponents say the contracts offered by packers impose tight controls on how the hogs are raised and place many of the risks onto producers, who are often saddled with debt to build their operations.



Center for Rural Affairs calls advancement of LB 176 “unconscionable”

Today, the Nebraska legislature voted to advance LB 176 from Select File to the bill’s final reading and vote on final passage, which could occur as early as next week. LB 176, introduced by Senator Ken Schilz last session, would rescind Nebraska’s statute prohibiting meatpacking companies from owning and feeding hogs prior to slaughter.

Debate over the bill was halted when 33 Senators voted in favor of invoking cloture and ending debate. The bill was advanced from Select File by a vote of 32 to 12.

“There is no other way to see this vote, other than corporate money talked, and too many Senators listened,” said Traci Bruckner, Senior Policy Advocate with the Center for Rural Affairs. “Meatpackers want to own hogs because that’s where the profit it. They’d rather someone else did all the work of raising the pigs, stood all the risk, and debt-financed the buildings.”

Make no mistake, this was about the bottom-line of meatpacking corporations. This bill offers nothing to family farmers and ranchers, creates no opportunities. In fact, it does the opposite, it slams the door in the face of farmers and ranchers, especially young farmers trying to get started in livestock production, and instead offers them the chance to become virtual serfs to meatpacking companies, Bruckner added.

According to Bruckner, arguments by proponents that the bill was needed for reasons of constitutionality, and to address declines in hog production in Nebraska were both completely unfounded. Hog inventories have been on the increase, according to USDA’s quarterly Hogs and Pigs report, and an Attorney General’s formal opinion on LB 176 and the state’s ban on packer ownership stated that the bill does not resolve any constitutional questions, nor does current law regarding packer ownership of livestock “...discriminate against nor unduly burden interstate commerce.”

Bruckner went on to applaud the efforts of a core group of Senators that stood in opposition to the meatpacking corporations.

“Senator Davis, Senator Bloomfield, Senator Schnoor, Senator Sullivan, Senator Groene, Senator Chambers… these Senators had the courage to stand up for farmer, ranchers and small town Nebraska. And they were heroic in their efforts. Senator Davis, in particular, was a true champion for rural Nebraska and the family farms and ranches that are the backbone of our rural economy," Bruckner continued.

“This legislation is not about helping family farmers, it is not about jobs, nor rebuilding communities. If consolidation and vertical integration created jobs and healthy communities, rural Nebraska would be a paradise today. But in truth, this bill will result in fewer farmers, declining rural population and shrinking small town economic opportunities,” said Traci Bruckner, Senior Policy Advocate for the Center for Rural Affairs. “We believe in a bright future for rural Nebraska, with vibrant small towns surrounded by thriving family farms and ranches. But advancing the cynical vision of LB 176 will only serve to make achieving that future that much more difficult.”

“In a world where packers own all the livestock, what place is there for farmers and ranchers?” Traci Bruckner concluded.



Priority Bills Decided by Nebraska Cattlemen

Nebraska Cattlemen (NC) Board of Directors met in Lincoln for their annual legislative meeting this week. Six NC committee chairmen brought over 40 new Nebraska Legislative bills and resolutions to the board's attention.

Under close review, in accordance to NC Policy, the Board of Directors decided positions on each individual bill. Among those 4 were designated as priorities for Nebraska Cattlemen.

The first priority supported by NC was introduced by Senator Smith, LB 977, which requests to change provisions relating to implements of husbandry on highways. LB 977 establishes a more descriptive definition of implements of husbandry and clarifies that equipment meeting the definition is exempt from the weight and load limitations under Nebraska Rules of the Road.

The next priority issue is the support of LR 378CA, introduced by Senator Kuehn, proposes a constitutional amendment to guarantee the right to engage in certain farming and ranching practices. The amendment would protect agriculture as a vital sector of Nebraska's economy.

LB 958 by Senator Gloor and LB 959 by Senator Sullivan are part of the plan unveiled by Governor Ricketts in his "State of the State" address to provide property tax relief to Nebraskans. These two bills change provisions relating to budget controls in all political subdivisions including local governments and schools. LB 958 also specifically addresses slowing the growth of agricultural land valuations by applying a statewide 3% aggregate adjustment for increases beginning in 2016. Both bills also address changes to levy limitations and penalties which would result in property tax relief at the local level.

"I am proud of Nebraska Cattlemen volunteers and staff with a successful week reviewing proposed legislative bills. We came together to apply our policies on bills to favor cattlemen across the state. We look forward to working with our Senators as these bills move through the Unicameral" said Troy Stowater, chairman of NC Legislative Committee.

For more information about a specific priority for Nebraska Cattlemen, please call the Nebraska Cattlemen office at 402.475.2333.



Sasse and Inhofe Call for DOJ WOTUS Investigation

U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), chairman of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, and U.S. Senator Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) formally requested that the Department of Justice investigate whether officials at the EPA "knowingly and willfully violated and are continuing to knowingly and willfully violate" federal law in its covert propaganda campaign to promote its Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule.

"Something is tremendously wrong when a federal agency thinks it can break the law and illegally spend taxpayer dollars," said Senator Inhofe. "But that is the situation we have right now with EPA and their efforts to fool hardworking Americans about their Waters of the United States rule. EPA must be held accountable, and I look forward to hearing what the Department of Justice finds in their investigation."

"The EPA thinks it can stonewall all it wants but no bureaucracy is above the law," said Senator Sasse. "Despite the fact that the Government Accountability Office found that they broke federal law by running a covert propaganda campaign to support their sweeping WOTUS rule, the EPA has doubled down on their lawlessness. It’s time for the Department of Justice to investigate."

Full text of the Senators’ letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch is available below....

Dear Attorney General Lynch:

We write to request that the Department of Justice investigate whether officials at the Environmental Protection Agency knowingly and willfully violated and are continuing to knowingly and willfully violate 31 U.S.C. 1341(a) in its "covert propaganda" and grass roots lobbying campaign to promote the agency’s rules defining "Waters of the United States (WOTUS)."

As you know, Section 1341 of the Antideficiency Act prohibits employees of the U.S. government from spending any money not authorized by Congress. While few people may have heard of the Antideficiency Act, it plays an important role in protecting our constitutional system of checks and balances.

The Constitution is clear: "No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law." This means the Executive Branch is prohibited from spending even a dollar unless Congress first gives it permission. The requirement springs from the bedrock principle that legislative and executive powers must be kept separate and not concentrated in a single federal entity. Americans understand that the separation of powers is essential to guarantee basic freedoms.

The Antideficiency Act is a tool, enshrined in law, designed to defend this basic principle. In effect, it says that any government employee who spends money not authorized by Congress has violated the principle of separation of powers. As the Department of Justice itself has long recognized, a knowing and willful violation of the Antideficiency Act is subject to a $5,000 fine and spend up to two years in prison.

We all know how seriously federal agencies consider possible violations of the Antideficiency Act. For example, during a lapse in appropriations the National Park Service barricades national memorials. Federal workers are likewise barred from sending so much as an email to a colleague during a shutdown for fear of a violation.

Last month, the Government Accountability Office found that the EPA violated the Antideficiency Act by promoting its WOTUS rules in ways expressly prohibited by Congress. GAO wrote:

"As explained below, we conclude that EPA violated the described provisions through its use of social media in association with its rulemaking efforts to define "Waters of the United States" under the Clean Water Act (CWA) during FYs 2014 and 2015. Because EPA obligated and expended appropriated funds in violation of statutory prohibitions, we also conclude that EPA violated the Antideficiency Act, 31, U.S.C. 1341(a)(1)(A), as the agency’s appropriations were not available for these prohibited purposes."

Under the Antideficiency Act, EPA must conduct an internal investigation and identify the persons responsible. However, EPA is dismissive of GAO’s legal decision. In fact, even though GAO issued its legal decision on December 14, EPA has not removed from its website the messages that GAO found to be covert propaganda and grass roots lobbying.

Raising additional concerns, in a recent court filing in litigation challenging the WOTUS rule, Department of Justice attorneys filed a brief on behalf of EPA that mischaracterized the GAO decision as an opinion letter rather than the formal legal decision that an Antideficiency Act violation had occurred. Under the Antideficency Act, the EPA Administrator must submit a report to Congress detailing the violation and amount of money that was spent illegally.

Given EPA’s continuing violations, and the cavalier attitude displayed by EPA public affairs staff and Department of Justice line attorneys, we request the Department of Justice immediately investigate whether a criminal violation of the Antideficiency Act has taken place. Only a thorough and independent investigation can determine whether a crime has occurred.

We appreciate your consideration of this request and look forward to your response.

Sincerely,
U.S. Senator Ben Sasse
U.S. Senator James Inhofe, Chairman Committee on Environment and Public Works



A FORAGE FOR EVERY SEASON
Bruce Anderson, UNL Extension Forage Specialist

               Think back over the past couple of years.  Did you have ample pasture all season long, or were there times when more forage growth would have helped?

               If you have cows, horses, ewes, or other livestock that can graze year-around, one of your goals should be to graze for as many days during the year as possible.  But no matter where you are, no single pasture can meet that objective.

               Warm-season range grasses provide good summer grazing in some areas, but more green grass would be nice in early spring and for late fall grazing.  For livestock producers in many other places, though, smooth bromegrass, wheatgrass, needlegrass, orchardgrass, fescue, and other cool-season grasses grow well in spring and fall but mid-summer pasture often is limiting.

               To overcome these seasonal pasture shortages, you need to have several different types of pasture available.  For example, warm-season grasses like the bluestems, indiangrass, blue grama, and switchgrass provide excellent summer pasture.  Match them up with other, but separate, pastures or meadows that contain cool-season grasses for spring and fall grazing and you will have a good, long grazing season.

               To extend grazing even further, plant winter wheat, rye, or triticale next fall to get pasture as early as late March.  And oats planted in late July or August can be grazed through November, while turnips often provide pasture into December or even January.  Don’t forget that alfalfa and corn also can be grazed effectively throughout much of the year, giving you even more options for timely pasture.

               Start looking at your pasture gaps.  Maybe next year you can extend your grazing season with new and varied pastures.



Current National Drought Summary
droughtmonitor.unl.edu

Outside of the coastal ranges from northern California up to the Olympic Peninsula (along with the Sierra-Nevada), much of the rest of the Lower 48 states had a dry week. Temperatures were also much above-normal in the West and Pacific NW along with the New England region. In addition, even as the El Niño begins to weaken, its influence continues to bring more dryness and drought to the eastern islands of Hawaii.

Great Plains and South
Below-normal temperatures and some additional shots of moisture across North Dakota and northern Minnesota have brought about some adjustments for this week’s map with D1 being reduced in North Dakota accompanied by a trimming of D0 in North Dakota and northern Minnesota for those areas now running around 125% of normal for the Water Year-to-date (WYTD) period (since October 1). The rest of the region remains unchanged and drought free.

Midwest
No changes are depicted on this week’s map across the Midwest as winter has things in lockdown and in pretty good shape as well with excess moisture more of a problem than too little thus far during the off-season recharge period.

Looking Ahead
Over the next 5-7 days, temperatures are expected to run well above-normal (3-9 degrees) across the northern tier states from the Pacific NW to the Great Lakes. Below-normal temps are likely across the eastern Great Basin, central Rockies, central Plains, Midwest and across most of the eastern Seaboard from Florida northward into New England. As for precipitation, the best bet for the heaviest totals can be found in east-central California, northern California, and the coastal ranges of Oregon and Washington along with the Gulf Coast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

The 6-10 day outlooks (January 26-30, 2016) are calling for a high probability of above-normal temperatures across the entire western half of the country (from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean) with the greatest signature found along the west coast from San Diego to Seattle. Alaska and New England also seems primed to share in this winter warm spell. Precipitation is also most likely across northern California, the Pacific NW and the Great Basin with a slightly better chance of above-normal rains falling across the Southeast and central Florida in particular. Some strong pockets of dryness are most likely across the country’s mid-section including the Midwest and central/southern Plains.



Common Swine Industry Audit training sessions offered

The Iowa Pork Producers Association is partnering with the Iowa Pork Industry Center (IPIC) and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach swine field specialists to offer free training and preparation sessions aimed at helping Iowa pork producers prepare for a Common Swine Industry Audit (CSIA).

Session attendees will have an opportunity to walk through steps of the common audit, evaluate areas for improvement on their farms and customize Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to be best prepared for the audit process. Attendees also will be provided a binder and flash drive, including customizable audit materials for their farms, compliments of IPPA, IPIC and the Pork Checkoff.

Training dates, times, and locations include...
Fri., Feb 5 - Cherokee County Extension Office, Cherokee - 10 a.m.-3 p.m. - (712) 225-6196
Wed., March 2 -Orange City - Sioux County Extension Office - 10 a.m.-3 p.m. - (712) 225-6196
Tues., March 29 - Sac City - Sac County Extension Office - 10 a.m.-3 p.m. - (712) 225-6196
Tues., March 29 - Carroll - Carroll County Extension Office - 1 p.m.-4 p.m. - (712) 792-2364
Tues., June 7 - Le Mars - Plymouth County Extension Office - 10 a.m.-3 p.m. - (712) 225-6196

More session information here.... http://files.ctctcdn.com/5b34b1a2401/df74e411-ab7e-4ddc-9ff5-e918fc1e464b.pdf. 

Sessions are limited to 15 participants and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Additional sessions and locations may be scheduled based on demand.  Pre-registration is required and producers are encouraged to commit their attendance, if registering, to ensure effective utilization of the limited space.

It's recommended that producers limit the number of attendees from their farms, or work together at the meetings, to allow for adequate room and materials. Those working with multiple farm-sites or producers should consider sending field staff or individuals that can maximize meeting effectiveness and outreach. A limited number of computers will be provided for attendees. Attendees with their own laptop computers are encouraged to bring them to the sessions. Producers are reminded to be cognizant of biosecurity and attend the meetings in clean street clothes and footwear.

"We are fortunate to have strong swine resources and outreach from Iowa State University to allow for collaboration on these educational opportunities," said IPPA President Dave Struthers. "These training sessions and the common audit will continue to demonstrate our industry's commitment to continuous improvement, social responsibility and production of safe pork."

At the 2013 National Pork Industry Forum, a producer-directed resolution charged the National Pork Board with exploring a credible, affordable solution to assure on-farm animal well-being while reducing burdens of multiple audits and improving audit expectations and consistency. This spawned the Industry Audit Task Force, which included producers, veterinarians, animal scientists, retail and foodservice personnel and packer representatives. IPPA delegates passed a similar resolution at their annual meeting in January 2013.

The goal was to develop a consensus on consistent on-farm auditing standards using the Pork Quality Assurance® Plus and Transport Quality Assurance® programs as a foundation. The result is the Common Swine Industry Audit, which was announced at the 2014 World Pork Expo. It has been tested on farms and is now ready to be implemented by producers and packers across the country.

"The common audit incorporates scientific evidence, ethics and economics, which must be balanced for the pork industry to remain sustainable," said Sherrie Webb, the Pork Checkoff's animal welfare director. "As a third-party audit, it provides assurance of farmers' and processors' commitment to animal well-being and pre-harvest food safety."

For more information, contact IPPA at (515) 225-7675 or e-mail tbettin@iowapork.org.



Soybean Meal has Greater Energy Value in Pigs Than Thought

Differences in soil type, variety of soybeans, climate, or processing conditions can cause the same crop to have different nutritional value when produced in different locations. However, feed composition tables combine values from crops grown all over the world. Results of recent research at the University of Illinois indicate that book values for energy in soybean meal underestimate the energy value of soybean meal produced in the United States.

"In the experiments we've conducted using soybean meal here at the University of Illinois, we have calculated values for digestible and metabolizable energy that were consistently 200 to 400 kcal/kg greater than values in feed composition tables," explained Hans H. Stein, professor of animal sciences at Illinois. "Most of those experiments have been conducted using soybean meal derived from beans grown in Illinois. So we decided to compare soybean meal from Illinois with soybean meal produced in other states, to determine if our results were due to better nutritional value of soybean meal produced in Illinois."

Stein led a team that evaluated the energy content of 22 sources of soybean meal obtained from crushing plants in four zones in the United States. Michigan, Minnesota, and South Dakota comprised Zone 1; Georgia, Indiana, and Ohio made up Zone 2; Zone 3 was Iowa, Missouri, and Nebraska, and Zone 4 was Illinois.

Concentrations of digestible energy (DE), metabolizable energy (ME), and net energy (NE) were the same for soybean meal from Zones 1, 2, and 4, but soybean meal from Zone 3 contained less DE, ME, and NE than soybean meal from Zones 1 and 2.

Results did not confirm the hypothesis that soybean meal from Illinois contained more energy than soybean meal from other areas of the U.S. Instead, results indicate that soybean meal produced in the United States -- regardless of growing area -- provides more energy to pigs than what is indicated in current feed composition tables, including values published in the most recent tables from the National Research Council.

According to Stein, if soybean meal produced in other countries has reduced energy value compared with U.S. soybean meal, it lowers the average values published in feed composition tables, but this hypothesis has not been experimentally verified. It is also possible that soybean meal produced from modern genetic material simply contains more digestible energy than soybean meal produced from previous varieties of soybeans.

"We know that for broiler chickens, soybean meal produced in the United States has greater ME values than soybean meal produced in Argentina."

Stein said more studies are needed to compare the DE, ME, or NE of soybean meal produced in different countries and fed to pigs. But the bottom line is that soybean meal produced in the United States contains at least 200 kcal more DE, ME and NE than indicated by current book values. These new energy values will increase the economic value of soybean meal and reduce diet costs if used in diet formulations for pigs.

The research was supported by a grant from the Illinois Soybean Association and the paper, "Concentrations of digestible, metabolizable, and net energy in soybean meal produced in different areas of the United States and fed to pigs," was co-authored by Kelly Sotak-Peper and Caroline González-Vega, both from the U of I, and published in a recent edition of the Journal of Animal Science.



LAWMAKERS URGE DELAY ON POSSIBLE NEW SLAUGHTER INSPECTION RULES

Sixty House lawmakers this week asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to “delay a proposed modernization of hog slaughter inspection rule until the USDA addresses public health concerns related to the hog Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point-based Inspection Model’s Project (HIMP).” The pilot project, started in 1998, shifted certain inspection responsibilities from federal to company employees in five market hog plants. Under HIMP, packers take greater responsibility for inspection processes with FSIS personnel validating their actions. 

HIMP is designed to provide a more efficient, focused, and effective food safety system. The lawmakers argued that the HIMP program should not be expanded to additional hog slaughter facilities until FSIS provides assurance that removing federal inspectors would not lead to “process control shortcuts, increased fecal and other adulteration of meat products, higher incidences of microbial contamination, and ultimately, a rise in foodborne illness.” They also noted that results of the poultry HIMP program have yet to be analyzed, and raised concerns about worker safety and animal welfare.

In 2013, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the USDA Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued reports questioning the HIMP program and concluded that FSIS “did not adequately oversee” the hog HIMP program.

Although no specific timeline or rule has been issued, FSIS is currently analyzing data and performing a risk assessment to determine the benefit of proposed changes.



Alltech Feed Survey: Trend reveals 14% increase in global feed tonnage over last five years

Ask and you shall receive. As global disposable income increases, consumers have developed a palate for protein, and, over the past five years, the feed industry has delivered. Results from the 2016 Global Feed Survey released today by Alltech estimates international feed tonnage now at 995.5 million metric tons, a 1.5 percent increase over last year and a 14 percent increase since Alltech first published Global Feed Survey results in 2011.

The analysis of five-year trends showed growth predominantly from the pig, poultry and aqua feed sectors and intensification of production in the African, Middle Eastern, Latin American and European regions.

“The feed industry is an excellent barometer of economic health and, based on our five years of data, predicts economic growth more accurately than many other indices,” said Aidan Connolly, chief innovation officer of Alltech, who headed up the initiative to conduct the survey.

The Global Feed Survey assesses the compound feed production from more than 130 countries through information obtained in partnership with local feed associations and Alltech’s sales team, who visit more than 32,000 feed mills annually.

The 2016 survey showed poultry feed has the market share and is growing faster than any other species, with 46 percent of total global feed manufactured specifically for broilers, egg layers, turkeys, duck and other fowl. This year’s survey also confirmed that corn and soybean meal are the standard feed ingredients globally.

The top 10 feed producers in the world remained the same: China, the United States, Brazil, Mexico, India, Spain, Russia, Germany, Japan and France. As a region, Europe saw the most growth, up 13 million tons over last year, with the largest contributions coming from Russia, Turkey, Belarus and Poland.

Down 2 percent from last year, China still holds the title of leading feed producer in Alltech’s annual Feed Survey with 179.930 million tons manufactured throughout the country’s 8,550 feed mills. However, this is the third year the world’s leader has reported a consolidation of its feed tonnage production into a smaller number of feed mills.

The number of feed mills in the United States and Brazil, the second and third largest markets, also declined. The U.S. produced 172.730 million metric tons from 6,012 feed mills (6,718 mills in 2014) and Brazil manufactured 68.7 million metric tons from 1,556 feed mills (1,698 mills in 2014).

According to Connolly, the consolidation of feed production into fewer mills is driven by many factors. “The Chinese, in particular, see a benefit of having fewer feed mills—lower cost, more efficient and easier to control from the perspective of traceability and food safety,” Connolly said.

Other notable regional and species statistics from the 2016 Feed Survey are:
    Europe’s 5,545 feed mills, with Russia’s contributions, augmented their production by 22 percent in 2015 compared to the previous year. The Middle East demonstrated a 17 percent increase with 21.438 million tons from the region’s 719 mills. Africa, Asia Pacific and Latin America were up 5, 4 and 3 percent respectively while North America remained flat.

    Pig feed production was down 2 percent, with 253.53 million tons. Aqua, with 35.47 million metric tons, is down 5 percent this year; although outside of China this figure seems to relate to more accurate data collection and not a specific decline, especially given that aqua has been a grower, up 19 percent overall in the past five years. Equine feed, at 8.22 million tons, declined 2 percent compared to 2014.

    Poultry feed production continues to surge with a 5 percent increase, now at a total 463.69 million metric tons. Ruminant feed was also positive with 201.36 million tons, a 3 percent increase. Pets are up 4 percent at 22.59 million tons.

“Having met with groups such as the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome and the International Feed Industry Federation (IFIF), Alltech appreciates how difficult it is to collect and collate this data, but also how valuable it is on our journey to feed a planet with more than 9 billion people by 2050,” Connolly said. “With five years of work behind it, this is the most robust and reliable dataset on the sector available today.”

The Global Feed Survey outlines Alltech’s estimate of the world’s feed tonnage and trends and is intended to serve as open information resource for policy and decision makers and industry insiders alike.



Brazil Soy Harvest Still Slow

Brazilian soybean harvest efforts were once again sluggish last week as rain continued to hamper fieldwork in the center-west, according to AgRural, a local farm consultancy. As of Friday, farmers had harvested 1.5% of the crop, back from the 3.5% harvested at the same stage last year and the five-year average of 2%, it said.

In Mato Grosso, Brazil's premier soy state, the sun appeared for part of the week, but rain soon returned again, hindering fieldwork.  Harvesting was 3.6% complete in the state, back from 7.4% at the stage last year. Late planting means much less of the crop is ready to be collected than in 2015.

In Parana, the No. 2 soy state, harvest was 2.3% complete as of Friday against 5% at the same point in 2015. However, AgRural reported that harvesting may start to gain pace in the early producing west of the state, if the weather holds.

In Rio Grande do Sul, producers have not yet started harvesting and are waiting anxiously for precipitation forecast for next week after a previously dry fortnight. The current sunny conditions are beneficial to the state's crop after an extremely wet November and December but it must be relieved soon.



NEW TAIWANESE PRESIDENT WANTS TO JOIN TPP, MAY LIFT RACTOPAMINE BAN

Taiwan’s new president, Tsai Ing-wen, who was elected Jan. 16 and will take office May 20, indicated he wants the island nation to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Initiated in late 2008 and concluded in early November 2015, TPP includes the United States, Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam, which account for nearly 40 percent of global GDP. A number of countries, including – in addition to Taiwan – the Philippines and South Korea, have expressed interest in joining the regional trade deal if and when the agreement is expanded.

Tsai also said Taiwan must resolve issues related to imports of U.S. pork products, specifically the country’s ban on pork from hogs given the feed additive ractopamine. The National Pork Producers Council has been pressing the Obama administration to urge Taiwan to lift the ban, which they say is not based on science. Ractopamine has been determined to be safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is approved for use in pork production in 26 countries, with 75 additional nations allowing the importation of pork from hogs fed ractopamine. In July 2012, the U.N.’s Codex Alimentarius, which sets international standards for food safety, approved a maximum residue limit for ractopamine, which U.S. pork meets.



NCBA’S Cattlemen to Cattlemen Debuts Tenth Television Season from San Diego

The spring 2016 season of NCBA’s Cattlemen to Cattlemen will kick off from San Diego, Calif. on Tuesday, January 26 at 8:30 p.m. EST on RFD-TV. This special event show will give viewers an exclusive, inside look at the Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show and also have an industry update from Philip Ellis, NCBA President and Wyoming rancher.

“Cattlemen to Cattlemen is one of the best ways our association can connect with farmers and ranchers today,” said Marvin Kokes, Senior Vice President of Industry and Member Services, NCBA. “We are very proud of the value this quality television show brings to the entire beef industry.”

This year NCBA’s Cattlemen to Cattlemen celebrates ten years of premium television content designed specifically for beef producers across the country. The show debuted in February of 2007, and was created by cattlemen for cattlemen to deliver industry news, producer education, policy updates from Washington, D.C. and more. NCBA started the show on RFD-TV as a 30 minute, weekly show. Since then the show has successfully evolved into 60 minutes each week, with debut episodes on Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. EST and re-airs on Wednesdays at 12:30 a.m. and Saturdays at 9:00 a.m.

“This television show truly offers unique topics, educational value that producers can use, production quality and variety,” said Kokes. “We work every day to tell the story of America’s beef producer and to give them information to help them be more successful.”

In the fall of 2016, NCBA's Cattlemen to Cattlemen will reach another milestone - airing its 500th weekly episode. Other special highlight shows for this season include an NCBA membership benefit show, a Washington, D.C. policy and election overview show, market updates, new producer profiles, features on the latest in ranch and farm equipment, plus land stewardship and livestock handling tips.

Production of NCBA’s Cattlemen to Cattlemen is made possible with sponsor support from: Bayer, Case IH, Dow AgroSciences, John Deere, Merial, NRCS, New Holland, Purina, RAM, Ritchie, Roper and Stetson. To view past episodes of NCBA’s Cattlemen to Cattlemen, visit: https://www.youtube.com/user/CattlemenToCattlemen/.