Monday February 19 Ag News

Changes to National Cattle Evaluation Benefits Bull Buyers in 2018
Matt Spangler – UNL Associate Professor and Beef Genetics Extension Specialist
    
The majority of beef breed associations have made (or are currently making) substantial changes to their National Cattle Evaluation (NCE). These changes ultimately benefit commercial bull buyers by providing improved Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs) and improved economic selection indices. This brief article is not meant to be an exhaustive list of the changes to NCE by breed organization, but rather to highlight changes in general and the benefits these changes created.

In mid-2017, the American Angus Association (AAA) made a substantial change to the way in which genomic information is incorporated into EPDs. This change in methodology, known as a ‘single-step’ approach, uses genomic data to augment traditional pedigree using software developed by the University of Georgia. This allows for a more refined estimate of the relationship between animals, and thus more reliable EPD. Although this may have been one of the more widely advertised changes, other changes occurred as well including updates to genetic parameter (e.g., heritability) estimates and changes to the underlying statistical models to estimate EPDs.

The American Hereford Association (AHA) released its own ‘single-step’ evaluation in December of 2017. The software used by the AHA (BOLT; Theta Solutions, LLC) allows for some DNA markers to have larger effects, and thus, influence resulting EPD more than others. This is the primary difference between the approach taken by the AHA as compared to AAA in terms of incorporating genomic information in their NCE. A notable and simultaneous change to the AHA evaluation was an updating of their economic indices to include more Economically Relevant Traits (ERT) as well as an update in the economic assumptions. These new AHA indices should prove very valuable when selecting Hereford bulls.

International Genetic Solutions (IGS) is a collaboration between multiple U.S. and Canadian breed associations. This group is currently working towards a multi-breed genetic evaluation using BOLT (same software as AHA) to produce a ‘single-step’ genomic evaluation. As with other organizations, along with the change in the way genomic data are included into EPD, substantial changes in the statistical models for EPD are being made that will ultimately allow for more reliable EPD. Another notable change for breeds using BOLT for their NCE is numerically lower accuracy values associated with EPD. This seems at odds with the fact that the EPD are more reliable. These seemingly lower accuracy values are simply due to different means of calculating accuracy (think of it as more accurate accuracy). They should be interpreted and used in the same fashion as before.

National Cattle Evaluation has never been static, and future changes are inevitable as science continues to advance. However, the changes that have occurred in the past few months represent a considerable leap forward. Although change is cursed by some (not all) seedstock producers given the re-ranking of some sires, it should be applauded by commercial bull buyers. These organizations and the scientific community that collaborates with them continue to strive to produce genetic selection tools using the best science available.

More information relative to these changes can be found at the respective breed association websites (American Angus Association, American Hereford Association, and American Simmental Association--IGS) as well as http://www.ebeef.org.



Uhlir Elected as State Pork President

Darin Uhlir from St. Paul, Nebraska was elected as President of the Nebraska Pork Producers Association (NePPA). Joining Uhlir as NPPA’s leaders are Tim Chancellor, 1st Vice President of Broken Bow and Kevin Peterson, 2nd Vice President of Osceola. Elected as 3rd Vice President is John Csukker of Columbus. Newly elected Directors are Connor Livingston of Fairbury and Jared Lierman of Beemer. Alternate Directors are Matt Marquardt of Tekamah and Mike Fagen of Elkhorn. NePPA’s Annual Meeting and elections were held in Lincoln at the Graduate, February 13, 2018. 

Darin Uhlir of St. Paul, Nebraska was first elected to the Board of Directors in 2013. Uhlir is a member of the Executive, Finance, and Legislative/SIP Committees for the Nebraska Pork Producers Association. He has been a National Pork Board Delegate for the past 4 years and will travel to Kansas City, Missouri for the 2018 National Pork Industry Forum February 28, March 1 and 2.  

Uhlir has worked in the pork industry since 1990. In 1997, he became a Business Leader with Progressive Swine Technology (PST). Today PST is known as Pillen Family Farms. Darin is also an active member of several hunting/conservation organizations. Darin and his wife Carla have three children and enjoy showing livestock and spending quality time together.
 
In offering his congratulations to Uhlir, Russ Vering retiring President for the Nebraska Pork Producers Association stated, “It has been a pleasure to work with Darin. His dedication and insight into our industry will see him through any challenging tasks ahead.”



Nebraska Pork Names Producers to Hall of Fames

Russ Vering, President of the Nebraska Pork Producers Association has named the Hall of Fame Inductees. The announcements were made in conjunction with the annual Ribs & Bibs Banquet on February 13, 2018 at the Graduate in Lincoln. Named to the Voluntary Check-off Hall of Fame was Scott Spilker of Beatrice and Gary and Liz Doerr of Creighton were inducted into the Check-off Hall of Fame.

Scott Spilker, owns a wean-to-finish pig farm and diversified crop operation near Beatrice, Nebraska. He is also president of Rolling Hills Pork, LLC, a 2,500-sow  farrowing operation outside of Washington, Kansas where he gets his young stock for the nursery. Prior to serving as a State Director, Scott was an active member if the Blue Valley Pork Producers Association serving as President in 1991. Scott was first elected to Association’s Board of Directors in 2010 and served as President in 2016. Scott has been especially effective in speaking out on the issues of the industry. Scott is member of the NPPA Legislative/SIP Committee that gives directions at the state and local level. He has traveled to Washington D.C. on numerous occasions to speak directly to Nebraska’s Congressional Representatives, offered testimony before the State Legislature and served as a National Pork Producers Council delegate. Most recently, Scott was appointed by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue to serve as Chairman of the Nebraska USDA Farm Service Agency state committee.  The state committee is responsible for the oversight of farm programs and county committee operations, resolving appeals from the agriculture community and helping to keep producers informed about FSA programs.

Gary and Liz Doerr started out buying feeder pigs and then added a few sows after they were married in 1980. Today the operation is a 275-sow farrow to finish hog operation near Creighton, along with twelve hundred acres of row crops. They were members of the Knox County Pork Producers in the early 1980s and Gary was President in 1998. The Knox County Pork Producers started the "Brumm Speaks Out" meetings while Gary served on the board and they were members of Mike Brumm's Swine Enterprise Analysis group. This was a group of producers, all with sows that met quarterly to discuss and share production information. In 1998 the Doerrs were named "Pork All-American" by National Pork Producers Council (NPPC). Established by the NPPC in 1970, the Pork All-American Award Program has recognized more than 1,000 pig farmers for their contributions to the pork industry and their communities. 

Gary was first elected to the NPPA Board of Directors in 2004 and served as President in 2005. Gary did a second run on the Board of Directors, from 2011 to 2015 when he filled a vacancy. Gary’s partner in life and on the farm, Liz assists with artificial insemination, working with sows, weaning pigs, and sorting the hogs to be sold. She also does the accounting for the operation, in addition to downloading and analyzing data from their feed mill and maintaining hog production records Liz is the Knox and Antelope County Zoning Administrator and served on the committee for the Nebraska Department of Ag for developing the Livestock Siting Matrix.



Cadrien Livingston Awarded Sitzman Youth in NE Agriculture Scholarship

Cadrien Livingston of Orchard, NE, has been awarded the 2018 Larry E. Sitzman Youth in Nebraska Agriculture Scholarship.

Cadrien is a sophomore studying Agricultural and Environmental Science Communications with a minor in Political Science at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. Cadrien uses her passion for agriculture and her unique, personal experiences to connect with people around her. Her goal with this degree is to advocate about important agricultural issues like farm safety and work on behalf of farmers to further positive agricultural policies.

In 2008, Cadrien’s father was killed in a grain bin accident, leaving behind a wife, two younger sisters, and 10-year old Cadrien. Together, Cadrien and her mother worked to keep the family ranch. Out of necessity, she stepped into many responsibilities at home and on the ranch, which required responsibility and a good work ethic. Today, Cadrien and her mother have expanded their cow herd and continue to sell bulls via private sale.

Cadrien says the loss of her father has affected her future goals and dreams. Since the accident, she has worked with many individuals and organizations to try to start a farm safety hotline to provide preventative safety tips and precautions for farmers and ranchers. She also interested in providing farm safety training and education to local rescue units.

Additionally, Cadrien has bolstered her confidence in the public policy area by participating in the Nebraska Farm Bureau Leadership Academy. Through this program, she learned and practiced the skills necessary to talk with and influence elected officials on important topics like taxes and the upcoming Farm Bill.

Amy Halsey, 4-H Club Leader wrote, “Cadrien leads with authority and a great sense of humor, plus she is kind and compassionate. She is teachable and is always looking for ways to improve herself.” Clearly, Cadrien’s leadership capacity and dedication will serve agriculture well as she continues to grow and develop.

The Larry E. Sitzman Youth in Nebraska Agriculture Scholarship is a $1,000 scholarship that was awarded to Cadrien Livingston during the Annual Meeting of the Nebraska Pork Producers Association on February 13, 2018.



Cattlemen’s Classic to Feature New “Beef Strong” Event

The Nebraska Beef Council will be hosting a fitness competition during the Nebraska Cattlemen’s Classic at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds in Kearney on February 21st from 6:00 to 7:00 pm.

The new “Beef Strong” event features competitors pushing, pulling, lifting and hustling their way through a sprint-style course designed to showcase the daily physical demands of farming and ranching. The competitors will work their way through a series of obstacles with the goal to complete the course in the shortest amount of time.

Each activity in the course represents actual jobs found on a farm or ranch. Competitors will simulate moving square hay bales, loading feed bags, setting up catch-pens and even carrying a calf. The competitors completing the tasks with the fastest times will receive beef bundles courtesy of Nebraska Star Beef.

“Farming and ranching can be a lot of physical work. It’s important to fuel your body with nutrient-dense foods like beef so you can meet the demands of the job,” said Mitch Rippe, director of nutrition and education at the Nebraska Beef Council. “Our Beef Strong event will highlight the hard work of famers and ranchers while giving us the opportunity to talk about the benefits of beef in an active lifestyle.”

Contestants must have pre-registered for the competition, but the event is free and open to spectators. For more information visit www.nebeef.org.



SNOW OR WATER – WHAT’S THE DIF?
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist

               Are you getting tired of winter?  Tired of hauling water or chopping ice?  Well maybe, just maybe you can let your cows eat snow from recent storms for their water needs.

               Snow sometimes can be a good source of livestock water.  Research from Canada and several northern states have shown that cows can eat 30 to 40 pounds of snow per day to meet their water needs.  And some ranchers already rely on only snow to provide water on their winter pastures.

               To be successful using snow as your water source, several conditions must be met.  First off, the snow must be clean and fresh.  We’ve all heard jokes about eating yellow snow, but it’s no joke if that is what your cows are depending on.  Snow that’s crusted over, filled with dirt, or heavily trampled is not adequate.

               Second, the cows must be in good shape.  It will take body heat energy to melt the snow they eat so thin cows or sick cows should not be forced to rely on snow for water.  Lactating cows also should have a good source of liquid water.

               Make sure the cows are eating an adequate diet to provide the extra energy needed to melt that snow.  Cows that go off feed or aren’t eating enough might be having trouble getting enough water from the snow.  After all, they do need to learn how to effectively graze snow to get enough water.

               Lastly, be sure to have an alternate water source readily available.  Snow availability and snow conditions can change rapidly.

               Snow can be used as the only source of water for many livestock, saving time, money, and potentially extending grazing to remote areas or later in the season.  However, monitor intake and cow condition carefully to be successful.



Pre-Harvest Marketing Non-Irrigated Corn 
Cory Walters - Extension Grain Economist
Jessica Groskopf - Extension Educator for Agricultural Economics

Farmers are often hesitant to price non-irrigated corn that has not yet been harvested or even planted, due to the potential for yield loss.

For 2018, a pre-harvest marketing plan for non-irrigated corn coupled with a revenue protection crop insurance policy may provide an opportunity to lock in prices above expected breakeven. This article will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of pre-harvest marketing non-irrigated corn in February versus waiting to price until October.

When thinking about pre-harvest marketing non-irrigated corn, the old adage of “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch” often comes to mind. Today, the influence of this statement has diminished due to the safety net provided by revenue protection crop insurance. The advantage of a revenue protection crop insurance policy comes from the ability to recalculate the original guarantee if harvest price — the October average of the December corn contract — is higher than the projected price — the February average of the December corn contract.

We evaluated historical data to determine if pre-harvest pricing can generate more gross revenue than waiting to price at harvest. To do this, we compared the corn projected price and harvest price.

The main advantage of pricing in February rather than waiting until October is the higher average price. Pre-pricing corn during the projected price crop insurance period (February) would gross approximately $0.19/bu more on average than waiting until the harvest price period (October). When spring boasted the higher price, prices were $0.56/bu higher on average than the harvest price.

The harvest price is higher only about 30% of the time. In the years when higher harvest prices occurred, the price was substantially higher ($0.71/bu on average). Higher harvest prices occur because U.S. corn production is below trend line expectations, implying a lower realized yield. This is a concern for non-irrigated corn farmers, who have a higher yield risk than their irrigated counterparts. While we are focusing on futures price risk, basis is also likely to fluctuate, but not to the extent of futures prices.

Potential Disadvantages to Early Pre-Pricing
Pre-harvest marketing becomes financially painful when a farmer pre-prices more than they have produced AND prices rise. If both of these conditions occur, the farmer cannot deliver the quantity of grain they have contracted, and they will likely have to pay penalties to the grain buyer. These penalties are often called “buyback” penalties. In this situation, payments from a revenue protection policy can be used to offset buyback penalties. Limiting forward contracting alleviates the cost of buyback; however, it is always optimal to not have done any pre-harvest marketing with a revenue protection policy when non-irrigated corn growers are experiencing a drought.

Another disadvantage to pre-pricing significant amounts of expected corn production in February is that it limits your ability to capture future growing season marketing opportunities. This is true for both irrigated and non-irrigated producers.

Conclusion
Your comfort level of pre-harvest marketing, crop insurance contracts, and production costs represent the driving forces influencing the amount of pre-harvest marketing. If you’re a heavy pre-harvest marketer, you should be buying a higher insurance coverage level to guarantee more bushels.



52nd  Annual TRIUMPH OF AG EXPO – Announces Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts as the
2018 Agri-Award Winner

Over 1,000 booths with over 200,000 square feet of Exhibit space of the latest technology will be showcased at the 52nd  Annual TRIUMPH OF AGRICULTURE EXPOSITION Farm & Ranch Machinery Show, Wednesday, February 28th and Thursday, March 1st at the CenturyLink Center Omaha.

Regarded as the Area's Largest Indoor Short-line Farm Machinery Show, the EXPO has become a tradition for area farmers, ranchers, stockmen, and their families to come to the show and ask questions directly to the leading farm manufacturers and suppliers for ways to improve their farm operation right before spring fieldwork begins all at one time and under one roof. The Seminar schedule is listed below and provides a chance to learn more about some of the new products and services available at the Show.   The Farm Show is open Wednesday from 9 AM to 4 PM and Thursday 9 AM to 3 PM.

Bob Mancuso, Jr  , the Show’s Director, says, “Farming today is more challenging and Midwest farmers are interested in keeping up with the changes and ways to increase their profits and yields per acre while reducing their costs.”   The Triumph of Ag Expo offers a one stop opportunity to see and compare hundreds of hands - on demonstrations from the newest farm machinery to the day-to-day supplies and product information that's available for today’s farming decisions. The TRIUMPH OF AG EXPO is proud that they have been able to keep the Admission to the Show FREE for the past 51 years.   Advance Free admission tickets can be obtained from County extension agents, farm machinery and equipment dealers, or at the CenturyLink Center Omaha’s door.   There are over 4,500 parking spaces on site right at the convention center entrance.

  At no other time this spring will area farmers be able to see all these agricultural suppliers indoors at one time and under one roof than on these two days at the Triumph of Ag Expo.    Brent Pohlman, from Midwest Laboratories, said “Many first-time visitors cannot believe the wide selection of products on display and the tremendous opportunity for savings at the Show”. The Triumph of Ag Expo has something for every kind of farm operation, including tillage equipment, planters, monitor and control systems, soil testing equipment, mowers, cattle chutes, augers, fertilizers, various seed hybrids, feeders, tanks and pumps, hay moving and handling equipment, plows, combines, computers and software, tractors and many more agricultural products and services for today's farmers and ranchers.

Bob Mancuso, Jr., said, “This year there are many show features. There will be antique tractors and equipment from the Camp Creek Threshers and the Elkhorn Valley Antique Power Association.  The Iowa State Solar Car Team Prism will be at the Show.    

  THE TRIUMPH OF AGRICULTURE EXPOSITION Farm & Ranch Machinery Show is produced by Mid-America Expositions, Inc., sponsored by the Mid-America Farm & Ranch Machinery Council and is a member of the North American Farm Show Council consisting of the top 25 shows in the nation.

TRIUMPH OF AGRICULTURE ANNUAL AGRI- AWARD
The Triumph of Agriculture Exposition established the Annual “Agri-Award” as part of Nebraska’s Centennial Celebration, in 1976 to recognize outstanding organizations and individuals that have contributed to the Agricultural Development in the Midwestern area. This year’s winner is Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts.  He will receive the award at the Opening Day Luncheon Wednesday, February 28, at 12 Noon at the CenturyLink Center Omaha.  An additional guest speaker at the Wednesday luncheon will be Pete McClymont, Executive Vice President of Nebraska Cattlemen.  He will present "The State of the Beef Industry".  For more information and to reserve a spot at the luncheon, click on www.showofficeonline.com.  Seminar schedules for both days are also available a the web site. 



ISU Extension and Outreach to Host Monarch and Pollinator Workshops

Iowa landowners who want to be part of the buzz surrounding pollinators can learn more about establishing monarch butterfly and other pollinator habitat on their land at an upcoming series of workshops across the state.

“If you have questions about adding high-diversity habitat for monarchs and other pollinators to your land, these workshops are an excellent opportunity to gather information and begin planning a project,” said Dana Schweitzer, program coordinator for the Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium at Iowa State University.

The workshops are organized and delivered by personnel from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Pheasants Forever, and other Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium partners. Topics will include best management practices for pollinator habitat and a summary of available cost-share programs.

The schedule of workshops is as follows:
    Tuesday, Feb. 20, 6:30-8 p.m., ISU Extension and Outreach Fremont County office, Sidney
    Wednesday, Feb. 21, 6:30-8 p.m., ISU Extension and Outreach Mills County office, Malvern
    Tuesday, Feb. 27, 6:30-8 p.m., ISU Extension and Outreach Mitchell County office, Osage
    Wednesday, Feb. 28, 6-7:30 p.m., County Conservation Bureau office, Maquoketa
    Wednesday, Feb. 28, 6-7 p.m., Northwest Iowa Community College, Sheldon
    Thursday, March 1, 5:30-6:30 p.m., ISU Extension and Outreach Bremer County office, Tripoli
    Thursday, March 1, 6-7:30 p.m., ISU Extension and Outreach Montgomery County office, Red Oak

The mission of the Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium is to enhance monarch reproduction and survival through coordinated efforts of farmers, private citizens and their organizations. Monarch populations have declined markedly over the past 20 years due to a loss of grassland habitat and the elimination of native milkweeds. To address this issue, Farm Bill conservation programs can provide financial and technical assistance to Iowa landowners to implement practices that provide breeding and foraging habitat that is critical to monarchs and other pollinators.

“Pheasants Forever is excited to collaborate with the Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium and the NRCS to increase awareness of best management practices and conservation programs for monarch habitat in Iowa,” said Josh Divan, monarch coordinating biologist with Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever.

Iowa NRCS currently has two conservation program opportunities specially earmarked for landowners to implement monarch habitat practices – the Conservation Stewardship Program and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. The next funding cutoff deadline for CSP is March 2 and for EQIP is March 16.

To attend a workshop, please RSVP with the USDA Service Center or ISU Extension and Outreach office in the host county. If unable attend a workshop, call or visit your local NRCS office for information about ways to provide habitat for monarchs and other pollinators on your land, or go online to www.ia.nrcs.usda.gov.



Frogeye Leaf Spot Fungicide Resistance Confirmed in Iowa Soybean

Researchers in the Iowa State University and University of Kentucky Departments of Plant Pathology have confirmed that isolates of Cercospora sojina, the pathogen that causes frogeye leaf spot of soybean, found in Iowa have shown resistance to quinone outside inhibitor (QoI, strobilurin) fungicides.

Frogeye leaf spot occurs across the United States and significant yield loss can occur when this disease is widespread within a soybean field. Plant pathologists estimate this disease was responsible for more than 17.5 million bushels of lost yield in 2015 across the U.S., with a value of $158.1 million. One method of frogeye leaf spot management and subsequent yield protection has been application of foliar fungicide during pod development. However, overuse or misuse of fungicides can result in decreased management efficacy if targeted pathogens acquire resistance to a fungicide.

“This type of fungicide resistance has been found in neighboring states, so it isn’t surprising that it was found in Iowa,” said Daren Mueller, associate professor and extension plant pathologist at Iowa State. “This pathogen population has a lot of variation, which increases the chance we can select for resistance.”

The pathogen that causes frogeye leaf spot is genetically diverse, which is an important reason why fungicide resistance has occurred. C. sojina resistance to QoI fungicide was first documented in Tennessee in 2010 and has been detected in several other states since then. Isolates of C. sojina were sampled from multiple locations across the state and were tested for resistance using established laboratory protocols at the University of Kentucky. All samples evaluated were found to be resistant. The C. sojina isolates from Iowa in 2017 are the first reported to have QoI fungicide resistance in the state.

“An integrated method of management that doesn’t rely solely on fungicides should be employed,” said Carl Bradley, extension plant pathologist at the University of Kentucky. “Farmers should consider other disease management practices such as crop rotation, planting of frogeye leaf spot-resistant cultivars and applying fungicides with multiple modes of action.”

Fungicides are very important for disease management, and it is critical to preserve the usefulness of these crop protection tools. Fields should be scouted approximately two weeks after fungicide application to determine if the fungicide is working. If you believe fungicide resistance may be an issue in your field, contact an Iowa State University Extension and Outreach field agronomist. For resources on fungicide resistance, visit the Take Action website (http://iwilltakeaction.com).

Funding for this research has been provided by the Soybean Checkoff through the Iowa Soybean Association and United Soybean Board.



CWT Assists with 2.9 Million Pounds of Cheese Export Sales

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted 11 requests for export assistance from cooperatives that have contracts to sell 2.895 million pounds (1,313 metric tons) of Cheddar, Gouda and Monterey Jack cheese to customers in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The product has been contracted for delivery in the period from February through June 2018.

CWT-assisted member cooperative 2018 export sales total 16.795 million pounds of American-type cheeses and 1.590 million pounds of butter (82% milkfat) to 12 countries on four continents. These sales are the equivalent of 190.781 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis.

Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program in the long term helps member cooperatives gain and maintain market share, thus expanding the demand for U.S. dairy products and the U.S. farm milk that produces them. This, in turn, positively affects all U.S. dairy farmers by strengthening and maintaining the value of dairy products that directly impact their milk price.



Kinze Manufacturing Re-Hiring Laid Off Workers

An Iowa agriculture-equipment manufacturer is hiring factory workers as sales continue to improve. Kinze Manufacturing in Williamsburg, which makes planters for row-crop production and grain auger carts, is looking for assemblers, fork truck drivers, CNC operators, machine operators, powder coat painters, robot welders and welders.

"We had a very successful job fair Saturday," said Mike Medhurst, Kinze director of human resources. "We have 100 shop floor openings to fill. I think the job fair will fill 25 percent or 30 percent of the positions. We also have a number of people who have applied online and we are starting to go through those applications. It's not too late for people to continue to apply."

Kinze laid off 121 employees in June 2016, citing sharply reduced orders for equipment as low grain prices prompted farmers to delay purchasing new planters and grain carts.

Medhurst said the company has been able to rehire many of the laid off workers in recent months as business conditions have improved.

Employers contacted for the January Creighton University Mid-America Business Conditions Index cited difficulty in finding and hiring qualified workers as the greatest challenge to their business growth in 2018.



National Ag Coalition Taking California to Court Tuesday Over Unjustified, False Prop 65 Listing

As the state of California attempts to implement a policy that would cause massive damage to American farmers, a national agriculture coalition is going to court tomorrow with a reasonable request: halt California’s extreme action until the judge can consider all of the facts. At issue is California’s unjustified and false Prop 65 listing of glyphosate, one of modern agriculture’s most valuable tools and an industry standard across the world.  

Despite scientific findings from hundreds of studies and conclusions by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and regulatory agencies around the world that glyphosate is safe for use, California ignored facts, data and science, when it added glyphosate to the state’s Prop 65 list.

“While farmers are readying our fields and making plans to put seeds in the ground, California is engaging in aggressive legal wrangling, placing us at risk to crippling liability for using a product that hundreds of studies and the U.S. EPA say is safe for use,” said Gordon Stoner, President of the National Association of Wheat Growers.  “We intend to make clear in this hearing that agriculture is under attack and implementation of this erroneous Prop 65 listing for glyphosate should be halted until there is a final ruling from the judge.”

On Tuesday, the agriculture coalition will make the case for a preliminary injunction in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, which would halt the implementation of the Prop 65 listing until a final ruling is decided by the court.

The National Association of Wheat Growers are the lead plaintiff in the case against California filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California. The plaintiffs include the Agribusiness Association of Iowa, the Agricultural Retailers Association, Associated Industries of Missouri, Iowa Soybean Association, Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, CropLife America, Missouri Farm Bureau, National Corn Growers Association, North Dakota Grain Growers Association, South Dakota Agri-Business Association and United States Durum Growers Association.  In December, the group filed a temporary injunction asking the court to halt the regulation.