Tuesday February 28 Ag News

NEBRASKA CROP VALUES

The value of Nebraska’s 2017 field and miscellaneous crops is forecast at $9.52 billion, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. This is up 1 percent from 2016.

The value of corn production is expected to total $5.55 billion, down 2 percent from the previous marketing year. Nebraska’s corn price is projected to average $3.30 per bushel, down $0.02 from the last marketing year.

The value of soybean production is expected to total $2.95 billion, up 2 percent from the previous marketing year. Nebraska’s soybean price is projected to average $9.05 per bushel, down $0.13 from the last marketing year.



 Nebraska Farmers Union Sponsors College Students Attendance to College Conference on Cooperatives

19 agricultural students and their professors from 3 different Nebraska Colleges traveled to Minneapolis, Minnesota February 15-18th to learn about cooperatives under the guidance of Nebraska Farmers Union (NeFU).  The participating colleges included Northeast Community College at Norfolk, Southeast Community College at Beatrice, and Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture at Curtis.  The College Conference on Cooperatives (CCOC) was attended by more than 100 students from across the country.

The CCOC participants learned about different types of cooperatives from consumer and producer driven co-ops to senior living co-ops. “Cooperatives in Nebraska create nearly 14,000 jobs while contributing $2.2 billion in annual economic impact through sales and investments. The CCOC engages tomorrow’s leaders through a unique platform that teaches them about cooperative business principles and the opportunities available through the cooperative model,” said NeFU President John Hansen.

Students heard from cooperative leaders, farmers and government experts who explained current challenges they face. Presenters ranged from members, directors, employees and managers of traditional and value-added agricultural cooperatives to representatives of housing and worker-owned co-ops. “As a prospective Ag Communications and Ag Education major, I learned about numerous internship opportunities within cooperatives, and how those opportunities can be utilized to both promote cooperatives and advocate the importance of agriculture to urban communities,” said Alex Voichoskie, a Southeast Community College student from Wilcox, NE.

All of the attendees from Nebraska were from rural areas and towns. “I never expected co-ops to be so diverse,” Said Molly Glodowski, a student attending Northeast Community college. “The feedback I received was overwhelmingly positive. From the tour of the Mill City Museum to the general surprise that co-ops are more than just places to buy feed and fertilizer or sell grain. These students learn things they would otherwise never know, ultimately strengthening the ag industry in Nebraska”, said NeFU Program Director Camdyn Kavan.

The annual College Cooperative Conference is co-sponsored by the CHS Foundation in cooperation with the National Farmers Union Foundation.  Nebraska Farmers Union was awarded a grant from the National Farmers Union Foundation to help defray the attendance costs for the Nebraska participants.



2017 NEBRASKA CHICKEN AND EGGS

Nebraska's layer numbers during 2017 averaged 8.17 million, down 8 percent from the year earlier, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. The annual average production per layer on hand in 2017 was 305 eggs, up 5 percent from 2016.

Nebraska egg production during the year ending November 30, 2017 totaled 2.49 billion eggs, down 3 percent from 2016.

Chicken inventory on hand on December 1, 2017 (excluding commercial broilers) was 9.55 million birds, down 10 percent from last year.

The total value of all chickens in Nebraska on December 1, 2017 was $35.3 million, down 15 percent from December 1, 2016. The average value decreased from $3.90 per bird on December 1, 2016, to $3.70 per bird on December 1, 2017.

U.S. Summary
United States Average Number of Layers Up 3 Percent: Layer numbers during 2017 averaged 376 million, up 3 percent from the year earlier. The annual average production per layer on hand in 2017 was 281 eggs, up 1 percent from 2016.

United States Egg Production up 4 percent: Egg production during the year ending November 30, 2017 totaled 106 billion eggs, up 4 percent from 2016. Table egg production, at 92.1 billion eggs, was up 4 percent from the previous year. Hatching egg production, at 13.6 billion eggs, was down 1 percent from 2016.

United States December 1 Chicken Inventory Numbers: The total number of chickens on hand on December 1, 2017 (excluding commercial broilers) was 505 million birds, up 2 percent from last year.

United States Total Value: The total value of all chickens on December 1, 2017 was $2.13 billion, up 2 percent from December 1, 2016. The average value decreased from $4.22 per bird on December 1, 2016, to $4.21 per bird on December 1, 2017.



JAN 2018 NEBRASKA CHICKEN AND EGGS

All layers in Nebraska during January 2018 totaled 7.56 million, down from 8.81 million the previous year, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Nebraska egg production during January totaled 199 million eggs, down from 230 million in 2017. January egg production per 100 layers was 2,633 eggs, compared to 2,606 eggs in 2017.

IOWA
Iowa egg production during January 2018 was 1.30 billion eggs, down 2 percent from last month and down 6 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 January 2018 was 55.6 million, down slightly from last month but up slightly from last year. Eggs per 100 layers for January were 2,331, down 2 percent from last month and down 6 percent from last year.

U.S. January Egg Production Down 1 Percent
United States egg production totaled 8.98 billion during January 2018, down 1 percent from last year. Production included 7.84 billion table eggs, and 1.14 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.06 billion were broiler-type and 79.9 million were egg-type. The total number of layers during January 2018 averaged 382 million, up 1 percent from last year. January egg production per 100 layers was 2,351 eggs, down 2 percent from January 2017.
                                   
All layers in the United States on February 1, 2018 totaled 382 million, up 1 percent from last year. The 382 million layers consisted of 320 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 57.8 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 3.42 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on February 1, 2018, averaged 75.5 eggs per 100 layers, down 2 percent from February 1, 2017.

Egg-Type Chicks Hatched Up 16 Percent
Egg-type chicks hatched during January 2018 totaled 52.2 million, up 16 percent from January 2017. Eggs in incubators totaled 51.4 million on February 1, 2018, up 7 percent from a year ago.

Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 231 thousand during January 2018, up 4 percent from January 2017.

Broiler-Type Chicks Hatched Up 2 Percent
Broiler-type chicks hatched during January 2018 totaled 823 million, up 2 percent from January 2017. Eggs in incubators totaled 674 million on February 1, 2018, up 2 percent from a year ago.

Leading breeders placed 7.07 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during January 2018, down 1 percent from January 2017.



Iowa Cover Crop Acres Grow, but Rate Declines in 2017

According to the Iowa Learning Farms 2017 Field Day Evaluation Report, Iowa cover crop acres grew last year by approximately 22 percent to 760,000 total acres. While the positive growth during a time of shrinking profit margins is notable, the rate of growth is 10 percent less than the growth measured in 2016, and still well below the goal of 12.5 million acres of cover crops called for in Iowa’s Nutrient Reduction Strategy.

Many of the new acres were planted by experienced cover crop farmers. The majority (69 percent) of respondents to Iowa Learning Farms’ year-end evaluation questionnaire started seeding cover crops at least three years ago. Only 11 percent of respondents reported implementing cover crops for the first time on their land last year. Those respondents with cover crops reported an average of 46 percent of their total row crop acres in cover crops — 6 percent more than in 2016.

“It is encouraging to see growth in cover crop use among experienced cover crop farmers, even with low crop prices,” said Jamie Benning, water quality program manager for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. “This growth indicates that farmers are finding value in planting cover crops and want to see those benefits on additional acres.”

The overall percentage of farmers who are using cost share to seed cover crop acres has increased by 7 percent over four years of Iowa Learning Farms evaluation data. Of the respondents seeding cover crops in 2017, 65 percent of them did so with the assistance of cost share.

Iowa Learning Farms sponsored 29 conservation field days and workshops in 2017 on cover crops, strip-tillage, saturated buffers and prairie strips. These events drew an attendance of 1,280 people, primarily farmers and landowners. Twenty-seven percent of Iowa Learning Farms field day attendees were female.

In January 2018, 580 farmers and landowners who attended Iowa Learning Farms field days were mailed an evaluation questionnaire to investigate whether they made changes to their farming practices. In a one-month period, 251 evaluation questionnaires were returned for a 42 percent response rate.



Senate Confirms Northey For Key USDA Job

The National Pork Producers Council applauded today’s Senate confirmation of Bill Northey for key a position in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The upper house approved the nominee by voice vote.

Northey, who is serving his third term as Iowa’s agriculture secretary, will be USDA’s undersecretary for farm production and conservation.

“Secretary Northey will be great asset at USDA for U.S. agriculture,” said NPPC President Ken Maschhoff, a pork producer from Carlyle, Ill. “Farmers and ranchers couldn’t ask for a better person to lead this important USDA department.”

Before heading the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Northey served as president of the National Corn Growers Association and on Iowa’s USDA Farm Service Agency state committee. He also was a Dickinson County (Iowa) Soil and Water Conservation District commissioner.

In his job at USDA, Northey will oversee the Farm Service Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Risk Management Agency. Programs within those departments include crop insurance, conservation, disaster assistance and producer lending services.

“The secretary is a farmer and has been a great leader for Iowa agriculture over the past 11 years,” Maschhoff said. “He’s coming to USDA at a critical time, with Congress getting down to work on the next Farm Bill, which the livestock industry wants to include a vaccine bank to address a Foot-and-Mouth Disease outbreak.”



Northey statement on Senate confirmation

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey issued the following statement following the U.S. Senate confirming him to serve as the Under Secretary of Agriculture.  The timing for Northey’s resignation and swearing-in is still being finalized and will be announced at a later date.

“It is a tremendous honor for me to be confirmed to serve as an Under Secretary of Agriculture.  I want to thank President Trump for nominating me and Secretary Perdue for his support and encouragement throughout the confirmation process. I also want to thank Iowa Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst for their strong support and their tireless work on behalf of my nomination. I greatly appreciate Chairman Roberts, Ranking Member Stabenow and the entire Senate Ag Committee for their bipartisan support of my nomination. I look forward to continuing to work closely with them in this new role.

“While this process has taken longer than expected, I remain as excited as ever to work with Secretary Perdue and the staff at USDA to support of our nation’s farmers and ranchers.

“I want to express my deep appreciation to the people of Iowa for affording me the opportunity to serve in this role for the past eleven years. Working with and learning from the men and women who make Iowa agriculture the dynamic and productive industry that feeds the world has been honor of a lifetime.”



Secretary Perdue Statement on Confirmation of Bill Northey for Key USDA Post

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today applauded the Senate’s long-awaited confirmation of Bill Northey to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Northey will serve as Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Service (FFAS)*.

Perdue issued the following statement:

“I applaud Bill Northey’s patience over these many months, which demonstrates what a strong leader he will be at USDA.  We thank everyone who worked on his confirmation.  Bill will come aboard at a crucial time, as his knowledge and expertise will be immediately put to use as the new Farm Bill is formulated to address the needs of American farmers.  In addition, his leadership will be key in the newly-constituted mission area, where the Farm Service Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Risk Management Agency will be providing an even better customer experience.  I am excited to finally have Bill on board.”

*NOTE: As part of a reorganization of USDA, Secretary Perdue has created, the President appointed, and the Senate confirmed a new Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, as directed by the 2014 Farm Bill.  The creation of the new mission area prompted the realignment of several agencies under a newly-named Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC), the position for which Northey is intended. FPAC will encompass the USDA’s domestic-facing agencies: the Farm Service Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Risk Management Agency.



IOWA CORN FARMERS APPLAUD SECRETARY NORTHEY’S APPOINTMENT TO U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
ICGA PRESIDENT MARK RECKER

On behalf of Iowa corn farmers, we congratulate Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey on his appointment by U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC). Throughout his distinguished tenure as Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, he has been a tireless advocate for Iowa’s corn farmers, and we are thankful to have someone with such a deep agricultural leadership background in this vital position.

It is good to see one of our own rise through the ranks to this well-deserved appointment. Throughout his career in agriculture, Northey has been a leader in a variety of farm groups including serving as Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) President from 1991-92 and as National Corn Growers Association President and Chairman in 1995-97.

Northey is a fourth-generation Iowa farmer that grows corn and soybeans on his farm near Spirit Lake. In his three-terms as Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, he has promoted science and technology-based solutions to better conserve our soil, water and air, helped to expand ethanol infrastructure in our state and helped tell the story of Iowa agriculture including through his avid use of social media.

In his new role as USDA's Undersecretary of Farm Production and Conservation, he will oversee the Farm Service Agency, Risk Management Agency and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

We look forward to working with him on several important issues including pushing for new markets for agricultural exports, expanding the role of higher blends of ethanol in our nation’s fuel supply, preserving funding for risk management and conservation programs in the 2018 Farm Bill and the roll out of the GMO labeling standard.



Iowa Soybean Association commends confirmation of Sec. Northey to USDA post
Iowa Soybean Association President Bill Shipley

“While it took longer than expected, Bill Northey’s confirmation as Under Secretary of Agriculture is appropriately timed given the important decisions occurring in Washington.

"Issues impacting the profitability of the state’s farmers continue to grow, including the writing of a new farm bill, maintaining and opening new trade markets for Iowa-grown soybeans, and keeping policies and regulations in place that favor a strong ag economy. Farmers are best-served when leaders are able to make decisions, meaning this is not only a win for Iowa producers but for all of U.S. agriculture.

“Bill has worked tirelessly for Iowa farmers and we look forward to him bringing his extensive experience to the national level. We’re confident he will be a great asset to the experienced and talented team in place at the USDA and continue to represent agriculture and the state of Iowa with the utmost passion and integrity.”



IPPA congratulates Sec. Northey on Senate Confirmation
Gregg Hora, President, Iowa Pork Producers Association

"Iowa's pork producers congratulate Sec. Northey on his confirmation and applaud him for enduring this longer than anticipated process. He has been a true friend to the industry and a great advocate for Iowa agriculture. We wish him well in his new position representing agriculture and farmers' interest across the United States and look forward to his service with USDA."



ASA Welcomes Northey's Senate Confirmation

The American Soybean Association (ASA) congratulates Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey following his confirmation by the Senate earlier today as the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation. Northey now awaits the formal swearing-in process. ASA President John Heisdorffer, a farmer from Keota, Iowa, issued the organization's congratulations via statement from the 2018 Commodity Classic in California.

"All of us at ASA are very happy for Bill. As an Iowa farmer, I've been fortunate to work collaboratively with him to move Iowa agriculture forward, and I'm excited to see him take his skills to USDA so that farmers can benefit nationwide.

"We'd like to thank the Senate for moving Bill's nomination forward. Specifically, Senators Chuck Grassley, Joni Ernst, Debbie Stabenow and Amy Klobuchar have been instrumental in not only gathering support for the nomination, but also working to move past those issues that have delayed his confirmation to date.

"USDA impacts not just farmers but all Americans on so many different levels, but we can't realize those impacts without good people like Bill in the right spots. As Under Secretary, Bill will be a great advocate for U.S. Soybean farmers and we look forward to working with him in this capacity."



STATEMENT FROM NEBRASKA FARM BUREAU PRESIDENT STEVE NELSON ON BILL NORTHEY CONFIRMATION

“After a long four months wait, Nebraska’s farmers and ranchers finally have Bill Northey in place at the Department of Agriculture.”

“While it is unfortunate this overtly qualified nominee was placed in the middle of a needless political battle over the Renewable Fuel Standard, he now joins the long slate of solid leaders working with Secretary Perdue at the United States Department of Agriculture.”

“We look forward to working with Mr. Northey in his new role especially as we look to draft and implement the next farm bill.”



NCGA Statement on Bill Northey’s Confirmation as Undersecretary at USDA
Kevin Skunes, president of the National Corn Growers Association

“After a needless four-month delay, farmers across the country will be well-served with Bill Northey finally on the job at USDA,” Skunes said.

Skunes also addressed the Tuesday morning meeting at the White House in his remarks.

“Farmers are so grateful to Iowa Senators Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley for representing farmers at the White House with integrity and steadfast support,” Skunes added. “We could not ask for better representatives.

“Today in Washington President Trump, officials from USDA and EPA, and Senators met to discuss issues affecting the RFS. There was no deal cut at this meeting. While no deal was made at this meeting, some participants tried to sell a deal.

“Our farmers cannot afford any deal that undermines demand for ethanol.  We continue to believe the elusive win-win solution involves regulatory parity for E15 and higher blends of ethanol, essentially allowing year-round sales of E15, and improved transparency in the RIN marketplace. Parity for higher blends would increase the supply of RINs and lower RIN values, allowing the RFS to work as it is intended. Farmers understand how supply affects price.

“A cap on RIN values hurts farmers because it reduces ethanol consumption below current levels. This reduction in corn use will push already low corn prices even lower.

“Just last November, the EPA concluded RIN values are not causing economic harm to refiners. The failings of one company should not be used to destroy a successful energy policy that serves not only millions of farmers who rely on strong market demand created by the RFS, but also the hundreds of ethanol and biodiesel plants and tens of thousands of plant workers.”



Sasse Talks NAFTA With Canadian Ambassador

U.S. Senator Ben Sasse met with David MacNaughton, Canadian Ambassador to the United States, to talk about the importance and benefits of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

"Trade is a win-win for Nebraskans and Canadians. Canada and Mexico are Nebraska’s largest trading partners, and that means NAFTA is a good deal for our state. We need to make sure we have markets that let Nebraskans keep feeding the world. I'm committed to trade, the Ambassador is committed to trade, and Nebraska thrives with trade.”

"I told Ambassador MacNaughton that maple syrup may be good for breakfast but Nebraska beef is great for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Joking or not, these are just undeniable facts."



 Smith Meets with President Trump on Trade

Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement today after meeting with President Donald Trump and a small group of fellow House members at the White House to discuss trade.

“I appreciate President Trump’s invitation to join today’s discussion on the importance of strong trade policy to our economy – and especially to U.S. agriculture,” Smith said.  “As the representative of the top-producing ag district in the country, I see it as a great responsibility to share the story of NAFTA’s successes for Nebraska ag.  Our producers depend on these billion-dollar export markets, as 45 percent of our state’s ag exports go to Canada and Mexico.

“In our meeting, I stressed the necessity of a strong NAFTA for agriculture as well as reducing other trade barriers such as Japan’s tariff on U.S. beef.  I will keep sharing the importance of trade with the Trump administration, fellow Members of Congress, and our trade partners to strengthen market access for producers.”

Smith continues to advocate for the importance of trade to Nebraska agriculture.  In January, he served on the congressional delegation to NAFTA negotiations in Montreal.  Later this week, he will travel to Mexico City for the next round of NAFTA talks.

Smith has also introduced a resolution in the House to urge the establishment of a trade agreement with Japan.



U.S.-Mexico Dairy Trade Generates Billions in Economic Activity, According to New Analysis

The current free trade agreement with Mexico is the driving force behind $1.2 billion in U.S. dairy exports to our southern neighbor, as well as billions more in economic contributions, according to an analysis released today by Informa Economics.

Mexico is the No. 1 market for U.S. dairy product exports, accounting for roughly one-fourth of total U.S. exports. In 2016, the most recent year examined by Informa, the United States shipped $1.2 billion worth of dairy products to Mexico, up from $201 million in 2002. In 2016, Mexico accounted for 45 percent of total U.S. skim milk powder exports to all destinations, as well as 30 percent of cheese exports, 10 percent of butter exports and 8 percent of whey exports.

According to the analysis, total economic contributions (direct, indirect and induced) created by dairy sales to Mexico show the true importance of these exports to the overall U.S. economy. Including impacts to industries that are linked to U.S. dairy exports to Mexico, the aggregate 2012-2016 output value of $6.7 billion is magnified to $23.3 billion in economic output.

Informa’s analysis found that for every $1 of sales associated with dairy exports to Mexico, an additional $2.50 in output (industry sales) is supported elsewhere in the U.S. economy. U.S. dairy exports to Mexico also created 16,492 full-time equivalent jobs while directly generating an aggregate GDP of $8.4 billion over that five-year period.

“This analysis not only illustrates the importance of preserving existing market access to Mexico under North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), but also demonstrates why we are urgently pursuing new opportunities via U.S. free trade agreements around the globe,” said U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) President and CEO Tom Vilsack. “Virtually every U.S. free trade agreement to date has yielded positive results for dairy, and current negotiations hold great potential for the industry.”

The authors of the analysis note that under NAFTA, U.S. exports of dairy products to Mexico are duty free. This provides a significant advantage to the United States because export competitors shipping to Mexico are subject to MFN tariff rates of 20-45 percent on cheese, 45 percent on skim milk powder and 10 percent on whey products.

“Without NAFTA, the United States would be paying higher tariffs in terms of MFN tariff rates of 20 to 45 percent, or the same levels as its competitors,” the authors wrote.

Some competitors, including the European Union (EU), are already negotiating trade agreements with Mexico that could make their exports more competitive in the Mexican market.

“As this analysis shows, the relationship between the U.S. and Mexican dairy sectors is of great importance, not just to our producers, but to our economy as a whole,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF). “We are committed to working toward a modernized NAFTA agreement that preserves this open and dependable trade relationship with Mexico, while removing massive barriers to dairy trade with Canada that were not adequately addressed in the original agreement.”

The analysis notes that while transportation advantages will continue with or without NAFTA, these logistical advantages would, at best, only partially offset economic losses in terms of business sales, GDP and jobs.

The study also reviews the potential increase in competition through the renegotiation of the EU-Mexico free trade agreement and the implementation of the newly established Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP-11) negotiations. Both negotiations could improve market access for competitor dairy product exports to Mexico.



Federal Judge Rules in Favor of Agriculture Coalition’s Request to Halt California’s ‘False and Misleading’ Prop 65 Labeling of Glyphosate

Citing harm to the nation's agriculture economy, Judge William Shubb of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting California from implementing its “false and misleading” Prop 65 labeling requirement for the herbicide glyphosate. The injunction was sought by more than a dozen leading agriculture groups and supported by eleven attorneys general across the U.S. The preliminary injunction will halt California’s labeling requirement until a final ruling on the matter is issued by the court. 

“Farmers work tirelessly to put food on America’s tables, and Glyphosate is a vital tool that growers have trusted to provide safe, affordable food,” said Chandler Goule, Chief Executive Officer for the National Wheat Growers Association, the lead plaintiff in the case.  “Every regulatory body in the world that has reviewed glyphosate has found it safe for use and no available product matches glyphosate with a comparable health and environmental safety profile. We are pleased Judge Stubb granted our request, which is the first step in our efforts to prevent California from forcing farmers, growers and manufacturers to place false and misleading labels on agricultural products. California’s erroneous Prop 65 listing of glyphosate is not based on data, facts or science and we look forward to continuing to make our case to the court.”

Judge Shubb made the following statements when issuing his ruling granting the agriculture coalition’s request for a preliminary junction:

“As applied to glyphosate, the required warnings are false and misleading. Plaintiffs have thus established a likelihood of success on the merits of their claim that the warning requirement violates their First Amendment rights.” (p. 17)

“[Given] the heavy weight of evidence in the record that glyphosate is not in fact known to cause cancer, the required warning is factually inaccurate and controversial.” (p. 16)

“However, a reasonable consumer would not understand that a substance is ‘known to cause cancer’ where only one health organization had found that the substance in question causes cancer and virtually all other government agencies and health organizations that have reviewed studies on the chemical had found there was no evidence that it caused cancer. Under these facts, the message that glyphosate is known to cause cancer is misleading at best.” (p. 14)

“It is inherently misleading for a warning to state that a chemical is known to the state of California to cause cancer based on the finding of one organization (which as noted above, only found that substance is probably carcinogenic), when apparently all other regulatory and governmental bodies have found the opposite, including the EPA, which is one of the bodies California law expressly relies on in determining whether a chemical causes cancer.” (pp. 15-16)

Glyphosate is approved for application in over 250 agricultural crops throughout the United States.  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.

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.



MONSANTO LAUNCHES APP TO HELP GROWERS AND APPLICATORS SUCCESSFULLY APPLY XTENDIMAX® HERBICIDE

Monsanto Company is launching a free mobile app to help growers and applicators successfully apply XtendiMax® Herbicide with VaporGrip® Technology, the Company announced today. The RRXtend Spray App is a grower- and applicator-focused digital tool that provides location-specific weather forecasts, digital record keeping capabilities and educational resources related to the Roundup Ready® Xtend Crop System. Growers can download the app for free on the Apple App Store® and on Google Play®.

“Providing relevant weather information and forecasting through the RRXtend Spray App is another way we are working to ensure that growers and applicators have the training, education and resources to have a successful 2018 season,” said Ryan Rubischko, Monsanto’s North America dicamba portfolio lead. “We believe this app will help applicators conveniently see forecasts for their fields for important weather-related label requirements as they apply XtendiMax herbicide. Combined with outstanding yields, excellent weed control and seamless customer support, this app is just one more tool for the Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System.”

The app includes three main features, all to help users achieve successful, on-target applications of XtendiMax herbicide:
· The weather forecast tool helps growers and applicators plan their applications by predicting weather conditions and inversion risk for their fields. It provides field-level location specific hourly forecasts of temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, and inversion risk. The inversion-risk forecast shows the probability (in percent) of an inversion occurring at a specific location. The weather forecasts leverage both publicly available weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and unique models by Climate Corporation weather scientists. Growers must confirm compliant conditions according to the label before spraying.

· The record-keeping feature gives applicators an easy way to comply with mandatory dicamba record keeping requirements when applying XtendiMax with VaporGrip Technology. App users can save and export multiple field records and store them on a mobile device.

· The educational resource section connects growers to key resources including training information, materials on approved tank mixes and nozzles, and educational videos featuring insights on methods used in the forecast tool.

The app is one additional element of Monsanto’s commitments to provide our customers with the training, resources and tools to have a successful season with the Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System. In addition to the mobile tool, Monsanto is providing hundreds of free, in-person training sessions to help reinforce proper use of low-volatility dicamba formulations to control weeds. Under the new federal Restricted Use Pesticide label, training is mandatory for all applicators prior to using low-volatility dicamba formulations, including XtendiMax with VaporGrip Technology.

Growers are encouraged to visit http://www.roundupreadyxtend.com/training to review training dates and locations and to register to attend. New training dates are being added to the site regularly.

For more information on the Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System, visit http://www.roundupreadyxtend.com.



BASF launches digital tools to promote stewardship best practices for Engenia herbicide applications

BASF debuted new stewardship resources today during the Commodity Classic tradeshow in Anaheim, California. The resources will aid growers planning to use Engenia® herbicide by providing easy-to-access information on application best practices.

The new digital resources, available at www.engeniastewardship.com, include an updated online training module and a mobile-friendly resource center. The mobile resource center contains a breakdown of the Engenia herbicide label, tools to help recognize a temperature inversion, a checklist of application requirements, video demonstrations and a record keeping form. With training materials now available instantly, growers will have access to these important resources in the field, at home or on the go.

“We spoke with growers about their experiences with Engenia herbicide and incorporated their feedback into our new stewardship resources and our updated spray application training materials for 2018,” said Chad Asmus, BASF Technical Marketing Manager. “We will continue providing ongoing in-person training sessions, and with these digital tools, growers and applicators will have access to the valuable stewardship resources wherever and whenever they need it.”

BASF worked closely with state agencies to develop required training materials for those planning to apply Engenia herbicide this upcoming season. Before applying Engenia herbicide, applicators must receive dicamba or auxin-specific training.* By attending in-person or completing online training, applicators and growers can learn application best practices for applying Engenia herbicide, such as selecting the correct nozzle type, boom height, wind speed requirements and more. Since December, more than 10,000 people have received in-person training from BASF.

Also during Commodity Classic, BASF is showcasing a virtual reality experience to illustrate how the unique chemistry of Engenia herbicide works. This immersive digital experience provides a deep dive into the molecular makeup of the herbicide, explaining how Engenia’s BAPMA salt helps lower the volatility potential by up to 90 percent compared to dicamba herbicides with diglycolamine (DGA) salt.

To learn more about Engenia herbicide and application requirements, visit EngeniaStewardship.com.