Friday May 11 Ag News

NBC Board Conference Call May 21,2018

The Nebraska Beef Council will have a conference call on Monday, May 21, 2018 beginning at 12:00 p.m. CDT at the Nebraska Beef Council office at 1319 Central Ave. Kearney, NE. The NBC Board of Directors will discuss Nebraska Department of Ag. - Japan MWJA.  Please contact Pam Esslinger at pam@nebeef.org 



NE Corn Board to Meet

The Nebraska Corn Board will hold its next meeting on Friday, June 8, 2018 at Cattle National Bank & Trust, 104 South 5th Street in Seward, Nebraska.

The meeting is open to the public, providing the opportunity for public comment.  The Board will conduct regular board business, consider funding requests and set the budget for fiscal year 2018-2019.  The meeting is open to the public.  A copy of the agenda is available by writing the Nebraska Corn Board, PO Box 95107, Lincoln, NE  68509, sending an email to susan.zabel@nebraska.gov or calling 402/471-2676.



Ricketts Proclaims May as Renewable Fuels Month in Nebraska

During an official proclamation ceremony on May 7, 2018, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts proclaimed the month of May as Renewable Fuels Month. Since 2006, the acting Nebraska governor has dedicated one month out of each year to recognize the importance of renewable biofuels to the state.

Currently, over 90% of all fuel in Nebraska, is blended with locally-produced ethanol. There are over 230,000 flex fuel vehicles in the state, which equates to roughly 1 in 7 Nebraska vehicles. In 2017, over 2.1 billion gallons of ethanol and nearly 6.4 million metric tons of distillers grains (livestock feed) were produced through Nebraska’s 25 ethanol plants. Over 1,300 people in rural Nebraska were directly employed by the industry with an average salary of more than $50,000.

“Nebraska’s ethanol industry is really a win for everyone,” said Dave Merrell, chairman of the Nebraska Corn Board and farmer from St. Edward. “By using ethanol, we’re reducing greenhouse gas emissions and limiting cancer-causing toxic chemicals from entering into our atmosphere, which makes our air cleaner to breathe. Additionally, we produce a locally-grown feed for our livestock industry.”

With more than 1 billion gallons being produced across the country, soy biodiesel is another important biofuel for Nebraska. Like ethanol, biodiesel is burns cleaner than petroleum diesel, is locally produced and helps our nation’s farmers. Biodiesel adds $0.74 per bushel to the value of soybeans, and the industry supports more than 60,000 U.S. jobs and $2.6 billion in wages.

“As a Nebraska farmer, I feel a great amount of pride in the work we all do to provide our world with a safe and abundant supply of food, fuel and fiber,” said Tony Johanson, chairman of the Nebraska Soybean Board and farmer from Oakland. “We know we need ensure the sustainability of our planet, but how sustainable are we if we’re burning fossil fuels? By producing and using renewable fuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, we were able to replace the need for 540 million barrels of imported crude oil and 2.9 million gallons of imported petroleum diesel in 2017. That’s significant.”

The 2018 Lincoln National Guard Marathon/Half Marathon kicked off Renewable Fuels Month on Sunday, May 6, 2018. The event was sponsored by American Ethanol, which used the event as a platform to engage with runners and spectators about the clean-air benefits of using ethanol. Renewable Fuels Month is being coordinated through the Nebraska Corn Board, the Nebraska Ethanol Board and the Nebraska Soybean Board. Several educational events are being held during the month to promote renewable fuels. Four pump promotions will be held throughout the state in May. During these events, ethanol blends and biodiesel will be available at steep discounts. To learn more about these events, click here... http://americanethanolne.org/renewable-fuels-promo/. 



POSTEMERGENCE WEED CONTROL IN ALFALFA
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist

               Are weeds showing up in your new alfalfa?  If they get thick, your alfalfa will suffer.  Check your fields today after listening to some options to control those weeds.

               Alfalfa seedlings compete poorly with weeds.  Control decisions can be difficult.  Vigorous weed growth this spring might be making it extra tough for your seedlings to compete with these weeds.

               When weeds, especially broadleaf weeds, threaten seedling alfalfa, one common method to control them is mowing.  If used, adjust mowing height so several leaves remain on alfalfa seedlings after clipping to help your alfalfa seedlings regrow rapidly.  Also, do not smother small seedlings with clippings.  So mow weeds before they get so tall that they produce a large quantity of clippings.

               If you would rather spray broadleaf weeds than mow them, use either Buctril, Butyrac, Pursuit, or Raptor.  Buctril controls most small broadleaf weeds fairly inexpensively, but alfalfa injury can occur when temperatures exceed 80 degrees.  If you expect those high temperatures when you spray, it might be better to use Butyrac, Pursuit, or Raptor.  These herbicides control most small broadleaf weeds, but weeds must be less than three inches tall or results will be inconsistent.  Pursuit and Raptor are more expensive but their soil activity will continue to control weeds throughout much of the season.

               Mowing is not very effective with grassy weeds.  To kill grassy weeds use Poast or Select.  Use the appropriate adjuvant

and make sure you spray before grasses get 4 inches tall or control will be spotty.

               Weeds reduce growth of new alfalfa by shading and competing for moisture.  You can prevent these problems by acting quickly.  Exam your fields soon and control weeds as needed.



Nebraska Farmers Union Hosts Unconventional State Capitol Rotunda Press Conference for Two NeFU Member Candidates Under Attack from Dark Money Attack Radio Ads

Nebraska Farmers Union(NeFU) and Nebraska Farmers Union’s Political Action Committee, NEBFARMPAC sponsored a very unconventional press conference in the Nebraska Capitol Rotunda Friday morning.

NeFU President and NEBFARMPAC Secretary John Hansen served as moderator for the press conference.  He started the conference by thanking the dozens of local supporters who came to support Myron Dorn running for Legislative District 30 and Tom Brandt running for Legislative District 32.

Hansen pointed out that NeFU research had documented that $22,190.10 of dark money attack ads had been purchased for the last ten days of the primary campaign to attack Myron Dorn, and $27,065 to attack Tom Brandt, for a total of $49,255.10 by the 10th Amendment Project based in Herndon, Virginia.  He also pointed out that Ricketts family had well documented ties to the Future 45 group and the Future 45 group that share the same director and treasurer and funders with the 10th Amendment Project.  He said Pete Ricketts donated $5,000 to both Al Riskowski in District 32 and Joe Murray in District 30.

Hansen provided the media with thick packets documenting the dollars spent to purchase negative attack radio buys which did not include the growing number of negative direct mail attack pieces aimed at both candidates, or the cost of potential robocalls.  He also said the pattern of 2016 was being repeated in 2018 where candidates in races against Ricketts endorsed candidates were attacked by a flood of dark money in three high profile races.

NEBFARMPAC President Vern Jantzen of Plymouth pointed out that both of these Republican candidates are well thought of and well respected pillars of their communities.  “If outside dark money can attack family farmers running for legislature, how can we find people willing to put themselves and their families through such a brutal process in the future?”

LD32 Candidate Myron Dorn thanked his supporters, and provided a detailed explanation of the inaccurate charges made against him in the attack ads claiming he had not paid his property taxes on time, and had given himself pay raises as Chairman of the Gage County Board of Supervisors. 

LD30 Candidate Tom Brandt also thanked his many supporters, and explained his campaign priorities, which are why he filed for office.  He said phone calls from farmers across the District were pouring in who were outraged at the twisted and distorted way he was being described as a selfish millionaire because he wanted to both adequately fund education and provide real property tax relief.  He and Myron Dorn both made it clear they did not support Governor Ricketts LB947 that provided a corporate income tax rate reduction.  Both candidates answered questions from the press.

John Hansen, NEBFARMPAC Secretary said, “In the past, Nebraska governors have occasionally made endorsements for legislature, but Governor Ricketts’ level of involvement in the election of state senators is unprecedented.  Tracking the source of dark money used to finance attack ads is difficult by design.  That is the whole point of using unidentified money.  When it comes to candidates running against Ricketts recruited and supported candidates, you are either the anointed one, or the targeted one. ”



Cash Rents Slightly Up in Iowa

Rental rates for Iowa farmland increased for the first time since 2013, according to the results of the Cash Rental Rates for Iowa 2018 Survey conducted by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

“Cash rents seem to be following land values instead of expected farm profitability,” said Alejandro Plastina, assistant professor in economics and extension economist at Iowa State University. “If current prospects for corn and soybean prices don’t improve in the short run, the observed increase in cash rents for 2018 might be short-lived and I would expect further declines in rental rates in the coming years.”

In 2018, rental rates increased by 1.4 percent to $222 per acre statewide, with increases in prices shown in all regions but the south-central and southeast regions. The largest increase in prices came from District 5, a $9 jump in the counties making up the central region of the state. The largest decline in prices came from District 9, a $6 drop in the counties making up the south-central region of the state.

District 4, which includes 12 counties in the west-central part of Iowa, had an average rental rate of $236 per acre for 2018, that is $5 below the 2017 average rental rate of $231.  On a county basis, the average rental rate for tillable land was: Woodbury $246, Manona $226 ($259 irrigated), and Harrison $234 ($262 irrigated). 

The highest average cash rent was observed in the District 5 (central region) at $290 per acre in Grundy County.  District 8, the south-central region, continues to have the lowest rental rate at $126 per acre in Clarke County.

The cumulative drop in rental rates since their peak of $270 per acre in 2013 is a meager 17.8 percent. Over the same period of time, corn and soybean prices received by Iowa farmers declined by 52 and 37 percent, respectively.

Rental values were estimated by asking people familiar with land rental markets what they thought were typical rates in their county. Of the 1,596 responses received, 47 percent came from farm operators, 29 percent from landowners, 13 percent from professional farm managers and realtors, 9 percent from agricultural lenders and 2 percent from other professionals.

The Cash Rental Rates for Iowa 2018 Survey is available online from the Iowa State Extension Store at this link... https://store.extension.iastate.edu/Product/1841 ...and the Ag Decision Maker.



Harrison/Crawford County Corn Growers Hold Iowa Sec of Ag Candidate Forum

The Harrison/Crawford County Corn Growers Association will host an Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Candidate Forum on May 23 from 7-9 p.m. at the Boulders Conference Center at 2507 Boulder Drive in Denison, Iowa. This event will provide a special opportunity for a question and answer panel discussion with all six of the candidates vying for the Iowa Secretary of Agriculture position.

Those six candidates in alphabetical order include:
-    Ray Gaesser, a farmer and former President of the American Soybean Association
-    Tim Gannon a farmer, crop insurance agent and a former USDA official for Tom Vilsack
-    Chad Ingels, a farmer and former Iowa State University Extension Watershed Specialist
-    Craig Lang, a farmer and former President of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation
-    Mike Naig, current Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, formerly the Deputy Sec. of Agriculture
-    Dan Zumbach, a farmer, and current Iowa State Senator

The discussion will be moderated by veteran Farm Broadcaster and former Iowa Corn District 4 Field Manager Bruce Gaarder. This candidate forum is free and open to the public. It will provide a unique opportunity for the citizens of West Central Iowa to hear from all six candidates in one location, helping them decide who to vote for in the upcoming primary on June 5 and ultimately the general election this coming November.

For more information contact Harrison/Crawford County Corn Growers Association President Larry Buss (712) 269-2989, l-buss@windstream.net.



New Report Showcases Improvements In The Beef Industry That Are Leading To Healthier Animals, Better Beef, Smarter Resource Use And Stronger Communities

A new report released today highlights producers’ commitment to animal welfare, beef quality, sustainability and community involvement by America’s cattlemen and women resulting in responsibly raised beef.

The Cattlemen’s Stewardship Review (CSR), funded by the Beef Checkoff and completed in late 2017, is the second of its kind and compiles data collected from telephone interviews of 679 cattlemen and women across the country. Conducted by Aspen Media on behalf of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, the interviews were proportionate to Agricultural Census region population numbers. The first CSR survey, completed in 2010 set a benchmark for the cattle industry. The new report shows that in the years since, improvements have been made in all four areas of the cattle industry outlined below.  In addition, the report includes a comprehensive profile of the beef community today, the impact of beef production to the U.S. economy and the research-based tools and resources used to raise beef.

“A national survey of this scale provides an overview of producer commitment and progress across the cattle industry,” Kendal Frazier, CEO of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff. “By looking so broadly at how American cattlemen and women run their businesses, we are able to assess not only basic demographics, but management practices and values to help consumers better understand the role farmers and ranchers play in their communities as both beef producers and neighbors.”

View the Full Report HERE...  https://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/Media/BIWFD/Docs/beef-csr-report-2017-final.pdf. 



Secretary Perdue Names FSA Administrator

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced today the appointment of Richard Fordyce to serve as Administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA). In his role, Fordyce will provide leadership for FSA and its mission to support agricultural production across America through a network of over 2,100 county and 50 state offices.

“As a fourth-generation farmer, Richard brings firsthand knowledge and experience to this role,” Secretary Sonny Perdue said. “I am confident that he will continue to help USDA become the most efficient, effective customer focused agency in the federal government as he leads this customer focused mission area.”

Richard Fordyce most recently served as State Executive Director for FSA in Missouri. Prior to his appointment by the Trump Administration, Fordyce served as the director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture from 2013 to 2017. In 2015, Fordyce was awarded the Missouri Farm Bureau Distinguished Service Award and the Agricultural Leaders of Tomorrow Alumnus of the Year. He and his wife, Renee, have two children and grow soybeans, corn and beef cattle on the family farm.



Subcommittee Passes FY 2019 Ag Appropriations Bill

This week the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee held a meeting to mark up the FY 2019 Agriculture Appropriations Bill. The bill provides funding for programs to support farmers, rural communities, nutrition and food and drug safety. In total, the bill allows for $145.09 billion in funding. The legislation supports funding for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to support programs that help control and eradicate harmful pests and diseases. The bill increases FY 2019 funding for APHIS by $16.5 million to $998.4 million.

The bill also includes $1.713 billion to support farmers and ranchers through farm programs, conservation and emergency loan programs. In addition to support for domestic agriculture, the bill contains $1.92 billion to support programs to promote U.S. agricultural exports and overseas food aid. These programs will help decrease chronic hunger by providing American-grown food throughout the world. The bill was approved by a voice vote without any amendments. Subcommittee Chairman Robert Aderholt said he expects the full Appropriations committee to consider the bill sometime in the middle of next week.



HOUSE COMMITTEE REAUTHORIZES ANIMAL DRUG APPROVAL LAWS

The House Energy and Commerce Committee on Wednesday approved legislation reauthorizing the Animal Drug User Fee Act (ADUFA) and the Animal Generic Drug User Fee Act (AGDUFA), which authorize the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to collect from animal health companies fees for reviewing animal drug applications and allow the agency to supplement its budget for the rigorous appraisal of animal drugs.

The measure includes a new provision that expands FDA authority for conditional approval of new animal drugs, addressing serious and life-threatening unmet medical needs for major animal species. Conditional approval allows an animal drug to be available for use before all necessary data for approval is collected, but after the drug is deemed safe for use, so long as it is expected to be effective. The provision expands FDA’s authority to conditionally approve new animal drugs from minor use and minor species to major use and major species.

With the laws set to expire Sept. 30, renewal of ADUFA and AGDUFA will avoid disruption in the availability of new animal drugs to the livestock production industry.



FSBC Helps Promote Beef To International Audience at WMC

Already an international hit, beef will be in the global spotlight May 31 when the Federation of State Beef Councils helps sponsor a special dinner and appetizers for participants of the 22nd World Meat Congress in Dallas, Texas.

The WMC is held biennially and allows international experts in the beef, pork, lamb and veal industries to discuss issues affecting livestock and meat production around the globe. This year the event is being hosted by the International Meat Secretariat and the U.S. Meat Export Federation. It is the first time the WMC has been held in the United States in more than 20 years.

Chef Laura Hagen of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff Program, helped design the menu to showcase beef to buyers from around the world. Among the beef items on the menu for the event’s USMEF Beef Team Seminar and Dinner will be a Tender Pepper Rubbed Strip Steak, as well as a Top Sirloin Caprese Skewer and Grilled Salsa Flank Steak appetizer. All of the beef items to be served can be found on the beef industry’s “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.” website, www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com, which is managed by NCBA as a beef checkoff contractor.

“This is a great opportunity to highlight the wonderful taste, quality and variety of beef with some of the world’s leading beef experts,” according to Dawn Caldwell, a Nebraska beef producer and Federation chair. “At the same time, we look forward to discussing with these leaders the great care with which we raise what we think is the best beef in the world.”

During the dinner, attendees will also view the new “Rethink the Ranch” video to highlight the care producers take to produce world famous U.S. beef. The video showcases the entire process of U.S. beef production.

Among the attendees of the 2018 WMC will be producers, exporters, marketing specialists, policy analysts, economists and meat scientists. A division of NCBA, the Federation has supported work of the USMEF to assure consumers around the world understand the benefits of featuring U.S. beef on their tables.

Helping sponsor the May 31 event is the National Corn Board.



Rapid Growth of Blockchain Brings Opportunity to Ag

As agribusiness interest increases and use-cases for blockchain technology become more prevalent, agriculture stands to benefit by lower transaction costs, optimized logistics, increased traceability, enhanced food and safety protocols, and potentially greater value creation across the supply chain, according to a report from CoBank's Knowledge Exchange Division.

Blockchain, which is an information storage technology that allows people to record transactions in a digitized, decentralized data log maintained on a network of computers, is already being put to use by major technology companies and some commodity merchandisers.

"This technology offers an opportunity for revolutionary change in food traceability, tracking of commodities and grain trading," said Tanner Ehmke, manager of CoBank's Knowledge Exchange Division. "The new uses of blockchain may be met with initial resistance, but those who break through and adopt the technology early stand to benefit the most."

According to the report, the technology will force supply chain partners to adapt as interest grows in direct-to-farmer marketing channels.

"Tools to connect farmers to the agriculture supply chain via blockchain are already in the works," said Ehmke. "Some of those developments have the ability to transfer the ownership of grain immediately."

In the intermediate term, the adoption of blockchain by retailers and merchandisers could pressure others in the supply chain to utilize the technology. Over the long term, it could hasten bifurcation of the agricultural industry, where those who utilize the technology would increase their influence globally, and those who don't could have access to fewer markets.



Realistic Expectations When Selling Land
Randy Dickhut, Senior Vice President - Real Estate Operations, Farmers National Company

Just about every landowner was extremely pleased with their good fortune during the historic run up in land prices from 2005 to 2013. It was hard to keep up with what someone would pay for agricultural land during that time. Public auctions were the best way to have market-based price discovery in setting what the land was worth on any given day. Since 2013, farm and ranch values have declined due to lower commodity prices, which has changed what the market will pay for land.

In a declining market like we have experienced since 2014, it is more difficult for some landowners to have a realistic idea of what their ag land is worth. Everyone likes values going up, but it is harder to accept declining values and to see lower prices for most types of ag land. This is especially true if the landowner is wanting to sell their land. Deciding the listing price or what would be an acceptable price to take at an auction is an exercise in obtaining good data, analyzing the market, and being realistic in price expectations. It is human nature to think what we have to sell, no matter if it is a house, land, or personal property, is worth more than what the marketplace will actually pay. With today's land market, prices and how they are reacting is different by region, local area, quality of land, and commodity production.

When setting realistic expectations for selling ag land, Farmers National Company agents have the expertise and knowledge to assist landowners. Agents have to obtain good data such as comparable sales in the area around the seller's land, productivity of the soils, rental rates, and other economic factors. Knowing the local market is also key to setting realistic prices for land because you need to understand how aggressive local buyers are at the time, how much land is currently on the market, and if the land is suitable for investors. Good, qualified agents take all the information and insight they have to then provide a realistic selling price for the landowner. If an unrealistically high price expectation is set, the property won't sell. If it is too low, the landowner misses out on getting the best price that the marketplace will pay. Therefore, it is critical to have an honest and experienced price expectation in order to get the property sold at the best price for the seller. And Farmers National Company agents do that for our clients.